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Getting here
Spirit of the West is located on Quadra Island, B.C. Canada. To get to Quadra Island, and all of our tour starting points, you will need to get to Vancouver Island first.
For our Johnstone Strait, Desolation Sound, Discovery Islands, and day tours you will need to get to Quadra Island or Campbell River. For the Nuchatlitz West Coast tour you need to get to Quadra Island / Campbell River or Gold River.
For all driving directions and estimated driving times we reccomend using Mapquest.com, or give us a call in the office.
Getting To Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is accessed from mainland British Columbia and Washington State in the U.S. by ferry service or flights. If you are driving from Seattle, allow the full day to get to our area. Vancouver and it's two ferry terminals are approximately 3 hours drive from Seattle.
From Vancouver, ferries go to Victoria or Nanaimo. If you are traveling from south of Vancouver take the Tsawwassen - Nanaimo route. If you are coming through Vancouver take the Horseshoe Bay - Nanaimo route. Travelers from the USA can also take ferries from Anacortes, Port Angeles and the Seattle area to Victoria on the south end of the island. Campbell River is 166 miles (265km) North of Victoria on Hwy 19. Campbell River is approximately a 4 hour drive from Victoria, and 2 hrs from Nanaimo.
Getting To Campbell River
Campbell River is centrally located on the east coast of Vancouver Island, 95 miles (153 km) north of Nanaimo on Highway 19 and 166 miles (265 km) north of Victoria on Highway 19. Campbell River Regional Airport (YBL) is approximately 40 minutes from Vancouver by air and 1.5 hours from Lake Union (Seattle).
Getting To Quadra Island
Quadra Island is a 10 minute ferry ride from Campbell River. Ferry Schedule
View Spirit of the West Adventures location in a larger map
Getting To Port McNeill (Mothership tour only)
Port McNeil is located 124 miles (198km) north of Campbell River. To get to Port McNeill you can drive or fly from Seattle or Vancouver. You have the option of flying right from Seattle to downtown Port McNeill by Kenmore Air floatplane. This is the most costly but most direct. The other option is to fly with Pacific Coastal Airlines from Vancouver to Port Hardy (a town near Port McNeill), and from here a 25 minute airport shuttle will take you to our meeting point in Port McNeill. You can have us arrange the transport shuttle or you can contact Port McNeill Airport Shuttle at 1 250 956-8294.
Getting To Gold River
The Nuchatlitz tour starting point is from the town of Gold River on the west coast of Vancouver Island, approximately a 2 hour drive from Campbell River. If you are traveling without a vehicle you just need to get to Campbell River on Vancouver Island, or Quadra Island our home base, and we can arrange transport for you to Gold River on the morning of the tour. If you are meeting us in Gold River, we meet at the end of the government/public dock. This dock is located apx 5 mins past town - follow the signs for the dock.
Below is a short video on getting to us from Vancouver
Ferry Service To and From Vancouver Island
Click Here for the BC Ferries Schedule
Between the City of Vancouver and Vancouver Island
BC Ferries provides year round vehicle and walk-on ferry service. There are 3 options for ferry routes to the island. BC Ferries info can be found on their website, or contacted by calling 1-888-223-3779 within the province, and outside of BC at 1-250-386-3431.
Horseshoe Bay
(North of Vancouver) to Departure Bay (North of Naniamo) *Sailing time approx. 1 hr and 35min.
(South of Vancouver) to Duke Point (South of Naniamo) *Sailing time approx. 2 hrs
(South of Vancouver) to Swartz Bay (near Victoria) *Sailing time approx. 1 hr and 35min.
From the USA
Port Angeles, WA to Victoria, BC
The MV Coho: car and walk-on ferry runs year round except for a brief mid-winter maintenance www.cohoferry.com
Anacortes , WA to Victoria BC:
Year round vehicle and passenger ferry. Sailing time approx. 3 hrs. Departs Anacortes at 8am and Sidney, BC at 12noon. 1-206-464-6400 or 1-888-808-7977 www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/
Seattle, WA to Victoria, BC (Victoria Clipper):
Passenger only, offers year-round walk-on service. 1-800-888-2535 www.clippervacations.com
Air Travel To Vancouver Island
From Vancouver:
Pacific Coastal Air
Flies from Vancouver to Campbell River or Port Hardy. 1-800-663-2872 or 1-604-273-8666 http://www.pacific-coastal.com
Central Mountain Air
Flies from Vancouver to Campbell River or Comox. 1-888-865-8585 or www.flycma.com. They have the latest flight departing Campbell River for Vancouver if you must make it back to Vancouver the day your trip returns.
Air Canada
Offers flights from across Canada or Seattle to Campbell River, Nanaimo, and Victoria. 1-888-247-2262 (in Can) or 1 800 776-3000 (in US) http://www.aircanada.com/. If you are going to fly with Air Canada, book your flight on-line at www.offsetters.com and they will offset a portion of the carbon emitted by your flight at no charge to you.
From Calgary:
Flies between Calgary, Alberta and Comox (a town 45 minutes south of Campbell River). If flying into Comox we have an additional information page on options for traveling north; please contact our office for this page. 1-888-937-8538 www.westjet.com.
From Seattle:
Flights from Seattle to Vancouver. 1-800-665-4354 http://www.helijet.com
Kenmore Air
Offers floatplane flights from Seattle to Campbell River or Heriot Bay (on Quadra Island), and Port Hardy (for those joining our Mothership tours). 1- 866-435-9524 http://www.kenmoreair.com.
Bus Service To Vancouver Island
From Vancouver to Campbell River/Port McNeill:
Vancouver Airport Shuttle
Transport between downtown bus terminal and Airport. Leaves every hour. $13 one way. 1-800-668-3141 or 1-694-946-8866 www.yvrairporter.com .
Vancouver to the Island. Buses depart downtown Vancouver 5:45am, 9:30am, 11:30am, 2:00pm (Sat. only), 6:00pm. approx. $46CAD one way. 1-800-661-8747 www.greyhound.ca .
Islandlink Bus Services
Provides shuttle bus service between a number of Lower Mainland destinations and Vancouver Island/Campbell River, including Abbotsford, the Vancouver Airport, Whistler and the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. Visit their website for up-to-date schedules and booking information. 1-250-954-8257 or 1-604-970-4990. www.islandlinkbus.com .
From Seattle to Victoria or Vancouver:
Quick Shuttle Service
Provides regular transportation between Seattle and Vancouver, from airports to city centres. $43CAD one way. from Seattle airport to down town Vancouver. 1-800-665-2122.
Grayline of Seattle
From Seattle Airport to downtown Seattle (to meet ferry to Victoria). 1-206-624-507.
US Greyhound
Service between downtown Seattle and downtown Vancouver. 1-800-231-2222
Bellingham Airporter Service
Service between Seattle Airport and Anacortes Ferry (to Victoria). 1-800-423-4219.
Bus Service On Vancouver Island
From Victoria to Campbell River/Port McNeill:
Island Coach Lines
Services the whole island. Four to five buses per day to Campbell River ( 5:30am, 9:15am, 1:45pm and 7:20am). One bus per day to Port McNeill. Bus to Port McNeill leaves Victoria at 5:30am, and Campbell River at 12:15pm. 1-888-318-0818 or 1-250-385-4411 www.greyhound.ca.
Islandlink Bus Services
Provides shuttle bus service between a number of Vancouver Island destinations and Campbell River, including Victoria, Nanaimo, Tofino and Courtenay/Comox. Visit their website for up-to-date schedules and booking information. 1-250-954-8257 or 1-604-970-4990 www.islandlinkbus.com.
From Port Hardy Airport to Port McNeill:
Port McNeill Airport Shuttle
Transport between Port Hardy airport to Port McNeill (Mothership tours). 1-250-956-8294.
Car Rental Service
1-800-688-9833 www.budgetvictoria.com
National Tilden
1-877-222-9058 www.nationalcar.ca
Rent a Wreck
(From Campbell River only) 1-800-327-0116 www.rentawreck.ca


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Lowe's closing rumors on city's radar
SAN MARCOS City Hall leaders are aware of the persistent rumors that Lowe's in San Marcos may shut its doors, a move that could mean the loss of one of the city's top revenue producers and roughly 125 jobs.
"We've heard what you've heard," city spokeswoman Jenny Windle told a reporter on Monday, referring to the months-long speculation about the home improvement mega store. "But we've had no formal indication from Lowe's about what their intention is. … If we had a strong indication that they were leaving, we would certainly take active measures to backfill the space."
Natalie Turner, a Lowe's spokeswoman, said the company would not comment on the rumors. Steve Kildoo, who heads the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce, said the speculation has swirled for six months.
The city collects $587,000 in annual lease revenue from Lowe's, which opened in 2004 and anchors the city-owned Creekside Marketplace on Grand Avenue near state Route 78, home to Best Buy, In-N-Out Burger and several other stores.
"It would be significant if the rumors are true," added San Marcos Mayor Jim Desmond, citing the lease and sales tax revenue generated by Lowe's. "We have a very keen interest in keeping that center full."
Lowe's is listed among San Marcos' top 25 sales tax revenue producers. When lease and sales tax funds are combined, the store is "probably No. 1" among commercial revenue generators in San Marcos, said former City Councilman Hal Martin, who was termed out of office last fall.
"Before I left, I had talked to city staff (about Lowe's potentially closing) and it was discussed as a possibility," Martin said last week. "It's something they were very aware of."
A new Lowe's is expected to open in Carlsbad by fall or winter this year, said the Lowe's spokeswoman. It's slated for the corner of El Camino Real and Palomar Airport Road.
There are several nearby Lowe's stores, including in Escondido on West Mission Avenue at North Quince Street; in Vista on Vista Village Drive at Route 78; and in Oceanside on Old Grove Road at Mission Avenue.
Kildoo, of the San Marcos chamber, said Home Depot, Lowe's competitor in San Marcos, has been around longer and remains busy.
Sales never took off at the San Marcos Lowe's as the store expected, he added.
"They (city officials) know that there's going to come a moment when Lowe's is going to leave," Kildoo said, calling the potential closing "not one of the better kept secrets."
Kirk Effinger, a San Marcos opinion writer for U-T San Diego, referenced the rumor in his column on Jan. 5.
Effinger, a member of the nonprofit San Marcos Economic Development Corportation, said the San Marcos Lowe's never received the surge of customers expected from San Elijo Hills, a master planned community on the city's southern edge that was cut off from much of San Marcos for years before Twin Oaks Valley and San Elijo roads were linked.
He wrote in the column that "Poor sales are bringing about the departure of Lowe's from the city-owned Creekside Marketplace shopping center. This is no doubt partly due to the lack of customers from the San Elijo community making the trip "over the hill," having become more used to traveling south to shop."
Martin, the former councilman, said the potential closing and what to do about it has no doubt come up in regular conversations between city officials and the city's commercial management firm.
City officials had not responded as of Monday morning about what, if anything, the city has done beyond talking to prepare for the store's possible closing.

