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Element Case Sector 5 for iPhone 5 Reviewby Brian Klug on 1/26/2013 12:59 AM EST
- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Mobile
- iPhone 5
- element
- Case
47 Comments
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SmartyPants - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkMaybe it's just me but I don't think $140 for any cell phone case is a very good use of your money. Reply
Connoisseur - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkCome on. That argument gets used so much it should be taken out back and shot. It's a luxury item. They all cost money. For the people who are willing to pay for it, it's definitely a pretty conversation piece. Reply
Mayuyu - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - link$140 is insane, for something that costs 10 cents to make. Reply
shabby - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkWhich company will machine 4 aluminum pieces for 10 cents? Reply
Mayuyu - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkFactories in China Reply
JarredWalton - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkAs long as we're just pulling numbers out of hats, I'd estimate you're off by an order of magnitude for the pure cost of materials, and the initial design work and the complexity probably would make it two orders of magnitude. So yeah, we're looking at more like $10 to manufacture the case made to exact specifications, and then you need to recuperate all of your other expenses and still turn a profit. $140 is too high for me for sure, but considering crap plastic cases typically go for $30 or more, it's hardly out of line with the market. Reply
althaz - Sunday, January 27, 2013 - linkI have no idea about manufacturing costs, but 10c is actually fairly close to the actual cost of the aluminium in this case. If the case was pure aluminium you'd be looking at a maximum cost of 21-31 cents with that number decreasing for larger orders (I can order one kg of aluminum for $1-1.5ish, if you are building tens of thousands of these things, you should be able to get a discount).
$140 is WAY out of line with the market, it's a nice-looking case, but even high-quality poly-carb plasic cases are well under $40. Cheap cases might have a suggested retail of $30, but they are readily available for $2-6.
That said, for some people it'll still be worth it, because this case does appear to be excellent (but as a Lumia owner, it's obviously not for me). Reply
ImSpartacus - Sunday, January 27, 2013 - linkMr Walton, I suggest that you refrain from stooping to the level of these commenters. Be a role model. Reply
KoolAidMan1 - Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - linkIts hard to keep quiet when so many people say such stupid things Reply
chrnochime - Sunday, January 27, 2013 - linkI would think the bulk of the cost is to either machine aluminum blocks down to actual case pieces or use cast method. The assembling costs are miniscule compared to the cost of the machines needed to manufacture the aluminum pieces. And like not the machines need to be exotic to process materials like carbon fiber, so it shouldn't be extremely expensive to obtain(or even rent) these machines... Reply
JeffFlanagan - Monday, January 28, 2013 - linkDoesn't matter. The target audience is known to overspend on toys, so selling them an overpriced item that you can get them to view as a luxury is good business.
Pricing things insanely high is a viable strategy in luxury markets. Reply
yannigr - Sunday, January 27, 2013 - linkThis argument is ignored so much from consumers unfortunately. $140 is not a price for a case, it is more like an exam for stupidity. Reply
yojacko88 - Sunday, January 27, 2013 - linkDitto! Reply
iPhone Case - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkyup after reading the case review i also thought that i used to buy iPhone Cases from Amanda iPhone Case Review Website it's mostly good price's and cases there but i don't think anyone will give 140 bucks for a iPhone Case Unless it's real something but the Overall case review was good and kudo's for the author. Reply
mevans336 - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkEspecially since (to me) it totally ruins the look of the phone. The iPhone has smooth flowing lines and that case is industrial. It totally clashes. But it definitely stands out, sort of like a 3-tier wing on a Honda Civic. Reply
NotunBazar - Sunday, January 27, 2013 - linkThe price is probably bit higher than what many people would have expected. However, from our experience in the Mobile phone exteriors business, we know that, if you want to get good quality and lucrative products like this one, you need to pay the amount. There are variety of products with different quality. Some of those products are to be of top quality and price would be high for those.
cnp-keythai(dot)com Reply
zebrax2 - Sunday, January 27, 2013 - linkI would agree that it is too expensive. For a case that $140 i would have expected it to protect the phone from front drops as well as providing support for third party connectors. The case itself is prone to dents and maybe scratches Reply
CeriseCogburn - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkDefinitely a case I'd sport. Like it, a lot. Reply
Chris82aus - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkBrian, you stated "I won't say that the Sector 5 doesn't affect the antennas at all, adding conductors this close to the device clearly does". I'm curious why you chose to use another iP5 with a different case and not just a bare phone to illustrate your results? I'm aware this is a case review, so we need to know how it compares to other cases, but I'd be really interested to see how it would compare to an iP5 without any case on it at all as a baseline / reference. Reply
Brian Klug - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkWell, the other case (Incipio Dual Pro) is the one I'd be using in stead of the Element one, and the Dual Pro is entirely polymer and nonconductive, so there's no reason it should affect antenna tuning. I guess you could argue there might be carbon in the case (I've heard that one before) but it's minimal in most consumer electronics cases.
In any case the other phone is equivalent to no case, basically.
-Brian Reply
smitty123 - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linklol
yeah 140$ seriously?
you can get cases for 5$ on amazon.
some people just have too much money ! Reply
chucknelson - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkWow, ugly case *and* ridiculously expensive. Interesting to see what's out there, though. Reply
StormyParis - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkThat thing is:
- expensive
- fragile
- a pain to assemble
- bad for reception
- screams "I need to be noticed !"
I understand the need of ego-challenged males to show they're packing, but $140 seems very stiff for an ugly ego crutch that works less well than a $2 silicone case.
See what I did with "stiff", "crutch", "packing"... ? :-p Reply
Death666Angel - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkMaybe I am just blind again, but I didn't see any mention of how well this case would protect against falls. It seems to me that it would be inferior to most cheap polymer cases in this regard since it cannot absorb the shock as easily as other cases.
Other than that, it looks like a fun product. I would never buy one, but if it were a gift I'd probably use it. :D Reply
Red Storm - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkReally AT? As we continue to wait for reviews on the Android flagships, we instead get a recommendation for a $140 iPhone case? I expect more/better from the writers of this site. Reply
mevans336 - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkBrian probably banged this out while waiting for the dozens of benchmarks to complete on a flagship Android phone up for review. Reply
Brian Klug - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkPretty much, battery life testing takes forever :/
-Brian Reply
lukewayne - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkBrian, does the suede sticker leave anything nasty behind when you remove it? i don't like the idea of a sticker on a phone after months of warming cycles. Reply
Brian Klug - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkNo, I've removed it probably 4 times to do a case swap and it hasn't left any residue at all on the back side.
-brian Reply
Guspaz - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkWhen you have a rubber or plastic case, and you drop the phone, the case can absorb a lot of the force of the impact by deforming. If you have a metal case, it will absorb none of the force, instead transmitting it all into the phone.
The end result is that you get no protection from the sudden deceleration... Reply
noblemo - Sunday, January 27, 2013 - linkIt depends on the design and the impact force. Metal absorbs energy through both elastic and plastic deformation, and also transfers energy around the phone. Silicon acts as a buffer to cushion the blow--the rubber inserts in this case perform a similar function--but a silicon case will also transfer part of the force to the phone. By analogy, automobiles have composite bumpers to absorb low impact collisions, and metal crumple zones to absorb high impact forces.
It would be interesting to see some comparative drop test results. As others have mentioned, though, the case is a luxury item primarily focused on design aesthetics. Reply
Guspaz - Monday, January 28, 2013 - linkIt's not obvious from this review that this case features rubber inserts. I'm not saying it doesn't, mind you, just that reading this review gives the impression that the case is entirely metal segments joined by "polymer links". Reply
noblemo - Monday, January 28, 2013 - link"the case includes a soft rubber material around its inner perimeter to prevent aluminum from touching aluminum."
"the case is insulated from the aluminum exterior of the iPhone 5 with a rubber material" Reply
Guspaz - Monday, January 28, 2013 - linkAh, missed that. Reply
zlandar - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - link$140 for a smartphone case? Lol.
i'm having a hard time seeing how this case offers more protection than a slim TPU case. Granted it looks nice. Reply
Shadowmage - Saturday, January 26, 2013 - linkA fool and his money are soon parted.
(Why is this marked as a spam comment?) Reply
Fx1 - Sunday, January 27, 2013 - linkSo let me get this right...
Your putting a 140$ case which looks crap on a crap phone that also is over priced.
Well the people who made this case have got some things wrong.
1) People who use iphones really care about how they look. Because thats the only reason you would buy an iPhone against android today. So making a case that makes the phone uglier than your average Android is kind of pointless.
2) charging $140 is clever because everyone knows iPhone customers really have no idea the value of things. They think 64GB cost £200 more than 16GB. But the problem is that phone insurance costs less than $140 so whats the point in protecting something which you can fully insure against damage.
3) The average iPhone customer is pretty stupid. Thats why they use iOS. So anything that looks remotely complex will most likely short circuit their brains and they will never figure out how that case works.
