text:
To hear about these unique features plus many more, view our video library below. Or click on one of the tabs above to explore the full details on this boat.
X18 Walk Thru
Triton Elites Series Pro, Byron Velvick gives you a tour of the Triton X18. The new standard for Aluminum fishing boats.
description +
3/29/2015 My 2014 X18 is one year old in March 2015. I wouldn't change a thing, absolutely love the boat and it's performance. Rides like a glass boat has as much or more storage than many glass boats, and is as stable sitting still as any boat I've ever fished out of. I don't see how Triton can improve this boat it's solid.
Robert - Maylene, AL
10/20/2014 I have had my x18 powered by 115 Evinrude E-Tec for a little over a month. I purchased my boat from Real Deal Marine in Alexandria, LA. The guys over at the dealership are some of the best people I have ever dealt with on buying boats. I will never buy another boat from anywhere else. I have owned big bass boats in the past and this boat is the best so far. The boat is stabile and fast. I can walk from one side of the front deck to the other and the boat does not move. I can not get over how big the front deck is and the amount of storage on this boat. The trailer is also a great feature with many upgrades you do not see on other boats. Triton Boats did a great job building the x18. I get compliments everytime I am at the landing on my boat.
Justin - Ball, LA
8/5/2014 I've had my X 18 with a Mercury 115, 4 stroke for two weeks and I am very impressed with all aspects of this boat. The ride and handling is up there with any fiberglass boat that I have ever been in and far exceeds any aluminum boat I've fished from.
Fishing from this boat is also a great pleasure. It is stable, (I weigh 265 and I can stand with my toes against the gunwale and the boat is still level). There is all kinds of room from the front and back decks. Storage is so great that I now need to convince my wife that I need more tackle to put in it.
This boat will also scoot! It runs around 50 MPH fully loaded. Renegade Marine was great with this. They allowed me to use a couple of SS props until they had it running perfect!
I highly recommend the Triton X 18. I'm looking forward to great fishing experiences in it.
David - Greenville, KY
7/21/2014 Picked up my new X18 today. Taking it to the lake tomorrow to see how it runs. My first impression while looking in the mirror was how much sleeker this boat is compared to my previous boat, a Tracker PT 185.
David - Greenville, KY
5/1/2014 I bought the Triton X18 in March 2014, I've had several big fiberglass boats and several aluminum boats as well. This X18 is impressive, rides like a glass boat, stable, fast, with the mercury Pro XS, good dry ride, and tons of storage, this boat sacrifices nothing over a glass rig. Sweet ride, My fishing partner has purchased one as well and he came from a big Ranger fiberglass.
Bobby - Maylene, AL
3/22/2014 I got my X-18 equiped with the 115 Evenrude ETEC 2 months ago. With the weather being cold and windy I've been on the water with it about 4 times and I am really impressed. It handles like a dream. I've had an Xpress boat for the last 12 years and I was was looking at boats and fell in love with the Triton X-18. The guys at Real Deal Marine in Alexandria Louisiana made it happen. I would recommend this boat to everyone who is looking to purchase a beautiful, stable, roomey and well built boat.
Johnny Miller
Johnny - Lena, LA
11/21/2013 Despite the cold weather, I've been able to get out in my X18 and catch a few fish. I am still lovin' this rig. The cost savings continues to be impressive. It's easy on fuel, and I'm catchin' just as many bass without sacrifices. Fishing a full day on a few gallons of gas is terrific. If you are thinkin' about an X18, get one. You won't regret it.
Chad - Goreville, IL
9/13/2013 I've been fishing my X18 for about 2 months now. My opinion has not changed one bit. This boat is extremely fishable. I have accessed some super-skinny water. The floor plan and design work well for bass fishing. It's a very stable fishing platform. It is very practical, and I'm proud of it.....no buyer's remorse here.
Chad - Goreville, IL
7/18/2013 After two trips in my X18, I am impressed. The boat hops up on pad in a blink. I haven't made a lengthy run, but it handled medium-rough water pretty well. It fishes great; there is so much room in it. The differences between an X18 and a comparable glass boat are minimal at best. I am not trying to knock glass boats in any way. I have owned my share with no regrets, but the X18 is proof that there are quality aluminum products on the market. The X18 provides a very stable fishing platform. Since I fish solo most of the time, I appreciate the ease with which it loads and unloads. Overall, nice rig!
Chad - Goreville, IL
7/3/2013 Last week I purchased a Triton X18 from Nameoki Village Marine in Granite City, IL. I was treated extremely well by the staff with no sales pressure. I pick my red X18 up on Monday. I have done tons of research and was very impressed with the Triton aluminum series. It has many features/options usually reserved for large glass rigs. I have had many glass rigs over the years, and I am looking forward to the performance of the X18 with a 115 Pro XS. The lower cost of operating my X18 will allow me to fish more tournaments, always a good thing!
Chad - Goreville, IL
5/6/2013 I got my X18 w/115 Mercury about week and half ago, got it to the James River on Friday 5/3. The wind was blowing strong with white caps, the boat handled it very well, rode smooth and dry. I looked at alot of different boats before choosing the X18, very pleased with my choice. Thanks also goes to Sandi and the team at Angler's Choice in Martinsville Va. for working out the best deal and the outstanding customer service.
Alan - Chesterfield, VA
1/5/2013 i have 2001 tr 21 boat runs great but i cant wate to get into the knew x18
john - albertville, AL


text:
Five Safety Tips to Help Prevent Deck Collapse
May 7, 2009
News Highlights
More Information
Because people are hurt every year by decks that collapse, Fairfax County's top building official asks residents to check the safety of their decks every spring. Homeowners should check their decks before using them in the spring and summer, and there are five, easy tips to follow.
"Decks don't last forever, so it's important to check your deck regularly, especially if it's older," said Ray Pylant, Fairfax County's building official. "Decks usually fall down because they aren't attached to your home properly. Another common cause for injuries is loose guardrails or posts. But you can avoid injuries and accidents with regular inspections and maintenance."
Follow these five safety tips:
- Check support posts and beams for rot, splitting or abnormal movement.
- Closely check the attachment points between the deck and the house.
- Check all fasteners, bolts, joist hangers and other hardware for rust or corrosion.
- Check all guards and rails to be sure they are sturdy and secured.
- Use grills, heaters and outdoor fire pits with care.
Warning signs that a deck may be unsafe include: loose or wobbly railings or support beams, missing or loose screws that connect a deck to the house, corrosion, rot and cracks. Homeowners must get a county permit and inspections anytime they make structural repairs or changes to their deck.
Residents can get more tips and information online or call Fairfax County's Land Development Services at 703-222-0114, TTY 711.
Five people have already been injured by collapsing decks this spring, according to news reports. Two people were injured in Newport News, Va., at the end of April, and another three were hurt in Morgantown, W. Va., in May.
While there are no government statistics, people are injured or killed every year by collapsing decks. Almost 2,000 people have been hurt and 30 have been killed by deck collapses between 2000 and 2006, according to the North American Deck and Railing Association.
For media inquiries, contact Brian Foley with Land Development Services at 703-222-0114, TTY 711.
Contact: Merni Fitzgerald, Director, Office of Public Affairs
703-324-3189, TTY 711, Media Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
To request this information in an alternate format, call 703-324-3187, TTY 711

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This guide tells you what you need to know about registration and getting started as a newly admitted graduate student.
Today's classrooms call for teacher leaders with highly developed knowledge and skills—advanced practitioners who are ready to serve in the classroom as catalysts for change.
Elmhurst College offers a graduate program in teacher leadership designed for experienced teachers from pre-kindergarten to the high school level in early childhood, elementary, secondary, special education and K-12 specialty areas.
Our program is organized around a central theme: teaching as a catalyst for change. You'll engage in critical inquiry and study current issues and practices in the education field. You'll apply best practices and develop innovative projects in order to have a positive impact on school and student success.
In highly interactive classes, you'll form learning partnerships with educators from a range of disciplines. You'll work closely with exceptional full-time faculty with diverse areas of expertise. In fact, you'll enjoy ready access to a full-time faculty advisor throughout your time at Elmhurst.
This program also meets the practical needs of teachers. You'll earn your degree on a schedule that works for you, with classes meeting every other week on campus in a hybrid format. You can take one, two or three courses in a term and start in the Fall, Spring or Summer terms.
In addition to the teacher leader endorsement, you can also earn the State of Illinois ESL and/or bilingual endorsements, the LBS1 special education endorsement, or the middle level approval on your professional educator license as part of the program.
For more information about the M.Ed. in teacher leadership at Elmhurst College, please browse our course offerings or contact us.
Saturday, November 4
Elmhurst College • 190 Prospect Avenue • Elmhurst, Illinois 60126-3296 • (630) 279-4100
Undergraduate Admission • (630) 617-3400 • (800) 697-1871 • firstname.lastname@example.com
School for Professional Studies • (630) 617-3300 • (800) 581-4723 • firstname.lastname@example.com
Elmhurst Learning and Success Academy Admission • (630) 617-3752 • firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
I love music. As I kid, when the New England weather was really crappy, I roller skated in my basement to Diana Ross and spun awesome 80s hits on my record player. I made mix tapes in high school and college and decorated the tape covers. Now I download music, burn CDs and make monthly playlists.
Listening to music gets my legs spinning and gets me psyched to race! Music also helps me keep what's left of my sanity when I'm stuck inside riding Mr. Trainer or the rollers when it's 20 below and snowing outside.
November 2011 playlist:
- Intro: The XX
- Arrow: Tegan and Sara
- Ageless Beauty: Stars
- Kids: MGMT
- Sick Muse: Metric
- Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough: Michael Jackson
- Hidden Track: Scissor Sisters
- Gold Guns Girls: Metric
- Ursula 1000-Disko Tech: Ursula 1000
- Where Does the Good Go: Tegan and Sara
- All Fired Up: Pat Benatar (she's making a comeback, btw)
- Galang, M.I.A.
Looking for new music? John Richards' Morning Show on KEXP is a must listen; NPR's All Songs Considered features live concerts, new artists and old favorites; and Pandora's Funk station is super fun, especially at dance parties.
Tune in to music—it's good for your soul.


