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Thanks to the staff at Wehle Land Conservation Center for hosting us. Many attendees remarked to me about how beautiful the property was, even though they had done some burning recently. The birds were abundant, and the girls seemed to have a good time, which is what it is all about.
We welcome a number of new members to Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama's board of directors. They are Holly Adcock from Prattville, Christie Crow from Union Springs, Carrie Gray from Montgomery, Garrad Green from Mobile, Ramona Hill from Spanish Fort, and Bill Lancaster from Mobile. We also welcome a new board chair, Janie Corlee, from Auburn.
I would like to thank the following long-time board members for their many years of service. They include Helen Alford, who served as the board chair for two years. Marian Loftin of Dothan was on the board from the council's inception. Alonzetta Landrum-Sims, from Montgomery, was part of Girl Scouts of South Central Alabama's board of directors, so she has served many years. Dr. Larry Turner, from Chatom, joined the board not long after GSSA was born. Finally, Alisa Summerville has been involved for two board terms. All have spent hours working in the best interest of the girls on topics most troop leaders aren't interested in, including budgets, financial statements, audits, contracts, insurance, and other facets of doing business as a not-for-profit. In addition to these wonderful folks, I would like to thank Nancy Greenwood, who has served as the board chair for the past two years. Nancy has provided consistent, reliable and supportive leadership during her tenure.
The other business of the meeting included electing the delegates and alternates to the 2014 GSUSA National Convention in Salt Lake City. In the near future, we will begin to share the business before that convention for member input and comments. We distribute that input and comments to the board delegation, so they can effectively represent you.
The report passed out at the annual meeting, which is retrospective to the 2012-2013 year, is now on the website. The reason this goes back that far is because our annual audit for that year is not complete until February, so all the information on that report is for the 2012-2013 fiscal year.
Each year, we also like to report to troops what their troop proceeds are for the cookie program. We are still cleaning up some of the details, but we believe parents should be informed of how much the troop made in proceeds. Each year, I'm asked whether troops make only 10 cents per box sold. That is not accurate! The amount varies because of troop bonus and service unit bonuses, but it is much more than 10 cents per box. If you click here, you can search for your troop and the minimum your troop should have from the 2014 cookie program.
We are always happy to take questions about the annual report, financials or any other questions. Please send them to firstname.lastname@example.com.
The very best part of the 2014 annual meeting was awarding three Girl Scouts who earned their Gold Awards. They are highlighted in this annual report. We would like to congratulate them and all the girls who earned Bronze, Silver, or Gold Awards this year. These girls rock!


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by Anton Shilov
Nvidia Corp. has finally revealed the official names of its highly-anticipated graphics cards based on the code-named GF100 (NV60, G300, GT300) graphics processing unit (GPU). Apparently, the company decided to not to use the GeForce 300-series name for high-end products and introduce GeForce 400-series instead.
On Monday Nvidia said in a blog post that GeForce GTX 480 and GeForce GTX 470 will be the names of the first two GPUs shipped based on the new GF100 chip. Since Nvidia earlier rebranded several its entry-level products under GeForce 300-series, it is not a surprise that the company decided to call its products based on code-named Fermi architecture as the GeForce 400-series so to avoid confusion.
At the Consumer Electronics Show in early January, 2010, Nvidia said it had initiated mass production of its code-named GF100 graphics chip. It is expected that the company will start to sell graphics cards based on the new GPU in March or April.
The leading supplier of graphics processors has reportedly notified its partners that it would officially launch the GeForce "GF100" graphics chip in March '10, according to a previous media report. In addition, Nvidia plans to release a rather mysterious code-named GF104 chip in Q2 2010. The GF104 graphics processing unit will target the high-end market, according to the media report.
The flagship Fermi graphics processor will feature 512 stream processing engines (which are organized as 16 streaming multi-processors with 32 cores in each) that support a type of multi-threading technology to maximize utilization of cores. Each stream processor has a fully pipelined integer arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and floating point unit (FPU). The top-of-the-range chip contains 3 billion of transistors, features 384-bit memory GDDR5 memory controller with ECC and features rather unprecedented 768KB unified level-two cache as well as rather complex cache hierarchy in general. Naturally, the Fermi family is compatible with DirectX 11, OpenGL 3.x and OpenCL 1.x application programming interfaces (APIs). The new chips will be made using 40nm process technology at TSMC.

subset: commoncrawl


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Twitter and social media permeate every part of life, including the arts. Recognizing this shift, Ceci Dadisman, Palm Beach Opera's director of marketing and PR, introduced Tweet Seats. Dadisman had heard of other arts companies employing live tweeting during performances and thought it would be a great means of introducing new audiences to opera. After two successful seasons, the Palm Beach Opera has gained local attention for this initiative, which invites 20 users to live tweet throughout a final dress rehearsal. In our September issue, we lauded Tweet Seats as the best new thing to happen to opera. We chatted with Dadisman about the initiative's beginnings, goals and reception.
PBI.com: Was the idea of tweet seats a hard sell?
Dadisman: No, it wasn't at all. Palm Beach Opera as an organization has really been on the forefront of using technology and social media for many years now; we were an early adopter of pretty much everything. We have a standard of doing more innovative things and being on the leading edge.
When was the initiative introduced? What was the first show you did it for?
Madama Butterfly, which was our opening opera of the 2011-12 season.
How was it initially received?
Really well, actually. The first time—and every time we've done it—the seats have sold out. We only make 20 seats available, and to get them people have to sign up using a form on our website. We vet each person before we give them the tickets to make sure they're an active twitter user. We don't base it on number of followers; we take a quality versus quantity approach.
Have you run into any challenges with the program?
Actually, no. We don't really have any challenges with this program. The only other people in attendance at the dress rehearsals are school children, and it's also open to guests of our chorus and orchestra, as well as to some of our high-end donors. We make it a point—specifically because we have students in the hall—not to announce that it's going on because we don't want the students pulling out their cell phones. From a musician and singer perspective, they all think it's fabulous. Many times we'll have actual performers who will start tweeting and using the hashtag from backstage. Most opera singers these days are on Twitter or at the very least on Facebook or some sort of social media. Any classical musician in this day and age knows you have to change your way of thinking and do whatever you can to get new audiences into the theaters.
|Erika Sunnegardh and Ryan McKinny perform in Palm Beach Opera's 2013 production of Salome.
Speaking of new audiences, obviously you're trying to reach a younger audience with this of initiative, correct?
Not necessarily, no. We're just trying to reach new.
And in that respect, do you feel like it's been successful?
Absolutely. Over the course of the past two seasons, about 95 percent of the people who have participated in tweet seats are brand new to Palm Beach Opera. The majority of those people are new to opera in general. We want people who are new to, not only opera, but new to theater in general. The act of letting them tweet is breaking down the barriers and breaking down the stereotypes of what people think opera is, which is old and stodgy.
|One of our live tweets from Salome.
What do you see as the relationship between the arts and social media?
Social media is really perfect for the arts. Obviously, social media is a very visual platform, a very multimedia platform—and that's what the arts are. It's the perfect showcase for the arts. Also, the majority of arts organizations are nonprofits, so we all have very small budgets, and social media is free. In addition, people who are on social media tend to be more engaged. For example, if you're talking about Facebook followers or Instagram followers, when you put content out there, you're putting it out there to people who have decided to engage with you; it has a built-in audience right there. I speak at a lot of conferences about what I call the curated experience, which is how nonprofits are using social media to educate and engage. And a lot of arts organizations can do this through really innovative ways, not only through tweet seats but also live tweeting program notes during a symphony concert or live tweeting photos during rehearsal or live instagramming rehearsal photos. These kinds of things are perfect for the arts because the arts are kinetic and most of the arts are intangible.
Anything else you'd like our readers to know about the program?
When some people hear arts organizations are doing things like this, they get very upset. They say things like 'How are they suppose to watch the performance if they're busy tweeting?' and 'It's an abomination.' I've heard people actually yelling about this kind of thing. My first response to that is that every company, if you're thinking of doing it, do it in your own way. Also, it's important to note that we think about it not as these are just random people we're telling to go ahead and tweet. We look at these people really like they have a job to do.
So you're looking at these people as liaisons between the company and the Twittersphere?
Exactly. So you have to be very open to different people's ways of communicating and functioning. Ultimately, what we're all in the business of is getting people to come to our shows, whether you're a symphony, ballet or whatever. And if doing something like this is a way for me to get more people to experience opera then I'm going to do it because opera is awesome, and we want to share it with the maximum number of people that we can.


