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Building a Playbook with Scott White - CEO VAST
Posted on April 22nd, 2014 by Steve Farmiloe
Posted in: Building a Playbook
Beyond the hype: Why is the growth in Cyber Risk important for my agency?
Posted on April 7th, 2014 by Serge Solski
Cyber risk for all companies in America is now front, center and very clear: The President issued Executive Order EO13636 in February, 2013, directing the Commerce Department's National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) to establish a new Cybersecurity Framework for the critical infrastructure of the nation. In February, 2014 NIST responded with Version 1 of the new framework; In January, 2014 James Clapper issued the annual World Wide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence...
Posted in: Cyber Risk Liability
Shifting From Science to Art in Selling
Posted on April 5th, 2014 by Larry G. Linne
Selling Complex Products is not a Science… It's a science and an art! A painter can't create an incredible high dollar masterpiece painting by a step by step Process. YES, you can get the painting done from either filling in the numbers or following a technical guideline. However, the high priced paintings will come from something much deeper than following the steps. The artist's ability to connect much deeper with the future viewers of the paintings is the art. When an artist can...
Posted in: Selling
My Favorite Season of the Year
Posted on March 31st, 2014 by Mary Fran Mullan
My favorite season of the year has come to a close. No, not winter (and that seems to be never-ending this year). I'm talking about Girl Scout Cookie season, or more specifically, Thin Mint season. As I sit staring at my last remaining box of Thin Mints, I think about my own days of selling these delightful round wafers of joy. But I also think about what the annual ritual of selling Girl Scout Cookies can teach all of us about sales. My neighbor, Abby, is my current supplier. She is...
Posted in: Season
The Importance of Being Coached - vBlog
Posted on March 12th, 2014 by Don Polczynski
Posted in: Coaching
The Best Day to Lose a Sale
Posted on March 10th, 2014 by Roger Sitkins
Time is your only diminishing asset as a producer. So why is it that so many producers waste so much time on accounts that have no intention of moving? You know, the account that's "Just trying to keep our current agent honest". How about the one that says; " We put out our insurance for bid every three years" It happens far too frequently. Due to empty pipelines, that is they don't have a better prospect to work on, the producer works on the account, hoping to get lucky. Their gut may be...
Posted in: Sales
Give the Gift of Confidence
Posted on March 3rd, 2014 by Larry G. Linne
This past week has been an overwhelming week of seeing confidence play out in the workplace. A young Producer wins a deal he probably didn't have any business winning. He was lacking confidence and it didn't look good. He gained confidence through interaction with a group of people that gave him great ideas and energy… and he won. A senior Producer who has never had a broker of record in his career wins a BOR. He trusted the system and trusted the client would be willing to do...
Posted in: Confidence
What To Do When Life Throws You a Challenge
Posted on February 25th, 2014 by Gregg Goodmanson
We all have times in our lives when we face major challenges. During those times, it is important for us to keep on the right path. The next time life throws you a curve ball and the world doesn't seem fair, here are some thoughts to consider: 1. Revisit your values - When we are faced with a challenge it can put pressure on our values. It also reveals what we value. It is important to keep your values top of mind because when you are in the weeds emotionally, reacting outside of your core...
Posted in:
The Seven Key Words to Improving Communication and Leadership
Posted on February 19th, 2014 by Don Polczynski
We are living in an era with unprecedented means of communication. The explosion in computing technology has spawned countless new ways to communicate. Social media was born and has proliferated at a pace perhaps never seen before. Facebook has signed up over one billion users in its ten years of existence. We have LinkedIn, Twitter, instant messaging, email, and more advanced communication platforms are being launched on a regular basis. We have more communication being conducted than...
Posted in: relationships, Communication, Leadership, Performance
How You Can Make 2014 The Most Successful Year In Your Career
Posted on December 23rd, 2013 by Don Polczynski
It seems at the beginning of the year, I always spend some time thinking about relationships and their value. After all, many of us rang in the New Year singing, "Should old acquaintance be forgot, and old lang syne?...". The song is a good reminder of relationships in my life and the importance of them in the New Year. The quality of my relationships will have a major impact on what I will accomplish in 2014. In particular, I'm referring to the relationships between me and my teammates. ...
Posted in: relationships


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Two more new fall series are gone. NBC has removed "Ironside" and "Welcome to the Family" from the schedule.
To replace "Ironside" at 10 p.m. Wednesdays, NBC will offer "Dateline" reports and holiday specials. Those specials will spotlight "Saturday Night Live," Kelly Clarkson and Michael Buble.
Starting Jan. 8, the network will offer "Chicago P.D.," a spinoff of "Chicago Fire." Jason Beghe, Jon Seda and Sophia Bush play Chicago police officers in the drama.
"Welcome to the Family" aired at 8:30 p.m. Thursday. NBC will use "The Voice," Thanksgiving football, a live telecast of "The Sound of Music," "The Sing-Off" and back-to-back episodes of "Parks and Recreation" in coming weeks.
Starting Jan. 2, "Community" will return to the schedule at 8 p.m. Thursdays. "Parks and Recreation" will move to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays, starting Jan. 9. The Amy Poehler comedy will offer its 100th episode that night.
CBS has picked up three new comedies -- "The Millers," "The Crazy Ones" and "Mom" -- for the rest of the season.
Fox has extended freshman sitcom "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" for the rest of the season. How much does Fox like the Andy Samberg-Andre Braugher comedy? The network is giving the sitcom a slot after the Super Bowl on Feb. 2. It will air with a new installment of "New Girl" in what Fox called "a special one-hour comedy event."
NBC has extended "The Blacklist," a major hit, for the rest of the season. And Fox has renewed "Sleepy Hollow" for next season.
As for the failures, CBS dropped the comedy "We Are Men" with Tony Shalhoub. ABC canceled "Lucky 7." And now "Ironside" and "Welcome to the Family" are gone.
In other programming, The CW has announced it will pick up a 21st edition of "America's Next Top Model." And TNT has ordered a fourth season of "Franklin & Bash" with Breckin Meyer and Mark-Paul Gosselaar.

