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ViewSonic CDE8451-TL, an 84" 4K Interactive Display, Now Shipping For $19,000
ViewSonic announces the availability of the CDE8451-TL, an 84-inch, six-point simultaneous touch, interactive large-format display with 4K Ultra-HD resolution. The CDE8451-TL delivers vibrant and detailed picture quality for ultra-high resolution imaging and touch applications, making it especially applicable for corporate, government, science and medical sectors.
With four times the detail of 1080p Full HD displays, the 4K Ultra-HD resolution of the ViewSonic CDE8451-TL is stunning. The large format LED-based screen and 4K (3840x2160) resolution delivers the finest in color, clarity and image detail. It also features a six-point touch-enabled surface that allows up to six users to simultaneously write, draw or annotate with fingers or stylus devices. The combined touch-interactive performance and ultra-high resolution make the ViewSonic CDE8451-TL the ultimate large-screen display solution.
ViewSonic CDE8451-TL
"By combining 4K resolution with interactive touch technology, two great innovations in the display market, the CDE8451-TL offers a best-in-class solution to customers that want high-performance displays," said Gene Ornstead, director of Product Marketing at ViewSonic "With its tempered glass overlay, scratch-resistant surface and anti-glare treatment, the CDE8415-TL is the ideal display for resolution critical applications like graphic imaging, mapping, wayfinding, education or corporate boardrooms."
ViewSonic's CDE8451-TL features a variety of connectivity options, including HDMI, USB and VGA, as well as RS232 for multiple display and device manageability. Fit with an ARM dual-core processor, 8GB storage and an Android 4.2 operating system, the CDE8451-TL provides smooth and fast computing, and responsive touch capabilities regardless of applications that are running. The on-board Android-based system allows users to experience the expanding range of Android applications for business and educational environments.
"By combining 4K resolution with interactive touch technology, two great innovations in the display market, the CDE8451-TL offers a best-in-class solution to customers that want high-performance displays,"
The CDE8451-TL comes with ViewSonic's ViewBoard software that allows users to write and edit documents and images on the screen in real-time. With the optional ViewSonic NMP-708 slot-in PC, the CDE8451-TL can be converted into a dual OS interactive large format display. The NMP-708 utilizes an Intel i5 processor and an NVIDIA GPU, ensuring accelerated video performance needed for 4K content. With a built-in Windows 8 operating system, the NMP-708 provides Windows-compatible touch functionality and access to MS Office Suite applications. The ViewSonic NMP-708 also delivers additional computing power for users requiring X86 PC architectures.
The CDE8451-TL 84-inch Interactive Display is shipping for an MSRP of $18,999.99(USD). The NMP-708 Slot-in PC Network Media Player is also available for an MSRP of $1,199.99(USD).
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Protests have erupted in Iran over the last two days. 27 have been killed by the regime and at least a thousand arrested. The terroristic regime has oppressed the people of Iran to the breaking point. All monies are funneled to terrorists like Hamas and Hezbollah and the people are suffering. Struggling to provide basics like food their quality of life has plunged.
If you have Twitter retweet these reports and show your solidarity.
The regime raised gas prices to an already oppressed people. The current regime has been branded terrorists and they are proving this today. We must stand with the innocent people of Iran. It has been reported that in some areas the protests are led by women. Women suffer greatly in Iran. Among other things morality police frequently beat women who refuse to cover their heads. While western women remain silent or come out in support of the very covering that is oppressing women in Iran. Women in the West should be screaming yet the rights groups are silent.
The internet has been cut by the regime. But we need to share, share ,share our support for the people. Let the terrorist regime of Iran know that we demand they be held accountable and charged in crimes against its citizens. Hold them accountable now. Pray for the people of Iran.
If you have Facebook share these reports and show you care.
Proverbs 28:15
Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Isaiah 10:1
Woe to those who enact evil statutes And to those who constantly record unjust decisions

subset: commoncrawl


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This American Life just solved Volkswagen's Branding PR debacle free of charge.
I've been thinking about VW's diesel fraud a lot lately. Why? Because I was one of the VW faithful – one of the tribe. I drive a VW Jetta TDI and have felt betrayed by a friend. And every day that I drive my car I wonder if the person behind me at the stoplight is looking at the "TDI" emblem and shaking their head thinking 'you poor sap.'
My interest has also been sparked by attending some Branding Seminars at our local business center, The Enterprise Center of Johnson County, and following classes on Marketing and Branding on Coursera, specifically 'Brand Management: Aligning Business, Brand and Behavior, by the London School of Business' Nader Tavassoli.
For Tavassoli's class we had an assignment where we were to look at a brand we were interested (typically that of the company you work for, but in my case, VW) and ask people what they think of the brand in one word (apparently a mantra of Brand managers is: Distill, distill, distill). Fortunately for me, I don't even have to go looking for answers. Every time I open the paper there's an article like this one on the correction that VW is going to be using in new cars going forward. Every time I listen to the news on the radio, I hear reports like the All Things Considered report I mentioned in my last post.
So, what words are people using today to describe Volkswagen? Fraud. Liar. Arrogant. Mistrust.
What other companies have faced PR debacles like this and survived (or not) in the past?
- Tylenol – I talked about this one before. The message here being that if you get in front of the problem and make your product even better than before, you can come out on top.
- Ford Motor Company – Remember the Pinto? The New Yorker just did a brilliant piece in The Engineer's Lament.
- Nixon – well. There might not be a lot to learn here, but the country did recover once Tricky Dick resigned. Sometimes heads have to roll.
- Jack in the Box – This one got used in the This American Life piece – and, I'm not sure if I can really get behind their decision to take the offensive. Let's just say that there are various solutions to any given problem.
- Bridgestone Tires – Tread separation led to as many as 200 deaths and 700 injuries.
- GM, Ford, and Chrysler CEOs– We learn that sometimes it's a bad idea to fly your private corporate jet to Washington DC to ask for $25 Billion in bailout funds. In this case, the shaming was personal and was 'rectified' by driving hybrids to all future government meetings.
#6 doesn't really fit the mold of brand problems, but it was a PR problem for these CEOs. Why? Irony. That's why. And this is the problem that VW is facing: VW's brand was built on Trust. When Nixon lost the country's trust, he had to resign from office. There was no saving his brand. People like to see perpetrators pay for the problems they cause.
#1 – Tylenol. That had irony too. A medicine that kills. There was a good chance that it would be the end of that brand, but instead, they doubled down and said, 'Not only are we going to make our product safer. We're going to make all medicines safe.' What could VW learn from this? Perhaps incorporating software to make the driver aware of their car's emmissions just as many cars now show instantaneous MPG readings. Perhaps by inventing a product that can improve all diesel engines. Perhaps by bringing in a third party regulator to ensure that all VW standards are upheld across the board.
Today, while raking leaves from the front yard, I listened to the new This American Life podcast by Ira Glass that brought up the problem of VW's brand. And, as fast as that, they solved it by going to ad execs and asking for ways to stop the bleeding of trust. 1-2-3.
- Invite an outside group to do some 'All Access' reporting on the way that VW goes to solve its problem.
- Crowdsource the solution – and keep their mouths shut and their ears open (my least favorite idea)
- Move their headquarters to Detroit, Michigan, own the problem and make a solid investment in a city that needs it right here in America (my favorite idea – it's a big one, and costs a hell of a lot – but at least the property itself will be cheap)


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Is my dog allowed to enter the swimming pool area?
Monday, 22 February 2016 / Published in FAQ
The swimming pool area is encircled by a fence. For obvious reasons of hygiene, dogs are not allowed to enter the fenced area. However, all arround the fenced area there is a green shadowed area where pets can stay at close hand. In fact they can see and feel their owner the , close to their the area is set in such a way to allow people to stay next to their pets. As shown in the picture.
Tripadvisor Certified
(Italiano) Certificato Eccellenza Strutture Provincia Pesaro e Urbino


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Reflecting back to 2014, I worked with some youth from a neighbouring Mohawk community who were going through our traditional rites of passage ceremonies. In addition to processing traditional knowledge, myself and a colleague of mine ran through an arts-based workshop on leadership and youth/community mobilization.
We used interactive activities to deconstruct the definitions of leadership and help each youth (11-21) reapply new concepts to themselves. To finish, we facilitated the creation of 30 foot mural of leadership in Indigenous communities.
To have a workshop facilitated in your community, please do not hesitate to contact me.


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In Flanders' fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders' fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high,
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders' Fields.
In the spring of 1915, shortly after losing a friend in Ypres, a Canadian doctor, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae was inspired by the sight of poppies growing in battle-scarred fields to write a now famous poem called 'In Flanders Fields'. After the First World War, the poppy was adopted as a symbol of Remembrance.
* * *
Veterans Day Tribute, 2017 — Poppy photos by Mary O'Connor