subset: commoncrawl


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|War On Terrorism: Some Good News posted Wed Oct 25 2006 05:01:32 by Falcon84
|Obsession Radical Islam's War Against West posted Mon Sep 18 2006 04:05:56 by Dtwclipper
|Americans, Would You Support A War Against Iran? posted Thu Feb 3 2005 13:54:46 by BREmer
|Saudi Islamic Scholars Call For Holy War Against U posted Sun Nov 7 2004 01:26:18 by MD11Engineer
|Heard It All, George Bush Behind Russian Terrorism posted Tue Sep 14 2004 16:51:33 by Imonti
|War On Terrorism: Who's Winning? posted Fri Jun 11 2004 18:05:35 by TWISTEDWHISPER
|Babes For Bush/Babes Against Bush! posted Tue May 11 2004 23:38:36 by Bofredrik
|Retired JCS Chairman On Bush, Clark, & Terrorism posted Wed Sep 24 2003 21:01:46 by B757300
|What Does The War On Terrorism Cost? posted Mon Mar 31 2003 23:55:33 by Bromma1968
|Bush: War Is Now Personal posted Fri Mar 28 2003 00:51:37 by Artsyman


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View Album
Exotic Adventure begins...
Ecuador Aug '12: Road Trip Anyone...?!
Travel day found us being driven to the airport in style by my friend and fellow Limo driver Mike, w/Arbor Limousine; leaving home at 4am (...after getting only 3hrs of sleep) in order to make our 6:30am flight from Detroit to Miami. We arrived in Miami around 9am with a 7hr layover ahead of us before we would be in the air again. You'll notice that our photo album begins with Dennis and I napping at the MIA.
Flying Lan Ecuador from Miami to Quito was outstanding! Much to our surprise Lan includes long lost airline perks: hot meals, wine with dinner, after dinner coffee and whiskey, personal choice of movies, blankets and pillows! Four hours of first class treatment passed very quickly. Through a dark sky the millions of sparkling lights of Quito were a welcomed sight. After months of anticipation, my hard work and a very long day...we were finally there!
Because we had to wake up so early and spend the entire day traveling or waiting around...I knew we would be tired and want to have our own space when we arrived. I chose to spend our first 2 nights in Quito at the JW Marriott; an excellent decision. Having planned ahead, the moment we cleared customs and walked through the doors, we were greeted by a Marriott driver and quickly escorted to the hotel. Very shortly after landing we arrived at our luxurious hotel; finally able to put our bags down, spread out and relax...as we all appreciate, especially me...a dream come true!


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|More Bad News Concerning Mexico..... posted Thu Jan 26 2006 18:40:27 by Alberchico
|More Bad News For Democrats... posted Wed Nov 3 2004 23:23:22 by N771AN
|New Poll/Survey: More Bad News For Democrats posted Mon Oct 18 2004 13:14:32 by L-188
|More Bad News For The Kerry Camp posted Fri May 7 2004 14:57:21 by L-188
|More Bad (snow) Weather...yay! posted Sat Feb 24 2001 16:01:51 by Derek H
|Whatver Happened To Marillion (And More So Fish!)? posted Thu Jul 19 2007 23:07:43 by Cumulus
|I Want To Know Where The Bad Parts Of Berlin Are? posted Wed Jul 18 2007 05:19:36 by PWM2TXLHopper
|Condi: Give Bush War Policy More Time posted Tue Jul 17 2007 05:05:37 by Falcon84
|Bad News For Us Guys...well, Somewhat... posted Sun Jul 8 2007 22:05:55 by AndesSMF
|Effective Methods For Flooding Your Neighbour(s)? posted Wed Jun 27 2007 17:31:44 by Runway23


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Moonraker Telescopes are all hand made in low volume and as such each is unique. Should you wish to have any specific amendments carried out this is still possible and the telescope will still be delivered to the distributor for checking before sending on to you, in the knowledge that your new scope is in pristine condition.
More news on the US stockest next week. I hope to meet some of you next year when a selection of Moonraker Telescopes will be on show. Thank you.


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Beautiful Mary Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke) was the daughter of teachers who didn't really want to teach. When lovely Lucile showed a talent for acting and became a semifinalist in a Motion Picture Magazine beauty contest, papa packed up…Read more →
Golden Age of Hollywood
Who's Your Favorite "Golden Age" (1930-60) Director?
Movie Poll: Who's Your Favorite "Golden Age" (1930-60) Actress?
To see a complete list of all movie polls, click here 13 Articles about Bette Davis 9 Articles about Barbara StanwyckRead more →
Who's Your Favorite "Golden Age" (1930-60) Actor?
Movie Poll: What's the best "Golden Age" holiday movie?
Movie Poll: What's the Best Golden Age Mystery?
Old Movies For Young People
Every month I show an old movie to a bunch of twentysomethings (like me). Sometimes it goes over well and other times…not so well. So I thought I'd put together a list of the movies that have been well received by…Read more →


text: I just bought a Schwinn Paramount, but there are several blemishes and places where they went over it with a primer to reduce the rust. On top of that there's rust in other places that they missed. I was just wondering if anyone could give me a range of how much it would cost to remove the rust and repaint the frame a solid white with the decals? And are the decals hard to come by/cost a lot?


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When Justin Timberlake set out to craft "What Goes Around … Comes Around" — which is up for this year's Record of the Year Grammy — he didn't say he wanted a karmic tale of romance and revenge. He didn't say he wanted to make a statement about a particular woman wronging a particular guy (despite rumors about everyone from Britney Spears to Elisha Cuthbert). He didn't say he wanted Middle Eastern instruments and swirling loops that emphasized the song's title. All Justin had to tell his producers Timbaland and Nate "Danjahandz" Hills was, "Let's do another 'Cry Me a River,' " and "What Goes Around" was born.
"We had no direction at all," Danjahandz recently told MTV News, "other than 'Cry Me a River,' and not in the sense of mimicking the track, but in how big the song was. There was no direction for how he wanted the song to sound, because there was no direction for how he wanted [his album FutureSex/LoveSounds] to sound. This was the first one."
Timberlake had gone to Timbaland's studio in Virginia to begin sessions for the LP — but there was no game plan for the album, not even a title. "I think that was the beauty of the whole project," Danjahandz said. "Nobody had a thought about anything. None of us was aiming for anything." So while Timbaland kept them well supplied with "real good lasagnas and pastas" to eat and plenty of Prince music to listen to on the stereo, they were just "fooling around" and "freestyling" at first. Then Danja started playing a guitar riff that caught Justin's attention.
"He started singing, 'What goes around comes around' — like, the melody first, no words, and then the words came," Danjahandz recalled. "Tim was at his keyboard, we were side by side, and he started coming with the drums to the melody. Everything was coming together at the same time."
As Timberlake listened to the music, he started pacing the room, humming. He never wrote anything down — "You will not see any paper trail from Justin," Danjahandz said — but after an hour, he was ready to go into the vocal booth and record lyrics.
"He was writing in his head," Danjahandz said. "I do that too, when it comes to melody and beats. I start it in my head, and I'll have an idea of what will fit, and I'll play with it until something sticks. I can hear every instrument before I put it down." Same with Timbaland, who almost immediately knew he wanted to use the oud, a Middle Eastern instrument, to mellow out the guitar riff.
"He has so many sounds on his keyboard," Danjahandz said, "and somehow he just knows. He can match it in the key as if it were meant to be there, and not just thrown in."
So by the time Timberlake was in the booth, the basic track — with the melodic loop — was done. Actually, it was more than done, since Timbaland and Danja had a version with a bridge that never made the final cut once they heard Timberlake's vocals. That version included the pre-verses, the verses and the choruses.
"There's three choruses in that record, that's just the way Justin writes," Danjahandz said. "It escalated into something really big and came up to the point where it was overkill. So we decided to go with the simpler version without a bridge, because it just would have been too much to have the bridge and the break at the end of the song. Maybe one day we'll re-release the bridge version, because it's slightly different in the melody."
Timberlake sang the song in a couple of takes and then went back to perfect each line piece by piece and fill in the gaps — the "little hooky things that make you remember the song," Danjahandz said. "Everyone can sing something in the song, like, 'I don't want to talk about it,' or you can sing the 'No.' Me, I sing the whole thing."
At that point in the recording session, Timbaland and Danja added everything else, like the basses and strings. "Justin's telling a story, and where the story gets interesting, that's where the music has to change and take you to the next scene," Danjahandz said. "It just takes you to the end, dies out, breaks down, and then it gets even more dramatic with the interlude. The song is like you're crying, and you're feeling all the heartbreak. But the interlude, that's anger, and it's vengeful."
Danja compared the process to scoring a movie, and in his mind, "What Goes Around … Comes Around" was a horror flick.
"There's the footsteps down the hall, then the heartbeat — more strings come in," Danjahandz explained. "You start walking down the hallway and peek your head around the corner — it gets more dramatic. And then everything's blaring at you, but you might not see anything, and you think you're OK. That's how this record is happening. You don't see, and so it dies out, and you turn around, and whatever you thought you heard is now right behind you. The interlude is what you missed and totally didn't see."
The interlude was "masterminded" by Timbaland after the basic track was done, and once that was added, they knew "What Goes Around … Comes Around" would be a hit. "We knew what we had," Danjahandz said. "Justin's words were, 'This is a great start. We're starting off pretty big.' And we said, 'We got to top this.' "
Still, Danjahandz — a self-proclaimed perfectionist — doesn't know what could top it. "That's about as close to perfect as I've gotten," he said. "I always feel like I can do something better. But I didn't know what to change on this song. I mean, I could have gotten more technical with the actual melody, real minor things that no one would ever see or know, but that could have made a world of difference. Or it could have made it go south. Who knows?"
And if it wins a Grammy for Record of the Year? "If I win, I want to buy a Ferrari and paint it the same color as a Grammy," Danja laughed. "Nah."
Don't sleep until February 10 — geek out on the Grammys with MTV News' complete coverage right here!


