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If you've ever been in an accident, had an emergency on the beach or attended a local fundraiser, then you've probably met one of the 30 volunteers who make up the South Gulf County Volunteer Fire Department.
Joint fire chiefs Melissa Larsen and Nick Vacco take community involvement as seriously as they do fighting fires.
"Each of the previous fire chiefs had their own vision," said Larsen, an eight-year volunteer. "Our vision is 'community.'"
With two stations on Cape San Blas, one near Salinas Park and the other outside T.H. Stone St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, the department covers 50-60 miles of beach each day and utilizes a combination of beach rescue, aerial pumper, brush trucks, all-terrain vehicles and jet skis to serve the Cape, Simmons Bayou, Jones Homestead, Money Bayou and Indian Pass.
Members are able to respond to local emergencies in 3-5 minutes and are able to fight fires and perform other first response duties such as CPR.
Vacco, a three-year member, reported that 97 percent of his firefighters are FF1 certified, which calls for over 365 hours of training in firefighting, first response and equipment operation.
In addition to tackling flames, water emergencies and the occasional stingray barb, the department's members spent hours a day maintaining a presence and patrolling the beaches where they hand out flyers and give away hats and glow sticks while building a rapport with visitors to the area.
Vacco estimated that there are 1,500-1,600 visitors to the Cape each week during the summer months. That's more people than full time residents living in Port St. Joe.
"In some cases, that means 1,600 people who have never seen the water before," said Vacco.
The joint chiefs see their role in accident prevention as being just as important as responding to an accident scene.
"We try to be there for the people who are on vacation," added Larsen. "Their friends are all back at home and in the event of emergency, we can be their support group."
Lots of tourists return to the area year after year and Vacco and Larsen do their best to build relationships with the visitors, even if it's only for a few short days during the summer.
Additionally, members of the fire department are heavily involved with community efforts that include food banks, Toys for Tots, creating and distributing Easter baskets, turtle patrol, Halloween events and numerous fundraisers with the Coastal Community Association and Sacred Heart Hospital on the Gulf.
The department's biggest fundraiser, the annual Memorial Day Butt Roast is a time of food and fun that allows the department to raise funds to put back into the community.
Auxiliary members also work the event each year to help make it a success.
In firefighting, any day without fires is a good day, and the department uses any free time to escort turtles and gators across the road, watch for rip tides, answer visitor's questions and will soon launch a flag system on the Cape's beaches to alert guests to current water conditions.
Volunteers are regularly invited to visit area schools to discuss fire prevention and show students the ever-popular fire trucks.
"We go from one extreme to the other," said Vacco. "We're part of the community, and the community is our number one priority."
The chiefs keep an open-door policy at the stations and invite tourists and residents to visit if they need directions, emergency assistance or have simply lost a pet in the area, as dogs tend to make the station a temporary home while their owners are located.
Even though all members of the fire department are volunteers, it's not uncommon for Larsen and Vacco to spend 50-60 hours a week at the station.
Trucks must be maintained and washed regularly to prevent sand and salt from corroding their fleet and firefighting gear are checked regularly to ensure everything is in working order at a moment's notice.
Larsen handles all administrative duties as well which include the daunting task of ordering proper supplies.
The department shares a budget with the rest of the stations in the county, all of which are volunteer-driven, and because of limited funds, smart shopping becomes necessity.
It takes Larsen time to find the best price on needed supplies, but in the end, she's able to save hundreds of dollars on their gear.
Vacco said that to train a new firefighter, they're looking at roughly $3,000 and once the crewmember is trained across all response disciplines they will have spent nearly $10,000 on training classes and equipment for each firefighter.
The South Gulf Coast Fire Department relies on equipment donations from other departments along with donations from the private sector.
"If a paid fire department came in and looked at our equipment and saw what we had, they'd say 'Wow!'" said Vacco. "And we're operating on roughly the cost of a new car."
Spending 60 hours per week fighting fires, organizing and operating fundraisers and handling all of the paperwork is no easy feat, though Larsen revealed the department's secret to success.
"We have fun," she said. "It's a big family and I think that's pretty awesome."
Larsen first met that "family" while vacationing to the area from Gainesville. During one of her many trips, her son John was bitten by a shark while swimming off the Cape and members of the department were the first responders.
She said that her son received amazing treatment and they were treated like family.
Once they moved to Gulf County full time, her son was the first to join the department as a volunteer. In addition to her son, Larsen's husband and daughter are also members.
"It's unlike any place I've ever lived," said Larsen. "It's an unbelievable community to live in."
Vacco and his wife had visited the area numerous times over the course of seven years. His wife had always wanted to live on the beach and after making great friends with some families on the Cape, they made the jump to full time residents.
He joined the department when he saw how involved the volunteers were with the community.
"They were much more than just here to put out fires," he recalled.
Seeing Larsen and Vacco interact is similar to watching a brother and sister pick on one another, but you know that deep down, there's nothing but respect between them.
The department's fun and lighthearted attitude led the members to shoot a notorious photo calendar as a fundraiser last year. To prove that they took fighting fires infinitely more seriously than they did themselves, the calendar features volunteer members scantily clad, using perfectly-placed equipment to cover up their…well, you get the idea.
That same sense of humor got them noticed over the summer by a producer from New York City who was interested in filming the department and pitching it to television networks as a reality television show. The producer had planned to spend a day with the joint chiefs and their crew, but had so much fun that he stayed for a week and filmed a "sizzle reel" that he would pitch to several TV stations.
It's too soon to know whether or not the show will be make television history, but it won't keep the department from serving the community as they always have.
"People are calling you on their worst day," said Larsen. "They're thankful for your help and I can't think of anything more rewarding."
"If you don't like what you're doing, it shows," added Vacco. "We're all volunteers. You either like it, or you don't have to work here."
The department is always on the hunt for new blood and currently has members as young as 20 all the way up to those in their 70s. Anyone interested in joining can call or visit the station, but Vacco warned that despite the fun factor, fighting fires isn't a walk in the park.
"You can't just come in and jump into a fire," he said. "There's training—and it's hard."
Members are assigned pagers and in the event of emergency, the Gulf County Sheriff's Department sends out a call. Volunteers use their own transportation and show up if they're available or are in the area.
"We've never not had someone one show up to an emergency," said Larsen. "I can't remember ever being short-handed."
The chiefs applauded their fellow volunteer firefighters for their commitment to the role. Because the department is a not-for-profit organization, members have to pay their own expenses and they never know just what they'll see when they arrive on scene as a first responder.
"Our primary goal is firefighter safety," said Larsen. "During a fire, the job is to get people out of the house. Everything else can be replaced."
"The dedication is beyond what people could understand," said Vacco.
This year the department has had 120 calls and expects to have close to 180 by the end of the year. Of those calls, 1-2 will be structure fires, 10-12 will be wildfires and the rest will be assisting Emergency Medical Services as first responders for beach and bay rescues.
For more information, the station can be reached at 227-7338.


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School employees explain why they're sticking with MEA
MEA recently announced that despite Michigan's so-called "right-to-work" law's taking effect, 99 percent of MEA members have decided to remain with their union.
Teachers, education support professionals and higher-education employees who remain members enjoy numerous member-only advantages for their careers, for their rights, for their wallets and for public education.
MEA Voice asked members to explain why they decided to stick with their union. Here is a sample of responses:
- Julie Brill, Kentwood Public Schools: "To me, my union is my family. I will stick with them through thick and thin. I also believe that collective bargaining rights are the only way to keep education strong and solid as we move forward. Having my working conditions protected means that the learning conditions for kids are protected."
- James Van Wormer, Bedford Public Schools: "I'm from a union family. We all have to hang together or we most certainly will all hang separately."
- Jodi Woznick, Grand Rapids Public Schools: "The union came through for me in a very difficult time. They spent a lot of time with me and helped me take action. I would not have been able to get my voice heard without them, especially in this time of 'right-to-work' policies."
- Sharon DeRees, Midland Public Schools: "Generations of workers had to fight for our collective human rights in order to be treated fairly by those in power. It took almost 100 years to shape the laws and change our culture to expect reasonable working conditions in a given industry. I am not a fanatic by any means, but I am sure as hell not going to quit fighting for what is just."
- Jennifer Garcia, Ann Arbor Public Schools: "I am from a union family, and having seen peers in the workforce without a union, I know I am blessed to have these benefits. I also feel it is all of our responsibility to contribute as our union works to make our environment a safe and reasonable place to be. I will not ride on the backs of others who plan to financially support our union and reap the benefits without contributing."
- Gwen Sarya, East Jordan Public Schools: "I worked at a charter school for 13 years before coming to a regular public school last year. There's much more security being with a union than being on your own."
- Adriana Ranta, Eaton Rapids Public Schools: "I am proud to be a union member! My dues go to protecting our rights as workers and, heaven forbid, if I needed a lawyer, MEA would be there for myself and my fellow members if the need arose."

