text:
October 2000
Earth as seen from the Apollo 17 mission. Evolution encompasses both the universe and our world. Source: Johnson Space Center of NASA.
Note: Because some of the information in this article may be outdated, it has been archived.
Editor's Note: This article refers to a 2000 study of state science standards. State science standards have been reexamined since then and a new study was published in 2005. To read the 2005 study, refer to the link "Fordham Reports" in the "learn more links" that follow this article.
Evolution, the sequence of events by which the world came to be as we see it today, is the central organizing principle of the historical sciences — biology, geology, and cosmology. Ongoing collection of evidence concerning the details of the process, and elaboration of the theoretical structure that makes the evidence comprehensible, lie at the hub of these sciences. Scientists spend much time debating the details, but there is a consensus as to the overall picture and the basic principles.
As in all the sciences, the role of public education is to inform students to a degree that makes it possible for them to understand, at least in general outline, what science and scientists are about. But this is not what happens in some parts of the United States. Some persons, generally called creationists, perceive the scientific consensus as inimical to their religious beliefs. Creationists have had some degree of success, through political means, in suppressing or distorting the teaching of science in localities of various sizes, ranging from individual classrooms through schools and school districts to entire states.
The biological sciences are the arena in which this effort at suppression and distortion has been most visible and by far most extensive. The effects are evident in the kindergarten through high-school (K-12) science standards of a number of states.
- In some states, biological evolution is simply ignored, reducing the study of biology in schools from a science to a sort of natural history.
- In other states, evolution is soft-pedaled, removed from its proper place at the center of biology, represented as a field of hot scientific controversy, or presented in veiled terms.
- In one state — Kansas — all references to the historical aspects of all the sciences have been expunged from the standards.
Assessing science standards in education
The U.S. educational system is highly decentralized, with primary authority resting at the local school-board level. Nevertheless, states exercise a significant degree of control over every aspect of education through teacher certification, class-size rules, significant subsidies, and other regulations. With respect to specifically curricular matters, two major instruments of statewide quality control are
- K-12 standards
- the statewide examinations that are based on them
I had studied the overall quality of state science standards in two earlier publications. State Science Standards: An Appraisal of Science Standards in 36 States was published in 1998. An update, The State of State Standards 2000, covered the 49 states that had published standards by the end of 1999. Both of these reports were published by The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation. In these general studies, it became apparent that the treatment of evolution, particularly biological evolution, varied widely from state to state and that this variation had a substantial effect on the overall quality of the science standards. It was therefore decided to study the treatment of evolution in a more specific way.
I have used the K-12 science standards of 49 states1 and the District of Columbia as a measure of the quality of instruction in evolution. Because it is the subject that evokes the most public controversy, I concentrated on biological evolution. However, the tight connections between the evolution of life and the evolution of the nonliving earth, and between the latter and the evolution of the solar system and the universe, obliged me to pay some attention to those subjects as well. The results of the study of the treatment of evolution in the science standards have been published as Good Science, Bad Science: Teaching Evolution in the States (September 2000). Like the earlier works, this report was supported and published by the Fordham Foundation.
Instruction in evolution
Given the central place of evolution in the life sciences, what then is required to provide the student with a good understanding of these sciences and the unifying role that evolution plays in them? As with all the sciences, the theoretical framework of biological evolution is somewhat abstract. It does not reveal its power to persons who are not familiar with a reasonable sampling of the broad spectrum of facts that the theory explains and correlates. At the primary grade levels, therefore, standards should focus on those basic facts and ideas of evolution that can later be incorporated into broader perspectives. At the K-3 level, for instance, students should be expected to understand that:
- all living things reproduce
- offspring are similar to but not exactly like their parents
- offspring have to grow up (or change; i.e., metamorphose) before reproducing themselves
- there is a fit between individuals, or species, and their environment (e.g., terrestrial, aquatic, aerial)
- the earth is over 4 billion years old, allowing much time for biological as well as geological evolution
At higher grade levels, these ideas can be supplemented by an understanding of:
the nature of competition for survival between and within species
the consequence that not all offspring live long enough to reproduce
the limitation imposed on the number of offspring that survive by such environmental factors as availability of food and water, predators, and temperature
the variability among individuals that leads to differential survivability in a particular environment
the specialization of species to fit ecological niches and the impact of environmental change on the tenability of those niches
the underlying role of genetic variation that results from both sexual reproduction and random mutation
the nonrandom way that natural selection operates on the existing population in spite of the many random factors that determine the survival of any individual
At the middle and high school levels, these ideas can be unified, and such concepts as Mendel's laws, genetic drift, sexual selection, and other significant mechanisms can be introduced. Coevolution, commensalism, and the complex interactions of ecosystems are important applications of the basic concepts. The magnitude of the geological/evolutionary time scale is so different from the time scales of everyday life that it is difficult to grasp, and must be introduced with care. The fact that the same general time scale underlies both geological and biological evolution is an important link between the two sciences.
Parallel to these macroscopic concepts, the underlying microscopic mechanisms must be introduced at suitable high school grade levels. These include:
- the relation of genotype to phenotype
DNA as an information carrier
the expression of DNA in protein synthesis
the implications thereof at the various levels of organization from organelles through cells, tissues, organs, and individual organisms, to populations
the identification of Mendel's and Morgan's abstract gene as a sequence of bases in a DNA molecule, a dramatic triumph of the biological sciences
the origin of mitochondria and chloroplasts in prokaryotes parasitic on eukaryotes
the special roles of mitochondrial and Y-chromosome DNA in tracing single-sex ancestral lines
It is also important to introduce, at the proper time, the understanding that biological evolution does not take place in a vacuum.
- The biota of the earth coexist with the nonliving parts of the earth, and each influences the other.2 Therefore, the facts and, subsequently, the theoretical structure of geological evolution must be introduced concurrently with biological evolution.
- Similarly, the earth is part of the solar system and the solar system is part of a hierarchy of still larger structures, up to the universe as a whole. The student should be empowered to view the history of the universe, from the general cosmological picture down to the smaller scales characterizing the earth and its smaller elements, as a seamless whole.
Misconceptions about evolution
Why do creationists object to these ideas? The extrascientific pressures against the teaching of biological evolution are diverse. However, they manifest themselves mainly in three major classes of objections, which correspond to the following factual and theoretical implications of biological evolution:
- To achieve the diversity of life we observe today, the evolutionary process has required several billion years.
- All living things, humans not excepted, are descended from common ancestors.
- The evolutionary process is a natural one susceptible to scientific investigation and thus by definition cannot include supernatural intervention as a necessary component.
The first of these premises conflicts with a particular interpretation of the first few chapters of the Book of Genesis. According to this interpretation, the universe is less than a millionth as old as the scientific evidence implies — that is, a few thousand years rather than some tens of billions. This particular interpretation of Genesis, generally called young-earth creationism, is held mainly by a subset of evangelical Protestants and some ultra-orthodox Jews and Muslims. Young-earth creationists fear that the several alternative interpretations of Genesis supported by most Christians and Jews undermine the entire authority of the Bible.
The second premise is objected to by young-earthers and some others who hold that humankind has a special, divinely ordained place in the universe and is the central concern of the divinity. According to this belief, God could not have lumped humans (for whose benefit He created the universe and everything in it) with mere animals, let alone other living things. Such believers hold, moreover, that teaching the biological relationship of humans to other animals inevitably undermines any possible moral or ethical teaching.
The third premise, though shared by the groups discussed above, is the special province of a class of anti-evolutionists called intelligent-design3 or irreducible-complexity advocates. These persons have revived a position set forth in the 17th century by John Ray4 and just after 1800 by William Paley.5 Specifically, they dust off the view that living beings are too complicated to have evolved, and that their creation by an intelligent (read as divine) designer is just the entrée into the natural world that God requires if we are to believe in Him.
Other pressure groups object to evolution as well, on various grounds and from political perspectives that range from right to left or are not classifiable politically. However, the views described above, held mainly by a subset of Protestant evangelicals, have by far the greatest impact on public education in the United States.
How states respond to critics of evolution
States that respond to creationist pressure do so in different ways and to varying degrees. The responses ordinarily take one or more of the following forms:
- The standards include many of the central principles of evolution, usually briefly, but the word evolution is carefully avoided. The "E-word" is replaced by misleading euphemisms such as "change over time."
Biological evolution is simply ignored. Geological evolution, the history of the solar system, and cosmology may well be treated, often even employing the word evolution. Fossils are sometimes mentioned, but only in the context of geology, not biology.
Evolution of plants and animals is treated to some degree but human evolution is ignored.
All scientific discussions that imply an old earth or universe are deleted. Kansas is the only state to do this completely, but Mississippi, Tennessee, and West Virginia come close.
Creationist jargon is used.
In Alabama, all textbooks are required to carry a disclaimer that calls evolution "controversial" and labels it "a theory, not a fact." The disclaimer also cites a number of other standard creationist ploys, all of them based on fallacious understanding of science.
Some or all of the historical sciences are treated lightly but no attempt is made to elucidate the connections among them.
How the states rate in teaching evolution
A scale was developed to rate state science standards. It gave positive credit for the fulfillment of the principles of evolution enumerated above and negative credit for the incursion of creationist notions. The numerical scores were reduced to letter grades A through F; Kansas was unique in earning a negative score and was rated F-minus. The table below gives the distribution of grades:
|# of States
It is gratifying that 31 — almost two-thirds — of the states do a satisfactory to excellent job of teaching evolution. But that is cold comfort in view of the other 19 that do a poor to awful job. Among those failing states, moreover, are several with quite large student populations, notably Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Virginia.
Although there is a concentration of poorly performing states in the Bible Belt, it would be wrong to generalize. Note, for example, that North and South Carolina have excellent standards, and Louisiana and Texas squeak by. On the other hand, Maine, New Hampshire, Illinois, and Wyoming have unsatisfactory standards or worse.
Changing the situation
The American public education system is based on the concept of local control with limited oversight from the state. One may characterize American public school governance as a modified diffuse democracy.
In democracies, decisions are made by majority rule. Citizens vote with equal voice on the basis of their opinions, regardless of what those opinions are or how strongly founded in fact they may be. We believe, of course, that a well-educated electorate is an essential basis for workable democracy, and this has always been a cardinal argument for public education. But democracy cannot permeate all aspects of every social institution. It is certainly not consistent with the education process itself. Education cannot be democratic because the teacher directly supervises the progress of the students, using his or her superior knowledge and adhering to standards imposed from levels above the classroom.
Science is not democratic, either. In a democratic society, citizens who do not like the existing state of affairs can change it. This has happened often. (Consider, for example, the Sherman Antitrust Act, the Prohibition Amendment, and the repeal of that amendment.) But nature is not so flexible. We may find Newton's second law of motion contrary to common sense because it links acceleration, rather than velocity, to applied force. But we cannot change this; what we can do is learn how to manipulate it. We may believe it an insult to human dignity that the earth is not at the center of the universe but we cannot move it there. We may find moral or aesthetic objections to the manner in which natural history unfolds but we cannot command nature to take another course.
Science is also undemocratic in the social sense, i.e., those who do not have the scientist's special knowledge, skills, and experience cannot have equal voice in achieving a scientific consensus concerning a class of phenomena. The public school has no authority to impose opinions on its students. But it has the duty to explain to them the consensus of scientists on any particular issue, and the methodology by which scientists proceed to discover new knowledge and merge it into that consensus.
Biological evolution is just one of the most important of many broad issues on which substantially all working scientists agree. There may be a few persons with scientific credentials who disagree, but they do not contribute to the progress that is the hallmark of science. It is not simply that these dissenters are wrong, because wrong answers can sometimes stimulate controversy that helps lead to correct answers. Rather, as the physicist Wolfgang Pauli liked to say, they are not even wrong. That is, their arguments are useless and even detrimental to the pursuit of further knowledge.5
This being the case:
The publication and maintenance of scientifically accurate curriculum standards is a vital quality-control function of the states.
Given the far-reaching ramifications of evolution in the life sciences — to say nothing of the other historical sciences — a complete and proper exposition of evolution is an essential constituent of state science standards.
- Shortchanging, distorting, or omitting evolution indeed harms the teaching of the life sciences. Further, it makes it difficult for the student to come to a clear understanding of how science works. No one disputes, of course, the importance of teaching scientific literacy to the coming generation of citizens.
Given this state of affairs, a school district, or a state, cannot argue that it is a simple matter of democracy to advocate a scientifically unacceptable opinion because a majority or vocal minority of citizens holds that opinion. One can understand the desire of parents to raise their children to think as they do. But if the parents' belief is based on poor understanding of the content and methods of science, it is well if they hope and expect that their children will understand science better than they do. In doing so, parents will provide the means to expose the children to expertise beyond their own. Indeed, that is why most parents want to send their children to school.
© 2000, American Institute of Biological Sciences. Educators have permission to reprint articles for classroom use; other users, please contact email@example.com for reprint permission. See reprint policy.