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The blueprint for Regent's brand new luxury shopping mall development plan opened at the Regent Taipei in April 2011. The Regent Galleria offers more than 50 luxury international brands spread conveniently across the hotel's ground and lower floors, representing essential lifestyle categories.
Boutique brands include iconic labels such as Dior, Chanel, Hermes, and Valentino, shoe and luxury leather goods from the acclaimed Italian producer Tod's, the legendary Graff Diamonds founded by London jeweller Laurence Graff and the elegant gems and timepieces created by Harry Winston of New York.
We believe that while all our guests inevitably wish to shop, they will not relish the prospect of walking through labyrinthine malls or climbing endless stairs to locate the exclusive brands they require.
Regent Galleria and our other retail formats will house only those names that perfectly match our luxury profile and authentically reflect the lifestyle and tastes of our guests.
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Michael Kors Fall 2010 Collection
The Duchess appears to have responded to the economic doom and gloom in a similar manner to Marc Jacobs: by making a blatant appeal to his customer base and saying "Stick with me and I'll give you every outfit you'll need for this season." The difference between his output and Jacobs' is, while Marc appealed to a client with a more toned-down style, Kors is going full-on luxe. These are clothes for the rich and he's not even trying to hide it. It's all furs! And leather! And coats, darling! And metallics! And big fat luxurious knits! And sexy! Long torsos and sunglasses, darling! Yachts and penthouses! It's a double-airkiss of a collection.
But it's who he is and what he does. High end American sportswear. We think there's something a little cheeky about boldly appealing to the wealthy and those who want to look like them at this time, but we can't deny that the clothes are beautiful. Plus he always has the hottest models in the biz.
[Photos: firstVIEW.com/wireimage.com]
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Anyone stayed here ??
Just swapped our Dom Rep holiday next May to ORLANDO! YAY! Staying 14 nights in a Villa here with a pool.. yay!
Any info would greatly be recieved..
All I know is that it is one of the areas recommended to me when I was looking for a villa location. We're in a complex just down the road from Lake Wilson and everyone says it is very close to Disney.
Did they have no Sweet Tomatoes in Dom Rep then?
I think you have made the right decision and that particular area, is fab, couldn't be better.
Who would want to go to dome rep, when you can go to Florida with a villa and own pool. Nah not me
Love and Hugs Catherine :tongue0011-1:
October 21st - 28th 08. Jardim Da Vau Portugal:
i was going to book there, until our member Malcolm offered me his, its a pretty new location Ive stayed just down the road from it, literally, and its really cheap for what it is, i found a site with the location on it and i was amazed how cheap it was tbh
its just a stones throw from the champions gate complex, not far from I4, and the 192 is just up the top of old lake wilson....i would defiantly book there in future
PMSL nope or no WALMART!!!!!! Couldn't bear a year without either lolOriginally Posted by Dawn, post: 14664
I loved the Dom Rep.. But it's really NOT my parents.. Just sitting by a pool the whole time. Yeh the all inclusive would of been great , but hey ho.. it's £300 cheaper for me to go to Florida than Dom Rep! £900ish all together!!!Originally Posted by Catherine, post: 15156
We're saving our time share points for the year after for a big family holiday.
So that's the next two years planned lol
Thanks you 3
It's a great location just 10 mins up the I4 to WDW or an alternative quiet drive up Lake Wilson Road to the 192 and then use Sherbeth Road.
There's a new Publix and shops being built on the corner of Lake Wilson Road even nearer to you than the one at Champions Gate.
The area surrounding Lake Wilson is well kept especially up around Reunion Resort which is opposite Lake Wilson Preserve.


