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Charlemagne 742-814
(Also known as Charles the Great, Charles I, Karl der Grosse, and Carolus Magnus.) King of the Franks (768-814) and Emperor of the Western World (800-14).
Beloved ruler of western Europe, Charlemagne brought forth a rebirth in learning at a time when few of his subjects could even write their own names. A patron of literature and the arts and the founder of many schools, Charlemagne through his leadership encouraged and inspired others to read, write, and learn, bringing forth what has been called the Carolingian Renaissance. Charlemagne, already a legend in his own time, became a prominent character in the body of literature known as the Carolingian cycle or the Matter of France, and through these chansons de geste, he continued to influence millions of people in numerous countries for centuries.
Biographical Information
Charlemagne was born to Pepin the Short and Bertrade in northern Europe; his exact birthplace is unknown. He inherited half the kingdom of the Franks upon the death of his father in 768. Three years later, upon the death of his brother Carloman II, who had shared the Frankish empire, he became King of all the Franks. Skilled in strategy and tactics (his work on these subjects was later to be studied by Napoleon Bonaparte), Charlemagne set forth to Christianize the land. He battled the pagan Saxons for more than three decades, finally conquering them in 804. In 773-74 he conquered Lombardy, restoring the land to the Pope. He waged dozens of campaigns, including expeditions against the Saracens in northeastern Spain in 778. It was in a surprise attack against Charlemagne's rear forces that the Basques killed one of his nobles, Roland—the hero of the Chanson de Roland. By the end of the century Charlemagne ruled most of western Europe, uniting much of the land once under the Roman empire. Pope Leo III crowned him Emperor of the Western World in 800. Charlemagne improved conditions for the common people to an extent never before accomplished through reforms in government, the military, commerce, farming, and education. The latter was available for peasants as well as nobles; he went so far as to consider universal free schooling. Charlemagne died in 814, leaving his only surviving son, Louis, as ruler. Louis lacked the command or organizational skills of his father and the empire was quickly invaded.
Major Works
Charlemagne himself did not write any literary works; indeed he could not write at all until his old age, and then only barely. He could, however, read Latin and some Greek. Thus, it is not as author but as a character that Charlemagne is known in literature. Of mythical, legendary proportions, he is featured in a great body of work which includes the epic Chanson de Roland. For centuries after Charlemagne's death, many common folk refused to believe that he was dead, even envisioning him as leading the Crusades. Others believed him always ready to protect the land, resting in a cave until such a time as he was needed. By the middle of the century of his death, this devotion was expressed through making him the subject of many songs and tales, the practice continuing through the next two centuries. The Chanson de Roland was written by an anonymous French poet (some believe him to have been the Norman poet Turold) sometime between the Norman Conquest and the first Crusade in 1096. The epic of four thousand lines is an embellished conflation of many lesser tales about Charlemagne. Fighting for the King (considered French by the poet), Roland is vanquished by overwhelming numbers but does not lose his honor. Charlemagne finds the slain Roland, prays over his body, and the newly-inspired French chase the Saracens into a river where they drown. For more than five centuries, until the Renaissance, the Chanson de Roland remained popular and is still France's most famous poem. In Le Pèlerinage de Charlemagne, another classic poem of nearly 900 lines, Charlemagne seeks out Hugo the Strong of Constantinople. In Jerusalem, on their way, Charlemagne and his fellow travelers are given relics. When they eventually meet up with Hugo they make extravagant claims which Hugo calls on them to perform. Charlemagne and his men accomplish their tasks with the help of God. In what is assumed to be a joke at the end of the poem, the assertion is made that Charlemagne is a greater man than Hugo because Charlemagne is the taller of the two. No doubt the popularity of works which feature Charlemagne can be credited in no little part to the public's adoration of the King, who was adopted as one of their own by France, Germany, Scandinavia, Poland, and Spain.
Representative Works
Poetry of the Carolingian Renaissance (poetry) (edited by Peter Goodman) 1985
The Pilgrimage of Charlemagne (poetry) (translated by Glyn S. Burgess) 1988
The Song of Roland (epic) (translated by D. D. R. Owen) 1990
Edward L. Cutts (essay date 1882)
SOURCE: "The Revival of Learning" and "The Ecclesiastical Work of Charles" in Charlemagne, E. & J. B. Young and Co., 1882, pp. 306-36.
[In the following excerpt, Cutts explores Charlemagne's encouragement of learning and examines his religious policy, edicts, and controversial theological decisions.]
The feature of Charles's character and work to which the historian naturally turns with the greatest sympathy is his love of learning and the wise and strenuous encouragement of it from which dates the revival of letters in Europe.
The elegant culture of which the letters of Sidonius have given us so charming a glimpse, had long since died out of the countries between the Alps and the English Channel. The Imperial schools, which we have seen still existed in the towns of Gaul in the time of the grandsons of Clovis, had fallen into neglect and decay. If the Frank conquerors had gradually progressed from their original barbarism, the civilization of the conquered race had gradually deteriorated in the midst of perpetual war, until at last, about the time of Charles Martel, the whole people had reached the lowest point of civilization to which Gaul had sunk since it learnt the language and the manners of Rome.
Letters had taken refuge in the monasteries; but the monastic schools did not fulfil the place of the old Imperial schools. Pagan literature was very naturally disliked and discouraged by the Church, and the schools of the monasteries took a narrower range.
The advantages of learning were indeed recognized by the Frank princes from the first, and Clovis, and his sons and grandsons, encouraged some of their young nobility to qualify themselves for high places in the State and in the Church. No doubt Pepin and Carloman, with the assistance of Boniface, in regulating and reforming the Frankish Church, did something to encourage learning. Pepin, we have seen, had the Italian scholar, Peter of Pisa, at his court as tutor to the young princes and the young nobles of the court. But the adoption of general measures to revive learning throughout the kingdom was the work of Charlemagne, and is one of his best claims to the gratitude of posterity.
It was about the year 780 that he induced an eminent Lombard scholar, Paul the Deacon, to take up his residence at his court, and to undertake the instruction of all who chose to attend his lectures. In the following year he met with the scholar whose name is more especially associated with that of Charles in the revival of learning.
It was at Parma, during Charles's expedition to Italy, that a group of Anglo-Saxon ecclesiastics were introduced to him, who had been to Rome to fetch the pallium for Eanbold, the newly elected Archbishop of York. Chief of them was Alcuin, who held the honourable office of master of the schools of York, in which he had succeeded the new archbishop.
The schools of Britain and Ireland had at this time a considerable reputation. The school of York was one of the most famous of them. Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Abbot Adrian, the companion of his labours, were both men of considerable learning, and they had taken pains to establish schools in England. Bede (673-735) had gained for himself and for the Northumbrian schools a European reputation; Egbert, his scholar and friend, had maintained the high character for learning of the school of York; Egbert had been the master of Elbert, and Eanbold the new archbishop, and Alcuin, had been school-fellows under Elbert. When Elbert succeeded Egbert as archbishop, Eanbold succeeded Elbert in the schools; when Eanbold was in turn raised to the see, Alcuin succeeded him as scholasticus; so that Alcuin was a scholar of great reputation, and in a position in which he might naturally expect to succeed in his turn to the see of York. The school of York had maintained the Roman traditions derived from its founders; it taught the theology of Augustine and of Gregory the Great, and it regarded Rome as the mother of Western Christendom.
In the scholasticus of York, King Charles recognized the kind of man he needed to take the lead in that revival of learning on which he was intent. Alcuin listened to his proposals, and agreed to accept his offers, provided that when he reached England, in discharging his embassy, the archbishop and the Northumbrian king should give their consent; and in 782 Alcuin took up his residence at the court of the King of the Franks, as master of the Palatine school. The king gave him two abbeys to afford him an income—one near Troyes, and another, Ferrieres, in the diocese of Sens—and no doubt he cared for the well-being of the houses from which he derived his emoluments; but his duties were the teaching of the Palatine school, and the promotion of education throughout the Frank dominions. The king at this time was forty years of age, the scholar was forty-seven.
It was a strangely wandering life which was led by the court of the great Charles. Wherever the military or political affairs of his wide dominions made it necessary for him to fix his residence for a few months, thither his wife and children, his counsellors and secretaries, in short, his whole court, accompanied him,—now in Saxony, now in Aquitaine, now in Lombardy, now on the banks of the Rhine.
The duties of the master of the Palatine school were very much the same as those of the master of any of the great schools of the period. He was a professor, who delivered public lectures. But seeing he was here the sole professor, he had to lecture on all subjects which he desired that his pupils should learn.
Charles himself had a great thirst for knowledge, and a great desire to encourage learning. He frequently set the example of attending the master's lectures, and such an example was sure to be followed by all who desired to stand well with the king. Still more frequently in conversation he availed himself of the great scholar's supposed capability of solving all questions on all subjects. We take leave to quote a few paragraphs, which place the scene vividly before us:1—
