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Recap of PACLUG 2011
The first edition of the PACLUG user group conference was held this week at the Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The two-day event was scheduled to piggy-back the View's AdminDev2011 conference. They actually overlapped schedules a bit on Wednesday and PACLUG was invited to the keynote presentation of AdminDev2011. The Tuesday sessions of PACLUG were focused mostly on Domino-related topics while the second day was mostly related to Websphere Portal. Had I known this I might have been tempted to skip the Wednesday sessions, but after attending them I can say that to do so would have been a big mistake. I got some very valuable information in those sessions.
After all, as technology professionals, it is important to keep up with the changes in technology. Simply put, if you're in IT, you had better be prepared for a lifetime of learning to follow the technology and stay employed. And for many of us, that's great. If we aren't learning something new, we're quickly bored. If this isn't you, you're probably a really good COBOL programmer working or a bank or insurance company. If not, then you should be planning your next career.
The knowledge I gained in the sessions was useful, but as I find with all of these conferences, the meat of the value of the conference is in connecting with new friends and reconnecting with old ones. I don't care how well connected you are via the Internet, nothing could ever match the rapport developed and connections made by face-to-face meetings, not to mention the "accidental meetings" with people you weren't looking for. That said, it was disappointing to arrive early on Monday only to watch the tweet stream talk about how people were not coming in until late that night. It would have been good to put an informal pre-conference social gathering on the agenda for early arrivals. This is the REAL Social Business.
For comparison, take the phrase "computer dating." It's a terrible misnomer. All the computer does is get people connected. The dating part always takes place meeting face-to-face. This is equally true for developing business relationships, though you probably put less emphasis on what a business contact looks like.
Sponsorship for this conference was amazing! There was no fee to attend the user group portion of the conference. It was FREE. Thanks to GBS, Panagenda, Team Studio, IBM, Elguji, BCC, ExtraComm, The View, and all the other sponsors. ( http://www.paclug.org/sponsors ) Also thanks to the organizers, especially David Stephens.
The conference was lightly attended, but this was only the first time this event was held. From the positive feedback, I expect it will be more popular next year. (speaking of feedback, there was no opportunity to submit feedback formally. That would have been very useful to improve future events.) Perhaps joining it with AdminDev2011 detracted from the attendance of each? I don't know about that, but I do know I had a chance to meet with people at PACLUG that probably would not have been there if it were not connected to The View's AdminDev2011. I'm not so sure about Las Vegas in June either. The high temperature was 104F – 108F degrees for the 3 days I was there. Not being a gambler, the extra-curricular activities were limited. Personally, I went to this even in spite of it being in Vegas, not because of it.
Overall, it was a good first event for the west coast. I expect it will grow in the upcoming years. Maybe I could convince the organizers to hold it in Seattle in July next year? That time of year we have endless sunny skies with temperatures in the 70's and 80's. Lots of extracurricular activities to do. We even have Vegas-style casinos if you really want that, though there are so many things to see and do here that are unique to Seattle, I don't think anyone would think of going to a casino. For more information about the conference, visit http://www.paclug.org/ http://lanyrd.com/2011/paclug/ and http://www.admin2011.com/
Posted on June 23, 2011, in Conferences and tagged AdminDev2011, conference, Las Vegas, Lotus, PACLUG. Bookmark the permalink. 1 Comment.
Thank you for the review of the conference, David.


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Blog Archives
How To: Heatless Styling
Posted by Ashling Moss
Overexposing your hair to heat styling takes a big toll on the health of your hair. It dries out the hair cuticle and exacerbates breakage. Hot tools are great for quick-drying and quick-styling. If you are a hot tools addict, try taking one/two days-off per week to let hair air-dry naturally and/or try this heatless styling technique. Your hair will thank you later.
❖ Duckbill Clips
❖ Spray Bottle for water
❖ Hairspray
Optional: Sea Salt Spray
❖ Start with 2nd day hair.
❖ Grab a section of your hair. The larger the section the looser the wave.
❖ Wrap section of hair around two to three fingers and roll towards the scalp. Pin hair with small duckbill clips (bobby pins will leave a crease).
❖ Wrap the hair in the direction you want the curl to fall. Inward curls, outward curls or 'S' -shaped curls – alternating between both.
❖ When you have pin-curled the entire head. Spray water to dampen the curls – do not soak.
Fun Fact: In the 20's pin-curls were also called "spit curls" because they used to spit on them instead of spraying water.
❖ Let your hair completely dry. If you want to do this at night and sleep on your curls, wrap a scarf around your head to prevent fall-out and frizz.
❖ Take out all the clips – carefully.
❖ Finger brush the curls and adjust.
❖ Spray with hairspray.
◆ Focus on where you pin the curls. I like to pin them just above the ear, leaving 2-3 inches from the top of my head.
◆ Try different methods of wrapping your hair to create a variety looks. For a simple wavy look – take extra big sections. For a more bohemian look – twist the hair and then pin-curl. For more texture – use a combination of water and sea salt spray.
Posted in Beauty, Features, Hair, How To
Tags: 20's, above the ear, air dry, alternating curls, Beach waves, bohemian look, combination of water and sea salt spray, damaged hair, dampen the curls, different methods, dries hair cuticle, dry hair, Duckbill Clips, exacerbates breakage, extra big secions, fall-out, fight frizz, finger brush, hair how to, hair styling ideas, hair tutorial, hairspray, healthy hair, heat damage, heath of hair, heatless curls, heatless styling, heatless styling technique, heatless waves, hot tools, how to, inward curls, larger section, loose waves, natural hair, need, outward curls, overexposure to heat, pin curls, quick-drying, quick-styling, s shaped curls, Sea salt spray, Second-Day Hair, section hair, spit curls, spray, Spray Bottle for water, Texture, tutorial, twist hair, use scarf, variety of looks, wavy look, wrap section of hair

subset: commoncrawl


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Thank You
Thank you. Two small words. How often we use these words each day, so that it has become watered down and is said sometimes without much thought to what it really means. But these two words are an indication of our knowledge of the place we hold in this vast universe. What a huge thought! Let's think about this: thank you means that we are not alone. To say "thank you" indicates that there is someone else there and that we are part of a great scheme. A scheme which we cannot comprehend in all its entirety. The complexity of life is such that we cannot hope to ever understand all that it is: only parts are revealed to us and each of us experiences these parts in varying degrees dependent upon our life experiences.
So when we say thank you, we are accepting that we are supported, we are cared for, we are needed, there is someone else who we can turn to, because when you say thank you, you are not saying it to yourself are you? You have acknowledged that someone else is there to say thank you to. Someone who has done something for you which has improved your day in some way. And however small this act has been, from stepping out of the way when you pass each other on the escalator, picking up something from the ground that you failed to notice that you had dropped, giving up their place on the bus so that you can sit, moving up a bit so there's room for you, watering your plants while you're away on holiday, or however big this act has been, like sitting by your hospital bed, full of dread, but smiling anyway, so that you know there is hope.
"Thank you" more complex than at first viewed when examined thoroughly through the lens of the human experience. So, we are agreed that thank you says that we are not alone, that we are supported, that we are loved and cared for. Thank you acknowledges that we are not alone. Two small words, spoken every day between two, or three, four, maybe more, speak volumes. Those words are a wonderful gift and a gift like that is something we must be thankful for.
~ Marie Williams
Marie's blog: ComeFlywithme ~ Dispensing Compassion through Poetry
Written by Marie for my, da-AL's blog.


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Technology Masters Degree Programs in Rhode Island
What is a Master's in Technology Degree program?
A Technology masters program could be a great academic choice for the student who is interested in studying the uses of computers and other electronic devices to solve human problems. Technology degree programs can vary from school to school; the broad goal of masters in technology programs is to provide learners with skills and knowledge in an array of technical areas.
Computers touch so many aspects of our lives. From ignition-less cars, consumer electronics, and cell phones, to online banking, we use technology for so many tasks. In order to maintain networks, create new software, and ensure that sensitive data is secure from cyber attacks, the workforce must meet evolving demands. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of systems software developers is projected to grow 25% between 2021 and 2031.
Technology Masters Programs in Rhode Island: General Information
There are different technology masters programs to look through on GradSchools.com. Some of these focus on the study of information technology, and combine studies in technology with business administration, management and leadership. Others may be specialized masters of science in computer science. If your goal is to be prepared to pursue a technically complex job, earning a master's in computer science could be appropriate. (Source: BLS.gov)
Popular Schools with Masters in Technology Programs in Rhode Island
FACT: According to the BLS, computer system analysts may work directly for a company or as independent contractors, frequently for an IT company.
Also, you can concentrate in Cyber technology, or, information assurance. With the dramatic increase of cyber attacks the BLS projects employment growth in computer systems designs and related services.
|Annual Mean Wage
|New York
|Metro Area
|Annual Mean Salary
|San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
|San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
|New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
|Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
|Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
What are Potential Career Paths in Technology?
There are different occupations within the technology industry that might be of potential interest for graduates. Some high-technology occupations are scientific, while others are technical or engineering oriented. According to BLS data, computer occupations form the largest portion of the industry, however, there are also managers, business and financial workers, and administrators, as different jobs help keep the IT world running efficiently. The four career paths that are identified by the BLS as having a high growth rate are:
- Software Developers are the largest occupation in the industry. From creating computer programs and mobile games to upgrading operating systems and designing software for cloud computing, this industry is projected to grow 25% between 2021 and 2031. (Source: BLS.gov)
- Computer Programmers are writers of code that is used to create software programs. Job prospects are predicted to be better for programmers who have a bachelor's degree or higher. (Source: BLS.gov)
- Computer Systems Analyst study an organization's current computer systems and procedures and design information systems solutions to help them operate more efficiently. (Source: BLS.gov)
- Computer Support Specialists provide help and advice to people and organizations using computer software of equipment. (Source: BLS.gov)
What types of courses are a part of a master's in technology?
A masters in technology may include courses such as cybersecurity, computer science, IT management, game design, information technology, and related fields. Courses are specific to the area of interest of the student.
Ready To Pursue a Masters in Technology?
Whether you are approaching a master's in technology from the standpoint of jumpstarting an existing career in the industry, or you are hoping to be part of the evolving workforce and in technology, begin looking into all your options on GradSchools.com. Whether you want to develop the latest greatest app, stop computer viruses in their tracks, or manage a team of IT for a large corporation, the technology industry has many career paths for the future graduate to look into. Find the Master's in Technology graduate program that could potentially help you reach your academic and vocational goals!
GradSchools.com Offers 3 Graduate Schools with Technology Masters Programs in Rhode Island
Western Governors University
Grand Canyon University
Colorado State University Global
Pennsylvania State University
University of Maryland Global Campus
Northern Illinois University
New England Institute of Technology
University of Rhode Island
Roger Williams University


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Jeanne Córdova is a proud troublemaker with a storied history. She's been an activist nun, human rights editor for the L.A. Free Press, and political organizer. Her newest book, When We Were Outlaws: a Memoir of Love & Revolution, tells her personal story in the context of the struggle for gay rights and women's liberation in the 1970s.
Learn more about Córdova – writer, activist, publisher and Latina – on her website.


