text:
Oh. Wow.
One of PandoDaily's founding principles is that we will never, ever, re-write press releases. And it's a principle that I'm very happy to follow.
Fortunately, though, there's nothing in the Pando handbook about republishing press releases verbatim. And thank God, because the one below -- from new iPad magazine 'Punch!' -- is an absolute joy to behold.
You're welcome, Pando readers.
(And be sure to check out the video.)
FIRST-EVER US TELEVISON AD CAMPAIGN UNVEILED – VIEW HERE: punch.is/northkorea
April 2, 2012 -- New York, NY -- The tourism board of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is slated to be Launch Sponsor of "Punch!," a new, American popular-culture iPad application to launch soon. Punch! is a modern digital media company founded by a collection of old and new media heavyweights including Maer Roshan of Radar, Talk and New York Magazine, David S. Bennahum of the American Independent and the Wired magazine, and Dany Levy, founder of the Daily Candy, a very popular site that made her very rich.
The launch of Punch! celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the birth of eternal President Kim Il Sung and will feature an multiple array of digital assets developed with the intention of luring tourists to the great nation.
"The Great leader is also very fond of his iPad and Daily Candy, so when he heard the famous mogul Mrs. Dany Levy was involved with a new ipad app, he had us find her immediately," said Lee Woo-Jin, a spokesman for the DPRK Tourism board, "When we realized that the app was launching at exactly the same time almost as the 100th anniversary, we took it as a sign that we had to be a part of it."
April 15th 2012 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of national founder and eternal President Kim Il Sung. The occasion will be marked by Mass Games performance, the Kimilsungia flower show, child prodigy classic guitar exposition where 1,500 synchronized child guitarists will play classical works composed by the great leader for an entire 48 hours. 2012 Mass Games will also include two hour gymnastic and socialist realism extravaganzas featuring 100,000 synchronized gymnasts inside the world's largest stadium and will be performed every evening except Sundays. Streaming access to portions of all of these events will be provided through the Punch! ipad application and was made possible through an unprecedented creative visionary collaboration between a sovereign nation and an American technology company.
The decision to encourage tourism from beyond Korean boarders came directly from the office of newly appointed President Kim Sung Un. "The New Great leader has spent time in the West and understands that there are benefits to showing foreign visits the true grandeur of DPRK," said Mr. Lee, "The Great Leader wishes to change the way Americans see traveling to the People's Republic. We want the average American to feel that they could be comfortable traveling here. If you are an average engineer, or a physicist or just a regular scientist we want you to understand that the DPRK is not a place that you will go hungry or get thrown in jail. Far from it. You will experience great hospitality seen before only on the Love Boat."
The marketing campaign will center around a world class travel commercial (URL) created under presidential decree by the esteemed DPRK National film maker Kim Ye-Jun. Along the lines of "Come back to Jamaica" this commercial will change people's impressions of a land. Jamaica was once considered an unsafe land of dangerous rastafarians. After the commercials which implored people to come anyway and showed the Jamaicans smiling and doing post-colonial activities, people realized that Jamaica was not dangerous so much. The DPRK tourism video is a masterpiece of cultural persuasion and cinematic technique. Upon its completion, it was immediately deemed a national treasure and the original footage was placed in the DPRK archival vault beneath the tomb of the great leader. The video's premiere before 25,000 in the world's largest cinema led to much great applause and fourteen standing ovations. For foreigners who view it for the first time, it clearly shows the artistry and skill the Korean people have been able to achieve thanks to the absence of foreign propaganda. It will be available for exclusive viewing on the Punch! application and on YouTube.
At the President's request, a musical adaptation of the video is being assembled for the anniversary celebrations and will feature synchronized acts and sign flipping shows by some 250,000 citizens. Viewers of the video will be compelled to travel to DPRK.
The tourism board is also working with Punch! to develop an application for Facebook that allows players to take temporary control of a real Korean Village. Large megaphone speakers placed in 100 remote villages across the DPRK countryside will direct inhabitants to complete jobs submitted via American players. Successful villages will be rewarded much handsomely with fame and luxury goods such as cigarettes and hand lotions. This game is the first of its kind in the history of the world wide internet and benefits largely from the North Korea's unique relationship with its citizens.
Other traditional style banner advertisements featuring the great leader, monuments and simple animations that depict classic scenes in DPRK history will also be used within the Punch! application. "We understand the power of new media," said Kim KyongJoo minister of the interior, "There is a reason you won't see a newspaper in anyone's hand in Pyongyang. In the next century, DPRK intends to remake itself into a great global technology leader. We have an unparalleled work ethic, unlimited government resources, and we've developed an extremely robust scientific infrastructure, though much of it has traditionally been focused on aeronautics. The creation of a great tourist economy will help us show the world that the DPRK rivals Silicon Valley in its ability to create technology."
Tourists who are enticed to come visit the DPRK through our ipad advertisements will enjoy the Korean monuments, Korean culture, Korean cuisine, Korean hospitality and great Korean wonders. A word of note: many DPRK monuments are much larger and more grand than western visitors are accustomed to. With this in mind, the DPRK provides all visitors with a complimentary handkerchief, hand fan and granola in the event that visitors find themselves light headed or overwhelmed. Certain statues of the great leader have led viewers to experience spontaneous rapture, hysteria and premature child birth. "This really is a four-star visit we're promoting," said Lee, "We looked at the world's most extravagant travel packages and took all the best ideas from them, and made them ten times better. Carnival Cruise lines has already been attempting to duplicate our great ideas - unsuccessfully." History books trace President Kim Il Sung's original ideas for monuments to his clandestine collaboration with Walt Disney in the mid 20th century. Female guides can be made available for collaboration for a modest fee. DPRK accepts Euros.
The department of tourism reminds all visitors that in 1866, the Korean fleet repelled the United States warship General Sherman. Any acts of aggression by foreign sightseers within DPRK borders will be met with a similar display of overpowering force.
Students of DPRK history will understand that Japanese visitors are not permitted across the border. This includes Japanese people that now live in America. The 1875 incursion of Japanese warship Unyo-Maru and the Manchrian incident have not been forgotten. Tourists who wish to visit will undergo extensive background checks that will reveal Japanese ancestry and result in a denial of visa. Please refrain from mentioning Japan within DPRK's great borders.