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Altkolonier Mennonitengemeinde, Mexico
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Old Colony Mennonite (Car): 18 colonies Old Colony Mennonite (Horse): 12 colonies
Old Colony Mennonite (Car): 16,525 Old Colony Mennonite (Horse): 3,200
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Old Colony Mennonite Church (Car) (Altkolonier Mennonitengemeinde)
This group was part of the 1922 migration of Old Colony Mennonites of Dutch-Russian background from Canada to Mexico. These tradition-minded Mennonites left Canada because they were threatened by new education laws in Manitoba and Saskatchewan that required all children to attend English-language schools. Many Old Colony members eventually left Mexico for British Honduras (now Belize) and Bolivia. Some impoverished members returned to Canada in the last quarter of the 20th century. This is the largest and most progressive branch of Old Colony people in Mexico. They accept rubber tires on tractors, travel by car and truck, and use electricity. They speak Low German and continue many traditional religious practices of their Old Colony heritage. The group has about 16,525 members in 18 colonies. Twelve of the colonies are in Chihuahua, and the rest are in Coahuila, Durango, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas. Other congregations related to this group are in Belize, Canada, and the United States. [1]
Old Colony Mennonite Church (Horse) (Altkolonier Mennonitengemeinde)
Beginning in 1922, some 7,000 Old Colony Mennonites of Dutch-Russian background, who had settled in Canada in the 1870s, migrated to Mexico. They established three colonies: Manitoba and Swift in Chihuahua, and Patos in Durango. These tradition-minded Mennonites left Canada because they were threatened by new education laws in Manitoba and Saskatchewan that required all children to attend Englishlanguage schools. Many Old Colony members eventually left Mexico for British Honduras (now Belize) and Bolivia. Some impoverished members returned to Canada in the last quarter of the 20th century. This is the most traditional subgroup. Members speak Low German, use steel-wheeled tractors, reject electricity, and travel by horse and buggy. The group has 3,200 members living in 12 colonies, seven of which are in the state of Campeche. Other congregations related to this group are in Belize, Canada, and the United States.[2]
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The Old Colony Mennonites in Mexico (Altkolonier Mennonitengemeinde) can trace their roots the more conservative branch of the Russian Mennonites in Choritza Colony. In the early 1870s, the czarist government revoked the right of the Russian Mennonites to be exempt from military service. While a delegation was sent to Moscow to restore this privilege, and was successful in doing so, more conservative bishops saw this as a sign that it was time to move. A delegation was sent abroad to secure new land where they could settle, educate their own children, and be exempt from military service. Land and a Privilegium was found in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Canada. The Privilegium stated, among other things, that the Russian Mennonites would not to subject to military conscription, and that the colonists could run their own schools. This migration to Canada took place in around 1874. The colonists established three major colonies, Manitoba and Swift Current Colonies in Manitoba Province, and Hague-Osler Colony in Saskatchewan.
Immigration to Mexico
In 1892, Canadian law stated that public schools could be founded and supported by the government if a majority of people within a town voted to establish one. Attendance was in no way compulsory. Old Colony Schools were already well established, though an influx of non-Mennonite settlers began to desire public school systems. The Mennonite majority was able to vote these plans down again and again, but the first public school in Old Colony territory was established when a vote was held during the construction of a major mill. Construction workers were allowed vote, and the Mennonite majority was overruled.
Ordinary Canadian citizens began to become frustrated with Mennonites for stopping the creation of public schools. In 1902, the government recommended to local officials that voting districts be drawn so that Mennonite residences would be outside of the district, while their land was inside, allowing them to be taxed, but not vote in elections.
Some Old Colony members saw the improved quality of these new public schools and desired for their children to educated in those schools, rather than in colony schools. Old Colony leadership maintained that only colony schools were permissible, and promptly excommunicated members who sent their kids to public school. Many families were bankrupted after their excommunication over this issue. INSERT QUOTE?
In 1908, after the complaints of at least 12 excommunicated members and the broader community, a Commission of Inquiry was assembled to investigate Old Colony practices. The commission threatened to revoke ministers ability to solemnize marriages if they continued to excommunicate members over public schooling. Old Colony leadership ignored this demand, referring to Deuteronomy 6:7, Romans 16:17-19, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14, as a biblical basis for their practices. The government ultimately did not enforce this threat, though schools continued to expand into Old Colony territory. One education minister remarked that schools are not in place to make Mennonites, but "intelligent and patriotic" citizens.
The spring of 1917 brought the passage of the School Attendance Act, which became the major reason behind the later migration to Mexico. It stated that all children between the ages of 7 and 14 must attend a public, English speaking school if the child lived within a school district. Initially, many Old Colonists avoided this issue simply because they lived outside of major towns. If they did not, children were often sent to live with relatives who were not within a district.
The Old Colony leadership sent a delegation to Ottawa to ask that the Privilegium they had been granted be respected. Canadian officials responded that the provincial governments were not violating the agreement, as it was an agreement between the Mennonites and the federal government. When the wealthier Manitoba colonists took the law to court, it was declared that the Privilegium was in violation on the constitution and would not be upheld. In the summer of 1918, the Saskatchewan government send contractors to build schools within the colonies, regardless of Old Colony protestation.
Next, the government began fining families in violation of the law. In 1920, in one colony alone, fines amounted to 22,500 dollars. Mennonites were also subject to taxes in support of the schools. In some cases, government officials seized and auction property.
The Old Colonists came to two conclusions, first that the Canadian provincial governments were committed to enforcing public schools, and second that their Privilegium would not protect them. It was time to search for a new homeland. In the summer of 1919, a delegation from all three major colonies (Hague-Osler, Manitoba, and Swift Current) was sent to Latin America in search of land and a new Privilegium. This initial search was unsuccessful. The Hague-Osler group worked with John D.F. Wiebe, a Mennonite Brethren business man in contact with the Mexican president, to secure land there in 1920. In January of 1921, all three colonies went to Mexico City to meet with the president. While he was hesitant to grant them a new Privilegium, he was ultimately convinced. The Old Colonists had a new homeland, where they would be better able to live within their conscience.
Manitoba and Swift Current colonies bought 225,000 acres of land in Chihuahuaha state in the fall of 1921, without Hague-Osler Colony. They did this because Hague-Olser was considerably less wealthy, and they feared that they would be stuck with extra costs. In March of 1922, 5,000 colonists on 6 charted trains headed for Mexico from Manitoba. Hague-Olser Colony remained in Mexico for a few years, but in 1924 purchases land 500 miles south of the Chihuahua settlements in Durango. Over the next ten years, colonists slowly moved south as they were able to sell their land. Only a quarter of Hague-Osler colonists made the move, but the percentage from the other two was much higher.
Those who remained behind were in a strange position, as the bishops who had migrated south believed that the migration was a migration of the church, not just people. New leadership was formed, and in some cases, there was spiritual revival.
Colony Life and Customs
Much of colony life in Mexico can be described in part by a commitment to the way things were in Russia. Decisions made are often done so in light of how it was done in Chortiza and other Russian Mennonite colonies. The villages are set up with purchased land divided in two by a wide, central street, along which the farm houses and buildings are built. Behind each farmhouse is a garden, and behind that,the farmers land. A large section of pasture is kept for all of the villages cattle, rather than individual pastures. This layout closely mimics the Russian colonies. The homes are built together with the barns, and nonfarming structures were initially built out of wood, despite a lack of that resource in the area. When the colonists diversified, they increased their success greatly. New ventures included general stores, box factories, and most importantly cheese factories.
Dress is simple, as with most conservative groups. All women wear modest clothes designed to make the wearer less physically attractive. While young women may wear printed fabrics, married women wear black or dark earth colors. Men wear good quality black suits on Sundays, but wear whatever is cheapest during the week. Overalls are particularly popular. Men are always clean shaven.