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Seaweed Bath Co., Wildly Natural Seaweed Body Cream, Eucalyptus & Peppermint, 6 fl oz (177 ml)
- You earn loyalty credit for every order you place at iHerb!
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Expiration Date:?Jan 2021Expiration Date
The length of time for the expiration date or "best used before" date depends on the type of product, as well as the brand.
Perishable items (such as flax oils or certain probiotics) generally have shorter expiration dates. Although our warehouse is fully air-conditioned, these more fragile items are put in cold storage (freezer or refrigeration unit) for maximum freshness.
Our receiving department does its best to verify and then enter the correct expiration dates for all incoming products. However, discrepancies do occur from time to time. This being said, the exceptionally high turnover at iHerb ensures that our inventory is among the freshest in the industry.
Shipping Weight:?0.53 lbsShipping WeightThe Shipping Weight includes the product, protective packaging material and the actual shipping box. In addition, the Shipping Weight may be adjusted for the Dimensional Weight (e.g. length, width & height) of a package. It is important to note that certain types of products (e.g. glass containers, liquids, fragile, refrigerated or ice packed) will often require protective packaging material. As such, these products will reflect a higher Shipping Weight compared to the unprotected product.
- Product Code: SBC-00240
- UPC Code: 858293002405
- Package Quantity: 6 fl oz (177 ml)
- Dimensions: 1.6 x 1.6 x 6.7 in, 0.45 lbs
|Combo Discount:
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- Harvested by Hand in Maine
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Dive In for More Beautiful Skin.
The Seaweed Bath Co. was born to bring the ocean's bounty to your bath. While on a mission to soothe my own dry, reactive skin, I discovered seaweed as a natural way to nourish skin of all types. Our soothing combination of nutrient-rich seaweed with argan oil, hyaluronic acid and shea butter absorbs quickly into the skin for all-day hydration. Whatever skin you are in, we invite you to dive into our wildly natural, ocean-inspired line - every day.
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Other Ingredients
Aqua (water) with fucus vesiculosus (bladderwrack seaweed) extract, caprylic/capric triglyceride, carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil, vegetable glycerin, stearic acid, butyrospermum parkii (unrefined shea) butter, argania spinosa (argan) oil, aleurites moluccana (kukui) oil, MSM (methyl sulfonyl methane), stearyl alcohol, hyaluronic acid, glyceryl stearate, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, polysorbate-80, tocopherol (natural vitamin E), phenethyl alcohol, eucalyptus globulus (eucalyptus) essential oil, panthenol, xanthan gum, allantoin, aloe barbadensis (aloe) leaf juice, mentha piperita (peppermint) essential oil.
Contains ingredients derived from nuts.
For external use only. If you have a medical condition, please consult a doctor prior to use. In case of contact with eyes, rinse thoroughly with water. Keep out of reach of children. Do not consume.


text:
This is a fun children track with a fun melody and cheerful mood
Dear VideoHive Authors!
Thank you for buying my music tracks for your projects! Just let me know by sending an e-mail email@example.com so I could update my item description and your projects will be presented on my page immediately. Appreciate your partnership.


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Buy Item $10.99 Add To Cart
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Have questions about eBooks? Check out our eBook FAQs.
Overnight, Zack becomes the nation's most popular contestant. As his star rises, Zack is often asked to compromise and quiet his beliefs. Just as he's on the verge of winning it all, his choices lead him to the brink of personal disaster. Meanwhile, a former Fifteen Minutes winner is searching for meaning amidst her own private losses. Can she warn Zack about the real price of fame? Or will Zack lose everything he loves for his fifteen minutes of glory?
|Format: DRM Protected ePub
Vendor: Howard Books
Publication Date: 2013


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As the Olympic and Paralympic Games proved this summer, sports have the unique ability to bring people together peacefully.
As part of its Empowering Women and Girls Through Sports Initiative, the U.S. Department of State brought 18 young female athletes and two coaches from India and Pakistan together recently for the first joint India-Pakistan sports exchange program.
Regardless of their country of origin, these athletes and coaches became a team. They shared laughs, started a new conversation with one another, and encouraged each other to excel both on and off the soccer field.
With a focus on peace building, the India-Pakistan soccer exchange also highlights the importance of using sports as a means of empowerment. According to the United Nations, girls who play sports are more likely to attend school. And with more years of education, a girl can increase both her earning power and her standing in society.
As one athlete, Tanya of India, said: "Sports show we have power."
Watch the video of these young athletes as they train, learn, and live with one another during their sports diplomacy exchange.


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"Financial highlights for 2009-10 include: Corporate partnership revenue increasing by £25.9m to £32.4m, an increase of nearly 400% on the previous year, driven by new long term deals with a number of key partners, including Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, Aabar and Etisalat." (page 55)
|A massive deal
The £400m, 10 year deal announced last week is a staggering piece of business for City. A club that could only muster £6.5m in total sponsorship income under Thaksin has signed a deal worth over six times that from just one source.
|Streets soon to be paved with gold....
How City compare to other clubs


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John G. Perkins, 77
John G. Perkins, 77, of Whitten, died on Thursday, March 21, 2013, at the Iowa River Hospice House in Marshalltown. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 25, 2013, at the Eldora United Methodist Church in Eldora with Pastor Cynthia Moore of the Bethel Grove Church in Liscomb officiating. Burial will follow at 2 p.m. at Benson Cemetery in Whitten. Visitation is from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 24, 2013, at Creps-Abels Funeral Home in Eldora.
Online condolences may be made at www.abelsfuneralhomes.co


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Spring Trip Planning To Sunriver Resort
A recent tweet from @ylatan asked the twittershpere: "Are April and May good months for a weekend in Sunriver/Bend? I need to plan something for the fam."
Of course we are a bit biased and will always say that "Any time of the year is a great time to visit Sunriver!" Which is certainly true. The beauty is exceptional year round and you can always find something to do in Central Oregon, 12 months out of the year. Here are a few facts about the area in April/May that may help with your decision:
1) Average daytime highs in April are in the upper 50's. In May, mid 60's
2) Average precipitation for both months combined is under 2 inches. In early April you could see a couple of snow flurries, but generally it will not stick to the ground for very long (this picture was taken from the Sunriver Resort lodge on April 8 of last year).
3) Mt. Bachelor is open thru mid May. So you can play golf/ride bikes in Sunriver in the morning and then head up to the mountain to ski 20 minutes away. Photo below was taken on May 8 last year.
4) If you're bringing kids, important to be aware that our Ft. Funnigan kids program is still on a limited schedule during those months (We'll have those hours/days posted to the website soon).
Hope that helps, @ylatan, and anyone else considering a trip to Sunriver in the spring.
No comments yet!


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Caroline Thomssen
Sept. 16, 1918-Jan. 23, 2013
LAKE BENTON – Services for Caroline Thomssen, 94, of Lake Benton will be at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Grace Lutheran Church in Lake Benton. Visitation will be from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday at the church. Stephens Funeral Service – Tyler Area Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
She died Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, at Sunrise Manor in Tyler.
She was born Sept. 16, 1918, to Henry and Emilie (Garmatz) Koehne on the homestead farm in Fountain Prairie Township, south of Lake Benton.
Survivors include her daughter, Sharon Stuefen of Sioux Falls, S.D.; daughter-in-law, Judy Thomssen of Lake Benton; three grandchildren and eight great- grandchildren.


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The hydraulic boltseal cutter is usable by everybody, so it is the suitable ergonomic cutter for cutting container seals. The cutter works hydraulic and by easy pumping several times the jaw will close gradually until the container boltseal breaks. Because it works easy without effort you can control the cutting proces so safety is guaranteed. Totally different than the usual bolt cutters that are heavy and not easy to work with.
This hydraulic cutter is not designed to cut flat steel or steel cables / wire.
-designed for safety, long lifetime, and maximum cut efficiency
-the jaw of the cutter is hardened steel specially designed for container boltseals
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-plastic handles for optimal adhesion and safety
-delivered in red suitcase
Technical specifications:
-sizes suitcase: length 61 cm, width 8 cm, height 22 cm
-weight: 5,3 KG (inclusive suitcase)
-length cutter: 55 cm
-jaw can rotate 180 degrees
Anzahl pro Verpackung: 1 StückGewicht Verpackung: 6 kgMaße Verpackung: 61 * 22 * 8 cm
Copyright © 2011 Hoefon Security Seals DatenschutzŽ | Gebrauchsvorschrift | 4 Steps Ahead B.V.


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Fathead Ricky Williams Texas Longhorns Wall Decal
Product Information:
Let everyone know who your favorite player is with the Fathead® Ricky Williams Texas Longhorns wall decal. This large, full-color wall graphic features an action shot of Williams during his college playing days. Constructed of high-grade, tear-resistant vinyl, the graphic can be moved and reused without damaging it or your wall. Additional smaller graphics let you create an awesome display of Texas pride in any room.
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- Dimensions: 2'6" x 6'5"
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- Model: 12-20498
- Fathead
Country of Origin: United StatesWeb ID: 23803646