We find Charles and his courtiers plying the Vates from across the Channel with innumerable questions, often blundering strangely and misapprehending wildly, but forming a circle which even at this lapse of time it is impossible to contemplate without interest. The monarch himself, in the ardour of a long unsatisfied curiosity, propounding queries on all imaginable topics; suggesting, distinguishing, objecting, disputing;—a colossal figure, gazing fixedly with bright blue eyes on his admired guest, and altogether a presence that might well have disconcerted a less assured intellect. Alcuin, however, holding fast by his Boethius, Cassiodorus, and Isidorus, is calm and self-possessed; feeling assured that so long as he only teaches what 'Gregorius summus' and 'Bæda venerabilis' believed and taught, he cannot go very far wrong. Around him, as the years went by, he saw successively appear the three royal sons, born in rightful wedlock: Charles, the future ruler of Neustria and Austrasia; Pepin, the acknowledged lord of Italy; and Lewis, who almost from his cradle had worn the crown of Aquitaine,—the graceful young athlete and mighty hunter, his mind already opening to that love of learning which, through all the good and evil of his chequered life, he cherished so fondly in his later years. There, again, was Charles's much-loved sister Gisela, Abbess of Chelles, who from her girlhood had renounced the world, but whom the fame of the great teacher drew from her conventual retirement. Thither also came the last and best-loved of Charles's wives, Liutgarda, of the proud Alemannic race, hereafter to prove among the firmest of Alcuin's friends; and the royal daughter, Gisela, whose parental affection held her too dear for the proudest alliance. There, too, was Charles's son-in-law, Angilbert, chiefly distinguished as yet for his fondness for the histrionic art, but afterwards the saintly Abbot of St. Riquier. There, too, were the royal cousins, the half-brothers Adelhard and Wala, whose after action shook the whole fabric of the Carolingian Empire. There, too, was Riculfus, destined ere long to fill the chair of St. Boniface and rule the great see of Mayence; Eginhard, the royal biographer, the classic of the ninth century; and Fredegis, Alcuin's youthful countryman, poet, and philosopher, not always faithful to his master's teaching.
It appears to have been a frequent affectation in mediæval times for distinguished men to assume a literary or historic alias; and to this custom we must attribute the fact that Alcuin usually in his correspondence addresses the members of this circle under another name. Charles's second name would seem to have really been David, and this fact may account for the assumption of scriptural names by some of his courtiers. Pepin was Julius; Gisela (the sister), Lucia; Gisela (the daughter), Delia; Queen Liutgarda was Ava; Adelhard was Antony; Wala, Arsenius; Eginhard, with reference perhaps to his destined state avocation, was Besaleel; Riculfus, Flavius Damoetus; Rigbod, Machairas; Angilbert, Homer; Fredigis, Nathanael.
There appears, however, little to support the popular idea of a regular Athenæum, or academy of adult members of Charles's court.
For the first five years after Alcuin's arrival (782-787) the mind of the king was occupied with the wars in which he was incessantly engaged; but when, in 785, Witikind laid down his arms and embraced Christianity, Charles had more leisure to turn to the designs of peace. During his residence at Rome, in the winter of 786-7, Charles had secured in the capital of Western learning several teachers of repute, whom, on his return, he distributed among the principal Frank monasteries to aid in the work of educational revival. Shortly after he issued the famous capitulary of a.d. 787. The copy which has been preserved is that addressed to the Abbot of Fulda:—
Charles, by the grace of God King of the Franks and of the Lombards, and Patrician of the Romans, to Bangulfus Abbot, and to his whole congregation, and to the faithful committed to his charge:
Be it known to your Devotion, pleasing to God, that in conjunction with our faithful we have judged it to be of utility that in the bishoprics and monasteries committed by Christ's favour to our charge, care should be taken that there shall be not only a regular manner of life and one conformable to holy religion, but also the study of letters, each to teach and learn them according to his ability and the Divine assistance. For even as due observance of the rule of the house tends to good morals, so zeal on the part of the teacher and the taught imparts order and grace to sentences; and those who seek to please God by living aright, should also not neglect to please Him by right speaking. It is written, 'By thine own words shalt thou be justified or condemned;' and although right doing may be preferable to right speaking, yet must the knowledge of what is right precede right action. Every one, therefore, should strive to understand what it is that he would fain accomplish; and this right understanding will be the sooner gained, according as the utterances of the tongue are free from error. And if false speaking is to be shunned by all men, especially should it be shunned by those who have elected to be the servants of the truth. During past years we have often received letters from different monasteries, informing us that at their sacred services the brethren offered up prayers on our behalf; and we have observed that the thoughts contained in these letters, though in themselves most just, were expressed in uncouth language, and while pious devotion dictated the sentiments, the unlettered tongue was unable to express them aright! Hence there has arisen in our minds the fear lest, if the skill to write rightly were thus lacking, so too would the power of rightly comprehending the Holy Scriptures be far less than was fitting; and we all know that though verbal errors be dangerous, errors of the understanding are yet more so. We exhort you, therefore, not only not to neglect the study of letters, but to apply yourselves thereto with perseverance, and with that humility which is well pleasing to God, so that you may be able to penetrate with greater ease and certainty the mysteries of the Holy Scriptures. For as these contain images, tropes, and similar figures, it is impossible to doubt that the reader will arrive far more readily at the spiritual sense according as he is the better instructed in learning. Let there, therefore, be chosen for this work men who are both able and willing to learn, and also desirous of instructing others; and let them apply themselves to the work with a zeal equalling the earnestness with which we recommend it to them.
It is our wish that you may be what it behoves the soldiers of the Church to be,—religious in heart, learned in discourse, pure in act, eloquent in speech; so that all who approach your house in order to invoke the Divine Master, or to behold the excellence of the religious life, may be edified in beholding you, and instructed in hearing you discourse or chant, and may return home rendering thanks to God most High.
Fail not, as thou regardest our favour, to send a copy of this letter to all thy suffragans, and to all the monasteries; and let no monk go beyond his monastery to administer justice, or to enter the assemblies and the voting-places. Adieu.
This capitulary appears to have been issued from Augsburg, where he had just received the submission of the rebellious Tassilo.
It was probably some time after this that Charles sent round to the Churches a homilary or collection of sermons, corrected by the hand of Paulus Diaconus (at that time probably engaged in teaching at Metz), accompanied by the following instructions:—
Desirous as we are of improving the condition of the Churches, we impose upon ourselves the task of reviving with the utmost zeal the study of letters, well-nigh extinguished through the neglect of our ancestors. We charge all our subjects, as far as they may be able, to cultivate the liberal arts, and we set them the example. We have already, God helping, carefully corrected the books of the Old and New Testaments, corrupted through the ignorance of transcribers. And inasmuch as the collection of homilies for the service at Nocturns was full of errors … we have w illed that these same should be revised and corrected by Paul the Deacon, our well-beloved client; and he has presented us with readings adapted to every feast-day, carefully purged from error, and sufficing for a whole year.
Two years after the appearance of the famous capitulary of 787, Theodulphus, Bishop of Orleans, one of the Missi Dominici, and who appears to have succeeded Alcuin, on his retirement to Tours, as a kind of "minister of education," addressed a document to the clergy of his diocese, which appears to have been widely adopted in other dioceses, in which he describes study as "a means whereby the life of the righteous is ennobled, and the man himself fortified against temptation." In this, he requires his clergy to open schools in every town and village of his diocese, and to receive "the children of the faithful" for instruction, demanding in return no payment, though permitted to accept a gift spontaneously offered. Theodulphus himself was one of the cluster of learned men about the Frankish court. The library of his cathedral was famous for the number and beauty of the manuscripts he had gathered together. He has left us one monument at least which has in our days, in a translation, obtained a new popularity—the hymn "Gloria Laus et Tibi Honor"—
"All glory, laud, and honour To Thee, Redeemer, King," etc.
In the year 795, the abbacy of Tours became vacant. It was, perhaps, the wealthiest of all the preferments in the wide dominions of Charles. The Archbishop of Toledo, in a controversy with Alcuin, made it a subject of reproach, that as Abbot of Tours he was the master of 20,000 slaves—the serfs upon his wide domains.
Here Alcuin continued his labours as teacher. He sent some of his monks to England to bring back books for the abbey library. Scholars flocked to him from all parts of the Frankish dominions, and many from his native England. He continued to correspond with the king,2 and continued to exercise a great influence on the literary progress of the kingdom.
He was immediately succeeded in the mastership of the Palatine school by Witzo, who had accompanied him from York; and he, after a short time by Fredegis, another scholar of York. But within about two years there arrived from Ireland two men, in secular learning and in the Sacred Scriptures incomparably learned,3 named Clement and Albinus, and they seem to have eclipsed Alcuin and his disciples in the regard of Charles.
The scholars of the Celtic school seem indeed to have had some advantages over the scholars of the school of York. We have seen that Alcuin and his school walked along the narrow path of Augustinian...
(The entire section is 7256 words.)
J. I. Mombert (essay date 1888)
SOURCE: "Famous Men.—Literature.—Libraries.—Architecture.—Public Works" in A History of Charles the Great (Charlemagne), D. Appleton & Co, 1888, pp. 253-79.
[In the following excerpt, Mombert profiles noteworthy men in Charlemagne's circle and discusses Charlemagne's interest in astronomy and architecture, particularly the Rhine bridge at Mayence.]
Besides Alcuin other men of note, already mentioned by name, stood in near personal relations to Charles.
Perhaps the oldest and most intimate of his friends was Adalhard, a son of count Bernhard, a grandson of Charles Martel, and cousin-german of Charles. Early in life he chose the...
(The entire section is 9174 words.)
Thomas Hodgkin (essay date 1897)
SOURCE: "Results" in Charles the Great, Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1914, pp. 232-51.
[In the following excerpt, originally published in 1897, Hodgkin summarizes Charlemagne's accomplishments in the fields of the Church, literature, science, law, and the state-system of Europe.]
No ruler for many centuries so powerfully impressed the imagination of western Europe as the first Frankish Emperor of Rome. The vast cycle of romantic epic poetry which gathered round the name of Charlemagne, the stories of his wars with the Infidels, his expeditions to Constantinople and Jerusalem, his Twelve Peers of France, the friendship of Roland and Oliver and the treachery of...
(The entire section is 5130 words.)
Henry W. C. Davis (essay date 1899)
SOURCE: "Legislation—Religious Policy—The Renaissance; 774-800 a.d." and "Fate of the Franks—The Legend of Charlemagne" in Charlemagne (Charles the Great): The Hero of Two Nations, 1899, pp. 155-86; 312-31.
[In the following excerpt, Davis describes the missi, Charlemagne's agents in many matters of law; Alcuin and his Palatine school; and Charlemagne's own scholarly interests and achievements. He also explains the demise of the Frankish empire and the development of the Charlemagne legends and song cycle.]
The influence of the Church moulded the career of...