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Don't you deserve at least one day to write?
Write 4 a Day is a series of one-day writing retreats in upstate New York. There is:
- no workshop
- no agenda
- no required activities
- no assignments
- no schedule
- no WiFi!
Unplug. Write. Don't write. Think. Daydream. Doodle. Outline. Come for the whole day or just for part of it; network, collaborate or write solo; wander the woods, hills, fields and streams of Universal Pathways for inspiration (bring sturdy shoes) or sit in a comfy chair and brainstorm. It's up to you.
WHO – you! We haven't had to limit attendance yet, but it's getting to be a consideration. If you want to be sure to reserve a space, email me via the contact form.
WHY – because you deserve a day to devote to your writing (or daydreaming or sketching or scheming or knitting or…)
WHAT – $22 fee for the space (cash/check/PayPal/$20 for HVWG members) and food (a dish to share or your own lunch)
WHEN – 20 OCTOBER 2019, 10am-5pm
WHERE – Universal Pathways, 692 Pleasant Valley Rd, Berne, NY 12023 – Phone: (518) 872-2272
Detailed directions:
90 west to exit 1S
20 west to
146 west to
156 west to
254 / Pleasant Valley Road (the left turn after the turn to East Berne)
The road winds along. Continue past the stop sign at Barber Corners, around two bends to the right and then down into the valley; look for the yellow house with a green roof and garage on the right hand side, just past the Browne Farm's big brown barn with all the quilts. UP looks like this:
Need a boost? How to Keep Writing with a Full Time Job


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Welcome to Celenga Apartments in Dubrovnik Old Town
The Celenga Apartments, Dubrovnik Old town are a perfect union of the past with the present. Sensitive restoration seamlessly blends with imaginative contemporary design to ensure the building retains its unique character.
In order to make this experience memorable we have dedicated ourselves to designing modern and comfortable apartments in Dubrovnik Old Town with a historic and educative touch. Whether you are looking for an overnight stay, short break, or annual family holiday, The Celenga Apartments will enable you to recharge your batteries, and nourish your body and soul.
The private Celenga Apartments in Dubrovnik, Croatia were once on the city boundaries and the impressive massive arch next to our building used to be the city entrance. In fact the street was mentioned in the fifth edition of the Statute of Dubrovnik in 1272. Over many years Ragusa, as Dubrovnik was once known, expanded and became what we know today. The Celenga building and the surrounding houses used to be valuable and popular due to the water tanks situated below the house. Everyone used to come there to fill a few buckets of water for their daily use. In fact the name Celenga originates from the Ancient Greek word "kelon" which literally translated means the construction for retrieving water from wells. Celenga house itself represents a fine example of Dubrovnik architecture of middle class Dubrovnik merchants and sailors.
When the building was fully refurbished special attention was paid to detail and all the existing structures were preserved, such as the stone shelves, water tank, typical wooden arches and the stone capital or the first floor lounge called "saloča" which was used as a central meeting point in every larger Dubrovnik house.
Offering period character with a contemporary twist, each of the apartments are individually designed and furnished. Furthermore, we have named our apartments after the main Dubrovnik fortresses, which have preserved freedom in Dubrovnik for centuries:
Minčeta - the most dominating fortress of the city fortification system,
Lovrijenac - built after a warning from Saint Blaise about the possibility
of an attack by the Venetians and one of the filming locations for the HBO series Game of Thrones,
Revelin - a large self standing fortress today used as a night club, conference centre
and exhibition area,
Bokar - a fortress overlooking a beautiful small cove and Lovrijenac fortress,
St. John - this fortress today houses the Aquarium and Naval Museum.
Different apartment sizes offer you different comfort levels. All our private apartments in Dubrovnik, Croatia are fully equipped and ready to meet your every expectation… LCD TV sets with satellite programs, AC, all kitchen appliances you may require, large sized bathrooms. Common areas offer more space in lounge areas and there are also laundry facilities which might be useful for longer stays.
Offering period character with a contemporary twist, each of our private Dubrovnik apartments are individually designed and furnished, ideal for a self-catering stay in the Old Town.
Celenga Studio Apartment
Studios: Bokar, Sveti Ivan. Location: 1st floor. Size: 21 / 22 sqm. Accommodation: 1 queen size bed 160x200 cm. Maximum Capacity: 2 guests. Bathroom: 1 bathroom. Fully equipped kitchen.
Celenga Superior Studio Apartment
Studios: Bokar, Sveti Ivan. Location: 1st floor. Size: 21 / 22 sqm. Accommodation: 1 queen size bed 160x200 cm. Maximum Capacity: 2 guests. Bathroom: 1 bathroom. Fully equipped kitchen.
Celenga Two-bedroom Penthouse Apartment
Apartment: Minčeta Room. Size: 56 sqm. Rooms: 2 double rooms with queen size beds 160x200 cm. Maximum Capacity: 4 guests. Bathrooms: 2 bathrooms (one with bathtub; one with rain forest shower). Fully equipped kitchen.


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The IRS on Wednesday announced that certain tax-exempt hospitals will be granted an automatic three-month extension to file their 2010 Forms 990, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax ( Announcement 2011-20 ). The automatic extension applies to Forms 990 with a due date before Aug. 15, 2011; the IRS is also directing affected hospitals not to file before July 1, 2011. The delayed due date applies only to hospitals and not to any other tax-exempt organizations required to file Form 990.
The delay is designed to give the IRS time to make changes to its forms and systems because of additional requirements for charitable hospitals enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PL 111-148). That law requires tax-exempt hospitals to perform a community health needs assessment and adopt a strategy to meet community health needs identified by that assessment, to establish a financial assistance policy, and to meet certain requirements limiting its charges and billing and collection activities (IRC § 501(r)).
The filing delay announced by the IRS is automatic: Affected hospitals do not need to apply for an extension. However, the IRS is encouraging new organizations that did not file Form 990, Schedule H, Hospitals, for tax year 2009, and who think they qualify for an automatic extension, to file Form 8868, Application for Extension of Time To File an Exempt Organization Return , to reduce the chance that they will receive a penalty notice from the IRS.
No late-filing penalties will be assessed against a hospital if it files its Form 990 on or before the extended due date. Hospitals may also request a further three-month extension by filing Form 8868. Form 990 is normally due by the 15th day of the fifth month after the organization's accounting period ends (May 15 for calendar-year organizations).
More from the JofA:
Find us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter


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I've been an avid photographer since Christmas 2006, when I received my first real digital camera as a gift. I instantly jumped into the hobby, eager to expand my skills, and since then, I've taken quite a few photos I'm proud of.
In September 2011, I upgraded to a professional-grade digital SLR camera, and found myself no longer limited by my equipment. It's done wonders for encouraging my creativity, and I always look for something new I can do with it.


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The Barcelona Spain Shopping experience.
Page Content
|Vogue shop
If you love to shop then you're going to love Barcelona. Barcelona Spain shopping offers around 35,000 shops. The city is also home to the famous 5 km shopping line. The shopping line stretches from the top of the Ramblas, through Plaça de Catalunya along Passeig de Gràcia and up Avenue Diagonal. Much of the shopping line is pedestrianised making it a pleasant experience to wander from shop to shop without worrying about traffic.
Along the Barcelona Spain shopping line you'll find a huge selection of shops including many of the big names like Versace, Giorgio Armani, Burberry, Bally, Cartier and Calvin Klein H&M and Zara to name but a few.
You'll also find many high quality Spanish designer shops supplying a dizzy array of clothes, shoes, jewellery, apparel and accessories with chic European style.
If you're a Non-European Union resident you can enjoy Tax Free shopping (VAT or IVA in Spain) on goods purchased in Barcelona. To find out how
All about Tax-Free shopping in Barcelona
El Corte Inglés
|Corte Inglés
Barcelona also has many large department stores. Two of the largest are in the centre of Barcelona Spain shopping line they are El Corte Inglés and Fnac. Here you'll find just about anything you want under one roof. The large El Corte Inglés shown in this picture is in Plaça de Catalunya
How to get to El Corte Inglés in Plaça de Catalunya
Metro: Catalunya (Red Line, L1) and (Green Line, L3)
Hop on hop off sightseeing tourist bus stop
Nearest stop for El Corte Inglés in Plaça de Catalunya is "Plaça de Catalunya" with the "hop on hop off" sightseeing bus
Public bus
Plaça Catalunya: 24, 41, 42, 55, 67, 68, H16, Aerobús
Car parking
Luggage Storage
Another large Corte Inglés can be found only a few minutes walk from this store on Portal De l' Angel - about half way down the street - you won't miss it.