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Taylor Chace recently returned from Nagano, Japan, with a memorable keepsake to commemorate his trip.
The souvenir is a silver medal from the Four Nations Tournament, a four-day competition from Jan. 13-16 that featured many of the world's top sled hockey standouts.
Chace, 22, a Hampton Falls resident, was among the tourney's brightest stars.
The assistant captain of the United States National Team, who suffered an incomplete spinal cord injury playing junior hockey in October 2002, led the team in points. The 6-foot 1-inch, 195-pound forward tallied three goals and an assist at the Big Hat Arena. The U.S. reached the championship round against Canada.
"There's a big misconception of Paralympic athletes. It's more of a pat-on-the-back thing, like, 'Good job, you're exercising,'" Chace said yesterday. "It's competitive and it's cut throat. I love it. I love competing and representing my country. I feel very fortunate."
Haunting hit
Chace sustained his spinal cord injury as a 16-year-old standout for the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs.
"My goal was to reach the highest level (of hockey) I could," said Chace, whose hockey career began at 5 years old. "It stopped sooner than a lot of people's careers."
While firing a wrist shot from the right wing, Chace said he was "side swiped by the back-checker." He crashed into the boards back-first and shattered the L1 vertebrae in his lower back. Bone hit his spinal cord. Chace said the injury resulted in "permanent paralysis in different parts of my legs."
Celebrating silver
The team's silver-medal showing was a significant achievement for the program. Chace, a national team skater since late 2005, said the U.S. previously struggled to beat the world's top teams. Playing in a gold-medal game was tough to fathom.
Advancing to the finals of the Four Nations Tournament represented a huge triumph for the team, U.S. head coach Ray Maluta said yesterday from his home in Rochester, N.Y. Consecutive round-robin wins against Canada (1-0 on Jan. 13), Japan (1-0 shootout on Jan. 14) and Norway (7-1 on Jan. 15) boosted confidence for a young 17-player squad that featured 12 athletes between 16 and 23 years old.
Chace certainly played a key role in his club's success.
The University of New Hampshire junior assisted on the lone goal of his team's first win. Two days later against Norway -- in the victory that clinched first place in pool play for the U.S. -- he tallied a hat trick.
Reuniting with Canada in the championship round, the U.S. dropped a 5-0 decision. Still, Chace earned the title tilt's U.S. Player of the Game honors.
"From my perspective, Taylor, as a 22 year old, has proven to be one of our go-to guys and one of our primary leaders on the team," Maluta said. "He played with a ton of intensity. And I think with his leadership, our youth will look up to him and make us grow so we can compete a little better at the 2010 Paralympics (in Vancouver, Canada)."
Aside from U.S. goalie Steve Cash, Chace received the most ice time. Tom Carr of Northeast Passage, a UNH program specializing in disability-related sports, physically prepared Chace.
Workouts with weights and medicine balls continue to be routine.
Maintaining a high heart rate is key, said Chace, who started competing in sled hockey less than two years after his injury. "When we coach, we have no idea that these players are disabled," Maluta said. "This is the NHL for these players. They take it seriously. They compete."
Strong message
In time -- and supported by his parents, Rick and Lisa, and sisters, Meredith and Rossli -- Chace overcame the mental trauma associated with his injury. He now, on occasion, feels frustrated with the public's perception of disabled athletes. Too often, he said, people focus on the athlete's disability rather than his ability.
Chace is working to change that notion. As part of his current college internship, he is an assistant coach for a 13- and 14-year-old Bantam youth hockey team in Dover.
And, as the only Granite Stater on the U.S. National Team -- and just one of two New England skaters on the roster -- Chace hopes his high-level hockey achievements send a strong message.
"It's good for young kids with disabilities to see that being athletic is a normal thing," Chace said. "I do feel pretty blessed to use my (experience), and turn it over to a positive thing. That's why I wouldn't take back anything that's happened to me in sports."


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101 Ways to Stop Eating After Dinner
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- Brief Synopsis:
- Concise, practical tips range from rewriting your address book, to meditating, to covering your fridge with a sheet at night, to calling a friend, to volunteering, to going to the library or anywhere, to reorganizing your music collection. If all else fails, the author includes a list of healthy snacks.
- Long Synopsis:
- [from the back cover] "No more midnight snacks ... no more morning regrets. Just about every diet expert will tell you to stop eating after the dinner dishes are washed and put away. The problem is they don't tell you how. How, exactly, do you resist those overwhelming urges for desserts, snacks, and midnight munchies? There are at least 101 ways--and you'll find them in this simple, practical no-nonsense guide to healthy eating and weight-loss success. You'll find everything from quick tricks (like brushing your teeth) to surprising projects (like starting that novel you've been thinking about writing)--plus a special section on what to do "If You Have to Have It," filled with advice on the smartest low-calorie late-night treats. You can change your habits ...and change your life. All you have to do is shut that fridge--and open this book! ALSO INCLUDES SPECIAL IDEAS FOR LESS-FATTENING, MORE-FILLING EVENING MEALS."
- Book Quality:
- Excellent
- Book Size:
- 98 Pages
- 9780425180952
- Publisher:
- Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
- Date of Addition:
- 11/12/12
- Copyright Date:
- 2001
- Copyrighted By:
- Penguin Putnam Inc.
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Categories:
- Cooking, Food and Wine, Health, Mind and Body, Nonfiction, Self-Help
- Submitted By:
- Evan Reese
- Proofread By:
- Lissi
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.
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Numbers Game: Wigan too short
Matt Briggs is back with his Numbers Game and Norwich are the Value Bet to win at Wigan this weekend.
- Related Content
The Numbers Game's Famous Last Words provided three odds-against winners from three selections last time out with Peterborough (85/40), Colchester (2/1) and Brighton (13/8) all winning. The Banker also returned a winner with Orient (21/20) sinking Carlisle
This Easter weekend sees @MattPBriggs plump for the 9/4 Canaries to win (draw no bet) at Wigan, but bookies Betfred have reported support for the Latics. The Banker is a real value punt too with in-form Bristol Rovers a tasty-looking evens to beat York - a view backed up by the men in the know at bet365, while all the usual stats and pointers return.
Norwich to beat Wigan DNB at Wigan 9/4.
It's about this time of year that Wigan wake up and kick themselves clear of the relegation zone, but at evens at home to Norwich they make little appeal. With just three wins at home this season it would be a brave punter to invest his hard earned in the Latics. The hosts have not been a shorter price on home soil all season and they look very short to sink the Canaries. In fact the last time the sides met at The DW Stadium in August 2011, Wigan were 7/5 shots and they failed to deliver on that day with the game ending in a draw. Norwich have only won once away from home, but they have chalked up seven draws and they are worth chancing draw no bet to nick a win on Saturday.
Sky Bet say Manchester United are now 8/13 as Sunderland confirm that they will be without Steven Fletcher and Lee Cattermole for the remainder of the season. An intriguing game from a betting point of view as a victory is not essential for the visitors as they leave one eye on Monday's FA Cup replay at Stamford Bridge.
Middlesborough have been well supported away at Wolves on Saturday as they look to re-ignite their struggling promotion push. Wolves have drifted from 6/4 to 8/5 despite their recent upturn in form.
Brentford have been huge drifters to see off Notts County at home and are now 5/6 from our opening offer of 8/13. Another must win game for the Bees but they have seen little support.
Betfred say the punters are coming out early for this Easter extravaganza of football and already Man United have been heavily backed. The Reds are currently available at 8/13 but expected to go off shorter when every punter in the land sticks the Champions elect in their accas. Sunderland, on the back of the news of Steven Fletcher and Lee Catermole out for the season are drifting like this unseasonal snow. And it could worse for Sunderland this Easter if Wigan win. Roberto Martinez's side would then just be one point behind Sunderland and the Latics are getting backed to beat Norwich at 10/11.
bet365 say by their high standards Leicester are on a poor run, but punters want to be with them against Millwall and I suspect Chris Wood will be popular with goalscorer punters, whilst its MK Dons for the money in League One - they have been very well backed to beat Hartlepool.
In League Two our customers are expecting further improvement from Bristol Rovers, who I must admit look a good bet to beat struggling York, whilst punters are keen to oppose Morecambe who travel to Oxford.
Man Utd (7/10) won last six in Premier League and travel to Sunderland (5/1).
N Forest (23/20) won last six in Championship and host Brighton (11/4).
Bournemouth (6/5) won last three in League One and travel to Colchester (11/4) (Fri).
Reading (14/1) lost last five in Premier League and travel to Arsneal (2/7).
Middlesbrough (19/10) lost last three in Championship and travel to Wolves (13/8).
Scunthorpe (9/5) lost last four in League One and host Leyton Orient (17/10) (Fri).
Sky Bet: Form horses Leyton Orient travel to Scunthorpe and look a good bet at 6/4 to take the win. The O's, who are unbeaten in seven, face a side who have lost six of their last seven games a late play-off push is certainly on the cards for Russell Slade's men.
Chelsea look a solid lay at evens away at Southampton as, like Manchester United, will have one eye on the FA Cup tie that is coming up. Southampton do not look a side to be underestimated, especially after their superb win against Liverpool last time out at St. Mary's.
Bet365: I suspect the Man Utd/Arsenal double will be popular, but I fancy at least one slip-up, maybe two at odds-on from either Man City, Wigan, Everton or Liverpool. Of all the outsiders it is Newcastle that have caught the eye at big prices and I wouldnt write off Stoke at Everton and keep your eye on Robert Huth there.
Betfred: Chelsea are easy to back at Southampton at around evens while there's been a bit of money for Man City at 1/3.
Bookies turnover will be dramatically boosted this weekend by the FA Cup replay on Monday. If Man United win comfortably on Saturday lunchtime and they use the squad, the dough will come for Sir Alex Ferguson's men.
Sunderland (5/1) have won just one of 23 Prem games v Manchester United (7/10).
Arsenal (2/7) have won all 11 of their competitive meetings v Reading (14/1).
Man City (4/11) have won 10 of last 12 Prem matches v Newcastle (10/1).
Chelsea (23/20) are unbeaten in last seven Prem games v Southampton (14/5).
Tottenham (11/8) have won three of last four meetings v Swansea (23/10).
Everton (4/7) have won just one of last seven Prem games v Stoke City (7/1).
QPR (16/5) have won just one of their last seven meetings v Fulham (evens) (Mon).
Bristol Rovers to beat York at evens (Fri).
These two sides are heading in different directions and the hosts look like 'good things' to see off struggling York. Rovers are one of the form teams in League Two at home - despite their mid-table standing they've won six of their last seven at the Memorial Stadium. High-flying Burton, Port Vale and Exeter have all been turned over and Nigel Worthington's men face a tough task to halt their winless run of 15 games.
Bournemouth's Brett Pitman has three in three and is 7/5 to score at Colchester.
Yeovil's Paddy Madden has two in three and is 5/4 to score v Walsall.
Accrington's Lee Molyneux has four in three and is 5/1 to score at Wycombe.
Crewe to beat Bury at 9/5 (Fri).
Bury only had four substitues in the defeat at Bournemouth last weekend and boss Kevin Blackwell confirmed the Shakers picked up two more injuries. One of those players is midfielder Craig Jones, who is out for the season.
Yeovil to beat Walsall at 11/8 (Fri).
Walsall top scorer Will Grigg is only 50-50 to face Yeovil, while the Glovers will hand a debut to highly-rated frontman Angelo Balanta.
Barnsley to beat Sheff Weds DNB at 7/5 (Fri).
After the recent win over Watford, Barnsley boss David Flitcroft said: "I'm completely buzzing, we set out a game plan and it really worked. I don't know many times Watford have not scored (this season), and I'm going to look that up when I get back to the office. We've kept a clean sheet against Watford, this can't be underestimated; the size of this performance, the level, the hunger, the desire that I spoke about before the game, it was just evident."
Millwall to beat Leicester DNB at 14/5 (Fri).
Speaking after the defeat to Derby, Leicester boss Nigel Pearson said: "We didn't play very well and we are in a bad run of form at the moment. There were too many mistakes. We didn't play with any authority in possession and conceded two poor goals. We huffed and puffed in the second half and had quite a lot of possession but didn't show the quality to rectify the situation. We have got to get back to basics during the international break because we have worked too hard to get ourselves in a decent position to put it in jeopardy."