subset: commoncrawl


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Answers to questions about education providers, how courses are delivered, enrolment and more.
Check out SEEK Learning's new blog, Course of action.
Send us an online enquiry and one of our expert consultants will get in touch.We'll give you all the info you need about choosing the right course, payment options, enrolling and fitting study into your life.
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Do you own a Solar Dancing Flower that doesn't seem to want to dance? It could be an unhappy (defective) flower, but chances are your Solar Dancing Flower just needs a little more love.
First, check the time of day and the weather outside. Solar Dancing Flowers work best under direct sunlight, so your flower may not dance as well on a dark and cloudy day. Your Solar Flower does not have to be outside to move: these flowers love to dance on your car dashboard, near a large window, or under a bright incandescent desk lamp (but sunlight is always best). Unfortunately, fluorescent lights alone don't always make a Solar Dancing Flower happy, so be sure to let in the sunshine!
Next, turn the flower towards you and the solar panel facing the light source. You can also wipe the solar panel with a dry cloth to clean off any dust and fingerprints. Solar Dancing Flowers do not use batteries and they don't need to be charged up, but giving them a gentle nudge can help get them going.
If your flower is still not dancing, be sure to double check (and triple check) your surroundings. Solar Dancing Flowers do not work well in dungeons (yes, we know, your office sometimes feels like a dungeon), basements, caves, or during the nighttime.
Insider Tip: We shot our Solar Dancing Flower videos in a regular office with overhead fluorescent lights. Our secret: we added additional desk lamps to the "set". A couple of the videos were shot near an open window.
We hope these tips help make your Solar Flower dance. You can also little background music for your flower. We prefer music of bongo drums, ukuleles, and synthesizers. Occasionally we turn on a little bit of Reggae music. Now it's time to dance little flower, dance!
Marketing Coordinator
We make work fun!
We've all seen, and most likely used, the Smiley Face in our lives. It's on everything from Emoticons to T-shirts to balloons to stress relievers. According to Wikipedia, "a Smiley, Smiley Face, or Happy Face, is a stylized representation of a smiling human face, commonly occurring in popular culture." The Smiley is so familiar and common, that we simply accept that it exists. But, have you ever wondered about the history of the Smiley Face?
The most iconic version of the Smiley was created by Harvey Ball in 1963. At the time, Ball's job assignment was to create a happy face for use on buttons. And so, the Smiley Face with a yellow background, black oval eyes and a mouth with creases was created. Interestingly, the Smiley Face was not trademarked in the United States early on in its inception. Through the years, attempts were made to trademark this well-known symbol. As recently as 2009, the courts ruled that the Smiley Face is in the public domain. (source: Wikipedia)
At OfficePlayground.com, the Smiley Face is considered an awesome and uplifting icon that helps remind us to be optimistic and happy. A Smiley is a huge part of staying positive and relieving stress at work. That is why OfficePlayground.com has such a huge variety of Happy Face stress relievers and toys. Look at some of the Smiley office toys available at OfficePlayground.com:
And we are thrilled that one of our all-time favorite Happy Face stress balls is back! The Smile Face Molecule Ball is a super happy stress toy. When you squeeze this stress ball, all the little smile faces move around inside. This Smiley stress ball is a cheerful reminder to get going on that grin and to keep those positive thoughts flowing.
So go on, get happy and have a nice day! :-)
Bill Ross The Office Toy Guy email@example.com
www.OfficePlayground.com We make work fun!
On February 10, 2012, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace 3D opens in theaters.
I remember watching the original three Star Wars films in the movie theater as a kid and I love that this generation gets to experience all the Star Wars movies on the big screen.
The 2012 Star Wars: Episode I has been updated with all the bells and whistles you expect with today's big blockbusters. Some folks don't like it when they mess with the original movie, but Jackass 3 was in 3D after all, so of course Star Wars should make its own splash in 3D as well.
Get your Star Wars movie tickets at Fandango.com and enjoy the show. When you get back to work after the big on screen adventure, relive the Star Wars experience with your very own Yoda Computer Monitor Sitter from OfficePlayground.com.
Yoda, a renowned Jedi master, first appeared in The Empire Strikes Back. Followed up by Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith.
The Yoda Computer Sitter makes his home on top of your computer monitor while keeping an eye on your desk. This Yoda is a fun bobble head desk toy that will help make your workspace more enjoyable.
If Yoda isn't your favorite Star Wars character, visit OfficePlayground.com and check out the Darth Vader Computer Sitter and the Boba Fett Computer Sitter.
Don't worry if attending the next Comic-Con wearing a Stormtrooper or Chewbacca costume is out of your comfort zone. The Yoda, Darth Vader and Boba Fett monitor bobble heads are a fun way to show your love for all things Star Wars.
Bill Ross
The Office Toy Guy
When we add new products to OfficePlayground.com, our web team sends out an all company email announcing the latest and greatest office toys to our staff. We recently added a super funny noisemaker to our collection of office buttons called the Emergency Meow Button. The folks here at OfficePlayground.com get a kick out of new desktop toys.
Here is some candid feedback from our staff about the Emergency Meow Button:
"That thing is awesome!"
"That would be hysterical during a conference call!"
"Much easier to take care of than a real cat!"
The Emergency Meow Button is perfect for cat lovers who miss their favorite pet while at work. It's easy to operate, just press the big white paw to hear the kitty.
If you haven't had a chance to check out the Emergency Meow Button, do it now at OfficePlayground.com. And be sure to sample the cat's meow!
website: www.OfficePlayground.comemail: firstname.lastname@example.com: 800-458-1948
The Office Toy Guy is passionate about office toys and spending a little time playing at work. He also enjoys imaginary pinky wrestling (it's similar to thumb wrestling but you use your pinky and you conduct matches in your mind against imaginary opponents), cooking, underwater speed-reading, massages, and an occasional lighthearted office prank. (He's really the CEO of Office Playground!)
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The property's amenities include the indoor swimming pool, hottub, exercise room, business center, and complimentary continental breakfast in the Landing Room . The Hotel also offers concierge services, self-service laundry facilities, and complimentary area shuttle within a 10-mile radius of the hotel .
All rooms feature irons and ironing boards, hairdryers, coffeemakers, bathroom amenities, two dual-line phones, voicemail, high-speed Internet access, and cable TV .
|Check-in Policy
|Check-out Policy
|# Of Rooms
|# Of Floors
Best Western Mccall Lodge And Suites
McCall, Idaho Hotels & Resorts
The BEST WESTERN PLUS McCall Lodge & Suites, Idaho hotel has the perfect accommodations for families, small groups, business travelers, and many more. ...
US $110 Per Night
Western Mountain Lodge
McCall, Idaho Hotels & Resorts
The Western Mountain Lodge, famous for its deluxe breakfast, is centrally located north of Boise and nestled along Payette Lake. It is surrounded by Payette ...
US $74 Per Night
Super 8 Mccall
McCall, Idaho Hotels & Resorts
Super 8 McCall is located approximately one mile from Payette Lake and 10 miles from Boise Airport. ...
US $63 Per Night
4-Season Family Vacation Homes - LAKESIDE
McCall, Idaho Vacation Rentals
LAKESIDE is located on the peaceful east arm of beautiful Payette Lake. The LAKESIDE Lodges are warm, inviting and comfortable with spectacular views and sunsets. Every season is an adventure in McCall... Lake front deck, private dock & beach!!!...
Where Guests Become Friends
Soda Springs, Idaho Bed & Breakfasts
On the National Register of Historic Places. Fully restored. inc. breakfast, WIFI, cable TV, a hot tub, fire pit and parking. Walking distance to Stores, food, parks and geyser. History, Geology, hunting & fishing abound. Groomed trails near by....
Starting at US $79 Per Night
An Oasis between Coeur D' Alene and Boise
Grangeville, Idaho Campgrounds & RV Parks
Everything you need for the PERFECT Get Away! All of the restaurants and shops in Grangeville are less than a mile away. We are also a short drive to many outdoor activities such as Hells Canyon, Lewis & Clark, whitewater river rafting, jet boat trs...
Starting at US $15 Per Night
American Country Bed and Breakfast
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Bed & Breakfasts
''Welcome Never Felt So Good' Over 175 five star reviews of this award winning B&B, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. And--- Check out our newest room, "Tree House Terrace" an adult tree house. For those of us who refuse to grow up! Review! Compare! Reserve! ...
Starting at US $125 Per Night
Huckleberry Tent and Breakfast - Sandpoint Idaho
Sandpoint, Idaho Bed & Breakfasts
Sandpoint Idaho Wilderness Tent & Breakfast. Comfy feather bed, plank floor, Wood stove, Screened kitchen, Campfire and s`mores! Private-only 3 tent sites on over 52 acres. Close to Lake Pend Oreille, Clark Fork River, Mountains & Trail. Pet Friendly...
Starting at US $135 Per Night
Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch
Central, Idaho Hotels & Resorts
Historic guest ranch offering lodging, meals, activities and gracious hospitality. Fine amenities, elegant meals & a plethora of area activities complement the Ranch's natural hot springs swimming pool, stocked pond & incomparable Sawtooth Mt. view...
US $212 Per Night
ROW Adventures
Central, Idaho Rafting Trips
Since 1979, ROW Adventures has been the leader in Idaho Rafting. Named to National Geographic Adventures "Best Outfitters on Earth" three years in a row, we have separated ourselves from the pack with the best rafting vacations in the world!...
Fantastic Horseback Riding in Yellowstone Country
Island Park, Idaho Horseback Riding
For a fantastic 1/2 day horseback trail ride in the mountains along the Continental Divide, come ride with the guides from Yellowstone Horses as they offer a family style ride that starts at the famous Eagle Ridge Ranch near Island Park, Idaho....
From US $66 Per Trip
Wilderness -Jet Boat Tours in Hells Canyon -
White Bird, Idaho Sight-Seeing Tours
6 hour Jet Boat Wilderness Tour in Hells Canyon. See the deepest, most rugged part of Hells Canyon, North America's deepest gorge. Lodging, RV Park, and Campground along the Salmon River....
US $25 Per Night
Whitewater Rafting, Jetboating, Adventure
Lewiston, Idaho Youth Hostels
Built in 2006, Clearwater Hall holds 117 residents in 32 suites. Each suite includes a shared living room/kitchenette space and bathroom, surrounded by 4 individual bedrooms. The bedrooms are completely furnished....
US $25 Per Night
Bungee Expeditions
Central, Idaho Bungee Jumping
Specializing in bridge excursions, Bungee Expeditions travels to bridges in Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, New mexico and Oregon. We also travel to the scenic Grand Canyon Navajo bridge not far from Las Vegas, Nevada....
Starting from US $80 Per Person
|Link Code


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I have been working at Oasis Resource Management Pvt . full-time for less than a year
Pros – Good to get more in market with good closures
Cons – Some changes have to be made in management
Advice to Senior Management – Some huge changes has to be worked to ensure a better success here in bangalore
No, I would not recommend this company to a friend
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MARVEL Wine Cellar Refrigeration - 3SWC
SKU #: MAR3SWCEBD | Part #: 3SWCEBD
- Brand New, USA Warranty.
- Includes All Manufacturers Supplied Accessories.
- Click Here To See Our Return Policy.
Marvel are special order. Once your order is placed it cannot be cancelled. Please allow 4 weeks for delivery


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Pink Tulips Arrangement
Brighten any décor with this beautiful arrangement featuring tulips and hydrangeas.
Material List
- Container of choice
- Pink Tulips (5)
- Mini Green Hydrangea Bush (3 stems of bush)
- Mini White Orchid Stem
- Curly Greenery
- Greenery of choice
- Floral Foam
- Craft Knife
- Glue Gun
- Glue Sticks
- Wire Cutters
Project Instructions
Cut floral foam to fit inside container and glue in place.
Glue tulips into foam as shown or as desired.
Cut apart hydrangeas and glue into arrangement. Glue to secure.
Cut apart orchid stem and insert into arrangement. Glue to secure.
Cut apart greenery and fill in arrangement. Glue to secure.


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Jehovah's Witness News
News on Jehovah's Witness continually updated from thousands of sources around the net.
Thursday Apr 17 | Bradford Today
Howard S. Graham KANE Howard Sidney Graham, 86, of Route 6, Kane, and formerly of Milford, passed awayTuesday at his residence.
Trending on the Topix Network
Jenny Hayworth Releases Inside/Outside: One Woman's Recovery from Abuse and a Religious Cult
Createspace is proud to announce a story of inspiration and recovery from Jenny Hayworth, Inside/Outside: One Woman's Recovery from Abuse and a Religious Cult available everywhere immediately.
shotsie commented on Dee Cohen's blog post ABQ Pics: Spreading the Word
I bet the Jehovah Witnesses get a lot of young guys to attend a meeting or two Back in my college days some of the religious groups would use their pretty girls to interest college boys into attending their meetings - I might have attended a meeting or two...
Construction begins on new Kingdom Hall for Jehovaha s Witness congregation in Manchester
A new Kingdom Hall for the local Jehovah's Witness congregation will soon rise on Candia Road, built entirely by volunteers.
Jehovah's Witnesses to mark memorial of Christ's death
Followers believe that Jesus initiated the practice as a replacement for the Jewish observance of Passover.
Florence - Warren E. Herbert, age 85, died at home with his family Wednesday, April 2, 2014, in Florence, MT.
Ex Jehovah's Witness Releases Memoir About Her Recovery From Abuse And A Religious Cult
Ex Jehovah's Witness and author, Jenny Hayworth is pleased to announce the release of her memoir, Inside/Outside: One Woman's Recovery from Abuse and a Religious Cult.
In South Korea, draft dodgers go to prison, many for shared beliefs
South Korea's military draft makes no exemptions for conscientious objectors who face prison for refusing to serve.
Oscar Leslie Guttormson was born April 23, 1930, near Ryder, to Steve and Tillie Guttormson, the second youngest of 13 children.
We swear to God, this face-recognizing doorbell is not a joke
Check this out: Your doorbell can recognize you, your family, and your friends. Also your mail carrier, your ex, and those thoughtful but persistent Jehovah's Witnesses.
Delegations of Jehovah's Witnesses from a four-county area will attend a special assembly beginning at 9:40 a.m. April 5 and 6 at the Marina Civic Center in Panama City.
Last respects may be paid from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m April 4 at Guam Memorial Funeral Home in Leyang, Barrigada.
Holy shit! Unannounced visitors is one thing, but when their sole objective is to convert your religious beliefs while you stand half asleep and topless, holding the door open at 8AM in the morning, it's taken to a whole new universe of suck.
A Tuneful Conversation With A Sometimes-Distant God
The wry and tuneful Withered Hand is Dan Willson, a graphic artist from Edinburgh who drifted away from the Jehovah's Witnesses as a teenager - but not, you get the feeling, with a satisfied mind.