text:
Never miss a deal, always be up to date -
The most important events and product news
with the MUSIC STORE Newsletters!
High flexibility of sound!
RICO ROYAL Bb-Clarinet Reeds convince with an easy and fast attack point. The flexibility of sound offers many possibilities in every musical style. The french cut cares for a balanced variety of sound.
Features: Strength: 2.5 French cut Easy attack point High flexibility For Classic and Jazz Music Box of 10
Every month we are giving away a shopping voucher among all submitted reviewers worth 500 EURO!
Congratulations to the winner of August: Alexander Burtscher, München (DE)
The winner from the previous month (July): Malte Stolle, Großenkneten (DE)
You can rate this product if you like. By rating this product you will be automatically entered into our monthly shopping voucher giveaway!


text:
Mogadishu Ringer T-shirts are an Idakoos specialtiy! Idakoos has many things to offer. Whether you want to get a Mogadishu Ringer T-shirt for a special occasion, give a Mogadishu T-Shirt as a present or need to represent with a funny Mogadishu Ringer Tee during Holidays or Family and Friends get-togethers, Idakoos is sure to have the right Mogadishu Ringer T-shirt for you! Even if it turns out you can't find the right Mogadishu Ringer Shirt with the perfect design for your mother, father or children (or friends!); Idakoos offers all of its men's women's and children's Mogadishu Ringer T-shirts as Custom Mogadishu T-Shirts. Personalize any Mogadishu Ringer T-shirt the way you want to ensure the perfect gift.
Showing 1 - 24 of 35 Ringer T-Shirt


text:
Moderators: Timko, Fritz, Solty, Booter, Blake_T, Frank Delicious
black udder wrote:...just whip it from around the right pec drill area and jack one out to about 250' or so.
marmoset wrote:I am all 150 for the next... who knows how long. Except for the Comet, that one stays. I might try to find another really light Comet in Z or ESP to compliment it. I just know I am gonna hear it from my wife because I am not throwing the other 300 or so discs that I already have.
Luke wrote:I've made a commitment to never own more than fifty at any one time.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests


text:
Jennifer Lopez Glow Eau de Toilette Spray Reviews
Dislike.I didn't like anything about this perfume. It smelled greasy to me-- like by the fry cooker at Mcdonald's or something. I didn't smell anything sweet or nice...just...greasy. k. — 6 years, 7 months agoLittleBunny | 545 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 1 of 2 people said helpful
Most Compliments Ever!Of all the compliments I receive, this ranks #1 on my list for most compliments. When they ask me, I don't hesitate to tell them, even though it's not a luxury fragrance. It smells like you just got out of the shower, fresh and soapy, a very clean scent. I just with that the bottle was less elongated because I'm afraid to travel with it and break that skinny neck! — 9 years, 5 months agoMakeupGuru | 444 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 2 of 2 people said helpful
YUCKI had to comment on this one because this is the worst perfume I ever owned. I tried to use it a couple times, but I stopped because I just couldn't stand it. I agree with some people here that it smelled greasy, strong, and doesn't smell natural to me at all. I saw some reviews and some people do like it so I thought maybe an older woman might like it but I asked my grandmother If she liked it...read more and even she didn't care for it. Jennifer Lopez has another one that I actually really liked called Live lux and its so much better then this one. I hate to throw products away because its a waste but I eventually threw it away because It was just sitting in my room collecting dust. I gave this 2 stars only because the packaging was cute. — 4 years, 2 months agonelly_recinos | 139 reviews
Good Product.This is a good scent. Very feminine. A little pricey though! — 9 years, 7 months agomvap47 | 345 reviews
Very lightThis perfume is light, but had good staying power on me. I didn't really like it so I guess that wasn't such a plus. It smells light and floral. — 6 years, 11 months agojenicide1 | 292 reviews
AwfulWay, way over-priced and I agree with the lady that said Jennifers's perfume smells greasy. Good adjective to describe this awul smelling perfume. — 4 years, 3 months agoHandbagLover | 150 reviews
Glow By Jlo a favoriteI always make sure I have Glow. It smells great! — 4 years, 6 months agoloufig29 | 3 reviews
dont like itWow I really don't smell anything soapy, clean, or fresh in this perfume. I actually sprayed this on myself in a room with others around and someone asked "who smells like hair grease? who smells like a perm?" This is actually this first fragrance I've worn (and I have quite a collection) in which I received no compliments-not that thats why I wear perfumes but its nice when someone notices a sill...read moreage of your sweet frgrance... But on top on recieving no compliments, the perfume has actually been insulted which I wont get into further, and I cannot say I disgree. I am a fan of giving perfumes second chances, so when I was initially appauled by this scent I still wore it, hoping my body chemistry would mingle with it, perhaps giving me more oppourtunity to warm up to it. But I must say, this perfume just smells ragedy. Also, being a true lover of fragrance, I've never been one to criticize on trivial things *surrounding* but not relating directly to the actual fragrance itself(i feel like if its a beautiful scent, and you can get it out of the bottle, why complaing about the design of the bottle/color/cap) however in this oh so special case, the design of the bottle has caused me to drop,crack and almost spill the entire contents of it on several occasions. Is it attractive? sure. Is it practical? uh no. — 5 years, 5 months agoaridee | 10 reviews
Review subjectI assumed since this is a JLo fragrance that it would be loud & obnoxious & stanky.....but to my surprise it is very fresh and pleasant...nice for summer. It has a unique scent. — 5 years, 6 months agoMARYP1010 | 3 reviews
Like itThis is a nice everyday scent, it is soft and powdery. I enjoy wearing it. It's also kind of a cheap alternative to bulgari eau parfumee au the blanc white tea. I always get mine of tjmax for $20. — 5 years, 6 months agoMorningalma1 | 4 reviews
to top
My Reasons for Reporting This


text:
UPLAND – The 3rd annual Upland Highland Regiment Golf Classic is set for April 22 at the Red Hill Country Club, 8358 Red Hill Country Club Drive, Rancho Cucamonga.
The tournament will benefit the Upland High School band and color guard.
Registration will start at 9:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 11 a.m.
The event will include a four-person scramble, boxed lunch for each player and an awards dinner.
People who register online will receive a 1-year subscription to Golf Digest.
Cost is $195 for individual golfers, $390 for twosomes and $760 for foursomes.
To register visit www.uhrb.org
For more information email email@example.com


text:
THE father of a 12-year-old girl killed by a failed asylum seeker in a hit-and-run accident has welcomed new moves to require the deportation of foreigners guilty of serious crimes.
Paul Houston, 43, said the pledge to introduce fresh legislation would clarify the law for judges and victims' families.
After his daughter Amy was killed in a hit-and-run in Blackburn in November 2003 he campaigned endlessly to have the driver, Iraqi Kurd Aso Mohammed Ibrahim, deported. But his efforts were unsuccessful and the law as it stands enabled Ibrahim to remain in Britain.
Home secretary Theresa May has accused judges of making the UK more dangerous by ignoring rules aimed at deporting more foreign criminals.
Last year, MPs approved guidance for judges making clear a convicted offender's right to family life had limits.
Mrs May now wants to introduce a law requiring most foreigners guilty of serious crimes to be deported, arguing some judges were choosing to 'ignore Parliament's wishes'.
The guidance aimed to end to the right to a family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights being used to allow foreign criminals to remain in the UK, rather than being deported.
Ibrahim was imprisoned for four months for the killing but was never deported despite committing further offences. In April 2011, High Court judges allowed him to stay because he had fathered two children in the UK on the grounds of his right to family life.
In another similar case Wei Lin was jailed for two years at Burnley Crown Court in June 2008 for cultivating a cannabis garden worth £200,000 in a disused Nelson pub. He was later deported to China despite attempts to prevent it.
Mr Houston, who has lived in Darwen and Oswaldtwistle, said: "I welcome this move. It is a step in the right direction and will end grey areas in the law making it easier for judges.
"It should also end the way the human rights act has been abused by criminals.
"It is long overdue.
"It too late for Amy's killer to be deported but it should help prevent this happening to other families in the future."
Blackburn MP Jack Straw said: "I think changing the law is the right thing to do but criticising judges is not. The Amy Houston case has been terrible.
"I could not believe the judges ruled in Ibrahim's favour. I hope changing the law will prevent a repeat of this."


