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Hello again, sorry it's been awhile; bronchitis has no respect for the blogger's schedule! Spending a week on antibiotics and steroids and getting "shotgunned" in the booty with anti-inflammatory meds will squash the creative mind just a tad. Unable to go to work; I've browsed the web, updated my Facebook, played some Bookworm, slept medication fueled naps, and now days later can finally see the light at the end of the coughing, sniffling, headachy, congested, feel like I'm gonna croak, tunnel. Anyway, let's talk Prevention again…cause substance abuse and HIV/AIDS don't take a sick day.
I wanted to use today's blog to tell you about prevention programs currently in our area. The Health Service Center (HSC-my employer) is a not-for –profit medical center, with a primary mission of providing medical and supportive services for persons living with HIV in 14 counties of N.E. Alabama. As part of our mission we also seek to provide community education around HIV, substance abuse, and other risk factors that contribute to new infections and poor health outcomes for our community. www.hscal.org
Since the founding of HSC in the late 1980s, the agency has made it a priority to seek grants and funding for prevention education. HIV infection can be prevented, recovery from addiction is possible, education is the key. Beginning in the year 2000, HSC was granted funding through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA) www.samhsa.gov for community programs that provided street outreach, prevention education, HIV testing, safer sex supplies distribution, and referral and support for any who were found to be HIV positive. Several grants have been funded over the last few years and currently three SAMSHA grant funded prevention projects are operating in our area. Let me tell you about them.
Project REAL (Reentry, Education and Linkages) 2008-2013. The REAL project is a program focused on the at-risk person who is reentering their community after incarceration. Research has shown that many persons reenter their community without the information and skills they need to protect themselves and others from risky sexual and drug using behaviors. We are familiar with the significant challenges facing someone coming back home after prison or jail, such as; housing, health concerns, job training, parenting and family issues, addiction, domestic violence, financial difficulties, stigma, discrimination, etc. (the list goes on and on). For the reentering individual it may seem overwhelming when told to walk out the prison gates and "get your act together". The rates of recidivism or those who return to prison, in Alabama reaches over 60% in some areas. That's not working, folks! The Alabama Dept. of Corrections and other local, state and federal agencies are working to provide discharge planning and linkage to community services for the reentering person so that there is help for that mountain of obstacles. That's where Project REAL comes in.
If you have a recent history of incarceration, are over 19 years old, have a history of drug and alcohol use and/or risky sexual behaviors, you may qualify for the REAL program. REAL hopes to reach minorities and those who often don't have prevention support upon release from prison or jail. Our Reentry Services Specialist makes an effort to network with all local law enforcement, corrections, probation and parole, and other organizations or agencies who work with the reentry population. A simple call to a Project REAL staffer at 256-832-0100 can get information to anyone who might benefit from the program. The program offers: 90 days of program support - with individual prevention counseling over 5-7 sessions with a Prevention Case Manager, goals setting, education and skills building, free HIV testing and counseling, and referral and information for other needs not provided by HSC. REAL participants are able to learn the basic facts about substance abuse and HIV, how to negotiate condom use and proper use of condoms, how to access needed services such as GED training and family and parenting skills, and referral info for intensive substance abuse treatment, if needed. Project REAL can be a building block for the reentry person's plan for successfully 'starting over'. Call HSC for more info on Project REAL, and follow the project on Facebook at Project REAL, Reentry Education and Linkages.
The Vortex Project 2010-2015. Vortex will provide comprehensive substance abuse and HIV prevention services targeting minority females ages 19-24, particularly on area college campuses. Current partners are Jacksonville State University, Talladega College, and Gadsden State Community College. Due to a variety of factors, Alabama and other areas are seeing a rising trend of HIV infections among young adult females, especially African Americans. www.adph.org Vortex prevention staff will be providing on-campus interventions that include free HIV testing and counseling, 2 private sessions of individual prevention counseling, and campus outreach. The program hopes to achieve community and environmental change by offering training sessions, awareness events, public speakers, testing events and health fairs. The connection between drug and alcohol abuse and HIV infection is a powerful factor that requires education and easy access to prevention services to combat - especially critical is testing and counseling. Knowing your HIV status, whether negative or positive is crucial; it's cool to know your status and we have to spread that message to our young women and their partners. Look for the Vortex RV or exhibit table at campus events, stop by for free prevention supplies, pick up some educational materials, and ask how you can be a part of our Peer Advisory Groups, (forming now). Call HSC and ask for a Vortex staff member for more info, 256-832-0100.
The Revolution Project 2010-2015. Similar to the Vortex Project, Revolution is funded to provide prevention services to young adult females, especially African Americans, ages 19-24 in our N.E. Alabama community. Revolution hopes to reduce substance abuse and risky sexual behaviors through the provision of HIV testing and counseling, and with the operation of a community "drop-in-center". Located at 320 East 15th Street in Anniston, AL. the center is open now, (see picture) offering free HIV testing and counseling, prevention education activities, and linkage and referral to other prevention related services in our area. Young adult females who qualify can enroll in a two-session program called RESPECT, get a free HIV test, pick-up safer sex supplies, and earn gifts and prizes, etc. The Revolution staff will be in the Calhoun and Etowah County community, providing public speaking, health fairs, and testing events, and hope to see you at the drop-in-center soon! Call Revolution for more info. 256-405-4104. Revolution will be forming their Peer Advisory Group over the next few months, you could play a role in reducing substance abuse and HIV among young women in your community, call us now!
So, as you can see there is amazing prevention activity going on in our community right now! We hope to make a difference, get you involved, and create a prevention prepared community that is healthier and safer!
Some of you may ask - why are we focused on specific groups (reentry, young women, minorities, etc.) rather than just general prevention programs and messages? There are many reasons that we might give, but one of the most important is that the community issues around substance abuse and HIV are PUBLIC HEALTH issues. They affect us all, and in today's difficult economic times and budget cuts to health care and social service programs; it is imperative that we get the "most bang for our buck" from our grant funds. When statistics and research indicate that specific groups need special attention, with age, gender and culturally sensitive programs; that is what we make every effort to do! HSC is a small, rural agency. We cannot do it alone! With our small and well trained staff we work with our community partners, other area non-profits, churches, schools, clubs, businesses, etc. to achieve program successes. We need your voice and your participation. Your "word of mouth" is the best marketing and public relations we could have. We are counting on you.
I'll sign off today with a few links for you to check out if you'd like more information about prevention. Enjoy. Please leave a comment if you have questions or would like to know more about a specific prevention related topic.
http://dasis3.samhsa.gov/ Substance Abuse Treatment Program Locator
http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlid=36 The Minority AIDS Initiative
http://www.doc.state.al.us/reentryresources.asp Alabama Dept. Of Corrections Reentry Resources
http://adph.org/aids/assets/manifestoupdate08.pdf The Southern AIDS Coalition's AIDS Manifesto for the South
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/index.htm CDC Report on HIV and Women
http://aids.gov/ HIV/AIDS Resources
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileglance.jsp?rgn=2# Alabama Women's Health Facts
It seems that we all are in a hurry these days. In a hurry to get to work; school, the grocery store, the daycare, the party, the club, the game, the first of the line, the front row at a concert, the back row at church, the doctor's appointment, the hairdresser, the airport, the barber shop, the restaurant, and on and on goes the list. Are you sure you really have time to be reading my blog right now, just kidding, don't go!
I mention the hustle and bustle because I am wondering why we rush headlong to "get somewhere" and miss out on so much along the way in our haste. As a child of the 50s, and the daughter of a red-headed trucker who was rumored to haul moonshine back in the day, in a souped-up 1940 Ford coupe; and as a kid who spent many a night in the red dirt of the Anniston Speedway watching "real" racecars (not today's namby-pamby cars of tomorrow) go round and round the track, I tend to sometimes think in what many would call "Redneck style", so hang with me.
Now don't get all huffy on me, I'm talking the Redneck who would give you the shirt off their (tattooed) back, help your Mama carry in the groceries, and works at a job that leaves his hands greasy and calloused so he can provide for the family he loves. Not a bigoted stereotype you've decided is a lazy, no good, trailer park living, refrigerator in the front yard, car on cement blocks kinda Redneck. I want to paint a picture that reflects MY world, and that of many others in the South, although by no means is Redneck the prevailing culture in my neck of the woods. But I sorta feel the need to "own" the word Redneck while we chat about culture. (not THAT kind of culture).
I am by no means an expert on cultural diversity or cultural competence in the workplace or community, yet the topic is one that is so important for professionals who work with persons who use/abuse drugs and alcohol, and those whose sexual behaviors put them at risk for HIV/AIDS. In a long career working as a Prevention educator in rural Alabama, it has been my pleasure to learn about a variety of cultural, racial/ethnic, and behavioral differences. I've learned so much more from the clients I work with than I could ever teach on my own. The African American mother in her tiny apartment, the elderly Hispanic grandmother in the mobile home, the gay white man in a garden home, the hip hop-loving teen hanging by the pool in his suburban home; they all have cultural differences but when it comes to substance abuse or risk for HIV infection we all become part of a fairly similar population or culture. Sure, the differences matter, but it's the similarities that bind us together.