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New Tool! Save time buying cards by using the new Card Importer where you can add cards to your shopping cart by copying and pasting a list
of cards in virtually any format you want. No longer have to search for cards one at a time!
This week I'd like to follow up on the Imperial Painter primer with some detailed matches that illustrate how the deck is designed to work.
Come try the Magic the Gathering Draft Simulator where you can draft against real people around the world in real-time. Enhance your drafting skills by drafting right from the comfort of your home and be prepared for your next tournament.
This list displays items recently added to your shopping cart. This may not be your full shopping cart.
This list displays items recently added to your sell cart. This may not be your full sell cart.
The cards below are the top 10 cards most frequently found in decks (from our deck database) that also use Awakening Zone .


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The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI)
Raising Awareness & Funding Research Through ArtQuestions? Email us or call: (810) 637-5586 ---
Kornelia Campbell-Hambley
Denham Springs, LA USA
Width: 9" Length: 12"
Materials/Techniques: Cotton fabrics, machine quilted.
Artist Statement: When we relocated from AZ to LA I received (UFO's) Blocks. I used this one for a good cause.
Contact Kornelia
Dedication: I hope we find a cure soon. God Bless us all.
This quilt has a Traditional Sleeve.


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Microsoft's latest and greatest offering, Windows* 8, is a groundbreaking new operating system that delivers a truly unique user experience. Designed primarily for use with Ultrabook™ devices, all-in-one PCs, and tablets, Windows 8 looks and feels a lot different than what you're probably used to. But that doesn't mean mastering the touchscreen interface has to be difficult. It also doesn't mean you have to have a touchscreen device to make great use of the operating system for work productivity or leisure entertainment activities. Here are a few helpful tips and shortcuts that'll have you using Windows 8 features like a pro in no time, no matter what platform you're utilizing.
How to Get the Most Out of Windows 8 Features: Charms
Put in place to give you quick and easy access to some of the most frequently used features, the Windows 8 charms bar resides on the right edge of your screen and includes commands like search, share, settings, devices, and the all-important start button. There are three different ways to access the charms bar, depending on what kind of computer you're using:
How to Close Down Apps in Windows 8
You're probably used to closing programs by simply clicking the X in the top-right corner of the window of the program you want to shut down. In Windows 8, the process is different depending on whether you're using it with a touchscreen device or a mouse and keyboard:
Maximizing Space with Windows 8 Split Screen Mode
One of the neatest Windows 8 features is an improved ability to split your screen between two apps, making it much easier for you to move back and forth between the apps without having to physically toggle, which can significantly improve your productivity. By default, one application will take up two thirds of the screen, while the other app will take up one third. Here are the three methods you can use to activate split screen between two apps in Windows 8:
Windows 8 and the Emergence of Super Cool Picture and Gesture Passwords
Windows 8 takes the concept of password protection and revolutionizes it. If you're the type of person who's always had a love/hate relationship with passwords—whether you're always forgetting them or struggling to come up with new ones that are secure enough—you're going to love the Windows 8 password feature. Essentially, it combines pictures with gestures and eliminates having to type in an alphanumeric combination. Instead, you simply use a self-chosen combination of circles, lines, and screen taps over a specific image. If that's not cool and easy, we don't know what is.
Toggling Over to Traditional Desktop Mode
With Windows 8, you can toggle between standard "touch screen" mode to a more traditional "desktop mode." What this feature means is that if you want to revert to the operating experience you've come to know and love, you can have that too. Windows 8 desktop mode operates just like Windows 7, essentially giving you two operating systems in one.
Learn the difference between a standard, touch, and convertible Ultrabook™, compare processors, and find the combo that works for you.
Intel Learning Centre >
Connect laptop to monitor >
Tablets & Ultrabook™ >


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The R1® Full-Zip Jacket's popularity among backcountry athletes was inevitable: It stretches, breathes, wicks and warms with ultimate efficiency. And the full-zip front makes it super versatile, as a midlayer in winter or a lightweight jacket on early spring mornings and alpine summer evenings. The finely tuned high/low interior grid polyester fabric (Polartec® Power Dry®) squashes down to practically nothing, has a terrific feel, complements the technical fit and remains durable and warm. Our Variable Conditions Cuffs have discreet on-seam thumb loops and a spiral-stitch construction that lets you push up your sleeves without constricting your forearms. Minimalist zippers reduce bulk, while lightweight micro-grid stretch polyester at the cuffs and armpits enhances breathability and dry times. A soft, kissing-welt zipper garage at the chin gives next-to-skin comfort. Two zippered handwarmer pockets sit above the harness line, with their mesh pocket bags doubling as internal drop-in pockets, and the offset shoulder seams steer clear of pack straps.
- Versatile R1® fleece, with its high/low grid pattern, provides excellent stretch, warmth, fast wicking and great breathability in a variety of temperatures
- A lighter weight, micro-grid fabric on inner collar, underarm gusset, and Variable Conditions Cuff improves breathability and dry times where you need it most
- Refined technical fit with offset seams for comfort under outerwear and packs
- Center-front Slim Zip with soft, kissing-welt zipper garage and chin flap for next-to-skin comfort
- Variable Conditions Cuff has discreet, on-seam thumb loops for added coverage, and a spiral-stitch construction allows sleeves to push up easily without constricting forearms
- Two high handwarmer pockets have Slim Zip installs, clean-finished zipper garages, and are harness- and pack-compatible; two internal drop-in mesh pockets
- Body: 6.8-oz Polartec® Power Dry® 93% polyester (41% recycled)/7% spandex. Inner collar, underarms and cuffs: 5.4-oz Polartec® Power Dry® 92% polyester (54% recycled)/8% spandex
- 357 g (12.6 oz)
- Made in Colombia.
Recycled Polyester
We recycle used soda bottles, unusable second quality fabrics and worn out garments into polyester fibers to produce many of our clothes.
Regulator® Insulation
Regulator Insulation provides phenomenal compressibility, light weight warmth and moisture transport, whether used alone or as part of a layering system.


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Aleks Paunovic
Title: Actor, This Means War
Aleks Paunovic recently completed filming Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters for 20th Century Fox and was nominated for a Jessie Richardson Theater Award for his leading role in the Vancouver stage production of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. Paunovic recently had a standout comedic turn opposite Tom Hardy in the Fox comedy This Means War and he recurs on the CBC series Arctic Air.
Paunovic has been seen in numerous highly acclaimed science fiction television shows which include: Battlestar Gallactica, Stargate Atlantis, Supernatural, Fireball, Mortal Kombat - Legacy, Human Target and Smallville. His other notable film work includes the role of 'Tom' in an emotionally charged film directed by David Hollander called Personal Effects. Co-starring alongside Ashton Kutcher, Michelle Pfieffer, and Kathy Bates, Paunovic played a mentally disabled man put on trial murder. He physically transformed himself for the role by gaining sixty pounds.
Paunovic was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and started his professional acting career while partaking in his two other passions, boxing and music. He competed at the Pre-Pan Am games as a member of the Canadian Boxing Team and played bass in a hard rock band. While playing with his band, Paunovic was asked to audition for the HBO movie Heads and got the role. From then on, he was bitten by the acting bug and has been working as an actor ever since. In addition to acting, Paunovic has produced and co-hosted a travel series and a reality show incorporating his love of boxing. He is also writing scripts for film and television.


