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227 days until FE 2016 OF Forums · Gallery · FurAffinity
Furnal Equinox is pleased to return to the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre for 2015. The Sheraton Toronto Airport is located in Toronto's west end, approximately 30 minutes from downtown Toronto and 5 minutes from Toronto Pearson International Airport.
We also have an overflow room block available at the Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel, a short walk down Dixon Road. Details are available at the bottom of the page.
The Sheraton is sold out of all room types on Friday and almost sold out on Saturday. Some rooms may be available on non-peak nights or if there are cancellations - click here.
Please click here to book your hotel room at the Marriott!
Main Hotel - Sheraton Toronto Airport
Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre
801 Dixon Road
Toronto, Ontario
Telephone: +1 (416) 675-6100
Click here for website
Con Space
We are using all the rooms in the Sheraton's conference space! Key locations that you should be aware of:
Muskoka Wing
- Muskoka - Major events
- Algonquin - Sponsor lounge, hospitality
- Collingwood - Panels
- Georgian Bay - Board gaming
- Haliburton - Video gaming
- Niagara - Fursuit lounge
Ambrosia Wing
- Ambrosia - Dealers Den
- Northern Spy - Art Show, Charity Auction
- Spartan - Panels
- Golden Delicious - Panels
- Macintosh - Panels
Guest Rooms and Facilities
The Sheraton offers guest rooms for up to four adults. Room amenities include a flat-screen TV with in-room gaming and movies, coffee makers, and Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Beds. All rooms are non-smoking.
Selected rooms are available on the Club Floor, which provides continental breakfast served in the Club Lounge and evening snacks. Accessible hotel rooms are also available on request.
Hotel guests have access to a fitness centre with cardiovascular and workout equipment, as well as a swimming pool. Complementary wireless internet is available throughout the hotel, and is also available for free in the Link@Sheraton lounge in the lobby.
Room Rates
Room rates apply regardless of occupancy (i.e. from one to four people) and do not include sales taxes. These rates apply to any stay between Monday, March 9 and Thursday, March 19.
- Traditional guest room: $129 / night
- Traditional guest room on club floor: $159 / night
- Junior suite: $189 / night
- Junior suite on club floor: $219 / night
In addition to the rates above, the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) of 13 per cent and a destination marketing fee (DMF) of 3% will be charged.
Check-In and Check-Out
Check-in time: 3:00 pm
Check-out time: 12:00 noon
Early check-in will be permitted if rooms are available, and late check-out will be permitted for an additional fee. The hotel will hold luggage for you after checkout if required, and may be able to hold it for you before your room is available as well.
Olio: A Mediterranean Grille serves a variety of cuisine from Italy, Spain, Greece, France and Morocco. Olio is providing a breakfast buffet to Furnal Equinox attendees at a reduced rate of $12.95 per person. All other items on the menu are 10% off by showing your conbadge, and a custom menu and food carts will be available to all attendees throughout the event.
Other restaurants within a five minute walk include Tucker's Restaurant, Boston Pizza, Jack Astor's, Montana's, and more.
Quiet Hour
For the courtesy of other hotel guests, please finish the noisy phase of your parties by 11:00 pm.
To book your stay at the Sheraton, you have two options:
- Book online using our Group Booking Page
- Call the group reservations number at 1-800-325-3535 and mention "Furnal Equinox 2015" or group code FEC19S when you book your room.
You must reserve your room before 5:00 pm on February 26, 2015 to take advantage of the room block rate. After that date rooms will revert back to the hotel for general sale.
Please be advised that you must provide a credit card and valid photo ID when checking in. A "hold" will be placed on the credit card for the amount of your stay.
The Sheraton will provide parking to all Furnal Equinox attendees for $7.50 a day (50% off their normal rate). Please state that you are with Furnal Equinox when checking into your room.
Shipping to Hotel
For dealers wishing to ship their merchandise in advance, the hotel will receive these. The hotel will only accept and hold items for three days in advance (otherwise a storage fee will apply) and all materials must be taken with you when you leave.
Please make sure that your boxes are clearly marked with your name and are numbered appropriately (i.e. box 1 of 2). Boxes should be shipped to the following address:
Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel - Receiving Department
c/o Anthropomorphic Events of Ontario - Thursday March 12, 2015
801 Dixon Road
Toronto, ON M9W 1J5
Overflow Hotel - Toronto Airport Marriott
Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel
901 Dixon Road
Toronto, Ontario
Telephone: +1 (416) 674-9400
Click here for website
Room rate: $110 / night (two bed guest room)
(Rates do not include HST of 13% and destination marketing fee of 3%)
Parking fee: $5 / night (discounted from normal $19 / night)
Check-in time: 4:00 pm
Check-out time: 12:00 noon
To book your stay at the Marriott:
- Book online through their website
- Call the group reservations number at (855) 823-6348 and mention "Furnal Equinox 2015" when you book your room.
This block closes on February 19, 2015.
|Camp Feral!
|What The Fur?

subset: commoncrawl


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CrowdfundingPR – Free Press Release For Your Crowdfunding Campaign
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Listed in PR Service Provider
- Washington, DC
- www.crowdfundingpr.org
CrowdfundingPr is a free self-service press release service. You can use CrowdfundingPr to create a press release for your crowdfunding campaign. CrowdfundingPr is not a press release distribution service. We do not actively market your press release to news organizations. You can use CrowdfundingPr to improve your search engine visibility, build your business image, and to create a press release to share your story with journalists/bloggers.
What are the benefits?
– Search engine visibility so that backers can find your campaign via yahoo, google, and bing.
– Possible promotion from CrowdfundingPr's Twitter, Facebook, and Newsletter.
– Build your business image.
– A press release that can be sent to journalists, bloggers, and backers to raise your credibility and communicate your story.
– Possible pledges from backers browsing CrowdfundingPr. Most-upvoted stories tend to be viewed more.
– A quick and easy link to share with your friends to communicate the background behind your project from inception to funding.
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No new buildings have risen around Memorial Hospital's main campus off Boulder Street.
The number of patients coming through its doors this year mostly flat-lined. But a year after Denver-based University of Colorado Health signed a 40-year lease to operate Memorial Health Systems, hospital officials say they finally have a sense of stability.


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Kathmandu Cultural Tour
Kathmandu(1400m) history dates back an impressive 2000 years. It is located centrally in Kathmandu Valley with its metropolitan area consistings of three cities: Kathmandu (Kantipur), Patan and Bhatapur. Thamel the old part of the city with quaint short and narrow streets, numerous nooks and crannies contains hotels, restaurants, offices and shops. Durbar Square, world heritage site, is important and fascinating place to visit, containing numerous Hindu temples, statutes of various Hindu deities and the palace of Kumari, the living goddess. Other important place is Pashupatinath, the biggest Hindu temple in the world, considered the most significant for Hindu followers attracting numerous pilgrims and colourful Sadus; for many Hindu it is a preferred cremation site on banks of Bagmati River. There are two significant Buddhist Gompas in Kathmandu Swayambhunath and Baudhanath, and also world heritage sites. Nagarkot, the highest hill in the range surrounding Kathmandu Valley, some 35km from the city centre offers unprecedented view on Langtang range and some of the giants beyond the range such as Annapurna, Manaslu, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma.
Namche Bazaar Khumjung Trekking 26Th February 2011
We had wonderful trek organised by Rishi Bhandari & his company Snowy Horizon Treks and Expedition in the short time we had to explore the area. The quality of accommodation and food exceeded our expectations. The expertise & professionalism of our guide, Bibek was excellent and make our trip the memorable experience it was. We would not hesitate to recommend Snowy Horizon Treks for any Nepal traveller ...................Read More
Itinerary Details of Kathmandu Cultural Tour
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu Airport and transfer to Hotel. If time permits, we visit Kathmandu Durbar in the evening & stay overnight at hotel.
Day 02: We take one hour scenic mountain flight early in the morning, which will take us to the top of the world to admire spectacular vista of Everest and all other 13 highest peaks in the world, all over 8000m as well as hundreds of peaks over 6000m. After the scenic flight we will continue sightseeing in Kathmandu visiting Kapan monastery and significant temples and gompas of Boudhanath, Pashupatinath and Swayambhunath.and drive to Nagarkot via Bhaktapur and Overnight at the hotel with sunset viewing
Day 03: Enjoy sunrise view from Nagarkot, stroll around the hill & drive to Bungamati via Khokna. Visit Patan Durbar -Square after lunch at the town and drive back to Kathmandu at hotel. At Evening, Farewell dinner will be provided with cultural program in Kathmandu.
Day 04: After breakfast we'll arrange transfer to the airport for your flight or alternatively you can join another tour.
Price for the Trip:
- The cost of the tour or trek depends on group size and desired class of services dependent on your budget and optional activities of your choice. The larger the group the lower the cost per capita.
- The above itinerary is a guideline and standard pattern which we provide. This program can be modified according to the client available time and requirements.
- The Itinerary can be easily modified in accordance with final client specifications. Additional activities could be added or removed as per client's specifications before confirming the trip. Costs for reduced activities will be deducted and extra activities will be added as per client specification.
- The above itinerary includes services from Airport pick-up to Airport drop-off to provide convenience to our clients.
- There is very diverse choice of accommodation in major cities and we provide accommodation to the standard requested or we will book the accommodation nominated by the client.
- The cost per capita will also be affected the number of guides and porters required to fulfil the program.
- For all these reasons the cost of seemingly the same trip may vary.
- For fixed departures with fixed price based on minimum number of clients we reserve the right to cancel the trip and refund the money or offer an alternative option.
- The above price is indicative only and for conditions described in the itinerary. Our services are tailored to client's individual requirements and hence fixed and final price can only be determined on case by case bases.