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cookbook 'logrotate', '= 1.5.0'
(45) Versions
Installs logrotate package and provides a resource for managing logrotate configs
cookbook 'logrotate', '= 1.5.0', :supermarket
knife supermarket install logrotate
knife supermarket download logrotate
logrotate Cookbook
Manages the logrotate package and provides a definition to manage application specific logrotate configuration.
Should work on any platform that includes a 'logrotate' package and writes logrotate configuration to /etc/logrotate.d. Tested on Ubuntu, Debian and Red Hat/CentOS.
Generates and controls a global
/etc/logrotate.conf file that will include additional files generated by the
logrotate_app definition (see below). The contents of the configuration file is controlled through node attributes under
node['logrotate']['global']. The default attributes are based on the configuration from the Ubuntu logrotate package.
To define a valueless directive (e.g.
copy) simply add an attribute named for the directive with a truthy value :
node['logrotate']['global']['compress'] = 'any value here'
Note that defining a valueless directive with a falsey value will not make it false, but will remove it:
# Removes a defaulted 'compress' directive; does not add a 'nocompress' directive. node.override['logrotate']['global']['compress'] = false
To fully overrride a booleanish directive like
compress, you should probably remove the positive form and add the negative form:
node.override['logrotate']['global']['compress'] = false node.override['logrotate']['global']['nocompress'] = true
The same is true of frequency directives; to be certain the frequency directive you want is included in the global configuration, you should override the ones you don't want as false:
%w[ daily, weekly, yearly ].do |freq| node.override['logrotate']['global'][freq] = false end node.override['logrotate']['global']['monthly'] = true
To define a parameter with a value (e.g.
node['logrotate']['global']['create'] = '0644 root adm'
To define a path stanza in the global configuration (generally unneeded because of the
logrotate_app definition) just add an attribute with the path as the name and a hash containing directives and parameters as described above:
node['logrotate']['global']['/var/log/wtmp'] = { 'missingok' => true, 'monthly' => true, 'create' => '0660 root utmp', 'rotate' => 1 }
postrotate, and
lastaction scripts can be defined either as arrays of the lines to put in the script or multiline strings:
node['logrotate']['global']['/var/log/foo/*.log'] = { 'missingok' => true, 'monthly' => true, 'create' => '0660 root adm', 'rotate' => 1, 'prerotate' => ['service foo start_rotate', 'logger started foo service log rotation'], 'postrotate' => <<-EOF service foo end_rotate logger completed foo service log rotation EOF }
This definition can be used to drop off customized logrotate config files on a per application basis.
The definition takes the following params:
path: specifies a single path (string) or multiple paths (array) that should have logrotation stanzas created in the config file. No default, this must be specified.
enable: true/false, if true it will create the template in /etc/logrotate.d.
frequency: sets the frequency for rotation. Default value is 'weekly'. Valid values are: daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, see the logrotate man page for more information.
dateformat: specifies date extension with %Y, %m, %d, and %s. The default value is -%Y%m%d.
size: Log files are rotated when they grow bigger than size bytes.
maxsize: Log files are rotated when they grow bigger than size bytes even before the additionally specified time interval.
su: Rotate log files set under this user and group instead of using default user/group.
template: sets the template source, default is "logrotate.erb".
template_mode: the mode to create the logrotate template with (default "0440")
template_owner: the owner of the logrotate template (default "root")
template_group: the group of the logrotate template (default "root")
cookbook: select the template source from the specified cookbook. By default it will use the cookbook where the definition is used.
create: creation parameters for the logrotate "create" config, follows the form "mode owner group". This is an optional parameter, and is nil by default.
postrotate: lines to be executed after the log file is rotated
prerotate: lines to be executed before the log file is rotated
sharedscripts: if true, the sharedscripts options is specified which makes sure prescript and postscript commands are run only once (even if multiple files match the path)
The default recipe will ensure logrotate is always up to date.
To create application specific logrotate configs, use the
logrotate_app definition. For example, to rotate logs for a tomcat application named myapp that writes its log file to
logrotate_app 'tomcat-myapp' do cookbook 'logrotate' path '/var/log/tomcat/myapp.log' frequency 'daily' rotate 30 create '644 root adm' end
To rotate multiple logfile paths, specify the path as an array:
logrotate_app 'tomcat-myapp' do cookbook 'logrotate' path ['/var/log/tomcat/myapp.log', '/opt/local/tomcat/catalina.out'] frequency 'daily' create '644 root adm' rotate 7 end
To specify which logrotate options, specify the options as an array:
logrotate_app 'tomcat-myapp' do cookbook 'logrotate' path '/var/log/tomcat/myapp.log' options ['missingok', 'delaycompress', 'notifempty'] frequency 'daily' rotate 30 create '644 root adm' end
License & Authors
- Author:: Scott M. Likens (email@example.com)
- Author:: Joshua Timberman (email@example.com)
Copyright 2009, Scott M. Likens Copyright 2011-2012, Opscode, Inc. Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
Dependent cookbooks
This cookbook has no specified dependencies.


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It comes to pass that the CBD's most-used symbolic gathering place, The Octagon, carrying a cluster of historic buildings, the city's public art museum, our main performance theatre (Regent), a cinema multiplex under redevelopment, shop and office buildings, the Athenaeum building on the comeback through new stewardship, the impressive St Paul's Cathedral, the stately Municipal Chambers and Town Hall complex, the seat of local government administration (Civic Centre), and a slightly down-at-heels landscaped wide open space at the junction of surveyor Charles Kettle's two main arterial roads (Princes/George Streets and Stuart Street), also takes a bevy of drinking bars and night spots that make a strong contribution to central city nighttime violence, disorder, and lack of public safety.
The Craft Bar homicide and the connected serious assault investigations started last weekend point up the Dunedin City Council's lack of urban design and planning vigilance in Health and Safety matters.
This tied to recent years of lobbying by the Octagon bar owners on licensing and trading hours and conditions, sometimes tied to hosting after-match wakes for Stadium sport and events (even although major events at the stadium are tapering, as predicted), unsupported youth, gang sqirmishes, under-resourced local police, and society's access to cut-price alcohol and its liberal use (pre-loading and regular binging) alongside other substance abuse, means the Octagon is devolving into a hell-hole of collective making – not dissimilar to what happened at Cathedral Square in Christchurch before the quakes.
What will the city council do to mitigate the situation, and how soon can we restore the space to 24/7 safety for all? Is this even possible with the cluster of 'intemperance' bars and no push for building owners to move to greater diversity in mixed ground floor tenanting on the lower Octagon? One way or another "Party Central" has to fold – changing the pattern of ground tiles will not suffice.
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull speaks volumes when he says, at times, he does not feel comfortable near the Octagon.
ODT Editorial: Personal responsibility key (30.4.14)
Knowing Dunedin is one of the most statistically safest cities in New Zealand will bring no solace to the families involved in the tragic death of Ryan Court at the weekend. Read more
Related ODT stories:
30.4.14 Arrest after Octagon assault
30.4.14 Progress made in assault inquiry
29.4.14 'A good man' mourned
29.4.14 Man hospitalised after Octagon assault
28.4.14 Bottle assault follows bar death
28.4.14 Names released after death at city bar
28.4.14 Arrest follows death at city bar
27.4.14 Man in custody over Octagon bar death
ODT 'Booze Control: Stop and Think' series:
Excessive drinking changes the way people act
30.1.14 Education fails, professor says
29.1.14 South's alcohol statistics worst
28.1.14 Delicate balancing act over licensing
27.1.14 Still a 'very safe community'
25.1.14 Time to clean up act over alcohol
25.1.14 The cold, naked truth about nightlife
Posted by Elizabeth Kerr