text:
Oct 16, 2012
Storytelling: The Lynchpin for New & Traditional Media
A potent video from Facebook Stories – it' s a masterclass in storytelling.
Is being a communicator for some of the coolest brands a road paved with yellow bricks? They must have big teams, large budgets, and journalists knocking down their doors, right? PRSA 2012 International Conference attendees got a look behind the curtain at a session featuring:
- Jonny Thaw (@jonnyjt), Manager of Technology and Engineering Communications at Facebook,
- Karen Wickre (@kvox), Editorial Director at Twitter, and
- Demetra Kavadeles (@metersd), Global Consumer Public Relations Manager at Skype.
Peter Himler (@peterhimler)of Flatiron Communications LLC, moderated the discussion.
I let my geek flag fly, got right up front and waited for pearls of wisdom to be hurled at me in succinct 120 character sound bites – that way I could easily be retweeted and and broadcast their genius across the social sphere. The good news? All three panelists had great wisdom, advice and practices. The bad news? Not in 120 character sound bites.
I found myself so enthralled with the content of their discussion that my tweeting suffered. There were some fun voyeur facts (Facebook has 40 people on their communications team, Twitter has eight, and Skype seven) and that Facebook's team reports up to the COO, not through marketing.
In addition to all the new school tools, all three still give paramount status to pitching the media. What was truly revealing was not the "peek behind Oz's curtain" but the very real conversation about storytelling, FTC regulations for bloggers, authenticity and transparency.
Storytelling and blogging have a symbiotic relationship. Both Facebook (http://www.facebookstories.com/) and Twitter (http://blog.twitter.com/2011/11/introducing-twitter-stories.html) have whole sites dedicated to their users' stories to demonstrate their offline impact. All three companies have a lot of time and resources invested in creating a robust and engaging company blog. Dametra keeps things fresh by getting a variety of contributors creating posts, which then begged the question: how do you get them to write it?! The consensus of the panel, and I suspect the audience, was that is the biggest challenge to the company blog. Jonny makes sure to offer kudos to those who write for the blog. He says it helps the contributor feel valued, and starts the momentum of others wanting to contribute.
"If they are too busy to even write a bad draft, have someone go over and ask them questions," Karen offered. "Provide them with a first draft to edit and adapt."
As the discussion went on the issue of the FTC came up. They all agreed that when in doubt disclose. Karen referenced her time at Google and shared that she would edit Wikipedia from her corporate email address, disclose who she was, and let them know it was an edit for factual accuracy.
In closing the panel was asked about what companies best utilized their platforms. All three referenced media organizations as top performers. Jonny thought The New York Times does a great job on Facebook, Karen thought that The New York Times and NPR both use Twitter artfully, and Demetra thought that broadcast news organizations have ally learned to leverage the Skype platform well.
Some of the key take always for me were:
- Harness your internal talent to help tell your story.
- Be authentic and transparent – to not only stay out of trouble but to engage with your audience.
- There is value in traditional media telling your story, social and curated content is complimentary.
In the end it still holds true, no matter the company popularity or notoriety as communicators we still have the same challenges, concerns, and conversations – they are just scaled differently.
Author Natalie Bering is an account manager for PR Newswire.
Fill in your details below:


text:
WE GOT the win that we needed to book ourselves a home tie in the quarter-finals of the trophy but I think we know that the performance against Wales last weekend wasn't as good as it has been in previous games.
Warminster had done a fantastic job of trying to keep things dry for us. I think that they'd borrowed some covers from Corsham and when we got there, there were only really few areas around the ground that were a bit wet.
But we were worried that the wicket might do a bit, just because of all the rain that we'd had in the week. Mike Coles always wants to bat first but we spoke to the groundsman and took the decision to bowl first instead.
Wales actually got off to a tremendous start and I don't think that we bowled particularly well until the middle overs, where Ed Young, Ashur Morrison and Tom Foley put a bit of pressure on.
We had them at 199-9 and we were quite content with that, but their number ten and eleven put on another 30 or so runs and made it a little bit more difficult for us.
We started our innings well with Adam Miles and Tom Morton and when Mike Coles got in, we thought that him and Tom were going to get us all the way there – Mike got caught and I think if he'd been in for another five overs, they would have gotten us over the line.
But Ashur came in again to chip in with an unbeaten 30 and Tom ended with a tremendous score of 123.
There might have been a little bit of disappointment about the performance but we got the result that we wanted and we're going to be at home in the quarter-finals against Norfolk.
We played them at Devizes last season and bowled them out for 200 or so but still managed to lose the game – they're definitely a strong side.
We'll be playing at Cor-sham, which is a ground we do well at and always back ourselves to score runs at.
The quarter-final will be on June 15 but the week before that, we've got a three-day game at Oxfordshire to concentrate on.
It's the start of a different format and we'll be looking at what players are doing for their club sides when we pick that squad but getting playing time has been a bit of a problem for players in Wiltshire recently.


