text:
- Casen Askew
- Texas City, TX
- United States
This conversation is closed.
What advice would you give a younger you?
Consider, for a second, your life. Consider all of the life lessons you've learned and the experiences you've undergone during your brief existence here. Consider the trials and tribulations you've faced and the lessons you've learned "the hard way." If you could write a letter to you, at any point in your life, and give yourself as much advice as you saw fit, what would you say? Would you remind yourself that life goes on? Would you promise that things always get better no matter how terrible they might seem? Would you take the philosophy of Frank Sinatra and explain to your younger self that "That's Life"? Would you plead with yourself to turn to God sooner? Would you warn yourself to stay away from soda, salt, and red meat?
Of course, this arouses the argument of "I like my life the way it is now, and everything that happened happened for a reason thus I would not change anything." If that is your stance, then I pose another question: What advice would you give to a younger being? Age, culture, ethnic background, and special circumstances are arbitrary, irrelevant, and up to you.
This is your chance, here and now, to give any and all of the advice you've found so essential to happiness and well being, to a youth that might sincerely need it.
P.S. I created a duplicate post of this question to allow those who have not found this page yet to continue to engage in an exercise that leads them to inspire others, motivate themselves, and allow those who really need your advice to easily receive it.
To answer this question after the expiration date go to:
Astra Singh
Jul 23 2012: Dear Casen,
- +11
Thank you for posting this question. It challenges to seek deep within for an answer. There are already so many great answers in this thread you could compile them in a book. Lots of wisdom in this TED community. TED where were you in my teens!!! :)
Although I'm with Mark Meijer on 'no regrets about my life whatsoever' here is mine:
"Hi sweetie, You're here to have an amazing life. Make gratitude the center of your life. However difficult it may be to understand the 'why' at times, learn (as soon as possible) the value of saying 'thank you' for everything and everybody that comes your way and 'I'm sorry' when you've done wrong, even if unintentionally. Your life will then not only be amazing…it will be awesome :)"
Warm regards,
Jul 29 2012: Compiling them in a book was a thought I entertained. :p I thought it would be cool to do and sell then have all of the profits go to some nonprofit organization. The problem is that I am transitioning between high school and college so I have little to no time at all to do this. Plus I honestly wouldn't even know how to go about doing it. Also, I don't exactly know the legality of taking peoples' comments, publishing them, and selling them for a profit.
:) If any other TEDster has the time, means, and know-how to accomplish this and possibly do with the profits what I had wished to do with them, then power to any person willing to do it!
-Casen AskewJul 3 2012: Defend yourself against those bullies, but use your logic, not your anger. You are different, but not less. This is all temporary and you will rise above it all someday. Now go, and don't be afraid to make mistakes, but cherish everyone you meet because they will shape who you are, even if their intentions are negative.
Jul 4 2012: Love your comment! :DJul 8 2012: One of my favorite comments thus far. :)Jul 20 2012: It's not the older me that should give the advice to the younger me, but the other way round.
I realized that me aged 19 was a much better personality than me aged 29. I guess I allowed myself to grow up, and that was a mistake!
So, the advice to the "old" me would be- remember who you were, remember who you truly are, stop being the person the society prefers, and just go back to being a corageous and adventerous 19yo for the rest of your life :)
Jul 20 2012: "You're never too old to become younger"
Mae WestJul 15 2012: Dear Robin,
Daddy was wrong about you. Daddy is not well. You are not unworthy. You are not bad. OK, don't draw on the windows with your crayons. You were 3-years-old. But, I agree, don't draw on the windows. Still, you are a good girl! Listen to Mother, not Daddy. School will not be wasted on you. Daddy has problems. You did not kill your mother. She died of breast cancer. Daddy was wrong. Daddy has problems. You are a good girl.
GET A GOOD, SOLID EDUCATION! Don't quit school. Stick with it. Get a few degrees under your belt. Most importantly, study what you love, study that one thing that you love and can take with you into the world and make a contribution to mankind. It will never feel like work if you do this.
A good education is your ticket to freedom and a secure life, at least one hopes. If you do anything in this life, make certain that you stay in school. Don't quit, don't stall - stay with it until you have reached your goals. All of them. Don't let money, relationships, partying, and/or drugs put you on a destructive path. You can partake of these silly time wasters once you've finished your education, if you're still bent on doing so. Hopefully, you will have grown up by then.
I hope and suspect that you will help your neighbors and strangers alike. Give whenever and wherever possible and be a compassionate, kind, patient person. Love, laugh, cry, sing, help, teach, listen, learn and contribute in every way possible.
Make your mark on the planet in the most positive way imaginable. FIND HAPPINESS. STAY HAPPY.
Jul 15 2012: Indubitably compelling.
Thank you for sharing, Robin.
Jul 15 2012: Thank you for thanking me, Casen!Jul 15 2012: Very good advice for a Young! I wish i'd have been told all this when i was a "Bully"!! But life teaches you in a very hard way. Thanks for sharing Robin!
Jul 15 2012: Thank you, Naeem. Very kind of you.
Vida Bee
Jul 6 2012: My advice to myself would be very very simple. "Everything is going to be okay. Just pay attention."
- +7
Tyler Scheff
Jul 18 2012: Don't change yourself at all to meet other people's needs. Be happy and proud of who you are, and the best has still yet to come. Life is too short to get upset and angry about silly things, just let it be a lesson and let it build you into a stronger man. Be happy.
- +6
Gail .
Jul 15 2012: Dear 4-year told me: Please do not believe much of what they tell you, and certainly don't take anything to heart. They don't know what you know AND THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY DON'T KNOW IT. You can't fix them, but you can remaiin unbroken and not become like them. Do not FEAR - no matter what. Do not fear the spanking or the bad grade in school and especially Mrs. L - your kindergarten Sunday School teacher.
- +6
And no matter how much trouble you MIGHT get for asking questions in school when you are told something that your inner voice says is really stupid - ask the question that your innver voice is asking you to ask. And never stop asking how one body of knowledge relates to the others.
Oh, and because I didn't learn this until I was in my 30s, you have a really high IQ. You are good at MANY things. Don't let anyone - not a parent, a teacher, or a friend, convince you that you are stupid. You're not! You are an absolutely awesome creature. So trust that inner voice, for it is me urging you on. I believe in you and love you dearly.Jul 9 2012: Don't focus so hard on achieving certain things (life goals, career goals, etc) becuase you may blind yourself from things that are a better fit for you. Keep your eyes and mind open.
Don't get down about the things that don't work out, you'll be surprised at what opportunities come about once you stop being depressed about your best laid-plans that failed.
Stay humble, the only thing you can count on in life is that everything is bound to change at one point or another.
If all the doors of opportunity are closed, break through a wall and create your own passage to opportunities.
Disconnect yourself from anyone or anything that brings you down.
It is not your job to fix other people's bad habits. Don't get sucked down a dark road trying to do that. They're perfectly capable of figuring out their own life.
Don't let negative words get to your head, you know you better than they know you. If they can't see all the great things you are, then find people that do.
Find a company that matches your personal values.
Find a company that has a company culture you will enjoy working in.
Trust your gut, it typically knows what is right or wrong before your heart and head confuses you.
Take chances when you're young- this is the time you can afford to faill or mess up.
Don't let anything or anyone take away your optimisim no matter how ridiculous or naive it seems... at least your happy.
Dont' be scared to believe in something and make things happen, even if you're going in it alone.
Don't let the hardships of life make you forget your dreams and passions.
Don't lie to yourself. Stay true and figure out a plan of action based on that.
Remember that it is a huge world out there and you can find the things you hope for. And if you don't, you have the capabilities to create it.
Rob Toth
Jul 7 2012: First off, you're gay. You've always been 'different'. You've known this since kindergarten. Embrace it in the face of what others will say. Seek out those who's company you enjoy. Play with the smart [nerdy] boys & girls. Respect you body. Don't drink so much in college. Save & invest your birthday money for a thing called, "Google". Buy low, sell high. Look for a community where you can make a Home and keep good friends close-by. Get a dog. Be nice to others along the way. Kindness is self-generating. People will like you for YOU. Don't be so afraid; cautious yes, afraid, no. Don't go thru the intersection Downtown on your way back from the furniture store in your purple Neon, take a different route. Stay in the West 112th street apartment. Learn Hungarian. LOVE freely and often. You get back what you give out. YOU create your own reality. Your father loved you.
- +6
Jul 8 2012: I've read all of these, and for some reason, yours is one of my favorites so far. I'm not sure what made it stand out, but I just felt like sharing that with you. lol
Rob Toth
Jul 8 2012: Thx, Casen.Jul 31 2012: I second Casen. I really like your comment!
- 0
Best Wishes!
Amr Salah
Jul 6 2012: - Don't rely on others too often and don't trust people too much.
- +6
- Develop a sense of inner judgment to determine what's right and what's wrong. Don't follow the rules blindly.
