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n8vi's AVR-tuned 2-meter double-conversion superhet project
Project back on hold
Project was on hold as I tried to increase my knowledge to understand what I'm doing. I took the MITX online electronics course, 6002x (http://6002x.mitx.mit.edu), which took 100% of my free time. I couldn't recommend it more.
The class completed a couple of weeks ago, and I started thinking again about how to get this project moving forward. I think I'm going to be looking again at the coupling between the LO and first mixer now that I have a better idea of what other people are doing: lowpass filter followed by buffer amplifier.
I may do a subproject to test my understanding: a direct-conversion HF receiver of some sort. This will allow me to test out some of the design ideas without the additional variables of VHF.
But for now, the project is back on hold, as I am highly distracted by the 12.5" dobsonian telescope I'm building.
If you see any glaring stupid in this design, please let me know. It's my first RF circuit. Hell, it's really my first analog circuit.
I've just updated the schematic image to clarify a lot of things and add a couple bits, so some of the text below may not make sense anymore. I'll clean that up soon.
It's a hodgepodge of bits of schematic I've stolen from other people's projects. The only bits really missing are the microcontroller and the power for the two ICs (which will probably need some filtering). Stay tuned for Eagle bits.
Remaining tasks
- The first LO connection to the first mixer is completely wrong. FIND NEW SOURCE. Perhaps a redesign is in order? I like this design, it's cheaper.
- Footprint the LM380 and the MCP4131.
- Deal with each IC's power and bypass capacitor requirements.
- The AD9859 needs 1.8v. FIND A GOOD SMT 1.8v REGULATOR.
- I'll be using the SMT 5v regulators I already have for the AVR, it's max232, the digital pot, the SA602 and the SA605
- The LM380 looks like it will do fine on an unregulated 12v supply. It won't work on 9v though, so 9v batteries are out.
- Add test points to both the in phase and quadrature inputs to the FM demod mixer.
- Perform schematic capture in eagle. Perhaps add more test points.
- Order parts.
- Reread every document I got stuff from and every datasheet seeking board layout clue.
- Reread that one document that is all about board layout.
- Layout board in eagle.
- Verify parts against footprints.
- Verify board layout again, going through all those previously mentioned docs
- Order board.
- Assemble.
- Test!
Path through the radio
What follows is in approximate order of path through the radio (there are a few unions, such as the separate LO and IF inputs to the second mixer).
First LO (AD9859)
I dug around through all of Analog Devices' DDS chips, and this one is the cheapest that does the frequency I'm interested in. It also seems to be fairly conservative in it's current draw. It's datasheet is here. Information on amplitude shaping can be found on page 16, and information on the full scale control resistor, the resistor that sets output current, can be found on page 12. Note to self: don't forget, DAC output must be referenced to AVDD, not AGND (page 12 of datasheet).
First LO Connection to First Mixer
Well, it looks like my notes (in my original schematic/doodle/hen scratchings) say "from WA5BDU", so I'll try googling that in a minute here ...
Slide 24 of http://ozarkcon.com/wa5bdu_06/wa5bdu_ozarkcon_06.ppt. Yup. There it is right there. Although, I thought the original document specifically mentioned using an AD9850. Seems to be what my notes indicate.
Oh look, he's using a board with an HF filter on it, not a bare DDS. THIS PART NEEDS ATTENTION, IT'S WRONG. This may be a good time to redesign with a lower frequency cheaper DDS and an SA602-based frequency multiplier.
Something to read: http://www.g4jnt.com/144MHzDCReceiver.pdf
Front End Filter and First Mixer (SA602)
This is the bit between the antenna and pins 1 and 2 of the first mixer, the SA602. This whole piece of schematic was taken from an article called "Junk-Box Converters for 6 and 2 Meters" (log in to paid ARRL membership required prior to clicking this link) by Rod Kreuter, WA3ENK in the January 1997 issue of QST (someone else has made bits of schematic available here). Most of the rest of what's connected to the SA602 comes from this article, besides the first LO. The SA602's datasheet can be found here, and information on connecting an external LO is on page 4.
I don't get it - to me it looks like a parallel resonant circuit with a resonant frequency of 210.179MHz, with the antenna input fed into not quite the middle of the capacitance. Don't mind me, I've been spending a lot of time reading this years ARRL handbook ...
Anyway, BNC connectors.
First IF, connection to second mixer
This was taken from a double conversion superhet of somewhat simpler design on page 9 of this pdf. This PDF is awesome and is where I got most of what I've learned in this design. It is linked again later down this page, probably multiple times.
Second LO (Xtal)
Almost everything connected to the SA605 was from this pdf, but I wanted a 10.245MHz LO so I could use a crystal I could find. I got the rest of the schematic from ... ???
Per AN1994, this appears to be a fundamental-mode colpitts oscillator.
Note to self: check browser history of 10/23.
I may have converted caps on a different frequency LO to reactances, changed frequency to 10.245 and converted back to capacitances. I may even have done this to a datasheet example.
Nope, think I got it here. The cap values are identical. Wonder if that even works, it's a totally different chip.
Second mixer, FM demodulator (SA605)
The second mixer and FM demodulator is an SA605 chip. It's datasheet can be found here.
AN1994 - Reviewing key areas when designing with the SA605
AN1995 - Evaluating the SA605 SO and SSOP demo-board
AN1996 - Demodulating at 10.7MHz IF with the SA605/625
Quadrature Tank
This is the bit that takes the signal we're inputting into one side of the FM demodulator, throws it 90° out of phase, then feeds it into the other side. As far as I understand, the SA605 then mixes these two signals to demodulate FM.
I learned a bit about IF cans here and their use in FM detection here.
This place has IF cans, but looks tedious to purchase things from.
This place too.
kitsandparts ooh
Audio Section
Right, so the Audio level out of the SA605 is nominally 150 mV RMS across a 100k resistor (with a 15pF capacitor in parallel for FM de-emphasis) (page 4 for spec, page 6 for diagram). We'll pretend the capacitor isn't there since the cap's lowest reactance at any frequency we care about is over 3 Mohms at 3KHz. which in parallel adds up to 97.3 KOhms.
So, 150mV over 100k is ... 1.5 uA? So that's .2 uW? sheesh ...
And my speaker's rated input power is 700mW at an 8 ohm impedance (it's an SMS-1308MS-R from PUI)
So that's a 65.4 dB gap to bridge if I understand correctly ...
Okay, the LM386 can do that, and it's available in SMT. NO IT CANNOT, I MISREAD
I should check the output impedance of the SA605 and figure out if I need some sort of transformer, or perhaps to use a different resistor ... Is the output impedance set by the resistor if the SA605 truly has a current output? I can only assume the resistor is there because it's a current output...
This is the point where I give up and steal other people's ideas
That volume control pot will be hard to find in a form factor I don't despise. Almost makes me want to put a digital pot there, if one exists that can handle 1W.
dear future self, you're not handling power across the speaker, but out of the mixer. It's minuscule. Stop trying to find a 1W audio taper pot
WHAT THE HELL WHY NOT this is mouser's cheapest SPI digital POT. (I want to keep the i2c bus clear for other modules to control the radio as a whole)
Other, slightly less thought-out bits of the design
This is where I hash out bits of the design that I think are important, but I haven't devoted the brainpower or googlefu to yet. Most of the following will probably be more thought out after I have a mostly working schematic.
Test Points
In (the oft-referenced) this pdf, there was a test point for the second IF, and I liked the idea, so I kept it. I've added test points for the first IF, the first LO, the second LO, and may add both sides of the quad tank among other things. I assume a similar or higher resistor value than the one at the second IF will suffice in these places.
I once beheld a card from a cisco ONS fiber node which had the most delightful oscilloscope-attachable test points and I knew I must have them. They were nothing more than surface mountable tiny loops of metal, but they were perfect, and just small enough to be un-hobbyist-makeable.
Digikey can provide for very cheap! So can mouser!
I have no idea how much is necessary or where, and haven't even thought about it. I may unmask bits of the ground plane throughout the board just in case I need to solder copper foil to it or whatever. ooh, or jam wires into through holes and wrap copper foil on that like a fence ...
You can learn a lot by putting the right search terms into digikey's website. Or Mouser's
PCB layout
I've read a couple documents on this, such as this one. I'll worry more about it when I have a complete schematic and move into the board design phase.
Testing and debugging
Besides looking for certain waveform appearances at certain test points (but not what voltages to look for), I have no idea what I'm doing here. Once again, this pdf may have some guidance.
Links to wade through for me to find my sources
http://www.oocities.org/hagtronics/2_meter.html I don't think I got anything here besides inspiration.
https://scholar.sun.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10019.1/16362/kellerman_modular_2004.pdf Has a 10.245 LO that looks like mine, and I remember reading it at some point.
http://www.stanford.edu/class/ee133/appnotes/AN1983.pdf I just found this, so it's not something I got any part of this circuit from, but it might be a cheaper way to get VHF LO (with a cheaper DDS).
http://www.qsl.net/n9zia/spec/Spectrum_Analyzer.pdf This url looks familiar but the document itself doesn't at all. Lop off a chunk of that url to find some other interesting projects and some tedious rants.
Doing it properly
Of course, the proper way to do this would be with math and a thorough understanding of what's going on. I have a pretty good understanding of what's going on, but here's some resources anyway, perhaps to help me understand what I did if I actually make it work:
Pretty good tutorial on smith charts. This guy's web site has some other good stuff too.
Alternate Design
Another possibility, besides a dual conversion superhet, is an HF receiver with a 2-meter down converter bolted on the front end. The difference here is where the VFO is - in the superhet, it's the first LO, in the HF plus down converter, it's the second. Big advantage here is that now the VFO is lower in frequency, and in DDSes that makes a huge difference in price. Just compare the AD9859 at $21.45 to the AD9833 at $9.79. Also, the 9833 can run at 5v, thus doesn't need another voltage regulator. And the 9833 is something I definitely can solder.
Anyway, part of my design goals in this radio is something that can be made cheaply, so I'm going to take a break and read the filter section of the ARRL Handbook and think about whether that's what I want to do.
Though lowering the frequency of the VFO sounds great, the IF following the VFO has to be high enough in frequency to allow for the tuning range desired (1/2 the range, to be precise). This is the whole reason I chose a double conversion design in the first place, because the SA605 is more stable at 455 KHz. That only allows for 910KHz tuning without running into an image frequency, and I need 4MHz.
So the basic upshot of this is that adding a fixed frequency downconverter up front doesn't allow for me to remove a stage. I still have to have a double conversion superhet after that. So, for now, I think I'll be focusing on the superhet without the downconverter in front.