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|'08 celebrity pictures, videos and news
Watch pictures from Yahoo, videos from YouTube and read the latest news about celebrity actresses, models and singers.
|YouTube, YahooImages, GoogleBase
|A Paris Hilton video site
Watch sexy Paris Hilton videos collected from YouTube.
|Age Directory
Age Directory uses Yahoo BOSS to figure out the accurate age of your favorite celebrity.
|YahooBOSS, GoogleAppEngine
|American Idol Top 11 contestants
Plots the hometowns of the top American Idol contestants.
|YahooGeocode, GoogleMaps
|Are You an A List Bloglebrity?
A Technorati-powered widget that determines the celebrity list status of a blogger.
|Baby Name Meanings
Looking for baby names? Find the perfect name for your baby in this list of baby names and discover the origin, variants and meaning of baby names.
|Baby Names: Namemasher
Mashes names to create names like "Bennifer" or "Brangelina". Built on the Baby Names API.
Bandsintown consolidates ticket prices, concert information, and live concert media all in one place. Bandsintown implemented the Echo Nest audio feeds in their music player to allow users to sample an artist who is playing a local concert.
|GoogleMaps, EchoNest, LastFM
|Celebrity Blog Review
News, facts, blogs, videos, and pictures about the entertainment world that is continuously updated. Uses Google Custom Ajax search,Yahoo Buzz, Google Suggest, and Wikipedia.
|Google, GoogleAjaxSearch
|Celebrity CryoSites
Images, videos, and news about your favorite celebrities from Yahoo, YouTube and Technorati.
|YouTube, YahooImages, Technorati
|Celebrity Photos Gallery
A dyanamic collection of celebrity photo galleries. Data comes from Yahoo Image Search and Yahoo Search.
|Yahoo, YahooImages
|Celebrity Ranker
Uses Google to find out how popular and sexy celebrities are, and shows images from Yahoo Image Search API. Finds celebrities which are similar in popularity and sexiness. Warning: not always safe for work.
|YahooImages, Google
|Celebrity Sexy Video Finder
Not safe for work, NSFW. Search and find all sexy YouTube and Google videos of your favorite female and male celebrities. Contains adult content.
|YouTube, GoogleAjaxSearch
Follow a long list of celebrities that actively use Twitter to communicate with their audiences. MC Hammer, Britney Spears, Eli Manning and Borat are just a few celebrities posting on a regular basis.
|Coast Rack
Coast Rack searches for artists tracks and their videos from sources including Last.fm, MusicBrainz, and YouTube.
|YouTube, MusicBrainz, LastFM
|Desert Island Lists
Top-1o style lists of cross-referenced songs, artists, albums, films, actors, directors and reviews. Searchable and available to buy online via Amazon and eBay.
|EBay, AmazonProductAdvertising
Consolidation of information about notable people, including celebrities, musicians, writers, historical figures and sports people. Auto-ranking of people based on density of current news and automatic analysis of connections between people.
|YouTube, Flickr, AmazonProductAdvertising
|Flickr Image Fight
Compare the image results for two competing keywords.
|Free Influencer
A website that defines who has influenced who between people. Built using the Freebase API.
Gossipgrind is an automated news aggregator focusing on popular culture, celebrity gossip and news. Gossipgrind accomplishes this by linking to posts from all over the web leveraging the Yahoo Query Language API.
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Heading out of town on a weekend camping trip? Call on Coleman for your sleep needs! Here, the Fairmont Blue Sleeping Bag cuts chilly nighttime so you can climb in and rest up for the next day's adventures. Has a polyester shell with a cozy flannel interior liner for comfort. Fits most heights up to 5'11".
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Technical Papers and Presentations
3D-Modeling of Magnetophoretic Separation of Superparamagnetic Dispersions Using COMSOL Multiphysics® Particle Tracing Module
D. Kleinehanding[1], L. Teich[1], C. Schröder[1]
[1]Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Computational Materials Science & Engineering (CMSE), University of Applied Sciences Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
Magnetophoresis is a process of great interest for novel applications based on magnetic nanoparticles and colloids. Environmental applications like wastewater treatments and pollutant removal, biomedical applications like protein isolation, drug delivery, magnetic hyperthermia for cancer treatment, and magnetic-particle imaging are just a few of the numerous technological areas which exploit the ...
Tunable MEMS Capacitor for RF Applications
H. S. Shriram[1], T. Nimje[1], D. Vakharia[1]
[1]BITS Pilani, Rajasthan, India
Radio Frequency MEMS devices have emerged to overcome the problem of high losses associated with semiconductors at high frequencies. A tunable MEMS capacitor is a micrometre-scale electronic device whose capacitance is controlled through different actuation mechanisms which govern the moving parts. It can have electrostatic or electrothermal actuators depending on the functional complexity and ...
FSI Analysis of Microcantilevers Vibrating in Fluid Environment
A. Ricci[1] and E. Giuri[1]
[1]Materials and Microsystems Laboratory (CHI-Lab), Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy
Cantilever vibration in fluid environment is probably one of the most common Fluid Structure Interaction problems in the field of Micro/Nano Electro Mechanical Systems. Usually the effect of fluid on cantilever oscillation is characterized in terms of mode resonance frequencies and quality factors (Qs). In this work a new approach to the above FSI problem is proposed: modes Q factors and ...
Thickness Optimization of a Piezoelectric Converter for Energy Harvesting
M. Guizzetti[1], V. Ferrari[1], D. Marioli[1], and T. Zawada[2]
[1]Dept. of Electronics for Automation, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
[2]Meggitt, Ferroperm Piezoceramics A/S, Kvistgaard, Denmark
The conversion of mechanical energy from environmental vibrations into electrical energy is a key point for powering sensor nodes toward the development of autonomous sensor systems. Piezoelectric energy converters realized in a cantilever configuration are the most studied for this purpose. In order to improve the performances of the converter, the geometry has to be properly designed. In this ...
FEM Simulation of a Micro-Cantilever Optical-MEMS Sensor
V. Mathur, J. Li, and W.D. Goodhue
Photonics Center, Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Massachusetts, Lowell
In this work a micro-cantilever optical-MEMS sensor based on the AlGaAs system is designed and modeled. The device consists of two micro-cantilever beams perfectly aligned with the free ends separated by approximately 200 nm up to 2000 nm. The finite element method (FEM) (COMSOL Multiphysics) has been employed here to model the structural deformation and light propagation through the device. ...
Robust Design and Optimization of Thick Film Accelerometers in COMSOL Multiphysics with OptiY
H. Neubert1, A. Kamusella1, and T. Q. Pham2
1Institute of Electromechanical and Electronic Design, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
2OptiY e.K., Aschaffenburg, Germany
The optimization of design parameters with regard to tolerances is an important reason for design processing. We used a COMSOL Multiphysics structural mechanics model with the OptiY tool for finding an optimized design of a thick film accelerometer conforming to our sensitivity and cross sensitivity requirements, including resonance frequency. We calculated the probability of a system failure due ...
Development of Surface Micromachinable Capacitive Accelerometer using Fringe Electrical Field
S. Aoyagi1, and Y.-C. Tai2
1Robot & Microsystem Laboratory, Kansai University, Osaka, Japan
2Caltech Micromachining Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, USA
A new type of accelerometer is demonstrated which consists of a dielectric seismic mass and a comb-shaped planar capacitor underneath it. The simple structure of the device allows the use of polymer Parylene as the proof mass, so the technology is greatly simplified and only surface micromachining is required. The measuring principle is detecting capacitance change according to the dielectric ...
Optimization of Design Parameters of a Novel MEMS Strain Sensor used for Structural Health Monitoring of Highway Bridges
H. Saboonchi, and D. Ozevin
Civil Engineering Department
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, IL
The novel Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) based Piezoresistive stain sensor is presented in this paper. The main goal of this sensor is to monitor the localized strain in the highway bridges especially near the crack tips. Monitoring the crack growth on the bridges can lead to early detection and prevention of bridge failures. The COMSOL Multiphysics software was used to optimize the ...
Evaluation of Tensile Modulus of Carbon Nanotube Bundle Based Composite with Interface Using Finite Element Method
M. S. Islam, F. O. Riktan, S. C. Chowdhury, M. M. R. Chowdhury, and S. Ahmed
Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have remarkable mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. The properties of CNTs depend on atomic arrangement (how the sheets of graphite are rolled), the diameter and length of the tubes and morphology of nanostructure. In this paper effective elastic properties of CNT based polymer composites are evaluated using a square Representative Volume Element (RVE) in ...
Simulations of MEMS Based Piezoresistive Accelerometer Designs in COMSOL
N. Bhalla[1], S. Li[2], and D. Chung[1]
[1]Chung Yuan Christian University, Taiwan, (R.O.C)
[2]National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan, (R.O.C)
Different configurations of MEMS based accelerometer has been made and analysed using COMSOL Multiphysics. The designs presented in this paper consist of a square shaped proof mass with flexures supporting it. Different position and varied number of supporting flexures attached to the proof mass makes each configuration distinct. The piezoresistors are placed near the proof mass and frame ends on ...


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contents here
PadMapper makes apartment hunting less awful, almost fun. It does this by plotting the apartments on a big map, and letting you filter for exactly what you want. There are also neat overlays to help you learn about the different areas.
My goal with PadMapper is to make apartment hunting into something people no longer dread. It shouldn't have to be harder than buying a car. You shouldn't have to deal with slimy people. You shouldn't have to make big Excel spreadsheets to keep track of what you've seen and what you think. Landlords should respond to your emails, and once you move in, you should be treated well. I'm going to help make it that way.
I was looking for a place with some friends in NYC in the summer of 2008, and it ended up taking us 6 months. This was our first time, so we got scammed more than once by brokers and shady landlords.
In between scams, I sifted through thousands of Craigslist listings, and it was getting to the point where I was losing hope. It was like wading through my spam folder trying to find real emails. I'd click and read each listing, only to find out that it was in a bad location, or it looked like a slum, or there was a toilet in the kitchen, or it was too "cozy" to fit a double bed.
So, I ended up writing what became the first version of PadMapper to do most of the sifting for me and generally make the hunt better. I've used it and the iPhone app in 3 apartment hunts since then, and it has found me a place quickly each time.
I hope it helps you and your friends find a great place to live. Good luck with your hunt!
If there's anything that confuses you, or you see any bugs, please email me at email@example.com. Feedback really helps - user feedback is the reason PadMapper is what it is today.
If you'd like more information, check out the blog. Here's a text-based browsing alternative (though it's more cumbersome): Sitemap