Colonies are structured like a theocracy, with a bishop (or Altester) as the religious head of the colony, and a secular manager of business matters. The Waisenamt is a system devised by the colony that functions as a bank and regulates business. Colonies have their own fire insurance, mechanics, and sometimes even physicians.
Church Life
Religious ceremonies are held as they were in Russian as well. Colony churches are built of wood, despite it being a poor construction method in the Mexican climate. There is a simple reading stand for the pastor, who reads a prewritten sermon, most often on the topic of repentance or submission. There is a platform towards the front of the church where the song leader directs two hymns towards the start of the service. Before and after the singing, Scriptures from the New Testament are read. Preachers who are delivering the sermon wear knee-high leather Wellington boots, another tradition that is carried over the from Russia.
Men sit on one side of the church, women on the other. Children are not allowed to attend the service, as they are considered to be too much of a distraction. It is assumed that they will receive their religious instruction from schooling, and that they will join the church services when they are around 14. Marriage takes place at a relatively young age, and love has not historically been a requirement for marriage.
Daughter Colony Formation
The village-colony system is set up so that villages and colonies are constantly dividing and replicating. When a colony is established, there are several hundred families spread over multiple small villages. When a man marries, he is traditionally given a home and land. When the colony grows to a point where land is scare, the mother colony purchases land in an other remote area, and divides the residents of the mother colony in half, with some staying behind, and the others heading to the newly established colony. The new colony is paid for in full by the mother colony, and the mother colony always sends along one ordained minister to start up the church there.
There have been many issues with this system, however. From the start, land was expensive, and with colonies expanding as rapidly as they were, daughter colonies were expected to be mother colonies before they themselves were properly established. Many young families could not receive land, and jobs in industry were almost nonexistent. Often, colony divisions occur over religious issues. Typically the mother colony has become too progressive—whether it be with the allowance of rubber tires on tractors, electricity or automobiles. A conservative group of bishops and their followers will leave, and be established somewhere else where they can better maintain the tradition as they see fit. The failure of the colony system to support the rapidly expanding Old Colony population contributed in part to the return to Canada.
The education of their children is the main cause of the Old Colonies presence in Mexico today. They feel they have a biblical mandate to educate their youth, not as citizens of a country or of the world, but as effective members of colony life. Today, Old Colonists are heavily critiqued for their inadequate schools. In Canada and in Mexico, their schools were shut down due to ineffective teaching and curriculum. The curriculum of these schools is simple: there are only a few textbooks. They are the Bible, a song book, the "ABC" book, a catechism book, and a collection of simple arithmetic problems. Often, after leaving school, Old Colonists are barely literate and can do only simple math. MCC and the Amish have been working towards improving their education system in a variety of ways.
The Return to Canada
Important Individuals in the Life of the Church
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Electronic Resources
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No 65-2, Jalan Damai Niaga 1, Alam Damai, Cheras
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Recently we had the pleasure and honor of being invited to spend four days in Monterey County and discover not only the wine and food of the area but its history , attractions , and agriculture. They call this living the "Monterey Food and Wine Lifestyle". We could not agree more. The journey begins !
Monterey County highlights everything that's best about California. From the seaside restaurants to the Salinas Valley's hillside vineyards, to Pebble Beach's perfectly groomed golf courses. It has a life style that is just waiting to be explored.
Throughout the county, the story of Monterey's rich heritage comes alive in its gardens, missions, and lighthouses. It is the most historic city in California, and the the area continues to enthrall writers, artists and of course guests.
In 1945 author John Steinbeck immortalized the one mile stretch that was Ocean View Avenue in Monterey with his book 'Cannery Row.' The notoriety of Steinbeck's book focused so much attention on the street that in 1953 the city of Monterey formally changed the street name to Cannery Row. Cannery Row is now one of America's top visitor destinations, attracting approximately four million people each year.
Today, visitors to Cannery Row can learn about the past, enjoy the present, and marvel at how this street has been transformed into one of the world's most beautiful waterfront destinations.
While on the road we enjoy boutique hotels. On this visit we chose the Monterey Bay Inn as our " base of operations ". The Monterey Bay Inn is a luxury hotel located on Cannery Row and within walking distance to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and they many restaurants on cannery row.
This lovely hotel offered us a relaxing sanctuary overlooking the Monterey Bay. With 49 spacious guestrooms, luxury amenities, plush bedding, and a complimentary deluxe continental breakfast delivered to our room , we could not help but open the patio door and step outside to savor the ocean aromas.
We have very busy days planned so enjoying a hearty breakfast including bagels, fresh baked breads, muffins, seasonal fruit, cereal, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, juices, tea and local coffee from the Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Company was a great way to start each day.
Of course a welcome gift of Ventana wines and chocolate was not a bad way to get our 4 day exploration of Monterey County started either.
Our room was decorated in soft marine-inspired hues of blue, green and brown and included deluxe feather bedding. We even found binoculars for viewing sea otters, birds, and other marine life in the room as well . The marble and granite bathrooms and stunning ocean views make this hotel a new favorite.
Vintners Reserve Opening Reception
We began our exploration of Monterey County's world class wines , culinary delights and scenic beauty at a private sunset Vintners Reserve Reception hosted by Scott Scheid of Schneid Vineyards in their tasting room on Cannery Row. Rhonda Motil , Executive Director MCVGA was a co-host and revealed to us the itinerary of our 4 day journey though the county.
The food and wine pairings created by Executive Chef Jerry Regester , The InterContinental Hotel showed off many of the great wines and food of the bountiful Monterey area and were right on.
The Scheid Vineyards Wine Lounge is located just a block from the Monterey Aquarium on cannery row. The 2,000-square-foot lounge features coffered ceilings, recycled hickory floors, and a rustic Carmel Valley stone fireplace, a perfect environment for tasting these great wines wines.
Over the past 36 Years, Scheid Vineyards has grown into one of California's largest independent producers of premium wine grapes, and a maker of distinctive wines that bear the Scheid name.
Located in Monterey County, they grow seventeen wine grape varieties on twelve diverse vineyard properties covering a span of 70 miles north to south.
The diverse vineyards enable them to grow many different varieties and clones in a variety of styles. From cool climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling in the north, to Syrah, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc in the central Monterey County locations, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot in the warmer south.
They have ten separate estate vineyards covering more than 70 miles, offering an array of soils, microclimates, and sub-appellations. Each of their wines are handcrafted, using the best of new technology combined with traditional methods to showcase the varietal character of the grapes, the individuality of each vineyard, and the world class quality of the Monterey Viticultural Appellation. Less than two percent of Scheid's grapes are selected for its label.
This reception was about showing off a few of the many wineries in the Monterey County AVAs. Morgan wines are very well known.
Their Double L Vineyard is in the northern section of the Santa Lucia Highlands sub-appellation of Monterey. This organically farmed site has 45 acres currently producing fine Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah.We enjoyed the opportunity to sample all of them and were impressed with their complexity and well represented the variety and terrior appropriately.
Estancia wines are known nation wide . Roughly translated from the Spanish word for "estate," Estancia's name emphasizes their founder, Augustin Huneeus' conviction that the world's best wines capture the essence of their place of origin. In
1999 they branched out further from their home in Monterey County and acquired almost 700 acres in Paso Robles as the vineyard base for Estancia Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel and Red Meritage.
The Bernardus estate vineyards of Marinus and Featherbow Ranch are located in the Cachagua region of the Carmel Valley. Carmel Valley is a relatively new but up and coming AVA .
In addition to the "big names " we had the pleasure of sampling wines from Ludwig Winery. They specializes in northern European varietals. and currently offer two vineyard designated Rieslings and a Gewurztraminer. Once again, growing these cold climate European varietals as well as the many other varietals in Monterey County show all is vast diversity.
If this reception is just a small sampling of what the next 3 days will be like , we waited with anticipation.