(The entire section is 13372 words.)
Jessie L. Weston (essay date 1905)
SOURCE: "The Charlemagne Romances" in The Romance Cycle of Charlemagne and His Peers, David Nutt, 1905, pp. 5-45.
[In the following essay Weston describes how the Arthur and Charlemagne cycles differ in their characteristics and asserts that the Charlemagne stories, while superior in content, are stylistically inferior to those about Arthur.]
"Ne sont que trois matières à nul home entendant De France, de Bretagne, et de Rome le grant."
The Middle Ages were, as we know, the ages of Romance; Romance embodied in Prose—pseudo-historic chronicles, pseudo-biographical accounts of noted heroes; in Poetry—short lais, longer poems (metrical...
(The entire section is 9436 words.)
K. G. T. Webster (essay date 1906)
SOURCE: "Arthur and Charlemagne," Englische Studien, No. 36, 1906, pp. 337-69.
[In the following essay Webster compares and contrasts certain aspects of the ballad of King Arthur and King Cornwall with the Pilgrimage of Charlemagne.]
In the following sketch1, after a few suggestions toward the reconstruction of the fascinating and puzzling ballad of King Arthur and King Cornwall, I shall attempt to explain the relation of Queen Guinevere, not only to King Cornwall, but also to several other still more important personages. These are certain of those remarkable characters in Old French and Middle High German romance who dispute Arthur's right to...
(The entire section is 12910 words.)
F. L. Ganshof (essay date 1951)
SOURCE: "The Use of the Written Word in Charlemagne's Administration" in The Carolingians and the Frankish Monarchy: Studies in Carolingian History, translated by Janet Sondheimer, Cornell University Press, 1971, pp. 125-42.
[In the following essay, first published in French in 1951, Ganshof describes some of the types of written documents that Charlemagne caused to be used—including agendas, minutes, instructions, authorizations, circulars, mobilization orders, reports, and descriptions—in order to foster clarity and efficiency in his realm.]
It is known that the use of the written word for administrative purposes survived, in at least some parts of the...
(The entire section is 9222 words.)
Richard Winston (essay date 1954)
SOURCE: "The World of Culture" in Charlemagne: From the Hammer to the Cross, The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., 1954, pp. 138-55.
[In the following excerpt, Winston examines the accomplishments of two of Charlemagne's greatest scholars: Alcuin, who was charged with improving literacy and who initiated a teacher-training program, and Paul, a natural scientist and historian who wrote the History of the Lombards.]
A recent French historian has disdainfully dismissed the Carolingian revival of learning in a few words: "What possible point can there be in trying to rehabilitate this gloomy age, to glorify this abortive renaissance? Neither Charlemagne nor his...
(The entire section is 7137 words.)
Harold Lamb (essay date 1954)
SOURCE: "Growth of a Legend" in Charlemagne: The Legend and the Man, Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1954, pp. 282-311.
[In the following excerpt, Lamb narrates the final months of the aged and ailing Charlemagne through his death and its aftermath, and explains how and why his legend grew even while his kingdom was being invaded.]
It came first in quiet voices from the land. A boy picked herbs for medicine in a garden close. Bending low, he drew in the fragrance of hyssop and thyme, and he thought how when he carried the herb basket to the door where the old Benedictine waited, he would add his words, although he could not make much of a poem as yet. "Such a...
(The entire section is 10028 words.)
Norman Susskind (essay date 1961)
SOURCE: "Humor in the Chansons de Geste," Symposium Vol. XV, No. 3, Fall, 1961, pp. 185-97.
[In the following essay, Susskind explores the various types of comedy employed in the chansons de geste, considers the butts of the jokes and ridicule, and speculates that one of humor's functions was to inject some realism into the depiction of events and characters.]
The mood of the chanson de geste was never unremittingly sombre. Curtius has remarked that from late antiquity the epic, considered on a level with pleasures of the table and the performance of mimes, contained a mixture of the comic and the serious: "When the medieval Latin, the earliest French,...
(The entire section is 6156 words.)
Donald Bullough (essay date 1965)
SOURCE: "Epilogue. The Heritage of Charlemagne: Legend and Reality" in The Age of Charlemagne, Elek Books Limited, 1965, pp. 201-07.
[In the following excerpt, Bullough discusses how Charlemagne's legendary status has, at times, threatened to overshadow the reality of his accomplishments.]
Sometime during the reign of the Emperor Louis—known to posterity as 'the Pious'—a monk of Bobbio, where Irish traditions died hard, wrote a Lament for the dead Charles. A solis ortu usque ad occidua Littora maris planctus pulsat pectora; Heu mihi misero 'From the rising of the sun to the shores of the sea where the sun sets breasts are beaten in lamentation;...
(The entire section is 2610 words.)
Jacques Boussard (essay date 1968)
SOURCE: "The Renaissance of Literature" in The Civilization of Charlemagne, translated by Frances Partridge, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1968, pp. 118-56.
[In the following excerpt, Boussard describes the state of culture at the time Charlemagne began his reign and the educational program he ordered as a remedy. He discusses the results—evident in the Church, civil law, the writing of history and poetry, and the birth of philosophical argument.]
The end of the eighth century and the whole of the ninth saw a remarkable advance in all branches of culture, which has been described as the Carolingian Renaissance. The...
(The entire section is 11208 words.)
Bernhard Walter Scholz (essay date 1970)
SOURCE: An introduction to Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories, translated by Bernhard Walter Scholz with Barbara Rogers, The University of Michigan Press, 1970, pp. 1-33.
[In the following essay Scholz describes and discusses the importance of two Carolingian works: the Royal Frankish Annals (740-829), which reflects the King's interest in keeping a record for posterity, and Nithard's Histories, a mostly contemporary (840-43) and more objective history which includes an account of Charlemagne's death.]
One of the perennial obsessions of medieval authors was the suspicion that the past was superior to the...
(The entire section is 13973 words.)
Robert A. Eisner (essay date 1972)
SOURCE: "In Search of the Real Theme of the Song of Roland," Romance Notes, Vol. XIV, No. 1, Autumn, 1972, pp. 179-83.
[In the following essay, Eisner contends that inconsistencies in the characterization of Charlemagne in the Song of Roland reflect the change of values which occurred between the century of Charlemagne's rule and the century in which the poet who wrote the work lived.]
The central contention of this essay is that traditional preoccupation with the origin and unity of the Song of Roland has obscured the main theme of the poem.1 The key problem to be considered is the apparent inconsistency in the portrait of...
(The entire section is 1942 words.)
John D. Niles (essay date 1976)
SOURCE: "The Ideal Depiction of Charlemagne in La Chanson de Roland,"Viator, Vol. 7, 1976, pp. 123-39.
[In the following essay, Niles argues that Charlemagne, not Roland, is the chief hero of La Chanson de Rolandand that Charlemagne's seeming passivity actually "represents power in the pure majesty of its potentiality."]
The Charlemagne of La Chanson de Roland has seemed to many an enigmatic figure. On the one hand he is consistently praised. On the other hand he does fairly little. He seeks out the advice of his lords and accepts it when it is given. He appears to be duped by Marsile and Ganelon. For the greater part of the poem he seems...
(The entire section is 6465 words.)
Janet H. Caulkins (essay date 1980)
SOURCE: "Narrative Interventions: The Key to the Jest of the Pèlerinage de Charlemagne" in Études de Philologie Romane et d'Histoire Littéraire, edited by Jean Marie D'Heur and Nicoletta Cherubini, Belgium, 1980, pp. 47-55.
[In the following essay, Caulkins contends that properly interpreting the Pèlerinage de Charlemagne requires understanding the interventions of the narrator and recognizing the juxtaposition of the serious and the ludicrous.]
Nothing makes the Middle Ages more lovable than its humor.
Ronald N. Walpole1
(The entire section is 4727 words.)
Sarah Kay (essay date 1984)
SOURCE: "The Character of Character in the Chansons de Geste" in The Craft of Fiction: Essays in Medieval Poetics, edited by Leigh A. Arrathoon, Solaris Press, Inc., 1984, pp. 475-98.
[In the following essay Kay investigates the interaction of character and plot in various chansons de geste, particularly in Raoul de Cambrai, and argues that neither aspect holds a simple priority over the other.]
The relationship between character and plot confronts the literary critic with a chicken and egg problem of ostrich proportions. How far can we dissociate what a literary character is from what he does, and supposing such dissociation to be operable, which is the...
(The entire section is 11245 words.)
W. R. J. Barron (essay date 1987)
SOURCE: "The Matter of France" in English Medieval Romance, Longman Group UK Limited, 1987, pp. 89-108.
[In the following excerpt, Barron considers the relationship between the French and the English romance through the exploration of key works including the Chanson de Roland,Otuel and Roland, The Sege of Melayne, The Sowdon of Babylon, and Fierabras.]
The dual effect of the Norman Conquest in severing the Germanic roots of English culture and importing a dialect of romanz which exposed England to the cultural influence of France in the age of its ascendancy was ultimately to have profound consequences. The Matter of England romances show how...
(The entire section is 8611 words.)
Anne Elizabeth Cobby (essay date 1988)
SOURCE: Introduction to The Pilgrimage of Charlemagne (Le Pèlerinage de Charlemagne), edited and translated by Glyn S. Burgess, Garland Publishing, Inc., 1988, pp. 1-27.
[In the following essay, Cobby discusses The Pilgrimage of Charlemagne, including arguments regarding the date of the text; difficulties in classifying the work; its artistic merit and use of humor; and its sources and influences.]
Few medieval works have given rise to as much disagreement as the Pèlerinage de Charlemagne. The difficulties begin with the question of its origin and date. The text is known from a single manuscript (Royal 16 E VIII...
(The entire section is 8798 words.)
Mary Garrison (essay date 1994)
SOURCE: "The Emergence of Carolingian Latin Literature and the Court of Charlemagne (780-814)" in Carolingian Culture: Emulation and Innovation, edited by Rosamond McKitterick, Cambridge University Press, 1994, pp. 111-40.
[In the following essay, Garrison considers factors that enabled the creation and survival of Carolingian verse. She also contrasts the perspectives of genteel coterie poetry, written by the court elite, with those of less-censured contemporary victory poems.]
Inter caenandum aut aliquod acroama aut lectorem audiebat. Legabantur ei historiae et antiquorum res gestae.1
(The entire section is 15316 words.)
Further Reading
Farrier, Susan E. The Medieval Charlemagne Legend: An Annotated Bibliography, New York: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1993, 646 p.
Divides its study into three broad groupings: The Historical Charlemagne, Between History and Legend (Medieval Biography and Chronicle), and Charlemagne Literature, and further into twenty-seven subcategories to aid scholars.
Almedingen, E. M. Charlemagne: A Study, London: The Bodley Head, 1968, 252 p.
Biography considers Frankish history, the country as Charlemagne found it, and Charlemagne's faith in God and allegiance to Christ's...
(The entire section is 491 words.)