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About 100 km from its source, the Tigris enables rich agriculture outside Diyarbakır, Turkey.
|Turkey, Syria, Iraq
|- left
|Batman, Garzan, Botan, Khabur, Greater Zab, Lesser Zab, 'Adhaim, Cizre, Diyala
|- right
|Wadi Tharthar
|Diyarbakır, Mosul, Baghdad
|Lake Hazar
|- elevation
|1,150 m (3,773 ft)
|- coordinates
|Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
|Shatt al-Arab
|- location
|Al-Qurnah, Basra Governorate, Iraq
|1,850 km (1,150 mi)
|375,000 km2 (144,788 sq mi)
|for Baghdad
|- average
|1,014 m3/s (35,809 cu ft/s)
|- max
|2,779 m3/s (98,139 cu ft/s)
|- min
|337 m3/s (11,901 cu ft/s)
|[1] [2]
The Tigris (/ˈtaɪɡrɪs/) is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq and empties itself into the Persian Gulf.
The Tigris is 1,850 km long, rising in the Taurus Mountains of eastern Turkey about 25 km southeast of the city of Elazig and about 30 km from the headwaters of the Euphrates. The river then flows for 400 km through Turkish territory before becoming the border between Syria and Turkey. This stretch of 44 km is the only part of the river that is located in Syria.[1]
Close to its confluence with the Euphrates, the Tigris splits into several channels. First, the artificial Shatt al-Hayy branches off, to join the Euphrates near Nasiriyah. Second, the Shatt al-Muminah and Majar-al-Kabir branches off to feed the Central Marshes. Further downstream, two other distributary channels branches off (the Al-Musharrah and Al-Kahla), which feeds the Hawizeh Marshes. The main channel continues southwards and is joined by the Al-Kassarah, which drains the Hawizeh Marshes. Finally, the Tigris joins the Euphrates near al-Qurnah to form the Shatt-al-Arab. According to Pliny and other ancient historians, the Euphrates originally had its outlet into the sea separate from that of the Tigris.[3]
Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, stands on the banks of the Tigris. The port city of Basra straddles the Shatt al-Arab. In ancient times, many of the great cities of Mesopotamia stood on or near the Tigris, drawing water from it to irrigate the civilization of the Sumerians. Notable Tigris-side cities included Nineveh, Ctesiphon, and Seleucia, while the city of Lagash was irrigated by the Tigris via a canal dug around 2400 B.C.
The Tigris has long been an important transport route in a largely desert country. Shallow-draft vessels can go as far as Baghdad, but rafts are needed for transport upstream to Mosul.
General Francis Rawdon Chesney hauled two steamers overland through Syria in 1836 to explore the possibility of an overland and river route to India. One steamer, the Tigris, was wrecked in a storm which sank and killed twenty. Chesney proved the river navigable to powered craft. Later, the Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Company was established in 1861 by the Lynch Brothers trading company. They had 2 steamers in service. By 1908 ten steamers were on the river. Tourists boarded steam yachts to venture inland as this was the first age of archaeological tourism, and the sites of Ur and Ctesiphon became popular to European travelers.
In the First World War, during the British conquest of Ottoman Mesopotamia, Indian and Thames River paddlers were used to supply General Townsend's Army. See Siege of Kut and the Fall of Baghdad (1917).[4] The Tigris Flotilla included vessels Clio, Espiegle, Lawrence, Odin, armed tug Comet, armed launches Lewis Pelly, Miner, Shaitan, Sumana, and stern wheelers Muzaffari/Mozaffir. These were joined by Royal Navy Fly-class gunboats Butterfly, Cranefly, Dragonfly, Mayfly, Sawfly, Snakefly, and Mantis, Moth, and Tarantula.
After the war, river trade declined in importance during the 20th century as the Basra-Baghdad-Mosul railway, an unfinished portion of the Baghdad Railway, was completed and roads took over much of the freight traffic.
The Ancient Greek form Tigris (Τίγρις) was borrowed from Old Persian Tigrā, itself from Elamite Tigra, itself from Sumerian Idigna.
The original Sumerian Idigna or Idigina was probably from *id (i)gina "running water",[5] which can be interpreted as "the swift river", contrasted to its neighbor, the Euphrates, whose leisurely pace caused it to deposit more silt and build up a higher bed than the Tigris. The Sumerian form was borrowed into Akkadian as Idiqlat, and from there into the other Semitic languages (cf. Hebrew Ḥîddeqel, Syriac Deqlaṯ, Arabic Dijlah).
Another name for the Tigris used in Middle Persian was Arvand Rud, literally "swift river". Today, however, Arvand Rud (New Persian: اروند رود) refers to the confluence of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers (known in Arabic as the Shatt al-Arab). In Kurdish, it is also known as Ava Mezin, "the Great Water".
The name of the Tigris in languages that have been important in the region:
|Name for Tigris
|𒁇𒄘𒃼, Idiqlat
|دجلة, Dijlah; حداقل, Ḥudaqil
|ܕܝܓܠܐܬ, Diglath
|Տիգրիս, Tigris, Դգլաթ, Dglatʿ
|ἡ Τίγρης, -ητος, hē Tígrēs, -ētos;
ἡ, ὁ Τίγρις, -ιδος, hē, ho Tígris, -idos
|חידקל , Ḥîddeqel biblical Hiddekel[6]
|Dîcle, Dîjla دیجلە
|Old Persian: 𐎫𐎡𐎥𐎼𐎠 Tigrā; Middle Persian: Tigr; Modern Persian:دجله Dejle
|𒁇𒄘𒃼, Idigna/Idigina
|ܕܹܩܠܵܬ Deqlaṯ
Management and water quality
The Tigris is heavily dammed in Iraq and Turkey to provide water for irrigating the arid and semi-desert regions bordering the river valley. Damming has also been important for averting floods in Iraq, to which the Tigris has historically been notoriously prone following April melting of snow in the Turkish mountains.
Recent Turkish damming of the river has been the subject of some controversy, for both its environmental effects within Turkey and its potential to reduce the flow of water downstream. Mosul Dam is the largest dam in Iraq.
Water from both rivers is used as a means of pressure during conflicts.[8]
In 2014 a major breakthrough in developing consensus between multiple stakeholder representatives of Iraq and Turkey on a Plan of Action for promoting exchange and calibration of data and standards pertaining to Tigris river flows was achieved. The consensus which is referred to as the "Geneva Consensus On Tigris River" was reached at a meeting organized in Geneva by the think tank - Strategic Foresight Group. [9]
Religion and mythology
In Sumerian mythology, the Tigris was created by the god Enki, who filled the river with flowing water.[10]
In Hittite and Hurrian mythology, Aranzah (or Aranzahas in the Hittite nominative form) is the Hurrian name of the Tigris River, which was divinized. He was the son of Kumarbi and the brother of Teshub and Tašmišu, one of the three gods spat out of Kumarbi's mouth onto Mount Kanzuras. Later he colluded with Anu and the Teshub to destroy Kumarbi (The Kumarbi Cycle).
The Tigris appears twice in the Bible. First, in the Book of Genesis, it is the third of the four rivers branching off the river issuing out of the Garden of Eden.[6] The second mention is in the Book of Daniel, wherein the prophet states he received one of his visions "when I was by that great river the Tigris".[11]
The River Tigris is also mentioned in Islam. The tomb of Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal and Syed Abdul Razzaq Jilani is in Baghdad and the flow of Tigris restricts the number of visitors.
See also
- Assyria
- Cradle of civilization
- Ilisu Dam Campaign campaign against a planned dam on Tigris in Turkey
- List of places in Iraq
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Pliny: Natural History, VI, XXVI, 128-131
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ F. Delitzsch, Sumerisches Glossar, Leipzig (1914), IV, 6, 21.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Genesis 2:14
- ↑ E. Laroche, Glossaire de la langue Hourrite, Paris (1980), p. 55.
- ↑ Vidal, John. "Water supply key to outcome of conflicts in Iraq and Syria, experts warn" The Guardian, 2 July 2014.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Jeremy A. Black, The Literature of Ancient Sumer, Oxford University Press 2004, ISBN 0-19-926311-6 p. 220-221
- ↑ Daniel 10:4
External links
|Wikisource has the text of the Encyclopaedia Britannica (9th ed.) article Tigris.
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tigris.
- Livius.org: Tigris
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Managing the Tigris and Euphrates Watershed
- Bibliography on Water Resources and International Law Peace Palace Library
- [1]
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Geobox usage tracking for river type
- Articles containing Ancient Greek-language text
- Articles containing Persian-language text
- Articles containing Akkadian-language text
- Articles containing Arabic-language text
- Articles containing Aramaic-language text
- Articles containing Armenian-language text
- Articles containing Hebrew-language text
- Articles containing Kurdish-language text
- Articles containing Old Persian-language text
- Articles containing Sumerian-language text
- Articles containing Syriac-language text
- Articles containing Turkish-language text
- Commons category link is defined as the pagename
- Tigris River
- International rivers of Asia
- Rivers of Iraq
- Rivers of Kurdistan
- Rivers of Syria
- Rivers of Turkey
- Fertile Crescent
- Mesopotamia
- Upper Mesopotamia
- Tur Abdin
- Geography of Iraqi Kurdistan
- Landforms of Elâzığ Province
- Landforms of Diyarbakır Province
- Landforms of Batman Province
- Landforms of Siirt Province
- Landforms of Şırnak Province


