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2012 Four Wheeler Of The Year
Infiniti QX56 vs. Jeep Wrangler Rubicon vs. Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
Since 1974, Four Wheeler of the Year has been an annual tradition in the pages of this magazine, appearing on a regular basis for nearly 40 years of our 50-year existence. It is our annual roundup of what vehicles are new in the four-wheel drive market and it gives us a great reason to head out to the dirt for a week of wheeling.
In order to be eligible for Four Wheeler of the Year each vehicle is required to be all-new or substantially-revised from the previous year, have a two-speed transfer case, have a production run of at least 1,500 vehicles available in the U.S., and must be on sale by January 15, 2011. We score each of the vehicles based on an extensive testing criteria of five weighted categories that include Trail Performance (30%), Empirical (25%), On Pavement (20%), Interior (15%), and Exterior (10%).
For 2012 our eligible field included the Infiniti QX56 (which was redesigned last year, but not available in time for our test), the Jeep Wrangler, the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, and the Dodge Durango. Unfortunately, Dodge declined our invitation leaving our field at just three.
This year's test took our three competitors on 1,000 miles of diverse terrain and pavement to get a feel for how these vehicles perform under all conditions. During the week, our seven judges rotated in and out of vehicles at a regular clip, filled out comment sheets, and judged the field based on their experiences, resulting in the outcome you'll read here.
The Field
Potentially the most intriguing vehicle in our test this year was the $75,340 Infiniti QX56. While it may seem slightly out of place in this competition, the Infiniti has the pedigree to back up its admission. No longer based on the Titan/Armada F-Alpha platform, the new QX56 is now based on the much-heralded overseas Nissan Patrol. The QX56 features a body-on-frame chassis and all-independent suspension with computer-controlled All-Mode 4WD. Nissan's excellent VK56VD direct injection 5.6L DOHC V-8 with 400hp and 413 lb-ft of torque, backed by a seven-speed automatic transmission with rev-matching downshift capability, powers the big SUV. In the rest of the world, and now in the U.S., the Patrol/QX56 is direct competition for the Toyota Land Cruiser, giving us lofty expectations of vehicular capabilities.
Our next entry, the tried-and-trued Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, came in with an as-tested price of $32,900, quite the bargain in our eyes when you start to consider the level of equipment. In addition to the Rubicon package, which adds 32-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain tires, Dana 44 front and rear axles with driver-selectable electric lockers, an electronically disconnecting front sway bar, rocker protection, monotube shocks, 4.10 gearing, a 4:1 transfer case and full skidplating, our Rubicon featured Chrysler's new 3.6L Pentastar V-6 with 285hp and 260 lb-ft of torque teamed with the NSG 370 six-speed manual transmission.
Lastly, our test included the $37,555 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. Packed with all of the features of our two-door, the Unlimited adds 20-inches of wheelbase and a pair of rear doors to the Wrangler package. Wanting to round out our Wrangler experience, we requested that our Unlimited be equipped with Jeep's new W5A580 five-speed automatic transmission.
Instrument Testing
On our first day of testing, we took our trio to Off Road Evolution in Fullerton, California, to borrow a couple of hoists and a 30-degree RTI ramp, allowing us to get up close and personal with the underbellies of these machines. Surprisingly, the Infiniti was completely unprotected underneath, making us wonder if "skidplate" was lost in translation from the overseas model to the U.S.-spec version. Not surprisingly, both Jeeps had almost complete coverage of the vitals with appropriate sheets of steel, however, both Wranglers lacked true protection for the vulnerable new exhaust trumpets, oil pans (although they are tucked pretty high up), and transmissions. More susceptible to damage than the manual, the automatic features a crash bar that offers at least some sort of protective ability.
On the ramp travel test, the Wrangler bested the Wrangler Unlimited and QX56 by driving an impressive 57.5 inches up a 30-degree ramp, earning a score of 526. This, of course, was with the electronic sway bar system disconnected. The Wrangler Unlimited wasn't far behind with a distance of 50.5 inches and score of 495. The QX, with a fairly shallow approach angle did its best to just get on the ramp before traveling 41-inches for a score of 338.
From the shop, we headed out to the former El Toro Marine Base in Orange County, California. With wide, abandoned runways, we were able to do all of our acceleration and braking tests. It was here that we could finally open these SUVs up and get a sense for what the individual powertrains and binders were capable of.
The fastest in the test by far was the Infiniti. It felt like a rocket and was a blast to drive, pun intended. The 5.6L is a power-happy mill that is managed by a perfectly shifting automatic meant for fast, seamless power delivery. At one point, we used the empty runway to our advantage and kept the pedal pinned well past the quarter mile marker. We can tell you that at over 120 mph the Infiniti, smooth enough to give the sensation of flight, was still pulling hard and far from running out of breath. It knocked off 0-60 in only 6.85 seconds, exploding through the quarter in 15.38 seconds with a trap speed of 92.99 miles per hour, one of the quickest (and fastest) runs we've ever recorded. The engine sounds incredible, the trans shifts were barely perceptible, yet encased in a relative seclusion, we were pushed back in our creamy leather thrones, somewhat isolated from the mechanical doings, as if riding the tip of a Delta 4 at lift off.
If not for the Infiniti's display of motorized flex, the Jeeps would have been the talk of the town. The manual Wrangler, happy to chirp Second gear, was able to hit 60 in an impressive 7.90 seconds and cross the quarter mile in 16.11 seconds at an incredulous 85.1 mph. To show just how good this new engine is, that is not only within sniffing distance of the Infiniti, but it pummels the time of our previous automatic-equipped '07 Wrangler Rubicon by a full 4.1 seconds to 60, and 2.56 seconds through the quarter with a more than 10 mph faster trap speed.
The same story held true for the automatic Wrangler Unlimited, which absolutely buried the numbers set forth by our automatic-equipped '07 Wrangler Unlimited. Compare our run of 8.67 seconds 0-60 and 16.67 in the quarter at 80.5 mph with the 13.08 second to 60 and the 19.26 seconds at 72.35 mph and it is clear that the 3.6L is more than a gratuitous engine upgrade. This engine, regardless of the transmission, is transforming, making the Wrangler fun to drive and, dare we say, quick in the real world.
Before wrapping up our day on the runway, we put the trucks through our normal 60-0 braking tests. Once again, it was the 5,850-pound Infiniti that beat the field. As if it had thrust reversers and an arrestor hook, the Infiniti ground down to 0 mph in only 127.06 feet – again, one of the shortest distance we've ever recorded. The 4,132-pound Wrangler was able to haul itself down in 146.12 feet, while the 400-pound-heavier Wrangler Unlimited nearly matched its little brother with a feat of just 146.74 feet.
Fuel economy fell in line with expectations from lightest V-6 to heaviest V-8. Over the course of 1,000 miles and a mix of terrain, the Wrangler achieved the best fuel economy at 15.23 mpg, followed by the Wrangler Unlimited with 14.86 mpg, and the Infiniti rounding out the group with an observed fuel economy number of 13.55 mpg.
