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Michael Cader has a two part report on Publishers Lunch, opining on Hugh Howey's and Anonymous Data Guy's Authors Earnings website.
The second part of his post is behind a paywall.
Now, I dislike paywalls, in much the same way I despise DRM. But Cader is entitled to try to earn a living, and if he wants people to pay for his silly opinions (unlike me, who offers silly opinions for free), that's his prerogative. So rather than fisk him word-for-word as I'd normally do, I'm going to respond to specific excerpts according to the doctrine of Fair Use. If Cader, or anyone else who has read his complete piece, feels I'm missing his point or taking things out of context, feel free to chime in and correct me.
Michael: It's a quiet "news" day, so we're going to start looking at what a lot of people have been talking about this week: bestselling self-published author Hugh Howey's "Author Earnings" website and "report."
Joe: Congrats, Michael! In the first five words of your post, you managed to marginalize and denigrate Hugh Howey and his report not only once, but twice.
First, by claiming that the only reason you're deigning this topic worthy of your time is because it is a quiet news day. Perhaps because there was no collusion to report on, or because Turow has been blessedly quiet lately. But we know the truth: Howey's report was so popular his server crashed (over 50,000 unique hits in four days) and I haven't seen Twitter and Facebook activity like this since the DOJ ruling.
Second, by putting "news" in quotes, you're slyly stating that Howey's report isn't news at all.
Which amuses me, because that's my feeling about "Publishers Lunch." And for the record I only read your article because I was looking for a decent critique of Howey's new venture, but I found you instead.
Michael: That information is being presented as revealing "data" about how the ebook world really works.
Joe: Actually, Hugh's info is being presented as revealing how big a portion of Amazon's sales are self-published vs. legacy published, while estimating how much authors make off of each type of publishing. Because Amazon is very often the largest generator of author income, authors are very interested in this information. Which is why Hugh and Data Guy named the site "Author Earnings" and not "How The Ebook World Really Works."
I'm "also" going to sponsor an "intervention" to get you to stop abusing "quotation marks".
You're "welcome."
(And don't take this "personally." I'm only "kidding.")
Michael: At the end of the day, asking questions and challenging assumptions ought to be valuable for us all. Sometimes being provocatively wrong is a very effective way of getting people to re-examine their assumptions.
Joe: Agreed. But not always. For example, right now you're being provocatively wrong, but your two part article didn't effectively get me to re-examine my assumptions. What it did was help me cement the opinions I already had about how the legacy industry tries to explain away its mounting fear of the future by using incomplete data (the same thing you accuse Howey of) to further your own agenda.
Can we agree that Howey's agenda differs from yours? For example, www.authorearnings.com requires no subscription, nor a paywall.
Michael: The primary reason we do not have deep data and transparency about ebook sales, in both units and dollars, is because of Amazon. They keep their data private for competitive advantage in the marketplace, plain and simple. (BTW, if Amazon were to disclose their data in a Bookscan-style system, the other major players would happily participate.)
Joe: I'm transparent with my numbers. So are many self-published authors (search Kindleboards.com for "sales thread"). We get clear, detailed reports from Amazon, and we share them publicly.
Do you know who doesn't share them?
Publishers, who are getting the same reports from Amazon as we authors get.
I post my numbers, down to the annual unit sales per title. The Big 5 don't post theirs.
And I bet any of the Big 5 would throw a huge hissy fit if Amazon suddenly put out a press release saying "Simon & Schuster Sold X Number of Ebooks This Quarter."
Publishers have a hundred year history of keeping their data private. And not only private, but cryptic and often indecipherable, as any author reading his bi-annual royalty statement can attest to.
Publishers didn't invent Bookscan. They've never been forthcoming with their sales figures. Hell, you can't even get a straight answer out of them as to exact print runs. There is NO WAY they'd ever start sharing information as you suggest. If they did, Amazon wouldn't have to share numbers, because we'd all have the same information Amazon has. We'd have even more information, because publishers could also reveal their B&N, Kobo, and iTunes sales.
And when they do, I'll ride a flying pig through a snowstorm in hell while wearing a T-Shirt that says "I Was Wrong".
Michael: In this digital age, we don't see why authors should have to be in the dark about real sales on the site that works so hard to secure their trust as the *exclusive* venue where their product is sold. Those half-a-million exclusive authors should not stand for fake data and merchandising lists.
Joe: First, do you have proof that Amazon releases fake data? Are you insinuating (or accusing) that they manipulate their lists? Earlier you said:
"But Amazon's hourly bestseller lists are a merchandising tool, controlled by the site according to their own black box methods and designed to drive their company agenda -- which includes selling more ebooks, and whenever possible increasing the share of KDP and Amazon Publishing titles on their own site."
Can you back that strawman up with facts? You're implying Amazon uses bestseller lists as a tool to their advantage, ergo Amazon is falsifying these lists. You understand how that is disingenuous, and a logical fallacy, right? You created your own reality and then refuted it, with no proof to back it up.
I mean, do you have reason to believe that Amazon's bestseller lists are based on write-in estimates by a few key retail outlets, like the NYT Bestseller List does? I could see how that would make a person mistrust a bestseller list. But where is your evidence Amazon does something like this?
It also seems like you're saying Amazon is the secrecy culprit while giving legacy publishers a free pass, Amazon keeps data private for a competitive advantage (without mentioning publishers do the same), and Amazon is the reason for all the secrecy in the industry (it isn't).
Second, Amazon isn't keeping authors in the dark. All authors, like all publishers, know exactly how much they sell on Amazon. Amazon simply isn't sharing its view of the complete picture with anyone, and doesn't tell Peter what Paul made. Pretty much like most companies in the world.
And now you switched from "quotes" to *asterisks*. But is that really *better*? Doesn't Publishers Lunch have italics?
Also, be careful what you wish for. Amazon could someday release numbers, and their data could make Hugh Howey's data look understated.
Do you really want to know how big the self-publishing shadow industry is? If Amazon did release that data, how would you and your legacy pundit peers explain it away if it showed how much self-pub authors are earning compared to legacy authors? Would you dismiss it by saying it is fake? By saying it is only a small percentage of the whole industry? By saying ebooks only account for a fraction of all sales? By citing alternate sources of data?
In other words, many of the things the legacy industry is doing right now to discredit Hugh's findings.
Michael: the US market data clearly indicates that dollar growth has declined significantly and the ebook market has been roughly flat for a while. That leads people to speculate that self-publishing and/or small unreported publishers must be growing at a far faster rate and taking share from the publishers who do report their sales -- even though there is no hard data to support this, and as I'll show later on, the indicators we have, which are pretty good, specifically refute it.
Joe: I was under the impression that ebook growth is slowing, not flat.
And which publishers report their sales? Can you point to a publisher that admitted how many ebooks they sold in 2013? I don't mean percentage or growth. I mean unit sales. I can point to many authors, me included, who share that info. Why not legacy publishers?
Michael: The best data we have for US ebook sales comes from the monthly AAP reports. It comes directly from the largest publishers and distributors, and covers roughly 1,200 publishers in all. The AAP has good, consistent data from that set of companies going back three years, starting in 2011.
Joe: Hmm, the AAP never asked me for my data. And I bet Amazon didn't give them any data either.
But even if the AAP is beneficial to large publishers and distributors, it can't accurately guess at the size of the shadow industry of self-publishing, or estimate how much self-published authors are earning. So their data is largely useless to authors, whereas www.authorearnings.com is not.
Michael: For 10 months of 2013, AAP data shows that publisher dollar revenues from ebooks were down almost four percent
Joe: What makes you believe that the AAP data being down four percent for publishers means that all ebook sales are down four percent? Why do you think that represents the market for Amazon, or for self-pubbed authors?
Michael: Here is where many people get tripped up. For publishers who report their results publicly in some fashion, almost everyone said ebook sales still rose in 2013, anywhere from 8 percent up to 24 percent (Simon & Schuster) or even 39 percent (HarperCollins). This is no way refutes or disproves the AAP data.
Joe: And now you're underlining.
So are ebook sales flat? Are they falling? Are they rising? And most of all, why do I, as a self-pubbed author, care, except in relation to how much money I'd be missing if I were locked into a legacy 12.5% ebook royalty rate instead of earning 70% self-publishing?
You quote a lot of data in this post, Michael. Where is your data that convinces authors to take legacy deals? (Hint: that's what the www.authorearnings.com data is doing.)
Michael: People read that the ebook market is flat (or declining), decide that does not correspond to their personal habits or beliefs, and then turn to conjecture rather than data for a reason. One reason they come up with is that it must be that self-publishing has become so huge it has overtaken the market and that's where all the growth is. This is fed by Amazon PR stories that are entirely in the etailer's self-interest.
Joe: You posted a lot of data on your site that I omitted because:
1) I respect your paywall and copyright and the work you put in and
2) It bored the shit out of me
Using that data, you made a rational argument that there could be other reasons for ebook sales being flat/rising/falling other than self-publishing sales affecting them.
But why do I care?
I care about how many self-pubbed ebooks are making money, not about if the legacy industry is experiencing growth or not.
I know you write for "Publishers Lunch" not "Authors Lunch" so it makes sense that you'll try to quell some of the obvious panic happening in the legacy world as a result of Hugh's report. But if you truly want to reassure the legacy industry that "*all is well*", gather some data as to why authors should continue to submit to them. Because Hugh's data, my data, and recently Edward W. Robinson's data all show that self-pubbed authors are faring very well.
All you have to do is look at some Amazon bestseller lists and count how many indie publishers are on them. It'll take you ten minutes. I've been doing it for years.
Michael: One reason they come up with is that it must be that self-publishing has become so huge it has overtaken the market and that's where all the growth is. This is fed by Amazon PR stories that are entirely in the etailer's self-interest.
Joe: As opposed to stories that are entirely in the legacy publisher's self-interest? Like your post here. Or the DBW survey, which is called What Advantages do Traditional Publishers Offer Authors.
Michael: The more logical conclusion, as I have set up and will now demonstrate, is that self-publishing is probably just like those other segments of publishing: It grew some, and outperformed the total market, thanks to the reallocation of dollars, but is in no way disproportionate to what other actors saw. And every indication we have shows us that either a) self-publishing is not big enough that significant growth here would change our profile of the total market, or b) self-publishing sales were just like AAP sales in 2013.
Joe: Self-publishing most certainly has changed the legacy profile in the total market, and has done so in a significant way. I made a million bucks in 2013. That means I grossed about $1.4M. If I'd been legacy published, some lucky legacy publisher could have added $525k to their profits.
Instead, they derived $0 from me.
Is that significant? To the Big 5, probably not.
As for demonstrating that self-pubbing is like other segments of publishing, let's look at the "data" you have to support this claim.
(See what I did with the quotes there?)
Michael: (Smashwords) total sales were $20 million.
Joe: So that's over $10M legacy publishing missed out on, just through Smashwords.
Significant yet? Probably not. But let's keep going.
Michael: If you posit that Smashwords is only reaching a third of the market for their authors (so triple their gross, to $60 million), and then you postulate the total self-publishing market is three times bigger still (500,000 KDP exclusive authors, plus 275,000 Smashwords authors), you've talked your way to a market of $180 million or so.
Joe: And if I posit that Smashwords is only reaching 1/100 of the market (so multiply their gross by 100, to $2B) we can both prove that we're pulling random numbers out of our asses.
But for a moment, let's look at your $180M self-pub market.
That's over $90M missed by publishing. Is that becoming significant yet?
Here's the thing, though. I can probably calculate $180,000,000 in self-pub revenue just totaling up people I know. Hell, I'm just 1/180 of that all by myself. And there are 2.4 million ebooks on Amazon, and more elsewhere.
Amazon, in a rare case of revealing data, mentioned there were over 150 authors who each sold over 100,000 ebooks in 2013. That's 15 million ebooks that legacy publishers didn't sell. And those are only 150 authors.
But earlier you discounted PR stories released by Amazon as "entirely in the etailer's self-interest."
Well, c'mon, Michael. Make up your mind. Do you want Amazon to disclose data, or not?
Now let's take a closer look at Hugh Howey's data. According to Data Guy:
"Our sample of the top 7,000 Amazon genre e-book bestsellers alone--just the small sample we took--adds up to $185M/year when the daily SP revenue is multiplied by 365. It's right there in the spreadsheet we shared: the indie part of our sample adds up to $500,000 /day in gross dollar sales."
So just the top 7000 authors in a few genres on a single retailer are doing better than your predicted $180M a year for the whole shadow industry of self-publishing.
How about the other 2.4 million ebooks for sale on Amazon that weren't counted in Hugh's spider crawl? And all the other etailers? Could the true annual ebook author revenue be triple what those top 7000 Amazon authors are making? What if the actual figure is $540M annually?
Is legacy publishing missing out on $270,000,000 in profits per year? Is that significant?
Next you talk about Nook, and flattening ebook sales, which may matter to publishers but is hardly representative of authors who are paying bills selling on the Nook.
You also talk about the USA Today bestseller list. I don't know how the list is compiled or weighted. I don't care. I made a million bucks last year and didn't appear on the USA Today list, even though I was an Amazon Top 100 Author dozens of times, often selling thousands of ebooks per day.
You also talk about Bowker and Codex and yes, I get it. Publishers Lunch is for publishers, and you can cite sources that show publishers they need not be concerned about the self-publishing revolution by going into explanations about how growth is flat or rising or falling.
Authors. Don't. Care.
Studies and surveys and polls about ebook sales only matter to authors in terms of how much the author pockets.
And since publishers make their living off the backs of authors, perhaps they (and you) should be less concerned with what Peter Hildick-Smith is tracking, and more about what Hugh's and Edward's data shows: lots of self-pubbed ebooks being sold. Self-pubbed ebooks that earn 70% of list price for authors, not 12.5% of list. Self-pubbed ebooks that are taking up a good deal of real estate on Amazon's bestseller lists—real estate once entirely occupied by legacy publishers.
We don't care if Amazon only tells part of the story. We just care about the part of the story that concerns us. The majority of authors I know make the majority of their income on Amazon. www.authorearnings.com is compelling authors to choose self-publishing as not just a viable alternative to signing with the Big 5, but as a far superior alternative.
How many millions of dollars does the legacy industry have to miss out on before it recognizes the threat of self-publishing?
How many authors, like me, does it have to lose before it starts offering authors better contract terms?
I don't have answers to those questions, but I do have an answer to this one:
How many apologists citing surveys are going to eat crow when the legacy publishing industry collapses?
Answer: All of them. And you'll have no one to blame but yourselves, because I've been telling you this since 2009.
Whose position is gaining favor with authors, mine or yours?
I sent this post to Anonymous Data Guy to make sure I wasn't off base with anything I said, and he allowed me to share another two data points:
"The gross self-published sales in the soon-to-be-released 50,000-book spider run from February 7 add up to $615,000 / day.
That's a $225M/year run rate, and it's just a partial look at the top (all-genres) indie bestsellers on Amazon. The $225M ignores many hundreds of thousands of indie books that weren't on the Amazon bestseller lists, because they were only selling only a few copies per day, per week, or per month. I'd conservatively put Amazon self-published gross sales at a minimum $400M-$600M/year run rate right now.
Depending on how many low-volume sales are happening of the 2,350,000 other books deeper in the long tail and thus invisible when spidering the Amazon bestseller lists, the true indie total may be 25%-50% higher than that – I wouldn't be surprised if it was $750M a year already."
Is this significant yet? Should legacy publishers care?
How about this:
"Here are the numbers from the first 878 respondents to the voluntary survey on authorearnings.com:
In total, the 767 survey respondents so far who had self-publishing revenue last year earned $49.7M.
At 70% Amazon royalty, that's at least $71M in gross self-published sales – or more, if a substantial portion were low-priced books at 35%.
That $49.7M self-published author revenue averages to $64,880 per self-published author responding.
The 223 survey respondents so far who had trad-publishing revenue last year earned $10.3M.
That's an average of $46,330 per trad-published author responding.
In total, the 876 respondents that had self-publishing revenue earned $4.7M in January. At 70% royalty, that projects to $80M.
And it projects to $64,390 per self-published author responding, which is very consistent with their figures for last year."
What if those legacy published authors had made 70% royalties instead of 12.5%? I bet they're thinking that very thing. They're looking at their print sales (if their bi-annual royalty statements are clear enough to define them) and that big minus column of paper returns, and then staring at their ebook royalties and wondering "why the hell do I keep taking legacy contracts?"
I understand this isn't a random sampling (which was one of the flaws with the DBW survey) but this data is telling authors (for free) some very provocative things.
Michael, I really, really do understand why you went to great lengths to cite numbers and assure the legacy publishing industry whatever it was you were trying to assure them. They're the ones who subscribe to Publishers Lunch for $25 a month.
Now I must ask you, since self-pubbed authors make 5.6x as much as legacy pubbed authors on equally priced ebooks, how would you like to make $140 a month for a PL subscription instead of $25? Would you want to know more? Would you want to know if others were doing just that? Would you like data that shows how others are actually doing it? How would you feel if you made $25 from your work, and your domain provider made $115 for hosting it? Would you feel ripped off? Would you be looking for a new domain host?
That's the real danger of www.authorearnings.com. There is money being earned by legacy publishers that could be earned by authors. Food actually being taken from authors' mouths.
I can reach more ebook readers than a legacy publisher can, and I can make more money per sale. I don't need them anymore.
Publishers Lunch needs them, to stay in business.
Mike Shatzkin needs them, to pay his consulting fees.
Gottlieb, Zacharius, Curtis, Lipskar, Gernert, Maass, Turow, Russo, Patterson, Raab, many of the AAR, and many of the Authors Guild need them, because they pay the bills.
But authors don't need the legacy publishers. We haven't for years.
Know who else doesn't need legacy publishers? Amazon.
Because if the Big 5 fail, Amazon will still be able to publish authors and their books, either through KDP, A-Pub, or via buying the entire backlist.
The legacy industry was once essential to publishing. Gatekeeping middlemen that controlled a quasi-monopoly on the distribution of paper books. And writers were exploited.
But legacy publishers aren't essential anymore. They're an option. And not a very attractive option at that. We can actually be fully independent of legacy publishers.
So you can keep reassuring your clientele that all is A-OK. Or you can give them some advice worth their $25 a month. Namely; if they don't start treating their authors better, they aren't going to have many authors left. They aren't going to stay in business banking on authors taking unconscionable deals because the authors are too dense to know any better. That isn't a smart long-term plan.
Then again, it makes no difference to me whether you warn them or if they stay in business. I'm just here to freely share my information with my peers. Because pain shared is pain divided, and joy shared is joy multiplied.
Don't worry about sending me $25 for my advice. I'm already making 8x what I once did within the legacy system.
And thanks for your "thoughts" on this matter. :)