text:
For a lot of people who have met me in the past decade or so, it might seem like I don't know anything about poverty first-hand. After all, I'm a white, stay-at-home mom in the suburbs. It doesn't get more stereotypically middle-class and conventional than that.
But anyone who reads The Sin City Siren with any regularity knows I am anything but conventional. And the truth is, I struggled in poverty for most of my life. Poverty has been one of the strongest and most lasting influences in my life — as much or maybe even more of a factor in my identity than being a survivor of sexual abuse. And that's saying a lot.
I was a child during the Reagan era (which explains my constant annoyance of the "80s retro" thing happening now). And as my family moved through more than a dozen cities in hopes of better work and a better life, we bounced on and off welfare, food stamps, and other assorted assistance programs. I'll never forget the day a girl at school pointed and laughed as she recognized one of her old shirts that I'd gotten from a thrift store. (Although, conversely, you can imagine my immediate and enthusiastic embrace of the grunge movement as a teenager. My prom dress cost $30 — a source of pride to me in those days.)
Indeed, there is no part of your life that is not touched by poverty if you have the displeasure of experiencing it. For me, the constant little (and sometimes big) humiliations — from separate but equal "free lunches" at school to government cheese to a Christmas present you know was an "extra" in someone else's life — became a drumbeat echoing in my chest. By high school I would often survive an entire day on one sandwich (the worst part was deciding when to eat it), unless I could invite myself to someone's home for dinner or score free breakroom snacks at work.
Hunger and desire are powerful motivators.
When it became clear that I was a contender for some serious college scholarships, I put my considerable determination to the task. When I was in high school I didn't go to parties or hang out in parking lots getting wasted with my friends. And it wasn't because I didn't enjoy a good time. I was too busy hustling for my future. I worked two after-school jobs so I could afford to take music lessons (for band) and advanced courses (those aren't free). The rest of my money went toward helping my mother pay the bills. (We also ran a maid service on the side.) When summer came, I worked seven days a week at any job I could get. One summer I ended up with a full-time job during the week and a part-time job Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. My friends basically stopped calling me, not because they didn't like me, but because they knew I'd be working or asleep.
You might think with all that work, I had a nice little fund to take with me to college. And you'd be wrong. The day I moved out of my mother's apartment (which was directly above the one where a drug dealer was shot dead one night), I had about $100 to my name. All that money I had worked so hard to earn had gone to so many luxuries — keeping the heat on (in Alaska that's serious business), bus fare to and from work, bread for my daily sandwich.
As I stepped out into my own life, I had nothing but a college scholarship and the willingness to beg, borrow, and yes, sometimes steal to survive. I'm not proud of that last part. But sometimes you have to do what you have to do to survive. I've taken food out of the trash. And I stole food from grocery stores. Like I said, humiliations.
Always I had with me hunger and desire. Of course, there are a lot of kinds of hungry, but I was usually the very literal kind. I once passed out in class because I hadn't been eating enough. That's not good. But being hungry — for food and for a better life — is what motivated me through so many hard times. So I worked two or three part-time jobs, went to school full time and tried to plot out ways to get enough food every day. So, college was a lot like high school, in that I didn't have much time to enjoy life.
I worked very hard to get my college degree — becoming the first in my immediate family and one of the first in my entire family to get one. It was an all-consuming goal for me. To be a college graduate was, in my mind, the first step toward breaking the cycle of poverty in my family. (One of the others was NOT becoming a teenage parent.)
But, of course, it wasn't that simple. Just having a college degree wasn't going to magically save me from poverty. And, in fact, I struggled for quite a long time after that. There were many hard years of paying rent in one-dollar bills from my husband's bartending tips and both of us working multiple jobs just to stay alive.
And this is something that many people in our community know a lot about first-hand. Las Vegas has been hit hard in this recession, by most factors harder than most places in the country. On my block alone, mine is the only house that did not go foreclosure in the past three years. I know a lot of people who have lost their jobs, their homes, their everything. And, in fact, unemployment rather than poverty alone is the single biggest indicator of going hungry.
We all like to talk about how hard work will fix almost anything. But the truth is, what has made the biggest difference in my life was when I got help during desperate times. Food stamps and government programs put dinner on the table (and lunch in my belly) many times in my childhood. Sometimes it was a loving neighbor or family member who invited me over for dinner. When I was in college, I was in danger of having to drop out because a paperwork problem caused my scholarship to run short of my tuition and I didn't have the difference. My college career was saved in that moment by some generous people (who later became my in-laws) who loaned me the money.
Hard work and determination are powerful. But many times they are not enough.
If you have never experienced hunger, poverty, or even homelessness, it might be hard to imagine living on just one sandwich a day. It almost sounds like one of those late-night ads for a charity in a Third World country. But it's happening right here, in America, every single day. And you might not even know it. I was very skilled at hiding my poverty by the time I was a teenager.
So, today I am asking you to help someone who is hungry by donating to God's Groceries, a local non-profit that is entirely volunteer-run by two local churches. It is an agency partner with Three Square and is dedicated to feeding anyone who is hungry in Southern Nevada.
Be the person who makes a difference in somebody's life today.
Donating is easy:
- You can drop by Albertson's on Tropicana and Jones and make a donation of food or money.
- You can donate online via Paypal.
- Or, you can write a check and send it to: God's Groceries Food Ministries, 101 South Rancho, Las Vegas, Nevada 89106.
(Full disclosure: I am a member of Northwest Community Church, which is one of the two churches that run God's Groceries. But I did not vote in the poll that picked the organization.)


text:
Since my last post there have been a lot of changes in my personal life. Changes that I'm not going to go into here. Suffice it to say they have taken up a lot of my brain and heart space and so blogging has been low on the priority list.
What came in high on the priority list this week was my workshop preparation for the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance. That presentation, "Desire in the Middle Grade and Young Adult Novel," went very well (if I do say so myself). I was honored to spend the day with seven aspiring writers who braved five hours with me at the Patten Free Library in Bath, ME. Together we explored model texts including Julie Berry's; All The Truth That's In Me, Linda Urban's, A Crooked Kind of Perfect; Ingrid Law's, Savvy; and Alan Cumyn's, Tilt.
We asked questions, challenged ideas, reviewed manuscripts, wrote, revised, and even meditated. The day was a success!
Now I'm looking forward to my next presentation. May 2nd, I'll be at the NESCBWI Annual Spring Conference presenting a workshop called, "Active Mind, Active Body." We'll be exploring the connection between physical activity and creativity, developing physical and creative goals, and crafting plans to achieve our goals. Finally, we'll be doing some gentle physical activity (stretching, dance, yoga) to jump start fun writing activities. Register today!
If you were in my workshop today, share your learning, a new epiphany, or something that went well in the comments below.
If you are coming to NESCBWI New England introduce yourself in the comments and get your own badge here.


text:
Nadal heads seedings for US Open
Nadal has won two Grand Slams this year
Rafael Nadal will be the top seed at a Grand Slam for the first time in his career at next week's US Open following his elevation to world number one.
Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic follow him, with Scot Andy Murray seeded sixth. Ex-world number one Lleyton Hewitt has pulled out with injury.
Ana Ivanovic is women's top seed, with Jelena Jankovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Serena Williams next.
The singles draws for the tournament will be announced on Thursday.
Nadal officially became the new world number one on Monday, ending Federer's record reign of 237 successive weeks.
Federer was the top seed at the last 18 majors.
Murray will be looking to overcome his disappointing early exit from the Beijing Olympics and rediscover the form that took him to success at the Cincinnati Masters.
The British number one's best effort in New York was in 2006 when he reached the fourth round.
Hewitt will miss the rest of the season after having arthroscopic surgery on a long-term hip problem.
"Surgery was always the last resort, but unfortunately that's what it came down to," the 27-year-old Australian said.
"I am also shattered that I can't lead the Australian Davis Cup team in Chile (in Santiago from 19-21 September) in our bid to rejoin the world group, and hope that the boys can still come through with a great win.
"I am looking forward to playing again in January in my home country, and using that as a springboard to compete at my best again on the world stage for at least a couple of more years."
The most notable absence on the women's side is world number six and 2006 champion Maria Sharapova, who announced earlier this month that she is missing the event to recover from a shoulder injury.


text:
J. Paul Getty's statement "For technical skill & perfection and for delicacy & taste Sèvres is unsurpassed" is in my view definitely true whether talking about 18th and 19th century pieces or something contemporary such as the items shown by the Sèvres Factory at the recent PAD show in Berkeley Square.
I think that Getty would have been intrigued by the fact that as well as making striking modern designs they were also able, using the traditional methods, to recreate major pieces from the 18th century such as the boat-shaped Vaisseau à Mât. Only twelve of these were created in the 18th century, of which ten are known to survive today, including one in the Royal Collection. It is therefore a remarkable achievement that the factory has produced this soft paste 'copy' of the Buckingham Palace example which was originally owned by the great supporter and patron of the Sèvres Factory Madame de Pompadour.
The images reflect both the production and resultant vase – a veritable tour de force!
It can be seen at Thomas Goode in South Audley Street check for details 020 7499 2823; email@example.com)


text:
My trails seem to be full of mysteries lately.
I've been checking for clues everywhere.
So while I was checking for clues on the last mystery, I discovered a new mystery.
A Detective Dog's work is never done.
I might have to do some modeling and have my person take some new Detective Dog pics before I wear my hat out.
Besides, I always get extra treats when I model.
Okay, back to the mystery.
It's a Manzanita mystery.
Because baby Manzanita berries always start out green.
Like this.
And most of the new berries on my trails are coming out green.
They usually get some rosy color later, but when they first appear they're green.
But I found some berries that just had to be different.
As a matter of fact, even their blossoms were different.
They had pink blossoms.
All the blossoms on the other bushes were white.
And when these berries popped out they weren't green at all.
They were red.
So I started investigating to find out why these berries, and these only, were different than the rest.
And you know what I discovered when I looked around the other side of the berries?
The berries are red on one side – and green on the other.
These berries are not so different after all.
It's all a front.


