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Seahawks dominate Broncos for 43-8 Super Bowl win
BY PATRICK FINLEY Staff Reporter February 2, 2014 7:07PM
- Seahawks 43, Broncos 8: Final boxscore, stats
- Watch the Super Bowl commercials: Touchdowns and fumbles
- PHOTOS: Bruno Mars, Red Hot Chili Peppers perform at Super Bowl XLVIII
- Entertainment & Music updates from the Super Bowl
- VIDEO: Pete Carroll on winning Super Bowl
- VIDEO: Broncos' Wes Welker on missed opportunities
- VIDEO: Richard Sherman on Seahawks' win: 'Total team effort'
- PHOTOS: Seahawks celebrate Super Bowl XLVIII win
- Bears Beat: Telander, Potash break down Seahawks' Super Bowl win
Article Extras
Updated: February 3, 2014 10:25AM
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Be it numerology or kismet, it caused Pete Carroll to smile: The Seattle Seahawks, with their famed 12th Man, scored 12 seconds into Super Bowl XLVIII on Sunday, then again 12 seconds into the second half, sealing what would become a 43-8 thumping of the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium.
''That,'' said the Seahawks coach, neon green confetti pieces shaped like the Lombardi Trophy still in his hair, ''is the magic of 12.''
The Seahawks' notoriously loud fan base is what made Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning's voice blend into a cacophony on the game's first play. His teammates were unable to hear the snap count, so Manning walked toward center Manny Ramirez to make a change. Ramirez snapped the ball past Manning's temple, and it rolled into the end zone for a safety.
''I don't think it was disjointed from our point of view,'' Carroll said. ''For us, it was exactly the way we wanted it.''
Broncos receiver Wes Welker said his team ''didn't prepare very well'' for the noise, ''and it showed.''
At 12 seconds in, the score was the fastest in Super Bowl history, two seconds quicker than Devin Hester's game-opening kick return for the Bears against Manning's Indianapolis Colts in 2007.
Using field position from the ensuing kickoff, the Seahawks got a 31-yard field goal from Steven Hauschka and then, eight minutes later, a 33-yarder.
''Certainly to get behind and give them the lead played into their hands,'' Manning said.
Twelfth man? The Seahawks' defense played as if it had an extra player on the field as it earned the franchise its first NFL title. The Seahawks forced four turnovers — as the Red Hot Chili Peppers sang at halftime, ''Give it away, give it away, give it away now'' — intercepting Manning twice and jarring loose two fumbles.
Manning went 34-for-49 for 280 yards but ran only seven offensive plays in the first quarter.
Most of his yards came in the second half as he chased a lead that grew as large as 36-0 before he found Demaryius Thomas for a 14-yard touchdown on the last play of the third quarter.
Manning, who wrapped up the NFL's greatest season for passing yards and touchdowns, set the Super Bowl completions mark, too, but contextually, he was harmless.
''We needed to play really well to win,'' said Manning, who trailed by 29 points or more Sunday for the first time since 2002, ''and we didn't come anywhere close to that.''
On third-and-7 early in the second quarterlate in the first quarter, Manning threw a pass that was intercepted by safety Kam Chancellor. Seven plays later, Marshawn Lynch lunged for a 1-yard score to make it 15-0 Seahawks.
Manning's ''ducks'' — a term popularized by Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman this week — would yield more Seahawks points. With 3:36 left in the half, Manning was hit by Cliff Avril as he threw, and the ball wobbled into the arms of outside linebacker Malcolm Smith, who ran it back 69 yards for a touchdown.
Smith, a seventh-round pick in 2011 who wasn't invited to the NFL Combine, also recovered a fumble and was named the MVP.
Needing a score to swing momentum on the next drive, the Broncos eschewed a field-goal try, and Manning threw an incompletion on fourth-and-2 from the Seahawks' 19. The Broncos went into halftime down 22-0, with Manning sporting a quarterback rating of 46.3.
Any hope for a comeback was gone as fast as Percy Harvin's navy-and-white blur on the opening kickoff of the second half. Harvin, who played only two games this season because of hip and head injuries, returned the boot 87 yards to increase the lead to 29-0.
''We got kicked in the chin,'' Broncos defensive end Shaun Phillips said.
Harvin was the game's leading rusher, too, on two fly sweeps for 45 yards.
''So many guys made so many plays,'' second-year quarterback Russell Wilson said. ''It's unbelievable.''
Wilson comported himself like a veteran, completing 18 of 25 passes for 206 yards, two touchdowns and a 123.1 quarterback rating. The offense didn't turn the ball over and Wilson was not sacked as the Seahawks converted 7 of 12 third downs, including four successful tries in the first quarter.
Wideouts Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse each caught a touchdown pass. No Seahawks receiver had more than Baldwin's 66 yards.
''Once we started getting touchdowns, we just ran away with it,'' Wilson said.
The Seahawks led for all but the first 12 seconds, a Super Bowl record. Free safety Earl Thomas admitted afterward that his team ''didn't have too many adverse situations,'' and it was hard to argue.
''This was a dominant performance,'' Thomas said. ''From top to bottom.''
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Twitter: @patrickfinley


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Marty's Story
Martin J. Walsh, an accomplished advocate for working people, a son of immigrants and a proud product of the city of Boston, is a candidate for Mayor. An experienced state lawmaker and native of Dorchester, Marty has the record, skills and passion needed to move Boston forward.
Marty's parents both emigrated from Ireland in the 1950s and came to Boston. Having met at the Intercolonial, a dance hall on Dudley Street, John and Mary Walsh married and settled in a home on Taft Street in St. Margaret's Parish, where Marty and his brother Johnny grew up, and where his mother still lives. At age seven, Marty survived a bout of Burkett's lymphoma, a form of childhood cancer, thanks in part to experimental treatments and extraordinary care he received at Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
After attending St. Margaret's School in Dorchester and Newman Prep High School, Marty followed in his father's footsteps to become a union laborer, working his first job at the age of 18 at Commonwealth Pier (now known as the World Trade Center) on the South Boston waterfront. With both Marty's father and uncle active in leadership of Laborers Local 223, the Walsh household was filled with discussions about politics, the labor movement, and the importance of being involved.
In 1997, Marty won election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, representing the 13th Suffolk District, which includes Dorchester and ranks among the most diverse districts in the state.
In the House, Marty has established himself as a leader on creating and protecting jobs, and growing the economy. He is the author of landmark public construction law reforms that increased flexibility and accountability, helped pass transit-oriented mixed-use "smart growth district" legislation, and has been a strong supporter of infrastructure and zoning improvements. During the fiscal crisis of the past several years, Marty was a key broker in compromise legislation giving municipalities more tools to negotiate substantial savings on health insurance benefits while protecting the rights of hardworking people to receive the decent pay and benefits they have earned. A founding board member of the Neighborhood House Public Charter School, Marty has been an aggressive advocate for strong public schools. He has championed annual funding for alternative schools in Boston and helped pass a law that allows the city to transform underperforming schools into pilot, magnet and in-district charter schools.
A champion for civil rights, Marty was a strong and early advocate for marriage equality, which he calls his proudest vote ever as a legislator. He has also become known as the State House leader on substance abuse and recovery issues. Marty previously served as chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Federal Affairs and is currently the House chair of the Ethics Committee.
Marty simultaneously rose through the ranks of his union, Laborers Local 223, culminating with his selection in 2011 to lead the Building and Construction Trades Council of the Metropolitan District, a role which he held for two years until resigning in order to run for Mayor.
As head of the Building Trades, Marty worked with business and community leaders and city officials to promote high quality development, producing construction and permanent jobs for the city, along with new tax revenue. Marty negotiated a Project Labor Agreement that helped pave the way for the building that is to be home to Vertex Pharmaceuticals, the anchor of Boston's new Innovation District. In partnership with the Boston Housing Authority, he created Building Pathways, a pre-apprentice program connecting building trades jobs and opportunities with those traditionally underrepresented in the industry, mainly women and people of color. Earlier this year, Marty and the Building Trades graduated an all-women class, possibly the first of its kind in the nation.
In all his endeavors, Marty has become known as someone whose word is his bond. He is tough and fearless in standing up for what's right, and able to achieve results: "a "go-to man" in the words of The Dorchester Reporter. Jamaica Plain state Representative Liz Malia describes Marty as a "a progressive, pragmatic problem-solver who will fight for every corner and community of our city."
Marty, age 46, is a homeowner on Tuttle Street in Dorchester and a graduate of Boston College. He shares his life with his longtime partner, Lorrie Higgins, and her daughter, Lauren.
100 Hallet St., Dorchester, MA 02124 • ©

subset: commoncrawl


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Biking on the Highway
I recently found out that my fear of driving on the highway is a far, far, far, distant second to biking on the highway. (Unless it's during BikeDC, that's awesome.) The 14th St. Bridge is bikable, but apparently you need to know HOW to bike it.
If you just bike down 14th St, you'll start to notice that cars are going very fast. You'll look around and wonder if there's a bike lane. Then you'll realize that you just biked onto I-395. At this point, your eyes will go very wide, and you'll pull over onto the shoulder.
The shoulder at this point is about 6 inches wide. You'll wait until there are no cars in the right lane, and you'll quickly turn your bike around. Very slowly, walk back the way you came. Peer over the bridge to your left; nope, still too tall to jump. At some point, you'll come to a tunnel which goes under the US Financial Management Service building. There will be cars coming very fast out of this tunnel. You don't want to go in there.
Looking down, you'll see that there's only about a 20 foot drop into the garden outside of the US Financial Management Service building. Wait for a lull in traffic, swing you bike over the ledge, and drop it as carefully as you can. Jump down. Go home, celebrate, you're alive.
See the map above? Follow those directions. There's a sidewalk path that does go over the 14th St. Bridge, but you need to make a turn off of 14th to get onto that. Do that.
That red circle is where you should jump into, if you get yourself into a situation as stupid as mine.


text: 4.5 Great reviewboy | 26/02/2012 | See all reviewboy's reviews (4) I ordered it when I saw it was on offer as i am used to seeing memory to be quite expensive. I knew it was a good buy as sandisk I a very well known brand and 8gb is quite high, so i bought it and I haven't looked back. I got this for my phone and now i can store as many games and music as I want (but only up to 8gb).