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Career: Three-time NCAA qualifier, guiding two Blue Devil relays to top-20 showings at the national meet her senior year ... As a freshman, helped Duke's 200 medley relay earn automatic qualification to NCAAs in a first for the program ... Scored at the ACC Championships all four years, placing 10th individually in the 50 freestyle as a senior ... Graduated as the program record holder in the 50 (22.14) and 100 freestyle (49.18) ... Also ranked fourth in program history in the 100 butterfly (53.05) ... Set school records as a member of the Blue Devils' 200 (1:28.51) and 400 (3:16.37) freestyle relays and on the 200 medley relay (1:37.19) ... CSCAA Scholar All-America first team and honorable mention selection ... Three-time member of the All-ACC Academic Team and ACC Academic Honor Roll ... Team captain as a senior ... Directed the program's Swimming with the Blue Devils initiative as a senior.
Honors: CSCAA Scholar All-America First Team (2016, 2017) ... CSCAA Scholar All-America Honorable Mention (2015) ... All-ACC Academic (2014, 2016, 2017) ... ACC Academic Honor Roll (2015, 2016, 2017)
2016-17: Broke the 100 freestyle program record in the final swim of her collegiate career, leading off Duke's 400 freestyle relay at the NCAA Championships with a 49.18 split ... That group finished 23rd in preliminaries ... Also competed on 200 freestyle relay that placed 18th in preliminaries and anchored 200 medley relay that tied for 19th ... Member of 200 freestyle and medley relays that broke school records and surpassed the NCAA automatic standards at the ACC Championships ... Individually, placed 10th in the 50 freestyle and took 16th in the 100 butterfly after clocking a career-best 53.05 in preliminaries ... Anchored winning 200 medley relay against No. 5 Virginia (1/20) and in a win at North Carolina (1/29) ... Also broke a Taishoff Aquatics Pavilion record in the 50 freestyle against the Cavaliers ... Added a win in the 400 freestyle relay against the Tar Heels ... Member of Duke's 200 medley relay that broke the Taishoff record against South Carolina (1/14) ... Swept both sprint freestyle races against the Gamecocks ... Third in the 50 freestyle and seventh in the 100 freestyle at the NC State GAC Invite ... Matched the 50 freestyle program record with a 22.14 swim ... Opened the season by winning three individual events at Virginia Tech's quad dual (10/21-22) ... Also anchored the winning 200 and 400 medley relays and led off the first-place 400 freestyle relay at the same meet ... Recipient of a Blue Devil Award, which celebrates excellence and leadership in the pool, the classroom and in the community, at the program's annual end-of-the-year banquet.
2015-16: Made second career appearance at the NCAA Championship, competing in the 50 and 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly and on Duke's 200 and 400 freestyle relays ... Both relays finished 21st in preliminaries ... Placed top 40 individually in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly ... At ACCs, finished 11th in the 50 freestyle, 13th in the 100 butterfly and 18th in the 100 freestyle ... Finals clocking of 49.55 in the 100 freestyle ranked fourth all-time at Duke ... Helped guide the Blue Devils' 200 freestyle and 200 medley relays to fifth-place finishes in the conference ... Won the 50 freestyle four times during the year ... Competed on 200 medley relay that logged four wins during the regular season ... Led off winning 400 freestyle relay at South Carolina (1/8) ... Helped set program records as a member of the 200 and 400 freestyle relays at the Nike Cup Invitational ... Individually, took second in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly at that meet ... 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier in 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter butterfly.
2014-15: Duke's top performer in the 50 freestyle as a sophomore … Finished 14th in the event at the ACC Championship after notching a season-best time of 22.62 in the preliminaries … That mark surpassed the NCAA provisional standard … Also scored in the bonus finals of the 100 butterfly and the 100 freestyle at the ACC meet, while achieving an NCAA 'B' cut in the 100 butterfly … Guided the Blue Devils' 200 freestyle relay to a sixth-place finish in the conference … The group's time of 1:30.72 ranked third on the program's all-time performance list … Member of the 400 freestyle (3:21.21) and 200 medley (1:39.27) relays that recorded the second-fastest marks in school history at ACCs … Helped 200 medley relay set facility records in Taishoff Aquatics Pavilion (1/10) and at Old Dominion (11/8) … Also broke Old Dominion's pool record in the 100 butterfly with a 55.57 performance … Took second in the 100 butterfly at the Nike Cup Invitational … Won the 50 freestyle six times during the regular season.
2013-14: Helped the Blue Devils' 200 medley relay earn automatic qualification to the NCAA Championship in a first for the program ... Swam the butterfly leg on that relay, which broke the school record with a 1:37.91 performance in a fifth-place showing at the ACC Championship ... Also helped the 200 freestyle, 400 medley and 400 freestyle relays set program records at the conference meet ... Competed on the 200 freestyle and 200 medley relays in the NCAA Championship preliminaries ... Scored for Duke in three individual events at the ACC meet, finishing 13th in the 100 butterfly and 14th in the 50 and 100 freestyle ... Broke school records in both freestyle events ... Won the 100 freestyle seven times during the regular season and the 100 butterfly on five occasions ... Took first in both events in her collegiate debut at the All-North Carolina Invitational.
Prior to Duke: Four-year letterwinner for David Fine at New Canaan … Three-time NISCA All-American … Four-time conference champion and state record holder in the 50-yard freestyle … Guided her team to a pair of conference titles … Garnered all-state and all-conference recognition each of her four years … School record holder in the 100 butterfly … Member of the New Canaan YMCA Caimans club team … Earned High Honors every quarter.
Personal: Born Madeline Zainat Rusch on Oct. 19, 1995 in Stamford, Conn. … Daughter of Kevin and Dina Rusch … Has three sisters, Tory, Ali and Olivia … Sister, Tory, played softball at Bowdoin College (2012-15) ... Majoring in sociology.
Rusch Career Bests:
|50 Free
|Duke record
|100 Free
|Duke record
|100 Fly
|4th all-time at Duke
On Duke's Relays:
|200 Free Relay
|Duke record
|400 Free Relay
|Duke record
|200 Medley Relay
|Duke record
At the NCAA Championships:
|23rd, 200 Free Relay (1:29.90)
28th, 200 Medley Relay (1:39.32
|21st, 200 Free Relay (1:30.05)
21st, 400 Free Relay (3:17.26)
34th, 100 Fly (53.22)
37th, 50 Free (22.58)
51st, 100 Free (49.66)
|18th, 200 Free Relay (1:29.13)
t-19th, 200 Medley Relay (1:37.61)
23rd, 400 Free Relay (3:16.93)
At the ACC Championships:
|5th, 200 Free Relay (1:30.01)
5th, 200 Medley Relay (1:37.91)
6th, 400 Free Relay (3:20.13)
7th, 400 Medley Relay (3:37.92)
13th, 100 Fly (53.97)
14th, 50 Free (22.70)
14th, 100 Free (49.68)
|6th, 200 Free Relay (1:30.72)
8th, 400 Free Relay (3:21.21)
8th, 200 Medley Relay (1:39.27)
9th, 400 Medley Relay (3:43.29)
14th, 50 Free (22.76)
21st, 100 Fly (53.87)
24th, 100 Free (50.43)
|5th, 200 Free Relay (1:30.09)
5th, 400 Free Relay (3:17.71)
6th, 200 Medley Relay (1:38.10)
11th, 50 Free (22.58)
13th, 100 Fly (53.43)
18th, 100 Free (49.55)
|5th, 200 Free Relay (1:28.51)
6th, 200 Medley Relay (1:37.19)
10th, 50 Free (22.25)
16th, 100 Fly (53.44)

subset: commoncrawl


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2013 Action/Drama "Deep Trouble" starring Alyah Horsford, Janel C. Scarborough, Count Stovall, Perri Gaffney, Kim Weston Moran, Ron Bobb Semple, John Canada Terrell and Michael Narvaez.
In this urban-themed action-drama, a drug-dealing crime kingpin tries to take control of a firm. The artists aren't interested in being part of the dealer's money-laundering scheme, and they hatch their own plan to bring him to justice.


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No. 1 Small Town USA
Nestled just 9 miles east from the City of Boulder, the home of the Colorado University (CU) campus, Louisville surrounded by the towns of Lafayette, Broomfield and Superior. The town has a perfect combination of modern flavor and historic feel, which emboldens the fact that Colorado is a blend of both the old and new. With wonderful schools, endless cycling paths, and an involved community, the population of 20,000 loves to call Louisville home.
Although it started as a rough mining community in the 1800s, the City of Louisville has grown through to become one of the best places in which to live. Come check it out in the summer especially with the robust Farmer's Market, the musical Friday Night Street Faires, not to mention the monthly Art Walk all in historic old town. Our wonderful city has been ranked #1 for by Money Magazine in it's "Best Places to Live in America" in recent years in large part due to its friendly Main Street, great schools, oodles of local events and a safe, nurturing community.
This remarkable city has all the features home seekers look for when considering moving to a new home or town. Some of these features include favorable weather, excellent public and private K-12 schools, a low crime rate, relatively low taxes, a good transportation network and an effective health care system. Other special features include all Louisville's lovely neighborhoods, variety of fine eateries, employment opportunities, and recreational facilities. With regards to education, Louisville has two libraries, six private schools and six public schools. The Louisville public library has one of the largest rates of circulation in Colorado and is one of the centerpieces of downtown.
Louisville is home to Coal Creek Golf Course, an award-winning 18-hole golf course in the middle of town, as well as 1,700 acres of open space, approximately 32 miles of walking and cycling trails throughout town, canyon rides, hot air balloon flights, and cycling options, among others. Some top community events includes the 4th of July Fireworks, the Labor Day Parade, Street Faires every Friday in the summer and Farmer's Markets on Saturdays. The Taste of Louisville is a very popular event on Main Street in June, closing the streets to car traffic allowing hundreds of residents and visitors to meander through the dozens and dozens of vendors. Essentially, Louisville is an excellent community in which to live.
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Decisions on Bank Applications
New York Life Trust Company, FSB (In Organization)
IN RE: New York Life Trust Company, FSB (In Organization)
Parsippany, New Jersey
Application for Federal Deposit Insurance (Savings Association Insurance Fund)
The undersigned, acting under delegated authority, has fully considered all facts and information relevant to the factors of Section 6 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act relating to the application for Federal deposit insurance for New York Life Trust Company, FSB, a proposed new limited-purpose Federal savings bank to be located at 260 Cherry Hill Road, Parsippany, New Jersey, and has concluded that the application should be approved.
Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED, for the reasons set forth in the attached Statement, that the application submitted by New York Life Trust Company, FSB for Federal deposit insurance be, and the same hereby is, approved subject to the following conditions:
1. That beginning paid-in-capital funds of not less than $5,000,000 be provided, of which not less than $2,500,000 shall be allocated to common stock and $2,500,000 to surplus;
2. That the Tier 1 capital to assets ratio as defined in Part 325 of the FDIC's Rules and Regulations at the time of application, be maintained at not less than eight percent during the first three years of operation;
3. That any changes in proposed management or proposed ownership (10 percent or more of stock), including new acquisitions of or subscriptions to 10 percent or more of stock, will render this commitment null and void unless such proposal is approved by the Regional Director of the FDIC's New York Office ("Regional Director") prior to opening of the bank;
4. That NYLIFE, LLC, obtain approval from the Office of Thrift Supervision to establish a unitary thrift holding company and acquire voting stock control of the bank prior to its opening;
5. That Federal deposit insurance shall not become effective unless and until the applicant has been established as a Federal savings bank, that it has authority to conduct a banking business, and that its establishment and operation as a Federal savings bank have been fully approved by appropriate Federal authorities;
6. That the insured institution shall be engaged in the business of receiving deposits, other than trust funds;
7. That the bank shall operate within the parameters of the business plan submitted to the FDIC. Furthermore, during the first three years of operations, the bank shall notify the Regional Director of any proposed major deviation or material change from the submitted plan 60 days before consummation of the change;
8. That until the conditional commitment herein granted for deposit insurance becomes effective, FDIC shall have the right to alter, suspend, or withdraw the said commitment should any interim development be deemed to warrant such action;
9. That if deposit insurance has not become effective within twelve months from the date of the ORDER, or unless, in the meantime a request for an extension of time has been approved by the FDIC, the consent granted shall expire at the end of the said twelve-month period.
Dated at Washington, D.C., this day of June 2000.
By: _______________________________
John M. Lane
Associate Director
Division of Supervision
IN RE: New York Life Trust Company, FSB
Parsippany, New Jersey
Application for Federal Deposit Insurance (Savings Association Insurance Fund)
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 5 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1815), an application for Federal deposit insurance with membership in the Savings Association Insurance Fund has been filed on behalf of New York Trust Company, FSB a proposed new Federal savings bank to be located at 260 Cherry Hill, Parsippany, New Jersey.
The New York Life Trust Company, FSB will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of NYLIFE, LLC, and an indirect subsidiary of New York Life Insurance Company, Inc. The primary focus of New York Life Trust Company, FSB will be trust services. For that reason, it anticipates being designated a "special purpose savings association" by the Office of Thrift Supervision. By virtue of having a Federal savings bank charter, New York Life Trust Company, FSB will be able to exercise trust powers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
For the purposes of this proposal, the investment in fixed assets is reasonable, capital is adequate, future earnings prospects are favorable, and management is considered satisfactory. No formal objections to this application have been filed with the FDIC. Corporate powers to be exercised are consistent with the purpose of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. No undue risk to the Savings Association Insurance Fund is apparent.
Accordingly, based upon a careful evaluation of all available facts and information, the Associate Director, pursuant to delegated authority, has concluded that approval of the application is warranted.