text:
The U.S. military is expanding its secret intelligence operations across Africa, establishing a network of small air bases to spy on terrorist hideouts from the fringes of the Sahara to jungle terrain along the equator, according to documents and people involved in the project.
At the heart of the surveillance operations are small, unarmed turboprop aircraft disguised as private planes. Equipped with hidden sensors that can record full-motion video, track infrared heat patterns, and vacuum up radio and cellphone signals, the planes refuel on isolated airstrips favored by African bush pilots, extending their effective flight range by thousands of miles.
About a dozen air bases have been established in Africa since 2007, according to a former senior U.S. commander involved in setting up the network. Most are small operations run out of secluded hangars at African military bases or civilian airports.
The nature and extent of the missions, as well as many of the bases being used, have not been previously reported but are partially documented in public Defense Department contracts. The operations have intensified in recent months, part of a growing shadow war against al-Qaeda affiliates and other militant groups. The surveillance is overseen by U.S. Special Operations forces but relies heavily on private military contractors and support from African troops.
The surveillance underscores how Special Operations forces, which have played an outsize role in the Obama administration's national security strategy, are working clandestinely all over the globe, not just in war zones. The lightly equipped commando units train foreign security forces and perform aid missions, but they also include teams dedicated to tracking and killing terrorism suspects.
The establishment of the Africa missions also highlights the ways in which Special Operations forces are blurring the lines that govern the secret world of intelligence, moving aggressively into spheres once reserved for the CIA. The CIA has expanded its counterterrorism and intelligence-gathering operations in Africa, but its manpower and resources pale in comparison with those of the military.
U.S. officials said the African surveillance operations are necessary to track terrorist groups that have taken root in failed states on the continent and threaten to destabilize neighboring countries.
A hub for secret network
A key hub of the U.S. spying network can be found in Ouagadougou (WAH-gah-DOO-goo), the flat, sunbaked capital of Burkina Faso, one of the most impoverished countries in Africa.
Under a classified surveillance program code-named Creek Sand, dozens of U.S. personnel and contractors have come to Ouagadougou in recent years to establish a small air base on the military side of the international airport.
The unarmed U.S. spy planes fly hundreds of miles north to Mali, Mauritania and the Sahara, where they search for fighters from al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, a regional network that kidnaps Westerners for ransom.
The surveillance flights have taken on added importance in the turbulent aftermath of a March coup in Mali, which has enabled al-Qaeda sympathizers to declare an independent Islamist state in the northern half of the country.
Elsewhere, commanders have said they are increasingly worried about the spread of Boko Haram, an Islamist group in Nigeria blamed for a rash of bombings there. U.S. forces are orchestrating a regional intervention in Somalia to target al-Shabab, another al-Qaeda affiliate. In Central Africa, about 100 American Special Operations troops are helping to coordinate the hunt for Joseph Kony, the Ugandan leader of a brutal guerrilla group known as the Lord's Resistance Army.
The results of the American surveillance missions are shrouded in secrecy. Although the U.S. military has launched airstrikes and raids in Somalia, commanders said that in other places, they generally limit their involvement to sharing intelligence with allied African forces so they can attack terrorist camps on their own territory.
The creeping U.S. military involvement in long-simmering African conflicts, however, carries risks. Some State Department officials have expressed reservations about the militarization of U.S. foreign policy on the continent. They have argued that most terrorist cells in Africa are pursuing local aims, not global ones, and do not present a direct threat to the United States.
The potential for creating a popular backlash can be seen across the Red Sea, where an escalating campaign of U.S. drone strikes in Yemen is angering tribesmen and generating sympathy for an al-Qaeda franchise there.
In a response to written questions from The Washington Post, the U.S. Africa Command said that it would not comment on "specific operational details."
"We do, however, work closely with our African partners to facilitate access, when required, to conduct missions or operations that support and further our mutual security goals," the command said.
Surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations, it added, are "simply a tool we employ to enable host nation militaries to better understand the threat picture."
Uncovering the details
The U.S. military has largely kept details of its spy flights in Africa secret. The Post pieced together descriptions of the surveillance network by examining references to it in unclassified military reports, U.S. government contracting documents and diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks, the anti-secrecy group.
Further details were provided by interviews with American and African officials, as well as military contractors.
In addition to Burkina Faso, U.S. surveillance planes have operated periodically out of nearby Mauritania. In Central Africa, the main hub is in Uganda, though there are plans to open a base in South Sudan. In East Africa, U.S. aircraft fly out of bases in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and the Indian Ocean archipelago of the Seychelles.
Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, the head of U.S. Africa Command, which is responsible for military operations on the continent, hinted at the importance and extent of the air bases while testifying before Congress in March. Without divulging locations, he made clear that, in Africa, he wanted to expand "ISR," the military's acronym for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
"Without operating locations on the continent, ISR capabilities would be curtailed, potentially endangering U.S. security," Ham said in a statement submitted to the House Armed Services Committee. "Given the vast geographic space and diversity in threats, the command requires increased ISR assets to adequately address the security challenges on the continent."
Some of the U.S. air bases, including ones in Djibouti, Ethiopia and the Seychelles, fly Predator and Reaper drones, the original and upgraded models, respectively, of the remotely piloted aircraft that the Obama administration has used to kill al-Qaeda leaders in Pakistan and Yemen.
"We don't have remotely piloted aircraft in many places other than East Africa, but we could," said a senior U.S. military official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters. "If there was a need to do so and those assets were available, I'm certain we could get the access and the overflight [permission] that is necessary to do that."
Common aircraft
Most of the spy flights in Africa, however, take off the old-fashioned way — with pilots in the cockpit. The conventional aircraft hold two big advantages over drones: They are cheaper to operate and far less likely to draw attention because they are so similar to the planes used throughout Africa.
The bulk of the U.S. surveillance fleet is composed of single-engine Pilatus PC-12s, small passenger and cargo utility planes manufactured in Switzerland. The aircraft are not equipped with weapons. They often do not bear military markings or government insignia.
The Pentagon began acquiring the planes in 2005 to fly commandos into territory where the military wanted to maintain a clandestine presence. The Air Force variant of the aircraft is known as the U-28A. The Air Force Special Operations Command has about 21 of the planes in its inventory.
In February, a U-28A crashed as it was returning to Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, the only permanent U.S. military base in Africa. Four airmen from the Air Force Special Operations Command were killed. It was the first reported fatal incident involving a U-28A since the military began deploying the aircraft six years ago.
Air Force officials said that the crash was an accident and that they are investigating the cause. Military officials declined to answer questions about the flight's mission.
Because of its strategic location on the Horn of Africa, Camp Lemonnier is a hub for spy flights in the region. It is about 500 miles from southern Somalia, an area largely controlled by the al-Shabab militia. Lemonnier is even closer — less than 100 miles — to Yemen, where another al-Qaeda franchise has expanded its influence and plotted attacks against the United States.
Elsewhere in Africa, the U.S. military is relying on private contractors to provide and operate PC-12 spy planes in the search for Kony, the fugitive leader of the Lord's Resistance Army, a group known for mutilating victims, committing mass rape and enslaving children as soldiers.
Ham, the Africa Command chief, said in his testimony to Congress in March that he was seeking to establish a base for surveillance flights in Nzara, South Sudan. Although that would bolster the hunt for Kony, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, it would also enable the U.S. military to keep an eye on the worsening conflict between Sudan and South Sudan. The two countries fought a civil war for more than two decades and are on the verge of war again, in part over potentially rich oil deposits valued by foreign investors.
Other aviation projects are in the offing. An engineering battalion of Navy Seabees has been assigned to complete a $10 million runway upgrade this summer at the Manda Bay Naval Base, a Kenyan military installation on the Indian Ocean. An Africa Command spokeswoman said the runway extension is necessary so American C-130 troop transport flights can land at night and during bad weather.
About 120 U.S. military personnel and contractors are stationed at Manda Bay, which Navy SEALs and other commandos have used as a base from which to conduct raids against Somali pirates and al-Shabab fighters.
About 6,000 miles to the west, the Pentagon is spending $8.1 million to upgrade a forward operating base and airstrip in Mauritania, on the western edge of the Sahara. The base is near the border with strife-torn Mali.
The Defense Department also set aside $22.6 million in July to buy a Pilatus PC-6 aircraft and another turboprop plane so U.S.-trained Mauritanian security forces can conduct rudimentary surveillance operations, according to documents submitted to Congress.
Crowding the embassy
The U.S. military began building its presence in Burkina Faso in 2007, when it signed a deal that enabled the Pentagon to establish a Joint Special Operations Air Detachment in Ouagadougou. At the time, the U.S. military said the arrangement would support "medical evacuation and logistics requirements" but provided no other details.
By the end of 2009, about 65 U.S. military personnel and contractors were working in Burkina Faso, more than in all but three other African countries, according to a U.S. Embassy cable from Ouagadougou. In the cable, diplomats complained to the State Department that the onslaught of U.S. troops and support staff had "completely overwhelmed" the embassy.
In addition to Pilatus PC-12 flights for Creek Sand, the U.S. military personnel in Ouagadougou ran a regional intelligence "fusion cell" code-named Aztec Archer, according to the cable.
Burkina Faso, a predominantly Muslim country whose name means "the land of upright men," does not have a history of radicalism. U.S. military officials saw it as an attractive base because of its strategic location bordering the Sahel, the arid region south of the Sahara where al-Qaeda's North African affiliate is active.
Unlike many other governments in the region, the one in Burkina Faso was relatively stable. The U.S. military operated Creek Sand spy flights from Nouakchott, Mauritania, until 2008, when a military coup forced Washington to suspend relations and end the surveillance, according to former U.S. officials and diplomatic cables.
In Ouagadougou, both sides have worked hard to keep the partnership quiet. In a July 2009 meeting, Yero Boly, the defense minister of Burkina Faso, told a U.S. Embassy official that he was pleased with the results. But he confessed he was nervous that the unmarked American planes might draw "undue attention" at the airport in the heart of the capital and suggested that they move to a more secluded hangar.
"According to Boly, the present location of the aircraft was in retrospect not an ideal choice in that it put the U.S. aircraft in a section of the airfield that already had too much traffic," according to a diplomatic cable summarizing the meeting. "He also commented that U.S. personnel were extremely discreet."
U.S. officials raised the possibility of basing the planes about 220 miles to the west, in the city of Bobo Dioulasso, according to the cable. Boly said that the Americans could use that airport on a "short term or emergency basis" but that a U.S. presence there "would likely draw greater attention."
In an interview with The Post, Djibril Bassole, the foreign minister of Burkina Faso, praised security relations between his country and the United States, saying they were crucial to containing al-Qaeda forces in the region.
"We need to fight and protect our borders," he said. "Once they infiltrate your country, it's very, very difficult to get them out."
Bassole declined, however, to answer questions about the activities of U.S. Special Operations forces in his country.
"I cannot provide details, but it has been very, very helpful," he said. "This cooperation should be very, very discreet. We should not show to al-Qaeda that we are now working with the Americans."
Discretion is not always strictly observed. In interviews last month, residents of Ouagadougou said American service members and contractors stand out, even in plainclothes, and are appreciated for the steady business they bring to bars and a pizzeria in the city center.
In April 2010, one American, in particular, drew attention. A U.S. contractor who had been assigned to support the surveillance missions in Ouagadougou was flying home from Africa on leave when he announced that he had been "in Ouaga illegally" and was carrying dynamite in his boots and laptop.
As the contractor, Derek Stansberry, mumbled other incoherent stories about allegedly top-secret operations, he was grabbed by U.S. air marshals aboard the
Paris-to-Atlanta flight. No explosives were found, but the incident drew international attention.
Stansberry, who did not respond to a request for comment, was found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity; he said he was overstressed and had overdosed on the sleep aid Ambien.
A photograph on his Facebook page around the time of the incident showed him posing in the cockpit of a Pilatus aircraft. The caption read: "Flying a PC-12 ain't that hard."
Secret bases, hi-tech spy planes as US expands Africa intel
The US is planning to expand secret intelligence bases throughout Africa with a view to combating terrorism in the region, says a new report by the Washington Post. It is the latest in a US push to militarize its presence on the continent.
The plans include the deployment of spy planes equipped with high-tech surveillance technology.
The US is set to extend its influence, opening a number of intelligence air bases "from the fringes of the Sahara to jungle terrain along the equator," said the Washington Post.
The initiative dates back to 2007 and is indicative of the rapid expansion of US Special Forces operations in the region as part of the decade-long war against Al-Qaeda.
The US will use the strategically-placed bases to launch spy planes disguised as private aircraft kitted-out with a range of sensors able to record video, track infrared heat trails and tap into radio and mobile phone signals.
The reasoning behind the ratcheting-up of surveillance on the African continent by the US is the increasing presence of terrorist cells that could potentially destabilize the region.
The Washington Post said that the US government currently has a number of intelligence facilities across Africa, including Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Seychelles, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.
The bases in Burkina Faso and Mauritania are used to spy on Al-Qaeda.
The US military has expressed concerns over the growing influence of the Nigerian terrorist sect Boko Haram, blamed for a wave of bombings in the country in December and Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Shabab in Somalia.
In addition, 100 special troops are currently in action in Uganda to hunt for Joseph Kony, the leader of a brutal guerrilla group known as the Lord's Resistance Army.
Some state department officials have questioned the necessity to step-up a US presence in Africa given that many of the terrorist groups active on the continent represent no direct threat to the US.
In spite of doubts the US continues to rack up its presence in Africa. Last month the Army Times confirmed US military plans to deploy over 3,000 troops across the continent as part of a "regionally aligned force concept."
US to maintain 'Light Footprint' in Africa?
Officially the US is painting an altogether different picture of its operations in Africa. Army General Carter F. Ham top US Africa command officer said that the US is not seeking permanent military bases in the region.
"In Africa, I would say a light footprint is consistent with what we need and consistent with the defense guidance," said General Carter.
The general said he recognized that some African nations were concerned over increased US military presence across Africa, but stressed that this did not necessarily mean the US would be establishing more bases there.
However, in a testimony to US Congress in March he said that he wanted to increase US surveillance and reconnaissance in Africa.
"Without operating locations on the continent, ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] capabilities would be curtailed, potentially endangering US security," he said.