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What's New
about our layaway plans &
gift certificates.
Elevated Dog/Cat Bowls
Helps Prevent Stomach Bloat
Reduces the Air Ingested
Eat at a Natural Level
Reduces Strain on Neck and Joints
Keeps Eating Area Cleaner
Beautiful Mosaic Art
Stained Glass and Gems
Sealed for Protection
For Small & Large Dogs
for Dogs or Cats
unique and beautiful elevated dog/cat bowls are made with solid maple
wood and top quality stained glass, stainless steel bowls, gems and dog
embellishments. We can make a single, double or triple bowl
feeder. They have been sealed for
protection to allow for easy cleanup from food and water.
The legs can be stained or painted and come in a variety of sizes.
Whether you need an elevated dog bowl 2" from the floor, or one that
is 26" from the floor, we can accommodate your needs, A
feeder isn't only for large dogs but for smaller dogs as well.
Not only are they better for your dogs joints, make digestion easier
and help eliminate bloat, but they can be designed to match
your decor and their elegance makes it look like a piece of the
Single 1 QT
Elevated Dog Bowl $100.00
Single 2 QT Elevated Dog Bowl $130.00
Double 1 PT Elevated Dog Bowls (1.6 cup capacity), 18"x8", $120.00
Double 1 QT Elevated Dog Bowls (3 cup capacity),
20"x10", $140.00
Double 2 QT Elevated Dog Bowls (6 cup capacity), 24"x12",
Triple Dog Bowls - (2) 1 PT steel bowls and (1) 1 QT steel bowl $200.00
Triple Dog Bowls - (2) 1 QT steel bowls and (1) 2 QT steel bowl
Triple Dog Bowls - (2) 2 QT steel bowls and (1) 3 QT steel bowl $350.00
For 3, 4 and 5 QT feeders or for different types of wood please contact us for a quote.
For information on the
benefits of an elevated dog bowl or things you should consider when
purchasing a feeder,
click here.
To place a custom
order, use this form. You can indicate your colors and
preferences on the checkout page or send us a separate email.
Click the down arrow
to see prices and order. All credit card payments are
Since each custom dog
feeder is made to an owner's specifications, some items on the
photos may have additional costs. Prices include the stained
glass, gems, dog phrases, bowls, and pottery paws; however, the pottery bones with names on them,
special requests for metal embellishments and
agates are extra. If you would like an item in a specialized
type of wood, please ask us for a quote. To ask for pricing please email us at
orders are custom made, expect your order to arrive in 2-4 weeks
depending upon the number of orders ahead of you. For an
additional fee of $25.00 you can have your order expressed and
receive it sooner.
How Do I Know Which Height to
To find the correct
height for your dog, measure from the ground to your dogs chest
(approximately 6" from the shoulder). The top of the dog
feeder is 3/4" to 1" thick depending upon the size of the
feeder, so take that into account when you measure.
Please indicate on the checkout page what size legs you need and
whether you would like them stained or painted.
Here is an example of
the average heights for some breeds ...
Papillon 4"
Bassett 6"
Boxer 15"
Afghan 20"
Pomeranian 4"
Boston Terrier 9"
Brittany 14"
Akita 20"
Bulldog 9"
Dalmation 16"
Bernese Mtn Dog 20"
Bishon 4"
Cocker Spaniel 9"
Golden Retriever 16"
Borzoi 22"
Chihuahua 4"
Basenji 9"
Labrador 14"
Mastiff 20"
Dachshund 4"
Ital. Greyhound 8"
Bloodhound 16"
Great Dane 24"
Lhasa Apso 4"
Russell 8"
Germ. Shorthair 16"
Irish Wolfhound 26"
Pekingese 4"
French Bulldog 6"
Keeshond 12"
Deerhound 24"


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In 1880, William Cook began experimenting by combining a number of popular breeds with the aim of producing a breed "of handsome appearance and a good winter layer." Seven years later he had produced the first Orpington chicken, named after the town of Orpington in his native England. The earliest Orpingtons were intentionally bred to be dark birds so they wouldn't show the soot that settled on them from the polluted air of a newly industrialized Great Britain. Cook, who rose from humble beginnings as a coachman to become an international poultry entrepreneur, introduced the birds to America in 1890. Cook would later own breeding farms in England, the United States, and South Africa. Orpingtons were adopted by upper-class Britons as a superior breed that reflected their owners' superior breeding. Today, Orpingtons are the most popular breed in England, the lingering result of Cook's skills as a breeder and as a tireless salesman of the breed he had created.
Orpingtons are large, flightless chickens, and their most distinctive characteristic is the huge round bodies of the hens that give them the appearance of having been derived from inadvertently crossing a chicken with a basketball. It must be said: The wildly exaggerated butts of a classic Orpington are unlike anything in the poultry kingdom, and they dwarf the other features of the bird. Orpingtons are easy to raise, and a mere 18" fence is generally sufficient to frustrate the wanderlust of a full-grown Orpington.
Greenfire Farms has imported a number of Orpington varieties including jubilee, gold laced, red, and partridge. Most recently we imported silver laced and crele. While they are all beautiful birds, limited space and a desire for superior breeding results have forced us to choose between the many varieties. Beginning in 2014 we're focusing on one variety only: jubilee Orpingtons. Jubilee Orpingtons stand at the pinnacle of the breed, and Greenfire Farms was the first to import these birds into America from British stock in about a century. With their huge, round bodies and striking color pattern, they create an unforgettable impression. These are the largest variety of any Orpington we have seen, and with their deep mahogany bodies punctuated with flecks of ruby and emerald, their visual impact is difficult to overstate. Jubilees were recently described in the Smithsonian Magazine as "speckled brown and white, like a hillside on which the springtime sun has begun to melt the winter snow," and this is a perfect and apt description. Despite their remarkable size and appearance, jubilees are among the most gentle of any chicken breed. Gorgeous, calm, and prolific egg layers, they manage to strike a wonderful balance between beauty and utility.
Jubilee Orpingtons: Unsexed Day-Old Chick
Price: $99.00


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The Lord's Pantry: Food Bank
Each year Ascension has an in-gathering of non-perishable food items to help with this outreach ministry. We are feeding an average of 21 families a month through our cooperative effort with Montgomery Catholic Social Services. We also use food items collected to provide emergency assistance to families in need of food. This is an hands-on ministry in which everyone can become involved.
We seek to glorify God in Christ by experiencing His Word in worship, communion, and study; by living out His Word in fellowship, healing, and love; and by proclaiming His Word through teaching and outreach. We invite you to bring your unique personality and gifts, and become a partner in Christ's work with us.
Regular Worship Services:
- Sunday: 8:00 am – Holy Eucharist, Rite I; 10:15 am – Holy Eucharist, Rite II.
- First Sunday of Every Month: 7:30 pm -Compline - chanted (with music).
- Third Sunday of Every Month: 5:00 pm - Evening Eucharist (chancel-informal-come as you are)
- Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - Morning Prayer (chapel).
- Tuesday: 8:00 am - Choral Morning Prayer (chancel).
- Wednesday: 6:00 pm - Holy Eucharist, Rite II (chapel).
Recent News
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Mini Calendar
|December 2014


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Document Type Master's Dissertation Author Sassoon, David URN etd-07032011-125255 Document Title The effects of authentic leadership and a positive organisational context Degree MBA Department Gordon Institute of Business Science Supervisor
Advisor Name Title Dr C Lew Supervisor Keywords
- positive follower outcome
- authentic fellowship
- positive organisation context
- authentic leadership
- sustainable and veritable performance
Date 2010-11-10 Availability unrestricted Abstract
This research concerns itself with the effects of authentic leadership and a positive organisational context.
Gardner, Avolio, Luthans, May and Walumbwa's (2005) authentic leader and follower development model suggests that authentic leadership within a positive organisational context leads to increased authentic followership, which in turn influences positive follower outcomes, and finally leads to sustainable and veritable organisational performance. A research contextual framework, based on Gardner et al.'s (2005) model, is developed with one significant change being the repositioning of a positive organisational context as a relatively more significant construct in the development of authentic followership.
The research contextual framework and in particular the correlations between the various constructs are tested. This is performed through a quantitative study based on the completion of a research questionnaire by employees at four South African based services companies. In addition to a general testing of the various correlations, the role of a positive organisational context is specifically investigated in order to shed light on which model better reflects the authentic leadership development process: Gardner et al.'s (2005) model or the research contextual framework.
It is also intended that this research will provide insights into whether general authentic leadership theory can be generalised to a South African context.
Copyright © 2010, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria
Please cite as follows:
Sassoon, D 2010, The effects of authentic leadership and a positive organisational context, MBA dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-07032011-125255/>
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28.8 Modem 56K Modem ISDN (64 Kb) ISDN (128 Kb) Higher-speed Access dissertation.pdf 597.26 Kb 00:02:45 00:01:25 00:01:14 00:00:37 00:00:03


