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All-new four-door sports car.
Midsize Cars
Editor: Jim McCraw
$29,290 Base Price MSRP
$37,350 As Tested MSRP
Model Lineup: Nissan Maxima S, SV, SV Sport
Standard Engine: 3.5-liter dohc 24-valve V6
Engine Options: 290-hp 3.5-liter V6
Standard Transmission: continuously variable automatic (CVT)
Transmission Options: continuously variable transmission (CVT)
Basic Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles
Assembled In: Smyrna, Tennessee
Model Tested MSRP: Nissan Maxima SV ($31,990)
Standard Equipment: air conditioning, power steering, power disc brakes, keyless entry, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, console, cruise control, floor shift, fog lamps, AM/FM/CD sound system
Options As Tested: Sport Package ($2,300); Tech Package ($2,400)
Standard Safety Equipment: frontal airbags, side-impact airbags, curtain airbags, ABS, EBD, traction control, stability control
Optional Safety Equipment: noneDestination Charge: $660
The 2009 Maxima was deliberately built, tuned and aimed at drivers who prefer sporty handling and a firmer ride as opposed to the softer, more luxurious ride associated with many cars in this class.
The Maxima four-door sedan has been part of the Nissan lineup dating back to 1981. Maxima was kicked up a notch when the Altima took over the role as the mainstream sedan and it became the Nissan flagship. This new Maxima now competes directly against sporty upmarket sedans. Among them: Acura TL, Infiniti G35, Chrysler 300, Cadillac CTS, and Toyota Avalon, as well as deluxe versions of the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.
The all-new 2009 Nissan Maxima shares its D-platform chassis and underpinnings with the other cars and SUVs mounted on the Nissan front-drive platform, including the Murano and Altima. The new Maxima is close in physical measurements to the Altima. This seventh-generation Maxima is deliberately shorter by a couple of inches in wheelbase and four inches shorter overall, but is slightly lower and wider than the outgoing (pre-2009) model. The track measurement, the width between the tires, is an inch and a half wider, so that the chassis is better able to handle the corners on its big, fat 18-inch tires.
Nissan has modified the platform and body of the Maxima extensively, with one additional stiffness package for the S and SV models, and additional rear reinforcements for the Sport and Premium package versions that uses a large steel panel behind the rear seat to connect the floor, walls and package shelf into a single, much stiffer unit that Nissan says is up to 17 percent stiffer than the base model. The 2009 base model is, in turn, 15 percent stiffer than the outgoing 2008 model. Sport versions add a tower brace across the front suspension towers for greater stiffness and steering precision.
The 2009 Nissan Maxima range consists of two models, the S and the SV.
Maxima S ($29,290) comes standard with cloth upholstery, dual-zone air conditioning, power windows, locks, mirrors and driver's seat, trip computer, power moonroof, cruise control, intelligent key and starter button, and an AM/FM/CD/MP3 eight-speaker sound system with an auxiliary jack.
Maxima SV ($31,990) upgrades with perforated leather upholstery, a nine-speaker Bose sound system with speed-sensitive volume control, subwoofers and RDS, leather, a driver's seat with a thigh extension and power lumbar, a compass, fog lights, HomeLink, and turn signal repeaters in the mirrors.
Options for the SV: The Sport Package ($2,300) features a sport-tuned suspension, 245/40VR19 tires and 19-inch aluminum wheels, XM Satellite Radio, rear spoiler, HID xenon headlights, premium leather-appointed seats, heated front seats, premium leather steering wheel, power tilt/telescopic steering column, heated steering wheel, paddle shifters, automatic entry/exit system (with two-driver memory), driver-side memory (driver's seat, outside mirrors, steering wheel), rear bucket seats, rear-seat trunk pass-through, large rear-seat fold-down center armrest with finisher, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, outside mirrors with reverse tilt-down feature, heated outside mirrors, auto-dimming driver-side outside mirror, metallic-link trim, cargo net.
The Premium Package ($3,450) features the Dual Panel Moonroof with power retractable sunshades, power rear-window sunshade, premium mood light, front and rear power windows with one-touch auto-up/down feature, HID xenon headlights, premium leather-appointed seats, heated front seats, premium leather steering wheel with stitch and dimple, power tilt/telescopic steering column, heated steering wheel, paddle shifters, automatic entry/exit system (with two-driver memory), driver-side memory (driver?s seat, outside mirrors, steering wheel), rear bucket seats, rear-seat trunk pass-through, large rear-seat fold-down center armrest with finisher, rear-seat audio and HVAC controls, XM Satellite Radio, Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System, outside mirrors with reverse tilt-down feature, heated outside mirrors, auto-dimming driver-side outside mirror, Eucalyptus wood-tone trim, cargo net, seven-inch color monitor, RearView Monitor, Interface System for iPod, iPod net in center console, auxiliary audio/video input jack.
The Tech Package ($2,400) features the Nissan Hard Drive Navigation System with Voice-Recognition, 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive, XM Satellite Radio, XM NavTraffic, seven-inch touch-screen color monitor, RearView Monitor, Interface System for iPod, iPod net in center console, auxiliary audio/video input jack. Similar packages allow buyers to mix and match these features and prices according to desired equipment.
Options include the Cold Package ($400) with a climate-controlled driver's seat; HID headlights ($400), the Bluetooth hands-free phone package ($300), a rear spoiler, and 19-inch high-performance summer tires.
Accessories for both models include floor mats and a trunk mat, splash guards, and a trunk sub-floor organizer with first aid kit and emergency kit.
Safety features include frontal, side-impact and curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control, yaw control, and tire pressure monitoring.
Walk Around
The all-new 2009 Nissan Maxima is smaller on the outside than the 2004-08 models of the previous generation. The new Maxima is shorter in wheelbase and overall length and lower to the ground, with a wider track for better handling.
Very much on purpose, the Maxima doesn't look anything like the Altima anymore.
Every exterior body panel on the car is new, with much more adventurous and modern design and shaping. The big metal plate out front that held the logo is gone. The grille, headlamps and 12-LED taillamps are larger and more egregious and figure more into the whole exterior design, and the fenders and hood have been given edges and bulges for a much more sporty appearance. The wheel arches are much more pronounced, and the door skins are pulled in from the fenders and flattened out so that the whole body has what the designers call a Coke-bottle shape, with a short nose, a short deck, a long, sloping roof and a BMW-style C-pillar curvature.
In other words, the 2009 Maxima is completely and totally different looking than the sixth-generation car it replaces.
The interior features of the new Maxima are all about concentration of controls and information around the driver. The new interior includes a few items right out of the Nissan parts bin that don't need reinventing, like the radio and navigation control panel on top of the center stack, backed up by newly styled lower controls with large, very readable labels and markings, daytime-lighted instruments, a hefty three-spoke steering wheel with redundant controls for the audio system, and huge paddle shifters for the CVT transmission, with very long upper and lower arms that assure you will never be out of reach of a quick shift. The floor shifter has also been moved over as far to the left as possible, for those who want quick shifts using the stick instead of the paddles).
The driver's seat is multi-adjustable, especially in the Sport package version that we drove, and very huggy and comfortable.
In the rear compartment, the seat can be ordered either as a 60/40 fold-down for cargo hauling, or as a fixed seat with a cargo pass-through in the center for occasional hauling or ski trips.
The design, materials, and execution of the interior are first-rate throughout.
Driving Impressions
The Maxima that we drove was the SV with the Sport package. Like the S model, it comes with a very strong, very responsive 3.5-liter V6 engine uprated from the previous 255 horsepower to 290 horsepower, a 35-horsepower increase with a concomitant gain of nine foot-pounds of torque and a one-mile-per-gallon increase in fuel economy. It has both variable valve timing and a variable intake system, a system that opens wide at about 4500 rpm, wide enough that you can hear the engine sound change dramatically, adding to the driving enjoyment.
At 290 horsepower, the Maxima's V6 is right at the top of the class in terms of power development for its size, but it's not peaky or cranky because the valve and intake systems keep it optimized for whatever gear and rev range.
We found the engine smooth and quiet, right up to the 6200 rpm redline, and it delivered plenty of punch throughout the rev range. A very strong, very enjoyable engine to drive, and if you can keep your foot out of it, you can get better mileage than the 26 mpg label. If you keep your foot in it, expect 0-60 mph times of 5.8 seconds or less.
The only transmission available, much to the chagrin of some critics, is the CVT (continuously variable transmission), a much-improved Nissan innovation. The software offers much quicker and more positive shifting than previous CVTs from Nissan. Maxima's CVT offers a manual mode. We found the transmission a joy to use in either mode. It is perhaps the world's second-best CVT, after the Audi. Nissan says the new CVT software contains more than 700 shifting algorithms to cope with every driving situation in every gear from idle to full-throttle and says the transmission can shift 30 percent faster than a human driver can. In the Sport Drive mode, the shifts were lightning quick, and included a very sporty throttle blip on every downshift.
The chassis and suspension under the new Maxima have been upgraded quite a lot from the previous model, with several new technologies added. The front-drive Maxima has six engine mounts now instead of the usual four, and the engine is mounted lower in the chassis for a lower center of gravity and better handling. The suspension is all new, using premium aluminum components, new shock absorbers, front and rear stabilizer bars, and new, sportier geometry. The front-drive system incorporates a new wrinkle that virtually eliminates torque-steer on full, throttle. We found the Nissan Maxima SV Sport always felt agile, glued to the road, and ready to play, with no hint of harshness in the ride.
The speed-sensitive power rack-and-pinion steering system has been borrowed from the 350Z sports car, and it makes the driver feel like he is truly connected, truly part of the steering and driving process, never over-boosted or ropey. The front and rear ABS disc brakes have been upgraded, and the rear brakes are now ventilated, where they were solid on the previous model, for better fade-resistance and braking power under severe conditions.
The only time this Maxima gets sporty and rorty is when the engine intake system switches over into high-flow mode above 4500 rpm. The rest of the time, the car is very quiet inside, with very little intrusion from the outside world.
The all-new 2009 Nissan Maxima is one of the most fun to drive cars in the class. It's one of the best-engineered front-drive sporty sedans available, from the accurate, quick steering to the engine power to the remarkably good performance of the CVT. It isn't the roomiest car in the class, and it isn't the least expensive. Instead, it's designed as a premium car for drivers who want something sporty. And if 26 mpg isn't enough for you, you'll be able to get this sporty sedan in 2010 with a diesel engine.
Jim McCraw filed this NewCarTestDrive.com report from Cary, North Carolina.
Top Cars