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Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
On-line version ISSN 2411-9717
Print version ISSN 0038-223X
J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall. vol.112 n.8 Johannesburg Jan. 2012
Linear elastic numerical modelling for failure predictionan assesment
S.K. Murphy
AngloGold Ashanti Africa Region
A partial shaft pillar extraction project was embarked on at a mine in the West Wits mining region in South Africa. Prior to the extraction, a rock engineering assessment was conducted with the main objective being to establish which areas of the shaft pillar could be extracted without unduly affecting the stability of major infrastructure within the shaft pillar. Standard numerical modelling methods were used to conduct this assessment and several areas were identified for extraction. However, during the extraction process, it was found that the infrastructure was affected more than was originally predicted by linear elastic modelling. In addition to this, several large events resulted in far more large aftershocks than would normally be predicted.
In order to gain an understanding of this phenomenon, seismic data was integrated with numerical modelling as follows:
> The seismic data in the form of displacements was integrated in 3D space within the model to assess the effect of static stress changes associated with seismic activity
> Data from large events was integrated onto specific structures, where displacements associated with large events were integrated onto the plane of structure in question.
This paper describes the methodology and results obtained from each of the above processes and include insights into the mining process that were previously unfathomable using standard linear elastic numerical modelling. The way forward for this rock engineering assessment of partial shaft pillar extraction is also discussed.
Keywords: modelling, rock engineering, failure.
TauTona Gold Mine is the easternmost of the three adjoining mines that formerly constituted the greater ultra-deep mining complex known as the Western Deep Levels Gold Mine, which commenced mining some 40 years ago. Currently, the Carbon Leader stopes are the deepest ore-producing excavations in the world, with a maximum depth of 3456 m below surface. Using a layout of strike-aligned stabilizing pillars that yields an extraction of 80 per cent, the very narrow 20 degree dipping Carbon Leader Reef (CLR) orebody has been mined to a working height of about 1 m over an area exceeding 5 km on strike and 3.5 km in the dip direction.
Because of the great depth and extent of mining, and because the surrounding quartzites are strong and brittle and major faults and dykes are common, large seismic events are a continuous risk, which sometimes cause severe rockburst damage. With the use of appropriate layouts based on sound rock engineering principles and careful sequencing of stoping which is guided by continuous seismic monitoring of the rock mass response, the frequency of large seismic events has reduced. Largely as a result of the full-scale introduction of backfill and improved face support, the rockburst problem in stoping has been reasonably well controlled during the past few years. This led to re-assessment of other opportunities at TauTona Mine previously considered unavailable, specifically the shaft pillars.
Two shaft pillars, one on the Ventersdorp Contact Reef (VCR) and the other on the CLR, protect the shaft infrastructure at TauTona Mine. The VCR pillar is approximately 950 m χ 950 m at a depth ranging from 1774 m to 2024 m below surface, and the CLR shaft pillar is a 950 m χ 950 m (902 500 m2) pillar situated between 2624 m and 2874 m below surface. The initial plan was to extract the VCR pillar from TauTona Mine and the CLR from Mponeng Mine. However, it was found that the shaft barrels at Mponeng Mine could not exclusively supply the ventilation requirement for this mining.
In January 2001 a decision was taken that TauTona Mine would become a stand-alone project and not be incorporated into the Mponeng Project, and that partial extraction of the pillars would be carried out. Partial extraction of shaft pillars effectively requires that any mining within the VCR and CLR pillar boundaries be designed to ensure the integrity of the critical infrastructure within the shaft pillar areas. For the sake of brevity, this paper is restricted to the partial extraction of the Carbon Leader shaft pillar.
The partial extraction of the Carbon Leader shaft pillar was designed using a quasi-static stress assessment with a linear elastic model. In addition to this, a statistical hazard assessment of the expected seismic response to this mining was conducted using historical data from a previously mined high-stressed block of ground. This assessment did not reveal any major problems associated with the planned mining within the shaft pillar. However, at the time of this investigation numerical modelling tools for integration with seismic data were either still being researched or not available. In effect, the total design of mining in the shaft pillar was done with limited understanding of the overall seismic response that could be expected from the planned mining.
The initial approach to mining within the shaft pillar boundaries was to have a maximum of 6 m face advance. In addition, the extraction was to be done consecutively, with the 97 area first, the RH1 second, and 101/Thulani area to be the final part of the extraction (areas shown in Figure 1). Progressively during business planning processes (gold deficits in the mine plan being the main driver) the mining rate was increased to 9 m, and later further similarly driven decisions were made to simultaneously extract some of the areas. These decisions were justified at the time by the quasi-static modelling results, the large expanse of the shaft pillar, and the initial seismic hazard assessment, although still with limited understanding of the expected seismic response.
These decisions have resulted in a significantly higher adverse seismic response than was expected. Moreover, the geological environment has been found to be far more complex than was envisaged during the initial assessment of the pillar extraction. In this environment, both best-practice extraction strategies (in most instances) and what can be considered as the best support system in the world have not prevented major damage, resulting in the loss of production and numerous injuries (as shown in Figure 1).
In addition to the above, what can be considered as major challenge to the long-term viability of TauTona Mine is the significant damage that has resulted in the 97 hoist chambers, which are of strategic importance. As a result of the numerous incidents of damage and injuries referred to above, a complete re-assessment of the shaft pillar extraction process was done.
The re-assessment process covered the following aspects:
Analysis of the seismic response with respect to the production input
Numerical modelling with the dynamic response integrated into the model, and comparison of this with the initial modelling results.
These assessments and the outcomes obtained from each of the assessments are now discussed.
Seismic response analysis
Initial assessment
An assessment was conducted where the seismic response per square metre mined (P) was compared between different mining areas at TauTona mine. For this purpose, the seismic potency per unit area mined for each of the areas was evaluated. The seismic potency (Mendecki et al., 2004) was calculated as follows:
Where M = seismic moment G = rigidity
The results obtained in this assessment are shown in Figure 2, where it can be seen that both the 97W and 97E areas of the shaft pillar have a significantly higher response than any of the other areas that were used in the comparison. What also needs to be noted here is that the RH1 area appears to have a similar response to two other areas at TauTona Mine, namely the 105 decline east area and the 105 decline west area. These areas were also associated with an elevated seismic response. This was due, in the case of the decline west, to the fact that mining was taking place adjacent to seismically active structures in what could be considered to be a remnant area. In the case of the decline east, the longwall was negotiating a seismically active fault and dyke. Of additional importance to note here is the fact that the RH1 area has a relative small span, and as this span increases the seismic response will increase.
Cumulative potency vs. cumulative production
The second part of the seismic assessment consisted of a novel approach, in which potency was compared directly to production. The main objectives of this task were:
To quantify the seismic potency results obtained above
To develop a tool that could be used for medium-term prediction.
Figure 3 shows the results obtained for all the mining areas at TauTona Mine, and from this information some deductions can be made. To begin with, two different response slopes can be discerned, namely a longwall average response slope and a high seismic response slope. This can be confirmed by quick perusal of the areas where a high seismic response was experienced, these areas being 90E longwall (mined between two seismically active structures), 102E and 104E (section 336 high-stress - remnant area), and the 97E and 97W in the shaft pillar. Secondly, when considering a slope increase in an average longwall curve in combination with the position of that longwall at that point in time, it can be deduced in most cases that this increase was associated with the negotiation of seismically active geological structures. Thirdly, from Figure 4, the following can be deduced:
Stopping of mining does not imply that the seismic activity stops immediately
On the 97 shaft pillar curve it appears that the slope reduction has been induced by a significantly lower mining rate
The seismic hazard for the 97 area is similar to the 102E (336) longwall and higher than the 104E (336) longwall.
Mining rate assessment
This part of the seismic assessment was done in an attempt to determine the effect of mining rate on seismic activity that occurs as a result of mining operations. The initial part of this assessment was to compare cumulative production to cumulative seismic displacement, and this is shown in Figure 5.
Here it can be seen that where the production curve is steeper (higher mining rate) the seismic response is significantly higher in terms of the number and magnitude of events that occurred. When considering this with the data shown in Figure 6, it appears that when the production rate in the shaft pillar exceeds 3500-4000 m2 per quarter, the seismic response in the shaft pillar does not just increase, but there appears to be a lock-up with respect to the seismic response. Similarly, in an industry review of shaft pillars it was found that mining rate within shaft pillar boundaries should be limited to 2000 m2/month (Dukes, 2007). It has also been shown that the short-term hazard, associated with spatially disordered and non-adjacent blasting of mining panels, was lower than where panels were blasted adjacent to each other, irrespective of the rate of mining. Non-adjacent blasting at a lower mining rate generated even more favourable conditions (Mendecki, 2005).
This seismic analysis has shown that the seismic response of specifically the 97 area in the shaft pillar is notably higher than in any of the normal longwalls at TauTona Mine. Also, the seismic response of the 97 area is similar to, if not higher than, the old 336 area. It can also be concluded that a high production rate (volume of extraction with respect to time), specifically in shaft pillars, has either an exponential effect on the seismic response within the shaft pillar boundaries or seismic lockup may occur. Futhermore, non-adjacent blasting of panels will have a more favourable effect on the seismic response.
Numerical modelling and seismic integration in the numerical model
Standard linear elastic numerical modelling was originally used to assess mining in the shaft pillar. Some results obtained with this modelling will be discussed and compared to the seismic data discussed above. Leading on from this assessment and from several incidents in the shaft pillar that were identified as anomalous compared to the rest of the mine, numerical modelling with seismic integration on the geological structures was completed. The results obtained from this are also discussed. Finally, as part of an infrastructure assessment, 3D seismic integration in the model was conducted, and these results are also discussed.
Linear elastic modelling
In this exercise linear elastic modelling (Map3D) was used to assess different areas at TauTona Mine, and results obtained were compared to modelling results obtained in the shaft pillar. The variable obtained from the model and used in this assessment was energy release rate or ERR (Map3d manual), and the results are shown in Figure 7 (September 2004 to September 2005) and Figure 8 (September 2005 to September 2006). In both these figures it can be seen that the ERRs for the 97 shaft pillar areas are similar to, and not significantly higher than, any of the other areas at TauTona Mine.
However when the seismic response of the areas is compared it can be seen that the response of the 97 shaft pillar areas is markedly higher than that of the other areas, as shown in Figure 9. In an attempt to understand the difference in the seismic response, the numerical assessment was expanded to include seismic integration. This was accomplished using Map3Di, which has the ability to integrate seismic data.
Integration of seismicity on geological structures
Map3Di is an advance on the standard MAP3D program that permits superposition of external field loading effects onto a standard Map3D model. Slip or dilation on a fault plane is applied by subdividing the known extent of the fault into small planar zones and then specifying the slip or dilation components in each zone. Effectively, the deformations indicated by seismicity are superimposed onto the Map3D mine model, thereby redistributing the stresses to accommodate the deformations (Mendecki et al., 2001).
Using this methodology, two incidences of major seismic events were back-analysed. Firstly, the occurrence of an event in the 97W area was analysed. This event of local magnitude (mL) 2.5 resulted in major failure and loss of life in 97W3 panel. Underground investigations revealed that major reverse slip had occurred on a ramp fault structure in the face area of the panel. Following the event, a shear fracture with approximately 12 cm of displacement was observed in a panel mining north (up-dip), ahead of the breast panel. The shear structure was striking parallel to the previous breast face (see Figure 10). What was not well understood was the reverse slip along the ramp fault structure and the magnitude of the event that occurred. In order to gain understanding of this a numerical model of the shaft pillar was built, and both the shear structure and the ramp fault structure were included in this model as displacement discontinuities (see Figures 11 and 12). The model was then run with three mining steps up to the time of the event.
At this point, the mL 2.5 seismic event was integrated into the model along the shear structure at approximately the position that it occurred. The results from this model showed that normal slip occurred along the shear structure. This resulted in an upward sense of movement of the hangingwall above the ramp structure, which in turn induced reverse slip along this structure. This effectively dislodged the footwall of the structure into the stope. An assessment of the ESS along the structure also revealed that a mL 2.5 event could occur along this structure with a strike length of 45 m. Furthermore, a second event associated with a ramp structure occurred in the position as shown in Figure 10. This event was of mL 1.8 with a corresponding face length of 12 m to 15 m. What is of interest to note here is that this data conforms to a previous postulation that was made concerning the panel face length having a direct bearing on the magnitude of the event that may occur (van Aswegen, 2006).
The second incident consisted of a multitude of events which included a mL 4 seismic event that was initiated on the 97W side of the shaft pillar. The sequence of these events that occurred is shown in Figure 13. The 97E panels intersected an unknown 1.5 m fault that was striking almost parallel to the faces. This resulted in the mining strategy being changed from breast mining to northside mining being used to negotiate the fault. During this northside mining the first seismic event (mL 3) occurred, with the second (mL 2.6) occurring approximately a minute later and the third event (mL 4) a day later. What was not fully understood here was firstly why the first event occurred even though the strategy had been changed, and secondly why the third event still occurred when intuitively it was thought that the first and second events should have de-stressed the fault.
The same methodology as described in the first paragraph of this section was used to back-analyse this situation. The fault was built with displacement discontinuity as shown in Figure 14. The modelled mining consisted of the 97E panels being mined breast-onto the fault. The mining was then turned north with a northside panel. It was found that as the breast mining approached the fault, positive ESS lobes were formed close to the reef horizon. Using Ryder's method (Ryder, 1988) of calculating expected event magnitudes from ESS, it was found that that there was sufficient potential for both these events to occur. This assessment also showed that the minimal mining being done in the northside panel was sufficient to cause an increase in the existing ESS lobe.
In addition, a further ESS lobe was found to exist on the geological structure fairly high in the hangingwall of the stope, and this lobe definitely had potential to result in the mL 4 event that occurred. In the model it can be seen that this positive ESS lobe owes its existence to the initial mining that took place when the pillar was formed, rather than mining activity at the time of the event. In the physical rockmass, positive ESS lobes do not exist because movement associated with this ESS will take place either slowly (creep) or quickly to relieve the ESS build-up. However, it is also known that asperities may exist on the geological features, which could hang up this movement along the feature. In this instance, small increases in either the ESS or the lobe size can be sufficient to 'break' the asperity, resulting in a large event occurring. Increases as described above were observed in the positive ESS lobes already existing on the geological feature in the model as a result of the northside mining. This process is probably why the first seismic event occurred when it did. It does not, however, explain the occurrence of the second and third events. Further work was required to explain this, and as such the three seismic events that occurred were integrated into the model in a step-wise fashion. In this implementation it was found that the first event created positive increases in both the ESS and the lobes at the positions where the second and third events occurred. From this it can be concluded that the static stress changes associated with first event was sufficient to trigger the second and third events.
These results prompted further work to ascertain the extent to which the mL 4 event influenced the occurrence of the remaining seismic events in the so-called swarm. To this end, the solid remaining in the reef plane was built into the model using displacement discontinuities. This model was then run and the seismic data concerning the mL 4 event was integrated into this model along the geological feature. The results showed that significant static changes in an (an is defined as the stress existing in the direction normal to the reef plane) occurred in the areas where the other seismic events occurred (see Figure 15). Changes to an imply changes to the principal field stresses, which in turn implies changes to the ESS acting on the structures. ESS is equivalent to Coulomb failure stress (CFS), which is widely used in crustal seismology (Hofmann et al.,), where it has been found that a static Coulomb stress change in excess of 1 bar (0.1 MPa) caused by a large seismic event is sufficient to trigger aftershocks (Harris, 1998). When taking the above into consideration it can be interpreted that the static stress changes associated with the mL 4 event are a major contributing factor to the occurrence of the remaining events in the 'swarm'. Effectively, what can be considered to be minor stress changes has resulted in major seismic activity. What can also be concluded from the above work, specifically with respect to the fault in the 97E area, is that the historical latent seismic potential of structures in the shaft pillar was significantly under-estimated during the initial design phase.
What now needs to be considered is whether the increase in static stress as a result of seismic activity is a major contributing factor to the higher-than-expected deformation experienced in the 97 hoist chambers. In order to do this, the seismic data obtained from the shaft pillar during the period that the pillar was being mined was integrated into the numerical model. This methodology is described in the following section.
Integration of the seismic information in 3D space in the numerical model
The higher-than-expected deformation in the 97 hoist infrastructure area could be attributed to one or both of the following:
Effects of mining is larger than expected
The design criterion of 5 MPa was overstated.
Consideration of the first point revealed that either the initial modelling was inaccurate or, due to seismic deformation, higher stress concentrations are occurring in the intact areas. Extensive re-modelling with a different linear elastic model (Map3D) has not revealed any inaccuracies or anomalies concerning the initial modelling, which was done with MinsimW. At the time that the initial modelling was done, the methodology for integrating seismic data with numerical modelling was in its infancy and not freely available. Some integration work was done at the time by ISSI (Integrated Seismic Systems International), where historical seismic data that occurred along the geological structures was incorporated. This exercise revealed that the stability of the major structures was dependent on the existing k-ratio (k-ratio is the ratio between the vertical and the horizontal stress). In addition, a ranking of the hazard potential of the geological structures was conducted. No work was done with respect to the possibility of significant static stress increase occurring as a result of seismic activity, and this possibility was not taken into account at the time. It is now suspected that seismic-induced static stress increase may be a cause for the higher-than-expected level of deformation in the 97 hoist chambers, and as such the 3D seismic integration described below was carried out.
The 5 MPa stress criterion was a relatively subjective design value based on some industry experience. It is not known with any certainty if it is tolerable in this situation where the hoist chambers with sensitive machinery already lie in a stress field exceeding 97 MPa. As a preliminary attempt to quantify this, an inelastic 2D assessment was also done, and this is discussed in the following section.
The method followed in conducting the 3D integration is firstly described, and then the results obtained from this integration are discussed.
The rock mass in the shaft pillar area was divided into into small 3D zonesvoxels (cubic boxes)of particular dimension. Seismic deformation of the rock mass is specified in terms of strain per voxel. The apparent volume of an event, together with a source model assumption, gives the physical deformation at a voxel centre point. This is cumulated for all events touching that voxel, and is transformed into a strain estimate by dividing by the voxel side length. This is calculated for the relevant seismicity, for all voxels in the integration volume, and then serves as input for Map3Di. The model then updates the overall stress state to accommodate the contribution of the integrated field loading (Hofmann, 2003).
The numerical model that was used consisted of the shaft pillar with no mining being conducted within the shaft pillar boundaries as a base case. In the second step, all the mining that had to date been completed was incorporated. In the third step. the seismic data for events affecting the shaft pillar during this mining operation were integrated into the model. The results from step 1 were then subtracted from step 2 to obtain the static stress change induced by the mining. Similarly, this was done for steps 2 and 3 to obtain the dynamic stress change associated with the dynamic loading.
The results obtained for this modelling are illustrated in Figures 16 and 17 and quantified in the graph in Figure 18. In Figure 16 it can be seen that the criteria of 5 MPa are not exceeded in the 97 hoist excavations, but they are exceeded to some extent in the 100 refrigeration plant area. This is due to the additional mining that was done in the 97 reef drive that was not included in the initial modelling exercise. Conversely, in Figure 17 it can be seen that as a result of the dynamic loading, the 5 MPa criterion has been exceeded in both areas. Figure 18 shows results that were obtained from benchmark points included in the model adjacent to some of the chambers in the 97 hoist area. Here it can also be seen that when the dynamic loading is included the 5 MPa criterion is exceeded at certain points. From this it can be concluded that, firstly, the dynamic loading within the shaft pillar area is one of the drivers of the higher-than-expected rate of deformation experienced in the 97 hoist chambers. Secondly, although the 100 refrigeration plant has been subjected to a similar stress increase there does not appear any evidence of higher-than-expected deformation.
In order to quantify the displacement that occurred in the sidewalls and the hangingwall of the 97 rock winders, FLAC2D inelastic modelling was done, and this is discussed in the following section.
2-Dimensional inelastic modelling of the 97 rock hoist chamber
Model description
A 2D section of the rock hoist chamber was built using Flac2D, and this section is shown in Figure 19. Figure 20 shows the shotcrete and anchors that have been included in this model to simulate the effect of the support that is currently installed in the chamber. Stress inputs for the model were obtained from the Map3D modelling described above. The model was run in the following stages:
Stage 1: At time of excavation
Stage 2: Shaft pillar formed
Stage 3: Static stress increase due to mining within the pillar
Stage 4: Static stress increase due to dynamic loading
Stage 5: Static stress due to planned mining
Stage 6: Dynamic stress increase due to expected dynamic loading.
Results obtained from the model
History points to monitor the deformation occurring in the model are shown in Figure 21. For the sake of brevity, only the results obtained at position 8 are discussed in this report. This point was chosen because it is in the centre of one of the chamber sidewalls where the most lateral displacement would occur. The results for this point are shown in Figure 22. The static increase that occurred as a result of the mining in the pillar is approximately 20 mm. Here it must be taken into account that the opposite sidewall has similar deformation, and therefore the total deformation acting on the concrete foundations and the floor of the hoist rooms was 50 mm due to the static stress increase associated with the mining. However, when considering the total static stress (mining-related and dynamic loading) it can be seen that this is approximately 120 mm. This is the current point in time at which the high rate of deformation is being experienced in the rock hoist chamber. What is of major concern here is the fact that the expected deformation that will occur as a result of the static stress increase attributable to both the mining and the predicted dynamic loading is at least 200 mm, in addition to the 100 mm discussed above. When considering the above and the higher-than-expected deformation that has occurred, it must be concluded that the planned additional mining will definitely result in at least double the deformation that has already occurred, and this may result in catastrophic failure of the foundations of the hoist in this chamber.
To this effect, numerical modelling was conducted to ascertain which planned areas within the shaft pillar could still be mined without adversely affecting the 97 hoist chambers and the 100 refrigeration plant. This work is discussed in the following sections.
Evaluation of possible further extraction within the shaft pillar
The first part of this work was done with the Map3D/3Di programs, where the effects of the different mining areas on the 97 rock hoist chamber were compared. The results for this exercise are shown in Figure 23. Here it can be seen that only the 97 West and the Thulani areas have a minimal effect on the 97 rock winder area. This, however, removes a significant amount of the planned mining from the shaft pillar. Considering this, further work was done to determine what portion of the bottom west of the RH1 could be mined in addition to the Thulani and the 97 West mining. This area was assessed rather than the other areas since the 97 east area has a high seismic potential and the RH1 top east and west are in close proximity to the seismically active Wuddles Dyke. By reducing the amount of mining in the bottom west of the RH1 area, a reduction in the potential stress increase in the 97 hoist area is accomplished. Secondly, this reduction of mining reduces the effect on the Wuddles Dyke. The total stress increase in the 97 hoist area is predicted to be 0.5 MPa for the static increase and 0.5 MPa for the dynamic increase (see Figure 24). These results were then input into the Flac2D model, and the results obtained are shown in Figure 25. Effectively, this reduction in the field stress increase in the vicinity of the rock hoist chamber results in a significantly lower increase in the expected deformation from 160 mm across the excavation to 40 mm, which can be catered for by the engineering design and application of phasing measures to maintain and protect hoisting against slow deformations.
A similar modelling exercise was done for the 100 refrigeration plant. The expected vertical stress increase is approximately 7 MPa as a result of this mining. This will result in additional deformation of 30 mm to 50 mm in the sidewall of the excavations, or a maximum of 100 mm across the refrigeration plant excavations. In this scenario, as a result of the slots cut in the footwall of the excavation it is not expected that this deformation will detrimentally affect the refrigeration plant equipment (van Antwerpen, 2007).
This seismic analysis has shown that the seismic response in the shaft pillar is notably higher than in any of the normal longwalls at TauTona Mine. Also, the seismic behaviour of the 97 area is similar to, if not higher than, that of the old 336 area. When taking this into consideration, together with the fact that a similarly high-stressed area was successfully extracted, it must be borne in mind that the shaft pillar includes sensitive infrastructure, which was not the case with the similarly high-stressed area. The initial criterion that was used to establish the amount of mining that could be done in the shaft pillar area without causing significant damage to the infrastructure may be optimistic (Leach, 2007). This, in conjunction with the deformation that occurred in the 97 hoist chambers and the additional static stress increase associated with the dynamic loading, requires that any additional mining in the shaft pillar be restrained. Consequently, the overall planned mining in the Carbon Leader shaft pillar at TauTona Mine has been completely reassessed and reduced to the areas shown in Figure 26.
Reducing the amount of mining in the bottom west of the RH1 area firstly accomplishes a reduction in the potential stress increase in the 97 hoist area. Secondly, the effect of this mining on the Wuddles Dyke is significantly less than would otherwise have been the case. The numerical modelling also shows that mining, although significantly reduced, will still have an effect on both the 97 hoist chambers and the 100 level refrigeration plant. The numerical modelling has indicated that a further deformation of 40 mm can be expected across the hoist chambers. With respect to the 100 level refrigeration plant, the deformation across the chambers is expected not to be in excess of 100 mm. According to the Engineering Manager this is not expected to affect the refrigeration plant infrastructure (van Antwerpen, 2007).
It is also concluded that a high production rate specifically in shaft pillars has either an exponential effect on the seismic response within the shaft pillar boundaries or seismic lockup may occur. Futhermore, non-contiguous blasting, i.e. not blasting of adjacent panels at the same time, will have a more favourable effect on the seismic response. From the evidence provided in this paper it is concluded that the production rate within the shaft pillar boundaries should be maintained at less than 2200 m2/month.
The cumulative potency vs. cumulative production criterion shows promise as a medium-term monitoring parameter for seismic analysis when mining is approaching geological features and to quantify the required production rate within the shaft pillar.
When considering the evidence related to the panel length, it must be concluded that panel lengths must be restricted to a maximum length of 25 m in areas with relatively higher seismic activity, such as the TauTona shaft pillar.
Final outcome
All mining in the CLR shaft pillar has now been stopped. The red mining limits shown in Figure 27 were the previous updated design limits, and the blue lines indicate the new limits. Most mining had to be stopped short of the design, as can be seen in Figure 27. The seismic response in the west mining panels continued to escalate and as a result of this all west mining panels were stopped. In the Thulani area, mining in the bottom portion was stopped due to both seismic and mining restraints, whereas the upper portion was allowed to continue over the stopping line due to the low seismic response and minimal effect on the 100 level refrigeration plant. Further work is required to quantify the anomalous seismic response, specifically of the west mining panels, to gain a better understanding of design rules for possible further extraction once the shaft infrastructure at TauTona Mine is abandoned.
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Dukes, G. Shaft pillar extraction survey. AngloGold Ashanti. Unpublished internal report, June 2007. [ Links ]
Mendecki, A. Optimisation of the routine seismic hazard rating system for ANG mines. AngloGold Ashanti. Unpublished report, 2004. [ Links ]
Ryder, J.A. 1988. Excess shear stress in the assessment of geologically hazardous situations. Journal of the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, vol. 88, no. 1. pp. 27-39. [ Links ]
Van Antwerpen, J. 2007. TauTona Gold Mine. Personal communication, June 2007. [ Links ]
Leach, T. 2007. Consultancy report: SummaryRock engineering discussions concerning mining in the TauTona shaft pillar. 25 May 2007. [ Links ]
© The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2012.ISSN2225-6253. This paper was first presented at the, Southern Hemisphere International Rock Mechanics Symposium (SHIRMS) 2012, 15-17 May 2012, Sun City, South Africa.