Thus; please mail us for up to date prices for the above Trip
Cost Include
- Pick up and drop-off from/to Kathmandu airport.
- all surface Transportation by private vehicle (Bus, Car ,Van) as per Itinerary
- Group medical supplies (First Aid kit )
- One night full board accommodation in Nagarkot
- two Full Day Kathmandu Sightseeing Tour.
- Escorted English speaking tour guide
- All necessary monument entrance fee
- Mountain Flight ticket and transportation
- complete pre-departure information, flight ticket reconfirmation and extend visa service(if necessary)
- Farewell Dinner in Kathmandu before departure.
- Snowy Horizon Special Gifts (T-shirt, Pashmina )
- Our service charges
Cost Exclude
- Hotel Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu.
- Alcoholic beverages, Nepal visa fee & Personal nature expenses
- Emergency rescue evacuation if required.
- Personal accident insurance or Helicopter rescue.
- Airfare international flights
- Nepal entry visa fee, Visa can be obtained easy at the arrival
- Mineral water, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, laundry, phone calls, internet.
- Tips, gifts, souvenirs.
Please read this Rule and regulation that How to book Trip in Nepal?


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Last game:
Academy Fixtures
Follow City u18s
Academy News
Read the latest academy news
City on Hardy:
Stockport-born James Hardy joined City from Oldham Athletic in 2012 and will be hoping to follow in Micah Richards' footsteps in working his way through the age-groups.
James may not possess huge physical stature but he punches above his weight, thanks to his sharp footballing brain which allows him to read the opposition's movement and create space for himself in busy midfield areas.
Described as a technically gifted central midfielder, Hardy possesses quick feet and the can thread through passes to the forwards thanks to good vision and passing range.
Interestingly, Hardy travelled to Paris in an England representative side managed by Jamie Redknapp as a 12-year old in 2008.


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Before most gyms even opened in Tysons Corner last Saturday, there was one that pulsed with energy. Music blared. Weightlifters grunted. A crowd of onlookers swelled in size and volume, screaming for one more set on the deadlift, one more lap on the sled drag. As a man with a microphone counted down the final seconds, a man without legs gritted his teeth for a final lift, a woman with one arm huffed through her last lap and a guy with a wheelchair on the sideline climbed another wall.
This was no ordinary weightlifting competition. Neither was it an ordinary CrossFit competition, if such a thing exists. This was the 2013 Working Wounded Games, a grueling event for amputees and severely wounded veterans that is as unforgiving as it is rewarding.
Held at the newly expanded CrossFit Rubicon gym off Leesburg Pike, the Working Wounded Games brought together a diverse group of disabled athletes from all corners of the country to compete in several knee-buckling CrossFit exercises. Many of the participants were former soldiers who had undergone amputations after incidents incurred during service in Iraq or Afghanistan. Others were congenital amputees or victims of traumatic brain injury or cerebral palsy, helping to nearly double the amount of people who took part in last year's inaugural competition.
David "Chef" Wallach, owner of CrossFit Rubicon and lead organizer of the event, said his team aimed to find a way for adaptive athletes to rekindle their competitive spirit. They viewed the numerous demonstrations geared toward adaptive athletes as too specialized, as categories were often so specific to certain injuries that only a few competitors ended up in the same events. Some athletes were going home with first-place medals despite having no one else in their category, making those events seem more like dog-and-pony shows than actual competitions.
"We wanted to come up with a way to try to level that playing field and give these athletes a chance to compete head to head," Wallach said. "Age group, weight class, gender, injury classification—all of that aside, how could we find a way to give them an opportunity to compete on a level playing field?"
The process for developing that level playing field began five years ago when Wallach and company started gathering data on movements, time under tension, scales, weights and other factors that could determine specific workout templates. Eventually they came up with 20 different workouts and had the adaptive athletes choose which ones best suited their own preferences. Athletes worked with the gym's staff to whittle it down to three workouts that could be contested between all participants, topped with a concluding eight-minute session on the dreaded legless row.
The event was a smash success last year, prompting participants to spread the word to adaptive athletes far and wide so that this year's version could be even better.
"They were saying, 'We've never had an opportunity to compete with another adaptive athlete,' or 'We didn't think that we had the capacity to continue to be competitive after our accident or injury,'" Wallach said. "But some of the most profound stuff were the connections made during the day on a social level. We had athletes saying they were side by side with people who get where they're coming from."
No one was more floored by that social connection than Kendra Bailey, a congenital amputee who traveled from her home in Portland, Oregon to participate in last year's Games. Bailey loved her experience so much that she quit her corporate job in Portland, packed up all her stuff and moved to Virginia.
"There's so much here in terms of the adaptive community that gives you a sense of belonging that I just didn't have back in Portland," said Bailey, who now serves as Executive Director of the Crossroads Adaptive Athletic Alliance, Wallach's nonprofit headquartered at CrossFit Rubicon. "I had contact with many of the adaptive athletes who came to the Games this year who weren't here last year. If I have the ability to network with these people and find these people and put them all in the same room at the same time, then this is where I need to be."
Nick Thom has been similarly swayed by the gym's communal feel. A Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps, Thom became a double leg amputee after getting hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) while conducting a clearing operation in Afghanistan in April 2010. In the months after the accident he became bored with his one-hour physical therapy sessions and soon followed his therapist's suggestion to join CrossFit Rubicon. The 23-year-old has been a regular ever since, shuffling around on prosthetic "house legs" that he modified with specialized sockets.
Burpees, a difficult full-body movement involving a squat thrust, are still Thom's favorite workout, largely because it was the only one he could do when he first started at the gym. At Saturday's Games Thom was crushing the Gates of Hell, a brutal exercise that saw athletes combine as many burpees and cleans as they could fit in a 10-minute span.
"For us I think it's more of a community thing," Thom said. "We're letting each other know that, hey, you're not the only one trying to do this. There's a lot of us trying to do this."
Thom's recovery from an IED accident relates to the mission of the event's main sponsor, Lanmark Technology Inc., a Fairfax-based contractor that uses statistics to calculate the safest travel routes for U.S. Troops in Afghanistan and reduce the number of IED-related casualties. LMT Founder and CEO Lani Hay, herself a wounded Navy veteran, has become a fitness fanatic since beginning to work out alongside adaptive athletes at CrossFit Rubicon a few years ago. She is one of many who have demanded more of herself after witnessing what can be accomplished by her less able-bodied workout partners.
"I think people have preconceived notions when they see someone who is a single or double amputee and what they're capable of doing," Hay said. "This event helps them see that they're really capable of doing anything that they put their mind to."
Wallach hopes the Wounded Games will again double its number of participants next year. More than that, though, he's focused on letting the event's message go beyond the confines of his gym.
"That won't just help the local community; as this thing spreads, the degrees of separation become less in the process," Wallach said. "It's going to help the community at large. That's ultimately the goal: to turn the focus away from the athlete to how can they help us all."


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Customize storage to make full use of space.
Designer Brian Gluckstein added plenty of storage to this principal dressing room and bathroom. To the left, desk drawers conceal hair products, makeup and accessories. Overhead storage is perfect for out of season clothing or guest linens, and closet shelves were designed to store shoes and bags. In the bathroom, quiet artwork and a blue Fortuny light transform the space into an elegant retreat. Symmetrical floor-to-ceiling cabinets on either side of the tub balance the room and add even more linen storage.
Browse the Brian Gluckstein Interiors gallery for more of his style.
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Cabell 911 honors top employees
HUNTINGTON -- Cabell County 911 used National Telecommunicators Week as reason to honor its office manager, one of its dispatchers and two supervisors, along with a county commissioner hailed as supporting the agency, according to agency Director Mike Davis.
Officials presented the awards Friday during a picnic at the agency's headquarters. It ended a weeklong celebration held each year to recognize and appreciate the work of telecommunicators, who take emergency calls each day and dispatch crews to respond to every call.
Those honored at Friday's ceremony were Office Manager Terry Fink, Cabell County Commission President Nancy Cartmill and Dispatcher Lovevona Chastain, along with supervisors Capt. Dan Marcum and Lt. Danielle Arthur
Fink received the agency's Robbie Brown Memorial Award, an honor given each year in remembrance of one of the agency's original dispatchers who died shortly after retirement. Davis said Fink's positive spirit helps the agency operate each day.
"She's always there for everybody," he said. "She's a problem solver, she's a cheerleader and she always supports anything and everything they do. ... She puts in a lot of effort over and beyond what she is required to do."
Cartmill, who also chairs the Cabell County 911 Advisory Board, received the Silent Hero Award. Davis cited her never ending support for his agency, but also complimented her willingness to attend a state, 911 conference a few weeks ago in Parkersburg, W.Va.
"I don't know if anyone has had one of their commissioners attend," he said. "She attended the classes, got a better feel for what the dispatchers do and what's going on in the state's 911 community."
Chastain was named Dispatcher of the Year. She was nominated by her fellow dispatchers and confirmed by the agency's senior staff. Davis mentioned her empathic attitude and willingness to embrace change.
"She is one of those people that if you had a room full of them, your organization would run very smoothly," he said.
Marcum and Arthur tied for supervisor of the year. Marcum is the agency's senior captain. He runs day shift and does so in an efficient manner as his veteran dispatchers are forced to deal with additional events due to the busyness of day versus night, Davis said.
"He is a steady hand running our shift," the director added
Arthur is a newer supervisor and assists on evening shift. Davis complimented her ability to work with the agency's younger dispatchers.
"She both relates to them and handles their issues quite well," she said. "She is a really good compass for the rest of the crew."