text:
AFTER SCRAMBLING to the top of a 10-foot rock mound in south-central Wyoming's Great Divide Basin, biologist Erik Molvar examines the abandoned nest of a pair of ferruginous hawks, North America's largest hawk. The time is late August, and the birds have departed for the season, so he is in no danger of disturbing them. "From up here," Molvar says, "they don't have to worry about coyotes."
Nevertheless, this nest failed to produce any young last spring. Molvar suspects that a dirt road 100 feet away, leading to a failed natural gas well, gives people easy access to this once-remote site. Human disturbance causes adult hawks to flee. Left unattended, exposed eggs and chicks perish. Such nest failures, Molvar says, are increasingly common in the Great Divide Basin, an 11-million-acre expanse of sagebrush prairie, badlands and buttes where raptors have ruled the sky for millennia.
Natural gas drilling is reaching unprecedented levels in south-central Wyoming as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), responding to Bush administration directives to speed up oil and gas production on public lands, pushes increased energy exploration on the 4.5 million acres of the basin it oversees. As of this writing, roughly 3,000 wells have been drilled since 2000, and thousands more are proposed. "The Bush administration sees the domestic development of oil and gas as a priority," Lee Fuller, vice president for government relations at the Independent Petroleum Association of America, told The Washington Post recently. "Energy has as much right in the hierarchy of decision making about the use of these lands as any other uses. That's one of the principal shifts with the Bush administration."
Critics of rapid development of U.S. public lands contend that another policy shift is more worrisome: Bypassing Congress and the public, the Bush administration soon after taking office issued directives to BLM and other agencies requiring more justification for any decisions that restrain energy development. As a result, millions of acres are now subject to weakened federal development regulations, including lands that Congress nominated for wilderness protection.
The Great Divide Basin is a key example of how the administration has diluted federal protection of public wild land on behalf of the oil and gas industry. "The problem is not energy development,"says Kate Zimmerman, senior policy specialist in NWF's Rocky Mountain Natural Resource Center in Boulder, Colorado. "It is unleashing an unprecedented pace of development on one of the last great desert wildernesses in North America and doing it with a lack of safeguards for our natural heritage, from wildlife and grasslands to rivers and streams."
Encompassing the eastern half of the famed Red Desert, the Great Divide is "a world-class raptor resource," according to the report Special Values of the Great Divide, written by the Biodiversity Conservation Alliance (BCA), a nonprofit group headquartered in Laramie that works to protect wildlife habitat and roadless areas in Wyoming, western South Dakota and northern Colorado. Completed with funding from NWF and the Earth Friends Wildlife Foundation, a nonprofit group based in Wyoming, the report says the area is "one of North America's last strongholds for nesting raptors where natural population densities can still be found." At least 15 raptor species nest there, ranging from burrowing owls (among the continent's smallest raptors) and bald eagles (the continent's largest) to ferruginous hawks, golden eagles, kestrels, merlins and great horned owls. Burrowing owls and ferruginous hawks are of concern because populations of both are declining. NWF hopes the report will spur policymakers and the public to pressure BLM--currently rewriting its resource management plan for future development in the Great Divide--to protect the area's wildlife and wilderness-quality lands. "The Great Divide deserves stronger protection," Zimmerman says.
In addition to raptors, the Great Divide Basin contains 234 sage grouse leks, or mating grounds, and Wyoming's only population of endangered black-footed ferrets--88 at last count. These ferrets feed almost entirely on white-tailed prairie dogs, a species driven from 95 percent of its historic range. Seven of the largest prairie dog complexes in the country exist here, along with some 100,000 pronghorn, 85,000 mule deer and 18,000 elk. The basin also features scenic, recreational and historic treasures, including the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail and the Overland Trail used in the 19th century by westward-bound settlers. The region comprises 300,000 acres of wilderness-quality lands.
In this area, about four wells per square mile had been drilled as of summer 2005, and as this article went to press the administration was considering a proposal to double that number. Other proposed gas fields of 1,240, 2,000 and 1,250 wells were being considered. NWF and BCA have sued to prevent 385 wells from being drilled within potential federally designated wilderness.
In 2005, BLM issued a record 7,000 drilling permits nationwide and expects to top 9,000 this year--a frenzied pace that has oil companies importing drill rigs from China. More than 42 million acres of public land, most of it in the Rockies, are now leased for exploration, according to the Wilderness Society. Each well consists of a bulldozed area about 100 feet across, cylindrical metal tanks to store wastewater, a humming compressor station, pipes, gauges and other infrastructure. Eighteen-wheel tanker trucks, pickups with work crews, graders and backhoes rumble down the interlocking grid of gravel roads that has subdivided the Red Desert.
BLM field offices are so swamped with paperwork that the agency has adopted a controversial guest-worker program under which oil and gas companies pay the salaries of temporary employees hired to process permits. Environmental safeguards, when they exist (oil and gas exploration are exempted from provisions of the Clean Water, Safe Drinking Water and Clean Air Acts), are being skirted in the rush, according to a 2005 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
The long-term environmental consequences for the West are unknown. "Natural gas has this reputation as the clean fossil fuel," says Gwen Lachelt, director of the nonprofit Oil and Gas Accountability Project in Durango, Colorado. "But if you look at the toll it is taking on the landscape, it is one of the filthiest." Intensive drilling cuts off migration and wintering grounds for elk, pronghorn and mule deer, causes sage grouse to abandon leks and decreases prairie dog reproduction, according to university and private studies. The proliferation of roads allows four-wheelers to penetrate deep into once-isolated public lands more easily, and workers have been caught illegally hunting pronghorn and sage grouse.
Little, if any, peer-reviewed research has been published about gas drilling's impact on nesting raptors, according to James Bednarz, editor of the Journal of Raptor Research. "It's a real important issue now because there is pressure to develop petroleum resources everywhere," he says. Bednarz studied raptors in the late 1980s near Carlsbad, New Mexico, where oil and gas exploration was taking place. "My feeling is that it was definitely impacting the birds," he says.
Ferruginous hawks, named for their rusty iron (or ferrous) coloring, have a four-and-a-half-foot wingspan and can live 15 years. Arriving in the Great Divide Basin in spring after wintering in Mexico and the Southwest, they feed on ground squirrels, prairie dogs and desert cottontails. Eggs hatch from May to early June, and adults take turns hunting and guarding nests. They often nest on high buttes that overlook hunting grounds but also on tall objects in the prairie, closer to their prey.
When natural gas wells appeared, ferruginous hawks built nests atop some of the metal structures. Due to activity around the wells, these nests often fail to fledge young. "Some will fly when a pickup truck is a quarter mile away," says Bob Tigner, a retired BLM biologist who worked in the Great Divide. To ameliorate this loss, BLM implemented in the early 1980s an artificial-nesting-platform program. Wooden platforms on top of utility poles are being erected near wells--typically a quarter-mile away--where ferruginous hawks have previously nested. "We try to give them their distance," says Heath Cline, a BLM biologist who oversees the program from the Rawlins office. He says BLM imposes restrictions on well construction close to artificial nesting platforms during the breeding season.
Molvar, however, says the breeding-season restrictions apply only to the drilling of new wells in the quarter-mile buffer around the nests. Work crews can visit existing wells at any time, even during breeding season. "If the parents take off and don't come back in time, their whole reproductive year is lost," Molvar says.
If the federal government wants to protect raptors, critics of accelerated development contend, it would limit the density of wells (in parts of Wyoming, there are 16 wells per square mile), disallow any exploration during breeding season and require directional drilling, in which wells are drilled into the side of a gas field from farther away. "BLM is not going to shut down gas development because of wildlife values," Zimmerman says. Indeed, agency documents admit that 2,000 wells proposed for the Atlantic Rim section of the Great Divide would ruin hunting and wildlife viewing. "But we think they can conduct the drilling so it reduces the footprint," Zimmerman adds. "It can be done a lot better. Artificial nest sites to help some raptor species are only a start, given the intensity of development that's now being proposed."
In the process of rapid development, priceless landscapes and wildlife habitat are being handed over virtually free to an industry making record profits. A New York Times investigation revealed in 2005 that energy companies appear to have cheated the U.S. Treasury out of hundreds of millions of dollars in royalty payments from natural gas leases. Despite soaring gas prices, royalty payments in 2005 were below those in 2001, according to the Times, which partly blames lax oversight by the Interior Department. The newspaper also blames an antiquated royalty payment system that, if updated to reflect the market value of gas, would have generated an extra $700 million in royalties for public coffers last year.
This hemorrhaging of public dollars continues. Projections in the fiscal year 2007 federal budget indicate that the Interior Department plans to give up $7 billion in oil and gas royalties in the next five years. The department also plans to allow energy companies to drill about $65 billion worth of oil and natural gas on public lands without even paying royalties.
In some cases, BLM appears to be deliberately targeting potential wilderness. In 2004, the agency auctioned for development 39,000 acres in Colorado and 109,000 in Utah that Congress is eyeing for the National Wilderness Preservation System. Once roaded and drilled, areas no longer qualify for wilderness protection. "The Bush administration wants to tilt the scales in favor of careless oil and gas development," Zimmerman says. "But tapping into those resources doesn't have to be done that way. We can choose to drill smarter. We can choose to conserve wild places and wildlife. And the time to make those choices is now before we give away more than we can afford to lose."
Colorado resident Paul Tolme is a frequent contributor to National Wildlife. Read more of his environmental and wildlife stories at http://www.journalistontheloose.com/ .
Global Warming Threat: Sagebrush Ecosystem in Jeopardy The nation's sagebrush ecosystem, already halved by development, could be reduced to a fraction of its current size in part by global warming, according to a new study by researchers from Oregon State University and the U.S. Forest Service. As the climate warms, scientists say, frost-sensitive plant species from the Southwest will move north and displace sagebrush vegetation, affecting sage grouse and other wildlife.
The study tested seven different climate scenarios. Only a few small areas in southern Wyoming, the northern edge of the Snake River plateau and small areas of Washington, Oregon and Nevada would survive under all scenarios. Under the hottest scenario, which researchers believe is one of the more accurate, sagebrush in the largest U.S. desert, the Great Basin--covering most of Nevada and western Utah as well as parts of Idaho and California--would lose about 80 percent of its 190,000 square miles.
"Increases in temperature due to global warming will be the driving force in these changes, along with less-predictable changes in the summer rainfall regime," says Ronald Neilson, a professor of botany at Oregon State and a Forest Service ecologist.
NWF in Action: New Protections for Wyoming Wildlife NWF's balanced plan for federal management of the public lands within the Great Divide, called the Western Heritage Alternative, would protect important wildlife habitats, including raptor areas, while allowing responsible development of oil and gas resources. NWF has filed several legal challenges to proposed coal bed methane projects that threaten crucial big-game winter ranges and sage grouse breeding grounds on the Great Divide's Atlantic Rim. With its Wyoming affiliate, the Wyoming Wildlife Federation, NWF recently secured passage of state legislation creating a permanent trust account of up to $200 million to protect and restore wildlife habitats throughout Wyoming. To learn more about NWF in the Great Divide, go to www.nwf.org/wildlife.
Perspective: Protecting a Mysterious, Sacred Place By Richard Baldes
Most people live in Wyoming because of the quality of life and outdoor opportunities. As a member of the Eastern Shoshone tribe, my roots in the state go back thousands of years, and the natural beauty and ties to the land are why I stay. No place else in America has such wide-open spaces and abundant wildlife--the priceless legacy of our public lands, which cover half the state. Try camping, fishing or hunting in states that don't have public lands, and it quickly becomes clear why those of us living in Wyoming have chosen this place.
Now the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is rewriting its blueprint for 3.5 million acres of public lands. The agency is revising its Great Divide Resource Management Plan and the spectacular wild country in Wyoming called Adobe Town is right in the middle of the action.
The first time I saw Adobe Town I couldn't believe my eyes. I've lived most of my life in Wyoming and for years I didn't know about this beautiful, fascinating place. Together with two former BLM employees from the Rawlins Office, my best friend and I traveled along the east side of the area and south of The Haystacks, a hideout where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid kept fresh horses during their outlaw years. The roads were very muddy with standing water in the low places, and it soon became obvious that we were not going to reach Adobe Town from the east. We had to turn back.
We then drove all the way around the north end of the Haystacks. From the west, the spectacular cliffs of Adobe Town are hidden beyond the folds of the desert until you reach the very edge of the rim. Up to that point, you wonder if this legendary place exists at all. But taking in the magnificent view from a cliff-top perch, the experience is overwhelming. Light and shadow play across a beautiful landscape with spires, deep canyons and sandy draws. I had my camera ready, but I couldn't take my eyes off the magnificent scenery long enough to take a picture.
We saw chips (stone flakes) from flint and chert that Native people used to make tools thousands of years ago. It was moving for me to contemplate people sitting along the edge of the rim, chipping out an arrowhead and taking in the same view we were now enjoying. Back then, there would have been a lot of wildlife such as mule deer and pronghorn, sage grouse and rabbits. There still is today.
As we were leaving Adobe Town, we saw a place where Native people long ago built a dam out of large boulders on a small stream. Perhaps it held fish back then, in wetter times, or served as a place to get water, bathe and swim. A short distance away, stone flakes of all kinds were scattered across the sandy surface. The ancients must have spent a lot of time in this area, camping and hunting.
Adobe Town is situated in the lowest spot in Great Divide country and fossils from millions of years ago can be found here. We learned that the bones of ancient mammals--wooly rhinoceroses and giant ground sloths--can be found here. I look forward to seeing them one day.
Since that first trip to Adobe Town years ago, we have returned at least twice a year. I plan to spend as much time as possible with my friends and family there and in the surrounding area. Looking out across the landscape, it is obvious that we could spend the rest of our days exploring these wonderful sights. And we want to do it as soon as possible, for the BLM may soon allow oil and gas drilling to desecrate parts of Adobe Town.
That first day as we tried to reach Adobe Town, we saw hundreds of stakes with fluorescent orange and pink flagging surrounding the area. At least one helicopter was flying low overhead, probably doing seismic work. We could see a drilling rig far off in the distance, near the south end of Adobe Town. Despite its low oil and gas potential, this area is definitely being targeted by the industry.
Drilling for natural gas would ruin its wild character. We don't want it to change. We want to continue enjoying this landscape and show others so they can have the same experience.
Native people lived here in the past for obvious reasons--it is an outstanding place for camping and hunting. They surely were inspired and viewed the area as a special place the creator put there for worship and spiritual use.
Today, Native people continue to use spiritual sites in the Great Divide country for worship for more than 12,000 years. Sacred places like Adobe Town, as well as features elsewhere in Wyoming's Red Desert, such as Boar's Tusk and the Oregon Buttes, are still used for vision quests and spiritual enlightenment.
What bothers me most is the BLM's lack of concern about protecting Native American cultural sites and sacred places in this region. There are literally thousands of cultural sites in the Great Divide country. In fact, 794 of them are known to be eligible for designation on the National Register of Historic Places. Yet the BLM provides less protection for these sites than they do for historical sites only a century old. Furthermore, the agency has done little to involve tribal communities in the Great Divide planning process.
We realize the importance of oil and gas to the people of Wyoming and to our nation. We also realize the technology exists to extract natural resources more responsibly. Those of us who want to leave something for our grandchildren believe that there are places like Adobe Town that are too special to turn into another gas field.
The majority of people want more protection--not less--of special places. Yes, oil and gas development can occur in some areas; but it must occur in a responsible manner using the best technology that exists so that cultural and sacred sites, wildlife habitat and special places can be protected for the enjoyment of the public and for future generations. The people have spoken. The federal government needs to listen.
Richard Baldes is a member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and a former biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He previously served on the National Wildlife Federation's volunteer board of directors.