text:
► From The Cookbook: Venison Mincemeat
► Oklahoma Hunter Tags 30-Point Drought Buck
► Elk Hunting on the Horizon in Virginia?
► How to Win the License Lottery
► Trend Shows Women Prefer Turkey Hunting for First Hunt
► Member's Hunt: Youth Hunter Tags Rare Gobbler
► Wild Duck Fried Rice
► AmericanHunter.org's Top 25 Ducks (Part III)
► Night Chords: The Music of Raccoon Hunting
► From The Cookbook: Squirrel and Eggplant Stew
► A Ride-Along with Stewards of Africa's Wild
► An African Big-Game Hunt, Caprivi Style
► Hunt Big Game With Outdoor Channel's Steve West
► From Deer Hunter to Hog Hunter: An Easy Transition
► The 26-Yard Hunting Zero
► Review: Ruger American Rimfire
► 2014 Golden Bullseye Award Winners
► CVA Introduces New Accura MR Nitride Muzzleloader
► Benelli Ethos Review
► Benelli Introduces the Ethos
► Hunting with the Short Gun
► Does the AARP Still Want Your Guns?
► 2014's Top Compound Bows
► Idiot-Proof Your Bow
► Broadheads for Big Game
► Rage Introduces Lethal Crossbow X Broadhead
► Winchester Long Beard XR Turkey Loads
► Big-Bore Hardware
► Nikon's Rock Your Rimfire Promotion is Back
► Nikon Mount 'Em Up Promotion Returns
► New Yamaha Viking SxS Review
► Gamehide ElimiTick Utra-Lite Apparel
► Live from the 143rd NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits
► Porter's Pursuit Produces Grand Slam!
► Cyberbullies Aim for Rhino Auction, Hunters
► USFWS Revises 2014 Elephant Trophy Ruling … Slightly
► Why Would Anyone Want to Hunt With a "Silencer?"
► (Bow)Hunting Brings People Together!
► Fine Hunting Rifles on Display at Steyr's Grand Opening
► Throwback Thursday—Beretta Shotgun Style
► Reach Out and Touch 'Em: Turkey Gun Sights
► The Wilder World So Far
► A Great Chisler Rifle: Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22
► How to Clean a Gun
► CVA Apex
► Best Hunting-Themed April Fools' Day Prank of 2014
► NRA Country Presents: Brantley Gilbert
► Bad Boy Buggies Ambush iS
► Winchester's New Varmint X Ammo
► One for the Ladies: The Savage Lady Hunter Rifle
► Improve Shotgun Shooting and Hunting Success Overnight with SCI Speakers' Innovative Training Aid
► Opening Day
► Leave Them Alone
► Quest for 450: Quest Complete!
► Bear on the Menu in Packerville?
► Hunting the Very Elusive Nauga
► Folds of Honor Foundation
► Game Profiles: Caribou
► Game Profile: The Wild Turkey
► Outfitted Hunts for Any Budget
► When Guided Hunts Go Wrong
► iBattz Announces Outdoor-Friendly Portable Charging Unit
► The Humane Society of the United States: It's Not About Puppies & Kittens
► Impala Leaps into Car, Escapes Cheetahs
► South Carolina Hunters Harvest More Than 11,000 Cormorants
► New Legislation Could Help Hunters Access Public Lands
► Bloomberg Wages War on NRA
► Winchester Ammunition Named Cabela's 2013 Vendor of the Year
The NRA Member's Wild Game Cookbook, Second Edition, is a collection of common and unique wild-game recipes alike. Give this one a try!
Big bucks don't grow on trees. They grow amid the trees by eating natural forage and, when a hunter does things right and hits a lucky streak, by eating forage planted by man. Just ask Brad Gaddis of Oklahoma.
During the long cold months, when it seems like winter may never end, Georgia Pellegrini fills her kitchen with hearty dishes that warm you to the core. This venison risotto does just that.
Whether you plan to do it yourself, or intend to use a butcher, here are some things to keep in mind so that you get the most out of processing your meat for delicious meals year-round.
NRA Member Tom Moore of Eatonville, Wash., has a message for all the hunters out there who have felt down on their luck in this story of deer hunting success.
Connor Stafford didn't expect to see the biggest buck of his life when he went to scout some nearby BLM land, but when he did a quick phone call to his dad was just what he needed to get the job done.
A rifle hunter catches the bowhunting bug, becomes a better hunter and bags a fiancé along the way. Still, her hardest-earned "trophy" will be a mature whitetail buck.
A simple, elegant and approachable way to cook your game meats brought to you by professional chef, hunter and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America Matthew Cosenzo.
This latest offering from Georgia Pellegrini is perfect for the cold months, or if you're preparing for a large gathering.
Sheriff Jim Wilson jumped at the chance to join Uberti for a hunt in Texas and put the company's High-Wall rifle to the test. How did he fare? Read on to find out.
Professional chef and hunter Matthew Cosenzo shares this delicious venison loin recipe straight from the pages of American Hunter magazine.
When the author agreed to speak at Friends of NRA-related events in Alaska, he had no idea how good the "pay" would be.