Cabell County 911 has a staff of 29 dispatchers stationed at its center, located in the 100 block of Gallaher Street in Huntington.
Follow Curtis Johnson via Twitter @curtisjohnsonHD and http://facebook.com/curtisjohnsonHD.


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we've got signatures, help us get to 5,000 by July 2, 2014
Please stop mating lions and tigers with each other. Ligers and tigons are beautiful, but they are often too large for the mother to have naturally. Many of these animals die shortly after birth. If they do survive, they are sterile. We need to focus on protecting tigers and lions as individual species.


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Among other things, 2012 was the year when the gotta-see-it YouTube sensation became more than just a way of killing time on your lunch hour. In the past 12 months, viral videos have launched companies, musical careers and even international movements (or at least one short-lived but notable one).
To commemorate viral video's coming of age, I asked my old friend Mitch Rotter, senior vice president and general manager of editorial properties for Break Media, to select five of his favorites from the year that was, along with a couple produced in-house. Curated and original content together draw more than 200 million visitors to Break's nine male-oriented sites, which include Break.com, Holy Taco and Made Man.
I gave Mitch no criteria to meet other than that they be highly viral. Some of these are professional content, some amateur. Below, his picks and explanatory notes. A few of these you've probably seen before, a few you haven't. There are one or two you might wish you'd never seen, but cultural literacy demands that you do, so suck it up.
Two-year-old hears mom's voice for the first time
There are a ton of "science is awesome" videos out there but seeing the impact of how technology can so meaningfully impact someone's life is truly heartwarming and inspiring. Cooper, a deaf two-year-old, receives a cochlear implant and the joy and excitement he feels at hearing his mom's voice reinforces how wonderful it is being able to freeze these moments in time online.
Cannonball + Frozen Pool = Fail
User Generated Content sometimes is just a euphemism for "Regular People Doing Stupid Things." Never has that been more true than in this instant classic fail video out of Germany from earlier in the year. Here we have all the ingredients for viral success: idiocy + a friend with a video camera. His friends' laughter is just infectious and the icing on the cake.
Boy inspires kids
In a year when more and more people have come out against bullying, here's a video that shows how positive and supportive we can be when we set our minds to it. Matt W. chooses to run a 400mm race with his classmates despite having Spastic Cerebral Palsy. It seems as if the entire community rallies behind him and wills him over the finish line. It is a reminder that spontaneous goodness is contagious and that each and every one of us can make a difference.
Dollar Shave Club – Our Blades Are F—-ing Great
Subscription commerce is all the rage, some would even say fad, and Michael Dubin knew he needed to do something special to rise above the noise and clutter when launching his Dollar Shave Club. What better way to build awareness than through a wildly fun and totally off center viral video? Dubin stars in this kooky video and 8MM views later, Dollar Shave Club has received nearly $10MM in funding and has gone international with post-video launches in Canada and Australia.
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|Country Inns By Carlson Zephyr hotels are listed below. Search for cheap and discount Country Inns By Carlson hotel rates in Zephyr, ON for your family, individual or group travels. We list the best Country Inns By Carlson Zephyr hotels/lodging so you can review the Zephyr Country Inns By Carlson hotel list below to find the perfect place.
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It was a good road victory for the South Carolina Stingrays on Sunday afternoon. The only problem was that the game was at the North Charleston Coliseum.
Chad Painchaud and Wayne Simpson each had a goal and Jeff Jakaitis made 26 saves to lead South Carolina past Gwinnett, 2-1, Sunday before a crowd of 3,012 at the North Charleston Coliseum.
The Stingrays, who lost for the first time in regulation Saturday night against Florida, rebounded with the victory to improve to 10-1-2 (22 points) on the season and move into a tie for first place in the South Division. The Gladiators dropped to 4-10-0 (8 points).
The Stingrays played a tough, conservative, physical game on Sunday, to secure their fourth win against Gladiators this season.
"It was a lot like a road win," said South Carolina coach Spencer Carbery. "We made better decisions with the puck and we were pretty good in our defensive end. We're playing in spurts right now. We're still making too many mistakes."
The Stingrays, who looked lethargic in their 4-1 loss to Florida on Saturday night, played with more energy against the Gladiators.
"We won more battles and got to more loose pucks," Carbery said. "We won more 50-50 battles this afternoon, but we're still making some questionable decisions with the pucks. I know we don't have everyone in the lineup, but we've got to have a high standard no matter who is on the ice."
Painchaud not only proved to be difference on the scoresheet, the veteran forward also was blocking shots. Two times he was hit in his leg blocking a shot and limped back to the Stingrays bench.
"That's leading by example," Carbery said. "When a veteran guy, an offensive guy, is blocking shots, the guys on the bench get fired up."
The Gladiators grabbed a 1-0 lead on Maxime Legault's power-play goal. Marshall Everson ripped a shot on net that Jakaitis failed to control. The puck bounced out of Legault, who wristed it past Jakaitis for the score at the 15:56 mark of the opening period.
The Stingrays answered as Wayne Simpson bulled his way to the front of the net, knocking in Scott Campbell's rebound with less than a minute left in the first period.
The Stingrays pushed their advantage to 2-1 on Painchaud's goal early in the second period. Jordan Owens got the puck behind the net and slid it out front to Painchaud, who ripped a shot past Gwinnett goalie Peter Delmas for the score.
Gwinnett 1 0 0—1
Stingrays 1 1 0—2
First Period: 1. G, Legault 3 (Everson, Walker), 15:56. 2. SC, Simpson, 1 (Campbell, Spinell), 19:02. Penalties: Bloodoff, G (tripping), 3:09; Grimshaw, SC (hooking), 15:28.
Second Period: 3. SC, Painchaud 6 (Owens, Cherniwchan), 7:52. Penalties: Malouin, G (elbowing, fighting), 2:14; Boyd, SC (interference, fighting), 2:14; Pallis, SC (interference), 8:20; Malouin, G (high sticking, fighting), 11:10; Currie, SC (fighting), 11:10; Hagel, G (cross checking), 19:57.
Third Period: No goals. Penalties: Guimond, G (slashing), 12:50; Spinell, SC (slashing), 12:50.
Shots on Goal: Stingrays 6-10-14-30; Gwinnett:10-8-9-27. Penalties: Stingrays 7-20; Gwinnett 6-18. Power Play: Stingrays: 0 for 2; Gwinnett 1 for 3. Goalies: Stingrays – Jeff Jakaitis (8-1-2) 27 shots, 26 saves. Gwinnett – Peter Delmas (2-3-0) 30 shots, 28 saves. Att: 3,012.
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Upstream Theater's Ancient Mariner Is a Triumph
By Paul Friswold
St. Louis Shakespeare's Blood Reigns Is Fit for a King
By Paul Friswold
The Rep's Buyer & Cellar Looks Inside Babs' Fantasyland
By Paul Friswold
New Line's Jerry Springer Worth Cheering For
By Paul Friswold
Four Stories Explore Mysteries of Women
By Kelly Glueck
Challenging Gender Roles in Or,
By Paul Friswold
Review: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
By Paul Friswold
Parents Lead By Example in Carnage
By Paul Friswold
Chance Aesthetics A seeming paradox — codifying the unpredictable — this selective but comprehensive exhibit focuses primarily on Modernist creative experiments that privileged chance over deliberation and makes a persuasive argument for certain aesthetic similarities in such exercises. Beyond the inimitable work of Marcel Duchamp, highlights include Ray Johnson's twine-and-brown-bag bundles of envelopes, their contents intended for infinite reconfiguration and distribution. The moldering and molding "drawings" by Dieter Roth use bagged and smeared perishables that yield dry humor and a weird, debased beauty. The collages of colored scrap paper and automatic ink drawings by Ellsworth Kelly may be the artist's best work for their searching intimacy and organic possibility. And Robert Motherwell's Lyric Suite — a grid of automatically rendered ink-on-paper drawings — breathes with a nimbleness similar to Kelly's paper experiments. Tending toward the small and ephemeral, the works here slyly suggest that great contemporary art isn't mere fortuitous accident, after all. Carefully and articulately curated by Meredith Malone. Through January 4, 2010, at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Forsyth and Skinker boulevards (on the campus of Washington University); 314-935-4523 or www.kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu. Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily (closed Tue., open till 8 p.m. Fri.).
Chris Kahler: Hybrid Dynamic Working at the unlikely intersection of tie-dye and TV static, painter Chris Kahler produces large-scale pieces that alternately buzz and wilt at the phosphorescent end of the abstract spectrum. Fields of organic tones saturate the image surface with the plotless design of an accidental inkdrop, while neon-hued grids meticulously weave through the looser marks with confident, if mysterious, purpose. Nature and technology blithely intertwine here in high resolution, making for a vivid platform upon which to project your favorite oppositional tension. Also showing: Heather Woofter & Sung Ho Kim: Per.For.Mance, a small survey of proposals for architectural surfaces that activate existing spaces with contemporary media and a fresh invitation for pedestrian interaction. Through December 19 at Bruno David Gallery, 3721 Washington Boulevard; 314-531-3030 or www.brunodavidgallery.com. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat. and by appointment.