text: Safety Tire Seal Corporation has been serving the auto, light truck and heavy equipment tire repair industry for almost 40 years. As a leading distributor of Safety Seal® Tire Repair products, we stock thousands of items and often ship the same day an order is received. Ask about our Special Pricing and Shipping choices on multiple quantity orders.


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The park in the first set of pictures has an unusual curved suspension bridge, beautiful landscaped paths, and an outdoor restaurant.
Reedy River
The second set of pictures was taken in Linky Stone Park, a children's park partially located in an underpass where the pillars were even painted to make the area beautiful. Many of the areas have themes taken from children's literature.
The Three Bears


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Barack and Michelle Obama PDA 2012
Barack and Michelle's Sweetest PDA Moments of 2012
Barack and Michelle's Sweetest PDA Moments of 2012
Thanks to their 20th wedding anniversary, busy months on the campaign trail, and President Obama's recent reelection victory, it's been a big year for the Obamas. And an impending second term only means plenty of more presidential PDA between Barack and Michelle! But before we look ahead, enjoy the sweeter side of the election year with a retrospective of Barack and Michelle's sweet shout-outs during their campaign stops, kiss-cam make-outs, and loving looks shared at the White House.


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Spanier gives Harrisburg speech on benefits of research universities
Penn State President Graham Spanier was a guest speaker today (Oct. 24) at the Pennsylvania Press Club in Harrisburg, where he talked to a large crowd about the benefits of a complex research university -- such as Penn State -- to innovation, job growth, the economy and well-being of the Commonwealth and its citizens. The talk will be broadcast on PCN at 8 p.m. tonight. To read the text of his talk, click on the link to the full story.