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Ian Nason
Ian Nason is Vice-President, Finance and Administration at Dalhousie University, and has spent more than 30 years as a member of the University's financial services group. Ian initially joined Dalhousie in 1982, and became Director of Financial Services in 1991. He subsequently served as Assistant Vice-President, Financial Services before taking on the Vice-President role in 2014.
Ian has overseen major transformation at Dalhousie, including the adoption of ever-evolving information technology and the establishment of stable financial management practices. His financial acumen and ability to form strong working relationships across the university has helped Dalhousie meet objectives in teaching, research, and service.
Joined the Board in 2016. Entering the second year of a two-year term (until 2019) on the Board.


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Kayak away the "not quite summer, not quite winter" blues in Ecuador
New SWA guide Liam showing the gang how it's done on the Oyacachi river. I love the up swell of water just in front of him. And now he's about to show us how it's done in the world of blogging!This week, new SWA guide--Liam--has written a fabulous blog. He was so inspired by Chris, Steve, Kim, Todd and Paul that he just couldn't hold it all inside any longer! I've put "American" translation in italics when need be. Here's what ol' Liam had to say about his 1st week of kayak guiding in Ecuador in 2012:
Chris punches the last hole in Manana on the Quijos River as his trip mates look on. I would like to think they were cheering him on, but knowing Steve, I'm sure it was only heckling coming from behind that rock!
Our "Torrents" week is all about variety and showing our visitors some of the best rivers Ecuador has to offer. This week certainly lived up to it; from big water on the Quijos in dry cags (dry tops) to technical beautiful blue water in shortie cags (shorty tops) on the Piatua. The paddling is only part of the trip--albeit a very important part--But at SWA we strive to give you an incredible week of paddling combined with Ecuadorian culture and a wee bit of sight seeing as well!
The Crew feeling good at the bottom of a tricky rapid on the Oyacachi
No matter what trip you book on, we create a great blend of adventure and ease. Remote jungle runs, exotic wildlife, fun cultural experiences, great white water complimented by seamless logistics, comfortable transport, a great selection of boats and most of all the SWA riverside lodge.
One of the guest cabins amongst the beautiful gardens at SWA's riverside lodge
This was my first week guiding for Small World Adventures and I had a blast! So I owe a big thank you to Todd, Paul, Chris, Steve and Kim. We bagged seven grade four (Class IV) runs in seven days. Though we don't focus on tuition (instruction) on our Torrents trip it's hard not to improve when you have seven quality days in a row on the water. For one paddler this was his first time paddling more than two days in a row and it was a real treat for me to see a significant improvement in his paddling.
Team torrents also got to paddle with almost the whole SWA team. Larry, Tarquino, Don and Darcy all spent a couple of days with the group. Only I had the severe misfortune of being in Steve and Chris's company for the entire seven days!
Paul looking good through "The Last Rapid" on the Oyacachi River. Now his only challenge is to face "The Thing" and "Son of Thing" on the Quijos.
For the Torrents team here is a list of what we paddled and my personal highlights of the week.
Day 1.) Bridge 1 to the lodge on the Quijos. Todd surfed harder than Swayze in point break in the middle of Pollo Sin Rival. But he hung tough and endered out with a nice story to tell!
Kim lining up for the boof in "Pollo Sin Rival" on the Quijos
Day 2.) Bottom of Oyacachi to Bon Bon. Steve nailed a sure fast roll resulting in his avoidance of a sure scrambling in Gringos Revueltos. Paul and Kim successfully unlocked a tricky entrance to a good play wave and enjoyed a good surf. Later, while drinking beers on the porch back at the lodge, we were treated to a impressive humming bird fight.
Mr. Don Don looking good in "Ejector Seat"
Day 3.) Oyacachi. This was one of the harder runs but the group was in that perfect state of being warmed up but not too tired yet and, on the whole, styled it. Then we made the journey over the pass to the warmer Tena Valley. The whole group was in good spirits from a fine day on the water and we spent most of dinner telling stories and laughing. A Particularly good story about a kabutz, 2 girls and some ....sea food is still making me laugh.
The Road Not Taken: "2 roads diverged in a 'green' wood. And I'm sorry I could not travel both,
|And be one traveler, long I stood
|And looked down one as far as I could
|To where it bent in the undergrowth..."
(well, sorry Robert Frost, but actually I wasn't sorry at all because my taxi driver knew that the left fork was blocked by a giant tree. Don's driver did not know...so we had a good laugh at their expense).
Day 4.) Piatua. A river made up of round boulders, boofs, and blue water this is one of my top three rivers off all time. We explored Tena that evening and stumbled across a volleyball match. The atmosphere was great on the sidelines and the teams themselves were getting pretty heated. I think I'll go watch a match every week to make up for missing the premier league (soccer league) at home.
Steve navigates the hallway of giant boulders
Day 5.) This day we were lucky enough too see tarantulas and monkeys both before we'd even had breakfast. The team spent the day boofing in shortie cags (shorty tops) on the Upper Misahualli. We got out at a quaint jungle lodge which is an excellent place to relax and cool down with a drink.
Don doing "Da Boof" on da Oyacachi (thanks for the photo Paul)!
Day 6.) we tackled the Lower Cosanga. With Chris not on the river Steve thought the time was right to have a little dip. I thought that it might shake him but half way through the next wave train he became a man possessed as he drove through every stopper (hole) and wave he could see.
Todd, recovering well after having a massive surf, but the bad ass dude still managed to pull it together and be perfectly on line here!
Day 7.) The final day: we ran the el Chaco Canyon from the lodge. This stretch is the home to the rapid El Toro (the bull) and we all stood up to the challenge of taming the rapid. We spent time playing on a wave trying to pull off old school moves in our creek boats, Chris gets the award for best pop out.
The gang enjoying some typical Ecuadorian jungle greenery just upstream of SWA's riverside lodge
Seven days of great boating done!
Stay classy!


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State Reps. Terrill, Christian say House should comply with Open Records Act as part of legislative reform
Two state representatives being investigated for possible corruption say the House should be subject to the state Open Records Act as part of reforming the legislative process, according to a news release issued Wednesday.
"For the public to have confidence in our body, it is vital that House administration be transparent," said Rep. Randy Terrill, R- Moore. "Accordingly, the Open Records Act should apply to the House to the greatest extent possible, just like it applies to every other branch of government."
Terrill and fellow Republican Rep. Mike Christian of Oklahoma City added this caveat: "While maintaining respect for the privacy of constituent communications."
The press release doesn't explain which information they would exempt from "constituent communications."
Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater is investigating whether Terrill conspired with Sen. Debbe Leftwich to give up her Oklahoma City seat so Christian could run for it and Leftwich would get a high-paying job at the state Medical Examiner's Office in exchange.
Reporters have been denied access to notes, e-mails and other information that might shed light on who in the last days of the session added legislative language creating that high-paying job.
Terrill spent last legislative session trying to revoke public access to government workers' birth dates in personnel files and to autopsy reports.
His political maneuvering included adding language to a conference committee report and a last-minute change to legislation.
But Terrill and Christian said Wednesday they want to do away with conference committees and require "all bills or resolutions headed to conference be returned to their standing committee of origin."
"When sitting as a conference committee, those standing committees would continue to be subject to public notice, meeting, staffing and voting requirements," said Terrill.
Christian added:
There is no legitimate justification for the specially appointed conference committee. The current practice invites gamesmanship because it takes the bill away from those with subject matter expertise and gives it to a group whose membership is determined solely by their allegiance to the bill's author or House leadership.
House Speaker-Designate Kris Steele of Shawnee has already announced changes to the House conference committee process that he said would "make the procedure more transparent and open to the public."
Included is a "hard 24-hour rule that will require a House conference committee report to be filed and posted online for a full day before it can be considered on the House floor." Steele said that means even during the session's last two days, when the rule has been waived.
Touting transparency in government seems to have become fashionable among legislators.
Last week, for example, a news release by Rep. Ken Miller on the House website told how at a recent national legislative conference in California he had "shared some of Oklahoma's successes with making state government more transparent, open and accountable to the taxpayers."
"Taxpayers not only deserve to know where their money is being spent, they need to know so they can demand greater efficiency" said Miller, an Edmond Republican. "Openness and transparency makes government accountable to the people who fund its operations and that translates into more responsible spending."
Miller, his party's candidate for state treasurer, is chairman of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
Democrats and Republicans complained about being left out of the budget planning last session. Secret budget negotiations aren't transparent.
Miller also voted to cut off access to public employees' DOBs when Senate Bill 1753 passed the House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
So I am skeptical when legislators such as Miller, Christian and Terrill talk of making Oklahoma government more open to the public.
But who am I to complain if they've seen the light and want the sun to shine on their legislative practices.
We'll just have to see if they can walk the walk when the time comes.
Joey Senat, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
OSU School of Media and Strategic Communication
The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the commentators and do not necessarily represent the position of FOI Oklahoma Inc., its staff, or its board of directors. Differing interpretations of open government law and policy are welcome.


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Monday blurred. I missed the keynote (not my thing anyway), bumped into a number of Oracle staff and fellow ACEs and had a good chat (blah blah blah Doug ;), presented at 11:30 (I think it went well – no tomatoes), hit some good sessions (the new JDev DVT features are "way-cool", and I learned how SQL Dev is actually going to improve Apex in a way that vanilla-Apex fails), attended a whirl-wind Asia-Pacific (APAC) reception after-hours (um, what's with all the Aussies wearing suits?), and had dinner with user group colleagues to discuss some very interesting issues (SOA what?). Unfortunately I missed the OTN Night. Doh!
Tomorrow is purely tracking sessions I wish to attend, bugging Oracle staff for answers, then the Oracle ACE dinner which will be fun. Somewhere in there some prep for Wednesday's ADF methodology group.
Anyway, mostly a post about nothing, mainly for the people at home, who think this is a lark and I spend most of my time at the pub.
And just to prove I actually am in San Fran at OOW, you can catch me on YouTube or via the Red Room blog. Thanks to Gareth and Chi for organising this.
Usual disclaimer: I'm at OOW08 under the overly generous Oracle ACE Director program.