Urban Alchemy/Gordon Matta-Clark The late New York-area artist who used entire blighted buildings as his sculptural material could not have found a more apt (temporary) home. The architectural stock Matta-Clark repurposed finds innumerable analogues beyond the Pulitzer's walls; each instance serves as a brief visual lesson in the aesthetics of simple dwelling spaces. Like archaeological strata, the layers of linoleum, plaster, wood beams, shingles, wallpaper and paint attest to the intricacy of the quotidian and the accretive elegance of all things driven by necessity. The message seems to be: Look closely and let nothing be taken for granted. Beyond the diffusions of daylight so scrupulously choreographed by the museum's celebrated architecture, siting this survey in St. Louis does a service to both artist and city. Matta-Clark was an innovator in the synthesis of architecture, activism and art — a catalyst of exactly the sort this town could use. Through June 5, 2010, at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, 3716 Washington Boulevard; 314-754-1850 or www.pulitzerarts.org. Hours: noon-5 p.m. Wed., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat
For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn't there Perception is given close study in this elegant exhibit of work by an international (and historically broad) cast of artists. Positing itself in the Socratic tradition of inquiry limned only by endless discussion, the exhibit proposes that art, at best, is a speculative rather than declarative industry. In an audio piece, Marcel Broodthaers seeks answers to the hard questions of art's worth and purpose from a cat, who responds simply and perhaps wisely: meow. Coffee grounds are divined for larger meaning in a video by Ayse Erkmen (though the deepest wisdom seems to come from the mute chow dog, calmly surveying the chatty humans in his company). The meticulous and obsessive study of objects in themselves, in Giorgio Morandi's inimitable painted still lifes, appear twice and feel like hinge lines in the exhibit's extended villanelle. And the thousand and one drawn charts by Matt Mullican — parsing birth, life and death like a mathematical equation — proliferate with the promise of solutions, albeit eternally elided. Antiquity flashes in a video of the Metropolitan Museum's Greek and Roman wing after dark, and the Renaissance Wunderkammer makes a requisite appearance in the form of an etching — suggesting at once the complementary truths of historical return and non-linearity. One leaves this exhibit — lightly, eruditely and playfully curated by Anthony Huberman — with a fresh faith in art's philosophical capacity and essential mystery. Through January 3, 2010, at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 3750 Washington Boulevard; 314-535-4660 or www.contemporarystl.org. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun.
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History and Philosophy
Co-Curricular Learning Assessment
Assessment of student learning in the co-curriculum is a priority in the Division of Student Affairs at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). The purpose of assessing these programs and services is to identify opportunities for improvement. A recent publication from AAC&U (2008) highlighted that, "Employers seek assessments that demonstrate graduates' ability to apply their learning to real-world challenges." (p. 13). With student learning as a guiding focus, co-curricular assessment demonstrates the attainment of knowledge and skills important for lifelong success.
Conversations regarding the assessment of student learning in Student Affairs at CSUF began in earnest in 2005-06. The division established a division-wide assessment committee in the fall of 2007 (see link on left navigation bar for full roster). The committee was charged with the development and implementation of strategies to assess student learning outcomes from programs and services across the division. The committee engaged in a process from 2007 to 2009 to identify division-level learning domains sufficiently broad to encompass the breadth of learning opportunities available to the students through the co-curriculum.
To begin the domain development process, the committee engaged in a comprehensive review of foundational documents of the institution
(CSUF mission statement, goals and strategies, GE Learning Goals) as well as of the division (Student Affairs mission statement, Student Affairs services to the campus and the community). In addition, reviews of learning outcomes models developed by professional associations were reviewed and analyzed for alignment with themes identified in the foundational institutional documents. Finally, additional models of learning outcomes and best practices from institutions of higher education across the nation were analyzed for alignment with identified themes. The committee developed a student learning outcomes model that includes five (5) division-level learning domains. The domains encompass the breadth of intended learning outcomes in the co-curriculum and are further articulated by corresponding characteristic statements. The Learning Domains and Characteristics were finalized and approved in spring 2009 and are used to guide assessment efforts across the division.
Learn more about CSUF Student Affairs Learning Domains and Characteristics model .


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Fotolanthropy Announces Date & Details for Dallas Film Premiere & Benefit Travis: A Soldier's Story!
It is official, our documentary Travis: A Soldier's Story is heading to the big screen! We would like to invite you to this inspiring event that will be on August 15th, 2013.... READ MORE
Travis: A Soldier's Story Official New Trailer Released!
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Today April 10, 2013 marks the one year anniversary of the horrific day that SSG Travis Mills of the 82nd Airborne was hit by an IED bomb while serving on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan.... READ MORE
First Poster of Travis: A Soldier's Story Released!
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Please join Fotolanthropy tomorrow as we celebrate Travis is alive day and release the NEW TRAILER for Travis: A Soldier's Story!... READ MORE


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Volkl products can only be shipped within the U.S.
(based on 2 reviews)
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By the truth
from vail co
About Me Expert
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Comments about Volkl One Skis 2015:
pro formed these for dirt cheap and it was the best decision on skis ive ever made.. they reall are a all mountain ski with big powder capabilities. I love making turns on these thing and are super fast. I like them a lot better than the Nordicas patron ski i used last year. A++ volkl on this new model
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Surfy smooth powder tool
By Toadman
from Seattle
Demo'd these in about 10"-12" of fresh powder, and cut up pow. I was immediately impressed with how smooth, and stable these skiers are. I skied through some cut up pow, and they just cruise. It's very easy to slarve, or pivot these skies. Because of the fairly long, and gradual tip rise, you can ski this a bit forward, and not get punished, or kicked into the backseat.Very impressive float in shin deep snow, and even some knee deep wind drift. The ski doesn't really carve in the powder, you just shift your weight, and move your hips, and the skis do the rest. I did seem to find them a bit awkward on the groomers. I couldn't really get them to hook up and carve. But I don't have a lot of experience on rockered skis. Moguls are doable but not their intended use. No tip chatter, and the ski felt light, yet stable. Definitely impressed with how easy this ski handled the transition between pockets of powder, and the cut up/tracked out runs. I also had some time in heavier mank, and the ski has the stiffness to handle that type of snow with out getting deflected. But not so stiff, that it felt like you had to be "on", or risk getting punished. A very user friendly powder tool, that also skis well when most of the freshies are gone.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend


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Does "older" mean wiser purchase option?
Ok. I am getting kind of confused. Is older, more aged cheese considered "better." I know this may just be basic cheese 101 for many people, but I am still trying to learn the finer points of cheese selection and be better prepared to face the local mongers this weekend.
I thought that with aging, all cheese flavors just intensify and their flavor gets stronger....But I have been also lead to believe that with aging the "true" flavors of the cheese are covered up by a more salty taste...so is there really a good reason for me to by a 2 year cheddar vs a 5 year cheddar if they are both coming from the same producer? Will the 5 year just be more "sharp/salty" and less "cheddery?"
Talk is closed, but that doesn't mean the conversations have to stop!
Check out this post for a more thorough explanation, and jump onto our Facebook page or our Twitter feed to keep the conversations going!


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A birefringent device of substantially uniform thickness less than about 10 microns, and being suitable for operating in a wavelength range about a central wavelength is disclosed. The device includes a base substrate, a layer of periodic index regions of alternating refractive indices applied to a first surface of the base substrate, and a cap substrate located substantially adjacent to the layer distal to the base substrate. The layer of periodic index regions has a periodicity of less than the central wavelength. The device being suitable to produce an arbitrary phase retardation between 0 and 2Π phase.
1. A birefringent device of substantially uniform thickness less than about 10 microns, suited to propagate an incident radiation and being suitable for operating in a wavelength range about a central wavelength, said device comprising:
a base substrate;
a layer of periodic index regions of alternating refractive indices applied to a first surface of said base substrate, said layer having a periodicity of less than the central wavelength, said layer of periodic index regions of alternating refractive indices causing birefringence; and,
a cap layer having an optical thin film and being located substantially adjacent to said layer distal to said base substrate,
wherein said device is suitable to produce phase retardation.
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This application claims priority from Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/399,730, filed Aug. 1, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth in its entirety herein.
The present invention relates generally to optical components being suitable for polarizing electromagnetic radiation.
Propagating plane wave electromagnetic radiation is composed of two orthogonally polarized components—designated as the transverse electric and transverse magnetic fields. In many applications, it may be necessary or desirable to separately control the amplitudes and relative phase of the transverse electric (TE) and the transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations. For example, device performance that varies based on polarization state may provide for multi-functioning opto-electronic devices.
Birefringence is a property of a material to divide electromagnetic radiation into its two components, and may be found in materials which have two different indices of refraction, referred to as n⊥ and n∥ (or np and ns), in different directions, often orthogonal. That is, light entering certain transparent materials, such as calcite, splits into two beams which travel at different speeds. Birefringence is also known as double refraction. Birefringence may serve to separate the two orthogonal polarizations, thereby allowing such devices to manipulate each polarization independently. For example, polarization may be used to provide add/drop capabilities, beamsplit incoming radiation or filter, by way of non-limiting example only. Birefringence may be caused by the anisotropic electrical properties of molecules, which form crystals. Alternatively, by forming patterns of three dimensional structures.
Anisotropic materials exhibit birefringence naturally in certain crystals such as hexagonal (such as calcite), tetragonal, and trigonal crystal classes generally characterized by having a unique axis of symmetry, called the optic axis, which imposes constraints upon the propagation of light beams within the crystal. Traditionally three materials are used for the production of polarizing components—calcite, crystal quartz and magnesium fluoride.
Generally, calcite is a widely preferred choice of material in birefringent applications, because of its high birefringence and wide spectral transmission, relative to other naturally occurring materials, though it is a fairly soft crystal and is easily scratched. Calcite, generally, has a birefringence approximately 0.172.
Quartz, another often useful birefringent material, is available as either natural crystals or as synthetic boules. Natural and synthetic quartz both exhibit low wavelength cutoffs—natural quartz transmits from 220 nm, while synthetic transmits from 190 nm—and both transmit out to the infrared. Quartz is very hard and strong thereby lending to the fabrication of very thin low order retardation plates. Unlike calcite or magnesium fluoride, quartz exhibits optical activity, and there is no unique direction (optic axis) down which ordinary and extraordinary beams propagate under one refractive index with the same velocity. Instead, the optic axis is the direction for which the two indices are closest: a beam propagates down it as two circularly polarized beams of opposite hand. This produces progressive optical rotation of an incident plane polarized beam, which effect may be put to use in rotators. Quartz has a birefringence on the order of 0.009.