Whether it is a 12 pack of Miller or Bud, or a $60 bottle of Merlot, whether it's a big ole blunt, a buttery crack rock, or an expensive prescribed narcotic – the substance use creates a huge "family tie", and income, gender, heritage, culture or status become less obvious. It's no accident that persons in recovery from drugs/alcohol will often mention their "community", their recovery family, brother, sister, etc. Its pure survival that brings poor minority females together to pool their money to buy baby food and diapers, and it's a sense of "family" that bonds the marginalized LGBTQ into tight knit communities where they feel loved and protected. By the way, LGBTQ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning. Learn it. Have questions about it? Let me know, we'll talk. What I guess I'm trying to say is when you get down to that street level, gut level, do or die place where prevention education and awareness matter most – it matters to me how I can reduce your risks and help you live healthy; not get HIV infected or if you are already infected, not spread it to others. So, yes, your culture matters to me, I want to respect it, learn about it, honor it, and use it as a tool toward prevention success.
Okay, so back to being in a hurry all the time. In my work as a substance abuse and HIV prevention program director I sometimes feel like I am pedal to the metal, giving Dale Jr. a run for his money, through my hectic work week. Fueled by Diet Dr. Pepper and Krispy Kremes (rather than Sunoco) I hit the ground running each morning and don't slow down till usually around 1:30 or 2:00 a.m. (It's actually only 10:39 p.m. right now, wooo hooo!)
Lately, I've begun to wonder if I am missing something, speeding by important parts of my life in my quest to meet project goals, provide awesome prevention services to help our community and my neighbors, trying to please federal grant makers; my employer, my staff, (AND my hubby) all at the same time. I've attended those "how to supervise difficult people" seminars and have realized I'm a "people pleasing, overachieving, tender hearted, procrastinating, Baby Boomer" who needs to make a few more pit stops before the race ends and the checkered flag waves. I need to prioritize, organize and maximize (giggle) my time. Bwahahahahahahha, yea, like I'm gonna do that after all these years!
But, anyway you get the picture. I want to be more than just a competent employee, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, etc. I want to help myself and others transcend that barrier that we bump up against that says "she/he is poor, uneducated, not good enough, from the wrong side of the tracks, too old, too young, too fat, too skinny, too gay, too WHATEVER"! I long for less labels on myself and my community, and for more practical, smart and useful methods to lift us up, educate and inform us and make us aware so that our lives are healthier and safer.
I just returned from that 6 days of the 2011 National HIV Prevention Conference mentioned in a previous post. I'm a little overwhelmed with statistics, federal "healthcare speak", academic presentations of laboratory results, and other assorted conference STUFF. I guess the take-away from it all is: there are warriors in this prevention fight, there is so much need, there are tools available to PREVENT, and I am in this fight to the end. I hope to share more from the conference with you in the next posts, especially about using social media; Facebook, Twitter, texting, etc. to fight substance abuse and HIV/AIDS.
So, no matter what your background, be it wealthy and privileged, low income and struggling, middle class or homeless; you are involved in this fight against substance abuse and HIV/AIDS. I've heard from many of you already who've read the blog, (keep those comments coming!) and it was a thrill to have my blog's web address "re-tweeted" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to their over 7,500 Twitter followers, resulting in almost 2,000 views for the Prevention Works blog! I'm liking this Community Bloggers project a lot and hope you are too.
I'd like to think our conversations will bring us together into a prevention prepared community that can help achieve social justice and equity for us all, no matter what cultural background we claim. Your homework till next time is to slow down a little (sorta like that yellow flag at a NASCAR race), take a few caution laps, look at those around you and see beyond color, age, gender, size, race, sexual orientation, religion, etc.
Some points to ponder:
In our state African Americans make up around 26% of our population, but over 64% of all new HIV infections. www.adph.org
In our state African American males make up 44% of all reported HIV/AIDS cases.
In our state among all persons living in poverty in Alabama 16% were white, 36% were Black and 31% were Hispanic.
The age group most likely to live in poverty in Alabama is children 18 and under (32% living in poverty), followed by adults age 19 to 64 (20% living in poverty)
Alabama averages 40,000 high school drop outs annually and ranks 44th in the nation for persons over age 25 having a bachelor's degree or higher (US Census, 2008).
Alabama Medicaid does not cover most sexual/reproductive health screening and prevention services, including HPV vaccine, STD testing, STD treatment, HIV testing, and emergency contraceptives (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2009).
Alabama's teen death rate for 2008 was 93/100,000 compared to 62/100,000 nationwide.
Alabama's diabetes rate is 26/100,000 compared to 22/100,000 nationally. Heart disease rates are 236/100,000 versus 191/1000 annually. (Kaiser Family Foundation: www.statehealthfacts.org, 2009).
So, whatever culture you identify with, you are welcome here! As Sister Sledge sings, "We are family", and KC and the Sunshine Band says, "That's the way I like it, uh huh, uh huh". I'd like to think of you as my Prevention Family, so come back soon. Be sure to share my blog with your email pals, your Facebook and Twitter friends, the more the merrier! http://www.annistonstar.com/blogs_preventionworks
Health Services Center website
Well, this blog thing has me staying awake at night thinking about how to best tell the stories, move our community to action, reach your heart, tick you off, make you giggle, and make you come back for more. I've been reading my fellow Community Bloggers and enjoying the heck out of it! It's a neat feeling to use my words and thoughts; my company's laptop, and a big dose of insomnia to spread the substance abuse and HIV prevention message.
I'm packing tonight to leave for 6 days in HotLanta for the 2011 National HIV Prevention Conference - sponsored by the CDC, and for a Grantee Meeting with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (who fund the prevention programs at HSC, where I work). So it's going to be an exciting and busy week for me.
Some of the stuff I'm thinking about - Six days of conference chairs (probably those with no cushions), conference chicken lunches (there is a secret farm with a special breed of rubber chickens bred solely for this purpose), conference schedules (the meeting room you need for the 3:00 lecture is 3 football fields; two escalators and one long jog away from the one you're in now, and it's 2:59), conference room sound systems (with the required feedback howl that could just possibly bring on a seizure I'm sure), 4,231 PowerPoint presentations (three of which are simply amazing and make it completely worthwhile that I'm there!), I'm mostly joking - cause above all it's the opportunity to exist for almost a week with my awesome colleagues and fellow Prevention professionals, who most likely have a "calling", and are just meant to be doing this work.
If you grew up a "trailer park kid" like me in rural Alabama, you may remember the first time you traveled to the BIG CITY. Maybe it was New York, or Chicago, anywhere that was NOT Alabama. Seems like the world was faster, more colorful, louder, weirder and definitely exciting. That's how I feel when I'm with my peeps at a Prevention Conference. Because substance abuse and HIV do not discriminate there is the most diverse, edgy, intelligent, creative, and often just plain bizarre group of people who work in this field.
Risky behaviors such as injecting drug use, binge drinking, commercial sex work; and lifestyles that most likely would make your Mama blush are commonplace among the clients I work with daily. In order to effectively serve my community, spread the prevention message, and provide testing, counseling and treatment services, it is imperative that I and others like me maintain an impartial and non-judgmental perspective at all times.
So, for this chubby grandmother it is just a "regular day at the office" to be found alongside persons with a purple Mohawk or pink wig, piercings and tattoos, glittery nightclub attire with construction worker boots; persons in recovery from drugs and alcohol or deeply troubled by their misuse and abuse, persons who identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and a long list of other "labels" that they may have possibly chosen to call themselves or been given by others, some not printable here.
At a national conference such as the one in Atlanta, it is a hoot to people-watch. I absolutely LOVE "different". Unlike some of my stick in the mud relatives who get their panties in a wad because they still reside in that world where if your skin color, hairstyle, accent, or pedigree isn't like theirs you aren't welcome - I delight in the parade of beautiful people who seem to often wear their heart like a blinking neon sign because they care so much and want to make a difference for those who suffer from addiction or illness. To work in the social service or not for profit field, especially prevention, you don't have to be a former drug user, homeless, hungry, or be living with HIV or hepatitis, although many have "been there-done that" you can be an advocate for those who need help whatever your personal history. And these are "my people" (saying that just made me grin).
Some other stuff I'm thinking about:
1. Will Atlanta traffic be awful?
2. Will one of the researchers who speak at this conference be the ONE who finds a cure for AIDS?
3. I'm definitely going to get some of that awesome Mac and Cheese from that seafood restaurant down the street from the conference hotel.
4. Please let my federal Project Officer be proud of the Poster Presentation that we will be doing on Wednesday for our fellow grantees, I want to make them proud and I want our projects to continue to change people's lives.
5. Are flip-flops acceptable conference footwear? (mine have jewels, so I'm thinking YES).
6. Will I learn some new teaching technique, tip, or skill that will help me provide exceptional prevention counseling to someone who wants to change their life and behavior?
7. Please let there be speakers and presenters at this conference who have a sense of humor, live in the real world, and aren't "know it alls"!
8. I'm going to miss my hubby (from here on we'll call him Babe) my precious Shih Tzus; Rhett Butler and Dandy, and my Tempurpedic mattress. My Babe will be fishing, boating, having a nap in the back yard swing and missing me terribly I'm sure.
9. Saying to myself - "Please don't forget the IPhone charger when you checkout of the hotel".
10. I'm hoping you are enjoying the blog so far, and will give me your feedback and comments.
If you'd like to know more about the 2011 National HIV Prevention Conference check them out at www.2011nhpc.org and I'll keep you updated throughout the week.
Some stuff for YOU to think about:
Marijuana Fact Sheet http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/pdf/Marijuana.pdf
Prescription Drug Abuse Fact Sheet http://www.theantidrug.com/pdfs/prescription_report.pdf
Homeless Resource Center - http://homeless.samhsa.gov/
Suicide Prevention Resources - http://www.samhsa.gov/prevention/suicide.aspx
Health Services Center - www.hscal.org
HIV Testing Fact Sheets - http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/testing/resources/qa/index.htm
What Women Can Do - http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/protection.htm
Gay, Bisexual, Men Who Have Sex With Men Fact Sheet - http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/msm/index.htm
Be Safe, Know Your Status, Get Tested!