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This is a fantastic interactive toy for your dog. The Tug-n-Toss ball can bounce and even float. Even if your dog punctures the ball with claws or teeth, it won't deflate. Available in several sizes.
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OW-Low Iron is part of Pilkington's Profilit line of linear glass systems. Its low iron content increases visible light transmission (up to 90% VLT in uninsulated channels) and has less of a green hue than standard glass. Consisting of cast-glass channels in an extruded metal perimeter frame, OW-Low Iron is suitable for interior and exterior applications and comes in lengths up to 23' for vertical or horizontal installations. Three textures are available (Standard Cast, Wave, and Macro), and additional options include a low-E coating and Nanogel aerogel, a lightweight insulation material. tgpamerica.com
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Latest Posts
The UFC World Podcast on Soundcloud:
… and on iTunes:
On this week's UFC World podcast, UFC flyweight Joseph Benavidez describes "an amazing end to the year" and that he is the happiest he has ever been as a fighter, going into his fourth fight in 2013, and not having had four fights in a year since 2008.
Benavidez reveals he has been fine tuning and adjusting his game rather than changing it completely.
He also believes that there will be major differences between Saturday's fight the the last time he fought Johnson, for the inaugural UFC flyweight crown. "I wasn't half the fighter I am now in… Read More
Manny Pacquiao's fight with Floyd Mayweather, reckoned to be worth 200
million US dollars, was consigned to dust in Las Vegas today when the
Filipino was knocked out in the sixth round by Mexican rival Juan
Manuel Marquez.
It was the first time Pacquiao had been knocked out since 1999, when
he lost at flyweight to Medgoen Singsurat losing the WBC flyweight
title, and the first defeat since 2005 when he lost a unanimous
decision to Erik Morales
It was the fourth time the two rivals had met in the ring, with two
wins to Pacquiao and one draw. Pacquiao walked into a looping overhand
right while coming forward to attack in the final seconds of the sixth
round,… Read More
For seven years London 2012 has claimed that these would be a Games for athletes. That claim is being rendered empty by the disgraceful disrespect being shown towards distance athletes in the Olympic Stadium in the last 24 hours.
Locog have made much of their use of music in venues, and for the most part it has been well-judged and discerningly selected. Who has ever heard This Charming Man by The Smiths at an athletics meeting before?
But last night, as the women's 10,000m provided the climax of an exhilarating first day, it was horribly, unforgivably misjudged. The race is one of the great treats of the Olympics, a slowly unfolding drama of tactics and pacing, team strategy combining with individual ambition… Read More
When Fifa awarded South Africa the 2010 World Cup, the motivation behind the decision was to create a legacy that would see football blossom in the country and help Africa's powerhouse nation secure similar status on the pitch.
Millions were spent on new stadia in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, creating shining images of South Africa's ability to punch its weight and prove that the continent as a whole was capable of hosting football's biggest tournament.
But two years on, as Manchester United prepare to begin their pre-season preparations with a friendly against Amazulu in Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium, the return of high-profile football to South Africa feels as though it is accompanied by the moth balls being cleared out of… Read More
When Olympic torches started turning up on eBay last month there was general dismay at the thought of people profiting from their "moment to shine".
By comparison, the London organising committee's reaction was muted. They said only that they hoped the torches "go to a good home".
Now we know why. Locog was planning to cash in in precisely the same way.
Yesterday the organising committee announced that it will be auctioning off up to 1,000 torches to the highest bidder. And it is not just torches. Memorabilia from the Games will also be up for grabs, including the baton from the 4 x 100m relay, balls from Wimbledon, signed photo… Read More
It is a rare day indeed that Sir Martin Sorrell passes up the opportunity to offer his wisdom to the nation. But after 60% of shareholders objected to a pay package worth £6.8m yesterday, the chief executive of advertising giant WPP was unusually unavailable for comment.
While the Sage of Adland gathers his thoughts before returning to the airwaves, he might ponder his misfortune in choosing advertising over football. Sorrell may be the latest victim of the 'Shareholder Spring', but pay restraint is not something that Premier League footballers are going to have to worry about in the near future.
While Sorrell was licking his wounds on Wednesday an equally high-profile chief executive, Richard Scudamore of the Premier League, was announcing a… Read More
Despite its disrupted schedule, next week eventing will become the first equestrian discipline to announce its team for London 2012. Selectors ripped up their protocols after the costly wet-weather cancellations of Badminton and Chatsworth, and the further loss of a month's worth of national competitions due to waterlogging will have played havoc with the prep of even those who privately expect to be named.
Received wisdom is that four of the five eventers will be William Fox-Pitt (exact horse t.b.d. as he has so many), Mary King (Imperial Cavalier), Nicola Wilson (Opposition Buzz) and Piggy French (Jakata, who won confidently at Houghton Hall last week), with the remaining slot between five riders. These are Lucy Weigersma (choice of three, and hoping Granntevka Prince… Read More
By rejecting Olympic bids from Doha and Baku to host the 2020 Games the International Olympic Committee has sent a strong message about its priorities. It is a message that will resonate particularly loudly at Fifa headquarters in Zurich.
The IOC was faced with its toughest hosting decision in many years when it met in Quebec on Wednesday. On the table were five bids, all of them problematic.
On one side were Doha and Baku, flush with mineral wealth and ambition, but with major questions over their capacity and, in Doha's case, carrying reputational baggage.
On the other were three problematic bids from more established cities. Madrid wants to host the Games despite facing economic crisis. Japan wants to use 2020 as a… Read More
Nick Skelton has won 18 world and European championship medals in his 35-year senior career but the Olympic podium has somehow evaded him. Finally his time has come: selection for London 2012 is a given, leaving Skelton merely with the enviable problem of deciding which of two prodigies to ride.
Carlo and Big Star underlined their already superior credentials by winning two of the toughest Grands Prix in Europe on consecutive weekends – Carlo at La Baule, France last Sunday and Big Star at the Global Champions Tour (GCT) Hamburg event yesterday, where he jumped one of the class's only two triple clears.
"I have two absolutely fantastic horses. It makes my job a lot easier," said Skelton, who over several year… Read More


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History of Kitesurfing
Kitesurfing is also known as kiteboarding, flysurf or flysurfing. This is very much dependent on where you might be in the world. The concept of kitesurfing has been around scince the early 1960's but took until 1984 before anything was really done experimenting with traction kitefying on the water.
Two French brothers
The two brothers Dominique and Bruno Legaignoux learned to sail at a very early age, sailing dinghies and were to become French Junior champions in 1979. They went on spending years sailing in there home made boats investigating different means of sail power, they intended to make thick sails for a future boat and in the process stumbled upon kites as a natural extension of more traditional sail forms.
The "Bird Sail"
During this process the brothers started playing with another idea that can be seen today. A delta wing kite the "Bird Sail" somewhere between a windsurf sail and a kite was patented and made by Roland Le Bail in 1982. The idea of this wing was to lift the rider off the water better, higher jumps than with a standard windsurfing board.
This sail worked well but was not suitable for lighter winds as it was impractical to have a very big version of this delta wing. At this point there was a lot of ideas and they eventually came up with a crude version of what we see today, a surfboard and a kite.
The brothers made models to try and understand the theory of kite flight characteristics, notably how it could be possible to go upwind. They did all this research originally as the brothers were new to the concept of kite flying.
The use of kites on the water over Delta wings had many advantages which could be seen very early on.
Stacks of Kites
Their first attempts however were done a stack of 12 kites of 0,5 m2, stiffened by laths of fiberglass and boards, but stacks proved difficult to launch and they found water-skis were an easier option than the board. The stacked kites were so powerful that the brothers had to use very small skis in order to displace the water when powered up, much like today's kitesurfing.
Official drawing of the patent
At this time their wings are still at prototype stage and can't yet go upwind, with board or skis, and they spend more years at the drawing board working on wings, boards and other equipment.
During these years, they tested many other possible uses of their kites, trying to find receptive markets.
Kitesurfing is Born
Their purpose was to convince a board manufacturer to launch the new sport. Unfortunately, it was far too early. The windsurfing market was reaching its peak and everybody considered this sport as the ultimate.
In 1985 and 86 they built their most efficient wings, on the principle of very wide spans and 100 % double skin / ram air. But they were heavy, especially when wet, and rather unstable, requiring permanent steering control which is clearly impossible after falling in the water.
Dominique and Bruno felt that the sport could grow much faster if the wing was more stable. The wing was almost ready for mass production, but the capacity of their boards and skis to go upwind was still not sufficiently good to launch the sport.
Eventually, they made a good dozen different water devices (boards etc.) able to go upwind, but they considered them too big, too heavy and too expensive. Finally the decided on a board less than 2 metres long and 10 kg weight.
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text:
Red Kellys Lemon Myrtle Dressing 2lt Food Service
Lemon Myrtle Dressing has a unique flavour, producing a brilliant piquant lemon zesty aroma. It is perfect with chicken, seafood or any salad.
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text:
Major health problems cited as result of toxic cement plants
By 12/12/2002 00:00:00
The Ellis County Press
MIDLOTHIAN - Health problems associated with Ellis County's cement plants are nothing new.
The only published survey of human health in the area surrounding the cement plants found a 30 percent higher rate of respiratory problems among those living downwind or in close proximity to the Midlothian cement plants - but plant officials deny health it.
'We're not doing anything to harm any residents in the area,' said former Midlothian mayor and current Texas Industries spokesman Maurice Osborne.The study was conducted by a University of Texas toxicologist in 1997-98, according to the environmental group Downwinders at Risk.
Plants, including TXI, have recorded ozone violations repeatedly, prompting Gov. Rick Perry to discuss strengthening regulations with the help of the Environmental Protection Agency.
'Everything else put out by industry and the state claiming to find no damage to human health relies on soil, air and water sampling to estimate exposure at 'safe' or 'unsafe' levels,' said Katy Hubener, executive director of Blue Skies Alliance, a local air advocacy group. 'There's such an atmospheric 'toxic soup' of so many different chemicals reacting with one another and assaulting your system simultaneously that, in fact, no one can say you're safe to breath the stuff.'
Many of the chemicals, including Arsenic, particle matter and lead, are known to cause cancer.
Almost 30 doctors around Midlothian and southern Dallas County have said their offices are visited by residents who complain of respitory problems they associate with living near the cement plants.Their joint statement is posted on the Downwinders at Risk website at http://www.downwindersatrisk.org. Osborne said Midlothian is the 'most-tested' site in the state and TXI would know if it caused health problems.'Claims have been out there all along,' he said. 'But they [claims] haven't been substantiated. We've asked them to show us the scientific evidence. Scientific evidence shows that TXI doesn't do any harm to the general public.'
Osborne said a $2 million independent study found no harmful chemicals were found in soil and water samples.
However, according to self-reported data by TXI to the EPA in 2000, large amounts of toxic and hazardous waste were found, including but not limited to mercury, lead and dioxin, which has been linked to birth defects, asthma, skin and eye irritation, and even sexual reproductive disorders in some people.Midlothian's four cement plants, TXI, Holcim, North Texas Cement, and Chaparral Steel, produce the area's most air pollution, according to EPA statistics from a 2000 report.
The four companies pump out 1,403 tons of toxic waste each year, compared to 74 tons from all of Dallas County and 55 tons from Tarrant County. 'I've had people in Midlothian call me to tell me that their dogs are dying, their cows can't reproduce,' she said. 'I had one woman call and tell me her hair was literally falling out.
'How could Maurice say that hazardous waste doesn't harm children, or how could he say particle matter doesn't affect people,' Hubener asked.
TXI, according to Osborne, has won numerous EPA awards as a sign of their commitment to the community.
'We'd have our permits pulled [if we caused harm],' Osborne said.
'I don't think the EPA could be handing out awards if we did.'


