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Testimony given by John R. Dyer, Executive Director to the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Information Officer, on the "Status of Computer Security at Federal Departments and Agencies"
September 11, 2000
Hearing held before the Government Reform Committee, Subcommittee on Government, Management, Information, and Technology
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:
Thank you for inviting me here today to discuss computer security at the Social Security Administration (SSA). We appreciate this subcommittee's interest in systems security and agree that system security is critical in today's environment.
At the outset, let me emphasize that SSA has always taken its responsibility to protect the privacy of personal information in Agency files very seriously. The Social Security Board's first regulation, published in 1937, dealt with the confidentiality of SSA records. For 65 years, SSA has honored its commitment to the American people to maintain the confidentiality of the records in our possession. We understand in order to address privacy concerns we need a strong computer security program in place.
Modern computer security requires the implementation of sophisticated software and control of access to the system. SSA uses state of the art software that carefully restricts any user access to data except for its intended use. Using this software, only persons with a "need to know" to perform a particular job function are approved and granted access. Our systems controls not only register and record access, but also determine what functions a person can do once access is authorized. SSA security personnel assign a computer-generated personal identification number and an initial password to persons who are approved for access (the person must change the password every 30 days). This allows SSA to audit and monitor the actions individual employees take when using the system. These same systems provide a means to investigate allegations of misuse and have been crucial in prosecuting employees who misuse their authority.
Today, I would like to discuss where we are with computer security and what improvements we are making. SSA approaches computer security on an entity wide basis. By doing so, we address all aspects of the SSA enterprise.
Enterprise-wide Security
Overall, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) who reports directly to the Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner is responsible for information system security. In my role as CIO, I assure that our initiatives are enterprise wide in scope. At the Deputy Commissioner level, SSA's Chief Financial Officer, assures that all new systems have the required financial controls to maintain sound stewardship over the monies entrusted to our care. We also have placed our systems security policy function with this Deputy Commissioner.
In order to meet the challenges of data security in today's highly technological environment, the Agency has adopted an enterprise-wide approach to systems security, financial information, data integrity, and prevention of fraud, waste, and abuse. We have full-time staff devoted to systems security stationed throughout the Agency, in all regions and in central office. We have established centers for security and integrity in each SSA region. They provide day to day oversight and control over our computer software. In addition, we have a Deputy Commissioner-level Office of Systems which supports the operating system, develops new software and the related controls and, in general, assures that SSA is taking advantage of the latest in effective systems technology.
SSA has been certifying its sensitive systems since the original OMB requirement was published in 1991. Our process requires Deputy Commissioners responsible for those systems to accredit them. SSA's planning and certification activity is now in full compliance with NIST 800-18 guidance.
SSA's sensitive systems include all programmatic system needed to support programs administered by the Agency as well as critical personnel functions. They also include the network and the system used to monitor SSA's data center operations.
As an independent agency, we have our own Inspector General (IG) who can focus his efforts on the agency's needs and concerns. The IG is also very active in working with other Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies to assure all avenues for investigation and prosecution are being pursued--especially for systems security-related issues.
In summary, we have in place the right authorities, the right personnel, and the right software controls to prevent penetration of our systems and to address systems security issues as they surface.
Information Systems Security Plan
As I mentioned, SSA has maintained an information system security program for many years. Its key components, such as deploying new security technology, integrating security into the business process, and performing self assessments of our security infrastructure, to name a few, describe goals and objectives that will touch every SSA employee.
Of particular importance this year are the activities related to the Presidential Decision Directives (PDD-63) on infrastructure protection and continuity of operations. We have recently completed an evaluation of all critical SSA assets. I'm pleased to note that SSA was one of the first Agencies to do so.
Originally, SSA was not one of the Tier I agencies. But given the importance of ongoing monthly payments we have been elevated to that level by the critical infrastructure assurance office.
As part of this effort we have completed an inventory of all critical assets and implemented an incidence response process for computer incidents. We have also revised our physical security plans to assure our facilities are properly secured. Recently, we were one of the key agencies that evaluated the CIO Council's "maturity" model. This will help us compare where we are with industry standards overall.
Ongoing Monitoring and Assessment
Our independent auditor, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, has evaluated our security program each of the last 4 years. They have given us many recommendations to strengthen our security program and we have implemented 77 percent of their recommendations. We are addressing the remainder at this time. The remaining recommendations involve longer timeframes to implement. They will be completed on a flow basis-we anticipate all will be completed by the end of the next fiscal year.
In addition, SSA has its own formal program of onsite reviews and corrective action. We also use an independent contractor, Deloitte and Touche, to review our systems and overall management of the program. All of this is tracked at the highest levels through an executive internal control committee which I chair and has membership of the Inspector General and key deputies.
Zero Tolerance for Fraud
Finally, I also want to state that we have a zero tolerance at SSA for fraud, waste, and abuse. We believe that our zero tolerance policy has paid off, as evidenced by the fact that almost all of the recommendations made to the Agency by independent auditors in recent years have been of a pre-emptive nature as opposed to a remedy for any actual abuse. Nonetheless, when we have evidence of an abuse of system privileges, addressing the matter is a number one priority of the Agency.
On June 22, 1998, Commissioner Apfel issued a notice to all SSA employees about administrative sanctions to be taken against any SSA employee who abuses his or her systems privileges. The penalties are severe and will lead to termination of employment for any offense that involves selling data. On March 2, 2000 this notice was revised and updated to make it even more relevant to employees.
SSA's IG is committed to the investigation and prosecution of every employee abuse case that is identified. Many of the SSA employee cases turned over to the IG for investigation were first discovered by the Social Security Administration itself. We must keep in mind that overwhelmingly SSA employees are honest, hardworking people.
In order to ensure that our mission critical systems are up and running, we have a solid contingency plan in place. In August 2000, we completed a successful test of all SSA critical systems. Also, SSA has in place a hotsite as backup for its critical operations. These are recommendations that Pricewaterhouse Coopers thought it was important for us to complete.
Recent status by PwC noted substantial progress in this area. No new issues were identified as a result of this year's review. We believe all issues have been resolved, but are awaiting PwC's final report.
Moving Away from Mainframe Systems
I want to come back to the broader concerns. Addressing systems security is, and always will be, first of all, a high priority for SSA. By design, the Agency has used a system architecture that relied almost exclusively on mainframe systems and centralized databases. With this architecture we are able to more tightly control computer security than those Agencies who are faced with large numbers of local and/or distributed systems.
As SSA, in the increasingly technological environment, moves away from the mainframe environment to more distributed systems, we carefully consider, at every step of the process, how to build in security features. We have taken a number of steps to ensure that these new systems are as secure as possible.
We are on constant alert to identify both intrusion detection and denial-of-service type attacks. SSA's firewall team uses various services that list current hacker activity in order to identify the different types of attacks and how to respond and avoid them. SSA uses various filters on our routers to deny these specific attacks.
We have supported and will continue to support the independent audit of our financial statements. We have supported the auditors' detailed testing of SSA's systems. We work with the various oversight bodies-the General Accounting Office and the IG, for example, to review what we are doing and identify any issues they believe we need to address. Only in this way can we be assured SSA is getting all the advice that is available to us, and doing its utmost to maintain the security of our computer systems, and the data they contain.
New Emerging Concerns
We are well aware of the daily stories about new viruses, hackers, and security breaches and have taken both preventive and enforcement actions to protect information in Social Security files from any wrongful use by our own employees and from any unauthorized access by outsiders. Mr. Chairman, SSA takes a very proactive approach to identify hacker activity and adopt the proper defensive posture to prevent interruption to SSA's website services. We use state-of-the-art technology to protect our network. We are on constant alert to identify both intrusion detection and denial-of-service types of attacks. SSA's network is monitored 24 hours a day, not only by SSA technicians but also by contract services.
This is not to say that we are resting on our laurels. We constantly reevaluate and, when necessary, upgrade the security features necessary to maintain the public's confidence that our systems are secure. Computer security is a top management priority.
When Social Security first became independent in 1995, and had its own IG for the first time devoted only to SSA's activities, the Commissioner asked the IG to make employee integrity the number one issue and the IG has done so. SSA has consistently asked for additional resources for the IG and received support from Congress for those requests.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, the Social Security Administration has a long-standing tradition of assuring the public that their personal records are secure. Both the Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner give systems security their highest priority. We all recognize that this is not a one-time task to be accomplished, but rather is an ongoing mission we can never lose sight of. We know we cannot rest on past practice, but must be vigilant in every way we can to assure that these personal records remain secure, and that public confidence in SSA is maintained.
I want to thank the Subcommittee for holding this hearing and focusing on what we all view as a critical issue. We are glad to know that the Congress shares our concerns, and we will work with the Subcommittee to assure the American people that we are doing all we can to maintain the security of our computer operations. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.