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Plantronics Explorer 110 Bluetooth Headset
- Product SKU: PLA-EXPLORER-110-BLK
Plantronics Explorer 110 is a vary stylish Bluetooth Headset with sleek and minimalist profile, designed for making your calls easier. Ideal for those who are always on the go, this headset comes with a comfortable design that can be won on the ear thanks to its ear-shaped clip. It can be worn on either ear and allows you to stream music, activate voice control for Siri, voice calls, get directions or search the web with tab of a button when paired with a Bluetooth enabled device such as smartphone or tablet.
The handy little accessory is extremely lightweight so you can wear it easily for extended periods. The automatic noise reduction lets you relax and focus on the conversation. Its voice alerts also announce battery and connection status for a truly hands-free experience. Furthermore, the Plantronics Explorer 110 gives you enough power to get through your day on a single charge and also goes into DeepSleep hibernation to save battery in case you forget to turn it off.
Generally speaking all items currently listed on the site are currently available. We hold some in stock and others are available from suppliers within a few days.
After placing your order we'll let you know the ETA and if there are issues securing stock (this is a fast-moving industry and items can duck in and out quick) we'll recommend any similar colours/variants.
To ensure that you receive your new phone as quickly and safely as possible, we use a range of delivery options. Delivery times for all options are detailed below. Note that we currently do not ship to PO Boxes.
INSURED COURIER DELIVERY - 3-7 days handling time. Generally next day from our Hong Kong warehouse into Auckland. Additional day to Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Rotorua and Whangarei. Other more regional depending on remoteness.
EXPRESS SHIPPING SERVICE -2-4 days handling time, generally arrives 1 day sooner. Generally overnight from our Hong Kong warehouse into Auckland. Additional day to Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Rotorua and Whangarei. Other more regional areas are usually between 2 to 5 days depending on remoteness.
Select your chosen method at the cart. There you can also enter your post code for an exact shipping quote.
VERIFICATION - Please note that handling times begin once an order has been verified. We may contact you after the order has been placed to verify order and account details. Please ensure that we can reach you on the email address supplied and that you respond promptly to any requests.
CONDITION - Unless stated in the product title, all devices are brand new. We do sell a small quantity of refurbished items but these all have a product title that begins with 'Refurbished'. Package seals may have been opened to check quality or perform basic testing or unlock functions however unless specified otherwise all devices are new and unused.
WARRANTY - All new devices come with our comprehensive 12 month warranty, which is included in the standard purchase price. We'll even replace with a new item if yours can't be repaired. Refurbished items (marked as such in the product description) come with a 6 month warranty with refurbished replacement items.
PAYMENT METHODS - We accept Credit Card and Bank Transfer for outright purchases. We also offer zipMoney for convenient repayments over time.
RETURNS - All orders come with 30 days free returns. For more information on please read our returns policy. We also offer a new replacement policy for items that cannot be repaired.
SECURITY - Our shopping cart meets the strictest PCI requirements and is audited daily. We do not store any customer payment information and our servers are protected using Digicert's SHA2 High Assurance SSL.
OUR STOCK - Products sold through this store are unlocked, never locked or SIM-free. They offer the best combination of price and quality and can be sourced from international markets via parallel importation. Please check the network bands with your provider to ensure full compatibility. In some instances printed documentation may not be in English, even though the device is compatible with local network bands. Where this occurs and you require user manuals etc please contact us and we will provide a digital copy.
DISCLAIMER - Due to variations in stock and regional sourcing we cannot guarantee that all specifications listed are 100% correct at all times as the same model may be available in several variants. If you have any specific requirements please raise them with our team and they will provide availability on the model you require.


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Madeline Kelly awarded Jan Merrill-Oldham Travel Grant
For Immediate Release
Tue, 03/04/2014
Charles Wilt
Executive Director
Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS
CHICAGO — Madeline Kelly, collection development support specialist at George Mason University, has been awarded the 2014 Jan Merrill-Oldham Professional Development Grant.
The Jan Merrill-Oldham Professional Development Grant is given by the Preservation and Reformatting Section (PARS) of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) to support travel to the American Library Association Annual Conference. The grant of $1,250, sponsored by the Library Binding Institute, is intended to provide librarians and paraprofessionals new to the preservation field with the opportunity to attend a professional conference and encourages professional development through active participation at the national level. The grant is to be used for airfare, lodging and registration fees to attend the ALA Annual Conference. The recipient will attend the Preservation Administrators Interest Group meeting and at least one other PARS interest group meeting. The recipient will write about the experience for ALCTS News.
Kelly holds a B.A. in English and Spanish from University of Mary Washington (2008) and an M.L.I.S. from Simmons College (2012).
In her current position, her first with preservation duties, she has been proactively growing her preservation knowledge while increasingly taking on preservation responsibilities. Kelly has received training and performs duties related to preservation, including selection for preservation, book repair and disaster preparedness. She also assists with presenting workshops and preparing policies. In her application Madeline articulates her strong and growing passion for the field of preservation very convincingly. She understands the major elements of the work and is extremely interested in learning more about preservation for the success of the GMU program and for her own success.
Madeline looks forward to connecting with the ALA preservation community in support of her professional development and her efforts to help George Mason University develop its preservation program.
The award will be presented on June 28 at the ALCTS Awards Ceremony during the 2014 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Las Vegas.
The Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) is the national association for information providers who work in collections and technical services, such as acquisitions, cataloging, metadata, collection management, preservation, electronic and continuing resources.
ALCTS is a division of the American Library Association.


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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Painted Lady'
Painted Lady Hibiscus
Hibiscus (hy-BIS-cus) - the Greek name for mallow
rosa-sinensis (RO-sa) (sin-EN-sis) - Chinese rose
'Painted Lady' - cultivar name
Species - China, Southeast Asia
Painted Lady Hibiscus is an evergreen shrub/small tree that averages 6 to 8 feet in height with a spread of 6 to 8 feet. Its habit of growth is upright, symmetrical, and many-stemmed with a moderately dense crown. It is sometimes trained as a small tree. It has a moderate to fast growth rate.
Leaves are evergreen, alternate in arrangement, shiny, simple with serrate margins, and dark green in color.
The flowers are rosy pink with a dark red throat, 4-5 inches across, single, and usually bloom most of the year in warmer areas. The flowers usually only stay open one day.
Fruit are oval capsules.
It is hardy in USDA Zones 9 to 11 down to mid 20's F if given some protection. The foliage is often damaged with frost.
Full sun for best flowering; it will tolerate some shade with fewer flowers and more leggy growth
Moderate Salt Spray Tolerance – it will tolerate some spray, but it is best to have more protection such as a fence or building as an additional barrier behind the first row of plantings or the first dunes.
Poor Soil Salt Water Tolerance – it's risky for this plant to be put in a site where any salt water flooding may be present and it will not tolerate irrigation with salt water.
It prefers fertile, slightly acid soil in the pH range of 5.5 to 6.5, but it will grow on a wide variety of well-drained soils. High alkaline soils may cause some micronutrient deficiencies. Heavy clay soils may bring more root rot problems in excessively wet years.
It has poor to moderate drought tolerance once established, so it will tend to look a little better and flower more with irrigation in dry spells. It doesn't like wet feet.
Softwood tip cuttings in late spring/summer, under mist with a rooting hormone will root in 4 to 6 weeks; air layering done in the summer
Pinch to encourage bushiness and more flowers; prune as needed to control shape and size; excessive pruning reduces flowering; with freeze damaged plants, cut back to live wood after danger of additional freezes has passed
It has no special fertilizer needs. Unless a soil test suggests otherwise, a slow-release balanced analysis fertilizer with trace elements applied per the product label will work. Some scholars say that lower phosphorus amounts should be applied to prevent a buildup of phosphorus or phosphorus pollution – again, a soil test will help in that decision. Hibiscus plants are generally heavier feeders than some other plants.
Saddleback Caterpillar - University of Florida
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug - University of Florida
Hibiscus Midge - University of Florida
Pink Hibiscus Mealybug - University of Florida
Melon Aphid or Cotton Aphid - University of Florida
Japanese Beetle - University of Florida
Citrus Longhorned Beetle - University of Florida
Fuller Rose Beetle - University of Florida
Leaffooted Bug - University of Florida
Papaya Mealybug - University of Florida
Blossom Midge - University of Florida
Io Moth - University of Florida
Root Knot Nematodes - Missouri Botanical Gardens
Black Thread Scale - University of Florida
Lobate Lac Scale - University of Florida
Soft Brown Scale, Coccus hesperidum - Weekend Gardener
Southern Red Mite - University of Florida
Hibiscus Erineum Mite - University of Florida
False Spider Mite - University of Florida
Red and Black Flat Mite - University of Florida
Greenhouse Whitefly - University of California
Sweetpotato Whitefly B Biotype of Silverleaf Whitefly - University of Florida
Bandedwing Whitefly - University of Florida
Melon Thrips - University of Florida
Brown Garden Snail - University of Florida
Longtailed Mealybug - University of Florida
Powdery Mildew - University of California
Downy Mildew - Purdue University
Xanthomonas Leaf Spot - University of Illinois
Armillaria Root Rot - University of Florida
Phytophthora Root Rot - North Carolina State University
Pythium Root Rot - Purdue University
Erwinia Root Rot - Lucid Central
Rhizoctonia Root Rot - Michigan State University
Sclerotium Root Rot (Southern Blight) - Alabama Cooperative Extension
Anthracnose - University of California
Bacterial Leaf Spot - University of Hawaii
Hollyhock Rust - Cornell University
Botrytis Blight or Gray Mold - Missouri Botanical Gardens
Fusarium - Missouri Botanical Gardens
Mostly tolerant, but occasional damage
Deer are obviously not a concern in the heart of the metropolis. Rural residents and those living in developed housing projects that are near large natural habitats may want to consider some protection if many deer have been seen in the area.
There are very few totally "deer-proof" plants. There are also, relatively speaking, few plants that are considered a preferred food supply of deer. Most plants fall in the big gap between. One of the biggest variables is the available preferred food supply in a given area. If their preferred food is scarce, they will munch on most anything.
Good butterfly and hummingbird plant
Specimen plant, tropical effect, tree standard, mass planting, foundation plant, containers, hedge – though flowering is reduced with excessive shearing
A search of California Poison Control, ASPCA, Texas A&M University, Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System, University of Wisconsin, Poisonous Houseplants and Ornamentals - Merck Vet Manual, Purdue University - Guide to Toxic Plants in Forages, Poisonous Plants of the Southeastern United States - Alabama Cooperative Extension, Florida Poison Control, and The Cat Fanciers Association did not show this plant on any of their lists.