text:
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txbull said:I have a '98 Mountaineer that has a noise that sounds like an exhaust leak. It is very noticeable when the engine is cold and quiets down after it warms up. Does anyone else have this problem?

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text:
Political correctness runs amok
Political correctness has sunk into absurdity in a situation involving access to the so-called "Plan B" birth control drug.
If taken within three days of sexual intercourse, the drug can prevent fertilization of human eggs.
Because it can make up for failure to use birth control methods before intercourse, the drug is in great demand.
Previously, the drug, also known as "the morning after pill," was available by prescription only. But the Food and Drug Administration now says it can be sold over the counter, and it can be sold to girls as young as 15.
A federal judge has, in effect, extended that, ruling the drug must be made available to "women" of any age.
The government is appealing that order.
Obviously, the FDA was wrong, but the judge is in even greater error.
Juvenile females are not "women." They are children.
The government has restricted their access to any number of products with fewer potentially harmful side effects than Plan B. Children cannot obtain many drugs without their parents' permission. A 15-year-old likely can't get an aspirin from the school nurse without parental permission, but that same teen could walk into a store and buy the Plan B birth control drug. Obviously, that whole scenario makes no sense at all.
Political correctness is running amok. Let's hope the appeals court has a better understanding of the difference between women and children.


text: We've updated our DECODED article library! Get answers to your research questions, with articles sorted by application. Try it now » DECODED Newsletter Categories Your Research Core Concepts Competitive Edge Pipet Tips Ask Alex Web Tools Product Spotlight Mixed Bases Calendar Did You Know? Cited Complementary Strands Archives Browse Issues: DECODED Online (Current) DECODED 4.2 qPCR (April 2014) DECODED 4.1 (January 2014) DECODED 3.4 (October 2013) DECODED 3.3 (July 2013) DECODED 3.2 (April 2013) DECODED 3.1 (January 2013) DECODED 2.4 (October 2012) DECODED 2.3 (July 2012) DECODED 2.2 (April 2012) DECODED 2.1 (January 2012) DECODED 1.3 (October 2011) DECODED 1.2 (July 2011) DECODED 1.1 (April 2011) Subscribe Pipet Tips Ideas to Streamline Your Research Print Page All posts Easily-designed standard curves for qPCR Creating artificial templates using gBlocks® Gene Fragments Templates for absolute quantification When performing quantitative PCR (qPCR), absolute quantification is usually accomplished by including artificial templates such as plasmids, oligonucleotides, or purified PCR products that have been accurately quantified by independent analysis. Standard curves plotted to known concentrations are then created by performing qPCR on serial dilutions of these templates. Plasmids that have been sequenced are excellent for generating standard curves, but can be costly and time consuming to produce. Oligonucleotides and PCR products can be produced quickly, allowing greater flexibility when changing assays, but are limited in size. Additionally, PCR products may have unidentified sequence errors that will alter the efficiency calculation that is necessary during absolute quantification. Double-stranded gBlocks Gene Fragments Double-stranded, sequence-verified gBlocks Gene Fragments are a new alternative to single-stranded oligonucleotides that enable creation of long, completely custom DNA sequences. Available in lengths up to 3000 bp, they function exactly like a double-stranded PCR product in applications, while offering all of the sequence flexibility of custom, chemically synthesized DNA. Furthermore, by including necessary sequence overlaps or restriction sites, gBlocks Gene Fragments are ideally suited for isothermal assembly or cloning into any plasmid, providing a mechanism for production of additional high-fidelity template. To read about these and other gBlocks Gene Fragment applications, see the Related reading box below. Generating multiple standard curves from a single template The design flexibility of gBlocks Gene Fragments is uniquely advantageous when incorporating multiple control amplicon sequences into a single double-stranded construct. Using gBlocks fragments as multi-control templates lowers cost to a level that is comparable to ordering individual oligos on a per assay basis. It also provides some unique benefits when performing qPCR experiments in the lab: When performing multiplex experiments, combining control templates onto a single construct means less pipetting and, thus, less experimental variability. Each assay on that construct will have exactly the same amount of template available, providing for more accurate comparisons between those assays. For singleplex reactions, you need only make one set of dilutions. Those dilutions can then be used for all the assays represented on that construct. Again, this reduces the chances for pipetting error, and saves time diluting multiple, distinct templates. When designing gBlocks Gene Fragments with multiple targets, some researchers choose to separate each sequence with several intervening T bases, as shown in Figure 1. However, do not add more than 9 T bases between sequence elements, as this will interfere with the manufacture of your gBlocks fragment. Figure 1. Easily incorporate multiple controls into one gBlocks® Gene Fragment. In this example, 4 sequences are incorporated into 1 design, each separated by 5 intervening T bases (red). A NotI restriction site (blue) is included in this design to provide a future site for plasmid linearization. Use gBlocks Gene Fragments to detect contamination Another benefit of gBlocks Gene Fragments for qPCR is the ability to quickly generate artificial sequences that can be distinguished from wild-type sequences. In Figure 2, an artificial construct that is 10 bp shorter than the wild-type sequence (LIMK1(–10)) can be distinguished by performing melt curve analysis using intercalating dye–based assays, such as with SYBR® Green. This is extremely beneficial if you have any concerns about possible contamination by wild-type DNA. Figure 2. Designing artificial control sequences can help identify contaminating DNA. In this example, which uses a SYBR® Green dye–based assay, the artificial LIMK1(–10) sequence is easily distinguished from a wild-type sequence by the lower peak on this melt curve analysis. For more information about gBlocks Gene Fragments, or to order, go to www.idtdna.com/gBlocks. Related reading Isothermal Assembly: Quick, easy gene construction In a single reaction, isothermal assembly combines several overlapping DNA fragments to produce a ligated plasmid ready for transformation. Read about it in DECODED 2.1 at www.idtdna.com/decoded. Improving vaccine development—Learn about a directed, molecular evolution process employed by the biopharmaceutical company, Altravax. They use in vitro DNA recombination to generate large libraries of recombined, chimeric DNA sequences that express potential vaccine candidates. IDT gBlocks® Gene Fragments have proved instrumental in this high throughput technology. Building biological factories for renewable and sustainable products—Read how Amyris uses genetic engineering and screening technologies to design microorganisms that convert plant-sourced sugars into target molecules, including pharmaceuticals, biofuels, polymers, flavors, and fragrances. A next generation understanding of immune response—See how assembly PCR of antibodies with gBlocks Gene Fragments and PCR-amplified DNA is used to study the immune system's response to patients receiving flu vaccinations. Undergraduate iGEM Competition Moves Synthetic Biology Forward—Slovenia's 2012 iGEM Team used gBlocks Gene Fragments to engineer inducible cellular switch (Switch-it System) for delivery of therapeutic drugs directly to target tissues. Find out how they did it. Author: Hans Packer, PhD, is a Scientific Writer at IDT.


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Greetings people of the forum.
Is it me, or is it true that baozhong doesn't resteep well?
I have a 2nd place winner baozhong from Taiwan, but it seems like that lush, thick flavor significantly diminishes on any subsequent steep. I use about a gram per ounce, so while not strictly gong fu, there should be enough leaf, with a longer steep time, to get some good flavor in subsequent steeps.
With other oolongs, the 2nd steep has all the lushness that the first steep has. But with baozhong, the taste just seems to drop off right after the first steep.
Is this your experience with baozhongs? Please feel free to share your opinions on this matter.