text:
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This original style nut, bolt and washer set is for the front & rear fenders, Attaches rear fenders to body and front fenders to inner panels and body
This part fits most Chevrolet 1942 1946 1947 1948 Cars; exceptions may apply. Please read the complete description to see if this part fits your specific vehicle and application.
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Creating Print
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Interactive Tool: Are You Ready to Quit Smoking?
Select topic sections to create your printer-friendly document. The more sections you select, the larger your document.
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The average American spends a third of their income on housing. Almost as much as the next two greatest expenses — food and transportation — combined. So, theoretically, if you just stopped paying for housing, you could earn a living working three days a week. Or two thirds of the year.
Today, we bring you a story about the pursuit of snow, world domination and cheap rent. It's imperfect. It comes with inconveniences. Trade-offs. But, at the end of the day, what would you rather trade in? Convenience? Or time spent chasing down dry rock or fluffy snow?
Listen to "The Treewok" by The Dirtbag Diaries on Soundcloud.
Visit dirtbagdiaries.com for links to past episodes, featured music and to pledge your support. You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes, RSS, SoundCloud and Stitcher, or connect with the Dirtbag Diaries community on Facebook and Twitter. The Dirtbag Diaries is a Duct Tape Then Beer production.
[Graphic by Walker Cahall]
By Gavin McClurg, photos by Jody MacDonald
Sailing around the world isn't new. Historians recently learned that Chinese merchant ships in the latter 15th century, which were grander, faster, and better equipped than Spanish and Portuguese fleets (Magellan, Columbus, Gama, etc.), used trading routes that vary today only because of the Suez and Panama Canals. These canals eliminate the need to navigate the treacherous Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn, respectively.
Today, we call these routes the "milk run." When you start at X and sail to Y, there is a very sensible time of year to do it and a very sensible course to take advantage of winds and currents. This is true for all vessels of every size and type. To get away from the milk run takes a lot more effort, skill, patience, fortitude and, yes, imagination – which is, of course, why it's worth it. It may be true that the oceans of the world have been mapped, but that doesn't mean they have been properly explored.
[Above: Finding a barrel at the bottom of the world.]Enter the Cabrinha Quest. On a 14-year mission to find remote wind and waves on a series of blue-water kitesurfing and surfing expeditions – during which we've sailed around the world twice – I have taken considerable pride in escaping the milk run as often as possible, including rounding both of those notorious capes (where pride manifests in pain!). Our latest expedition, in partnership with Cabrinha Kites, launched in September 2012 – a five-year seafaring quest to explore the most remote corners of the globe.
In four previous crossings of the Pacific, a kaleidoscopic wistful throng of islands has captivated my imagination but they have always been just too far out of reach. To get there would require a longer crossing than I have ever sailed, nearly all of it in open ocean below 40 degrees south – a band of latitudes known as the "Roaring 40s" and "Screaming 50s" for the unhindered westerly winds that rake unending around Antarctica. It's a cold, lonely, impossibly large and wild place with no hope of support if something goes wrong.
So this year we went. 5,000 miles. 28 days at sea. Three days with visible sun. Water temps down to 6 degrees Celsius. Not a single sighting of another boat. Not a single fish caught. But at the end of it all stretched the ultimate prize: 1,000 miles of granite peaks encased in ice and snow, uncountable uninhabited untouched islands, glaciers that descend to a dark ocean bustling with strange fish and sea creatures, fjords that wander for miles and miles in a never-ending maze of lushness and plenty, waterfalls cascading from gray clouds into heavy mist, virgin forests with pancake-shaped leaves the size of large trucks dripping with eternal rain hanging over crystal clear lattices of geothermal pools. Patagonia. Where God possibly imbibed in some supernatural LSD and applied his watercolors by hand instead of brush.
The decision to come here has been in the works for years but the tipping point was reached only very recently. In our efforts to operate the Cabrinha Quest in a sustainable manner we teamed up with the uber-eco-conscious Patagonia clothing company. Yvon Chouinard named his company Patagonia after he fell in love with the region during a climbing trip with Doug Tompkins in the '60s. It seemed only fitting to bring some of the Patagonia crew to the place where it all started. In a small twist, we'd be going by sea instead of land.
Yvon's son Fletcher, FCD's board shaper and kite and surf addict; Jason McCaffrey, Patagonia's surf brand manager; and Patagonia ambassadors Reo Stevens and Jason Slezak arrive on the docks in Puerto Montt right on time for a planned 10-day push deep into the fjords where we hope to surf waves that had never been ridden. Distances are vast, and we must carefully plan all movement around the tides. They range more than four meters on springs and neaps and create currents that turn narrow passes into raging whitewater rivers, which makes traveling heedless of their strength quite ill advised.
I am anxious to get started immediately.
Jason McCaffrey and Fletcher Chouinard prep boards for the trip.
Jason Slezak, making some adjustments to the kit.
But only one set of bags has arrived. An ice storm in Dallas has sent the bags to airline purgatory and we are told they might arrive "mañana," or "mañana mañana," or possibly "mañana mañana mañana." ¿Pero quien sabes? Indeed. Who knows?
If we were in the tropics, not having bags would have very little impact. We have plenty of gear on board, surfboards and kites bulging out of every storage compartment on our 60-foot catamaran, Discovery. The fridge and freezer are stocked with every imaginable seafood delicacy compliments of the rich waters that surround Puerto Montt, the gateway port to Patagonia. But the water here hovers around 10 degrees Celsius. Without proper wetsuits, water activities will be considerably curtailed.
We study charts and Google Earth and come up with a plan B, and a Plan C, D, and E, depending on which mañana.
On an ebb tide we slide away from the docks at an absurd speed. With no wind and no sails we travel twice as fast as we should under power. The ocean is dark. I'm used to the translucent water of the tropics where reefs are as visible as billboards on the freeway. Here they lurk invisible in frigid water. At high tide they pass below our keels with plenty of room to spare. As the tide drops they rise above the surface like erupting volcanoes: dry, sharp, gnarled and twisted. They are a mirror of our surroundings.
We are near the winter solstice, which, this far south, means our days stretch impossibly long. Each morning we are enveloped in a dense still fog, but the sun eventually wins the battle for space and wet decks and chilly bodies are warmed generously. I can't help but feel like this place is actually sucking in geological-sized breaths. Each day the forests and mountains take a huge inhalation, pulling in the fresh ocean air and sending a myriad of birds into the sky. Eventually, still waters and still air are whisked into strong laminar winds which we use to travel fast and far. As the sun sets, the mountains and streams and trees get their fill and they exhale, giving back to the ocean what they swept away so it can all begin again. The same pace sets in on board the boat. Why fight what Mother Nature has performed so perfectly?
We use the days without gear to wander up and down coastlines and bays, following the afternoon winds, seeking waves. The travels are stunning to be sure, but the odds are not in our favor. At one tide level we could sail right past a potential break that is totally flat, where no obvious wave exists, but in two hours, with a meter less water, it could be pumping. Persistence and considerable luck pay off when the bags arrive just in time for a solid WSW swell that comes to us from Antarctic waters and we are in position.
Anticipation of things to come as we drop the anchor at a new break.
Fletcher Chouinard returns for a quick break between tides.
We settle into the same pace as our surroundings. Every living thing is taking in and using as much as it can. Light, water, food, air. We do the same but we add recreation. Yet even in this pursuit we are not alone. Boobie birds play and bathe in tidal pools; huge colonies of sea lions lounge in the sun without a care in the world and even surf some of the waves that we ride; terns soar cliff walls, using the sea breeze to stay aloft, clearly enjoying the freedom of flight just for the fun of it.
At first glance Patagonia seems to have escaped man's incessant demands for resources. But look closer and the picture isn't so rosy. Salmon aren't native to Chile, but salmon farms are ubiquitous. The industry has been at the heart of fierce environmental opposition. They are ecologically filthy, pose a huge threat to native fish, and ultimately have been found to be a very unhealthy food source. Once-free-flowing, glacier-fed rivers that attracted paddlers from around the world have now been dammed to power mega-mines in the north.
When the swell dies we sail down Renihue Fjord to Parque Pumalin, in the heart of The Conservation Land Trust, created by Doug and Kristine Tompkins – now the largest in the world at over two million acres. The land has been set aside for conservation and their organization is teaching the locals that the economy in the long run will benefit more from leaving the land alone than exploiting it for short-term use. Beekeeping, ecological restoration, sustainable farming and fishing, and park creation are all part of the overarching goal: saving biodiversity.
No adjectives are descriptive enough to do this place justice. Powerful is the only one that comes close. Hungry? Grab a bucket and fill it in a minute with succulent mussels. Or grab a fly rod and land a fish from the sparkling river that runs through the property. An organic garden feeds all the staff. Chickens fertilize, bees pollinate, goats provide milk, and the cattle look like they've won the heifer lottery. Sustainability in action, all at the foot of one of the grandest and most picturesque places I've ever witnessed.
An unusual way to see Renihue Fjord, Jason Slezak at the entrance of Pumalín Park.
Reo Stevens, where the currents collide.
Jason McCaffery exploring Patagonia by kite.
I'm traveling with people who, like me, are concerned about the state of the planet. This trip wasn't necessary to change anyone's mind. We are the choir, no preaching necessary. Call us liberal, or progressive, or tree-huggers or maybe something even less endearing, but regardless of where you stand and what you think of issues like global warming or our overburdened planet, you can't come to a place like Patagonia and go home unchanged.
I notice this change in our final days. Everyone takes a little more time to himself or herself. Everyone is a little more contemplative. Everyone is taking a closer look around. Everyone's eyes shine differently and are a little more alive than they were when they got on board. I can't help but think that we, and by WE I mean all of humanity, are a reflection of our environment. In Patagonia, you start to really like what you see in the mirror. Time isn't read on a watch, it's logged by the passing of the sun and moon. Food isn't processed and shipped, it's caught or foraged and eaten fresh. Movement is dictated by the weather, not a schedule. Exercise dictates sleep instead of an alarm clock.
Is it a stretch to say that if we subject ourselves to traffic, pollution, unpronounceable food additives, poorly built homes, pesticides and the myriad of other "advancements" that have made our lives "better" that we are moving in the wrong direction? We don't have this conversation on the boat, but this is what we're all thinking about. And this is a stretch, but try if you can to imagine that our world, the world we all share, was once like Patagonia everywhere.
Reo Stevens in search of surf.
Between the inhale and exhale a long moment of tranquility.
Gavin McClurg is the CEO of Offshore Odysseys and founder of The Best Odyssey and The Cabrinha Quest. He grew up on boats in the Pacific Northwest and commercially fished in the Bering Sea before getting into sailing in the mid '90s. You can keep up with Gavin and The Cabrinha Quest on Facebook and Instagram. Check out his previous post, "The Higher You Get, The Higher You Get – A Paragliding Journey in the Pioneer Mountains."
Jody MacDonald is an award-winning adventure sport and documentary photographer. She says she's more comfortable snowboarding than wearing a dress and way happier surfing than going to the mall. You can follow her work and travels on Facebook, Instagram and JodyMacDonaldPhotography.com.
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It's been a month since DamNation made its world premiere at SXSW in Austin, Texas. First and foremost, we would like to thank all of the people who've come out to see our film. Your support is greatly appreciated. Moving forward, we have a bunch of news and some important action alerts to share, so let's get to it.
America's Most Endangered Rivers 2014