text:
As I went to Facebook to share my third video so far this spring of my son's little league victories, I paused for a moment thinking, line crosser?
Spring is here and that means little league baseball. Seven-year-old Ezra is in the AAA division of the Taney Youth Baseball league. If you are friends with me on social media, you know that I post a lot of Ezra's game highlights.
If I weren't me, and I were friends with me, would I see another Taney Leopards video and think, "Ugh, again with the baseball. We get it. Your son is Mike Schmidt."
Oy. Yep. I totally would.
With all this documenting and posting and like-tallying, how do you know when you are crossing the kvelling line?
I'll tell you when. Tuesday night, the kid had a monster game. I wanted to kvell like a bubbe at a Mah-jongg table.
When I posted my video of Ezra's home run on Instagram, I paused for a moment before hitting "share," thinking, line crosser? Yes, I answered myself, especially considering that this was the second home run and third at bat video I have posted this season.
But I couldn't help myself. I shared. Because I am proud. Ezra, winning or losing, smiles (with a mouth stuffed with Big League Chew) for the duration of the game. On the pitcher's mound, he beams like he just stepped into the Wonka Factory. I am mystified as to how a person as clumsy and sports-inept as I am could produce a child so deft, so agile. And when I am really proud of my kid, I don't know about you, but I want to shout from the rooftops and set the PECO Tower pulsating with my news.
Instead, I post.
And to think, just a year ago I was off Facebook entirely. (I still had a profile because I feared if I deleted it I would be simultaneously erased from existence; I just didn't post anything.)
I loathe Facebook. It's a chazzer. It eats all my favorite apps and is always waving that aggressive thumb in my face. That bully of an icon follows me everywhere I go online. "You just bought Viviscal Extra Strength Hair Tablets on Amazon! Share your purchase with your friends on Facebook!" It stalks me even when not at my computer, like when I'm stuck in traffic behind a food truck soliciting "likes." No, King of Falafel. I will not "like" you on Facebook.
But a little over a year ago, I started checking Facebook more frequently because it's the only way my older son's karate teacher communicates with the class. Then I started this blog last summer and used Facebook and Twitter to share my posts. Then I checked in weekly. I started jonesing for likes. Then I became a daily user.
It's a quick luge from there to oversaturating the feed with my kid's baseball highlights. Although I held back from posting any of his spectacular pitching footage, so, you're welcome.
But if I ran into a friend on the street, would I tell them the story of Ezra's home run? Would I describe how he smacked it straight through right field to the fence, how he ran around the bases with an open-mouthed smile, how his friends rushed him after he crossed home plate and how his face radiated unfiltered joy? I mean, in my mind, it was like the last scene of The Natural.
Face to face on the street? It would depend on the friend. As a bonus, I wouldn't have to call them at 20 minute intervals to see if they liked my story.
It's so easy to crow online. I don't know anyone with a social profile who hasn't bragged in some way, be it through kids, concerts, parties, promotions, life events or little league. We all have different thresholds for how much we tolerate. We all have friends whose feeds we unfollow.
But maybe, while I am quitting habits (17 days off the Candy Crush) I should go on a little posting diet. Ezra has a game on Mother's Day. It would be a nice gift to myself and my family to watch the entire six innings without documenting. (But if I don't document, and he hits a grand slam home run, did it happen?)
So if you run into me on the street and want to hear the highlights, just let me know — I'll gleefully share.


text:
2009 Advanced Laboratories Conference Abstract Browse
The abstracts listed below were presented at the 2009 Topical Conference on Advanced Laboratories. You may use the column headers to sort the abstract list, or search the abstracts here.
brought to you by the AAPT, APS and NSF-NSDL
a member of the comPADRE Digital Library
©2007-2017, All Rights Reserved
contact Advanced Labs
|about - disclaimer - terms - privacy - faq - sitemap


text:
Virginia Mill Works Co.- 1/2" x 5" Brazilian Cherry Prefinished Handscraped Engineered Flooring- 30 Year Warranty
The only handscraped natural Brazlian Cherry in the WHOLE STORE! The look of Brazilian Cherry handscraped brings the beautiful look of the floor and the old world feel of handscraped together!
Colonial American homes were built with wooden floors that were sawn using basic hand-held tools. The hand-crafted workmanship that went into those floors can be found in Virginia Millworks handscraped floors.
Glue installation, Natural grade
About Engineered:
Lumber Liquidators... More Floor, Less $$
Please click here to download Adobe Reader.
Do you have questions about this product?
AnswerBox - Get answers from Staff Experts and real customers by clicking "Ask a question" or click here to ask our Customer Service Team
Q:Does the 30 year warranty still cover the product if I install it?
1 answer
A:If the manufacturer instructions are followed then the warranty is absolutely valid. Be sure to read your warranty information.
Q:Can this floor be refinished?
1 answer
A:Yes but only with an abrading type of sander such as the FA-8 Floor Abrader.
Q:What is the degree of gloss on this product? Why is this priced considerably lower than the other Virginia Mills Hand scraped Products? Have there been any major complaints?
1 answer
A:This product question would be better answered by our Sales Department, they are more familiar with all of our flooring products and can better assist you with your questions.
Q:the profile for this product show only nail down or glue. if you click on the instalation giude, it does also show a float instalation. Can this floor be installed as floating??
1 answer
A:Yes you can tongue and groove glue float this flooring as it says in the instructions.
Q:How many layers does this have?
1 answer
A:I believe it is 6 ply. It has a 2mm wear layer and 7 coats of Treffert or Klumpp (made in Germany) highly resistant polyurethane finish with aluminum oxide anti-scratch and a 55% gloss.
Q:I am putting wood floors in a home we're about to sell, so we don't want to spend as much as if it were for us. I have honey oak cabinets/builtins. I'm looking for a flooring that has dark and light shades, to blend with the honey cabinets. This looks like it has that, but I'm not absolutely sure. Does it seem that way to you?
1 answer
A:Because computer monitors can vary in color reproduction I recommend ordering samples or visit your local Lumber Liquidators.
Q:What is the janka rating of this floor?
1 answer
A:Engineered Hardwoods are not tested using the Janka Scale.
Q:Is this floor finished with an aluminumoxide finish?
1 answer
A:Yes, this material does contain aluminum oxide in the finish
Q:I'm sure that you do testing on your products before you put them out there for sale to your customers so as this product hasn't been rated by the public yet, I have to ask you: does this particular product scratch or dent easily? Need to know as we have two larger dogs. I'm really interested and have a lot of square feet to cover at a great cost so I'm trying to do my due-diligence. PS, please answer by email and not have me call in.
1 answer
A:This material is an engineered product which we can not test for hardness based on the core, the top veneer layer of this product is Brazilian Cherry which is a very hard and durable species
Q:What is the range of the random lengths?
1 answer
A:These boards will come in various lengths from 18" to 7'


text:
It's never been simpler to imagine your kitchen with the CABINETS and COUNTERTOPS of your dreams. Use our Virtual Tool and in three easy steps, you can select from 70 cabinet swatches and 5 countertop swatches to apply to the sample kitchen on the left.
Mix and match to find your favorite cabinet/countertop combination!


text:
THE body of a man has been pulled from the River Avon in Evesham.
Emergency services were called to the Weir Meadow Caravan Park yesterday at 10.20am to reports that a body could be seen about 12 foot away from the bank.
A rescue boat operated by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service was used to collect the body.
Police are currently working to identify the body as there was nothing on his person stating who he was and he does not match the description of any missing people.