3rd Place: Infiniti QX56
What's Hot:
Impressive engine and trans, technology-packed, coddling interior
What's Not: Expensive, no underbody protection, vulnerable tires
Our Take:
A luxurious vehicle that isn't our first choice for an off-pavement excursion
From the Logbook:
- "Seats fold flat, but center console doesn't."
- "Engine sounds great at 6,000 rpm."
- "More technology than an iPhone – is that possible?"
- "Creamy."
- "Flat tire. Couldn't see that one coming."
- "It only feels long when compared to the two-door. Compared to everything else, it fits the trail perfectly."
Overall Impressions
If there were a vehicle in this test we'd want to go on a road trip in and take the entire staff, it would have to be the Infiniti. With a huge passenger cabin and accommodations that leave not a bad seat in the house, the Infiniti is a pleasure to ride in with a full compliment of crew and gear. The interior is screwed, glued, and stitched together with incredibly fine materials and the ride, with the help of Infiniti's Hydraulic Body Motion Control System suspension, makes highway miles disappear like a box of donuts in the lunchroom. We also took a liking to the 15-speaker Bose Cabin Surround sound system, which recreated music in such a way, we were tempted to bust out our lighters and sway with the soundtrack.
From the driver's seat, the Infiniti offers an Alphabits bowl of technology including the Around View camera and sonar system, Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC), Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Distance Control Assist (DCA), Intelligent Brake Assist with Front Collision Warning (IBA with FCW), Adaptive Front Lighting (AFL) with auto-leveling headlights and pre-tensioning seat belts. This is one of those vehicles that digitizes the driving experience, further removing the driver from the equation. While we can effortlessly roll miles on the odometer, it's about as involved a driving experience as one would find on a gaming console in their living room.
While the Infiniti presented itself as a highway vehicle, we did note that it wasn't as quiet as we would have expected for such an expensive ride. Part of the noise came from the optional 22-inch tires, which would slap tar strips and expansion joints, like they were bros hi-fiving after getting lucky on a double date. We also found the interface with the controls and technology to be complex, necessitating a steeper learning curve than the last Android phone we used.
If the Infiniti symbolizes the isolation chamber of the test, the Wranglers represent what may have caused you to need an isolation chamber in the first place. While offering much-improved NVH over previous models, there is no denying that you are immersed in the world outside your driver's door in the Wrangler. If it is hot, cold, sunny, wet, busy, still, smooth or bumpy, you will know it in the Wrangler. The Wranglers are good, but not great, highway cars and require, even demand, driver involvement. The two-door, in particular, with its short wheelbase and manual transmission is not a vehicle you can be lazy in, but it is this involvement that makes the Wrangler an absolute pleasure to operate.
For those in the shift-it-for-me camp, you'll be equally as impressed with the new W5A580 five-speed automatic, which is such a leap forward in progress from the antiquated four-speed 42RFE that you'll wonder if Jeep engineers used a time machine to bring it back from the future. We especially like the manual-shifting functionality. Not only can you select a particular gear, but the transmission will hold it all the way to fuel cutoff, never second guessing your gear selection strategy by upshifting for you.
The interiors of the Wranglers are simple and straightforward with a clean, stylish, and uncluttered dash. Controls are intuitive to operate and everything just works. The Wranglers got high marks for comfortable seats that provide a wide range of adjustment and an elevated seating position.
We also had both versions of the Media Center head units offered by Jeep. The 430N and the 730N while similar, are not the same. The 730N is the more expensive option and has features not available in the 430N such as a much nicer NAVTEQ mapping system and display, SiriusXM Traffic, dead reckoning, and a music/nav split screen. If navigation is not the most important purchase consideration, then the 430N might be right for you as both units offer a 40GB hard drive, will play DVDs when parked, wirelessly stream music from your Bluetooth phone, and access SiriusXM Travel Link. There is no difference in sound quality, which is generally acceptable, if not a bit underpowered.
The main difference between the Wrangler and the Unlimited is the extra length on the Unlimited that makes it slightly more stable and less twitchy going down the highway, but a little less maneuverable at lower speeds. We also noted that the Unlimited seemed to be slightly noisier than the Wrangler, which would makes sense considering how much extra fabric is contacting the airstream.
2nd Place: Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
What's Hot:
Power, room for the family, increased stability
What's Not:
Decreased breakover angle, increased weight
Our Take:
The One when you aren't wheeling alone
From the Logbook:
- "Stability improvement on the highway over two-door is notable."
- "Reasonably quiet noise levels, despite an uninsulated cloth top."
- "Can feel increased weight over whoops."
- "The auto is way more fun than I expected, great shifts!"
- "Maybe if I had a family, I would like the four-door more."
Staff Picks
John Cappa, Editor
Both the two- and four-door Wrangler Rubicons are impressive with their seemingly do-all-well capability. The Infiniti QX56 absolutely wowed me with luxury, technology, and it's dune performance. But at the end of the day it's the simple two-door Wrangler Rubicon with a manual transmission that I'd want in my driveway. I'd love to have the additional cargo space of the four-door Wrangler but I just don't need it often enough to justify the compromises that the extra wheelbase creates.
Ken Brubaker, Senior Editor
Out of this trio of vehicles, I have to give a shout out to the Wrangler Rubicon. Having spent a fair amount of time behind the wheel of the 3.8L-powered JK, I have to say that the new 3.6L Pentastar left me very impressed. The new engine has significantly transformed the two-door JK into a snappy, fun-to-drive machine, and the bump in fuel mileage is decent, too. The Pentastar V-6 almost makes me forget that I prefer Jeep cylinders lined up in single file.
Sean P. Holman, Tech Editor
For me it has to be the Wrangler Unlimited with its extra set of doors and extended wheelbase. I am a fan of longer wheelbase vehicles, however, the Unlimited isn't so long that it can't get through tight places. It also allows me to carry enough supplies for a weeklong excursion, or transport the family in style. More than a hypothetical answer to a hypothetical question, I was so impressed with the Wrangler Unlimited that I actually went out and bought one.
Jason Gonderman, Web Editor
If I were to choose one of these SUVs to live with everyday, I think it would have to be the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited. It has all the off-road prowess of the two-door Wrangler, feels more stable thanks to its added length, is easier to get people into, and holds more gear. The Infiniti is nice, but it makes me sad to get it dirty.
Greg Smith, Art Director
I would take the Wrangler Unlimited. It fits my family, will tackle any trail I'm brave enough to attempt, plus with the automatic, it's a pleasure to drive in the torturous Los Angeles traffic. Also, I have to say that Jeep has hit a home run with the new powerplant, and makes this Wrangler the best yet.