subset: commoncrawl


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The secret is out.
The GRIPS™ Secret Weapon 2.0 is the ultimate gi for comfort, long wear and high level performance. Includes COOLMAX® technology fiber inside. COOLMAX® fabric is made from recycled resources such as plastic bottles, resulting in environmental benefits.
The GRIPS™ Secret Weapon 2.0 Gi was created with the complete fighter in mind. The mixed martial artist athlete today needs maximum mobility for athletic precision and performance. That's why the GRIPS Secret Weapon 2.0 is a light, breathable gi that is still re-enforced with special attention to all aspects of the construction. Designed with triple stitching to allow for long-lasting wear, yet still provides all the necessary aspects to promote agility, speed and ultimate comfort.
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Religion Enthroned
In this window by J. & R. Lamb Studios, Religion is represented by the seated figure in the center.
The archangels on either side, Michael and Gabriel, personify the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant. Behind the Gothic canopied throne, the blues and greens of the Tree of Life make up the background. The text in French at the bottom is from the Book of Revelations: "I have sent my angels to render testimony." The subtle and brilliant colors are achieved by plating, or layering, of glass. The window also illustrates Lamb's unique method of "double-painted" flesh areas, which involved painting two plates of different types of glass with separate colors of vitreous enamel that shine through each other for a rich, lifelike effect.
The window was commissioned by the United States government for the Central U.S. Pavilion in the 1900 Exposition Universelle Internationale in Paris, where it won two medals: the first for execution, and the second for design.
- Designer: Frederick Stymetz Lamb, American, 1862 - 1928
- Maker: The J. and R. Lamb Studios
- Medium: Stained glass window
- Collections:Decorative Arts
- Museum Location: This item is on view in Decorative Arts Galleries, 4th Floor
- Accession Number: 29.1082
- Credit Line: Gift of Irving T. Bush in memory of his father and mother
- Rights Statement: Creative Commons-BY
- Caption: Frederick Stymetz Lamb (American, 1862 - 1928). Religion Enthroned. Stained glass window Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Irving T. Bush in memory of his father and mother, 29.1082. Creative Commons-BY
- Image:
- Record Completeness: Good (62%)


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The latest instalment in our monthly list of User Experience terms and definitions.
Each month, we are adding new terms to our existing glossary of Usability and UX definitions; terms we deem useful, interesting or – hopefully – a mixture of the two!
Discover new terms, learn more of the ones you thought you knew and find out interesting, little known, details.
Read the rest of this entry »