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Without additional CO2 the growth rate will be dependent on the rate at which atmospheric CO2 equilibrates into the water. CO2 will dissolve into CO2-free water to a degree that is dependent on the air pressure, temperature, pH and bicarbonate/carbonate content of the water. The final concentration of CO2 in the water depends entirely on those factors. Once that concentration is achieved, the level of CO2 will not change unless the plants remove it or one of the other factors is altered.
Plants remove CO2 at a rate much greater than the rate at which it equilibrates into the water. So at the height of CO2 utilization, the plants limit their own growth by using up all available CO2. Because CO2 is an integral component of the bicarbonate buffer system, a drop in CO2 will necessarily result in a rise in pH. As the pH rises, the influx of additional atmospheric CO2 will be diminished by its conversion to bicarbonate.
This is offset somewhat by hard water plants that can utilize bicarbonate directly. However, without routine water changes or buffer additions
(Alkaline Buffer™ or Liquid Alkaline Buffer™), this path will eventually lead to complete depletion of the KH (carbonate hardness) which will result in dramatic pH swings from day to night (5.7 - 9.6).1
CO2 injection bypasses this predicament by delivering a constant source of CO2. Because the introduction of CO2 will lower pH, you have two options: (1) Monitor and calibrate the rate of CO2 addition to precisely match the usage by the plants or (2) use a pH feedback metering system, such as a
pH controller. Option (2) is ideal because as the pH falls below a certain point, the CO2 turns off, thus avoiding catastrophic pH drops.
If you are not quite ready for the initial investment in a CO2 injection system but would still like to enjoy some of the benefits of adding additional carbon, there is an alternative:
Flourish Excel™. It provides a simple organic carbon molecule (similar to what is described above in the photosynthesis discussion) that plants can use as a building block for more complex carbohydrates. Because Flourish Excel™ is an organic carbon source, it does not impact pH. Even if you are already using CO2, you can still obtain a cumulative benefit by using Flourish Excel™ in conjunction with CO2.
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Issue 82
New body to promote endangered Roman wall
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Carrowmore - Tombs for hunters
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Carrowmaore - tombs for hunters
Göran Burenhult reports on controversial new evidence from the second Swedish excavation campaign at Carrowmore, Co Sligo
In the Knocknarea Peninsula, in County Sligo, north-west Ireland, some 40 stone monuments today overlook the Atlantic Ocean: dolmens and other stone-built chambers surrounded by stone circles. Clustered together in the interior of the peninsula, they are built of crude glacial boulders torn from the surrounding mountains during the last glaciation and spread over the area like meteors. The place is called Carrowmore (Ceathrú Mór), a Celtic name meaning "Great Quarter". Before quarrying and land clearance in recent centuries, there may have been as many as 200 tombs, by far the largest group of megaliths in Ireland.
This is an arranged ritual landscape, with tombs surrounding an oval space, empty but for the largest monument, known as Listoghil (tomb 51 according to the numbering in George Petrie's 1837 survey). Tomb entrances tend to face the centre of the cemetery, those on the west facing eastwards, those on the east facing west, though two of the northernmost tombs do not conform to this pattern.
The layout must have been deliberately planned from the start, reflecting deep symbolism in society. In fact, as has often been stated, megaliths are themselves symbols. You do not need to erect stone tombs just to dispose of your dead relatives – there are much easier ways of doing that. Symbolism is apparent not only in the monumentality of the tomb, but also the siting in the landscape, the physical relationship to other monuments, the construction materials, internal structural features, architecture, deposits and offerings and so on. It is widely accepted that this reflects contemporary society and its rituals: but when did it start – and why?
In the late 70s the department of archaeology at Stockholm University began a field project at Carrowmore that still continues. The first Swedish excavations (1977-1982) produced radiocarbon dates that placed the cemetery's origins in the late mesolithic, that is around 5000BC when people lived by hunting and fishing. Excavations of shell middens and temporary camps on the shore indicated mainly a hunter-gatherer subsistence. Even the youngest Carrowmore dates were older than those of the famous Boyne valley tombs such as Knowth or Newgrange. Megalithic tombs have long been thought to be distinctively neolithic, built by early farmers. Inevitably the Carrowmore dates led to intense debate and criticism; the results are still controversial. Many acknowledge the need to review traditional explanations of Irish megaliths, but several archaeologists still believe our earliest Carrowmore dates relate to activities long before the tombs were built.
In continental western Europe, several megalithic constructions also seem to have been built by mesolithic people. There are radiocarbon dates from the late 6th and early 5th millennia bc for tombs in Brittany (Barnenez and Île Guennoc), Poitiers (Bougon), and Galicia (Châ de Parada). In Brittany (Hoëdic and Téviec), stone structures with inhumations have been dated to about 5200bc, and in Loire-Atlantique (Dissignac), microliths (mesolithic flint tools) are associated with a passage grave, a characteristic stone tomb with a chamber in the centre of a mound reached by a long corridor.
The proposed construction dates all fall in the late mesolithic-early neolithic, with subsequent use of the tombs in the later neolithic, the bronze age and the iron age. Carrowmore mirrors the early development of new mortuary practices across Europe. No doubt future excavations along the Atlantic fringe will produce similar data, associated with late mesolithic and early neolithic societies forming complex social systems on a rich maritime economy.
A mesolithic date has also been suggested for the earliest tombs on the Isles of Scilly, with an economy based on sea-shore gathering, fishing, fowling, marine hunting and deer exploitation, and again for the coastal megaliths of Bohuslän, west Sweden. New dates from our second excavation campaign (1994-1998) strongly support the first results. The oldest so far comes from tomb 4, about 5400BC, with further dates for megalithic activity on to about 4000BC. No fewer than 26 radiocarbon dates from eight different tombs at Carrowmore and one at Primrose Grange firmly place the major primary megalithic activity between 4300 and 3500BC (see chart below).
The position of tomb 51 (Listoghil) in the centre of the cemetery and its unusual features give it a significant, focal role. The huge cairn, still partially present (diameter 32m), is in sharp contrast to all other monuments at Carrowmore, which had no covering mounds. The burial chamber, a rectangular cist under a flat, limestone roof slab, is unique. Circular carvings on the front side of the roof slab are the first examples of megalithic art found in this cemetery.
Listoghil was partially excavated by the Swedish team in 1996-98. The entire central chamber area and three test trenches through the cairn were investigated. The well-preserved stone circle was exposed, built of more than 100 boulders. Radiocarbon dates from pits and burnt areas around the central chamber (nine dated samples) confirm that the building of the tomb took place around 3550bc.Apiece of human skull dated to c3500bc shows that inhumations took place at the beginning. Thus the major monument at Carrowmore was built and used towards the very end of the megalithic sequence.
However, the site of Listoghil had a focal significance long before that, as an earlier monument seems to have been on the site before tomb 51. Three large boulders, apparently not part of the tomb, were found beside the central chamber. These may be the remains of a destroyed megalithic construction. Furthermore, massive stone packing was found on the south side, just outside the boulder circle, possibly the remains of a destroyed satellite monument. A radiocarbon sample from this area, dated to c4100BC, may support this idea. During the second excavation campaign, we excavated another megalithic monument in the Knocknarea Peninsula: a court tomb at Primrose Grange, some 2km southwest of Carrowmore. Our aim was to study the chronological relationship between different tomb types in the region. Any differences in burial practices and artefacts could be of vital importance to understanding society and ritual in the peninsula's stone age societies.
The excavation revealed that the Primrose Grange tomb was in use during the same period as the Carrowmore tombs, despite fundamental differences in tomb morphology, burial practices and gravegoods. Radiocarbon samples from the central chamber date between c4300 and 3000bc. Burials in the tomb are almost all inhumations, and very few cremated bones have been found: at Carrowmore, inhumations have been found only in tomb 51. The artefacts with the burials are also very different. The typical Carrowmore assemblage contains antler pins with mushroomshaped heads and stone or clay balls, artefacts not found at Primrose Grange. Instead, there were extraordinary chert artefacts, mainly leaf-shaped or pointed arrowheads.
There are more than 1,500 registered tombs in Ireland, traditionally classified into four main groups: court tombs (long mounds with an oval courtyard at one end), passage tombs, portal tombs (fronted with three stone slabs) and wedge tombs (with a long narrow burial chamber but no passage).
Earlier theories suggested the different tomb types succeeded each other over time, and even represented invasions of different groups of farmers. New data have produced strong evidence that at least three of the tomb types (court tombs, passage tombs and portal dolmens) were more or less contemporary in the same regions. The Carrowmore excavations support this interpretation.
Rather than successive stages, we must consider if the distinct tomb types can be interpreted as symbols of status, group affiliation or hereditary rank in the local society, posing questions about social structure, clan affiliation or even elitism.
Most Irish court, passage and portal tombs are in the north and east. However, while court tombs and portal tombs show a more or less equal distribution, apart from those at Carrowmore they tend to avoid the major passage tomb cemeteries. This is most apparent with the Boyne valley monuments and the Loughcrew cemetery (Co Meath). It is possibly no coincidence that only passage tombs are represented around the Boyne valley. A more sophisticated topographical analysis of all tomb types is needed if we are to detect the finer details of this pattern. If court tombs and portal dolmens are present at Carrowmore because it is substantially older than the other passage tomb cemeteries, it is possible that hierarchical polarisation was less developed at that early stage.
Many scholars have discussed the exceptional design and settings of the Irish passage tombs in detail. Recently they have highlighted aspects of the monuments' role as symbols.
The passage tombs are often prominently located, sometimes in a spectacular hilltop position. In several cases the tombs cluster together in cemeteries, especially in the Boyne valley and at Loughcrew, Carrowkeel (Co Sligo) and Carrowmore. With, again, the exception of all but one tomb at Carrowmore (51, Listoghil), they are covered with cairns, where passages from the boulder circles allow access to the chambers. These chambers often have three apses or cells, forming a cruciform plan with the passage. Corbelled or slabbed roofs form part of the advanced architectural creations.
There are clear signs that the right hand side (facing the entrance), both inside and outside the monuments, had special significance to the tomb builders. Very often carefully selected building materials were chosen, which in several cases involved long transport. Quartz and quartzite clearly had ritual significance in the passage tomb tradition.
Irish passage tomb burials are as a rule cremations, although unburned bones have been recorded in several cases. There is evidence for complicated treatment and handling of the bones, as seen at many megalithic sites elsewhere in Europe. We recorded excarnation and reburial at Carrowmore and Primrose Grange. Grave goods in Irish passage tombs follow distinct, formal patterns, unique to this tradition: antler pins, often with mushroom-shaped heads, bone and stone pendants, stone and clay balls and maceheads.
Newgrange and Knowth in the Boyne valley represent remarkable technological skill and architectural standards. The construction and labour input surely indicate a complex social organisation. Afew individuals in such a society must have had access to all knowledge, or control of the circulation of prestige items and long distance contacts.
This becomes even clearer when we look at the astronomical features that guided the whole construction of these tombs 5,500 years ago: the Newgrange chamber built to receive the first sun rays of the winter solstice through the roof box on December 21, and the two chambers at Knowth orientated towards the rising sun of the spring and autumn equinoxes on March 21 and September 21. It has been suggested that the unexcavated chamber in the third major Boyne valley monument, Dowth, could have received the summer solstice, an event well known to be of major importance in megalithic Europe, as at Stonehenge.
The radiocarbon dates for the construction and use of Newgrange and Knowth span nearly half a millennium: advanced knowledge and long term planning over many generations must lie behind the layout of this ritual centre, most probably dating back long before the construction of the three major tombs. Such knowledge most probably was restricted to a very limited number of individuals of high rank. Mesoamerican ceremonial centres and Maya priests may be good examples for comparison with regard to social complexity and astronomical knowledge.
Finally, elaborate megalithic art in Ireland is found only at passage tombs. The close similarities in the megalithic symbolic world in western Europe at an advanced stage of the tradition is likely to be the result of intense contacts between leading groups between 3500 and 3000BC.
There is reason to believe that the builders of court tombs and portal tombs in Ireland had close and formally organised links with those building the passage tombs, maybe as hereditary or lineage-linked chieftains or village chiefs, powerful leaders possibly forming sub-groups in the megalithic society.
The excavation of Primrose Grange Tomb 1 within the Carrowmore project has revealed important data to suggest such an organisation. It is likely that the passage tomb builders were very special people, using special knowledge and skills in building very special monuments in very special places. The passage tomb people, possibly representing the elite, had the rights to build and use these monuments and their carved motifs, and a specific set of artefacts, while other groups, or segments, or classes, or castes, or whatever we choose to call them, used other symbols, other grave-goods and other burial traditions.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The state's largest professional organization of lawyers generally stays above the fray of election politics.
This year that was different.
For the first time in 25 years, the Ohio State Bar Association waded into a ballot battle. It involved a constitutional amendment to overhaul Ohio's redistricting process.
The association's decision to oppose the issue outraged many members. It sparked about 200 complaint emails and protest votes by some local bar associations. State filings show the bar spent at least $236,000 on a political consultant for the effort.
Critics say OSBA president Patrick Fischer may have been subject to political influence because he wants a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court.
Fischer and other bar association officials say the content of the proposed amendment, not politics, was behind their position.