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One of the big guessing games in Sacramento has revolved around the political arm of California Forward, the foundation-backed good government group.
The Cailfornia Forward Action Fund had collected enough signatures to qualify a complicated budget and government reform initiative for the November ballot.
But it had delayed filing the signatures, as it attempted to work out a compromise with interest groups and legislators who disliked some aspects of the measure -- particularly a "pay go" requirement that would force lawmakers to come up with offsetting revenues or cuts when it increased spending or cut taxes beyond a $25 million threshhold.
U.S. & World
Now we have an answer: California Forward Action Fund is going forward with its ballot initiative and turning in its signatures, according to a statement from Roger Salazar, a leading political strategist who works with the group.
That, however, doesn't foreclose reaching a deal on an alternative legislative measure.
Yes, that could conceivably mean there are two measures on the ballot -- the original initiative and a legislative compromise.
But that's not unprecedented. On a couple of occasions over the past decade, an interest group or person has qualified a measure for the ballot -- only to tell voters not to adopt it and instead support a different compromise measure.
Salazar's full statement, from May 7, also outlines a policy bottom line for California Forward.
In particular, the action fund seems willing to drop the "pay go" provision but is insisting on changes in the budget calendar (replacing one year budgets with two year budgets), a requirement that legislation be available and transparent (so public and lawmakers have a real chance to read it before voting on it), and on a style of budgeting called "performance-based" budgeting, in which different agencies are evaluated, and receive funds, based at least in part on how well they do in meeting certain performance goals.
Here is the full statement:
"Today, the remaining signatures will be filed to qualify the Government Performance and Accountability Act (GPAA) for the November 2012 ballot. With the pending submission of other statewide initiatives, we are compelled to act to ensure timely compliance with Secretary of State requirements for signature verification.
In the spirit of compromise, we are committed to continuing negotiations with legislative leadership to provide a substitute initiative that includes California Forward's core reforms — and puts off for another day the "Pay-Go" and "Local Strategic Action Plan" elements. While our research shows that each of the elements in the GPAA enjoy more than 80% of voter support, disagreements continue to exist on some elements of the initiative among important constituencies in California.
To be clear, we have provided the specific provisions of our reform effort that California Forward would agree to as part of a substitute initiative that can be placed on the ballot by a 2/3 vote of the legislature.
The critical elements of our budget reform measure must include:
1. Moving to a two-year state budget cycle.
2. Instituting performance-based budgeting for state and local governments.
3. Reviewing state programs through legislative oversight.
4. Ensuring greater transparency of legislation prior to approval.
We will continue our conversations with state leaders throughout the process.
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Lead Prop Zero blogger Joe Mathews is California editor at Zocalo Public Square, a fellow at Arizona State University's Center for Social Cohesion, and co-author of California Crackup: How Reform Broke the Golden State and How We Can Fix It (University of California, 2010).
Send us your thoughts via Twitter @PropZero or add your comment to our Facebook page.

subset: commoncrawl


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Absolut Collaborates With Andy Warhol Once Again With Latest Limited Edition
On October 1, Absolut will proud introduce the Andy Warhol Edition, a new limited edition bottle celebrating creativity, pop art and the brand's iconic collaboration with Andy Warhol. To launch the bottle, Absolut will collaborate with him once again by working with three artists who will reach out to Warhol's spirit for a one-time-only nightlife experience in NYC, as well as, inviting people to unleash their creativity in what Absolut aims to become world's largest art exchange -- where one lucky participant will receive an original Andy Warhol artwork.
The Andy Warhol Edition celebrates the iconic collaboration between Absolut and Andy Warhol – the brand's first of thousands of collaborations with artists from around the world. By transforming the original painting onto the bottle shape, Absolut is allowing anyone to bring home their very own Warhol. To support the launch of this limited edition bottle, Absolut is presenting two innovative concepts: Warhol Spirit by Absolut, which pushes the boundaries of art and nightlife, inspiring audiences to realize anything is possible through creativity, as well as Andy Warhol Art Exchange by Absolut, which invites audiences to join in on the creative process by making their own art.
"With this limited edition, we raise our glasses to honor the partnership between Absolut and Andy Warhol – a collaboration that resulted in one of the most iconic contemporary works of art. The original Absolut Warhol painting hangs firmly in a museum but this initiative brings Andy Warhol's artwork to the world," says Nodjame Fouad, Director of Storytelling at Absolut.
"The Foundation is delighted to celebrate the launch of the Andy Warhol Edition and
proud to announce that a portion of the proceeds will contribute generously to The
Foundation's endowment from which it has distributed nearly $250M in grants supporting contemporary visual arts," said Michael Hermann of The Andy Warhol Foundation.
"While Warhol's profound influence is uncontained we applaud Absolut for bottling his creativity."
Deine Anmeldung ist erfolgreich.


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The Puslinch Historical Society (PHS) of Guelph, Ontario issued it's newsletter the other day, and the lead article is on the Vimy Ridge Farm. It is a property that is now going under renovations to restore it to it's former self as Vimy Ridge Farms – a place which was a rehab centre for injured veterans of the First World War.
News comes from the PHS that an "exquisite old quilt. by Elizabeth McTague Fleming -- a descendant of the Lehman family, innkeepers of Aberfoyle Hotel in the last century. The quilt, made by Elizabeth's grandmother and dated 1890, is a piece of family history and a work of art with family names embroidered on the patchwork. The quilt will hang in a place of honour in our new quarters in the library now under construction".
There are upcoming events, and information on membership in the PHS. They have a number of books for sale, and the Archives are located at the Township Office. They are open Wednesday afternoons. For book orders or enquiries, e-mail puslinch firstname.lastname@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com. Call 519-658-9923 (firstname.lastname@example.com) for general information.


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Conrad Anker
What: Fundraiser for Khumbu Climbing Center
When: Saturday, tailgate at 5 p.m., presentations starts at 8 p.m.
Where: Movement Climbing and Fitness Gym, 2845 Valmont Rd.
More info: alexlowe.org/
Cost: $10
When they learned that Sherpas account for nearly one-third of all deaths on Mount Everest, Jennifer Lowe-Anker and Conrad Anker decided to help educate high-altitude workers, giving them the tools and climbing skills to lead Everest expeditions safely.
The pair opened the Khumbu Climbing Center in Phortse, Nepal, in 2003 to help teach technical climbing skills to Sherpas, who often make their living guiding on Everest with little or no climbing experience.
Currently, builders are working on a roughly 3,000-square-foot structure to house the Khumbu Climbing Center's gear and classes. The center is a project of the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation, which has raised half of the nearly $400,000 needed to complete the new building, said Khumbu Climbing Center director Conrad Anker.
Boulder's Movement Climbing and Fitness Gym will host a fundraiser for the building on Saturday at 5 p.m. Conrad Anker and local climbers Emily Harrington, Daniel Woods and Matt Segal will give presentations, and organizers will host a silent auction to help raise funds.
The KCC building was designed by architecture students at Montana State University, and when completed, will be earthquake resistant and heated by passive solar design, Anker said. In 10 years, 700 high-altitude workers have gone through the center's training program, learning the English language, mountain safety, rescue, first aid and technical ice and rock climbing skills.
"Every year, Westerners and people from around the world flock to climb Everest," Lowe-Anker said. "We just saw a need for this kind of training because so many of the folks working on the mountain didn't have it and were putting their lives in danger."
Lowe-Anker's husband Alex Lowe died in a 1999 avalanche on Tibetan peak Shishapangma, the world's 14th highest mountain. After his death, Lowe-Anker married her late husband's climbing partner and friend of the family, Anker.
Lowe-Anker and Anker live in Bozeman, Mont., where the foundation is based.
Boulder contractor Tim Harrington, father to climber Emily Harrington, learned about the center and its mission after Emily returned from teaching the Sherpa one January.
Tim Harrington and a group of builders traveled to Nepal last October, and worked 18 days straight installing the new building's flooring system. The process of building the new center has been slow due to rain, lack of reliable transportation, rising inflation and building material costs in Nepal and slow fundraising. Though they faced setbacks and obstacles unlike any they'd seen while building structures in the United States, he enjoyed the challenge.
"You can't just go down to McGuckin's and get what you need," Tim said. "You had to improvise."
Tim and his crew plan to return to the center in October on another building mission. Until then, he's helping with the fundraising efforts and will speak about his experiences in Phortse at the event this weekend.
For Tim, the mission of the center became deeply personal when Emily climbed Everest last May. By helping to make high-altitude workers better climbers, he could make Everest safer for everyone, including his daughter.
"The climbing community has done so much for me and Emily," he said. "It is our community. When she told me she wanted to climb Everest, that really, really scared me."
Lowe-Anker, Anker and Tim all said they hope to tap into the large Boulder climbing and mountaineering community for support. They hope to show the people of Boulder that by helping and educating Sherpas, they're making Everest expeditions safer for everyone — guides, tourists and climbers.
"To get the people that have been on the mountain to give something back to these people that do all the hard work," Anker said. "They carry the food up, they prepare the food, they prepare the ropes for the icefall. There are some really remarkable days of carrying loads, and hopefully there's a deeper connection for what they do."
–Follow Sarah Kuta on Twitter: @SarahKuta.