4) Sending it to Anandtech is not a great idea. Because we all know Anand is a Apple Fanboi but what Anand refuses to accept is that most his readers dislike Apple and everything they make. So its kind of lost on everyone. Reply
vastac13 - Sunday, January 27, 2013 - link"133.7"
I know what you did there :P Reply
eanazag - Sunday, January 27, 2013 - linkI would not want to see a phone case reviews on here unless it is unique. That being said. I love the case and am glad it was reviewed. I wanted it till I got to the price tag. I'd throw $40 to $50 at it. $140 is a new video card or SSD. That price ventures too far into the "what else could I spend my money on" realm. Reply
volant165 - Monday, January 28, 2013 - linkYes, smart phones and tablets are all priced a bit insane. Moving on from cost of ownership, I own several Element cases, previous iPhones. Really like the design, variety, and added protection. However, the Sector 5 case for my iPhone 5 seems to be expanding and losing it's grip after about two months of use. (The side where the sim card goes in.) Have written to Element case to see what they say. Reply
Das_Bo - Wednesday, February 13, 2013 - linkHi Brian,
how much could you take of the adapter by filing? From the look of the case I'd say it should be at least 2-3mm to make it fit. Can that be done without damaging the interior of the adapter? Reply
haseebahmad220 - Tuesday, February 26, 2013 - linkThis White Shark Keyboard Case for Apple iPhone 5 is detachable. Therefore,we are not just offering only a keyboard to you,nor only a case to you,but instead both to you. You will get a keyboard and a case at a time. When you only need the case,detach the case to hold and protect your iPhone 5 and carry it around,the keyboard won't bore you any more. When you need the keyboard,put your iPhone 5 inside the case and attach it to the keyboard,type with it. This design brings you big convenience and flexibility in your life with iPhone Reply
Nick51b - Wednesday, May 29, 2013 - linkNice case, but I would recommend the Pong Research iPhone case over this. I read that cell phones emit wireless energy a form of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation, which can be absorbed by the tissue closest to where the phone is held. That's why I did research and found a case that can reduce radiation exposure. In the end though, I found a couple of reviews of Pong Research 's cases, that convinced me to give it a try. This case is built with an antenna in between layers of the back cover, which reduce exposure to radiation. Because Pong is the only technology proven in FCC-certified laboratories to reduce the exposure to mobile device radiation by up to 95% below the FCC limit without compromising the device's ability to communicate. Reply
seandsouza - Tuesday, October 15, 2013 - linkIs this the same case? I like this color: http://www.danimobile.com/sector-5-se-gunmetal/ Reply
doylesav11 - Tuesday, December 17, 2013 - linkIf any of you people would look on Elements website and watch how they are made, and see the quality and heart&soul the CEO has put into making the best phone and tablet cases in the world you would not say anything about the price cost of this fine product!! If its too much for you to have the best."A".dont buy one..."B" get a 2nd job on get one! You will be soo happy your phone has an "ELEMENT" CASE! PEACE OUT--"D" Reply
livetorideca - Sunday, January 19, 2014 - linkBeautifully crafted, very unique case.
"If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up" - Ferris Bueller Reply
mogourt - Tuesday, June 03, 2014 - link
http://whitcase.com/product/apple-iphone-5s5-eleme... New high quality Carbon Fiber Bumper cases are now in stock for the iPhone 5S!!! These retail for $130.00!! www.WhitCase.com Reply


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Michael Simmons, NFTE alum and Co-Founder & CEO of Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour, was just listed as one of the top 30 entrepreneurs in the United States under 30 by Inc. Magazine.
The Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour (EET) is the first and only nationwide entrepreneurship tour. Many small business development centers, economic development organizations, and schools have used the tour to bring together varied departments such as admissions, career planning, the business school and entrepreneurial centers on campus and in the local chamber of commerce. The combined effort helped to reach students, inspiring them to write down their goals and the steps to achieve them.
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|Lesser Deity
|Home Plane:
|Stealth, thievery, adventuring
|Clergy Alignments:
|Luck, Travel, Trickery (also Halfling in Forgotten Realms)
|Favored Weapon:
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Brandobaris is the halfling deity of stealth, rogues, and adventuring.
In many campaign settings, the halfling pantheon of gods consists of the leader Yondalla, as well as Arvoreen, Brandobaris, Cyrrollalee, Sheela Peryroyl, and Urogalan.
Brandobaris' clerics wear gray leather armor and feathered caps. His sacred animal is the mouse. His holy days are on the new moon. Stolen items are sacrificed to him monthly.
Brandobaris' titels include Master of Stealth, Misadventure, the Trickster, the Irrepressible Scamp and the Friendly Rapscallion. He is also known as Kaldair Swiftfoot.
- Boyd, Eric L. Demihuman Deities (TSR, 1998).
- Boyd, Eric L, and Erik Mona. Faiths and Pantheons (Wizards of the Coast, 2002).
- Gygax, Gary. Unearthed Arcana (TSR, 1985).
- McComb, Colin. On Hallowed Ground (TSR, 1996).
- Moore, Roger E. "The Halfling Point of View." Dragon #59 (TSR, March 1982).
- Sargent, Carl. Monster Mythology (TSR, 1992).
External linksEdit
- There is an article about Brandobaris at the Great Library of Greyhawk.
- There is an article about Brandobaris at Forgotten Realms Wiki.
|This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).


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Security Council: Statement of the Chairman of Taliban & AlQaida sanctions committees
(Statement as delivered by Ambassador Wittig in his capacity as chairman of the committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) in a Security Council meeting on the work of subsidiary bodies, followed by a few words in his national capacity)
"In today's briefing, I would like to provide an update on the activities and achievements of the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities since my last briefing in May 2012. In my remarks I shall focus what the Committee considers to be the most important elements:
1. The evolving threat posed by Al-Qaida;
2. Maintaining an up-to-date and dynamic sanctions list; and
3. Fair and clear procedures.
A more detailed version of this statement will be distributed as hard copy today and made available on the Committee's website.
I. The evolving threat posed by Al-Qaida
Al-Qaida and its associates continue to pose a threat to international peace and security, and this threat continues to evolve. While the operational impact of Al-Qaida's core leadership has declined since the death of Usama Bin Laden and several other key leaders, Al-Qaida networks have become an ever more complex phenomenon with an internationally diverse range of supporters and active fighters. Affiliate groups continue to be active in a number of regions worldwide and in many cases have managed to blend regional and local issues and interests with Al-Qaida's global agenda in order to increase their appeal.
Al-Qaida and its associates are working on re-building terrorist structures in Europe. There is a continuing danger that individual acts of terror may occur in this theatre.
After thorough consideration and in-depth discussion, the Committee has transmitted the Monitoring Team's 12th report to the Security Council, together with the Committee's position on the recommendations. The report addressed the issue of the evolving terrorist threat. The Committee has now received the 13th report of the Monitoring Team and will begin its discussion of this document shortly.
In light of the continuing threat posed by Al-Qaida and its affiliates, it is important for Member States to continue to make every effort to fully implement the measures outlined in resolution 1989 (2011).
The Committee remains committed to ensuring that the Al-Qaida Sanctions List is dynamic and responsive to the changing nature of the threat. The Committee recalls that it remains the responsibility of the Member States to ensure that the list of targeted individuals and entities accurately reflects the evolving threat posed by Al-Qaida through the submission of listing and delisting requests in a timely manner. In this context, the Committee also emphasises that it stands ready to receive from States names of individuals and groups associated with Al-Qaida in the Sahel region and notably in North Mali, in accordance with paragraph 24 of resolution 2056 and paragraph3 of resolution 2071, to be considered for designation on the Al-Qaida Sanctions List.
Measures adopted under Chapter VII are binding on all Member States, and the sanctions regime is most effective when States are well placed to facilitate implementation. The Committee, together with the Monitoring Team, continues to explore ways to collaborate with Member States to support implementation efforts.
II. Maintaining an up-to-date and dynamic sanctions list
Resolution 1989 (2011) directed the Committee to undertake the most extensive and regular review processes in any UN sanctions regime. The various specialised and periodic reviews ensure that the Al-Qaida Sanctions List is credible and effective as a tool in the fight against terrorism.
The Committee has undertaken three specialised reviews, as set out in resolution 1989. The Committee reviewed the list entries of 34 reportedly deceased individuals and 55 entities reported to have ceased to exist, resulting in 12 de-listings and 24 amendments to the List. In addition, the Committee reviewed 70 entries on the List that lacked identifying information necessary to ensure effective implementation of the sanctions measures.
The Committee has also completed in its first round of the so-called "triennial review", in which 18 names were considered. This is a periodic review of all names which have not been reviewed in three or more years. It ensures that no name remains on the List in perpetuity. Every single entry undergoes a regular assessment by the Committee to determine whether continued listing remains appropriate.
III. Fair and Clear Procedures
The sanctions regime benefits from increasingly fair and clear procedures. In light of the renewal of the Committee's mandate next month, there will be an opportunity to review the procedures, possibly spelling them out in greater detail and rendering them more transparent. The Office of the Ombudsperson continues to provide an important element of fair and clear procedures to the sanctions regime. The Office plays an important role in assisting the Committee to ensure that the list of designated individuals continues to reflect the current threat posed by Al-Qaida.
Since the Committee's last report, the Committee decided to de-list 6 individuals and one entity on the basis of reports submitted by the Ombudsperson. In addition, three Comprehensive Reports of the Ombudsperson are under consideration by the Committee, and the Ombudsperson has three cases in the dialogue phase and six cases in the information gathering phase.
The mandate of the Ombudsperson will also have to be renewed by the Security Council in December. This will provide an opportunity to continue improving the procedures related to the Ombudsperson process. Questions to be addressed may include the modalities for information-sharing between the Office of the Ombudsperson and Member States. Member States are strongly urged to provide all relevant information to the Ombudsperson, including providing any relevant confidential information, where appropriate.
On 26 July, the Committee held a meeting with Mr. Ben Emmerson, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism. Mr. Emmerson and the Committee exchanged views on questions relating to the fairness and effectiveness of the Ombudsperson process. Mr Emmerson has since published a report providing his assessment of the process, which the Committee will carefully consider. The Committee notes Mr. Emmerson's recommendations regarding the use of evidence obtained under torture, and undertakes to give them close consideration.
Now, Mr. President,
I would like to add some words in my national capacity.