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Hare Krishna (or just the Krishnas) is a gang featured in Grand Theft Auto 1, and Grand Theft Auto 2.
They are featured as pedestrians in the original Grand Theft Auto and then become a gang that Claude Speed can take missions from in Grand Theft Auto 2. Krishna's leader, Sunbeam, is Claude's first contact in the industrial sector. The Krishna are at war with The Zaibatsu Corporation and the Russian Mafia.
The Krishna's status is unknown during the end of GTA 2, though it is believed that they were slaughtered in the Vedic temple.
- In GTA 1, the player received a 'GOURANGA' bonus for running over an entire procession of Hare Krishna. 'GOURANGA' is actually a term that was popularized as use by the Hare Krishna movement during the 1970s. It is often used to describe happiness. This is also a cheat code in the PC version of GTA 2.
- 'GOURANGA' can also be achieved by lining up the Hare Krishna and gunning them down with a machinegun, also resulting a full wanted level from the police as if doing it with the car. (GTA 1)
- If you get close to the lead member of a group you can run around him or stop and have him walk up behind you. If done correctly he will begin to follow you and the rest of the group also follow. They will leave you if they get scared by gunfire (By you or anyone else) or if they get scared from vehicles (By you or anyone else again) and they won't follow you again after they flee in fear. (GTA 1)
- When they are following you, you can lead them into danger such as falling off a height or onto rail tracks. But be careful, you can also die depending on what you lead them into. (GTA 1)
- You can also have fist fights with them and end up having a massive brawl with Krishna even fighting each other. As fists do not hurt the fight can last for ages. This will happen if they follow you or not. Also after a fist fight they won't hold anything against you and will follow you. If they already were following you, they will continue to do so. (GTA 1)
- They won't follow you into vehicles or trains if you get in them, they will hang around it trying to get in until the vehicle or train moves, this will scare them away. (GTA 1)
- In the GTA 2 manual, it is said that their criminality is entirely based around stealing and destroying technology, due to the fact that they are tired of being run over by cars with nothing but tambourines to defend themselves (a reference to the first Grand Theft Auto, where the player was rewarded for running them down).
- When the player drives a RC Car into them in GTA 1, the player will gain a much bigger amount of money.
- The name Hare Krishna is derived from Hindu gods Lord Hari and Lord Krishna.
- Their favorite radio station is Heavenly Radio.
- A group of men dressed as Asian monks appear briefly in GTA 2: The Movie, as passengers in a step van that Claude Speed commandeers. They are presumably meant to represent the Hare Krishna gang.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.

subset: commoncrawl


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Shopping Made Easy
Father's Day is coming up fast and while there are a lot of options on what you could go out and get him, if your dad is a gearhead, you might want to take a look at Eastwood's Father's Day Gift Guide. This year Eastwood's Father's Day Gift guide will be featuring over 90 items from tools to restoration paints. Items range in price from $25 to $100.
"If your dad has it all and is difficult to shop for, forget about buying him another tie this year," said Nick Capinski, Eastwood's Sr Content and Engagement Marketing Manager. "Eastwood's Gift Guide has over 90 items that will make his day special."
That's not all Eastwood is offering to their customers this year, the Father's Day 500 which will give away one lucky winner a $500 Eastwood Gift Certificate. To get involved, all you have to do is share a story of a special tool box that you own.
Every tool has a story and we want to hear these stories. Whether it is a tool your father passed down to you or one that he modified for a special job.
Whether your dad is an enthusiast or you're simply having trouble finding something to buy for him, the Eastwood Father's Day Gift Guide will have you covered.


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> Body Style
> Strat
> Fender Tom DeLonge Graffiti Yellow Strat
Our Fender Tom DeLonge Graffiti Yellow Strat Specifications
Item: The Original Tom DeLonge Strat Our Replicated Tom DeLonge Strat Finish: Graffiti Yellow Graffiti Yellow Body Type: Solid Body Solid Body Body Wood: Alder Alder Body Construction: Bolt-on Bolt-on Neck Wood: Maple Maple Headstock: Large CBS Style Large CBS Style Fretboard: Rosewood/Maple Rosewood/Maple Inlays: Smiley Face Inlays Smiley Face Inlays Scale Length: 25.5" 25.5" Frets: 21 21 Tailpiece: String-Thru String-Thru Pickguard: 3-Ply White Pearloit 3-Ply White Pearloit Controls: 1 Volume 1 Volume Hardware: Chrome Finish Chrome Finish Pickups:
1 Seymour Duncan Invader Humbucker
1 Wilkinson Humbucker
A Brife Introduction to Tom DeLonge Stratocaster
Thomas Matthew "Tom" DeLonge, Jr. (born December 13, 1975) is an American rock musician. He has been the guitarist and singer in many popular bands, most famous being Blink 182. Tom also did a side project with Travis Barker called Box Car Racer. In 2005 Tom started the band Angels and Airwaves.
Early on his career, DeLonge is known to use Fender Stratocasters. The Fender Stratocaster is an electric guitar. The Stratocaster's sleek, contoured body shape differed from the flat, slab-like design of the Telecaster. It is one of the most popularly copied electric guitar shapes. Fender Guitars worked with DeLonge in late 1999 to create the Tom DeLonge Stratocaster (signature guitar) which consisted of a solid alder body fitted with a single Seymour Duncan Invader Bridge pickup. It was controlled by a lone volume knob adding to its simple design. Its neck was made of solid maple with a rosewood fretboard. The necks included a large 1970s "CBS" headstock. The Fender signatures stratocaster are still being used by DeLonge for recording songs by either of his bands. This guitar is perfect for alternative and pop punk.
Tom DeLonge Stratocaster was available in various different unique finishes. (For the time being, we have only duplicated five model--Surf Green, Black, Daphne Blue, Graffiti Yellow, and Chrome Silver, and other models are being developed and processed. If you are intrested in other models, please contact us. We have professional custom chain to provide high quanlity guitars what you need)
Features of Our Fender Tom DeLonge Graffiti Yellow Strat
We have bought Tom DeLonge Strat professional drawings and meticulously studied this electric guitar, thus we can grasp every details of processing technique. So all our guitars are flawless when it comes to craftmanship. Besides, they are absolutly 100% hand-mades. An alder body, maple neck with a rosewood fretboard. (One thing to note is that the original start has two kinds of fretboards--rosewood and maple, so we also provide these two kinds of fretboards for you to free choose) Those three kinds of wood have been purchased in large volumes from our professional wood suppliers. So we can duplicate it in an cost-effective method. The finish is absolutely brilliant. The pearloid pickguard brings out the body color very well. All that make the strat look real pretty.
As for other parts, It has 21 medium jumbo frets and the layout for Tom DeLonge Strat is only one volume, hardtail bridge and a humbuking pickup. One might think that the configurations system of Tom DeLonge Strat is too simple, but acturally Simplicity is key. Tom DeLonge has said "I don't need the other pickups and I don't need the extra knobs. I like to keep my rig as simple as possible - plug straight in and play! Switching pickups and all that kind of weird stuff becomes too tedious for me." So this is a great straight-ahead guitar for someone who wants a simple Strat with no frills added. (Our replica guitars are strictly in accordance with those 3 parts)
All the hardware is chrome.
The fretboard is rosewood with "smiley face" inlays. One thing to note is that the original guitar inlay is abalone dot. However, taking in the experience of discussing with our customers, now we change the dot inalys to "smiley face", which is more populared by our customers. But if you insist on the dot inlays, we can also satisfy your need.
Only the finest woods and hardware go into this masterpiece. We comply with Tom DeLonge Strat specs strictly. So our guitars are nearly the same with the original one. Our duplicated Tom DeLonge Strat is definitely a must have guitar! All in all, our replica guitars are quality assured and cost-effective and can save much money for you.
This guitar has some truly great features for the right price. It will satisfy a lot of musicians' desires. If you are interested in our replicated Fender Tom DeLonge Graffiti Yellow Strat, please don't hesitate to contact us. Pictures in our website are limited, and a lot of high-definition pictures will be provided if you email us.
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Posted by timothy on Wednesday July 01, @04:11PM
from the three-euro-per-croissant dept.
from the three-euro-per-croissant dept.
Al writes"Technology Review discusses what a US carbon trading scheme could learn from the flawed European experience. Advocates of carbon-trading schemes like to point to Europe's cap-and-trade program as a model worthy of emulation, but the reality has been less than perfect. A glut of pollution credits, distributed without cost during both the first, transitional phase of the program and the current working phase, drove down the value of the EUAs. As a result, Europe's carbon dioxide emissions remain priced well below 20 euros per ton. With the price of pollution so low, economists say, industries that generate and consume energy have no incentives to change their habits; it is still cheaper to use fossil fuels than to switch to technologies that pollute less. Establishing a carbon price in the US system now, and tightening the system later, could send a dangerously wrong signal to financial markets looking to invest in new energy technologies."


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Photos of Diego and Laura Garcia's Apartment
Get the Look: Diego and Laura Garcia's Luxe Upper East Side Pad
About five years ago or so, I met Diego Garcia, the lead singer of the band Elefant, at some shows in New Orleans. In full rock star style, he was taking tequila shots in his tour bus with an array of pretty young things and walking barefoot in front of the Decatur Street House of Blues; I got the feeling that he couldn't put up this act for much longer. It turns out that the band called it quits it last year, and now Garcia devotes his musical talents to an eponymous solo act — his new album is due out April 5.
Further proof that the musician has settled down is a new Vogue.com tour of Garcia's luxurious Upper East Side Manhattan apartment, which he shares with his bombshell Brazilian fashion designer wife Laura, their adorable baby girl Georgiana, and their French bulldog Alaïa. Instead of collecting bar stamps, it seems the singer has picked up a passion for curating a personal art collection. His home's interiors are impeccably outfitted with Milo Baughman chairs, Karl Springer poufs, a Hope Atherton painting, a Donald Baechler piece, and miles of art books. It's restrained, eclectic, worldly, and absolutely envy inducing.
Since it's so grandly minimal, recreating the look of the cool couple's living room might require a second mortgage, but it can't hurt to try. Click to learn how to get the look!


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Rare Ferrari 'Spider' Fetches $27.5 Million
A rare Ferrari convertible sold for $27.5 million at an auction last night in Monterey, Calif. The RM Auctions sale was part of the weekend of collector-car shows, sales, vintage racing and other events that have sprung up around the annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
The car, a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 N.A.R.T Spider, has long been among the most coveted road-going collectibles in part because Ferrari built just 10 of them. But experts had valued them at about $10 million recently and the auction house estimate was between $14 million and $17 million, so the final sale price was a stunner.