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Set Your DVR: New Year's Week EditionPosted by bmulvihill on December 31st, 2012
Brendon Mulvihill is the head curator for @SportsGawker and an RTC contributor. You can find him @TheMulv on Twitter. See bottom of the post for the Official RTC Star System.
College hoops heads into 2013 with the opening of conference season in some of the major leagues set to begin . The slate of games scheduled for New Year's Eve is not to be missed, as the Big East and Big Ten seasons both get underway. However, it is one final non-conference match-up that leads our breakdowns. Happy New Year!
Game of the Week
#16 Gonzaga at #21 Oklahoma State – 6:00 PM EST, Monday on ESPN2 (*****)
- A win against Oklahoma State today will make Gonzaga the best team in the Big 12. Obviously, Gonzaga is still in the West Coast Conference, but they are already 4-0 against Big 12 teams this season with wins against West Virginia, Oklahoma, Kansas State, and Baylor. Monday's game against the Cowboys, however, is their first true road test against a Big 12 opponent. The other games have either been at home or on neutral courts. The Zags usually have a size advantage against their opponents, but Oklahoma State can match their size and even has that advantage at the guard position. The Pokes have four guards who contribute heavily to the offense that are 6'3″ or taller, including 6'7″ Le'Bryan Nash. With Bulldog guards Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell, Jr. measuring at 6'2″ and 6'1″, respectively, it will be very important to watch how Mark Few's squad chooses to defend the perimeter size of the Cowboys. Much of that defensive pressure could actually fall on the Zags' frontcourt. The Oklahoma State guards do most of their damage inside the three-point line because they are not much of a threat from the outside. Keep an eye on how this defensive responsibility affects Gonzaga's offense inside. The Bulldogs will still need to pound the ball down low and get to the line because it's their best chance of winning. If they can get to the line like Virginia Tech did against Oklahoma State, they can win this game in a tough road environment.
- No team has shot over 50% eFG in a game against Oklahoma State this season, but the Cowboys face a Gonzaga team that is lethally efficient from two-point range. The GU frontcourt's two-point shooting breaks down like this – Elias Harris shoots 58.8%, Kelly Olynyk shoots 72.3%, Sam Dower shoots 59.7%, and Przemek Karnowski shoots 65.3%. These player will put considerable pressure on Cowboys center Phillip Jurick and freshman forward Kamari Murphy. The key will be how OSU head coach Travis Ford uses his big guards on help defense to stop the Gonzaga low post attack. If Oklahoma State can figure this out, they will pick-up an important non-conference win as they head into Big 12 play.
- Non-conference home losses are few and far between for Oklahoma State under Travis Ford. It's hard to believe that Gonzaga can actually go 5-0 against the Big 12 this season, especially on the road in front of the Cowboy faithful at Gallagher-Iba Arena. This game will be extremely fun to watch, but the edge has to go to the Cowboys at home.
Other Games to Watch
#10 Cincinnati at #23 Pittsburgh – 12:00 PM EST, Monday on ESPN2 (****)
- Pittsburgh is a very flimsy 12-1. The only good team they've play this season is Michigan and they lost that game. We'll know very quickly if Pitt is any good against a tough and tested Cincinnati squad. However, the Bearcats have shot the ball quite poorly over the last three games. They cannot afford to continue to do so if they expect to win this one, especially at the "Oakland Zoo" in Pittsburgh. The match-up between Tray Woodall and Cashmere Wright should be great to watch all night. Expect Cincy to get back on track and win this game, though, from behind the three-point line. However, if they are shooting bricks like they have been in the past few outings, Pitt will get a great win to start off the Big East season.


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The Wilensky Special with Swiss cheese, $4.34 at Wilensky's Light Lunch in Mile End
For 80 years, the same sandwich. First opened in 1932 as a cigar store and barbershop, Wilensky's luncheonette is a fixture on the Montreal foodscape. The location, famously immortalized by Mordecai Richler in The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, is a tasty time warp. With the same signature sandwich, hand-mixed sodas, green paint, stuffed bookshelves, no tipping policy, and even customers since the beginning, has anything changed? "One thing is that we have an answering machine now, and I had to fight for that," jokes Sharon Wilensky, who works the counter with her 93-year-old mother Ruth, brother Asher, and two long-time employees. The Special, which she remembers preparing the same way as a teenager, was invented by her father: "It was very common – and still is – for Eastern European Jews to make grilled salami at home. So my dad would be grilling something up at the counter, and a customer would see him and say, 'make me something special!' " The addition of cheese, a newfangled twist introduced 30 years ago, brings this sandwich to $4.99 with tax – proudly keeping the penny in circulation.
The bread: Top secret and made specially for the eatery. Under the press, the squashed cornmeal-dusted bun (A) looks like a Kaiser roll crossed with an English muffin. It is sliced in half crosswise, but never, as they will tell you, cut in two.
The spread: This hot beef injection (B) consists of one slice of baloney and five slices of salami heated on the army of vintage grills behind the counter. A slice of Swiss cheese (or cheddar) (C) is optional, and admittedly a deviation from the classic in its purest form, but it works to hold it all together. A smear of mustard, on the other hand, is required. "We used to charge 5 cents more for no mustard, then went up to 10 cents," Wilenksy says.
The secret: The Wilensky Special is a registered trademark, meaning the name cannot be used by potential imitators elsewhere in Canada. "People do try to copy us and my dad always felt it could reflect badly on us if someone else made something that's not as good," Wilensky says.
Wilensky's Light Lunch, 34 Fairmount Ave. W., 514-271-0247, www.wilenskys.com


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Defensive end leads nation in sacks, fumbles forced.
Illinois junior defensive end Whitney Mercilus hasn't publically tipped his helmet, when it comes to his future.
As a first-team All-America and the nation's leader with 14.5 sacks and nine forced fumbles, Mercilus earned the Hendricks Award as the nation's top college defensive end. He's a team leader and would be a valuable piece in coach Tim Beckman's plans next season.
"Sometimes I've got to take a minute and reflect on everything, just soak it all in,'' Mercilus said. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I've got to have fun with it."
But Mercilus is expected to declare for the NFL draft and has told people close to him that there's little chance he will return for his senior season. Illinois (6-6) plays UCLA (6-7) in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in AT&T Park Saturday (2:30 p.m., ESPN).
Meanwhile, Mercilus only told the media he would make a decision shortly after the bowl game when he gets an evaluation back from the NFL. Mercilius appears in some NFL mock draft first rounds, and it would be hard to duplicate his success this season, so the time might be right.
Mercilus will communicate with former coach Ron Zook and work his former coach's contacts in the NFL, and Mercilus already met with Beckman.
His big season came from following the plan of Illini defensive coordinator Vic Koenning.
"Whitney is a great lesson in doing what you're supposed to do, and then plays come to you,'' Koenning said. "Whitney was steady Eddie.''
Koenning didn't want to compare Mercilus to DeMarcus Ware, a former first-round pick coached at Troy by Koenning, but Mercilus followed Ware's path.
"He was always the first one on the practice field,'' Koenning said. "He practiced hard and did things the right way. In that respect, there are similarities.''
Said Mercilus: "I always wanted to show the coaches I knew my responsibilities.''
RUNNING BACK: With fullback Jay Prosch out with a staph infection in his knee, the Illini scrapped a plan to go heavily with the option against UCLA, Koenning said.
"That plan went down the tubes when Jay got hurt,'' Koenning said.
The Illini practiced backup quarterback Miles Osei at running back as a precaution this week after senikor running back Jason Ford was declared academically ineligible. Freshman Donovonn Young and senior Troy Pollard will handle the bulk of the carries.
THE PISTOL: UCLA uses the pistol offense, and Koenning developed a plan while also talking with Dan Disch, the Southern Mississippi defensive coordinator and former Illini assistant who will work under Koenning at North Carolina next season.
"We're the hunted,'' said Koenning, whose defense is ranked seventh nationally. "It will be interesting to see how the defense responds to being the hunted. That's going to be an interesting dynamic.''
NOTABLE: The Illini sold less than 2,000 tickets, but there will likely be many more fans in orange who bought their tickets through the bowl game rather than the Illini ticket office. . .John Supinie can be reached at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @JohnSupinie.


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See what questions
a doctor would ask.
Oedema: The abnormal retention of fluid in a given anatomical area. See detailed information below for a list of 120 causes of Oedema, Symptom Checker, including diseases and drug side effect causes.
» Review Causes of Oedema: Causes | Symptom Checker »
The following medical conditions are some of the possible
causes of Oedema.
There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor
about your symptoms.
See full list of 120 causes of Oedema
» Review Causes of Oedema: Causes | Symptom Checker »
Review causes of types of Oedema in more specific categories:
Review causes of more specific types of Oedema:
See full list of 4 types for Oedema
Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Oedema, as listed in our database. Visit the Symptom Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.
See full list of 501 Symptom Checkers for Oedema
Some of the possible treatments listed in sources for treatment of Oedema may include:
Review further information on Oedema Treatments.
Some of the comorbid or associated medical symptoms for Oedema may include these symptoms:
See all associated comorbid symptoms for Oedema
Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:
Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Oedema:
Read more about causes and Oedema deaths.
Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible
causes of Oedema as a symptom include:
See full list of 120
causes of Oedema
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Accumulation of an excessive amount of watery fluid in cells or intercellular tissues.
- (Source - Diseases Database)
The list below shows some of the causes of Oedema mentioned in various sources:
See full list of 120 causes of Oedema
This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Oedema. Of the 120 causes of Oedema that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:
See the analysis of the prevalence of 120 causes of Oedema
The following list of conditions have 'Oedema' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.
Select from the following alphabetical view of conditions which include a symptom of Oedema or choose View All.
Ask or answer a question about symptoms or diseases at one of our free interactive user forums.
Medical story forums: If you have a medical story then we want to hear it.
See a list of all the medical forums
This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Oedema based
on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient:
Anasarca, Edema
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Medical Conditions associated with Oedema:
Swelling symptoms (3730 causes)
Symptoms related to Oedema:
Swelling symptoms (3730 causes), Skin lump (36 causes), Swollen legs (576 causes), Hypoalbuminemia (18 causes), Impaired lymphatic drainage, Pregnancy (699 causes), Heart failure (274 causes), Renal disease, Nephrotic syndrome, Acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, Proliferative nephropathy, Membranous nephropathy, Focal glomerulosclerosis, Systemic lupus erythematosus (14 causes)
Doctor-patient articles related to symptoms and diagnosis:
These general medical articles may be of interest:
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Copyright © 2014 Health Grades Inc. All rights reserved. Last Update: 13 August, 2015 (0:29)