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Explored in 1774 by Capt. James Cook, the then-uninhabited island was claimed by Great Britain in the hope that the trees would provide masts for the navy. When the wood proved unsatisfactory, Norfolk was made into a prison island (1788-1855). In 1856 the prisoners were removed and some of the descendants of the Bounty mutineers were moved to Norfolk from Pitcairn Island. There are also Australians, New Zealanders, and Polynesians living on the island. Most of the people belong to the Anglican, Roman Catholic, or other Christian churches. English is the official language, but Norfolk, a mixture of 18th cent. English and ancient Tahitian, is also spoken.
Norfolk Island was annexed to Tasmania in 1844, became a dependency of New South Wales in 1896, and was transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia in 1913. Many of the old prison colony buildings have been restored and contribute to the island's main industry, tourism. Postage stamps and seeds of the Norfolk Island and Kentia palms are important exports. There are natural gas deposits south of the island.
The island is governed under the Norfolk Island Act of 1979. An administrator, appointed by the governor-general of Australia, heads the government. Members of the nine-seat Legislative Assembly are indirectly elected for three-year terms. Limited self-rule was granted to Norfolk Island in 1979.
See study by M. Hoare (1971).
Norfolk Island (Norfuk: Norfuk Ailen) is a small inhabited island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. It and two neighbouring islands form one of Australia's external territories.
The Norfolk Island pine, a symbol of the island pictured in its flag, is an evergreen tree native to the island and is quite popular in Australia, where two related species also grow.
The coastline of Norfolk Island consists, to varying degrees, of cliff faces. A downward slope exists towards Sydney Bay and Emily Bay, the site of the original colonial settlement of Kingston. There are no safe harbour facilities on Norfolk Island, with loading jetties existing at Kingston and Cascade Bay. All goods not domestically produced are brought in by ship, usually to Cascade Bay. Emily Bay, protected from the Pacific Ocean by a small coral reef, is the only safe area for recreational swimming, although surfing waves can sometimes be found in Ball Bay.
The climate is subtropical and mild, with little seasonal differentiation. The island is the eroded remnant of a basaltic volcano active around 2.3 to 3 million years ago, with inland areas now consisting mainly of rolling plains. It forms the highest point on the Norfolk Ridge, part of the submerged continent Zealandia.
The area surrounding Mt Bates is preserved as the Norfolk Island National Park. The park, covering around 10% of the land of the island, contains remnants of the forests which originally covered the island, including stands of subtropical rainforest.
The park also includes the two smaller islands to the south of Norfolk Island, Nepean Island and Phillip Island. The vegetation of Phillip Island was devastated due to the introduction during the penal era of pest animals such as pigs and rabbits, giving it a red-brown colour as viewed from Norfolk; however, pest control and remediation work by park staff has recently brought some improvement to the Phillip Island environment.
The major settlement on the Island is Burnt Pine, located predominantly along Taylor's Road, where the shopping centre, post office, liquor store, telephone exchange and community hall are located. Settlement also exists over much of the island, consisting largely of widely-separated homesteads.
Government House, the official residence of the Administrator, is located on Quality Row in what was the penal settlement of Kingston. Other government buildings, including the court, Legislative Assembly and Administration, are also located there. Kingston's role is largely a ceremonial one, however, with most of the economic impetus coming from Burnt Pine.
Norfolk Island has 174 native plants; 51 of them are endemic. At least 18 of the endemic species are rare or threatened. The Norfolk Island Palm (Rhopalostylis baueri) and the Smooth Tree-fern (Cyathea brownii), the tallest tree-fern in the world, are common in the Norfolk Island National Park but rare elsewhere on the island. 15 bird species were originally present; 6 are extinct and three species and two subspecies are highly endangered. Norfolk island has only one native mammal, Gould's wattled bat (Chalinolobus gouldii), which is very rare or may be extinct. Before European colonization, most of Norfolk Island was covered with subtropical rain forest, the canopy of which was made of Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine) in exposed areas, and the palm Rhopalostylis baueri and tree ferns Cyathea brownii and C. australia in moister protected areas. The understory was thick with lianas and ferns covered the forest floor. Only one small tract (5km²) of rainforest remains, which was declared as the Norfolk Island National Park in 1986. This forest has been infested with several introduced plants. The cliffs and steep slopes of Mt. Pitt supported a community of shrubs, herbaceous plants, and climbers. A few tracts of clifftop and seashore vegetation have been preserved. The rest of the island has been cleared for pasture and housing. Grazing and introduced weeds currently threaten the native flora, displacing it in some areas. In fact, there are more weed species than native species on Norfolk Island.
The first European known to have sighted the island was Captain James Cook, in 1774, on his second voyage to the South Pacific on HMS Resolution. He named it after the Duchess of Norfolk, wife of Edward Howard, 9th Duke of Norfolk (1685-1777). The Duchess was dead at the time of the island's sighting by Cook, but Cook had set out from England in 1772 and could not have known of her May 1773 death.
Cook went ashore on Tuesday 11 October 1774, and is said to have been impressed with the tall straight trees and New Zealand flax plants, which, like the Northern Hemisphere flax plants after which they are named, produce fibres of economic importance. He took samples back to the United Kingdom and reported on their potential uses for the Royal Navy.
Andrew Kippis as the biographer of this voyage puts it as follows:
At the time, the United Kingdom was heavily dependent on flax (Linum usitatissimum) (for sails) and hemp (Cannabis sp.) (for ropes) from the shores of the Baltic Sea ports. Any threat to their supply endangered the United Kingdom's sea power. The UK also relied on timbers from New England for mainmasts, and these were not supplied after the American War of Independence. The alternative source of Norfolk Island for these, (or in the case of flax and hemp, similar) supplies is argued by some historians, notably Geoffrey Blainey in The Tyranny of Distance, as being a major reason for the founding of the convict settlement of New South Wales by the First Fleet in 1788.
James Cook said that, "except for New Zealand, in no other island in the South Sea was wood and mast-timber so ready to hand".
John Call, member of Parliament and the Royal Society, and former chief engineer of the East India Company, stated the advantages of Norfolk Island in a proposal for colonization he put to the Home Office in August 1784: "This Island has an Advantage not common to New Caledonia, New Holland and New Zealand by not being inhabited, so that no Injury can be done by possessing it to the rest of Mankind…there seems to be nothing wanting but Inhabitants and Cultivation to make it a delicious Residence. The Climate, Soil, and Sea provide everything that can be expected from them. The Timber, Shrubs, Vegetables and Fish already found there need no Embellishment to pronounce them excellent samples; but the most invaluable of all is the Flax-plant, which grows more luxuriant than in New Zealand."
George Forster, who had been on Cook's second voyage to the Pacific and had been with him when he landed on Norfolk Island, was at the time professor of natural history at the University of Vilna (or Vilnius) in Polish Lithuania: Forster discussed the proposed Botany Bay colony in an article written in November 1786, "Neuholland, und die brittische Colonie in Botany Bay". Though unaware of the British intention to settle Norfolk Island, which was not announced until 5 December 1786, Forster referred to "the nearness of New Zealand; the excellent flax plant (Phormium) that grows so abundantly there; its incomparable shipbuilding timber", as among the advantages of the new colony.
The proposal written by James Matra under the supervision of Sir Joseph Banks for establishing a settlement in New South Wales, stated that Botany Bay was: "no further than a fortnight from New Zealand, which is covered with timber even to the water's edge. The trees are so big and tall that a single tree is enough to make a mast of a first rate man of war. New Zealand produces in addition flax, which is an object equally of utility and curiosity. Any quantity of it might be raised in the colony, as this plant grows naturally in New Zealand. It can be made to serve the various purposes of cotton, hemp and linen, and is easier manufactured than any of them. In naval affairs, it could not fail of being of the utmost consequence; a cable of ten inches (250 mm) being supposed to be of equal strength and durability to one of European hemp of eighteen inches.
In 1786 the British Government included Norfolk Island as an auxiliary settlement, as proposed by John Call, in its plan for colonization of New South Wales. The flax and ship timber of New Zealand were attractive, but these prospective advantages were balanced by the obvious impossibility of forming a settlement there in the face of undoubted opposition from the native Maori. There was no native population to oppose a settlement on Norfolk Island, which also possessed those desirable natural resources, but the island was too small of itself to sustain a colony. Hence the ultimate decision for a dual colonization along the lines proposed by Call.
The decision to settle Norfolk Island was taken under the impetus of the shock Britain had just received from the Empress Catherine of Russia. Practically all the hemp and flax required by the Royal Navy for cordage and sailcloth was imported from the Russian dominions through the ports of St. Petersburg (Kronstadt) and Riga. Comptroller of the Navy Sir Charles Middleton explained to Prime Minister Pitt in a letter of 5 September 1786: "It is for Hemp only we are dependent on Russia. Masts can be procured from Nova Scotia, and Iron in plenty from the Ores of this Country; but as it is impracticable to carry on a Naval War without Hemp, it is materially necessary to promote the growth of it in this Country and Ireland". In the summer of 1786 the Empress Catherine, in the context of tense negotiations on a renewed treaty of commerce, had emphasized her control over this vital commodity by asking the merchants who supplied it to restrict sales to English buyers: "the Empress has contrary to Custom speculated on this Commodity", complained the author of a subsequent memorandum to the Home Secretary. "It is unnecessary", said the memorandum, "to remark the Consequences which might result from a prohibition of supply from that Quarter altogether". This implicit threat to the viability of the Royal Navy became apparent in mid-September (a month after the decision had been taken to settle Botany Bay) and caused the Pitt Administration to begin an urgent search for new sources of supply, including from Norfolk Island, which was then added to the plan to colonize New South Wales.
The need for an alternative source of supply of naval stores to Russia is indicated by the information from the British Ambassador in Copenhagen, Hugh Elliott, who wrote to Foreign Secretary, Lord Carmarthen on 12 August 1788: "There is no Topick so common in the Mouths of the Russian Ministers, as to insist on the Facility with which the Empress, when Mistress of the Baltic, either by Conquest, Influence, or Alliance with the other two Northern Powers, could keep England in a State of Dependence for its Baltic Commerce and Naval Stores".
On 6 December 1786, an order-in-council was issued designating "the Eastern Coast of New South Wales, or some one or other of the Islands adjacent" as the destination for transported convicts, as required by the Transportation Act of 1784 (24 Geo.III, c.56) that authorized the sending of convicted felons to any place appointed by the King in Council. Norfolk Island was thereby brought officially within the bounds of the projected colony.
An article in The Universal Daily Register (the forerunner of The Times) of 23 December 1786 revealed the plan for a dual colonization of Norfolk Island and Botany Bay: "The ships for Botany Bay are not to leave all the convicts there; some of them are to be taken to Norfolk Island, which is about eight hundred miles East of Botany Bay, and about four hundred miles short of New Zealand".
The advantage of Britain's new colony providing an alternative source to Russia for naval supplies of flax and hemp was referred to in an article in Lloyd's Evening Post of 5 October 1787 which urged: "It is undoubtedly the interest of Great-Britain to remain neutral in the present contest between the Russians and the Turks" and observed, "Should England cease to render her services to the Empress of Russia, in a war against the Turks, there can be little of nothing to fear from her ill-will. England will speedily be enabled to draw from her colony of New South Wales, the staple of Russia, hemp and flax."
Phillip's instructions given him in April 1787 included an injunction to send a party to secure Norfolk Island "as soon as Circumstances may admit of it…. to prevent its being occupied by the Subjects of any other European Power". This could only have been a reference to the expedition then in the Pacific commanded by Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse. The Daily Universal Register of 11 November 1786 had stated: "the Botany Bay scheme is laid aside, as there is a strong presumption that a squadron from Brest are now, or soon will be, in possession of the very spot we meant to occupy in New Holland". This may have been a reference to a report from the British Ambassador in Paris, who had believed that when Lapérouse's expedition set out from Brest in August 1785 it had as one of its objectives the establishment of a settlement in New Zealand to forestall the British.
Lapérouse did attempt to visit Norfolk Island, but only to investigate, not to take possession. He had instructions to investigate any colonies the English may have established and learned of the intention to settle Botany Bay and Norfolk Island from despatches sent to him from Paris through St. Petersburg and by land across Siberia to Petropavlovsk in Kamchatka, where he received them on 26 September 1787, just four days before his departure from that port. His ships, the Boussole and Astrolabe, anchored off the northern side of the island on 13 January 1788, but at the time high seas were running that made it too dangerous for the two ships' boats that were put out to attempt a landing: "It was obvious that I would have had to wait maybe for a very long time for a moment suitable for a landing and a visit to this island was not worth this sacrifice", he recorded in his journal. Having noted that the island was still uninhabited, he was presumably the less inclined to risk a landing when there was no English settlement there to report on.
When the First Fleet arrived at Port Jackson in January 1788, Phillip ordered Lieutenant Philip Gidley King to lead a party of fifteen convicts and seven free men to take control of the island and prepare for its commercial development. They arrived on 6 March 1788.
A "Letter from an Officer of Marines at New South Wales, 16 November 1788", published in the London newspaper, The World, 15 May 1789, reported the glowing description of the island and its prospects by Philip Gidley King, but also drew attention to the fatal defect of the lack of a safe port: "The said Island lies near Port Jackson, and is nearly as large as the Isle of Wight. Lieutenant King, who was sent with a detachment of marines and some convicts, to settle there, gives the most flattering portrayal of it. The island is fully wooded. Its timber is in the opinion of everyone the most beautiful and finest in the world...they are most suitable for masts, yards, spars and such. The New Zealand flax-plant grows there in abundance. European grains and seeds also thrive wonderfully well on Norfolk Island. It only lacks a good port and suitable landing places, without which the island is of no use, but with them it would be of the greatest importance for Great Britain. How far these deficiencies can be improved by art and the hand of man, time must decide."
It was soon found that the flax was difficult to prepare for manufacturing and no one had the necessary skills. An attempt was made to bring two Māori men to teach the skills of dressing and weaving flax, but this failed when it was discovered that weaving was considered women's work and the two men had little knowledge of it. The pine timber was found to be not resilient enough for masts and this industry was also abandoned.
More convicts were sent, and the island was seen as a farm, supplying Sydney with grain and vegetables during its early years of near-starvation. However, crops often failed due to the salty wind, rats, and caterpillars. The lack of a natural safe harbour hindered communication and the transport of supplies and produce.