text:
Jon Duvick interviewed by HPCwire!
Recent publications:
Rauch, H.B., Patrick, T.L., Klusman, K.M., Battistuzzi, F.U., Mei, W,. Brendel, V.P. & Lal, S.K. (2013) Discovery and Expression Analysis of Alternative Splicing Events Conserved among Plant SR Proteins. Mol. Biol. Evol.,doi: 10.1093/molbev/mst238 First published online: December 19, 2013. [PubMed ID: 24356560] [online article (corrected proof)] [PDF (Advance Access)]
Yi, G., Brendel, V.P., Shu, C., Li, P., Palanathan, S. & Kao, C.C. (2013) Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of Human STING Can Affect Innate Immune Response to Cyclic Dinucleotides. PLoS One 8, e77846. [PubMed ID: 24204993] [online article] [PDF]PlantGDB News:
If you want to find out why a bouncy octopus is our group logo, you have come to the right place. In fact, there is a lot of other information on these pages. Please navigate using the menus above and to the left.
The Brendel Group is an energetic, friendly, and grateful team of faculty, staff, and students enjoying the privilege of working together. Our areas of interest span research topics in genome informatics, in particular as related to plant transcriptional control and pre-mRNA splicing, and computational infrastructure (cyberinfrastructure) for genome studies. You can find out more about our research, software development, and Prof. Brendel's teaching following the links on the top navigation bar.
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Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.
(Sherlock Holmes, in "A Scandal in Bohemia" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
[Picture credit: http://www.basilrathbone.net/films/shadventures/]


text:
Hummingbirds in the Rain 5/19/11
Hummingbirds in the Rain
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text:
The Algerian army has stormed the gas plant in In Amenas where Islamist militants took hundreds of people hostage. At least 11 militants are reported dead, as well as 7 more of the hostages.
Twenty-three hostages and 32 militants were killed over three days during the gas plant hostage drama in Algeria, according to its interior ministry. On Saturday alone, seven hostages and 11 extremists were killed.
The Algerian prime minister has said that 37 foreign hostages were killed during the standoff with Islamist militants at a gas plant in In Amenas. He said at least one Canadian was among the hostage takers.
Seven hostages were killed by militants during a 'final' army assault at the In Amenas gas plant, according to Algeria's state news agency. Troops also killed 11 Islamists during day-four of the standoff, it said.
A hostage-taking drama at a remote gas plant in the Sahara desert has ended with the deaths of more than 50 people. An assault by the Algerian military ended the crisis, but details of the operation remain sketchy.
© 2014 Deutsche Welle | Legal notice | Contact