text:
Delivery and returns
Home delivery
- £3.99 Next day and nominated day home delivery* - order up until 7pm
- Free when you spend over £100.
- £3.50 Standard home delivery** - get your order within 5 working days.
- Free when you spend over £50. Discount applied at checkout page.
- We can't deliver wine internationally or to our stores for collection.
- Tell me more about UK delivery >
- Delivery exclusions:
- *Next day delivery exclusions >
- **Standard home delivery exclusions >
Returns and refunds
If you'd like to speak to us about your wine please contact us.
Refunds can only be given in accordance with your legal rights. For example, if the wine you've ordered isn't of satisfactory quality or as described.
More details
Case includes
- Product information
- Alisios Tempranillo Touriga Nacional
- Vintage: 2010
- Mellow, delicious red wine with intense strawberry and spice aromas and a vibrant core of warm red bramble fruit. Enticing toasty oak notes and a touch of liquorice on the finish. This is deftly made red, not too heavy, but richly complete.
- About this bottle: Winemaker Miguel Almeida chooses grapes from his home territory for this blend - Portuguese Touriga Nacional and Spanish Tempranillo, each 50% of the wine. These red varieties both thrive in Brazil's southern pampas region, Campanha, near the Uruguayan border. Each is famed for its complex, food-friendly reds, and blended together they develop masses of quirky mouthwatering characters that are hard to resist.
- Grape Variety: Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional
- Country of origin: Brazil
- Region: Campanha
- More information
- Bottle size: 750 ml
- Alcohol content: 13 %
- Alcohol units per bottle: 9.8
- Alcohol units per serving: 1.6
- Serving Size: 125 ml
- Allergens: Sulphites
- Stopper type: Screw Cap
- Consume Within: 6 months of purchase
- Bottling address: Imported By Marks & Spencer Plc, Po Box 3339, Chester, Ch99 9Qs
Not available for international delivery.
We make every effort to deliver you the same vintage wine as the one advertised.
Sometimes we only have limited stock and may have to send you another vintage. If you're not happy with the wine you receive please contact us.
Licensing Act 2003: It is an offence to buy or attempt to buy alcoholic liquor if you are under the age of 18
Please drink responsibly


text:
I was thinking that this topic touches a lot of disc reviews i have made so i would have needed to cross post a lot to threads dedicated to specific discs to show how a recent change influenced flights closer to what others have observed. Since it was a form change that made some discs behave like others describe i think this is the best place for this post.
I've gone through a lot of grip variations with special consideration for grip pressure from different fingers lately. It seems that 20/80 and 80/20 are pretty non specific ways to describe how one should apply finger pressure with each finger. It turns out that i have pinched the index finger and the thumb so hard that it has lead to unclean releases flipping some discs. One thing i tired was not to put the index finger inside the disc and only letting the index finger skim the bottom of the bead. Three finger power grip being a regular power grip minus the index. No flips. Unless i squeezed so hard that the disc stuck to the middle finger. So anywhere you squeeze too much can lead to flipping of the disc. Eventually i was able to work out how little pinch with all four fingers in the power grip allowed the disc to not slip out early and not flip at all. I have yet to push it to consistent pivoting but i had some successes. Too few tries to say anything for sure yet. There were rear winds all day. I had straight enough shots even without trying to snap fully and pivot the disc let alone stopping my wrist. A deficiency in my form. I ended up with surprisingly little finger pinch power with each of the bottom fingers and i didn't try to optimize my thumb pressure. At this point it seems that control=accuracy and repeatedly benefits from having just tight enough of a grip to not let the disc slip out early to the left. I will not declare success without more experimentation and seeing if greed in also pivoting fully for a full hit is to be left for later.
I did previously try a 80/20 grip with a pinch only as the disc pivots and even that lead to flipping so optimization is needed and it will take some time.
It was fun to see discs fly far with so little effort without detectable wobble. The winds and being on a field without exact known measurements mean that i don't have exact distances and they don't mean much. I need calm weather distance measurements. I think an ESP 178 Comet without flipping a degree from flat to 340' is a good progress from what i had before. a used 170 Z Comet was the only disc that flipped any for me today. I was only throwing sneaking speed x step without a full reach back for accuracy Not flipping my other bane Ion was cool too (around 280 pulled power) and no problems with a worn 175 Ranchero (pulled power 310' line drive and a fair toss s-curve 330') makes me go heeeeeell YEAAAAAAAH!!!!!
What's your story?


text:
This game was classified by the community with the following category scores - Violence=2/3, Sex=0/3, Mature Content=0/3. Red Tie Miner is back with a vengeance, in this new episode featuring six huge and exclusive new levels!
Buy Xbox content on Xbox.com. Your Xbox 360 console will automatically download the content next time you turn it on and connect to Xbox Live.Learn More


text:
Is there a penalty for throwing an elbow that doesn't connect?
'); var yuipath = 'clientscript/yui'; var yuicombopath = ''; var remoteyui = false; } else // Load Rest of YUI remotely (where possible) { var yuipath = 'http://yui.yahooapis.com/2.9.0/build'; var yuicombopath = 'http://yui.yahooapis.com/combo'; var remoteyui = true; if (!yuicombopath) { document.write('
Is there a penalty for throwing an elbow that doesn't connect?
you can get hit with a T if it was intentionally thrown
"So, which one of you guys is going to come in second?" - Larry Bird before the 3 point contest. He won.
Not if you're Lebron!
"We've got to be very clear about this. We don't want our players hanging around with murderers," said Larry Bird, Pacers president.
everything Hubey said was correct. Hated Grangers antics. Being tough is one thing. Making more out of a situation than is already there, is fabricated toughness. Which ironically makes you a wuss.
So why are we so quick to label Danny as a fake tough guy? I'm not saying that he is a real big tough guy or anything, but i dont think its fair to say whether he should be riled up or not. How can we look at his anger and be quick to say "nope, fake"?
DG for 3
You wouldn't get mad in an emotionally heightened atmosphere if somebody threw an elbow at you?
Granger felt his arm pull away, if that had connected with his head or ribs that would have seemed justified. He did what probably half of the league would have done. In a PREASEASON game D-Will got even more worked up over less lol
It is a preseason game, less at stake. And it seemed Danny was trying to find any reason to go after Lebron with his lip service only to look tough. It doesn't matter what I would do or what anyone would have or has done. The fact is we were up, it was the slowest elbow ever, Danny got in his grill before and after that about lesser stuff, and if something was to be said it didn't need Danny to get like that.
There are times (Dunleavy's action against Tyler), but in the playoffs that was stupid.
I guess I just didn't have a problem with. It really wasn't a slow elbow either, you just never get a good look at it in real time. Personally I don't get mad very often when I'm playing sports cuz it's for fun. But if somebody takes a cheap shot at my friend or myself I will feel obligated to say something about it. Maybe he was looking for something to get mad about, but if you recall he and LeBron have never liked each other anyway.
The fact that it IS in a playoff game makes me think he's angry and not just "acting tough."
The only time Danny got in Lebrons face was when James threw an elbow in Granger's general direction(which happened twice). I would hardly call that "looking for a reason" to get in the King's face. That's just telling him he doesn't appreciate someone trying throw 'bows at him.
Amateur psychology.
Are you kidding? The first video is exactly what I was talking about. The fact that Lebron had already thrown an elbow at him how is he supposed to react the second time?
This isnt even evidence supporting nor damning your argument. It's two situations where a player got upset with another and told him to his face. He's not being tough, or "acting tough". Jeez.
If you combine all these "reactions" then you get what I am talking about. And these are the only that I found on youtube. I was in BLF and saw his yapping. It was excessive. It seemed forced. No one else was doing it. The reaction of other Pacers was noncommittal. Believe what you want. And I will believe what I want.


text:
'But if the Sabres are to have any chance of regaining the faith of their fans, it will have to be accomplished on the ice. Audiences won't spill into the arena to see a waffling team just because a new owner is in place. The local populace has become far too jaded for that.'
You are here: Home / SabresBeat / 'It's not about playoffs' for Sabres, who are showing signs of life


text:
Antioxidant Supplementation in Patients With Kashin-Beck Disease
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Kashin-Beck Disease
|Dietary Supplement: Biological Antioxidant Supplementation
|Phase 2
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: Triple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|Study of the Effects of Antioxidant Supplementation in Patients Suffering From Kashin-Beck Disease
- Score on FLACC or Word Graphic pain rating scale at 3, 6, 9 months [ Time Frame: One Year ]
- Increase in serum selenium concentrations at 6 months [ Time Frame: Six Months ]
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|July 2007
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|April 2009
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|January 2009 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Dietary Supplement: Biological Antioxidant Supplementation
Current research regarding Kashin-Beck disease, (KBD) have identified dramatic deficiencies of both selenium and iodine in patients with this disease. Initial supplementation of these trace minerals provided no measurable benefit to the affected population. Research conducted by Innovative Humanitarian Solutions, suggests that such deficiencies may not be causal, but markers of an underlying condition of extreme oxidative stress brought on by the improper functioning of the Glutathione Peroxidase enzyme in synthesizing H202 during periods of critical cellular development, primarily in mesenchymal cell development.
The purpose of this trial is to determine the efficacy of antioxidant supplementation in aiding the Glutathione Peroxidase enzyme in its proper function and thereby reducing oxidative stress and enabling the uptake of selenium and iodine which are necessary for proper bone growth and development.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|9 Years to 18 Years (Child, Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Clinically diagnosed patients with Kashin-Beck disease
Exclusion Criteria:
- less than 24 hours from admission to ICU
- Patients who are moribund
- Lack of commitment to program
- Absolute contraindication to enteral nutrients
- Severe acquired brain injury
- Pregnant or lactating patients
- Previous randomization in this study
- Enrollment in a related interventional study
- Child's class C liver disease Metastatic cancer with life expectancy < 6 months Seizure disorder requiring anticonvulsant medication
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00376025
|Contact: Jeff C Cokenour, B.S.
|Contact: Don Heath, B.S.
|China, Tibet
|Lhasa Prefecture and surrounding villages
|Lhasa, Tibet, China, 850000
|Sub-Investigator: Don Heath
|Study Chair:
|Richard Gunasekera, Ph.D.
|University of Houston - Victoria
|Principal Investigator:
|Jeff C Cokenour, B.S.
|Innovative Humanitarian Solutions
|Principal Investigator:
|Minh Han, M.D.
|Innovative Humanitarian Solutions
Additional Information:
|Responsible Party:
|Richard S. Gunasekera, Ph.D., Study Chair and P.I., University of Houston - Victoria
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00376025 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|September 12, 2006
|Last Updated:
|February 12, 2008
Keywords provided by Innovative Humanitarian Solutions:
Kashin-Beck Disease
Kashin-Beck Osteoarthropathy
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Kashin-Beck Disease
Bone Diseases, Developmental
Bone Diseases
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Protective Agents
Physiological Effects of Drugs
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