Manning Clark observed that "at first the convicts behaved well, but as more arrived from Sydney Cove, they renewed their wicked practices". These included an attempted overthrow of King in January 1789 by convicts described by Margaret Hazzard as "incorrigible rogues who took his 'goodwill' for weakness". While some convicts responded well to the opportunities offered to become respectable, most remained "idle and miserable wretches" according to Clark, despite the climate and their isolation from previous haunts of crime.
The impending starvation at Sydney led to a great transplantation of convicts and marines to Norfolk Island in March 1790 on HMS Sirius. This attempt to relieve the pressure on Sydney turned to disaster when Sirius was wrecked and, although there was no loss of life, some stores were destroyed, and the ship's crew was marooned for ten months. This news was met in Sydney with "unspeakable consternation". Norfolk Island was now further cut off from Sydney which, with the arrival of the Second Fleet with its cargo of sick and abused convicts, had more pressing problems with which to contend.
In spite of this the settlement grew slowly as more convicts were sent from Sydney. Many convicts chose to remain as settlers on the expiry of their sentence, and the population grew to over 1000 by 1792.
As early as 1794 King suggested its closure as a penal settlement as it was too remote and difficult for shipping, and too costly to maintain. By 1803, the Secretary of State, Lord Hobart, called for the removal of part of the Norfolk Island military establishment, settlers and convicts to Van Diemen's Land, due to its great expense and the difficulties of communication between Norfolk Island and Sydney. This was achieved more slowly than anticipated, due to reluctance of settlers to uproot themselves from the land they had struggled to tame, and compensation claims for loss of stock. It was also delayed by King's insistence on its value for providing refreshment to the whalers. The first group of 159 left in February 1805 and comprised mainly convicts and their families and military personnel, only four settlers departing. Between November 1807 and September 1808, five groups of 554 people departed. Only about 200 remained, forming a small settlement until the remnants were removed in 1813. A small party remained to slaughter stock and destroy all buildings so that there would be no inducement for anyone, especially from another European power, to visit that place.
From 15 February 1814 to 6 June 1825 the island lay abandoned.
His successor, Governor Ralph Darling, was even more severe than Brisbane, wishing that "every man should be worked in irons that the example may deter others from the commission of crime" and "to hold out [Norfolk Island] as a place of the extremest punishment short of death". Governor George Arthur, in Van Diemen's Land, likewise believed that "when prisoners are sent to Norfolk Island, they should on no account be permitted to return. Transportation thither should be considered as the ultimate limit and a punishment short only of death". Reformation of the convicts was not seen as an objective of the Norfolk Island penal settlement.
The evidence that has passed down through the years points to the creation of a "Hell in Paradise". A widespread and popular notion of the harshness of penal settlements, including Norfolk Island, has come from the novel For the Term of His Natural Life by Marcus Clarke, which appears to be based on the writings and recollections of witnesses and from the fictional writings of Price Warung.
Following a convict mutiny in 1834, Father William Ullathorne, Vicar general of Sydney, visited Norfolk Island to comfort the mutineers due for execution. He found it "the most heartrending scene that I ever witnessed". Having the duty of informing the prisoners as to who was reprieved and who was to die, he was shocked to record as "a literal fact that each man who heard his reprieve wept bitterly, and that each man who heard of his condemnation to death went down on his knees with dry eyes, and thanked God."
The 1846 report of magistrate Robert Pringle Stuart exposed the scarcity and poor quality of food, inadequacy of housing, horrors of torture and incessant flogging, insubordination of convicts, and corruption of overseers.
Bishop Robert Willson visited Norfolk Island from Van Diemen's Land on three occasions. Following his first visit in 1846 he reported to the House of Lords who, for the first time, came to realise the enormity of atrocities perpetrated under the British flag and attempted to remedy the evils. Willson returned in 1849 and found that many of the reforms had been implemented. However, rumours of resumed atrocities brought him back in 1852, and this visit resulted in a damning report, listing atrocities and blaming the system, which invested one man at this remote place with absolute power over so many people.
Only a handful of convicts left any written record and their descriptions (as quoted by Hazzard and Hughes) of living and working conditions, food and housing, and, in particular, the punishments given for seemingly trivial offences, are unremittingly horrifying, describing a settlement devoid of all human decency, under the iron rule of the tyrannical autocratic commandants.
The actions of some of the commandants, such as Morisset and particularly Price appear to be excessively harsh. All but one were military officers, brought up in a system where discipline was inhumanely severe throughout the period of transportation. In addition, the commandants relied on a large number of military guards, civil overseers, ex-convict constables, and convict informers to provide them with intelligence and carry out their orders.
Of the Commandants, only Alexander Maconochie appeared to reach the conclusion that brutality would breed defiance, as demonstrated by the mutinies of 1826, 1834 and 1846, and he attempted to apply his theories of penal reform, providing incentives as well as punishment. His methods were criticised as being too lenient and he was replaced, a move that returned the settlement to its harsh rule.
The second penal settlement began to be wound down by the British Government after 1847 and the last convicts were removed to Tasmania in May 1855. It was abandoned because transportation to Van Diemen's Land had ceased in 1853 and was replaced by penal servitude in the United Kingdom.
The Pitcairners occupied many of the buildings remaining from the penal settlements, and gradually established their traditional farming and whaling industries on the island. Although some families decided to return to Pitcairn in 1858 and 1863, the island's population continued to slowly grow as the island accepted settlers, often arriving with whaling fleets.
In 1867, the headquarters of the Melanesian Mission of the Church of England were established on the island, and in 1882 the church of St. Barnabas was erected to the memory of the Mission's head Bishop John Coleridge Patteson, with windows designed by Edward Burne-Jones and executed by William Morris. In 1920 the Mission was relocated from the island to the Solomon Islands to be closer to its target population.
After the creation of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901, Norfolk Island was placed under the authority of the new Commonwealth government to be administered as an external territory.
During World War II, the island became a key airbase and refuelling depot between Australia and New Zealand, and New Zealand and the Solomon Islands. Since Norfolk Island fell within New Zealand's area of responsibility it was garrisoned by a New Zealand Army unit known as N Force at a large Army camp which had the capacity to house a 1,500 strong force. N Force relieved a company of the Second Australian Imperial Force. The island proved too remote to come under attack during the war and N Force left the island in February 1944.
In 1979, Norfolk was granted limited self-government by Australia, under which the island elects a government that runs most of the island's affairs. As such, residents of Norfolk Island are not represented in the Commonwealth Parliament of Australia, making them the only group of residents of an Australian state or territory not represented there.
In 2006, a formal review process took place, in which the Australian Government considered revising this model of government. The review was completed on 20 December 2006, when it was decided that there would be no changes in the governance of Norfolk Island.
The Assembly consists of nine seats, with electors casting nine equal votes, of which no more than two can be given to any individual candidate. It is a method of voting called a "weighted first past the post system". Four of the members of the Assembly form the Executive Council, which devises policy and acts as an advisory body to the Administrator. The current Chief Minister of Norfolk Island is Andre Nobbs. All seats are held by independent candidates. Norfolk Island has yet to embrace party politics. In 2007 a branch of the Australian Labor Party was formed on Norfolk Island, with the aim of reforming the system of government.
The island's official capital is Kingston; it is, however, more a centre of government than a sizeable settlement.
The most important local holiday is Bounty Day, celebrated on 8 June, in memory of the arrival of the Pitcairn Islanders in 1856.
Local ordinances and acts apply on the island, where most laws are based on the Australian legal system. Australian common law applies when not covered by either Australian or Norfolk Island law. Suffrage is universal at age eighteen.
As a territory of Australia, Norfolk Island does not have diplomatic representation abroad, or within the territory, and is also not a participant in any international organisations, other than sporting organisations.
The flag is three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band.
Disagreements over the island's relationship with Australia were put in sharper relief by a 2006 review undertaken by the Australian Government. Under the more radical of two models proposed in the review, the island's legislative assembly would have been reduced to the status of a local council. However, in December 2006, citing the "significant disruption" that changes to the governance would impose on the island's economy, the Australian Government ended the review leaving the existing governance arrangements unaltered.
Australian citizens and residents from other parts of the nation do not have automatic right of residence on the island. Australian citizens must carry either a passport or a Document of Identity to travel to Norfolk Island. Citizens of all other nations must carry a passport to travel to Norfolk Island even if arriving from other parts of Australia. Holders of Australian visas who travel to Norfolk Island have departed the Australian Migration Zone. Unless they hold a multiple-entry visa, the visa will have ceased; in which case they will require another visa to re-enter mainland Australia.
Residency on Norfolk Island requires sponsorship by an existing resident of Norfolk Island or a business operating on the island. Temporary residency may also be granted to skilled workers necessary for the island's services (for example, medical, government and teaching staff).
Non-Australian citizens who are permanent residents of Norfolk Island may apply for Australian citizenship after meeting normal residence requirements and are eligible to take up residence in mainland Australia at any time through the use of a Permanent Resident of Norfolk Island visa. Children born on Norfolk Island are Australian citizens as specified by Australian nationality law.
Non-Australian citizens who are Australian permanent residents should be aware that during their stay on Norfolk Island they are "outside of Australia" for the purposes of the Migration Act. This means that not only will they need a still-valid migrant visa or Resident return visa to return from Norfolk Island to the mainland, but also the time spent in Norfolk Island won't be counted for satisfying the residence requirement for obtaining a Resident return visa in the future. On the other hand, as far as Australian nationality law is concerned, Norfolk Island is a part of Australia, and any time spent by an Australian permanent resident on Norfolk Island apparently would count as time spent in Australia for the purposes of applying for Australian citizenship.
The Patton murder prompted considerable debate, with some residents arguing that traditional loyalties would prevent a local being charged. In February 2006, however, 28-year-old New Zealand chef Glenn McNeill was arrested and charged with Patton's murder. McNeill had been working on Norfolk at the time, and claimed at hearings in Australia and on Norfolk Island that he accidentally hit Patton with his car, a statement he later retracted. His trial ended on 9 March 2007, when the 11-person jury returned a guilty verdict.
On 25 July 2007, McNeill was sentenced to a maximum 24 years in jail. Norfolk Island's Chief Justice Mark Weinberg, in a sentence handed down in a Sydney courthouse and broadcast live to Norfolk Island's court, said McNeill may be eligible for release after a minimum 18 years in prison. McNeill will serve his sentence in Australia.
The Australian Government controls the exclusive economic zone extending around Norfolk Island (370 km) and territorial sea claims to three nautical miles (6 km) from the island. The exclusive economic zone provides the islanders with fish, its only major natural resource. Norfolk Island has no direct control over any marine areas but has an agreement with the Commonwealth through the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) to fish "recreationally" in a small section of the EEZ known locally as "the Box". While there is speculation that the zone may include oil and gas deposits this is not proven.
There are no major arable lands or permanent farmlands, though about 25 per cent of the island is a permanent pasture. There is no irrigated land.
The island uses the Australian dollar as its currency.
Most Islanders are of either European-only or combined European-Tahitian ancestry, being descendants of the Bounty mutineers as well as more recent arrivals from Australia and New Zealand. About half of the islanders can trace their roots back to Pitcairn Island.
This common heritage has led to a limited number of surnames amongst the Islanders — a limit constraining enough that the island's telephone directory lists people by nickname (such as Cane Toad, Dar Bizziebee, Kik Kik, Lettuce Leaf, Mutty, Oot, Paw Paw, Snoop, Tarzan, and Wiggy).
The majority of Islanders are Protestant Christians. In 1996, 37.4% identified as Anglican, 14.5% as Uniting Church, 11.5% as Roman Catholic and 3.1% as Seventh-day Adventist.
Literacy is not recorded officially, but it can be assumed to be roughly at a par with Australia's literacy rate, as Islanders attend a school which uses a New South Wales curriculum, before traditionally moving to the mainland for further study.
Islanders speak both English and a creole language known as Norfuk, a blend of 1700s English and Tahitian. The Norfuk language is decreasing in popularity as more tourists travel to the island and more young people leave for work and study reasons; however, there are efforts to keep it alive via dictionaries and the renaming of some tourist attractions to their Norfuk equivalents. In April 2005, it was declared a co-official language of the island.
Emigration is growing as many Islanders take advantage of the close ties between Norfolk and Australia and New Zealand. The sole school on the island provides education to Australian Year 12; therefore, any student seeking to complete tertiary study must travel overseas. Additionally, the small economy of the island causes many skilled workers to emigrate as well.
There is one airport, Norfolk Island Airport.
There are of roads on the island, "little more than country lanes", but local law gives cows the right of way.
As of 2004, 2532 telephone main lines are in use, a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits. Satellite service is planned.
There is one TV station featuring local programming Norfolk TV, plus transmitters for ABC TV and Southern Cross Television.
The Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is .nf.
Islanders traditionally spend a lot of time outdoors, with fishing and other aquatic pursuits being common pastimes, an aspect which has become more noticeable as the island becomes more accessible to tourism. Most island families have at least one member involved in primary production in some form.
As all the Pitcairn settlers were related to each other, Islanders have historically been informal both to each other and to visitors. The most noticeable aspect of this is the "Norfolk Wave", with drivers waving to each other (ranging from a wave using the entire arm through to a raised index finger from the steering wheel) as they pass.
Religious observance remains an important part of life for most Islanders, particularly the older generations. Businesses tend to be closed on Mondays, for example.
One of the island's residents is the novelist Colleen McCullough, whose works include The Thorn Birds and the Masters of Rome series as well as Morgan's Run, set, in large part, on Norfolk Island.
Helen Reddy also moved to the island for a period but was denied a long term entry permit.
History of penal settlements:


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I am halfway through Sergei Lukyenko's The Last Watch, the sequel to the Watch trilogy.
Imagine my one little brain cell's delight when it comes across the word/s GOLEMS and made by scientists (ok slight difference) as well as they were made from clay.
Helloo, says little brain cell (having to work overtime). So, it transpires the Others (both sides and Inquisition) are Pratchett fans, hey?
Sorry if this spoils anyones enjoyment of the The Watch Trilogy and the one after!
These books are not what I thought they'd be i.e Vampire-gothic-total wipeout.
In general I thought them all a thoroughly good read about those protecting the human race -good and bad. I also thought it a good eye-opener on life in Russia. An excellent read. Not for those who are frightened of Vampires.
Only niggle was that It didn't explain the begining of the Russian jokes. I would have liked to have known what they were!


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The Peruvian League Against Cancer has a great idea to encourage people to...
hosting a site this cool costs a minor fortune. So—if you love what you see here, please donate. Thanks.
- Not sure I agree with you 15 hours 16 min ago
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- I agreed with your argument 2 days 2 hours ago
- You call yourselves a law 2 days 14 hours ago
- The spoofed logos are a nice 2 days 17 hours ago
- This is ad is really poorly 2 days 18 hours ago
- I dare Calvin to run this ad 2 days 18 hours ago
- I think maybe you missed the 2 days 18 hours ago
- Yes. These days they are more 2 days 22 hours ago
- I've tried to clarify in the 2 days 22 hours ago
- I waited for the comments to 2 days 23 hours ago
- I wonder if all those places 2 days 23 hours ago
This is just 1 out of more than 3.500 Super Bowl ads from the worlds largest Super Bowl Commercial Archive at adland.tv.
Ever since I was a wee lass, there have been ads from Trygg Hansa in...


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Musician / Composer / Recording Artist
Born in Zaragoza (Spain) in 1978, i started playing guitar at age 7 years and this is still my main instrument today. However, the strong interest in music makes me experimenting with other instruments such as percussion, piano, flute, trumpet, Xaphoon, bass, sitar, didgeridoo … During the last decade, I've been developing my career as a musician in Vilnius (Lithuania), Dubai (UAE) and Spain playing in different bands of various styles such as rock, jazz, salsa, tango and flamenco.
Currently, I live in Madrid (Spain) where I make my self-production work after completing studies in Audio Engineering at SAE Institute.
I'm always curious about where my work is put into practice and I love to see what have you done with my music. Share your work with me and feel free to contact if you have any problems with audio files, or if you need customized tracks, sounds…
VideoHive / ActiveDen items! Feel free to download the watermarked preview file, Please include a link to my music in your item description. Send me a message letting me know you're using it, to link and feature your item as well. Thanks and have a good day, hope you enjoy the music.


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Terry Johnson, who formerly held a basketball administrative post with the Bulldogs, returned to Butler as an assistant men's basketball coach in April of 2007. In his seven seasons as a full-time assistant, the Bulldogs have captured four conference regular season championships, three league tournament titles and made five NCAA tournament appearances, including two trips to the National Championship game. He's helped the Bulldogs achieve a "Top 25" national ranking in five of his seven seasons, while helping the Bulldogs to four of the "Top 5" records in school history. During his tenure, Butler has had seven players earn Academic All-America recognition, and the Bulldogs have sent two players to the NBA. Overall, Butler is 180-66 in the seven seasons since Johnson became an assistant coach.
Johnson spent the 2006-07 season as assistant men's coach at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) under then head coach Dane Fife. From the summer of 2004 through the 2005-06 season, he was director of basketball operations at Butler. As director of basketball operations he handled administrative and operational duties for the Bulldogs, including team travel, working closely with the Blue Team, Butler men's basketball booster organization, and duties with Butler's summer basketball camps.
Prior to his 2004-06 position as Butler's director of basketball operations, Johnson served an administrative position at Auburn (2003-04), and coached at Lincoln Trail Junior College (2001-03) and Indiana Tech (1999-2001). Johnson began his coaching career at IPFW (1997-1999).
A three-sport athlete at Anderson (Ind.) High School, Johnson played both basketball and baseball at Lincoln Trail in Robinson, Ill., 1992-94. He was the first Lincoln Trail athlete to be named All-Conference in two sports, and he earned honorable mention All-America recognition in basketball. He went on to play both sports at Lamar University in Texas, 1994-96, and he led the basketball team at Lamar in assists and steals for two straight years.
Johnson earned his Bachelor's degree from IPFW in 1998. He played baseball for the Mastodons and was named All-Conference, team MVP, and Co-Male Athlete of the Year. He played professional baseball with the Tri-City Posse (Pasco, Wash.) in the Western League for two years and with the Anderson Lawmen in the Heartland League for one year. He earned a Master's degree in sports administration in August, 2011, from Western Kentucky.
Johnson and his wife, Kristen, are parents of twin boys, Jalen and Jordan, born December 17, 2012.


text:
Good Morning!
Just FYI for our active/reserve military whose residency is in Montana - you can buy your general deer, general elk and conservation license for just $2 (if you purchase them at any FWP region headquarters). I didn't learn this until AFTER I'd already bought me deer/elk/wolf tags this August. This little fact isn't widely advertised, and it took the 18-year-old gal behind the counter at Wholesale Sports in Bozeman to let me know.