Hello again, thanks for coming back. I told you we'd have fun (and maybe learn a thing or two). Thought today I'd share a little snapshot of the Prevention professional's daily grind. Most days we love our job, some days are filled with dread that the risky behaviors we encounter are just going to prove to be too much for some poor soul.
Phone rings - can we provide an exhibit table for a local health fair? Sure! That's our job, no matter that it might be outdoors in the lovely Alabama summer sun, under our tent, in a sizzling parking lot where we gladly pass out educational brochures and safer sex supplies! That's what we do, the message is too important to NOT be there for that community. Thanks for inviting us! And by the way, our federal funder requires that we complete several pages of paperwork to document our day; it's just part of prevention, we may complain but we learn from it and it helps us evaluate the programs that make a difference!
Phone rings - can we provide substance abuse education to at-risk youth in a nearby community? Of course, that's where we need to be. School-aged youth are experimenting with drugs and alcohol at an earlier age, often at 10-12 years of age. Most of us have children of our own, we want them to grow and prosper, enjoy their youth and stay drug free; we bring the prevention message with age appropriate language and materials, and hope that we reach their hearts and minds. When a young athlete approaches you after a school assembly and says he's learned a lot today and wants to know how to help his friend who is using drugs...it's all worthwhile.
Several times a week - A young adult, a teenager, a senior citizen, a mother, a grandfather, walks into our agency and our receptionist pages a Prevention staff member, our guest has requested an HIV test. Believe me, it takes amazing courage and strength to drive yourself to a clinic or health department and lay your sexual history and recent drug use on the table for a testing counselor to assess.
I admire all those who seek HIV screening, it takes guts, especially when you KNOW you've made some poor decisions like having unprotected sex; had sex with multiple partners, had sex while high or intoxicated, traded your body for money or drugs or food for the baby, on and on the stories spill out, and often the tears.
Heard during the testing and counseling interview, "Miss Julie, I've never had sex with anyone except my boyfriend", "Miss Julie, I've never injected drugs or used a needle in my life", "Miss Julie, I'm on the Pill, I wasn't worried about HIV, just didn't want to get pregnant", "Miss Julie, I was faithful, but my wife has just confessed to an affair", "Miss Julie, I was drunk and high and I don't know what happened that night". And those are just a few. The number one comment is probably, "I didn't think it could happen to me".
And the Prevention professional's day is filled with lists; crack, weed, crystal meth, oxy, X/Ecstasy, heroin, Spice, Special K, Salvia, Purple Drank, Powder, herb, acid, angel, crank. Whew! There are new ones to add to the list each day, and the names change from neighborhood to neighborhood, town to town, city to city. If you can smoke it, snort it, shoot it, drink it, we hear about it! Our lovely town of Anniston sits right between the cities of Atlanta and Birmingham, with all the enticing bright lights and exciting offerings that big cities may offer. If it's not sold or distributed or passed out at a party in our home town, a quick ride on I-20 and the menu expands, for both sexual and drug using temptations and delights.
And I have to say that the best part of a Prevention day is when you get to tell someone that their test result is Negative, but now we need to talk about how to KEEP you that way. We need to promote safer behaviors, and abstinence does work no matter what age you may be, whether we are talking about sexual activity or drug and alcohol use. Behavior change can happen, attitudes can change, that's our goal.
It is our responsibility as Prevention professionals to provide non-judgmental, compassionate, comprehensive risk reduction information for those who choose to be sexually active, or struggle with drug and alcohol abuse; it's about public health and disease prevention.
It is our mission to provide resources and referrals for those who desire treatment and counseling for their substance abuse behaviors; to provide medical care and support for those who test positive for HIV and still struggle with addiction. So, often our day continues with the creation of a prevention plan for those who want to live healthier, get clean and sober, and protect their health and that of their loved ones.
Some days we laugh after the person calls after picking up some of our free condoms and asks for "round ones" because the ones in his safer sex kit were in a SQUARE package! And we giggle when we ask a grandmother in a church-sponsored prevention class for women to put that condom on an anatomical penis as she turns beet-red. We de-brief at the end of a huge community health fair to discuss what we could have done better, what worked, and what didn't. Should we have had hip-hop music for the teens? Coffee for the adults? Will this group come to hear our Substance Abuse program if we give them a free T-shirt or would they rather have a water bottle? Prevention works (that's the name of my blog in case you've forgotten) but we have to "sell it"! And that is what I'm hoping to do as we continue on this adventure together, till next time. Be safe!
Alabama Dept. of Public Health HIV/AIDS data www.adph.org
17,674 persons with HIV/AIDS in Alabama (it won't happen to me)
64.10% of all AL cases are African Americans (I thought it was a gay white male disease)
4,498 cases are females (I didn't know how to negotiate condom use)
8,936 cases are persons over 35 years of age (you need to talk to those "teenagers")
24.84% of all cases are in heterosexuals ( but I'm not gay, why should I worry?)
Once upon a time there was a world without HIV/AIDS. Ask those who live with it daily; provide medical care to a patient, sit by the bed of a loved one, search for a cure, or grieve over the loss of a friend, lover, or family member - and they'll tell you it's hard to remember the time "before". Three decades have passed with this virus bringing pain and suffering to our planet, whether it is one individual or entire generations, it has been deadly!
My introduction to working in this field came through my years as a Health & Safety Educator for the American Red Cross. I remember clearly the day my Chapter Director told me "there is this new disease; it has something to do with blood. Are you willing to go to a workshop and learn about it?" Well, I did, and here I am thirty years later.
Yup, it is a disease spread via blood, the blood and infectious body fluids of an infected person. How did someone get infected? Well, after much research and investigation we knew it was through unprotected sex with an infected person through vaginal, anal, or oral sex (semen & vaginal fluids). Also by sharing contaminated needles and syringes when injecting drugs (blood), and an infected Mother could transmit the virus to her baby during pregnancy; at birth or even through her breast milk because the virus was found in breast milk of infected mothers (breast milk).
It is not spread through casual contact, it is bloodborne not airborne. So it can't be coughed on you, it isn't spread on toilet seats or by drinking or eating after someone who is infected. But sadly, fear, misinformation, stigma and discrimination related to HIV/AIDS continues to this day. It's been 30 years folks, get educated, get tested, know your status and that of your sexual and drug using partners! Enough is enough already! I'm not going to let you off easy on that one; we are going to talk about it!
I want us to learn all we can about this infection, talk about it, think on it, dwell on it, chew on it in our mind and then I want my community to PREVENT it. Yes, I don't want another darn person in our community to become infected, cause we know how to stop it! And yet it continues to take our sons, daughters, uncles, mothers, brothers and on and on and on.
Over the next few posts I want to share with you some links and websites so that if you are interested you can learn more and share the information. And don't tell me this doesn't affect you because it does. The toll on our country is significant and it is especially so in the Southern states where the epidemic is at crisis level. So here is your homework...(just kidding) but please hang with me and let's make a difference by at least knowing the facts and how we can make a difference in our community.
Sites to check out:
www.cdc.gov (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) go to the HIV or AIDS pages, lots of great resources and fact sheets)
www.adph.org (Alabama Department of Public Health, go to the H page for HIV, or the A page for AIDS, find out what the statistics are for your county, and what our State health departments are doing to fight HIV in Alabama)
www.samhsa.gov (The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, they provide funding for the substance abuse programs at the Health Services Center and are the premier provider of substance abuse and addiction/recovery information in the U.S.)
www.nmac.org (The National Minority AIDS Council, a national organization focused on HIV/AIDS in minority populations)
www.southernaidscoalition.org (The Southern AIDS Coalition, get the perspective and information for the Southern States from the experts; HIV professionals, persons living with HIV, advocates, and those of us who live and work in the South, and care about the South)
Okay, that's it for today. I'm in this for the long haul, as my truck driver Dad used to say, so come back and join me on this journey. My grandson has assigned a picture for me when I call his cell phone the picture that comes up on his screen to tell him his Nanny is calling...a Trojan condom! So you are "safe" with me. Leave me a comment if you have questions or concerns, I'm all about some conversation.


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Gale Sayers Auto Signed 16x20 Inscribed HOF 77 GAI Global CoA Authenticated BLU

subset: commoncrawl


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The Best and Worst Learning Techniques
Category: Urban Ed Written by Annie Murphy Paul, Time
In a world as fast-changing and full of information as our own, every one of us — from schoolchildren to college students to working adults — needs to know how to learn well. Yet evidence suggests that most of us don't use the learning techniques that science has proved most effective. Worse, research finds that learning strategies we do commonly employ, like rereading and highlighting, are among the least effective.
The scientific literature evaluating these techniques stretches back decades and across thousands of articles. It's far too extensive and complex for the average parent, teacher or employer to sift through. Fortunately, a team of five leading psychologists have now done the job for us. In a comprehensive report released on Jan. 9 by the Association for Psychological Science, the authors, led by Kent State University professor John Dunlosky, closely examine 10 learning tactics and rate each from high to low utility on the basis of the evidence they've amassed. Here is a quick guide to the report's conclusions:
The Worst
Highlighting and underlining led the authors' list of ineffective learning strategies. Although they are common practices, studies show they offer no benefit beyond simply reading the text. Some research even indicates that highlighting can get in the way of learning; because it draws attention to individual facts, it may hamper the process of making connections and drawing inferences. Nearly as bad is the practice of rereading, a common exercise that is much less effective than some of the better techniques you can use. Lastly, summarizing, or writing down the main points contained in a text, can be helpful for those who are skilled at it, but again, there are far better ways to spend your study time. Highlighting, underlining, rereading and summarizing were all rated by the authors as being of "low utility."