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Twin suspects handed 22-count indictment; jailed on $1 million bail
Two suspects located and charged at the scene of the July 1 Falconer Street home invasion now face a 22-count indictment by a Chautauqua County Grand Jury.
Jaqwan Martin, 23, and Maqwan Martin, 23, twin brothers from Buffalo, each face four counts of first-degree burglary, six counts of first-degree robbery, three counts of first-degree sexual abuse, a first-degree criminal sexual act charge, two counts of first-degree criminal use of a firearm, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and four counts of second-degree assault.
The two men were committed to Chautauqua County Jail on $1 million cash or $2 million property bond.
The Martins were apprehended at the scene of the 188 Falconer St. home invasion that culminated in a gunfire exchange with a Jamestown Police officer.
The break-in, according to police, was drug-related and involved the assault of four individuals inside the residence.
Jamestown Police responded to the scene shortly after 3 a.m. and observed three suspects attempting to escape out of a window. The last one to leave fired a shot at an officer before fleeing with the other two in a southern direction behind the houses on Stowe Street.
The police officer, who was uninjured, returned fire. It is unclear whether any of the suspects were injured.
Police said more arrests are expected and will be announced in the coming week.
Several other suspects involved and related to this case have already been taken into custody in Chautauqua County and Erie County on parole violations. Charges against them are pending.
Anyone who may have information on this investigation should contact JPD at 483-7531 or they can leave an anonymous tip at 483-8477. All calls will be kept confidential.