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EPA leads charge on climate change
Part of a POLITICO Pro Special Report series on the Obama administration's executive action and regulatory agenda.
President Barack Obama's environmental regulators will spend the rest of this year writing climate rules that would reshape the nation's electricity supply, throw a cloud over the future of coal power and take the biggest stride ever in throttling the nation's greenhouse gas pollution.
Story Continued Below
And that's just the beginning.
While the EPA takes on carbon pollution from thousands of power plants, the State Department is moving to carry out Obama's orders to cut off funding for many coal projects overseas. The president's agencies are also financing giant solar farms in the Mojave desert, working on doubling the federal government's own reliance on green electricity and coming up with ways to help states gird their roads and bridges against severe storms and rising seas.
( FULL COVERAGE: POLITICO Pro Special Report: Obama's power play)
This is hardly a secret agenda. Obama has spoken of it proudly, most recently in Tuesday night's State of the Union address, when he said: "Climate change is a fact. And when our children's children look us in the eye and ask if we did all we could to leave them a safer, more stable world with new sources of energy, I want us to be able to say yes, we did."
But some of the administration's climate work is taking place under the radar, in ways few Americans would notice until the impacts ripple through the economy. One example: Last year, the administration quietly rejiggered a wonky calculation known as the " social cost of carbon" in a way that will make it easier to justify the economic burdens of a wide range of climate regulations.
The regulators are racing the calendar to get the rules in shape to take effect before Obama leaves office. That will be no easy feat, especially with the opponents in industry and coal-friendly states already fighting in the courts and Congress to thwart the new regulations.
( PHOTOS: Obama's second-term Cabinet)
But Obama and his "green Cabinet" — the secretaries and administrators in charge of energy, the environment and public lands — also have their eyes on 2015. That's when the U.S. and other countries face a deadline to craft a legally binding agreement committing the world to reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
The president's team is convinced that the U.S. must lead by example if it hopes to get China, India and Russia to follow suit, but the only hope of doing that is through the executive branch's actions. By showing that his administration has taken concrete action, Obama can wipe out some of the embarrassment the U.S. suffered in international climate circles after rejecting the 1997 Kyoto climate accords.
( Also on POLITICO: Full energy and environment policy coverage)
The president made it plain in last year's State of the Union that he wouldn't wait for lawmakers to tackle climate change, proclaiming that "if Congress won't act soon to protect future generations, I will." But in fact, the administration's climate efforts have been in motion since the start of his first term.
The administration's major climate effort is a pair of EPA regulations aimed at cutting carbon pollution from power plants. The EPA proposed the first rule, aimed at future plants, in September and must finish writing it by January 2015. This June, it's due to release the draft of a rule for the nation's thousands of existing power plants — the agency's main target and the single largest source of U.S. greenhouse gas pollution.
( Sign up for POLITICO's Morning Energy tip sheet)
The genesis of these rules dates to Obama's first term, even before the attempt to tackle climate change through cap-and-trade legislation died in the Senate. In 2009, the EPA made a crucial legal determination that carbon dioxide is a pollutant, allowing it to begin regulating the greenhouse gas under the Clean Air Act. It started by regulating carbon emissions from cars.