The Best
In contrast to familiar practices like highlighting and rereading, the learning strategies with the most evidence to support them aren't well known outside the psych lab. Take distributed practice, for example. This tactic involves spreading out your study sessions, rather than engaging in one marathon. Cramming information at the last minute may allow you to get through that test or meeting, but the material will quickly disappear from memory. It's much more effective to dip into the material at intervals over time. And the longer you want to remember the information, whether it's two weeks or two years, the longer the intervals should be.
The second learning strategy that is highly recommended by the report's authors is practice testing. Yes, more tests — but these are not for a grade. Research shows that the mere act of calling information to mind strengthens that knowledge and aids in future retrieval. While practice testing is not a common strategy — despite the robust evidence supporting it — there is one familiar approach that captures its benefits: using flash cards. And now flash cards can be presented in digital form, via apps like Quizlet, StudyBlue and FlashCardMachine. Both spaced-out learning, or distributed practice, and practice tests were rated as having "high utility" by the authors.
The Rest
The remainder of the techniques evaluated by Dunlosky and his colleagues fell into the middle ground — not useless, but not especially effective either. These include mental imagery, or coming up with pictures that help you remember text (which is time-consuming and only works with text that lends itself to images); elaborative interrogation, or asking yourself "why" as you read (which is kind of annoying, like having a 4-year-old tugging at your sleeve); self-explanation, or forcing yourself to explain the text in detail instead of passively reading it over (its effectiveness depends on how complete and accurate your explanations are); interleaved practice, or mixing up different types of problems (there is not much evidence to show that this is helpful, outside of learning motor tasks); and lastly the keyword mnemonic, or associating new vocabulary words, usually in a foreign language, with an English word that sounds similar — so, for example, learning the French word for key, la clef, by imagining a key on top of a cliff (which is a lot of work to remember a single word).
All these techniques were rated of "moderate" to "low" utility by Dunlosky et al because either there isn't enough evidence yet to be able to recommend them or they're just not a very good use of your time. Much better, say the authors, to spread out your learning, ditch your highlighter and get busy with your flash cards.
Last Updated on Sunday, 20 January 2013 18:39
Hits: 2149
Why U.S. News Ranks the Best Online Education Programs
Category: Urban Ed Written by Brian Kelly, USNews
Online education is becoming an essential part of the higher education landscape. Students and employers are increasingly finding value in the way subjects can be mastered in a digital environment.
Schools are responding with a proliferation of course offerings. And U.S. News is responding with data and rankings to help our readers sort out the best options for them.
Although this is still a new field for us—and everyone else—in our second year of collecting data from distance education programs, we've been able to greatly expand the range and depth of our information. Because so little information is publicly available about online programs, we rely on individual schools to report key metrics such as graduation rates and debt levels.
We're gratified by the growing number of responses above last year's good start—we surveyed nearly 860 programs, up more than 20 percent from the 2012 list. That reflects the trust that schools have in us to publish useful information that will help guide students to their programs.
We've been working with the schools and other experts to develop metrics that matter. And we'll continue to refine the data sets and expand the categories.
Some schools argue that you can't compare online programs using traditional measures. We agree. But we also know that at some point there will have to be more tangible and reliable ways of evaluating these programs, or else what's the point of considering an online education?
Online education lends itself to output measures that are more rigorous than what we see from traditional brick-and-mortar programs. Educators specializing in the online space have been eager to help develop and publish those output measures.
That enhanced data allowed us to rank programs in some of the most popular areas, such as general bachelor's degrees and master's degrees in nursing and computer information technology.
It's important to remember that we're ranking programs, not schools. As the methodology makes clear, these are degree-granting programs offering classes that are 100 percent online—the federal government standard for qualifying as distance learning programs.
And while orientations, testing, and support services may have in-person requirements, we're not dealing with the blended learning programs that combine classroom and online education. We're also making no distinction between the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors.
Programs at some nontraditional schools do quite well, which should probably be expected as they've been at this for a while. Many of the usual high-flyers on our Best Colleges list are only just now jumping into online programs with enthusiasm. And of course there may be some programs that are quite good but simply did not supply us with data.
As with all our rankings, our goal is to provide accurate information that allows consumers to make apples-to-apples comparisons. We don't pick favorites—the numbers do.
But we also stress that numerical lists might not be the right way for some people to decide. The point is to find what works best for you.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 January 2013 10:27
Hits: 2068
Poll: Michiganders Feel A College Education Is Unaffordable
Category: Urban Ed Written by WWJ
LANSING (WWJ) – A new "State of the State" poll from Michigan State University shows 97 percent of people in Michigan feel a college education is important for a successful career, but just one-third say they can afford it.
"We in Michigan have had dramatic reductions in public funding for higher ed," according to MSU economics professor Dr. Charles Ballard, who led the effort. "Our economy and our population is the same size as North Carolina, but they spend more than twice as much as we do on higher ed. That makes it a lot more affordable there."
Putting the cost of a college degree within reach of most people is a major concern Ballard said.
"People see the importance of this stuff, but don't see the level of support that's making it possible for them to get what they perceive to be very important."
Studies have shown that the states with the highest percentage of college-educated residents have higher overall personal incomes.
Last Updated on Monday, 17 December 2012 10:24
Hits: 4651
Six Habits of Successful College Students
Category: Urban Ed Written by Emily Driscoll, FOXBusiness
Getting accepted to college is an achievement in itself, but a degree doesn't automatically equal success in the long run.
According to data from the federal government ,the overall four-year graduation rate for 2012 was 31% for public colleges and 52% for private colleges, so students should take note they need to establish good habits to stay on track and keep debt to a minimum.
"Going to college is not the same as being successful in college and completing a college degree – it's very important that students who 'get in' and 'go' have a very good idea from the start of what will be expected of them and what steps they will need to take to persist and complete," says Lori Grandstaff, vice president of product management and operations at WiseChoice.
Here are six expert tips that rising freshmen and current college students can institute now to be successful throughout their college experience.
Tip 1: Know and use on-campus resources
Colleges offer extensive resources to help students succeed at academics, extracurricular activities and career growth.
By the end of their first semester, students should be familiar with three key campus places: the library, the academic support center, and the career services center.
"Find out what sort of resources are available and what kind of support is provided by real people," says Sally Rubenstone, senior advisor at College Confidential.
"Reference librarians, writing counselors, and career advisors can be key players when it comes to turning a so-so college experience into a successful one."
Tip 2: Create a system to establish priorities
Students accustomed to their structured high school experience may struggle to balance college's new-found independence to juggle classes, study time and extracurricular activities.
Grandstaff suggest students—especially freshmen—set priorities and stick to a schedule to manage their workload, schedule and reduce stress.
"Talking about these competing roles and planning where to spend time/effort is important for college students, and the sooner these conversations [with parents, faculty advisors, peers, etc.]take place, the better equipped students will be for succeeding in all areas of their lives."
Tip 3: Don't just show up to class--get involved
Large lecture halls can be intimidating, but experts say students get a better grasp on the material and can potentially increase their GPA if they are actively engaged rather than just going through the motions.
Rubenstone recommends sitting at the front of the room or close to the professor to feel more present and to participate in discussions when possible.
"Don't dominate discussions or speak out when you have nothing to add just because you think it will help your grade…but you're more likely to feel engaged when you actually are engaged."
Tip 4: Foster relationships with professors and TAs
A common misperception about college faculty members is that they don't want to be bothered by students, but most professors encourage interaction outside of class, says Dr. Christopher Duncan, Wittenberg University Provost and Professor of Political Science
"A close mentoring relationship with a few select faculty members is one of the most important parts of a good college education," he says.
Demonstrating dedication and persistence to professors and teaching assistants (TAs) can also help students excel in a particular course they're struggling with, says Jeff Livingston, senior vice president of McGraw Hill's College and Career Readiness Center.
"It is very important to do things like signing up for office hours with a professor, making sure that you have a relationship with your TA where if you have to call them with an emergency, the TA knows who you are."
Tip 5: Build a portfolio
Students should pick classes and activities that will advance their knowledge and experience toward their career path that they can use on a resume or during an interview, suggests Tamryn Hennessy, Rasmussen College's National Director of Career Services.
"Save great pieces of your coursework or great project work that you might save as PDF to show how you work in team [or] an extensive research paper that shows your ability to think and write," she says.
"These are pieces you could offer to future employer evidence of your soft skills--this is so important, as employers know they can't train this."
Tip 6: Look ahead now
Students who delay thinking about the future until they have their diploma in hand may regret lack of foresight during their time in school.
To avoid getting stuck in a post-graduation rut or becoming unemployed, Livingston suggests that students check in with their goals every few months to make sure they are still on track by asking themselves questions: where they will be living, where they will be working, and how they will support themselves three years after graduation.
"You'd be amazed at how often that internal conversation actually helps--if you force yourself to say I'm going to complete this statement, it forces you to begin to imagine what that future is and subconsciously starts to help you [achieve that]."