- Time and effort are your building blocks. Have the right plan, choose the right building materials, have the best bricks and do it right from the ground up.
- Open your eyes as wide as you can. Be as curious as you can be. Find the right answers to your questions. Seek the truth; you won't ever really know it unless you try with all your heart and mind to find it.
Rob Clark
Jul 3 2012: I'd say "Look at me, and see what you can improve"
- +6
Jul 4 2012: Touching...
Mario Denis
Jul 30 2012: Seek information, make your own experiment, draw your own conclusions.
- +5
Debra Smith
Jul 30 2012: For me it would be:Stop worrying! Pick the hardest, most interesting thing you can find and keep going!
- +2
Jul 30 2012: Yea stop worrying is a good one :)Jul 29 2012: As much as you believe you know it all and been through it all, you have. Heed the advice of your mom all she is trying to do is help. She might come across in the worse ways but its because she been through so much in her life that she doesnt know any way else to say it. Forgive your dad, even though it seems impossible to do so. Cherish the moments who have with your grandmothers, they love you so very much and need you for strength. Your friends have feelings too so watch what you say and most of all what you do. Open your heart more and don't be so hard on yourself when you succeed at everything. Continue to find God and make him first in your life. And most of all, be happy. Don't let anyone or anything depress you, with time your pain and suffering shall pass.
Edwin Tjoe
Jul 28 2012: A credit card is not the answer. Too many college students don't understand what debt is or how to be financially literate.Jul 23 2012: Focus on what you want to do from high school.. and build towards it. Also do'nt date bad boys... you cant fix them.Jul 20 2012: If you want to do something, do it. If you have an idea, show it. Don't be afraid to try new things and let yourself be swallowed into the unknown. That's where you learn more about yourself.
- +5
I wish I could tell my younger self to take control of things more. All the ideals, dreams, and visions of my future life seem altruistic and almost utopian. I would tell myself to don't stop believing in what I can achieve in the world.
Finally, know that every should be a day worth living; accomplish something and perform a task that will benefit the world in some way.Jul 15 2012: What advice would you give a younger you?
I'd go back to around 10 years of age and say.
You're instinct and vision of what the world should and could be are correct.
You're right now, and you still be right in twenty years.
Stand your ground and allow nobody to tell you, and never accept that 'its just the way things are'.
Allow nobody to shoot you down for being idealistic.
Be as idealistic as you possibly can and ignore all those that try to restrain your spirit.
Also, never allow anger to dominate your actions. And be kinder to your brothers.Jul 13 2012: At this moment I just turned 38. I am going to write myself a letter from my hopefully alive future self at 76 years old:
Dear 38,
You are two years from 40 now. You are now entering the second chapter. By 40 some people have given up on many of their personal goals and dreams. I want you to realize 38, you have only used half of the time you have been given to live, maybe even less! Sit down and think of all the things you have managed to cram into this life so far! You learned to walk, talk, ride a bike, and mathematics (kind of). You have had your first love, your second, a long endearing marriage, you have traveled the world, you have learned a second language, you have had several good career paths that have kept you mentally engaged. You have developed some long term, deep and wonderful relationships, you have pissed your parents of and you have made them proud. You have developed many interests and passions! You have been full of energy and exhausted. Stressed and fancy free. You have had good sex! You have had times in your life when you laughed so hard that you almost peed your pants! Just think 38 of all the wonderful things in life you have done in the last 38 years! Now just think of all the things you can still do in the next 38!!!!!!! Don't spend your time doubting yourself or thinking about "do I still have time to accomplish this"? Just do! Do everything you can! Everything that will make you happy! Make the world a better place, learn yet another language, meet wonderful people who will inspire you to do even more! Just go and when you are filled to the brim of things you can do, then let your life catch up to you!
Ajinkya Iyer
Jul 10 2012: It'll be difficult for a younger me to understand what I have to say to him, but here goes nothing! :)
- +5
-Nothing you do is insignificant. Learn to believe in yourself, but don't let your gifts get you arrogant.
-You will achieve more with patience. The storms in your head are meant to cause wrecks in your head, not wreck the people around you.
-You will not understand your parents, and neither will they you. But don't let that keep you from trying.
-There are people in the world, who are kind, and there are people who are not. Don't let either become your standard of how people should be.
-Be serious about life. But don't forget to have fun when you can.
-Great things in life, don't come cheap. Be willing to pay(in hard work, cash, kindness and compassion).
-Respect people. But don't let them disrespect you.
-Listen to what someone has to say, the most wasted learning resource that we waste in life, is each other.
-and most of all, don't forget to run! ;)
Jul 10 2012: "There are people in the world, who are kind, and there are people who are not. Don't let either become your standard of how people should be."
Amazing advice!
Jul 10 2012: thanks mate :)
Jul 14 2012: great advice!!! ThanksJul 14 2012: anytime! :)Jul 9 2012: Enjoy the journey. Don't be in such a hurry to "get there". Know that there is always more than one right move and more than one right time... so don't worry so much about needing to know all the answers and needing to make the right choices.
Relax more. Have more fun. Travel more. Pursue more experiences rather than things. When things don't go as planned, remember that things always turn out better than you imagined... eventually. So have a little more faith.Jul 9 2012: My advice to a younger me (or you!!)
-- Learn about and truly appreciate the diversity of thought and experience in people around you, especially the people least like you.
-- look strangers in the eye and smile
-- take risks but don't risk your life
-- share your ideas, and respect those of others even when you don't agree
-- walk
-- appreciate your body and honour it's vitality and fragility
-- seek out and nurture deep, close, meaningful friendships
-- learn constantly on every topic that interests you, even some that don't!
-- find the kernel of truth in every statement you hear
-- make no assumptions
-- if there is a good bottle of wine in your collection, drink it now and share it
-- give random gifts
-- if you are treated poorly, try to understand why the person who wronged you is in pain
-- listen more than you speak
-- value quality over quantity
-- live to your income level
-- revel in the wonder and success of your kids and partner and parents
-- love every season
-- find time to think and reflect
-- keep a journal, draw a picture
-- respect yourself, your unique talents and skills, and always use them to help better the world and the lives of others
-- use sunscreen, never smoke and protect yourself from avoidable injury
-- revel in the wonder of nature; hike it, swim it, paddle it, climb it, touch it, nurture it, protect it
Thanks for listening.....
Jul 9 2012: That's sound advice!Jul 10 2012: Great advice! Some I already implement in my everyday life, some I know I need to, and some I didn't think was of that much importance until reading it.
Thank you, Darren.
Jul 11 2012: My pleasure Casen
Wouldn't it be cool to analyze themes based on stage of life?
Like.... Would my letter now in my mid forties be the same as 20 years ago or 40 years from now (should I be fortunate enough to live to my mid eighties!!))
Cheers to you .
Jason Repovs
Jul 9 2012: I would have to provide more in the way of words of encouragement to a younger me... I love where I am now, but that doesn't mean I didn't struggle to get here.
- +5
Dear younger Jason, a couple pointers for you:
- That girl you're going to date, she won't be right for you. In fact, she'll wrong you in a lot of ways, and it's going to hurt. But it's going to teach you much about what you thought you were looking for, so stick it out.
- Be nicer to your brother. Family is so important growing up, and it doesn't get any less important as time goes by, so take every second you have and cherish it.
- In your endless pursuit of excellence, don't forget to take time to stop and take in your surroundings. The point of the journey is not to arrive.
- You will have good managers and bad. The bad ones have as much to teach you as the good ones... they're just different lessons. Pay attention, and take it as a development opportunity.
- These are nowhere near the best years of your life. Not even close. Life just keeps getting better. When one good thing ends, another is just around the corner, so waste no time being sad for what's gone.
- Respect the rules your parents set for you. They have poured so much time, energy, money, and love into raising you that it's the very least you owe them. You will never make up this debt, except by being the best you can be so that your parents have stories to tell of how proud they are of you. Those stories are why people have children, and you have no right to deprive them of that joy.
That's it for now... this was a really interesting exercise. I'm grateful I stumbled upon this thread!
Jul 9 2012: Wow Jason, that was moving! I applaud your openness and willing to put something somewhat personal out there for us all to read. Beautiful!Jul 10 2012: Melissa is right. Thanks for sharing, Jason!
Jason Repovs
Jul 10 2012: Thank you both for the kind words! I know that some of what I said was specific to me, but I say it with the hope that it will encourage others to do the same... to think of the specific experiences they've had, and dwell on what it meant to their personal development. It was a powerful moment for me that set a positive tone for my entire day!Jul 10 2012: And thank you Casen for starting this conversation! I suspect you are wise beyond your years. You may never be fully aware of the positive ripples your question created. Stay curious.Jul 7 2012: If I could go back I would say:
- +1
• " Love God, but take a step back from the church and see the world." There are so many beautiful things around you that you are going to miss, trying to place life in categories of Right and Wrong.