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Ahlul Bayt News Agency) – The National Association and Coalition of Christian Groups along with Individuals for Practical Equality and Protection of Constitutional Rights have filed papers with the Pretoria High Court, asking the court to declare that the religious certification of food, which excluded the Christian faith, was unconstitutional.
The Christian coalition launched the application against the ministers of health and trade and industry, and the National Consumer Tribunal.
The group objects to the fact that a wide range of food products are religiously labelled, such as those carrying the Halaal, Hindu or Jewish signs, indicating the product is suitable for consumption by these groups. It says there should be alternative products available without these labels. The complaint mainly targets the halal labeling, since it represents thet the majority of religiously- labeled products in South Africa.
The United Ulama Council of South Africa, which represents a number of Halaal certifying bodies, is joining the legal proceedings to oppose the coalition's application.
The Jewish community, represented by a Johannesburg attorney, also indicated that it was launching an application to be joined, said M Lombaard, of Lombaard Attorneys, who is representing the coalition.
The United Ulama Council of SA said it was entering the legal battle because Halaal certification directly affected the Muslim consumer.
Rafiek Mohamed, a Muslim theologian, said in court papers that Muslims, Hindus and Jews had particular dietary laws. Since they required guidance on which food items were suitable for them a certification system had developed over the years.
None of the certifying bodies imposed their certifying process on suppliers. The application was premised on the untrue notion that these religious communities "forced" their values on other communities.
People who disapproved of the religious signs "can simply abstain from purchasing such a product".
Mohamed said there were many products without such labelling. But Lombaard said there were few alternative products, and that about 90 percent of the meat industry was Halaal.
The applicant is asking for a list of alternative products. The dairy and dried fruit industry will be asked for such a list, as well as the abattoirs in Gauteng which do not slaughter in terms of specific religious rules.


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- This event has passed.
Event Description
1776 by Peter Stone and Sherman Edwards
1776, a musical which won the 1969 Tony Award for Best Musical, follows John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Richard Henry Lee, and Thomas Jefferson as they fight those who oppose independence from England. The musical will follow these men as they draft and sign the Declaration of Independence and free America from the tyranny of England.
Tickets for the performances are $17.00 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, and $14 for Illinois State faculty and staff. Tickets can be purchased at the College of Fine Arts Box Office, located in the Center for the Performing Arts, from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by calling (309) 438-2535. Tickets are also available through ticketmaster.com. Free parking is available in the School Street Parking deck for all performances.


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Dear Pasta Plus Customers,
We hope this message finds everyone safe and healthy. We would like to inform you that Pasta Plus Carryout only will open for business starting on June 2nd, 2020. We will send out an additional email regarding the new menu, ordering and pick-up procedures soon. We're very excited and happy to serve you again starting Tuesday, June 2nd, 2020.
Please keep checking our website for updates/news.
Welcome to Pasta Plus Restaurant
& Gourmet Market!
In light of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention measures, we will continue to be closed at the restaurant and market until further notice. We hope you will be safe. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
Pasta Plus Restaurant & Gourmet Market is an award-winning, family owned restaurant run by Massimo (Max)Mazziotti and his brother Sabatino Mazziotti. Since opening in 1983, our restaurant has offered the finest Central and North Italian food specialties. We emphasize fresh pasta and bread made daily in our restaurant. Along with fresh seafood, fresh meats and pizza baked in an authentic wood-fired oven. We also feature an extensive menu of gourmet carryout items.
In addition, we offer a series of regular wine dinners and tastings throughout the year. And we take an annual trip to Italy with our customers each fall to explore the finest in regional foods and wines.
Pasta Plus Restaurant & Gourmet Market was featured on "The Food Network's "Best of—Viewers' Choice" in 2002.
For the second consecutive year, WTOP Radio listeners voted Pasta Plus as the Best D.C. area Italian Restaurant. We would like to thank everyone who took the time to vote for us again this year!
Abruzzo Earthquake Relief
Pasta Plus would like to thank everyone who helped us raise money for earthquake relief efforts in the Abruzzo region of Italy, where owners Massimo & Sabatino Mazziotti were born and raised. The past month has shown how truly generous Pasta Plus customers are. We raised over $13,000 on the night of our special Earthquake Relief Wine Dinner, due to everyone's exceedingly generous contributions. And the donations did not stop coming afterwards. We never could have imagined that we would be able to raise as much money as we did. 100% of this money is being donated to those affected by the tragic earthquake that ocurred in Abruzzo on April 6th, and we know that it will be greatly appreciated. Thank you, again, very much. And in case you are curious, we were able to reach a GRAND TOTAL of... $17,560!
Johns Hopkins Cancer Research
Pasta Plus would like to thank everyone for their support of Johns Hopkins University cancer research. We would like to thank everyone who attended our fund raising Wine Dinner on Monday, Nov. 8, 2010, and also those who could not attend, but contributed. Thanks to your generosity and support we were able to raise $12,875 for Cancer Research.
Fundraiser on behalf of long-time Pasta Plus Employee
We would also like to thank all of our Pasta Plus customers on behalf of one of our co-workers and the entire Pasta Plus family for participating in our wine tasting fundraiser to support his family. As many of you may know, this long-time Pasta Plus employee succumbed to cancer last year. Thanks to your overwhelming generosity, we were able to raise over $18,500 for his family. We are deeply appreciative for all of your support.


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About Me
My name is Frank Millett and I have been doing construction for over 35 years and specializing in foundation, water drainage and pile driving for the last 15 years. Give me a call today and lets talk about your project.
Call 541-840-6572
Don't forget to read the Testimonials
Licensed-Bonded-InsuredFoundation Repair Pile Driving Retaining Walls Foundation Problems
Drainage Problems
Millett Construction CCB# 32787


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Saying his right wrist is not as badly hurt as he feared, Novak Djokovic plans to be back on the tennis tour in two weeks — and at the French Open later next month.
The right-handed Djokovic said in a statement Tuesday he's been "assured" by doctors that he will be ready for upcoming clay-court tournaments, starting with the Madrid Masters on May 5. He would head to Rome the following week, and then to Paris, where play in the year's second Grand Slam tournament begins May 25.
"Fortunately, the situation with the injury is better than it first seemed," said Djokovic, who is No. 2, behind Rafael Nadal, in the ATP rankings.
Djokovic has won six major singles championships and needs a French Open title to complete a career Grand Slam. He lost to eight-time champion Nadal at Roland Garros in the 2013 semifinals and the 2012 final.
Djokovic complained about pain in his right wrist last week while playing as the defending champion at the Monte Carlo Masters, and he wondered aloud whether he might have trained too hard on clay right after switching from hard courts, where he won Masters titles at Miami and Indian Wells.
He wore a thick white bandage on his wrist while losing 7-5, 6-2 to Roger Federer on Saturday in the semifinals at Monte Carlo. After that match, Djokovic said he knew he did not need surgery but that he was going to have an MRI exam and get checked by doctors to see where things stood with the injury.
On Tuesday, Djokovic said he'll "need to continue with the recovery process and full medical treatments." He also said he "will have to take a short break in order to recover as soon as possible."
The European clay circuit has events in Spain and Romania this week, and in Portugal and Germany next week.
Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HowardFendrich


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Strong Strategy Steals the Show! (ダゲキ登場!サトシ対ケニヤン!! Sawk Enters! Ash VS Stephan!) is the 9th episode of Pokémon: BW Adventures in Unova and Beyond.
The battle between Stephan and Ash goes underway and both trainers refuse to lose. Who will be triumphant and move on to the Quarter-Finals?
Episode Plot
Ash sends Krookodile against Stephan's Liepard. Liepard starts with Shadow Claw, which is countered by Krookodile's Dragon Claw. Liepard continues with Shadow Ball, but is countered by Krookodile's Stone Edge. Liepard uses Hyper Beam, though Krookodile digs, causing Hyper Beam to fail. Liepard uses Double Team, then Shadow Claw, overpowering Krookodile and hitting it, following with Shadow Ball. Krookodile retaliates with Stone Edge, attacking Liepard, who uses Double Team. Krookodile digs, but Liepard uses Hyper Beam at the whole it made, hitting Krookodile. Krookodile uses Dragon Claw and Liepard uses Shadow Claw, hitting one another. They repeat the attacks, which causes Liepard to faint.
Stephan calls Liepard back and sends Zebstrika. Ash calls Krookodile back, sending Palpitoad in its place. Cilan is pleased, for Zebstrika has the disadvantage here with its moves against Palpitoad. Zebstrika uses Double-Edge, dodging Palpitoad's Mud Shot and hitting him. Zebstrika stomps Palpitoad, who uses Sludge Wave, hitting Zebstrika back and poisoning it. Zebstrika uses Facade, hitting Palpitoad. Cilan is surprised Stephan knew that Palpitoad would use Sludge Wave, for its effect poisoned Zebstrika, causing Facade to double its power. Iris thinks Stephan just planned ahead wisely. Zebstrika repeats Facade, but is affected by Supersonic. Zebstrika is confused and hits itself into a wall. Palpitoad uses Hydro Pump, damaging Zebstrika, who stands up.
Zebstrika uses Giga Impact, which hits Palpitoad, sending him flying. Palpitoad uses Mud Shot, defeating Zebstrika before being launched into the wall and being defeated as well. Stephan sends Sawk, while Ash sends Leavanny. Iris and Cilan feel Ash has a strategy to send Leavanny against Stephan's ace. Sawk starts with Bulk Up, while Leavanny uses String Shot. Despite being wrapped in silk, Sawk breaks out. Sawk uses Close Combat, which Leavanny dodges. Leavanny uses X-Scissor, hitting Sawk back. Sawk tightens his belt and uses Karate Chop, but misses. Leavanny jumps away from Low Sweep and retaliates with Razor Leaf, then uses Energy Ball. Sawk is hurt, but stands up and blocks Leavanny's X-Scissor.
Leavanny is hit by Low Sweep, then with Close Combat. Leavanny kneels, but starts glowing with a green aura. Cilan explains Leavanny's Swarm ability has been activated, boosting Bug-type moves. Leavanny uses X-Scissor, but misses Sawk, who uses Bulk Up. Leavanny uses String Shot, binding Sawk's arms, who cannot break out. Leavanny uses X-Scissor and hits Sawk, who tries to get Leavanny to hit the threads. Sawk manages to break out, but he is too exhausted. Sawk uses Karate Chop, ignoring Leavanny's Razor Leaf and hitting him. Leavanny is defeated, so Ash calls him back and sends Krookodile. Cilan knows well Krookodile is at disadvantage here, for dark-type moves aren't affective against Sawk, whose fighting-type moves are highly effective against Krookodile.
Stephan is certain this match is theirs, having Sawk using Close Combat. Ash does not believe that, whose Krookodile counters the attacks with Dragon Claw. Sawk uses Karate Chop, but misses, as Krookodile uses Aerial Ace, evading the attack and defeating Sawk. Ash cheers for Krookodile, for they won the match, while Stephan calls Sawk back. Stephan commends Ash for keeping Krookodile until the end. He admits it was a great battle, despite losing the match and shakes hands with Ash. Later, Virgil's Umbreon uses Shadow Ball on a Gothitelle, while Riolu's Circle Throw defeats a Gigalith, allowing both trainers to enter the next round. The screen displays Ash's next opponent is Cameron.
Freddy announces the next quarter-final battles will be six-on-six, then wishes the challengers some rest. Later, Cilan made Ash a feast, containing his favorite meal: croquette, with many trimmings. Ash and Stephan have an eating contest, unamusing Bianca and Iris, who believe such food has to be eaten slowly. Stephan decides to cheer for Ash from tomorrow's battle on and asks of him to win the whole League, which Ash agrees to. Later, Cilan reminds Iris Cameron was speaking about "the secret weapon". He tells Iris Ash went for a walk, for he is too excited to sleep, making Iris think Ash is a little kid. Ash goes to the stadium and notices Cameron's tent. He greets Cameron, who replies he camps out here so he wouldn't be late for their match. They wish each other luck for tomorrow's battle. Cameron reminds him he still has "the secret weapon", but Ash replies he is ready for any challenge.
Next day, Ash faces Cameron, who sends his "secret weapon", a Hydreigon.
|Pokémon the Series: Black & White (English)
|Other series: The Beginning · Gold and Silver · Ruby and Sapphire · Diamond and Pearl · Black & White (JA) · XY and XYZ · Sun & Moon · Journeys