Last Updated on Monday, 07 January 2013 11:40
Hits: 2909
Test Prep Goes Mobile
Category: Urban Ed Written by BRIAN BURNSED, USNews
Anyone who has taken a standardized test like the SAT, GRE, or GMAT, or who soon must run one of these gauntlets, is familiar with the typical study options. Guidebooks, practice tests, classes, and even one-on-one tutors are the typical pillars of the daunting study process.
Meanwhile, the proliferation of smartphones and tablets has provided a platform for the exploding market for digital apps, and a bevy of new, innovative options are now available for those interested in studying outside the box.
While there are roughly 16,000 education-centric apps to choose from, according to data from app marketplace Appitalism—some free, others costing $40 or more—it's best to use discretion when picking a study tool, says Simon Buckingham, Appitalism's CEO. "A lot of people think, 'Oh, there's 350,000 apps, what more could be done?' But when you have a look at them there does seem to be more of an emphasis on quantity than quality," he says. "[Many] aren't thinking through what a student would want."
Some apps, however, ranging from intricate to simple, can prove to be beneficial. Here are just a few of the innovative test prep apps on the market:
1. Watermelon Express: The app, created by University of Chicago Booth School of Business student Ashish Rangnekar, received funding from the same Web-savvy group that cofounded and provided financial backing to the popular discount site Groupon. Prospective test takers can purchase study kits for their computers, iPhones, or iPads for the LSAT, MCAT, GRE, GMAT, and SAT.
Live data lets users chart their progress in real time and compare their scores to those of their peers. Built-in study breaks cut to "edgy" and humorous YouTube videos that add a little levity to the otherwise arduous study process.
The content, provided by education publication giant McGraw-Hill is on par with any traditional study textbook, Rangnekar says, which is why the service is priced accordingly. GMAT test takers, for instance, must pay $9.99 and $14.99 for the iPhone and iPad versions, respectively. "We are not building apps that are just flashcards," he says. "This is a very comprehensive way to study."
2. Easel: This free SAT iPad app allows students to solve for "x" using only their finger and the touchscreen. Rather than reading problems on the screen and working them out with pencil and paper, students have a "digital whiteboard" that serves as their scratch paper.
If the student has trouble, they need only push a "Show Me" button, in which a digital tutor writes out step-by-step instructions that show the right path to the correct answer.
3. Tutor.com To Go: This week, Tutor.com is rolling out an app that will allow tutors and students preparing for the SAT or ACT to interact in real time. Students can use the app to ask questions or send photos of questions that stump them, and a live tutor will respond and walk them through the answer.
The Tutor app will also have a whiteboard feature similar to the Easel product that allows the live tutor and students to work problems out together via a digital interface.
4. Traditional test prep companies: For GMAT test takers, Veritas Prep offers a free app for the iPhone and iPod touch. Features include timed practice tests and the ability to review answers, and drills on specific problem types that are the most challenging for the user.
Click here to read more
Last Updated on Monday, 10 December 2012 09:59
Hits: 2193
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* Sinopec turns to Herbert Smith Freehills for a $3 billion share placement
* King & Wood Mallesons and Clifford Chance on $820 million Daimler-BAIC deal
* Rajah & Tann leads on $889 million bid for Singapore's WBL Corp. Ltd.
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Feature stories
Browse High Country News feature stories
The Renewable Energy Landscape
Maps, charts and text locate the nation's major renewable energy resources and some big projects on Western public land.
by Terray Sylvester, Jun 29, 2009 -
Renewables: The Final Frontier
Vaclav Smil is a historian who exemplifies Vulcan-style logic and skepticism when it comes to easy solutions to energy problems.
by Randy Udall, Jun 26, 2009 -
From Pickups to PV
Utility brings solar power to far-flung Navajos
by Daniel Kraker, Jun 24, 2009 -
Thinking Past the Moment
The Sierra Club's Carl Zichella discusses the balancing act involved in finding the best -- and least environmentally sensitive -- places to put big renewable energy projects
by Sarah Gilman, Jun 22, 2009 -
And you think times are tough
The articles in old American Heritage magazines remind one that life in the West used to be much harder than it is.
by Jaime O'Neill , Jun 19, 2009 -
Growing Away from Big Coal
In Colorado and New Mexico, some rural electric cooperatives are quietly fighting to get more of their power from local and renewable sources.
by Susan Moran , Jun 19, 2009 -
Let's Get Small
Can 'hamster power' -- distributed generation and small-scale renewable energy projects -- save the West, and the world?
by Judith Lewis, Jun 15, 2009 -
Volunteers work to slow down kitten killing
If people would spay and neuter their pets, animal shelter volunteers would not have to euthanize kittens every spring.
by Alexa Mergen, Jun 11, 2009 -
Rebooting Urban Watersheds
In California, grassroots activists work to restore damaged East Bay waterways and the impoverished communities that surround them.
by Jeremy Miller, Jun 07, 2009 -
Voyage of the Dammed
A small band of enthusiasts wants to re-engineer Western waterways with the help of a humble, hardworking professional: the beaver.
by Kevin Taylor, Jun 01, 2009 -
The Rise of the Minotaur
Bull riding explodes from its rural Western roots to become a modern spectacle along the lines of NASCAR.
by Craig Childs, May 18, 2009 -
High Noon
Environmentalists are arguing passionately over large-scale solar development on California's Mojave Desert.
by Judith Lewis , May 11, 2009 -
Salmon Salvation
Obama's new political order, backed by the legal acumen of Judge James Redden, may help the Northwest's salmon survive and end the era of the Lower Snake River dams.
by Ken Olsen, May 04, 2009 -
Got warriors?
On Wyoming's Wind River Reservation, Stanford Addison – a quadriplegic Northern Arapaho horse gentler – helps Indian boys through their difficult teenage years.
by Lisa Jones , Apr 29, 2009 -
The Growth Machine is Broken
Phoenix land-use planners want to use a chunk of state trust land as a laboratory for future, more sustainable real estate development.
by John Dougherty , Apr 27, 2009 -
Surprise, Ariz., exemplifies the Arizona real estate collapse along with what many see as the rise and fall of the car-dependent Western exurb.
by Rob Inglis and Jonathan Thompson , Apr 24, 2009 -
Columbia Basin (Political) Science
Some fisheries scientists and environmentalists say the Bonneville Power Administration has had an unhealthy influence on salmon research in the Northwest.
by Steve Hawley , Apr 13, 2009 -
Go Sell It On The Mountain
For 30 years, local environmentalists have been fighting with Crested Butte's owners over a proposed controversial expansion of the ski resort.
by Rachel Odell Walker , Apr 08, 2009 -
The desert that breaks Annie Proulx's heart
Writer Annie Proulx takes an unsentimental view of Wyoming's little-known and somewhat scarred Red Desert.
by Emma Brown, Apr 06, 2009 -
Tarp Nation
Throughout the West, tent cities and shantytowns with names like Taco Flat have sprung up to house the poor and dispossessed.
by Scott Bransford , Mar 16, 2009


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Summer in South Africa
Did you know?
The iSimangaliso
Summer in South Africa is characterised by hot, sunny days, outdoor activities, spectacular afternoon thunder showers, lazing by the pool or on the beach, and braais.
The South African summer season is from around mid-October to the end of February. Schools usually break up in early December for the month-long school vacation, most companies close from 15 December, and the country all but shuts down as people take a well-deserved holiday break.
Those living inland tend to visit the coast for sun, sea and sand, and caravan parks fill up in scenic areas around South Africa. Hiking in KwaZulu-Natal's Drakensberg Mountains and the Western Cape's Cederberg Mountains with their refreshing rock pools and pleasing scenery are adventures well worth exploring.
Cape Town and the Western Cape in general are favourite holiday destinations for both local and international tourists who flock there in summer.
From its quirky shops, terrific eateries and wonderful beaches to majestic Table Mountain and the Cape winelands the Western Cape is a terrific summer holiday destination - offering plenty of outdoor and adventure activities. Here you can go sailing, fishing, rock climbing, kloofing abseiling, river rafting, canoeing, scuba diving, surfing, microlighting and hot air ballooning. Or you can enjoy encounters with great white sharks and helicopter flips over the Cape winelands.
The Plettenberg Bay, Knysna, Tsitsikamma area is another favourite summer holiday spot. Plettenberg Bay has miles of sweeping beaches, estuaries, lagoons, indigenous forests and warm seas. Visitors can enjoy fishing, swimming, angling, polo, canoeing, swimming with dolphins, hiking and much more. Nearby Knysna is renowned for its lagoon, forests, the Knysna Elephant Park and oysters.
For adventure seekers, the Tsitsikamma forest offers the Tsitsikamma Trail through lush, indigenous forests, with flowing rivers and deep gorges. Tsitsikamma is home to the world's highest bungee jump at 216 metres, and one can also enjoy zip lining adventures here. Further along the coastline towards Port Elizabeth is Jeffrey's Bay, a well-known international surfing destination.
Summer in Durban is also full of adventure. While the beaches are generally packed, you can enjoy a sunset cruise, go trout fishing, visit uShaka Marine World – a marine theme park – and much more.
KwaZulu Natal's Elephant Coast is renowned for its Big 5 game viewing, plus its dolphins, whale watching, turtle tracking and scuba diving destinations.