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JAN 26, 2013 - Yahoo! News
A Must Read - Share
PARIS (Reuters) - The number of people who support the legalization of same-sex marriage in France has risen despite major protests against the government's planned reforms earlier this month, a new poll by Ifop for news website Atlantico.fr showed. The proportion of those surveyed supporting the change in the law rose to 63 percent from 60 percent in early January and December. Support for adoption rights for gay couples also rose by 3 percentage points, although the country remains divided on the issue, with 49 percent in favor, according to the international marketing firm. ...
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Credit: Vanity Fair
Lady Gaga's known for her candor, so what kind of a transparent pop star would she be if she didn't curse and talk openly about her love life in her Vanity Fair interview? During her shoot, Gaga posed nude for her "Lady Is A Tramp" collaborator Tony Bennett (?!) and admitted that her true place of happiness is when she sees a fan smile. Read below as Gaga invites us into her world of unending fame, staggering talent and crippling heartache.
+ On her past relationships: "I have never felt truly cherished by a lover. I have an inability to know what happiness feels like with a man… It's a hideous place to be in when someone that you love has convinced you that you will never be good enough for anyone. I had a man say to me, 'You will die alone in a house bigger than you know, with all your money and hit records, and you will die alone.'"
+ On how she feels whens she's not onstage: "When I'm onstage, I'm so giving and so open and myself. And when the spotlight goes off, I don't know quite what to do with myself."
+ On being proposed to after she's left a few men: "How f***in' romantic, you a**hole. Sure, pop a ring on my finger and make it all better. I can buy myself a f***in' ring."
+ On women's rights: "The problem is not women being irresponsible. The problem is everyone being irresponsible… How can you deny a woman the right to choose [whether or not] to have a child? It's completely outrageous."
+ On her "autobiographical" "Marry The Night" video: "Getting ready to relive the worst day of my life… It's chaotic and sad. But I don't want it to be safe."
See, guys. Even Lady Gaga, unofficial QUEEN OF THE WORLD, has jerk ex-boyfriends. They're inescapable!
The January issue of Vanity Fair hits newsstands in New York and L.A. Dec. 1.


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Hi Alexandre. Welcome to this rational world of Internet atheism---a haven from the superstitions and fictional god of the masses.
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Celebrity News
CALABASAS—Paris Jackson, daughter of Michael Jackson, attempted
suicide on Wednesday, June 5 in her family's Calabasas home. Jackson was taken from the scene on a stretcher by paramedics at approximately 1:30 a.m. Jackson was taken to the nearest hospital where she has been placed under a 5150 psychiatric hold for 72 hours.
The Jackson family's attorney released a statement on Wednesday indicating Jackson
was physically fine and asked the media to respect the family's privacy.
Reports indicate the 15-year-old took a large number of Motrin pills and cut her right forearm with a meat cleaver which needed numerous stitches. Additional reports state that Jackson left behind a suicide note. Various sources have stated Jackson has attempted suicide before and recent photos of her show possible cutting scars on her wrists.
On Tuesday night, the teenager tweeted "i wonder why tears are salty?" and quoted a song by The Beatles, "yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away now it looks as though they're here to stay."Jackson is currently a witness in a civil trial as her family filed a lawsuit against AEG for negligence due to their hiring of Dr. Conrad Murray for the belated Michael Jackson. Murray gave a fatal dose of the anesthetic propofol to the pop singer in an attempt to help him sleep.
The Jackson family also state that AEG prepared a tour for Jackson that he was not ready for physically. AEG states, however, that it was allegedly Jackson's choice to hire Murray and the company recommended a British doctor.
Michael Jackson died in 2009, two weeks prior to his "This Is It" tour which was to begin in London. Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011.
© Copyright 2007 by canyon-news.com