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After the city's Real Estate Committee opted not to accept the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce RFP (request for proposal) presentation, the chamber issued the following statement:
Statement by the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce regarding the decision by the City of Bristol Real Estate Committee to send the future of the Memorial Boulevard School back out to RFP.
The Chamber is dismayed by the action of the City Real Estate Committee and sees their decision as being a poor outcome for the City and its residents. From the beginning the Chamber has made every effort to work collaboratively with the Real Estate Committee. Chamber leadership attended every meeting and public hearing and was prepared to answer any and all questions regarding the contents of the detailed proposal that we submitted in accordance with the City's process. No questions or concerns were raised.
Of even greater concern was the tenor of the "workshop" conducted by the Real Estate Committee on November 15th. Those speaking for the City took great pains to paint the situation regarding the Memorial Boulevard facility as dire. In light of the fact that the building housed school children no more than 5 months prior it was clear that the City was not interested in a collaborative effort but instead was attempting to create an adversarial environment in which nothing gets accomplished.
As such it is the decision by Chamber leadership to withdraw our proposal for Memorial Boulevard effective immediately and we will not respond to any new RFP process. We are taking this position for the following reasons:
• It is important to understand that the Chamber's involvement in this process originated when we were approached by a small group concerned with the preservation of the theater. After much thought and analysis we developed our idea based on the understanding that neither an arts center or business incubator would be able to operate successfully as independent entities. However, using the Boulevard building to do both provides and environment where the two concepts can work to support each other while bringing another form of economic development to the downtown area.
• The RFP to which we responded provided no information as to the building's condition and/or any possible challenges. By its nature any outcome based on the RFP response required a collaborative process by which the City and Chamber would establish a structure of control and a more refined understanding of responsibilities. Instead the process languished in meeting after meeting with no new questions or detailed discussions on how to reach the goal of constructive reuse of the building.
• Based on the comments by department heads at the "workshop" on November 15th it is clear that few had read the document or understood the concept. Our proposal included a detailed 5 year revenue projection for both the Arts Centre and Business Incubator. After numerous special meetings and presentations the Real Estate Committee did not ask one financial question yet now claims that the proposal lacked sufficient detail.
• Collaboration means working together for a positive outcome for all involved. While there can be diverse opinions the parties should work to find middle ground or ask all the questions pertinent to the opportunity. That never happened in this case and we will not utilize any further Chamber time or resource to participate in what amounts to a new academic exercise designed for the purposes of doing nothing.
The failure of the Real Estate Committee to take decisive action that would quickly begin the process of mitigating the cost of the building to the taxpayers as well as save the Theater should have every resident concerned. We are also very disturbed by the method by which the decision and motion to start over took place.
If Bristol is to see growth in the grand list and avoid continued budget challenges the City's leadership will have to have some vision and a willingness to try new ideas. It will be nearly impossible to cut their way out of the current fiscal challenges. Growth must be part of the equation as well as ideas that offset costs. The Chamber offered a plan that accomplished both of these goals. Councilmen Cockayne, Fuller and Carlson apparently think that an empty building, at risk of vandalism and burning in excess of $10,000 a month is a better idea. We disagree.
Michael D. Nicastro Atty Timothy Furey
President & Chief Executive Officer Chairman of the Board


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This week's guest on the SportTechie Podcast with Bram Weinstein is Derek Belch, Founder and CEO of STRIVR. Learn why Derek believes that if college and pro football teams are not using virtual reality training five years from now, no one will want to play for them. Plus, how are Walmart employees like NFL quarterbacks? That and more, on this week's SportTechie Podcast.
You can also subscribe to the SportTechie podcast by visiting, TuneIn, iTunes, Soundcloud and Stitcher.
Contact us if you want to suggest a future guest for the show.
Topics: Podcasts, Virtual and Augmented Reality


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Store Manager - QSR - Wembley
Wembley, Middlesex
Job type:
£24000 - £28000 per annum + bonus
C2 Recruitment
Contact email:
Job ref:
9 months ago
Expiry date:
Store Manager - QSR
Wembley - New Opening
£24,000 to £28,000 per annum + bonus
We are currently looking to speak to experienced Store/General Managers with a background in quick service restaurants. Our client is a quick service brand with a unique concept, offering authentic Italian street food that is freshly prepared on site, complimented by the finest Italian coffee. They have a small portfolio of managed and franchised stores at present which is set to expand, making this a fantastic time to join the company as a Store Manager!
The ideal candidate will have experience at management level within a fast-paced, food focused environment, will be passionate about the industry and have high levels of energy to deal with a fast paced business; in addition to demonstrating exceptional levels of customer service and a strong commercial awareness.
Key Responsibilities of the Store Manager will include:
- Taking a hands-on approach to the day-to-day running of the store
- Effectively managing the store P&L
- Scheduling labour in line with a budget
- Cost-efficient stock control and ordering
- Coaching and developing your team to be the best
- Ensuring the highest levels of customer service at all times
- Ensuring that the restaurant provides a safe environment for both staff and customers, complying with all food safety and health & safety regulations
This is a fantastic opportunity to join an ambitious, growing company who can offer strong career progression for the right people. If you have the right skills and experience for this role, please apply with a copy of your CV and cover letter.
This role is being handled by C2 Recruitment the leading specialist Retail, Hospitality and Leisure recruitment consultancy recruiting across the whole of the UK.
By applying for this role, you are consenting for C2 Recruitment to hold and process your data in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations. If you have any questions or wish to exercise your right to access, erase or restrict the holding or processing of your data please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com and we will respond to your query as soon as possible.
To view other great opportunities please check out our website or call us on 01743 770280 for a confidential chat about upcoming opportunities.
Follow C2 Recruitment on your favourite social networks - Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn


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Set in the exclusive Gulf of Papagayo and close to the main Guanacaste Natural attractions, Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica will offer adults a stunning Unlimited-Luxury® getaway in Costa Rica's Gulf of Papagayo. The secure community provides striking views of native flora and fauna and miles of unspoiled Pacific Coast beach. This resort boasts 202 spacious non-smoking guest rooms and suites, each with a private balcony or terrace as well as a superb Unlimited-Luxury® experience. The Preferred Club will provide an enhanced level of luxury with 65 ocean view suites and additional privileges. Guests will enjoy a welcome cocktail and cool towel, limitless gourmet cuisine, without reservations, at six restaurants and one café in addition to five bars that will serve unlimited top-shelf spirits. 24-hour dining options allow guests to enjoy late night bites at Coco Café. Or stay in and order room service. It's all available at any hour day or night. Days and nights are filled with land, beach and water activities and live entertainment. Two pools and a pristine beach await. Rejuvenation reigns supreme at the Secrets Spa by Pevonia®, offering massage, body and facial treatments, and a full-service beauty salon. Follow up this rejuvenation at the fully equipped fitness center or by taking part in one of many daily and nighttime activities. Tranquil. Intimate. Unforgettable.
AAV Preferred Hotel


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Hello, welcome to my blog. I've been traveling in Brazil for a month now and today I'm flying back to the cold lands of the maple syrup. It's going to be different this time, I'll be working for the same company I used to work for, here in Brazil. No more ESL fun. The company is located in Sao Paulo but I'll be working in Toronto. That's right, Offshoring! Why? For 2 simply reasons: I decided to live in Canada for awhile and they still need my dirty work. I'm responsible for a Windows-based application that sells and manages thousands of concert tickets every day to happy fans around the country. It costs a lot of time, money and effort to hire and teach somebody else. My client, a competitor of TicketMaster in Brazil called Ingresso Rápido, has been lonely for the last 6 months while I was eating poutine. Yeah, this is going to be a very good and exciting experience for me.
I was born and raised in the suburbs of Sao Paulo city and my primary school was a straight catholic school of nuns in downtown. No need to say that school life wasn't easy. If you've also been to one like that, let's share our experiences and laugh about it.. or cry. In my first year of high school, thanks to my cousin Mauro who introduced me his XT 286 and soon 386, I started to get involved in computers. This was in 1996. At this stage, students could go through 2 different paths: Either focusing in general classes only, like history, math, science, geography.. or taking professional skills classes plus basic general classes. And the nuns' school definitely didn't have the second option, so I drop it. In 1999, I've graduated of computer data processing studies from a very cool high school full of pretty girls but unfortunately, didn't score a single one. From that moment on, software development became my passion and I decided to pursue the career.
Update (now in Canada):
I went to Toronto for the first time in 2006. Been living in a different country with different language and such multiculturalism, I can tell how exciting and challenge this is. The combination of that and the experience I'll get, is what drags me away from my motherland and keeps me here up until now.


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These tuxedo or dinner suit wedding favour boxes are commonly used for the gentlemen guests, with their clean cut lines, these favour boxes are a perfect masculine Wedding Favour.
Fill with your own choice of confectionery 5 sugared almonds, dragees or make them extra specal by adding 5 foiled covered chocolate hearts or balls.
These items are supplied flat packed and without fillings.
Size approx. 5cm x 3cm x 10cm
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text:
Hello there!
Interested in the possibility of Texture telling the story of your wedding day?
You will most likely spend more time on your wedding day with your wedding photographer than most anyone else, so we think it's a great idea to make sure you really like us, not just our photos. In our opinion, a phone call or a coffee date is a great way to get to know Carrie Jo, hear what you can expect from her, and also share a little about your wedding day! From there you should have a better idea if Texture is a good fit for you.
Leave your contact info and we'll get in touch with you soon (and be sure to let us know if you're in a time crunch). Thanks!