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MoinMoin - a wiki engine in Python
MoinMoin is an easy to use, full-featured and extensible wiki software package written in Python.
It can fulfill a wide range of roles, such as a personal notes organizer deployed on a laptop or home web server, a company knowledge base deployed on an intranet, or an Internet server open to individuals sharing the same interests, goals or projects.
Documentation and Support
NOTE: moin2 is not released yet, so much information you find on the wiki (and elsewhere) will be about moin 1.x (and NOT applicable to moin2).
There is one wiki page collecting all moin2 specific links and info:
https://moinmo.in/MoinMoin2.0 < READ THIS!
Project homepage is at https://moinmo.in/ - there are also links to support resources and information about MoinMoin development status and plans.
In general, please make sure that documentation you read on the wiki or somewhere else on the web is written for the moin version you are using.
For support, please try the documentation, the homepage, the irc channel and the mailing list before contacting the MoinMoin authors directly.
If you have trouble with apache (or other webserver) configuration, please try reading the web server's documentation. Same thing applies for any other 3rd party software usually used with moin, but not written by the MoinMoin developers.
We have to thank a lot of people for their valuable ideas, time and contributions - please see there:

subset: commoncrawl


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Mountain Plumbing is a well-known and well-respected leader in high-quality plumbing products manufacturing.
Mountain Plumbing "s product offering include faucets, kitchen accessories, decorative sink strainers and disposer flanges and more. Since their start, Mountain Plumbing has consistently expanded its product offerings and finish selections to offer our customers the finest selection of quaility designer kitchen and bath accessories. The hallmark of Mountain Plumbing"s success: combining quality with innovative products that add beauty and value to your home.
Photo is Shown in Polished Chrome Finish


text:
Some of the simplest computing devices made and sold are aids to counting. From ancient to early modern times, scribes performing calculations moved small stones or metal tokens along lines. More recently, mechanical counters have been widely used to count crowds and objects, and as parts of machines.
In the nineteenth century, several inventors patented mechanical counters. Patent models surviving in the Mathematics Collections at the National Museum of American History suggest the range of their concerns. Paul Stillman in 1854 and Daniel Davies and Edward Wright in 1876 patented improvements in rotary measures, such as were used in revolution counters for steam engines. In 1874, Alexander Atkinson patented a counting register to help track quantities of grain. As the amount of leisure time available to Americans increased, three inventors around 1880 saw fit to patent counters to keep score in games.
By the turn of the century, mechanical revolution counters were incorporated in laboratory apparatus, in factories using engines, in distance measures such as odometers, and in cash registers. Americans manufactured them and imported them from abroad. Government offices bought and made counters to compile statistics, and employers used them to figure out the bills and coins they needed to meet payroll. Of course counters were incorporated in a wide range of vehicles and meters. Handheld counters are used to this day to count people entering and leaving buildings and on public transit.
D. Baxandall, rev, J. Pugh, Calculating Machines and Instruments, London: Science Museum, 1975, p. 66.
Examples of counting tokens are in the Smithsonian's National Numismatics collection.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.


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When the Walt Disney Studio was bursting forth with creativity in the early thirties, the first storyboard was born. Today it is standard procedure in the cartoon industry.
The storyboard is ideally suited to cartoon making. It tells the story graphically, exactly as the camera's eye will see it, and is also flexible.
Changes in the storyboard can be made by merely unpinning sketches and substituting others or even changing the sequence of the boards. The boards show pace, movement, excitement.
Sixty boards generally comprise a board. No attempt is made at art. The sketches are made boldly, so they can be read across a room.
Usually they are done with black pencil or charcoal since color can give a board a jumbled appearance. However, color is occasionally used to suggest a mood or illustrate a costume.
With its many sketches underlined with strips of paper containing the dialogue or musical lyrics, the boards take on the appearance of a comic strip.
Three storyboards can usually tell a short subject. (by "storyboard", he means a 4 by 8 bulletin board filled with individual story panels, not the individual panels themselves)
A feature requires 25 or more.
When the story is complete, the boards are photographed and photostatic blow-ups are distributed to all the artists working on the production." - Walt Disney
to be continued...
Here's an interesting interview with one of Disney's top story-men - Bill Peet. According to him, Walt would periodically hire big time screenwriters, but they never worked out and it was a waste of money.
Warner Bros. cartoons are the best written and funniest cartoons in history. They also have the most developed personalities. The storyboard artists drew very rough and not on model, because these writers were more concerned with telling the story than doing finished art as they drew the storyboards. It was up to the animators and assistants to do the finished slick art.
from Baseball Bugs by Friz Freleng
How many of you storyboard artists out there go insane when you read scripts written by non-artists that just don't work? Post some horror stories in the comments.


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CurveCore SDK Overview
CurveCore is a licensable SDK for products to integrate
G7(tm) calibration technology.
In response to numerous requests, we are now making the core technology inside Curve2 available for integration into new and existing Graphic Arts products like RIPs, printer drivers, workflow solutions and analysis software.
To a developer, licensing CurveCore means shorter development times and virtually no research costs, because the complex gray balance and curve fitting algorithms inside the original IDEAlink Curve software have already had three years of practical field testing in hundreds of end user sites. The core algorithms have been further enhanced for even greater accuracy and functionality in Curve2.
Another benefit of licensing CurveCore is that IDEALink Curve is the defacto G7 reference implementation, so G7 conformance testing or certification should go very smoothly. Naturally, we will ensure that Curve2 passes IDEAlliance's planned G7 conformance testing, which means any application using CurveCore should also pass, as long as developers follow the SDK development procedures.
Vendors are already licensing and adopting the technology:
SpotOn Press has announced that their SpotOn pressroom monitoring and trending tool will include CurveCore's G7 curve calculation capabilities in a future add-on module.
"After testing the new Curve2(TM) tool powered by CurveCore," explains SpotOn! Press president and founder Bruce Bayne. "I found the results to be highly accurate and knew it was the right tool to incorporate into SpotOn!'s new Curve Module."
For licensing information, please contact CHROMiX sales at 866-CHROMiX or sales (at) chromix.com