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CAMELBAK Eddy Water Bottle - 1 Liter
Item # 18081946
|Eligible for Free Shipping, No Minimum! (see promotion details)
|Members of The League get 5% back when you spend $100! (see promotion details)
Product Details
Stay hydrated anywhere you go with the CAMELBAK® eddy™ 1-liter water bottle. The larger size lets you drink more and refill less; it's still easy to carry or clip to a backpack using the integrated loop handle. The wide-mouth opening is simple to fill, and the bite valve and removable straw provide a faster flow of liquid for easier drinking. All parts are top-rack dishwasher safe.
- Eastman Tritan™ copolyester construction; Big Bite™ valve is medical-grade silicone
- 100% BPA free
- Redesigned cap and bite valve provide faster flow and enhanced durability
- Flip, bite and sip; no tipping required
- Durable and spill proof
- Integrated loop handle makes it easy to clip a carabiner or carry with the crook of a finger
- Wide-mouth opening is easy to fill with ice and water and a breeze to clean
- All parts are top-rack dishwasher safe
- Weight: 6 ounces
- Capacity: 32 ounces (1 liter)
- Lifetime manufacturer's warranty
Product Recommendations
Product Reviews
Reviewed by 1 customer
- Easy To Carry
- Good Capacity
- Impact Resistant
- Slim Design
- Unique Design
Best Uses
- Everyday
- Gym
Comments about CAMELBAK Eddy Water Bottle - 1 Liter:
It is grate.
- Was this a gift?:
- No


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Oscar Niemeyer Architecture
by chicquero
. Oscar Niemeyer, the greatest Brazilian architect who helped to shape the 20th century and mankind's vision of the future, died on Wednesday aged 104, ten days before his 105th birthday. The celebrated Brazilian architect whose flowing designs infused Modernism with a new sensuality and captured the imaginations of generations of architects around the world. . His curvaceous, lyrical, hedonistic forms helped shape a distinct national architecture and a modern identity for Brazil that broke with its colonial and baroque past. Yet his influence extended far […]
Categories: Design, Photography • Tags: architect, architecture, brazil, brazilian, building, curves, death, Design, died, future, lines, modernism, Oscar Niemeyer, sensuality, spaces, white


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I'm not 100% sure on how it all works yet to get the discounted Windows 8 (I know it is an online deal), but I was wondering... is it possible to go through the process to buy Windows 8 at a discount, but not install/activate/use it yet?
I'd like to evaluate it on one computer, but not install it on all of my computers until it has improved a bit, but at the same time I don't want to miss out on the discount either. It adds up when you have multiple computers to consider upgrading.
That, and my parents have two computers still running VISTA, so getting off of that would be good. I think Windows 8 has promise.


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The air is crisp. The leaves are falling. There are yellows, golds, and browns all around us. I can smell Fall in the air. Let's take a stroll down the street.
Hear the leaves, rustling under your feet? Did you notice the Fall signs around town? The plaque picturing children carving a pumpkin was a gift to the town from my friend, Susie. The pumpkin sign was a gift to the town from my friend, Karen Harvey Cox of A Scrapbook of Inspiration.
There are two beautiful churches on this street.
Wagons filled with pumpkins are delivering to the markets.
Look! The Grocer is advertising pumpkin pies! Let's go get one!
And let's stop at the Cider Mill and get some of that delicious cider to take home with us.
Whew! We've arrived at my house!
Take one last look down the street, and then we can go sit on the back porch and have a slice of pumpkin pie and a cup of warm cider.
[I've purchased everything on the tea table at estate or garage sales, except the "vintage" tablecloth, which I purchased new in 1970, as a souvenir of a trip to Pennsylvania Dutch country!! (Yikes! It's hard to admit that I could have purchased something new, and now it could almost be vintage!) The plates (purchased at an estate sale) simply say "hand painted" on the bottom.]
I'm linking this post to Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life. (Marty, It's not really a vignette, but it is on a tabletop, so I hope this street will qualify for Tabletop Tuesday.)
I'm also linking to Tea Time Tuesday at Lady Katherine Tea Parlor. (Katherine, I didn't serve tea, but I did use a tea pot, and my flowers are in the sugar and creamer! I hope this works for Tea Time Tuesday.)
I enjoyed taking a stroll and having pie and cider with you. Please come back again soon. laurie


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Bouncy Castle wrote:Who's Wee Dug wrote:Until the next one is written, and Alex Versus is Dresden's London equivlent.
I got a couple of those, and have really struggled to get through the first third of book 1. They're both sitting in a cupboard somewhere.
They are on my to be read soon list just trying to catch on the Sookie books, I have the 1st three, Jim Butcher recomends them.


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I am officially a daddy! I'm pleased to introduce baby Catherine Anne "McAndersen."
Now I know what you're thinking, because I thought the same thing...boy does she look sharper than Biden!
If you saw the way her lip quivers when she cries, its not only SUPER-cute, but it's the best impression of liberals arguing I've ever seen.
After all this time I finally have a muse!
Thank you for all the well wishes and support I've received from so many of you. It has been overwhelming. I'm blessed to have my new daughter, and blessed again for the friends I have, and have made through this blog.
I'm looking forward to getting the hang of this whole dad thing so I can get back to doing my thing here. No rush though :-)


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Jawbone Jambox
Build quality, great sound, portability
Pocket-lint would have to admit to being a little suspicious of the Jawbone Jambox when the postie came knocking on the door, device in hand. Part of this suspicion was to do with its size in relation to the claims of its ability to "deliver such shimmering highs and massive low frequencies that they can literally be felt from feet away", as it really is very small.
The other source of our wariness was the claim by Jawabone that its Jambox was "intelligent", a rather bold statement and one that hinted at a rather over-zealous marketing department.
So could this wireless Bluetooth speaker with speaker phone functionality deliver on the maker's bold claims? Needless to say we've given the Jambox a thorough testing in order to separate the marketing spiel from the device itself...
As suggested above the Jawbone Jambox has very portable dimensions, measuring 151 x 57 x 40mm, with a weight of 347g - meaning it's light enough to carry around in a bag (a pocket would be pushing it) but heavy enough that it feels like a quality piece of kit. In the box you'll get the device itself, as well as two USB cables (different lengths) a 3.5mm jack and a rather svelte sleeve which fits tightly over the Jambox.
The device itself has a very minimalist design, with just three buttons on the top and Micro-USB, 3.5mm and on/off/pairing switch down the side. The three buttons on top consist of two for volume and a talk button, used to answer and end calls, get battery status and access voice dial.
Materials used consist of a rubberised matte finish for the top and bottom with wire-type mesh wrapping around the middle, and hiding the speakers beneath. The rubberised finish meant that the device had decent grip in the hand and on the desk and wasn't affected by fingerprints, although it did have a tendency to pick up dust.
We have to say that despite our initial reservations, pretty much everything about the Jambox says quality - there are no bends or flexes from the body, and after we tested for unwanted rattles the only discernible noise was from the on/off/pairing switch on the side, this wasn't overly alarming, however, and didn't detract from the overall quality feel. So on first impressions the Jambox impressed: very portable, nice design and a quality feel.
On powering up the device, the Jambox thumps into life and tells you it's ready to go. Bluetooth pairing was also an absolute breeze and we were listening to music within a couple of minutes - more on how pleased we were with the quality of the sound later.
A large part of the Jawbone Jambox "experience" comes from its MyTalk website which allows a degree of customisation for the device, including the ability to choose a range of different voices. These include names like The Bombshell, The Rogue and The Thinker - something which is a bit of fun and may appeal to some.
Perhaps more importantly, the site allows you to update the device, and giving access to voice dial and voice email functions. Some sites of this ilk, which aim to support and update hardware, can be buggy but our experience of MyTalk was good and frustration free.
Moving on to the sound quality and we're pleased to say that the Jambox not only met our expectations but exceeded them - it really is a power house considering its diminutive dimensions. We tested a variety of different music genres, and Jawbone seems to have managed to get a good balance with an excellent all-round sound being produced. The bass, although distinct, doesn't overpower and mid to high ranges are equally audible.
The device in our tests was free from distortion, although at times the voice alerting you to a call was rather loud and jarring - and as you're likely to have your own ringtone going on in the background it can get be a little confusing.
It's all well and good testing the sound when indoors, but we can see this being used in the summer at picnics and the like, so testing this outside was critical. We have to say that sound still maintained much of its indoor clarity and meatiness. We can easily see this being a hit in the park with friends, as despite our tests being outside in the cold, thin air - sound still impressed.
In terms of its battery life, and therefore its usefulness as a portable device, we found it lasted around the makers stated 8 hours. However this is bound to vary depending on the way you're using it.
The trick we found is to make the source device work as hard as possible, meaning the Jambox doesn't have to; turning the source up to maximum meant that we could listen to tunes at low volume on the Jambox whilst retaining music definition. Clearly the quality of the file will make a difference, but feed the Jambox decent content and it'll impress delivering sound comparable to a larger speaker set-up. The speaker phone function was good, if not excellent, and most people we tried it with said we were clear although a little tinny.
So is there anything that can stop this great portable speaker getting Pocket-lint's coveted Hot Product Award? Well, unfortunately, yes. It is, to our mind, a little bit pricey. For the privilege of carting this around for your tunes, you'll be paying £160, if the RRP is anything to go by. As ever the price-point is critical, it's a great piece of kit but that's a lot of cash to lay out for what is essentially a small speaker - although a damn fine one at that.
What you get with the Jawbone Jambox is a top-notch portable device which will bang out clear audio and serve as a handy speaker phone. The build quality is there, the design is good enough to appeal to most and it is very easy to set-up and use.
It's the price though, that is the sticking point and although it is clear Jawbone has given a good deal of thought to this product, £160 is a lot of money to ask. As such it's something of a luxury, meaning if you've got the cash we can't help but recommend it.
Hopefully the price will see a drop soon, which will make this an absolute cracking purchase.