In early 2011, Germany assumed the Chair of the then 1267 Sanctions Committee, covering both Al-Qaida and the Taliban. At the time Germany took the helm, there was a clear need for reforming the sanctions regime.
Among other demands, there were calls to strengthen the due process elements. Critics found remedies to listed individuals and entities insufficient. Sanctions implementation was successfully challenged in various courts -- the "Kadi case" which made it (twice) to the European Court of Justice being most prominent.
The challenges to the sanctions regime threatened to undermine the most important tool the Security Council has against Al Qaida.
There was a clear need for a determined response. In June 2011, the Security Council adopted its Resolutions 1988 and 1989 (2011) -- landmarks for UN sanctions policy.
Of particular importance was the Security Council's decision, in Resolution 1989, substantially to strengthen the role of the Ombudsperson for the Al-Qaida sanctions regime. The Ombudsperson had been established in 2009 to assist the Sanctions Committee in processing applications for removing individuals from the sanctions list.
The conclusions of her reports on de-listing requests, previously of an advisory character, were upgraded to recommendations. The Sanctions Committee can overrule these recommendations only by consensus. However, any Committee member has the option of taking a case to the Security Council.
These review procedures have introduced an element of rule of law in the sanctions regime. While the Special Rapporteur on the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights in Combating Terrorism, Ben Emmerson, has reminded us in his recent report that that "the mandate of the Ombudsperson still does not meet the structural due process requirement of objective independence from the Committee", the Ombudsperson process represents important progress. It has increased the credibility of the sanctions regime, and helps ensure the sanctions are implemented around the globe.
The Al Qaida sanctions regime is coming up for renewal in December. Germany and the Group of Like-Minded Countries on Targeted Sanctions have prepared a number of proposals for the further development and fine-tuning of the regime. Among these are
- Enhancing cooperation of States with the Ombudsperson for information gathering,
- Codifying the Ombudsperson practice,
- Improving procedural and material transparency, including disclosing the designating state, and clarifying listing criteria,
- Extending the Ombudsperson's mandate,
- Allowing the Ombudsperson to transmit requests for humanitarian exemptions, and to assist persons or entities who are inadvertently affected by the sanctions regime,
- Imposing time limits for all listings,
- And administrative improvements.
I am confident that there will be serious discussion among Security Council members of these proposals.
As Chair and in the name of the Committee, I would like to thank all Member States for their continued willingness to cooperate constructively with the Committee, its Monitoring Team and the Office of the Ombudsperson. The Committee has brought many improvements to fruition in recent years, and remains committed to building upon these advancements.
Thank you, Mr President."


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Friends and long-time acquaintances will know that I've clocked up more hours camping than most can hope to in a lifetime, and I've done so in most every conceivable configuration: From sleeping with nothing but a sleeping bag under the stars or even a primitive lean-to to staying in a self-contained truck camper with everything except a toilet. (OK, I've never actually gone camping in one of those fully-equipped motor homes, but I would if the opportunity presented itself.)
My camping "credentials" are not in question.
I present that information as a preface so I can rant about something that bugs the shit out of me.
Camping is about being out and away from the city (and in our case, the accursed heat of summer) in a more outdoors environment. It is not defined by your willingness to shit over a log or into a shallow grave you've just dug with a trenching shovel for your poo.
I often hear the Slippery Slope argument that says once you start shitting in a toilet, you might as well bring the motorhome, the satellite TV, showers and portable sauna; however, the Slippery Slope argument is a Logical Fallacy.
It's not just the Slippery Slope logical fallacy either, there's also the more honest, "I'm just a elitist jackass argument," AKA The No True Scotsman argument – or, as it's more correctly known, the No true Scotsman Logical Fallacy.
This one is more pure. Instead of making up ridiculous (and irrelevant) consequences that will destroy the once noble pastime of camping, they're actually disparaging people who don't think like they do.
"No true camper would do any less than shit in a shallow poo grave." Thereby attempting to give themselves some perceived moral high ground.
The hypocrisy of both those arguments irritates me no end, for I know of no one that makes those types of arguments that walks, without any equipment, barefoot and naked from their homes to their chosen place of camping.
"No True Camper would ever wear clothes into the woods and if they did, they might as well bring a generator and Japanese toilet seat to gently clean their asses after shitting."
Yes, it irritates me.
We all have our idea of what "real camping" is and we all have our own definition of what's too primitive and what's too citified.
My definition of what's too primitive usually involves the difficulty in shitting. I can barely manage using squat toilets in Asia – I will go a long way to avoid using squat toilets.
I feel much the same way about shitting in the woods. Digging a hole and squating over it is… well, it's basically exactly the same as Asian squat toilets – except that the forest floor isn't usually awash in piss. (Here's something I thought I'd never say, "Score one point for crapping in a hole in the woods.")
At the opposite end of the spectrum, I typically think that if you've brought a generator to the woods, you've probably gone too far. Not because I have anything against electricity or even electric conveniences, but generators tend to be noisy and that's a bit inconsiderate of others that might be in the area.
So those are my personal preferences that I've formed throughout my life – acceptable camping, for me as exists between the availability of toilets and lack of generators.
Food, warmth and a rain-proof roof over my head are also virtual necessities.
That said, I've discovered a terrible truth about life. What works for a 20 year old does not necessarily work for an almost 50 year old.
The inescapable truth is that I can no longer sleep on the ground. If I lie on my back, the arms and shoulders go numb; on my stomach, my ribs ache like they're breaking; on my side, my neck and lower back lock into a painful pretzel. I'm old and I can't do what I used to do. Some form of mattress is now part of the minimum essentials for camping.
But it's still camping!
Cancún – Day Six – Tolum
Today was effectively our last day in Mexico. Tomorrow we're up before 5:00AM to catch the shuttle for our flight home.
This morning's trip to Tolum wasn't particularly early, so we had the opportunity to grab breakfast before we left. It's a pity they don't serve the spaghetti with meat sauce for breakfast. Our plan meant we'd miss lunch at the hotel and we had dinner reservations at the steakhouse. The time for spaghetti had passed.
Tolum was about 2 hours away by bus. This tour promised to be sans the multiple hard-sell tourism stops. We bus up, 1 hour guided tour, 1 hour free time, we bus back: That's how I like it.
The weather so far, apart from the rainy day, has been quite nice. It's warm, but, I'm used to that, and there's a constant sea breeze cooling things down here in the hotel zone. As we departed on the bus, the tour guide let us know it was 98ºF at Tolum today. That surprised me because, unlike Chichén Itzá, Tolum is on the coast. 98º is tolerable, assuming it isn't humid, which, of course, it is.
As we approached Tolum, the sales pitch began: "We'll be stopping outside the park, where there will be some vendors. Normally using the bathrooms cost money, but I will give you a ticket, so your first trip is free. As long as you have your bus sticker, they'll let you back in later without paying. We will also stop so you can try some local tequila, absolutely free. It is made here in the region. Also, while everyone is using the bathrooms and tasting the tequila, you might wish to buy some souvenirs to take home with you. If you do, please consider purchasing souvenirs made here in the Yucatan, by the local Mayan people…" and it went on describing exactly the same things we'd been encouraged to buy on the Chichén Itzá tour.
There's a brand of hat, known as a Tilley Endurable. It's a hat famed (at least in their own marketing campaigns) as being virtually indestructible. I remember quite vividly from my childhood seeing their ads in my dad's camping magazines and camp directories. The ad retold the story of a man whose Tilley was plucked off his head and eaten by an elephant. Next day, he retrieved it from the dung pile, washed it and still had the hat many years later. Apparently, that happened more than once.
I bought my Tilley in California, immediately after my disastrous battle with the Gorn (read: heat exhaustion) at the Vasquez Rocks. I felt I had reached an age where a floppy, sun-protecting hat was in order as I never wanted to experience that again and you never know when you might need to distract a hungry elephant.
Tilley's more modern ad campaigns focus on the community of Tilley people meeting around the world and knowing that, "that person must be alright, he/she's wearing a Tilley."
It was with that in mind that I happened to spy an elderly gentleman in the front of the bus wearing a Tilley. I had a brief laugh to myself about perhaps introducing myself, but then quickly reminded myself that I'm basically anti-social and will never approach or talk to a stranger without extreme provocation.
We arrived at the Tolum drop off point, which is essentially a market for souvenirs. (I'm shocked!) As we queued for the bathroom, someone came up to me from behind and said, "I see you have a Tilley. Are you from Canada?" (Tilleys are made in Canada, hence the confusion.)
Yes, it was the old man from the bus. Apparently he reads the ad copy, too. Now I too can say that, thousands of miles from home in a far and foreign land, I have experienced the camaraderie and fellowship of world-travelling Tilley wearers. How odd!
Chichén Itzá is impressive and, particularly around the military parade grounds, the overgrowth of trees in what was once an empty field, has made a beautiful space, but Tolum is on a different order altogether. It was a walled city, surrounded on three sides with a stone wall and the fourth sits on a cliff facing the sea. Although the buildings are not as large or elaborate as Chichén Itzá, it is a much more elegant and beautiful location.
The one hour guided tour became a 45 minute stand in one spot and listen, and while we stood there listening, something unpleasant happened. I started to pass out from the heat and humidity (despite wearing my Tilley!) At first, I had to crouch down in the shade to make it through the talk, and when it was over, I tried to stand – very unsuccessfully. I had to find a place in the shade and lie down for a half an hour, drinking almost all the family's water supply while I recovered. An embarrassing development, to be sure.
Finally it passed and I was able to get up and gingerly continue our tour of the city, but I wasn't unhappy when we finally got back to the shops and I bought a Dr Pepper (despite the fact that it was in a can and i'd been warned not to drink from cans unless using a straw) and then got back on the bus to sleep most of the return trip.