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Gillaspie, Liddi homer in loss to Indians
Abreu drives in two runs; Johnson allows one run over three innings
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians rolled out a lineup fit for Opening Day on Wednesday, when the club renewed its American League Central rivalry with the White Sox. As was the case throughout last summer, Cleveland spread its offense up and down the order.
In a 5-4 win over Chicago, lineup regulars Yan Gomes, David Murphy, Carlos Santana and Mike Aviles each came through with run-scoring hits for the Tribe. Gomes' RBI single in the second inning came off White Sox starter Erik Johnson, who projects to open the season as Chicago's likely fourth starter.
"It was the first one, I got it under my belt," Johnson said. "I thought I could've done a little bit more with throwing first-pitch strikes and working ahead, but overall it was a good one to start off with."
The 24-year-old Johnson -- selected by Chicago in the second round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft -- surrendered the lone run on three hits, ending with two strikeouts and one walk. In the second, Asdrubal Cabrera delivered a two-out double and then crossed the plate when Gomes sliced a pitch into right field for a single.
Cleveland right-hander Zach McAllister, who has a spot reserved in the rotation, turned in two clean innings against Chicago. McAllister yielded just one hit and finished his part in the afternoon with one strikeout and one walk. The righty did not get a chance to test out his new slider, but he did use the outing to focus on pounding the inside of the strike zone against right-handed batters.
"I felt good," McAllister said. "It wasn't as good as my first one. In my first outing, I was really consistent. I felt better in the second inning today than I did in the first one. I was able to stay in my delivery a little bit better and get the ball downhill. I was able to work on things, pitching in to righties. I was able to do that the whole time, so I was happy about that."
Indians right-hander Josh Tomlin -- competing for the lone vacancy on the starting staff -- was charged with two runs on three hits in three innings. Tomlin, who is the first Tribe starter to stretch out to three frames this spring, struck out two and walked one in the effort.
In the third inning, White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu -- signed out of Cuba for six years and $68 million -- drove a pitch from Tomlin to right-center field for a two-run double. Abreu also drew a walk in the first inning against McAllister.
John Axford, Cleveland's new closer, surrendered a towering leadoff home run to Chicago third baseman Conor Gillaspie in the seventh inning. Alex Liddi then used a solo shot off Indians left Scott Barnes in the eighth to pull the game into a 4-4 tie.
Facing White Sox pitcher Eric Surkamp in the fourth inning, the Indians broke through for two runs. Cabrera singled and later scored when Murphy (the Tribe's new right fielder) contributed an RBI triple that carried to deep right. Aviles followed with a run-scoring double of his own to push the Indians to a 3-2 lead. Santana added an RBI double in the fifth.
Joe Wendle drove in the game-winning run with a two-out single off Deunte Heath in the ninth, scoring Tyler Naquin, who walked to start the frame, from second base.
Up next: The White Sox return to the top of their rotation Wednesday as Chris Sale makes his second start of the spring in the club's 2:05 p.m. CT contest at Camelback Ranch against the Padres. Sale worked 2 2/3 innings in his Cactus League opener against the Dodgers last week, allowing one hit while striking out four.


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This items features a felt-lined top drawer to help you organize and protect your accessories. The felt-lining prevents metal items from scratching the wood, and holds items in place, ensuring delicate pieces like necklaces and bracelets don't get tangled as you open and close the drawer. Eliminate the need for bulky jewelry boxes and keep your fragile items organized with the thoughtfully included felt-lined top drawer.
Drawers are constructed with dovetail joinery, ensuring long-lasting strength and storage. Made up of interlocking wedge-shaped elements called pins and tails, the joint connects drawer fronts, sides, and backs, designed to withstand the daily pulling forces you apply when you open a drawer, for problem-free use. A time-tested joint that predates written history, dovetail drawers are a mark of quality furniture construction.
Drawers feature wood-on-wood guides and drawer stops for smooth, reliable drawer function. Wood-on-wood guides allow you to open and close drawers with ease, while maintaining the quality and authenticity of traditional wood craftsmanship.
The warmth of this seven drawer dresser's Rich Cognac finish will emanate throughout any bedroom, giving it a touch of classic elegance and beauty. Gold tipping accents, intricate leaf carvings, and Antique Brass bail pull hardware add to the classic allure. It features four large drawers and three smaller drawers, making it excellent for clothes, jewelry, and accessories. This lovely piece can be pair with the matching dresser mirror for a gorgeous combination.
The Highland Court Traditional 7 Drawer Dresser by Liberty Furniture at Find Your Furniture in the area. Product availability may vary. Contact us for the most current availability on this product.
The Highland Court bedroom collection represents the pinnacle of traditional styling. The variety of beautiful detail found in this collection is staggering. The Cathedral Cherry veneers are adorned with a gorgeous Rich Cognac finish that brings out the classic appearance of the Antique Brass bail pull hardware. Gold tipping accents, quartered primavera borders, felt-lined top drawers, intricate leaf carvings, and elegant curves are found throughout the collection, giving each piece a distinct, timeless appeal. With a chest, dresser, mirror, night stand, and sleigh bed, you can give your entire bedroom the radiant traditional style of the Highland Court collection.
The Highland Court collection is a great option if you are looking for Traditional furniture in the area.
These images are representative of this group as a whole and may differ from this item.
This item has been tagged as: Dresser, Bedroom Dresser, Dresser Chest, Chest of Drawers, Dresser Set, Dresser and Mirror, Bedroom Furniture, Bedroom Storage, Bureau, Clothing Storage, Linen Storage, Bedroom Cabinet, Chiffonier, Bedroom Closet, Highboy, Wardrobe, Vanity, Vanity with Hutch, Make - Up Table, Make Up Table with Hutch, Dresser to Sit At, Vanity Dressers, Large Commode
Nothing on this page may be copied or reproduced without explicit permission.


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Back to 1st Screen | Return
POW Contours and Regions
POW can create contour maps of images and read/write/create standard SAO regions files.
The image below shows a set of contours overlain on top of an image. The blue contours were made from a separate radio map image and then moved to this graph containing an optical image of the same object. The dialog box shows the options available for creating contours.
Region shapes supported are circle, ellipse, box, polygon, point, and line. Shapes can be inclusive ('+' shapes drawn in grey) or exclusive ('-' shapes drawn in red). All shapes can be moved and reshaped with the mouse by dragging the green handles drawn on the current shape.
Pages maintained by Bryan Irby Send bug reports or feature requests via the FTOOLS help desk.
HEASARC Home | Observatories | Archive | Calibration | Software | Tools | Students/Teachers/Public
Last modified: Tuesday, 20-Jul-2004 13:38:34 EDT


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When the weather turns crisp, that's when I want to be outside as much as possible. Fall is great for outdoor activities, whether you're into walks around the block, hiking a trail or biking through valleys full of multi-colored leaves.
With all the confusion (and anger) out there about aluminum bottles with liners and whether those liners are BPA-free or not, why even risk it? Stainless steel bottles do not need to be lined. There are so many stainless steel options out there that there's really no reason to bother with the aluminum.
Since I always carry a water bottle on my outings, I've compiled a list of great ones that are especially activity friendly.
Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel bottles (prices start at $14.95)
Perhaps the most well-known stainless steel bottle is the Klean Kanteen. The bottle is available in four sizes (12 oz., 18 oz., 27 oz. and 40 oz.) with seven colors and two cap styles. The customization options with this bottle are one of the best things about it.
If you plan on biking with your bottle, their website also sells bike cages that fit their 27 oz. Kanteens.
Also, during the month of October, $4 will be donated for every pink bottle sold.
CamelBak 16 oz. Insulated Stainless Steel bottle ($30)
I love hiking with my CamelBak backpack, so I was excited to learn the company also offers stainless steel bottles featuring their signature straw. (To make the liquid come out, you lightly bite on the straw and sip the water.)
If you're interested in this bottle, keep in mind you shouldn't use the straw if you have filled the bottle with hot water. For this reason, the straw is removable and you can just drink from the lip of the container.
Safe Sporter 16 oz. Stainless Steel bottle ($16)
I like this bottle for its hourglass shape and insulated hand grip. It also has a cap to protect the water spout. If you're hiking in a dusty area (or biking with a bottle in a cage on your bike), this bottle would be a good choice to keep out the grit and grime from the road. No one wants to drink water that tastes like gravel.
Thermos 26 oz. Stainless Steel Intak Hydration bottle ($22.99)
In true Thermos fashion, this bottle keeps contents cold for 18 hours. If your plans involve going somewhere with few opportunities to refill your bottle with cold water, this would be a good choice.
Though it has a top to protect the lip area from dirt, it twists off. Keep in mind that this may require more effort and focus than a protective top that just snaps.
Green Bottle 20 oz. Stainless Steel bottle ($16.99)
This bottle comes with two interchangeable tops: a sports top (with a protective cap to keep out the dirt) and a loop top (with a carabiner to clip onto your backpack or belt).
The bottle itself weighs in at 4.6 ounces, which is nice if you plan on carrying the bottle around with you all day.
Another great thing about this bottle is the pattern choices. It is available with the two tops in 22 different colors and prints.
Happy trails and happy hydrating!