Single crystal magnesium fluoride is another useful material for the production of polarizers, because of its wide spectral transmission. Single crystal magnesium fluoride has a birefringence of approximately 0.18.
Waveplates, also referred to as retarders, delay one of two orthogonally polarized components of light incident upon them. Waveplates are used in optical assemblies to alter the phase of light. Waveplates are generally asymmetric, and have a different refractive index in one axis than the other. Light polarized along the fast or optical axis encounters a smaller refractive index than light polarized perpendicular to this axis. The two orthogonal components of light, one polarized along the optical axis and one polarized perpendicular to that axis, traverse the wave plate and continuously acquire phase difference within the bulk of the material. For waveplates of Į or ╝ wave delay, the two orthogonal components will emerge with a phase difference of π or π/2. In the case of a half waveplate, incident polarized light at an angle ⊖ to the optical axis is rotated by an angle 2⊖. A quarter waveplate causes linearly polarized light to become circularly polarized for incident polarization oriented at 45░ with respect to the optical axis. Waveplates are characterized by bandwidth, defined as the range of wavelengths over which a device will operate, and order. Zero order waveplates generally have the largest bandwidth and as a result are preferred in applications that require wavelength tuning, or multiplexing, combining of light with substantially different wavelengths.
A birefringent device of substantially uniform thickness less than about 10 microns, and being suitable for operating in a wavelength range about a central wavelength is disclosed. The device includes a base substrate; a layer of periodic index regions of alternating refractive indices applied to a first surface of the base substrate, the layer having a periodicity of less than the central wavelength; and, a cap substrate located substantially adjacent to the layer distal to the base substrate, wherein the device is suitable to produce an arbitrary phase retardation between 0 and 2Π phase.
Understanding of the present invention may be facilitated by consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts and in which:
It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating, for the purpose of clarity, many other elements found in typical photonic components and methods of manufacturing the same. Those of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that other elements and/or steps are desirable and/or required in implementing the present invention. However, because such elements and steps are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements and steps is not provided herein. The disclosure herein is directed to all such variations and modifications to such elements and methods known to those skilled in the art.
According to an aspect of the invention, purely isotropic materials arranged in three-dimensional structures may be used to produce form birefringence in structures larger than molecules, if the structures are smaller than the wavelength of interest. Form birefringent structures may offer the ability to tailor the magnitude of the birefringence, by precise control of the geometry and material of the three-dimensional features. It also may allow for the engineering of layers with much higher birefringence than naturally birefringent materials. This may allow optical components built on the basis of from birefringent structures to achieve target, retardation, phase compensation or wavefront manipulation in physically smaller material volumes than may otherwise be possible. Form birefringent structures as presented herein may allow the birefringence to be engineered with a gradient along a certain direction of propagation, thereby providing birefringence with a changing magnitude along that direction. Such graduated birefringence does not exist in nature and may be used to engineer novel optical phase manipulation designs. The proposed method for precision phase manipulation structures also may allow optical materials to be deposited with birefringent layers that are fragmented, or pixilated with areas of different birefringence deposited on one plane. These areas may vary by birefringence magnitude or principle optical axis orientation.
Advantages of the present invention may include that no accurate polishing is required to fabricate precision waveplates of any target retardation or order. For natural birefringent waveplates, accurate polishing is required to obtain the appropriate material thickness. For form birefringence, phase control is achieved by accurately controlling the structure size. This control may be achieved by utilizing semiconductor fabrication techniques that achieve within a few nanometers of accuracy, corresponding to waveplate retardation tolerances of hundredths of a wavelength.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a superior way of producing zero order waveplates all the way from the UV to the far infrared spectrum may be provided. Basically, for all of the wavelengths, one design principle may be applied by choosing the period (0 order diffraction), choosing the material, optimizing the duty cycle, fill ratio, and optimizing the grating depth.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a fabrication method for zero-order and multiple order waveplates is presented in which: an arbitrary substrate may be used, including optically active materials such as garnet (optical rotator); the waveplate may be applied to one or both sides of a substrate; the waveplate may be applied on the top or underneath of a dielectric or metallic mirror. Further, by proper choice of the dialectic materials for waveplate fabrication, its thickness may be kept to a few microns for an arbitrary retardation between 0 and π phase. Further, because of this small thickness, the waveplate may be a building block in integrated optical subassemblies of wafer fabricated optical components. Examples of such assemblies include, but are not limited to, combinations of stacked waveplates and polarizes, waveplates and a polarization beam splitter, waveplate and polarization beam combiner, waveplate and a filter. Further, because of its small thickness, the waveplate can be deposited on bulk optical components, such as lenses, or crystals. And, it can be used for phase or aberration compensation.
Also, the waveplate may include a birefringent region fabricated by periodically alternating high/low index of refraction three dimensional features, and forming underlying optical layers and over coating optical layers. Also, the birefringent region may be made of alternating dielectric and air strips or may be a filled structure of two alternating materials with different indices of refraction. Higher contrast between the indices of refraction of the materials may give higher birefringence.
The birefringent region may be built of a grating of a material of a fixed index of refraction, and a material with a tunable index of refraction. Such a material may be, but is not limited to, liquid crystals disposed and aligned within the grating structure of the first material. Applying a voltage across the liquid crystals may change the index of refraction of the liquid crystals and correspondingly change the birefringence of the waveplate. Such a configuration may constitute a tunable waveplate.
The birefringent region may be built on top of optical layers used for surface planarization and index matching of a whole optical assembly. An overcoat may be deposited on top of the birefringent region to seal from environmental exposure, for anti-scratch protection and index matching of the birefringent region to the physical layers on top of the waveplate.
Further, waveplates made of multi-layer birefringent structures, such as vertically stacked waveplates, may be built by building layer after layer of birefringent regions on top of overcoated waveplates. Intermediate layers may be disposed between the birefringent regions for planarization, protection and index matching. Waveplates made of multi-layer birefringent structures may be built by overlaying either parallel grating birefringent structures or crossed grating birefringent structures. The crossed or parallel gratings can be of different period, which may be used to optimize the birefringence and improve the overall mechanical structural stability of the stacked multi-layer birefringent assembly.
Waveplates built according to the present invention may have higher birefringence than naturally optical birefringent materials if the indices of refraction of the building materials are sufficiently different and the grating period is smaller than the wavelength of light.
Further, extremely high retardation accuracy, compared to conventionally polished birefringent materials may be realized by the fabrication process utilizes material layers for etch stopping. Such layers stop or sufficiently decrease the grating etch process, therefore giving control over the exact grating depth. By precisely controlling the grating depth the phase retardation, accuracy of the waveplate can be controlled. Materials suitable for etch stops may be optically transparent and have etch rates several times lower than the materials constituting the birefringent region. The etch stop materials may be included in the overall optical index matching design.
For designs that require high retardation and high retardation accuracy, a stacked waveplate approach may be used, where two materials with large index of refraction difference are used to create most of the retardation and then another birefringent region is developed on top, from materials with smaller index of refraction difference, to accurately complete the total retardation. Such waveplates can have very different indices of refraction for TE and TM polarizations. An approach to achieve simultaneous optical index matching for both TE and TM polarizations may use a three part waveplate design-underlying layers, birefringent region and overcoat layers, in combination with an anti reflection design.
The layers under the grating may be used to modify the back-reflected amplitudes, through the grating, for the TE and TM polarizations. For waveplate designs with a small difference between the index of refraction for the TE and TM polarizations, the layers under the grating may provide sufficient reflection amplitudes that cancel most back reflections from the waveplate for both polarizations.
The grating region may be used in the overall waveplate ARC design by taking into consideration the different phases that the TE and TM reflections (from the bottom of the grating) acquire. For a fixed retardation, the phases for the TE and TM polarizations may be fixed but different. These phases may be used to calculate the TE and TM reflection fields from the grating bottom after they have propagated back through the grating region.
The layers on top of the grating (overcoat) may be used to adjust the reflected TE and TM amplitudes from the top of the grating region. For waveplate designs with a small difference between the index of refraction for the TE and TM polarizations, the layers on top of the grating may provide sufficient reflection amplitudes that cancel most back reflections from the waveplate for both polarizations.
To achieve maximum back reflection cancellation (maximum transmission through the waveplate) for TE and TM polarizations of a general form birefringence waveplate, all three regions, under the grating layers, grating layer and over the grating layers, may be used and optimized. Such waveplates may be built on a wafer in two dimensional arrays or pixel arrays. Such an array may be made of periodically alternating areas with different retardation (different waveplates) or different orientations of the principle axis. The size of the areas depends on the laser beam size and the application. Adjacent areas may have the same or different sizes. Adjacent areas may have either a different grating period or different grating depth or be fabricated of different materials. Such an array may be made of alternating waveplates and other wafer fabricated optical components such as, but not limited to beam splitters, polarizers, mirrors or just transparent areas with no optical function (beam is transmitted with no alteration of the amplitude or phase). Further, the ability to create three dimensional index gradient structures with stacking and chirping may be provided.