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Frankly, I pictured Sam getting bored or frustrated as time passed. As a result, I didn't invite Sam back for a second round of interviews. I was in touch with Sam afterwards and provided a complete explanation of my reasoning; it turned out my projection had been spot on.
Over the past few weeks, I've been doing some hiring. While comparing/evaluating candidates to choose the most suitable one, I realized:
- that my thought process is quite involved; and
- it might benefit some people – either hiring managers or applicants – in their own career journeys to understand that thought process
So, read on if you're into that sort of thing.
At the highest level, there are three questions I'm looking to answer in an interview: Can you do the job? Will you like the job? Will we (as a team) work well together?
Sound familiar? That's because I've written about it before.
[Related: enjoy this collection of posts relating to hiring]
Usually, just these three questions are sufficient to create some initial separation from the candidate pool (typically anywhere from 5-8 people).
After that 'filter', a few candidates remain and I have to dig deeper.
Plus, as much as possible (and how much is possible varies significantly), I want to tailor the role to a candidate.
Please allow me to get a bit engineery with you: choosing between candidates is like a big optimization exercise in which I'm trying to satisfy three simultaneous parameters. I have to define a role that:
- Aligns with / fulfills company and departmental objectives, the basic requirements of which are covered in the job post
- Caters to / leverages a candidate's strengths and experience, which is where a good chunk of the tailoring comes in
- Taps into a candidates interests, which is responsible for the rest of the tailoring
…all while thinking about the medium and longer term.
That is, as I look forward to the evolving nature of our team and our department, I ask myself how the role will evolve in scope or function, and then ask if, in doing so, will it stay 'aligned' with the candidate (e.g., it's no good if the role expands faster than the candidate, it's no good if the role doesn't evolve as quickly as the candidate needs/wants, and so on).
In other words, the three parameters above must be considered in the long term, in the larger context of the wider organization. Of course, I can't perfectly anticipate the future, but I can feel pretty secure in some broad points and direction.
So here's what I do: For each candidate who satisfied the initial 'requirements' (the three questions), I envision/define a role as per the three parameters above. In conjunction, I project 6 months, 1 year, 2+ years into the future to identify what functions, tasks, initiatives, etc. my team (Product Marketing) will likely need to cover in those time-frames.
This projection becomes the criterion by which I determine who to invite back for a second round of interviews: by comparing each role/candidate against the future, I attempt to determine who will be the best fit, enjoy the most success, and actually enjoy him- or herself the most, over the longer term, based on the (albeit) limited understanding of each person that I've developed through our initial conversation.
That is, as I look forward to the evolving nature of our team and our department, I ask myself how the role will evolve in scope or function, and then ask if, in doing so, will it stay 'aligned' with the candidate…This projection becomes the criterion by which I determine who to invite back for a second round of interviews.
Armed with a relative ranking of who I think will be the best long-term fit (and the person being happy/satisfied is a big part of that, for me), I invite some candidates back for subsequent interviews. If the rankings are tight, then I might invite more folks back; if there are some applicants who've separated themselves, then I'll probably invite fewer. The subsequent interviews are, generally, with my boss, folks on my team, and some other marketing leaders. Typically, I'll also quickly meet with each candidate again to ask any new or remaining questions, and to answer any questions that they've thought of during their most recent conversations.
My aim is to be left with at least two people who could realistically join the team, so I have a little bit of redundancy if my top pick starts getting unreasonable or unrealistic with his or her hiring terms.
Personally, I find this exercise to be very valuable. For instance, on a recent occasion I interviewed a candidate (for sake of explanation, let's call the candidate Sam) and we really had a great initial interview – the hurdle of the big three questions was passed easily.
But as I projected things out, my 'feel' was that Sam would be a great addition in the short-term, but that about 8-10 months in we'd have some divergence, in that the evolution of the role wouldn't properly tap into Sam's skills and that we'd quickly exhaust some of the immediate objectives without filling the queue with suitable replacements. Frankly, I pictured Sam getting bored or frustrated as time passed. As a result, I didn't invite Sam back for a second round of interviews.
Of course, I realize this is all speculation, and can seem unfair in the sense that the candidates don't have the opportunity to provide a counter-view, but I have to do the best I can in the short time-frame I have, and all the candidates get evaluated in the same manner.
For whatever it's worth, I was in touch with Sam afterwards and provided a complete explanation of my reasoning; it turned my projection had been spot on, with Sam saying, "I can't argue the fact that this role likely would have a shorter term outlook for me. The fact that so many of your programs paralleled similar programs at (my previous company) did make me feel a little deja vu. I do like new challenges, so the bored factor was a concern."
I was happy to read that, because it meant I hadn't unfairly passed over a very qualified candidate. I'll also keep Sam in mind both for future openings that are better aligned, and for opportunities that I hear about from peers in the local scene.
Anyway, I hope this insight is helpful in some way. I'd love to hear any comments, and I'm always open to learning how other people engage in hiring.


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2014 was a rough year for me. I remember that year as Vivere Pericoloso Ndlosor Ndlosor. I can't revoke what was the great moment on that time. Getting married is not something I want to remember. However I will remember 2014 as a time I start Rumah Steril and met Goofy. I thought I have written a post about Goofy but when I tried to search I found zero result. Goofy is my friend and 1 year later Pippo came to accompany Goofy.
I never know where Goofy came from. I remember two years ago, I walked to Margo City through a quiet street behind Hotel Bumi Wiyata when I saw him. I could see he was confused and hungry at the same time. He tried to find food in garbage pile and seems uninteresting (finally, I find out Goofy is a picky eater just like me). I did not have skillful experience in taking care of dog. I only had 1 dog when I was a child and Blino was taken care by mother.
I was afraid on that time but I knew if I did not rescue him, lapo owner might take him. I called him and he came close to me. I tried to touch him, but he ran. So I walked slowly return to my place and calling him 'anjing yuk ikut' (hey dog, follow me). I was clueless what should I call for a dog. Surprisingly, he followed me without any lace attached. He was arrived safely in my place without any problems made. When he was inside the terrace, I was confused what kind of food should I give. I decided to give him fish.
R and I decided to find his home. We believed he must run from his home and unable to return. 1 month of waiting, sharing information, and walking in UI area, we got nothing. I named him Goofy the day he arrived because it sounds cool: Goofy, guguknya Vivi. I am grateful that my neighbour allowed me to take care of Goofy. He is Muslim and Acehnese, fyi. He even asked me not to find the owner as he was excited Goofy is a nice security guard for his shop *Goofy used to bark to customers everytime they came too early to Sabri's Shop and start making noise*
I remember 1 week after I found him, he refused to eat. It simply because he felt lonely as I went to Surabaya for 48 hours. I felt guilty on that time. Thank to Wisnu. He was the one who accompany Goofy for couple hours.
Sometimes Goofy sneaked out from the gate and run close enough to Lapo area, rarely Goofy bully the cats, but most of the time, he just sit next to me. After married and I was confident enough to take care another dog, we adopt Pippo. A little girl who left in Klinik Hewan Depok by her owner. It was an awesome idea, Goofy is more excited during his daily life. He has friend to play with. They go together every single time like twins. If I give foods, Pippo will wait until Goofy start to eat. Goofy always lick Pippo to make sure she is clean. I am glad Pippo can go along with Goofy.
Without Goofy, Pippo and the cats, I might end up in severe loneliness. I am grateful, I have them to take care of. They make me busy, stay alive, and believe nothing lasts forever in this world including loneliness.


text: And the double diffuser, blown exhausts, the FRIC, Traction Control and everything else under the sun.Jolle wrote: ↑Thu May 16, 2019 12:49 pmoh... and active suspension, ground effect skirts and a blower on the back! with a turbo engine without restrictors and one lap qualifying tires. and that 150RON fuel!!


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As the Trump administration prepares the military to distribute a so-called COVID-19 vaccine, even though there has never been a successful Coronavirus vaccine ever developed, serious questions are starting to be raised about the safety of the vaccine.
NIAID director Anthony Fauci, one of the biggest cheerleaders of crashing our economy to stop a so-called pandemic that still has failed to reach worldwide seasonal flu numbers, let the truth slip out in a meeting today hosted by the not-for-profit TB Alliance.
According to Fauci's own admission, the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines being developed could have a "vaccine-induced immune enhancement" that could actually enhance the infection and make it even more deadly once you are exposed to the actual virus.
You can't make this shit up! They are developing a vaccine for a so-called pandemic that may actually make the virus even more deadly and effective. In fact, going into this they were fully aware of what could happen since previous SARS vaccines enhanced the virus in animal studies.
Bill Gates warns multiple coronavirus vaccine doses will be needed and schools should stay closed for another YEAR
And to ratchet up the complete insanity, we also have Bill Gates, who will financially benefit from forced public vaccinations, out there saying that while he knows the vaccines in development aren't that effective, to combat the fact that they don't work people will need MULTIPLE INJECTIONS!
Keep in mind; a majority of the "scientists" who are saying millions of people could die are the same scientists who have been telling us global warming was going to kill us all for the last 40 years! They are also the same fear mongers who claimed just a few months ago that we would have millions of deaths here in the United States by July.
Imagine a Pandemic where the only way to know you're sick is going to a testing center to be told you are sick!!! Now imagine a world where people are so dumb they actually line up for those tests while perfectly healthy! pic.twitter.com/Hh11G4JmTB— OFFGRID Survival (@offgridsurvival) July 23, 2020


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Five community projects are getting cash awards from the Iowa Farm Bureau as "Community Health Prize" winners. Marion High School's "empty bowls" project is getting five-thousand dollars. Marion volunteer coordinator Joan Hackbarth says the kids decided to mold ceramic bowls, sell 'em and donate the profits to the Marion Food Bank. Hackbarth says in the first year, the Marion kids made and sold about 70 ceramic bowls. Today, hundreds are made. Other "Community Health Prize" winners are Southern Appanoose County's First Responders, the Dallas Community Clothes Pantry, Muscatine's "Safe Streets" project and the "Healthy Siouxland Initiative" in Sioux City.
You are here: Home / Health / Medicine / Five Iowa communities win praise, cash


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One in a series entitled Portraits: Faces and Profiles of Utility
Pictured this way, this particular subject grouping becomes iconic – almost too much so perhaps. For me it is precisely this issue. This is the quintessential farmstead of 1904 pictured in 2006. Do we really see these farmsteads as symbols anymore or has this way of life receded into personal memory only?
More of my project work here: www.mattniebuhr.com