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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 16 (UPI) -- "NCIS: Los Angeles" actress Daniela Ruah has announced she is pregnant with her first child.
Ruah, 29, is engaged to stunt man and former Navy Seal David Olsen. The actress is due to give birth this winter.
"I'm so thrilled about having a baby boy and starting a new chapter as a parent with David," she told People.com Sunday.
"It's amazing how in love I am with this little person I've only seen on a black and white screen. I'm starting my own family and there is no other feeling like it."


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Homes for Sale & Real Estate in Scottsdale AZ | AZ Golf Homes
February 26, 2013 by Don Matheson Leave a Comment
Las Sendas Mesa
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21000 N. Pima Rd.
Ste #100
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
(480) 405-4228
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Dr. David W. Orr "Nearly Trapped: Design in the Age of Climate Considerations"
Monday, March 9, 2009, 6:30 - 8pm
Add to Calendar
David W. Orr is the Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics and Special Assistant to the President of Oberlin College and a James Marsh Professor at the University of Vermont. He is the recipient of five honorary degrees and other awards including The Millennium Leadership Award from Global Green, the Bioneers Award, the National Wildlife Federation Leadership Award, a Lyndhurst Prize acknowledging "persons of exceptional moral character, vision, and energy." He has been a scholar in residence at Ball State University, the University of Washington, and other universities. He has lectured at hundreds of colleges and universities throughout the U.S. and Europe. He has served as a Trustee for many organizations including the Rocky Mountain Institute and the Aldo Leopold Foundation He has been a Trustee and/or advisor to ten foundations.
Located in The Great Hall, in the Foundation Building, 7 East 7th Street, between Third and Fourth Avenues


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LEED-certified Visitor Center now boasts exhibit area to educate guests
As summer officially gets underway, Exelon Hydro's newly refurbished Conowingo Visitor Center is open and ready to welcome and educate visitors in northern Maryland. This year, over 1,000 travelers have visited the Center and earlier this month, 300 people attended an Open House and barbecue at the facility.
"Our refurbishments to the Center have been designed to create a memorable experience for visitors by educating them about the Conowingo Dam and the Watershed and reinforcing our commitment to clean energy," said Sonny Garg, president of Exelon Power. Open all year, the Center now boasts an exhibit area where visitors can learn about the history of Conowingo Hydroelectric Generating Station, the importance of hydroelectricity as a renewable clean energy source and the ecology, wildlife and recreational activities that exist in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed in Maryland.
Several enhancements, including the installation of solar panels on the roof, the addition of a high-efficiency lighting and HVAC system and the development of a system to capture rainwater for reuse with the building's green roof, have allowed the Conowingo Visitor Center to be recognized with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Existing Building Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
"The environmentally-friendly renovation of the Conowingo Visitor Center is one of many efforts Exelon has undertaken to green our operations as part of our Exelon 2020 initiative to reduce our company's carbon footprint," added Garg. The LEED-certification of the Center helped Exelon to achieve its Energy Reduction Challenge goal to cut energy consumption in commercial buildings by 25% in 2010, two years ahead of plan.
Owned and operated by Exelon Hydro, a division of Exelon Power, Conowingo Hydroelectric Generating Station is an 11 unit run-of-the-river power plant capable of generating 572 megawatts of clean electricity, located along Route 1 in Darlington, Md. The Visitor Center, located just south of the Dam on Route 1, is open year-round on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on weekends from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and New Year's Day. To learn more about Conowingo, please visit www.exeloncorp.com/conowingo.


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If You Like Fannie Mae, You'll Love Auto Mac
While Bank of America and Citi grabbed most of the attention in the recently released bank "stress tests" one of the biggest capital holes to be filled is that of GMAC, which under the stress test's relatively light assumptions will need to raise another $11.5 billion in capital.
As one of the smaller of the stressed tested banks, and having almost no trading and counterparty risk — and hence little or no systemic risk, GMAC would hardly seem the candidate for any additional bailout funds. Were GMAC to fold, our financial markets would hardly notice. Who might notice is our auto manufacturers.
Just as easy credit inflated our housing market, it was easy credit — who can forget 0% financing — that lead the auto sales boom of the early 2000's. Just as many see Fannie and Freddie — along with help from the Federal Reserve — as leading us to a housing recovery, many also see GMAC as being at the heart of any recovery in the auto industry.
Given the state of the auto industry and the increasing level of defaults on auto loans, the safe bet is that GMAC will have a tough time rasing the needed $11.5 billion from non‐governmental sources.
Once the government becomes a majority owner of GMAC, its only a matter of time until its focus shifts from re‐bulding its financial health to expanding the American Dream of auto‐ownership.