text: Idiotic TV shows and all the latest apps bumming you out on the 21st century? Ready for some "me time" on the world's remotest islands? Forget golden sands and swaying palms – the reality of solitude is different as these distant landfalls demonstrate. 1. Tristan da Cunha 1,750 miles from South Africa The British island group of Tristan da Cunha stands profoundly alone in the South Atlantic. The nearest landfall is South Africa, 1,750 miles east, and to the west, South America is more than 2,000 miles. It's the world's most remote inhabited island chain – so precariously occupied that when a volcanic vent erupted in 1961, the whole population was evacuated to England. Reaching Tristan da Cunha: This is no easygoing excursion. To quote the official website, "There are no package tours for independent travelers, no hotels, no airport, no holiday reps, no night clubs, no restaurants, no jet skis nor safe sea swimming." All visitors need to clear their arrivals in advance through the Island Council, and they also need to obtain a police certificate. (A 40-day wait is typical.) There are around 10 sailings a year from Cape Town, South Africa, and Namibia, each taking five to six days to reach the islands; it costs $800-$1,500 for a round trip. A list of available ships can be found on the website.. 2. Bear Island 400 miles off Europe's north coast Bjornoya, better known as Bear Island, is the southernmost island in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, 400 miles north of mainland Europe – but only on paper, given that it's almost 150 miles south of the Norwegian island chain with which it's lumped. It's been a nature reserve since 2002 and has a lively history of failed occupation – hard to believe for a place of barren cliffs, near-zero precipitation and risk of leaks of radioactive material from the nearby wreck of a nuclear submarine. Reaching Bear Island: Getting to the heart of Svalbard is a relatively simple matter – there are daily flights from Oslo and Tromso to Svalbard's capital, Longyearbyen, on the west coast of Spitsbergen. Now it gets tricky. Research vessels infrequently call on Bear Island (the Norwegian Polar Institute makes an occasional appearance), while individually chartered boats and the occasional adventure cruise (such as this one from Polar Quest) haul in the remaining visitors. 3. Bouvet 1,000 miles from Antarctica Tristan da Cunha is the remotest inhabited island in the world – now, welcome to its uninhabited, far bleaker counterpart. Its cliffs are sheer. It's almost entirely covered by a glacier. In winter, its seas are pack ice. And its nearest neighbor is Antarctica, 1,000 miles to the south. In short, idyllic. Reaching Bouvet: The entire island is a nature reserve – so unless you can make a compelling case for visiting, you'll be blocked by Norwegian authorities. Get permission, and it's now a simple matter of finding a research vessel, quickly mastering a valuable skill such as arctic geological surveying or marine biology and then getting someone to land you via helicopter. (There are no ports or harbors.) If all else fails, try becoming an amateur radio enthusiast: In 1990, a multinational expedition of operators spent 16 days on the island. 4. Bishop Rock 30 miles from England Regarded by Guinness as the world's smallest island with a building on it, Bishop Rock stands at the end of Britain's Isles of Scilly, where coastal waters give way to the fury of the Atlantic. In 1847, engineers started building an iron lighthouse there – and it washed away in a storm. Its extraordinary successor, first lit in 1858, stands to this day. Reaching Bishop Rock: Visiting the most southwesterly point in Britain is surprisingly easy – the St. Mary's Boatsmen's Association runs day trips. But as Martin Hesp notes, even on a "calm" day you're in for serious chop. 5. Boreray 60 miles off mainland Scotland Love the Scottish islands, but want something with a little more bite? Head west of the Outer Hebrides, and you'll find the archipelago of St. Kilda, 40 miles into the Atlantic. It's one of Scotland's five World Heritage sites, with a main island that was abandoned in the 1930s when crops failed. Imagine the surprise of archaeologists when they found that one of the least hospitable islands, Boreray, was occupied in prehistoric times. Reaching Boreray: Since Boreray comes under the protection of the National Trust for Scotland, you need its permission to visit. Then? Lots of time and lots of luck – with a rugged shoreline and savage sea swell, this isn't an island built for landings. According to one guide, more people have reached the summit of Everest than have landed at Boreray since the National Trust took ownership in 1957. 6. North Sentinel Island 400 miles from Myanmar North Sentinel is one of the 572 islands making up the Andaman chain in the Indian Ocean's Bay of Bengal. It's surrounded by dangerous reefs, but North Sentinel is intimidating because of its inhabitants. The Sentinelese want nothing to do with the modern world and have repeatedly rebuffed attempts to make peaceful contact. Reaching North Sentinel Island: You're kidding, right? If the above description didn't put you off, this article about a pair of fishermen who strayed onto the island certainly should. 7. Rockall 270 miles from Ireland If you think Boreray sounds forbidding, try sailing 187 miles west of it. Rockall is the tip of an extinct volcano reaching 20 meters (about 65 feet) above sea level, in seas with waves recorded as high as 29 meters (95 feet). In 1955, the British Empire, in its final territorial acquisition, seized Rockall – allegedly due to fears the Soviets would build a missile battery on it. Reaching Rockall: In the words of the recently minted Rockall Club, "visiting Rockall is difficult, completely weather dependent and not cheap." Your best bet is contacting Kilda Cruises and arranging a tailor-made excursion. Or you could sail there, lash yourself to the rock and claim it as your very own micronation – but you wouldn't be the first.


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Latest Gear Live Videos
TripIt and FlightTrack Pro have teamed for this handy app for travelers. Forward a travel confirmation to the site and they send a master itinerary with maps, city guides and weather guides. It will also provide flight status updates, live tracker maps with weather updates and can track flights of other family members or coworkers. After the $9.99 initial download, future upgrades are free.
Read More | FlightTrack Pro
Gallery: FlightTrack Pro GPS for Travelers
You know its baseball season when a new MLB.com At Bat is released. There are two versions of the 2009 app. Lite is free and gives real-time updates, the season's schedule, and league standings, With the deluxe version, you get live feeds of both regular and post season games with no black-out restrictions, and your choice of home or visiting team announcers. You also get pitch data such as type, location and speed. The full MLB.com At Bat is available for $9.99.
Read More | MLB
Gallery: MLB.com At Bat 2009
OrbLive streams live television to your iPhone
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Entertainment, New Apps, $9.99,
Here at Gear Live, we've been big fans of Orb for quite a while. Back in the original iPhone days, they made an app that was only available on jailbroken phones that we really liked - we just knew it needed to run at 3G speeds to be useful when on the go. The time has finally come, though, as OrbLive has hit the App Store. To back up for a moment, Orb allows you to access files and media on your home computer while on the go. This means that any music on your home computer can now be played on your iPhone from wherever you are. Videos too. Oh, and if you have a TV tuner in your computer, Orb will even allow you to tap into that and watch live television on the go as well. Isn't that off the hook?
The one caveat for the time being is that the Orb PC software is only available for Windows - but the Orb folks are promising that versions for Mac and Linux are coming soon. We definitely recommend this one - grab the full version of OrbLive for $9.99, or if you are on the fence, there is also a demo version, OrbLive Free.
Gallery: OrbLive streams live television to your iPhone
© Gear Live Media, LLC. 2007 – User-posted content, unless source is quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Gear Live graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, videos, articles, blogs, forums, scripts and other service names are the trademarks of Gear Live Inc.


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Nebraska Turkish Van Rescue |
Turkish Van Rescue Groups | Volunteer | New Location ▼ | Change Breed ▼ | |||||
Find a Home for an Animal ▼ | Memorials | Rescue Alerts ▼ | ||||||
Donate to Turkish Van Rescue as a gift or memorial, and we will mail a free acknowledgement card within 24 hours. |
746 Turkish Van Cats have been adopted on Rescue Me! |
No Turkish Van for adoption in Nebraska, please click a new state below. |
PIease Read Before Adopting a Turkish Van in Nebraska | |||||||||
Turkish Van Cats can make good pets in Nebraska if they match your IifestyIe. The Turkish Van is a large, mostly white, semi-longhaired cat. Vans are powerful, dominant, and dog-like. Turkish Vans are smart and curious. Vans like to be with people. This breed has boundless energy and enthusiasm. Vans like to play hard and many like to play fetch.
Rescue Me! - HeIpingAnimaIs in Need. | |||||||||
♥ This page is in fond memory of these Turkish Van Cats who are no longer with us... ♥ If you have experienced the loss of a beloved pet, or if you know someone who has... [POST A MEMORIAL HERE] |
Help Spread the Word! Please link to Nebraska Turkish Van Rescue from your website. |
Rescue Me! Website
Follow @RescueMeOrg Turkish Van Page
Follow @TurkishVans