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|From left, Head Coach Bill Hamiter, Eric Duda (5), Charlie Swearingen (13), Dan Regan (2), Thomas Davis (7), J.Dee Marinko (18)
and Rejy Bacchus of the U.S. Men's Sitting Team show the black bands they are wearing in honor of the victims of the
Boston Marathon bombings.
Charlie Swearingen is a member of the U.S. Men's Sitting Volleyball Team, which is playing in the Central American Games for Sitting Volleyball in Costa Rica
SAN JUAN, Costa Rica (April 17, 2013) – So for people who have never traveled abroad, let me just make it clear that if you think there are crazy drivers in the States, then foreign drivers would blow your mind. Tonight on the way to the stadium, our driver skillfully weaved in and out of 2.5 lanes at blistering speeds. He would stop so close to the vehicle in front of us that air can barely have passed between the two vehicles. It truly is an experience that cannot be accurately conveyed over the internet.
We arrived, safely, at our venue and were mentally ready to get the job done. Our strategy – good, consistent play. Teams relatively new to the sport will try sending the ball over the net before the third touch in order to throw their opponents off. We maintained in our system, improvised when out of system, and tried our best to be good, consistent players.
Coach Hamiter kept our heads calm and our focus sharp. Captain Duda placed the ball on the opponent's real estate several powerful times, which raised excitement and typically would be followed by several residually exciting points for the US.
It was interesting watching the fear in the eyes of the Mexican players every time J Dee was set. As our undisputed hardest hitter, J Dee had several powerful points that could have made even the novice spectator realize the kinetic force that lies atop his Herculean shoulder.
The rookies, Thomas and Rejy, had a great match tonight as well. They each earned several points for team USA; and most of them in key plays. Dan Regan, who not only keeps our spirits up in crass humor off the court, stepped up and delivered several well placed sets to J Dee and Eric tonight when a pass would travel out of our system. I had a couple more blocks tonight and a couple of middle kills.
We won the match in 3 sets and now look forward to competing against the host country, Costa Rica, tomorrow. Unfortunately, our team captain, Eric Duda, will be returning to the US tomorrow for professional commitments, but we gain season veteran, Edgar LaForest. Edgar has seniored the sport for greater than 10 years and thus will add valuable experience to the remaining squad.
The Mexican team is a group full of eager athletes that all embody good sportsmanship. There were a lot of under then net fist bumps and compliments, despite language barriers, going both ways throughout the match. I do not think I am out of turn saying we are fans of the Mexican team. They even requested we get beer after the match; a request we respectfully declined citing our appreciating for wanting to stay clear headed and physiologically unhindered. It matters not that several of us wanted to, but we mentioned rescheduling for potentially after the tournament in Saturday. They unanimously agreed to it.
Tonight we again played for Boston. We wore our red uniforms with our black bands over our left chest- closest to our hearts and flag to honor the citizens of a city who was horribly attacked. Our efforts and thoughts are yours, Boston. Stay strong. You inspire us.
Charles F. Swearingen, BS, NREMTP, FPC
Flight Paramedic; OU MediFlight
#13 United States National Volleyball Team