text:
MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_01C56813.6A3F5550" This document is a Single File Web Page, also known as a Web Archive file. If you are seeing this message, your browser or editor doesn't support Web Archive files. Please download a browser that supports Web Archive, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer. ------=_NextPart_01C56813.6A3F5550 Content-Location: file:///C:/6368DA74/SEL20050524.htm Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"
Mr. Victor Danevich, Mr. Harold Lynde (arrived at 9p= m), Mr. Jean-Guy Bergeron, Mr. Edmund Gleason, Mr. Tom Domenico, Mr. Tom Gaydos, = Town Administrator
Also present:
Members of the press and general public.
&nbs= p;
The Selectmen were unable to approve the minutes becau= se they needed three attending members for a vote. The minutes review was deferred to= the next meeting.
MOTION:<= o:p>
(Gleason/Domenico) To approve the
(4-0-0) The motion carri= ed.
The amen=
to the minutes were as follows: page 1 – Open forum – 'presented accommodation̵=
7; shall read 'presented a commendation'; page 2 – 'indicate
anything other than' shall read 'indicate
any obstacles to the renewal<=
'now over 13 parts' shall read 'now over the 13 parts', all references to 'Novas' shal=
l be
corrected to read 'Nobis̵=
all reference to 'Rickman' shall be corrected to read 'Ricker'; page 3 – state
documented (and informed Weston)' shall read 'state documented =
informed Weston of their approval=
, all references to 'Kern' shall be corrected to read 'Kirn', 'the numbers to=
his three' shall read '=
numbers for his three', 'reviewed =
wanted it like that all the time' shall read 'reviewed the site and wanted it kept like that all the time',
'the Health Inspector and
conducted' shall read 'the Health Inspector had conducted', 'the DES guide them' shall read
'the DES to guide them'; page 4 – 'decree of 1977̵=
shall be corrected to read 'decree of 1997',
'Mr. Domenico questioned how fluids were extracted from vehicles. Mr. Mansur said he had a vacuum
system' shall read 'Mr. Domenico questioned if Mr. Mansur had a vacuum system like Mr. Bergeron's.
Mr. Danevich informed that the Town Clerk, Town Tax
Collector and Assessing Department would be closed
Mr. Herman Hanson, American Legion Post 100, said he m= et with the Selectmen a few weeks ago and was awaiting an answer regarding fun= ding for: 1) Memorial Day Parade; and 2) Cemetery Flags. He said the Post had paid $506.75 = for Cemetery Flags for the five Town cemeteries. The remaining expenses for the Memorial Day Parade (food & beverages) totaled $285. Mr. = Gaydos said there was $1000 in the default budget listed for flags and said the Selectmen had asked Mr. Hanson to provide a breakdown of actual costs. Mr. Hanson said the flags were cur= rently in place at the cemeteries and were an item that had to be replaced every year. Mr. Gaydos said the cem= etery flags had been purchased by the American Legion, which the Town had no appropriation for, and further, there was a request for assistance in connection with the Memorial Day parade.&n= bsp; Mr. Hanson said in the past the total bill had been submitted to the Town, but last year the only bill submitted was for cemetery flags.
Mr. Gleason asked if there would be any additional cos= ts. Mr. Hanson said there were two sub= jects: 1) Avenue of Flags, and 2) Memorial Day parade. Mr. Gleason said he would like to = assess the total impact being sought. Mr. Hanson said the cost to cover Memorial Day would be $506.75 for flags, and = an additional $285 for Memorial Day Parade incidentals. He noted that the Avenue of Flags = began in the year 2000 and had been previously funded by donations; however, that fund was now 'dried' up. Mr. Gleason commented that the current flag placement looked adequate and questioned if further fun= ding of flags could be deferred to next year because of the default budget.. Mr. Hanson said if the Selectmen w= ere satisfied with the current flags they would leave it as such and try to upd= ate next year.
Mr. Danevich felt that the Selectmen should clearly articulate a breakdown of the actual costs in the budget for the taxpayers = to review. Given the default bud= get, Mr. Danevich said there were difficult decisions to make, some of which were sa= fety concerns.
Mr. Gleason recognized the difficult budget, but felt cemetery flags for veterans were important. He understood that the Memorial Day parade was well attended and believed that the associated costs (not more t= han $800) could be absorbed within the default operating budget (under Town Celebrations).
Mr. Bergeron said he was unable to participate in the initial meeting with Mr. Hanson. He said he was concerned with the Town working within a default budget and not= ed there may be others dealing with celebrations who may want to seek funds (i= .e. Old Home Day). He said his di= lemma was how the Selectmen would address others seeking funds.
MOTION:<= o:p>
(Gleason/Bergeron) To authorize the Town to reimburs= e the American Legion Post 100 not more than $800, which would cover cemetery f= lags and the associated expenses for the Memorial Day parade.
(4-0-0) The motion carri= ed.
= span>
Mr. Danevich asked Mr. Gaydos to make a note in the To= wn Celebration budget to properly identify the items so they would go through = the normal budget process with full disclosure to tax payers. He also asked that the American Le= gion stay consistent with the Town policy of reimbursement. Mr. Hanson said he sent receipts t= o the Town. He confirmed that the A= venue of Flags program was on hold until next year. Mr. Danevich said the current prog= ram would run (without expanding). Mr. Hanson questioned if the flags (and maintenance) would have to be on the ballot. Mr. Gaydos said the m= oney would have to be appropriated or placed in a warrant article. He believed it could be itemized w= ithin the Town Celebrations line item. Mr. Domenico said the line item should be further broken down to indicate: 1) cemetery flags, 2) Memorial Day parade and 3) Avenue of Flags = so there would be a better understanding of actual costs. Mr. Gleason said it would be benef= icial to know if the funds would be supplemented by donations.
Everyone was invited to attend the Memorial Day parade,
which would be held
Continuati= on of Public Hearing for the Approval of the Junkyard / Automobile Recycling Faci= lity License of:
Jean-Guy̵= 7;s Used Cars & Parts, Inc., 180 Marsh Road, Pelham, NH 03076
= o:p>
Mr. Bergeron recused himself.
Mr. Gaydos said the public hearing had been continued =
the last meeting to give Mr. Domenico and Mr. Gleason the opportunity to re=
all the information and to speak with Ms. Sara Kirn a Hydro-Geologist from =
the New
Hampshire Department of Environmental Services ('DES'). Mr. Gaydos, Mr. Domenico, Mr. Glea=
and Mr. Bergeron (who had recused himself and was only there to listen and =
not to
participate) had a telephone conversation with Ms. Kirn. Mr. Gaydos said he had been direct=
ed by
the Selectmen to obtain the March testing results, which were forwarded by =
Kirn. It was noted that the t=
were done by Nobis in March, 2005 and the results showed that only three wa=
supply wells showed a detection of MtBE above the drinking water standard
during the sampling event; the last documented report showed five. Mr. Gaydos said DES believed that a
portion of the MtBE contamination in the
Mr. Domenico said on
Mr. Gleason said he asked Ms. Kirn if in her opinion M= r. Bergeron was doing everything possible to cooperate with the state and to t= ake measures to ensure this type of thing didn't happen again. He said it was Ms. Kirn's op= inion that Mr. Bergeron was taking action and there was nothing further Mr. Berge= ron could do. Mr. Gleason recogni= zed that if a license were granted, the Selectmen would have the ability to rev= iew it again if the impending test results indicated anything other than improvement. He was in favor = of granting a license at this time.
Mr. Danevich provided a summary of the submitted application. He said a comple= ted application was submitted with the fees, the fire inspection was completed (including the new checklist), the Health Officer had completed his inspect= ion and made a recommendation to grant a license, the Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer had been on site, completed his inspection and made a favorable recommendation to grant a license for twelve months, Weston Solut= ions didn't perform complete evaluation, but made a comment that the situa= tion had improved. Mr. Gaydos said Weston's comment was made in January, 2005 regarding the November, 20= 04 tests. Mr. Danevich said two = of the Selectmen had requested further information from DES and Ms. Kirn had provi= ded favorable comment.
Mr. Domenico said another question that was asked of M= s. Kirn was regarding Nobis and their ability to fulfill the requirements that Weston was previously fulfilling. He said Nobis was a company that DES did frequent business with; Ms. Kirn indicated that Nobis was qualified and did work on a contract basis for DES throughout the state.
= o:p>
= o:p>
Mr. John Sergi,
Mr. Sergi said Mr. Bergeron had made changes, however = there were still on-going problems like no fence. He said the neighbors had heard wh= at the state spent (in excess of $500,000), but costs incurred by Mr. Bergeron had= not been discussed. He believed M= r. Bergeron's costs had not been discussed because of Mr. Bergeron'= ;s position as a Selectman. He f= elt Mr. Bergeron should be held accountable.&n= bsp; He reiterated that the license should not be granted for more than 90-days. Mr. Sergi said the Building Inspector's background was in building/contracting and limit= ed in what he could provide to the Board for a professional opinion regarding = the site. He used the unfinished dwelling on Mr. Bergeron's property as an example of something that c= ould be done to set a precedent for property maintenance as a representative and Selectman. Mr. Danevich asked= that the discussion maintain focus with respect to licensing.
Mr. Sergi said his purpose for testifying was to note = that the problem was ongoing and the only reason the water contamination was get= ting better was because the state provided fifty-two homes with water filtration systems. He said the state wa= s not coming out to maintain and clean the filters anymore because it cost $800.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> He said there had to be contaminat= ion in the well for the state to maintain the systems because it was too costly for the state to do so otherwise. He said the homeowners now had to maintain the systems to prevent anything from happening.
Mr. Sergi felt the situation was due to the many gallo=
ns of
gasoline and oil coming from the cars being cut up. He said Mr. Bergeron stated that t=
he gas
tanks were taken off and the gas was removed. He said there were many tanks on t=
cars that had not been removed still on the site. Mr. Sergi said he had a friend in a
similar business to Mr. Bergeron who would put the cars on a cradle, punch a
hole in the gas tank, attach a hose and drained the contents into a tank.
With regard to the cars at Mr.
Bergeron's site, Mr. Sergi didn't see any holes in the gas tank=
s on
the cars. He understood it wo=
uld be
a big project given that there were over 1500 cars. He believed there may be a rodent
problem because the cars didn't move and due to a neighbor (on Wilshire Lane) informing
him they spotted rats crossing the road.&n=
He said a fence should be maintained on the property because the cars
were visible to neighbors. Mr.
Sergi reiterated his feeling that at best, a 90-day license should be grant=
and inspections should be done by an independent company with credentials n=
by inspectors connected to the Town or that had an agenda. He wanted Mr. Bergeron to take
corrective action regarding the unfinished (tar papered) house on the parcel
that had been there for fifteen years.&nbs=
Mr. Sergi said a lot of people asked him to speak on t= heir behalf. He said Mr. Belleville resided in Town for forty years and didn't feel he was given proper respect. He wanted the Select= men to take the situation seriously. He said he wanted the following: 1) unfinished home to be completed or destroy= ed, 2) Mr. Bergeron's place= to work properly and not contaminate the water, 3) the state to conduct period= ic checks on the water in the homes with the filtration systems (with or witho= ut contamination). He reiterated= that Mr. Bergeron should be granted a 90-day license and at the end of the 90-day period should be inspected by a professional company with no agenda. He said there should be notificati= on to the abutters that a hearing was going to be held. He said if the neighbors had to ta= ke legal action against the Town, they would.= Mr. Sergi said it appeared because Mr. Bergeron was a Selectman and a Representative that the rules that applied to others, didn't apply to him. He said the political ag= enda had to stop. He hoped that the current Selectmen would take action to correct the situation.
Mr. Sergi was concerned that there may be a rodent infestation at Mr. Bergeron's site and questioned if it was being reviewed or corrected. He end= ed by saying the process needed special attention and if legal action was needed,= the neighbors were ready to do so.
Mr. Danevich informed that every April 1st licenses came up for renewal. He said abutters weren't notified regarding the Selectmen agenda items, = and there was no provision in the budget to do so. He said there were public postings= and notifications in newspapers and on public television. He then indicated that each of the= Town inspectors performed inspections within their disciplines; rodent control would fall u= nder the Health Inspector, who had to follow his guidelines for inspections. He said the most detailed inspecti= on was the 60 item checklist done by the Code Officer through the Fire Department. Mr. Danevich said= the jurisdiction was the state, an outside agency (third party with no vested interest in Pelham). He said it was good = to hear the problem was getting better and moving in the right direction, but = noted it took time. Mr. Danevich sa= id in the past, the Selectmen had been given a presentation regarding MtBE and unders= tood its implications. He noted th= at the monitoring wells were reviewed quarterly.&= nbsp; Mr. Gaydos said once the reports were completed, the state website posted the information for public review.&= nbsp;
Mr. Sergi said the reason the correction was shown to = be a benefit was because fifty-two homes had filtration systems. He didn't feel a one-year li= cense should be granted because it would take time for corrective action could ta= ke place, because the process of taking a license is lengthy. Mr. Gaydos said the monitoring wel= ls were outside the filtering system; the tests taken from the monitoring wells didn't flow through the filtering system. Mr. Sergi said water samples were = taken from his house. Mr. Gaydos sa= id water samples were taken from the houses; however, the monitoring wells bei= ng used were not filtered to see if the MtBE was flowing outside the area. He understood that the state was no longer paying for the maintenance of the systems because there was no trace= of MtBE there. Mr. Sergi said th= ey had no guarantee that it wouldn't come back until it was tested. He questioned what portion Mr. Ber= geron had spent out of the total amount spent on the problem. Mr. Gaydos said it was irrelevant = to the conversation. Mr. Sergi went = on to say the Town was looking to bring a water line up the street to correct the problem, which meant the Town would spend thousands and neighbors would spe= nd hundreds of dollars. He said = they would also be subject to changing water prices. Mr. Danevich said water lines and unfinished homes were outside the scope of the discussion. He said the process was governed b= y the Town Policy (adopted by the residents) and by the state informing what could and could not be done. He sai= d if information changed as a result of an inspection or dramatic increase in contamination, the Selectmen had the right to re-open the hearing and revoke the license.
Mr. Sergi questioned who would conduct the inspections= if a one-year license was granted. Mr. Danevich said the independent party was the state, who continued to monitor= the monitoring wells as part of the remediation program. If there was failure to comply wit= h the obligations of doing the inspections, the Selectmen had the right to reopen= the application, revoke the license and issue a cease and desist. Mr. Sergi questioned how the homeo= wners would hear what was happening. Mr. Danevich said information was available every 90-days on the state DES website.
Mr. Danevich said he saw in one of the reports that th= ere were approximately twenty properties/homeowners that declined access and de= nied the DES from coming onto the property.&nbs= p; Mr. Sergi said he had denied access to the state. He said the state contacted him an= d said they were going to remove the filtration systems because they belonged to t= he state. Mr. Danevich questione= d how the Selectmen could help him. Mr. Sergi said the only thing the neighbors felt good about was having the syst= em and people were fearful that the state, instead of doing inspections, would= pull the systems. Mr. Danevich questioned how the wells could be monitored if DES wasn't allowed access. Mr. Sergi said the pe= ople should be notified that the systems would be monitored, not taken out. Mr. Danevich said the data before = the Board was absent of the information from the residents that denied access.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> He said the information before the= Board was from several different inspectors (of different disciplines) who gave favorable recommendations and the governing agency, DES that had done, and continued to do testing were also in the affirmative to granting a license. He said in the overa= ll picture the MtBE had improved. Mr. Sergi questioned if a one-year license was granted, who would be held accountable/responsible to provide the Selectmen with reports. Mr. Danevich said DES, as they had= done, would contact the Town if an investigation was needed. Mr. Sergi felt there should be an outside agency, with no vested interest in the Town or state should conduct= the inspections.
Mr. Domenico took umbrage to the comment by Mr. Sergi =
Mr. Bergeron may be receiving special treatment because of his membership a=
s a
Selectman or State Representative. <=
fact, Mr. Domenico felt Mr. Bergeron was probably under more scrutiny becau=
of his position. He said it w=
also implied that the Selectmen weren't taking the situation
serious. He said since the la=
meeting he had spent hours on the phone with DES, reviewing environmental
documentation, speaking with Mr. Gleason and Mr. Gaydos getting all informa=
possible, reviewing court justice rulings and consent decrees. He noted a temporary license had t=
o be
contingent upon specific issues. If
Mr. Bergeron were granted a temporary license it would have to be related t=
o a
specific deficiency, and there would be a time limit for compliance with the
set of outlined deficiencies at which point the Selectmen would have to give
him a full license. Mr. Gaydo=
s also
confirmed this. Mr. Domenico =