text:
A new weapon in the fight against Lyme disease may come not from a pill or an injection, but an idea — preserving a rich array of wildlife.
Studies reveal that the greater the diversity of animal species, the less chance Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases will spread to people.
The reason? Some animals are better sources of Lyme disease than others. The ones that are better sources — mice in particular — tend to dominate when biodiversity declines. And some species eat more ticks than others.
Such research has potentially huge local implications. Dutchess County consistently has among the highest per-capita rates of Lyme disease in the nation. And in 2011, the county ranked first in the state and 13th nationally in per-capita rates of an emerging, malaria-like threat carried by ticks — babesiosis.
But while evidence of biodiversity's value is mounting, little has been done to generate practical solutions from that information, and rarely is public health mentioned by policymakers as a reason to support biodiversity.
"What we haven't done — and I don't think anybody has done — is take those (research) results and model them on a landscape," said Sacha Spector, director of conservation science for Scenic Hudson, the land trust based in Poughkeepsie. "It would be a powerful tool."
Indeed, at a meeting in New Paltz on Tuesday of more than a dozen local advisers to the state on conserving open space, the need to preserve biodiversity was highlighted in connection with rare turtle populations. But there was no mention of Lyme disease.
Scientists and advocates agree that although biodiversity can be an effective deterrent to disease, it may be one of the hardest to implement.
"I totally agree with (the concept)," said Jill Auerbach, chairwoman of the Hudson Valley Lyme Disease Association. "I don't know how you really effect that in an environment, how you totally change that."
A leading scientist said smart decisions can be made now to preserve open space and to factor the research into future land-use development strategies.
"The issue is, how do we develop intelligently?" said Richard Ostfeld, disease ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook. "I think the science does inform the planning of various kinds of human activities."
Ostfeld is leading a study that examines larval ticks hatched from eggs laid by adult females whose last meal of blood came from raccoons, opossums or deer.
If you know which animal the mother fed on, so the thinking goes, then you might be able to identify traces of that animal's chemical signature in her babies. Learn that, and then you may be able to identify any tick's last meal just by analyzing its chemical composition.
The study may provide scientists with a new shortcut to understanding how each animal affects the spread of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. For instance, prior studies have indicated that opossums are one of the best inhibitors of Lyme disease.
Scientists at the Cary Institute have coined the term "dilution effect" to describe how a wider array of species can make it harder for Lyme disease to flourish. Indeed, several recent studies have highlighted the impact biodiversity can have on many infectious diseases.
A study published in the Feb. 13 issue of the scientific journal Nature showed that amphibians have less of a chance of becoming infected by a parasite that causes leg deformities if they live among a broad array of species.
The study examined more than 24,000 amphibians in 345 wetlands in the Bay Area of California. It found that pathogen transmission declined 78 percent in the ponds that had a richer array of species.
In the June 2012 issue of Nature, scientists examined a larger spectrum of plants and animals. The study found that in plants, biodiversity reduced disease in 91 of 107 tests. In animals, biodiversity reduced disease in 31 of 45 tests. Overall, in 80 percent of the cases studied, biodiversity limited the spread of disease.
A study published in December in the journal PLOS Biology used statistical modeling to examine the impact disease has on a country's economic well-being, compared to other factors, such as how effectively the country is governed.
Since most of the poorest and most disease-infected countries lie in the tropics, the authors thought that places that have more wild animals have more potential sources of diseases. But the statistical analysis indicated otherwise.
"Completely to our surprise, it is the opposite effect," said Andrew Dobson, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton University and one of the study's co-authors. "So even though you have more species that might potentially be sources of disease, that source of biodiversity is actually buffering people against disease, rather than amplifying the effect."
The model suggested that if a species-rich country like Indonesia were to lose 15 percent of its biodiversity, the disease burden would increase 30 percent. What it did not answer is why.
Answering that question, Dobson said, "is obviously what we are trying to do next."
Scientists are only beginning to understand the complex reasons why biodiversity can affect infectious disease. Part of the problem is that each disease is unique, and so are the conditions under which it thrives or is held back. The dynamics of Lyme disease involve different conditions and species than, say, West Nile virus.
Tick study
At the Cary Institute, the ongoing tick study would provide scientists with a more efficient way to document the role each species plays in producing infected and noninfected ticks. It would eliminate the need and expense of trapping animals and waiting for the ticks to drop off their hosts, after dying or having their fill of blood, before they can be examined.
"If we can go out into any patch of woods and grab a bunch of ticks and ask what host produced each tick from chemical tracers, we can ask what proportion of the tick population fed from each host," Ostfeld said. "If we know which of the ticks are infected, then we can ask, from which host did each tick get infected. When we determine what proportion of the tick population is infected, we can ask if that's correlated with the diversity of hosts."
Scientists believe certain rodents — mice, shrews and chipmunks — are the best reservoirs for the pathogen that produces Lyme disease. These species don't do a good job of killing the ticks that land on them. And their systems do not fight off the pathogen effectively.
Other species, such as opossums, are more likely to be a dead end for Lyme disease. Opossums are voracious eaters of the ticks that land on them. And when they are bitten by an infected tick, their more robust immune systems appear to do a better job of defeating the disease.
A study published in 2010 in Nature reported that in a typical hectare of woodland in Dutchess County, mice will infect 906 ticks and 78 ticks that bite mice won't be infected. A hectare is equal to 10,000 square meters, or about 2.5 acres. In the same area, opossums infect five ticks and 194 ticks will be uninfected.
Meanwhile, in the same hectare of woodland, nearly 5,500 ticks are killed by opossums compared with about 1,000 that die after landing on a mouse.
"So the takeaway is that opossums kill or fail to infect many scores of ticks, while mice feed and infect scores of ticks," said the paper's lead author, Bard College biology professor Felicia Keesing. "Having mice around increases your risk and having opossums around decreases your risk."
The paper suggests that the species most likely to increase the spread of disease are the ones most likely to be left standing as biodiversity declines.
In the case of Lyme disease, mice can thrive virtually anywhere. The less effective hosts like opossums need larger areas and more pristine habitats.
That dynamic also was apparent in the recently published study of amphibians in California. Species that can colonize quickly tend to disperse and grow quickly, reproduce and die, according to the study's lead author, Pieter Johnson, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado.
Those species "don't allocate — or have — a lot of resources to put into fighting off parasites," Johnson said. "It makes sense if your strategy is to live fast and die young."
In the case of Lyme disease, scientists say their findings suggest there are ways to limit the disease's spread through smart management practices. Keesing and Ostfeld, the Cary Institute disease ecologist, co-authored a study in 2003 that found that the density of infected ticks was three times higher in small forested areas than larger ones.
"One of the most important things we can do is preserve areas that have high biodiversity now and think about how future changes to Dutchess County can maximize biodiversity," Keesing said.
Using the research
Organizations such as Scenic Hudson achieve this by preserving open space through land purchases and conservation easements.
But the notion that public health might be a benefit is rarely leveraged as a reason to support such efforts.
"It's a really important topic and a really hidden part of the equation," said Spector, the conservation science director at Scenic Hudson.
Auerbach, the Hudson Valley Lyme Disease Association chairwoman, agrees Lyme disease is an environmental problem in need of an environmental solution. But she believes research should focus on reducing the number of ticks in other ways, or by finding methods that defeat the insects' ability to transmit the pathogen through bites.
"Until something is done about the ticks, the numbers of ticks and their ability to transmit disease, nothing is going to happen," she said.
One group of Arlington High School science students, inspired by the Poughkeepsie Journal's "No Small Thing" series, is trying to spread the word. Dubbed the Elymenators, the group went before the Town of LaGrange Conservation Advisory Council in December.
"If we are advocating conserving habitat and people know what the root of the problem is, I think progress can be made from that," said Arlington senior Hannah Hart, 17.
It's an uphill battle, says one prominent advocate. Peter Daszak is president of EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit based in New York City that was formerly known as Wildlife Trust. The group's motto is "Local conservation, global health."
"You look at Lyme disease, and all the science says that this is a land-use issue, a planning issue," Daszak said. "But when you convert the science into policy, it becomes extremely messy because someone has got to be interested and there has to be a solution that people will buy into or else it just doesn't work."
Maung Htoo, chairman of LaGrange's Conservation Advisory Council, said: "Biodiversity is very important. People don't realize that. People know about Lyme disease. But biodiversity is at a low level (of awareness)."
Ostfeld said there needs to be more research that gives land-use planners specific information to make informed decisions. But that takes money, and most studies that receive federal funding seek to answer broad conceptual issues, Ostfeld said, not specific remedies.
"That is part of the lack of progress," he said. "The major funders are interested in different science than the local end users, and it's a tough nut to crack."