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Cee Lo Green Charged With Giving Woman Ecstasy
The "Voice" judge faces four years in state prison if convicted.
Prosecutors have charged Cee Lo Green with illegally giving a woman ecstasy while at a dinner in Los Angeles last year.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office charged the singer, whose real name is Thomas DeCarlo Callaway, on Monday. Callaway was charged with one felony count of furnishing a controlled substance. If convicted he faces four years in state prison.
Prosecutors say they declined to file a rape charge against the singer.
STORY: 'The Voice' Season 5 Premieres as Blind Auditions Begin; Christina and Cee Lo Return
The 39-year-old singer is due to be arraigned Monday afternoon.
Callaway is the Grammy-winning singer of the hit "Forget You" and performed as part of the duo Gnarls Barkley. He appears as a judge on NBC's The Voice competition show.
The singer's representatives did not have an immediate comment.


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Even on perhaps the slowest TV night of the year, I can not bare myself to tune into ESPN jerking itself off for 3 hours on tv.
Good opening monologue, lots of Tebow and a Sanchez joke of course.
Even better, a Spygate joke in the first 5 minutes. lol Can't make this stuff up.
Jessica Biel...holy leg show!
Last edited by jetstream23; 07-12-2012 at 01:35 AM.
Even on perhaps the slowest TV night of the year, I can not bare myself to tune into ESPN jerking itself off for 3 hours on tv.
and now LaDainian introducing a rapper!
Thanks jetstream23. I'm more of an NFL Network type of guy, but ESPN or not, I've always enjoyed the ESPY's dating back to my childhood days, just a sports fan in general. Thanks for the reminder, had no idea this was on tonight. I just tuned as as Nas was performing. A true Queens legend.
This story about Legrand brought tears to my eyes, a truly emotional story. I said a prayer, asking to let him walk again. He's worked so hard, he deserves to rise out of this chair
Yeah, of course, this show is about one-third ESPN self-loving, one-third sports entertainment, and then one-third of putting sports and life in perspective. The Pat Summit tribute, the Eric Legrand award....truly good stuff.
No one's forcing anyone to watch. This is the slow point in the entire sports year, hence why ESPN schedules the show in early July when football, hockey, basketball are all done and baseball hasn't yet entered the final stretch. So yeah, I watch it and I thought Rob Riggle was funny...but hey, that's my sense of humor. And who doesn't appreciate a good spygate joke just 1:15 into an awards ceremony?!?!
Last edited by jetstream23; 07-11-2012 at 11:31 PM.
THE slowest sports night every year. Not one single sport on TV.
September can't get here fast enough...
The Pat Summit piece was very worthy.
And the Linsanity joke...What an amazing story, Jeremy Lin...It's always heartwarming to see an Asian kid graduate from Harvard, move to New York and make millions of dollars....$28 million!...or as his fellow Harvard graduates say, a good start! lol
Good to see Sanchez laugh at the "Good luck with that, Sanchez" in reference in Tebow being his shadow all season, joke. Thought he might swell up into tears knowing his past, but maybe he's added more than a little muscle this off-season. I truly think these two can work together to win a lot of games for this organization, and I have been one of Sanchez's biggest critics over the years. With Tebow bringing the running game back to prominence, Sanchez can manage the game up there with anyone.
Not for nothing, but Tebow is looking LARGE!!!
I don't want to over talk Tebow as much as the next guy, but I gotta say I was impressed by Tebow at the ESPY's. There's a video recap here - classy http://www.nyjets101.com/2012/07/12/...r-best-moment/
Did anyone catch Brian Wilson on the red carpet? His interview was hilarious...can't find it anywhere online now....but if you catch it, its worth a watch.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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Inside Machines: Embedded Machine Vision Systems, an Alternative to PC Vision Systems
Machine vision users can access a plethora of options for developing and deploying a vision-based inspection to meet specific application requirements, including speeds in excess of 200 images per second. Selecting the proper machine vision technology from these options to solve critical high-speed discrete manufacturing applications can be challenging, because no two automated manufacturing processes are identical. From goods produced and customer requirements to plant environment and material supply vendors, application parameters can vary widely.
Using inexpensive commodity sensors for critical-part inspection, placement, and identification can be very costly in the long run. This results from insufficient inspections that decrease productivity due to rejects and increased downtime. Instead, successfully solving these applications requires an optimized vision system that can maximize product quality and accommodate high production throughput, while remaining easy and intuitive to use.
Designing a PC vision system
PC vision often is used for creating specialized, high-speed inspection, guidance, and identification systems for manufacturing operations. It involves a combination of cameras, optics, and lighting, and complex vision program code, which the user or system integrator writes on a host PC using standard programming languages like C# with purchased vision software algorithms.
Because more sophisticated features are available on computers and digital cameras at a lower cost, PC vision can be an attractive method for designing a custom automated inspection. However, users who are not well versed in writing advanced vision code (much less optimizing the code for the PC processor used and integrating cameras into the equation) may find this challenging. The vision code must be written so the PC program efficiently receives camera images, extracts image features of interest, analyzes the features, and delivers meaningful results to other modules in the automated manufacturing process.
For example, manufacturers of precisely stamped connector pins must inspect each product to verify that the pin's shape and formation is correct. To do this, the vision program must collect the pin images from the camera and deploy vision code to extract the pin edges. Then, the program needs additional efficient code to determine if the pin's form and spacing are accurate. Finally, the program must export the collected analysis to an actuator—to remove the part if rejected, or pass it along to the next stage of production—or a manufacturing network controlling the operation.
The initial development stage of a PC vision system can consume hundreds of engineering hours, and the hand-coded design can be difficult to debug, duplicate, and modify for future manufacturing operations. Due to the rapid development of PCs and cameras, the computer and camera models needed to duplicate a system quickly become unavailable; this makes duplication not just difficult, but impossible. Thus, deploying subsequent PC vision systems requires modifying, retesting, and debugging any developed code.
Embedded vision systems
Embedded vision systems provide a convenient, user-friendly alternative to PC vision for solving specific, demanding application requirements. These systems consist of an embedded controller with integrated vision software that is directly connected to one or more cameras, which may range in image resolution and size, imaging rates, and come in grayscale or color. An embedded vision system that accommodates a range of camera types and capabilities allows the user to select the camera with the right price and performance for each application. No customized code is required to capture images in this arrangement, and camera integration requires only a cable connection from camera to controller.
For usability and flexibility, the vision software should allow users to build a specific application program by selecting from a large set of vision algorithms or tools and very specific tool controls that will achieve the required application performance. Vision program-building software is an alternative for control engineers without the time and/or expertise to develop text-based program code. Vision tools are often displayed as icons within the software, so users can drag-and-drop the tools required for a vision inspection task, and each of these tools offers its own control options that can be optimized for a specific task.
While manufacturers of embedded vision systems continue to produce new processors and more sophisticated smart cameras, the user interface (including vision program-building software tools and operation) remains the same. This eliminates the need for new training and extends the usable life of custom vision inspections: Programs written on smart cameras 10 years ago can run on today's fastest embedded vision systems without redesigning proven custom inspection routines.
Embedded vision controllers commonly output inspection results with standard Ethernet connections to industrial operating networks, such as EtherNet/IP (an ODVA Ethernet protocol), or with simple discrete outputs that accomplish higher throughput speeds. Discrete bits and Ethernet data packets are used to grade, orient, identify, and/or guide products through the manufacturing process.
These features make embedded vision systems useful for closed-loop control. In these applications, product location, orientation, and identification information must be dynamically communicated to other process modules in a manufacturing operation. An embedded vision system delivers tighter tolerances for controlling components and assemblies compared to hard fixturing. In-process vision system use also increases throughput speeds, removing unnecessary handling and labor.
To enhance application monitoring and control, this embedded vision software may contain a program that allows users to build a custom human-machine interface (HMI). An HMI-building program allows users to build a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays the images, inspection results, process statistics, and any controls that operators use to control or maintain plant floor operations. The GUI also may be designed for consistency with company branding or to make operator tasks more intuitive, which can expedite training.
The HMI is a critical component of the vision system. If the camera images and results are not visible to the machine operators, they may not understand why parts are being rejected. A clean, customized front-end GUI greets operators accessing the vision program and adds a layer of security: Program developers can limit user access to critical program tools and tasks to eliminate tampering. Optimal vision program front-end GUIs have password-protected login levels, granting secure ranks of accessibility throughout a manufacturing enterprise.
More parts per minute
Another reason engineers choose to develop their own PC vision inspection is to achieve optimal system operation speeds. Hand-coding a vision program directly onto very fast, yet inexpensive PC processors and using high-frame rate digital cameras often seems like the ideal solution.
Dedicated embedded vision systems, however, are available with proven multicore processors. Embedded vision system code is written to fully and efficiently optimize the speed of its processor. Additionally, camera options on embedded vision systems surpass speeds of 200 full-frame images/sec, accommodating fast-paced production lines—including applications operating at thousands of parts per minute. This same embedded vision system design will accommodate emerging high-performance computers and cameras as they become available, which make the application ready for future technology advancements. Forward-looking features, custom inspection flexibility, and ease of use provide users the machine vision options desired to design more effective, efficient, and accurate plant-floor inspection.
Steve Maves is applications engineering manager, PPT Vision; Edited by Bettina Chang and Mark T. Hoske, CFE Media, Control Engineering, www.controleng.com.
For more machine vision tutorials and applications, see:


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HotSpots! Magazine
HotSpots! Magazine is the only 100% Florida-owned and operated gay magazine in South Florida. Check out their website at hotspotsmagazine.com.
Q&A: Pam Ann Flies in for a Special NYE Performance
International celebrity airhostess, Pam Ann (look below to find out how the name came about), has evolved since first jetting out of her hometown of Melbourne over 20 years ago.
What's Hot South Florida: Dec. 14 - Dec. 20
The days are short, the nights are long, and the sun has set on net neutrality. If the chill winds of politics are getting to you, come warm up where it's always HOT!
Hot Bodies :: Holiday Drinking: Five Guidelines for Your Well-Being
Here are five rules for the holiday drinking season. Drink up, enjoy, but be responsible!
Four Very Merry Beats This Season
If you need a break from all the inescapable holiday racket and crave something fresh and hi energy to listen to, try some of these gay dance floor-approved gems.
Spice Girls Finally Get Posh Spice to Say Yes
Spice Girls reunion! 2018! Multiple projects! And it's about time.
Creep of the Week :: Wes Goodman: The Ultimate Hypocrite?
Wes Goodman, a state representative from Ohio who is married to a lady, has resigned after getting caught doing sex-stuff with a man in his office. Unheard of, right? As if!
What's HOT South Florida :: Dec. 7 - 13
Sizzlin' films, smokin' holiday traditions... how HOT our joy!
Six Workout and Diet Tips to Survive the Holidays
Remember, it's not uncommon for most guys to pack on a whopping 5 to 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day! Here are my best and most practical holiday survival tips.
'A Well-Strung Christmas' Returns to Broward Center
A Well-Strung Christmas brings the singing string quartet back to the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, December 9 at 8 p.m.
Creep of the Week :: Roy Moore's List of Anti-LGBTQ Credentials is Long
LGBTQ people have had to live under the cloud of the right-wing claim that we're harmful to children. Moore has been a megaphone for these views for decades now. And now we know why.


text: oh boy..what to say about Sath. lets just say he is hot as hell and knows it. the boy gets what he wants. actually, he takes whathe wants! his attitude earned him the namethe bulldog. i tell you one thing..he sureis one guy i would love to be taken bydoggy style!


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Uncle Bunkle: In the classroom
Uncle Bunkle goes Voyage-Air! Known throughout the Pacific Northwest as 'Uncle Bunkle,' Todd Schneider is a school safety expert, consultant, and, well, YES - he knows a lot about how to bring peace, and a good learning environment to classrooms almost anywhere.
Todd is also an avid story teller and guitar player. He brings those talents to classrooms throughout his region, calling himself "Uncle Bunkle." Generations of children in the area can remember that special day when 'Uncle Bunkle' dropped by their school to play a special song, or tell a special story.
Well now, Uncle Bunkle has a Voyage-Air acoustic guitar... and he always takes it with him to visits at elementary schools. Here's a pic from a few days ago, where he plays his new VAOM-06 Songwriter at the Deer Creek Elementary School.


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I think of this as I go through a mental check list in preparation for a Memorial Day ride with FFW on his newly acquired SS Salsa scooter. Not a killer route, but it gets our attention on a geared bike and I think it will be quite adequate to shatter our old legs that day.
I always love a good ride, right? Who doesn't? And although riding alone has great perks, good company is sweet indeed and having FFW along makes for something to look forward to. But honestly, despite the fact that this ride really is not best with one gear at my command, it is the SS factor that excites me the most.
How odd. How difficult. How romantic. Don Quixote would be proud of me. Regarding 'The Don' - "While mostly a rational man of sound reason, his reading of books of chivalry in excess has had a profound effect on him, leading to the distortion of his perception and the wavering of his mental faculties." Wikipedia knows me all too well, it seems. Too much chivalry in my diet, no doubt.
I think that, if I rode a bit less within the group dynamic of the angry pack of weekend warriors looking to KOM the trail on 5" travel, geared carbon wunderbikes, and spent more time on my own in the forest, that I would go SS 100% and just live with the downsides.
"Wait...there are downsides?", says the romantic in me? Rocinante, tell me it aint so?
Then of course, there are bikes to be tested and evaluated and all that and so it goes. No chance of a 'single' existence.
I pondered this when I was armpit deep into WRIAD. I was seriously considering this as an SS ride and the reality of that thought was a bit less appealing after about 8 hours of sandstone and wind. I was glad to have both gears and squish on that day, but now I find myself thinking that "next time", if there is one, would I go purist and eschew all that fluffery?
I wonder if this is akin to childbirth? During the delivery and for some time after, reality is right there smackin' you down and the experience leaves you a bit shattered, wary, and not eager to do it again, or so I imagine. Then time goes by and there is that romantic notion and the pain seems distant and reasonable after all and soon enough you are planning another go 'round.
Maybe I should ride with a red rose in my teeth, dashing cavalier knight that I am. "Hello, ladies...I ride with one gear, slaying dragons and all that." But that would not do, no that would not do at all. I would suck in that rose in some fit of oxygen deprived hoovering and that would be that...aphids and all. An inglorious end to be sure.
But just a bit romantic, as it should be.
|Me and FFW. I am the taller one on the right. After all, it's my blog.