Steve von Seggern, Publisher
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. To quote myself from our 2007 Four Wheeler of the Year story: "The two-door Jeep is the rightful winner, but only because the minivan V-6 just doesn't have nearly enough huevos for the four-door. If you gave the Unlimited a Hemi, or a 3.0 CRD, or Jeep's own 4.7 V-8, or even DCX's new 4.0 OHC V-6, you'd have my winner of this smack down in a heartbeat. That's sad because the Unlimited is the most significant new vehicle to come along for us in a very long time and will have implications for us for years to come; just imagine a rig as capable as the Rubicon Unlimited on 37s and still quite comfortable as a daily-driven family car. Let the aftermarketing begin." OK, it finally happened, it just took Jeep 5 years to get around to it.
David Hamilton, Account Executive Vermin
I picked the JK Unlimited for my OTY winner. What other vehicle can you still buy off the dealer lot, that includes unmatched off-road capabilities, a peppy 3.6L Pentastar, five-speed auto, and a refined boulevard cruising interior. The new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is hard to beat!
Trail Testing
Despite being the most road-friendly in the test, the Infiniti did well enough hold its own in the dirt, as long as the road was smooth and hard or the medium was sand. With 400hp on tap, the Infiniti was the sand car of the group, with a surprisingly compliant ride and enough oomph to push its way up to the top of the tallest dunes. This is where the independent suspension acquitted itself quite well, showing none of the axle hop or suspension chatter of the solid-axled Jeeps.
While the QX56 may have been a natural at sand, it needs to go to remediation classes for whoops. The short travel suspension and chassis are quickly upset by these trail undulations; causing the body to pogo and the occupants to be jostled about until the shocks eventually reached equilibrium.
On our rocky Hill Climb, the four-wheel drive system, which can be had with a rear locker in other markets, but relies solely upon Brake Traction Control in the QX, works well enough to get the big Infiniti up rocky faces, but could be quicker to react. Once it got traction, it climbed without drama, although the limited ground clearance, 50-series tires, and unprotected underbody always had us on guard. In fact, it was the only vehicle to suffer a flat, leading us on a 200-mile side trip to find a replacement.
When it came to the Jeeps and the trail portion of our testing, they did not disappoint. Regardless of whether we were piloting the Wrangler or the Wrangler Unlimited, the Jeeps owned nearly all aspects of our off-pavement testing. They didn't care if the terrain was sand, rocks, or washes; they lived up to the Jeep reputation. It is clear that exceptional care was taken to valve the monotube shocks, which worked well to control the suspension and offer up fade-free performance, even on roads that had our support crew fading.
Equipped with robust bumpers and a ridiculous amount of clearance for a production vehicle, we never once felt guilty turning the Jeeps loose off the highway. We were never worried about scraping, body damage, or tires going flat. Both Jeeps felt perfectly at home on the trail and both Jeeps owned the Hill Climb.
As on the pavement, the biggest distinction between the two came down to wheelbase and transmission. The Unlimited was more stable, the two-door more tossable. As good as the auto is, the manual is still the way to go for the purists in the group and even though the auto-aficionados tried as they might, you just can't argue with a 75:1 crawl ratio.
One advantage the auto-equipped Wranglers have, though, is Hill Decent Control, which has the ability to use the braking system to slow the Wrangler to a crawl on the steepest descents that even the manual couldn't match. It even works in reverse and is one of the quietest HDC systems on the market. Manual gear selection in the automatic also minimizes the advantage the manual maintains over the automatic.
Among the other notable features of the Wrangler is the ability to completely deactivate the Electronic Stability Program. Without computer intervention, the Wrangler becomes a true driver's machine in the dirt. We found that defeating ESP was a huge benefit in deep, unyielding sand, allowing the Wrangler to fully utilize the newfound powerband of the 3.6L. But even with ESP activated, the computer algorithms work well enough to get a new wheeler through terrain that they might not have deemed passable. Either way, the system is scalable to your skill level.
The Wrangler is good, very good, but not above critique. There are a few changes we'd like to see, such as a rear locker that is liberated from its computer overlord to be speed and transfer case position independent. We'd also like to see a speed-independent sway bar disconnect, at least in low range. And finally, the 4:1 case can be a bit too low if your mission isn't rock crawling, so we'd love to see either a three-speed case or at least a transfer case gear ratio option in the Rubicon.
With a week of testing and impressions behind us, we collected the scorebooks, queried the judges, and tallied the numbers, coming up with our winner of the 2012 Four Wheeler Of the Year trophy.
Winner: Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
So what does it take to woo the judges at Four Wheeler magazine? Well, Jeep seems to know the answer. It has done its homework and delivered a vehicle that presses all of our buttons. Solid axles. Front and rear lockers. Disconnecting sway bar. Monotube shocks. Mud terrain tires. Removable doors. Open top. Lever-operated 4:1 transfer case. There simply isn't another vehicle like it available at any price.
And now for 2012, Jeep has addressed the Wrangler's biggest longstanding complaint – the engine. With over 80 additional horses on tap and more refinement overall, the smooth-revving 3.6L has transformed the Wrangler from a third car to one you can easily live with every day. The 3.6L offers better fuel economy, more power, yet no drawbacks as far as we could find on the trail. It is better than the old 3.8L, but without any compromise. With over 20 mpg highway, can the Wrangler be officially considered an acceptable commuter now?
This well-rounded version is as versatile as it is durable, rugged as it is refined, and as fun as it is serious about the task for which it was built. Whether tooling around the backcountry or driving it daily to work, the Jeep Wrangler can fit the need. It is just as fun for those who are new to the sport of wheeling as it is for those who have been doing it all their life and the Wrangler can be optioned from the basic to the near luxurious, with options unheard of in this class of vehicle 10 or even five years ago. It can do things no other production vehicle can, yet it is as civilized as the family sedan.
The Wrangler, without apologies, is the best 4x4 in production today, and it just so happens to be a really decent vehicle when it is on the pavement too. The Wrangler has set the bar high and for these reasons, we stand behind the 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon as our 2012 Four Wheeler of the Year.
What's Hot:
Great engine/trans combo, super maneuverable, fun
What's Not:
Rear seats hard to access, limited cargo space
Our Take:
2012 Four Wheeler of the Year
From the Logbook:
- "Highly maneuverable in any terrain."
- "This is the anvil of 4x4s – versatile for a short wheelbase."
- "Why does the Nav keep zooming in at every turn? Stop already!"
- "Nothing better than driving down a fast dirt road with the windows down on a warm desert morning."
- "The six-speed and this engine are unbelievably fun together."