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Faking Happiness- Nakul Sawhney
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Our authorities, which allow such corporate to do business in India, are behaving like prostitutes available to sell their ethics, change the rule of ethics all at the cost of poor hapless people. They are the curse on Indian public. Videh Kumar


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The Daily Show is much funnier than traditional newscasts, but a new study from Indiana University says it has the same amount of meat on its bones when it comes to coverage of the news. The brand of news coverage Jon Stewart and the rest of The Daily Show's staff brings to the airwaves is just as substantive as traditional news programs like World News Tonight and the CBS Evening News, according to the study conducted by IU assistant professor of telecommunications Julia R. Fox and a couple of graduate students.
The researchers looked at coverage of the 2004 Democratic and Republican national conventions and the first presidential debate of the fall campaign, all of which were covered by the mainstream broadcast news outlets and The Daily Show. Individual broadcasts of the nightly news and corresponding episodes of The Daily Show were analyzed by the researchers, who found that the "average amounts of video and audio substance in the broadcast network news stories" were no different from The Daily Show. Perhaps more telling, The Daily Show delivered longer stories on the topic.
"It should be noted that the broadcast network news stories about the presidential election were significantly shorter, on average, than were The Daily Show with Jon Stewart stories," said Professor Fox. "The argument could be made that while the amount of substance per story was not significantly different, the proportion of each story devoted to substance was greater in the network news stories ... On the other hand, the proportion of stories per half hour program devoted to the election campaign was greater in The Daily Show."
Using the entire half-hour programs as the basis of analysis yielded the same results: there was just as much substance to The Daily Show's coverage as there was on the network news. And The Daily Show was much funnier, with less of the hypereferences to photo ops, political endorsements, and pollsthat typically overshadows substantive coverage on network news, according to the study.
What constitutes "substantive" coverage? Ars Technica spoke to Professor Fox who told us that the she and the other researchers defined substantive coverage as that which addressed issues included in the party platform or questions of candidate qualification. "It was the same definition I used in a previous study of network news coverage from 1988 to 2000," Professor Fox told Ars. "It is similar to criteria used by other scholars who examine political coverage'image vs. issue'but there's consensus within the scholarly and journalistic communities that anytime there is discussion of issues in a campaign, that's what would be considered substantive."
Is it time to tune out World News Tonight and tune into The Daily Show? Professor Fox doesn't think so, saying that "we should probably be concerned about both of those sources, because neither one is particularly substantive. It's a bottom-line industry and ratings-driven. We live in an 'infotainment' society, and there certainly are a number of other sources available."
It's ironic that Jon Stewart, who seldom hesitates to criticize the media, is turning out tongue-in-cheek content that is just as substantative. It also demonstrates that the mainstream media may not be so mainstream anymore, and that people looking for in-depth treatments of newsworthy topics are often best served by looking in places other than the evening news or The Daily Show, no matter how funny the latter is.
Professor Fox's study, titled "No Joke: A Comparison of Substance in The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Broadcast Network Television Coverage of the 2004 Presidential Election Campaign," will be published next summer in the Journal of Broadcast and Electronic Media.


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National retailers show interest in One Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH — After spending two days at the International Council of Shopping Centers' annual Florida convention, a top official leading the project to create a new entertainment-and-retail complex across the street from Daytona International Speedway was feeling good about his chances of filling up the 181-acre development.
"We have multiple letters of intent in the works," Brian Leary, managing director of Atlanta-based Jacoby Development, said Tuesday in the final hours of the Kissimmee convention that links shopping center owners and developers with site selectors for national retail and restaurant chains.
Leary joked that his 10-by-10 booth at the convention felt like a crammed telephone booth.
"Every three or four minutes someone's stopping by," Leary said, noting International Speedway Corp. CEO Lesa France Kennedy and Jacoby Group founder Jim Jacoby joined him in manning the booth.
"We've had really good meetings."
Those dropping by included everyone from bankers to representatives of global businesses.
Leary said he and his team were booked with meetings from morning to night with potential prospects.
He said more than 100 people connected to 50 to 60 different chains slowed down to take a close look at renderings and information on the One Daytona project that will turn a vacant expanse of land along International Speedway Boulevard into a village of new shops, restaurants, nightclubs, offices, hotels and apartments.
The One Daytona project was the cover story for a trade magazine distributed to convention-goers' hotel rooms, Leary said.
A few weeks ago, Bass Pro Shops and Cobb Theatres announced letters of intent to anchor the complex. Leary said he hopes to announce other business deals in the next few months.
"There is a buzz in the retail community that Daytona Beach has a lot of opportunity," said City Commissioner Carl Lentz IV, who is also director of commercial sales and leasing for Realty Pros Assured.
The chatter began months ago with word of ISC's plans for a $400 million overhaul of the Speedway and grew with the One Daytona project and news that a Hard Rock Hotel would be opening on the oceanfront, Lentz said.
Tim Davis, vice president of investment sales for Coldwell Banker Commercial Benchmark in Ormond Beach, was at the convention along with more than 3,400 other retail development professionals.
He said the crowd was up 15 percent over last year.
"A lot of meeting rooms were standing-room only," he said.
Davis said he was impressed that Jacoby and ISC "had their big guns there, not just a leasing agent."
He said that presence and the project itself "builds trust in the market" — one that he said has been overlooked by some national retailers.
Davis said he spoke with two South Florida groups who asked where the One Daytona project is so they could swing by on their way home to take a look.


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Photograph at Anthology Party in Las Vegas for Catersource 2010 and Event Solutions was held in Bally's Casino. Anthology Event is an inspiring collection of culinary creativity and event ingenuity inspiring the imagination. Anthology Event produced by Cade Nagy, Chiaromonte, Donna Ford, Byway Events & Entertainment, Royce's Prop Shop and Creative Backstage.
Photograph by Las Vegas photographer Mark Bowers.
Copyright 2010 Mark Bowers All Rights Reserved


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Rick Steele, of Traverse City, was working on a home project that involved a lot of duct tape and found himself continually frustrated when dealing with the roll. He began looking for a duct tape dispenser and discovered that no such product existed. Most people would just go back to the sticky mess of managing the roll. But Rick and his wife, Wendy, saw an opportunity. They formed Stexley-Brake (a name that uses letters from the names of their five children) and began producing The Tape Wrangler™.
The Tape Wrangler is designed for either home or commercial use, holding and dispensing up to 70 yards of heavy duty duct tape. The dispenser can be mounted on a wall or under a desktop and can also be popped out for free-standing use. In addition, the Tape Wrangler can be used with most rolls of conventional strapping or shipping tape.
The Tape Wrangler is a Made in Michigan product, great as a gift or to help out with all the holiday shipping ahead. 781 Industrial Circle, Suite 4, Traverse City, 231-943-0992. www.tapewrangler.com.
Find out more about the Tape Wrangler in the Northern Michigan Shopping Guide.


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|Up a level
Murthy, Bandaru Narasimha and Zeile, Susanne and Nambiar, Monessha and Nussio, Matthew R and Gibson, Christopher T and Shapter, Joseph G and Jayaraman, Narayanaswamy and Voelcker, Nicolas H (2012) Self assembly of bivalent glycolipids on single walled carbon nanotubes and their specific molecular recognition properties. In: RSC Advances , 2 (4). pp. 1329-1333.