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ALGIERS, Algeria – The death toll from the terrorist siege at a natural gas plant in the Sahara climbed to at least 81 on Sunday as Algerian forces searching the refinery for explosives found dozens more bodies, many so badly disfigured it was unclear whether they were hostages or militants, a security official said.
Algerian special forces stormed the plant on Saturday to end the four-day siege, moving in to thwart what government officials said was a plot by the Islamist militants to blow up the complex and kill all their hostages with mines sown throughout the site.
The government said after the assault that at least 32 extremists and 23 hostages were killed. Then, on Sunday, Algerian bomb squads sent in to blow up or defuse the explosives found 25 bodies, said the security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
"These bodies are difficult to identify. They could be the bodies of foreign hostages or Algerians or terrorists," the official said.
In addition, a wounded Romanian who had been evacuated died, raising the overall death toll to at least 81.
"Now, of course, people will ask questions about the Algerian response to these events, but I would just say that the responsibility for these deaths lies squarely with the terrorists who launched a vicious and cowardly attack," British Prime Minister David Cameron said. Three Britons were killed and another three were feared dead.
The dead were also known to include American, Filipino and French workers. Algerian authorities said 685 of their citizens, the backbone of the workforce, escaped without saying how many may have died. More than two dozen foreigners were unaccounted for.
It was unclear whether anyone was rescued in the final assault on the complex, which is run by the Algerian state oil company along with BP and Norway's Statoil.
Authorities said the bloody takeover was carried out Wednesday by 32 men from six countries, under the command from afar of the one-eyed Algerian bandit Moktar Belmoktar, founder of the Masked Brigade, based in neighboring Mali. The attacking force called itself "Those Who Sign in Blood."
The militants initially said the operation was payback for French military intervention in neighboring Mali, where al-Qaida-linked rebels are on the march, but later they said it was two months in the planning, long before France sent in troops.
Armed with heavy machine guns, rocket launchers, missiles and grenades, the militants singled out foreign workers at the plant, killing some of them on the spot and attaching explosive belts to others.
Algeria's tough and uncompromising response to the crisis was typical of its take-no-prisoners approach in confronting terrorists, favoring military action over negotiation. Algerian military forces, backed by attack helicopters, launched two assaults on the plant, the first one on Thursday.
The militants had "decided to succeed in the operation as planned, to blow up the gas complex and kill all the hostages," Algerian Communications Minister Mohamed Said said in a state radio interview.
The Masked Brigade claimed responsibility for the attack in the name of al-Qaida, according to a video obtained by a Mauritania-based website that sometimes carries messages of jihadists.
An audio recording of Algerian security forces speaking with the head of the kidnappers, Abdel Rahman al-Nigiri, on the second day of the drama indicated the hostage-takers were trying to organize a prisoner swap.
"You see our demands are so easy, so easy if you want to negotiate with us," al-Nigiri said in the recording broadcast by Algerian television. "We want the prisoners you have, the comrades who were arrested and imprisoned 15 years ago. We want 100 of them."
In another phone call, al-Nigiri said that half the militants had been killed by the Algerian army on Thursday and that he was ready to blow up the remaining hostages if security forces attacked again.
SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors videos from radicals, posted one showing al-Nigiri with what appeared to be an explosive belt around his waist.
The Algerians' use of forced raised an international outcry from some countries worried about their citizens.
But French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Sunday on French television: "The terrorists ... they're the ones to blame."
David Plouffe, a senior adviser to President Barack Obama, said that al-Qaida and al-Qaida-affiliated groups remain a threat in North Africa and other parts of the world, and that the U.S. is determined to help other countries destroy those networks.
Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Plouffe said the tragedy in Algeria shows once again "that all across the globe countries are threatened by terrorists who will use civilians to try and advance their twisted and sick agenda."
Elaine Ganley and Lori Hinnant in Paris contributed to this report.


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What is Moco Gold?
Gold is the virtual currency used to purchase extra features on MocoSpace as well as bonus items in games. Buy Gold with your credit card, PayPal or cell phone, or earn it by completing offers on our website. Gold is not real money and has no monetary value, think of it like the tickets or tokens you can purchase at a fair or carnival.


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The Archive contains a huge number of table of contents and abstracts (tocs and abs) from various sources: self-produced indexes, specific indexing projects and Current Contents archive.
Bibliographic information of indexes varies according to the source. Self-produced indexing projects are UNIBO and ANTICO. Specific projects are COVET, promoted by veterinary libraries; ESSPER, an indexing project promoted by the University of Castellanza in the fields of Economics, Social Sciences and History; SBN-RM which contains the indexes of La Sapienza University of Rome, extracted from the SBN database; ICR for the journal indexes automatically "read" by an ICR (Intelligent Scanner Recognition) scanner.
Indexing from the ISI source is by far the most numerous (more than 8.700) and refers to the Current Contents archive. The access to these articles is reserved to the users of Bologna University and are updated until 2002.
Search field
Article title.
The name of the author/s of the article.
A text containing a short summary of the article. This information is included almost exclusiverly in the indexes of Current Contents and is usually written in English.
Journal title
The title of the journal where the article is published
ISSN code
The ISSN code of the journal. ISSN is an acronym of International Standard Serial Number) which identifies uniquely serials. It is an 8-digit code and can be searched with or without hyphen between the two 4-digit groups.
It is possible to limit searching to one source of documents of the Archive by selecting only one code in the dropdown menu.