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Ross Gibson, Seven Versions of an Australian Badland (UQP 2002)
I finished reading this book a while ago but it's taken me until now to write about because I took it very personally.
It's a meditation on the so-called horror stretch, country north of Rockhampton in central Queensland that has a reputation as the setting for terrible events. Starting with a number of roadside murders in the second half of last century that made headlines all over Australia, Gibson explores the cultural factors, the 'structure of feeling', underlying the general fascination with those crimes. A 'badland' such as this, he says, is a way of localising and mythologising issues that are unresolved in the society in general. This description may lead you to expect something that reads like a bad translation from the French, with lots of stuff being inscribed on the landscape, and references to impenetrable theory. But no, it's an engaging read, and becomes positively compelling as it moves back in time to the terrible first contact between Aboriginal people and settlers, forward again to the ordeals of Melanesian indentured workers in the sugar paddocks, and forward yet again to the White Australia Policy's denial of the extraordinary diversity of the region.
'Sooner or later,' Gibson writes, 'any society that would like to know itself as "post-colonial" must confront an inevitable question: how to live with collective memories of theft and murder. Sooner or later, therefore, acknowledgement and grieving must commence before healing can ensue.' This must also be true of the individuals who are part of that society, and my sense is that for all the impressive scholarship and historical research that went into it, this project is at heart personal, a way of making personal acknowledgement and beginning the necessary grieving. At least, coming though I do from Innisfail, hundreds of miles north of the horror strip (and yes, I knew of it by that name in my childhood), that's how I read it.
Things may have changed, but when I was at school, history happened mostly in England (and elsewhere in Europe for Catholic Church history), and what we were taught of Australian history happened in Sydney or Melbourne, or occasionally the other capital cities. The only North Queensland figures I remember being mentioned – and that was at home rather than school – were the explorer Edmund Kennedy, speared by natives in 1848, and his faithful Aboriginal companion Jackey Jackey (whose real name, Galmahra, was never alluded to). The specific history of the arrival of non-Aboriginal settlers in the north was never even hinted at. As in the 'horror stretch', I've learned, this history involved mass murder by Native Police under white officers. Ross Gibson brings that history home, and a has a good deal to say about our collective silence about it. Even at the time of widespread killing of Aboriginal people in the mid 19th century, he says, the officers
jinked a two-step of violent action and circumspect remembrance. They wrapped their deeds in dissembling verbiage and eventually they became their own twisted idioms, developing a 'pathological' disconnection between doing and declaring, a disconnection which gave them no way to see the world clearly.
That 'circumspect remembrance' is something that has lived on in the north ever since, as 'white people simultaneously knew and refused to know the violence behind their everyday lives'.
Now here's why I took this all personally: in an entry in this blog a few years back I said I didn't know much about first contact between the Mamu people and the first settlers of the Innisfail region, and I gave a link to Innisfail's web site. When I clicked on that link I found this:
The first incursion came in 1872. Survivors of the shipwreck "Maria" arrived on the coast near the Johnstone River. Some of the Indigenous people helped; others they opposed. Sub-Inspector Robert Johnstone's search party came to rescue survivors and punish Aboriginal people who had abused them, and ventured up river from what are now Flying Fish and Coquette Points. Johnstone wrote glowing reports of the area, and with vigilante Native Troopers attacked the Mamu people with rifle fire as he escorted the explorer Dalrymple, charting the watercourse and having it named after himself …
When European cedar cutters and Chinese gold seekers arrived later in the 1870s and early in the 1880s, the Mamu fought them and inflicted serious casualties. Again the Europeans sent in the Native Police. Superior firepower broke up the Indigenous communities and dispersed or integrated the remaining original landowners.
The evidence is that I had read that and could still say I didn't know what happened, yet its meaning couldn't be clearer. Words like 'punish' and 'dispersed' are transparent euphemisms: the high moral ground assumed by one and the almost kindly feel of the other could mislead only the ignorant or, it pains me to say, allow the wilfully obtuse to ward off the obvious. It's impossible to stay obtuse after reading this book. And a further confession: I must have blithely assumed that if Native Troopers and Native Police were involved things couldn't have been too bad. Gibson puts that assumption to rest with his account of the way armed young Aboriginal men, uprooted from their own communities and freed of cultural restraints, were directed to kill and maraud. He lays bare the mechanism by which Indigenous people, under tight white control, performed the genocidal work of dispossession, leaving the settlers – good Catholics in the case of the first farmers of the Innisfail Estate – to move in with an illusion of clean hands, deploring the violence of the unruly ones who had made their settlement possible.
Gibson's discussion of the Melanesians who worked on the sugar farms is also compelling. I recommend the whole book.


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The whole crew gathers to discuss what it means to trust responsibly inside of fallen institutions and a fallen world, and what people might and must do to restore trustworthiness once it has been lost.
If you're interested in supporting the show financially, you can check out our Patreon here.
Finally, as always, follow Derek, Andrew, and Alastair for more tweet-sized brilliance. Thanks to Timothy Motte for his sound editing work. And thanks to The Joy Eternal for lending us their music, which everybody should download out of gratitude for their kindness.


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Oracle Privileged Account Manager 11g R2 PS2 has the concept of Session Check Out which is supported for SSH based targets (as of now)
In case of a Session Check Out
- The end user does not obtain a password to connect to the SSH target as it would in case of a normal Password Check Out (where OPAM creates an OTP of sorts)
- OPAM masquerades as and takes over the role of a SSH server and orchestrates the whole process.
This functionality is made possible by the OPAM Session Manager – this itself is a dedicated web application deployed on the same managed server as the actual OPAM (server) application. The OPAM Session Manager starts acting as a gatekeeper (sort of) which intercepts SSH requests on a specific port (as per configuration)
Take a look at this diagram to get a feel of what really happens (at least from a high level perspective)
Now let's take this step by step and try and figure out what's happening.
- In order to initiate a Session Check Out, the end user triggers a SSH connection on a pre-defined port (configured via OPAM Admin GUI) using appropriate tools e.g. Putty (my savior !)
- As mentioned earlier, the OPAM Session Manager (a web application) acts as the gatekeeper and intercepts the requests (in the above diagram the port is 1222 – default OPAM configuration). It does so via listener threads which it spawns internally. Instead of the SSH server (target) password, the end user can just use his OPAM credentials itself (I hope you realize how critical this is! no more using target passwords at all) and OPAM Session Manager delegates the authentication to the Master – yes, its the OPAM Server. It does so via a simple REST call. Nice and easy so far !
- The OPAM Server sends back the response of the authentication request back to the Session Manager.
- There is no point talking about an unsuccessful authentication attempt. Right?! Of course the end user does not get access to the target! What's more useful is to understand what happens if the user authenticates successfully. On a successful authentication attempt, the OPAM Session Manager internally opens up a channel to the actual target (SSH server) and forwards all requests via the end user to the target without exposing the target directly to the end user. This is extremely vital and is directly responsible for the Real Time Session Monitoring capability which OPAM provides. OPAM internally uses JSCH library to communicate with the SSH target.
- All the commands executed by the end user via the SSH tool (Putty) are pushed to the OPAM Audit DB in real time
- When the OPAM Admin logs into OPAM console to access the Session Monitoring feature and chooses a particular Privileged Account which he wants to monitor
- A simple REST call is sent to via the UI layer to the OPAM Server (with specific session ID)
- The OPAM server honors the REST request and core server logic invokes the backed DB layer to fetch the data
- All that's left is the data to show up in the UI itself ! There you go – real time (almost!) account activity monitoring, courtesy the OPAM Session Manager
For more on OPAM
- Official OPAM guide
- Previous blog entries on OPAM- here and here
Keep exploring and have fun.


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American Firefighters T-Shirt
The American Firefighters T-Shirt is a two sided print in navy blue. Front Design: Left chest image of firefighters symbol with text. Back Design: A larger image of the front superimposed over the American Flag with text.
Shirt Quality Information
Premium 4.7oz. 100% cotton preshrunk tagless t-shirt. This shirt will retain its original color through multiple washings. Note, we use the best quality preshrunk shirts available!
Item Code