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A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that alters the way your brain functions. Effects are usually temporary but can include headaches and problems with concentration, memory, balance and coordination.
Although concussions usually are caused by a blow to the head, they can also occur when the head and upper body are violently shaken. These injuries can cause a loss of consciousness, but most concussions do not. Because of this, some people have concussions and don't realize it.
Concussions are common, particularly if you play a contact sport, such as football. But every concussion injures your brain to some extent. This injury needs time and rest to heal properly. Most concussive traumatic brain injuries are mild, and people usually recover fully.
The signs and symptoms of a concussion can be subtle and may not be immediately apparent. Symptoms can last for days, weeks or even longer.
Common symptoms after a concussive traumatic brain injury are headache, loss of memory (amnesia) and confusion. The amnesia, which may or may not follow a loss of consciousness, usually involves the loss of memory of the event that caused the concussion.
Signs and symptoms of a concussion may include:
Some symptoms of concussions may be immediate or delayed in onset by hours or days after injury, such as:
Head trauma is very common in young children. But concussions can be difficult to recognize in infants and toddlers because they may not be able to describe how they feel. Nonverbal clues of a concussion may include:
See a doctor within 1 to 2 days if:
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you call your child's doctor for advice if your child receives anything more than a light bump on the head.
If your child doesn't have signs of a serious head injury, and if your child remains alert, moves normally and responds to you, the injury is probably mild and usually doesn't need further testing. In this case, if your child wants to nap, it's OK to let him or her sleep. If worrisome signs develop later, seek emergency care.
Seek emergency care for an adult or child who experiences a head injury and symptoms such as:
Other symptoms include:
No one should return to play or vigorous activity while signs or symptoms of a concussion are present.
Experts recommend that an athlete with a suspected concussion not return to play until he or she has been medically evaluated by a health care professional trained in evaluating and managing concussions. Children and adolescents should be evaluated by a health care professional trained in evaluating and managing pediatric concussions.
Experts also recommend that adult, child and adolescent athletes with a concussion not return to play on the same day as the injury.
Your brain has the consistency of gelatin. It's cushioned from everyday jolts and bumps by cerebrospinal fluid inside your skull. A violent blow to your head and neck or upper body can cause your brain to slide back and forth forcefully against the inner walls of your skull.
Sudden acceleration or deceleration of the head, resulting from certain events such as a car crash or being violently shaken, also can cause brain injury.
These injuries affect brain function, usually for a brief period, resulting in signs and symptoms of concussion.
A brain injury of this sort may lead to bleeding in or around your brain, causing symptoms such as prolonged drowsiness and confusion that may develop right away or later.
Such bleeding in your brain can be fatal. That's why anyone who experiences a brain injury needs monitoring in the hours afterward and emergency care if symptoms worsen.
Factors that may increase your risk of a concussion include:
Potential complications of concussion include:
Second impact syndrome. Experiencing a second concussion before signs and symptoms of a first concussion have resolved may result in rapid and usually fatal brain swelling.
After a concussion, the levels of brain chemicals are altered. It usually takes about a week for these levels to stabilize again. However, recovery time is variable, and it's important for athletes never to return to sports while they're still experiencing signs and symptoms of concussion.
It's important for anyone who has a head injury to be evaluated by a doctor, even if emergency care isn't required.
If your child has received a head injury that concerns you, call your child's doctor immediately. Depending on the signs and symptoms, your doctor may recommend seeking immediate medical care.
Here's some information to help you get ready for and make the most of your medical appointment.
Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions or instructions. The most important thing for you to do while waiting for your appointment is to rest your brain physically and mentally. Avoid sports or vigorous physical activities and minimize difficult, stressful or prolonged mental tasks.
At the time you make the appointment, ask what steps you or your child should take to encourage recovery or prevent re-injury. Experts recommend that athletes not return to play until they have been medically evaluated.
For a concussion, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment.
Being ready to answer your doctor's questions may reserve time to go over any points you want to talk about in-depth.
You or your child should be prepared to answer the following questions about the injury and related signs and symptoms:
Rest as much as possible before your appointment. This includes avoiding sports or other physical activities that increase your heart rate, such as prolonged walking, or require vigorous muscle contractions, such as weightlifting.
Also, minimize activities that increase your symptoms, such as those that require a significant amount of focused attention. Examples include working on the computer, schoolwork, watching TV, texting or playing video games.
If you have a headache, acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) may ease the pain. Avoid taking other pain relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) if you suspect you've had a concussion. It's possible that these may increase the risk of bleeding.
A blow to your head, neck or upper body can cause a concussion, which may include symptoms such as a headache, dizziness, nausea or loss of consciousness. If you suspect you or your child has had a concussion, contact your doctor.
Your doctor will evaluate your signs and symptoms, review your medical history, and conduct a neurological examination. Signs and symptoms of a concussion may not appear until hours or days after the injury.
Tests your doctor may perform or recommend include:
After your doctor asks detailed questions about your injury, he or she may perform a neurological examination. This evaluation includes checking your:
Your doctor may conduct several tests to evaluate your thinking (cognitive) skills during a neurological examination. Testing may evaluate several factors, including your:
Brain imaging may be recommended for some people with symptoms such as severe headaches, seizures, repeated vomiting or symptoms that are becoming worse. Brain imaging may determine whether the injury is severe and has caused bleeding or swelling in your skull.
A cranial computerized tomography (CT) scan is the standard test to assess the brain right after injury. A CT scan uses a series of X-rays to obtain cross-sectional images of your skull and brain.
Magnetic resonance imaging may be used to view bleeding in your brain or to diagnose complications that may occur after a concussion.
An MRI uses powerful magnets and radio waves to produce detailed images of your brain.
You may need to be hospitalized overnight for observation after a concussion.
If your doctor agrees that you may be observed at home, someone should stay with you and check on you for at least 24 hours to ensure your symptoms aren't worsening. Your caregiver may need to awaken you regularly to make sure you can awaken normally.
Rest is the most appropriate way to allow your brain to recover from a concussion. Your doctor will recommend that you physically and mentally rest to recover from a concussion.
This means avoiding general physical exertion, including sports or any vigorous activities, until you have no symptoms.
This rest also includes limiting activities that require thinking and mental concentration, such as playing video games, watching TV, schoolwork, reading, texting or using a computer.
Your doctor may recommend that you have shortened school day or workdays, take breaks during the day, or have reduced school workloads or work assignments as you recover from a concussion.
As your symptoms improve, you may gradually add more activities that involve thinking, such as doing more schoolwork or work assignments, or increasing your time spent at school or work.
For headaches, try taking a pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Avoid other pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and aspirin, as there's a possibility these medications may increase the risk of bleeding.
If you or your child sustained a concussion while playing competitive sports, ask your doctor or your child's doctor when it is safe to return to play. Resuming sports too soon increases the risk of a second concussion and of lasting, potentially fatal brain injury.
Evidence is emerging that some people who have had multiple concussions over the course of their lives are at greater risk of developing lasting, and even progressive, impairment that limits their ability to function.
Experts recommend that adults, children and adolescents not return to play on the same day as the injury.
Some tips that may help you to prevent or minimize your risk of head injury include:
Wearing protective gear during sports and other recreational activities. Always use the appropriate protective gear for any sport you or your child undertakes. Make sure the equipment fits properly, is well-maintained and worn correctly. Follow the rules of the game and practice good sportsmanship.
When bicycling, motorcycling, snowboarding or engaging in any recreational activity that may result in head injury, wear protective headgear.
Original article: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/concussion/basics/risk-factors/con-20019272
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Gun control
Dear editor:
I want to agree with Wayne Surdyk. He makes a lot of sense. We never had the problems about guns when I was growing up. We hunted animals and thats all we thought about.
If the govenment takes all the guns and amunition from us, we will lose the largest army in the world. They are not looking at all the hunters in every state as ready made soldiers which they are. No country could take over this country with the thousands of hunters to defend this country.
There is no mention about the television or movies what they show what others do with guns and knives (If its in the movies then it must be OK for me) is this what we are allowing to be taught? We didn't have as much when I was growing up, most movies were good and clean.
Let's practice "Love one another as I have loved you."
James Zock