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New Power Rangers Game is Horribly Flawed
I like Power Rangers. There, I said it. I collect the toys, the action figures, the morphers, and occasionally dip into the Super Sentai stuff as well (the Japanese series). I realize that I'm not the target audience for it, but turns out, there are troves of adult Power Rangers fans out there. For that reason alone, I can't dismiss the fact that even though the recent games are targeting kids, they're just plain bad. In fact, the last time I remember playing a legitimately awesome Power Rangers game was the side scrolling beat 'em up for the Super NES. That game captured the essence of the series. The levels split up into parts where I played as the teenagers with attitude for the first half, and then the super powered fighting force the next, and every level featured a different monster based on the show. It was the epitome of Power Rangers, and sadly, I've yet to play a game that makes me feel like that game did.
Power Rangers Megaforce tries, and it tries really hard, but ultimately fails.
At its core, Megaforce is a side scrolling beat 'em up. Pick a Ranger, or sometimes be forced to play as Robo Knight, and move right on a given stage, destroying enemies known as Loogies and the occasional monster Boss...
Read the rest of the review at GameZone.


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Mr. Jacob Allee
Mr. Jacob Allee teaches Upper School Logic and Bible. Prior to joining the CSW staff, Mr. Allee spent approximately a decade in associate pastoral ministry where he worked with teen and discipleship ministries. He taught in a classical school for the first time in 2015.
Mr. Allee received his Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Apologetics from Luther Rice University, earned his Master of Arts in Biblical Studies at Piedmont International University and is working to finish a Ph.D. in Humanities from Faulkner University's Great Books Honors College. His dissertation is "A Christian Philosophy of Forms, Universals and Abstract Objects."
Mr. Allee and his wife, Susan, have four children — Titus, Zoe, Callan and Gwendolen. The family recently relocated from Texas, though Mr. Allee is a Kansas native.
Mr. Allee is a true believer in classical education, and found himself drawn to teaching as a way to minister to young men and women. He was significantly influenced by his own youth minister, and wanted to impact others for Christ in the same way.
When he is not teaching, Mr. Allee finds joy in his family, C.S. Lewis literature and archery. He is inspired by great stories about other worlds, heroes and epic adventures. "All of the struggle —good vs. evil — it personifies the real struggle we have as everyday Christians," he said.
Finally, Mr. Allee seeks to remind his students of the following: "Never be afraid to seek the true, the good and the beautiful. These are just more names for Christ."


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Techno Drive
A 90's inspired rhythm game in which players must dodge blocks in cyberspace to the beat while shooting them to score points.
My Roles:
- Technical Artist
- Environment Design and Programer
- Gameplay Programer
This game is still in development.
Gameplay video features music by Ben Prunty.
Charles Cortes
- Gameplay Programmer
- Visual Effects
Erik Fuchs
- Level Design
- 3D Modeling
Samuel Creelman
- Gameplay Programmer
- Technical Artist
- Level Deisgn
Aeriana Bui
- UI Design
Nermin Badic
- 3D Modeling
All music in game is owned by their original creators.