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Essential Upgraded Costa Rica
About Costa Rica
Experience Costa Rica's diverse geography and incredible wildlife on on this compact adventure, taking you from the foot of an active volcano to cloud forests and finishing off on the beaches of Manuel Antonio National Park. Hear about conservation initiatives from a researcher at Monteverde Institute, learn the art of tortilla-making with a local family, and spot monkeys, sloths and birds in the jungles and forests of this incredible country that will leave you wanting to come back for more.
What's Included
Your G for Good Moment: Mi Cafecito Coffee Cooperative Tour, Sarapiquí
Your Discover Moment: La Fortuna. Arrival transfer. Guided nature walk in the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve. Guided excursion to Manuel Antonio National Park. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
Visit a G Adventures-supported coffee co-op, Learn how to make tortillas in a local home, Soak in a hot spring fed by an active volcano, Hear about forest conservation at the Monteverde Institute, Go birdwatching in Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, Spot monkeys and sloths while exploring Manuel Antonio National Park.
Dossier Disclaimer
The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary.
VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.
Itinerary Disclaimer
While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Aboard expedition trips visits to research stations depend on final permission.
Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.
Important Notes
Costa Rica will not be allowing anyone to enter the country without proof of a departure ticket (bus, airplane, boat, etc.). If you are travelling through a few countries in Central America, you will need to show proof of your itinerary and a departure ticket from your last destination. Please print the itinerary and voucher and bring it with you.
Be prepared for rain and lower temperatures during the winter season (June-November), especially in Costa Rica's central valley.
Looking to add to your experience? Check out our Extras! Specially designed for travellers with unique interests, Extras are optional add-ons to your G adventures trip that make your adventure more you-centric. Extras must be booked prior to departure, please see details in our optional activities field and ask your sales GCO or travel agent about booking.
Group Leader Description
All G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders, a G Adventures representative, or an expedition team. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting- we think it's the best of both worlds.
Group Size Notes
Max 16, Avg 12.
Meals Included
8 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 dinner
Eating is a big part of traveling. Travelling with G Adventures you experience the vast array of wonderful food that is available out in the world. Generally meals are not included in the trip price when there is a choice of eating options, to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat. It also gives you more budgeting flexibility, though generally food is cheap. Our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There is no obligation to do this though. Your CEO will be able to suggest favourite restaurants during your trip. The above information applies to G Adventures group trips. Please refer to the meals included and budget information for included meals and meal budgets.
Private vehicle, walking, boat.
Solo Travellers
We believe single travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and single travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.
Hotels (8 nts).
My Own Room
Please note that if you have booked the "My Own Room" option for this tour, you will receive your own single room for all night stops
About Accommodation
Hotels vary greatly throughout Central America and even within Costa Rica depending on the location. We do our best to pick comfortable accommodations, but in popular locations options can be limited and we often use various different hotel depending on seasonality. It also is important to remember that hot water shortages and power outages can be fairly common, even in upgraded hotels. We appreciate your patience and understanding that these occurrences are outside of our control.
Please also note that La Fortuna and Monteverde have fairly small centres with shopping and some great restaurants, but most of the upgraded accommodations in these areas are located outside of the main town/city centre – to take better advantage of the natural beauty of these areas. Taxis are readily available in both areas.
Joining Hotel
For details of your joining hotel please refer to your tour voucher, G Account, the G Adventures App or contact your travel agent.
Joining Instructions
An arrival transfer is included when you arrive on Day 1, or if you arrive up to three days prior provided that you have booked your pre-accommodation through G Adventures in our joining hotel. Due to customer experience and quality considerations, all services related to the tour must be continuous.
If you have booked pre-tour accommodations through G Adventures, please note that you must contact us to confirm the included arrival transfer.
Our driver will be waiting for you with a G Adventures sign with your name on it, and they will be waiting for you outside the luggage hall. There most likely will be many signs, so please check carefully for your name.
Please note that Day 1 is an arrival day and no activities have been planned, so you may arrive at any time. Similarly the last day is a departure day in which no activities are planned.
Your CEO will contact you at the hotel on Day 1 and make sure you are settled comfortably. If you arrive late, they will leave you a message detailing what time and where you should meet the next morning. Your CEO will organize a short meeting soon after arrival, during which you will meet other tour participants and receive information about general and specific aspects of the trip.
Arrival Complications
We don't expect any problems, and nor should you, but if for any reason you are unable to commence your trip as scheduled, as soon as possible please contact your starting point hotel, requesting that you speak to or leave a message for your CEO (if you are not on a group tour please refer to the emergency contact details provided in this dossier). If you are unable to get in touch with your leader, please refer to our emergency contact details. If you have pre-booked an airport transfer and have not made contact with our representative within 30 minutes of clearing customs and immigration, we recommend that you make your own way to the Starting Point hotel, following the Joining Instructions. Please apply to your travel agent on your return for a refund of the transfer cost if this occurs.
Emergency Contact
Should you need to contact us during a situation of dire need, it is best to first call either the G Adventures Local Operator (if one is listed below) or our G Adventures Local Office. If for any reason you do not receive an immediate answer, please leave a detailed message and contact information, so they may return your call and assist you as soon as possible.
If you have purchased an arrival transfer or if an arrival transfer is included in the cost of your tour, please note that:
Your arrival transfer has been arranged based on flight information provided to us. If you are advised of a flight schedule change within 48 hours of your scheduled arrival time, we will do our best to rearrange your arrival transfer however we cannot guarantee this. If your arrival transfer does not arrive within 30 minutes after you have exited the arrivals area please take a taxi to your start point hotel.
G Adventures Office San Jose, Costa Rica
During Office hours (Weekdays 9am-5pm Local Time): +506 4001 8474
After hours emergency number: +51 997 582 712
If you are unable for any reason to contact our local office, please call the numbers listed below which will connect you directly with our Sales team who will happily assist you. Hours of operation by region can be found here.
Toll-free, North America only: 1 888 800 4100
Calls from UK: 0344 272 0000
Calls from Germany: 0800 365 1000
Calls from Australia: 1 300 796 618
Calls from New Zealand: 0800 333 307
Outside North America, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the UK: +1 416 260 0999
What to Take
We recommend using a backpack for your convenience, or a medium-sized suitcase if you prefer. A daypack is also essential for carrying everyday items. Space is limited on transportation, so there is a limit of one main piece of luggage per person. You will be responsible for carrying and handling your own luggage.
Packing List
Costa Rica Water Activities:
• Drybag (Will help keep cameras and essentials dry)
• Sport Sandals or Water Shoes (if you plan to do waterfall rappelling and/or rafting)
• Flight info (required) (Printouts of e-tickets may be required at the border)
• Insurance info (required) (With photocopies)
• Passport (required) (With photocopies)
• Required visas or vaccination certificates (required) (With photocopies)
• Vouchers and pre-departure information (required)
• Binoculars (optional)
• Camera (With extra memory cards and batteries)
• Cash, credit and debit cards
• Day pack (Used for daily excursions or short overnights)
• Ear plugs
• First-aid kit (should contain lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen, whistle, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, bandaids/plasters, tape, anti-histamines, antibacterial gel/wipes, antiseptic cream, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, rehydration powder, water purification tablets or drops, insect repellent, sewing kit, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)
• Flashlight/torch (Headlamps are ideal)
• Fleece top/sweater
• Footwear
• Hat
• Locks for bags
• Long pants/jeans
• Moneybelt
• Outlet adapter
• Personal entertainment (Reading and writing materials, cards, music player, etc.)
• Reusable water bottle
• Shirts/t-shirts
• Sleepwear
• Small travel towel
• Sunglasses
• Toiletries (Preferably biodegradable)
• Watch and alarm clock
• Waterproof backpack cover
• Windproof rain jacket
Health & Safety:
• Face masks (required)
• Hand sanitizer (required)
• Pen (Please bring your own pen for filling out documents.)
• Rubber gloves
Smart Dress:
• Smart outfit (For evenings out)
Warm Weather:
• Sandals/flip-flops
• Shorts/skirts (Longer shorts/skirts are recommended)
• Sun hat/bandana
• Swimwear
Laundry facilities are offered by some of our hotels for a charge. There will be times when you may want to or have to do your own laundry so we suggest you bring non-polluting/biodegradable soap.
Visas and Entry Requirements
All countries require a valid passport (with a minimum 6 months validity). Contact your local embassy, or consulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements, or see your travel agent.
As of November 1st, 2007, the Costa Rica government, requires those entering Costa Rica from certain countries in South America and Sub-Sahara Africa, to have an International Certificate of Vaccination against Yellow Fever. Those affected countries are: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, French Guiana and Venezuela.
You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information well before departure.
Spending Money
Every traveller is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip.
Money Exchange
Credit cards and debit cards are very useful for cash advances. Visa cards are the most widely accepted cards. While ATMs are widely available, there are no guarantees that your credit or debit cards will actually work in Latin America. Check with your bank. You should be aware that to purchase products or services on a credit card a fee of 5%-10% usually applies. Do not rely on credit or debit cards as your only source of money. A combination of US dollars cash and cards with travellers cheques as backup is best. Always take more rather than less, as you don't want to spoil the trip by constantly feeling short of funds.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE TIP: Please be advised that slightly torn notes, notes that have been heavily marked or are faded may be difficult to exchange. It is best to bring notes in fairly good condition, in denominations lower than 100USD (or equivalent).
As currency exchange rates can fluctuate often we ask that you refer to the following website for daily exchange rates: www.xe.com
Emergency Fund
Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $200 (or equivalent) as an 'emergency' fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!
Departure Tax
Costa Rica airport exit tax: $29USD
It is customary in Latin America to tip service providers such as waiters, at approximately 10%, depending on the service. Tipping is an expected – though not compulsory – component of your tour program and an expression of satisfaction with the persons who have assisted you on your tour. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. There are several times during the trip where there is opportunity to tip the local guides or drivers we use. Recommendations for tipping drivers and local guides would range from $5-10 USD per day depending on the quality and length of the service; ask your CEO for specific recommendations based on the circumstances and culture.
Tipping of your G Adventures Chief Experience Officer is very much appreciated. The amount is entirely a personal preference; however as a guideline $5- 7 USD per person, per day is our recommendation in the region. However, if you felt your CEO did an especially outstanding job, any additional amount will always be welcome.
Optional Activities
La Fortuna
- Venado Caves Exploration (78USD per person)
- La Fortuna Waterfall Swim (15USD per person)
- Costa Rica Adrenaline Bundle
- Stand Up Paddle (Lesson and Tour) (65USD per person)
- Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Tour (60USD per person)
- Hanging Bridges (66USD per person)
- Mountain Biking (79USD per person)
- ***Baldi*** (64USD per person)
- Lost Canyon Adventures Canyoning (90USD per person)
- Gravity Falls Waterfall Jumping (125USD per person)
- Monteverde Horseback Riding (45USD per person)
- Ziplining (50USD per person)
- Sky Walk
- Monteverde Butterfly Garden Visit (15USD per person)
- Hanging Bridges Monteverde (35USD per person)
Manuel Antonio
- Whale and Dolphin Watching (65-80USD per person)
- Horseback Riding (69USD per person)
- Snorkelling
- Manuel Antonio Catamaran Tour
Manuel Antonio National Park
- Surfing (55-75USD per person)
- Kayaking (69USD per person)
- Sailing
Please note inoculations may be required for the country visited. It is your responsibility to consult with your travel doctor for up to date medical travel information well before departure.
You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information well before departure. We recommend that you carry a First Aid kit and hand sanitizers / antibacterial wipes as well as any personal medical requirements. Please be aware that quite often we are in remote areas and away from medical facilities, and for legal reasons our leaders are prohibited from administering any type of drug including headache tablets, antibiotics, etc. When selecting your trip please carefully read the brochure and itinerary and assess your ability to cope with our style of travel. Please refer to the Physical and Culture Shock ratings for trip specific information.
Safety and Security
Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure.
Petty theft, bag snatching and muggings have been on the rise in San Jose. Though not common, there are certain precautions you should take when visiting the city. Although the cities visited on our tours are generally safe during the day, there can be risks to wandering throughout any major city at night. It is our recommendation to stay in small groups and to take taxis to and from restaurants, or during night time excursions, as they are the safest and easiest way to avoid any issues one might encounter on the streets after dark. In addition, always leave your passport (It's better to carry a photocopy of it instead), credit cards and money that you won't be using in the hotel. Many of the hotels we use have safety deposit boxes in the room, or a general one at reception, this is always the safest method of storing your valuables. We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe keeping of your passport, air tickets, travellers' cheques, cash and other valuable items. Remember that like in any other city, you should never leave your bags unattended, nor flaunt jewellery, cameras etc . A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. When travelling on a group trip, please note that your CEO has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to safety concerns.
Your CEO will accompany you on all included activities. During your trip you will have some free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy or explore at your leisure. While your CEO will assist you with options available in a given location please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your itinerary, and we offer no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgment when selecting an activity in your free time. Stick to the main streets only during the day, and after sundown, please take a taxi. Taxis can be organized from reception of your hotel. Also, take the address of the hotel with you.
Protests and Demonstrations- Protests and demonstrations, even those that are well intended, have the potential to turn violent with no warning. Counter protests can also turn violent. Action by security forces to disperse demonstrators and protesters may occur at any time. If you are in an area where demonstrators or protesters are gathering, avoid the temptation of staying for a good photo opportunity and leave the area immediately.
Water based activities have an element of danger and excitement built into them. We recommend only participating in water based activities when accompanied by a guide(s). We make every reasonable effort to ensure the fun and adventurous element of any water based activities (in countries with varying degrees of operating standards) have a balanced approach to safety. It is our policy not to allow our CEOs to make arrangements on your behalf for water based activities that are not accompanied by guide(s).
Swimming, including snorkeling, is always at your own risk.
We take all prudent measures in relation to your safety. For ways to further enhance your personal safety while traveling, please visit:
Trip Specific Safety
Like any city where tourism is on the increase, crime also tends to increase and while San José is not a noticeably dangerous city, there are certain precautions you should take. Make sure that you are aware of your things at all times and don't go out carrying expensive gear or jewellery.
A Couple of Rules
Illegal drugs will not be tolerated on any trips. Possessing or using drugs not only contravenes the laws of the land but also puts the rest of the group at risk. Smoking marijuana and opium is a part of local culture in some parts of the world but is not acceptable for our travellers. Our philosophy of travel is one of respect towards everyone we encounter, and in particular the local people who make the world the special place it is. The exploitation of prostitutes is completely contrary to this philosophy. Our CEOs have the right to expel any member of the group if drugs are found in their possession or if they use prostitutes.
Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance: Travel insurance is compulsory in order to participate on any of our trips. When travelling on a group trip, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance has been sighted by your CEO, who will take note of your insurance details. When selecting a travel insurance policy please bear in mind that all clients must have medical coverage and that we require a minimum coverage of USD 200,000 for repatriation and emergency rescue. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. If you have credit card insurance we require proof of purchase of the trip (a receipt of credit card statement) with a credit card in your name. Contact your bank for details of their participating insurer, the level of coverage and emergency contact telephone number.
Planeterra Foundation - the non-profit partner of G Adventures
Planeterra International Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to turning travel into impact by helping local communities earn an income from tourism. Planeterra connects underserved local communities to the benefits of tourism by developing and supporting small community-owned businesses. These businesses support Indigenous people, empower women, grant youth access to employment opportunities, and protect the environment. Planeterra also works to ensure these businesses have a thriving customer base by integrating their projects into G Adventures' itineraries globally.
G Adventures is Planeterra's largest corporate donor, covering all operating costs, so 100% of your donation will bring opportunity to people in need.
G Adventures Dollar-a-day Program – Make Every Day Count – Turn your travel into impact with Planeterra Foundation.
Did you know? Most communities around the world do not benefit from tourism. Give back to the places you visit on your travels by creating opportunities for local people to earn an income, and protect the environment.
Make every day count by donating $1/day for the length of your trip, and join us in empowering the communities you will visit when you travel. 100% of your donation goes directly to Planeterra projects.
After your travels, we want to hear from you! Your feedback information is so important to us that we'll give you 5% off the price of your next G Adventures trip if your feedback is completed on-line within 30 days of finishing your trip. Your tour evaluation will be e-mailed to you 24 hours after the conclusion of your trip. If you do not receive the tour evaluation link in the days after your tour has finished, please drop us a line at email@example.com and we will send it on to you.
Our adventure travel e-newsletter is full of travel news, trip information, interesting stories and contests. To avoid missing out on special offers and updates from G Adventures, subscribe at www.gadventures.com/newsletters/
Stay current on how our company invests in our global community through our foundation – Planeterra. Sign up for Planeterra's monthly news to learn more about how to give back and support the people and places we love to visit.
Minimum Age
You must be 18 to travel unaccompanied on a G Adventures tour. For minors travelling with a guardian over 21 years old, the minimum age is 12.
International Flights
Check-in times and baggage allowances/restrictions vary by airline and can change at any time. For the most up-to-date information for your flight, please contact your airline. We recommend checking in online in advance to avoid potential delays at the airport.
Max Pax
Group Leader
Chief Experience Officer (CEO) throughout, local guides.