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Upon visiting Thomas Jefferson's Monticello estate, replete with orchards, gardens and even vineyards, it's apparent he saw great potential for agricultural in Virginia. A well-known Francophile, Jefferson planted the first European grape varieties there, striving to replicate the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy.
Yet throughout his 56 years of experimentation, he never produced a bottle of wine because of the vine louse phylloxera. Today, his legacy is carried on much more successfully by a new set of revolutionaries who are pushing the boundaries of wine, cider, beer and spirits.
Jim Law | Linden Vineyards
"How many people get an opportunity to discover what the terroir is in a new region?" says Law. "Europeans have been [making wine] forever, so they can't. But we can!"
It was this pioneering spirit that led Law to northern Virginia in the early 1980s, where he established Linden Vineyards and set out to define the region's terroir.
When he planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Seyval and Vidal on the original six-acre Hardscrabble Vineyard plot back in 1985, Law wasn't sure how it would all pan out.
"Most of our influence was coming from California, not Europe, at that time, and we really didn't understand soil-vine relationships at all," he says. "It wasn't until about 15 years ago. All of a sudden the light bulb went off when I started traveling to Bordeaux."
In Virginia, the annual rainfall hovers around 40 inches, making it a wet, maritime-influenced growing region, much like Bordeaux. Using the model of Right Bank chateaus that plant Merlot on water-retentive clay soils and Left Bank chateaus that cultivate Cabernet Sauvignon on well-drained gravel, Law tore up most of his original vines, expanded the vineyard and began to plant grapes.
"All of a sudden the light bulb went off when I started traveling to Bordeaux."
Now, with 18 acres planted in his self-managed Hardscrabble Vineyard, as well as partner-growers who manage the Avenius and Boisseau vineyards, Law is finally starting to see the potential of each site.
"The vineyards are established now, and we don't really do much to express the different aspects of each site," Law says. "The winemaking is pretty much the same, and that's the beauty of it."
Law's Hardscrabble bottlings of Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend have created great demand. Only released under the vineyard name in good vintages, these wines strike a balance between Old World restraint and New World fruit expression. They've become the benchmark for what many Virginia winemakers strive to attain—wines that express time and place.
Wines To Try:
Linden 2013 Hardscrabble Chardonnay, $40
Linden 2012 Boisseau Red, $45
Linden 2012 Hardscrabble Red, $50
Riaan Rossouw | Lovingston Winery
A self-proclaimed hermit in the Virginia wine scene, Rossouw, of Lovingston Winery, has marched to his own beat. From Wellington, South Africa, his formative years were spent among the vineyards of co-op wineries that neighbored his home.
Rossouw worked his way up the winemaking ranks, first as a vineyard worker and cellar rat for wineries in South Africa. He became a winemaker in 2000 for (then) Oakencroft Vineyard and Winery in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Beginning with the first vintage at Lovingston in 2005, Rossouw has guided the 8.5-acre estate to express a personality as unique and intense as his own.
"All the little nuances that come in a wine, I believe that comes from a vineyard's territory," says Rossouw. "As a winemaker, you have to try to elevate the purity, transparency and clarity of those qualities."
Rossouw shies away from the heavily structured style of red wines often found in Petit Verdot, Tannat and Bordeaux-style blends from Virginia. His wines are delicate and restrained, often sticking out as the lighter-hued wines in a lineup of reds. The Merlot is plush and soft, the Cabernet Franc nuanced and earthy and the pet-project Pinotage is light-bodied and gamy.
"Some people will reject what you're doing in the bottle, but you still have to do it, Otherwise, you'll just be stuck as some little winery making square wines."
"The more I can break the stereotypical concept of wine and explore new territories within Merlot, Cab Franc and Pinotage, the more it's triggered my mind to ask the question, 'How far can I really go?' " says Rossouw.
Rossouw strives to push boundaries with every vintage. Minimal sulfur use (except at bottling) makes his winemaking style risky. Also, his experimentation with carbonic maceration, skin-contact white wines and stem inclusion for red wines are a bit unorthodox. To him, it's like creating a controversial work of art.
"Some people will reject what you're doing in the bottle, but you still have to do it," says Rossouw. "Otherwise, you'll just be stuck as some little winery making square wines. I'm here to give dynamic interest and flare to our industry."
Wines To Try:
Lovingston 2014 Gilbert's Vineyard Pinotage, $25
Lovingston 2014 Josie's Knoll Cabernet Franc, $25
Lovingston 2014 Josie's Knoll Merlot,$22
Luca Paschina | Barboursville Vineyards
Coming into his 26th vintage with Zonin-owned Barboursville Vineyards, Paschina, a native of Piedmont, Italy, is one of the frontrunners in the Virginia wine industry. Since starting as a consultant at Barboursville in the early 1990s, Paschina has taken the reins of this great estate, once owned by early 19th-century Virginia governor James Barbour. He's experimented with numerous grape varieties and developed high-quality wines.
His first vintage in Virginia (1990) was a cold and wet year, but Paschina still saw promise in the region.
"Despite the conditions, I perceived that the wines had potentially good aromatic precursors," he says. "This perception was confirmed with the following warm and dry vintage."
These swings from year to year make achieving consistency difficult.
"Cabernet Franc was definitely a winner since the 1976 planting. It is still today, along with Merlot, Petit Verdot and Nebbiolo."
When Gianni Zonin purchased the plantation in the late 1970s, his team planted several different varieties. Alicante Bouschet, Malvasia Bianca, Pinot Noir and Gewürztraminer were among the mix, yet these did not produce consistent quality wine.
"Cabernet Franc was definitely a winner since the 1976 planting," says Paschina. "It is still today, along with Merlot, Petit Verdot and Nebbiolo."
In the mid-1990s, Paschina and his team began blending trials to develop an iconic wine that paid homage to the estate's history. This began the legacy of Octagon, which harkens back to Thomas Jefferson, who designed the central octagon drawing room in Barbour's mansion.
Octagon is "the grand vin that best represents the terroir of our Davidson red clay, coming from the blending of up to nine parcels, including Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon," says Paschina.
Beyond this top-echelon bottling, Paschina has been the driving force behind experimentation with other grape varieties like Nebbiolo, Vermentino and Ribolla Gialla. As Barboursville celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, Paschina's pioneering spirit and drive for quality is likely to lead the winery to a lasting future.
Wines To Try:
Barboursville 2014 Reserve Vermentino, $23
Barboursville 2013 Octagon, $55
Barboursville 2013 Reserve Nebbiolo, $35
Diane Flynt | Foggy Ridge Cider
Tenacious and headstrong in advocating for quality cider, Flynt, of Foggy Ridge Cider, will admit she gets on a soap box from time to time. But when you're a two-time James Beard Award nominee who makes world-class ciders, a little preaching is allowed.
After leaving the banking industry in the late 1990s, Flynt began cultivating long-forgotten apple varieties—Hewe's Crab, Harrison, Tremlett's Bitter, Dabinett and more. These high-acid, high-tannin varieties were essential in reviving a beverage that was an integral part of colonial America.
"When my husband and I planted the orchard, our goal, really, was to grow ingredients and to start with ingredients," says Flynt.
While cider can be made with readily available varieties like McIntosh, Gala and Red Delicious, they lack the astringent tannins and sharp acids that contribute to a well-structured, complex cider. Through advice from Steve Wood, American orchardist of Farnum Hill Ciders, and Peter Mitchell, the foremost cider and perry authority in the United Kingdom, Flynt learned she had to grow the heirloom varieties in order to make high-quality cider.
"We have a style of a production year that's very much like wine. We harvest in the fall, begin fermenting slowly as possible up through the winter, blend, bottle, briefly rest and start again."
Since the sale of the first bottle in 2005, Foggy Ridge has ranked among the top cider producers in America, with Flynt crafting well-loved high-acid, fruit-forward ciders that range from dry to off dry in style.
"We have a style of a production year that's very much like wine," she says. "We harvest in the fall, begin fermenting slowly as possible up through the winter, blend, bottle, briefly rest and start again."
With cider often considered a beer alternative, Flynt counters that cider and wine belong hand-in-hand.
This sentiment was only strengthened in 2015 when Flynt rejoined the Virginia Wine Board, a group of growers and winery representatives that educate and market Virginia wine and cider, as well as promote research for further advancement. With this and many other regional organizations, Flynt is truly one of the leaders in the American cider industry.
Ciders To Try:
First Fruit, $16
Serious Cider, $18
Stayman Winesap, $16
Patrick Murtaugh | Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Murtaugh has brewing in his blood. His great-great-grandfather made the lauded Gold Medal Tivoli Lager for Springfield Breweries Co. near the turn of the 19th century, awarded a gold medal at the International Exposition in Baden-Baden, Germany.
His great-grandfather and great-uncle share his alma mater, the World Brewing Academy at the Siebel Institute. It's not shocking that he's become a brew master and cofounder of a craft brewery.
In the early 2000s, Murtaugh and business partner Eric McKay were slinging bottles and drafts in New York City for Union Beer Distributors. They worked with some of the top beer brands at the time like Lagunitas, Sierra Nevada, Allagash, Ommegang and Chimay.
Murtaugh felt a new brand would get lost in such a large market like New York City. So after honing their marketing skills, in 2011 they opened a brewery in Richmond, Virginia. Richmond possessed a captive audience of consumers already engaged in the growing wine-and-food scene. With its proximity to wine country, along with a bounty of available local produce, the two saw beer as an untapped need in the market.
"It just makes sense to work with the community, whether it's in a charitable way or supporting the farmers."
When the community welcomed Murtaugh and his team with open arms, giving back only seemed natural. In the Reserve Series of beers, Murtaugh works with local farmers or artisans to source ingredients, like ginger and honey in the Gingerbread Stout or hops gathered from the surrounding area in the RVA IPA.
Murtaugh also developed brews that directly impact the local community. The brewery gives $5 of every barrel sold of Give Bock to regional hunger-relief organization Feed More. $10 from each barrel of The Great Return supports the James River Association, which seeks to restore the river's aquatic life.
"It just makes sense to work with the community, whether it's in a charitable way or supporting the farmers," says Murtaugh. "There are so many great local ingredients around. Why not support the community that supports us?"
Beers To Try:
Gingerbread Stout, $10/ 750 ml
Give Bock, $12/ 12oz 6 pack
RVA IPA, $10/ 750 ml
Jonathan Staples | James River Distillery
From D.C. political fundraiser and restaurateur to farm manager and distillery co-owner, Staples is truly a Renaissance man. Along with partners Matt Brophy (also CEO and brew master of Flying Dog Brewery in Maryland) and Kristi Croxton, as well as Head Distiller Dwight Chew, Staples is pushing the envelope with regionally focused spirits.
Opening in 2014, James River Distillery exploded on the market with its flagship product, Commonwealth Gin. Made in a "New Western Style," this aromatic distillate is focused less on juniper and more on ginger, cantaloupe, coriander, cardamom and black pepper. It also incorporates a unique botanical: hops. Using the Amarillo variety, which emphasizes fruity, citrusy flavors, the hops are not meant to be in the foreground.
"We use hops as a botanical and didn't treat them with any more prominence than the other ones," says Staples. "We wanted it to be a good gin with hops, as opposed to a gin with hops that makes a big deal about it."
The distillery uses close to 100 percent Virginia-grown ingredients for its line of three gins and one aquavit, but there are certain products that are not available locally. However, Staples is experimenting with growing wild juniper and a variety of hops on his northern Virginia farm in the hopes of making an entirely local gin.
"Using wild or cultivated Virginia products in a way that isn't common or hasn't been done is a big part of the project. It's taking farm-to-table out of the kitchen and into the bar."
The aquavit incorporates a piece of Virginia rarely seen in spirits. Aptly named Øster Vit, oyster shells from the Rappahannock Oyster Company are rested in the spirit post-distillation, imparting a bit of brininess to the caraway-forward spirit.
While using hops in gin and oyster shells in aquavit may be uncommon, Staples says integrating the region's bounty adds a unique calling card to his spirits.
"Using wild or cultivated Virginia products in a way that isn't common or hasn't been done is a big part of the project," he says. "It's taking farm-to-table out of the kitchen and into the bar."
Spirits To Try:
Commonwealth Gin, $34
Continental Gin, $34
Øster Vit, $36