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MCI is present in 31 countries with 61 offices.
Our global team would love to support you on your next meeting, event, congress or association management project – wherever that may be.
MCI is present in 31 countries with 61 offices.
Our global team would love to support you on your next meeting, event, congress or association management project – wherever that may be.
MCI's digital events harness the latest technology trends to increase membership engagement, reach your target audiences and reinforce your growth strategy.
A complex regulatory environment has been enforced by intense stakeholder scrutiny.. We support organisations with their membership management through creative events, policy development and full conference management.
MCI's dedication to sustainability and innovation means we are perfectly placed to tackle the latest challenges affecting the energy and utility industry, delivering unique corporate solutions, and offering informed Association Management.
With heightened consumer expectations in the sector, our strategic approach to business meetings and membership management helps you meet these challenges, and drives business results.
Gain a competitive advantage and expand your audience reach through our unique sales incentives, product launches, corporate events and trade shows.
The booming sports industry offers great opportunities for clubs and associations to increase audience engagement and build stronger communities through creative events, gala dinners and team-building activities.
A number of key global trends are forcing organisations in the business, management and administration field to rapidly transform their own business models in order to stay relevant.
Our track record working with leading automotive companies on different types of projects, demonstrates both the depth and breadth of our capabilities and knowledge.
Leading innovators in strategic design and delivery of immersive, memorable and meaningful live, digital and virtual brand experiences.
Expert destination services and incoming event organisation in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas.
Creating innovative marketing events and rarefied experiences in the areas of fashion, financial, culinary, automotive, sports, travel, entertainment and luxury lifestyle.
Marketing and performance measurement services, specialising in controlling live communication.
A public affairs coalition and stakeholder management company.
We are proud to hold a number of highly respected industry accreditations on a national and international scale.


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Beautiful modeling!
Erie drops you into a visually stunning, yet terrifying scenario where your goals are to investigate, survive, and finally escape. It's first person horror meets intense dark-ride with hidden, rotting cats. Erie begins in October 1966, when the Fermi 1 Nuclear Power Generator suffers a partial meltdown, and locals begin disappearing from a sleepy Michigan town. Oliver Victor is a Red Cross Investigator sent to find missing locals, but quickly finds himself trapped underground and being hunted by a product of forced-mutation experiments. Oliver's rescue mission quickly turns into a struggle to survive, escape and uncover what's been happening under the nuclear plant on the shores of Lake Erie. Developed by the University of Utah's EAE Master Games Studio Program.
Beautiful modeling!
Jumpscare... Hate tht
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.


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Coming off two successive record crops in 2004 and 2005, cotton is becoming established again as a major agricultural commodity in the Rolling Plains of north Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, but Oklahoma cotton farmers face significant challenges in 2006, says Bob Collins, secretary of the Oklahoma Cotton Council.
"I have been a cotton farmer for years," Collins said. "If someone had told me 20 years ago cotton would no longer be one of the major sources of income to farmers in this vicinity, I would have laughed at them."
But it happened.
Like a lot of other people who relied on cotton, Collins knew the boll weevil was a serious threat. In the 1990s, the boll weevil made it too expensive to farm cotton in many areas. Each year, farmers needed more and more insecticide applications to fight the weevil, Collins said.
"I accepted the responsibility of being executive secretary of the Oklahoma Cooperative Cotton Ginners Association in 1981," he explained. "There were 54 cooperative cotton gins and 30 gins owned by the Chickasha Cotton Oil Co. and other independent owners in this area. Now there are 18 cooperative gins and two independently owned gins."
The boll weevil put 64 cotton processing centers permanently out of business. Another example of the negative effect of the boll weevil took place in 1997 in Tillman County, once the leading Oklahoma cotton producing county, when three farm cooperatives were dissolved to become one cooperative. Three cotton gins closed forever. The new cooperative, Tillman County Producers Cooperative, reopened the Red River gin southwest of Frederick to take care of the cotton being produced. That gin expects to process more than 48,000 bales for the 2005 season.
"What saved the cotton industry across the United States, not just in the Rolling Plains, was the boll weevil eradication program," Collins said. "The boll weevil is no longer a problem for cotton farmers."
But other challenges remain. A battle has been joined between the Bush Administration and members of Congress who represent cotton producing states, Collins said.
"Negotiators who are working with the World Trade Organization and other cotton producing nations think U. S. cotton farmers have to give up important government production incentives so the United Sates can compete effectively in world markets. On the other hand, Congress has told administration representatives they don't intend to make big changes in the 2007 farm bill."
Also, dry weather, some call it a drought, is making cotton farmers uneasy right now, Collins said.
"If you drive north past Hobart, Okla.," he said, "winter wheat doesn't look too bad. Although it probably hasn't been enough, farmers up there have had more rain than farther south. If we don't get good rains this month, there won't be much wheat to harvest."
Without a wheat crop to harvest, Collins believes more farmers will be planting cotton so they can put money in the bank before wheat planting starts next fall.
"There will be more cotton planted this year," he said. "And if we get good rains in the next two months, I believe there will be even more cotton planted. A lot of farmers will plant more cotton than ever. An indication is that all of the cottonseed available for 2006 spring planting is spoken for. We could see shortages in certain varieties."
With these challenges on international and local stages looming, Collins is riding a new horse. In August, 2005, the Cooperative Ginners Association of Oklahoma, the Cotton Cooperative Foundation Inc. and the Oklahoma Cotton improvement Association faded away to become one group, the Oklahoma Cotton Council.
Collins, who had been executive secretary of the cotton ginners group, accepted the challenge of leading the new organization.
"We needed to regroup and put all our effort into one organization that would not only serve the cotton farmer, ginner and warehouseman, but also be a leader in pushing for more cotton research and legislative help." Collins said. "We are going to be more active in seeking legislation that will assist cotton production in Oklahoma and we are going to help Oklahoma State University and other entities in cotton research."
Collins, who at one time only worried about his cotton farm and the responsibilities of being Tillman County Schools superintendent, has seen cotton production in the good times and when it almost failed completely.
Now, he sees a new awakening. Developments like transgenic cotton varieties and no till cultivation are helping cotton regain its place in agricultural production.
But some of these practices have not been tested in times of drought. Cotton marketing companies are worried about the loss of American textile mills. Cotton can be exported to China or South Korea, milled into shirts and then sold back to U. S. consumers cheaper than if produced entirely in this country.
These are exciting times for cotton production in this country, but there is a lot of uncertainty.
"One thing is for sure," Collins said, "the future won't be dull. When I started working with cotton people, I had to learn fast. And I am still learning. Cotton is on its way back and I am happy to be along for the ride."


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[Late hyacinth] Hyacinthus Serotinus obsoleto colore; [Star-of-Bethlehem] Ornithogalum lactum maximum; [Star-of-Bathlehem] Ornithogalum Spicatum maximum
Eichstatt, 1713. Hand-coloured engraving. Trimmed within platemark top margin and at the platemark on the right, wormhole in bottom margin, otherwise very good. Basil Besler published "Hortus Eystettensis", the earliest large folio botanical, at Eichstatt near Nuremburg, in 1613. He worked on the drawings for the 374 copper engravings over a period of sixteen years using the plants in the garden of Bishop Johann Conrad von Gemmingen, his patron. Depicted in this florilegium were flowers, herbs, vegetables and newly discovered plants such as tobacco and peppers. Besler was, in modern terms, a botanist and horticulturalist, and he was familiar with real and alleged medicinal properties of various plants. Besler had the good fortune to live at a time when exotic plants were being shipped to Europe from all over the world. The garden that he organized and illustrated for his patron was both ornamental and experimental, and the large book he had engraved after his drawings was unique. The prints, made by a team of master engravers, are strong and exquisitely done.
[Bookseller: Donald Heald Rare Books]
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World Bulletin/News Desk
Syrian government forces battled on Friday to recapture sections of the Damascus ring road from rebels pressing in on the capital, opposition activists said.
War planes fired rockets around Jobar, Qaboun and Barzeh neighbourhoods, the sources said. Heavy fighting was taking place at the Hermalleh junction on the ring road just south of Jobar, which had been seized by the rebels.
Rebel fighters based in the eastern Ghouta region broke through government defensive lines on Wednesday, capturing parts of the road and entering Jobar, 2 km (one mile) from security bases in the heart of the city.
President Bashar al-Assad, struggling to contain a revolt in which 60,000 people have been killed since March 2011, has lost control of large parts of Syria but his forces, backed by air power, have so far kept rebels away from central Damascus.
Captain Islam Alloush of the Liwa al-Islam rebel unit said his fighters did not plan to stay on the road. Their control of surrounding areas already rendered the road useless as an army supply line.
"They are fighting off the regime forces but they do not intend to stay at Hermalleh if their losses mount. The objective of this operation is a slow advance toward Damascus," he told Reuters.
Alloush said the rebels had posted snipers in Jobar, where army roadblocks had been overrun or surrounded.
A university student living in Jobar said control of the Harmalleh junction was changing hands between the rebels and the army. By attacking the road, he said, the rebels had linked Jobar with the eastern Ghouta, a rebel-held expanse of suburbs and farmland adjoining Damascus.
The Local Coordination Committees, an opposition activist group, said 44 people were killed in Damascus on Friday. They said 46 people were killed on Thursday, mostly from army shelling.
With a supply line open to military bases on the coast, Assad's core forces from his minority Alawite sect are still based comfortably in the Qasioun mountains on the northwest edge of Damascus, from where they have been shelling the suburbs.
Rebel commanders say they have made mistakes in the past, entering Damascus and other cities without first cutting army supply lines.
Fawaz Tello, a veteran opposition campaigner connected with rebels in Damascus, said the operation was part of a slow encroachment by rebels on the capital.
"Even if the rebels withdraw from the ring road, it will become, like other parts of the capital, too dangerous for the regime to use it," said Tello, speaking from Berlin.
"We are witnessing a 'two steps forward, one step back' rebel strategy. It is a long way before we can say Assad has become besieged in Damascus, but when another main road is rendered useless for him the noose tightens and his control further erodes."
Assad, aged 47, has been president of Syria since the death in 2000 of his father Hafez al-Assad, the "Lion of Damascus", who had ruled for 30 years.
Resentment against the dynasty's repressive ruled boiled into pro-democracy protests in March 2011 and the country has slid into full-scale civil war, with rebel forces based around the country's Sunni majority. Assad is backed by Shi'te power Iran.
The prospect of a negotiated settlement is slim. But Syrian Information Minister Amra al-Zubi said on Friday the opposition was welcome to come to Damascus to discuss Syria's future in line with Assad's proposals for a national dialogue.
Assad's main foes, who have mostly been driven into exile, had already rejected the proposal.
Zubi did not respond to an initiative by opposition leader Moaz Alkhatib, who heads the Syrian National Coalition, to meet Assad's ceremonial deputy Farouq al-Shara if the authorities began releasing tens of thousands of political prisoners.
Khatib, a moderate cleric from Damascus who met representatives of Assad's main backers, Russia and Iran, in Germany this week, said he will withdraw his initiative on Saturday if the authorities do not release all the women jailed during the revolt.
World powers fear the conflict - the longest and deadliest of the uprisings that spread through the Arab world two years ago - could envelop Syria's neighbours, further destabilising an the region.Last Mod: 09 Şubat 2013, 15:24