We got back to the hotel with just enough time to spend one last afternoon on the beach before we had to get ready for dinner at the hotel steakhouse. Before dinner, I took James to the buffet so he could get one last plate of spaghetti with meat sauce. (I had one, too.)
The steak dinner wasn't bad and for entertainment, they had a mechanical bull from which we periodically got to see people thrown off.
The trip is done. Tomorrow will be entirely traveling away from Mexico returning home in the early afternoon.
I shall miss this place, but I'm glad most days we got to go out and do things because sitting around the resort all day would have driven me crazy.
One last thought as I go to bed – no one had any tummy trouble this whole trip – until now. I think I shouldn't have drank from the Dr. Pepper can without a straw.
Cancún – Day Five – All Inclusive
We had some decisions to make for Days Five and Six, and we really needed to make them before it got late on Day Four, which we didn't, so we were stuck with the results of our procrastination.
I wanted to go see both Tolum and Coba. Tulum being the beautiful Mayan city by the sea. Coba being a less developed site, having not only the tallest remaining pyramid, but also one of the very last you can still climb.
Coba had to be disqualified because it's almost as long a trip as Chichén Itzá. Tolum is much closer.
The decision at hand was, what would we do on Days Five and Six, with the knowledge that we had to catch the shuttle to our plan at 5:00AM on Day Seven. That meant that an exhausting Day Six could be problematic and we decided a day of rest at the hotel enjoying the "all inclusive" amenities might be best. At the same time, we felt we must go to Tolum before we left and it was too late to schedule it for Day Five.
We opted for the rest on Day Five and Tolum on Day Six.
Our first order of business this morning was to arrange the Tolum trip – hopefully one that wasn't an all-day dog and pony show like the Chichén Itzá trip was. We were in luck, the travel agent in the resort had an "express" tour to Tolum that drove directly to Tolum, spent two hours on site – one hour as a guided tour, the other as free time to roam around. No meals, no stops, no high pressure souvenir sales and back no later than 3:00PM – perfect.
Amazingly, James ran into a friend from school at breakfast. The friend was going to be in the Kids Club all day and wanted James to join him. On reflection, perhaps we should have put the kids in the club all day, but instead we held off until after lunch. Later, dragging them out was difficult, even though the club was closing down.
Instead we waited until after lunch to send them to the club and in the interim we did what anybody would do on a beautiful sunny day at a resort with a beautiful white sand beach on the Caribbean – we sat in our room reading books. That we might be the most boring people on earth is not without some substantiating evidence.
After lunch and with kids safely in the kids club, Chuwan and I decided to head to the nearby shopping mall. With the layout of the hotel zone of Cancún, (there is only the one road) it's almost impossible to get lost, as long as you know north and south, so bus travel is an easy and efficient means of transport. I packed up my computer and we caught the bus.
Soon, we had found the nearest (only) Starbucks and having ordered some tea I was now in possession of the magic wifi password. The reason it was important to have wifi is that I wanted to backup all the pictures I had taken on the trip so far.
I spent 45 minutes fighting with a wifi connection so ghastly slow that it couldn't finish loading the page that you needed to logon to. Eventually, we gave up.
We were running low on pesos, so we decided to exchange more US currency at proper exchange rates rather than suffer the criminal exchange rates at the stores. It turns out you have to be carrying your US passports to exchange money, which, of course, were safely locked away in the hotel safe. It was a lesson learned, but it was too late to go back to the hotel and return to exchange the money. Similarly, we could have withdrawn money from a bank ATM using our debit cards and gotten the official exchange rate, but Chuwan refused to pay the off-bank service fee, so we went without much money.
We did stop at an OXXO market and grabbed some snacks for tomorrow's trip to Tolum.
We grabbed the kids at afternoon closing time at the kids club and took them to the beach to play in the waves. I discovered that the water at the beach was so shallow, I would walk out, on sand, over 40 meters and still only be chest high in the water. Even Michelle could go out that far and keep her feet on the ground and head above water. We played in the water until the life guards ran everyone out at dusk.
Tonight's fine dining experience was at the French restaurant, which does not allow children. There was a kids club for the evening, but tonight's activity was karaoke, and Michelle refused to go just in case they played music by One Direction.
I took the kids for an early dinner and grabbed a plate of spaghetti and meat sauce for myself (I'm getting rather fond of their spaghetti and meat sauce.) just in case I wasn't impressed with the French food on offer tonight. After dinner, the kids stayed in the room reading their kindles while Chuwan and I had our date. The food was fine and the company of my lovely wife was, as always, the highlight of my day.
Surprisingly long update for a day on which we did nothing.
Cancún – Day Four – The Day of the Dolphin
Wifi access here is awful!
The hotel charges outrageous rates for it, and, although AT&T includes free wifi access at AT&T hotspots around the world when one has international data roaming on their phone (which I do, or I'd be completely cut off) there are no such hotspots anywhere to be found in the hotel zone of Cancún. Also, I have an app called Wifinder, which has a user-populated database of free and pay wifi access points around the world, but that also reveals no free wifi in the area. There is a Starbucks a few kilometers down the road, perhaps later we can get there, buy an iced tea and use theirs.
That said, today was not about wifi, it was about dolphins.
James had his ninth birthday last week and, since he was very, very little, he has been obsessed with sea life, and particularly dolphins. Some nights, out of the blue it seems, he'll ask me, "Can we go swimming with dolphins?" That's a tough ask when you live in the desert.
We didn't originally plan this vacation around dolphins, we planned it around a series of coincidences that made this the moment to go: Chuwan and the kids both had Spring Break on the same week, which rarely happens and Costco had a deal on an all-inclusive resort that covers children under 12 free. Michelle turns 12 in June, it was now or never.
When I learned that there were several dolphin encounter places in and around Cancún, the idea that this could be James' (admittedly expensive) birthday present seemed too perfect to pass up. After looking at several of the (confusing) web pages for the various dolphin places, we opted for Dolphin Discovery on La Isla Mujeres, a small island off Cancún.
You are ferried onto the island at 9:30AM, have an appointed dolphin encounter time during the day, and then return by ferry at either 3:30 or 5:30PM. In the interim, they have a food buffet, lockers and use of the facilities, including the pools and beach, plus you can go explore the island on foot or by taxi.
We choose at 10:30 time for the dolphins and opted for one of the lesser packages. Each package contains certain dolphin activities. All include a hug and a kiss from a dolphin, but there are other things like belly rides, fin tugs and foot pushes included. We didn't pick the top package because I was concerned that, at nine years old, it might not be safe for James to have dolphins come up under his feet and push him out of the water.
At least this morning we had time for breakfast before heading out to the dock. This time, we took the city bus and that worked fairly well. Not only do most of the people in Cancún speak passable English, but my several years of Spanish study was beginning to come back to me.
I decided, since we were going to be stuck on an island all day, going in and out of the water, that there was no point in bringing my iPhone with me and only brought my GoPro, even though using your own camera with the dolphins is strictly prohibited. That decision would come back to mock me later in the day.
When we checked in, they try hard to up-sell you to a different package than the one you already have. The information on their signs in the office is also a lot more concise than their website. It was much more obvious that the Royal Swim package would be longer, and have more actual human with dolphin interaction. With that package it included the foot push. So we asked if that was appropriate for a 9-year old. Of course it was, said they! (I wonder if it really was? They'd have said anything for the upsale.) so we decided to upgrade.
What we didn't count on was that our dolphin time got pushed back to 1:30PM. Instead of an hour to get situated, changed and ready, we had 4 hours to kill.
On the ferry over to the island, we encountered some prodigious drinkers – four young men, two from Belgium, one from France and one from Australia. They set up a table on the ferry and were competing by downing beers as fast as they could. I saw them drink at least four each on the 30 minute ride (at 9:30 in the morning.)
When we got in we discovered that, apart from drinking and hanging out at the pool, there wasn't much to do at Dolphin Discovery while we waited, except use the free wifi! (!!!!!!!!!) They provided us ample locker space so I could have easily brought my phone and done some picture uploads, but instead we just hung out at the pool.
The kids loved this, and for the first hour, I napped on a deck chair in the shade. Later I tried the net hammocks. That was a disaster! I didn't fall out (Chuwan did, though) but I can't see how people can sleep in hammocks and after 45 uncomfortable minutes trying to figure out if there actually was a comfortable position, I gave up and went back to the lawn chairs waiting for the lunch buffet to open at noon.
During this entire time, those four young men had also parked themselves by the pool and were now conducting their drinking game on serious terms, having upped their game to using two hands, one beer in each. I counted that they each drank at least another 10 beers, before one of them said, "Let's hold up a bit, I don't want to be too drunk when we do the dolphins."
Now, these were somewhere between 8 and 16 ounce plastic cups and quite possible watered-down, but it seemed an impressive amount to me. I could only imagine that the dolphins would get drunk just breathing in their breath when they kissed them.
The lunch buffet finally opened and we had something to do to kill time. Yes, it's official. I cannot just sit and relax.
Finally, dolphin time arrived and rather than be super excited, James was scared, but he bravely soldiered on.
You're put into a small group. In our case, it was just the four of us and two guys from Birmingham (UK)
The dolphin encounter is conducted in a large, fenced off area of the ocean, surrounded by a pier. You walk down off the pier onto an underwater catwalk attached to the pier. It was about 3 feet below sea level. James was mostly submerged walking on it, I was mostly not.
The trainer would, in turn for each person, give us instructions on what the dolphins, America and Athena, would expect from us and how they would react.
We started with simple activities, where we remained on the catwalk, such as petting, hugging and hissing the dolphins. At each step of the way, we were instructed to look at the camera that was snapping photos. Although I was enjoying myself, the photographer had an uncanny ability to catch my facial expression looking unhappy.