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Article Header
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-The United States and Australia each notched a win on the opening night of competition at the 2008 North American Cup at Lakeshore Foundation, an official U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site. Australia squeaked past Canada, 44-42, and the U.S. routed Germany 62-40 on Thursday evening.
The U.S. and Germany squared off just five days ago in the championship game of the Joseph F. Lyttle World Basketball Challenge, with the Americans claiming a narrow six point victory. U.S. head coach Ron Lykins (Stillwater, Minn.) said the strategy in that game was to push the Germans up and down the floor and use his team's speed advantage to force the pace of play. But, tonight's strategy was just the opposite.
"We have spent a lot of our practice time this week working on our half-court defense. The goal tonight was to stick with that defensive set and see what we were capable of doing in the half-court," said Lykins. "Germany has two incredibly talented big girls and we didn't want them eating us up in the paint."
And, Lykins' team responded. The U.S. held just a five point lead at halftime. But, on the strength of its defensive game-plan and a patient, balanced attack on offense, the team doubled its lead by the end of the third quarter. A continued solid effort in the final 10 minutes gave the U.S. the 62-40 win.
"This week's practice really paid off," said Christina Ripp (Longmont, Colo.). "We have worked hard on fine-tuning what we do in the half-court and everything was clicking for us against Germany tonight. We didn't have any lapses or let-ups and everybody was on the same page out there."
Australia and Canada opened the tournament with a close contest that included a lot of physical play on the inside. Despite opening the game with a 7-0 deficit, a smart and experienced Canadian team never put itself out of contention. Canada went on a 14-3 run in a 10:30 minute stretch spanning the first and second quarters to take a brief four point lead midway through the second. But, turnovers plagued the world number one all night long. Within one minute, Australia was able to tie it back up and then managed a five-point lead, 23-18, heading into halftime. Another scoring run late in the fourth quarter put Canada in position to pull out the come-from-behind victory, but solid free throw shooting by the Aussies was the difference down the stretch. Australia nosed out the 44-42 victory.
On Friday, June 13, games begin at 9:00 a.m. The U.S. takes on archrival Canada at 11:00 a.m. and then faces Australia at 3:00 p.m. Competition concludes with the championship game on Saturday, June 14, at 5:00 p.m. All games are free and open to the public.
The top four ranked women's wheelchair basketball teams in the world - #1 Canada, #2 United States, #3 Australia and #4 Germany - are competing at the 2008 North American Cup. This competition is a key test for all teams as they prepare for the upcoming Paralympic Games in Beijing, China.
Media are welcome to attend. Please contact Susan Katz, Communications Coordinator, at (205) 313-7434 or
> with any media requests.
About Lakeshore Foundation, an official U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site
Lakeshore Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with physical disabilities through fitness, recreation, and athletics. These programs help children and adults with physical disabilities maintain healthy and active lifestyles, as well as develop stronger self-esteem and improve independent living skills. The United States Olympic Committee designated Lakeshore Foundation an official U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site in 2003. Along with the nation's other Olympic Training Sites, Lakeshore Foundation plays a critical role in the success of U.S. athletes. For more information, visit
> .