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When you were child you had a pure mind; the mind which was free from worries and anxieties. As the time passed, you were influenced by several social, personal, familial and official crises such as financial complications, broken relationship, lack of trust, joblessness, failure in business, loss of respect and so on. When the mind is stressful, the associated germs of negativity, jealousy and pessimism add fuel to fire and hence your pure mind becomes impure. These impurities if taken out can bring back the mental purity hence real spirit of joy of childhood can be attained up to an adequate level. Off course you cannot fix all of your problem at once but you can train your mind to develop the skills which can help either bypass or overcome the depressed and tragic situations so as to give you a big time relaxation while you focus on the solution to your problems. Below are some techniques which can be used to combat the peace stealing triggers:
- Mind your own business. Yes, please mind your own business. When you start being concerned about things which are not related to you, you lose your grip on your thought process which often results in negativity disturbing the mental peace. Basically, your mind starts wandering here and there. As you know that a non-focused mind is evil's workshop hence the germs of negativity and jealousy gain more strength. So next time an unnecessary thought comes to your mind, think whether this is really something you should be worrying for? If not, shun it right away and focus on something positive, practical and fruitful. Article by Junaid.Tahir
- Surround yourself in positive people. Ignore negative comments and stay away from negative souls. When someone is negative, he spreads negativity and you get affected. Permanently staying with such people will have long term impact on your character so think about your company.
- Don't think about others too much. Remember the great quote: small minds discuss people; Average minds discuss events; Higher minds discuss ideas and Great minds act in silence. Don't allow your brain to compare yourself to others as this is an insult to yourself. Don't be Jealous; it's a heart killing disease, get rid of it as soon as possible. When you are jealous you focus on finding faults in others even if they don't have. This poisons your soul and steals the mental peace. Article by Junaid.Tahir
- You can't keep everyone happy. Don't be over sensitive. Be natural and genuine in what you do. Be positive, constructive and ethical in your deeds and then don't really care too much about others. Be aware, don't apply this formula to too closed relations. Develop trust to establish powerful relationships.
- Control your mood swings as it is an indication of unstable personality. Do it by not being over sensitive to others. Stop being reactive and implosive. Stay calm.
- Ignore your thoughts about being unlucky. Bad luck happens to everyone. It's not your fault at all. Time whether good or bad, passes quickly. Develop the power of not looking back into your past. Believe in the power of Now. Believe in your skills. Work hard and have faith in God; you will get what you have been entitled for. Be patient and see what God has planned for you. Patience and consistency in your deeds is the key to success.
- Simplicity in your character and living style can overcome the stress and improve your happiness index. Don't be socially sensitive and start following every single trend your social circle is following.


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The Peace Garden
I walk alone along the contemplative path that leads to the frozen lake. Past the still flowing stream, partially clogged with winter debris. The air is cold and my toes are too. The path is slick so I watch my steps. Thoughts of seasons past, flutter through my mind; the welcoming warm sun of last spring that gave away to the bright and lively summer where this place served as a cool refuge from that season's hot blazing sun. I think of the deep beauty of autumn and the how its jeweled leaves did shine in the afternoon sun. The maple is bare now; how better to observe and appreciate it's twisty and curvy structure.
Winter is a time of reflection here. It is very still and quiet. Ice has formed around the edges of the pond. I gaze down at the frosty ground and scan the bare limbs of the trees, looking for signs of Spring. I find none.
There are a few other adventurous souls who cross my path now and again, we nod a polite hello, each of us keeping a silent reverence for the peaceful surroundings…and peaceful it is, especially in winter. This gives my mind a chance to wander as my body does too, along the winding paths and tall pines that flag my way.
I think of how peace is so much more than the absence of war. I think of how much peace is needed in this world and how it is a yearning for so many. I feel a union with these gentle souls, it's as if we are all here together walking these paths.
I feel blessed to have such a place to retreat to; this Garden of Peace…it does such good for the soul.
Peace to you my friends,
"The Peace Garden has been a part of The Grotto's upper level since 1989 because of a generous gift from Henry J. Casey in memory of his sister Marguerite. The Peace Garden covers one and half acres."
From The Grotto website
This post is this month's contribution to BLOGGERS FOR PEACE. An exciting movement started by Kozo of Everyday Gurus. There are quite a few of us "Blogging for Peace" and we all would love you to join us! All that is asked is that you use your talents and devote at least one post a month to the subject of peace. Last month I wrote a poem for peace on my other blog "My Life in Color". I plan on alternating my monthly posts; this month here, next month there. With perhaps a few extras thrown in…
All the details you need to know are on a site devoted to this wonderful cause. You can find it here. So please consider it and GIVE PEACE A CHANCE!
Related Peaceful articles
Bloggers for Peace (spiritualworldtravelerblog.com)
give: share peace on your blog (thejolynproject.com)
B4 Peace: Peace Begins Within You! (ellynbaker.wordpress.com)
Peace is Not a Season (heartflow2013.wordpress.com)
Bloggers for Peace (bloggers4peace.wordpress.com)
PEACE is Possible (strawberryindigo.wordpress.com)
We Can Make a Difference – Right Here, Right Now (everydaygurus.com)


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Marjorie Mallon's latest book Lockdown Innit.
I am so excited to let you all know that the new poetry collection from Marje is on pre-order from 26th February: Lockdown Innit: Poems About Absurdity by M.J. Mallon
About the collection
Lockdown Innit is a poetry collection of eighteen poems about life's absurdities and frustrations during lockdown. Wherever you live in this world, this is for you. Expect humour, a dollop of banter and ridiculous rants here and there. Amongst other delights, witness the strange antics of a swan posing by a bin and two statuesque horses appearing like arc deco pieces in a field. Check out the violin player on a tightrope, or the cheeky unmentionables wafting in the lockdown breeze!
Head over to buy the book on pre-order: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US
Also by M.J. Mallon.
All about Marje in her own words.
I am an author who has been blogging for many moons: M.J. Mallon. My interests include writing, photography, poetry, and alternative therapies. I write Fantasy YA, and middle grade fiction as well as micropoetry – haiku and tanka. I love to read and have written over 100 Book Reviews
My alter ego is MJ – Mary Jane from Spiderman. I love superheros! I was born on the 17th of November in Lion City: Singapore, (a passionate Scorpio, with the Chinese Zodiac sign a lucky rabbit. I grew up in a mountainous court in the Peak District in Hong Kong.
As a teenager I travelled to many far-flung destinations. It's rumoured that I now live in the Venice of Cambridge, with my six foot hunk of a Rock God husband. My two enchanted daughters have almost flown the nest, but often return with a cheery smile to greet me.
When I'm not writing, I eat exotic delicacies while belly dancing, or surf to the far reaches of the moon. To chill out, I practise Tai Chi. If the mood takes me I snorkel with mermaids, or sign up for idyllic holidays with the Chinese Unicorn, whose magnificent voice sings like a thousand wind chimes.
Whats your day job when not in Lockdown
During the day, I work in an international sixth form with students from around the world. I'm the meet and greet lady who welcomes them to their new college and issues them with late slips when they don't get to their lessons on time!
So Marje what's your style of writing
I write YA fantasy, paranormal, horror/supernatural short stories, flash fiction and short form poetry. More recently, I have produced and compiled an anthology/compilation set during the early stages of COVID-19 entitled This Is Lockdown. Following on from this, in February 2021 I will be releasing Lockdown Innit, poems about absurdity which will be available in kindle and shortly after release in paperback.
I've been blogging for many moons at my blog home Kyrosmagica, which means Crystal Magic. From time to time I write articles celebrating the spiritual realm, inspiration and my love of nature, crystals and all things magical, mystical, and mysterious.
Well Marje I think you have a much more exotic life than me even now in lockdown!
Preorder Buying Links Lockdown Innit Releases February 26th
Kindle Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08VW81Q53/
Kindle Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VW81Q53/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56949934-lockdown-innit
Universal link for kindle: https://mybook.to/Lockdowninnit.
Haven't you written another book about Lockdown Marje.
Yes willow, Lockdown Innit is the second book that I have released during this time period
The first, This Is Lockdown released in kindle in July 2020. This Is Lockdown is a compilation and anthology of my diaries, poetry, flash fiction and 28 wonderful contributions from international authors, bloggers and creatives sharing their thoughts, poetry, and flash fiction during covid19. Many old friends contributed to the anthology and I discovered many new authors, and creatives via compiling this anthology.
Authors Website:: https://mjmallon.com
Authors Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/M-J-Mallon/e/B074CGNK4L
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon
#ABRSC – Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads:: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-j-mallon
Kyrosmagica Publishing
YA Fantasy: The Curse of Time Book1 Bloodstone
Poetry, Prose and Photography: Mr. Sagittarius
An anthology: This Is Lockdown
Kindle: mybook.to/Thisislockdown
Paperback: mybook.to/Thisislockdownpb
Short Stories in Anthologies:
Bestselling horror compilations
Nightmareland compiled by Dan Alatorre
"Scrabble Boy" (Short Story)
Spellbound compiled by Dan Alatorre
"The Twisted Sisters" (Short Story)
Wings & Fire compiled by Dan Alatorre .
Well Marje I really have loved having you here, socially distanced of course. Shall we have a
Before you go.