After the easy activities, we began the ones that required a bit of swimming. Despite a life jacket, the current was strong and you had to fight to stay on-station.
Everyone enjoyed it, especially James, but I couldn't help feeling it was a little too assembly-line, running us mechanically from one photo op to the next.
And then there were the dolphins… I couldn't help wondering if, when the sun rose each morning, they though to themselves, "Here we go, another day whoring ourselves with the exact same routine for an endless, faceless line of people." Much like, I imagine everyone in the tourist industry in Cancún says to themselves each morning.
After the dolphin encounter, it's pretty much obligatory that you go look at the pictures they took. You have basically two options: Buy individual pictures for $38USD each (and they took at least eight photos of each person, one or more for each activity) or you can buy all the photos of each person for $58USD each.
There really wasn't much choice, we bought them all for all four of us.
With the time in the water, getting changed and then purchasing the photos, we missed the 3:30 ferry and had to kill two more hours on the island. What I wouldn't have given to have brought my phone!
We grabbed a bit more food at the buffet, which closed at 4:00, and hung out at the pool again, which closed at 5:00 and finally caught the last boat out.
The trip over in the morning takes about 25-30 minutes. The trip back took over an hour, partially because we had to go to the other side of the island and pick up people there, too.
James cried all the way back. He wants to go back and do the dolphins again tomorrow.
By the time we were back, the sun had set and there was nothing for us to do but catch the (overpacked) bus back to the resort.
This evening's fine dining experience was the resort's Mexican restaurant. The food was remarkably unremarkable.
Surprisingly tired after a long day mostly spent lying next to the pool.
I'm tired of having to brush my teeth using bottled water!
They provide drinking cups next to the sink, surely that means the water is safe to drink, right?
Cancún – Day Three – Chichén Itzá
In 1978, my father and I took a road/camping excursion down the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. Apart from an earlier border excursion, this was my only trip into Mexico.
In those days, Cabo San Lucas as a tourist destination was still just a gleam in the eye of the Mexican Federal Government, and the whole peninsula was sparsely populated and untouched by much foreign influence. Because we drove down "the back road" by mistake, we went days without seeing another human being. We travelled over roads far too rough for our 4-wheel drive truck. At times, my dad made me get out of the truck and walk behind, just in case the truck tipped over a cliff.
Afterwards, he admitted the trip was a foolhardy adventure and that, had we broken down or had an accident things could have been very bad for us.
I mention it because, when we did encounter people, despite limited understanding (my father's Spanish was better than mine) the people, as a whole, were kind, helpful and, while not living in the lap of luxury, seemed to be living full, contented lives.
Fast forward now to 2014.
Our tour, which I was increasingly afraid was going to be a miserable failure, was scheduled to pick us up at 7:00AM – the same time breakfast starts – which meant we could either have breakfast, or take the tour. There had been mention of a "continental breakfast" on the tour and, while a continental breakfast should not legally be allowed to be called "breakfast" we felt, with snacks, that it might hold us until lunch near Chichén Itzá, which was a buffet and included in the tour cost.
Tour companies came and went, calling out names and eventually thinning the ever-growing crowd of tourists waiting to be picked up for their tours of the various sights in the area, but ours steadfastly refused to arrive, and as time wore on, I began to check out more reviews, some of which involved people never being picked up (and then fighting futilely to get their money back) or people being put on the wrong bus and getting the wrong tour.
By the time I was done reading I was convinced they were never coming and when they did finally come, 30 minutes late, I wasn't sure I wanted to go with them!
As with everything here, there seemed to be a lot of faffing about to get things done. In this case we drove to the north end of the Cancun "7" to disembark, stand in line to check in, to then be put back on a different (nearly identical) bus and head back south.
As we headed southwest, it was evident there was to be no continental breakfast.
The Yucatan peninsula is the result of the dinosaur-killing asteroid strike. What was once ocean floor was lifted up out of the water to become dry land. Geographically, it's flat and featureless limestone, covered in jungle vegetation. It isn't what you'd call "scenic."
It's hard to say exactly how long the drive is to Chichén Itzá because we certainly didn't take a direct route. We saw other "sights" along the way to make it interesting.
The first stop was at the border between the states of Quintana Roo and Yucatan. This utterly featureless distinction between the states is marked by a gate, a toilet, a three-sided cement building with several men selling tours and police armed with AK-47s. I'm not sure if it was this later thing that was most remarkable or the strange group of men selling tours somewhere right between nowhere and nowhere.
On the trip, our tour guide gave us a lot of information about the Mayan people and the area we were traveling through, he also talked about complete bullshit, such as the obsidian energy stones the Mayan people use for massages. He talked about the Mayan calendar and their "alphabet" – which, if one didn't think very critically about – could be forgiven for thinking was a one-to-one, letter-to-letter analog to the English alphabet.
The theme for the day was becoming evident: "You will meet many people selling things, but if you want real authentic souvenirs, buy something made by the Mayan people – a calendar, your name in Mayan letters on a silver necklace or these local energy stones."
Our second stop was a… I don't know what to call it… rest area? store? prison? The tour bus was brought into the courtyard and the gate was closed behind us. The passengers were disembarked, then the bus was taken away, leaving us for "40-45 minutes" to look around at local crafts – not surprisingly, these were exactly the sort of thing that had been described to us on the bus as the "correct" type of souvenirs to take home.
We stood around (as there were no chairs) while 45 minutes stretched to almost an hour as they tried to extract every possible bit of cash from the passengers. In the end, it felt like an unsatisfying exchange for both sides. The bus passengers felt we'd wasted a lot of our time and it seemed the local Mayan artisans felt we didn't buy enough.
And so we went on to Chichén Itzá!
No, no we didn't.
Next we went to lunch, which was included, except for drinks. Our drinks (3 sodas and bottle of water) were 235 pesos – thats $17!
There's a game they like to play here, where they try to make you think the price is effectively 100-1, so the unsuspecting tourist might think they're paying $1.30 USD for a bag of nacho Cheese Doritos when the posted price in pesos is 130. That's totally wrong, but their pricing of items encourages that misconception.
Many places, however, will take US Dollars without having to exchange them, but most places outside the hotels exchange at rate of 10-1 because it's "easier" and they do have some expense getting the money changed. Tourists do find this easier because a 13-1 exchange rate is harder to do on the fly in your head. If those Doritos are marked in both pesos and dollars, it will usually be like this $130/$13US. Of course, you should pay in pesos because that's really only about $9.83US
The rate is really about 13-1, and if you exchange money at a proper money exchanger, or use your credit card, you'll get the fair daily exchange rate.
It's still an outrageous price, but you can be prepared by knowing what to expect and by developing a strategy in your head to convert prices. I found 13-1 to be difficult to do when discussing prices, so I worked out a simple two-step process that approximated the price closely enough that I could grasp the price quickly. Take any peso price, crop the decimal, then knock a quick 25% off that figure. That is 100 peso => $10US => $7.50US (Today's exchange rate says it's exactly $7.56US) Remember that rates change and they may not be the same when you're reading this.
Lunch was a sad experience. It's not that the food wasn't good – it was, especially a local pork dish called cochinita pibil, but the problem was the hollow, soulless desperation that permeated the air. The restaurant was large – bg enough to handle perhaps 200 people, but it was completely empty, waiting for the tour busses.
When we pulled in, they sprang into action, preparing the buffet and cooking the tortillas. We were served by waiters who reminded us, directly, that tips were how they were paid and then we were entertained by some of the saddest, most bored looking dancers ever. Their sole purpose was just to dance with beer bottles on their heads for tips when the busses arrive.
Like most restrooms in Mexico, the toilets also had an attendant. Tipping is expected – a holdover from the ancient times when men's room attendants handed out clean towels to the guests. Now, they just stand next to the air driers or paper towel dispensers and expect a tip.
Perhaps they understood that the times and technology had passed them by. The attendant made sure I knew I was to tip him by working the paper towel dispenser while I was washing my hands and then brought me the paper, weighing it down with the tip plate, just to make sure I knew.
The whole little town that the restaurant was in just looked crushingly poor. This was the face of real life in Mexico away from the resorts. It was nothing like the small fishing communities I had seen in 1978.
Finally on to Chichén Itzá.
In 2007, Chichén Itzá was voted as part of the New7Wonders of the World and it's a deserving of it's place on the list. Built somewhere around 750 BCE, this large, ornate city is all sorts of awesome. Alternatively majestic, advanced, unfair and brutal, the mystery of the abandonment of this and some 8,000 other Mayan cities by the 16th century is compounded by the outrageous destruction of all the written Mayan books by the Catholics. The language and culture remain largely lost to us.
The Mayan people existed in a class system that divided the rulers from the working people, who were not educated, while the royals, the priests and the astronomers were well-educated. The descendants of the workers still exist as the Mayan people today, but the other classes disappeared with their knowledge.
At least the tour guide didn't suggest that aliens had taken them back to the stars.
He did spin some mighty tenuous connections with other things, though. Our guide had a tendency to place two or more ideas back to back, such as "This lunar cycle is 10 26 day periods long. 10*26=260." "In Mayan culture, there are 2 cycles, the sun and the moon." "There are two types of people, men and women." "You know what else is 260 days long? That's the length of a human pregnancy."
He'd then finish that with, "Do you follow me?"
Yes, I follow you. You're horseshitting us.
I have no doubt that the guide was knowledgeable on the subject, but by using this rhetorical technique to make things more "amazing" than reality warranted, it diminished the experience for me. Perhaps I was the only one that there that really cared about the scholarship. It did make for a great story and since you pay the tour guide in tips afterwards, he has plenty of reason to embellish to entertain the masses.