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The Boston Globe has named A Labyrinth of Kingdoms one of 2012's eleven best books of nonfiction, putting it in some distinguished company. I'm honored.
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Nearing the End of the Journey
It's been almost a year since I started this blog about Heinrich Barth and his travels. My book about his great expedition is now three months old. I think it's time for the caravan to move on. I'll continue to post if something relevant occurs to me, but will no longer maintain a regular schedule. Thank you for reading the blog. If you read the book, please let me (and Amazon!) know what you think about it.
Meanwhile I'm deep into the research for a book about another adventurer, an American this time. New journeys just ahead.
Why Timbuktu Will Overcome Its Latest Fundamentalist Conquerors
Many of today's headlines about Islamic north-central Africa would look familiar to the explorer and scientist Heinrich Barth, who traveled 10,000 miles there for the British from 1850 to 1855. The caravan routes ridden by Barth are now roads, but the arid territories they cross are still a nexus of distinctive cultures that have mixed and chafed for centuries. Old frictions still flare up between Muslims and non-Muslims, black and brown, fundamentalists and moderates, central governments and local chiefs.
As in Barth's day, bandits and fanatics keep the region in turmoil. The group Boko Haram ("Western education is forbidden") has killed hundreds of people in places Barth visited in northeastern Nigeria, bombing government offices, schools, and Christian churches. The group's violent quest to "purify" Islam is just the most recent of similar jihads reported by Barth. Other groups, now as then, use religion as a veneer to justify thuggery. The terrorists of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), for instance, seem motivated more by money than by Mohammed, kidnapping Western travelers whom they murder or ransom — behavior that Barth witnessed and survived.
For Barth, Boko Haram and AQIM would be familiar manifestations with historical precedents. So would the distress of today's moderate Muslims who want to reclaim their religion's traditions of tolerance and learning from gangsters and extremists.
Some current events are almost historical reenactments. In March of this year, after the Malian military staged a coup, several rebel groups took advantage of the political chaos to occupy Mali's northern half, including the ancient desert towns of Timbuktu and Gao. The group that now controls Timbuktu is associated with AQIM and calls itself Ansar Dine ("Defenders of the Faith"). Like Boko Haram, the Ansar Dine are fundamentalists intent on imposing their version of a purer Islam. If history is a guide, they would have better luck pushing a camel through the eye of a needle.
Since the time of Ibn Battuta (1352), visitors to Timbuktu have been impressed by the town's scholars and amiable inhabitants, known for their love of singing, dancing, and smoking. The Ansar Dine have stopped the singing and the music, and are requiring women to veil their faces, atypical in Timbuktu. Tobacco and alcohol have been banned, places that sold them have been shuttered or destroyed, and possession of a cigarette brings a beating. Women have been whipped for immodest behavior such as walking alone or riding in a car with men. In a town near Timbuktu, an unmarried couple was stoned to death.
Ignorance, that frequent collaborator with fanaticism, has led the Ansar Dine to destroy at least half a dozen of Timbuktu's historic tombs and monuments, including part of the fourteenth-century Djingereber mosque, on grounds of idolatry. Scholars fear that Timbuktu's invaluable manuscript libraries might be looted, perhaps for the purpose of selling these volumes of old Islamic erudition to fund new Islamic intolerance.
Timbuktu has weathered it all before. Similar restrictions were in place when Barth spent seven months there under house arrest in 1853-54. Muslim jihadists from the newly-declared kingdom of Hamdallahi ("Praise to God") had conquered Timbuktu in 1826. They attempted to impose harsh reforms: no tobacco, mandatory attendance at mosque, segregation of men and women. The sociable smoking dancers of Timbuktu considered these dictates preposterous. By the time of Barth's visit, the fundamentalists had despaired of separating Timbuktu's men and women, but Barth recounts how they raided homes to seize tobacco and levied fines for insufficient piety.
Today's residents of Timbuktu, Gao, and nearby desert towns have begun staging protests and forming militias to resist Ansar Dine's severe version of Islam. It seems likely that long after Ansar Dine has vanished into history like Hamdallahi, Timbuktu and its people will still be singing and smoking.
Barth blamed much of the region's misery on its greedy, corrupt leaders, who devastated the region with constant warfare and slave raids. "Even the best of these mighty men," he wrote, "cares more for the silver ornaments of his numerous wives than for the welfare of his people." Today's Nigerians ask why their government can't protect them from Boko Haram, and why a country with some of the world's richest oil deposits must import most of its gas and can't light its largest cities. Greed and corruption, wrote Barth, inspired violent purifying jihads that imposed their own repressions. These criticisms still sound fresh.
As in Barth's day, most Westerners know little about Islam or Africa, and distort them into simple monoliths. Barth carried some of his era's assumptions, but he was willing to go where the evidence took him. He found ignorance and savagery in Africa — the prevailing European view of the continent — but also scholars and sophisticated systems of commerce and government.
He likewise challenged the dominant European view of Islam as an evil dangerous opponent of Christian civilization, which still sounds familiar. Consider the recent Republican presidential primary, in which nearly every candidate expressed alarm about the nonexistent threat of Sharia law in the United States. Members of Congress are on record about "terrorist babies" and "stealth jihadis." American towns have voted to ban mosques, and corporations tremble when fringe groups accuse them of being pro-Muslim.
Barth called Islam a great religion — not a popular view, then as now — but added that in some places it had been hijacked by brigands or fanatics who used it as an excuse to pillage or to subjugate. He pointed out that Islam wasn't much different in these ways from Christianity, another great religion sometimes hijacked by the greedy or the self-righteous. All of this remains in the headlines.
Unlike most pundits about the continent, then as now, Barth formed his views from close observation of African reality. His news and perspective remain pertinent. As a scientist he believed that knowledge can dissolve ignorance and misunderstanding. Perhaps it still can, given the chance.
*This originally appeared on the History News Network on August 22, 2012.
Images: Some Expedition Documents
A few of the dozens of pages devoted to merchandise taken by the expedition. First, arms and ammunition:
Letter of transit in Arabic, carried by Barth, given to him by the Sultan of Bagirmi, who held him prisoner for months:
Barth's English translation of the letter of transit, written on opposite side:
Barth's letter to the British Foreign Office announcing his safe arrival in Timbuktu:
Barth's IOU to some Ghadamsi merchants, entailed on his way home:
August Petermann, Cartographer of Exploration
Heinrich Barth's invitation to join the British expedition can be traced back to a German cartographer named August Petermann. Petermann was working at the London Observatory when he heard about James Richardson's proposed African expedition and its need for a scientist. Petermann told Chevalier Bunsen, the Prussian ambassador to the Court of St. James's, who approached Richardson and offered to find him the best available German scientist. Richardson was delighted, since Germany's scientists were considered the finest in Europe. Carl Ritter and Alexander von Humboldt, eminences at the University of Berlin, recommended Barth.
From the start, Petermann took a keen, almost proprietary, interest in the expedition. He became an important long-distance affiliate and cheerleader. He lobbied the British Foreign Office to send more funds and helped to arrange for another German scientist, Eduard Vogel, to join the expedition. When Barth sent rough maps and measurements of the mission's routes back to Britain, the Foreign Office hired Petermann to turn them into works of cartography.
All this was fine, but in his over-enthusiasm Petermann also sent his maps to German publications, along with information from Barth's dispatches. This did not sit well with some people at the FO and the Royal Geographical Society, and fed the resentment against Germany in some British quarters that I described in an earlier post.
"Of course it is Mr. Petermann's object," wrote the FO under-secretary, "to make himself, for his own profit, and also for his own glory, the historiographer of all the discoveries of Barth and Overweg: but that is not our object, or intention . . . Drs. Barth and Overweg were members of Richardson's expedition, paid by us, and traveling at our expense," he continued, and any public announcements about the expedition should come from the Royal Geographical Society, "which properly speaking is our natural medium of partial geographical communications."
Petermann and Chevalier Bunsen, he added, seemed to consider the British "the mere paymasters of the expedition, while the fruits belong to Germany. This is a mistake."
The secretary of the RGS expressed his irritation more crudely, writing about the expedition in the society's journal, "In connection with Lake Chad and other African names, it may be observed that the Germans are adopting various ways of spelling them, because they find it difficult to say 'cheese.'"
This was too much for Petermann. He responded with a nine-page open letter that called the RGS report "scurrilous and offensive."
When Barth returned to England, he stepped into this stew. Under questioning from the RGS and the FO, he agreed that Petermann sometimes published information about the mission too hastily, but added that he was motivated by his scientific eagerness to share information, not by German nationalism.
Barth admired Petermann's passion for exploration and his exquisite skills as a cartographer. (Petermann's numerous maps are one of the glories of Barth's book. See examples here, here, and here.) Petermann was also indirectly responsible for the book's wonderful illustrations. He recommended that Barth hire the German artist J. M. Bernatz, who turned Barth's sketches into the book's many finished drawings.
But the cartographer sometimes exasperated the explorer. Barth once wrote, "I believe Petermann has really convinced himself that the African expedition was his work, not mine, and that Providence only brought me safely through all those unspeakable dangers thanks to his ideas and his leadership abilities. . . . Despite his great and justifiably rewarded abilities, Petermann is a real loudmouth."
Petermann returned to Germany in the mid-1850s and continued to publish extraordinary maps based on discoveries by explorers all over the globe. In appreciation, explorers named geographic features on several continents after him. His devotion to exploration and meticulous cartography is his enduring legacy.
His personal life, however, was evidently unhappy, and he may have been a manic-depressive. In October of 1878, aged 56, he killed himself with a pistol.
In other news, A Labyrinth of Kingdoms was last week's "Book of the Week" in The Times of London, which gave it an enthusiastic review (restricted access): A Labyrinth of Kingdoms by Steve Kemper.
Labyrinth: Reviews & Interviews
Some recent reviews and interviews about the book:
Boston Globe review.
Shelf Awareness review.
Bibliobuffet review.
Expedition News review.
Wall Street Journal review and my response.
Christian Science Monitor interview.
Pen on Fire audio interview.
New Books Network audio interview.
History in the Margins interview.
Conversation Crossroad audio interview.
One-on-One interview.
Biblioklept interview.
The Hill of the Christians
One of the most fascinating and perilous segments of Barth's journey occurred in the district of Aïr in the Sahara, in present-day Niger. About 300 miles long and 200 miles wide, Aïr consists of steep disconnected massifs and volcanic cones, some rising more than 6,000 feet from the desert floor. Barth called it "the Switzerland of the desert." Until he described it, Europeans were unaware that the Sahara contained such landscapes. Before Barth's party entered the region, no European had ever set foot there. European visitors would be extremely rare for many decades afterwards.
In Barth's day, Aïr was an isolated redoubt occupied by gangs of Tuareg brigands who had never been subdued by an outside power. This remained true, off and on, for next 150 years. I had hoped to visit Aïr while researching my book, but the district was off-limits to travelers because Tuareg rebels had a base there.
At the time of Barth's journey, the capital of Aïr was Tintellust, deep in the region's heart. Barth's group reached there soon after being plundered and nearly murdered by Tuaregs in Aïr. The Europeans expected Tintellust to be a city, but it turned out to be a village of 250 dwellings shaded by trees in a pleasant mountain valley. The explorers weren't too disappointed, because for the first time in weeks they felt safe. Tintellust was the home of Sultan Annur, leader of the Kel Owis, a Tuareg tribe. For a large sum, Annur agreed to protect the expedition.
Annur told the Christians to camp at a spot 800 yards from the village on some sand hills. The location offered sweeping views of the valley and the mountains. Barth predicted that the place would henceforth be called the "English Hill" or the "Hill of the Christians."
Francis Rennell Rodd, a British explorer, traveled in Aïr in the 1920s and wrote a wonderful book about it called People of the Veil. Rodd found Aïr and its Tuareg inhabitants exactly as Barth had described them 75 years earlier. I especially like Rodd's description of male Tuaregs: "The men never grow fat: they are hard and fit and dry like the nerve of a bow, or a spring in tension. Of all their characteristics the one I have most vividly in mind is their grace of carriage. The men are born to walk and move as kings, they stride along swiftly and easily, like Princes of the Earth, fearing no man, cringing before none, and consciously superior to other people." Their belligerence and opportunism, noted Rodd, hadn't changed either, as expressed in one of their sayings: "Kiss the hand you cannot cut off."
Rodd wanted to visit Tintellust to look for traces of Barth, whom he called "perhaps the greatest traveler there has ever been in Africa." Tintellust wasn't on any map, but Rodd's guide knew the village and took him there. As they reached the outskirts, the guide pointed out a place called "the House of the Christians." When Rodd asked why, the guide said that in the olden days three white Christians who weren't French had come to Tintellust—not as conquerors, like the French, but as friends of Chief Annur—so the thatch huts where they camped had never been inhabited or pulled down. All that remained of the camp, noted Rodd, were "the traces of two straw huts and a shelter, a wooden water trough, and some broken pots."
In 2005 Julia Winckler, a British photographer and teacher fascinated by Barth, traveled to Tintellust. She too was shown Barth's old encampment. She documented her visit to Tintellust (and Agadez) with photographs and videos: www.retracingheinrichbarth.co.uk. In Tintellust, according to Winckler, a story persists that Barth buried treasure nearby, and the villagers occasionally still dig for it. Barth would be amused–by the time he and his ragged group reached Tintellust, they had been pillaged several times and had no surplus to bury.


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DENVER (AP) — The Western Athletic Conference is adding Cal State-Bakersfield and Utah Valley next year as it ditches football.
WAC interim commissioner Jeff Hurd said the WAC will continue looking for other new members as it makes the transition from an FBS conference to a non-football playing Division I conference in 2013-14.
Cal State-Bakersfield is a Division I independent, and at least 13 of the school's 18 sports programs will become members of the WAC, most notably men's and women's basketball.
Utah Valley is a member of the Great West Conference. Fourteen of the Wolverines' 15 intercollegiate sports will compete in the WAC, including men's and women's basketball. In 2009, Utah Valley, with an enrollment of 33,000, became the first institution to leap to Division I directly from junior college status.