text:
Complete kit for adding brakes to your trailer
Includes disc brake actuator
Two disc brakes with ceramic pads
Back-up solenoid
Single axle brake line kit
The Tie Down Trailer Disc Brake Kit comes complete with everything you need to add brakes to your trailer. Includes a Tie Down Disc Brake Actuator; back-up solenoid; two Galv-X coated, vented-rotor disc brakes with ceramic pads; and a single axle brake line kit. Designed to fit trailers with 13", 14", or 15" wheels.
Tie Down Disc Brake Actuator
• All aluminum master cylinder
• Warns operator when brake fluid is low
• Oversized master cylinder provides higher pressures
• Drop-N-Go auto latch with 2" coupler accommodates 2" hitch ball
• Fits trailer frames up to 3" wide
Tie Down Eliminator Disc Brakes
• Vented rotor with Galv-X finish
• Ceramic brake pads
• 380 aluminum caliper with E-coat finish
• Raised ribs dissipates heat up to 5 times faster
Brake Line Hose Kit
• Two 24" brake lines with two fittings


text:
Research Methods in Taxation Ethics: Developing the Defining Issues Test (DIT) for a Tax-Specific Scenario
- Authors
- Source
- Legacy
- Disciplines
Chapter 2 Androgen Action During Prostate Carcinogenesis Diping Wang and Donald J. Tindall Abstract Androgens are critical for normal prostate development and function, as well as prostate cancer initiation and progression. Androgens function mainly by regulating target gene expression through the androgen receptor (AR). Many studies have shown that androgen-AR signaling exerts actions on key events during prostate carcinogenesis. In this review, androgen action in distinct aspects of prostate carcinogenesis, including (i) cell proliferation, (ii) cell apoptosis, and (iii) prostate cancer metastasis will be discussed. Key words: Androgen receptor, prostate cancer, androgen metabolism, androgen signaling, castration-resistant prostate cancer. 1. Androgen Signaling Androgens are the male sex hormones, which control the differ- entiation and maturation of male reproductive organs, including the prostate gland. Testosterone is the principal androgen in cir- culation and is synthesized by Leydig cells in the testes, under the regulation of luteinizing hormone (LH), which is further regulated by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Adrenal glands also synthesize a small amount of androgens, such as dehy- droepiandrosterone (DHEA) and androstenedione (4-dione) (1). Testosterone enters prostate cells by passive diffusion, where it is converted enzymatically by 5-α reductases to the more potent androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT) (2). Binding of androgens to the androgen receptor (AR), a ligand-modulated transcrip- tion factor, induces a conformational change in the AR, causing release of heat shock proteins and translocation of the AR to the F. Saatcioglu (ed.), Androgen Action, Methods in Molecular Biology 776, DOI 10.1007/978-1-61779-243-4_2, © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011 25 26 Wang and Tindall nucleus, where it transcriptionally regulates the expression of tar- get genes (3). In addition to the classic genomic effects of sex steroids, accu- mulating


text:
Two Essential Apple Charts
Everyone is looking for the bottom in Apple (AAPL).
Of course, we have been for months now. I've seen many technicians talking about a broken stock and continued further downside. Anything is possible, but I have two charts here that may say something a bit different. These aren't new charts either as I've posted them in the past for price projections on AAPL....451 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
Already a Subscriber? Please login.


text:
Move to 60-day DL ends Logan's season
DENVER -- It's safe to say left-hander Boone Logan's first season hasn't been anywhere close to what the Rockies had in mind when they signed him to a three-year, $16.5 million contract this past winter. And on Monday, it officially came to an end.
The Rockies transferred Logan to the 60-day disabled list before the series opener against the Giants to make room for infielder Rafael Ynoa on the 40-man roster.
Logan was originally placed on the DL on Wednesday with left elbow inflammation. It was the fourth time he's landed on the DL this season and the third time he's been on the shelf due to continued soreness in his left elbow.
The Rockies decided to sign Logan in December despite him being only a few months removed from a surgery to remove a bone chip and shave down a bone spur in his pitching elbow. Logan missed the first week of the season as he continued to recover from the procedure and never regained his past form from there.
In 25 innings for the Rockies, Logan surrendered 20 runs (19 earned) on 31 hits and 11 walks. He did strike out 32 batters across that span but Logan was scored upon in 12 appearances.
Cody Ulm is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
I've been reading Herbert Marcuse's 1964 classic One-Dimensional Man again; more relevant today than ever.
"In the most advanced areas of this civilization, the social controls have been introjected to the point where even individual protest is affected at its roots. The intellectual and emotional refusal 'to go along' appears neurotic and impotent. This is the socio-psychological aspect of the political event that marks the contemporary period: the passing of the historical forces which, at the preceding stage of industrial society, seemed to represent the possibility of new forms of existence. But the term 'introjection' perhaps no longer describes the way in which the individual by himself reproduces and perpetuates the external controls exercised by his society. Introjection suggests a variety of relatively spontaneous processes by which a Self (Ego) transposes the 'outer' into the 'inner.' Thus introjection implies the existence of an inner dimension distinguished from and even antagonistic to the external exigencies—an individual consciousness and an individual unconscious apart from public opinion and behavior.
The idea of 'inner freedom' here has its reality: it designates the private space in which man may become and remain 'himself.' Today this private space has been invaded and whittled down by technological reality. Mass production and mass distribution claim the entire individual, and industrial psychology has long since ceased to be confined to the factory. The manifold processes of introjection seem to be ossified in almost mechanical reactions. The result is, not adjustment but mimesis: an immediate identification of the individual with his society and, through it, with the society as a whole. This immediate, automatic identification (which may have been characteristic of primitive forms of association) reappears in high industrial civilization; its new 'immediacy,' however, is the product of a sophisticated, scientific management and organization.
In this process, the 'inner' dimension of the mind in which opposition to the status quo can take root is whittled down. The loss of this dimension, in which the power of negative thinking—the critical power of Reason—is at home, is the ideological counterpart to the very material process in which advanced industrial society silences and reconciles the opposition. The impact of progress turns Reason into submission to the facts of life, and to the dynamic capability of producing more and bigger facts of the same sort of life. The efficiency of the system blunts the individuals' recognition that it contains no facts which do not communicate the repressive power of the whole. If the individuals find themselves in the things which shape their life, they do so, not by giving, but by accepting the law of things—not the law of physics but the law of their society."
You can read the entire text of this absolutely essential book by clicking here.
For more free articles and videos, visit my website at wheelerwinstondixon.com


text:
Home > Birthday Banners > Womens Birthday
Two tone birthday banner which can be any colours. Message says 60 Years Young, Happy Birthday Grandma, You're the greatest!, but this can be any age and Grandma can be a name and the message can say anything you want. Of course most of our other banners can be changed to Grandma, Granny, Nannie or even Great Gran.
We print and despatch as soon as possible. Despatch is usually the next working day but can be later if we have a large number of orders that day. If you ask for a proof we wait until you have approved before sending. Banners and posters are packed in postal tubes. Royal Mail 24 (First Class post equivalent) does not require a signature and postman will leave somewhere safe or return to local office and leave a card for redelivery. Royal Mail Special Delivery and Courier delivery both require signatures.
Delivery costs and options in UK are:
*Courier delivery is mainland UK only and excludes north of Scotland. For Highlands, Islands, Channel Islands and Northern Ireland use Royal Mail Special Delivery.
International delivery (except for Republic of Ireland) is no longer offered.
For best results ensure that your photos are as large as possible. Most digital cameras produce good quality enlargements, however, the quality of mobile phone photos is not as good. Images downloaded from websites such as Facebook are very small and do not print very well. If you are scanning photos please scan as large as you can, aim for A4 sized prints as a minimum size and save as jpg.
If you are re-photographing a photograph beware of reflections, you may see yourself reflected in the image or a large white dot which is the flash! Try taking in a bright light without flash, keep image flat or it will be distorted, if in a frame take it out to avoid reflections from the glass. Please open the file to check it is OK before you send it to us.
Photographs can be posted to us for scanning at no extra cost, they will be returned. Send to Bannerama, Unit 40 Claydon Business Park, Ipswich IP6 0NL
There are 4 size of banner, these are the approx sizes:
Small, suitable for a small room in a house, or across a door: 3ft x 1ft (900 x 300mm) approxMedium, most popular size, suitable for most rooms, restaurants, pubs: 5ft x 1ft 9in (1500 x 550mm) approxLarge, for larger venues, halls, marquees etc: 7ft x 2ft 6in (2100 x 750mm) approxExtra Large, for a really big event: 10ft x 3ft (3000 x 900mm) approx
For indoor banners we recommend using poster pads, blutac or pins or you can select the eyelets for tying with string. Indoor banners are a lightweight polypropylene and are not heavy. Eyelets are not recommended for 3ft banners.
For outdoor banners use eyelets through which you can put string or cable ties to attach to a fence or a wall etc. We do not recommend using eyelets on 3ft banners, use pins instead, but if requested there will be 4 eyelets one at each corner. Eyelets are 24mm across with a hole diameter of 11mm, they are a brass colour.
Great service, fast turnaround and great quality. I always order from bannerama.
The banner template will not change, our designers make all the changes for you so you get the best banner possible. If you would like to see a jpg proof of your banner before it is printed please ask in the Any other information box.
Catalogue Number: WBB4
(Details shown apply to the default selection)
This is the third time I have ordered from bannerama. The end products have all been excellent and the staff are extremely helpful. Excellent all round - will definately use again and again.
This banner is to be blue tacked in a hall for a 50th surprise birthday, it's the right weight to be tacked, will not come away from the wall, was also delivered the next day. So good I'm going to get another one
Excellent service I ordered and received my banner within 24 hours using standard delivery. The quality of the banner is first class, the photos are clear and accurate and colour is exceptional. Will certainly recommend to everyone. Thank you
I was hesitant at first to spend money on this incase it wasnt what i wanted but i couldnt have been more wrong.It exceeded my expectations in every way from the quality of the product, pictures and the prompt delivery.The whole family were absolutely over the moon with their beautiful keepsake and i will 100% use again and recommend. Dont hesitate order now and you wont regret it !!!!!!
So delighted and better than expected. This was a welcome home banner for my Daughter and new son in law from honeymoon. They were so surprised my daughter had tears in her eyes. So professionally executed and first class. Wish there was more that 5 stars!, would so recommend Bannarama and will use again. Thank you.
Personalised celebration and party banners with photos. Indoor or outdoor 3ft, 5ft, 7ft or 10ft.