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Perry used his State of the State address to argue that Texas' economic outlook is bright enough that it can afford to cut taxes while spending a major chunk of the $12 billion in the so-called "Rainy Day Fund." Doing so answers calls from the business community to improve the state's infrastructure but signals a dramatic departure for Perry, who spent years building tea party support by imploring the Legislature not to touch the fund.
"Our bank balance is healthy, our economy is growing, our future is limitless," Perry told a joint session of the Legislature.
The longest-serving governor in state history, Perry also ignored calls from Democrats to use the fund to restore $5.4 billion in cuts to public education passed in 2011 amid a $27 billion budget shortfall sparked by a then-sluggish economy.
With unemployment down, state sales tax receipts up and the economy humming, Perry urged lawmakers to cut taxes, saying "providing at least $1.8 billion" over the next two years "is a good place to start."
He also wants to amend the Texas Constitution to allow the state to return tax money it collects but doesn't spend.
"Today, I'm calling for a mechanism to be put in place so when we do bring in more than we need, we'll have the option of returning tax money directly to the people who paid it," Perry said. "Currently, that's not something our constitution allows. We need to fix that."
About 64 percent of state revenues come from sales tax, so it's not clear how money could be returned proportionately. The rest of the revenue comes from the business margins tax and state fees.
The governor skipped some of his signature issues, not mentioning abortion, gun ownership rights or illegal immigration. He vowed again that his state would not expand Medicaid as directed under the White House's health care reform law, but Perry also refrained from his usual Washington-bashing.
He even said "Texas stands ready to do our part" and answer President Barack Obama's calls for unity as he started his second term. That wasn't as big a shift as turning away from his past stance on the Rainy Day Fund, though.
"While we cannot -- and will not -- raid the fund to meet ongoing expenses, we also shouldn't accumulate billions more than necessary," Perry said. "That's why I support a move to utilize $3.7 billion from the Rainy Day Fund for a one-time investment in infrastructure programs."
Forcing the governor's hand a bit is the fact that the fund is nearing a maximum value imposed by the state constitution, after which money begins automatically flowing back into the state budget.
Perry's address made some leading tea party lawmakers uneasy. Republican Rep. David Simpson of Longview said the call to return tax money needs scrutiny.
"I heard the word `mechanism,' that reminds me of force," Simpson said. "Certainly, if we brought in the taxes, it should be used for public purposes. My concern is that I don't want to see more corporate welfare."
Perry also focused on education, calling again for a four-year tuition freeze at state universities while proposing tying a minimum of 10 percent of state funding to the number of students universities graduate. He said it was important to expand university education to South Texas and along the state's border with Mexico saying: "I'm proud that Texas is a place where anyone can make a difference, regardless of where you're from or how you might spell your last name."
Rep. Trey Martinez-Fischer, a San Antonio Democrat who chairs the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, was not impressed.
"Every community in our state has felt the pain of the governor's obsession with harsh budget cuts and so-called tax relief," Martinez-Fischer said in a statement. "The measure that our constituents hold us to is not how big or small government is, but whether it works."
It was the seventh time Perry has given the biannual State of the State. Two years ago, he declared there would be "no sacred cows" immune to deep budget cuts amid an economy still feeling the effects of The Great Recession. Lawmakers responded by slashing funding from schools and many other state services.
"The tough decisions we faced last session tested our resolve and our dedication to the principles that brought us here," Perry said Tuesday.
But Democrats panned the address as willfully blind to the needs of low-income Texans and school districts.
"What I heard was a lot about investing in infrastructure, roads and water, but not enough about investing in people," said first-year Democratic Rep. Gene Wu of Houston.
At one point, more than a dozen protesters with the Texas Organizing Project interrupted the speech from the House gallery. Police arrested James Caldwell of Houston after he shouted "Governor Perry, what are you going to do about the 7 million uninsured people in Texas?" He was handcuffed and jailed on charges of Disrupting a Meeting or Procession.
Republicans drowned out his shouting with a standing ovation for Perry.
"I didn't know there would be that much excitement about tax relief," the governor joked.
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Scott Dunlap's blog of trail running, ultrarunning, triathlon, and other life adventures. I enjoy the physical, emotional, and spiritual journey of outdoor events and the chance to meet cool people. This blog contains interviews, research, original fiction, new product ideas, and all things trail running.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Jones-Wilkins and Pacheco Rock the US 100 Mile Championships, and other stories
Wilkins And Garner Win USA 100 Mile Trail Titles
Andy Jones-Wilkins rocked the Rocky Raccoon 100 to finish 2nd in 14:56:55, good enough to win the USA 100-Mile Trail Championships. His teammate Jorge Pacheco (from Mexico, although he frequents Southern California) came in first in an amazing 13:16:56 - just seconds off the world record. Connie Gardner from Medina, OH, clocked an amazing 17:04 to clinch 1st female, and the women's US title.
(Click here for the full story)
The "Running Man" of Baltimore
The Baltimore Sun did a great article on Keith Boissiere, a local ultrarunner. I don't get the impression he runs a lot of organized ultra races, but his solo 50-mile one way runs to Washington, DC (and a bus ride home) definitely shows he has the ultra spirit. He sounds like a great guy.
(Click here for the full story)
Scott Jurek, the King of Ultramarathoning
A write-up on Scott's back-to-back wins at Western States and Badwater last year. A good one for those of you who just finished the Death Valley Marathon. So much for "I don't do roads"!
(Click here for the full story)
Happy training!
7 comments:
Hey Scott,ReplyDelete
Connie Gardner is from Medina, Ohio.
Thanks for catching that! I corrected it above and re-ping'd for the RSS update. Much obilged.ReplyDelete
Makes my 10 mile trail run on Saturday sound like a nothing! I have been enjoying reading Trail Runner Magazine lately so I actually know who these people are now! Thanks for the update.ReplyDelete
IT will be interesting to see what Jurek is able to do at Freescale Austin Marathon on th 19th.ReplyDelete
- Dave Jabas2/15/2006 04:58:00 AM
How do I reach you to get info on advertising on your blog.
Dave Jabas
- Anonymous2/15/2006 03:45:00 PM
Good interview over atReplyDelete
Runners World Daily
Hey Scott, thanks for stopping by. Hope you're doing well!ReplyDelete
I LIVE for comments! Please add your thoughts, let me know you stopped by, etc., and be thoughtful of others. Always best if you sign your name, of course.


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A baby gorilla born at Lincoln Park Zoo last fall is recovering from a serious facial injury she suffered last week that may have been inflicted by another gorilla.
Zoo staff discovered on Wednesday that Nayembi, born Nov. 16 to mother Rollie, had been injured, according to a zoo spokeswoman. Animal care staff immediately separated the infant and Rollie from the rest of the gorilla group, which includes her father, Kwan, also the father of baby gorilla Patty, born at the zoo in October, according to a blog post by Lincoln Park Zoo President Kevin Bell.
Nayembi underwent surgery soon after her injury was discovered, and is now being treated at the zoo's animal hospital.
"Her recovery isn't a certainty—we find few certainties with such fragile infants, nearly a quarter of whom don't make it through their first year of life," Bell said in his blog post. "But she's playing throughout the day and getting plenty of sleep, just like an infant should. These are good signs."
The zoo has stepped up monitoring of the gorilla troop, which includes a total of eight gorillas, including the two infants, according to Bell.
"It's been a difficult few days, filled with worry for everyone at the zoo," but plans to respond to an injury among the gorillas were followed well, and helped get Nayembi the care she needed quickly, Bell said in the blog post.
Twitter: @ChicagoBreaking