Referring now to
Subwavelength structure 130 may include multiple sub-wavelength elements each of width FG and height t130. Further, the dimensions of the elements may be common or vary or be chirped as will be understood by those possessing an ordinary skill in the pertinent arts. Subwavelength structure 130 may have a period XG of subwavelength elements. Subwavelength structure 130 may have a period several times smaller than the wavelength of radiation to be used with device 100. This period size may provide zero or substantially small diffraction into higher orders and, therefore, subwavelength structure 130 may be used in zero order. Alternatively, other sized periods may be used, resulting in possible decreased efficiency as a result of coupling a fraction of the light into orders other than the desired zero order. These other sized periods may also be varied or chirped. As may be seen in
Subwavelength structure 130 may be grown or deposited on base 110 or cap 120. For the sake of discussion only, base 110 will be used even though cap 120 may be alternatively used as a substrate for structure 130 formation. Subwavelength structure 130 may be formed into or onto base 110 using any suitable replicating process, such as a lithographic process. For example, nanoimprint lithography consistent with that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,905, entitled NANOIMPRINT LITHOGRAPHY, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if being set forth in its entirety herein, may be effectively used. Therein is taught a lithographic method for creating subwavelength elements. For purposes of completeness and in summary only, a mold having at least one protruding feature may be pressed into a thermo-plastic applied to base 110. The at least one protruding feature in the mold creates at least one corresponding recess in the thin film. After replicating, the mold is removed from the film, and the thin film processed such that the thin film in the at least one recess is removed, thereby exposing a mask that may be used to etch a pattern or set of devices into base 110. Thus, the patterns in the mold are replicated in the thin film, and then the patterns replicated into the thin film are transferred into base 110 using reactive ion etching (RIE) or plasma etching, for example. Of course, any suitable method for forming a suitable structure into or onto an operable surface of base 110, or cap 120 for that matter, may be utilized though, such as photolithography, holographic lithography, or e-beam lithography, by way of non-limiting example only. Base 110 may take the form of silicon dioxide having a thin film of silicon thereon.
Subwavelength structure 130 may include a region of tunable refractive indices such as by use of liquid crystals for example. As is known to those having an ordinary skill in the pertinent arts, liquid crystals may be defined as molecules that have different degrees of order and therefore exist in all three common states of matter, solid, liquid and gas. In the solid state there may exist a rigid arrangement of molecules which stay in a fixed position and orientation with a small amount of variation from molecular vibration. To maintain this arrangement there are large forces holding the molecules in place and therefore a solid is difficult to deform. In the liquid phase the molecules may have no fixed position or orientation and are free to move in a random fashion and the liquid state has less order than the solid state. The random motions of the molecules mean that the intermolecular attractive forces that kept a solid together are now only strong enough to keep the liquid molecules fairly close together. A liquid may be easily deformed. In the gas state the random motion of the molecules may have increased to overcome the intermolecular forces and the molecules eventually spread out to fill any container that holds them. The order in a liquid which derived from the closeness of the molecules has therefore been lost in a gas which consequently has less order than the liquid. The probability of molecules in a certain region being in a rigid arrangement and of the same orientation may be used to define a positional and orientational order which is greatest in the solid state and least in the gaseous state. The differences between the three states may be attributed to the temperature of the substance. Temperature is a measure of the randomness of the molecules and therefore the higher the temperature the less order exists and increasing temperature will cause the transition from a solid to a liquid and then to a gas. The temperature of the substance may be controlled by applying a voltage. A thermotropic liquid crystalline phase occurs in some substances in a temperature region between the solid and liquid states. In this state the substance possesses some properties of both liquids and solids. A liquid crystal is a fluid like a liquid but is anisotropic in its optical and electromagnetic characteristics like a solid. When the liquid crystal is formed from the isotropic state some amount of positional or orientational order is gained. It is this order that accounts for the anisotropies of the substance. Liquid crystals may be suitable to change refractive indices by applying voltage.
Liquid crystals may be combined with the subwavelength structure. For example, the subwavelength structure may be etched without a cap. After this etching the liquid crystals may be disposed substantially adjacent to subwavelength structure. Liquid crystal molecules may be approximately a few nanometers in size. This size along with other properties may aid in the alignment in the groves of subwavelength structure. The liquid crystal molecules may be elongated and may orient with the longer dimension along the subwavelength stricture grooves, for example. This orientation may make the liquid crystal layer birefringent with respect to the TE and TM fields.
If a voltage is applied across the subwavelength structure gap, the field may be perpendicular to the molecules orientation, these molecules may experience torque and start rotating, thereby orienting themselves parallel to the field. When the liquid crystals exhibit rotational symmetry with respect to at propagating field normal to the liquid crystal/subwavelength structure plane, the liquid crystal may have substantially the same index for both TE and TM.
As will be recognized by those possessing ordinary skill in the pertinent arts, various patterns may be nanoimprinted in such a manner onto or into base 110. Such patterns may take the form of strips, trenches, pillars, circles, or holes, for example, all of which may have a common period or not, and may be of various heights and widths. Strips may take the form of rectangular grooves, for example, or alternatively triangular or semicircular grooves, by way of non-limiting example. Similarly pillars, basically the inverse of holes, may be patterned. Such pillars may be patterned with a common period in either axis or alternatively by varying the period in one or both axes. The pillars may be shaped in the form of, for example, elevated steps, rounded semi-circles, or triangles. The pillars may also be shaped with one conic in one axis and another conic in another, for example.
An etch stop layer may be utilized during the formation of subwavelength structure 130. Etch stop layer may be deposited under a dielectric material prior to etching. As is known to those possessing an ordinary skill in the pertinent arts, an etch stop may often be used to more accurately etch by adding a layer of material which etches at a slower rate. This etch layer, because of the slower etch rate, provides a buffer during the etching process thereby creating features with the appropriate size without excruciating etch time sensitivity. By controlling the feature depth, the phase retardation accuracy of the waveplate may be controlled. A suitable etch stop employed in the formation of subwavelength structure 130 may be optically transparent and have etch times approximately several times lower than the other etched materials, such as aluminum oxide or hafnium dioxide applied approximately 10–100 nm thick. Etch stop layer may also exhibit favorable optical properties, such as by being a transparent dielectric, for example, and may be applied in a thickness greater than required for etching stopping in order for a portion of etch stop layer to become integrated in the optical design.
The etch stop may be instrumental in achieving desired retardation. The process may include the following: depositing a etch stop layer; depositing a grating layer; developing a hard mask on the top of the dielectric layer; etching the grating, wherein the etching stops or slows at the etch stop layer, thereby providing a target thickness defined by the initial thickness of the deposited dielectric. This hard mark may define a grating period and fill ratio, for example.
Additionally, according to an aspect of the present invention the etch stop layer may be designed as the base 110. The etch stop layer may be used to vary the amplitude of the reflections from the bottom of the grating. The field reflected from the bottom will propagate back through the subwavelength structure and may interfere with the reflections from the cap. The phase that this field picks up in the subwavelength structure and the amplitude may lead to cancellation of the total back reflection, thereby resulting in improved transmission through the subwavelength structure. This may result in higher achieved accuracy.
Base 110 may be formed substantially of a dielectric material or a metallic mirror. A dielectric material, as is known to those possessing an ordinary skill in the pertinent arts, may be a substance that is a poor conductor of electricity, but an efficient supporter of electrostatic fields, often including ceramics, mica, glass, plastics, and the oxides of various metals, such as Al2O3. Importantly, a dielectric may support an electrostatic field while dissipating minimal energy in the form of heat.
Base 110 may be substantially formed from one of many dielectrics or combinations therewith, or may be a metallic mirror. Specifically, base 110 may take the form of silicon dioxide, hafnium dioxide, aluminum, or gold, for example. Base 110 may be formed in the range of 1 nm–1 um thick, such as 100 nm, for example.
Base 110 may be substantially index matched with higher index material 136, for example. Alternatively, base 110 may be substantially index matched to lower index material 134. Base 110 may have a refractive index different from both high index material 136 and lower index material 134. Base 110 may have a refractive index substantially between higher index material 136 and lower index material 134.
Cap 120 may be formed substantially of a dielectric material or metallic mirror. Cap 120 may be formed from different materials than base 110 or may be formed from the same materials. Cap 120 may be substantially formed from one of many dielectrics or combinations thereof. Specifically, cap 120 may take the form of silicon dioxide, aluminum dioxide, hafnium oxide, aluminum or gold, for example. Cap 120 may be formed in the range of 1 nm top several microns thick, such as 100 nm, for example.
Cap 120 may be substantially index matched with higher index material 136, for example. Alternatively, cap 120 may be substantially index matched to lower index material 134. Cap 120 may have a refractive index different from both high index material 136 and lower index material 134. Cap 120 may have a refractive index substantially between higher index material 136 and lower index material 134.
Additional layers may be added into the stack at various locations to provide planarization, protection and index matching as may be desired. These additional layers may take the form of an outer coating. Such an outer coating may be suitable for preventing scratching and protecting from environmental conditions. Outer coating may be substantially index matched with higher index material 136, lower index material 134, base 110, and/or cap 120.
Referring now also to
The design of base 110 and cap 120 is such that R110 and R120 may be approximately equal and substantially out of phase. The law of conservation of energy, known to those possessing an ordinary skill in the pertinent arts, in conjunction with the above cancellation, produces an effect akin to that found in anti-reflection coating technology wherein successive reflections substantially cancel out, thereby maximizing the amount of transmitted radiation through device 100.
The design of base 110 and cap 120 may be incorporated into the design of index matching for device 100. As is known to those possessing an ordinary skill in the pertinent arts, thin film anti-reflection coatings generally produce two polarization states with different phase shifts. When the difference becomes large in the case of a planar thin films, it often difficult to find of dielectric stack solutions both for the cap and bottom to enable index matching. According to an aspect of the present invention, the interface between subwavelength structure 130, base 110 and cap 120, each of the two polarization directions may encounter different index changes and the reflected transited amplitudes are different. Use of different phases acquired in the birefringent media may allow for a solution.