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* Enrollment fee does not apply in CA, WA, & UT.
** Where available by state law.
1 The day supply is based upon the average dispensing patterns for the specific drug and strength. The Program, as well as the prices and the list of covered drugs, can be modified at any time without notice.
Disclosures: This discount program is NOT a health insurance policy or a Medicare prescription drug plan and is not intended as a substitute for insurance. The program does not qualify as minimum creditable coverage under Massachusetts law. The program provides only for discounts on health products and services from participating pharmacies, and the range of the discounts will vary depending on the pharmacy and the products or services received. Days' supply is calculated based upon the average dispensing patterns for the specific drug and strength. The program, its pricing, and its covered products or services can be modified by the program administrator or its marketers at any time without notice. The program does not make payments directly to any provider of health care services. Members are required to pay at the time of service for all prescriptions or covered health care services, but will receive a discount from participating pharmacies. Go to myRxCare.net for a current list of participating pharmacies in your area or you may call or write us as indicated below. This program is administered by Medical Security Card Company, LLC (MSC, d/b/a ScriptSave), 4911 E. Broadway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ 85711, 1-800-700-3957, www.scriptsave.com and is marketed by Albertson's LLC and New Albertson's, Inc.


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Under Fire - Page 2
O'Brien and Arcadia High School's cross-country team at the Nike Cross Nationals in 2012. Photo by Maria De La Rosa
A Pasadena Star News article about the meeting paraphrased several speakers' comments:
"A single mother said O'Brien was a father figure in her sons' lives. Another parent said O'Brien called her to see if she would take a student in who was having a difficult home life. A former student said he lost the use of his legs during a snowboarding accident in college and O'Brien came to his bedside and inspired him to compete in the wheelchair race at the L.A. Marathon."
One student, who said she once attempted suicide, said O'Brien saved her.
'This man has taught me hope, taught me courage and taught me perseverance,' she said. 'What you have taught me saves my life every day.'"
When contacted regarding the issue, Superintendent Joel Shawn responded: "Because of the personnel and privacy issues involved, I am unable to answer your questions. Any change to the current decision will be made prior to the beginning of the school year, which is August 27."
So, what really gives here? The reasons school officials gave for O'Brien's firing appear superficial, and deeper personal conflicts are likely responsible. O'Brien admits to being "painfully honest, even blunt" but says none of his actions warrant such harsh action. He cites a few conflicts over the past few years for contributing to strained relations, particularly between himself and head track coach, Chris Schultz. But O'Brien has made it clear to officials that he is willing to follow whatever protocols may be necessary to continue as the Arcadia High School coach, "to do what's best for the kids."
He even offered his services as assistant coach to the newly named head coach, Michael Feraco, O'Brien's previous assistant coach (whom O'Brien says implored Shawn to reinstate him) with about six years' experience, but was denied. Officials went so far as to say he is to have no contact with the cross-country team members. He offered other conciliatory options to Shawn, but all were rejected.
Now, O'Brien is standing his ground, saying, "I want the whole enchilada back, and want to take the kids to the national championships meet again and see what we can do."
Along with other issues over the past few years, O'Brien says one thing that rankled officials is his outside USATF summer team that includes over 100 athletes and the kids have dubbed "O'Brien's Army."
The genesis for starting the camp, says O'Brien, relates to a new school policy that requires athletes to train only on Arcadia school property for the summer-school sport camp, which would relegate them to the track. "It is simply inadequate and not a workable way to train cross-country athletes," says O'Brien. So he says he respectfully declined to work for the school program and began the club to give the kids the best opportunity to be successful. Each August, O'Brien takes around 40 team members for a high-altitude training camp—where they run almost exclusively on trails—in Mammoth, California … which is where he will be this summer when the school board reaches its final decision.
View this YouTube video to better understand O'Brien's impact on his students and athletes and his current situation.
Here is the Keep Coach O Brien at Arcadia Facebook page started by his supporters; it has garnered over 4000 Likes.
For perspective on O'Brien's 1989 Angeles Crest race, click here.


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1.) Name, Age, Location: Ben Jarzombek; 15 years old; Schererville, IN
2.) Years of paintball experience: I've been playing for two years. I play scenarios and recball, but I would like to try tournaments sometime.
3.) Are you familiar with IP Board? No I am not.
4.) What other message boards have you moderated, started, or assisted with? None.
5.) What sections would you like to help the TechPB community out with? I'm not all that keen of the B/S/T (I don't deal with it at all), but I'd be more than happy to do anything.
6.) Have you ever worked at a paintball store, field, or within the industry? Not officially, but I help out at my local pro-shop whenever I can.
7.) Have you played in any major events? Scenario Games, National Tournaments, etc? I played Living Legends 5, and Red Strike (Viper Scenario event in Indiana). I play local scenarios as well.
8.) Any other forums you currently moderate at? None.
9.) Fill out an employment application, send us a copy of your valid drivers license and consent to background check. Will submit upon request.
Please, be honest about your experiences with me on the forums. That is all.
Edited by Jarz, 05 November 2012 - 08:35 PM.


text:
Chamois Floor Pillow
- Overview
Our supersoft, extra-big pillow is the ultimate spot for reading, watching TV and enjoying quiet time. In cozy faux chamois or our new plush faux sherpa, it can be used as a floor pillow or as a chair, and is filled with eco-friendly recycled beads.
- 50" square
- Slipcover is polyester faux chamois or faux sherpa.
- Insert is filled with 100% recycled polystyrene and Styrofoam beads.
- A locking metal safety zipper keeps beads securely contained.
- Machine-washable slipcover zips off for cleaning.
- Catalog / Internet only.
- Insert is made in the USA; slipcover is imported.
- Dimensions & Care
- To clean, remove interior components.
- Wash slipcover separately in cold water.
- Do not use bleach.
- Spot clean with damp white cloth; blot to remove excess water.
- Air dry.
- Do not wash or dry-clean.
- Shipping & Return Info
This is a general shipping item.
View Our Shipping Information
Return Policy
At Pottery Barn Kids, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction is our priority. We carefully inspect your order prior to shipment; upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage. We will arrange for a prompt replacement. If, within 7 days for Quick Ship upholstery and 30 days for all other products, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value.
If your return for Merchandise Credit Cards is greater than $10,000, we will issue $10,000 in Merchandise Credit Cards to you that day, and then mail additional Merchandise Credit Card(s) for the amount in excess of $10,000 to you.
We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. We also cannot accept returns of final-sale items, which are identified by a price that ends in $0.99.
For returns of items purchased from your Pottery Barn Kids registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later.
For assistance, please contact Customer Service at 800.993.4923
International Returns: Online returns are available only for items that were shipped to the United States. If you would like to return items that were shipped outside the US, please see International Returns and Exceptions.


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Topic: accessing rails class variables in javascript
How can I access the class variables (@something) within onLoad javascript
I pass an array of customers object to a .rhtml file. When it is
rendered on the browser, I call an onLoad function. I need to access the
@customers objects array in my onLoad function. How can I do that. For
example, I need to get to @customers[0][:customer_name] - how to do
that? thanks


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Baraga County job research data revealed
L'ANSE – Baraga County now has a vision for the future to address its high unemployment rate.
The Western Upper Peninsula Planning & Development Region, in collaboration with the Upper Peninsula Marketing Department Inc., has released the research findings from its "Go! Baraga County" strategic plan, which served as the basis for job creation suggestions.
According to the January Bureau of Labor Statistics report, Baraga County's unemployment rate stands at 18.2 percent (19 percent January 2012, 22.1 percent January 2011, 26.7 percent January 2010), but WUPPDR, based on a countywide survey and feedback from focus groups, has honed in on three possible strategies to create jobs. They are, as described in a WUPPDR press release:
"development of a Green and Technology Industrial Park focused on production of green energy products and services such as wood pellets and pellet stoves, windmills, and solar panels. A venue could be provided by an industrial park in L'Anse that is ripe for further development."
"Indoor Agriculture. This is a method of farming to raise produce and crops in a controlled indoor environment year-round. Benefits would include increased availability of local and potentially lower-cost food to retailers, restaurants, and consumers."
"Aquaculture. Through this industry, fish are raised in confined environments within or directly attached to existing water bodies in this case primarily Lake Superior's Keweenaw Bay. Under the right circumstances, indoor agriculture and aquaculture can be combined in a mutually beneficial way through a new industry called 'aquaponics.'"
While the strategies are backed by the findings of the 56-page research findings document, they are still tentative, and feasibility within the local business and natural environment is yet to be determined. WUPPDR is still seeking feedback to help refine the suggestions.
"The strategies are at a very early stage of development," WUPPDR Planner Jerald Wuorenmaa said in a Daily Mining Gazette interview. "Implementation will not begin until late this year, so basically what we have done so far is gained consensus on what we should put some time into researching. … Anyone can let us know what they think of the strategies selected at this point, and this could affect what is put into the final plan."
To provide feedback, contact Wuorenmaa at firstname.lastname@example.com or 482-7205, extension 319. The full research summary can be found at gobaragacounty.com, but below is a brief glance at some highlights.
A total of 836 people responded to the survey, which represents 7.8 percent of the Baraga County population. All villages and townships were represented, and exactly 100 Keweenaw Bay Indian Community tribal members responded. About 60 percent of respondents were female, and about 60 percent were between 40 and 64 years old. Over 80 percent of survey takers have lived in Baraga County for more than 10 years.
One major finding was that business start-up resources and entrepreneurial spirit is low in the county, but that natural resources provide a key opportunity for growth.
While most survey responses were similar between tribal and non-tribal members, opinions on mining sharply contrasted. Of the 91 tribal members responding the particular question about growth opportunities, only 3 percent selected mining as one of the top six industries with growth potential – as opposed to 24 percent of non-tribal members.
The survey asked people their perception of Baraga County's economic state, and 75.81 percent categorized it as "desperate."
Other findings, supported by detailed research and statistics, include the following:
Residents purchase everyday items in Baraga County, but make larger purchases and seek entertainment outside the county.
Specialized health care services are available, yet many residents seek health care outside the county.
Residents love recreating in their own backyard, including 65 percent who indicate Baraga County is their favorite place for running/jogging/walking, 63 percent for boating/canoeing/kayaking and 62 percent for fishing.
There are neutral-to-positive feelings about local county government.
Roads, accountability and education are areas of public service that residents feel need the most improvement.
Baraga County is an attractive place to live and better zoning enforcement will improve the county.
Addiction, abuse and teen pregnancy are alarming concerns in the county, including 98 percent of respondents who feel drug use needs much or some attention.
Shared public services and co-sponsored events are a great opportunity for better collaboration between tribal and non-tribal communities.
The research findings also include respondent comments; detailed results of focus groups, which were divided across eight business or community sectors; and a list of all county assets to use as the basis for job creation opportunities.
For more information, including a PDF of the research findings, visit gobaragacounty.com.