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Researchers in psychology often have a large number of variables. Science aims for parsimonious explanations of the world. Thus, the challenge is to develop a principled approach to dealing with the multiplicities that arise in psychological research. One common approach is to combine tests that measure similar things into composites. This post looks at how to form composites. The emphasis is on settings where you have multiple ability tests and you want to create a composite ability factor. Also, particular emphasis is given to how to do it in SPSS.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Calculating Composite Scores of Ability and Other Tests in SPSS
By jeromyanglim on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 Labels: scales, SPSS, tests 175 comments
Monday, March 23, 2009
Inquisit: Simple Reaction Time, Four Choice Reaction Time, and Typing Test
In 2007 I was looking for a tool for running psychological experiments online. It was important that the online tool could record reaction time. After a little exploration I started using Inquisit.
I've attached a script that I wrote which provides a basic measure of simple reaction time, four-choice reaction time, and a typing test. I thought I'd make the script available for others to use and modify. The program was written for Inquisit 3.0. The Inquisit website has a pile of additional scripts. It also has a fully functional trial-version of the software.
Click on the link below to download the script. Change the file extension to ".exp" to associate with Inquisit.
By jeromyanglim on Monday, March 23, 2009 Labels: Inquisit 4 comments
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Photos from My Office - The University of Melbourne
By jeromyanglim on Saturday, March 14, 2009 Labels: random 0 comments
User Interface for R: StatET and Eclipse
R is tremendously flexible. It's flexible in how commands can be written, and it's flexible in the user interface that can be used to run it. I've been playing around with different user interfaces on Windows for a while now.
By jeromyanglim on Saturday, March 14, 2009 Labels: Eclipse, R, StatET 3 comments
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Saving Citation Information from Google Scholar
I have often wanted to be able to export citations from Google Scholar into Endnote. While Google Scholar makes it easy to do this for single articles, it does not at present permit you to export an entire search.
I've found a work around. Anne-Wil Harzing's Publish or Perish Software (free) searches Google Scholar and allows you to export a file that contains the ciation information of the entire search. This can then be imported into Endnote. It also exports in Bibtex and CSV format.
It's also a great way to assess the impact and citation rates of individual scholars, journals, and particular articles.
By jeromyanglim on Thursday, March 12, 2009 Labels: Endnote 0 comments
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Tobar an Dualchais - Kist O Riches
We are pleased to announce that this site is currently being upgraded and moved to a new technical platform, which will ensure that access to content can be maintained going forward. This is the first stage of an exciting project to secure the future of Tobar an Dualchais / Kist o Riches.
We are also delighted to report that after a busy year, there are now over 40,000 tracks available on Tobar an Dualchais / Kist o Riches, with lots more new material ready to be released once we have transitioned to the new platform this autumn. There will be no further updates until then.
We are very grateful to all of this year's funders: Aberdeen Asset Management, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Gaelic Language Promotion Trust, Paulsen Familiae Foundation, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Saint Andrew's Society of New York State, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Scottish Funding Council and University of Edinburgh.
The items you can listen to include stories, songs, music, poetry and factual information.
Featured Item
The Brahan Seer memorial at Chanonry Point. © Elsie Maclean
The Brahan Seer's prophecies have intrigued people for centuries and such is his reputation that his predictions are still spoken of today.
Most of what we know about him and his prophecies has come from the oral tradition and, according to folklore, the Brahan Seer's birth name was Kenneth Mackenzie. He was said to have been born in Uig on the Isle of Lewis in the 17th century and was known as Coinneach Odhar in Gaelic. There is no documentary evidence of his existence at this time but there is a record of a Coinneach Odhar in court archives who was accused of witchcraft in the 16th century.
He is said to have prophesised many events such as the Second World War, the demise of various Scottish clans, the Battle of Culloden, the construction of the Caledonian Canal, and the introduction of railway lines across the Highlands. A book of the Brahan Seer's prophecies was first published by Alexander Mackenzie in 1877. There has been much speculation about whether the predictions originated from one person and if the Brahan Seer really existed.
According to legend, the Brahan Seer worked for the third Earl of Seaforth and was employed as a labourer at Brahan Castle near Dingwall when one of his prophecies led to his own brutal death. The Earl of Seaforth was away in France and his wife, Countess Isabella, wanted news of his welfare. The Brahan Seer had a vision of the Earl with another woman and when he told her of this, the Countess had him burned alive in a barrel of hot tar at Chanonry Point on the Black Isle.
The Brahan Seer was said to have used a stone with a hole in the middle to see his visions and there are various tales as to how the stone came into his possession. Some say that he fell asleep on a fairy hill and awoke to find it in his pocket and in other accounts he found the stone in a raven's nest. In this version told by Donald Sinclair from Tiree, the Brahan Seer was on a beach one night when he met the phantom of a drowned maiden who told him where to find the stone, one that she herself had used for prophecy. Donald refers to him as 'Dun Kenneth' which is a translation of his Gaelic name.
Listen to 'How the Brahan Seer got the stone he used for prophecy/ Mar a fhuair Coinneach Odhar a' chlach a thug dha an dà-shealladh'
About the Website
Julie Fowlis and Chris Wright were Tobar an Dualchais' Artists in Residence in 2012
O Gur Mise a th' air Mo Mhealladh
Òran an Iolaire
79th's Farewell to Gibraltar (Canntaireachd)
Òran do dh'Alasdair Bhàlaigh


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KDE 4.1, released last month, brought a great number of improvements to the popular desktop environment. It's the best desktop I've ever used -- but that doesn't mean it couldn't be better. 2009 will see the release of KDE 4.2. Here are 10 features that would be great additions to a future KDE release that I hope the developers will consider.
Easier theme installation
One of the things I love most about the GNOME desktop is how easy it is to install new themes for it. Typically all you need to do is drag and drop a new theme into the configuration dialog and it's ready to be used.
KDE 4 has a nifty way of installing new Plasma themes by integrating the configuration with the KDE-Look Web site. As it stands currently, for window borders and system themes, you must download packages from your distribution's repositories or compile new themes yourself. In future versions, perhaps there could be a link that allows you to install themes directly from KDE-Look, similar to the way you can install new Plasma themes.
Automatically pause desktop effects while 3-D or full-screen apps run
The desktop effects in KDE 4 are top-notch, and offer all sorts of effects from transparency to wobbling windows. If you're a gamer, you may notice that some 3-D games take a performance hit when desktop effects are enabled, unless of course you have a video card with tons of video RAM. It can be difficult to balance desktop effects in a way that doesn't affect the frame rates of computer games.
It would be nice if KDE could recognize when desktop effects aren't needed and pause them temporarily to allow the resources on a system's video card to be dedicated to a tasks that need them more. For example, if you launch a full-screen 3-D game, desktop effects aren't needed while the game is running. In that instance, desktop effects should be paused until the program has closed. Even if you are running a 3-D game that isn't full screen in an active window, desktop effects may still hamper performance, so they should be disabled while it's running.
I submitted this idea to the KDE developers some time ago, but it wasn't implemented in KDE 4.1.
More Plasmoids in the online installer
In the newest release of KDE, you can install Plasmoids by clicking "Install new widgets" from within the Add Widgets menu. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, only one Plasmoid, PicoNet, is available to install. I would like to see more Plasmoids added to this menu, so users can avoid having to download one from KDE-Look and compile it themselves.
Include an RSS newsreader Plasmoid by default
In early builds of KDE 4, an RSS newsreader Plasmoid was included in Playground alongside the news ticker Plasmoid. Unfortunately, in my install of KDE 4.1, this app is nowhere to be found, not even in my distribution's repositories. The RSS newsreader is similar to the news ticker, but it organizes the news headings in a better way by putting each heading into a list. It would be great if the RSS newsreader again became a part of the default KDE 4 install.
Grid for organizing Plasmoids
If you have quite a few Plasmoids on your desktop, getting them all lined up can be time-consuming. A checkerboard grid that appears when you move or resize a Plasmoid to help you line it up with other Plasmoids would make organizing your desktop apps a cinch.
List applications in the kickoff menu by name
The current way of listing applications in the KDE 4.1 kickoff menu is difficult to understand at times. Applications are alphabetized in the menu by description, rather than the name of the app. For example, if you wanted to launch Firefox, you would normally look for it alphabetically under "F." Since the applications are listed by the description, you'd have to look for Firefox under "W" for "Web Browser - Firefox" instead.
The KDE 3 series ordered applications similarly, but you could configure it to sort the applications by the name, which is a great deal more convenient. I'd like this configuration option to return to KDE 4. Until then, the only way to change the ordering that I know of is to use KMenuEdit to organize the applications menu yourself, which can take some time. I submitted this idea to the KDE bug database, but this feature has not yet been implemented.
Customize favorite applications list
With KDE 4's kickoff menu, you can add applications to a favorites list for easier access, but I have found no way to organize this list, other than to remove all of the icons and then re-add them in the order you want them. I'd like to see a function that allows you to drag and drop the icons in a different order, or even include this ability in KMenuEdit to allow you to customize it there. This is a very minor complaint.
Separate wallpapers for each virtual desktop
I haven't found a way to display a different wallpaper for each virtual desktop. When I started using Linux in 2001 or so, this feature was common, as it helped differentiate each desktop. I would like to see it return to KDE.
Hiding and autohiding the panel
While this feature was already suggested to the developers, I'm including it here because it must be one of the most requested features to return in KDE 4. In the KDE 3 series and below you could click on an arrow to hide the panel, or even make it autohide when not being used. I'd like to see the ability to hide a panel make a comeback.
Make KDE faster
Finally, I'd like to see more work done in speeding up KDE. KDE 4.1 already is a fast and efficient desktop, and the KDE developers have done a great deal already in this regard. However, there's always room for improvement, since the less RAM needed to run KDE, the more people that would be able to run it.
As it is, the KDE desktop is already wonderful and full-featured. The amount of innovation that the developers were able to squeeze into the latest release is amazing, and I'm looking forward to future versions. If you have great ideas of your own for improvements, consider getting involved with the KDE project, and propose your ideas to the developers.


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Copyright 2004-2019 by WyomingGenealogy.com, the web pages may be linked to but shall not be reproduced on another site. Images may not be linked to in any manner or method. Anyone may use the information provided here freely for personal use only. If you plan on publishing your personal information to the web please give proper credit to our site for providing this information. Thanks!!!