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The Eagles are giving a chance to the lightning-rod QB who hasn't played a meaningful down since 2012. Here's why it's a smart move by Philly. Plus, two HOF GMs on Winston vs. Mariota, a new look at the Malcolm Butler Super Bowl play and more
Timeline of Sunday night:
6:34 p.m. ET: FOX's Jay Glazer reports the Eagles will sign quarterback Tim Tebow, unemployed by any NFL team for the past 20 months, on Monday.
7:46 p.m.: ESPN's Darren Rovell tweets, "98,000 Tweets on Tim Tebow in last hour."
9:02 p.m.: Assistant coach in the NFL who knows Kelly but does not work with him says to me, "This is not a prayer. There's a chance here. If there's one coach in the NFL who could figure a way to use Tebow, it's Chip. Maybe not every week, but in spots."
10:22 p.m.: College friend of Tebow tells me Tebow "is very excited, but also very low-key. He just wants to go in [Monday, to the start of the Eagles' offseason program] and fit in and say nothing."
* * *
This morning, Kelly has five quarterbacks on his roster, which will expand to 90 players in the next two weeks, once the draft and the signing of free agents is done. Kinne might be gone then. Who knows? Barkley might be gone then, traded or released. But Chip Kelly wants to get a good look for himself at Tim Tebow in the offseason program and presumably at training camp for at least a while.
I don't blame him. I applaud him. You've got 90 spots on your roster. If you think a player has a chance to help your team win a game somewhere down the road this season, wouldn't you want to take a look at him for a few months—for free? Because the Tebow trial will cost Kelly essentially nothing. Tebow won't be paid any significant money until he makes the team, if he does, in September. In 2010 he was a first-round pick. He has a skill set that fits in Kelly's spread scheme with an emphasis on quarterback runs (at times). I still think Kelly wants to have a mashing-type running game, with a physical back (he has that now, in DeMarco Murray) and a quarterback who, at least occasionally, can be a running threat.
Let's be real about what this is: It's a trial. It's a chance. It's a coach who doesn't care about the distraction of having Tim Tebow in his camp, because he thinks Tebow might help his team. And about that distraction thing: Did you ever hear Bill Belichick or Robert Kraft or Tom Brady talk about Tebow being a distraction in Foxboro in 2013, when Tebow was on that team for the whole of training camp? No. That's because he wasn't one. He was cut by the Patriots because he's not an accurate passer and didn't fit their exacting scheme. Cutting Tebow was justified. Tebow didn't deserve to be on that team. He might deserve to be a cog in the wheel in Philadelphia. We'll see.
Tebow getting signed by the Eagles is not the decline of western sporting civilization. It is a coach running an offensive system that's a good fit for a mobile quarterback just looking into whether one of the best mobile quarterbacks in college football history—and one, by the way, who beat the Dick LeBeau-led Steelers defense in an NFL playoff game—can be That Guy. No harm, no foul.
* * *
Hall of Fame GMs on Winston vs. Mariota
The slog continues, endlessly. The NFL places the draft an arduously, ridiculously long 123 days after the regular season, and so we are left to be bored silly for 10 more days. I'm at the if-you-can't-beat-'em, join-'em stage this week.
Before we learn the real story behind the Malcolm Butler interception, and why I think Big Ben is bound for the season-opener, and finally someone going on the record in San Francisco on L'Affair Harbaugh, two voices of sanity on the great quarterback debate of 2015.
In August, Ron Wolf and Bill Polian will become the first general managers since 1995 enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Both are still active in the game. Wolf has been a consultant to several teams in recent years, most recently the Jets in a scouting and coach-and-GM-advisory capacity. Polian works for ESPN as an NFL analyst, and has been watching tape of college players preparing to work the draft.
"Both guys have a chance to be successful [but] the bottom line is ... adversity will come," Bill Polian says. "I've got to go with the more sure thing in my mind—Mariota."
Polian had to choose between Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf in 1998 as general manager of the Colts, and between Kerry Collins and Steve McNair for the Panthers in 1995. Wolf, as Al Davis' chief scout with the Raiders two generations ago, was a key man in the drafting of Ken Stabler. As Green Bay's GM in 1992, Wolf traded with Atlanta for a third-string quarterback named Brett Favre.
I asked both Hall of Fame GMs over the weekend: If you had to choose between quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota in this draft, who would you take?
In fairness, both answered with asterisks, which I'll explain.
"I'd probably lean toward Mariota," Polian said.
"If I had to pick, based strictly on what I know now, I'd pick Winston," said Wolf.
The provisos: Polian said it's unfair to make a definitive choice without knowing everything your organization would know about the mental makeup and off-the-field behavior of the players. Wolf said "it isn't fair" for him to judge Mariota with finality because he's done much more work on Winston, even seeing him on the field in warmups before the Florida State-Miami game last fall.
With those "yeah buts" out of the way, it was clear in talking to both men they have strong opinions on these players.
"I've seen Mariota on tape—I'd have to see a lot more of him—and I've seen Winston in-person and on tape,'' said Wolf. "I've been exposed to Winston more. I watched Winston versus Miami before the game, down on the field, and then will his team back from a 16-point deficit. He's an imposing guy. He has everything you'd want in a quarterback. I thought he was superb. What I know about Winston I like a lot. I'd take him in a heartbeat."
Polian: "My answer has to be equivocal, because what I don't have is the psychological reports on the players. Particularly on Winston, it's beyond important. Combined with Winston's 18 interceptions this year, I'd have to go Mariota."
I asked: "If the psychological report on Winston was clean, would it still be Mariota?"
Polian: "Very, very close. But I'd probably lean toward Mariota, as I said. It's closer than Manning-Leaf was. Way closer. More like Collins-McNair in '95. With Mariota, I don't think playing from the pocket will be an issue; he did a lot of that in the eight or nine games I saw. And he didn't throw 18 interceptions either. On 14 of those 18 interceptions, Winston didn't see linebackers underneath or he zeroed in on the receiver regardless of coverage.
"But look, both guys have a chance to be successful. They're both gifted. Both have superior tools. The bottom line is, I know you've got to be totally dedicated to the job, to go through the learning curve and all the tough days you're going to have early. Adversity will come. And I've got to go with the more sure thing in my mind—Mariota."
Wolf sounded like he saw some Favre in Winston. In 1991, when Wolf worked the draft for the Jets as their personnel director, he had Favre the number one player on his personal draft list. The Jets, who didn't have a first-round pick that year, were about to take Favre in the second when Atlanta swooped in to choose him. When Wolf got hired by Green Bay as GM late in 1991, Favre stayed on his mind, even though in Atlanta he had a crummy, party-filled rookie season.
"You have to have a conviction in that job, as general manager," Wolf said. "I had one about Favre. I thought he was the best player in the draft the previous year, so one year later, what am I going to do if I can get him for our first-round pick? At the time, our quarterbacks in Green Bay were Don Majkowski, Blair Kiel and Mike Tomczak—a 10th and an 11th-round pick, and a free agent. You look around the league, and some teams have first-rounders backing up first-rounders. My attitude was you gotta keep going after it. If you have a conviction on a guy, you better go with that."
Memo to Tampa Bay GM Jason Licht: The moral of this story, this year, is there isn't a 100-percent sure thing, for a variety of reasons. You'd better go with your gut. The gut sounds like it'll be Winston as we sit here, 10 days before D-Day.
* * *
The inside story of how Malcolm Butler made that interception.
Because of New England owner Robert Kraft's love of football history—particularly Patriots football history—and some smart video work by an in-house Patriots video producer, we're able to see a big reason the Patriots won their fourth Super Bowl of the century.
The still-stunning play that decided Super Bowl 49, of course, was little-used nickelback Malcolm Butler's interception of a Russell Wilson pass with 23 seconds left in the game at the Patriots' goal line, preserving New England's 28-24 victory. On a soon-to-be released video series, a part of which I recently got to watch, you'll be able to see the rest of the story. Namely, why Butler made the play, and how the Patriots' coaches made sure an error in Thursday's practice by Butler would not be repeated.
Who knew the Thursday error—and the work to correct it by coach Bill Belichick, defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and cornerbacks coach Josh Boyer—would lead to one of the biggest plays in Super Bowl history. Just goes to show that sometimes what looks like the littlest thing can be the biggest thing in the biggest game.
During Thursday's pre-Super Bowl practice at the Arizona Cardinals' facility in Tempe, the Patriots' scout team offense—with Jimmy Garoppolo playing Russell Wilson—lined up at the New England seven-yard line, with a back offset and two receivers to the right. The receivers were split about six yards apart, not stacked the way they would be on the fateful play three days later in the Super Bowl. But the result was the same. The scout team receivers were supposed to show precisely what the Seattle receivers often do, which is to run legal pick plays. At the snap of the ball, Butler, on scout team wideout Josh Boyce, hesitated momentarily while Boyce used the inside receiver (I can't tell who it is on the video) to set a screen. Garoppolo saw Boyce flash open, trailed by Butler, and hit Boyce for an easy touchdown.
"We were anticipating a bunch of pick routes, rub routes [by Seattle]," Boyer says on the video. "We didn't do a very good job at the point … Malcolm kind of gave some ground there. Garoppolo ended up hitting Josh Boyce for a touchdown. Obviously, as a coach, that doesn't make you feel good. Coach Belichick, Coach Patricia, they're like, 'Malcolm, you've got to play this a little better … You've got to stick your foot in the ground and go and not give any ground and beat him to the junction point and make a play on the ball.' "
In the Super Bowl, of course, Butler went around the attempted pick by the first man in the stack—Jermaine Kearse, who was being blocked by cornerback Brandon Browner—and powered into position for the interception. Butler blasted Ricardo Lockette and caught the Wilson pass simultaneously. The coaches' point hit home.
"Malcolm did a great job," Boyer said. "He did exactly like what we talked about. He stuck his foot in the ground, and there was nothing to impede his progress at all because Brandon had done such a good job, really, in holding Kearse at the line. It was the same play we had in practice that he'd saw. It's really … you know, as a coach when you're looking at it, and I saw the break from up in the box and said, 'Okay, they're not getting in. This'll be a pass breakup. Okay, let's get ready. It'll be third-and-one. What do we want to do here?'
"At the time, I didn't realize it. But that's one of the best plays in Super Bowl history."
The play is part of "3 Games To Glory IV," (NFL Films/Kraft Sports Group, $39.95). This the fourth time the Patriots have put out a video series during the Kraft ownership regime—one after each Super Bowl victory. This three-Blu-ray/DVD set is seven hours, a collaborative effort of NFL Films and the Kraft Sports Group, and includes every play of the three playoff games from NFL Films cameras, plus interviews and footage shot by the Patriots and not seen before. Such as the Thursday practice play, which is the most enlightening piece of video I've seen in the wake of one of the best Super Bowls ever.
Kraft used to sit in Boston and then Foxboro as a Patriots fan before buying the team and says he would wonder what the coaches and players were saying to each other on the sideline and in the huddle. "I always used to think of what I'd want to see and hear as a fan," he said Saturday, "and so when we got the team, and we went to the Super Bowl for the first time, it seemed like a good idea for the fans that if we won it, we'd be able to show them some of the inside stuff they would appreciate. What does Bill [Belichick] say to Tom [Brady]? What are the meetings like behind the scenes? For us, it's not about selling DVDs. It's about building a brand, serving our fans, and preserving history. Knowing we can bring this to our fans is pretty special for us."
The team's senior executive producer of broadcast production, Matt Smith, saw video of the practice play and went to the coaching staff to get clearer views of it.
"That is the pièce de résistance of the segment," said Smith. "As we were going through the tape, our shot wasn't great. I went [to the coaches] and made the point that this was something all fans would want to see. It was exciting to know that we had the footage and the back story."
NFL Films producer Ken Rodgers, who collaborated with Smith on the series, said, "It's exciting for me as a producer who thrives on access to know something like this exists and can be brought to fans to see. As a historian, I heard about it, and I said, 'You mean you have the footage? Holy crap! I have to see that.' "
The Patriots will debut the series in Foxboro on April 29, then release it to the public on May 5 through their website and Amazon.
* * *
The more I think of it, the more I think this is the 2015 Opening Game.
Pittsburgh at New England, Sept. 10.
I'll tell you why: Ben Roethlisberger.
Last year, when NFL schedule overseer Howard Katz and his staff finished making the 2014 schedule, I talked with them about the ins and outs of it. And what was important for the opener of the season was a competitive game—more than anything else. So what do we have as candidates in a relatively weak New England home schedule? Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, along with the refurbished Buffalo Bills and New York Jets. Tom Brady will be on one side, and the Patriots will be favored against any team on the other sideline that first night. But the one thing the NFL can't have is a 24-3 game at halftime. Pittsburgh is the best insurance against that risk. The four quarterbacks on the contending teams for the first game:
- Philadelphia, likely with new quarterback Sam Bradford, who has missed 25 of his last 32 games with back-to-back ACL surgeries in 2013 and 2014. What if he gets hurt again, or is rusty coming back to the game?
- The Jets, with Ryan Fitzpatrick or Geno Smith. Could be a debacle by halftime.
- Buffalo, with Matt Cassel or EJ Manuel. Less of a chance to be a debacle at halftime, but there's still that chance.
- Pittsburgh, with two-time Super Bowl champ Roethlisberger at the controls, a gunslinger capable of playing a four-quarter shootout with Brady.
One interesting point about the opener, if it's Steelers-Patriots: Each team would be without a suspended running back from the same pot-smoking incident in August 2014—Le'Veon Bell for Pittsburgh and LeGarrette Blount for New England.
Quarterback quality is pretty important in these openers, judging by the NFL's track record. Look at the past five: Aaron-Rodgers-Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco-Peyton Manning, Tony Romo-Eli Manning, Drew Brees-Rodgers, Brett Favre-Brees.
The schedule will be announced sometime this week. I've been wrong before, many times on many things. But Pittsburgh-New England makes the most sense to me.
* * *
Some details behind the whispers in San Francisco, finally.
Andrea Kremer has an insightful story Tuesday night on "HBO Real Sports" on Jim Harbaugh, who wore out his welcome in San Francisco and is now the University of Michigan coach. The piece has detailed quotes from Niners guard Alex Boone, who says Harbaugh gave the team a great initial spark when he got there in a time of major malaise for the franchise in 2011.
"But after awhile," Boone tells Kremer, "you just want to kick his ass."
Continues Boone: "He just keeps pushing you. And you're like, 'Dude, we got over the mountain. Stop. Let go.' He kinda wore out his welcome. I think he just pushed guys too far. You know, he wanted too much, demanded too much, expected too much … And you'd be like, 'This guy just might be clinically insane. He's crazy.' "
There's no question San Francisco owner Jed York wanted a little more of a kumbaya attitude with the front office out of Harbaugh that wasn't forthcoming. And now we see that some of the players—at least one, and I've heard reliably it isn't just one—didn't like Harbaugh as time went on in San Francisco either. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean he should be gone. I covered the Giants in the eighties, and Bill Parcells was hardly a players' favorite in all corners of the locker room, even after the Giants won a Super Bowl. But clearly, the front office tired of Harbaugh, and Boone gives evidence that this spread to the locker room too.
"The players have nothing to do with him getting fired," Boone says to Kremer. "I think that if you're stuck in your ways enough, eventually people are just gonna say, 'Listen, we can't work with this.' "
Good work by Kremer getting a player to go on the record about his feelings for Harbaugh.
* * *
In memoriam: Leland John Remmel.
Imagine the breadth of your football career if:
- The first NFL regular-season game you ever worked was Packer legend Don Hutson scoring four touchdowns in a 1945 game against the Detroit Lions.
- The second-to-last NFL regular-season game you ever worked was Packer legend Brett Favre throwing for four touchdowns in a 2003 game against the Oakland Raiders, the day after Favre's father died.
That was the life of Lee Remmel, who died at 90 on Thursday. And it's just the life he wanted, first as a reporter covering the Packers of the Curly Lambeau through Dan Devine years, then as a longtime PR man managing head coaches through the Mike Sherman era. In my 31 years covering the NFL, I've never met a team employee who loved his team and his state and its people more than Lee Remmel loved the Packers, Wisconsin and the people who lived there. Covering the Packers over the years has been fun for the stories, to be sure, but also because of the long talks and education from a very nice man who loved everything about his life. The first time I covered a game in Green Bay, I found a gigantic cheddar cheese wheel up in the press box. Seems Lee wanted people who came to Green Bay to get to know the local fare. He told me that to get a real local experience, I had to eat at the Union Hotel in DePere. And the dining room at the Union Hotel, which can't have changed much since Lombardi ate there, became a regular stop for me.