The birefringent waveplate of
Referring now to
For a target depth of 1.4 microns, corresponding to a ╝ wave at 1550 nm, both TM and TE may be overlapped and transmission maximized. Cap layer and bottom layer were optimized that both TM and TE fields will have the same transmission. The ╝ wave phase in one trip and Į phase in round trip for the light propagating through the grating and reflecting off base 110 may be used in the design to optimize the cap 120 and base 110.
As may be apparent to those possessing an ordinary skill in the pertinent arts, energy, including two distinct polarization components, propagating through device 100 may have one component aligned with the higher refractive index. This alignment may result in a phase difference occurring between the polarization component aligned with the high refractive index as compared to the component aligned with lower refractive index. This realized phase difference corresponds to the distance propagated in device 100, for example the thickness of device 100, and the birefringence, Δn, of device 100, wherein Δn is equal to the difference between nf and no and retardance=Δn*distance propagated/wavelength.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now also to
Referring now to
Operationally, each pixel represents a different optical performance, thereby creating the capability of having a pixel or positionally varied birefringent device. Further, through the use of these localized pixel regions, the birefringence may be tailored to suit particular needs and performance.
Pixelized arrays may be fabricated using photo masks to shadow regions, while leaving other regions exposed for patterning. Such a process may be combined with vertical layer growth. Lithographic techniques such as contact or photo-lithography or direct e-beam lithography may be used to pattern exposed regions.
Those of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many modifications and variations of the present invention may be implemented without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modification and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
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Ten Signs You're From St. Louis
5. You make a fifteen-item BuzzFeed list about St. Louis that makes just one reference to any black citizen/cultural institution/location.
6. That sole reference is kinda racist. ("People from North County are shady.")
7. Five of the fifteen items are about food -- or seven, if you count chimps and elephants as food (hello, Franklin County).
Continue for more signs you're from St. Louis!
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The 10 Best Quotes From Rand Paul's Tea Party State of the Union
Rand Paul worked with Tea Party Express to put out a Tea Party State of the Union response last night. He did a great job and here are the 10 best quotes from his 13 minute speech.
10) "What America needs is not Robin Hood but Adam Smith."
9) "I have seen the inner sanctum of Congress and believe me there is no monopoly on knowledge there."
8) "I will continue to fight for legislation that forces Congress to read the bills! I will fight for a vote on my bill that calls for a waiting period for each page of legislation. I will continue to object when Congress sticks special interest riders on bills in the dead of night! And if Congress refuses to obey its own rules, if Congress refuses to pass a budget, if Congress refuses to read the bills, then I say: Sweep the place clean. Limit their terms and send them home!"
7) "I was elected to the Senate in 2010 in a wave of anti-Washington sentiment. I thought I knew how bad it was in Washington. But it is worse than I ever imagined. Congress is debating the wrong things. Every debate in Washington is about how much to increase spending — a little or a lot. About how much to increase taxes — a little or a lot."
6) "Liberals complain that the budget can't be balanced but if you cut just one penny from each dollar we currently spend, the budget would balance within six or seven years. The Penny Plan has been crafted into a bill that millions of conservatives across the country support."
5) "Competition has made America the richest nation in history. Competition can make our educational system the envy of the world. The status quo traps poor children in a crumbling system of hopelessness.
When every kid in the inner city can, like the President's kids, go to the school of their choice, then will the dreams of our children come true!"
4) "It is often said that there is not enough bipartisanship up here. That is not true. In fact, there is plenty. Both parties have been guilty of spending too much, of protecting their sacred cows, of backroom deals in which everyone up here wins, but every taxpayer loses."
3) "It is time Democrats admit that not every dollar spent on domestic programs is sacred. And it is time Republicans realize that military spending is not immune to waste and fraud. Where would we cut spending, well we could start with ending all foreign aid to countries that are burning our flag and chanting death to America. The President could begin by stopping the F-16s and Abrams tanks being given to the radical Islamic government of Egypt."
2) "Bipartisanship is not what is missing in Washington. Common sense is."
1) "The President offers you free stuff to win your votes but his policies keep you poor."
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Tri-State offers activities for Earth Day and just 'being green'
Come Monday, April 22, the world will celebrate Earth Day with more than 1 billion people in 192 countries mobilized in what is one of the world's largest days of civic observance.
First celebrated on April 22, 1970, Earth Day helped bring together more than 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement, according to the Earth Day website.
While that '70s activism led to the passage of the landmark Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act, much work is still to be done as the world's population grows competing for finite resources.
Here are just a few ways to think globally and act locally on this day and in this time of thinking of our impact on the Earth as the Earth Day movement tries to pull people together to commit to "A Billion Acts of Green." Go online at www.act.earthday.org for more information.
'Adopt Your Block'
When Richard "Dick" Cobb retired and came back to Huntington after career of running arenas around the country, he knew that if Huntington was going to rock again it had better be clean -- and it wasn't.
Cobb started the Adopt-Your-Block program in 2006 with Jay Bowen and he still walks the streets of his Huntington neighborhood and asks you to do the same. More than 4,200 people have taken the pledge and have gotten a stick. Call Cobb at 304-523-7902 and you can pick up a Litter Gitter stick and take the "Litter Gitter" oath to keep your block clean of litter and cigarette butts and restore pride to your neighborhood.
Critical Mass
Started in San Francisco in 1992, Critical Mass made its way to Huntington in July 2009 thanks to former DJ and bicycle commuter Jesse Clark, who'd ridden in the Critical Masses in Brooklyn and Manhattan when he lived in New York City.
Now organized by bicycle commuter Joel Mullins,
Critical Mass is a free, monthly community bicycle ride that meets at 6:30 p.m. every third Friday of the month beginning near the Ritter Park fountain.
Come out and meet fellow cyclists as well as Huntington's longboarders like Dave Tolley all using wheel-power to get around the city.
Buy locally grown food
Started in July 2012, The Wild Ramp, located at Suite 13 at Heritage Station, 210 11th St., is a Mecca for finding fresh food from about 70 local farmers, all located within 250 miles of Huntington.
Since its opening, the market has put more than $100,000 back into the pockets of local farmers who provide the store with such products as: Meat, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, tofu, luna burgers, Mission Savvy ready-to-eat meals and juices, bottled water, ice cream, honey, jam, apple butter, beans, popcorn, barbecue sauces, salsa, coffee, tea, yarn, roving, soap, candles, flour, cornmeal, mixes, chips, pasta, pasta sauce, relish, mustard, ramp sauces, granola, baked goods, local artisan products, used cookbooks and more.
Call 304-523-RAMP or visit online at http://wildramp.wordpress.com/ to find out more about The Wild Ramp, which also features counters and art work by clay artists Noelle and Scott Horsfield.
Clean into spring
There's spring cleanups a plenty and you can help out as The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is looking for volunteers to help with the annual cleanup at East Lynn Lake set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 4. Come out and help with trash pickup on the lake shore and in other public use areas. Meet at the East Lynn Lakeside Marina Area Boat Ramp. Volunteers should bring work shoes or boots and work gloves. Folks can also bring their personal boats to help as well. Call 304-849-2355, or stop by the Lake office located at the dam.
Over in Kentucky, Ashland Alliance U. S. 23 Cleanup has organized a sweep of trash along a 50-mile stretch of the Country Music Highway from South Shore to Catlettsburg from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 11.
For more information on how to volunteer your business, church or civic group contact Missy McCalvin, Boyd County volunteer coordinator or Paula Mayo, Greenup County volunteer coordinator at 606-324-5111 or by email at Missy McCalvin at firstname.lastname@example.com or Paula Mayo at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Take a wildflower walk
Whether you're tromping around Barboursville Park, Lake Vesuvius, Greenbo Lake State Resort Park or Huntington's Rotary or Ritter Park, you can see tons of wildflowers here on full display here in the next few weeks.
You can get a guided hike today, Sunday, April 21, as Carter Caves closes out its Wildflower Pilgrimage Weekend. There will be trips focusing on wildflowers, birds, ferns and tree identification, a canoe trip on Smoky Lake and more. Call the park at 1-800-325-0059 to register.
Ecycling in Ohio
DawgByte Computer Service, 12 Prichard St., Proctorville, Ohio, is hosting an Earth Day E-Cycling event from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, April 22, when you can recycle empty ink jet and laser toners.
They will also be collecting used cell phones, laptops, tablets and iPods. There's also E-cycling at the Goodwill Industrial Contracts Center, 525 W. 19th St., Huntington. You can bring cardboard from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday - Friday and in collaboration with Dell, Goodwill also provides residential customers a site for disposal of old computers. Goodwill's Dell Reconnect program recycles all computers and components, printers, scanners, and combined printer/scanner/fax machines. While the drop-off service is free, a slight charge is required for pick-up of computer or equipment lots. For more information, call 304-429-3261 or email email@example.com.
Sustainability Summit
Everything you ever wanted to know about sustainability efforts in Huntington you can learn at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 25, as the Chat 'n' Chew (in the Frederick Hotel lobby on 4th Avenue) hosts the Plan2025 Sustainability Summit.
Come out and discuss and collaborate on city-wide goals to create a more sustainable city and better quality of life such as supporting the local food economy, reducing waste and alternative transportation (buses, bikes and walking).
Any citizens who are interested in a more sustainable city are encouraged to attend and bring a group of friends. Questions can be directed to email@example.com, or call 304-696-4438.
Get your garden growing
A great way to tread lightly is to plant your own garden whether it's fruits and veggies or herbs.