subset: commoncrawl


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Why Gordon-Conwell?
Our vision at Gordon-Conwell is to equip leaders for church and society by training them to think theologically, engage globally and live biblically wherever they are called. The following commitments undergird this vision and provide our students with a transformational, culturally engaged educational experience:
Rigorous academics; practical training
We are committed to both academic excellence and practical application, combining challenging classes taught by renowned professors with a mentoring program in a local ministry. In addition, many of our faculty have experience in workplace, church, parachurch and mission contexts, and incorporate this practical experience into their teaching.
Spiritual formation
Through the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building and other resources, we challenge students to continually deepen their walks with Christ. Our emphasis on small group discipleship and spiritual formation encourages students to grow spiritually as they train academically and practically for ministry.
Authentic, diverse community
Our culturally and denominationally diverse community allows students to build relationships with people from a wide variety of backgrounds and opinions. Students learn and grow together in a vibrant, multidenominational environment.
Global engagement
Gordon-Conwell remains committed to training leaders for the global Church. Through the Wilson Center for World Missions, Overseas Missions Practicums and our diverse environment, speakers and special events, we emphasize the global Church and our students' roles in it.


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Science Friday® is produced by the Science Friday Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Science Friday® and SciFri® are registered service marks of Science Friday, Inc. Site design by Pentagram; engineering by Mediapolis.
|What if solar power was more practical at the personal level? In this segment, we'll talk with an MIT chemist working on ways to improve solar energy. His lab has created a catalyst that can aid in the hydrolysis of water, producing oxygen and hydrogen for use in fuel cells. The researchers say that such a catalyst could make it simpler to store solar energy.


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Best Of :: Sports & Recreation
This tucked-away equestrian enclave in southern Burbank, between Riverside Drive and the L.A. River, boasts weathered stables, the refreshing scent of soil and straw and a backdrop of dramatic mountains. It's a slice of pastoral America — which is one of the reasons that Good Pony is the perfect place in L.A to learn or practice horse riding. Another reason: Davee Hallinan. An equine professional for 30-plus years, Hallinan is what you'd call a "horse person," but she's also a people person. Her specialty is comforting fearful riders, and she instructs everyone from kindergarteners to senior citizens, offering various packages of private riding sessions and teaching dressage, jumping, barn management and bareback riding. Hallinan has ridden all over the mountains and valleys of Southern California, which makes her an ideal guide, and she makes a point of incorporating dance movements — another passion of hers — into the riding lesson.
Some of the first things that come to mind when outsiders imagine living in California are sunshine, beaches and wine. Pretty much all Californians while away our afternoons with our feet in the surf and rosé in our cups, right? We wish. But we can prove them right every so often with a quick trip to Topanga State Beach and Rosenthal Vineyards. For just a few bucks, you can skip the Malibu traffic and park at this lovely, generally uncrowded patch of shore. Take in a few rays, then duck below PCH by way of an underground passageway and grab a bottle at Rosenthal, where you can lounge on the lawn sipping wine as the sun goes down. Sure, it sounds like a California cliché, but you'll be too wrapped in contentment to care.18741 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu. (310) 456-1392, rosenthalestatewines.com.
When life burdens you with stress or sadness, Malibu Wine Safaris, on winding Mulholland in Malibu Canyon, has some healthy medicine to soothe your soul. A visit with lovable and friendly wild animals, including a giraffe, zebras, water buffalo, yaks, llamas and alpacas, plus wine tasting and breathtaking views is the emotional equivalent of a full-body massage. Ninety-minute tours include six wine tastings and an opportunity to meet, pet and feed the happy animals — along with the chance to see a cave with preserved Chumash pictographs. Family tours are available without the wine. The open-top vehicle tour of gorgeous Saddlerock Ranch, spread over 1,000 acres, with 800 acres of grape vines, is truly a romantic California adventure, full of heart-expanding natural beauty. You can feel the love here.
If you're looking for a private meditation spot to literally stop and smell the roses, Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks will help you press your internal reset button. Spread over 4½ serene acres, this privately owned park opened to the public in 2001 and offers a charming and quiet tour through the countries of the world. The grounds showcase gardens dedicated to England, with more than 350 sweet-smelling rose bushes; Italy, with a shady grape arbor, cypress trees and fountain; France, with a replica of an elaborate hillside waterfall found at the Palace of Versailles; and Japan, with a koi pond, a pagoda and a romantic reflecting bridge. It also features a California Mission–themed courtyard, and in the center of a green lawn there's a traditional American bandstand, where free concerts are frequently staged. A picturesque pathway, perfect for solitary reflection, connects the different gardens together.
Built on a 3-acre site that once was the garden of a mansion on Pasadena's "Millionaires Row," Arlington Garden is the city's only public garden. Situated between busy Orange Grove and Pasadena avenues, it's easy to bypass, but this hidden treasure is worth a stop. Free to the public, with dogs allowed (on leash), and open 365 days a year, it's a series of garden rooms with a waterwise Mediterranean sensibility. Plantings range from Australian to wildflower, orange grove to Madagascan spiny forest. There's even a classical seven-circuit labyrinth, perfect for meditative walking. Hummingbirds chirp and lizards scurry out of your way as you stroll Arlington Garden's pathways and explore its many nooks and corners. There are benches and chairs everywhere — and they even seemed freshly dusted on a sunny Sunday morning. The whole place is on a small scale, making it perfect for young kids, too.
If you sometimes prefer the company of birds to humans, the Sepulveda Dam Wildlife Reserve is just the place to decompress. The rare evergreen diamond of wilderness smack in the middle of urban sprawl is known to attract more than 200 bird species, from Western scrub jays to great egrets, American coots to pied-billed grebes, song sparrows to spotted towhees, great horned owls to turkey vultures. There's no better pick-me-up than a delicate heron gliding above the ecologically protected terrain. While generally a place for bird watchers and admirers, the reserve also is a good spot to run or walk without being tripped every 10 paces by the ubiquitous L.A. canine corps. Yes, we love our dogs, but sometimes a park should be strictly for the birds.
Renewed interest in a more natural L.A. River has led to a push to make it more fishable. On Sept. 5, Friends of the L.A. River (FoLAR) organized the second annual fly-fishing competition on a foliage-filled section of the river in North Atwater Park. While the steelhead trout have long been missing, several species of bass, tilapia and carp are thriving and very catchable, with the first-prize fisherman reeling in a four-pound carp and three small bass. The real winners, however, were the local residents who packed into the recently upgraded park to enjoy a river that's been neglected for half a century. Montana it is not, but with marshy bushes, 212 species of birds and a view of the lush humps of Griffith Park, you might just feel as if you're in a less concrete kind of wilderness.
If you don't have a rich friend with a beachfront estate and sparkling pool, the Annenberg Community Beach House is the next best thing. There's not much but the marble-tiled pool left of the historic, five-acre compound built in the 1920s by William Randolph Hearst for actress Marion Davies, but a new beach house and sun deck have sprung up around it. You can further the illusion of your own private getaway (or at least get away from howling toddlers) at the adults-only sunset swim. And if you're suffering from a case of off-season blues, fear not — from October to May, you can still swim on special pop-up pool days (follow ACBH on Facebook or Twitter to receive three-day advance notice of those).
Did you know there's a lake high above L.A., on a trail offering views of downtown and Pasadena? Well, you're not alone. Ernest E. Debs Regional Park occupies 300 acres of old ranch land in Monterey Hills, a tiny neighborhood bordered by El Sereno, Montecito Heights and the equally tiny Hermon. Trek up the hill and you'll find the small but stunning hidden lake, which has clear waters, ducks and turtles as well as strategically placed benches around its perimeter. Though you can't swim in the lake, you can fish in it, and the surrounding five-mile loop trail is perfect for a run or hike. The trail also offers a great vantage point for watching the sunset.
There are more than 70 miles of coastline in L.A. County, much of it facing west and offering numerous vantage points to watch the sun slip into the Pacific. Seeing the ever-changing light show of vibrant colors — smog-infused oranges and lurid hot pinks fading into an ephemeral shimmer of purplish blue over a gray-black ocean — is even grander and more powerfully elemental when you're standing on a cliff above it all. Seriously dramatic cliffside views extend from Palos Verdes to Santa Monica and aptly named Pacific Palisades, but Point Fermin Park in San Pedro is in an especially enchanting location. Cabrillo Beach's tide pools and the graffiti-enshrined landslide ruins of Sunken City lie just around the southern bend, while to the north unfolds a series of beautiful coves ringed by dangerously steep cliffs that give way to only the barest strip of rocky beach. When the sun goes down, it feels like the current, the strong wind, the clouds and the kaleidoscope of colors churned up by the sun are all converging at once.
Officially, it's called the Betty B. Dearing Trail, which begins in Wilacre Park. But everyone calls it Fryman Canyon. The simple 3-mile loop on a fire road offers sweeping views of the San Fernando Valley and the occasional rattlesnake. It's not difficult, but it offers access to other trails that can make it more challenging. (The downhill portion of the hike goes through a residential neighborhood; if you look closely you'll see the trailhead for the Rainforest Trail, a more secluded hike also worth checking out.) There's not much shade, but about halfway along there's a shaded picnic table with views of the mountains to the east. But perhaps Fryman's virtues are best understood in contrast to Runyon Canyon. Unlike Runyon, it's not crowded with celebrity spotters, and hikers generally clean up after their dogs. There is also parking, which used to cost $3 but is now free.
Park just south of Griffith Park at the three-way intersection of Cadman Drive, Shannon Road and Griffith Park Boulevard. Walk north on Cadman, past some mansions built on the leafy hillside, and enter the woods. Keep walking and discover a path up a grassy hill overlooking the L.A. River and Interstate 5. Make your way up to a summit with water for humans and horses and picnic tables perfect for a breather or a bottle of wine. You may run into a hiker or two, but you will mostly have it all to yourself. Beacon Hill's 2- and 4-mile loops, with about 500 feet of elevation change, are every bit as challenging and scenic as Runyon's but without the crowds. This hike, the easternmost in the Santa Monica Mountain Range, really is the secret garden of Griffith Park hiking.Shannon Road and Cadman Drive, Los Feliz.