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Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Pentax Announces Rebates
Pentax Ricoh Imaging Americas has announced consumer mail-in rebates on its 645D medium-format system as well as select Limited series lenses when bundled with the K-5 IIs dSLR. The rebates, valid through 31 March 2013, range from $250 to $500. Photographers who buy a 645D camera body will receive a free D-FA 55mm lens and a $500 Pentax VISA prepaid card on the purchase of the D-FA 25mm and HD 90mm lens when bought at the same time as the body. Those purchasing the K-5IIs camera body will receive a $250 Pentax VISA prepaid card on the purchase of FA 31mm, 43mm and 77mm Limited series lenses when biught at the same time as the body. To print a mail-in rebate form, visit the website below.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Canon IXUS 140 Review
The Canon IXUS 140 (also known as the PowerShot ELPH 115 HS) is a stylish new point-and-shoot compact camera that won't break the bank. Stand-out features include a 16 megapixel sensor, built-in wi-fi connectivity, a 3 inch LCD screen, 8x wide-angle zoom lens and a metal body. Read our in-depth Canon IXUS 140 review to find out if it offers a winning combination of style and substance...
Lowepro Flipside Sport 20L AW
Lowepro has just introduced the Flipside Sport 20L AW, a lightweight and breathable bag to use during their outdoor adventures. The Flipside Sport 20L AW fits 2 pro SLR cameras with integrated grips (one with attached 300mm f/2.8 lens, 2 extra lenses and a flash, a tablet or laptop, tripod or monopod,, a battery charger and other accessories plus trekking poles and other personal gear. The backpack is available now priced at around $180.
Website: Lowepro
Nissin Di700
At the Focus on Imaging trade show, Kenro introduced the Nissin Di700 flash and the Nissin PS 8 power pack. The Nissin Di700 features a zooming flash head with an extended 24-200mm coverage and a guide number of 50 (in metres at ISO 100/21°) at the 200mm setting. The model supports 180° horizontal rotation to the right and left, tilts up to 90° and expands 7° downwards to facilitate close-up photography. Other highlights include a recycle time of 0.1-4.0 seconds, an AF assist light, PC sync, 3.5mm sync and an external power socket that makes the Di700 compatible with the Nissin PS 8 power pack. The new Nissin Di700 will be available for Canon, Nikon and Sony, and is scheduled to be launched April 2013. Pricing details will be available closer to its launch. The PS 8 power pack is available now, priced at £165.
Nissin PS 8
Kenro has launched a new power pack from Nissin, the PS 8 version, with added features to provide more power and faster charging time for flash photography. Compared to its predecessor, the core boosting circuit of the Nissin Power Pack PS 8 has been redesigned in order to reduce heat, and now uses high-strength plastic instead of metal housing for the body. As a result, its size is now more compact whilst not compromising on performance. Another key feature added to the new PS 8 version is its exclusive battery cartridge design, which greatly increases the battery capability whilst also helping to decrease its overall weight to 761 grams including a Ni-MH battery pack. The Nissin PS 8 Power Pack is compatible with Canon, Nikon and Sony digital SLR cameras and is available now with a suggested retail price of £165.
Lowel Prime LED 800 Studio Light
Tiffen is now shipping the latest addition to the Lowel Prime continuous studio light series – Lowel Prime LED 800. Available in daylight-balanced or Tungsten versions, the 800 model has almost twice the output of the Lowel Prime LED 400. A trademark feature of the Prime 800 LED is its 50° beam angle that allows considerable light output to be spread across a wider area, reducing the need for additional fixtures to light a set. Like all Lowel Prime Power LED Lights, the 800 model is dimmable, with "tweakable" colourfor critical balancing against other light sources. Also featuring silent fanless air convection cooling, a hanging C-clamp, female Stand Fitting, a rugged all-metal housing and an assortment of light controls. The Lowel Prime LED 800 retails for $3,895.
Studio Sittings: Photographing Royal Academicians
A new exhibition 'Studio Sittings' at Holland Park's Leighton House explores the nature of the artist's studio and the artist's relationship with their personal, creative space through a series of photographs of Royal Academicians past and present. The exhibition features a series of photographs of some of the most celebrated Royal Academicians in recent times taken by Anne Purkiss, who has been photographing Royal Academicians for over 25 years. The images have never been show together as a collection and they provide a telling insight into the working environment and creative spaces of today's foremost artists, the organisers say. The exhibition runs at Leighton House Museum, 12 Holland Park Road, Kensington, W14 8LZ from 15 March – 12 May 2013.
Save 20% on BosStrap Products
BosStrap.com has announced a promotion valid on all BosStrap products. The BosStrap system differs in two important respects from other sling straps: the attachment point is the left camera strap lug, not the tripod socket, and with a BosStrap, a shoulder pad is not necessary. The former feature means that the tripod socket is always available for its intended use, and the camera is carried with less chance of damage to internal seals and tripod thread; the latter feature means that with no shoulder pad, a BosStrap can be worn under a jacket concealing the strap which is great for street photographers, weather protection, and anti theft. New products in the line-up include the BosStrap Generation 3 Sliding Sling Strap (pictured) and the Ultra Light Hand Band. Throughout March, you can save 20% on any BosStrap products order through the website below. The discount will be automatically applied at checkout by entering the code photoblog20. Do note that a minimum purchase of $17.00 USD is required to take advantage of this offer.
Website: BosStrap
Maxell AirStash A02
The Maxell AirStash A02 Flash drive offers Wi-Fi as an option to connect to a PC, tablet or smartphone. This allows users to transfer their files simply and easily to almost any target device, even if it has no USB port. It also enables them to view their photos and videos on up to eight devices at once, without having to transfer the files. Additionally, the AirStash A02 features an SDHD card slot for storage, ships with a 16GB SDHD card,."AirStash is the only device to combine the portability of a standard USB flash drive, the flexibility of SD flash media, the power of a media streamer, and the convenience of wireless two-way file transfer," the company says. Note that in order to be able to use the AirStash A02 with a tablet or smartphone, users need to download the free AirStash+ Android / iOS app from Google Play or iTunes. The 16GB Maxell AirStash A02 is available from play.com and Amazon UK for a suggested retail price of £94.99.
Adata Premier UHS-I SDHC/SDXC Cards
Adata Technology has launched its Premier series SDHC, SDXC and microSDHC / microSDXC memory cards, all of which implement the UHS-I U1 specification. Offered in 8, 16, 32 and 64 GB capacities, the new Premier SDHC and SDXC memory cards are billed as an economical option for those looking to utilise the speed of the UHS-I U1 standard, with price points comparable to older class 10 cards. According to the manufacturer the 64-gigabyte SDXC cards can achieve sequential read and write speeds of up to 50 and 33 MB/second, respectively.
Click through / scroll down for the MSRPs of the Adata Premier SDHC and microSDHC cards.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Nikon Coolpix L25 Review
The Nikon Coolpix L25 compact camera has a 5x wide-angle zoom lens (28-140mm), 3 inch LCD screen, 720p movies and a 10 megapixel CCD sensor, yet costs just £69.99 / $79.95. Can you really can get a capable camera at this price-point? Read our expert Nikon Coolpix L25 review to find out...
Availability & Pricing Announced for Three Sigma Lenses
Sigma has announced availability and pricing for the three lenses unveiled at the CP+ trade show held earlier this year in Yokohama, Japan. The new and restyled Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN and 30mm f/2.8 DN (pictured) will be available for MFT and NEX cameras from late March, priced at £189.99 / $199.00 each. The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM dSLR lens will hit the shelves in Canon and Sigma fit, in late March / early April respectively, priced at £499.99 / $499.00. The availability of the F mount version has yet to be announced.
Rollei Racy Full HD
The new Rollei Racy Full HD is a new action camera capable of shooting five-megapixel stills as well as 1080p movies. Weighing in at 72 grams and measuring just 74x52x33mm, the Rolley Racy is supplied with an underwater housing that's waterproof down to 10 metres, and features a 135° ultra-wide lens and a 6cm touchscreen. The camera comes complete with a remote control, a helmet fixture, 3M attachment stickers, the underwater housing and a USB cable. The Rollei Racy Full HD will be available from the end of April in silver and black for a recommended retail price of €139,95.
RawTherapee 4.0.10
The RawTherapee development team have announced that they'd completed Version 4.0.10 of the program, which shall be available to download "within a day or two." This update adds an array of new and improved features, and includes DCP profiles for a number of new (and older) digital cameras and backs including the Leaf Aptus 75, Canon EOS 5D Mark III, the Nikon D800, the Olympus E-510, E-520, OM-D E-M5 and XZ-1, and the Panasonic DMC-G5. The new builds will be available in a few days from the website below.
Canon Showcases its Imaging Line-up at WPPI
Canon U.S.A. will showcase its breadth of input to output imaging devices at the 2013 Wedding & Portrait Photographer International (WPPI) Convention. On display at the Canon booth (#401) is a diverse selection of EOS camera models, including the EOS-1D X, 5D Mark III, 6D and 7D; a broad range of Canon EF lenses; some of the imagePROGRAF and Pixma Pro series of printers as well as the Canon DreamLabo 5000 production inkjet printer. For wedding and event videographers, the XF305 and the compact, highly portable XF105 professional camcorders are on display as well. Both deliver Full HD video utilising Canon-designed and developed native 1920 x 1080 CMOS image sensors, professional XLR microphone inputs, and Canon's proprietary MPEG-2 4:2:2 50Mbps XF codec. The WPPI 2013 trade show is being held in the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.
GIMP Magazine Issue 3
Issue 3 of GIMP Magazine, a free publication featuring works created by the worldwide community of GIMP users, is now available to download. This edition includes an article on photographing motion, a test and tutorial on G'MIC, a feature-by-feature comparison of GIMP 2.8 and Photoshop CS5.5 Extended, an extensive image gallery and interviews with photographers Andrea Zanovello and Cyril Bosselut - and much more. You can read the magazine online or download the latest issue as a PDF. A print version is also available for $23.