text:
2. No lowballing
3. Post reply here
4. You pay then I ship
5. Only offer if you have the money
Item: Planet Eclipse Overload Jersey Chest Protector (LIGHTLY USED ONE TIME)
Size: Large
Condition: 9/10
Problems: NONE
What is Included: just the chest protector
Payment Options: PayPal
Shipping: You Pick you Pay!
Item Location: SoCal--92545
Price: $55 OBO
Trades: Nt11 Medium Repair kit? Critical Pack 4+5
Edited by Chris1659, 21 October 2012 - 02:18 AM.


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Robert W. Heikkila
LAKE LINDEN – Robert W. Heikkila, 75, a former resident of Lake Linden, passed away Wednesday evening, Jan. 23, 2013, at Marquette General Hospital where he had been a patient for the past week.
He was born Aug. 11, 1937, in Hancock, a son of the late William and Inez (Strang) Heikkila. Bob was raised in Liminga and attended the Stanton Schools. He graduated from Houghton High School with the Class of 1955. Since 1996, he had made his home in the Tamarack City area.
On June 11, 1960, he was united in marriage to the former Judith Naasko and she preceded him in death on June 14, 1999.
Mr. Heikkila had worked as a sales clerk in the Houghton and Hancock area for Houghton Firestone Store, Montgomery Ward, Joffee's Men's Store, the Copper Rivet and Stern and Field's Men's Store.
Bob was active with the Stanton Athletic Club as a young adult. He was a former member of the Tamarack City Fire Department, a co-founder of T.C. Days, which are still held each year in Tamarack City. Bob was an avid Detroit Red Wing, Tiger and Lion fan.
Robert served his country with the 107th Engineers Michigan National Guard.
Preceding him in death were his parents; his wife; his son, William Heikkila.
Surviving are his daughter, Cheryl (Tom) Monette of Tamarack City; his granddaughters, Nicole Heikkila and Beth Heikkila; his great-grandson, Marky; his brother, Donald (Bette) Heikkila of Painesdale; a special friend, Nora Britz of Lake Linden; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Funeral services for Bob will be held at 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28 in the Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in Hancock with Rev. D.J. Rasner to officiate. Spring burial will be in the Toivola Cemetery.
Friends may call on Monday from 3 until time of services in the funeral home.
To view Robert's obituary or to send condolences to the family, please visit memorialchapel.net.
The Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in Hancock has been assisting the family with arrangements.