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Color Group
Frame Material
Price Range
Surface Material
VisuALL Personal Tack-Whiteboard-Gray (3'x2')
VisuALL Personal Tack-Whiteboard- Beige (3'x2')
Enclosed Wallboard
What kind of whiteboard should you get for the conference room? When an executive wants to give an upscale presentation, a professional whiteboard cabinet is essential. While regular boards provide an appropriate writing surface, they don't always have the classy style that is needed in a business setting.
Hertz Furniture's high-class selection will fit well in a conference room or executive office. We have many portable models as well as conference cabinets with wood or wood-veneer doors. A great white board is sure to come in handy when illustrating a point, brainstorming or recording key terms.
Is a whiteboard easel good for a conference room?
The right whiteboard for a boardroom depends on what your needs are. Having a presentation space right in an executive office or conference room will demonstrate competence and preparedness. While a portable whiteboard can fulfill this need, it will usually provide a smaller writing surface and will not be as aesthetically pleasing as a whiteboard cabinet. Enclosed dry erase boards are convenient because they save time and eliminate the extra worry of remembering to set up yet another item before a meeting starts.
What are the benefits of a whiteboard cabinet?
When a dry-erase board is not in use, it can disrupt the flow and style of an elegant space. Wood veneer or laminate-finish doors on white board cabinetsoffer the convenience of having what you need there at all times, while maintaining a classy space. When the whiteboard is not in use, it can be protected and covered in a way that complements other conference furniture.
Some of our models are part of office furniture collections. With this arrangement, you can coordinate perfectly with an office desk, conference table and other pieces. Alternatively, the door hue can be matched to the wood stain of other furniture, even if it is not part of the same collection, or used to bring a new complementary shade into the workspace.
With a whiteboard cabinet, a professional who is running a meeting also has the added benefit of being able to write items on the board before the meeting. It can be very helpful to have things written down at the beginning of an important discussion so no one has to stop in the middle of what they are saying to write things down. Clients and colleagues are sure to be impressed when a carefully-mapped plan or diagram is revealed right at the start. Having a dry erase board with doors saves time during the session and demonstrates preparedness and organization.
Some dry erase board cabinets come with extra features that can be quite helpful to have. If you want a space to hang printouts that were passed around or personal notes, there is an option for a configuration that includes cork board panels inside. This is very convenient when someone is presenting research or running a professional development session for teachers. With important information tacked up right next to the board, the project manager won't have to keep running back and forth to look at notes or retrieve papers.
How can I keep my dry erase markers from rolling away?
Hunting around for a writing implement or eraser during a meeting gives off a disorganized impression. No matter what style of conference cabinet you have, whether it is used in a professional or educational setting, a marker tray is always convenient. One of the benefits of having a white writing surface is that many different colors can be seen easily. Anyone who wants to keep a number of markers around with an accessible eraser as well will benefit from having a tray at right at the bottom of the writing surface.
What kind of whiteboard is good for projectors?
Many modern companies and institutions like to use slideshows when they are proposing a project or explaining a new venture. With projection whiteboards from Aarco, slides can be projected onto a surface that is easy to view. Unlike a regular white wall, which can simply display a slide, a white board can be written on. This arrangement is great because it enables executives to draw attention to certain parts of slides during presentations.
What kind of whiteboard is portable?
While the wall-mounted option is an excellent one, a whiteboard easel is a great alternative for a room where there is not enough wall space or a large writing surface is not often needed. The portable whiteboard enables you to provide a space for recording information in any part of the work space including personal offices or temporary seminar rooms. It is easy to carry in and out as needed and offers the perfect space for brainstorming, recording key terms or displaying the meeting agenda.
For a larger portable presentation surface, try BestRite whiteboards. They roll into position on casters, so they can easily be moved around without being lifted. These two-sided models provide twice as much writing space. When one side has been filled with great new ideas and innovations, the board can simply be turned around to reveal a new clean surface. If you want to review something or return to an aforementioned point, just turn the board around again, and all of your previous notes will still be there.
Hertz Furniture's conference cabinets are designed to provide an accessible and smooth writing surface that looks great in a professional environment. Our covered whiteboards come from reliable office furniture manufacturers including OSC, Mayline and Offices to Go. If you need help deciding which dry erase board is right for your space, contact the Hertz Project Solutions Team for free project-planning advice.


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Professional Vinyl Siding in Alpine, UT
The vinyl siding Alpine, UT offers can improve the overall aesthetic of your home so that you can be proud of how it looks once again. If you feel as though your house needs some updating, it is definitely a good idea to take some time to look into the various Alpine vinyl siding contractors here at GoKnow so you can get these services done exactly to your specifications. You will find that vinyl siding is actually quite durable and long lasting, so you won't have to worry about spending a lot of money on repairs over the years.
One of the best reasons to consider investing in Alpine vinyl siding is that it is fairly inexpensive, so you should have no problem affording it. This type of siding comes in a wide variety of colors and styles, so you will have many different kinds to choose from before making a final decision. Vinyl siding is a very popular choice for many homeowners who are on a budget but still want to make their home look nice. If the siding that is currently on your home is completely inadequate and falling apart, vinyl is certainly an excellent option that you should explore before deciding on anything at all.
AVC Costs For Vinyl Siding Companies
($2,357) ($8,675) ($15,087)What zipcode do you need Vinyl Siding Companies in?
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Powered by BizWizard ShopKart, Awards and Trophy Shopping Cart Web Site software, by Netsoft Studio, LLC. Standard Graphical web site theme(s) © Copyright 2007-2024 by NetSoft Studio, LLC. Other web site content © Copyright 2007-2024 by All American Awards and NetSoft Studio, LLC.. All Rights Reserved.
Product photos may contain registered trademarks, copyrighted and/or patented designs of various companies for visual sample purposes. All registered trademarks, copyrighted designs and/or patented designs are the property of their respective owners.