information obtained from the DES indicated Mr. Bergeron was in compliance =
their directives; there were two independent firms that worked for the stat=
e of
Mr. Sergi asked if the Selectmen were aware that Mr.
Bergeron didn't allow one of the companies on his property. Mr. Domenico said it was reported =
to the
Selectmen at the last meeting by a member of the public. He said the Selectmen asked DES di=
about this and were informed Mr. Bergeron was within his rights to do so.
He said Mr. Bergeron had hired a f=
that was approved by the DES (and does other work for the DES of a similar
nature to Weston) to do the testing.
He said Mr. Bergeron addressed the issue and had informed the Select=
that there was an issue with an ongoing court case where the firm (Weston) =
working for both sides and he didn't feel comfortable. Mr. Domenico said the information
provided to the Selectmen indicated that Mr. Bergeron was in compliance with
both the DES and the Town regulations.&nbs=
He reiterated Mr. Bergeron was not getting special treatment but was=
additional scrutiny because of the inference that could be drawn because of=
position on the Board. Mr. Se=
said he had a better feeling about the meeting and knowing that the Selectm=
were reviewing the situation. He
felt Mr. Bergeron needed to take responsibility for the situation so it did=
come back. He also wanted the
situation policed to ensure the corrective action was taken. He felt having a fence around the
junkyard was relevant. He wan=
the Selectmen to put themselves in the resident's place.
Mr. Danevich said his resolve had not changed and went=
on to
discuss the actions he had taken to make information available. He noted that the Pennichuck water
discussion was a result of resident action and being pro-active. He said the public hearing for
Pennichuck was a long, lengthy process and wouldn't happen
overnight. He said the reside=
had no obligation to connect to a water line if it was to be run down the
road. Mr. Sergi asked who wou=
ld pay
for the water line. Mr. Danev=
said the financing could come from multiple different sources; the Selectmen
were still learning and only had initial discussions. He said the Planning Board had rec=
approved a storage tank (off
Mr. Sergi asked how to set a precedent that a building permit would expire in a year or two unless there was a hardship. Mr. Danevich said the ordinance wo= uld need to be changed, which could be done through Town Meeting. He said a petition warrant article= could also be proposed.
Mr. Gleason wanted to assure the residents of the area=
the Selectmen were concerned. He
said his primary concern was if the situation was under control and that
adequate measures were being taken to ensure that this type of thing did not
happen again. He said the sta=
assured him that was the case. The
state will test the source every 90-days to make sure contaminants
weren't going into the wells.
The information will be available on the state website. He believed the Selectmen were obl=
to grant a license, but if the 90-day testing indicated degradation in the =
the Selectmen had the right to go back and rehear/revoke the license. Mr. Sergi asked if the Board could=
walk the site every 90-days as well as the state. Mr. Gleason said if he went to the=
he wouldn't know what to look for.&n=
He didn't share Mr. Sergi's lack of confidence in the st=
he felt the state along with Nobis and Weston were more than qualified to
conduct the evaluations. Mr. =
asked why no one had asked Mr. Bergeron to provide a fence around the
property. Mr. Gleason said it=
beyond the scope of the hearing.
Mr. Danevich said the ordinance was written when the Town was more r=
and believed the Town was at a point to review the ordinance. Mr. Domenico encouraged those with
input/requests regarding the ordinance to contact the Selectmen. Some of the items the Selectmen co=
consider: 1) can/should abutters be notified as part of approval process; 2)
mandate participation on the Green Yards program; 3) bond posted for busine=
with potential to harm water supply; 4) fencing around entire perimeter; 5)
rodent profile. <=
Mr. James Russell,
Mr. James Russell,
Mr. Ray Belleville,
Mr. Belleville said he would like Mr. Bergeron to tell=
Selectmen that his junkyard was responsible for the contamination in the
Marsh Road =
area and
that he accepts all responsibility and accountability for the action
Mr. Jean-Guy Bergeron, of Jean-Guy's Used Cars &=
Parts, Inc.,
Mr. Bergeron discussed the remarks made earlier by his
neighbors. He felt he had been
cooperating with the state and noted that he followed the Best Practices in=
industry. He said since the T=
came up with an ordinance for recyclers, testing had been done. He said the state tested the filte=
rs and
only changed it if it had failed.
Mr. Bergeron didn't feel he should be granted a 90-day renewal;
the RSA indicates licenses are renewable every year. He noted that the recyclers in
Mr. Bergeron said there were things discussed that had nothing to do with an automotive recycling yard. Such as the amount of money he had spent. He said he had spent thousands of dollars and was still paying to date. He said his house was spoken about= ; he owns property and buildings in Town and paid taxes on them. He said he had a lien put against = him (in 2000 or 2001), his checking account was frozen and there was currently a judgment against him for 1.2 million dollars (which was being appealed in Supreme Court). He was not in= a position to do a lot to his house at this time.
Mr. Bergeron said fluid removal was discussed and note=
d he
would never punch a hole in a tank because some fluid may remain in the
hoses. He discussed the filtr=
systems that had been installed by the state which took out MtBE and all ty=
of other water pollutants. He=
he purchased his own systems that cost approximately $1400 each and were te=
every three months. Mr. Berge=
said it was mentioned that there were three wells that had over 13 parts per
billion and in the past there were several. He said there had been signs of
discharge in other parts of the
He said all of the Town inspectors=
performed inspections and recommended renewal. In regard to rodents, he said he s=
them once in a while, but also saw deer, turkeys, etc. in his yard.
Mr. Bergeron noted that bedrock wells were usually dee=
than monitoring wells. He was=
aware of monitoring wells being located on his property; there were seven of
them. He said one monitoring =
in particular previously read 7000 parts per billion and did so after
Mr. Bergeron said the state reviewed/checked every 90-=
and was unsure how much more it could be checked. He said he was seeking renewal of a
license and in his opinion MtBE was a separate issue. He said MtBE had been detected in =
least 1000 sites in
Mr. Bergeron said testimony was given by Mr. Russell t= hat the levels had shown up again. He said the Selectmen would be able to review the full report from DES that sh= owed the numbers from the time testing began to date. Mr. Bergeron discussed the fact th= at he previously had drains in his facility and the state told him he couldn't. He said there= was no report dealing with MtBE during the work to close the drains, which he p= aid several thousand dollars to do.
Mr. Bergeron believed the first family to know about t= he MtBE were the Gagnons. He bel= ieved Ms. Kirn went door-to-door asking people to allow the water to be tested in their homes. He said it wasn't until MtBE started showing up in several places that DES did a better job at informing people.
Mr. Bergeron said one of his neighbors wanted him (Jean-Guy's) to admit fault, however people can't see in the gr= ound and there had been reports all different ways. He said a representative from Nobis informed that a ½ drop of MtBE would show a reading. He said there were no restrictions= on who could purchase gasoline and everyone had it. He said during dismantling if anyt= hing came from the cars it was cleaned up. He said one part per billion was equivalent to one second every thir= ty two years. He was hopeful MtBE would be removed from the gasoline.
Mr. Gleason asked Mr. Bergeron if he was totally commi= tted to support the state in its efforts to clean up the site and make sure the = residents in the adjoining area had safe water. Mr. Bergeron said he had always felt that way, but could not control= the whole neighborhood. Mr. Gleas= on asked Mr. Bergeron if he was committed to assisting the state in anyway possible, to the extent of his ability, to protect the ground water. Mr. Bergeron answered yes; he was presently doing so, and would continue.&nb= sp;
Mr. Russell in reference to the 1999 report about noti= fying the neighbors said he found out from a neighbor in August of 2002 even thou= gh the first time DES went to Mr. Bergeron's property was in 1998. He said they knew there was a prob= lem and just didn't want to 'open it up'. He reiterated his feeling that Mr. Bergeron should have contacted him, especially since his pregnant wife was drinking the water. He said a= t this point the possible health affects were unknown.
Mr. Belleville said before last week's Selectmen=
he contacted Mr. Ricker and asked if he could provide readings on the
monitoring wells. He said Mr.
Ricker responded by saying Mr. Bergeron threw me off his property and
you'll have to contact Ms. Kirn.&nbs=
Mr. Belleville said he contacted Ms. Kirn who gave him the
information. He said he
hadn't heard Mr. Bergeron accept responsibility/accountability and th=
he agreed that his junkyard contaminated the
There was no additional request from the public to pro= vide input.
The Selectmen discussed the information provided to th= em by the state, Town inspectors and Town residents. The residents were asked to contac= t the Selectmen in the event they saw anything of concern, such information would= be used in conjunction with information obtained by the state and their testin= g to review the situation. It was = agreed that this was a difficult case.
Mr. Lynde arrived.
Mr. Danevich believed it was time to revisit the Town Ordinance and would discuss during a later meeting. Discussions regarding Pennichuck W= ater Works providing alternative solutions would also be discussed at a later meeting. He said if Mr. Berge= ron fell out of compliance, or the situation began to degrade, the public heari= ng would be re-opened for review. The Selectmen supported the renewal of Mr. Bergeron's license.
MOTION:<= o:p>
(Gleason/Domenico) To approve a one-year license for=
Used Cars & Parts, Inc.,
(3-0-1) The motion carri= ed. Mr. Lynde abstained because he w= as not present for the discussion.
Mr. Bergeron returned to the Board.
VFW Avenue =
of Flags
– discussed during Open Forum.
Funding Am= erican Legion Memorial Day Activities – discussed during Open Forum.=
Financial = Review
Mr. Gaydos provided the Selectmen with a financial review/update. He noted the a= reas that were running behind and said the biggest impact areas were fuel and re= pairs. In summary Mr. Gaydos felt the Tow= n was running well and that the 2004 audit was being completed; results will foll= ow shortly.
Mr. Danevich asked if there were other concerns with t= he Fire or Police Departments that may need to be addressed in the special meeting. Mr. Gaydos said the = Fire Chief indicated that the Fire Department was working within the budget, was comfortable with what he was given, and would make it work. Of course a catastrophe or an exce= ss of emergency calls was out of the Chief's control. Mr. Gaydos said the Police Chief indicated that he would work within the extra funding he had been provided with. He said he asked the Hi= ghway Department to draft a report of items for Selectmen review containing items that may be put off.
Mr. Domenico said he would like to evaluate the option= s that exist to enter into a long-term (3-year) contractual agreement for both hea= ting oil and diesel fuel. Mr. Gayd= os discussed the current process and explained that he would have to have a definite number. There was fu= rther discussion whether a contract could be entered into. Mr. Gaydos said he believed if the= re was a savings to be had it would be to partner with the school system.
Special To= wn Meeting Schedule
Mr. Danevich said at the last Selectmen meeting the Bo= ard voted in the affirmative to provide Mr. Gaydos with direction to start prep= arations for the special meeting. He s= aid in order to set the date the Selectmen had to understand the legal obligations. Mr. Gaydos said = his direction was to establish the earliest and latest possible date that a spe= cial Town Meeting could be set and still comply with the timeline for revaluation. He said after me= eting with several companies it had been established that mid-September was the absolute end. Mr. Gaydos said= using September 13, 2005 as the special Town Meeting date, he spoke with the state and worked backward to come up with the following dates: July 6, 2005 ̵= 1; Budget hearing notice; July 14, 2005 – Budget Committee would be aske= d to convene and hold session; July 27, 2005 – Deliberative Session would = be posted; August 11, 2005 – Deliberative Session would be held; Septemb= er 13, 2005 – special Town Meeting held.
Mr. Danevich understood the fee schedule would increas= e if the special meeting date was to be moved back. Mr. Gaydos understood from feedback received from revaluation companies was that the fee schedule would stay the same if a contract was signed in September, 2005. Mr. Gleason believed the proposed schedule was a 'dead end'; if the Town went beyond the proposed schedule there was a risk of the validity of the proposals. Mr. Gaydos said if the Board wante= d to move the dates back, the other dates would all need to be shifted back accordingly. Mr. Gleason was = in favor of the proposed schedule to provide adequate time to review the propo= sals of the revaluation companies.
There was further discussion regarding the schedule be= ing proposed.
(Gleason/Lynde) To adopt the proposed schedule for a Special Town Meeting as follows: July 6, 2005 – Budget hearing noti= ce; July 14, 2005 – Budget Committee would be asked to convene and hold session; July 27, 2005 – Deliberative Session would be posted; Augu= st 11, 2005 – Deliberative Session would be held; September 13, 2005 – special Town Meeting (ballot session) held.
VOTE:= p>
(5-0-0) The motion carried.
Mr. Gaydos was asked to prepare for a Special Town Mee= ting and asked to do the appropriate postings.&= nbsp;
Codificati= on Project
Deferred to the next meeting.
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT/SELECTMEN'S REPORTS= p>
Mr. Gaydos said every year the Town did a lot with the=
in connection with Off Highway Road Grants. He said the Selectmen had routinely
authorized Police Chief Evan Haglund to sign on behalf of the Town to take
advantage of these programs. =
asked the Selectmen to authorize Chief Haglund to sign on behalf of the Town
and take advantage of the grants and for the Chair to sign the document.
(Lynde/Bergeron) To authorize Police Chief Evan Hagl= und to sign on behalf of the Town and take advantage of Off Highway Road grants.
VOTE:= p>
(5-0-0) The motion carried.
Mr. Gaydos informed that the Coombs and Gendron junkya= rd applications were available for review.&nb= sp;
Mr. Gaydos said there had been questions regarding the
procedures for unsealing non-public session minutes. He reviewed the policy for un-seal=
non-public session minutes as further outlined in RSA 91-A. He said it had been brought to his
attention that the minutes for
Mr. Gleason said his assumption was that the non-public meeting minutes were not permanently sealed. Mr. Gaydos said the Selectmen rout= inely sealed minutes for an indefinite amount of time. Mr. Gleason said the fact of the m= atter was that there were personnel issues that would not be revealed because of = the jeopardy of a person's reputation and legal ramifications, but in the cases where the non-public session minutes could be un-sealed, they would be upon request (per RSA) and at the discretion of the Board. He said the Board acted under a po= licy that didn't mandate permanent sealing of minutes. Mr. Gaydos reiterated that per RSA= 91-A, if there was no longer a reason for sealing the minutes, they could be un-sealed by vote of the Selectmen.
MOTION:<= o:p>
(Gleason/Bergeron) To amend the following meeting mi= nutes to reflect the adoption of the motions to seal the non-public sessions and adjourn: January 14, 2003 non-public minutes (in accordance with RSA 91-A:3,II a, c) were sealed at 12:15am by McDevitt/Bergeron a motion was = then made to adjourn the meeting at 12:15am by McDevitt/Bergeron; January 28, = 2003 non-public minutes (in accordance with RSA 91-A:3,II,c) were sealed at 11:15pm by Lynde/Derby a motion was then made to adjourn the meeting at 11:15pm by Lynde/Derby; April 12, 2005 the non-public minutes (in accorda= nce with RSA 91-A:3,II,c,d) were sealed at 10:15pm by Bergeron/Gleason a motion was then made to adjourn t= he meeting at 10:15pm by Bergeron/Gleason.
(5-0-0) The motion carri= ed.
Mr. Gaydos informed that the long standing dispute wit= h Mr. Plumber, Inc. had been resolved and the Town's Attorney's had received a check in the amount of $6450.
Mr. Gleason said he had been busy with the revaluation preparations. He said the 2006 budget preparation had begun.
Mr. Lynde informed that the Park & Recreation Advi= sory Committee held a meeting last Monday and would provide an update at the nex= t Selectmen's meeting.
Mr. Bergeron said he attended the NRPC Economic Develo=
Forum. He noted who was in
attendance and reviewed what was discussed. He informed that the next meeting =
be held the third week in July. Mr.
Bergeron said DES had prepared a report dated April, 2005 regarding MtBE.
Mr. Domenico said he received positive feedback regard= ing the Transfer Station and was happy to hear that the staff was proactive in informing the public regarding the new CRT policy and holiday closings. He informed that the Revaluation W= ebsite URL had been forwarded to the Selectmen and comments would be appreciated.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Mr. Domenico ended by informing he reviewed all the Town requests for CIP and compiled a spread sheet and evaluated the submittals.
Mr. Danevich had no report.
(Lynde/Domenico) Request for a non-public session pe= r RSA 91-A:3,II,a (Personnel)
ROLL CALL:<= /b>
Mr. Danevich-Yes; Mr. Lynde-Yes; Mr. Bergeron-Yes; M= r. Gleason-Yes; Mr. Domenico-Yes
Mr. Danevich noted that when the Board returned, after= the non-public session, the Board would not take any other action publicly, exc= ept to possibly seal the minutes of the non-public session and to adjourn the meeting. The Board entered in= to a non-public session at approximately . Also present = was Mr. Gaydos.
The Board returned to public session at approximately = .
(Domenico/Bergeron) To seal the minutes of the non-p= ublic session indefinitely.
VOTE:= p>
(5-0-0) The motion carried.
MOTION:<= o:p>
(Domenico/Bergeron) To adjourn the meeting.
(5-0-0) The motion carri= ed.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately .
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Respe= ctfully submitted,
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Chari= ty A. L. Willis
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Recor= ding Secretary