There were hundreds of people at the site, but we planned our trip to be today because it wasn't Thursday. Thursday is the Spring Equinox and the Mayan astronomers and engineers apparently (it's not documented, just observed) built the pyramid known as El Castillo in such a way that, on the equinoxes, the sun and shadows form the body of a snake slithering down the pyramid. We missed that, of course, by coming today instead of Thursday (or is it Friday?) when we'd get to enjoy that experience with an estimated 35,000 other people there for moment. I can pass on that.
(I say Thursday or Friday because, astronomically, the equinox is on Thursday, but apparently the shadow event happens on Friday. Could it be the Mayan engineers goofed?)
My dad's and my trip into Mexico in 1978 was a test run for his desire to get down to see the Mayan ruins the next year. That second trip never happened because of how slow and difficult our first trip was, but after I'd moved away from home, sometime in the 1990s, my dad managed to take a driving trip to see Chichén Itzá and the other major sites such as Tolum. Back then, he got the opportunity to climb El Castillo.
In 2004, the Mexican government blocked access to the buildings because people were climbing up to the top, marking graffiti on the walls and shitting in the temple.
What the FUCK people?!
It's really, really hard for me to have a positive attitude towards humans. I try, I really do, but things like this bugger belief.
After 2-3 hours, we left Chichén Itzá to return to Cancún. Along the way, we stopped at a cenote.
As I mentioned, the Yucatan Peninsula is all flat and monotonous limestone, covered in jungle. Limestone is easily dissolved by water and forms caves, these caves riddle the peninsula and as the roofs collapse in (think sinkhole) they formed what the locals call cenotes. These cenotes are the key to Mayan civilization, for they were filled with fresh water. Like a desert oasis, the cities formed near the cenotes.
The Mayans used them for many things, water, religion and even human sacrifice. Now, tour groups visit them and go swimming in them, which was kind of cool.
We finally got back after 8:30PM, too late for our dinner reservation at the Mexican restaurant, but with enough time to get some dinner at the buffet. The buffet is limited, but occasionally has good grilled beef or pork and they always seem to have fresh spaghetti in meat sauce. I'm liking the spaghetti in meat sauce.
Tomorrow we go to swim with the dolphins. I fully expect James to practically poo his pants in excitement but, honestly, I'm not really all that jazzed on the idea. Perhaps as a native desert-dweller I shall never really appreciate water activities.
Still no wifi. I can't post these daily blog entries nor upload any substantial pictures from the cameras (other than my iPhone.)
Cancún – Day Two
I need wonder no more, the day played out in… unsatisfactory terms.
I did some research (too little, too late) about the timeshare that we got roped into viewing – having said that, it was too late to back out, but now I knew it was going to be the highest pressure type sales pitch.
Many years ago, Chuwan and I did a timeshare presentation and, although I hated the experience, and didn't want to spend money on a timeshare, we got some vacation stuff at good prices – you just have to endure the high pressure sales and consider that part of the price.
I rather swore I'd never do it again, but, here we were hurtling down the Mayan Riveria in a taxi that consistently ran 120kph in a 70kph zone. With the jungle on all sides, high humidity smell in the air and the rundown cement dwellings with roller-front facades, you could be completely forgiven for thinking you were in the south of Taiwan. Just to cement that Taiwan feeling, the taxi tried to pass a double-long gas truck that had been clearly signaling that we has moving left and we came within an inch of being run off the road or crushed under the truck. By way of apology, the driver spoke, with an embarrassed laugh, what I'd guess were the only words of English he spoke: "Big truck."
At the El Cid, the disappointments began. The first was breakfast. We got picked up before our hotel started serving breakfast. We'd been promised what sounded like we'd be eating at the same buffet as the El Cid's all-inclusive guests were eating, but we were not. We put in a room with a very limited buffet and got to enjoy breakfast with our salesman eating at the table with us. He made small talk and tried to extract info he could use later from us. He was actually comically bad at it, because by the end of the day he was trying to use that info as part of the pitch and he kept getting it completely wrong. Things like thinking Chuwan was from Korea, or that I sold insurance for a living, for example.
I won't bore you with the high pressure techniques, but they were exactly like the last timeshare presentation we attended, right down to putting the chair against the table to signal when we'd finished discussing things privately, and the top killer salesman coming out after we'd declined and asking a couple "survey" questions, before attempting to sell us a one-time vacation. After more like 2 hours, we were free to enjoy our perks.
The two perks were purchased at significantly reduced prices were:
- What I wanted – the tour to Chichén Itzá
- what the kids wanted (only after they heard about it) – spending the day as an all-inclusive guest at the El Cid, which includes the eating, the spa, the kids pool and a trip snorkeling in the shallower reef areas south of Cancún.
I'm not keen on snorkeling, but if I'm going to do it – life vest or not – it's damn well going to be in shallow water.
The first disappointment, the storm coming in had whiped the ocean into "no swimming" anywhere, and the snorkeling had to be cancelled and we did get our refund, but that also eliminated any use of the El Cid facilities – no food, no pool, no spa – nothing. We got shuttled back to our hotel having had little or no breakfast, no lunch, no swimming, snorkeling or relaxing in the spa – and as we arrived back at the hotel, the storm hit. Chuwan took the kids to the play area where you can check your kids in and abandon them for the day, while I decided to sleep the rainy afternoon away.
A massive clap of thunder outside the window brought me starkly awake. Outside, not a soul could be seen.
Chuwan returned with the kids and we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening watching TV and finally heading to the Italian restaurant for our late supper reservation. It was OK.
The "all-inclusive" resort means that your meals are included as part of the price. There's a snack bar open from 10PM to 6:00AM, breakfast buffet from 7:30-10:30AM, Lunch buffet from 12:30-4:00PM and dinner buffet open from 7:30PM to 10:00PM, in the interim times there are various places that will make you hamburgers and hot dogs. They also have "fancier" restaurants that are included in the price, but you have to make reservations, at the start of your vacation, to get slots for those.
It was an oddly formal affair, rather like eating in a restaurant 40 years ago, with the curious ceremonies of swapping out the silverware several times during the meal and having various plate swaps during the course of the meal. It very much reminded me of my trip to Mexico back in 1978, where even the most humble of restaurants made a formal production out of the meal.
Into the oddly formal situation, add a table full of drunk college students sitting behind us.
So far, apart from the college kids on the plane, we've not really had much encounter with drunken students. There are a few at the resort, but most are apparently elsewhere, and they haven't been too drunkenly obnoxious. (Really the most obnoxious thing about them so far is that many of them seem to be pushing the boundaries of being pretentious wankers by smoking cigars all around the place. Why hasn't this disgusting habit died out yet?)
However, this evening was a bit different. About halfway through our meal, about 10 kids were seated at the table behind us. Some of them were a few sheets to the wind. One of them, a young lady, made some comment about some behavior they were doing (I didn't catch what it was) and they started to call her, "mom" jokingly – mostly. When she walked away to the salad bar, one of them started shouting across the restaurant at her, "Shit! What the fuck, mom! I mean, "What. The. Fuck!"
At least a couple of the other kids at the table tried to shut the asshole up, with a "Shut up! There are little kids at the next table! Are you trying to get us kicked out?"
The way that was phrased, I couldn't quite tell if they were concerned for the purity of my children's ears or just worried their own sorry asses might be put outside.
Tuseday, we head to Chichún Itzá – probably. By now I am getting worried. The "tickets" we've been given from El Cid, didn't even have the tour company name on them and a check online revealed more unsatisfied and nasty reviews than nice for El Cid's choice of tour providers. (Running 6 to 1 against.) I haven't sleep well worrying that my one chance to get to Chichén Itzá was similarly going to get screwed up.
Cancún – Day One
We started our trip at 6:00AM, for our direct flight to Cancun at 8:30AM.
Even though ASU just ended their Spring Break, there were still obvious college kids on their way to get drunk. Although they only represented about 20 people on the entire flight, somehow we managed to sit amongst them. At first, they were all guys, but just before the doors closed, two college women boarded the plane. You could quite literally feel the excitement in the air from the guys as they boarded. Through chance, it was Michelle and I that sat in the same aisle as them.
None of them were too rowdy during the flight, although several had several little bottles of liquor that they were putting in their cranberry juice. Towards the end of the flight, it was beginning to show, although, I think they held back as the turbulence was rather constant and strong the entire flight.
On the ground in Mexico, we learned our first lesson. We got hijacked by people holding up signs (as we expected) for the charter bus we were expecting. When we inquired, we were taken to the first available agent working an official looking area in the airport, and identified himself as a representative of Mexico tourism… or did he?
At first, he gave us a lot of useful information about exchange rates, where to change currency and where not to, the best use of credit card exchange, how to navigate the bus system and the taxis, who to haggle with and not and then came the info on how to avoid our hotel selling us a timeshare.
The long and short of it is that we'd been caught up in a elaborate come-on for a timeshare sales pitch. There is no way in hell that were going to buy, but, Monday, in exchange for some significant perks, we're going to a timeshare presentation. Out of the deal, we're getting a very good rate on a day tour of Chichén Itzá and an afternoon snorkeling in the reef. The reef between Cancún and the Honduras being the second largest in the world.
I've yet to decide how I'm going to play them. Straight and honest: "No" or string them (and us) along for a bit just to make it look good, ultimately with a "sorry, but no."
Afterwards, we went straight to the hotel. It's no exaggeration to say it's a lovely hotel. The room is comfortable and adequate. There is one minor thing, though… the rooms are all advertised as having an ocean view. (For those not familiar with the hotel district in Cancun, it's sometimes called "The seven" because it exists on a narrow band of ground shaped like the number 7, with the ocean to the north and east and a lake on the southwest.) This hotel has been built so that all the rooms face the ocean, but the whole thing becomes a giant wind funnel, channeling all the ocean wind against the curved shaped of the building focusing them with what appears to be near-hurricane force through a small section of the lobby.