Specifications As Tested


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Aleksander Magi-Intel Widock Wireless Dock
At Design Interviews
Interview with Aleksander Magi : Frank Scott: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?. Aleksander Magi : Our inspiration for the design was simplicity and magic. We started by asking: how can we evangelize the capabilities of Intel Wireless Docking, a new and unfamiliar Intel technology, into a seamless and magical user experience. Through research and technical analysis, we transformed the product into a user-centered solution with intuitive, unobtrusive and seamless experience. We faced a number of challenges: footprint, antenna, thermal, UI, weight distribution, and cable management. .Frank Scott: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?. Aleksander Magi : Our main focus for this design was to deliver a simple, modern and abstract product that combined a seamless and compact form factor with a delightful user interface. We wanted the user to enjoy the wireless docking experience, and allow them to work freely in their work environment, at the office and at home. .Frank Scott: What are your future plans for this award winning design?. Aleksander Magi : We are deeply honored to have won the Silver A'Design Award for Intel and for the Wireless Docking team this year. A lot of hard work was put into this project, and without a doubt, we will be celebrating this achievement as a team here in Oregon! .Frank Scott: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?. Aleksander Magi : The design time for this project was over a year and a half, including concept development, research, packaging design (OOBE) and manufacturing, .Frank Scott: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?. Aleksander Magi : This project came to us from a technology team at Intel, and we were able to take it from start to finish! .Frank Scott: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?. Aleksander Magi : Due to legality, we cannot answer this question. .Frank Scott: What made you design this particular type of work?. Aleksander Magi : We wanted to design a modern, space-efficient and magical product, and take the complexities out of a highly-technical product for users. The goal of creating a beautiful, avant-garde design paired with such a powerful technology gave our entire team a clear target to rally forward. .Frank Scott: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?. Aleksander Magi : Our Intel WiDock SDS team collaborated with a number of design, research and engineering experts internally at Intel. .Frank Scott: Who is the target customer for his design?. Aleksander Magi : Our target user is the modern-day worker who wants to have an untethered work experience. Although a broad target, the capabilities and advantages for this product are relevant for many of us in today's work environment. .Frank Scott: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?. Aleksander Magi : The modern, clean design paired with a back-lit user interface that only appears when the user needs to interact with the product. .Frank Scott: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?. Aleksander Magi : The Intel WiDock name came from the key value and usage that we wanted to deliver to our customers: Wireless Docking. .Frank Scott: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?. Aleksander Magi : We used a variety of design tools for this program, including, but not limited to: concept sketching, prototype building, surfacing CAD, Thermal Analysis, Electrical Engineering Layout, DFM CAD and many more. .Frank Scott: What is the most unique aspect of your design?. Aleksander Magi : The most unique aspect of our design is the touch capacitive back-lit User Interface, allowing users to have a tactile and direct user experience with their product, only when needed. .Frank Scott: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?. Aleksander Magi : Our Intel WiDock SDS team collaborated with a number of designers, researchers and engineering experts internally at Intel. .Frank Scott: What is the role of technology in this particular design?. Aleksander Magi : Technology played a critical role in this design. The Intel WiGig technology gave the team a number of constraints that we were able to innovate and challenge including thermal design, electrical design, antenna configuration, user interaction/interface and chassis design. .Frank Scott: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?. Aleksander Magi : We tested the technology and experience with a broad range of technical and strategy experts both unfamiliar and familiar with Intel WiGig. Our research included Usability Testing, Participatory, Ethnographic and Heuristic to better understand opportunities in refining the flow of technology, specifically in work environments and in the home. This research was a critical driver for our design process, and contributed directly to optimizing the product footprint, product height to live comfortably at your desk and beneath display monitors, cable management to be at the back of the system, solid weight distribution, designing a singular orientation antenna, a back-lit User Interface, and a hybrid cooling solution that directs any hot air away from the user. .Frank Scott: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?. Aleksander Magi : Intel Wireless Docking was a new and unfamiliar Intel technology. We faced a number of challenges including: optimizing the product footprint, simplifying the antenna configuration, driving thermal management away from the user, architecting an on-demand back-lit touch capacitive user interface, far-view docking status, stabilizing weight distribution, cable management, and manufacturing a seamless, polycarbonate uni-body chassis. .Frank Scott: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?. Aleksander Magi : We felt it critical to have an external expert like A'Design Award & Competition review our work and give us feedback, at the same time strive for representation of Intel Design externally. .Frank Scott: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?. Aleksander Magi : We learned how to challenge the capabilities of our technologies and grow a seamless user experience both through a simplified and modern product design, paired with a user interface that can be used as an educational tool for new users and as a continuous joyful interface for familiar users. .Frank Scott: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?. Aleksander Magi : We would like to thank the A'Design Award & Competition for fostering such a fantastic event centered around design and innovation, and for the great honor of a A'Design Award for our Intel WiDock design! .
Aleksander Magi-Intel Widock Wireless Dock Images:
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text: Dade Posted August 29, 2007 Todd Age: 22 Home Town: Pleasant Grove, UT Occupation: Flight Attendant Bio Todd Herzog is an openly gay Mormon who came out shortly after high school and won the hearts of everyone at his school. He attended Pleasant Grove High School in Utah and then two years of college at Utah Valley State College. He currently works as a flight attendant. He previously worked as a manager at a movie theater and at a major theme park. Herzog has previously lived in Seattle, Orlando and Denver. His hobbies include traveling, shopping and drinking coffee. He enjoys surfing, biking and boating. He's allergic to cats, rabbits and shrimp. He describes himself as fantastic, amazing, awesome and super-original. He believes he will do well on SURVIVOR because he claims he is very positive, great at social skills and strategizing, and he's willing to "gather wood and sh*t." He thinks the Spice Girls are the most significant historical event of the past 100 years and is unbelievably stoked that they are going on a reunion tour this winter. Herzog currently lives in Pleasant Grove, Utah. He has one brother, Tyler, and three sisters, Brandy, Kimmi and Tori. His birth date is January 29, 1985. Favorites Colors Aqua, yellow, red, black Scents Windex, baking cookies Flowers No favorite Board Games Life, Uno Video/Computer Games Roller Coaster Tycoon Sports to Play Surfing, biking Sports Teams Kelly Slater (surfer) Outdoor Activities Biking, boating, surfing, campfires TV Shows SURVIVOR, Desperate Housewives, Prison Break Movies Lords of Dogtown, Into the Blue, Donnie Darko Music Panic! At the Disco, Justin Timberlake, Cobra Starship Magazines GQ, Entertainment Weekly, Details Books/Authors Running with Scissors, Jay's Journal Cereal Granola, Peanut Butter Captain Crunch Fruit Green apples, oranges Chips/Snacks Chocolate, BBQ chips Cookies Chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter Candy Bars Twix, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Whatchamacallit Alcoholic Drinks Long Island iced tea Non-Alcoholic Drinks Venti Non-Fat White Chocolate Mocha, Iced from Starbucks CBS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Art Collections Online
Phenomena for a Haven
JENKINS, Paul (1923 - 2012)
(We are not able to provide an image for this item at this time. This is either due to copyright restrictions, or because the item is awaiting digitisation. We apologise for any inconvenience.)