• Experience everything, be present in every moment in every situation you find yourself involved in, you're going to want these memories.
• Get outside of your comfort zone. Ask more questions, not merely just to know answers, but to share in experiences.
• Find a way to see the world. Explore the world outside of your culture. There is so much more to be known.
• Go to Princeton, Forget Rutgers, go somewhere where your mind can be pushed and expanded.
• Take Latin, you'll be glad you did.
• Believe when they constantly tell you that you are greater than this moment, when they tell you that you have a gift, own it.
• Listen to people. They will always have stories to tell, there is always a journey. Listen to the lessons they share.
• Give up trying. You will never fit into the world the way you thought you would. Perfect you as you because they people that are drawn to you are the ones you want anyway.
• Only take a few people into your heart as charities, knowing they will never give back what you give. You will be tempted to love everyone unconditionally. You will be tempted to give and give without getting much in return. And because you believe this, you will give until you are empty. Though, it is a noble jester, it will break you at some point, because you will find yourself surrounded, even in your intercircle with people who will drain but not always give. You must learn balance.
• Never hold on tightly to someone who wants to go. Though letting go is hard, the pain of struggling to hold on is crippling. It will do lifetime damage. Allow people to come and go with the seasons. Appreciate what they can teach you and then move on.Jul 7 2012: The Beatles had it right, "all you need is love..." Do what you love, surround yourself with those you love, keep only the things you love, take care of what you love. And most importantly, the type of love found in fairy tales really does exist - wait for it and never settle for anyone or anything less...
Jul 9 2012: Loved it. On that note ... I'm stealing it and posting it on my FB page for others to benefit from your Beatle inspired wit. :) ... don't worry, I'll give you credit. ;). Ciao bella.Jul 7 2012: I would not write a full letter to my younger self, a text message would be enough, as my advice is just one word : "DARE"
Melvin Roest
Jul 6 2012: What I would tell myself is (18 years, now 23):
- +5
If you don't listen to anything, listen to this: learn how to meditate. A lot of scientific studies have been done already and a lot of them will come and confirm that it will reduce your worrying and sleep behavior. Read up on it. You will become more happy, it's crazy but true. The same thing applies to running and cycling.
Some advice on being social:
If you feel like a social outcast, know that it is possible to become anyone you want. If you feel like a popular hipster, it is still possible to become anyone you want ;-)
Some advice about girls:
A lot more people are secretely a bit attracted to each other than you assume. You can see this via their eyes, how they smile, their heartbeat and in general if they enjoy talking to you (most situations). If you feel insanely attracted to a girl for no particular reason, she likes you, you're picking up the signal unconsciously.
Some advice about school:
If you put your mind to it school is way more easy than you think, in fact you can do two or more years in one. If you want to do this at high school, talk to the director of your school. University is more fun and easy by the way than your curriculum right now.
Some advice about friends:
Even the relationships with your best friends will change over time, most of the time it's subtle. Know that relationships are not static.
Some advice about your current mindset:
It's good that you have a philosophical mindset and question a lot of things. However, when you're in a conversation, question yourself this: are you seeking for truth at this moment? Or do you want to strenghten the relationship with the one your talking with? If your answer is the latter, then don't be so overly specific/truth seeking. I love your openess!! :)
Some advice about opinions:
Some people will say that you're weird and dissapprove of you, but companies will pay you for it. You even get friends because of your 'weirdness' / 'creativity' ;-)
Juniper Blue
Aug 1 2012: Hey Younger Me,
- +4
Try to not take this whole "life" thing so seriously. You are "good enough" .. just as you are. You have a good heart and you will always try your best. (In fact, it is your nature to try too hard!!) Focus less on how to do things the "right" way and follow your heart .. it will lead you .. even to your BLISS .. and yes .. it is okay to feel BLISS ... In fact, you are here to feel some bliss.
You don't have to be miserable to show that you care about the suffering around you. Think about it .. how can your misery do anything to heal anyone or anything on this planet?? Might it not even contribute to the suffering around you?
This may be hard for you to believe because you are so young and life has been very hard thus far, but happiness is a part of this human expereince. Believe me ... there will be enough pain in your future (and you have survived enough already) ... So please do not deny yourself the pleasure that you find.
And remember ... all that love that you are pouring into others is only going to last if you share it generously with yourself. That "smell the roses" philposophy is really a good fit for you .
So .. it's okay ... take your time kid ... smell the roses and know that you too are a part of this beautiful garden. Just be YOU. Tend the garden .. care for youself .. you will bloom... you are blossoming already.
And one more thing ... You know all that "life goes fast" talk that older folks are always muttering about?? Well .. it is true ... so very true.
Start loving yourself now. UNCONDITIONALLY.
I wish you love, happiness, gentleness that the knowing that you are WORTHY of these good things.
Much love to you Younger Me,
Juniper Blue
Sue Ryan
Jul 29 2012: Draw that moral and ethical line in the sand...and then do the very best you can to honor it.
- +4
Be the best human being you can be.
Observe, listen carefully and walk that mile in the shoes of others before you speak.
Be honest without being hurtful.
Be fair without splitting the baby.
Be respectful to all people and in all things be humble.
Seek knowledge in all the disciplines you can and never stop learning.
Love unconditionally.
You won't always be successful, but always give it your best shot.
Bryan Yap
Jul 28 2012: You are better than you think you are.
- +4
Cheri Brewer
Jul 31 2012: or...
- +1
You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
– Winnie the Pooh
Gabo Moreno
Jul 28 2012: Stop looking elsewhere for what you will find much closer to home.
- +4
Thin Ker
Jul 27 2012: I'll talk to the blossoming young man me.
- +4
Now you are a man. Now you can play according to your own rules.
When you were a child you understood yourself, the others and the world through the beliefs and behaviors of your parents and significant adults.
When you were a child, you had the experience of a child, you thought like a child and you understood like a child.
When you were a child you made most of your belief system.
My dear intelligent young man! Since the childhood when you made your belief system:
How many books and articles did you read?
How many knowledge did you gain through your senses?
How many persons did you interact with, who had different sets of beliefs than yours?
How many situations did you go through and how did you experience them according to your beliefs?
My dear! Do you accept that an intelligent, experienced, skilled, well-educated man like you lives with sets of beliefs made by a cute little child?
My dear! Examine your beliefs and decide according to all what you gathered through your life tell now, which beliefs you want to keep and which you want to change with other more developed ones.
My dear! Don't be afraid to let the dysfunctional beliefs go. Don't be afraid of losing your identity if you lost some beliefs. You are not your beliefs. You were not born with these beliefs. You already existed before these beliefs and you will still be there after letting them go. You are not your beliefs. You created your beliefs in the past and you may update them now and believe me, even the updated beliefs are not the final versions. In your coming days you'll know more, experience more and understand more and you will update some beliefs if you saw that a new version would be more functional in the here and now.
My dear young man! You make your beliefs and your beliefs make your life.Jul 23 2012: My dearest,
I am writing you this letter, regarding your future life.
First, you have to know that life is hard, very hard. There some unpredictable events, that are horrifying and that you can not prevent. Life is trampling over you, it doesn't ask.
But you have to know to recognize a moment, when you have to react. Grab it! Do not be afraid. Listen to your heart at all times. If somebody steps on your toes, do what you think is the most appropriate. Sometimes it is good to fight back! But, at all times try to be polite, it is the only way to succeed in your chosen field.
Be brave. Take care of your body as well your soul.
At all times, try to take care about your friends and all those close to you.
To those that disappoint you, forgive, but do not forget.
And finally, smile. Life is precious unique gift we were given by some mysterious reason.
There will be no replay!
Tony Dunne
Jul 20 2012: Never get a job, always work for yourself. Don't buy into the traditional route of study hard, go to college, get a good job and do 60 - 100 hour weeks.
- +4
Instead, take responsibility for your own income generation and focus on creating passive income. This allows you to achieve financial and time freedom, something that only a very small percentage of the worlds population achieve.
Pay good deeds forward, give more of yourself to help people wherever possible.
Never give up on the dreams you had as a kid. Instead you should always keep moving toward what you want and love the most.
Focus on what you want, not the bad news that is in our face every day.
And last but not least, know yourself, continue to learn and create and love yourself for living with integrity. :-)
Jul 22 2012: Create passive income?
Could you elaborate it more?
Jul 22 2012: Passive income is income derived from either work or investments done in the past that pay you an ongoing income but require only limited time and energy to maintain.Jul 18 2012: Don't sweat the small stuff because right now i can't even re-call what the small stuff was. Also be a little more daring and don't always be so afraid to get into a little bit of trouble, you're supposed to be immature, take advantage of it.
pradeep nax
Jul 11 2012: I am 48. I have a lot to say to the 24 year old staring back at me. But…
- +4
Its your life!; and I know already it is what one makes of it. Whatever you think you want to do, do it and persevere. Persevere and you will be successful and can be happy.