"Remarkable, remarkable man," said Ron Wolf, the GM in the Favre days. "A rare person to work with, such a lover of the Packers and a lover of history of everything about the Packers. So many times he'd tell me a vivid memory about something he experienced, whether as a writer or our PR guy."
Most often, players have business relationships with the men who manage their media obligations. Remmel and Brett Favre were different. Remmel called Favre "Brett Lorenzo Favre" (his full name) often in print, and so Favre took to calling Remmel "Leland John Remmel," imitating Remmel's deep baritone voice when he used the name. "Our humor connected right away," Favre said Saturday, "and I am a historian too, sort of." Favre liked toying with Remmel too, and this is one of my favorite stories since I've covered the game:
One year, the Packers played in Chicago on a Monday night. Favre procured a remote-control fart machine at Spencer Gifts, and when the team bus was getting ready to leave, Favre jumped on and put the machine under Remmel's seat in row two of the bus. Remmel sat directly behind coach Mike Holmgren. And Favre always sat near the back of the bus. He did so this time in an aisle seat, with a clear shot for the remote control at the fart machine. "What was great about the fart machine," Favre said, "was it had four different kinds of farts. They weren't all the same."
The bus ride was quiet, players and coaches in concentration about the game. Seemingly. Favre pressed the button with one kind of fart, then waited a while, then pressed the button for another kind, and on he went, maybe 10 or 12 times. Holmgren steamed. He wasn't sure if Remmel had gas, or if it was some sort of prank. And when the bus emptied out, Remmel knew who was responsible for the shenanigans. He shot a look at Favre and said nothing. "Typical Lee," Favre said. "That made it even funnier."
Quotes of the Week
"Why did Pete Carroll throw that ball? Seattle's at the half-yard line. If anybody in the league can get a half-yard, it's Beast Mode [Marshawn Lynch]."
—Spike Lee, speaking at the premiere of "The Greatest Catch Ever," his half-hour documentary on the David Tyree catch in Super Bowl 42 that helped the Giants end the Patriots' dream of a 19-0 season.
I was at the documentary premeire Sunday in New York, and three things occurred to me:
1. Lee kept coming back to this in a post-doc Q&A on stage. He was legitimately angry, confused and befuddled by the Carroll call, and no one in the theater could give him a smart answer on it.
2. The star of the doc was Rodney Harrison, and I don't say that just because I work with him. Harrison's emotion at the crushing disappointment shone through in his interview with Lee. He was, well, just so moved, in a bad way, by the failure to dislodge the ball from Tyree. So moved, in fact, that when he went back to his hotel after the game, he said he holed himself up in the bathroom of his room and cried.
3. Lee and a panel of former Giants spoke after the documentary aired. One Giant, guard Chris Snee, had this to say when Lee asked him what would have happened in the huddle if a pass play came in the way it did on the final Seattle offensive play, when the Seahawks called for a quick post route at the goal line—the play that was picked off by Malcolm Butler. Said Snee: "We would have gone absolutely berserk. ... There would have been some choice words thrown out."
"I never want to kill the dream of playing two sports. I would honestly play two sports … I may push the envelope one of these days … I know I can play in the big leagues. With the work ethic and all that, I think I definitely could, for sure. And that's why the Texas Rangers, you know, got my rights. And they want me to play. You know, Jon Daniels, the GM, wants me to play [baseball]. We were talking about it the other day."
—Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson, in an interview with Bryant Gumbel for Tuesday's "HBO Real Sports" show.
Very interesting. This quote will make the bulletin board of Seattle GM John Schneider, who is trying to get Wilson signed long-term. The two-time NFC champion quarterback's contract expires at the end of this season, and the two sides are eligible to sign a new deal now, though no agreement is close.
"We got justice. I can finally say my son is resting in peace."
—Ursula Ward, mother of the slain Odin Lloyd, after former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was convicted of first-degree murder in the 2013 death of Lloyd.
"Extreme atrocity or cruelty."
—Words from the jury in Massachusetts, describing the crime Hernandez committed.
At least six shots were fired at Odin Lloyd. Five were accounted for with certainty. One penetrated Lloyd's back, one his right forearm, one his abdomen, one his breast. And one bullet was shot through Lloyd's heart.
"I owe private apologies to a lot of people that I disappointed but a very public one to the Browns organization and the fans that I let down. I take full responsibility for my actions and it's my intention to work very hard to regain everyone's trust and respect. I understand that will take time and will only happen through what I do and not what I say.''
—Part of a statement attributed to Johnny Manziel and released through the Cleveland Browns on Friday, after his three-month stay in a rehab facility for treatment of substance abuse.
The last part is most important: Manziel said a lot between February 2014 and December 2014 about his devotion to football and his maturity and—well, all the good stuff he had to say to convince everyone in the NFL he was worth a first-round pick, and then all the stuff he had to say after the Browns drafted him to be convincing that he really wasn't more interested in parties than football. Well, let's see if he can stick the words of this statement—whoever wrote it—and earn some trust back through his actions and not his words.
Stat of the Week
The top offensive line prospect in the draft, Iowa guard/tackle Brandon Scherff, played 919 offensive snaps in 13 Hawkeyes games last year. He allowed 2.5 sacks, which is good. But the problem with that stat standing alone is this: Scherff didn't face Nebraska first-round rush prospect Randy Gregory last year, and the Big Ten was overall crummy in pass-rush prospects last season, the best being late-round Purdue rusher Ryan Russell. So when you hear this stat on draft night, have a little perspective.
• THE PROSPECTS: Jenny Vrentas on Brandon Scherff, the Paul Bunyan of the 2015 draft.
Factoids of the Week That May Interest Only Me
For the Why Would Philip Rivers Ever Favor A Trade To Tennessee crowd:
- Rivers is a homebody.
- He and wife Tiffany, both from northern Alabama, have their strongest family ties to the Deep South.
- Rivers was born in Decatur, Ala., 114 miles south of Nashville.
- Rivers was a high school football star in Athens, Ala., 97 miles south of Nashville.
- The closest NFL franchise to Athens, Ala., by far, is Tennessee. The Atlanta Falcons are twice as far away.
- In his most accurate season as an NFL quarterback, 2013, Rivers' offensive coordinator was Ken Whisenhunt, now the Titans coach and a fervent Rivers fan.
Let me make it clear that I am not saying Rivers would rather play anywhere else but San Diego. But too many people wonder why he'd ever want to play for Tennessee. Those are a few clues.
• PETER KING: The dots are being connected on a potential Titans-Chargers trade
Tweets of the Week
Tim Tebow's odds are obviously steep. But Matt Barkley has little hold on 3d spot and Chip Kelly likes multi-positional players on game day.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) April 19, 2015
Given the amount of time that's transpired since we last watched football, it's important to remember how guys actually play the game..
— Bucky Brooks (@BuckyBrooks) April 15, 2015
The former NFL player and scout, now an analyst for NFL digital media, makes a great point about this manic pre-draft time of year that way too many of us forget.
He was found guilty, and should do the time. But man... That's not the guy I knew. How could that happen. WHY did that happen.
— David Nelson (@DavidNelson86) April 15, 2015
Nelson was a college teammate of Aaron Hernandez at Florida.
65 years ago today, Vin Scully broadcast his 1st Dodgers game: Don Newcombe vs Robin Roberts!
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 19, 2015
Ten Things I Think I Think
1. I think there are two points about Aaron Hernandez that can't be forgotten. One, if a player has strong ties to a sordid past—either gang-related or simply sordid in some other way—it's not very smart for that player to be playing in the backyard of his youth. Hernandez's hometown of Bristol, Conn., is 115 miles from Foxboro. As Greg Bedard reported last month, Hernandez went to the combine in 2013, ostensibly to ask Bill Belichick for a trade to distance himself from some dangerous friends back home. Bedard couldn't nail down the details of the story. Was Hernandez trying to start a new life and just couldn't get out of his current one? That seems dubious based on the conviction for one murder and the upcoming trial for two more. But no one outside a minuscule circle—maybe a circle of one—really knows. Two: The Patriots can, and should, be faulted for their private-eye work, or lack of it, before giving Hernandez a rich contract in 2012. It's true that teams can't know everything about their players, but I'd think it'd be reasonable to expect that if you're going to commit $40 million to a player on your team with a history of some transgressions off the field (and Hernandez did have them at Florida), you'd do more investigating than the Patriots did before signing him to the rich extension.
2. I think the story of the week belongs to Kevin Armstrong of the New York Daily News, for his richly detailed work on the case and the trial and the conviction of Hernandez.
3. I think I'm starting to have my mind changed. I've thought all along that Adrian Peterson has likely played his last game for Minnesota, because he obviously doesn't want to be there. But the question is: What team out there wants to commit $13 million in cash to a 30-year-old running back—albeit a great one—with salaries of $15 million in 2016 and $17 million in 2017 on the horizon? I don't see Arizona doing it. I'm less sure of Dallas, but even with a contract extension to soothe the cap hit this year and next, I'd be surprised if the Cowboys pull the trigger. Is there a surprise team out there with cap room, like a Jacksonville? Could be, but does it make sense for a team not close to Super Bowl contention to pay a high pick or picks plus gigantic money for Peterson? I don't believe Vikings GM Rick Spielman will be pressured into a deal. And I don't believe Peterson will choose to forfeit the weekly paychecks of $765,000 this season. So though it may get ugly, I think there's an increasing chance the Vikings are not going to bend to Peterson by draft weekend unless the offer for him is a high pick or picks. By the way, I'd be surprised if Peterson showed up for the start of the Vikings' offseason program today. I think the Vikings would be surprised too.
4. I think for someone who says he doesn't regard Jace Amaro as an important figure in the Jets-Bills rivalry, Rex Ryan seems to be spending an awful lot of media time on Jace Amaro.
• THE REX EFFECT: Rex Ryan on his turbulent Jets reign and fresh start in Buffalo
5. I think if I were the Giants at No. 9, I'd take Trae Waynes over Brandon Scherff. Rare cornerbacks—and the 6-1, sub-4.4-in-the-40 Waynes is potentially quite rare—are harder to find than very good offensive line prospects. Pro Football Focus has Waynes with problems on change of direction, which would be a issue with a cornerback, so it'll be interesting to see how teams factor that in—if they agree—as the first round approaches.
6. I think the Seahawks players did a smart thing, both in inviting new tight end Jimmy Graham along on a training/fun trip to Hawaii last week, and in poking public fun at the feud they had from the 2013 season with Graham. Before a playoff game, Bruce Irvin and Graham jawed at each other on the field, and last week Irvin sent out a photo on Instagram of Graham having to be restrained from fighting Irvin. They were play-acting. No matter how the players feel about their new teammate, Graham is going to be a big piece in helping the team try to get to its third straight Super Bowl, so it's smart of them to at least work at being close.
7. I think Jacksonville got a bargain (one year, $2.5 million) with an established center, Stefen Wisniewski, who was downgraded because of questions about an injured shoulder. It's a risk, but if it works, the Jags will have a top 10 center.
8. I think Georgia running back Todd Gurley, five months after ACL surgery, got some good news the other day at the combine medical re-check in Indianapolis. So good, in fact, that one team interested in Gurley now thinks it's legitimately possible he wouldn't have to start the year on the physically unable to perform list; he could well be active. Seems little doubt Gurley will be a first-round pick.
9. I think one name stands above others on the Mysteries of the 2015 Draft list: wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham. Boom or bust. Very big boom or very big bust. A GM who takes Green-Beckham in the first round is a GM who feels very secure in his job.
10. I think these are my non-football thoughts of the week:
a. Love this story on the game (and quality upbringing) of Masters champ Jordan Spieth by NBCSports.com's Joe Posnanski.
b. Posnanski, after the final round of the Spieth victory: "Jordan Spieth took 2,593 words to go over his round. To give you a comparison, the Gettysburg Address is 272 words."
c. I love Posnanski. He thinks of such cool things when he writes.
d. Excellent job, too, by the Washington Post's Rick Maese on a widower coping with grief, and baseball and the Baltimore Orioles helping.
e. I'm not much of an NBA fan (in fact, I'm not one at all), but did anyone notice the Celtics finished the year on a 17-7 run and ended 40-42? Brad Stevens must be pretty good.
f. Paul Blart. One of the great, and most apt, names in film history.
g. Never thought of this until I read the spate of incredible stories about the 150-year anniversary of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln: There were people, quite a few of them, alive on my birth date in 1957 who were alive the day Lincoln was murdered in 1865.
h. The Edmonton Oilers won the lottery to pick number one in the 2015 NHL draft. Okay. Shouldn't sports leagues have some sort of rule how many times you can have the top picks in an X-year span? Since 2010, and including this year, Edmonton has picked (in order) first, first, first, seventh, third and first. This year they're bound to take an incredible prospect, Connor McDavid. Edmonton must have taken some other incredible players the past five drafts, and the Oilers still stink. Why reward this?
i. The Buffalo Sabres are just as hapless as the Oilers. Times picking number one over the past six drafts: zero.
j. Maybe I'm wrong about this. Tell me if I am. But to continue to reward a team that simply can't turn it around … It just seems wrong to me.
k. Coffeenerdness: It's okay on a warm afternoon to stray from coffee. You can have the occasional unsweetened iced green tea, and you'll get the desired jolt. And the quenching of the thirst at the same time.
l. Beernerdness: This is not about a specific beer, but rather about one of the best beer menus I've ever seen, at Eastern Standard, the fine Boston restaurant around the corner from Fenway Park. Had the pleasure of a late lunch there prior to the Red Sox opener last Monday. The staff is incredibly helpful (right down to advice where to find the rarest of beer gems, Heady Topper, the next time I'm shopping in Vermont), and the list has nothing but quality. Well, I'll mention the one I had that I loved: Citrennial IPA from Foley Brothers Brewing (Brandon, Vt.).
m. One of the great opening-day ceremonies I've seen happened at the Boston home opener last week. Four Patriots—Robert Kraft, Jonathan Kraft, Bill Belichick, Tom Brady—emerged from the Green Monster clutching Super Bowl trophies and walking to the infield. Brady threw out the first pitch, a one-hopper, to David Ortiz. Then a choir, led by Jane Richard, the sister of the murdered Boston Marathon victim, Martin Richard, sang the National Anthem. Then Pete Frates, the ALS-suffering founder of the Ice Bucket Challenge and former Boston College baseball player, was wheeled to the pitcher's mound, and with the help of Red Sox GM Ben Cherington and Pedro Martinez, was signed to a contract with the Red Sox. Then a line of the Boston players filed by Frates' wheelchair to greet him. Great job by the Red Sox—all of it.
n. Man, that Britt McHenry video is tough to watch.
o. This must have been weird: The Giants, riding an eight-game losing streak, got their World Series rings Saturday night.
The Adieu Haiku
Draft's 10 days away.
Still. Explain that. I beg you.
Thing should be in March.
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After a week in Oregon, Helen had to head off to California for a workshop and conference. This was the main reason for us being in the country, actually. I dropped her off at the airport Wednesday morning and headed down to Oakridge, the self-proclaimed mountain biking capital of the Northwest.
By mid-day I was on the Middle Fork Trail, which follows the Middle Fork of the Willamette River. This is a really nice trail that rolls along the side of the beautiful river. It was great riding but very warm and I was struggling a bit. I managed to ride about 11 miles (18km) up the trail then turned around and came back. When I got back into town I discovered that it was 98°F or 37°C - no wonder I was struggling. The trail is 27 miles (43.4 km) in length so I still need to go back and finish it off.
Middle Fork of the Willamette
After realizing that I was even more hopeless than normal at riding uphill I decided to try and catch a shuttle up to the top of Alpine on Thursday. This turned out to be a really good idea. We met at 10am and $20 and one hour later I was near the top of the Alpine Trail. I wanted to amke sure I rode the entire length of the trail so instead of taking the easy left I turned right and rode up to the highest point of the trail. From there the trail turned downward and passed the Elk Camp Shelter. I didn't think the US had huts like we do in NZ, so this was a bit of a surprise to see.
Elk Camp Shelter
From the far end of the trail I had to ride firetrails back to where the shuttle dropped me off. This time I took the left turn and had a short climb to the top of Sourgrass Mountain. From here things headed down again and I was in heaven. Alpine Trail has some of the best singletrack I have ever ridden - it flows really well and is scary fast in places.
Alpine Trail singletrack
There are a few places where views open up along the trail. The picture below is a nice overlook of the town, with Diamond Peak in the background.
The town of Oakridge
After two days in Oakridge, I headed back to my parents. The next day I went for spin around Corvallis, the place I first started mountain biking. As I was riding along I realised that I started riding here 19 years ago. Wow, I am getting old...
Willamette Valley from the top of Dimple Hill