Our door to the ocean won't quite seal, and the wind squeals constantly through it. On the first night, we just left it open – there's less noise that way.
By the time we got to the hotel, it was quite late in the day,and we hadn't eaten. We hit the included lunch buffet with less than an hour to spare and it was… filling, if not anything like amazing.
We went to the hotel beach (although, unless things have changed since the last time I was in Mexico, all beaches are actually owned by the government) and the kids played in the waves, despite the red, no swim, flag – I'm unclear, does that mean stay of of the water completely? It wasn't stopping anyone else as far as I could tell.
The waves were bashing us about like crazy. I'm convinced James will never come in out of the ocean voluntarily, though. He's constantly going further out, trying to get bigger and bigger waves. Gotta keep a close eye on that boy.
The dinner buffet was better, although basically the same. This time we weren't rushed, everything was running full swing, and we managed to get some of the freshly cooked beef, pork and pasta. It makes a big difference.
As I write this, at around 4:00AM on Monday morning, it appears the weather forecasts are right. It looked like a storm was coming in last night, and it sounds even more so like it now. The sky is rough and the waves are even bigger. I wonder how this will play out for our timeshare/snorkeling trip tomorrow?
Comfort in Geocaching
A while back I posted my video about my dad's final request – to have his ashes scattered at one of his favorite viewpoints in the mountains.
My dad was never interested in geocaching, but my wife, kids and I are and we placed a new geocache – the only one we've ever placed – in the same general location as where we scattered his ashes. (Back a bit from the cliff edge, though.)
As the "owner" of the cache, I get updates every time someone finds it and I see their comments. They trickle in slowly, like unexpected presents.
So far, all have been appreciative of the view. Somehow it makes me feel good that my dad's love of that view is being spread to others.
It feels as if he's still making a positive difference on the living.
Encounter in the Wild (Windows 8)
Even long-term readers of my blog may not be familiar with my background in computers.
I got my first "micro-computer" in 1978 – a TRS-80 at the age of 13. Just like my modern day counterparts, I was obsessive about the computer. I taught myself to program it, taught myself the hardware and spent my time trying to make it do increasingly complex and interesting things.
I sold my first program that same year. It was nothing complex, just a simple stock portfolio tracker, but it was the start of my career.
I had three fields of interest when it came time to go to college. (There was never any doubt I would go to college and even to this day, kids who don't want to go mystify me.) Ultimately for reasons I won't expound upon here, I chose computer engineering over paleontology or forestry.
In 1983, while attending Arizona State University, I used a sizable chunk of trust fund to purchase an original IBM PC, with 2 floppy disk drives running IBM DOS 2.0.
It is not an exaggeration to say that I've worked with PCs every day of my adult life and while I don't normally get down to the hardware level anymore, I am a long-time professional.
If you've not been living under a rock, you probably know that Microsoft Windows 8 came out recently and it hasn't met with the greatest of reviews. This isn't uncommon and you have to take these things with a grain of salt. Yes, I admit, my computer nerdy friends and I have looked at the asinine touch-screen laptops running Windows 8 at Best Buy and Costco and laughed at the once-mighty Windows, but the fact is, I'd not had a chance to actually use Windows 8 until yesterday.
All I had to do was setup a wireless network and a couple wireless printers, but I'll say that Windows 8 seems to be the most illogical, counter-intuitive bag of hurt I've encountered in a long, long time.
Yes, I know that unfamiliarity makes things more obscure, but this isn't entirely that. How many different places does one operating system need to call "devices" when none seem to contain any devices? (You know, like printers or something) Or how many places can you find that say "settings" or "change my PC's settings" and still not find things like network settings?
While its certainly within Microsoft's purview to change the names of things and make them less specific and confusing, I would argue it's not a good idea to do so.
Did I find what I was looking for? Yes. But I had to force the machine into "Classic" Windows 7 mode where it was easily found on the task bar at the bottom of the screen.
And what's up with the damned trackpad? I'd be using it to navigate and suddenly it was like a poltergeist was in the machine. I might be scroll right to left and suddenly screens would change or it was hop backwards a page. Irrelevant screens just kept popping up on the screen unbidden.
On another occasion, I popped a CD into the drive and a dialog popped up in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. First time it happened, I looked at it, started to read it and it went away. I could not find a way to get it back without ejecting the disk and putting it back in.
The second time I moved the mouse to the dialog, but it disappeared as my mouse crossed into the dialog box. I managed to click the box on the third try but it went away anyway. It's completely unclear to me if it was just evil or there's some trick that the trackpad holds and was playing wonky with me. Fourth time was the charm, but why it didn't do the same on the third, I haven't a clue.
Windows has, in general, be getting better over the years – with that minor detour for Windows Vista – but this was like a trip to bizarro world. What the hell are they thinking? Any IT manager would be a fool to implement this on their users, the costs in training and lost productivity would just be wasted money.
Roll on Windows 9.


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DETROIT - Imagine losing everything you own in a fire right before Christmas.
That's exactly what happen to one Detroit family, but thanks to a Detroit firehouse tradition the family is still having a nice Christmas.
Perhaps what firefighters are know best for, besides fighting fires of course, is cooking.
They know their way around the kitchen.
So each year on Christmas firefighters make a mouth watering feast at the firehouse on Dexter Avenue in Detroit.
They invite a family who has lost their home in a fire just before Christmas to join them around their table.
"It is basically the firefighters coming together, doing something good for the community," said Dennis Hunter. "And, with us being firemen we know the devastation of house fires. People can lose everything they own. So if we can bring a little bit of cheer, hope for that family and make the kids smile that's all we try to do."
It's been a tradition at this firehouse for 17 years and the firefighters use their own money to fund the meal.
Not only do they cook for the family, they also give them clothes and toys.
This year the Feagin family is the special guest of honor, eating alongside Mayor Bing.
"I have temporary housing right now. It is not permanent and we are just going to take it day by day and God has been really good to is. This is a good Christmas because he allowed us to see another one," said Tamera Feagin who lost her home in a recent fire.
So many people lose their homes to fires each year in Detroit. There about 40 fires on average each day in the city.
That's the main reason why firefighters say they do this Christmas party each year.
"Most of us have kids. We know how it is and the main thing about the event is love, showing some Christmas spirit," said Hunter.
More Headlines:
Family escapes Birmingham house fire
5 die in 2 Michigan homes, CO suspected
Pontiac boy burned, criminal investigation launched
Man found dead Christmas morning in Pontiac.
Copyright 2012 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Mosquito Control Company in Mc Cook NE
Mosquito Control Company in Mc Cook NE
Mc Cook All Pest Control Services - Serving Mc Cook and surrounding areas. Highly trusted for over 15 years!Call Now! (866) 785-9050
Mosquito control is being aware of what to do so as to protect against acquiring transmitted diseases. The mosquito control has gotten extremely important on account of the gain in the variety of serious diseases due to these little monsters. It is very important and vital to maintain public health throughout the world. Now there are many different good, non-chemical procedures of pure mosquito control.
Apart from that, mosquitoes are called vector of fatal diseases. After breeding, they look for certain areas to rest during the day. They use the heat sensors to find capillaries pulsing with blood near the surface. The very first step to reducing the quantity of mosquitoes you have to handle is to work out why the mosquitoes are drawn in the first spot. If you prefer to destroy mosquitoes, the very first obvious action to do is to receive rid of their breeding grounds. The best method to stop mosquito bites, is to be sure mosquitoes don't breed. It's the female mosquito which leads to the vast spread of diseases.
Mosquitoes are rather annoying. Mosquito netting is a superb solution too. All things considered, mosquitoes are a comprehensive nuisance to you, your family members, and your pets. Secondly, you ought to avoid mosquito bites by sleeping beneath a mosquito net. Mosquitoes have a quick lifespan. Aside from the itch you obtain each time a mosquito bites you, an individual can secure some rather significant diseases from the mosquito. For this you are able to switch to some easy suggestions to control the outdoor mosquitoes as possible not await the mosquito exterminator in Mc Cook NE to react.
A mosquito misting system offers the most effective means of mosquito control for your yard. Whether front yard or back, it makes no difference: the entire area around your Mc Cook NE home can be infested during mosquito season. If you want to improve the comfort of your family during the summer months, and keep them free from the disease that mosquitoes can carry, then some means of control is essential.
Why a Mosquito Misting System?
You won't control mosquitoes when they are in flight. Sure, birds will get some and perhaps bats in the evening, but that will make little difference to the general population of these reviled insects. You must get them when they have landed – when they are not active, and you must also do what you can to prevent them from breeding.
Let's say you go out in the evening and they attack you; they ruin your barbecues; they attack your children and even your pets. What can you do? Well first you have to know when they are inactive. You will always know when they are active and buzzing around, but when are they most likely to be resting or even sleeping?
Mosquitoes do not sleep as we do; they simply slow down their metabolism to rest, but can become active in an instant if disturbed. They also do not like dry, hot conditions which can dehydrate them. That's why they tend to rest away from the light, in sheltered, moist and humid conditions. They can usually be found on the underside of foliage leaves, deep inside clumps of grass, under drainpipes, inside guttering, barns and holes in trees and other structures.
You will not do much good by spraying them with 'mosquito killer' while in flight. Sure, you may get a few but what's that among a few thousand! A mosquito misting system is the answer.
Looking for a Company That Sprays for Mosquitoes in Mc Cook NE?