Looking for things or people to make you happy is perhaps every human's failure and this is his only real learning as he grows older. I hope you can learn this from my telling you so, and not have to wait long to know this.
Remember the lovely moments of togetherness you have with every loved one, friend and family. These moments are treasures and a source of unlimited joy when they are not around. Photographs are not memories and don't come anywhere near it.
Learn to take risks but considered ones. Learn to save.
Learning is living, Keep learning and keep growing
Be Happy for there are those who don't have the looks, the support, the love, the body, the finance that you have. Be grateful always!
Jul 14 2012: Thanks, Pradeep! wise advice...especially I liked "Looking for things or people to make you happy is perhaps every human's failure and this is his only real learning as he grows older."
Jessie Xu
Jul 11 2012: -Read more books
- +4
-Travel to more places
-talk to more people
-play more
-learn at least 2foreign languages
-challenge myself more
-care less
Andrew Rose
Jul 11 2012: Would like to add to my contribution ... I'm a "Reflector", it takes me time to really conclude and simplify what I want to say ...
- +4
Be happy, make other people happy.
This comes after reflecting on two friends who I am fortunate to have met, that have an incredible ability to make people smile and laugh. Deep down, we all just want to be at peace and be happy. If you can make people laugh ... the sky's the limit.
jerry patak
Jul 9 2012: Don't be afraid of who you are, come out of the closet, you're missing half of your life by not being able to share it with someone.Jul 8 2012: Never be afraid to challenge traditional thinking.
- +4
Jose Sanchez
Jul 7 2012: I think I would rather ask my younger self for advice. What were my dreams, have I done everything my younger self dreamed of doing, it is never too late.Jul 7 2012: The letter to me who has been through all since birth until the winning moment:
- +4
Dear myself,
You are always in my heart and will be. I know you have made mistakes, took false decisions, been arrogant and suffered a lot. But I will always be happy for only one reason. You have always trusted yourself. You have also had a good will and always wanted to find the truth. You felt sad when you saw a beggar at the corner of the street, when somebody was punished so bad. You have trusted yourself and said there has to be a better world and you went for the search of it. You said sorry to people that you thought you might have hurt them known or unknown. You did it because you care about them. I would always be thankful to you for that.
Your best decision in life was when you went for the search of truth. It was to find own potential and all that is good with your deep consciousness. I can still remember the time when you were writing 18 hours a day, 4 hours sleep and 2 hours for everything else. I can still remember it only gave you more life, energy and passion.
You cried many times because you were betrayed, abandoned, used or fired. My friend, today I have got a news for you. You are now in the moment of your life, you have found the love of your life, became your own boss, helping mankind and finally found the truth. Yes, it's only you who can bring light to the world. Thank everybody who has rejected you. You are a winner because they have been their true self and now you found yours. Enjoy and be happy forever.Jul 7 2012: I see you in the front yard of the little wartime house you grew up in close by the Detroit river. You keep walking around a large old bush planted close by the house -into the shaded secret place and then back out in the world where is it bright and exceedingly real. I want to tell you that this is good. It is practice for everything that is to come.
I visit you in your childhood room, there you are crouched over your little desk, penning your first book 'Jim, Jan and Kojan Escape from Spies'. I want to tell you that I still have that book treasured away, laminated by Aunt Kiki. Every time I look through it and I come to the page where you changed a sentence by writing it out in your wobbling hand and taping the correction over the laminated page, I want to tell you how very much I love you, for you are the beginning of what I have become. I would tell you that you began something that I am ever trying to finish off and that you began me despite the parched soil you felt around you. I am here to tell you that it was worth it.
I see you playing with some children in Mitchell Park. You are on the swings. You changed something that day. You parted your hair to the side instead of in the middle. It seems so small from where I am sitting now. A miniscule gesture. But, you knew when you did it that it was the strongest of rebellions and that later on that day at the swings, your face burning hot with shame as all of the neighborhood kids ridiculed you, that you would not budge from this decision. I wish I was able to be there with you afterwards. I would have just told you to hold tight, the eighties would be your decade and that you would leave that town without looking back. That you would find allies, gypsies, artists and freaks and that you would feel at home.
I wish you had the same ability to see me as I do to see you. I think it would have reassured you to know that it all worked out. I would thank-you for picking the road less travelled.Jul 7 2012: you don't need to look the goal , just take a first step, Life is about success from failure and you have the found the right place to start this conversation as TED is also about it. However , Look before you leap!


text:
May 4, 2007
Steve Hassenplug's FLL Robot
Steve Hassenplug has been coaching FLL teams for a long time, and always likes building an FLL robot of his own (hey, you can't expect a guy like Steve to just watch everyone else do a challenge...). Well, he's done a wonderful job of both building a Nano-challenge robot, as well as describing the how and why of the design. If you like videos of a good FLL run, take a look at this:
Steve has another video up on his webpage for FLL 2006 that I'd also recommend. But for any of you really interested in how folks think about these challenges, Steve's FLL NXTlog post, with a complete description of the robot & strategy, is really enlightening. This is a great example of a robot built to a specific goal, with a careful analysis of just what that goal is.
Brian Davis
15 comments:
- Jonathan Daudelin said...
... Wow... that is absolutely amazing! How consistent is it?
- May 5, 2007, 1:20:00 AM
- Steve said...
There are two things that are not 100%. The dirt doesn't always go down into the dirt trap, so it can lose 2 (or 4) points there. And, occasionally, it won't get three atoms off the table.
But, it very consistantly gets a score of at least 388.
- May 5, 2007, 3:29:00 AM
- David Levy said...
Steve ,
That's a great jig on the dirt trap delivery! It looks like it's attached somehow and releases when the dirt is dumped. It also looks like there are no moveable parts and that there is some sort of hook that fits around the dump lever on the way in.
I've seen a couple of other vehicles with front fender assemblies that force the vehicle to be perfectly aligned to the field model simply by crashing into it. ( question: Is the vehicle grabbing the model on the molecular motor as well ? )
Now I am very inspired to develop curriculum in this area. Last season I spent a lot of time covering jig creation for alignment from home base. Your technique and the others I've seen should make a nice addition to those lessons.
On the "individual atoms" ... You should get a bonus for knocking them clear off the table ;)
Thanks for a great video!
- David
- May 5, 2007, 4:13:00 AM
- Steve said...
Once I realized I could use the wall and the fabric tester to align the robot, it became much easier to place the dirt trap in the correct location (100% of the time)
The dirt trap attachment is NOT attached to the robot. The robot just pushes it out. Then the robot backs away and releases the lever, causing the spring-loaded dumper to activate.
- May 5, 2007, 4:35:00 AM
- David Levy said...
"spring loaded dumper"?
I thought one had to physically reach around the back of the model to pull the dumper. It's not clear from the video how it is being activated. That's way I thought the jig was attached and hooking around the dumper arm.
- May 5, 2007, 4:42:00 AM
- Steve said...
Check out the dumper pictures on NXTLog. Maybe that will explain it better.
- May 5, 2007, 5:28:00 AM
- Maniac of Mayhem said...
I looked at the program and didn't see any blocks indicating the use of sensors...
...the consistency of the robot pretty much smashed my beliefs about dead reckoning:)
- May 5, 2007, 8:08:00 AM
Thanks for setting a very bad example Steve. We're trying to get the kids not to depend on odometry and aiming. Remember?
- May 5, 2007, 2:01:00 PM
Great work Steve!
- May 5, 2007, 7:45:00 PM
- Brian Davis said...
Dean, while I agree that teaching how to use sensors etc. is very important... it may not be for the missions. If FLL really wants to students to use sensors, then the FLL challenges should force the use of such. These don't... as this example has just beautifully shown.
Take-home here? Not that sensors are worthless or dead-reckoning is the way to go. This teaches a very good lesson IMO: accomplish the task at hand with the simplest feasible approach, but no simplier.
- May 6, 2007, 10:24:00 AM
Excuse me, my tongue appears to be stuck in my cheek here. Ahhh, that's better.
Yes Brian, the challenge this year didn't do much to promote sensor use. Lots of lines, but not many in any useful places. And none of the challenges were, well, very challenging. So even a very simple robot like Steve's could score lots of points. There goes that blasted tongue in the cheek again!
But seriously, a really nice job. The stain resistant fabric solution is inspired. My team had a tough time with that one because the dirt trap and their arm for tripping the stain release threw off the robot CG and messed up odometry. They used a Y shaped guide that correced for small errors, but your wall following wedge is a superior solution. All you need to add is a chute to direct the dirt to the trap so it can't get caught up in the fabric. I was impressed and delighted when I saw a team come up with that solution. And then I saw it again at the world festival (in a video, alas I was not invited to the ball). But it does kind of defeat the purpose of testing the stain resistant fabric if you don't allow the dirt to touch the fabric.
I am suprised you don't have problems with knocking red atoms of the table. Our solutions are similar and my robot knocks a red atom off 1 in 4 tries. I kept an eye open for the Eureka solution to that mission, but have yet to see one.