When, as a young man, DamNation co-producer Matt Stoecker witnessed migrating steelhead jump at, and bounce off, Stanford University's Searsville Dam on San Francisquito Creek, he recognized the destructive power a single dam can have on an entire watershed and beyond. Matt is now a fish biologist, who has since spearheaded the removal of more than a dozen such barriers to migration and is actively involved in efforts to dismantle several others. When he and Patagonia founder/owner Yvon Chouinard, a long-time "dam buster" who for years has supported groups working to tear down dams, decided to capture such efforts and their healing effects on film, and share them with the world, they teamed up with Felt Soul Media's Ben Knight and Travis Rummel, and DamNation was born.
Today, American Rivers announced their annual list of America's 10 Most Endangered Rivers and we're happy to see San Francisquito Creek and Searsville Dam coming in at number five. San Francisquito Creek is the only nominee with a problem dam to be recognized by American Rivers this year. Making the list of most endangered rivers certainly isn't a cause for celebration, but it's a big deal in the river community and should bring national and local attention to the efforts that are underway to remove Searsville Dam.
[Above: Searsville Dam on San Francisquito Creek, California. Stanford releases no flows downstream for fish and wildlife and the stagnant creek dries out and becomes lethal to the threatened steelhead that are blocked at the base of the concrete wall. Photo: Matt Stoecker]Unfortunately, it remains unclear whether Stanford University will remove their unneeded Searsville Dam and upgrade to a more reliable, sustainable and safer water system. The university is studying alternatives, including dam removal, and has promised to make a decision by the end of the year. Numerous examples throughout the country have proven that when a dam is removed, migratory fish quickly reestablish themselves above the barrier, often within weeks. Invasive species populations from the reservoirs are significantly reduced and water quality and habitat improve. Communities are made safer and the liability risk for dam owners is eliminated.
Aerial view of Searsville Dam and reservoir. Photo: Matt Stoecker
A pair of wild steelhead spawn below the impassable Searsville Dam in 2013. Multiple adult steelhead and their eggs died as upstream diversions and lack of access to perennial streams above the dam contributed to trapping these federally threatened fish in a dewatered creek. Watch a video of these two fish spawning. Photo: Doug Rundle
Streams merge in the headwaters of San Francisquito Creek where open space preserves have protected much of the watershed and provide ideal habitat conditions for steelhead and other native species to return to if only Stanford University would let them. Photo: Matt Stoecker
Running through downtown Palo Alto and Menlo Park, San Francisquito Creek harbors one of the last wild steelhead runs in the San Francisco Bay. However, Stanford's Searsville Dam blocks them from reaching critical year round streams, leaving the next generation to wonder who is responsible for the deaths of threatened steelhead in the creek. Photo: Mike Lanza
Video: San Francisquito Creek - America's Most Endangered Rivers 2014 by American Rivers
As a business member of the Beyond Searsvile Dam coalition, who is leading the charge, we urge Stanford to show leadership as environmental stewards and choose an alternative that will remove Searsville Dam, restoring this ecologically significant creek while protecting local residents from flooding and safety concerns.
Take Action!
Tour Schedule & Screenings Update
A redesigned version of DamNationFilm.com was launched recently, and with it comes a full list of upcoming screenings. Newport, Rhode Island; Missoula, Montana; Portland, Oregon and Carbondale, Colorado will round out our film festival screenings in April. Looking ahead, the film will have its theatrical release on May 9 in New York at the IFC Center, followed by a release on May 16 in Los Angeles at the Laemmle NoHo 7. The theatrical release is coupled with a nine-city tour of one-night film premieres in select markets in April and May, and a nationwide screening event at all U.S. Patagonia retail stores on June 5.
Please check the Upcoming Screenings page for details and tickets, or apply to Host a Screening in your home town.
Vimeo On Demand
DamNation is proud to be partnering with Vimeo On Demand to bring our film to your computer, laptop, tablet and smartphone. Preorders are being accepted now for DamNation's digital release on June 6, 2014. And if you like DamNation, you'll want to check out the Patagonia Collection at Vimeo On Demand. Curated by Patagonia and Vimeo, this collection of online films showcases Earth's elegance, strength and fragility.
Visit Vimeo on Demand to see the Patagonia Collection and preorder your digital copy of DamNation.
Two Film Festivals, Two Awards for DamNation
We're thrilled to announce that DamNation won the SXSW Film 2014 Audience Award in the Documentary Spotlight category, and the Documentary Award for Environmental Advocacy (and a $10,000 cash prize), at the 2014 Environmental Film Festival in Washington, D.C. The filmmakers express their gratitude to festivalgoers for the positive reception, celebrating the news as a sign that the urgent issue of dam removal is resonating and will continue to build momentum as the film tours across the country.
"Premiering DamNation at SXSW was a dream come true for Travis and I, and a dream come true for the film," said co-director Ben Knight. "I honestly can't even wrap my head around the fact that we won the audience award yet, it feels very surreal. I could feel an energy build during the film at our screenings in Austin; our audiences were just amazing."
"After pouring ourselves into DamNation, it is incredible to see the film resonate so deeply with our audiences," said co-director Travis Rummel. "We're so appreciative to Patagonia for trusting us with the creative freedom needed to bring this critical story to life."
"The health of our rivers impacts all of us, and we have too many degraded rivers with unnecessary and obsolete dams," said co-producer Matt Stoecker. "It's so encouraging to see audiences connect with our film and help us build momentum to free our rivers."
Yvon Chouinard and DamNation filmmakers on the SXSW red carpet. Photo: Nate Ptacek
Waiting in line for the world premiere at SXSW. Photo: Kasey Kersnowski
Patagonia employees Ron Hunter and Brooks Scott tabled outside the Vimeo Theater at SXSW. Photo: Nate Ptacek
Q&A session at SXSW with Nancy Schafer (moderator), Yvon Chouinard (Patagonia), Joy Howard (Patagonia), Travis Rummel (DamNation) and Jeremy Boxer (Vimeo). Photo: Nate Ptacek
Window detail and a peek inside Patagonia Austin. Photo: Jared Tennant
Display inside Patagonia Austin. Photo: Kasey Kersnowski
Party at Patagonia Austin after the world premiere screening. Photo: Jared Tennant
DamNation filmmakers and the Patagonia Austin staff. Thanks to the entire store staff for their effort and hospitality. Photo: Nate Ptacek
We had a packed house at the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital, productive meetings with top policymakers and government officials about our Crack Down on Deadbeat Dams petition, and we won the Environmental Advocacy Award. Washington D.C. was good to us. Photo: Ben Knight
Iceland is a land of extremes – stark beauty within a harsh, unforgiving landscape and an equally daunting climate. Volcanoes are still erupting, earthquakes are nearly constant, yet the geothermal water provides Iceland with most of its energy needs and natural hot springs ease the cold of winter. Eleven percent of the country is covered with glaciers. Sighting of the aurora borealis is common. The coast is dotted with steep cliffs, overhung by glaciers and blasted by wind off the ocean. Yet over 300 species of birds nest in these cliffs, eider ducks (think eiderdown) float in the ocean and the fishery is Iceland's largest source of income.
In such a stark and dramatic landscape, it is easy to imagine events being controlled by the Norse gods. In fact, on our quest for virgin ice climbs, we too felt their power – one in particular: Loki the trickster, deceiver, god of chaos.
[Above: Sunrise over the fjord. Photo: Kitty Calhoun]Upon arrival in Reykjavik, we proceeded straight to our rental car company, SAD cars. I thought I had reserved a large 4x4 to carry the four of us – Jay Smith, John Catto, Beth Goralski and myself – plus our eight 50-pound duffel bags, four 20-pound day packs, and two weeks of groceries – into the hinterland. There must have been some miscommunication and a small SUV made for city streets awaited us – the large off-road vehicles were not available. After much consternation, we loaded up an old 4WD Nissan wagon, whose front doors had been hammered loose by the formidable Icelandic wind. To muffle the roar of wind prying through, we slammed the doors on our towels, which proceeded to batter the roof as we cruised down the narrow road leading north.
The SAD car. Photo: Kitty Calhoun
Obviously, if there was information available, we would not have headed to the North Central Peninsula. But this is a land of unknowns, a land of secrets. Not much of the ice has been discovered and our hunch was that the greatest concentration of hidden gems was in the heart of the steepest, most jagged mountains. Thus, after two days in the car, winding our way around every crease in the fjords, we arrived in Dalvík, the ski capital of Iceland. Armed with a half-dozen topo maps, we hoped that we might pry some secrets from local UIAGM mountain guide, JB. I closed my eyes and prayed as he called friends in each part of the country and, in Icelandic, asked for their permission to give us clues to where we might find the goods. We received their blessings but, to our chagrin, learned that ice climbs in this country do not form in the mountains, but rather on cliffs capped by a plateau. Deceived once again, we assumed positions in the SAD car and reset our sights on the Westfjords – the least visited region in all of Iceland.
Road sign to the Westfjords. Photo: Beth Goralski
It was precisely halfway along a snow-drifted section of road, in a white-out and three hours from the last town, that we found ourselves contemplating abandoning the SAD car in search of a more suitable bivouac.
"I'm sorry ya'll, but there is no way we are going to make it," I said in a defiant voice. Somebody had to speak up and as the most conservative, adamant member of our group, I volunteered.
I felt relieved when Jay, who had made a valiant attempt to ram through walls of snow, supported me. "Yeah, I'm sorry we have spent so many days in the car, but I don't think we are going to make it either." I felt bad because he was feeling responsible not only for getting photos, but also for ensuring a productive trip.
John, a veteran filmmaker for National Geographic, offered, "We might be able to get in that abandoned gas station we just left."
"Yeah, if worse comes to worse, we can sleep in the car." I looked over at Beth, a 5'8" lanky blonde who was always smiling. She had the least experience in the group but was up for anything.
"I'd rather not," I said with a solemn face, which betrayed my satisfaction in feeling that I had made the right choice to invite Beth, even though I barely knew her.
I pulled out my cell phone and in a last ditch effort, called my friend Runar, on the other end of the Westfjords, for help. He explained that neither plows, nor planes, nor ferries operate on Saturdays. He was on his way to a party, to celebrate the Feast of Thor, featuring traditional Icelandic fare such as marinated shark and rams' testes. After a few phone calls, he found a farmhouse a mile back, to which we could retreat. Holed up in this place of refuge, with a hot tub, I marveled at our circumstances. Ancient lore would have attributed them to Loki, who ensnared everyone in complicated problems, to which he always supplied a remedy – though his solution often engendered even greater troubles.
Kitty and Beth enjoying a hot tub. Photo: Jay Smith
The following day, the storm relented and we ventured along the coast to Patreksfjörður, a small fishing town, where we met Valle, "gatekeeper" to the Westfjords ice climbs. Having been duly chastised by Runar for not warning us about the snowplow holiday, he more than made up for it by leading us over two more passes to the Land of Promise.
A single lane gravel road followed the shoreline. On one side of the road lay narrow, golden-sand beaches, lapped by long, smooth wave sets. Further out in the fjord, a research boat explored the sea, gathering data to determine its capacity for farmed salmon, most of which is sold to Whole Foods. On the other side of the road, a carpet of moss led to snow-covered slopes and small cirques or valleys lined with vertical black cliffs. Snowmelt on the plateau above generously provided so many frozen lines that we were awestruck.
Beth excited about another cirque. Photo: Kitty Calhoun
For our first climbs, the four of us naively picked out two new routes that looked like good warm-ups – not too hard, maybe WI 4. I offered the first lead to Beth, as she was keen and I was feeling generous. However, I started wondering what the problem was as I observed increasing evidence of her getting pumped – hacking at the ice, long pauses when she rapidly alternated shaking out each arm, and she had placed every screw on the rack.
As I followed the pitch, I realized that we had been tricked again. This was far from being a warm-up. It was a difficult WI 5! I had forgotten that the warm winds sculpt and polish the ice until there is nothing left but hollowed out caves and overhanging faces, devoid of any sweet spots to place your tools, or grooves to stem. Jay and John experienced the same deception and we all went home that night feeling elated that we just climbed two new routes, but also reminded that all was not as it appeared.