text:
Budget and Spending:
Need for Better Accountability for Cost of Offsite Radiological Monitoring Service
EMD-77-69: Published: Sep 27, 1977. Publicly Released: Sep 27, 1977.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
(202) 512-4800
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a cost-reimbursable agreement with the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) under which EPA Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory-Las Vegas (EMSL) conducts offsite radiological monitoring of ERDA Nevada Test Site and is reimbursed by ERDA for providing those services. ERDA responsibilities under the agreement will be transferred to the Department of Energy.
EPA has been substantially overcharging ERDA for EMSL services. The exact amount of the overcharges was not determined, however, due to inadequate accountability by EMSL for costs incurred under the agreement and uncertainty about which costs should be reimbursable under the agreement. During the first 6 months of fiscal year 1977, EMSL had charged ERDA $949,900 for costs of providing agreement services, about 95 percent of which costs were labor charges. EMSL was generally not charging ERDA for the actual labor costs of the employees who were actually doing the monitoring, but rather for persons scheduled to perform the monitoring.
Recommendation for Executive Action
Status: Closed
Comments: Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
Recommendation: The existing agreement should be revised to provide for specific identification of costs or cost elements that should be reimbursed. The Acting Administrator, ERDA, should take the initiative to revise the agreement and to require that EPA fully document charges submitted for reimbursement.
Agency Affected:
Explore the full database of GAO's Open Recommendations »
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text:
POSTED: Friday, June 15, 2012 - 4:13pm
UPDATED: Friday, June 15, 2012 - 5:19pm
EL PASO- Summer is almost here... a time of fun and celebration, sometimes that means a little drinking and all too often there's driving involved.
TXDOT is bringing awareness to this summertime problem by starting a campaign that will encourage everyone not only to use alcohol responsibly, but to find a designated driver to make sure everyone gets home safe.
The program is called, P.A.S.S. or Person Appointed to Stay Sober. TXDOT is hoping that everyone will get a summer P.A.S.S. In TXDOT's own words, "It's not cool to drink and drive even in the summer heat, be safe, plan ahead and designate a P.A.S.S."
If you would like to have a demonstration with the "drunk goggles" please call TXDOT's Traffic Safety Specialist, Monica O'Kane: 915-790-4384.