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The first time I tried to visit Boulette's Larder at the Ferry Building, I was too late. They were closed, but the door to the Ferry Plaza was open, and I could see them inside setting up for a private party. It was a scene to behold with the long table down the middle of the room set with beautiful linens, flowers and crystal, the beautiful copper kitchen, the fireplace, the high ceilings and the open setting on the waterfront plaza.
Over the intervening years I've been to Boulette's many times for breakfast and lunch, and I stop by for salts, spices and little cookies on just about every trip to the Ferry Building. But I never forgot that beautiful table, and never stopped thinking (read: scheming) about how I'd manage to throw a party there someday.
On May 1, 2010 - my 40th birthday - I got my wish. My husband friends threw me the party I'd always wanted with about 15 of our closest friends. Lisa and Luis flew up with us, and we had an absolute blast staying at the Hyatt directly across the street from the Ferry Building. The whole weekend was a non-stop whirlwind of eating, drinking, and eating some more. Zuni, Pizzeria Delfina, Hog Island Oysters... I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!
As far as the party itself, I hardly know where to start. I have, quite simply, never had a better time. The food was incomparable and it was so nice to be surrounded by my best friends and people I don't get to see often enough.
One of those people, my good friend Sam Breach, joined us and took the beautiful photos you see here.
In lieu of a cake we had a croquembouche - a traditional French celebratory dessert made from a tower of cream puffs filled with pastry cream and held together with burnt sugar caramel. It was beautiful and I was delighted by the lilacs.
This shot really showcases Sam's eye for color and composition, and my elegant friends Susan and Moira. My friend Jora said it looked like a shot from Gourmet magazine.
The main course was a Wild Alaskan Halibut, with Oregon foraged mushrooms, beurre rouge and fava beans. The beurre rouge - a traditional French concoction of red wine, butter and shallots - had everyone at the table moaning. Literally. Several people said it was the best fish dish they had ever tasted. With the main course, we had two pinot wines - a 2007 Sean Thackrey Andromeda from Devils Gulch Ranch Vineyard in Marin, and Freeman Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast. Both were marvelous, but the Andromeda was especially nice. Special thanks go to our friend Tom for supplying all of the wines for the dinner!
The croquembouche was served with whipped cream and a citrus ice cream and paired with a really nice Tokaji. I had to eat the top puff off the tower, but the rest went home with Sam - they had plated cream puffs separately with the sauces. It was certainly a more civilized approach than tearing into the heap of puffs, if maybe not quite as much fun. After the dessert, came mignardise (chocolates and jelly candies) and coffee service.
The dining room was ours for as long as we desired, and we stayed for about an hour after the meal, sipping coffee and Tokaji and chatting. It wasn't until the end of the night, when Chef Amaryll Schwertner was getting ready to leave, that we realized her and Lori's Hungarian Sheepdog Boulette (for whom the restaurant is named) had been under the table the entire time!
After the dinner a few of us went on to Bourbon & Branch, a speakeasy style cocktail bar in the Tenderloin/Union Square area. I loved it, and plan to return sometime when I'm a little less saturated with cheer and good will to sample more of their multi-volume cocktail menu.
For me the 40th birthday felt like a milestone to be marked - a halfway point of sorts and a beginning of my true "grown up" life. This was a fantastic way to celebrate it, and I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to do it. Cheers and thanks to everyone who joined me, and to those who couldn't make it, you were missed!


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HLSW supports the most popular FPS games and allows you to quickly and easily search for servers using your defined criteria!
Create buddylists and then chat to all your friends. See what servers they are playing on and join them instantly via HLSW!
Monitor and administrate your servers via HLSW's built-in RCON support. Easy to chat, kick, ban, change maps and more!
Show your gaming-stats on websites and message-boards. Select from a variety of banner designs and sizes. Easy to implement!
The HLSW-Bot broadcasts thrilling matches to the IRC. Adjust the layout via skins.
HLSW supports a huge range of the most popular online-games allowing you to easily jump straight into the action from the HLSW server browser.
Monday, 26 September 2011
The HLSW beta v184.108.40.206 supports the brand new game Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad from Tripwire Interactive.
Monday, 29 August 2011
Another bug fix release is now available on the Android Market for both HLSW Mobile and HLSW Mobile Lite.
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
An HLSW mobile update has been released to the Android market that fixes a number of crashes, and also updates the list of supported games - adding Brink and TeamSpeak!
HLSW Mobile 2.5.6


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Release Candidate 1 is our first step towards Openbravo ERP 3.0. It is an early release that is comparable to a pre-alpha release. It gives a sneak peek into what is coming in 3.0 but be aware that this release candidate is largely incomplete. In fact it contains only 39% of the functionality we plan for the 3.0 core delivery.
It sports tabs, quick launch menus, a new application menu and a first stab at the My Openbravo portal page. In addition to the new GUI, we also introduce:
- A narrowed down scope based on the key flows
- New standard roles (discuss)
- Redesigned financial flows, including advanced payables and receivables management (discuss)


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celticdragon needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 25 designs submitted by 6 freelance designers.
AfterTheRecession.info is going to offer a wide range of articles/advice and listings of training courses for people who are looking to improve their prospects for when the upswing takes hold in a year or two.
After The Recession
It's not really too complicated an idea I think, the content is going to be what's important so the logo needs to be snappy but subtle.
The idea I had in my head was of:
After The
With "After The" being smaller and the typical graph showing markets going down and then up into the future (more positive) but as with all of my previous contests I'm open to suggestions and I have always picked a winner.
I always try to give as much feedback as possible on the designs submitted
- Subtlety
- The web design of the site features #cc0000 red and black (carbon/gradient effect if possible) so this would need to be included in the design
- Should be high res to be used in possible print media also
- No background colour
- eps/vector file
- Other colours....
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Yesterday, I participated in a Kendo demonstration with my eldest son Chris (age 30), at his daughter's (my granddaughter's) preschool. Chris explained the basics of Kendo to the children and I, in full bogu, stood by so that he could point out the striking targets (men, kote and do). After his talk, the children took turns hitting me!
I actually studied Kendo and took Chris with me when he was only about 3 or 4. It must have made an impression because he still practices Kendo. He was a member of Hawaii's team to the world tournament twice and actually will participate in a tournament on Kauai this weekend.
Chris, Maddy and Grandpa
So even though we were speaking to children who were only 3 of 4, it is possible that they will be inspired to study Kendo or another martial art -- even Karate -- one day.
I was never very skilled at Kendo, but I think that I could have defeated these kids -- except this one who hit me like a pinata!
By the way, the bogu I am wearing is actually one I purchased a couple of years ago for kobudo practice. I thought that it might come in handy when we practice bo.
Charles C. Goodin


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This Week at State: March 24, 2017
By DipNote Bloggers on March 24, 2017
Did you miss any key foreign policy developments this week? We've got you covered. Each week, DipNote will recap the latest U.S. Department of State highlights covering a wide range of global issues, events, and initiatives. Here are the highlights from This Week at State:
Secretary Tillerson Traveled to East Asia
U.S. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson concluded his first trip to the East Asia and Pacific Region with a final stop in Beijing, China on March 18. While in Beijing, Secretary Tillerson held meetings with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, and President Xi Jinping to discuss a range of bilateral and multilateral issues, including strategic coordination to address the advancing nuclear and missile threat from North Korea.
"Since the historic opening of relations between our two countries more than 40 years ago, the U.S.-China relationship has been guided by an understanding of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation. It is important that the leaders of our two countries engage in further dialogue to develop a common understanding that will guide our relationship for the next half-century." -- Secretary Tillerson's remarks at press availability with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi
Prior to visiting China, Secretary Tillerson traveled to Japan and the Republic of Korea for meetings with senior officials to discuss bilateral and multilateral issues, including the growing threat presented by Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
New #Twittermoment:⚡"Secretary Tillerson Charts Course for Cooperation With Asia-Pacific" region. https://t.co/RTTs3Lk3Q9— Department of State (@StateDept) March 19, 2017
Secretary Tillerson Convened The Global Coalition Working to Defeat ISIS
On March 22, the U.S. Department of State hosted the Meeting of the Ministers of the Global Coalition on the Defeat of ISIS, the first full meeting of the Coalition since 2014. The Ministerial was an opportunity for Coalition members to review and redouble current efforts to reduce the threat ISIS poses to international security and our homelands. In his remarks before Coalition partners, Secretary Tillerson reaffirmed that the goal of the Coalition remains to defeat ISIS. He also outlined how the Coalition's military campaign in coordination with civilian stabilization and normalization efforts in Iraq and Syria will lead to the destruction and defeat of ISIS.
U.S. Extended Condolences after Attack in London
President Donald J. Trump and Secretary Tillerson extended condolences to the victims and people of the United Kingdom following the March 22 terrorist attack in London.
"On behalf of the United States, I express my condolences to the victims and their families. The American people send their thoughts and prayers to the people of the United Kingdom. We condemn these horrific acts of violence, and whether they were carried out by troubled individuals or by terrorists, the victims know no difference." -- Secretary Tillerson's statement on the attack in London
President Trump spoke with U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May to offer his condolences following the attack, praising the quick work of security forces and first responders. President Trump pledged the full cooperation and support of the United States government in responding to the attack and bringing those responsible to justice.
U.S. Opposed UN Human Rights Council Agenda Item Seven
The United States' opposition to the United Nations' Human Rights Council's Agenda Item Seven: "Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories."
The U.S. strongly & unequivocally opposes the existence of the @UNHumanRights Council's Agenda Item Seven.— Department of State (@StateDept) March 20, 2017
More: https://t.co/rxgSXDjvcC
As an expression of our deeply-held conviction that this bias must be addressed in order for the Council to realize its legitimate purpose, the United States made the decision not to attend the Council's Item Seven General Debate session.
Editor's Note: This entry is also published on Medium.com/StateDept.
Follow the State Department on Twitter and Facebook for additional information and updates.