- May 6, 2007, 5:22:00 PM
I read your first comment as you intended. :)
I played around with a couple ideas for the fabric tester, and when I came up with the "wedge" idea, I knew it was the way to go. If I make any changes to the robot, I will be adding a ramp, so the dirt will not make contact with the fabric, on the "Fabric Tester" mission... !?!
Unfortunately, I don't think it's possible (in the FLL format) to create a challenge that requires the use of sensors.
- May 7, 2007, 12:27:00 AM
How about a randomly placed obstacle. The City Sights challenge had a random component in which one of the bus flags you needed to raise. Many teams solved this by programming three different flag missions and chosing the correct mission at the table (sometimes using a touch sensor as a click counter). A few teams used a light sensor to find the correct flag(it was different color).
But a random obstacle would be very difficult to pre-program around because it could affect your solution to almost every mission.
Another possibility is to place a terrain obstacle between the base and one of the finesse missions. Terrain obstacles have been done in the past with bridges and snow fields. The terrain throws off odometry and you are required to establish your robot's position again. You could always do the square against the wall thing, but that would lose appeal if a conveniently placed visual marker were available.
FLL should have us coaches help design the challenge. We are used to thinking up fiendishly difficult problems for our teams to solve, and aware of the deviously clever solutions they will try. It would be so much fun if I could torment 6000 teams instead of just one.
- May 7, 2007, 1:47:00 AM
- Robolab 2.9 said...
Very amazing! Great job Steve!
Just so you know, it was No Limits that the random flag, not City Sights. We solved the problem by using the light sensor to find it.
This is my own thinking, but I think this year was out of the norm easy was because that FLL was expecting a lot of new teams because of the launch of the NXT, and they wanted it a little easier for them. I guess they forgot about us more expierenced teams.
Again, great job Steve. I look forward to seeing more from you.
Robolab 2.9
- May 7, 2007, 2:36:00 AM
- Brian Davis said...
Dean, while you remove your tongue from your cheek, I'll admit to take my very large foot out of my oversized mouth. Sorry 'bout that, I was clearly not well-enough rested to filter for irony that evening.
As to challeges that require (or at least encourage) sensor usage, I'd agree - movable or unpredictable locations, or actions, should be relatively easy to do. For instance:
1) And obstacle that is in a new location each run
2) A ball that must be dropped in the proper box, with which box should be selected determined by a giant on-the-playfield slider that is set just *after* the start of the round.
3) A sensor conditional: you can only grab the ball if the colored spot under the ball is red, not blue, or an assembly you need to set or trigger only if it is not already set or triggered (with the state either determined in some way the team can not see, or better yet by the moment-by-moment performance on the neighboring playfield.
Brian Davis
- May 7, 2007, 10:28:00 AM

subset: commoncrawl


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text: This topic came up during the chat...I'm sure this forum has came up before but might as well bring it to the forefront and see what people are thinking. Ya'll throw your dream match ups...TRY to bring ACTIVE battlers up (without Soul Khan, Dumbfoundead, and Iron Solomon) and ALSO just overall classic battlers...including Khan, Dumb, Solomon, Lux...whoever. WUDDUP!!!


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|National Hockey League
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Saturday, November 23rd (All times Eastern)
Colorado Avalanche (16-5-0) at Los Angeles Kings (15-6-2), 10:30 p.m.
(SportsNetwork.com) - The Colorado Avalanche will aim for a third straight win when they visit the Los Angeles Kings for a Western Conference battle at the Staples Center on Saturday.
The Avalanche have won two straight on the heels of an 0-3-0 stretch from Nov. 12-16. Colorado snapped its longest losing streak of the season with Tuesday's 5-1 win over visiting Chicago and then opened a brief two-game trek with Thursday's overtime decision in Phoenix.
Ryan O'Reilly's power-play tally with 41.1 seconds remaining in overtime lifted the Avalanche past the Coyotes, 4-3.
Phoenix forward Antoine Vermette gave the hosts a 3-2 edge with 5:54 remaining in regulation, but the visitors struck back with Cody McLeod's score at 16:46 of the third period to send the game to the extra session. Once there, the Avs failed to convert the final 1:32 of a charging call to Martin Hanzal, but ended the game after Keith Yandle was sent off for slashing with 1:35 to play in OT.
PA Parenteau slid a pass into the right circle, where O'Reilly beat Mike Smith to the far side.
"It would have been easy to feel sorry for ourselves when they took the lead 3-2, but I thought our guys were resilient again," said Avalanche coach Patrick Roy.
John Mitchell and Andre Benoit also tallied, with Parenteau adding two assists and Semyon Varlamov stopping 41 shots for the Avalanche.
Varlamov was in the news for an off-ice issue on Friday when he was formally charged with assault in a domestic violence incident by the Denver District Attorney. The 25-year-old was charged with one count of third-degree assault, a misdemeanor. He was arrested last month after he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend at their Denver home on Oct. 30. Varlamov was released from custody on a $5,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Denver County court on Dec. 2.
The Russian goaltender has compiled an 11-5-0 record with a 2.23 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage this season, his third with the Avalanche. It's uncertain if Varlamov or backup Jean-Sebastien Giguere will get the start on Saturday.
In injury news, Colorado has played the last two games without leading scorer Matt Duchene and he will miss another test tonight due to an oblique injury. Duchene leads Colorado in both goals (12) and points (20) this season.
Meanwhile, the Kings, who are currently playing without top goaltender Jonathan Quick, will try to get back in the win column Saturday after having a four-game streak halted with Thursday's home overtime loss against New Jersey. Jaromir Jagr scored the game-winner 2:30 into overtime to lift the Devils to a 2-1 win at Staples Center.
Justin Williams netted LA's only goal, while Ben Scrivens made just 13 saves for the Kings, who outshot New Jersey by a 35-13 margin in the loss.
"We definitely got lots of shots and lots of opportunities," Kopitar said. "We didn't bear down on them. That was the key to their success."
It was Scrivens' first loss in four starts since Quick injured his groin in a Nov. 12 overtime loss at Buffalo. Scrivens was saddled with the loss in a relief appearance in that game against the Sabres despite being credited with just one minute of playing time in OT.
Thursday's loss dropped the Kings to 8-3-1 on home ice this season. The club is completing a three-game homestand on Saturday.
Tonight's tilt marks the first of three meetings between the Avs and Kings this season. L.A. claimed two of the three encounters last season and has taken seven of 12 overall from Colorado.
The Avalanche have lost two straight and six of their last eight games in the City of Angels.


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Moderators: Jason, Toothy, Tonyblack
Del wrote:The Steam Punk Fairy is BRILLIANT chilli.... see... I told you shading was fun. It doesnt leave any scope for mistakes this wood burning though does it.
Seriously... if thats your first "attempt" at shading.... wow! Cant wait to see what else you "attempt".
Tonyblack wrote:I think that haze in the fifth picture actually adds to the composition.
I think the photos are excellent, but why do you always 'moon' us at the end?
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text:
Monday, January 20, 2014
G'bye Darlin'' - we will miss you!
14 comments:
- Unknown said...
A misunderstood woman.
- January 20, 2014 at 6:20 PM
- Baby George said...
I was wondering about different reasons that could have possibly led to her death. I feel that you have a point. A lot of jealousy from high-profile people may have accelerated her fall.
- January 20, 2014 at 8:53 PM
- LadliBegum said...
Aren't you generalizing mantrijis' wives to all live pathetic lives just because they don't toss their blonde bobs in public? There is something to be said for longevity in the public eye. You know that. You know that. You've been around. You can't reveal too much too soon. Because then you will have nothing else to reveal. Kind of the Kimi Katkars and Mamta Kulkarnis of Bollywood. Slow and steady wins the race, no?
I didn't know her at all, I am a mango person, and I am sad that she was distraught towards her end. But to paint her as some sort of victim to the netaji culture of Delhi is a stretch. Sunanda wanted it. They all wants it, Precious.
- January 20, 2014 at 10:06 PM
- Editor said...
A beautiful life that dazzled for a short while-sums up Sunanda's short but eventful life.
- January 21, 2014 at 12:00 AM
- Desi Babu said...
Dear Mrs. De,
That, is a wonderfully written obituary! And, it is truly written from the heart.
For some reason, in spite of her ebullient, effervescent nature, as you describe it, Mrs. Pushkar reminds me of Miss Havisham from "Great Expectations". I have no idea why!
Speaking of obituaries, you might like my latest post on The Peanut Express, "The three page obituary": http://peanutexpress.blogspot.in/
And yes, I agree, all of our posts seem to be getting rather morbid. But then, if you believe in Shiva, death itself, is the fire that makes life.
Desi Babu
- January 21, 2014 at 11:49 AM
- Tsomo85 said...