Facebook to Launch Dedicated Photo Feeds
Facebook has announced a major redesign that sees the launch of several new features including a separate 'Photos' feed. In this new feed, you will be able to see photos shared by your friends - and the pages you've "liked" - displayed more prominently than in the current all-encompassing News Feed. Facebook says it will be rolling out the new design slowly over the coming weeks, but if you want to be among the first to experience it, you can add yourself to the waiting list at the website below.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Pentax Optio WG-2 Review
The Pentax Optio WG-2 is a shock, freeze, dust and water proof compact camera. The Pentax WG2 offers 16 megapixels, a 3-inch LCD, a 5x zoom lens, Full HD movie recording and built-in GPS tracking. Available for £279.99 / $349.95, read our in-depth Pentax Optio WG-2 review now.
Special Edition X-Rite-Sekonic ColorChecker Passport and Sekonic Grey Balance Card
Sekonic and X-Rite have launched the Litemaster Pro L-478D and L-478DR light meters bundled with the new special edition X-Rite-Sekonic ColorChecker Passport with Sekonic Grey balance Card. Using free software from Sekonic and X-Rite, this new bundle enables photographers and cinematographers to quickly and easily create an exposure profile of their cameras, calibrate their meters and create colour profiles. Incident-only calibration of Sekonic's Data Transfer System enables creating exposure profiles for precise metering without the need for additional accessories. Incident and Reflected-light calibration requires the L-478 series View Finder 5°, available as a separate purchase, to read the Passport's Sekonic grey card for calibrated reflected-light readings. Retail pricing is $512 for the Sekonic L-478DR and $438 for the Sekonic L-478D. Current Sekonic L-478D/DR owners can purchase this special edition of the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport with Sekonic Gray Balance Card at the special introductory price of $49.
X-Rite Announces March 2013 Webinars
X-Rite has announced its schedule of March 2013 webinars. The first online seminar, "Simply Amazing Colour: Take Control of your Monitor, Printer and Camera," will take place from 12pm EDT on 18th March. This webinar will review the company's ColorMunki solutions including software demonstrations and discussions of how each solution is used. The second webinar, "Professional Monitor Calibration for Still & Video," will be held from 12pm EDT on 25th March, and will review how to access and utilise the video presets in i1Profiler software and briefly look at use of ColorCheckers in the video footage as a visual reference. Finally the third webinar, "Fine Art Travel Photography with Andy Katz" will take place from 11am and 1pm EDT on 27th March. Andy will talk about how he communicates with people, listens to their stories, and creates the relationships that allow him to capture beautiful and revealing portraits.


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Off the Record
Off the Record is Radio K's award-winning local music show. Tune in every Friday 3:00-5:00pm.
hosted by Courtney & Emily
hosted by Courtney & Emily
Dec. 6, 2013
Dec - 12 - 13An in-studio with Glow Mechanics, new music from Paragraphs and Blackthorne, and our favorite local punk outfits.
Nov. 29, 2013
Dec - 02 - 13An in-studio with Caroline Smith and company, I played some Prince because I can, and new First Communion Afterparty
Interview With France Camp
Nov - 27 - 13France Camp talks to Radio K about covering Metallica, the Forged Artifacts Showcase, and their new project with Frankie Teardrop.
Interview With Holographic Sands
Nov - 26 - 13Holographic Sands talks to Radio K about how Facebook named their band, sleepovers, and Grain-Brains.


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Amidst towering 100 year old giant Saguaro cacti, majestic mountain vistas and an occasional inquisitive coyote, members of the Arizona Alumni Chapter held their Fourth Annual Golf Classic and Luncheon at the Rio Verde Country Club in Rio Verde, AZ on Saturday, June 20, 2009.
More than 60 alumni and friends gathered to enjoy a relaxing day of golf, reminisce about college days and network. From the tee-off to the last hole, the morning's activities were eventful for attendees, involving them in all aspects of the outing. Brian Egan '78CBA led his team to win the best ball flight and Vic Benedetto '86NDC of Manhattan Studios photographed all the action.
Following golf, a luncheon sponsored by retired St. John's Professor of Marketing Dr. Eberhard Scheuing and his wife Carol was perhaps the highlight of the afternoon. New York culinary favorites were served including White Castle hamburgers, Sabrett's hot dogs, Manhattan clam chowder, Long Island potato salad, New Jersey brats, Brooklyn sausage and peppers and a Carvel ice cream cake.
Alumni thoroughly enjoyed the New York-themed fare and the memories it evoked. "Being away from the Big Apple for so long, it was great to share some New York food with folks that talk like me," said Barb Maniuszko '77CBA, '80MBA.
The golf outing drew a record number of participants. "Every year this event grows. It is nice to see so many alumni from different schools and campuses get together and have a fun time," noted Arizona Alumni Chapter Leader Dr. Peter O'Reilly '69CBA, '74MBA who hopes to attract the more than 400 alumni residing in Arizona to future events.
Attendees were pleased with and recognized the hard work of the golf outing committee. "The golf outing could not have been better," raved Irene O'Hare '68Ed. "On a scale of one to ten, it was a 12. The Arizona Alumni Committee is to be commended for their hard work and for making it such an enjoyable event. I am already looking forward to next year."
The Fifth Annual St. John's Arizona Alumni Golf Classic and Luncheon will be held in June 2010 at the Pebble Creek Country Club in Goodyear, AZ. Alumni residing in Arizona who are interested in participating in upcoming chapter events are encouraged to contact Dr. O'Reilly at email@example.com to get involved.


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Tap sizing chart Contact
Call 804-780-1718, or email: |
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Selma Blair Solid Scarf
Selma Blair bundled up in style with this navy blue oversized scarf.
Selma Blair Ripped Jeans
Selma Blair opted for cool ripped jeans for her daytime look while out in California.
Selma Blair Oversized Tote
Selma Blair's classic black tote was cool and classy for her daytime look.
Solid Scarf also worn by:
more Solid Scarf looks »
More From StyleBistro
even more accessories looks »


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10 Bollywood Celebs Who Married the Not-so-Famous
Recently, Hollywood star Matt Damon gave a statement that he is sympathetic towards his friend and actor Brad Pitt. He says that Brad is always followed by paparazzi, thus, cannot enjoy his personal life. On the other hand, Matt himself is able to maintain a low-key life outside work as he is married to a non-celebrity.
Well, his statement holds true to an extent. So, no wonder, many of our desi stars have also walked on the same path. There are many Bollywood celebrities, who have chosen their life partners from outside the tinsel-town. And, yes, they have successfully kept their personal life away from the media glare. Check out a few famous celebs who married the 'not-so-famous'.
Recommended Read:
Bollywood Celebs who Got Lucky After Marriage
Top 5 Most Talked About Bollywood Star Kids
9 Bollywood Khans and their Hindu Wives
Latest Galleries
Jackpot : First Look
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Dhoom 3: Behind the scenes action
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26 photos


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"There's lots of other stuff going on. All the stuff that bolts to the back of the car and all the cooling that requires will be completely different next year," Scarborough says.
To ignore all these changes would mean being uncompetitive in 2014, says Allison.
"So, (the E21) needed to be developed while being squeezed on both sides from 2012 and 2014 -- that's a significant logistical challenge," Allison said.
Will tire changes make for a gripping season?
Pirelli's new tires are the most significant change this season, says Red Bull's Newey.
According to the Italian-based company, the introduction of new softer compound tires will improve laps times and increase overtaking.
"After a spectacular start with seven winners from the first seven races, the result at the end of the year was races with less competition and sometimes only one pit stop. This phenomenon was also observed in 2011, disappointing many fans," Paul Hembery, Pirelli's motorsport director said when the tires were launched in January.
"Our 2013 range of tires mixes up the cards once more to help overtaking and ensure two to three pit stops per race," he added.
Pirelli say that this year's hard compound tire (with new orange coloring on the tire sidewall) is "roughly equivalent to last year's medium compound" with the "performance gap between the different compounds now in excess of 0.5 seconds per lap."
Softer compounds mean quicker tire wear, says Scarborough.
"There will be no one-stop races because the tires just won't last that long. Drivers will have to manage the tires. Strategy is going to be really critical this year in terms of teams thinking 'do we go for extra tire stops or eek out (the maximum from) a set of tires?" he said.
"As we saw last year, if you try and run too long on a set of tires they drop off a cliff and lose all performance. That could happen quite quickly with some of the tires this year, particularly if we get a hot season."
The teams and drivers have been getting to grips with the new tires at pre-season testing in Jerez, Spain.
"With these tires, you're always on your toes," said Mark Webber and Jenson Button -- who topped the timesheets on the first day of testing -- and they talked of a "different feeling" compared to last year.
"I think it is a better tire. It will be tricky again in terms of laps and degradation, but Pirelli has done a great job getting a wider range for the tires.
"One thing that I have noticed -- you are able to go fast immediately, even on lap one. That is something that we couldn't do last year," Button told Formula1.com.
Who will set the pace in 2013?
So who will reign in 2013? Will Red Bull lead the way again? Can Ferrari claim a first constuctors' title in five years? Or will McLaren end a 15-year drought in their 50th anniversary year?
"I think you will have Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren setting the pace. I don't see that any of them are going to have any degree of dominance. I think it will be a lot tighter," says Scarborough.