Date: 1962
Media: acrylic on canvas
Size: 74.0 x 60.0 cm
Acquired: 1969; Gift; Paul Jenkins
Accession Number: NMW A 2231


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Reeling from the weekend attack that left six worshippers and the gunman dead at a suburban Milwaukee temple, local Sikh leaders Monday offered guests sweet hot tea, a vegetarian meal and an education.
They welcomed outsiders to join them for prayer vigils in their sacred spaces and said they hoped to conquer evil with good by raising awareness about their faith.
By midday, authorities had identified the shooter as a military veteran long associated with white supremacy groups. That news came as a stinging slap to those who had harbored some hope amid the horror that the shootings would turn out to be a madman's random act of violence.
"The majority of people have been standing behind us," said Ravi Singh at the Sikh Religious Society of Palatine. "It is not an attack against the Sikhs. It is an attack against humanity."
Singh, 28, is an anesthesiologist who learned of the rampage through text messages while at work at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Born and raised in Chicago, Singh described himself as a regular guy, an ardent fan of the Bears and"Seinfeld" reruns.
But he finds others often cannot see beyond his turban and bushy beard, which are central to how Sikh men observe their faith. Members of the religion founded in India are frustrated that people confuse them with Arabs or Muslims or, worse, fear them because they don't understand that theirs is a religion of peace.
Sikh followers honor one God, focus on humility and service to others and view all people as equals, with men and women leading worship. Accepting of people from all creeds, they believe there are many paths to the same God, leaders said.
While mourning the Wisconsin deaths, Sikh followers also showed restraint based on the belief that God's will is divine. For instance, worshippers would not likely leave flowers, candles or victims' pictures at the site of the massacre because they reject any act that could be viewed as idolatry, said Rajinder Singh Mago, a spokesman for the Palatine temple.
"We must submit to the will of God and destiny," Mago said. "That does not mean you are not going to make efforts to make the situation better and to have peace. But you must move forward. Forgive."
In Palatine, the four doors are literally always open at the temple, called a gurdwara, or house of God. The practice admittedly left a few followers nervous as details emerged about the shootings in Oak Creek, Wis. Among the dead are some who have communed over the years with Chicago-area members since the Palatine Gurdwara's opening in 1979, leaders said.
"We are asking, 'Should we close our doors now?'" said Sukhdev Kaur Ghuman, of Arlington Heights, president of the Palatine temple who added that she called police for assurance. "What should we do? People were worried."
Others vowed not to succumb to the fear.
At a prayer vigil Monday evening in Palatine, 10-year temple member Ruby Kular said the shooting will only serve to strengthen her faith.
At a similar gathering at the Illinois Sikh Community Center in Wheaton, almost 300 people from several faiths — including Jewish, Hindu, Mormon and Christian — united in support of victims in Oak Creek. Sikh congregants bowed before a framed photo of Lt. Brian Murphy, a police officer who was shot and seriously injured while responding to the Wisconsin temple.
Zehra Kazmi, 24, of Naperville, said she came to pray for the victims with a fellow Muslim who knows members of the Sikh community.
"Ever since the tragedy unfolded, I've been glued to my computer. Like, how could this happen?" Kazmi said. "I just feel like it could happen to my community. I'm looking around here at the people, and they look like me. The adults, that could be my aunt, that could be my uncle."
Mary Singh, 59, a Sikh congregant from Winnetka, said she came to the center Monday to "show solidarity" and pray for victims. She said the American and Sikh values of freedom and liberty for all are the same.
"It doesn't matter if it's a turban that caused somebody to think anything. It's just that everybody does look different," Singh said. "The original Americans had every color."
The Rev. Linda Tossey, of Community Baptist Church in Warrenville, said it was important in the wake of the shooting for "people of faith ... to come together around other principles other than what separates us."
Community activist Lee Goodman, of Northbrook, said earlier Monday that he sent out hundreds of emails encouraging participation at the prayer vigils.
"I think the shootings one after another are really getting to people in a way that hasn't happened in a while," Goodman said. "We are going to be supportive of that community and show solidarity. Whatever your faith is, or your lack of faith, we are in all this together. The violence threatens everyone equally."
The Sikh religion was established by 10 gurus, beginning with the founder in 1469. The fifth guru compiled the 1,430-page scripture writings that are considered God's word and are displayed in each gurdwara beneath a canopy and covered by a decorative fabric.
The 10th guru declared that the scriptures within the book called Guru Granth Sahib would act as teacher from that point.
Tribune reporter Erin Meyer contributed.
Reeling from the weekend attack that left six worshippers and the gunman dead at a suburban Milwaukee temple, local Sikh leaders Monday offered guests sweet hot tea, a vegetarian meal and an education.


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The Red House
Public domain film titles can be a great source of discovery for classic film buffs. There are some really weird movies that have made their way into Amoeba's DVD stock from companies such as Alpha Video which specialize in the obscure, the really terrible, and sometimes, a lost gem or two. But the experience of watching, even a good film, from a public domain copy can be pretty iffy. For one, their cover art is generally terrible. Poorly photoshopped images, terrible title fonts: on the whole, they are generally an affront to graphic design and good taste. This is why I had stayed away from The Red House, a not terribly well-known Delmer Daves noir starring Edward G. Robinson, made in 1947. Even when I finally relented, in search of more obscure noir thrills, the public domain copy I found looked and sounded awful. Whatever the filmmakers intended I could not see what it was because the sound and image were of such poor quality it was practically unwatchable.
But then a company I'd never heard of called HD Cinema Classics released a DVD/Blu-Ray combo of The Red House and once seen it was like a completely different film. What, in earlier editions, looked muddy and incoherent was now restored to its eerily gorgeous self. It's a beautiful and dark, dark, dark film and deserves high placement in the noir canon. This is a film that belongs in the same cinematic world of spooky, mysterious enchantment of The Night of the Hunter and Twin Peaks and, though it might be a stretch, The Innocents.Continue Reading
Max Ophuls's reputation as one of the greatest of all film directors seems principally based on the films he did in Europe such as The Earrings of Madame De... (1953) and Lola Montes (1955), about which Andrew Sarris famously proclaimed "the greatest film of all time." But before he got to those he was a temporary exile in Hollywood along with many of the greatest film directors of the 20th century, all European, all having fled from war-torn Europe. Some thrived in their new exotic environs (Billy Wilder, Fritz Lang), while some never quite regained their former stride (let's at least think about including Jean Renoir here).