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This interview is part of Freelance Wisdom's Mama Month - a month long celebration of freelancing moms.
Erin Loechner is a midwest-based blogger behind popular lifestyle & design blog Design For Mankind. A former art director/stylist in LA, Erin's been writing and speaking for years for clients such as The New York Times, Martha Stewart and Dwell and has created a following of over a million design-loving fans. She hosted a 2-year/24-episode web series for HGTV.com and has designed products for a number of companies. Erin's heartfelt writing and amazing eye for design has garnered her a loyal following that stands up to the test of time.
Blogging has changed a lot since you began 10 years ago, how do you work to stay relevant?
You know, the hardest work I do in terms of relevance, for me, is convincing myself that relevance is meaningless. There are millions of ways to stay relevant: writing about controversial topics, researching trends, incorporating search terms, linkbaiting your headlines, but none of these feel natural to me. None feel sustainable, either.
As a result, I'm very slow to spend my time looking at what's beyond the bend and, instead, I focus on what's here. What I love, what I have and what I see. What is true to me, what my life is like today. It's less relevance and more reverence, I suppose. But it's the only way I can enjoy what I do.
"I'm very slow to spend my time looking at what's beyond the bend and, instead, I focus on what's here. What I love, what I have and what I see."
Do you have any tips for being your most productive?
Yes! My friends taught me about the concept 'golden hours' a few years ago, and it's transformational. The idea is that your body and mind are geared to work at a set time each day, and there is a 2-4 hour window where you are naturally at your most productive. (To find out when your golden hours are, figure out when you find yourself coming up with your greatest ideas, or when you have the most energy, or when you're the most excited about creativity. Those are your golden hours!)
Mine are in the morning, so I protect them with every ounce of my being! Rearranging my day to work during my golden hours means I can get more done in less time, because I'm not fighting with my body. I'm naturally alert, focused and creative in the morning, so it's easy to complete the tasks I need to. My husband, however, is a night owl, so he protects that time. Everyone is wildly different - the key is listening to your body/mind and figuring out what might work best for you.
"Rearranging my day to work during my golden hours means I can get more done in less time, because I'm not fighting with my body. I'm naturally alert, focused and creative in the morning, so it's easy to complete the tasks I need to."
What has been your greatest struggle as a self-employed business owner?
Swimming upstream. There are a million opportunities as a blogger, and there is never a shortage of products to promote, lifestyles to curate, topics to discuss. The inspiration abounds, but as an easily overwhelmed person, it's important for me to keep my blinders on and stay focused to what I want, rather than what others want from me. I'm a mother to a toddler and a soon-to-be adoptive parent, so family comes first in my home. It's difficult to turn down what feel like incredible opportunities because they either don't align with my current goals, or because they'd leave little energy and/or time left over for the ones under my roof.
The Internet can be a frenetic place, so it's important for me to sometimes ignore the noise and pave my own way by showing up here, in real life, for the ones who love me at my worst and know me at my best.
What is your favorite thing about working for yourself?
Hands down, the flexibility and the quiet! I'm a disciplined introvert by nature, so I love that I can get what I need to get done on my own time, rather than having meetings where we talk about getting things done. ;)
I love that I can cater my schedule to a routine that works best for my family. Currently, that means getting up at 4:45am, sneaking out to a morning coffee shop and writing until a 8:30am yoga class, then home for the day! I like that, with focus, I can finish my work day before the rest of the house is up and running. Best of both worlds!
How do you continue to attract your ideal clients and partners?
I'm the worst person to ask this! I have an admitted tunnel vision where I blog what feels true to me that morning, rarely thinking about readers or stats or clients. But in a way, I suppose that's the best advice I can give --- put out work that you love, work that feels honest, work that feels true. That's attractive by nature.
Do you have any advice for balancing motherhood and your business?
This, currently, is my balance mantra. This, too! And an old letter to my daughter I wrote about the subject. ;)