text:
Our programs are offered to Mountain States Health Alliance team members and community health care providers at all levels.
Our mission is to strengthen the AHA chain of survival and expand the outreach of the American Heart Association and Mountain States Health Alliance throughout the community. To achieve this mission, we will provide quality educational programs to promote wellness and save lives; while delivering exceptional customer service built upon experience and integrity.
Mountain States Health Alliance Training Center is one of the largest in the Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia area. The instructors have a variety of backgrounds in pre-hospital and acute/critical care hospital experience.
We hope that you will participate actively in these programs and enjoy meeting our instructors. We look forward to having you in classes and working with you to meet your educational and training needs.
Please feel free to call for more information. Group rates and onsite training are available.
Regena Hall, email@example.com
MSHA AHA Program Manager


text:
Amarnath Yatra 2009
- Submitted by: Jagannatha Rao, India
- Submission Date: 18th Jul 2009
Lord Amarnathji Yatra 2009
Having got disappointed last year myself and my wife Padmaja, were a bit tentative to plan for 2009 Amarnathji Yatra. But, somehow we decided that we should try to make this year and go early. Yatra date was initially fixed as 7th June, 2009 by the Shrine Board but got postponed to 15th June via Baltal route. The other route through Pahelgam was slated for delayed opening towards end of June 2009 but not sure.
It is a good idea to go through the Pahelgam route and return via Baltal route to reduce the travel time and fatigue while maintaining the traditional route. The Pahelgam route is Pahelgam Chandanwari Pissu Top Seshnag Sangam Holy cave (26km). We can make Jammu as our base camp keeping only minimum luggage with us for the trek / horse ride.
In view of the uncertainty in opening the Pahelgam route and time constraint we decided to go through the Baltal route both ways (32 km both ways). We have started making arrangements quickly as flight tickets to be booked in advance, at least a month, to get better deals. We wanted to explore other modes of journey as well including Train journey to enjoy the diversified Indian cultural heritage. We have in fact used all modes of travel like Train, Flight, Taxi, Horse ride, Pallaki (DOLI), trek, Bus, cable car and boat rides during our week long trip.
We set out from Hyderabad at 10.30 pm on 25th June, 2009 by Dakshin Express and had a good comfortable journey. It was a cramped compartment despite being AC coach with excess luggage. But the co-passengers were good and we had a good time. The train promptly reported at H.Nizamuddin on 27th June, 2009 4.30 am and straight in to the waiting hands of our elder son Vamsi working at Delhi. It was terribly hot with the ambient temperature hovering at 36degrees even at this early morning hour. We spent few hours to relax and get refreshed. We took the kingfisher flight from Delhi to Srinagar at 11.45 hrs (delayed by one hour) and reached Srinagar by 1 pm. We tried to share the taxi with someone but could not find quickly any. As the local people hurried us to engage cab to catch up the Convoy we booked a prepaid taxi (Rs2100) from airport to Baltal (80 km), the base camp for proceeding to Amarnath. It took about three and half hour. Another economical option is to go to City Bus stand and pick a shared sumo or Bus if you have some spare time.
We failed to locate the Shrine Board registered tents at Baltal Base Camp and managed to check in to a private tent costing Rs 500 per tent per night. If you book on bed basis it is Rs 100 per bed per person per night. They provide warm bedding and blankets. It was reasonably cold but could manage with the blankets/ warm bedding provided at the Tent. Hot water is available at Rs 25 per bucket. We planned for a horse ride to Amarnath the next day, 28th June, 2009. Lots of bargaining here. We paid Rs 1200 per horse return trip. Horse ride is a bit tricky and sometimes even risky and very much straining. Trekking is also not a safe option with very bad track. Pallaki (Doli) could cost about Rs. 4000/- per return trip per person. Helicopter ride one way is Rs 3200 per person but to be booked in advance. Though we are supposed to register for the Yatra on line, no body insisted or checked for our registration document at any time.
Sun Rise here is very early and at 05 am it was quite bright. The Sun sets at around 07.45 pm. Food ( only Vegetarian) is not an issue as there are lots of Bandaras/ Langars ( community kitchens) put up by various Charitable trusts and choice food is being served, 4 times a day with lot of affection and free of charge. Apart from regular Roti, curries and rice, it includes many varieties of sweets, fast food, biscuits, chocolates, milk, tea, coffee and even dry fruits. They are being supplied all along the 16 km stretch to Amarnath. Thanks to all these noble hearts! This is true even for the Pahelgam route.
We started our journey to Amarnath around 05.15 am from Base camp on 28th June 2009 (an hour early is better) and reached Amarnath base camp at about 11 am. The stretch is very risky and the track is not properly laid. At times we have to get down and trek to avoid very steep gradients. Lots of snow around and walking is not very safe all the while. This narrow stretch is common for Horses, trekking and for those using Doli (pallaki) carried by four persons. Also this is a two way route for both going and coming. But the indomitable Hindu spirit makes many to take up the journey year after year despite all these and we could see even a few physically challenged persons, small kids, senior citizens venturing the trek.
It is about 1.5 km walk to the holy cave on the Snow after we are dropped at the Horses alighting point (base camp at Amarnath). You are bewildered by the vast and magnificent snowy mountains all around and a deep sense of utmost devotion engulfs you at once. This could be a result of the grandeur of the Great Himalayas which dwarf us by many times and the fact that you have realized your dream of making it to the Almighty.
The rush at the cave was moderate to high and took us about 3 hours to trek and have the darshan. One can use Doli to go up to the Cave if one cannot trek the 280 steps to the cave. This might become necessary for quite a few as the horse ride is not as comfortable for as long as 6 hours one way. We had a good darshan of Lord Amarnathji despite some undisciplined crowds nearer the Sanctum Sanctorum. We could even spot the legendary black pigeons within the Holy Cave. We were given a silver coin as Prasadam and were greatly pleased and filled with inexplicable joy to have accomplished our long standing desire to undertake this pilgrimage.
We started our return ride at around 2.30 pm and returned to the Baltal base camp by 7 pm in the evening on the same day. While returning People at the Bandaras on the way side offered chocolates, biscuits, fruit juices, vegetable Manchuria etc and enquired with a warm smile about our trip. We were greeted through chanting of Jai Bhole, Bham Bham Bhole and these were reverberating in the sky. We took a well deserved rest and had a oil massage to get relaxed.
We left the next day to Sonmarg by Bus, 15 km away for a days stay amidst the Great Himalayas. We stared at around 8 am and it took less than an hour to reach Sonmarg. We booked our cottage at the TRC situated near the Bus stand and were dropped at the Tourist Bungalow by a Sumo which charged us Rs 150 per drop. The tourist Bungalow is 3 km away from the town but it does not matter. This is the place to stay. It is a real Jannat (Heaven). TRC Manager at Sonmarg was very helpful. The double bedded Cottage was priced at Rs. 750 per day. We enjoyed trekking to the glacier nearby, 2 km, and were lost in the woods. We met with another couple that came from Mumbai and shared our experiences.
We engaged a Sumo to Srinagar which is 70 km away. The sumo charged four of us Rs 2300 but showed us enroute, the famous Ksheer Bhavani temple and local Mogul gardens (Chashme Shahi, Shalimar and Nishat) at Srinagar before dropping us at our Hotel booked through Youth Hostels of India. We later stayed for 3 days at Srinagar and visited many beautiful places like Gulmarg, Dal Lake, Sankaracharya temple , Sarika Temple (in old Srinagar City and supposed to be one of the 18 SAKTHI Peethas, locally the places is known as Baadam wari )etc.
We booked our Deluxe Bus ticket to Jammu (Rs 250 per seat) starting at 07.30 AM on 3rd July, 2009 through RTC as we found that on these types of Ghat roads, buses are safe and comfortable than private Cabs. It was 2 x 2 push back and was not that uncomfortable though the journey lasted over 10 hours. We could Visit the famous Raghunath temple at Jammu and could be back in time to catch our Uttar Sampark Kranti Express to Delhi. Jammu station was very much chaotic and were a bit apprehensive about our being able to board the train despite having confirmed booking. Summer Rush coupled with Amarnathji Yatra and Viashno Devi probably aggravated the situation. But Railways could do better. Even in the train the rush was heavy and unruly. There was too much of unauthorized travel.
We reached Delhi by 06 30 am on 4th July, 2009. The journey was less tiring was quite good as it covered a distance of about 600 km in about 10 hours. We stayed at Delhi for two days with our son before returning to Hyderabad. We left by the Spice jet flight at 06 am from Delhi and reached Hyderabad by 08 AM. We had earlier gone to Srinagar way back in 1983 as part of our Honey Moon. In this 8 day trip we could perform three Yatras, in a way. Theerth Yatra (pilgrimage), Prem Yatra (Honey Moon (second)) and Aatmeeya Yatra (spending some time with our Son).
Thank you Lord for what all bestowed on us!!


text:
Graduation Date...when will you be done with RN to BSN? - page 4
I know many of you are coming very close to being finished. Thought maybe we could have a roll call for those getting close and those not so close. Those getting close to the end...tell us when you started...how many classes,... Read More
- 5Apr 6, '12 by deltaroxxy2It will be nice seeing my dinner table again. It hasn't been cleared off in over a year. It will be NICE to get back into my true passion…PHOTOGRAPHY. As a graduation gift, I'm getting a much deserved upgrade on my Canon DSLR and enrolling in some photography seminars….THREE MORE WEEKS!!!!
- 0Apr 7, '12 by michelemybellStarted Sept 2011. Need all the nursing plus 7 electives (total of 18). Hope to finish by the end of 2013 because I'm not sure I can swing 2 classes at a time. I may bite the bullet on a couple. Micro and chemistry (15 weeks each) will take up 30 weeks of my life next year!!!
- 1Apr 8, '12 by linda93Quote from michelemybellJr compLinda what were the 7 electives???
intro soc
phi 130
ethics, intro to soc, art and nutrition will all be taken as intersession classes (10 day classes) online from western OK university. I had them all approved already.
- 0Apr 12, '12 by GumbyRNHi all, new here. I've been an RN (AAS) for 7 years, but decided to go back for the BSN. I'll be done at the end of June (YAY!). Actually, if I chose to take the class that they are dropping as a requirement for the next cohort of students, then I would be done in July, and graduate in August. But, since I decided to not take the class (which is a med-surg class, with clinicals! For RNs! Really?), I will graduate in late September. Confusing? Yes, I agree, but that has been my experience of the program. So, basically, it looks like this:
1. Last class ends June 25th.
2. Sit back and do nothing for the rest of summer.
3. Apply for licensure credits after Sept. 1st
4. Get degree in hot little hands hands end of Sept.
I can't wait for it to be done. I'm so sick of papers. I'm currently supposed to be working on my last paper--which is the "final exam" for Community and Public Health. I wish she had just given us a multiple choice test--something clean to finish with. But no, we have to write a paper. Typed, double spaced, 12 pt font, 4-5 pages, APA 6th edition, at least two peer reviewed nursing journal references. Hating it, but looking forward to being over with.
- 0Apr 15, '12 by michelemybellHey let me know how the nutrition class goes. I'm thinking of doing an intersession in december!
- 0Apr 15, '12 by mo2rnQuote from deltaroxxy2Congrats Deltaroxxy,you have been so helpful we will miss you!!!!It will be nice seeing my dinner table again. It hasn't been cleared off in over a year. It will be NICE to get back into my true passion…PHOTOGRAPHY. As a graduation gift, I'm getting a much deserved upgrade on my Canon DSLR and enrolling in some photography seminars….THREE MORE WEEKS!!!!
- 0Apr 15, '12 by deltaroxxy2Oh thanks…I'm all about us helping each other. This program has been smooth sailing for me since I found this group. Thankful I found it as early as I did. Can't imagine going through this program w/out all of the resources I've found in this group. And I'll definitely pop in from time to time. But once you guys make the big switch come Fall, I doubt I'll be helpful…LOL
- 0Apr 15, '12 by deltaroxxy2Quote from michelemybellJust memorize the chapter study questions and test in the book and you'll do fine. Don't even bother doing the online quizzes that come with Cengage. A total waste of time….Hey let me know how the nutrition class goes. I'm thinking of doing an intersession in december!
- 0Apr 16, '12 by Danyelle717Hi everyone! I started the program in October 2011 and I just scheduled my last quarter for the summer. I will complete my BSN by August 11, 2012! I am so excited! I had to take all 12 nursing core classes (took 2 at a time) as well as junior english and a cultural class. I worked full time and also have a family. It is possible, just keep your mind set to your goals Good luck everyone!