"But like last year I think you're going to get spurious results in the first third/half of the year as teams get to grips with the tires. You're going to have a situation like last year where Maldanardo can win in a Williams because they got the tires working right."


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Craftsman C3 2-Piece Lithium-Ion Drill and Impact Driver Kit ENERGY STAR®
Item# 00935701000 | Model# 11550XSpecifications & Dimensions
Dimensions: | |
Weight - Battery Installed (lbs): | 7 |
Weight - Excluding Battery (lbs): | 6 |
Product Overview: | |
Amp Hours (Ah.): | 1.3 |
Built-In Bit Storage: | Yes |
Contents: | DD2010 1/2-In Drill/Driver, 11606 Impact Driver, PP2011 Compact Lithium-Ion Battery, CH2021 Charger, Drill Bit |
Piece Count: | 2 |
Included with Item: | |
Battery Included: | Battery Included |
Belt Clip Included: | No |
Bits Included: | Yes |
Case Included: | No |
Charger Included: | Yes |
Number of Batteries Included: | 1 |
Power: | |
Combo Kit: | Drill, Multiple item combo kit |
Cordless Drill: | |
Drill Type: | Drill / driver |
Battery: | |
Battery Type: | Lithium ion |
Battery Voltage: | 19.2 |
Battery Voltage (V): | 19.2 |
Charge Time (Hours): | 1 |
Certifications: | |
ENERGY STAR Compliant: | Yes |
UL Listed: | Yes |
Others: | |
Condition: | New |
Ratings & Reviews
Product Description
Count on this Lithium Ion Drill and Impact Kit
Built to deliver solid torquing action in a pair of powerful handheld units, this Craftsman C3 2 piece lithium ion drill and impact set is an essential on the job, in the shop and at home. Powered by a compact 19.2 volt lithium battery, each tool is lightweight and easy to maneuver, while still packing the power to outlast traditional NiCd batteries by 20% and hold a charge up to 4 times longer, so you have the power to do it right.
This lithium ion drill and impact set features an impact driver that uses a rapid hammering action that delivers 3,500 impacts per minute, sinking screws and driving bolts fast, while the included drill features a 24 position adjustable torque clutch, dual speed gear box and variable speed trigger, for precision drilling and driving. The perfect pair for assembly work, use one to predrill and counter sink wood, while the other drives screws deep, for a solid build without switching bits. Since both tools are ergonomically designed, and padded with an overmold, they're built for hours in your hands. Take hold of this set, and get the job done with Craftsman.
- Craftsman C3 2 piece lithium ion drill and impact includes: Drill/driver, impact driver, driver bit, 19.2 volt battery and multi-chemistry charger
- Drill/Driver features a dual sleeve ½ in. keyless chuck
- 24 position adjustable torque clutch
- High torque setting (0-350 RPM) and high speed setting (0-1,400 RPM)
- Impact driver delivers up to 3,500 Impacts Per Minute at 2,500 RPM
- Hammering action delivers up to 1,605 in. lbs. of torque
- Compact design for access to tight areas
- Both tools feature an ergonomic design with rubber over-mold grip
- Both are equipped with trigger activated LED lights
- Included charger fills multiple chemistry batteries and includes basic diagnostic functions
- Energy Star Qualified
- Available for Gift Wrap
Added on October 03, 2012
Overall, others give this:
Reviewers may have received a benefit, like a sweepstakes entry or rewards program points, in exchange for writing a review.
Those benefits were not conditioned on the positive or negative content of the review.
Most Helpful Reviews
Happy Valley, OR
via sears.com
Craftsman never ceases to amaze me with the quality of their products. This was a gift for my boyfriend and he absolutely loves it. We love the new Lithium batteries that last forever and the changeable heads! Great product as usual
Kingston, OK
via sears.com
it works great just I would like to buy with the best battery now on market the xpc one I believe its called
Westerville, OH
via sears.com
Give you the ability to do the job without constantly changing bits in your drill.
Lancaster, CA
via sears.com
This power drill and driver is my first drill and driver I have ever bought. It has a lot of power. But you will need to buy a second battery because if you are using both drill it at the same time. It does get annoying having to switch out the battery. But over all. It last a long time and works great.
via sears.com
Good combination would be better with a spare battery , if you buy get the driver kit for it
Griffith, IN
via sears.com
My girlfriend got me this combo as a gift last week as I've been upgrading to Lithium Ion from NiCad and also needed an impact driver to add to my drill collection. The power in the impact was definitely felt the first time I used it. I'm sure these drills will be handy for many projects to come.
Milton, KY
via sears.com
I have several 19.2 volt tools and many of them are the 1/2 inch drill. I was looking for the impact driver but the combo was the best deal of any I saw. Who could ever say an extra drill is not needed. I couldn't wait to try out the impact driver. I have always had problem with driving screws. Information I have read says impact drivers solve a lot of problems with sinking or removing wood screws. I have to say now that I have used the impact driver it will always be my first choice for driving screws. but wait, it comes with the 1/4 inch socket adapter. Maybe I was biased on the screws but what a difference on using powered socket tools. so this will also be my first choice on using sockets. LOL! So did I just throw another drill into the tool chest? Nope the improvements on the drill are great also. in fact like I have done in the past with the drill combos I will probably buy another one so I can have two impact tools and two chargers. I an in the process of updating my 19.2 nicads to lithium batteries so I will be looking at tool combos. So far I haven't seem many tool combos with the 1/4 inch impact other than with the drill. better bet I will be looking. absolutely changed my life tool wise.
Carmi, IL
via sears.com
I have used the 19 2 tools for several years now and found them to be much better that most of the higher priced competitors products in performance and in battery life, this is a product that no one should be with out
Reelsville, IN
via sears.com
I use this almost daily in my small woodshop and dont know how I ever got by without it.
Lawton, OK
via sears.com
- Members get 3% in points or with Sears Card get 10% in points. Offer ends 26-Dec-2013 See details.
- FREE shipping! Orders $59 or more Offer ends 31-Jan-2014 See details.
- Spend $199 in tools from Sears and enroll in the Tool of the Month - www.sears.com/toolofthemonth Offer ends 31-Dec-2014 See details.
- Tools Online Only Deals! While Supplies Last. Items Sold by Sears Offer ends 21-Dec-2013 See details.
- Plus, members get $20 back in points with this Craftsman C3 2pc Drill and Impact Driver kit. Offer ends 21-Dec-2013 See details.
- Use your Sears Card and Save! Extra 5% off Tool items Sold By Sears when you use your Sears Card. Offer ends 31-Jan-2014 See details.


text:
Image: Courtesy of Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, Western Carolina University and WCU Mobile App Development Team (screenshot); Mutlu Kurtbas/iStockphoto (iPhone)
Researchers have had a notoriously difficult time predicting how much flooding a given area will experience in the wake of a storm. Now a team led by researchers at Western Carolina University has developed a Web site and smartphone app that may help. The scientists gathered storm-surge data going back 65 years at more than 3,400 sites along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and are making it available just in time for the June 1 start of the Atlantic hurricane season (see http://stormsurge.wcu.edu). Users can enter a zip code and view a map that shows all high-water measurements made in that area. Also shown are the paths of the hurricanes that caused those floods, along with other aspects that most likely influenced storm-surge height, including wind speed and barometric pressure.
The database, which the researchers continue to compile, will ultimately be maintained and archived at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center. Detailed analyses of this information may lead to a better understanding of the nonstorm-related factors that influence surges, including the slope of the seafloor immediately offshore, says Katie McDowell Peek, a member of the Western Carolina team. And scientists may be better able to forecast a storm's effects by comparing its projected path and strength with those of hurricanes that previously struck the coast.
This article was published in print as "Go with the Flow."
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Coghlans Paracord is great for outdoor camping, hunting, tactical, survival bracelets and more. The Type III Commercial Grade 550 Cord features seven individual inner core strands....Continue Reading
The Hobie SUP Adventure Inflatable Stand Up Paddleboard is the perfect SUP for the family that travels. The Adventure is super stable at 32 in. wide. The inflatable Adventure features...Continue Reading
Get up, stand up and get into the stand up paddling world! The NRS SUP Earl 4 Inflatable Stand Up Paddleboard is your ticket to adventure and exercise, whether you're gliding on...Continue Reading
The Nemo Alti Storm tents are descendents of the Losi models, but with burlier frames and more enclosed canopies. The ridge poles continue to the ground, buttressing the tent against...Continue Reading
Is it wrong to intentionally make others envious? Probably. Yet there is something undeniably rewarding in the green faces of those you cruise past with your new Kuat NV Trailer Hitch...Continue Reading
The NRS Baron 6 Inflatable SUP Board is the board of choice for paddlers seeking smooth cruising on rivers, lakes, and bays. The big, stable Baron 6 has more volume to accommodate larger...Continue Reading
The NRS Baron 4 Inflatable SUP Board is the board of choice for paddlers seeking smooth cruising on rivers, lakes, and bays. The big, stable Baron 4 gives you a sturdy platform for...Continue Reading
The Hobie SUP Coaster Inflatable Stand Up Paddleboard is the perfect traveler. The Coaster SUP is super stable at 32 in. wide yet highly maneuverable at only 10 ft. long. The inflatable...Continue Reading
The Advanced Elements StraitEdge Angler inflatable kayak has been designed with the needs of the kayak angler in mind. Its wide beam provides maximum stability while bringing in big...Continue Reading


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Watch these movies; and you'll immediately watch again with your family and friends.
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Food Matters and then Hungry for Change