The bitter truth! :(
- January 21, 2014 at 1:00 PM
- Tsomo85 said...
And to talk about being judgemental; sadly I too felt almost everything what you've written here just from a collections of her images that popped up in all those articles without even knowing her. Perhaps because we all know many of Sunanda (too good to be true) kinds! :( Your descriptions are worth a read for any young girls!!!! Although she herself doesn't belong to that age but I must say not only is she but many of super duper oldies of diliwallas in Delhi Durbar have just refused to grow up! Their retirement time is near the pillow yet they still feel young & restless. I've always absorbed most of them overly take pride in being an elitism which means speaking English and having some sort of connections with foreigners and claim to be fake atheist! :( May they RIP though.
- January 21, 2014 at 1:20 PM
- Ranveer vishal said...
It's a sad end to such a beautiful soul who spoke her heart out publicly. There are so many genuine beings who are misunderstood in life. Hope Sunanda Pushkar Tharoor finds peace in her final journey. What a fitting tribute, Shobha-ji
- January 21, 2014 at 1:32 PM
- Maria Perry Mohan said...
Wonderful post and tribute. May Sunanda rest in peace.
- January 22, 2014 at 3:13 PM
- sandhya_r said...
Yes, what a tragic end indeed! This beautiful and bold woman is gone too soon. May her soul R.I.P.
- January 23, 2014 at 3:06 PM
- G Swaminathan said...
Why have we in this country become like this? A nice tribute to a different Woman.
- January 27, 2014 at 8:15 AM
- GODSPEED said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- January 28, 2014 at 4:38 PM
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- June 7, 2014 at 5:06 PM
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- July 2, 2014 at 11:19 AM


text:
Beyonce hops on the body chain trend for GQ magazine.
It seems like every single one of Taylor Swift's best friends seriously can't get enough of her.
I once spent my Friday night stalking Chrissy Teigen's mom.
You know it's a going to be a good week when Chrissy Teigen is getting naked on a Monday.


text:
WholeFoods Magazine SourceBook: The Natural Products Directory
Chicago, IL—At the 2010 Shopper Marketing Expo, held here, a marketing seminar discussed areas of interest and change in consumer behavior toward their food and beverage purchases.
News from industry food companies.
Las Vegas, NV—More than 1,200 exhibit booths (with 779 total companies) and a packed educational session drew 8,500 industry members to this year's SupplySide West tradeshow and convention, held here from October 19 to 23.
Hoboken, NJ—New research published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture indicates there may be a new application for a well-known branded extract of the French maritime pine tree bark (Pycnogenol from Natural Health Sciences, based here).
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been mighty busy lately. WholeFoods reports in this issue about their legal square-offs against companies like POM Wonderful over contentious marketing claims. The agency is also finding time to set its sights on all the "greenwashers" out there in marketing land. "Greenwashing" is a term some use to describe marketing efforts that exploit the eco-friendly trend, even when the product being marketed may not be so eco-friendly.
Washington, D.C.— Following negotiations with law firm Emord & Associates, FDA will now allow select cancer-related health claims on selenium supplement product labels. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia overruled FDA's decision to censor four qualified health claims, by finding it in violation of the First Amendment commercial speech standard.
Coral Springs, FL—The successful Tunie's Super Save Nutrition Center, based here, is under new ownership. The business, built by Al Forman over the past 17 years, is now owned by Taylor Hamilton. Friends Hamilton and Forman worked out the deal earlier this year.
News about promotions, new hires, retirements and in memoriam.
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In a bowl, combine peppers, onion and cumin. Sprinkle each tortilla with cheese, using 1/4 cup cheese on each. Divide pepper mixture among tortillas, spreading it over cheese. Roll up each tortilla and put in greased 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Cover pan with foil. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cheese melts. Remove foil. Turn oven to broil. Broil 4 inches from heat for 1 1/2 minutes a side, or until lightly browned. Cut each tortilla into 4 pieces. Serve with your favorite salsa for dipping.
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EGLIN AFB — Officials have implemented changes to local military flight procedures that will likely lessen noise on the ground.
The changes, which took effect last week, include raising minimum flight altitudes over populated areas.
Col. Don Johnson, commander of the 96th Operations Group at Eglin Air Force Base, oversaw a review of flight procedures and implementation of the changes. He said his primary concern was safety and carrying out the Air Force's mission, but added that the new policies also should help make things quieter.
"I realized I could raise the floor and make some other changes that would allow us to focus on our mission, but also generate less noise in the community," Johnson said.
The new policies raise the minimum flying altitude to 1,500 feet for jets, propeller and tiltrotor aircraft unless the aircraft's specific mission precludes that or if the aircraft is taking off or landing.
The change affects military aircraft using Eglin's air space from west of Navarre to east of Freeport. That includes flights from Hurlburt Field, Duke Field and Tyndall Air Force Base.
The minimum altitude for helicopter traffic remains at 500 feet.
Previously, there were different minimum altitudes for different sections of air space over populated areas, Johnson said.
The new standardized minimum will allow Eglin's air traffic controllers, who manage traffic from all area airports and military installations, to do their job more efficiently and safely, he said. It also makes navigating the air space less confusing for pilots.
"It's much more executable from the air crew side and the air controllers' side," Johnson said.
In addition to raising the overall minimum altitude, aircraft taking off from Eglin must fly to an even higher level before they cross back over populated areas such as Niceville, Bluewater Bay and Fort Walton Beach.
For example, if crews are conducting a mission over the Gulf of Mexico but have to take off to the north because of wind conditions, they will have to climb higher before they turn to fly south over populated areas.
"That will generate less noise concern on the ground," Johnson said.
While the new policies affect only military traffic, Eglin's air traffic controllers can direct commercial flights to follow those standards if necessary.
The policies also emphasize that aircraft should use the minimum thrust required for safe operation when flying over populated areas.
The newest version of the policies have a specific section dedicated to minimizing noise, which includes the changes as well as some requirements that already were in place to make it easy for flight crews to know what they need to do to be in compliance.
Johnson decided to review the entire air operations policy last fall to make sure it was current and relevant. It was a perfect opportunity to address noise abatement, he said.
He hopes the new policies will help build a stronger relationship between the Air Force and the local communities.
"This is good news," he said. "We are communicating our awareness of the noise, codifying noise abatement procedures and still accomplishing our mission."
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Lauren Sage Reinlie at 850-315-4443 or email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @LaurenRnwfdn.


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Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Lancaster, U.K.
Oddometer: 5
Thanks 4 Shearing your trip,Im enjoying every moment.Keep going & best of LUCK.
Joined: Aug 2010
Location: Timisoara, Romania
Oddometer: 5
Hope you're fine!
Heeeeey guuuuuys!!!!
We need more, please! We can't keep our breath that long, you know!
Everything is OK there? Just let us know if you need anything and we're there in no time!
... with some advice, at least...
Anyway, wish you all the best, ride safe, and keep feeding us, please!
Joined: Oct 2009
Location: Fleet, Hants. UK
Oddometer: 42
Great report and loving reading about your trip, keep it coming and stay safe
Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Aug 2011
Location: Ex-pat Poles in Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Oddometer: 258
OK first, loving the ride report...excellent
Wow! These photos are amazing! Btw you have a really good eye for photography .
I'm definitely in !
Studly Adventurer
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Bucharest or RTW
Oddometer: 621
Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Sep 2011
Location: Sydney, Australia
Oddometer: 122
Amazing report, looking forward to seeing more
Can I ask what body/lens you are using?
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: Sydney
Oddometer: 5,926
Studly Adventurer
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Bucharest or RTW
Oddometer: 621
We're using a 5dMKII + 24mm f/1.4L + 70-200mm f/2.8L. We sure miss a point&shoot which would have been easier to use in some cases.
An Enchanted Night In The Rainforest Changed Everything
On the 9th of October there were presidential elections scheduled in Cameroon. The dictator Paul Biya, in power for over 20 yrs, was the expected frontrunner for yet another 7 years term. On the 30th of September an opponent of the current regime fired a gun in Douala, and the police found an unexploded grenade in Limbe, at the Elecam hq. On the 13th of Octiber our Nigeria visa would expire, so on the 4th we were heading from Abuja to the Ikom border, with the intention to cross into Cameroon and avoid the capital during elections or to bushcamp next to the border.
There 3 ways into Cameroon: the good tar up in the north, through Maiduguri and the highly unstable Boko Haram territory. The overlanders' hell, the dreaded Ekok-Mamfe piste, marred by lorries and loggers' trucks and potentially hazardous during the last weeks of the rainy season. Or the ferry from Calabar to Limbe, that we could not afford.
The eastern Nigerian states are visibly more lively and prosperous. Small, colorful villages, mud brick houses with zinc roofs, fresh food markets, streetside restaurants with delicious food, plantations. People are friendly, food is cheap and we zoom by police checkpoints without being stopped.