Local organic farmer Mary Ellen Dennison is teaching free classes on herb gardening at Boyd County Public Library on the second Monday of each month at the Main Branch, 1740 Central Ave., Ashland.
Upcoming classes, which start at 6 p.m., include: May 13: Harvesting & Maintaining and June 10: Cooking with Herbs. For more information on this or other programs, visit www.thebookplace.org.
A pedal-powered mission
Burrito Riders of Huntington, is a new non-profit group of volunteers who roll up burritos and ride around the city twice a month to hand out burritos to the homeless and the hungry.
They meet at Black Sheep Burrito & Brew, 1555 3rd Ave., Huntington, on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. The next ride is 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 27.
If you can help either make burritos or would like to join the casual ride (that is OK for beginners), you can email Tim Adkins at email@example.com.
Go online at www.facebook.com/BurritoRidersWV and burritoriders.org/burrito-rider-info.
Shop secondhand
You can help save precious resources by shopping second hand at shops in Central City's renowned antiques district with such shops as Hattie and Nan's and The Velvet Owl, as well as at kids consignment shops and Heritage Station's Find and Designs.
Take that help a step further by shopping at second-hand stores run by non-profits including Goodwill and The Huntington Area Habitat for Humanity ReStore, 240 3rd Ave., Huntington. ReStore will be hosting a variety of activities in celebration of Earth Day from 9 a .m. to 6 p.m. Monday, April 22. Enjoy free tree seedlings (while they last) from the WV Division of Forestry, prize drawings, free T-shirts (for folks who donate on April 22), as well as an earth-friendly presentation with the "Queen of Green" Halcyon Moses for local students visiting from Grace Christian School.
To schedule a pick up or for questions regarding types of donations accepted, call the store at 304-781-1333.
Also, Dress for Success River Cities' will have a "Spring Forward to Success Sale." That runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at First United Methodist Church, 1124 5th Ave. That sale will feature used clothes for $3 and new clothes for $10.
Going vegetarian
Locally, there are plenty of movements afoot to introduce folks to vegetarianism, which reduces our carbon footprint, saves resources like fresh water and fossil fuels and in nearly any study, helps people be more healthy and live longer.
Since Spring of 2012, Marshall University's Sustainability Department, in conjunction with Sodexo Dining Services, have teamed up for a Meatless Monday, offering "meatless" meal selections from 4 to 7 p.m. Mondays at Harless Dining Hall and Towers Marketplace on the Huntington campus.
Off campus, restaurants from Nawab's, Black Sheep Burrito and Brews, River and Rail Bakery, and many other downtown restaurants have vegetarian and vegan offerings.
For those on the go, the Charleston-based Mission Savvy, 202 Hale St., is offering a range of vegan lunches and juices in Huntington at the Wild Ramp.
Go online at www.missionsavvy.com for more info about Mission Savvy, which operates a vegan food truck and cafe.
Recycling In Cabell County
Cabell County's drop off mixed-stream (you don't sort it) recycling program is easy to use and has been a great success with bins located around the county. Here's a look at where the bins are and what's accepted.
Bins are located at: Parking lot at Kroger, 19 West 7th Ave.; Big Sandy Superstore Arena (located in parking lot across 7th Street from arena); Cabell-Huntington Health Department (behind Mac-Reedo's), 703 7th Ave.; parking lot at Kroger, 2627 5th Avenue; parking lot at intersection of W.Va. 2 and Big Seven Mile Road in Lesage; Adams Trucking, 3700 U.S. 60 East, Barboursville; Perry Morris Square on U.S. 60, Milton.
Accepted items include: Glass, paper products such as newspapers, magazines, phone books, paperboard, cardboard, office paper, folders and junk mail; plastic bottles (no caps); cartons such as milk or orange juice; juice boxes; steel, tin and aluminum cans.
Not accepted are: plastics that are not bottles or jugs, plastic bags, medical syringes, Styrofoam, coat hangers, scrap metal.
Some Kentucky paddling
You don't have to go far to have a splendid canoe trip. Carter Caves State Resort Park is hosting several kayak and canoe trips this spring.
It is having a BYOK (Bring Your Own Kayak) float on May 11, doing a six-mile stretch of Tygart Creek, which cuts through one of Kentucky's most scenic limestone gorges.
You will be on the creek for at least 3.5 hours. The park provides the transportation shuttle from the Welcome Center and guides for your trip on the creek. Participants meet at the Welcome Center at 10 a.m. The cost is $25 per person. Limited space available; preregistration is required.
There will also be a Tygart Creek 'Regretta' Canoe Excursion on May 12, on that same stretch, but one in which the park will provide the canoes and transportation. The cost is $25 per person. Limited space available; preregistration is required. Participants meet at the Welcome Center at 9:30 a.m.
Call the park's recreation department to register at 1-800-325-0059. (Since the creek is very shallow, both trips can be canceled due to high or low water levels or extreme weather conditions).
Mapping the city routes
According to research published by Bikes Belong, most trips Americans make in cars are short, and the average American household spends $7,179 per year on owning and driving their cars? Did you know you can reduce road congestion, pollution, lose weight and save about $10 by bicycling to work?
Many folks in Huntington know that and are acting on it. If you're a bicycle commuter in Huntington , you're needed at a 6 p.m. Thursday, May 2 meeting at the Chat 'n' Chew public session to talk about creating a commuter bicycle map for the city.
The Chat 'n' Crew, a meeting organized by Create Huntington, is located at the Fredrick Building on 4th Avenue, between 9th and 10th streets.
At the meeting, organizers will show bike maps from other places to get ideas of best practices to base a Huntington map on. Help organizers mark up a map of Huntington with common bike routes that are good for various reasons (flat, not pot-holed, etc.) and plan a time to do a ride that takes groups of people around on those routes to make adjustments/try out these routes for accuracy.
Organizers hope to have a map done by Tour de PATH, which is being organized for later this summer. Find out more about the ever-growing Paul Ambrose Trail to Health (PATH) online at http://paulambrosetrail.org.
The cool of conservation
Conservation is always a great way to celebrate Earth Day all year long. Avita Andrews, Sierra magazine lifestyle editor recently shared such great ideas as turning off lights when you leave a room for 15 minutes or more, only cleaning clothes that are dirty, turning down thermostats to lower energy use as well as your bills, use a water filter instead of buying bottled water and using a reusable coffee mug instead of throw-away cups.
Margie Phillips, director of Marshall's Sustainability Department, suggests taking baby steps to change old habits to new. "Start by recycling, which is throughout Cabell County at various locations," she said. "Look at the energy consumption of your home or apartment. Switch to CFL or LED lighting, unplug electrical appliances when not in use, and consume less water by taking shorter showers or running the dishwasher only when full. Start a garden this spring, whether in a container in your backyard or larger like a raised bed. Ride a bicycle to work or for enjoyment. It is all in our choices, so choose to 'Be Green.'"
Putting in some trail work
Have a cool weekend by helping others down in the New River Gorge as ACE Adventure Resort is hosting its annual trail maintenance weekend on April 27-28.
In return for assistance, volunteers who register for the event are accommodated free-of-charge in cabins on Saturday and Sunday nights and are provided free rental bikes for evening rides.
The 1,500-acre ACE resort is located adjacent to the national parkland fewer than five miles north of the Bechtel National Scout Reserve, which will host its first national Boy Scout Jamboree following two years of unprecedented planning and construction.
Trail volunteers will be expected to work Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., during which lunch will be provided, and Sunday 9 a.m.-noon.
For more information or to register for the program, call 1-800-787-3982 or visit aceraft.com.
Follow reporter Dave Lavender on Dave's Facebook page as well as his Twitter account, @DaveLavenderHD


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SeaWorld's getting "Wild"
Wildlife expert Jack Hanna helps park kick off 25th anniversary
By Stefanie Arias : January 30, 2013 : Updated: January 30, 2013 3:22pm
Photo By Contributed Photo
Jack Hanna will visit the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk for two shows on Thurs., March 14 as part of the "Global Insights" lecture series. One of the most notable animal experts in the United States, Hanna is director emeritus of Columbus Zoo & Aquarium.
More Information
SeaWorld San Antonio
There's no such thing as a quarter-life crisis for SeaWorld San Antonio. The park's 25th anniversary season opens this weekend, and it's brimming with entertainment.
Wildlife expert and TV personality Jack Hanna returns for "Wild Days," Saturday and Sunday. This year, "Wild Days" will continue on weekends through February, including:
"We recognized that ('Wild Days') was a popular weekend for us and thought, 'What can we do to give our guests more?'" said Sharon Aguillen, SeaWorld's vice president of entertainment.
"Unfortunately, we can't have Jack every weekend," she said. "But we have programs that are just as exciting and entertaining."
More season highlights include the reopening of Aquatica on March 2; "Spring Into Night," when guests can preview summer shows during extended evening hours Saturdays from March 2 through June 1; "Just For Kids," live children's shows on weekends in April featuring Caillou, Laurie Berkner, Choo Choo Soul and Imagination Movers; and Christian rockers MercyMe headlining the annual Praise Wave concert May 4.
Another new offering on the calendar-busting schedule (nine operating days were added this year for a total of 231) is "Pets Ahoy!" The show will open in June and feature comedy skits starring dogs, cats, birds, rats, skunks and pot-bellied pigs. Many of 130 animals to be trained for the new show will be rescued from Animal Care Services, the Animal Defense League and the San Antonio Humane Society.
The additional operating days give this season the most in a single year in more than two decades, Aguillen said. While there's no talk of making SeaWorld a year-round operation, adding to the season again (30 days were added in 2012) is in response to attendance.
"San Antonio is a busy city," she said. "There's a need for us to be open."
With this season's lineup, guests will have plenty of ways to stay busy.