In Hollywood Max Ophuls made some of the most sophisticated thrillers of the late 1940s and yet, because they dealt with American women, were snubbed as "women's pictures" at the time. Both Ophuls's Caught and The Reckless Moment were released in 1949, ending the decade on a high note for nuanced portrayals of women attempting to navigate a darkened moral universe made unavoidable by the post-war era even as the coming Atomic Age onslaught of The Donna Reed Show was about to begin.Continue Reading
Act of Violence
It's always been puzzling to me why this almost unbearably bleak noir hasn't made it to the forefront of the pack of truly exemplary films noir in critical circles. If we are to use the canonical criteria for noir of noted local author, former peeping tom, and current all-around creep, James Ellroy, as best summed up by a two-word description, "you're fucked," then noirs don't come much more noir-ish than Act of Violence. We hear a lot about noir embodying the postwar anxieties of the United States. Well, Act of Violence lets those icky feelings boil to the top and builds its plot around a hornet's nest of postwar guilt, fear and anxiety.
Van Heflin plays Frank Enley, a WW2 veteran living an idyllic life in a small California town. He's a family man, and a pillar of the community. The film opens with a crowd gathered to cheer him for his latest real estate development and he is described as having proved himself in battle, as well as in business, an all-around great guy. He bounces his little son on his shoulders while listening to his tribute with his wife. But this blissful scene is contrasted with the severe image of Robert Ryan, dressed in a trench coat and fedora in some New York slum, brandishing a gun, and lurching towards a Greyhound bus leaving for California.Continue Reading
Stranger by the Lake
Talking about sex on film and why he felt it didn't work Orson Welles once said, "Ecstasy isn't really part of the scene we can do on celluloid." I wonder what he would have made of Stranger by the Lake, a film that is about almost nothing but sex. Okay, you might say it's about the search for connection, and the complicated nature of human relationships, and it's kind of a murder mystery as well but everyone is naked almost the entire time. I don't think I've ever seen so many uncircumcised penises (it's French..) in a movie before. As a thriller, it works well enough. The nudity is distracting to a point but it works in tandem with the languid pacing and serenity of the visuals. This is, in some sense, a nature film.
The film takes place at a cruising spot near a lake in France. Men come to sunbathe nude, and to go into the woods nearby to have anonymous sex. It's a world unto itself with its own peculiar rules and set of codes. Real life doesn't seem to intrude but that's an illusion because the dangers of the real world are ominously close. Franck (Pierre Deladonchamps) is a regular who is more drawn to this spot than he wants to admit. He likes disappearing into the woods. He strips, he swims, he sunbathes, he cruises, and the scenes have an unobtrusive medium-shot matter-of-fact-ness about them. They look like anthropologists doing fieldwork on gay subcultures could have shot them.Continue Reading
Swing Shift
Usually when movie lovers talk about legendary lost works in which auteur directors had their films taken from them and butchered by the American studios that produced them, they're referring to "holy grails" of cinema such as Erich von Stroheim's Greed (1924) or Orson Welles's The Magnificent Ambersons (1942). But I recently stumbled across an account of another supposed lost classic, Swing Shift—Jonathan Demme's tribute to America's "Greatest Generation" of World War II and the women on the home front who found a new sense of self and independence by working for the war effort in the factories.
I actually really love the movie Swing Shift as it is but I hadn't seen it in years. I remember my mom taking her mother to see it and letting me tag along. My grandma was part of that generation of women who did what they could for the war effort, whether it meant volunteering at the local USO or planting a Victory Garden in their backyards. By 1984, when the movie was released, that generation was elderly while I was only six. Seeing the movie as a kid, I think I just really loved the sentimental look at the U.S. during the 1940s. Taking place in Southern California, in Santa Monica, between the attack on Pearl Harbor and VJ Day, the film has a melancholic feel, with the sky looking perpetually overcast and the music usually something slow and beautiful, such as one of Jo Stafford's torch songs. And though I don't remember if Glenn Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" is on the soundtrack it really should be.Continue Reading
Johnny Guitar
A lot of directors who worked with Joan Crawford probably thought they had tapped into whatever unique strain of neurosis made her "La Joan" in order to get the best performance out of her in their films. She had always played a version of herself throughout her career, whether as a jazz crazy flapper in her silent films, a shop girl looking to marry up in her 1930s films, and in the double-crossed dame roles she took on in the hardboiled noirs of the 1940s. By the fifties, the Joker-esque lipstick started to appear, looking all the more frightening in Technicolor, and her eyebrows reached new levels of ferocity. I think of this as her middle-aged gender bending period. It seems to me that a lot of middle-aged American women start to look kind of androgynous after awhile out of what I always assumed was a weary resignation to having to keep up the scopophilic charade but Joan's particular version of androgyny seemed more trenchant than that. It was kind of accidentally subversive. Or what the hell do I know? She may have been totally onboard as a proto-transgender performance artist. Maybe she was the first Ziggy Stardust and we weren't hip enough to catch on. Well, whatever was going on no director found the resolute queerness of Joan's 1950s persona quite like Nicholas Ray did with his weird western Johnny Guitar.
Joan had plenty of experience playing ball busters and vamps, but she had never played a character quite like Vienna, the saloon owner whom everyone in town seems to want gone. Vienna wears high-waisted black pants and boots, a bolo tie, and a holstered gun. She employs a staff of men who seem weary of having such a powerful female boss. All day they spin the roulette wheel in her club, even though there are no gamblers, and they serve drinks at her bar even though there are no drinkers. A former flame of Vienna's named Johnny Guitar (played by Sterling Hayden) is ostensibly hired to strum some tunes for her clientele. But there's never anyone there, except for the nefarious bank-robbing gang that hangs out at Vienna's including members with names like The Dancin' Kid and a guy named Turkey. So yes we have Vienna, Johnny Guitar, the Dancin' Kid, and Turkey--just for starters.Continue Reading
The Night of the Hunter
Whoa, Daddy if you haven't seen The Night of the Hunter you really need to. It is probably, along with Vertigo and Citizen Kane, one of the pinnacles of 20th Century American cinema. It manages the rare trick of being funny and scary, stylized and naturalistic. Visually it harkens back to D.W. Griffith's silent films and to German expressionism, with its constant, shadowy sense of menace, giving this film's depiction of an American past a sinister daydream quality. It's the first and only film British actor Charles Laughton ever directed. James Agee, one of the most important writers of Depression era America, adapted the screenplay, and Stanley Cortez, a poet with a lens (he did the incredible cinematography for Orson Welles's The Magnificent Ambersons) was cinematographer.
For all the top tier tinsel town talent, though, this is Robert Mitchum's show and he dominates the film with a kinky intensity, a murderous, almost supernatural creepiness. There's a reason Siouxsie Sioux cited Mitchum's psychotic preacher character as a key reference point for what she wanted to explore with the Banshees' music. He's pure evil but he's such a wild card, a character as much dark myth as flesh and blood, that he is utterly spellbinding on screen.Continue Reading
The Crying Game
In his introduction to the published screenplay of Chinatown, Robert Towne wonders if there's anything left to do with noir. He wonders if the aesthetics and thematics and poetics of noir are simply outdated in the information age, where a sense of mystery is harder to come by. Sensibly, he shrugs off this worry and points to The Crying Game as an example of how noir can still say new things to us as a modern audience. The thing I admire so much about the film, though, is that it manages to be both a deeply personal love story as well as a morality play about modern day political crime in Britain. It's an IRA story with terrorism, assassinations, and a queer love story at its center. Somehow it all makes complete sense.