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The Intex Explorer 200 is a multipurpose inflatable boat that can be used from playing around at a pool to coordinating a water attack in airsoft. In addition to the boat, an air pump, two oars, a repair patch, and a small piece of rope are included.
The Explorer 200 is made up of two air chambers; one is the actual boat, and the other is the floor. This just means that instead of inflating the whole big thing, you inflate the two chambers separately. It also means that if one of the chambers popped while you were on the water, the other staying inflated should give you enough time to make it back to land before you sink.
For a $15 inflatable boat, the Explorer 200 is pretty rugged. I wouldn't suggest putting it in the ocean or down whitewater rapids, but it can easily stay afloat in a lake or river, even in rough conditions. Even hitting submerged stumps or grinding it into land doesn't seem to damage the hull beyond some cosmetic streaks. Although, frequently running into rocks will tear a hole in the boat very quickly.
The hull itself is very thin (barley thicker than a few pieces of paper), making it fairly light weight to carry on land, but like I said, with the exception of rocks, it can withstand just about anything.
The air pump that comes with the Explorer 200 is actually really good. It's a "Double Quick" pump, which means that it pumps air both when you push the pump and handle towards each other and away from each other, cutting the time to fill the raft in half (it still takes a good 10-15 minuets of constant pumping to get both air chambers fully inflated, though). The pump is made up of two parts also; the pump itself and a rubber hose that you attach to the end of the pump. The pump is about a foot long and is made of plastic, but is still very durable.
The Explorer 200 is a perfect choice for those that where thinking of using it in airsoft. You can use it for a variety of things including transporting gear across water, attacking a enemy players base camp from the water, and much more. It has a 210 pound weight limit and is only barley big enough for one person, so you should be careful not to overload it, although I'm confident that you could have upwards of 215 pounds in the boat at once and be okay. Also, the Explorer 200 can operate in less than a foot of water without getting run aground, which is great if you need to get close to shore or over a sand bar. In case you are under attack, any BBs that hit the boat under 350 FPS should just bounce right off; although anything over 350 FPS might be getting a little close to penetrating the boat.
The boat does come with a repair patch, but it's only about 2 inches long and 2 inches wide, making it ineffective in patching bigger holes. It you do suffer a major gash to the boat, try pasting superglue all around the hole and then stick several overlapping layers of duct-tape over it.
The only weak link is the oars. They're made up of five parts each; two rods, a paddle, a connecter to connect the two rods, and a rubber circle that you slide onto the end of one of the poles to keep the whole ore from falling through the oarlock that's fixed to the actual boat. All the parts just screw together and are 48 inches in length. The part that's the "weak link" is the connecter (no pun intended :)). If you paddle to hard then it will simply snap apart. A easy fix to this is to wrap the connecter in a duct-tape several times, just to give it some reinforcement.
The last thing worth noting is the actual performance of the Explorer 200. If you paddle fast enough you can get some real speed (between 5-10 MPH, and in some cases more). It also has very nice handling, easily twisting between stumps and rocks. The only thing is that you have to sit backwards in the boat, so you have to twist around to see where you're going.
In a wrap, the Intex Explorer 200 inflatable boat is a really great product for the $15-$20 that it runs. It's easy to inflate, hard to sink, and has great handling. It's relatively small, but it gets the job done.


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Honda VIP Package Available for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP
The 2013 Red Bull Indianapolis GP arrives at the famous and historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 16-18, and Honda is offering race fans a very special VIP package that will include some exceptional opportunities. For this event, Honda fans can take advantage of an unprecedented VIP package that's never been offered to GP attendees at the Brickyard in prior years.
This offer includes:
- Reserved grandstand seating area in Corner 9 with excellent track view plus view of the jumbo video screen that can be accessed only with VIP tickets
- Access to the exclusive Honda hospitality chalet, where breakfast and lunch will be served on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
- Designated infield motorcycle parking pass
- Access to transferable passes for MotoGP Paddock entry*
- Access to MotoGP racers during a special Honda interview
- Track lap around the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway**
- And more!
Two VIP package options will be made available (prices are all inclusive):
Friday through Sunday three-day package: $345 per person Saturday and Sunday two-day package: $280 per person
*Paddock passes must be checked out due to limited quantities. **Track lap times available: 6:30-7:45pm on Friday, August 23; or 8:00-9:00am, Monday, August 26, 2013.
This presents a rare opportunity to get up close and personal with the GP action as Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosts all three World Championship classes over the weekend: MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3. Riders in all classes will take on the challenging 16-turn, 2.621-mile road circuit at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that incorporates part of the Speedway's famous oval.
These special VIP benefits elevate the 2013 Red Bull Indianapolis GP at Indianapolis Motor Speedway into an event that's truly epic in scope; who knows when you might be able to access an opportunity like this again? So if you're planning on attending the Indianapolis GP races, take advantage of this exclusive offer. Join this group of Honda race fans as together we cheer on the Repsol Honda Team stars—veteran Dani Pedrosa and his rapidly rising rookie teammate Marc Márquez. Repsol Honda is in the thick of the 2013 championship chase in MotoGP, and you can take part in this historic charge at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP as you lend your support.
To take advantage of this special VIP offer, go to this link: http://secure.brickyard.com/Promotions/Promotions.aspx?Promotion=HONDARIDERS
About American Honda American Honda Motor Co., Inc. was established in 1959 and is the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and side-by-sides in the U.S. The American Honda Motorcycle Division is responsible for the sales, marketing, and operational activities for these products through authorized Honda dealers. For more information on Honda products, go to www.powersports.honda.com.
©2013 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved.


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A series highlighting the best around the motorsport web.
I feel like I've given up writing race reviews and opinion posts. Just don't seem to have it in me any more to write a long treatise about why X is Y especially when others do it so well. Much more fun to read their excellent words and then join the conversations on their sites or on Twitter. What I am good at is picking up news and opinion from elsewhere and sharing it with other subsets of fans. That's why I started this series of posts. Cross-pollination. Learning from what others are doing.
- Sidepodcast: An Aside With Joe – This Is Way Above All Our Pay Grades
F1 journalist Joe Saward's latest appearance with Christine and Mr C is, as ever, very much worth spending an hour of your time. Even his off-topic divergences are good to listen to! Unlike some, Joe is actually willing to do a some digging in paper trails to work out what is going on with the bigger picture of F1 ownership, and as part of looking things as a bigger picture that he keeps a good eye on what is happening in other forms of racing too. Joe is a great listen and also a great read. I assure you, even if you know a lot about F1 and racing, you will feel much smarter after listening to this.
- Sidepodcast: Hands On With Fanvision's Portable F1 Interface – Part 1 and Part 2
Staying with SPC, guest-writer Amy Fulton has attended two of the three F1 races held this season and at both she tested out Fanvision's brand new device. You may know Fanvision by their old name KangarooTV, and their G2 model has been a feature at F1, Le Mans and NFL events for a while now. Amy's got her hands on the new-generation, much-improved G3. Now you have to check out this device, because you'll wish they covered every racing series on earth with the data they provide!
- Motorsport Musings: Time For F2 To Deliver
Dan takes a look at Formula 2 and asks how the series has fared now it is in its third season (wow, that went quickly). Is it living up to the original billing or should it refocus?
- Motorsport Musings: TT3d: Closer To The Edge
Another post from Dan, who does 'too much racing' far better than I can, sees him review this new documentary film about the Isle of Man TT and rider Guy Martin. Do check out the included video clip, that alone is breathtaking so I can only imagine what the full feature is like. The TT has always scared me somewhat and sometimes when watching the coverage I have to look away, so close are they to hitting solid objects and causing themselves and others an injury. The talent and bravery – and stupidity? – of these riders is astonishing. This documentary looks like a must-see.
- Oilpressure: Stop The Gender Comparisons
George makes the great point that TV coverage, reports, the written media, fans, and even the drivers themselves should stop acting as though women racers are taking part in a sub-class of the main race. It is time for driver comparisons to be based on ability alone.
- Pressdog: Ratings, Hockey, Driver Insurrection and "Favoritism" Grand Mal Froth
Bill takes a look back at the contretemps at Long Beach following some very low ratings, drivers ignoring the start and restart rules, and strong accusations of some drivers being treated more fairly than others. This is a bit long but is a great post to get an overview of the state of IndyCar as of right now.
- Brits On Pole: Could Holding A Road Race Become Easier In Future
If you hadn't noticed, BoP has quietly started blogging again – about time too! Last year they kept up with developments to allow road races* to be held in the UK without having to seek the currently-required Act of Parliament. It seems as those things are progressing well, could we see more events on the roads of Britain soon?
* North American readers in particular may not know that 'road racing' here doesn't refer to 'road course racing' (as obviously most tracks here are road courses) but instead to the closing of public roads for the purposes of racing. There are no street circuits in the UK and most rallies take place off-road or on private land.
That's all this week, apologies for the double-mention for two sites but sometimes that'll happen when sites put out more than one good post in a week! I'll be back next Friday with more, do let me know if you spot anything interesting in the meantime.


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My niece, Mary Constance, is a year old this month. I remember waiting by the phone on the day she was born, and being so excited to meet her in November. I even got to give her a quilt in person during that trip. I wasn't able to be at her first birthday party, but several of her extended family members were so I'm grateful for that. Everyone should be surrounded by people they love on their birthday.
Of course, photographs were taken of the cake-eating. I love how Mary is focused on sharing her cake. It's a serious job.
She allowed others to feed cake to her, too. It became a big 'ole finger-food experience.
My Dad, brother, and I wanted to give her something special. I've been dubbed the artist of the group, though my Dad's a great writer and my brother's a musician. Plus I used to work as a nanny, so I know a lot about age-appropriate toys. So here's what I came up with.
The beanbags, sewn by Mary's favorite Aunt Megan (me!) are developmentally appropriate for a toddler. They're good to squish and throw. As she grows, I'm sure she'll learn her colors in English and Spanish and these'll be good tools for that too as they're primary and secondary colors.
Can you see the qualities embroidered on the front of each beanbag? My dad, brother, and I each chose two things we see in Mary Constance. On the back of them is the name of the person who chose that word for her. Now they're customized specifically for her and – BONUS – they're super gushy mushy lovey.
I do custom orders! These were invented for Mary's birthday, but if you like 'em I can give you a quote and make some for your special occasion. Just email me and we'll make it happen. firstname.lastname@example.com