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Voices From The Classroom: The Great Debate
Voices from the Classroom, a series presented by NolaVie and WWNO, explores local education through conversations with those on the front lines: the teachers.
While superintendents, experts, parents, politicians and pundits have weighed in extensively on what's right and wrong with the educational system in Louisiana, it's the people behind the desks who must deal, day in and day out, with students, evaluations, testing, behavior, curriculum and, ultimately, what works and what does not.
Meet Philip Razem, sixth-grade teacher at Martin Behrman Charter School in Algiers Point: The Peace Corps veteran, who taught English to college students in China, has a master's degree in English. He says he's one of the youngest teachers at his school, where he's in his fourth year of teaching. He has become known for incorporating technology and arts into the classroom.
On why he teaches: When I was a senior in high school, I wanted to be John Keating from Dead Poet Society. I wanted to stand there and just rip students' hearts out of their chests with inspiration. I wanted to look at them and say, 'you can do anything.'
It started to change when I was in China, because I saw how many students were studying so hard just to get ahead in the world. They just worked and worked. When it came to that test, they did fabulous.
When I came back to America, my thoughts about education changed a great deal. I really wanted to take what we as Americans have and foster it. And that is creativity and critical thinking. It's what makes America great.
On how the past was different: I don't remember one time when I was in middle school a teacher saying 'you need to do well on this test; it's so important.' Frankly, I don't even remember taking many tests that were issued from the state. Sometimes I wish that's the way it was in New Orleans, but it's just not.
There's no part of the Leap test where they stand up and argue their point. I have the most talented student who's a great artist and will write a great graphic novel. But guess what? He's not the greatest at figuring out where the comma goes in the sentence. I'm heartbroken sometimes as a teacher, because I see extremely talented students fall through the cracks because they didn't do well on this test. And I've seen a lot of great teachers disappear because their students didn't do well on the test.
On how the past was not so different: A lot of my teachers at my suburban public school had tenure. They were older, they had a lot of experience in the classroom, and we looked up to them like they were gods. A lot of the teachers at Behrman Charter have a lot of experience. It's a veteran school; it's a veteran faculty, which is not something you see a lot of in middle schools in New Orleans any more. I'm 31 years old, and I'm one of the youngest faculty members. I think at a different school, I might be one of the oldest faculty members.
On machines and things: I love using technology. The greatest tool in a teacher's toolbox is his or her iPhone. I love recording my students doing creative things. Even just taking pictures. I create short little clips and play them back for the students. It's like teaching the same lesson again, but this time, their eyes are glued to the screen because they can't believe, 'oh my gosh, that's me on the screen.'
I'm teaching a lesson right now about the six-word memoir, and my students have made this iMovie video where they have to condense their whole lives into six words. They come up with things that literally make the faculty cry. It'll completely shock you how heartfelt these six-word memoirs are.
I wish we could have more. We do have access to laptops and we do have access to tablets, but not for every student. I wish that every child could learn how to type. I know it sounds a little crazy, but in about two years we will move away from the paper model and move to the PARCC test, which is completely on the computer. I teach my students how to write beautiful essays, exactly what test readers would want. But can my students type those essays correctly into the system? That's something that's making me a little nervous.
On machines and things in the future: My goal is to keep making these movies and, eventually, that first seventh-grade class I had will graduate from high school and then college and then have children. And they'll sit in the living room with their children and they'll say, "Do you want to see what your father looked like when he was in sixth grade? Check this out."
On his greatest success as a teacher: I have three things that I do at Behrman Charter that I love and hold dear to my heart. One is Chess club -- you'll never understand the look on a child's face when he finally understands what a checkmate is. They go nuts.
Also, I teach Introduction to Mandarin to first graders. It's wonderful -- and that's another thing about schools in New Orleans: There's not a lot of foreign language offered, and I didn't realize how important foreign language was until I was in a completely different environment where I was forced to speak a foreign language.
The number one greatest success I've had in New Orleans is the Martin Behrman debate team. At Tulane University, four times a year we meet with 10, 12, 15 other middle schools and we talk about complicated issues that a middle schooler would never touch in a classroom, because it would never be on a test, ever. They talk about things that I think most adults in America can't discuss at length. Last year we had a topic on the Electoral College. How many Americans can really tell you exactly what the Electoral College is?
On teaching technique: At Behrman Charter, we have almost complete autonomy in our classrooms. If someone prescribed a lesson for me, it would take out all the personality. And as teachers, we talk about those unplanned, teachable moments.
We have students every day who raise their hand and ask a question that is completely off topic. But we need to address it, because it's so important. Conflict resolution, world events -- my students talk about the conflict in Syria like they are adults, and they compare it to being bullied in middle school. It's just amazing, these thoughts that come into their minds.
How can you say, okay, we've got to move on; we need to learn what a semi colon is. No, no, no, I don't want to hear about that any more. I want to talk about the semi colon.
It's hard. It's incredibly challenging to do everything you want to do, to give the students what you think they need, and then also prepare them for that test.
On teaching to The Test: Sometimes the classroom experience is muddied because teachers are forced, indirectly, to teach for The Test. They realize the consequences of not preparing students for that test. It will not only hurt you as a teacher, because someone up in a corner office is looking at you as a number -- what percentage of your students performed basic or above -- but also you're hurting the student because, as you get closer to high school, the selective schools are looking at those Leap scores to see who should get in.
On stress: I don't think that any teacher loves the month of March or April. I think the most interesting case study would be to test the emotional stability of a New Orleans teacher in March or April compared to the month of October. I am a wreck in the months of March and April. You start to realize that you need more face time with your students. I rent out a room at Algiers Regional Library on Saturdays, and I beg parents to send their students to tutoring so that I can teach them one more time about semi colons.
It's so much stress compared to now, how I feel in September, when I can spend so much time on arts integration.
So why is he a teacher, really? I love it. I'm a long distance runner. Teaching is something that is in you, in your genetics, and you get high off helping people. It's stressful, it's one of the most difficult professions I think we have in this country, especially middle school... and you slowly and surely become addicted to it.
Send your comments, thoughts and observations about the series and New Orleans teachers to email@example.com.


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Linked with:
|Docket No.
|Op. Below
|DC Cir.
Issue: (1) Whether prudential standing is jurisdictional, as the D.C., Second, and Sixth Circuits have held, or whether it is non-jurisdictional and can be conceded or waived by a defending party, as the Fifth, Seventh, Ninth, Tenth, and Federal Circuits have held; (2) whether, when Congress enacts a comprehensive and integrated statute governing a single subject matter, a group of petitioners whose interests Congress expressly identified and protected are in the "zone of interests" of that statute and therefore have prudential standing to challenge an agency decision issued under it; and (3) whether regulated industries have constitutional standing to challenge a rule that, as an integral part of a comprehensive regulatory scheme, imposes substantial new burdens on those industries.
|Proceedings and Orders
|Feb 21 2013
|Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due March 29, 2013)
|Mar 19 2013
|Order extending time to file response to petition to and including May 13, 2013, for all respondents.
|Mar 29 2013
|Brief amici curiae of Oklahoma, et al. filed.
|Mar 29 2013
|Brief amici curiae of Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, et al. filed. VIDED.
|May 6 2013
|Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including May 24, 2013, for all respondents.
|May 24 2013
|Brief of the Federal Respondent in opposition filed. VIDED.
|May 24 2013
|Brief of respondent Growth Energy in opposition filed. VIDED.
|May 28 2013
|Letter of May 28, 2013, from counsel for respondents Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, et al. received.
|Jun 3 2013
|Reply of petitioner Grocery Manufacturers Association, et al. filed. (Distributed)
|Jun 4 2013
|DISTRIBUTED for Conference of June 20, 2013.
|Jun 24 2013
|Petition DENIED.


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Anybody that watches cartoons or anime is familiar with today's topic: the trope. Tropes act as a visual way for the creator of a work to quickly and easily convey a concept to their audience. They can take many forms-- a figure of speech, a character type, a plot device, a location or location type, a pattern of storytelling, a sub-plot. If you've seen the concept before, it is most likely a trope. Let's take a look at a few examples of tropes found in Butch Hartman's The Fairly Odd Parents.
Eight Literary Allusions in Animation: Celebrating National Book Lover's Day
It's National Book Lover's Day, an official-unofficial holiday celebrating literacy and books. People often mistakenly believe that real readers only read novels, especially the literary classics such as The Scarlet Letter or Oliver Twist. That's not strictly true. Whether you read comics or novels, literary classics or fantasy, you are a reader. Books have been … Continue reading Eight Literary Allusions in Animation: Celebrating National Book Lover's Day