The roads are bad though, so after Obudu we decide to crash overnight at Afi Drill Ranch. Emi and Oli, the Brits overloading in a Landie who we'd met in Lome and who are ahead of us in Gabon, told us to stop in Afi, if we had the time.
The air is moist, the forrest is soaking and we are rolling through dense high vegetation that hardly allow any sunlight in the undergrowth. The track is narrow and goes up and down for 15 km into the dark heart of the rainy forest. It rains every day, sometimes even more times a day. The tires slide easily or the sticky mushy clay, so a fall is imminent. We bite the mud two times, but we arrive in one piece, yet covered in dirt and with rivers of sweat flowing from the forehead to the boots.
We're in the deep bush. There is no GSM network, no electricity and no running water. Afi Drill Ranch is the research camp of Pandrillus, a conservation project dedicated to saving the primates and the forest of Cross River state from extinction. The camp is bordering the wildlife sanctuary established together with the state government. The project receives short teem visitors who can witness the daily work and learn about primates conservation. We are welcomed by 2 American long term volunteers, Amanda and Jens, who show us around.
Dimineata stim ce avem de facut, si dupa ce vizitam baza, plecam spre Calabar pentru a ne pune in aplicare planul.
We are completely exhausted. Soon we lay down in our tent, pitched in the bamboo shed.
The night is magical. The darkness burns the eyes and is hardly interrupted by myriad stars and immense fireflies. A choir of forrest sounds - amphibians, insects and nocturnal mammals - completely new to our ears. We let this new energy burn its imprint into our DNA.
We're having a scottish breakfast in the middle of the rainforrest
We are camping right by the main drill enclosure, next to the crocodiles and the duika, in the yard of Pandrillus HQ, which is also the home of Peter Jenkins, the founder of the project. Him and Lisa Gadsby arrive in Nigeria while overloading in Africa. They had a 10 days transit visa and a meeting with destiny. They discovered that the Cross River subspecies of drill monkey, assumed to be extinct, was still roaming the forests, and they embarked on a race to save them. More than 20 years later, Pandrillus has become one of the world's most successful conservation & captivity breeding of an endangered species projects. It is amazing that such a project exists in the impoverished West Africa and in Nigeria, of all the places. To us it was logical to volunteer our time and effort, and a privilege to be accepted. We sorted out our papers (visa and laissez passer extension) and went shopping for working gear (trousers, long sleeve shirt, shoes) from the second hand shacks in the market. By the end of the week we were already back in the midst of primary rain forest. We were not to exit this unique but dwindling wildlife sanctuary for the next four weeks.
crazy oyibo
2011-2012 Africa Full Circle 2up on 660 Tenere
2013 Central Asia, Mongolia & the BAM on 690 Enduro R + DRZ 400
KTM 690 Adventure (re)build
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mrwwwhite screwed with this post 11-27-2011 at 06:19 AM
Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Gothenburg Sweden
Oddometer: 119
All superlatives seem to be used allready here, so...subscribed
Studly Adventurer
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Bucharest or RTW
Oddometer: 621
What are Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, Afri Drill Ranch and Pandrillus?
Information provided by Pandrillus. Photos by us.
Pandrillus is a Nigerian NGO that promotes survival of one of Africa's most endangered primates, the drill monkey. The main activity is the Drill Rehabilitation & Breeding Center project (nicknamed "Drill Ranch"), conducting conservation research and survey work in Nigeria and Cameroon, where it also co-manages the Limbe Wildlife Center. The project also provides sanctuary to 28 rescued orphan chimpanzees, the older ones living in their own natural forest enclosure at Afi Drill Ranch, while the youngest live together in a chimp nursery in Calabar.
What is a Drill?
Bulli, the challenging male to the alpha in Group 6, Ochu
Drills (Mandrillus leucophaeus) are large, short-tailed rain forest monkeys, endemic to Cross River Sate, Nigeria, south-west Cameroon and Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. Drills have a smooth black face, males have wider faces with intense magenta and purple coloration in genital area and around the cheeks, and they can surpass 45 kg. They have a particularly well-formed thumb, they communicate with facial expressions, vocalizations and specialized behaviors. Unlike most monkeys, drills are semi-terrestrial, searching the ground for food (fallen fruit, roots, leaves, insects, invertebrates), climbing the trees to forage and to sleep at night. They are also semi-nomadic, traveling long distances in the forest, perhaps following fruiting seasons of different trees. Like most primates, they are highly social and live in groups of 15-30. At certain times of the year super-groups of up to 200 animals can occur in the wild, allowing individuals to leave the group they were born in and join another, thus preventing in-breeding. Unfortunately these extraordinary animals are in danger of extinction. Hunted illegally for bushmeat, with only 40,000 sq km of natural range impoverished by logging, farming and human developments, drills are a top conservation priority among the 60+ African primate species. Little is known of drill ecology, as they are elusive and not well studied in the wild. The world population if wild drills is less than 10,000 and could be as low as 3,000.
Drill Conservation
The first step is to learn exactly where drills still live and which populations have the best chance of survival. Liza and Peter completed in 1989 a survey of Nigeria and covered most of Cameroon (which has over 60% of world's drill habitat). Drills are protected from hunting in Cross River National Park in Nigeria and the Korup National Park in Cameroon. In May 2000 the Cross River State Government created the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, where wild drills, gorillas, chimps and other endangered species survive. Still, forests are difficult to secure against poachers. Former hunters are being employed as wildlife rangers, to patrol the sanctuary, in an award-winning community-based protection scheme. Recently Peter has created the first ever Task Force that is fighting illegal logging in an attempt to protect the wildlife habitat of these endangered species.
Drills are rare in captivity and they reproduce poorly in zoos, where they lose some of their native instinct and are not likely to successfully return to the wild. While conducting survey work in 1988, Peter and Liza discovered infant drill in villages, by-products of hunting of nursing mothers shot for bushmeat. They decided to salvage this potentially valuable conservation and genetic resource and to raise the primates in natural-sized social groups in their own habitat. The Pandrillus project promotes habitat protection education and awareness about the importance of endangered wildlife conservation.
What is "Drill Ranch"?
The Ranch started in 1991 with 5 drills, and by January 2009 298 drills - over 75% of captive drills in the world - were living in Afi. Most drills were donated by citizens of Cross River; some were recovered by wildlife or park officers, or police. Two monkeys were recovered from Asia, from the hands of international smugglers. The project never buys animals, because it's illegal and we must not encourage wildlife trade. Drills usually arrive as infants and, after quarantined, grow and live together in 1 of the 6 groups, in solar-powered electric enclosure of naturally forested drill habitat in the Afi River Forest Reserve, Boki LGA, Cross River State, Nigeria. The first group of drills was flown by helicopter to Afi in 1996.
The project is home to Africa's first captive drill birth and world's first ever twin birth in captivity, and has witnessed more than 200 births since its start. The nearest villages (Buanchor and Kataba) benefit greatly from the project: permanent staff is employed from there and most animal food is purchased from local farmers.
The wheelbarrows with fruits for one of the 3 daily feedings. Each will feed a group of drills, the scarcity of the food encourages the drills to continue foraging and prevents them from becoming dependent.
The Graduation
The project has been working for this pioneering event for over 5 years. If the project will be able to maintain sustainable protection of the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, the super-group of over 130 drills will be released from Enclosure 1 on Afi Mountain, in a carefully monitored program. The Graduation will be a worldwide premiere and is scheduled for 2012, during fruiting season, with various scenarios planned. The super-group is expected to split into 3 to 5 groups, and the larger males - who will potentially assume dominance within the new groups - will carry collars.
Chimpanzees in Drill Ranch
Another world record is about to be completed in Afi Ranch. The staff is working on the largest ever naturally forested enclosure for chimps, a beautiful 12 ha of primary rain forest, where the rescued chimps will be living a decent life, along members of their own species. Chimpanzees are 99% genetically identical to humans and after living in miserable captivity for years - in poorly managed zoos or as pets - they cannot re-adapt to life in the wild. The project offers home to rescued chimps, but does not encourage captive breeding. The chimps in Drill Ranch are divided in 2 heterogeneous groups, dominated by 2 alpha males: Willy and Jacob. The oldest chimpanzee is 42 years old and there is also one lowland chimp, rescued from Guinea, named Pablo.
How is Drill Ranch funded?
The project is funded by direct donation in Nigeria, the fund-raising efforts of Pandrillus Foundation in the USA and Rettet den Drill in Germany. The Cross River State Government provides monthly contribution for staff salaries and animal feeding and has donated a vehicle and funded eco-tourism infrastructure that brings in revenue. Non-national staff, including Liza and Peter, work for free, with about 40 Nigerian staff on salary. The project has a tree nursery where native species are being grown from seedlings, then sold for a modest fee to the forest department for re-planting. Pandrillus works in cooperation with the Cross River State Forestry Commission, Ministry of Environment and Tourism Bureau. Pandrillus offers a yearly grant for a green project developed by a Boki villager.