text:
Off Broadway Theatre Presents DOCTOR U, 2/8-3/16
Sci-Fi is alive at the Off Broadway Theatre! We are proud to present: "Doctor U." Travel through time and space with the Doctor and his companion, all the way to Utah... circa 2013 (and beyond)... for an adventure that spans nearly two hours. The Doctor's arch-nemesis has returned with an evil undertaking that could wreak havoc for any Time Lord. Plus, he's enlisted the help of intergalactic villains, nefarious aliens, and Benjamin Franklin. For the first time in history, history could be history unless the Doctor can put the entire world back on the clock. Don't even blink or you'll miss nearly a millisecond of this paradoxical adventure.
The parody of "Doctor Who" is written by Mike Brown & Logan Rogan and directed by Mike Brown. For Reservations: Call the Box Office: 801-355-4628 or go to www.theOBT.org and purchase your tickets online.
The show runs Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm from February 8 through March 16 (No performance on Mon. Feb. 11)at the Off Broadway Theatre, 272 South Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City.
Ticket Prices:
$16 adults
$12 students with ID
$10 children 12 years and under


text:
Esther Chávez, 76
Mexican activist brought to light killings, rapes of women
MEXICO CITY -- Esther Chávez, 76, a vocal champion of human rights who against enormous odds drew attention to the killings and rapes of hundreds of women in the violent border city of Ciudad Juárez, died Dec. 25 of cancer, her hometown newspaper El Diario reported Saturday on its Web site.
Ms. Chávez is widely acknowledged as a pioneer, the first activist to document and decry the 1990s killings of several hundred women. Most were young, poor workers in U.S.-owned assembly plants in the Mexican city whose deaths were largely ignored by authorities.
A former accountant for an American food-processing company, Ms. Chávez began compiling files in 1993 on women whose bloodied, battered bodies kept turning up in the harsh desert surrounding Ciudad Juárez, across the border from El Paso, Tex. She badgered officials, pressured police, comforted victims' families, led street demonstrations and, in 1999, founded the first rape-crisis center in the region.
Juárez politicians were dismissive; they didn't want to do anything that might damage business with the assembly plants, clustered mainly along the border, and their U.S. and Japanese owners. Police, notoriously corrupt, were uninterested. Most of the dead women were migrants from other parts of Mexico, so they had no local family to advocate on their behalf. They had only Ms. Chávez.
Early in her activism, Ms. Chávez speculated that the tendency of the plants to hire women (smaller hands were better for the assembly work, it was argued by the companies) might have contributed to a macho backlash that explains some of the killings.
"Women are occupying the space of men in a culture of absolute dominance of men over women," Ms. Chávez told the Los Angeles Times in 1999. "This has to provoke misogyny." For years, it seemed in Ciudad Juárez that men could snatch young women from the streets with impunity, rape and kill them, and suffer no consequence. The phenomenon came to be known as "femicide" -- woman-killing. Thanks largely to Ms. Chávez and a few other activists, a handful of arrests were made over the years. But the killing never really stopped, and most cases went unsolved.
Petite and persistent, Ms. Chávez opened Casa Amiga in 1999 for rape victims, and it later developed into a center for women suffering from domestic abuse. She remained highly critical of the complicity or inefficiency of police and other authorities.
In 2008, she won Mexico's National Human Rights Award, and just a few months ago she criticized the decision of President Felipe Calderón to name Arturo Chávez Chávez as national attorney general. Chávez Chávez had served as state prosecutor overseeing Ciudad Juárez at the height of the killings.
Early this month, in what might have felt like vindication for Ms. Chávez, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that Mexico violated human rights conventions by failing to investigate adequately the slayings of three women in Ciudad Juárez in 2001. The court ordered Mexico to pay more than $200,000 to each of the victims' families.
Lydia Cacho, a journalist and activist who has gained fame denouncing pedophile and human-trafficking rings, said Ms. Chávez was a "nurturing and loving mother" for a generation of human rights defenders, and an "international beacon" shedding light on the brutalities of Ciudad Juárez.
"She was the one who showed us the way," Cacho wrote Saturday in the El Universal newspaper. "It was Esther who intuited that the symbolic sewers (of Mexico) were not underground, under the streets, but were the institutions of the Mexican state -- men capable of murdering for pleasure and for power."
Ms. Chávez was the model for a character in "El Traspatio," a movie about the killings of women in Juárez that is Mexico's Academy Award entry this year. In the movie, a middle-aged social worker hounds the city police, showing up periodically with boxes full of photos of dead women and meticulous reports on their lives and deaths.
Ms. Chávez was born in 1933 in the city of Chihuahua, in the state of Chihuahua where Ciudad Juárez is located. She moved to Juárez in the 1980s. On the Casa Amiga Web site, Ms. Chávez wrote about her decision to fight on behalf of women.
"The voice of the woman is a reflection of her condition on Earth," she wrote. "Air echoes in a chest that is smaller, vibrates vocal cords that are smaller and that produce a higher, thinner sound. It requires twice the energy, twice the intensity of a man's voice" to be heard.
"This is why I learned to shout for those who couldn't . . . and to cry so many times for and with so many women, girls and boys whose voices and whose lives have been crushed by the impunity of our state and our nation."
-- Los Angeles Times


text: Culture 8 November 2012 Anne Applebaum: "Why did so many people co-operate with what were clearly evil and unjust regimes?" The Books Interview. Sign up for our weekly email * How does Iron Curtain, your new book about eastern Europe after the Second World War, relate to your previous book, Gulag, a history of the Soviet camps? In a way it came out of Gulag, because the thing that became interesting to me in the course of writing that book was the question of why people went along with things; why people collaborated. Why did so many people co-operate with what were clearly evil and unjust regimes? You describe a process in the Soviet sphere of influence in eastern Europe after the war that you call "passive collaboration". I struggled for the correct phrase. Someone who read the manuscript said, "You shouldn't use the word 'collaboration'." On the other hand, I couldn't think of what other word I could use. What I meant were people who went along with things because they had very bad choices and because the circumstances of their lives forced them to do it. I have huge sympathy for people who lived in, say, Poland or Czechoslovakia in that period. I have much less sympathy for people in the west. There was always information about what was going in eastern Europe. They had plenty of good choices. So I don't feel sympathy for Eric Hobsbawm and his friends but I do have sympathy for unwilling, half-enthusiastic communists in eastern Europe in the 1950s. They had a tough time. What was the legacy of that collaboration? The psychic costs were very high. I lived in Poland in the 1990s and that was a very difficult, angry time. People were often angry about change, about the past and developed complexes about life being unfair. You see it still in the politics of contemporary Hungary, you see it in the politics of contemporary Russia – the idea that there are conspiratorial groups in society that want to overthrow the established order. That comes directly from the communist period. You mentioned Eric Hobsbawm. How do you see the role of western communists and fellow-travellers in this period? You mention Sartre, among others, in the book. They assisted in legitimising the regimes, at least for a period, but I wouldn't overplay their role. They were important in legitimising the Soviet Union in the 1930s – that was when they did real damage. You suggest that there was nothing inevitable about the fate of eastern Europe. It's not as if the countries in the region were predisposed to totalitarianism. Right. If Austria had been taken over, Austria would have been a communist country. And if the Soviets hadn't taken over Poland, Poland wouldn't have been a communist country. What did the eastern European communist leaders in this period have in common? People such as Bierut in Poland, Rakosi in Hungary and Ulbricht in East Germany were the people Stalin could put most faith in. That was because they had previously allowed themselves to be put under the Comintern umbrella. They had gone along with the Comintern's various changes of political line. And so they were known quantities. Why do you place so much emphasis in the book on ethnic cleansing in eastern Europe after the war? The eviction of the Germans, in their millions, from eastern Europe was an enormous operation and it was largely funded and carried out by local Communist Parties with the help of the Red Army. And that had a number of effects: it helped to create communist structures on the ground and it was also extremely popular. But those structures turned out fairly quickly to be rather precarious didn't they? There's a very real sense in which Soviet totalitarianism contained the seeds of its own destruction. When you attempt to control everything, you also politicize everything. The system, in attempting to control every aspect of society, creates the possibility of dissent. That's exactly what happened in the 1950s and repeated itself over and over again until the very end. Anne Applebaum's "Iron Curtain: the Crushing of Eastern Europe 1944-56" is published by Allen Lane (£25) Jonathan Derbyshire is Managing Editor of Prospect. He was formerly Culture Editor of the New Statesman. Subscribe from just £1 per issue More