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Was having an interesting debate with a friend about xboxone and pc license market.
If gamers had the same faith / trust they do with valve / steam, as they do with EA/Activision this might of gone done differently.
EA SimCity fiasco, not believing game price will go down or have good sales (when you look at past history Sony's / Microsoft's console current online store).
Microsoft not having a clear / confident message about the new business model on console's.
Age/Generation about owning (I'm in this group) vs virtual license that can be yanked.
I think these were all big factor in the backlash.
(Edit) If Microsoft marketed a pre-built computer called Xbox, (think like apple controlling the hardware and the software) meant to hook up to the tv and / or monitor, with games formatted / optimized to the specific specs, and can run windows software. That could've been convergence device people might of gotten behind.


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Someone has basically copy paste a image from Blue Tracker
Someone has basically copy paste a image from Blue Tracker
ITT: Copypasta and trying to get credit for it.
holy crap OP....you have won the internet, here's the key to the central computer.
<Insert something witty and humorous here>
Now this, is a toasty, yet flawless victory
I mourn the loss of a man of true vision and talent. You were my idol, Mr. Giger.
You gave faces to my dreams and nightmares and sparked my imagination throughout my entire life. You will be missed.
Hans Rudolf Giger
2/5/1940 - 5/12/2014
posting in EPIC thread.
That would be withouth a doubt the most awesome mount EVER!!!!!!
Signature infractions suck especially when they are just about the size of TEXT! WTB token limit!
I came in here expecting a scorpion mount, not a Scorpion mount.
I am pleasantly surprised.
Im not gonna lie : I loled.
Even Guild - Ysondre FR http://www.wowprogress.com/guild/eu/ysondre/Even
My Resto/Balance Druid : http://eu.battle.net/wow/fr/characte...oshelol/simple
Can someone please explain this to me? I think this was before my generation. =\


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Gilbert Melendez:
Hes just a super athlete, and I expected that. He had some great kicks, but I also expected that. And I expected him to bounce in and land some punches and I did my best to counter the punches and block the kicks and I never felt like I was in any danger. I never felt any anxiety or that he was running away with the fight or he was putting it on me, Melendez told MMAWeekly content partner Knockout Radio.
I learned a lot from the experience. I learned that next time I fight him, Id do a lot of things differently in there.I dont want to give up my game plan, but Ive gained confidence in the wrestling and grappling department, he said. I didnt think I shot too much. I didnt want to engage him on the ground. I felt like he might have an advantage there but I think I know now that I feel a little more confident in those positions.
The 31-year-old will have a different game plan if they rematch at some point in the future.
In the clinch, I felt really strong there, attempted to re-clinch him, said Melendez. And I dont want to get too in depth because I might fight the guy again, but I know exactly what I would do and how I would finish him. Not finish him, but to get my hands on him and fight him a little bit better. But at the time, I had my game plan, I stuck to it, and I thought it was enough.


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|Get Stuffed at Thanksgiving
Stuffing for the Turkey
Famous pairs: Adam and Eve, Ben and Jerry, Bert and Ernie, Batman & Robin, wine and cheese, corned beef and rye…and of course, turkey and stuffing.
At Thanksgiving, most Americans consider the stuffing just as important as the turkey! Some call it dressing; some put it inside the turkey and some serve it on the side. Stuffing can be fruity, savory, made of rice, farfel, matzoh meal, cornbread, bread crumbs, quinoa and more. It can be parve, meat, or even gluten free. Many stuffing recipes are family heirlooms, passed down from a grandmother's or bubbie's kitchen, or can be simply made from a convenient stuffing mix.
We are presenting some of our favorites, including some packaged choices. Enjoy! And by the way, do send us your favorite stuffing recipe.
Wild Rice Cranberry Apple Stuffing
Packaged Stuffings:
Arrowhead Mills Organic Savory Herb Stuffing Mix is a light, fluffy, blend of organic wheat and seasonings including sage, thyme and rosemary. It can be prepared on the stove top or inside a turkey—just add water or Broth, olive oil and optional kosher sausage, chestnuts or celery. This mix calls for simplicity or creativity.
Arnold offers five varieties of premium stuffing mixes: cornbread, herb, sage and onion, seasoned and unseasoned – all are OU certified, kosher parve. These stuffing mixes are available at most Wal-Mart's and mainstream retailers.
Both products are certified, kosher parve – Arrowhead Mills, KSA and Arnold, OU. Enjoy these recipes from Arrowhead Mills. Of course, to maintain kashruth, use parve margarine instead of butter when serving with a meat meal.
Arrowhead Mills Blueberry, Date and Walnut Stuffing
From RealSimple Magazine – Start with Stuffing Mix (1 12–16 ounce package), add some simple ingredients and turn the boxed stuffing into a standout side dish.
Stuffing School – The secrets of making a moist, sensational stuffing.
November 7, 2012


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Inside Out Speaker SeriesEvent Details: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., November 21, Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center
The Inside Out Speaker Series will host writer Ken Lamberton from 1-3 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21, in the Visitor's Center at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre, Mo.
Ken Lamberton will read and discuss his essays on the natural world. His first book, Wilderness and Razor Wire: A Naturalist's Observations from Prison, won the 2002 Burroughs Medal for nature writing.
In 2007, Lamberton was awarded a Soros Justice Fellowship by the Open Society Institute to complete his fourth book, Time of Grace: Thoughts on Nature, Family, and the Politics of Crime and Punishment.
This discussion is part of the Inside Out Speaker, which includes talks, readings and performances on the Saint Louis University campus at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correction Center.
Anyone interested in attending must RSVP to Julie O'Heir at email@example.com by Friday, Nov. 11.


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A bantamweight matchup between Johnny Eduardo (26-9 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and Lucas Martins (14-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is the latest addition to UFC Fight Night 32.
UFC officials today announced the bout for the No. 9 card, which takes place at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Goias, Brazil.
The event's main card airs live on FOX Sports 1 following prelims on Facebook. It's not clear where Eduardo vs. Martins will be placed on the lineup.