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Anne Lyle is the author of The Alchemist of Souls, a historical fantasy that releases March 27th. Once I was the awesome cover, I knew I had to read the book! I asked Anne to drop in the virtual offices so I could ask her a few questions about her new book, and she graciously took time out of her busy schedule to chat.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.
[Anne Lyle] I'm a zoology graduate & Mac geek with a passion for history & languages. I've never been a "girly" girl – I prefer swords to handbags 🙂
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about The Alchemist of Souls?
[Anne Lyle] It's an alternate history fantasy, set in Elizabethan London. Explorers have discovered a race of mysterious creatures called skraylings living alongside the natives of the New World – creatures with apparently magical powers. Now the skraylings have sent an ambassador to England, but their purpose remains unclear.
The hero of the story, Mal Catlyn, has been plucked almost literally from the gutter to be the ambassador's bodyguard, but finds himself a pawn in a dangerous game that could lose him his life – and his soul.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?
[Anne Lyle] I wanted to write something a bit different from the usual medieval fantasy, and I'd always loved Shakespeare, so I decided on an Elizabethan setting and started doing some research. My main inspiration came after reading an account of the murder of playwright Christopher Marlowe and the likely involvement in those events of Queen Elizabeth's spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham. I loved the idea of writing a cloak'n'dagger fantasy full of spies and actors!
The skraylings came out of my interest in pre-Columbian America and a desire to see history turned on its head, with the Europeans being on the receiving end of visitors they don't really understand.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What was the most challenging aspect of writing the story?
[Anne Lyle] For me, it was marshalling all my ideas for the way the story might go – I spent a lot of the four years' writing time messing about with the plot rather than polishing the actual prose. Once I finally had the story pinned down, getting it into shape for submitting to publishers was relatively easy.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Mal?
[Anne Lyle] Honourable, stubborn, protective.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are three things Mal would never have in his pocket?
[Anne Lyle] His pockets are all-too-frequently empty. Is this a trick question?
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?
[Anne Lyle] Ursula Le Guin, both for her fantasy and SF and for her critical essays; Terry Pratchett, whose fictional city of Ankh-Morpork (itself inspired by historical London), probably influenced my choice of London as the setting for my own book; and Ellen Kushner and Lynn Flewelling, for the revelation that great fantasy heroes don't have to be heterosexual.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?
[Anne Lyle] Not absolutely necessary, but an enormous help: silence, my MacBook and a cup of tea.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?
[Anne Lyle] The first book I really remember reading is Alice in Wonderland – I was probably very young, as I found it hard going even though I was a precocious reader.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren't writing?
[Anne Lyle] Writing takes up a lot of my spare time, since I also have a day-job. I read, of course, but in the evenings I mostly just chill out with a DVD, my cats and maybe a glass of wine.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?
[Anne Lyle] I'm on Twitter nearly every day (@AnneLyle), I'm on Goodreads, and I blog regularly on my website, www.annelyle.com. I also have a Facebook page, though I don't visit it as often as I should.
Readers in the UK can also find me at various SFF conventions, where I do readings and/or participate in panels, and I'm hoping to go to WorldCon in Chicago this year. Check out the calendar on my website!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thanks!
You can pre-order The Alchemist of Souls from your favorite bookseller, or by clicking the widget below.


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Montell Willams Gets It Right
January 30, 2008 by kuuipo1207
Filed under Random Musings
Ok, Ok! I know! Three posts in one day?!?! Dayyyuuummm! Well, a friend on mine posted this on her myspace. And being a military wife, it was too good for me to not post it here to spread the word! So here it is. Thanks to my friend Heather for sharing this in her bulletin […]


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Marathon bombings: Runners bear blue and yellow to support Boston
BOSTON -- As Marie Swanson strolled by the Christian Science Center reflecting pool in the heart of the downtown Wednesday morning, she proudly wore her blue-and-yellow Boston Marathon jacket.
The 50-year-old from a suburb of Dallas said she was still donning the windbreaker two days after running in the 26.2-mile race to offer her support to a city rocked by the bombings Monday that left three dead and more than 170 injured.
"It is part of a conscious effort to show solidarity to the city in the midst of this tragedy because of how wonderful people have been to us and how great the city is," Swanson said.
On Wednesday, downtown Boston remained a sea of neon blue and yellow as both runners and volunteers from across the country and world wore Boston Marathon gear, with many saying they did so to pay tribute.
"You just want to support the city in any way you can because everyone has been so friendly and to support those who did not make it," said Terri Anne Soukoroff, 41, of Canada, who wore a marathon windbreaker and a newly-purchased Boston Red Sox hat.
Glenn Kishi, a 51-year-old from San Jose, Calif., who ran his fourth Boston Marathon on Monday, said it wasn't unusual for those who finish the race to wear marathon gear to celebrate their accomplishment in the day or two after.
But Kishi said it was clear on Tuesday and Wednesday that those wearing blue and yellow were doing so for more weighty reasons.
"This year it is a more somber show of support for everyone," he said. "It is no longer about the marathon, it is about the victims, those who passed away. I don't think anyone wearing the jackets is celebrating anything."
Kishi wore his marathon jacket and yellow running shirt as he walked around Copley Square, taking photos to make sure he did not forget the week's events.
A salesperson at the "Life in Boston" store at the Prudential Center downtown said sales of Marathon gear post-race were brisker than usual.
Some dressed in marathon colors also wore medals they received for competing in the race around their necks to demonstrate solidarity with the city.
"I'm not taking mine off for a month or so," said Dean Simon, 45, of Newfoundland, Canada. Simon, who came within a half-mile of finishing the race, also planned a late Wednesday run around Boston Common while wearing his marathon jacket and medal to pay tribute to Boston.
Not all runners still in Boston were initially eager to wear their marathon clothes.
"I did not want to wear it right after the deaths because what happened was so much more important than me running the race," the 61-year-old Gusman said. "But now I feel a little better wearing it."