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04/20/2008, Panama Canal
Wow, it was a long day. We got up early to get things going with the swap meet on the dock. It was strange to walk out into the cockpit and see it open with no dinghy. Hideko and I will really miss Little Star. Having no dinghy we decided to go into Flamenco Marina on the other side of the canal until our new dinghy comes. Flamenco is almost completely filled with permanent residents of the sport fisher flavor so it is hard to get a slip. We tried a couple times and got turned down the first time. After a few days we contacted Ken, the guy in charge of all of the docks, and got a spot.
We had a hard time deciding what to do with the cruising guides and charts of the Caribbean. You get attached to these things. You use them a lot to find stores, services and sights to see when you're cruising, they're kind of a log of where you've been. We try to keep our catamaran light (for her size) and to do that you really need to consider every little thing, but especially heavy things. A stack of cruising guides displaces some water. They are also going to do nothing but sit for three years or so until we get back to the Caribbean. Seeing that they will be five or six years old by then, we'd probably want to buy new ones anyway. Taking a boat slowing, depreciating asset on a world tour didn't seem like the right thing to do. So we kept the best charts of the areas we thought we'd really like to come back to and sold the rest.
After the dock sale I ran across Bruce the dock/yard manager and we got to talking about ukuleles. I had no idea he was a uk guy. He had like 8 uks on his boat. Just goes to show that you should try to get to know your neighbors in the marina sooner rather than later. After commiserating about the missed opportunities for a good uk jam I made him an offer on a 8 string. I only have a 4 string and the 8s sound really nice and full. We said goodbye and I left with a nice new uk. Get rid of some weight add some weight.
Hideko was going crazy cleaning the boat when I got back. She had made a tasty casserole to feed everyone for dinner. It is a big leap to plan the food bit of a canal transit for a crew used to two mouths. We had an additional family of four, Nobu and an ACP advisor joining us increasing the intake substantially.
We checked in on the VHF radio with the canal and the current instructions were to be out in the F anchorage (the only yacht anchorage) by 17:00. So we targeted a 16:00 arrival and a 15:30 departure from Shelter Bay. All of our crew were aboard and ready to go at around 15:00. So, after a month of waiting, we fired up the Yanmars and idled out into Lemon Bay.
It is a big bay. Without really cranking up the throttle it probably takes a full half hour to get from your slip to the anchorage. As we neared the flats we could easily identify the other boats making the canal transit with us. They all had every fender they owned out as well as a batch of rented tires. We rented ten tires and used eight fenders with one kept in reserve on the tramps for emergencies. You could use less but I wouldn't. The ten tires cost us $70 and came wrapped in plastic with little blue lines.
It was great to have four able bodied crew. Usually Hideko and I decide to do something and then we go do it, and it takes a while. With four adults and two young men on deck I could simply ask for something and it was done in the bat of an eye. They had the tires and fenders adjusted before I could even get out of the marina. It's nice to have crew!
Our transit was to be an unusual one. Being so backed up, the canal decided to start moving larger groups of yachts through the canal at one time. Recently they were running three through every other day. The three would raft up, pull in behind a freighter and go through. This is what Margaret and I experienced when we went through as line handlers. With us they were running 10 yachts through with no shipping. We had a large power boat and a sail boat, both over 100 feet, and eight yachts 30 to 55 feet. New boats arriving in Colon were waiting eight weeks currently so it was nice that they were trying to do something.
As we sat on anchor we checked in with the canal every so often by radio. Not surprisingly they delayed the arrival of the advisors several times and it was dark before we got a time that finally stuck. We fed the crew dinner and waited patiently.
At around 18:00 a pilot boat entered the crowded anchorage. Not knowing who they needed to single out in the crowded anchorage they simply stood off and called yachts over the radio to come to them. We were first up so we brought in the anchor and made out way to the pilot boat.
The pilot boats are big steel jobs and you don't want to bump one. You have to get close enough for the advisor to safely step aboard however. This can be interesting depending on the wind, which had started to kick up. I approached the pilot boat and stopped, assuming they would want to do the maneuvering since they had all of the horsepower. We had the side gate open and after a bit of back and forth on the radio to position the boats in the wind properly we helped Mesa, our advisor aboard.
Mesa was a fun guy and had been an advisor on the yacht Margaret went through with. She had apparently made quite an impression because made me promise to say hello to her from him. "Hi Margaret." Once you have the advisor aboard you are done with the radio until you are out into the pacific. The advisors exclusively coordinate with the canal and the other advisors, which is a nice service.
We were motoring around in the anchorage under the assumption that we would be heading for the locks to raft up. Then they delayed the transit. Then they delayed again. I the end it would have been better if I had just re-anchored. As it was we motored in place, keeping the bow to the gusty breeze for almost two hours. After several false starts we finally got the go ahead to proceed to the locks.
The canal runs like a conveyor belt. Everyone scheduled to go through has a number and you simply pull in behind the guy with the number one above yours. Every day (00:00) the sequence starts over. We were something like 84A, designating the 84th lockage of the day and the letter ("A" in our case) being an anomaly allowing all of the yachts to have a unique identifier.
When the big ship with the number before us went by we pulled into the canal channel. We had made friends with another yacht crossing tonight named Galetia, a German boat with two guys named Wolfgang aboard (what else?). We asked Mesa if we could raft with them and he got it done. I knew that Wolfgang was a professional skipper and had gone through the canal with him when we both served as line handlers. My greatest fear in going through the canal was to be rafted with an unstable captain. Margaret's tale among others had me quite happy to be hooked up with Galetia.
As we approached the locks we stayed well to the starboard side of the channel. The marks were IALA B on this side with the red nuns running right off of our starboard rail. We kept a little bit of way on as we pulled into the channel to wait for Galetia. Wolfgang had his third crew member Claudia (name?) driving and she did a great job bringing Galetia along side. We rafted up and moved into the locks behind the two mega yachts.
We were lucky with only two boats in our raft. The beam of our cat was the reason. Most yacht rafts have a 50 foot monohull in the center and an smaller boat on the sides. The port side boat takes the two port wall lines and the starboard side boat takes the two starboard side lines. The center boat just drives while the outside skippers stand by with engines running in case. Our setup required us to drive and take two lines to port, while Galetia handled the starboard lines.
When you get into the out lock area the guys on the wall throw bolas down on deck. The bolas consist of a thin twine like messenger line with a monkey's fist on the end. Best plan here is to watch them throw it and then get out of the way. Cover your solar panels so that they don't shatter if an errant monkey's fist strikes them.
The guys tossed the lines down and hit the deck making it easy for the crew to grab the lines. I couldn't help but wonder at the fact that not one bola hit the tramps the whole trip, which I would prefer to the gel coat. The crew tied the large lines we had rented (you probably don't want to put your own lines through a canal transit) onto the messengers and we then moved the raft into the first chamber. The guys on the wall walk the lines on their side into the chamber and then haul up your large lines. The end you send them has a large eye that they drop onto the bollards on the wall. At that they walk away and you are alone in the lock.
When everyone was in position in the lock (which took a while with five boats/rafts) the doors closed. The ride up is more turbulent and more work than the ride down. Everyone was pretty amped up because other than the advisor and Peter and myself (with a whopping one transit each) it was the first time in the locks.
The water bubbles in from the bottom of the chamber and the raft swayed a little on the lines. The crew have to pull the lines in at the right speed to keep the entire raft in the center of the lock. It sounds easy but communications across the boats are critical. If you have a language barrier and a boat in the middle it could be challenging. We had just two boats and everyone spoke English so all went perfectly.
Once at the top of the chamber they open the deeper gates and the wall crew sends the big lines back down to the yacht. Then I motor the raft into the next chamber as the wall guys walk the messenger lines forward. Once in position the wall guys take the messenger lines in and drop the big lines back on the next set of bollards, the gates close and the process repeats.
It was midnight when we exited the third and last chamber in the Gatun Locks. We motored out into the lake a bit and unrafted then headed to the anchorage off to port by the Panama Canal Company's Gatun Lake Yacht Club. They have a wonderful dock but you are not allowed to use it. There are two ship moorings which are rubber and plastic. You can et one boat on each side and then you have to raft up from there. We decided to anchor instead.
We said a hearty goodbye to Mesa as he rode off in the pilot boat that came to pick him up. We all had a quick beer and a toast to a successful locking. It was 2AM when we finally shut down and the new advisor was arriving in four and a half hours.
04/19/2008, Shelter Bay Marina
After you've been in a marina for a while you get to know many of the locals. Shelter Bay is an interesting spot because it is so far from everything. It makes the odds of running into someone on a boat in the marina during your day very high.
Bruce and April are a couple from the US west coast living on their cat in the marina. Bruce runs the dock and April is a representative for Marine Warehouse. They are a wonderful family with two great kids and some wild pets. They are currently rehabilitating a toucan and a little sloth. Both are very cute (sloth pictured).
We have met many folks going east and many going west and some planning to stay put for a while. Our new friend Ed just hauled out his Norseman 430 in the Shelter Bay yard. We met Ed our first day on the dock and have enjoyed his company when he has stopped by the marina. Ed has purchased Little Star for his place out in Bocas Del Toro and is likely to join us on the trip to the Galapagos.
Our friends Peter, Debbie and their kids Josh and Mattias on Sea-u-manana arrived a few days ago. They are spending a lot of time in town trying to replace a number of electronics items that some unscrupulous individuals stole from their boat in Columbia. The four of them have agreed to help us out tomorrow as line handlers on our boat as we transit the canal.
Nobu from Wakamizu has also agreed to join us for the trip through the canal. Including Hideko, that gives us four adult line handlers plus the skipper which is what the canal requires. After going through once I'd say that is also a minimum. It is nice to have one person to sweat the line and one to bring it in when you are going up at Gatun. If you end up with three or four lines on you boat (not likely but it can happen) you'll have everyone working hard.
There's a swap meet at Shelter tomorrow morning so we've collected a pile of stuff to get off of the boat. We'll sell what we can and then head through the canal. Very exciting stuff!
04/18/2008, Shelter Bay
I hate to say it but we have decided to sell Little Star, our dinghy. The longer distances you need to cover to explore in the Pacific and the desire to go fast with guests aboard were our primary motivations. We loved Little Star and it was a hard decision. Crazy to get sentimental over a dinghy, I know, but these things happen.
After looking around quite a bit we ordered a new 12' AB with a 25hp Yamaha 2 stroke from Marine Warehouse. Marine Warehouse is run by Albert in Miami but they have offices in Panama. These guys are fantastic for shipping to Panama and other out of the way destinations (http://www.marinewarehouse.net). We had a very good experience with them.
Some folks had come over to purchase the Yamaha 8 hp outboard today so I put it on their boat and told them that it was a one pull motor. Four hundred pulls later it would not start. Needless to say they didn't buy the motor.
I'm not much of a 2 stroke mechanic but fortunately our neighbors are. Paul and Colin began tearing the thing apart before I could blink an eye. We had thought we were going to be through the canal in a week when we arrived so the outboard had been sitting with fuel in it. Normally you run a 2 stroke out of fuel before laying it up so that the oil in the fuel mix doesn't gunk things up.
After cleaning up the injector nozzle and sprayer the motor looked great. Colin put it back together and it ran like brand new. Cruisers are really cool people. I have now added, "recently serviced by an expert mechanic" to the for sale sign.
04/17/2008, Colon
We paid our canal bill today. Ouch.
Crossing the Panama canal is not cheap. The admeasurer measured us in at 49' and change but after looking at our documentation, recorded us at 50'. He indicated that he had to record us at the greater of the ships documentation or the measurement. The difference between 49'11" and 50' is about $350. If you have a 50 footer and want to sooth your anguish over the extra change simply consider the average cargo ship's vig, which is in the neighborhood of $250,000 a trip. Could be $500,000 or more if they buy a premium slot.
The current wait for new yachts arriving is 8 weeks. This pretty much eliminates cruising plans for the South Pacific. If you arrived today 4/18 and went through in three to four days (as one might expect) you could be in French Polynesia by June after a nice stop in the Galapagos. This gives you plenty of time to get to New Zealand or Australia and see the sights on the way. Add two months and you end up in French Polynesia in August staring storm season in the face and with 3,000 or more nautical miles still to cover.
Two boats we have talked to have come into Colon, received their date, had a melt down and then arranged freight. By this I mean they have pulled the mast off of the boat, packed it up and put it on a ship, or a truck in one case, bound for Panama City. On the other side you unpack the boat and put the mast back on, then sail away. This could run you $3,000 to $10,000 for a small boat. It is also a little more hazardous for the boat. That said it is a whole lot faster, running perhaps a week and a half or two.
Our tab ran something like this:
$910 - Toll for the Panama Canal
$300 - Taxes
$350 - Agents Fee
$100 - Rental of 4 Lines
$070 - Rental of 10 tires
$086 - Miscellaneous vigorish (not sure what this was for)
$090 - Charge for using a VISA (that VISA tells everyone not to charge in their contract)
The only ways to reduce this are to get an admeasurer that will record what he measures (our sister ship benefitted from this treatment) and/or cut the agent out. A 49'11" boat is good for a $350 savings and doing it yourself without the agent will cut out another $350 to $400.
While pricey I think I would use our agent, Enrique Plummer 507-6674-2086, again if I had it to do over. Enrique is bilingual and for us with our poor Spanish this is a pretty big help. Enrique generally answers his phone and gets back to you quickly if you have to leave a message. This may seem trivial, but I assure you it is above and beyond the call in this neck of the woods. Such expeditious turn around may make the difference between being moved up and staying in line. Enrique also cleared us in and will clear us out. We have never had to talk to anyone but Enrique and everything has been hassle free. He sourced the lines and tires (Panama Fenders) for the transit and has kept us posted on all of the timing issues.
I have seen others lose their spot due to payment issues (a VISA won't clear because the bank has stopped the card for possible fraud, etc...) or they have just missed a communication from the ACP. Agents have corporate accounts and they make you good with the canal so as long as you pay the agent you never have to worry about the canal. Agents also keep track of their boats and can work out new slots amongst their boats if conflicts arise. From a communications stand point the agent is talking to the ACP several times a day making it very unlikely that you get missed when things shuffle.
$2,000 is a big chunk out of the cruising kitty but it beats Cape Horn...
04/16/2008, Colon
We have been moved up twice in the queue to go through the canal. Our new date is Sunday the 20th. We are pretty happy about this but now scrambling a little more to get everything ready.
Over the previous weeks we have been refining our passage plan for getting to French Polynesia. The first step is to get through the Panama canal, then to cruise the Las Perlas, next the Galapagos and then on to Fatu Hiva in the Marquises.
From the looks of it the Galapagos bit will be the toughest to sail. As you can see from the current GRIB the wind from Panama to the Galapagos is anything but normal. Some say beat your way down to Ecuador and sail out on the equator. Some say sail around the peninsula to the north and then head more south to make the crossing.
If you watch the unpredictable patterns for a few days you may come to the same conclusion I have come to. The shortest path between two points is a straight line. Perhaps this is not the purists approach but I think it is probably the fastest this time of year.
Reports from the Galapagos are: diesel delivered to the boat at about $2 a gallon. This is not Venezuela cheap but it is half off the rest of the world. Given the option of topping up in the Galapagos I think we will be ok with burning a few dinosaurs on the way. With these wind patterns we could just as easily sail the whole way, who knows?
04/15/2008, Everywhere
We e-filed our US taxes from the boat today. If I didn't have Turbo Tax and a good Internet connection I don't know how we would have managed (yes I do, we would have filed an extension...).
It also reminded me how backward the US is tax wise. The Turbo Tax interview (necessary to get a fair shake on deductions) is a forensic map of the PAC influences and election campaign promises which have created the beast.
Many have a vested interest (particularly the IRS) in seeing the status quo go on but there are options. The Fair Tax is certainly compelling and I would encourage anyone displeased by the bureaucratic overhead associated with April 15th to take a look. I can't imagine a better system for cruisers!
04/14/2008, Colon
Hideko and I visited the "Free Zone" in Colon just to see what it was all about. What a place. It is a massive industrial warehouse facility directly connected to the port. Everything inside is tax free if you are in transit. You need a passport to get in and the Panama citizens are not typically allowed to shop there. The prices are ok but I think you get the same things for about the same price in a much more pleasant setting in Panama City.
With all of the shipping and receiving that goes on around the canal the country does seem to have the whole yacht in transit bit worked out. We had four boxes sent out from our mail forwarder, Saint Brendan's Isle, with spares and lots of other odds and ends. Most places in the Carib, even the supposed free ports, give you quite a hassle when you try to receive this sort of shipment. SBI puts all of the small things you get in the mail in a larger box, breaking things down and tossing junk mail to save space. The manifest is an SBI one because they can't pull the invoices for each individual item (they may not even have access to them). This non-original manifest gives the Grenada customs folks a serious conniption. Curacao had a big problem with DVDs. They charge different rates for Games, Movies and computer software.
In Panama the package comes right to the boat and they charge you $15, even for four boxes. This makes Panama the #2 spot we've found in the Caribbean to get mail. The number one spot was the BVI. The same as Panama but no $15 fee, which allowed them to leave things at the marina office when you aren't at the boat.
We just got moved up again by the ACP so we are now going through the canal this Sunday! Apparently they are getting too many yachts stacked up on the north side. They are sending three rafts of three through with us (9 yachts total). Most of the yacht transits we have seen lately have been a single raft of three behind a cargo ship on the Gatun side and the you go down on the Pacific side with the tour boats. It will be nice to go through with all yachts because it will avoid any problems you might have with prop wash from the big boats.