The most effective mosquito control for your yard is based upon a mosquito misting system. This sprays a fine mist on and under the foliage around your yard, creating a perimeter that is deadly to these insects – and other flying pests. When the insects land to rest they come into contact with an insecticide relatively safe to humans and most pets. You must still be careful with it, but it presents significantly lower risk than mosquitoes do.
If you employ a professional company to do this for you, they will first likely inspect your property and identify those areas where mosquitoes are most likely to rest and also breed. These will be treated first by spraying the underside of foliage and treating ponds and other standing water. Any old flower pots, tires and other containers that can hold still water will be removed. This action will deal with the major part of your problem and last around three weeks, when the treatment will be repeated.
Automatic Misting Control
If you elect to use an automated mosquito misting system, this will set up the mosquito-free perimeter mentioned earlier. The mist will spray from a number of nozzles set around your property, fed from containers that automatically operate at timed intervals when mosquitoes tend to be active: early morning, dusk and evening.
By using both systems, you are guaranteed to have a mosquito-free summer and enjoy your yard without being bitten. Mosquitoes are responsible for over 1,000 deaths or serious illnesses in the USA each year, and kill over 1 million people each year worldwide. A mosquito misting system is likely the best mosquito control system you can use in your yard to protect you, your family and your pets from these pesky bloodsucking insects.
We hope this information helps keep you and your family safe and healthy. And, if you need the help of a company that sprays for mosquitoes in Mc Cook NE then call the number above for a professional exterminator.


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Tory Burch Spring 2013
Should you have been following the various developments of the look of spring 2013 in New York over the last few days, you might be viewing it with a feeling pitched somewhere between curiosity and trepidation. Thus far, we've been awash—or adrift is perhaps better—in long, languorous layers, all pale, pale, pale delicacy, with a few lingerie pieces on show (in every sense of the word) for good measure. Truth be told, some of it has been quite beautiful, but clearly how all this will transition into real life where you have to dress to go to work, date, run around after the kids, etc., etc., is another matter entirely. Bravo, Tory Burch, then, for brilliantly flying the flag for sparkling newness without forgetting that great clothes should feel joyful and uplifting without being entirely devoid of practicality. "It's remixing American classicism; about a girl who travels the world, and takes something from every place she goes," Burch said backstage of her preppy globalism for spring. "So there is guipure lace and tie-dye or making a polo shirt into an evening dress, and then pairing it with Moroccan slippers."
That was the final look, a white crepe, collared column dress graphically embellished on the sleeves and the waist with silver and red beading, worn with those aforementioned flats, resulting in a youthful, easy idea of elegance. But let's quickly rewind, because there were plenty of good things in this collection from the get-go. Most appealing was Burch's take on that longer line that has been causing the eye to drop downward when looking at the runway of late. Her trick was to tailor it to keep it under control, meaning A-line skirts rendered in lightweight ombre tweeds or in hand-dyed bazin (no, me neither—bazin, apparently, is a kind of African damask) were worn with neat blazers and high, block-heeled loafers.
The smallness of the top contrasted with that midi (as they used to say, back in the day) length that was also used for a series of charming dresses in everything from yellow honeycomb-eyelet lace to a blue-and-white Indian floral print on linen, to mesh embroidered with paillettes. Of course, like all those diaphanous layers, longer can also be challenging for mere mortals. What would, ahem, the more petite Burch recommend? "Making them shorter," she said, laughing. "No, it's all about keeping the length tailored. Do that, and you can wear it with heels—or flats."


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The Crap We Missed – Thursday 4.5.12
Welcome to Thursday's The Crap We Missed which will be our last one for the week [Save Most Important People tomorrow. – SW] so we can hide pastel eggs to celebrate some ghost that keeps haunting people until the free market is deregulated and sluts stop fucking for the slut-thrill of it, but I digress. Because Deena Cortese is in here and bless her heart, she thought that dental work would make her passably attractive. It didn't. I was also about to trash Orlando Bloom's purple sweatpants until I remembered that he was driving his Italian crotch-rocket home to plow this, which brings me right around to Joe Jonas's pink capris that remove all doubt that we're in the presence of a true pussy magnet. In fact, if I had to give him a nickname it'd be Pussy Magneto.
Happy Easter,
- Photo Boy
Click Here To Start The Gallery
Photo: Bauer-Griffin, Fame/Flynet, Getty, INFdaily, Pacific Coast News, Splash News


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Elizabeth Gould is professor of psychology at Princeton University. She received her Ph.D. in 1988 at UCLA.
She was one of the first to find evidence of neurogenesis in the hippocampus.
See alsoEdit
Book ChaptersEdit
- Gould E, McEwen BS, Tanapat P, Galea LAM, Fuchs,E. (1997) Neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the adult tree shrew is regulated by psychosocial stress and NMDA receptor activation. The Journal of Neuroscience 17:2492-2498.
- Gould E, Tanapat P, McEwen BS, Flugge G, Gross CG, Fuchs E (1998) Proliferation of granule cell precursors in the dentate gyrus of adult monkeys is diminished by stress. Proc. Natl Acad Sci USA 95: 31689-3171.
- Gould E, Beylin A, Tanapat P, Reeves A, Shors TJ (1999) Learning enhances adult neurogenesis in the hippocampal formation. Nature Neurosci 2: 260-265.
- Hastings NB, Gould E (1999) Rapid extension of axons into the CA3 region by adult-generated granule cells. J Comp Neurol 413: 146-154.
- Gould E, Vail N, Wagers M, Gross CG (2001) Adult-generated hippocampal and neocortical neurons in macaques have a transient existence. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98: 10910-10917.
- Tanapat P, Hastings NB, Reeves AJ, Rudel TA, Galea LA, Gould E (2001) Exposure to fox odor inhibits cell proliferation in the hippocampus of adult rats via an adrenal hormone-dependent mechanism. J Comp Neurol 437: 496-504.
- Shors TJ, Mieseages G, Beylin A, Zhao M, Rydel T, Gould E (2001) Neurogenesis in the adult is involved in the formation of trace memories. Nature 410: 372-376.
- Gould E, Gross CG (2002) Neurogenesis in adult mammals: some progress and problems. The Journal of Neuroscience 22: 619-623.
External linksEdit
|This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).


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Last week's white-knuckle action at Talladega pitted driver against driver. This week it's a battle of another form as they try to defeat a "Track Too Tough to Tame" in Darlington, SC.
Darlington Speedway was the first paved superspeedway in NASCAR's early history. Its egg-shaped layout makes it difficult to set your car up and the sandpaper-style racing surface eats tires like candy.
It's one of those places where history has been made since 1950 and the mark of a good night is when the right side of your car is covered with black stripes from rubbing the outside wall.
The race winners at Darlington read like a hall of fame list as many of the sport's all-time greats have found their way to victory lane on the crown jewel of the NASCAR series.
Jeff Gordon is the most successful active driver in Saturday night's Bojangles' Southern 500 with seven wins. Despite his success, the four-time Cup Series Champion knows that patience and respect is more important than driver skill at Darlington.
"They repaved Darlington a few years back so it's not the same track it used to be 10 years ago," Gordon said. "But it's still one of those tracks where you have to push hard but be patient. And it's one of those tracks you have to respect."
Saturday's race marks the 10th anniversary of one of Sprint Cup's most thrilling finishes. Ricky Craven led by just one lap, but it was the one that counted as he edged Kurt Busch for the win by a mere 0.002 seconds. That win still stands as the closest margin of victory in series history.
"In the end, it just came down to a few inches," recalls Ricky Craven about his last lap battle with Kurt Busch. "You don't script it. It's not something that you plan for. For the last few laps, I can tell you there were two guys that emptied the tank."
We might not see another finish like we had 10 years ago again. However, one thing is certain; the winner will have to defeat a race track that doesn't like to be tamed and there will definitely be a Darlington stripe somewhere in the equation.
Copyright 2013 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.


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sfranciss wrote:Ooh, that's a good idea phillysco. I ought to try that too, though I'm not well-versed in refinishing wood. When I found it, the blade was like a butter knife. I was surprised how sharp it got. (I used a DMT diamond plate - fine/extra fine, then a ceramic rod and a balsa strop)
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A 23-year-old burglar who raided a helpful neighbour's flat while she was away for the weekend has been jailed.
"Third strike" house burglar Daniel Dalton broke in through a window and left through the door of the flat in Avon Road, Kidderminster, between March 29 and April 1 this year, Worcester Crown Court was told. He stole a laptop and flat-screen TV.
The occupant of the flat was away for the weekend visiting her family and discovered the break-in when she got back, Paul Whitfield, prosecuting, told the court, She knew Dalton, who lived nearby in Rifle Range Road, and had helped him to settle in by doing his washing.
She saw him later in the day and challenged him about the raid but he shouted at her and threatened her, Mr Whitfield said. When police tackled him in the street, he put up a struggle before they could arrest him. The laptop and TV were recovered.
Dalton pleaded guilty to burglary and resisting arrest.
Fergus Maxwell, defending, said he had acted "on impulse" and was very apologetic. He had been released from his last prison sentence on licence in June last year and had been doing well until he decided to carry out the raid.
"He feels he has let himself down," Mr Maxwell said. "He has no other explanation other than that it was making work for idle hands."
Judge Michael Cullum said Dalton had a bad record for someone of his age, with 14 previous appearances in court, including two convictions for house burglary, which meant he was on three strikes and would get the mandatory sentence.
He said it was a "mean" burglary because it was someone Dalton knew who had helped him and he targeted the flat when they were away.
Dalton was given two years, five months. He will also have to complete his previous sentence for offending while on licence and was given a concurrent term of one month for the summary offence of resisting arrest.