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For more and more businesses, Sunday is just another day.
Time-pressed consumers want to shop, pick up prescriptions, grab some fast food and take care of other chores on their varied schedules. And that has put pressure on financial institutions, including credit unions, to meet those expectations.
In some cases it has meant offering members the option of visiting a branch on Sunday.
The move attracted newspaper coverage for Coastal Federal Credit Union. The article noted it was a significant step in North Carolina, considered a Bible Belt state where business on Sunday has not been common.
Joe Mecca, marketing/advertising manager, explained to Credit Union Times the open on Sunday concept was introduced in March at a few branches, then rolled out in phases to other locations. In some cases construction was needed to provide at least two personal tellers. Today 13 of 15 branches offer Sunday hours. The hours are promoted in television and radio spots.
The key is personal teller machines that allow tellers working from Coastal Federal headquarters in Raleigh to serve multiple branches. Credit union members see a real-time video image of the teller. Checks are scanned, receipts provided and even coins are dispensed.
"It's part of our long-term vision for rolling out personal teller machines," Mecca said. "Once we had all our branches converted, we decided we were going to take it a step further and add as many hours as we could comfortably do. We conducted focus groups and surveys with our members. They are definitely at ease with video banking."
Actually, members have had several years to accept the concept. Centralized teller operations even out the workflow so tellers at one branch aren't idle while other locations scurry to keep up with heavy traffic. There are now 40 tellers supporting 60 personal teller machines.
Getting employees to work on Sunday has not been much of a problem, Mecca said. Today, new hires are aware when they sign on that Saturday and Sunday hours may be involved. Sunday activity has grown steadily, with about 400 transactions in recent weeks. Saturdays have recorded about 1,000 transactions.
Community America Credit Union in Kansas opened its first in-store branch offering Sunday hours in 1999. Lisa Ginter, chief operation officer, explained that as banks began to exit grocery stores in the late 1990s, Community America seized the opportunity to enter that space and offer Sunday hours–"a great way to extend convenience to our members. We then sought other grocery store partnerships to offer Sunday hours in additional locations."
Being open on Sundays has been one of the key points highlighted in direct mail and on billboards during the past several years. The message is aimed not only at current members, but at nonmembers considering the credit union.
"Recently we also created a TV ad, 'Mr. Sunday,' that focused exclusively on this differentiator, demonstrating how we were putting Sundays back to work," Ginter said.
Is it hard to find staff who will work Sunday?
"Not at all," she responded. "When we hire, we're looking for employees who truly embody an exemplary customer service work ethic so we can stand behind our member-first philosophy. As a result, staffing on Sundays isn't that difficult. We're open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays to provide extra flexibility for our members, but it also provides plenty of time and flexibility for our employees' personal pursuits such as church and family time.
"We rotate our schedule so employees only work an occasional Sunday shift, unless otherwise requested, and they then have time off during the middle of the week. New employees coming from a retail environment appreciate the fewer hours required for Sundays, while those coming from a banking environment have to adjust a bit."
In addition, the credit union does pay time-and-a-half for Sunday to recognize the Sunday effort and retain good talent. It's well worth it, Ginter said.
As for members, she indicated the credit union often hears stories from members reporting that Sunday hours allowed them to get a deposit in on time or access a financial relationship specialist when their regular work week doesn't allow them to visit the credit union during what had been conventional hours. Saturday and Sunday hours also help members who shop for vehicles on weekends and want to arrange financing.
A tip from Ginter: "Members love the convenience, but be sure you plan to offer this type of convenience across your market so all of your members have access."
While Community America didn't run into significant problems assigning Sunday hours, initial reaction from employees at TruMark Financial Credit Union in Pennsylvania wasn't as positive.
TruMark introduced Saturday in 2001, then expanded to Sunday hours about four years ago. Christian Roach, senior vice president/member services, recalls the all-employee meeting when Sunday hours were announced.
"It wasn't popular, of course. I got to stand on a stage in front of 200 to 250 people and tell them they had to work Sunday. Some people said, 'Why should we have to do this?' The loudest and most vocal was a relatively young person. I asked, 'Do you remember when drugstores were closed on Sundays? When supermarkets were closed on Sundays? When all the shopping malls were closed on Sundays?' She looked perplexed and asked, 'What are you talking about?'
"Everything has changed. People want to do their nonwork activities when they have the time. We don't want to be unavailable when members need us the most. Many times both spouses are working, and the only time they might be able to get together to do a loan application or settlement might be evenings or weekends. So we opened up all of our branches on Sunday, except our Center City branch which serves for the most part people who work in central Philadelphia rather than those who live there."
Every Community America employee doesn't work every weekend, but most employees will work weekends at least once a month. Because the Center City branch isn't open, those employees are assigned to other branches on weekends. One or two branch managers work every weekend, and are available by phone call to staff in other branches.
At least three employees are assigned to every branch for both dual control and security. Some especially busy branches may have four people. There are part-time employees who prefer to work weekends because during the week they are in school or have some other commitment.
"It's a good time for initial training so new employees can gain experience and confidence. Sunday isn't the busiest day of the week, but there's definitely sufficient transaction volume. We're also part of the shared branching network, and get a lot of members of other credit unions coming to us on Sundays," Roach said.
"But a challenge is that weekends are a popular time for people to do loan settlements. Part-timers generally have less experience so we like to have more experienced people on hand in case there is an issue with a settlement. It is a bit of a juggling act," Roach said.
As for members, Sunday hours have grown from a pleasant surprise to an expectation.
He also has some advice for other credit unions. First, look at your marketplace. Is your competition doing it, so consumers expect it? If other financial institutions are closed, will Sunday hours give you a competitive advantage? Some credit unions may prefer to extend their Saturday hours and remain closed Sunday. Start with one branch, perhaps your busiest, and see if there is a need. It may take a few months to assess the results.
Although TruMark didn't promote Sunday hours too heavily, weekends are now a standard part of advertising boilerplate .
"We wanted to make our hours fit people's lives," Roach explained. "We looked at the competition. People have a lot of options. Commerce Bank had Sunday hours. Citizens Bank had Sunday hours. There were other banks that had Sunday hours either in specific locations or supermarket locations. It was rapidly becoming a norm for the marketplace."
Just as credit unions adjust their hours to meet customer expectations, many business members are also expanding their hours. TruMark has encountered positive response from business members who like the idea of being able to access a financial institution on weekends.


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We are a voluntary, non-profit prevention and counseling agency, which has been providing free help to children, youth and families in Bruce and Grey Counties since 1974. Our Programs and Services reflect a desire to help "Build Futures Together" with an emphasis on listening, partnerships, and creativity. Our vision is to provide "responsive, compassionate services for children, youth and families to build better and more hopeful futures". WELCOME TO OUR AGENCY!
Keystone holds workshops for parents on key topics, including ADHD, managing challenging behaviour, supporting and parenting anxious children and parenting a child through separation and divorce.
Our workshops are available in two locations, Owen Sound and Hanover. All workshops are available at no cost to parents, although they are asked to register beforehand. For more information see our calendar on this website or call 519-371-4773 during business hours.
No referrals are necessary to access our Free, Private, Confidential and Tailor-made Programs and Services.
Our Programs and Services are offered at no charge to residents of Grey and Bruce Counties. We are funded by the following sources: Government of Ontario, Public Health Agency of Canada, Bruce County Social Services, Grey County Social Services, Private Industry, United Way, and other Community and Private Donors.
No referrals are necessary—simply pick up the phone and call.
519-371-4773 or 1-800-567-2384
All clinical programs have linkages/partnerships with psychiatric staff affiliated with the Hosptial for Sick Children video-link service. In addition to ongoing training/education and consultations, we have the good fortune to have this consistent input/influence for our programs so that we can have evidence informed practiceyour guarantee of the best service right here in Grey/Bruce.
Would you like to become a volunteer with our organization?
::Find out more
Are you looking for career opportunities with us?
:: Visit our
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Events in the next week:
Keystone Child, Youth
& Family Services
1793 3rd Avenue West
Owen Sound
Ph: 519-371-4773
1-800 567-2384
Fax: 519-371-6397
Location Map
Google Maps Link
Mental Health Crisis Line of Grey and Bruce
Ph: 1-877-470-5200
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An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. In recent decades, this Biblical phrase has lost its currency in Britain. Those in favour of bringing back the death penalty are regarded as cranks, and it is rare to hear the issue even debated in the public square.
Which is why Life and Death Row (Monday, BBC Three) was such a powerful piece of television. This took an unflinching look at the system of capital punishment in Texas, where more people are executed than in any other American state.
The first episode was highly charged and beautifully constructed, drawing together a cluster of interviews to offer a multi-faceted impression of two crimes. It focused on two men on death row, Richard Cobb, 29, and 34-year-old Anthony Haynes. The former had committed a rape and murder, and the latter had shot to death an off-duty policeman during an altercation.
Both men spoke directly to the camera, just days before their execution. Cobb, a thin, volatile man with wild eyes and the habit of pressing his hands against his head, seemed terrifying. Haynes, on the other hand, was stuttering and neurotic uttering what seemed like genuine expressions of remorse.
Interwoven with this footage were interviews with the parents and siblings of the offenders, and the victims and their families.Nikki Daniels, who was raped and shot by Cobb but survived, was wholeheartedly in favour of the death penalty". Although she purported to have forgiven her assailant, she seemed to be revelling ghoulishly in the punishment. After witnessing the execution, she complained that "he deserved to die brutally, but he didn't", before laying on a special dinner to "celebrate".
READ: What it's like to spend 20 years on death row
Other victims, however, simply wanted an end to their suffering and a sense of justice. To a British audience, the American attitude towards guns and violence sticks in the throat. But, as Nikki Daniels's mother asked: "what if it was your child?"
Cobb in particular was disturbingly articulate. "The state doesn't care to rehabilitate me," he said. "I'm an unregenerable (sic) speck of cancer that needs to be excised from humanity before I grow and develop into something darker... I've been awake for 38 hours, retreating into myself, trying to divorce myself from this form, trying to get ready for whatever type of transcendence might come."
This was a compelling and provocative documentary, one of the best so far this year (ironic that it went out on the condemned BBC Three). Ultimately, it is unlikely to have made anybody think more favourably about capital punishment. But there was an overly-simplistic sense of justice among the death penalty supporters, which - although misguided - held a sort of siren appeal.
IN PICTURES: The last meals of Death Row inmates


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Looking for a birthday present, or just wanting give something original and different to someone dear? Get a Crown Gift Card, the most entertaining gift for in the dark!
We need your help! Whether it's in the concession, as an usher, promotion, ticket sales or simply the for and after math of shows and events, we couldn't do it all without volunteers. Contact us now and see what you can do to make a good thing even better!
Become a member of The Harriston Film Society! For only $20 a year and get discounts on events, monthly meetings and film discussions, pre screeenings and more!
30 September 2016
Looking for something to do? Every Friday and Saturday at 8:30 pm it's movie night at The Crown!
It's just a jump to the left... And another step to right! It's a great pleasure to say that on Sunday October 28th at 7:30 pm we're doing the timewarp again!!!
For the third year in row The Crown Harriston in co operation with Harry Stones presents:
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Live Event!!!
Bring your toast, your rice, your kazoo... We'll be showing the film on screen while our Live Performance Troupe led by Chad Tailor acts out the scenes on stage. So.. get dressed up and enjoy the film with interactive play!!
NOW AVAILABLE playstation gameplay up to 4 players at a time for only $25/h. Call and find out!
Come early and get discounted food and beverages with your ticket at Harry Stone's Bar between 5 and 7 pm.
Join our Best Dressed Rocky Contest with fun prizes for the winners!
Pre-sale 20$
At the door 25$
For booking email or call.