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Ten lepers seeking to be healed! Outcast from society! Shunned away and rejected! No one with a desire to live free of this condition would get remotely close to them. People with this disease would often go hungry, thirsty, cold, die of sickness from it or exposure to the environment.
Leprosy is commonly spoken about in the Bible, starting in the old testament. In Leviticus 13 God had given guidelines to the Israelites about what to do if someone was suspected of this disease. There were specific instructions for the leprous person as well as for those that were clean. The priest was the one to make the diagnosis.
So what is Leprosy and why is it used in the bible so often? Why does Jesus give us examples of its presence and the healing that He provided to such people? In a short view of it, leprosy is a contagious bacterial infection that affects the skin and peripheral nervous system. It's physical symptoms are severe disfiguring, skin sores and nerve damage. It also affects the eyes causing vision problems to include blindness.
The person affected by this disease often looses the ability to sense pain which is the warning system that allow us to be aware that something is wrong. In the picture I am using for today's blog, the person got her hands burned because her lack of pain sensation.
Are you seeing what I am seeing? Sin does the same to us. The more we allow it in our lives, the more immune we become to sensing its destroying powers. If we give Jesus any credit at all, we have to take Him at His word that sin does to our soul and our Spirit what we physically see leprosy does to the body.
In our scripture today, ten lepers were cleansed by Jesus! They understood what was going on with their physical bodies as it was seen, it was known. The Israelites and the Samaritans did not get along but in times like these they were together, for in such a state, nothing else mattered. They were seeking survival! Oh, to be normal again!
They raised their voices saying "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" Jesus was not afraid of their condition! He immediately healed them! He said: "Go show yourselves to the priests" You are healed. The priests were to make it official and allow them to be returned to their homes and family again!
Normal again! Free from sickness! go, go.. For eleven of them could only see their physical healing! This was good! but one of them wanted to give back to the giver! He was thankful and seeing outside of himself he knew someone needed praises! thankfulness! He came back to Jesus and glorified God! Worshipped his healer and bowed down and thanked Him!
Why does Luke tell us the man was a Samaritan? Perhaps to show that Jesus had no distinctions. He is seeking for all, wherever we are! For the Samaritans were not a people who worshipped God only. They were a mixture of people that had other gods. This Samaritan came to understand who the true God was and was received with open arms by Jesus.
Jesus said to him: " Where there not ten cleansed? but the other nine, where are they? Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner? And He said to the man: "Stand up and go, your faith has made you well"
Made you well? What about the nine? were they not well then? Yes, Physically they got healed but they forgot or failed to know that there was a sickness that was greater than their physical one which desperately needed healing! Their Spiritual healing was not completed that day. The one that took time to be grateful and focus on Jesus did!
They all had called Jesus their Master but was Jesus really their Master? Jesus certainly didn't think so. He questioned their lack of gratitude. They grabbed on to their answered prayer and away they went! back into their previous life! Didn't they know Jesus wanted to give them much more?
The Samaritan got something greater than the healing of his leprous covered body for he also got his leprous covered spirit cleansed as well! He got to leave brand new! reborned! He got to enter into a kingdom living phase, through Jesus, he entered into the Kingdom of God even if still living on this Earth.
When the pharisees questioned Jesus on verses 20 and 21 as to when the Kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said: "The Kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say Look, here it is! or there it is! For the Kingdom of God is in your midst.
Friend, is your faith making you well? Are you focusing on Jesus today? How many times has He rescued you from struggles? If you are like me, many times! Did you take the time to come back, worship at his feet and thank him? have you made him your Master or do you only seek him when there are physical signs of distress?
If you call on Him and say Master, trust him when He tells you that without Him there is leprosy in your Spirit that needs healing. Take him at His word and accept His offer to restore you into His kingdom. Pray to accept Him in your heart and spend time listening to Him. His word, the Bible, is full of answers for you and me aside from the day-to-day walk with Him.


text: I had the opportunity today, January 20, 2013, to photograph one of the non-migratory Whooping Cranes left in Florida. It is my understanding there are only about 20 still living in Florida. They are incredibly difficult to photograph due to the fact they are almost pure white and this bird was at least 50 yards away. It was a thrill to see such a truly rare bird!


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What's The Eight-Year-Old reading this week?
Our mostly-weekly survey of the tidbits that cross The Eight-Year-Old's desk. This week, The Eight-Year-Old takes her first steps toward becoming a world-class literary tourist, cradles a crocodile, and shops for antiques.
A sampling of this week's books:
The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone
A week or two ago, Daddyo and I began our sneaky plan to turn The Eight-Year-Old into a literature tourist. Based on the recommendation of a friend, Daddyo gave The Eight-Year-Old a copy of Marianne Malone's The Sixty-Eight Rooms. This magical adventure takes place within the sixty-eight pint-sized and meticulously crafted Thorne Rooms at the Chicago Art Institute. Ever since reading the book, The Eight-Year-Old has been on fire to see the Thorne Rooms for herself. Sadly, when we biked out to the Art Institute to see them, it was a glorious day and we ended up spending all of our time at Maggie Daley Park. Next time, we'll have to take the bus.
Good Housekeeping's Best Book of Bedtime Stories, edited by Pauline Rush Evans &
Good Housekeeping's Best Book of Animal Stories, edited by Pauline Rush Evans
The Eight-Year-Old's grandparents took her antiquing this last week. When The Eight-Year-Old goes antiquing, she likes to look for old-timey books and new outfits for Tigery. I don't know how Tigery fared on her latest venture, but The Eight-Year-Old's library of old-timey books has certainly expanded. The Eight-Year-Old tells me that although both collections of stories from the 1950s make for excellent bedtime reading, she likes the animal stories better.
In the news:
As always, it was a good week for dinosaur news, but the most important piece of news from The Eight-Year-Old's perspective is the fact that this week she held her very first baby
crocodile alligator. She would like you to know three things about this experience:
1) His skin felt leathery, not scaly.
2) His name was Mr. Cuddles.
3) She was the only child in the group brave enough to hold the
crocodile alligator herself, instead of making the caretaker do it.
While photographic evidence of this event does exist, Mr. Cuddles was not up for taking a second Caterpickles shot, which means you will have to content yourself with this picture of Canelo's reaction to hearing the news.
Happy Friday!
***Updated 7/8/2015, after The Eight-Year-Old informed me that the animal in question was an alligator, not a crocodile.***
Related Links:
- What's The Seven-Year-Old reading this week? (Caterpickles)
- What's The Eight-Year-Old reading this week? (Caterpickles)
- More Book Reviews on Caterpickles
One Response to "What's The Eight-Year-Old reading this week?"
"What's the difference between an alligator and a crocodile?" | CATERPICKLES
[…] it has come to The Eight-Year-Old's attention that her Mommyo doesn't know the difference between an alligator and a crocodile. You may remember, a week or two ago, I reported that The Eight-Year-Old had spent part of her […]


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The health benefits of blueberries have long been touted. They are flavor-filled and nutritious, while still being very low in calories. In fact, researchers at Tufts University analyzed 60 fruits and vegetables to find out more about their antioxidant powers. Blueberries ended up at the top of the heap, rating highest in their capacity to destroy free radicals.
Canadian researchers have now found that "biotransformed" blueberries with bacteria from the berry's skin may help people fight obesity and diabetes.
In an animal study, diabetic and pre-diabetic mice saw a reduction in hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).
The key is the bacteria Serratia vaccinii. It's a new strain isolated from blueberries that appears to enhance the natural antioxidant effects. Blood glucose levels of the mice fell by 35 percent after three days of drinking the biotransformed juice.
"Results of this study clearly show that biotransformed blueberry juice has strong anti-obesity and anti-diabetic potential," says senior author Pierre S. Haddad, a pharmacology professor at the University of Montreal's Faculty of Medicine. "Biotransformed blueberry juice may represent a novel therapeutic agent."
The study appeared online in the International Journal of Obesity.
(via: Yahoo)


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The bankruptcy law was updated in 2005 making it more difficult to file due to stricter guidelines. Over the course of the last decade debt relief options have become more available enabling more consumers to pay off or negotiate debt in place of filing bankruptcy. These advances have saved millions of consumers from bankruptcy and still provide the debt relief needed.
There are six different forms of bankruptcy available to consumers in the US. Some require liquidation of assets to pay off creditors and then the remainder is discharged. Other forms allow some of the debt to be forgiven while the remainder is restructured with a court approved repayment plan. For all filings, there is an initial means test that must be passed in order to qualify. You must demonstrate that you will not be able to pay your debts in their current status. Credit counseling, budgeting and financial education classes are often required as part of the discharge.
Bankruptcy has an array of long term negative consequences. Your credit score will suffer for many years, though if your credit is bad already due to late payments and collections, it may not be reduced much more. Lower credit scores may result in higher insurance payments, difficulty renting an apartment and even difficulty finding a job. The filing will be reported to your credit report for up to 10 years and is considered public information. During the years following a bankruptcy you will have difficulty qualifying for credit, which includes buying a home or car. The further in your past the bankruptcy occurred, the lower negative impact it will have on your credit worthiness. It takes time to rebuild and reestablish credit after a bankruptcy.
The most common types of bankruptcy are available through Chapter 7, Chapter 11, or Chapter 13, depending on your circumstances. The rules for what can be discharged and what assets you are able to keep will vary from state to state. A local attorney is a great resource for the specific laws in your state. Debts that are typically included in a bankruptcy include the following:
- Credit Card Debt
- Unsecured loans
- Medical Bills
- Collection Accounts
Debts generally covered through bankruptcy include:
- Student Loans
- Tax debt
- Child support and Alimony
- Debt incurred after filing and some debts incurred the six months prior to filing
- Debt resulting from a lawsuit such as a DUI settlement
- Secured debt like your home or car (These can be foreclosed or repossessed by the lender if payments are not maintained. Generally you are allowed to keep one car and your primary residence as long as payments are continued)
Debts generally not discharged in bankruptcy include:
- Inability to make minimum payments
- Fixed income that will not increase over time
- Most debt is unsecured
- You have explored all other viable options unsuccessfully
Some indications bankruptcy might be right for you include:
- Debts Discharge Or Repayment Plan Arranged And You Have A Chance To Start Over
- Stops Collection Calls And Does Not Require Debt To Be Paid Back
- Required To Pay A Bankruptcy Attorney
- Filing On Credit Report For Up To 10 Years
- Court Decides What Assets You Can Keep And What Will Be Liquidated
- Court Overseeing Discharge Of Debt Or Repayment
- Must Qualify To Be Able To File