The first third of the film is told in flashback. Fergus, played by Stephen Rea, is an IRA operative who feels immense guilt for having had a role in the death of a hapless British soldier, Jody, played by an overbearing and overacting Forest Whitaker. Whitaker's character gets to know Fergus after he's nabbed and before the inevitable happens, Jody makes Fergus promise to check in on his girlfriend, a London hairdresser named Dil, after he is gone. The story goes from IRA thriller to blue neon Brit noir when Fergus goes to London, haunted by the tragic fate of Jody. He looks in on Dil as promised and quickly becomes infatuated with her. Dil is a cool London chick and a transgendered woman (with a penis) though Fergus has no idea. Fergus isn't saying who he really is and Dil isn't saying who she really is. Once nature takes its course and Fergus discovers the truth about Dil he doesn't handle it very well. But because of the fact that he actually has a conscience, and his genuine confusion over his feelings towards Dil, he doesn't ever really leave her. The IRA is never truly going to let him go, though, and his loyalty to them becomes a liability for someone in the throes of a curious new relationship.Continue Reading
Mulholland Drive
Like all great cities no one film best sums up Los Angeles. The city is too fractured, the personal narratives of its citizenry too outlandishly varied, for any one film to seize on everything. But if you want a sense of what the city can do to a person – a starry-eyed, beautiful, blonde, female person with dreams of Hollywood – this is probably the most artful and poignant one you could find. On one level it's a mysterious love story involving a sparkling ingenue from "Deep River, Ontario" (I have no idea if such a place exists) and a gorgeous brunette with a head injury who doesn't know who she is or how she got to the ingenue's apartment (technically her aunt's apartment). They meet awkwardly but soon become each other's trusted confidante. The possibilities of a new romance and the thrill of being in the most magical slash sinister city on Earth, new to them both (since one is an amnesiac), set us up for a strange, hypnotic love story. But this is David Lynch's movie and things get really dark really quickly.
A film director (played by Justin Theroux) with a wife who cheats on him (with Billy Ray Cyrus, in fact) has his Hollywood career ruined in a day by nefarious forces he doesn't understand. Betty (Naomi Watts) and Rita's (Laura Harring) relationship, at first so full of the giddy, dangerous thrill of a new romance, turns into something obsessive and horrifying as the characters mutate into different people, or different versions of the same people. The ingenue becomes a frightening, jaded shell of who she was. The mysterious brunette becomes a cold, calculating, and manipulative trophy wife (at least I think that's what happens).Continue Reading
The Seventh Victim
The best Val Lewton movie not directed by Jacques Tourneur, The Seventh Victim is an almost perfect summation of the famed producer's themes of loneliness, alienation, urban paranoia, and romantic fatalism, just without some of the visual poetry that Tourneur brought to his own Lewton films (Cat People, I Walked With A Zombie). But it's pretty haunting all the same. The plot is so sinister. A naive but determined teenage girl named Mary (a plain Jane named Kim Hunter) leaves her upstate boarding school to look for her missing older sister, Jacqueline (played by Lewton regular, Jean Brooks) in New York. Once in New York Mary acts as a Nancy Drew sort of detective, piecing together the clues of her sister's disappearance before arriving at the conclusion that her sister is under the control of a group of Greenwich Village devil worshipers.
Mary's only guardian is her older sister Jacqueline, a New York sophisticate with a sort of Egyptian art deco haircut who owns her own perfume company. Mary traces her previous whereabouts, discovering that before her disappearance Jacqueline mysteriously deeded her company to some of her co-workers. Various friends and lovers of Jacqueline, equally concerned about her, help Mary in her quest but nothing seems to quell the overarching feeling of doom hanging over the character of Jacqueline. She's a different take on the Laura Palmer mystery, a beguiling woman no one could save.Continue Reading


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michaelbp necesitaba un nuevo diseño de otro y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 111 diseños de 43 diseñadores freelance.
Putting together designs for a very simply T-shirt that will be used to illustrate "a point" for volunteers for a large organisation; these will end up on lots of photos and videos in their promo material so want to make sure I get it right.
Mainly volunteers for an international humanitarian org.
I need a drawing with two elements that will sit side by side.
Element 1: A simple hut in a village. The drawings must be of a REALLY simple hut, see attachment. Mono chrome. "Coal effect" as per example attached, or preferably hand drawn and scanned into a psd.
Element 2: A T-shirt (short-sleeve), men's style. Must be done in same style as element 1.
Both elements may have a simple hint of 3D or can be completely flat.
They will be reproduced at about 20 cm high, so will not require too much detail. Will be screen printed, so simple line drawing is favoured. A 'rough look' will work best
Additional elements: The following: "=", "1", "50" in the same style.


text: Saving and Viewing My Reports Sports Connect November 07, 2019 08:10 Updated Connect users have the ability to quickly save reports and bookmark the reports they use most often with the Save Report feature. Save Report To save a report, choose Reports and then choose the report category in which you wish to locate and save a report from the main navigation. You may also save reports from other report areas within the platform including tournaments and events. Select any filters and/or enter any report criteria. Select the Report Type (if applicable and optional). Choose Save Report. A pop-up window opens, asking you to enter the name of the report you are saving and choose OK. The pop-up window refreshes and indicates that the report has been saved successfully. Choose OK to close the pop-up window.NOTE: Report names must be unique. If you attempt to name a report a name already in use the system will alert you and ask if you wish to overwrite the current report with that name. You will now be able to access your saved reports by choosing Reports and My Reports from the main navigation. My Reports To access your saved reports, choose Reports and My Reports from the main navigation. A list of your saved reports will display. You may sort your list of reports by Report Name, Created On date, or Last Accessed Date by choosing the up/down arrow next to the name in the header row. Rename allows you to change the name of the report. Delete removes this report from your saved reports. To run a report, click on the name of the report in the list of your reports. Once clicked, the report selection criteria page displays. You can choose to generate the report as saved or change the filters and/or other report criteria before running the report. Choose Generate Report when ready to run your report.NOTE: Be sure to check your season in the season dropdown to ensure you are running the desired report.


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Nearby Star Came In with the Bang
There's an old-timer in the neighborhood, and it's got a story to tell. A new study of a relatively nearby old star shows that it's almost as old as the big bang itself.
The star HD 140283 lies about 190 light-years away in the constellation Libra. Astronomers have long known that it's ancient, because it contains mostly hydrogen and helium—which were present at the dawn of the universe—and few of the heavy elements that were forged later in stellar furnaces.
With the Hubble Space Telescope, researchers have now pinned down the distance to HD 140283, which allowed them to determine how bright the star is. Along with the chemical composition of the star, the newly derived stellar properties allowed for a new age estimate.