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Technical assistance and other information on cable tray systems is now available via Ask The Experts, a new customer hotline from Cooper B-Line. By calling 1-800-851-7415, ext. 366, customers can receive assistance with any technical issues with cable tray projects, including technical advice, product information, project take-offs, and software support.
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Tyler's Twilight Easter Egg Hunt
Tyler's annual Twilight Easter Egg Hunt is coming up tomorrow night (Thursday 28th) at Lindsay Park on Spur 344. The Easter bunny will be laying hundreds of eggs on the softball fields and little ones aged 3 to 10 will be able to hunt them when the twilight is just right!
The annual event is a partnership with the Tyler Parks and Recreation department, Tyler Police Department, Smith County Sheriff's Office and many other organizations and businesses.
The hunt will be divided into four groups and will hunt for the eggs accordingly:
- special needs children - hunt at 7p
- ages 3-5 - hunt at 7:15p
- ages 6-8 - hunt st 7:35p
- ages 9-10 - hunt at 7:55p
As tempting as it may be for some parents, hunting these eggs will be done by the children as no parent is allowed on the hunting field! There will be other family entertainment at Lindsay Park too, bounce slide and house, balloon sculptures will be available plus McGruff the Crime Dog will pay the kids a visit too!


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Best Kids Parties: Nature
Name: Raj, 10
Location: Cincinnati, OH
My oldest turned 10 a week ago, and that means I have been a mom for a decade! Amazing how it all goes by so fast. Wasn't I just decorating a cake with sailboats on it for his first birthday? This year, my son decided to invite a small group of friends for a nature hike and birthday picnic. He has the best birthday party ideas, honestly, so every year we just go with his plans.
I rediscovered a wonderful nature center here in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Nature Center of Rowe Woods is picture perfect with a mix of trails and scenery with multiple habitats including a pond, field, forest and stream. When I called the Center, I found that we could have a guided tour for a small fee. Our guide, Carolyn, did an excellent job at keeping the kids interested, answering all of their questions and letting them have a full hands-on experience in each habitat. Also when I called, I asked about a picnic area where I could set up lunch and dessert for after the hike. Because we had a small group we only needed one table. With the chance of rain, we chose the patio off of the main building. This worked out perfect, as it had a beautiful quiet view, close location to the restrooms, a covered porch in case it rained (it didn't!) and it was right next to their outdoor exploration center (fossils, leaf guides, bones and more for investigating).
I kept it super simple for the lunch- picking up recycled kraft boxes from Whole Foods, and filling them with individual wrapped sandwiches, popcorn, fruit and drinks. I made homemade brownies which were a huge hit and, of course, a few gummy worms! We were able to look at a compost bin in stages, so naturally we made good use of our food scraps after our lunch. I think that is something to think about when visiting a nature preserve- think about how you (and your party crew) can preserve nature!
I wanted to keep decorations simple. I decided to hand paint some simple "hiking" and "nature" themed items onto a canvas cloth. I used Martha Stewart craft paints in Seaweed and Chestnut Brown, and a black sharpie for small details. I added a few more to the lunch boxes. The second project I did was make simple Field Notes with brown, orange and white paper. I added a page of artwork by my son (who also loves to draw insects, birds and more) and a few pages of graph paper. I printed off a copy of the map where the kids were going to be hiking from the Nature Center's website. Stapled them in the middle and attempted to stamp the fronts. That stamping is tricky. My son and I both gave it a try, and it takes a VERY STEADY HAND.
Lastly, the Nature Center has this awesome enclosed naturescape area where kids are allowed to use and build and play with whatever they like. Sounds pretty amazing right? Well it was. And these kids are pretty amazing too. They went right in and came up with a team building plan to move a pile of large logs and sticks up a creek and rocks to a hidden area to build a fort. As the parents arrived for pick up, we all were really impressed and agreed that this is one great treasure here in Cincinnati!
Cheers to a decade of firsts for us parents, and to one amazing boy!
Thanks, Joya!
(Images: Rajovilla)


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Oversized isn't supersized. Oversized is awesome, especially in goggles.
It's hard to imagine how we moved about the mountain before the Electric EG2 Goggles. Could we see trees and people, or just a hazy blur of snow and shapes? Since its inception, the EG2 has a pure and simple goal—reduce the frame size, increase vision to HD status, and do it all with obscene amounts of style. Oversized isn't supersized and you won't catch flak from big-city mayors for having such a large field of vision.
The thermoplastic urethane used in the frame isn't an illness but rather molecular magic. Shaped for maximum comfort, this plastic polymer stays flexible when the bottoms drops out of the thermometer, and resists getting roughed by up branches, poles, or car doors. The oversized dual spherical polycarbonate lens lets you see the clouds above, the snow below, and the skiers and trees on the sides as your ride by. Fog cloud your vision due to the Super Anti-Fog coating, and Super Anti-Reflective coating protects you eyes from glow-back of sun on snow.
The frames play well with helmets so you no longer have to choose between protecting your brain and protecting your eyeballs. A 43mm strap keeps the goggles firmly fixed in place, and triple-layer face foam keeps your cheeks happy. The included microfiber bag helps protect your EG2 goggles from boot bottoms and plank edges when you throw them in the back of the van.
Proposition 65 Warning for California Consumers: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and/or birth defects or other reproductive harm.
- Dual spherical polycarbonate lens
- Super Anti-Fog and Anti-Scratch Hard coatings
- Triple-layer face foam
- Helmet compatible
- 43mm strap, adjustable
- Microfiber goggle bag included
- Item #ELC0831
Tech Specs
Gearhead Help
Tech Specs
- Reviews
What do you think about this product?
Have questions about this product?
send to me googles with scratch on lens.
buy in backcounrty from 2013 and this is the first negative ... very dissapointed !!
Great Goggles
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
Overall a great fit, my smith helmet works well with it too. They give me clear views and have a massive field of vision.
Sick Goggles
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
I absolutely love these goggles. The field of view is yuuuuge. Clear vision, great optics, and they look awesome. What's not to like? The only downsides I could give would be that it doesn't quite fit with my helmet (which is pretty old) and the strap does not have any sort of grip.
Not the right choice for me
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
Pros: High quality, great visibility when they don't fog, super clear optics, cool look , worked OK on a blue bird day at the resort.
Cons: Too large for my face. Not for extreme conditions in the BC. The goggle is so large it pinches my nose close making it difficult to breath. These are very large framed goggles. Moving them up off the nose slightly put them on my lower eye lids. At 6'1 250 I am XL or XXL in most clothing items so I was surprised these did not work well. They iced up terribly in some nasty -40 wind chill conditions and were useless. The manufactures web site and the hand book that comes with the item both say there is silicone on the strap. Mine had none. The strap was too short to go around my XL helmet forcing me to remove all buckles (adjuster thingys) to garner every millimeter of strap then sewing said strap end to end so they would fit around the helmet. I notice everyone is wearing these types of large goggles. They cover the face nicely, work better with facemasks, leave no gap between the rim of the goggle and helmet ; all seemingly positive benefits. None of that worked for me.
Sooooo Sick
Super comfortable and looks pristine
Awesome Goggles
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
Went with Electric goggles after falling in love with their sunglasses. These goggles fit perfectly with my helmet, never give me any problems, and look great. Highly recommended. Can't say enough about Electric products.
Electric Does it Again
- Familiarity: I gave it as a gift but have feedback to share
These goggles are awesome in any weather condition. I purchased the Black strap with the Gloss Black/Bronze-Silver Chrome Bonus Lens. Both work great in flat light situations. When it's nice and sunny outside, Gloss black is going to get you a nice shad and protect your eyes. When that sun starts to hide or you're having an epic storm Bronze-Silver Chrome lens will catch any light it can find off of the snow and sun, helping you gain visibility and depth. I ordered these for my boyfriend and he won't order any other kind of goggle. He loves they way they fit on his face and don't obstruct his vision!
So much visibility...
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
I have always used electric goggles and glasses because of their toughness and simple construction. These goggles uphold that. Put on your goggles and roll your eyes around looking at the frame sitting on your face. How much do you see? With the EG2, you wont see anything except straight down the nose. I compared these goggles to every 'fishbowl' style at my local ski store and felt these had the best visibility; even more then the EG3 with the snap on lens.
Super Solid!
- Familiarity: I gave it as a gift but have feedback to share
I gave these goggles as a gift and let me just say these have received a lot of compliments. The jet black lenses look awesome and they are perfect for a bluebird day. For an interchangeable goggle the lenses are pretty straight forward and easy to switch out when need be. Besides the look the best part of these goggles is the huge field of vision, seriously you can see everything with these on. Great purchase and have held up well in all conditions so far this season!
Super Stylie!
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
These goggles are the sickest and they look great in the park! However I purchased the jet black on black ones and they only really work for sunny conditions so I had to wear the night lenses on cloudy or pow days until I purchased another lens for cloudy/snowy conditions.
This, Right Here, Is Awesome
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
These goggles are fantastic. To say that they don't work with a helmet is like saying "I can't drive that car because it isn't red". Get a new helmet, or rock that gap like a boss.
Jules Kirby in Pink Mirrored Lenses
My Go To
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
Got 6 days on my EG2s in warm Mammoth weather, and my only minor complaint is that I notice a bit of glare when facing the sun while sitting on the lift. Don't think the sun was on me while riding, but it wasn't noticeable while riding for me. For reference, it was the blue chrome lens, which besides the glare, worked perfectly fine on bluebird days.
It was between these and Oakley Canopies for me, and the EG2s were the clear choice for me. Better peripheral vision, and less volume (EG2s stick out less noticeably than the Canopies).
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
These are the best for guys with block heads like me!
True to its word
- Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions
Pros: Best visibility and peripheral vision I've experienced with goggles. I went to 4 different stores, tried on so many brands ranging from Dragon to Oakley to POC to Anon and even non-branded ones. But these take the cake in terms of field of view. I do have an unusually large/wide head but these still fit well and provide great peripheral vision.
Cons: They do fog up at times despite a good fit on my face, water leakage is a problem after stacking hard.
I love the look but the lens quality :(
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
I have gone through 2 pairs of these and freezing temps and water have murdered two pairs! These feel so good on my face but I was really let down by their quality! Maybe keep these for your warmer temps so you can look super cool!
No one hates these goggles.
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
I think goggles are far too expensive for such limited performance potential (merely visibility), but these bad boys are my go to. I'd rather spend my money on these fatty's rather than any other goggle. They look good, feel good, and have great sight. Don't look elsewhere if you are willing to drop the money.
Right on with the comment about something as trivial as vision being so expensive. I mean... Who needs to see anyway?
- Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions
The Electric EG2 goggles sit on your face comfortably, the strap doesn't feel like it digs in, don't notice as much fatigue (sore spots, having to constantly adjust, eye strain, etc.) and a nice unobstructed view of everything. They breathe well and make riding in adverse or cold conditions much more comfortable. Picked up a spare clear lens for night riding as well and it's easy to switch between lenses. Best goggles I've had so far even though some people say you look like an insect. Lol.
Clear Lens @ Night!
Clear is the Go at Night! If you're not using a clear at night, you're blowing it.
review Flagged as inappropriate or irrelevant to the product. Click here to view.
How will these goggles fit with a the Giro Discord helmet?
How do these goggle fit with a Giro Surface S helmet?
What is the bonus lens that comes with the blue frons/bronze/red chrome? Could you provide bonus lens specs for all remaining available styles?
The bonus lens color for the Blue Frons/Bronze/Red Chrome variant is Light Green. The best way to find out the color of the bonus lenses is to check out Electric's website directly.
The lenses on these are hugeeeeee, if you are trying to wear a helmet, forget about it.
What good quality helmets fit best with...
What good quality helmets fit best with the EG2's
They should fit with most helmets.
Hi what is the colour of the free bonus...
Hi what is the colour of the free bonus lens included with Gloss Black-Bronze/Red Chrome? Thanks
The bonus lens included with that will be Yellow. Best suited for overcast, snowy and night riding conditions.
With the "Gloss Black-Bronze/Red Chrome-Free...
With the "Gloss Black-Bronze/Red Chrome-Free Bonus Lens" im guessing that one of the lens's are Bronze/Red Chrome. What colour is the free Bonus lens? Thanks Ben.
Does Bonus lens mean it comes with two or...
Does Bonus lens mean it comes with two or are they considering the lense that comes with the goggles a bonus?
Some of these were shipping without a bonus lens and were listed as coming with one. If you have any questions please just give us a call and we can clarify it. Apologize for the inconvenience on this.
Hello. What is the color of Free Bonus...
Hello. What is the color of Free Bonus Lens is included with Gloss White-Bronze/Silver Chrome ?
For the Gloss White frames, the two lenses you will receive are one Bronze lens and one Silver Chrome lens.
What kind of lens is included with some...
What kind of lens is included with some of these goggles?
I got a clear one and the one it's set up with is a warmer lens that is really nice on sunny days
Are the Electric EG2 goggles about the...
Are the Electric EG2 goggles about the same size of the Dragon APX goggles?
The EG2 Goggles are massive and of comparable size to the Dragon APX goggles. I can wear my heavy frame glasses with these things if I have to.