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Doctors offer discount services through social media
In addition to Facebook and Twitter, healthcare companies are also using online discount coupon sites like Groupon to promote their services, attracting a large number of uninsured people with their bargain prices, reports the Baltimore Sun.
In fact, nearly 15 percent of Groupon deals nationwide are for healthcare services, Julie Anne Mossler, a spokeswoman for the Chicago-based company, told the Sun. The website offered discounted eye exams, teeth-cleaning, electrolysis and chiropractic services, among others.
Katzen Eye Group promoted an exam and glasses deal for $50 via a Groupon deal-of-the-day email sent to tens of thousands of Baltimore area subscribers and millions nationwide. The offer "greatly exceeded our expectation," and attracted more than 300 patients, CEO Richard Edlow told the Sun.
But healthcare providers must bear in mind that sites like Groupon can just as easily deter clients, as companies can't control how their services or brands are conveyed on social media outlets, notes the Sun. For example, customers can post about a bad experience on Twitter or Facebook for others to see.
In addition, offering discount services can pose a financial risk. Companies could lose money if an offer becomes too popular, Chad Capellman, director of social media for Genuine Interactive, told iHealthBeat.
And as with other social media tools, healthcare companies must make sure they obey privacy laws when posting information to online discount websites, he added.
For more:
- read the Baltimore Sun article
- check out the iHealthBeat article
Related Articles:
Social media do's and don't for doctors
Mayo Clinic aims to accelerate online presence with new social media center
Social media, medicine may be dangerous mix


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Definition: 'Anginal Equivalent'
anginal equivalentType: Term
1. group of symptoms heralding angina pectoris that does not include chest pain (dyspnea, diaphoresis, profuse vomiting in a diabetic patient, or arm or jaw pain).
The definition information for anginal equivalent is provided by Stedman's. You can search our medical dictionary here.
Stedman's, part of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, provides a comprehensive line of health-science publications for healthcare professionals and medical students.
Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.


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Thursday, November 8, 2012
Almond Peach Raspberry Crisp
19 comments:
- Kate said...
I am on board! What a great combination of flavors!!
- November 8, 2012 at 5:50 PM
- FABBY'S LIVING said...
Oh, why did I see this post!! Now I'm gonna head for the fridge..I have some ice cream there, lol.. You combo I don't have at hand, anyway thanks for sharing pretty Jacqueline..so glad to hear from you. Thanks for your sweet visit, you made me smile, as I haven't been smiling to much lately. Big hugs,
- November 8, 2012 at 6:08 PM
- scrambledhenfruit said...
I love almond with peaches- I bet this smells divine as it cooks. So delicious! :)
- November 8, 2012 at 6:22 PM
- Gina said...
That looks so good! I'll be pinning it.
- November 8, 2012 at 6:39 PM
- Linda Primmer said...
Lovely combination of favors. I love crisps of all kinds. I could go for some with some yummy ice cream. You always come up with the most fabulous desserts. I don't know how you stay so thin. Thanks for visiting Jacqueline.
- November 8, 2012 at 8:32 PM
- Happier Than a Pig in Mud said...
Sure sounds good! Using the canned peaches and food processor makes it extra easy:@)
- November 9, 2012 at 2:38 AM
- Lavender Cottage said...
Mmm, this looks so good and easy to make. I've never used canned peaches for a crisp or almond flavouring but I''m certainly going to give this a try.
- November 9, 2012 at 5:21 AM
- farmerswife said...
I am assuming you drain the peaches? Sounds great think I will try this on the week ent thank you
- November 9, 2012 at 6:38 AM
- anniebakes said...
what a great combination and I love the colors!! have a great weekend, anne
- November 9, 2012 at 7:06 AM
- Sharon @ Lilikoi Joy said...
Oh my gosh, saw this in my email this morning and thought it looked so beautiful that I'd pop by and tell you that and pin it. Can't wait to try this one! Sharon
- November 9, 2012 at 7:31 AM
- Cathy at Wives with Knives said...
How welcome this would be in the winter when fresh fruit is so scarce. I love all that crumbly topping too. Beautiful, Jacqueline.
- November 9, 2012 at 8:11 AM
- Sherri said...
Reminds me of a peach melba dessert. I to would like to know if the canned peaches should be drained before using?
- November 9, 2012 at 9:23 AM
- Jacqueline said...
Yes, thanks for noticing my mistake, you do drain the peaches.
- November 9, 2012 at 3:00 PM
- Mom E. said...
Thanks or the recipe! I cannot wait to make some! YUM!!! I can use gluten free flour and it will be wonderful! have you tried frozen peaches? We grow peaches on our farm and I freeze and can them...I'll let you know how it goes!
- November 9, 2012 at 8:31 PM
- Mom E. said...
Oh, Jacqueline,
We LOVE your cinnamon pancakes! they are Conference Morning breakfast while we get ready to watch General Conference on the BYU channel in Washington State. We started it last spring and used our own Gluten Free recipe for the pancakes. But that is all we will do now!
- November 9, 2012 at 8:47 PM
- Marigene said...
Sounds delicious...peaches and raspberries is a perfect marriage!
- November 9, 2012 at 9:43 PM
- Laurie Ritchey said...
Jacqueline, My mouth is watering. Thank you for this recipe. laurie
- November 10, 2012 at 5:44 AM
- SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...
Not only do the raspberries give a punch of flavor but what a punch of color too! This looks delicious! What a great experience to help at the cannery too.
- November 10, 2012 at 11:01 AM
- Leslie said...
Mmmm, yummy!
Thank you for sharing your recipe! I'm sure the not only tastes spectacular but it probably smells incredible as it bakes :)
- November 13, 2012 at 6:52 PM


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Tefen Flow & Dosing Technologies
based in Hof Hacarmel, ISRAEL
Tefen, the manufacturer of MixRite - cutting edge dosing pumps used mainly for livestock, irrigation and industrial applications, and it`s flow product line, used in applications where quality and reliability is the key factor.
Verderflex Peristaltic Pumps - part of the Verder Group
based in Castleford, UNITED KINGDOM
Verderflex Peristaltic tube and hose pumps from Verder have gained worldwide prominence particularly in dosing applications involving abrasive, highly corrosive, viscous, high density and shear sensitive products within industries such as water and waste water, food & beverage, chemical, biofuel, print & packaging and ceramics. Verderflex peristaltic pumps have a ...
Dosatron International Inc.
based in Clearwater, FLORIDA (USA)
Dosatron is the original inventor of the water-powered dosing pump. Since the first Dosatron was first manufactured in 1974, Dosatron has grown to be the world leader in water-powered dosing technology. Today, Dosatron manufactures and sells a wide variety of chemical injectors in over 100 countries worldwide.
Milton Roy Europe
based in PONT SAINT PIERRE, FRANCE
To provide you with durable solutions tailored to your needs, Milton Roy Europe focuses on its core business and devotes all of its energy and skill to research and development into fluid dosing equipment: dosing pumps, valves and dosing systems. Backed by 50 years` experience, Milton Roy Europe provides standard solutions from its product catalogue and custom solutions ...
based in Sta. Perpetua de Mogoda, SPAIN
ITC was set up in 1988 and is dedicated to making dosing pumps and dosing control equipments. It is placed in Barcelona, one of the main logistic centres in the Mediterranean Sea. It uses the synergy of being placed in a city which is a reference point for creativity, design and technology, to strengthen its commitment towards innovation, quality and service in the ...
Aqua Water Systems Limited
based in Stourport-on-Severn, UNITED KINGDOM
Aqua Water Systems Limited is the UK division of Aqua Italy. Established in 1976, AQUA Italy has specialized in injection moulding of plastic materials and components for the water treatment industry. Over the years we have progressed and added to our range, making us a top manufacturer, able to offer a comprehensive and extensive range of highly durable products. The two ...
Albin Pump SAS
based in Goteborg, SWEDEN
The company`s history originates from Albin Verken and is since 1928 an independent company. Albin Pump develops and manufactures sealless pumps that facilitate our customers processes through innovative solutions. The knowledge of development and production of pumps for the industry is built on many years of experience. We take pride in delivering efficient and ...
Seko SpA
based in S.Rufina - Rieti, ITALY
SEKO has been a significant manufacturer of metering pumps and dosing systems for over 40 years. It has gained a worldwide leader position in many fields by supplying innovating products and offering reliable solutions for the dosing, injection and transfer of liquids, together with an efficient control of the related chimical parameters.
Lutz-Jesco GmbH
based in Wedemark, GERMANY
Lutz-Jesco has been manufacturing dosing equipment and the related components with innovation and quality in the field of metering technology and disinfection. For about 60 years, the brand Jesco has been associated with strong, extensive product lines with successful installation and operation of dosing installations worldwide.
DOSEURO S.r.l.
based in Cologno Monzese, ITALY
Doseuro is a combination of two capabilities, the first is a technical expertise gained from many years of experience in the chemical dosing field. The second is a commercial understanding of the changes in this field and a sensitivity beyond the requirements of our customers.Each of our products speaks for itself. High reliability is achieved by constant product ...