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With the #MeToo movement still at the forefront of today's conversation, psychology can help further the movement and inspire change, especially with the topic of victim blaming and who is more likely to take part in this.
Victim blaming as defined here is "a devaluing act where the victim of a crime, an accident, or any type of abusive maltreatment is held as wholly or partially responsible for the wrongful conduct committed against them."
Many women and men speaking out about their rape experience face the backlash of victim blaming, which can deter others from speaking their own truths. Psychologists have done a variety of experiments testing victim blaming and the situations and people who are most likely to conform to this belief.
One fairly recent study conducted by Amy Rose Grubb and Julie Harrower found that the gender of the observer, the type of rape, and perceived similarity to the victim play major roles in victim blaming in relation to rape cases.
In this particular study, it found that males are much more likely to victim blame in relation to their female counterpart. Making men more aware of the detriments of rape on victims and the abundance of problems it causes, which can include self-harm, STI's, substance abuse, dissociation, eating disorders, unwanted pregnancy, sleep disorders, suicide, depression, flash blacks, and PTSD, can shed light on the aftermath of rape and minimize victim blaming from occurring.
Rape is categorized into acquaintance rape and stranger rape, in which victim blaming is much more prevalent in one than the other. It is much more likely that a victim will be blamed if they know their attacker, which is considered date rape, rather than a stranger being the attacker where the attacker is almost always to blame.
To change this major problem, society as a whole needs to know that many victims do not speak out if they were raped by someone they know because of victim blaming, which leads to the majority of unknown rape cases and leaves attackers unpunished.
Rape is rape no matter if the attacker is known by the victim or not. No means no. These victims should not have to hide in fear of society judging or blaming them. The last factor that determines victim blaming is perceived similarity to the victim. This means that a person who sees many similarities, not just gender, is less likely to blame the victim because they want to minimize their chances of something like that happening to them. They defer the blame as a way of protecting themselves rather than actually thinking that the victim is not to blame. It's a harmful way to think and should be noted.
Even though the victim is not being blamed by people similar to oneself, others may not feel the same and still blame the victim. People should think more about the victim as an individual person who has been harmed through a traumatic event therefore shouldn't carry any blame rather than trying to calm one's own conscience by deflecting the blame.
Overall, this shows that psychology can help to benefit the #MeToo movement and spread valuable information to society, which hopefully mitigates victim blaming by significantly reducing rape as a whole.
Bree Bahn
Intern and guest writer


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Are you looking for new apps to download for your Android device? Here's a list of the Top 10 Best Android apps of February 2014.
1. Pandora
Pandora is an internet radio app that allows users to create customized stations based on their favorite artist, band, or song. You can also indicate if you like a song, and Pandora will program the station accordingly to your likes. Pandora is a great way to discover new artists and genres. When you register with the app, your profile will be public, unless you make it private. You can download Pandora from the Google Play Store here.
2. WhatsApp Messenger
WhatsApp Messenger is a popular messenger available for smartphones. Send and receive messages, video messages, pictures, and audio notes to your friends and and contacts. Enjoy group conversations and chat as much as you want. There is no additional cost to send WhatsApp messages internationally. You can download WhatsApp Messenger from the Google Play Store here.
3. Any.Do To-do List
Any.do is a beautifully designed to-do list developed by Any.do. Simply tap on the microphone icon and you can say what you need to do for the day. Any.do will instantly convert your words into text. Swipe with your finger or shake your device to remove a completed task. Make phone calls, send text messages, and schedule meetings directly from the app. You can customize folders so you can stay organized. You can download Any.do from the Google Play Store here.
4. Reddit is Fun
Reddit Is Fun was once banned from Google Play for easy access to NSFW content. Since its return, Reddit Is Fun has proven to be one of the best Reddit clients for Android, demonstrating a simple user interface that allows users to browse content and engage in discussions. Additionally, users can easily upload content found in other apps simply by using the "Share" button. Reddit Is Fun is perfect for both the casual lurker and hardcore Redditor. You can download Reddit is Fun from the Google Play Store here.
5. Photo Editor by Aviary
Photo Editor is a photo-editing app developed by Aviary Inc. Users can adjust brightness, saturation, and contrast. Other features include being able to add frames, stickers, draw, and you can make your photos into memes. You can download Photo Editor by Aviary from the Google Play Store here.


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On Friday Oct 25th MVTB had a crew from SCORE AmeriCorps / Skagit VISTA join us for a special session. Thank you to their group of volunteers.
AmeriCorps is a program of the U.S. federal government engaging adults in intensive community service with the goal of "helping others and meeting critical needs in the community." Our members commit to 10.5-12 months of full-time service in helping meet these needs. The mission of SCORE AmeriCorps is to provide economic opportunity for disadvantaged individuals including but not limited to financial literacy, housing assistance, job training, and nutritional assistance of low-income individuals in Skagit County. Our teams are primarily operated out of Community Action of Skagit County. You can read more about us here: http://www.servenorthwestwa.org.


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Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Black Gold for Bolivia
Friday, December 25, 2015
Mission Trip and the Drug Police
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Back to Bolivia-September Update
It has been several months since I last updated; here is what has been happening with Bolivia Mission Aviation since then.
Trip to the States
My family and I travelled to the U.S. for a two month visit in June. We left Santa Cruz in the early morning hours headed for Miami. It would be Saray's and Miah's first time in the states. Miah was born abroad as a U.S citizen, but my wife went through a long process to get a U.S. residency visa. Upon arrival in Miami, we had to clear immigration for her final approval into the states. After a short wait, and some questioning, she got the green light. We praise the Lord for blessing us during this lengthy process and the funding required for the various steps.
We then headed for Berrien Springs, Michigan, where my parents reside. I had fun showing my wife and baby the many differences of how I had grown up. Up until then they had only heard the stories, and everyday there where new experiences to be had. One example of our new found problems were with car seats. Miah growing up in Bolivia was not required to be in a car seat. Being eight months old and starting to move around, the idea of being stuck in car seat sent spasms of rebellion! Miah also breast feeds, making matters worse on the long road trips we took. Eventually she would win out, as we kept an eye out for the police and anyone that might want to report us to child services.
A couple weeks later, we drove out to Wisconsin for my little sisters wedding. We had timed our trip just right for this special event, and special it was! Saray and the baby got to meet all of my immediate family all in one spot! You can only imagine my joy to be there after so long and seeing everyone welcome Saray and baby Miah into the family. The wedding was truly blessed, as my sister married a dairy farmer on his farm on a beautiful June evening. The wedding was held in a wooded area of their farm with hay bales for pews! Afterwards the wedding party rode out on ATV'S to where the reception was held.
We returned home and prepared for our next trip! A week later we were on the road headed for San Antonio, Texas and the General Conference session. We made a short stop at headquarters in Collegedale TN and then continued on. Once at the GC, we helped man the booth for Papua New Guinea Adventist Aviation. I also got to share with people what I did in Bolivia as a pilot and my wife shared what she did as director of the health clinic. The place was so full of people that it was hard seeing someone more than once!
We drove back home and had 3 days to prepare for our next trip, this time flying out to California to see my oldest sisters's family. We spent time in the hills of Loma Linda, at the San Diego Zoo, Water Park and beach. Visited relatives and celebrated my niece's birthday. All of this was great family bonding time as our trip back to Bolivia was now fast approaching. We flew back to Michigan for a few more days. Before we left my wife wanted to see the Historic Adventist Village in Battle Creek, Michigan. My little sister joined as we toured the first Adventist church, Ellen White's Home; where she wrote the Great Controversy, and her and family's burial site. It was encouraging to see where our founders had come from and what they believed in is still burning in our hearts, to carry on and finish the work.
Back in Bolivia
Returning to Bolivia we were ready to begin our work again. It was refreshing to be in the states, but at the same time we got to see why we needed to keep pressing forward with the work here. I had not even arrived in Bolivia yet, and I already had flights to make. Praise the Lord!
Since mid April, we have begun to use our hanger and runway full time. All of our airplanes are now under one roof right in front of my house in the hanger we built over a year ago. Steve flew in the Mooney that was in Guyana for several months a few days after my arrival. What a blessing it is to operate from our own runway! This is a huge step forward in the growth of the program, while allowing for more efficient maintenance and flight operations.
I also made an ambulance flight for a child that was severely burned when a hot water pot spilled on him. I was thankful to have the airplanes flying to do this, as our main reason for being here is to do these types of flights. He and his family are now in the children's hospital in Santa Cruz, as he is undergoing skin grafts.
A few days later Steve and I got to do something we had never done before in Bolivia. Fly our airplanes in formation. The opportunity arose when two airplanes were needed to move missionaries to the same place on the same day. We flew out of our runway one after the other and met up in route. Flying side by side we were able to hone in our formations skills and take pictures and video. We had the opportunity to fly the same passengers a couple days later and again we flew formation. After dropping them off, Steve flew to Cochabamba to pick up DJ Knott, while I flew back to Santa Cruz.
Steve and DJ did some survey flights of high elevation regions where both DJ and us want to expand the medical aviation work. They brought back word and pictures of what they had seen. Very much like the two spies sent out by Joshua. We need to do more of these flights as we prepare to someday soon meet the demands of this high altitude environment. The first airport we want to land in is 13,000 feet high, higher than most small airplanes like to fly. Our small airplane is turbocharged, allowing it to take-off from high altitude airports and climb much higher than normal.
DJ also came to Santa Cruz to help get our third airplane going, our normally aspirated Cessna 182. This is our low land jungle airplane, and it needed bigger tires to operate safely. DJ and Steve put in time installing these tires. The end result is a much more capable airplane. We would also like to do the same to the turbocharged airplane. Flying our airplanes from our runway with bigger tires will make takeoffs and landing much smoother and increase the life of instruments in the airplane while providing the capability to land in the roughest of strips be it in the jungle or in the mountains.
The next step
I am working on paperwork to get our first nationalized airplane, and we are close to having everything in order. We will also need funding to put a new engine and propeller on the airplane. It has been a long process to get everything to this point, but it is all in the Lord's timing. Nationalizing the airplane also means the pilot would need to convalidate his U.S license and maintenance be done by certified repair station. All of which have their own challenges.
Before the end of the year, we would like to base one of our airplanes in the north of the country. We have new pilots who are ready to be trained in. As operations increase, we also see the need for more volunteers. If you would like to know how you can help, please send me an email to see where you can help us out, whether it is financially or being part of the team on the ground or in the air.
Above all, please continue to pray for Bolivia Mission Aviation, the pilots and donors who keep us going. We have gotten this far only though much prayer. We need it every day, to make the right decisions to carry the project forward to its full potential and keep the focus of reaching others though aviation. We need prayer while flying and witnessing to those who come in contact with us. Like David Gates likes to say, the important thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing!
From Bolivia,
Herman Gonzalez
Chief Pilot-Bolivian Lowlands
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Herman Gonzalez
Gospel Ministries International
Project Name: Bolivia Mission Aviation
874 South McDonald, TN 37353
1 (423) 473-1841 or 1 (423) 473-1842
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