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Redirected from (5-hydroxy) tryptamine
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|style="background: #F8EABA; text-align: center;" colspan="2"
5-Hydroxytryptamine or
|CAS number
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Infobox disclaimer and references
Serotonin (pronounced /ˌsɛrəˈtoʊnən/) (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter synthesized in serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) and enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal tract of animals including humans. Serotonin is also found in many mushrooms and plants, including fruits and vegetables.
Function Edit
In the central nervous system, serotonin plays an important role as a neurotransmitter in the modulation of anger, aggression, body temperature, mood, sleep, human sexuality, appetite, and metabolism, as well as stimulating vomiting.[1]
Serotonin has broad activities in the brain, and genetic variation in serotonin receptors and the serotonin transporter, which facilitates reuptake of serotonin into presynapses, have been implicated in neurological diseases. Drugs targeting serotonin-induced pathways are being used in the treatment of many psychiatric disorders, and one focus of clinical research is the influence of genetics on serotonin action and metabolism in psychiatric settings. Such studies have revealed that the variation in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter protein accounts for nearly 10% of total variance in anxiety-related personality,[2] and the effect of this gene on depression was found to interact with the environment.[3]
Levels of serotonin in the brain show association with aggression [4], and a mutation in the gene which codes for the 5-HT2A receptor may double the risk of suicide for those with that genotype.[5]
Using the ultimatum game as model, it was shown that people whose serotonin levels have been artificially lowered will reject unfair offers more often than players with normal serotonin levels.[6]
In addition, serotonin is also a peripheral signal mediator. It is found extensively in the human gastrointestinal tract as about 80-90% of the body's total serotonin is found in the enterochromaffin cells in the gut.[7][8] In the blood, the major storage site is platelets, which collect serotonin for use in mediating post-injury vasoconstriction.[9]
Recent research suggests that serotonin plays an important role in liver regeneration and acts as a mitogen (induces cell division) throughout the body. Recent research also suggests that intestinal serotonin may inhibit bone formation. [1] [10]
Serotonin and SIDS
Defective signalling of serotonin in the brain may be the root cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), Italian researchers have found. Scientists from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Monterotondo, Italy,[11] genetically modified lab mice to produce low levels of the brain signaling protein serotonin. The results showed the mice suffered drops in heart rate and other symptoms of SIDS, and many of the animals died at an early age.
Researchers now believe that low levels of serotonin in the animals' brainstems, which control heartbeat and breathing, may have caused sudden death, researchers said in the July 4, 2008 issue of Science.[12]
Serotonin and psychologyEdit
Serotonin, or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), has been implicated in almost every conceivable physiologic or behavioral function—affect, aggression, appetite, cognition, emesis,endocrine function, gastrointestinal function, motor function, neurotrophism, perception, sensory function, sex,sleep, and vascular function (1).Moreover, most drugs that are currently used for the treatment of psychiatric disorders(e.g., depression, mania, schizophrenia, autism, obsessivecompulsive disorder, anxiety disorders) are thought to act, at least partially, through serotoninergic mechanisms .How is it possible for 5-HT to be involved in so many different processes? One answer lies in the anatomy of the serotoninergic system, in which 5-HT cell bodies clustered in the brainstem raphe nuclei are positioned through their vast projections to influence all regions of the neuraxis.Another answer lies in the molecular diversity and differential cellular distribution of the many 5-HT receptor subtypes that are expressed in brain and other tissues.<Blockquote/>
- SAD - Serotonin
- Clinical depression - Serotonin
- Schizophrenia - Serotonin
- Bipolar disorder - Serotonin
- Autism - Serotonin
- OCD - Serotonin
Neurotransmission Edit
As with all neurotransmitters, the effects of 5-HT on the human mood and state of mind, and its role in consciousness, are very difficult to ascertain.
Gross anatomy Edit
The neurons of the raphe nuclei are the principal source of 5-HT release in the brain.[13] The raphe nuclei are neurons grouped into about nine pairs and distributed along the entire length of the brainstem, centered around the reticular formation. [14]
Axons from the neurons of the raphe nuclei form a neurotransmitter system, reaching large areas of the brain. Axons of neurons in the caudal dorsal raphe nucleus terminate in e.g.:
On the other hand, axons of neurons in the rostral dorsal raphe nucleus terminate in e.g.:
Thus, activation of this serotonin system has effects on large areas of the brain, which explains the effects of therapeutic modulation of it.
Microanatomy Edit
5-HT is thought to be released from serotonergic varicosities into the extra neuronal space, in other words from swellings (varicosities) along the axon, rather than from synaptic terminal buttons (in the manner of classical neurotransmission). From here it is free to diffuse over a relatively large region of space (>20µm) and activate 5-HT receptors located on the dendrites, cell bodies and presynaptic terminals of adjacent neurons.
Receptors Edit
- Main article: 5-HT receptor
5-HT receptors are the receptors for serotonin. They are located on the cell membrane of nerve cells and other cell types in animals and mediate the effects of serotonin as the endogenous ligand and of a broad range of pharmaceutical and hallucinogenic drugs. With the exception of the 5-HT3 receptor, a ligand gated ion channel, all other 5-HT receptors are G protein coupled seven transmembrane (or heptahelical) receptors that activate an intracellular second messenger cascade.
Genetic factors Edit
Genetic variations in alleles which code for serotonin receptors are now known to have a significant impact on the likelihood of the appearance of certain psychological disorders and problems. For instance, a mutation in the allele which codes for the 5-HT2A receptor appears to double the risk of suicide for those with that genotype. [2]. However, evidence for this has yet to be replicated satisfactorily, and doubts over the validity of this finding have been raised. It is very unlikely that one individual gene could be responsible for increased suicides. It is more probable that a number of genes combine with environmental factors to affect behaviour in this way.
Termination Edit
Serotonergic action is terminated primarily via uptake of 5-HT from the synapse. This is through the specific monoamine transporter for 5-HT, 5-HT reuptake transporter, on the presynaptic neuron. Various agents can inhibit 5-HT reuptake including MDMA (ecstasy), amphetamine, cocaine, dextromethorphan (an antitussive), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Other functions Edit
Recent research suggests that serotonin plays an important role in liver regeneration and acts as a mitogen (induces cell division) throughout the body.[15]
=Brain developmentEdit
Recent experimental data support the role of serotonin in modulating brain development, so that a dysfunction in serotonergic activity in early life could lead to long lasting structural and functional alterations.
Pathology Edit
If neurons of the brainstem that make serotonin — serotonergic neurons — are abnormal in infants, there is a risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).[16][17] Low levels of serotonin may also be associated with intense religious experiences.[18]
It has also been discovered that serial killers consistently have low levels of serotonin. This is possibly a result of the aggressive and angry behaviors also associated with low levels of serotonin).
Recent research conducted at Rockefeller University shows that in both patients who suffer from depression and in mice that model that disease, levels of the p11 protein are decreased. This protein is related to serotonin transmission within the brain.[19]
Synthesis Edit
In the body, serotonin is synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan by a short metabolic pathway consisting of two enzymes: tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) and amino acid decarboxylase (DDC). The TPH-mediated reaction is the rate-limiting step in the pathway. TPH has been shown to exist in two forms: TPH1, found in several tissues, and TPH2, which is a brain-specific isoform. There is evidence that genetic polymorphisms in both these subtypes influence susceptibility to anxiety and depression. There is also evidence that ovarian hormones can affect the expression of TPH in various species, suggesting a possible mechanism for postpartum depression and premenstrual stress syndrome.
Serotonin taken orally does not pass into the serotonergic pathways of the central nervous system because it does not cross the blood-brain barrier. However, tryptophan and its metabolite 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), from which serotonin is synthesized, can and do cross the blood-brain barrier. These agents are available as dietary supplements and may be effective serotonergic agents.
One product of serotonin breakdown is 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5 HIAA), which is excreted in the urine. Serotonin and 5 HIAA are sometimes produced in excess amounts by certain tumors or cancers, and levels of these substances may be measured in the urine to test for these tumors.
Serotonergic drugs Edit
Several classes of drugs target the 5-HT system including some antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, antiemetics, and antimigraine drugs as well as the psychoactive drugs psychedelic drugs and empathogens.
Psychoactive drugs Edit
The psychedelic drugs psilocin/psilocybin, DMT, mescaline, and LSD mimick the action of serotonin at 5-HT2A receptors. The empathogen MDMA (ecstasy) releases serotonin from synaptic vesicles of neurons.
Antidepressants Edit
The MAOIs prevent the breakdown of monoamine neurotransmitters (including serotonin), and therefore increase concentrations of the neurotransmitter in the brain. MAOI therapy is associated with many adverse drug reactions, and patients are at risk of hypertensive emergency triggered by foods with high tyramine content and certain drugs.
Some drugs inhibit this re-uptake of serotonin, again making it stay in the synapse longer. The tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) inhibit the re-uptake of both serotonin and norepinephrine. The newer selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have fewer (though still numerous) side-effects and fewer interactions with other drugs.
Like many centrally active drugs, prolonged use of SSRIs may not be effective for increasing levels of serotonin as homeostasis may reverse the effects of SSRIs via negative feedback, tolerance or downregulation.
Antiemetics Edit
5-HT3 antagonists such as ondansetron, granisetron, and tropisetron are important antiemetic agents. They are particularly important in treating the nausea and vomiting that occur during anticancer chemotherapy using cytotoxic drugs. Another application is in treatment of post-operative nausea and vomiting. Applications to the treatment of depression and other mental and psychological conditions have also been investigated with some positive results.
Serotonin syndrome Edit
Extremely high levels of serotonin can have toxic and potentially fatal effects, causing a condition known as serotonin syndrome. In practice, such toxic levels are essentially impossible to reach through an overdose of a single anti-depressant drug, but require a combination of serotonergic agents, such as an SSRI with an MAOI.[20] The intensity of the symptoms of serotonin syndrome vary over a wide spectrum, and the milder forms are seen even at non-toxic levels.[21] For example, recreational doses of MDMA (ecstasy) will generally cause such symptoms but only rarely lead to true toxicity.
Chronic diseases resulting from serotonin 5-HT2B overstimulation Edit
- Main article: Cardiac fibrosis
In blood, serotonin stored in platelets is active wherever platelets bind, as a vasoconstictor to stop bleeding, and also as a fibrocyte mitotic, to aid healing. Because of these effects, overdoses of serotonin, or serotonin agonist drugs, may cause acute or chronic pulmonary hypertension from pulmonary vasoconstriction, or else syndromes of retroperitoneal fibrosis or cardiac valve fibrosis (endocardial fibrosis) from overstimulation of serotonic growth receptors on fibrocytes.
Serotonin itself may cause a syndrome of cardiac fibrosis when it is eaten in large quantities in the diet (the Matoki banana of East Africa) or when it is over-secreted by certain mid-gut carcinoid tumors. The valvular fibrosis in such cases is typically on the right side of the heart, since excess serotonin in the serum outside platelets is metabolized in the lungs, and does not reach the left circulation.
Serotonergic agonist drugs in overdose in experimental animals not only cause acute (and sometimes fatal) pulmonary hypertension, but there is epidemiologic evidence that chronic use of certain of these drugs produce a chronic pulmonary hypertensive syndrome in humans, also. Some serotinergic agonist drugs also cause fibrosis anywhere in the body, particularly the syndrome of retroperitoneal fibrosis, as well as right-sided cardiac valve fibrosis.
In the past, three groups of serotonergic drugs have been epidemiolgically linked with these syndromes. They are the serotonergic vasoconstrictive anti-migraine drugs (ergotamine and methysergide), the serotonergic appetite suppressant drugs (fenfluramine, chlorphentermine, and aminorex), and certain anti-parkinsonian dopaminergic agonists, which also stimulate serotonergic 5-HT2B receptors. These include (pergolide and cabergoline, but not the more specific lisuride). A number of these drugs have recently been withdrawn from the market after groups taking them showed a statistical increase of one or more off the side effects described.
Because neither the amino acid L-tryptophan nor the SSRI-class antidepressants raise blood serotonin levels, they are not under suspicion to cause the syndromes described. However, since 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) does raise blood serotonin levels, it is under some of the same scrutiny as actively serotonergic drugs.
In unicellular organisms Edit
Serotonin is used by a variety of single-cell organisms for various purposes. Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been found to be toxic to algae.[22] The gastrointestinal parasite Entamoeba histolytica secretes serotonin, causing a sustained secretory diarrhea in some patients.[23][24] Patients infected with Entamoeba histolytica have been found to have highly elevated serum serotonin levels which returned to normal following resolution of the infection.[25]Entamoeba histolytica also responds to the presence of serotonin by becoming more virulent.[26]
In animals Edit
Serotonin as a neurotransmitter is found in all animals, including insects. Several toad venoms, as well as that of the Brazilian Wandering Spider and stingray, contain serotonin and related tryptamines.
History Edit
Isolated and named in 1948 by Maurice M. Rapport, Arda Green, and Irvine Page of the Cleveland Clinic,[27] the name serotonin is something of a misnomer and reflects the circumstances of the compound's discovery. It was initially identified as a vasoconstrictor substance in blood serum – hence serotonin, a serum agent affecting vascular tone. This agent was later chemically identified as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) by Rapport, and, as the broad range of physiological roles were elucidated, 5-HT became the preferred name in the pharmacological field.
See also Edit
- 5-HTP a serotonin precursor found in food and often sold as a supplement.
- Adrenergic drugs
- Neuromodulation
- Serotonin agonists
- Serotonin antagonists
- Serotonin metabolites
- Serotonin precursors
- Serotonin syndrome
- Serotonin-dopamine reuptake inhibitor
- Tryptamine
References & BibliographyEdit
Key textsEdit
- Aghajanian, GK, Sanders-Bush, E. Serotonin. Fulltext
- Svenningsson P, Chergui K, Rachleff I, Flajolet M, Zhang X, Yacoubi ME, Vaugeois JM, Nomikos GG, Greengard P. Alterations in 5-HT1B receptor function by p11 in depression-like states. Science 2006;311(5757):77–80. PMID 16400147
Additional materialEdit
- Barbas, D., DesGroseillers, L., Castellucci, V.F., Carew, T.J., & Marinesco, S. (2003). Multiple Serotonergic Mechanisms Contributing to Sensitization in Aplysia: Evidence of Diverse Serotonin Receptor Subtypes. Learning & Memory, 10, 373 - 386. Full text
- Burrell, B.D. & Sahley, C.L. (1999). Serotonin Depletion Does Not Prevent Intrinsic Sensitization in the Leech. Learning & Memory, 6, 509 - 520. Full text
External links Edit
Tryptamines edit 4-Acetoxy-DET | 4-Acetoxy-DIPT | 5-MeO-α-ET | 5-MeO-α-MT | 5-MeO-DALT | 5-MeO-DET | 5-MeO-DIPT | 5-MeO-DMT | 5-MeO-DPT | 5-MeO-MIPT | α-ET | α-MT | Baeocystin | Bufotenin | DET | DIPT | DMT | DPT | EIPT | Ethocin | Ibogaine | Iprocin | MET | MIPT | Miprocin | Melatonin | NMT | Norbaeocystin | Psilocin | Psilocybin | Rizatriptan | Serotonin | Sumatriptan | Tryptamine | Tryptophan
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EMU Mathematical Sciences Department
Summer 2011
In this issue:
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Math Contestants Successful
The Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications (Comap) sponsors the annual Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MCM) which challenges teams of students to clarify, analyze, and propose solutions to open-ended problems.
This February three EMU teams spent a long weekend working to determine the optimal shape of a "halfpipe" snowboard course to maximize the production of "vertical air" by a skilled snowboarder. One team achieved a Meritorious ranking, putting their paper in the top 15% of solutions submitted. We'd like to recognize sophomores Amber Warren, Amelia, Virginia; Jonathan Nagy, Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Aaron Springer, Minier, Illinois for this impressive achievement and maintaining EMU's tradition of success in this contest.
Photo by Jim Bishop
The MCM is an international contest for undergraduates and EMU participates at least every other year. Most students in the applied math course elect to take part in the contest as their course project. Leah Boyer who teaches the course also serves as the adviser for the teams during the contest. She is not permitted to discuss the problem with the teams during the contest weekend, but works to prepare them with general approaches and techniques during the first few weeks of the semester.
Satisfactory team solutions are put into one of four categories: Outstanding, Meritorious, Honorable Mention, and Successful Participant. This year 2,775 teams (347 from the U.S.) attempted one of the two problems.
Over the course of a long weekend in February, the students spend 96 hours working on a problem that is unlike anything they have ever seen. During that time they discuss the problem, formulate a mathematical model, compose a computer program, and write a 10 to 20 page solution paper.
Check out the EMU news article on the contest at: http://emu.edu/now/news/2011/04/students-fare-well-in-math-contest/
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Congratulations, Graduates!
This year marked the completion of degree requirements for students receiving degrees in the mathematical sciences. Praveen Chhetri, Andrew Crorken, Dustin Good, and Stephen Thomas have all completed (or will be completing this summer) requirements for the Computer Science major. Dustin Good is also completing the Mathematics major, and Steven Rittenhouse is completing the Math major with Secondary Education certification. In addition, Jonathan Nagy and Edwin Torres have successfully completed the Pre-Engineering program; Jonathan will be transferring to James Madison University and Edwin to Virginia Tech in order to complete their Engineering degrees.
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Science Center Renovation
Conversations about the Science Center renovation and addition have resumed with renewed energy. We are excited about the prospect of new facilities, the anticipated corresponding increase in STEM majors, and the possibility of new programs!
For more information visit: http://www.emu.edu/science-seminars/about-the-science-center/
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MSC Conference in Information Technology
This spring, EMU Computer Science faculty Charles Cooley and Dee Weikle helped organize and present at the first Mennonite Schools Council Conference for Information Technology. These conferences are hosted by Mennonite universities for teachers from Mennonite high schools in a different discipline each year. For the first time teachers in information technology were given the opportunity to participate. Seminars presented by EMU Computer Science and Digital Media faculty included blogging, basic circuit design, programming, and visual presentation tips. Teachers also had an opportunity to talk with one another and with EMU faculty, and to tour facilities at EMU.
There were participants from as far away as Salem, Oregon, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, in addition to more local participants from Pennsylvania and Virginia. The event was a success and attendees and presenters both benefited from the interaction. The conference culminated in a Friday evening dinner with Loren and Pat Swartzendruber in the University Commons overlooking the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. It was a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate hospitality to our hard-working high school teachers and we enjoyed getting to know all who attended.
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Department News
This semester, our department has worked at increasing out-of-classroom learning and enrichment opportunities for our students.
The Computer Science faculty, Charles Cooley and Dee Weikle, started a Security Club for interested students. This group met weekly over lunch on Tuesdays, using old computers donated by EMU's Information Systems Department to learn about protecting computer systems from network attacks.
The Math Club sponsored regular activities this year, such as cookie baking and a movie night; during one week in April, the Math Club sent Math Awareness Week puzzlers to all EMU students via email, with daily prize drawings among those with correct responses.
The department hosted a first-annual departmental math competition, in which about a dozen students participated; the two top scorers, Kendall Garber and Elias Kehr, were honored in the end-of-semester Student Recognition chapel.
Dee Weikle began collaborative research projects with several Computer Science majors, and Deirdre Smeltzer took a group of four Multivariable Calculus students to the spring sectional meeting of the Mathematical Association of America at Randolph-Macon College.
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Problem Corner
We are sorry to report that we got no submissions (correct or incorrect) for our last problem! The next one is much easier, though. In fact, it can be solved mentally, using arithmetic known to an elementary school student. It comes from the American Math Monthly, 1940, Problem E366.
New Problem:
Two ferry boats ply back and forth across a river with constant speeds, turning at the banks without loss of time. They leave opposite shores at the same instant, meet for the first time 700 feet from one shore, continue on their way to opposite banks, return and meet for the second time 400 feet from the opposite shore. What is the width of the river?
Submit solutions to Owen Byer at email@example.com.
Are you (or do you know) a prospective student who is interested in studying math at EMU?
Contact Deirdre Smeltzer at email@example.com for information about applying for the Brenneman-Longacher Endowed Math Scholarship.
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Summer 2011
Published by the Mathematical Sciences Department
Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Editor: Charles Cooley