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Infra definition may be expanded to boost growth
Feb 17 2013 , New Delhi
"Although, the definition of infrastructure is there in the Income Tax Act and Direct Taxes Code, it can be expanded to include more areas to boost economic growth," sources said, adding that the decision would be taken in the budget, as there are also revenue implications.
Finance minister P Chidambaram will present the budget for 2013-14 in the Lok Sabha on February 28.
The areas on which the country is focusing in a big way needed to be given the infrastructure sector status to ensure substantial impact on industrial development and growth, besides attracting overseas capital.
With regard to revenue implications on according infrastructure status to more sectors, sources said the losses can be made up by better performance of non-infrastructure sectors.
Several countries like Japan, Korea, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand have earlier provided incentives that led to rapid growth of infrastructure sector, they added.
Industry has been demanding that definition of infrastructure be expanded to include some of the key sectors like telecom, housing, shipping and education.
Infrastructure sector status ensures tax benefit and easier access to domestic and global funding.
Currently, a staggering sum of investments are being planned in infrastructure sectors like roads and highways, ports and airports, railways and power.
Infra sector will require investment of about $1 trillion in the 12th five year plan, beginning April 2012, with half of it expected to come from the private sector. The government has been trying to boost infra spending to pep-up the manufacturing sector, wherein the output growth was low at 0.7 per cent in April-Dec period of current fiscal. The growth was 4 per cent in the same period of 2011-12 fiscal.


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Home > Television > J > Johns
Thomas Calabro
Brittney Powell
Deborah Harry
Doug Davidson
All Cast & Crew >>
Summary:The story of a prostitute and her customers, who each have a different reason for utilizing her services. Liz is a beautiful, high-priced call-girl, who works for Madam Jacqueline, a shrewd business woman. Some of the clients include a successful writer/producer with a sex addiction, a lawyer who loves his wife, but is still one of Liz's best clients, a powerful CEO who likes to be dominated, and a recently divorced businessman who wants to "save" Liz from her chosen profession. Complicating things is Chris, the UCLA graduate student who loves Liz, not knowing her occupation.


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Submit sites for clubs whose focus is track and field (i.e., athletics). Clubs with a narrower focus on road or other non-track running should be submitted to Sports/Running/Clubs.Contains sites for clubs devoted to track and field (athletics) training and competition.
Please direct your submissions to the appropriate region, country, and state/province, if possible.
Please submit your site to this category only if your site is primarily focused on collegiate track and field (i.e., collegiate athletics). Sites in a language other than English belong in the appropriate category under World.This category is for websites providing news, results, history, or other information on collegiate track and field (i.e., college or university athletics). For example, this includes U.S. NCAA, NAIA, and Junior Colleges.
Submit sites devoted to a single team under the appropriate organization (NCAA, NAIA, etc.) and conference. If your site is not the official site of a single school or conference, make sure your site has original content not found on a school or conference''s official site.
more information (editors only)
Please submit only sites related to track and field competitions. Road races should go under Sports/Running/Road_Running/Events; other types of running events should go into the appropriate category under Sports/Running.Contains sites for track and field meets of all types.
Please submit only sites dealing with Track and Field Multi-Events in this category. Triathlon sites have their own category under Sports.Decathlon, Pentathlon, Weight Pentathlon and other Track and Field Multi-Events
more information (editors only)
This category should generally contain sites about the author''s personal experience in track and field, including performances, advice, training plans, etc.Contains sites concerning the personal experiences or advice of the author(s) in track and field.
Sites about elite or well known athletes should go in Sports/Track_and_Field/Athletes.
Submit sites to this category that are focused on one or more track running distances (e.g. the 100 meters). Sites for running events competed off the track should go in Sports/RunningThis category is for websites dealing with track and field running events, including sprints (100-400 meters), middle distance (800-3000 meters), long distance (5000-up), and hurdle races.
Sites containing information on track meets should go under Sports/Track_and_Field/Events
Submit sites to this category that provide free training information for multiple track and field events. Sites that provide information on a single area (Jumps, Pole Vault, Running, etc.) should be submitted to the appropriate event category.This category contains sites which provide training information for multiple track and field events.
Sites that sell training information or literature (online or print) should go under Shopping/Sports/Track_and_Field


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- shop by theme
- shop by item
- personalized
- first birthday
- toys
- party ideas
- costumes
- clearance
Reviewed by 5 customers
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Comments about ... Monster Plush (each):
The kids adored these in their party bags, even I wanted one!
Comments about ... Monster Plush (each):
i am using the little monsters for my 2 boys birthday party, there are 5 different monsters, and i ordered 10 hoping to get 2 of each. i got 7 pink ones, for a boys party. besides that i thought they were really cute and little enough to fit into the gift bags!
Comments about ... Monster Plush (each):
I used these to put in candy bags for a little monster birthday party. I just thought they would be bigger but worked out perfect because they actually fit in the candy bags.
Comments about ... Monster Plush (each):
I bought these to use for our lil\' monster adoption during our Adoption Celebration. They were tiny enough for little hands and even colorful enough for some adults. They were nice and plush, durable and cute. I just wish they had more design selections to choose from. In fact, you can\'t choose the design on the website. They randomly pick it for you.
Comments about ... Monster Plush (each):
creatively combine the two with the help of Birthday in a Box!! (Thank you!) We decorated with them first - hanging them from the light fixtures. After the party - the kids each got to take one home! SO excited to have found these and other monster paraphernalia to complete this 3-year-old\'s birthday wishes!


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Looking for car hire in France? CarJet has over 100 locations across this beautiful and diverse territory. Click the button below to search our best deals for car rental France.
Vive car hire in France!
Whether you're looking for a city break, cultural getaway or an escape into nature, France is a pretty good bet. It's a huge country that anyone who's watched Tour de France coverage can see is vast and diverse. Of course, if you're not Bradley Wiggins, then exploring this beautiful country is best done with a car hire. And we've got France car hire locations throughout the country including on-airport car hire, train stations and town centres.
Love being by the sea? Head south to Provence and the French Riviera where you'll find warm sunshine and the azure blues of the Mediterranean. Prefer those waves a little wilder? You'll want to be by the Atlantic ocean on France's west coast! Away from the sea, there are mountain ranges including the Alps and Pyrenees as well as fertile plains and valleys that just so happen to be perfect for wine growing.
There's plenty for culture vultures too - you're practically spoilt for choice for world class museums in Paris and around the country are signs of a well preserved heritage. Speaking of culture, other cities including Lyon and Marseille have more recently upped the culture stakes with brand spanking new museums. At CarJet, we're also rather fond of our food and drink. And France has more than its fair share of fine dining opportunities. Its patisseries make for a pretty damn fine treat too!
Have a look below for some of our top France car hire destinations…
Biarritz | Bordeaux | Brittany | Chambery | Grenoble | Geneva | La Rochelle | Lyon | Marseille | Montpellier | Nice | Paris | Perpignan | Strasbourg
Go to France and experience the joie de vivre! For information on driving in France, visit the FCO's travel advice tool here: www.fcowidget.com


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Issue of the Week: Ron Johnson's Bad Vote for Veterans
So bipartisan legislation was created: allow vets to use private hospitals if they can't get in to VA facilities. The bill also amped up funding to hire additional medical professionals.
It seems like a no-brainer. The bill, authored by conservative Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and liberal Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), was so uncontroversial that just three senators voted against it.
You guessed it. One of the three holdouts was Wisconsin's embarrassing Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson.
In an official statement, Johnson said that he preferred a competing bill that he authored that would reform the VA system.
We should be grateful that the Senate hasn't taken up Johnson's tea party version of "reform." Johnson is one of the most ideological members of Congress, one who is wasting his time fighting a provision in Obamacare that allows the federal government to pay for some of the health care coverage for some lawmakers and congressional staffers. The provision treats the federal government like a private employer that covers some of its employees' health benefits. Even conservative U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner thinks Johnson's federal lawsuit is nuts. But it allows Johnson to try once again to become the voice of the tea party on Capitol Hill.
Johnson's opposition to the bipartisan attempt to provide health care for veterans is yet another shameful example of his pattern of putting his tea party ideology above the well-being of his constituents. We hope that veterans and their loved ones realize who is not looking out for them in Washington—Ron Johnson.