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As President Obama so often and helpfully reminds us…
"I've got a mandate to help middle-class families." —President Obama at his news conference yesterday: OFA.BO/xRSG9n
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 15, 2012
…he's the real champion of the downtrodden, and as he rarely fails to inform us, he's here to make sure that the rich don't get richer off of the backs of those who can least afford it. But here's the tricky thing about measures that operate on the basis of "fairness": Maybe you "just" want to skim a little off of the richest of the rich, but you'll probably end up making the poor, poorer in the process.
For all of President Obama's stimulus and entitlement expansions and deficit spending, it doesn't look like it's doing much to boost people into the middle class. According to a new census report, the number of people in poverty in the U.S. increased to about 50 million people in 2011, via the AP:
The ranks of America's poor edged up last year to a high of 49.7 million, based on a new census measure that takes into account medical costs and work-related expenses.
The numbers released Wednesday by the Census Bureau are part of a newly developed supplemental poverty measure. Devised a year ago, this measure provides a fuller picture of poverty that the government believes can be used to assess safety-net programs by factoring in living expenses and taxpayer-provided benefits that the official formula leaves out.
Based on the revised formula, the number of poor people exceeded the 49 million, or 16 percent of the population, who were living below the poverty line in 2010. That came as more people in the slowly improving economy picked up low-wage jobs last year but still struggled to pay living expenses. The revised poverty rate of 16.1 percent also is higher than the record 46.2 million, or 15 percent, that the government's official estimate reported in September.
It's a new measurement system, ergo not dealing in constant variables, but the gist of all of this is that despite the additions to federal and state welfare spending, it's been four years and by far too many measures, things have conspicuously not improved. We spent trillions of dollars to end up with an employment rate barely budging the one we started with (minus the decreased labor participation rate!). Stagnant economic growth and poor job creation are what drive people into poverty, and no amount of government spending or assistance can mitigate that. Prosperity is what lifts up and aids the greatest number of people, and prosperity is something that is remarkably at odds with a lot of the effects of President Obama's agenda.


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MARYSVILLE, OHIO (Jan. 25, 12:30 p.m. ET) — Honda Motor Co. continues to strive for zero waste at its North American plants, according to its seventh sustainability report.
"In the manufacturing domain, we realized our longstanding goal to achieve virtually zero waste to landfills from manufacturing operations in North America," Tetsuo Iwamura, chief operating officer, North American Regional Operations, said in the report. "As of April 1, 2011, 10 of 14 plants in North America are operating with absolutely zero waste to landfills, while the remaining four plants are producing a very small amount of landfill waste that accounts for less than one-half of 1 percent of all manufacturing-related waste."
More than 95 percent of all waste generated in the assembly of Honda products in North America is either recycled or reused, the report said.
In the report, Honda also said it wants to continue to focus on a minimum of 90 percent design recyclability, maintaining or improving new product designs to facilitate dismantling.


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I warn you again…
Genealogy is addictive, so is my blog…
It's not to late to stop…
Proceed with caution…
Ahead one-third…
Full speed ahead…
Aflevering 2.
Herman Sulkers kan ook benaderd worden via email (veel 83-jarigen kunnen dat tegenwoordig) via email@example.com.
Wie brengt hem in het contact met naamgenoten en mogelijk achterneven en -nichten.
Z'n opa en oma vertrokken ongeveer 110 jaar geleden uit D'oord naar omgeving Zaandam vanwaar in 1910 naar Winnipeg, Canada!
Dinteloorders, groot nieuws!
Een nazaat van een gezin uit Dinteloord, dat van Hermanus Sulkers (geb. 22 april 1852) en Maria Johanna Vriens hoopt in juli 2003 vanuit het verre Canada waar hij 83 jaar geleden geboren is, Dinteloord te bezoeken.
Natuurlijk is hij op zoek naar verre familieleden en kan daarbij hulp gebruiken.
Hij en twee nichten zijn al een paar jaar aan het vroeten naar hun 'roots.'
My Dutch is not that good…
But in this forum post I know that Hermanus Sulkers (geb. 22 april 1852) means Hermanus Sulkers (born 22 April 1852).
We now have Herm's grandfather's birthdate.
This is a translation done on an Internet translation site…
Episode 2.
Herman Sulkers can also be accessed via email (many 83 year olds can do nowadays) via email@example.com.
Who brings him into contact with possible namesakes and nephews and nieces. His grandparents left about 110 years ago, D'haven from which to nearby Zaandam in 1910 to Winnipeg, Canada!
Dinteloorders, great news!
A descendant of a family from Dinteloord that of Hermanus Sulkers (born April 22, 1852) and Maria Johanna Vriens hopes in July 2003 from the remote Canada where he was born 83 years ago, Dinteloord visit. Of course he is looking for distant relatives and can thereby help.
He and two cousins have been a few years to Vroet to their roots.
Well, I think we get the message…
It says that Herm is going to visit Holland.
Now for my inbox…
This was in it…
Thanks for the e-mail!
Yes, I know the history of the Athabaskan and Herm Sulkers, my first cousin, was a wonderful guy. We shared a lot of family history information during Herm's later years. I have a number of articles about Herm and the Athabaskan. I'm not sure which ones you posted, but thanks for writing, anyway.
Best Wishes,
Ev Howard
I sent her this message…
I was looking for more information about Herm on the Internet and I found your message posted in 2005.
I took a chance to help you in your search. Have you found more ancestors in Holland other than Hermanus?
Tomorrow I will write an article on my blog about Herm's genealogy.
Herman Sulkers was a great man and my articles on him are to pay homage to a man who served
his country. My wife's uncle was also on the Athabaskan. He's 81 but he doesn't want to talk about the ordeal
he went through. He said he was rescue by the Haida.
My blog Lest We Forget pays homage to him and to his comrades.
Pierre Lagacé
Now we are going somewhere, maybe to Holland… Who knows?
See you tomorrow.


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Gloria Owen clapped her hand over her mouth as a kayaker careened off a waterfall upside down during the 18th-annual Green River Narrows Race on Saturday in Hendersonville.
Gloria Owen clapped her hand over her mouth as a kayaker careened off a waterfall upside down during the 18th-annual Green River Narrows Race on Saturday in Hendersonville.
She pointed and breathed a sigh of relief as rescuers harnessed to the bank dove into the water to save him.
"The bravery of these kayakers is beyond anything I can fathom," Owen said. "What is so remarkable is what this rescue crew does and how quick they are to figure out when a kayaker is in trouble and help them."
Owen said it was her first time hiking into the annual event to watch professional kayakers from all over the world push their limits in what is slated as one of the most extreme whitewater races.
"I think I've seen 25 rescues in about 30 minutes," Owen said. "This waterfall rapid, Gorilla, is the hardest one ,I think."
Lynette Keating, 6, looked a little less impressed as she watched the race with her dad and two brothers.
"It was kind of cool and exciting, but now I'm bored," Keating said. "I don't ever wanna do this race, though it looks scary."
Her father, Daniel Keating, said he braved the steep 2.5-mile hike into the race with his three children because he had so much fun last year.
"I thought it was really amazing and they would love watching it," Keating said. "They were excited at first but after 100-plus racers, I think boredom set in and they aren't looking forward to the hike out."
Like Keating, David Marshall, 34, attended the race last year and was eager to come back.
"I've been looking forward to this all summer long," Marshall said. "I love watching the kayakers, but even more I enjoy the camaraderie of being out in nature with like-minded people who are also race enthusiasts."
Marshall said he's dabbled in whitewater kayaking but came to the race at the urging of his friend, Caleb Smith, an intermediate paddler with the dream of one day participating in the race.
"It's amazing to see these kayakers out here at the upper echelon of the sport make running these intense rapids look easy," Smith said. "Of course, it's a lot of fun watching the carnage and kayakers wrecking also."
Kayakers weren't the only ones wrecking. The treacherous combination of brightly colored leaves and wet rocks sent multiple hikers to the ground, some sliding dangerously toward the steep edges.
"The trail was really steep and muddy and I fell hiking in," Owen said, gesturing to a pant leg covered with mud. "I haven't fallen walking around here but I've come close, especially because there are so many people."
The 900-plus spectators crammed into the narrow gorge looked like a sea of brightly colored fall foliage fanning out over both sides of the river bank. In years past, hikers have fallen into the river and even been injured without the extensive safety equipment the racers use to protect themselves.
The inherent risks and difficult access haven't deterred visitors and the crowd increases yearly, race organizers said.
"I think everyone bonds around those experiences," Marshall said. "You see someone fall, help them up and tell them the same thing happened to you five minutes ago."


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Source: The Border Mail
The NSW border town of Alburycould be the nursery for Hollywood's next Quentin Tarantino with local product Nicholas Clifford taking out the prestigious short film festival Tropfest Australia.
The Melbourne director's short film We've All Been There was chosen by a star-studded panel including Avatar's Sam Worthington, Underbelly's Gyton Grantley and Albury's own Richard Roxburgh as best film.
The former Albury High School student, 30, told The Border Mail that the win, against 15 other finalists and more than 700 entrants, was up there as the highlight of his career so far.
"Easily one of the best," Clifford said.
"It's pretty great to have it screened in Sydney in front of that many people and those judges."
The six minute and 40 second film explores the idea of shared kindness through goodwill and pay-it-forward style ethics.
It also landed actress Laura Wheelright the best actress gong.
Clifford was a Tropfest finalist last year and has directed two other films in the festival, in 2009 and 2011.
In 2009, he established Truce Films in Melbourne, with his AHS school mate Charlie Sarroff.
But a career in Hollywood is the dream.
"That's the plan," Clifford said.
"Just to keep getting better and better and the US is where it's all happening."
Clifford isn't the only success in his family.
He is one of six children, who all have established distinguished careers.
The eldest, Lynda lives in London with her husband and is a costume designer, Cherie is the centre manager at Centro Wodonga, Alex is an engineer in San Francisco and twins Anthony and Mark are Albury police officers.
Clifford said a year spent travelling in Canada after year 12 defined what he wanted to do.
"That's when I started writing," he said.
"… I think once I found something to focus my energy on … now it's become my whole life."
Nicholas Clifford accepting his Tropfest gong this week.