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Demand drives grain markets higherThe wheat markets had gains of 25 to 28 cents last week.
By: Ray Grabanski, Agweek
Wheat: fewer acres and improving demand
The wheat markets had gains of 25 to 28 cents last week. The Jan. 11 U.S. Department of Agriculture report renewed some optimism in the fundamental picture for the wheat market, which has now gained back about a third of last month's losses.
To start the week on Jan. 14, wheat markets had decent gains, with most of the gains coming in the winter wheat exchanges. Early support continued to spill over from the Jan. 11 friendly USDA annual crop production report, which cut wheat stocks. Additional support came from a lower-than-expected winter wheat seeded acreage estimate. The fundamental picture continues to improve for wheat, with tighter stocks, fewer acres and the crop going into dormancy in poor shape. An improving fundamental picture in wheat has helped convince short position holders to start liquidating positions.
The Jan. 15 gains marked the third straight higher session, which pushed wheat to three-week highs. A better-than-expected feed demand estimate, combined with weather concerns in both Russia and China, has helped push wheat. Extremely cold temperatures in much of Russia and the U.S. winter wheat region has many traders thinking production estimates for those areas likely will decline. Technical buying also has helped push the market, as wheat lost more than $1 in the month of December and for the first week of January 2013.
Wheat struggled to start the session Jan. 16, as technical selling took the lead. Late in the session, the strength from the soybean complex was enough to help push wheat to the plus side. Wheat traded on both sides of unchanged Jan. 17 before settling with single-digit losses. The Kansas City market had the larger losses because of some weather premium being taken back out of that market. Wheat markets had strong gains in the past week, and were due for a quieter day. Quiet trade continued on Jan. 18, with mostly light losses to finish the week.
USDA reported wheat export inspections pace for the week ending Jan. 11 at 10.6 million bushels. This brings the year-to-date export inspections pace to 539.4 million bushels, compared with 621 million at this time last year. With 20 weeks left in wheat's marketing year, shipments need to average 25.5 million bushels to make USDA's projection of 1.05 billion bushels. Wheat export sales pace for the week ending Jan. 11 was estimated at 19.7 million bushels. This brings the year-to-date export sales pace for wheat to 729.2 million bushels, compared with 754.8 million for last year. With 20 weeks left in wheat's marketing year, sales need to average 16.2 million bushels to make USDA's projection of 1.05 billion.
Corn: tight stocks support cash corn
The corn market was up 15 cents in the March contract for last week, as of Jan. 18 morning trade. Corn found follow-through buying from the Jan. 11 USDA report to start the week. A lower stocks number was a surprise and brought money back into the market. The futures came under some pressure later in the week, with poor export reports and a disappointing ethanol report.
The corn market traded with strength on Jan. 14 and 15, with follow-through buying from the Jan. 11 friendly report. A large increase in feed use was a surprise and the net result was a tighter ending stocks number of 602 million bushels. Export demand has been sluggish and USDA did lower its estimates, while the export inspections were poor on Jan. 14 at 9.2 million bushels. Corn shipments needed each week are now 20.3 million bushels. The cumulative shipment pace is now 29 percent of the USDA export estimate versus the five-year average of 34 percent, and are 55 percent below levels of one year ago. A dryer 10-day forecast for northern Argentina and southern Brazil offers support, but it is early in the growing season and we have to see if it materializes.
Corn closed slightly lower on Jan. 16 and 17. The futures had closed higher for the past seven sessions and profit taking came into play. We are also at the high end of the trading range and buying interest has slowed at these levels. News that Taiwan bought 60,000 metric tons of corn from Argentina added weakness and proves that U.S. corn is overpriced compared with competition. The disappointing ethanol report and lack of any export demand also added pressure. The 82.3 million bushels of corn used for ethanol the week ending Jan. 11 was the lowest amount for this marketing year. Argentina's Ministry of Agriculture reported that it expects the 2012 to '13 corn crop to produce 28 million to 30 million metric tons, up from its prior estimate of 24.5 million.
Ethanol production for the week ending Jan. 11 averaged 784,000 barrels per day, down 5 percent versus the previous week and down 16.7 percent versus last year. Total ethanol production for the week was 5.5 million barrels. Corn used in production the week ending Jan. 11 is estimated at 82.3 million bushels and the lowest weekly usage for the 2012 to '13 marketing year. Corn use needs to average 86.8 million bushels per week to meet this crop year's USDA estimate of 4.5 billion bushels. This crop year's cumulative corn used for ethanol production is 1.6 billion bushels. Stocks as of Jan. 11 were 20.4 million barrels, up 2.6 percent from the previous week and up 4.2 percent versus last year.
USDA's export inspections report was bearish for corn. There were 9.2 million bushels of corn reported shipped, well below the 20.2 million needed to meet USDA's projection of 950 million for the 2012 to '13 marketing year. This was at the low end of the pre-report estimates of 8 million to 15 million bushels. The export sales report for corn was at 15.5 million bushels, above the 13.2 million needed to meet USDA's projection of 950 million bushels. This was within the estimates of 9.8 million to 18.7 million bushels and neutral for corn. Total shipments last week were at 9.7 million bushels, below the 20.2 million needed for the 2012 to '13 marketing year.
Soybeans: strong demand leads to gains
As of the Jan. 17 close, March soybeans were up 57 cents on the week, while November 2013 soybeans were 19 cents higher. South American weather continues to have a strong impact on the market.
Strong buying from commercial and noncommercial traders on Jan. 14 led to a sharply higher close to begin the week for soybeans. The weather forecast has been good for South America, but it is a bit drier going forward for southern Brazil and parts of Argentina. National Oilseed Processers Association crush numbers released Jan. 14 were supportive at 159.9 million bushels. Demand remains strong, with USDA announcing a sale of 120,000 metric tons of soybeans to China. The Jan. 14 export inspections came in well above the amount needed to keep pace with USDA's projection.
Strong commercial buying had soybeans trading higher early Jan. 15, but profit taking and hesitant noncommercial traders led to the market slipping to close with small losses. Soybeans were higher Jan. 16, as commercial and noncommercial traders provided support. Demand remains strong for soybeans and traders believe China secured additional cargoes last week.
Soybeans traded higher early Jan. 17 on a strong export sales report before slipping lower into midday, as the export sales were likely already priced in. Around midday, Agroconsult, a Brazilian private forecaster, released a production projection of 84 million metric tons, compared with USDA's Jan. 11 World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates report at 82.5 million metric tons. Commercial buying continues in light of strong international demand, including a sale of 240,000 metric tons to undisclosed destinations announced by USDA. Jan. 17 export sales were well above the amount needed to keep pace with USDA's projection.
USDA reported soybean export inspections pace for the week ending Jan. 11 at 39.1 million bushels. This brings the year-to-date export shipments pace for soybeans to 855.9 million bushels, compared with 640.2 million for last year at this time. Soybean export sales pace for the week ending Jan. 11 was estimated at 59.1 million bushels, bringing this year's total to 1,201.5 million, compared with 938.5 million last year at this time.
USDA reported barley's export inspections pace for the week ending Jan. 11 at 8,000 bushels. USDA reported export sales of 1,500 metric tons of barley, going to Taiwan and South Korea. Jan. 17 cash barley bids in Minneapolis had feed barley at $5.15 per bushel, while malting barley bids were at $7.05.
USDA reported no durum export inspections for the week ending Jan. 11. There were no new export sales either, with the year-to-date export sales pace at 15.6 million bushels, compared with 14.9 million for last year. Jan. 17 cash bids for milling quality durum were at $8 per bushel in Berthold, N.D., and $7.95 in Dickinson, N.D.
Canola futures on the Winnipeg, Manitoba, exchange had net gains of up to $16 (Canadian) per ton last week. Gains in the soybean market provided support to canola, as demand for oilseeds remains strong. Additional support continued to spill over from the Jan. 11 friendly crop production report, as well as from weather concerns in South America. Fundamentally, canola should be able to outperform the other vegetable oil products as a result of a lower-than-expected production estimate. Cash canola bids in Velva, N.D., were at $27.81 per hundredweight on Jan. 17.
Soybean oil export sales pace for the week ending Jan. 11 was estimated at 12.9 trillion metric tons. This brings the year-to-date total to 686.9 trillion metric tons, compared with last year's 190.1 trillion. Cash sunflower bids in Fargo, N.D., were at $22.40 per hundredweight on Jan. 17.
Dry beans
The USDA report reaffirmed the large crop that was produced in the 2012 crop year. USDA is reporting bids of $30 to $32 per hundredweight for navies and blacks and $32 to $34 for pintos in North Dakota and Minnesota.
Tags: markets, crops, agribusiness, updates


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Home to the latest footwear, Call It Spring reflects up to the minute trends that are easy on the bank balance. Call it Spring is brand new to the UK, and currently available exclusively at Debenhams.
Created for original thinkers, Call It Spring is the perfect place to experiment with personal style, to debut a new look and to figure out the meeting point between individuality and discovery.


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Health & Safety Companies in Alaska
The Definitive Deodorant Company
based in North Kansas City, MISSOURI (USA)
For industrial wastewater treatment FORMULA 105 effectively and safely controls industrial wastewater odor in sludge and sewage, lift stations, air scrubbers and wastewater lagoons without masking agents or VOC emissions. Customers report reduction of suspended solids (saving on sewage up-charges), and accelerated flocculation of metal sludge.
Global Odor Control Technologies, LLC
based in INDIANA (USA)
Odor Control Technologies. We solve the tough odor problems. Bio-Solids odors / Poultry manure odors / Food waste odors / Grass odors. Our customers often achieve 70% to 80% permanent odor reductions with a single application of our products. All our products are completely bio-degradable, user and planet friendly, and cost effective.
BioDetection Systems b.v.
based in Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS
BioDetection Systems b.v. (BDS) provides ultra-sensitive and cost-effective bioassays for a wide range of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as dioxins, PCBs or endocrine disrupters. Our analysis prices are usually ca. 60% lower than the usual chemical laboratories by using the DR CALUX technology.
Splainex Ecosystems Ltd
based in Rijswijk, NETHERLANDS
Splainex: industrial implementation of the efficient pyrolysis technology. Multiple references of commercial plants, some of them in operations for more than 20 years. The systems operating on industrial scale convert waste materials (plastics, tyres, municipal solid waste, etc) back into useful and lucrative products without adverse emissions, discharges, or negative ...
Lenzing Technik GmbH
based in Lenzing, AUSTRIA
LENZING TECHNIK GMBH - We are an experienced partner for YOU! We offer comprehensive competence with expert status in the fields of engineering and contracting, industrial plant design and construction, industrial services, as well as automation and mechatronics. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY - Collecting and treating waste gas emission with different types of technologies in ...
Trinova Medical Waste Solutions, LLC
based in Ontario, CALIFORNIA (USA)
Trinova Medical Waste Solutions revolutionizes medical waste management by dramatically reducing costs for medical waste disposal, HIPPA compliance and regular waste disposal while simultaneously reducing or completely eliminating the impact to our environment as opposed to current solutions in place. All medical waste, as defined by the state and federal agencies ...
Global Technologies, Inc.
based in New Bedford, MASSACHUSETTS (USA)
GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, located in Southern New England, is a family owned business and has been in operation for more than 10 years. Our products have been designed to provide effective solutions for our customers. Whether the problem is grease or sludge buildup or odors, Global Technologies has the answer. Global Technologies` products are versatile, environmentally safe, ...
Uniflare Ltd.
based in Warwickshire, UNITED KINGDOM
Uniflare's team has 20 years experience in designing landfill and waste gas control, treatment and utilisation equipment. Our experience and wide range of contacts in the industry and in universities enable us to provide the most cost effective, legislation compliant and appropriate technology to site operators' requirements.
Hamon USA
based in Somerville, NEW JERSEY (USA)
Hamon USA formed a licence relationship with Research-Cottrell. Cooling Towers established as a Hamon company. Finally, in 1998, Hamon acquired Research-Cottrell and Custodis. Hamon has been providing a broad range of environmental and energy saving technologies to serve power and industrial applications. Hamon`s Mission is to provide high quality, innovative solutions ...
Columbia Weather Systems, Inc.
based in Hillsboro, OREGON (USA)
Professional weather monitoring equipment for public safety and industries affected by weather conditions. Our weather systems measure the meteorological parameters of wind speed, wind direction, barometric pressure, humidity, temperature, rainfall, solar radiation, fuel moisture, and leaf wetness. We offer a variety of weather stations including mobile weather stations , ...


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Pronunciation: ꃀꈿ
Added on: 2012-06-06 Listened: 0 timesin: conference
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