text:
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Arizona prosecutors dropped trespassing charges Monday against an accountant appointed by a Utah judge to oversee a polygamous sect's communal property trust.
Bruce Wisan and employee Jethro Barlow were each facing six misdemeanor counts after allegedly telling another employee, Isaac Wyler, to pick the locks on Colorado City, Ariz., homes of sect members.
Wyler has already been found guilty.
Prosecutors said changing the locks amounted to trespassing, but Wisan and Barlow countered that no law was broken because the houses were empty. The charges were filed in 2009, but didn't come to trial until last year, and Judge Paul Julien declared a mistrial months later.
At a hearing Monday, Wyler testified and was cross-examined, but following an in-chambers meeting, Colorado City prosecutor Ken Brendel dropped the charges, said Wisan attorney William Walker.
"I think he saw the judge was beginning to rule in our favor," Walker said. "There was only an entry into these houses after a long series of surveillance where [Wyler] confirmed no one was living there."
Brendel could not be reached for comment.
The homes at issue, along with nearly all the property in the twin border towns of Colorado City and Hildale, Utah, are part of a communal property trust that once belonged to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the sect led by Warren Jeffs. The state of Utah took over the trust five years ago amid allegations of mismanagement by FLDS trustees, and Wisan was appointed to run the trust. Sect members still live and work on the property,
"Obviously, I'm very pleased," Wisan said. The case has cost tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees, he said money that added to the trust's debts incurred since the state takeover, which now total nearly $6 million. The Utah Supreme Court ruled last month that the state of Utah should kick in a temporary loan to help pay that debt.
Twitter: @lwhitehurst
The Polygamy Blog: http://www.sltrib.com/blog/polygblog


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I'm Linda! You'll see me as Linda in Lancaster, Linda Stienstra, Grandma Linda, or a variety of other names! Some I prefer not to be called, some I love to be known by!
I switched from another blog platform in an effort to expand my blog and have been happily posting my Family history discoveries, thoughts, reflections and pictures with my extended family with the WordPress format. I find new tidbits pop up daily, weekly, and/or monthly! As they do, I try to post them or at least catalog them for posting later.
Since I do love comments, critiques and yes, even a little criticism now and then, please contact me and make me aware of your thoughts on my efforts!
. . . . and now for a little background on Linda!
I was born in Hawaii, raised in Hawaii, on Guam and in California. No, I was not an Army Brat, I was a Civil Service Dependent, although my grandparents were settlers in Hilo in the early 1900's. My father saw my mother from afar ~ he was in Army khakis and she in shorts. The rest is history, as they say!
I am the mother of Blaine and Paige, and mother by marriage of Scott. They are all in their early 40's. Blaine has given me a great little grandson, Ellis, Paige is the mother of Mike and Hallie Beth and Scott the father of Donald, Lauren and Stephen. My youngest grandchild is 3 years old! and the oldest is 23 years old! The youngest grandchild belongs to the oldest child! He is a blessing and spoiled by all . . . . especially his Pennsylvania Grandma.
I live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, home of my ancestors, making researching them relatively easy. Figuring out who is who, is not quite as easy, since they all named their boys the same thing!
I live in an 1880 townhome, and upon researching deeds, I found out that a 3rd cousin of my grandmother's once owned this home. It must have been "meant to be" that we bought it!
I've been researching my family history (and stories) since 1990 and have been passionate about it ever since. So much so, that we picked up roots and left California to live in Pennsylvania! We've never regretted the move, although we do miss our children and grandchildren. . . . .
I volunteer at the Historical Society, for the Family Search Indexing project, Find-a-grave and have volunteered for RAOGK for many, many years. I love helping people find a link to their past and hope they get as excited about it as I do when they break through a "brickwall!"
I attend as many conferences as possible because I feel that everyone you meet, listen to, or exchange ideas with, can only help with your search techniques and give you ideas of places to look that you may have overlooked or simply forgotten about!
I want my childlren and grandchildren to know that we are who we are because of what their ancestors have done for us! Where they have walked, what they have built and the trials, tribulations, accomplishments, hopes and tears they've shed. Everything they thought, planned and carried through with, molded their children, who in turn molded us into the people we are today!
In a nutshell, you now know Linda! Just an ordinary Grandma making the most of her retirement and doing this for her children.


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Big Rock set to roll
Competition in the 55th Annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament will kick off on June 7 with the Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament. Fishing in the feature event will begin on June 10 and conclude on June 15. During that time, anglers may fish four days. Cash prizes will be awarded for the largest blue marlin brought to the scales, the most number of released fish, the largest gamefish of other species and in other categories. The 2012 Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament was won by a 499.3 lb. marlin caught on the first day of fishing. The winning boat�s share of the tournament purse was $494,710. Weigh-in on each day of the tournament will be at the Big Rock dock on the waterfront in Morehead City.
Sportsmen asked to take action on NCWRC budget
The N.C. Senate has slashed the annual general fund appropriation to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) by $9 million, a cut of about 49%. The Governor�s proposed budget included a reduction of only 1%. The $18 million annual appropriation to the NCWRC in past years has supported the work of the agency in areas that go well beyond hunting and fishing.
According to a release from the N.C. Camo Coalition, the Wildlife Commission has put 120 ongoing projects on hold until the Senate�s budget proposal is resolved. Discontinued or reduced programs would be in services such as law enforcement, boating access areas, game lands, fish hatcheries and community fishing sites. The NCWRC manages 2 million acres of public game lands; 73 waterfowl impoundments; 1,878 miles of roads; 6 fish hatcheries that produce 7 million fish annually; 58 public fishing areas; 211 public boating access areas; environmental education centers and much more.
Sportsmen are being encouraged to contact their elected Representatives and ask that the full appropriation be restored to the Wildlife Resources Commission budget for the Biennium.
June 8 �A free Kids Fishing Event for anglers age 5-15 will be held at Cedar Swamp Pond in Croatan National Forest near Newport from 8 a.m. to noon. Contact Rachelle Powell at 252-638-5628 or email@example.com for details or directions.
June 8 � The Pitt County Wildlife Club will host a 3-D archery tournament at their grounds outside of Greenville beginning at 10 a.m. Joe McMillan at 252-902-9806 can provide directions.
June 8 � A free Kids Fishing Event will be hosted by volunteers from Onslow County at the Jacksonville Training Academy from 9 a.m. to noon. Prizes and lunch will be provided for youngsters age 5-13. Carol Trott at 910-347-5332 or firstname.lastname@example.com can provide more information.
June 10 � Early bird entry for the 2013 Oriental Rotary Club Inshore Slam and Tarpon Tournament will end on June 10. Those entered by that date will eligible to win a 1/2 day guided tarpon charter with Capt. George Beckwith. The tournaments will be on July 26-28. Information is available at 252-249-0400 or online at http://www.orientalrotary.org.
June 12 � The New Bern Coast Guard Auxiliary will host a free presentation on local waters at the River Bend Town Hall beginning at 7 p.m. Shared information will cover topics such as the location of hazards, no-wake zones, wind tides and bridge closures. Bill Imperatore at 252-288-4723 can provide more information.