Studly Adventurer
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Bucharest or RTW
Oddometer: 621
Our Stint with Pandrillus - Part I
Day 118. We reached the 30,000 km on the clock, and the next km will be only logged while moving to our working sites or going to the next village, Buanchor, where sometimes there is GSM signal.
Working day starts at 8 a.m. with a staff briefing, there is also a 12 am - 1 pm lunch break. Crew boys - supporting personnel who perform most endurance tasks - finish work at 4 pm, the rest of us at 5 pm. We cook our own fod, dinner being sometimes served in the secondary staff shed, where we cooked and socialized, learning words in local dialects, how to use wild vines for the traditional Nigerian food (like egusi) and abusing the local staple, garri - a casava flour that we used for pancakes, tortillas and deserts.
We are deeply grateful to our colleagues, the management and in particular to Peter Jenkins, for the opportunity to work together in one of the most successful and important conservation projects in the world.
Proiect Satelit 1 & 6/ Satellite 6 & 1 works
Cutting and pre-drilling the frame pieces
A quick run to Ikom, to sort out our Laissez-Passer extension
After work we would relax in the communal area, the main shed
The view from the main shed towards the Afi Mountain it's never the same.
Satellite 6 - 2 days, individual work
We replaced rotten wood, fitted the panels with mesh, repaired broken frames, built new platforms for the quarantined drills and designed, built and fitted door stoppers for the sliding doors that connect the satellite to the enclosure and that separate the 2 compartments inside the satellite. After work we cleaned the site from debris and transported all scraps to the garbage pit and to the storage from where wood can be recovered for making fire.
On the Canopy Walkway, the second largest in Africa, suspended at over 30 meters in the trees.
Lianes are parasite plants typically found in the tropical forests
A parasite tree is slowly murdering its host
At the magic tree in Buanchor: the village GSM antena.
Kids in Buanchor
Survey Work
We completed and assessment of the entire built base, highlighting: what needs to be fixed, replaced or improved in visitor and staff cabins, sheds and animal enclosures, we tagged with red tape the fence poles that are must be changed, suggestions for an improved layout of the vet shed, tool shed and fuel shed in relation to the main staff shed and the working area. We proposed 2 washing points (water birds) with easy access from the toilets and water source (stream). One important aspect is using as many materials from site as possible and keeping the budget to a minimum.
Our second survey work was assessing the new chimp extension which is a big operation: we proposed an improved working flow taking into account manpower and materials availability and sources (gravel and sand are difficult to bring to the site because the terrain is quite irregular and even marshy). We proposed a prototype for the 7 bridges that would ensure easy access around the enclosure for maintenance staff and an ATV. We proposed solutions for terrain works in particularly delicate areas (2 marshes and one area very difficult to cross). Bridge proposal follow a few main ideas: using materials already on site, using as little concrete as possible to keep pollution to a minimum, keeping the site clean for debris, building a cheap wood strecher-like container for concrete mixing (to avoid several pits difficult to clean afterwards) and following a simple but strict work flow.
Riding the truck to Buanchor
American pancakes with garri and bananas by Jens
Shaua-Shaua, the wild pineapple. In the background is CJ.
Changing the brake disc, thanks to our invaluable friend, Harry.
Beastly Adventurer
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Behind the Redwood Curtain
Oddometer: 3,205
Those are great photos... in particular, the adult male drill is absolutely spectacular... as is the chimp.
Joined: May 2011
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Oddometer: 10
I love Your trip! Good luck and i'm waiting for another stories :)
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Oddometer: 38
You guys have done some great work at Afi Drill Ranch. As a resident of Africa I appreciate the challenges in such a venture.
Thanks for the updates and please contact me when you are in South Africa. I would like to show you around my little piece of paradise. See my website below.
Safe travels,
Studly Adventurer
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Bucharest or RTW
Oddometer: 621
Our Stint with Pandrillus - Part II
President Obasanjo
Former star president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo arrived at the ranch 10 years after his first visit. It was an intense team effort to prepare the camp for his visit and it was great fun to have him over and to get to know him. Years back in Galati or Bucharest we would have never thought that us, two ordinary Romanians, would get to know the president of Nigeria, and the most famous and powerful nevertheless.
President Olusegun Obasanjo posing with the ebony that he planted here 10 years ago. Ebony is one of the most precious essences in Africa, it's very resistant to humidity and was traditionally used for bridges in Boki region, but is now under threat of being forested into extinction.
At the chimp platform where I had build 2 new visitor benches. CJ is the star of the day, making a brilliant presentation for Obasanjo and the entourage
Obasanjo signs the guest book, while Peter Jenkis acts as the man in the shadow.
Asuko (senior drill keeper in group 1 & 6) shows Poto, who is rather unhappy to be disturbed from his usual daytime sleep
President asked us to take a photo with him, and we happily obliged. Now we are waiting for Jonathan.
Presedintele fac cunostinta cu personalul.
The strong jaw of the president next to more ranch staff: Tony (group 1 & 6), Gabriel (group 2, 3, 4), James (group 2 & 5), Rose (housekeeping), Thomas (group 5, fence maintenance)
Cleaning and maintenance of the two big and crowded chimp satellites was top priority. The faces, solids and liquids are difficult to collect and remove from site. Problems are: staff medical issues like frequent eye and skin infections, pools of dirty matter where mosquitoes quickly reproduce generating an unmanageable infested area and most of all, pollution of the nearby stream via a channel that carries all dirty waters. We proposed a septic pit: 95x155 cm, 1.60m deep, concrete walls, no bottom. We would lay gravel and then sand on the bottom of the septic, allowing the dirty matters to slowly be filtrated. The solids would by then be partially be consumed by insects and the surplus can be shoveled to the main garbage pit. The septic would be connected with a concrete gutter to the satellite, and would have a wooded pedestrian cover, making it easy to maintain and service. We would fit the septic wit an overflow: PVC slotted pipes that would direct only filtered liquids and meteoric water to the stream.
We eliminated the polluting drain system towards the stream, we closed the gutter in the satellite, we marked and dug the pit
We sent crew boys for sand and stones, which we then pounded to the desired granulation. We designed the concrete recipe.
We built and placed the forms. As we were using scraps, we struggled to level the faces.
Forms, reinforcing wire and overflow drain fitted
With my crew boys for the day: Mathew and Godwin. We prepared a semi-wet premix on the floor, then correct the consistency in the wheelbarrow, and poured with a metal basinet. We vibrated with an old iron.
Walls and washing platform done.
We dismantle the forms. The walls are not perfectly plane, but the concrete is impeccable
Godwin covers the drain with soil
We poured the connection gutter to the satellite.
Typical staff & visitors photo. From felt to right: Jens (from Oregon, volunteers for 1 year), a German visitor, Asuko (Senior drill keeper, from Calabar), Mageed (vet and manager), Ana, visitor & driver
From left to right: me, Nasseru (welder), Ana, Asuko, Celestine (driver), CJ, Mageed
Rose, Ana, Franca
Me, Peter, Ana, Godwin, Emmanuel 1, Amanda, Mathew, takam, Tony, Thomas, James, Gabriel, Robert, Emma 2
Final group photo, the departure morning.
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So we had this crazy notion to reproduce a digitally-designed Rose Magazine page using flowers and organic material — just the way the real float builders do, in large-scale, every year.
It seemed like a tangible way of translating this year's Rose Parade theme — "A Cut Above the Rest" — onto paper (or floral foam, as it were).
It was a harebrained idea, thrown out casually one day in the newsroom, but it was fueled on by unexpected community support. Co-workers in other parts of the office started hearing about it, and they offered up encouragement. Some even volunteered to take up a decorating shift or to cut flowers or to bring us coffee.
The coffee ended up being absolutely indispensable to our team. As our editor Pia Abelgas Orense put it in her editor's note: "It took days of planning, two visits to the flower district in downtown Los Angeles, 15 solid hours of cutting and gluing flowers, several iPod playlists, and moments of intense labor tempered by bouts of giddiness brought on by exhaustion."
We also learned about the glory of Styrofoam hot-wire cutters; the absurdity of trying to keep in place hundreds of tiny, round onion seeds; and that some of our colleagues could have a second career as dazzling pro florists.
And we learned still more about the blowing of deadlines — something we thought we knew plenty about after many combined years in the newspaper and magazine biz.
At the end of it all, we produced something that seemed worth celebrating; We had breathed life into a concept. There was cheering and jumping and high-fives. It was even hard to say good-bye. The shriveling remains of our once-living Rose Magazine "float" sat for days afterward in the conference room where it had been born.
The process really shocked us into a whole new level of respect for float builders and decorators, particularly the self-built teams that operate with little to no professional assistance.
What you see here is our finished product, photographed and published on Page 12 of our winter issue as part of the magazine's index. So as to be more readable, our logo and text got a little digital assistance, but this is pretty much exactly as it looked when we wrapped our own Decoration Day.