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Serious cyclists become obsessed with flashy new miracle-material frames and high-tech componentry, but there's also plenty of innovation among the less-glamorous parts of the bike. Here's proof that essential-but-mundane products like inner tubes, pedals, water bottles and indoor training stands can have a "wow" factor too.
Keep the air in there
Michelin Protek Max flat-proof inner tube: Unique diamond-shaped tube covered in ridges and pimples that automatically seals when punctured.
Likes: In theory, the odd pattern of bumps and ridges on the surface of the tube eliminates the Achilles' heel of cycling — flat tires. When a puncture occurs, the uneven surface naturally compresses and squeezes the hole shut; smooth tubes, on the other hand, tend to stretch a hole into a larger tear. Sealant inside the Protek Max tube finishes the job. I can't tell for sure that it's working, but I haven't had a flat on my mountain bike in a month. Michelin claims the tube maintains pressure longer than conventional tubes while sitting in your garage.
Dislikes: No tubes available for skinny-tire road bikes — just mountain and wide 700C-wheel city bikes. It costs twice as much as a normal tube and weighs more too, adding 1 ounce to a standard road bike and 2 ounces to a mountain bike. The tradeoff is worth it for most riders except gram-shaving racer types.
Price: $8.95. (800) 346-4098; http://www.michelinbicycle.com.
Pretty pedal
Ergon PC2 pedals: Lightweight, platform-style composite pedals made for touring, commuting and everyday riding that have a rough, sandpaper-like surface and a 6-degree tilt designed to increase power and comfort and reduce slippage.
Likes: Works as advertised. By nestling the ball of your foot into its proper power position, this extra-long (41/2-inch) pedal is comfortable and efficient; Ergon claims this "optimizes hip, knee and foot biomechanics" and prevents injuries and foot numbness. The rough surface, made of 3M Safety Walk material, keeps your foot from slipping, even in the rain. The smooth, reflector-embedded shape looks stylish and won't tear up your leg like the metal teeth on standard pedals.
Dislikes: Very expensive for non-clip-in pedals
Price: $69.95. (323) 848-4665; http://www.ergon-bike.com.
Nonstink drink
Specialized Purist water bottle: Plastic bottle with a thin interior coating of silicon dioxide that cleans instantly and prevents liquids from acquiring the taint of plastic or a previous beverage.
Likes: Seems to work. Old water tastes plastic-free, as if it had been stored in a glass bottle. There's little to no aftertaste after using it to hold an energy drink. The soft pull-out spout won't spill liquid when in the open position and tipped upside-down, except when sucked or the bottle is squeezed, similar in concept to the innovative CamelBak Podium bottle. A clear strip running the length of the bottle allows easy viewing of contents. Specialized claims the interior coating cleans up with a simple squirt of dishwashing fluid and a quick shake; a scrubbing will damage it.
Dislikes: Not cheap, but on par with the Podium. Although the spout locks down well, it is not as foolproof as the Podium's twist-lock.
Price: $11 for 22-ounce bottle, $12 for 26-ounce bottle. (408) 779-6229; http://www.specializedwaterbottles.com.
Direct-drive trainer
LeMond Revolution trainer: Unlike typical trainers that rest the rear wheel of your bike on a metal disc, the Revolution replaces the wheel with a heavy flywheel attached directly to your bike's drivetrain through a built-in matching rear gear cluster. The unique design is modeled after a contraption built by a neighbor of Greg LeMond in the early 1980s and forgotten in the garage of the three-time Tour de France champion for the last 20 years.
Likes: Smooth, consistent pedaling and "road feel" and progressive wind resistance with none of the problems of standard trainers, such as tire wear or tire slippage during acceleration. Your bike attaches and detaches easily to the 32-pound unit, clamping on via the rear dropouts as you attach your chain to the unit's freewheel. There's no need for a front wheel block since the rear dropout height is the same as the front. An optional power meter ($349) can display distance, speed, heart rate and calories burned (and download the data with USB and ANT+).
Dislikes: It's loud; you have to crank the TV volume way, way up to hear it. The base, at 24 inches wide, is a bit less stable while standing out of the saddle than some wider-based trainers. It's double the price of conventional trainers (but worth it).
Price: $499 without a cassette; $549 with a Shimano/SRAM compatible 10-speed; $569 with Campy hub adapter. (425) 482-6773; http://www.lemondfitness.com.
Wallack is the author of "Bike for Life: How to Ride to 100" and "Run for Life."


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This heavy glass platter is beautifully adorn with a colorful fish scene. We picked up this gorgeous piece at an estate sale and I am not sure of the circa. The platter is 14 1/2 inches in diameter and stands 1 3/4 inches tall. It is in excellent condition, no chips or cracks.
This vintage teapot, sugar and creamer each come with their own little aluminum cozy. The bottom is stamped in green with what looks like "Regal Design", "877448" and are marked "Made in England". All of the cosies are marked "Made in England". I purchased this little set at an estate sale so I am not sure on their circa, though I believe them to be older. All three pieces have some crazing but no chips or cracks. The teapot has darker crazing than the sugar and creamer and there is one spo...
This 10 oz. teapot or coffee pot is constructed of 18% nickle silver base metal. Wear-Brite Holloware has been manufactured by Grand Silver Company for over 70 years. I believe this to be an older coffee pot or teapot, but I am not sure exactly how old it is. It stands 5 1/4 inches tall, has a 2 1/4 inch top diameter and 3 1/4 inch base diameter. The bottom has "Wear-Brite Trade Mark 266-10 OZ" engraved on the bottom. It has a few minor scratch marks and could use a good polishing although ...
All Items : Breweriana : Contemporary item #424620 (stock #N1032)
This adorable miniature pewter beer stein with hinged lid and ornate handle stands 2 3/4 inches tall and 1 7/8 inches in diameter on the base. There are 3 intricate scenes in relief, "Wanderschaft", "Romanze", and "Malenzeft". The bottom is mark Actina, Zinn 95% and has a crowned swan symbol. It is in excellent condition. I am not sure of the circa on this little stein.
All Items : Glassware : Depression : Companies : L. E. Smith : Pre 1970 item #423967 (stock #T1031)
This beautiful light blue covered compote or candy dish was made by L.E. Smith in the Moon and Stars pattern. It stands 7 inches tall and is 6 inches in diameter. It is in excellent condition with no chips or cracks.
All Items : Cookie Jars : Pre 1980 item #423869 (stock #T1030)
In honor of the Bicentennial this beautiful iridescent marigold cookie jar was produced in 1976 by Bartlett and Collins, a division of Indiana Glass. The cookie jar has the Liberty Bell Inscription in raised lettering as well as an impression of the crack. There are 3 raised figures on the bottom of the bell - the Statue of Liberty, a Minute Man and a British Soldier. It stands 7 1/2 inches tall, 7 1/2 inches wide at the base and has a 4 1/2 inch opening. The cookie jar has no chips or nicks...
All Items : Glassware : Depression : Companies : Fenton : Pre 1970 item #423626 (stock #T1029)
This Colonial Green Basket was produced by Fenton in the Thumbprint pattern from 1968-1970. The basket stands 8 inches tall and is 8 inches in diameter. It is in excellent condition with no chips or cracks. The basket does not have the Fenton logo on it as it pre-dates the glass marking logo. The ware number on this piece is 4434.
All Items : Glassware : Depression : Companies : Fenton : Pre 1980 item #423320 (stock #N1028)
This beautiful Cameo Opalescent Comport was made by Fenton from 1978 to 1985. Prior to its re-issuance the Cameo Opalescent had not been produced by Fenton since the 1920's and was referred to as "a touch of yesteryear" in the Fenton catalog. The comport is in the Water Lily pattern, ware number 8431. It stands 5 inches tall and is 7 inches in diameter. It is in excellent condition with no chips, nicks or cracks. The bottom is marked with the oval Fenton logo.
All Items : Kitchen : Salt and Pepper Shakers : Contemporary item #413459 (stock #N1027)
These vintage globe shaped salt and pepper shakers were made by Irice NY. I am not exactly sure the age of these little shakers but I believe them to be older. They stand approximately 2 1/4 inches tall and they are in excellent condition with no chips or cracks.
All Items : Glassware : Depression : Companies : Indiana Glass : Pre 1980 item #412752 (stock #N1026)
This very pretty pitcher was made by Indiana Glass exclusively for Tiara Exclusives. Tiara Exclusives was started by Indiana Glass Company in 1970 and closed in 1998. This pitcher is in the Constellation pattern in the very vibrant red and orange color they called "Sunset." This piece was listed in the 1978 Tiara Exclusives Catalog. The pitcher stands approximately 7 1/2 inches tall and is approximately 5 inches in diameter. It is in excellent condition with no nicks, chips or cracks.
This very unique and colorful teapot comes with 2 cups. The teapot is white speckled with yellow and adorn with a vivid and bright reddish orange, green and blue. This was purchased in New Mexico. From what we can tell is one of a kind so I do not know the age of this set. The teapot stands approximately 7 inches tall with the lid and is 5 1/2 inches wide, it holds 8 cups. The cups are 2 1/4 inches tall and 3 1/4 inches in diameter. It is in excellent condition, no cracks or chips.
This adorable little geisha girl stands approximately 6 inches tall. There is some Japanese writing on her kimono sleeve and the bottom is marked Made in Japan. I am not she how old she is but she is in excellent condition with no cracks or chips.
This Home Interior Figurine is an Old Farmer feeding his chickens. I believe this is Mr. Mayfield's Years of Contentment. The figure stands 7 3/4" tall. The bottom is marked 1477 and still has the Homco made in Philippines label on the bottom. He is in excellent condition, no chips or cracks.
All Items : Glassware : Depression : Companies : Hazel Atlas : Pre 1950 item #411359 (stock #N1022)
Made in the 1940's to 1950's this Hazel Atlas "Early American Style Opaque" plate is in their lace edge pattern. The plate is 8 1/4 inches in diameter. It is in excellent condition, there are no chips or cracks. (Stand not included.)
This 6" X 5" Lillian Vernon candy dish or sweet dish has the appearance of a grape leaf. The stem of the leaf comes around to form a little handle with a small cluster of grapes to the side. The bottom reads "CHINA, LILLIAN VERNON 87." It is in excellent condition, no chips or cracks.
This beautiful Fostoria Heart and Diamond Candleholder was made by Fostoria for Avon in 1978. It is approximately 7 inches tall and made of clear Fostoria Glass. The candleholder is embossed with "Avon 1978" on its base. It is in excellent condition, no nicks or chips.
This 5 1/2 inch white porcelain egg with multi-colored butterfly decals was sold by Avon in 1974-1975. It was reissued in 1978 and again in 1979, however, this particular egg is from the originally issued eggs as it is stamped "Avon 1974." The reissued eggs had an "R" stamped either before or after the 1974. It is decorated with a 22K gold trim. This beautiful egg is in excellent condition, no chips or cracks.
All Items : Glassware : Depression : Companies : Indiana Glass : Pre 1980 item #411051 (stock #T1018)
This milk glass Bon Bon in the Diamond Point pattern was made by Indiana Glass. It is 3 inches tall and 5 inches in diameter. There are no chips or crack on this dish.