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Chingawassa picks country duo
Love and Theft had a No. 1 single in 2011
News editor
Chingawassa Days is continuing its trend toward attracting more contemporary acts for its headline show with Love and Theft as the main act for 2014, the committee announced Monday.
Love and Theft is a country duo, formerly a trio, formed in 2006 in Nashville composed of members Eric Gunderson and Stephen Barker Liles. Their first album, 2009's World Wide Open, reached No. 10 on the U.S. country music charts. Their eponymous follow-up in 2012 reached No. 4.
They have had five singles climb the U.S. country chart, highlighted by "Angel Eyes," a 2011 song that reached No. 1 on the chart and sold more than 1 million copies. Their only single that hasn't made it onto the country charts is "Night That You'll Never Forget," but that song was only released earlier this month. It is the first single from an album that will be released later this year.
The duo was nominated for the Country Music Association awards for New Artist of the Year and Vocal Duo of the Year in 2012. In 2013, they won the Country Music Television award for Duo Video of the Year for "Runnin' Out of Air."
Love and Theft has performed at the Grand Ole' Opry — their first appearance was in 2009.
The duo will perform at Chingawassa Days on June 7. The Chingawassa Days committee also announced that there will be bands performing on June 6.


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We are seeking a locum tenens maternal and fetal medicine physician to assist with clinic and call coverage in Kansas, beginning in December and ongoing. Responsibilities will include ultrasounds, consults, patient rounds, etc. No deliveries.
Dates Needed: December - ongoing
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When World War II ended there was a general aviation boom. Thousands of people learned to fly during the war and there was a glut of military airplanes on the market that were defanged and made available to civilian pilots. Civilian manufacturers got into the act too. Many had been under contract to produce aircraft for Uncle Sam and switching over to a peace-time economy was a fairly simple process. But the airplane bubble soon burst and manufacturers went out of business, creating so-called "orphaned aircraft."
Soon the owners of these orphans began to contact each other informally to share information, technical expertise, parts and flying tips. Using manual typewriters and mimeograph machines, they created newsletters to keep in touch and share information.
The "Type Club" was born.
As the years progressed, clubs grew and new technologies, first electric typewriters and Xerox machines, then computers and the Internet, made it easier to stay in touch with other club members. Type clubs still communicate through newsletters or magazines mailed on a quarterly or semi-monthly basis. With the creation of computer technology and cyberspace, the type club realm has exploded with multiple web pages and blogs for aircraft owners. Post a question on a type club bulletin board and within hours you will have a response. At larger fly-ins and air shows there may even be a type club tent. Aircraft owners are invited to come in and find the appropriate table to connect with other aircraft owners.
One of the most important features of type clubs is the help they give to aircraft owners who are restoring vintage aircraft. Affordable parts for vintage aircraft are sometimes hard to find, notes Alan Banard, Northwest regional vice president of the International Stinson Type Club.
"No one wants to buy an airplane that you can't get parts for," he says. "Type clubs are the reason people are willing to buy vintage airplanes and a large reason how they keep flying them. Type Clubs have more clout than a single aircraft owner does when it comes to getting manufacturers to make certain parts available for vintage aircraft."
Type Clubs can help new owners track down just about everything from a qualified instructor to a mechanic who has experience with a particular make and model of aircraft.
The latter becomes more difficult, says Steve Krog of Hartford, Wis., who is the contact person for both the Luscombe Association and Piper Cub Club, because many of the instructors and mechanics who had vintage experience have gone west without passing on their knowledge. As a result, new owners of vintage machines have to hunt to find someone who can help them solve their problems.
"Often we get a scenario where someone calls us and tells us they have just taken delivery of an airplane like a Cub, but there is no one at their airport who can instruct in a tailwheel airplane," he says. "Or they say that their airplane needs minor repairs and there is no one there who works on fabric aircraft. Fortunately for them, after 22 years in the type club business, we have the resources to help these people."
That often means putting together repair kits for new owners or helping them find mechanics or instructors with experience to do the job.
"We can match people up by zip code," Krog says. "For the mechanics we have a lengthy inventory of Piper blue prints and drawings that we can furnish. That is important because Piper no longer supports the Cub because of liability concerns. We can make these available to our members for a small fee."
Most type clubs also have pages on their websites that provide technical support for their members. A well-placed email inquiring about parts, rigging or trouble-shooting techniques will generate a flurry of discussion and suggestions from other members.
"We make a concerted effort to provide technical support in terms of properly and safely maintaining airplanes," he says. "We offer a lot of technical support for repairs, restorations and modifications by website as well as verbally and through a 20-page technical newsletter we mail out to our 3,500 members of the Piper Cub Club six times a year."
Type clubs have evolved over the years, along with communications technology. When Stew Wilson joined the American Yankee Association type club in 1981 it had approximately 100 members. A typewriter and a copy machine were used to create the newsletter, which was dutifully folded, stamped and mailed by the club secretary.
"As the communication technology improved our club grew," says Wilson, who is now the secretary and treasurer for the AYA. "It started out as the American Yankee Club, then when they built Travelairs and Tigers and Cheetahs, the club membership was expanded to include all Grumman related airplanes. By the 1980s personal computers had been invented and people started using those to create the newsletters. We now have about 1,650 members and we are divided into regions and have developed telephone trees."
Volunteers run most clubs. Members support the clubs by paying annual dues. Dues, which can range from $10 a year on up, are often used to cover the cost of creating and mailing monthly newsletters or supporting a web page. Others are used to support educational or entertainment events, such as guest speakers at club meetings, booths at air shows and fly-ins, or technical seminars.
The invention of the Internet was both good and bad for type clubs, says Wilson. On the plus side it does provide for nearly instantaneous communication among members. The downside, he claims, is that many people won't join a club if they can glean the information they need from the Internet.
"They just don't want to pay, because they can get the resources they need off an Internet chat room for basically nothing, but there is more to club membership than the information and technical assistance," he says. "There is the camaraderie. We are in essence a family. You make friendships that last for years."
The club also offers technical programs at its fly ins and a maintenance and operations compendium for their members with articles going back to 1975.
"We sell it for around $40," he says. "It is the Bible as far as the operation and maintenance for the aircraft."
In June 1988 Larry Ball of New Haven, Ind., bought a 1956 Cessna 310 to get his multiengine pilot certificate. During training several small maintenance issues were discovered. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be anyone who had the experience to address them.
"I asked a lot of mechanics around my local field about maintaining my 310," Ball recalls. "They stood there and scratched their heads and said, 'I never worked on a 310, especially that old.'"
Ball contacted the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association looking for a Cessna type club, but most of the resources were for single-engine aircraft.
With the help of his wife and some excellent time management skills, he founded a club for Cessna twin drivers. In October 1988 he sent out some 3,000 letters to owners of Cessna 310s whose names and addresses he obtain from a company in Oklahoma City.
He told his wife that if he did not have 200 members by June he would abandon the idea. As of January 1989 there were 199 members in the club.
"We have enjoyed a continuous growth since that time," he notes. "In 1990 we included all 300 and 400 Series Cessna twins, except the 336/337 Skymaster series. We now represent nearly 2,000 different Cessna piston twin owners around the world."
One of the perks of membership is a monthly magazine that covers all Service Bulletins and Airworthiness Directives for Cessna twins. Owners are also invited to submit articles.
"We pride ourselves in being able to get pertinent information to all of our members that is not otherwise available by ordinary means," said Ball.
The club also offers engine and aircraft systems training seminars several times a year.
Ball adds the invention of the Internet has made it a lot easier to operate a type club.
"It works the best to reach potential members," he says. "Our website, TwinCessna.org, has been a great success. We get new members through this media, publish airworthiness directives, link to valuable websites, have a notice of future seminars, as well as answer hundreds of questions from owners around the globe."
The best way to find a type club that's just right for you is to enter your aircraft type into any Internet search engine. Not online? Visit the type club tents at Sun 'n Fun and Oshkosh or ask around at your local airport.