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Want a quick peek into what an audio engineer does? Then watch this short video by Kevin Weber, owner of Spliggityfidge in Emeryville, CA as he walks you through some of the things you need to know to enter this profession.
So much of what Kevin says is mirrored in the coursework and teaching approach of Cogswell College's Digital Audio Technology degree program.
He talks about the importance of working in a fun and aesthetically pleasing environment. Cogswell's studios and classes are designed around these principles.
His background in engineering was key to his success since it emphasized problem-solving. Cogswell focuses on giving students the tools they need to tackle any challenge.
He also discussed the need for a technical education but also just jumping in taking on some recording projects. His advice meshes well with Cogswell's emphasis on providing project-based learning experiences.
All of the changes in the audio industry have opened up a lot of opportunities for skilled audio engineers.


text:
Greg Schiano and Tony Soprano
I am probably the only person in America who never saw one episode of The Wire or The Sopranos. Still, I knew who Tony Soprano was and I heard he was one BAD man. Tampa Bay Bucs coach Greg Schiano personally knew actor James Gandolfini, who played Mr. Soprano in the HBO hit series. Gandolfini is a Rutgers' alum and often came back for games when Schiano coached at the New Jersey university. Schiano issued a statement that the Bucs… Read More »


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Here's how RW members rated this race in the past (326 votes).
In short: Fantastic first raceIn full: I absolutely loved this race, I'll definitely be doing it again next year (I'm just sad I have to wait that long)The marshall were brilliant, can't fault the generosity of spirit that had them clapping and cheering all the way throughHowever, road shoes are a definite no no - running up a hill slightly slower than you are sliding down is not the most encouraging feeling ever!Stupid footwear choices aside I LOVED THIS RACEDate of review: February 27, 2011
In short: mud hills water and crocodiles an excellent raceIn full: mud hills water and crocodiles an excellent race the cake was nice and the t shirt god was that slurry in the last ditch ????see youi next yearDate of review: February 27, 2011
In short: Hills, hills, hillsIn full: Very well organised, great marshalling, drinks in the right places. Just reading some of the others about the farm entrance, this is the only negative part of the course. Like the clif bars at the end. Nice touch.Date of review: February 27, 2011
In short: Great but hard work, very rewardingDate of review: February 27, 2011
In short: Tough but funIn full: Could have done without the slurry filled ditch after 10.5 miles but other than that a good tough course. Enough slower runners to make plodders like me feel welcome.Date of review: February 27, 2011
In short: Lots of mud, few rivers and a couple of huge hillsIn full: Hard, hard work.A little bit of rain and it turned into a very difficult race. Even with trail shoes you had very little in the way of grip.The hills were very steep, impossible to run up and the river crossings were suprisingly refreshing after lots and lots of mud and slipping and sliding whilst trying to put one foot in front of the other.I pity the runners in the middle of the pack to the rear, it must have been horrendous for them. I think this has to be nearly as hard as the Snowdon Marathon! Would I do it again? In a heartbeat, very challenging but very rewarding.Date of review: February 27, 2011
In short: all worth it for the slice of lemon drizzle cakeIn full: Cannot fault it, good organisation from car park to baggage storage, fantastic though awfully hard race, sign me in for next year, oh yes and of course the cakes!!!Date of review: February 27, 2011
In short: Ouch!Date of review: March 9, 2010
Date of review: March 9, 2010
In short: nice and muddy - hills and a river too plus wonderful cakes at the end!Date of review: March 8, 2010
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text:
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month
To the editor:
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Pinwheels for Prevention campaign has been started by Prevent Child Abuse America. The pinwheels are the symbol to be used as an uplifting reminder of childhood and the bright futures all America's children deserve.
Preventing child abuse takes the whole community and all our efforts. The children of today are the future of Minnesota's tomorrow. Our children's success depends on healthy development and growth supported by our communities and healthy, nurturing families. Children growing up in homes free of abuse and neglect have the opportunity to develop into healthy and caring adults who contribute to our society.
As a parent, show your children love by giving them a sense of security and support in your home. Give your full attention when your child is speaking with you. Find time to spend together as a family and individually with each child. Many children's best memories are made by the little things done by parents, not by the "things" parents buy their kids. And never be afraid to ask for help. Parenting is a difficult job!
As a member in the community, think about how you can help children and the families you know. Offer to make a meal. Volunteer at schools or local groups that support children and families. Offer to babysit children so a parent can have a break even if it's for only an hour. The smallest act of kindness can make such a difference for a child and their parent.
As you are out in our Brown County communities in April, look for the blue and silver pinwheels that represent the children in our cities, counties, state, and nation. More information on supporting children and families, and ending child abuse can be found at: www.pcamn.org, or by calling 1-800-CHILDREN.
LISTEN. YOU CAN end child abuse, MINNESOTA.
Laura Filzen, Stacy
Helget, Lori Thom
Brown County Child Protection
Tom Sandberg
Brown County Child Protection Supervisor