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out of 5 Stars
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We spend a lot of time worrying about the content to which we expose the young generation both individually and collectively. However, I am exceedingly coming to the conclusion that it makes absolutely no difference (at least as far as morality and lawfulness is concerned). Well sure, we know things like that children of Christians are likely to be Christians as adults and adults who are abusive are likely to have been brought up in abusive environments. But this is about as illuminating as saying that children growing up in German homes are likely to speak German as adults.
We are limited by our upbringing in as much as it imposes constraints on certain parameters of our behavior in language and culture. However, the "what of our children's ethics" moral outrage debates are held strictly within these parameters. And here the predictability of both individual and collective impact of content to which children (and adults) are exposed, seems to me, is pretty minimal.
First, one would hope that given all the bullshit supposedly great thinkers have put forth about the state of the youth of their day, it is amazing that we haven't learned that such statements are just never right. They weren't right about pulp fiction, comic books, and they are not even right about violent video games whose rise in the US coincided with halving the crime rate. No, the kids were not getting it out of their system! There is simply no reliable or predictable connection between what people read or watch and what they do. Sure we can always point at some whacko who did something horrible because he read it in a book or saw it on TV but there is no way to predict who will be influenced by what when and how. The Bible contains all sorts of violence and depravity (and not just in a way that says don't do it) and yet we don't see a lot more violence in devout Christians. But neither do we see less. In fact, if we look at the range of behaviors the Bible, or any other religious text for that matter, inspired over the millennia, the only thing we can say about them is that they are typical of human beings. They happened in parallel not as a consequence of the text.
By the same token, we can no more expect virtue coming out of exposure to virtuous content than we can expect depravity coming out of depraved content. A good example is Karl May who popped up on a comment thread on the Language Log recently. Entire generations of Central European boys (and at least more recently girls) grew up reading May's voluminous output detailing the exploits of the sagacious explorer Old Shatterhand aka Kara ben Nemsi. Old Shatterhand, a pacifist with a gun and a fist – both used only as last resort and in self-defense, embodies very much a New Testament kind of ethics, focusing on love, equality and turning the other cheek. But also on health, vigour and the German indomitable spirit.
It is inconceivable that anyone reading these books by the dozen (as I did in my youth) could ever think less of another race or do anything bad to man or beast. Yet, as we know, Central Europe was anything but calm in the last century which saw sales of May's books in the tens of millions. I wonder how many death camp guards or Wermacht soldiers did not read Karl May as boys. And as one of the Language Log commenters points out, Hitler himself was a May fan and supposedly tried to write Mein Kampf in the same style as his favorite author. How is this possible? Should we ban May's books lest such horrors happen again?
Of course not. People seem to have a remarkable ability to read around the bits that don't concern their interests. We can background or foreground pretty much anything. It is possible to read Kipling's Maugli as a cute children's story or as a justification for colonialism. When I first read it, I saw it as a manifesto of environmentalism and ecosystem preservation (I was about 8 so I did nor perhaps formulate it that way). But it can just as easily be read as an apology for man's mastery over nature.
Karl May wasn't quite banned in my native Czechoslovakia but his books weren't always easy to come by due, I was told, to a strong Christian bias. I could never understand that until I reread Winnetou recently and discovered long philosophical expositions on sin and violence that were just out there. No coy hints, straight up quotations from the Bible! When I was reading these books, I simply did not see that. Equally incomprehensibly, there are people who've read The Chronicles of Narnia and did not notice that Aslan was Jesus. It's an adventure story for them and that's pretty much it.
When I look at my own political morality, I can see clear foundations laid by May and my reading of Kipling, Defoe and others – including a watered down New Testament. But I also see people around me who clearly grew up on the same literature and are rabid Old Testament tooth-for-toothers. Such is the freedom of the human spirit that it can overcome the influence of any content – good or bad. (Again within the parameters of our linguistic and social environments.)


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Hydrogeologist: Wells won't go dry if water withdrawal center opens
Well water surrounding a proposed water withdrawal site in Old Lycoming Township will not be adversely impacted now or in the future, experts said Wednesday night.
About 35 Old Lycoming Township residents turned out for the fifth meeting of a public hearing focusing on whether a water withdrawal site for the natural gas industry should be allowed at 3231 Lycoming Creek Road.
At the end of the series of meetings, the supervisors, based on testimony provided, will approve, approve with conditions or deny with good cause water withdrawal for the Marcellus Operations Center at this particular site.
The message at the meeting, which was a quasi-judicial meeting with lawyers in tow, was the Susquehanna River Basin Commission's permit to allow water withdrawal from a permitted well at the site for up to 250,000 gallons of water a day on a monthly average will not adversely impact the future quantity or quality of water in the basin now or in the future, according to hydrogeologist Doug Cwienk, of GeoServices Ltd.
The commission's permit was approved Dec. 14, 2012.
Centura Development Co. Inc., of 1000 Commerce Park Drive, which hired a project engineer to design the four-acre site plan – the water withdrawal area is 1.35 acres – was represented by attorney Kurt Williams. Williams questioned Cwienk extensively about the SRBC's permit.
According to Cwienk, who helped develop data for the permit, two wells are on site – one permitted for water withdrawal and the other for potable water use for the existing building on site and, if necessary, to top off a pond reserved for fire suppression.
To Cwienk's understanding, the pond has not needed to be filled for some years.
Residents who had testified earlier in the evening asked if the non-permitted well's water would be used without being monitored. Cwienk answered it was not permissible for water from that well to be used for natural gas or petroleum development. Further, the permitted well is metered and the trucks used to transport the water are also metered. That data goes back to the SRBC, which reviews it to ensure level accuracy.
"The SRBC knows what is taken out and what is sold" water-wise, Cwienk said.
Other residents were concerned their wells would be sucked dry due to the water withdrawal.
Cwienk detailed a formula that said, bottom line, there is enough. He took the total amount of water in the basin that can be used and subtracted the existing usage. From that, he subtracted 40 percent to account for drought conditions, which is 90 days without rain.
Cwienk initiated a study in which they ran a pumping test to see if they could take water without harming nearby wells. They pumped at full rate for 72 hours at a time period without rain, and projected out those findings to 90 days. They then measured the water level in surrounding wells at an approximate 1,000-foot radius from the site to see if any wells were affected at 6 inches or more.
The SRBC's limit is 6 to 12 inches. Within that radius, two wells were affected within the 6-inch limit: a residential well near Lycoming Creek and an industrial well at a lumberyard.
Centura Development's wells and Stroehmann Bakeries' wells were included in the study and were not affected beyond the 6-inch limit.
The commission found there would be no adverse impacts when instated, and none in the future, Cwienk said.
Centura Development is proposing to use 2/10 of 1 percent of the available water after drought conditions and other uses are accounted for, Cwienk said.
Is there any chance of neighboring wells going dry due to this use, Williams questioned.
"No. There's more than enough water there, and the SRBC agrees with that," Cwienk said, adding even if there became a problem, they would know because of the monitoring system, which is checked every 90 days.
If there is a persisting drought, the SRBC maintains the right to limit or stop water withdrawal from its permit holders, Cwienk said.
Ultimately, the commission approved the permit because it saw no scientific basis for problems, Cwienk said.
He noted hydrocarbon development is regulated at gallon one, whereas normal consumptive use starts at 20,000 gallons.
One resident, however, questioned Cwienk's expertise as Cwienk has overseen about 20 well development plans over the course of his career, with about 12 being SRBC permits. That comes out to about two plans a year, Cwienk confirmed.
"It's a portion of what I do," Cwienk told the resident, who asked him if he had more expertise in other areas.
"I have more experience in other (areas) than this," Cwienk answered.
The well site plans he has completed have been near developed areas such as the proposed one, he told another resident.
Project engineer Todd Colocino said an evacuation plan is in the works in case of a flood or emergency.
Another asked if the site is secure, and Colocino replied there aren't security measures in place. The resident advised Colocino to put them in place as it's in a residential area near a bicycle path.
Supervisor Chairman John Eck asked Colocino if the building's external lighting would cast light beyond the property. Colocino said the lights would be shielded.
The next meeting was moved from July 24 to an unconfirmed date in mid-August.


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The Houston Museum of Natural Science was founded in 1909 – meaning that the curators of the Houston Museum of Natural Science have been collecting and preserving natural and cultural treasures for a hundred years now. For this yearlong series, our current curators have chosen one hundred exceptional objects from the Museum's immense storehouse of specimens and artifacts—one for each year of our history. Check back here frequently to learn more about this diverse selection of behind-the-scenes curiosities—we will post the image and description of a new object every few days.
This description is from Joel, the Museum's President and Curator of Gems and Minerals. He's chosen spectacular objects from the Museum's mineralogy collection, which includes some of the most rare and fascinating mineral specimens in the world, that we'll be sharing here – and at 100.hmns.org– throughout the year.
Silver with calcite
Kongsberg, Norway
Any great specimen of native wire silver is a rarity. The 13.2-cm specimen pictured here is particularly desirable because of the calcite crystals entangled in the wires, and especially because of the large and lustrous crystal of black sphalerite clinging to the uppermost wires.
Marvel at the world's most spectacular collection of natural mineral crystals in the Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
You can see more images of this fascinating artifact – as well as the others we've posted so far this year – in the 100 Objects section at 100.hmns.org.