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In 1949, Ludovico Mares designed and manufactured his first masks and spear guns with one dream and purpose in mind: To share his unbridled passion for the sea and diving with the rest of the world. At its birth, Mares was just one small factory in Rapallo, but now, only 60 years later, the Italian based company dominates the scuba diving world, and is at the forefront of new and innovative dive technologies. Over the past six decades, Mares has come a long way, by achieving new goals, taking diving to new and extreme heights and depths. The Mares name represents only the best in dive products.
Guided by this principle, Mares has become a worldwide leader in the manufacturing and distribution of state-of-the-art diving equipment and continually sets new industry standards. The constant investment in innovation, the unceasing, patient research in the field of manufacturing materials and processes, combined with the expertise of their staff and a creative, professional approach, grants Mares its leading position and makes their brand a synonym of quality, safety and reliability. The best of Mares is wrapped up in every product to meet the needs of each single diver. Enjoy diving with advanced performance through superior technology: this is their mission.


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LILLE, France (AFP) – A Ryanair flight from Glasgow to Ibiza was forced to make an emergency landing in France after a group of drunk passengers started dancing in the aisles.
The airline confirmed Wednesday that the passengers, described as Scots by local police, had been thrown off the plane at Beauvais airport north of the French capital on Tuesday evening and questioned by authorities.
"They thought they had already arrived in Ibiza," a police spokesman said, explaining that after buying duty-free alcohol in Glasgow, they drank it on the plane and started dancing, causing such a ruckus that the pilot decided to divert to Beauvais.
The plane eventually took off again without the partying passengers, who were released in the early hours of Wednesday and directed to a Beauvais train station to go to Paris.
According to Beauvais airport management, the Ryanair crew has made an official complaint against the disruptive passengers, who could face charges at a later date.
Ryanair spokesman Robin Kiely confirmed the incident.
"A Ryanair flight from Glasgow Prestwick to Ibiza (17 Sep) diverted into Paris Beauvais after a small group of passengers became disruptive on-board," Kiely said.
"On arrival, police removed and detained these 14 individuals. Ryanair apologised to the other 160 passengers for any inconvenience and delay to their journey, but will not tolerate unruly or disruptive passengers. This matter is now being dealt with by the French police."
Local police put the number of passengers questioned at 16.


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View: All Threads | For Sale | For Trade | Want to Buy No dealers please! (post to the market place forum).
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Order threads in...
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.


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This file format is viewable in any word processor without requiring a special viewer.Related items: We offer both MonkeyNotes and Barron's Booknotes for this title. Many people prefer to purchase more than one brand as they offer contrasting viewpoints and analyses.
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Keep in mind, this is NOT the original text (unless indicated), It is a summary or book notes. They are sometimes referred to as plot summaries, book notes, chapter summaries, chapter notes, cliff notes, cliffnotes or plot notes.Note: Cliff Notes and Cliffnotes are registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc..
Note: Coupons are only valid if you purchase two or more booknote summaries in a single purchase totaling $6.98 or more before the discount. Offer does not apply to original text downloads. There is a space to enter the discount/coupon during the checkout process. You will be able to confirm the coupon deduction prior to completing the purchase. Simply enter the proper code and receive your discount.


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- A convenient all-in-one breastpump and accessory set.
- Also offers helpful education and tips.
- Includes Pump In Style Advanced Backpack Breastpump & essential accessories.
- Designed for moms who pump several times a day.
- 2-Phase Expression technology produces more milk in less time.
Pump In Style Advanced Backpack Solution Set
from Medela
Choosing to breastfeed is one of the most important decisions you can make for your baby; and so is choosing the right breastpump and accessories to support your breastfeeding goals. It can be overwhelming with all the options available, and as a new mom, you may not be sure what is important to get to set you up for success.
So Medela has made it easy for you to prepare for breastfeeding and pumping with a convenient all-in-one breastpump and accessory set that also offers helpful education and tips. Medela's Breastpump Solution Sets include the breastpump for your unique lifestyle, essential mom recommended accessories and breastfeeding education. So you can always provide what's best for your baby.
The Solution Set includes everything you need to get started:
Pump In Style Advanced Backpack Breastpump
- Daily use - designed for moms who pump several times a day
- 2-Phase Expression™ technology produces more milk in less time*
- Cooler bag with ice pack
- 4 breastmilk bottles with lids
- Double pumping kit with PersonalFit™ breastshields
Medela Accessory Starter Set
- Disposable Bra Pads – 30 count
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- Quick Clean™ Bags – 5 count
- Quick Clean™ Wipes – 24 count
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- Medela Breastfeeding Resource Guide - 1 count
- Medela Breastmilk Storage Guidelines Magnet – 1 count
*When pumping at Maximum Comfort Vacuum™ in the Expression Phase.


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Click to downloadDownload
Boxed typography is a new and extensive 18 weight typeface, brightly conceived and designed to look good on small screen devices, but offering also enlightened looks on paper. The semi-modular geometric font shapes seek to be fully responsive to the grid of screen«s pixels to deliver a crisp, fluid reading rate. Due to its extensive range of weights and subtle difference in thickness, compensating for the stain of characters between different CSS styles is really easy. It offers an extensive set of Latin characters, even the Cyrillic.


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The Fat Quarter Shop is excited to welcome Kaari Meng of French General to the Jolly Jabber. Kaari's latest fabric collection is Panier de Fleurs by Moda Fabrics.
Q: What was the first seed that grew into the Panier de Fleurs collection?
A:My inspiration for Panier de Fleurs was the basket of fresh flowers I always see at the farmer's markets in the South of France. Every summer we take a group of women to France to learn how to live like rural French women – and heading out to the farmer's market's is always one of the highlights of the week. The piles of fresh lavender, sunflowers and roses always inspires me and makes me think about new design ideas.
Q: If your collection had a soundtrack what would be on the list?
A:Panier de Fleurs soundtrack would have to be all about the accordion that is played in the little French cafés. The cafés fill up with farmers and merchants after the market – everyone sits around and has a café creme or a glass of cognac.
Here is what it sounds like
Q: What single print/SKU in the collection is your favorite (can only pick one!)?
A:As always, I love the red and grey prints the best. My favorite print from Panier de Fleurs is 13590 – inspired from an 19th century French textile. It's a rural, elegant print that fits perfectly into my idea of a French country house.
Q:What is your favorite project you have made using this collection?
A:I have three favorite projects from Panier de Fleurs: a basket applique quilt designed by Penny Tucker – pattern available at www.frenchgeneral.com;
a pair of patchwork pillows with a bit of embroidery;
and our prize ribbons which was featuring on my blog, September 29th, during Moda's Country Fair Blog Hop.
Q:What is your favorite part of working in the fabric industry?
A:I have many favorites about the fabric industry – but I think my absolute favorite part are the people who work in this industry. I have really enjoyed getting to know so many inspiring designers and merchants – and everyone truly enjoys what they do. I think it is a real tribute to the quilting industry to have so many passionate people involved.
My second favorite part of the fabric industry is receiving my collection from Moda (early!) – when UPS pulls up and drops off a box of fabric – my stomach gets all nervous and my heart starts beating a bit faster. I can finally sit back and enjoy the whole collection.
Q:Can you give us a sneak-peek of your next fabric collection?
A:My next fabric collection is a return to the past! We are reprinting our very first collection, Rouenneries with some of the best prints – as well as a few new, fresh prints, to make up Rouenneries Deux. I am really excited about this collection coming out again – the juicy reds, pale reds, soft greys and faded hemp colors make this one of our best selling collections – and it fits into my house perfectly!
Q:What is your absolute favorite thing in your house?
A:My favorite item in my house would have to be my daughter – does that count? Sofia brightens my day and inspires me to continue creating something new everyday. My second favorite items would have to be paintings I found in New York City fifteen years ago. The landscape is painted by Joseph Fiore, a listed artist from Black Mountain College.
Q:Which project stands out in your memory as your all-time favorite?
A:One of my all time favorite projects has to be the scrap boards I make using all of the scraps I find on the floor – tiny little pieces that I just don't have the heart to throw away – so I sew them onto a piece of burlap and save them to remind me of all of the little beauties that I have used in projects – or for inspiration while designing fabric.
Q:Where do you do your best thinking? Can we see a photo of your studio?
A:I have many different places I like to work – and each gives me different inspiration. French General is filled with all of the old beads, trims and paper that I use for creating kits. Our garage at home has been converted into a studio and sewing place for me – the shelves are stacked high with all of the antique fabric I use to design our collection for Moda. And finally, my desk in the house is always piled high with a new project or two. I suppose each space allows me to create in a different way – so I probably do my best thinking whenever I am in one of these creative spaces.
Q:What is your one guilty pleasure in life?
A:I am sure that I have more than one – but one guilty pleasure that I know I am guilty of is going to the shop and NOT working – just letting myself be in a creative space – hoping that I can soak in the energy and then maybe the creativity will flow! I also love a glass of Lillet any time of the day – and sometimes, that too, helps my creativity!