John Catto on another first ascent. Photo: Kitty Calhoun
The next morning, we set off to the same cirque to climb the next two hardest lines. At the base, Jay and John didn't feel up for their route yet, so they decided to climb an easy pitch to get above and shoot me leading the hard route. As I waited on them to get into position, questions started to fill my head. Why am I doing this? Who even cares? Is it worth it? If I pump out before getting in a screw, the resulting fall could result in serious injury. How many years can a person keep redlining the stress meter before burning out? Will I ever be satisfied?
My thoughts were interrupted by Beth's voice: "On belay." John and Jay were ready to shoot. We were in an ice cave at the base of the steep ice. I looked around the column and up toward a large mushroom which blocked the entrance onto the smooth, slightly overhanging face above. Beth was apologizing for the big snarl we had just untangled from the double ropes. The thought, "Pride goeth before a fall," entered my head.
I turned to Beth and said, "Don't worry about it." She smiled.
Then I took some deep breaths. Either my strength had to come from me – or else from God. I chose God. A calm confidence settled over me and that made all the difference. If it weren't for this peace, I could have easily panicked when the ice continued to shatter as I tried to find a purchase for my tool over the mushroom. Panic tends to rapidly suck the remaining strength from throbbing forearms. The hand can no longer grip the tool enough to guide and accurate swing. As a last ditch effort, one starts to fumble for a screw, knowing there isn't enough strength to place it. The mind races: What do I do? What do I do?
Kitty leading Loki. Photo: Beth Goralski
But the panic never came. Relaxing, trusting, and climbing precisely, I made it over the mushroom and up the gravity-defying face. Maybe climbing was an opportunity to test and to build trust. The ancient people believed that warriors trained in Valhalla for Ragnarok, the last great battle, the day of judgment.
After six days of climbing, we completed eight new routes and partially completed two others, most of which were two pitches long, WI4-5+. Of all my leads, the first one was the most difficult, the most complicated for me. That's why I named it Loki.
Kitty Calhoun is a Patagonia ambassador and Chicks Climbing instructor. Chicks Climbing is the premier provider of women's ice and rock climbing clinics in the United States.
By Patch Wilson
Growing up in Cornwall, in the UK, it's easy to feel blessed when you're young. I thought we had the best waves ever, and in some ways it's true. When you're a kid, the waves at home are all you really need. But quickly the realization sets in – as you get a bit bigger and aren't so scared of what the ocean can throw at you – you want more.
I've travelled to the other end of the planet to get my fix of heavier hollower waves. But over the last 10 years or so I have come to realize that what I'm really looking for is right on my doorstep.
Here are some photos from a trip I did earlier in the year around the UK and Ireland.
[Above: Scotland, in my opinion, has some of the best waves in Europe but it gets cold in the winter. Changing out of your wetsuit can literally be a race to get into your warm car as quickly as possible. All photos by Patch Wilson unless otherwise stated.]
An Aileens bowl about to beat the daylights out of me. Frame grab: Mickey Smith
This wave is 30 minutes away from where I grew up in Cornwall. On either side there are two other equally good waves on their day. It's funny, when I'm traveling and I tell people where I am from their next question generally is, "Do you really get waves there?" To which I reply, "No, not really."
Aileens last winter. We had a really good run of swell and offshore wind patterns late last winter which is pretty rare for the west coast of Ireland. We had some amazing late afternoon surfs with beautiful light. Photo: Al Mackinnon
An inside-out right slab that is amazingly perfect but takes its fair share of scalps.
Sunrise in Scotland. In winter, the sun only comes up for about eight hours max and it sits really low in the sky. This leads to some unbelievable sunrises – always a good way to start a freezing morning.
Al Mackinnon looks on as this right-hand slab does its thing.
Some of the scenery in Scotland is absolutely breathtaking. This is the drive up through Glen Coe.
Ireland last winter. A really crazy day at the cliffs.
This is Crab Island on the west coast of Ireland. This wave is currently under threat from a pier development project that is definitely going to ruin the inside point at Doolin and could put backwash through the lineup at Crab Island. At the moment, things are really not looking good for this wave. You can keep track of what is happening at Save the Waves.
Fergal Smith drops into an Irish drainpipe.
This picture is from a magic run of swell and wind conditions we had a few years ago in Ireland – a left slab that I love surfing and is pretty fickle, really, but completely firing here.
Epic evening colours in Ireland.
Patrick "Patch" Wilson is a Patagonia surf ambassador from southwest Cornwall, England and an occasional contributor to The Cleanest Line.
By Kira Hoffman
As I paddle out into the morning fog of Pruth Bay, I can't imagine a better way to commute to work. Alongside me are my two research assistants, Julia and Owen, with big smiles on their faces. On days like this, work and fun are interchangeable, and we're thankful for the one-hour kayak before a sweaty, bug-suited bushwhack up the side of a mountain to get to our office: The Bog.
The three of us are working in the Hakai Luxvbalis Conservancy, located on Calvert Island in the heart of British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest. (You may have seen the Great Bear in Groundswell – it's one of the areas threatened by the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project.) Established as a reserve almost twenty years ago, the Great Bear is home to wolves, grizzly and spirit bears, an amazing array of marine life and one of the largest remaining tracts of temperate rainforest in the world. The reserve extends from the northern tip of Vancouver Island to the Alaska Panhandle, and we're right in the center of it.
[Above: There's real beauty to be found in the bog. Sphagnum rubellum and Sphagnum papillosum. All photos courtesy of Kira Hoffman]The studies I do are based out of the Hakai Beach Institute, a privately run research station on Calvert Island owned by Eric Peterson and Christina Munck. Born and raised on the B.C. coast, Eric was originally a research scientist, then, for many years, a technology entrepreneur, most notably in the field of medical imaging. In 2001, Eric and Christina formed the self-funded, non-profit Tula Foundation. One of the Foundation's ventures was to turn a failing sportfishing lodge into the Hakai Beach Institute, molding it into a center for research, teaching and community leadership. The many scientists who work here now survey everything from the seafloor to the mountaintops, attempting to understand what's happened here in the last 15,000 years and what might happen in the future as our coast faces a rapidly changing climate.
The thick fog blankets the bay and we hug the shore, knowing there isn't much stopping us from making a wrong turn and ending up in Japan. We pass several eagles perched in cedar trees, watching and waiting for the fish to jump. The fog is cool and we hope it burns off so we get to experience a few hours of sun, a rare thing on this wet coast.
This rare event was captured in late July of 2013. Opalescent squid (Doryteuthis opalescens) have not been recorded spawning here since 1996.
Juvenile baldy on the lookout as we come ashore.
We arrive at a place called Wolf Beach, come ashore and store our kayaks for the day. It takes the three of us some time to carry our kayaks above the high tide line – the tides in this region average about 15 feet and you don't want to a) see your kayak floating out to sea or, b) have to drag your kayak a mile across the mud of a drained-out bay.
With the boats safely stowed, we spend the better part of an hour hiking – and sometimes crawling – through deep ravines and scrub forest before breaking into an open bog up high. The bogs in this region are a mosaic of rolling marshy topography intermingled with bonsai-like trees and large, mossy hummocks. They're generally not considered glamorous places – quite often the beauty is lost to swarming blackflies, the smell of rotting plants, and the threat of waist-deep soakers.
Despite the cold weather, we're drenched in sweat from hiking in gumboots, rain pants and bug suits. We've almost perfected navigating with thin black veils covering our faces, but someone usually falls victim to a misjudged step, which means either slipping back down the hill or getting stuck in quicksand-like mud until one of your friends hauls you out. Or, even worse, walking into a branch that tears your bug suit – something I imagine is comparable to a leak in your spacesuit. Bad news.
The view from high on Calvert Island, with one of our study sites in the foreground.
No we don't ride horses in the bog. Although it appears we are dressed like equestrian riders, the outfit functions to protect us from the bugs and our sticks help us measure plants. This one goes out to one great field assistant (Julia, right) and all our fun 2013 adventures in the Great Bear Rainforest!
Field assistant Owen taking it all in stride. If it's not clouds of rain, it's clouds of bugs.
Once we're on site, we settle down to work after going through the morning checks: weather station still running (survived the 80 mph winds the night before), experiments still intact (we're in a constant battle with the wolves who love pulling out our temperature sensors), and everyone accounted for (nobody fell in the quicksand, got lost in the featureless landscape or got distracted by salmonberry patches along the way).
Bogs are common in our area, but they're globally rare and at-risk ecosystems, and our work involves trying to learn more about them and how they'll respond to future climate change scenarios. They filter water, store carbon and are important habitats for birds and animals, and they're at risk of disappearing before we know much about them. My fieldwork is based on manipulating drought in the bog to understand if plants that have adapted to living year-round in water can survive without it. The three-year experiments involve cutting out pieces of the bog and raising them above the water table, where they are not saturated throughout the year, and then observing how soils and plants adapt to different precipitation regimes. We also painstakingly measure every plant in the twenty separate plots, and analyze the soil to see how nutrients are used.
Blanket bog microcosm at Wolf Beach bog, Calvert Island.
Measuring decomposition rates in the bog.
Twenty more transplants to go!
The king gentian, a blue beauty of the bog.
The fiddlehead fern, one of my favorite bog species.
As we break for lunch, we feel the wind pick up and the sun finally breaks through the fog. We all sigh a bit of relief as we're able to take the bug suits off long enough for a drink of water and a few bites of food. Just before we settle back in to work, we hear the sound of two humpback whales feeding in the bay – it's such a quiet place here that we can hear them blowing even though they're half a mile away. A few hours later, after an afternoon of measuring plants, we retreat downhill to the kayaks. The tide is high, and we're happy to find that we don't have to hike the kayaks far. By this time our stomachs are rumbling, and we've already started wagers on what will be for dinner tonight.
I've only been working here for two years, and at first I was out of my element on the coast – I didn't know how to drive a boat, and couldn't ever seem to find the right gear for day after day of endless torrential rain. Nevertheless, I'm learning, and I feel more and more that I've found a home. After a long day of tramping through the bog, it's always nice to get time to reflect on the paddle home before I share my thoughts of the day at the big dinner table. Mostly I think about how grateful I am for each day I get to spend in this place – and for all the wild places that still exist and the people who work to protect them.
Looking forward to dinner after a successful day of sciencing.
Kira Hoffman is a community ecologist studying bog ecosystems in British Columbia's very wet hypermaritime zone on the central coast. She studies interactions between plants and soil microbial communities and how above- and below- ground processes are affected by climate change.
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Video Name Tags turn salespeople into walking TV commercials
The Video Name Tag is a miniature OLED screen that displays advertising, that retail salespeople wear like a traditional name tag
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While many of us may think that retail salespeople are already doing quite enough to sell us their wares, the folks over at the Recom Group obviously believe that face-to-face sales still has some untapped potential. That's why they've developed the Video Name Tag, a 2.8-inch OLED screen that displays still and/or video advertising, that salespeople wear like a traditional name tag. Now, why they're trying to sell you one product, you can get the goods on another by staring at their chest.
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