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All I Want for Christmas is Chuuu - Youth Apparel
"All I Want for Christmas is Chuuu" from Gilles Bone
Want more options for this design? Click here.
Youth T-Shirts are available in sizes XS to XL. Material is 5.3-ounce, 100% cotton with taped neck and shoulders. Seemless double-needle 7/8" collar, double-needle sleeves and hem. Removable tag for comfort.
Infant/Toddler T-Shirts are available in sizes 6M to 4T. Material is 5.5-ounce, 100% cotton. Ribbed crew neck. Double-needle sleeve and bottom hems. Taped shoulder-to-shoulder. CPSIA compliant - tracking label in side seam.
Onesies are available in sizes Newborn to 24M. Material is 5.0-ounce, 100% combed, ring spun cotton with ultra soft 1x1 baby rib knit. Flatlock seams. Double-needle ribbed binding on neck, shoulders, sleeves and leg openings. Reinforced three-snap closure and CPSIA compliant - tracking label in side seam. Removable tag for comfort.
Care Instructions: Machine wash cold. Inside out with like colors. Only non-chlorine bleach when needed. For best results, hang dry after wash. You may also tumble dry with cool/low heat.
Fabric softener may cause fading. Do not iron. Do not dry clean.
Apparel, Home Decor and Accessories from our Vault are processed and ship in 4 to 7 business days. Order a Featured design? Check our shipping schedule:
Weekly Design Shipping Schedule: Click here
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For specific product specs and sizing, check our Product Info & Sizing guide.


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Career Tips >> Browse Articles >> Advancement
Career Tips >> Browse Articles >> Job Seekers: Resume, Interview and More
Career Tips >> Browse Articles >> Returning to Work and Career Changers
The Art of Persuasion in Your Job Search
Charles Purdy | Monster+HotJobs senior editor
Persuasion is a subtle art—brute force doesn't often work well. And this is especially true for a job seeker, who is using interviewing skills and a resume to try to persuade hiring managers and recruiters to hand over something that a lot of people are competing for (that great new job).
Here are some persuasion tricks and techniques you can use to sway opinions in your favor:
The power of liking people
Even hiring managers are people—and all people want to be liked. Chris St. Hilaire, the author of "27 Powers of Persuasion: Simple Strategies to Seduce Audiences & Win Allies," says, "I've found that just thinking to myself, 'I like those people,' changes the way I feel about them. I get this smile on my face, and—with some exceptions—all of a sudden everyone tends to like me."
Do a bit of research about the person you're meeting with—has she (or her company) recently achieved something you can comment on appreciatively? You have the power to make her feel good—and that makes you more persuasive.
Featured Quizzes:
Mirror the interviewer
Pay attention to how the interviewer speaks and acts—if he speaks slowly, for instance, match his pace. Even try sitting in a similar position; these subtle posture shifts can make him subconsciously feel more comfortable with you. But move slowly, and be careful about mirroring too exactly—it can be perceived as mockery.
You should also "mirror" with your resume—make sure to use language similar to that used in the job description (and on the employer's website and so on).
Master the handshake
In her book "10 Make-or-Break Career Moments: Navigate, Negotiate, and Communicate for Success," Casey Hawley says that the perfect handshake has four parts, which she describes as "webs, grip, shake, and eye contact": When you shake hands, your hand's web (the soft skin between your thumb and forefinger) should touch the web of the other person's, she says. Your grip must be firm, you should shake two or three times, and you should make direct eye contact.
Practice your handshake with friends until you're confident that yours is just right.


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Peterson Real Fyre 24-Inch Charred Frontier Oak Indoor/Outdoor Gas Log Set With Vent-Free Propane Stainless ANSI Certified G10 Burner - Electronic Non-Standing Pilot W/ Variable Flame Remote
Product Info Guide
Recommended Accessories
Key Features
- Peterson Real Fyre gas logs are meticulously hand painted to re-create the look of natural wood
- Superior refractory ceramic logs are reinforced with steel rods for greater integrity
- Efficient design helps preserve and protect natural resources
- This Peterson Real Fyre gas log set with stainless steel burner is approved for outdoor use
- This set comes bundled with a hand-held remote for effortless across-the-room control
Peterson Real Fyre Charred Series Gas Logs reflect the glowing depth and fiery heart of a long burning fire. Real Fyre artisans work from actual wood samples to carefully recreate the intricate bark detail and natural coloration of deeply charred fireplace wood. The beautiful display and flame presentation of this Real Fyre Charred Wood gas log set is ideal for creating those magic moments and memories. This Peterson Real Fyre gas log set includes: Ceramic Refractory Vent Free Gas Logs, ANSI Certified Outdoor Stainless Steel Vent Free Burner with Pre-assembled Control Valve and ODS Safety System, Custom Grate, Connector Kit, Glowing Embers, Bryte Coals, and Lava Fyre Granules. The G10 series features the I-2000 Plus burner system which has a larger ember bed presentation and gives a more burned through look. Burner Output: 37,000 BTUs. Burner ignition method: variable flame height, remote control with thermostat (with manual valve control for use without remote) - Valve and remote are included.
Legal disclaimers and warnings
Product packaging, owners' manuals, installation instructions, and/or operating instructions may include more information than what is shown on our website. The content on our site is intended to be used for reference purposes only. Please fully read all included manuals and documentation before installing or using this product. WARNING for California residents: this product may contain chemical(s) known to the state of California to cause birth defects, cancer, or other reproductive harm.Currently, the state of California does not permit the use of ventless / vent-free gas appliances. Massachusetts requires approval from the Board of State Examiners of Plumbers before installation. Local codes may vary, we recommend checking with local regulations if you have any questions.
Product Information
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|Refractory Ceramic
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|Minimum Depth Required
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|Minimum Rear Width Required
|Wood Type
|Max Btu
|Charred Frontier Oak
|Log Series
|Fireplace Type
|Burner Kit
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All Peterson vent-free ceramic refractory gas logs are warranted for as long as you own them (lifetime). All Peterson vent-free fiber ceramic gas logs are warranted for seven (7) years. All Peterson vent-free burner component parts, except valves, ODS pilots, and controls, are warranted for ten (10) years. All Peterson valves, ODS pilots, and controls are covered by a one (1) year limited warranty (excluding batteries).
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Ship your entire order to your home for free, especially the big stuff! * Continental US only.When Will My Item Arrive?
Once shipped, items usually arrive within 3 to 5 business days. If your item is large it may ship via one of our third-party freight carriers (18-wheeler). If your order has an item that is shipped on a freight carrier, you will be contacted to schedule a curbside delivery time.
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Return all new, unused and unassembled items in their original packaging, and we'll give you a full refund minus the cost of the original shipping AND return shipping.No Restocking Fee
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From electric fireplaces, gas log sets, and outdoor fire pits to DIY and inspirational style/design content, GasLogGuys.com is your go-to resource for all things heating. Winter may only last a few months, but the warmth and ambiance of a roaring fireplace never goes out of season. Call us with any questions – we're here to help.


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Camp Impresses Gold Medalistby Matt Wilson, Crawfordsville Journal Review • June 17, 2010 Share:
John Smith stresses to younger wrestlers the importance to be different.
He sees many outside influences in children's lives now — such as cell phones, video game systems and television. For the younger generation to succeed — whether in life or wrestling — they have to go against the normal way of life for children.
"They have to go out and do things different than their peers and their teammates," said Smith, the head wrestling coach at Oklahoma State who was in Crawfordsville on Wednesday to help at the Wabash wrestling camp. "I can see that right now younger kids have a tendency to stay in one spot and not do a lot to get better. They just do what their peers are doing.
"They just have to be different than most other children."
Smith spent part of his time Wednesday — the final day of the camp featuring more than 300 young wrestlers — teaching different techniques and sending different messages to the young grapplers. Whether it was a certain move or one of the verbal messages he gave them, he hopes the wrestlers took something out of Wednesday's session.
"I tried to keep things loose, but at the same time be strict with them," said Smith, who has guided Oklahoma State to seven national championships in his 18 years with the Cowboys. "The last day of camp is always the hardest, because the kids are tired and worn out.
"This teaching was not all about wrestling, maybe they took out of this whole day some words of wisdom I gave them."
Smith is just another in a long list of wrestling names brought to the Wabash camp by Anderson, who enters his seventh season at the Little Giant helm.
Smith was scheduled to be at Tuesday's camp, but was stuck in Oklahoma City because of flooding. Iowa State's Jake Varner, the 2010 and 2009 NCAA champion at 197 pounds, handled the instruction.
Helping Smith instruct the camp Wednesday were 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist Stephen Abas and Olympic Silver Medalist Dennis Hall.
Along with Wabash, the only other camp outside of Oklahoma State Smith helped at was at Division III Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minn. Smith has helped at the Augsburg camp for more than 20 years. Augsburg won its 11th national title in the last 20 years this past winter. Smith also instructs a four-week camp at Oklahoma State that features around 2,500 wrestlers.
Anderson tried getting Smith to his camp the last two or three years. Smith heard of the camp because two of his former college teammates had helped out at previous Wabash camps.
"I just stayed on him and kept calling him," Anderson said. "I just always try to get the best guys in here to make this camp even better."
While Augsburg is a wrestling powerhouse that all other Division III schools chase after, Smith said one advantage Wabash has over the Minneapolis school is its facilities.
"Not a lot of people have heard about this town, but a lot of heard about this camp just because of the people he brings in," Smith said. "Some wrestling camps are just not good and are very poorly run, but
this camp is very good and you can see it in the organization.
"This camp just motivates wrestlers to get better, and you don't see that in a lot of places."
Smith had a successful wrestling career before he entered coaching. He was the freestyle champion at both the 1988 and 1992 Olympics. Smith wrestled at Oklahoma State, where he won national championships his redshirt junior and redshirt senior years.
"Winning a gold medal or national championship gives you a sense of self accomplishment," Smith said. "Being a coach and either winning a national championship, or even doing better than what you were expected, you know you have touched several people by doing that.
"Coaching gives you10 times the enjoyment of anything you do individually."