The study of HD 140283, in the Astrophysical Journal Letters [Howard E. Bond et al., HD 140283: A Star in the Solar Neighborhood That Formed Shortly after the Big Bang], found that the star is 14.46 billion years old. But the entire universe, as you may have heard, is only 13.77 billion years old. The two age estimates aren't actually in conflict, because there's always some uncertainty. The full age estimate is thus 14.46 billion years plus or minus 800 million years. Put your money on the minus.
—John Matson
[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]


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Regular dental X-rays "can double or even triple the chance of developing a common type of brain tumour," according to The Daily Telegraph.
This news is based on a large US study comparing the dental histories of people who had a brain tumour known as intracranial meningioma with a group of similar people who did not have tumours. People with brain tumours were twice as likely to report having had a specific type of dental X-ray called a "bitewing" in their lifetime, compared with people without a brain tumour. Bitewings are a common type of X-ray, where patients bite down on a small holder containing X-ray film.
What didn't make the headlines was that the same study showed that having a series of full-mouth X-rays was not associated with any increased risk of brain tumour, which throws doubt on the proposed link between dental X-rays and brain tumour. Furthermore, participants reported their own history of X-rays rather than researchers checking their dental records. This means people with brain tumours may have been focusing on the potential causes of their cancer and therefore may have been more likely to recall dental X-rays than people without one, potentially biasing the results.
Most importantly though, the chance of developing a brain tumour is very small and, even if X-rays can double the risk, it would still be a very rare event. According to one academic quoted in the press, this doubling of risk actually translated into just a 0.07% increase in lifetime risk, once the overall rarity of brain tumours was taken into account
While this study suggests that dental X-rays may be linked to brain tumour, it falls short of proving an actual link. It is known that exposure to ionising radiation is linked to cancer (which is why X-ray use is kept to a minimum), but people should not be alarmed by today's sensationalist headlines and should not be dissuaded from having dental X-rays when recommended by their dentist.
Where did the story come from?
The study was led by researchers from Yale University School of Medicine and was funded by grants from the US National Institutes of Health, the Brain Science Foundation and Meningioma Mommas (a not-for-profit organisation providing support for those affected by meningioma brain tumours).
The study was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal, Cancer.
It was picked up by a variety of papers and online media. Most had attention-grabbing headlines reporting that dental X-rays "raise the risk of brain tumours" while others said they could "double brain tumour risk". Reassuringly, once past the headlines, most coverage went on to mention that the absolute risk of getting a brain tumour was tiny even after X-rays, and that the reported doubling of the risk should not be a reason to avoid necessary dental X-rays. The Sun included a reasoned quote from Dr Paul Pharoah from Cambridge University who provided a clear message for worried readers: "People who have had dental X-rays do not need to worry about the health risks of those X-rays."
What kind of research was this?
This research was a case-control study that aimed to examine the link between dental X-rays and the risk of a brain tumour called intracranial meningioma. A case-control study compares the histories of a group of people with a particular condition (the "cases") with a group of similar people without that condition (the "controls"). Through this process they can identify differences between the two groups and identify factors that may have caused the condition of interest. They are particularly useful for studying rare conditions such as brain tumours, which would not be detected in sufficient numbers by many study types designed to follow a population over time.
The researchers said that intracranial meningioma brain tumours are the most frequently reported primary brain tumour in the US (a primary brain tumour means that the cancer started within the brain, as opposed to secondary tumours that start in other organs and spread to the brain). The researchers also stated that ionising radiation is consistently identified as being a potential risk factor for this type of brain tumour and that dental X-rays are the most common artificial source of this radiation.
Case-control studies cannot not prove on their own that dental X-rays cause brain tumours. However, this study type is a practical method for studying rare conditions or diseases such as brain cancers.
What did the research involve?
The study enrolled 1,433 patients with intracranial meningioma diagnosed between the ages of 20 to 79. They were called the "cases". A control group of 1,350 people without brain cancer was also assembled and selected to match the cases in age, gender and geographical location (state of residence). All participants lived in the US and were enrolled into the study between May 2006 and April 2011. People with a previous history of brain tumour were excluded from the control group.
Shortly after enrolment, both groups were contacted by telephone and interviewed by a trained interviewer. The interview included questions about the onset, frequency and type of dental care received over their lifetime. This included orthodontic work, endodontic (root canal) work, dental implants and dentures. Participants were also asked to report the number of times they had received various types of dental X-rays during four periods of life:
- aged less than 10 years old
- between 10 and 19 years old
- 20 to 49 years old
- over 50
The researchers were interested in three types of dental X-ray:
- Bitewing – a small X-ray view used to look at several upper and lower teeth simultaneously. Bitewing takes its name from the way in which the X-ray film is held in place which involves the patient biting down on a small holder filled with the X-ray film. Bitewing X-rays are often used during routine check-ups to look for tooth decay
- Full-mouth – a series of multiple X-rays is used to build a complete picture of the mouth
- Panoramic – a single X-ray that provides a broad view of the teeth, jaw and lower-skull to check dental alignment rather than find cavities
Information was also gathered on the occurrence and timing of other treatments involving radiation (such as radiotherapy for cancer) – specifically, radiation treatments applied to the face, head, neck or chest.
The researchers then compared the information on dental X-rays between the case and control group to see if there were any significant differences.
The statistical techniques used to analyse the results were appropriate. The researchers made statistical allowances for differences in a variety of factors, including age, ethnicity and educational attainment. People who had radiation of the head, neck, chest or face to treat a condition were excluded from the statistical analysis comparing differences between dental X-rays.
What were the basic results?
Among the main results from this study the researchers found that:
- Over a lifetime, cases were more than twice as likely as controls to report having had a bitewing examination (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.4 to 2.9).
- People who reported receiving bitewing X-rays yearly or more frequently were at a significantly higher risk of having a brain tumour across all the age-groups tested, except in the over-50s. The majority of study participants (from both groups) reported having at least one bitewing X-ray in their lifetime.
- There was no significant difference between the self-reported frequency of full mouth X-rays in those with a brain tumour and those without.
- More people in the case group reported having panoramic dental X-rays at a young age, on a yearly basis or with greater frequency compared with controls. For instance, individuals in the case group (with brain tumour) were almost five times more likely to report having received panoramic X-rays before the age of 10 than people in the control group (OR 4.9 95% CI 1.8 to 13.2).
How did the researchers interpret the results?
The researchers' cautious conclusions were that "exposure to some dental X-rays performed in the past, when radiation exposure was greater than in the current era, appears to be associated with an increased risk of intracranial meningioma [brain cancer]".
They added, "As with all sources of artificial ionising radiation, considered use of this modifiable risk factor may be of benefit to patients."
This large case-control study shows that people with a brain tumour report having dental X-rays (specifically bitewing and panoramic types) significantly more frequently over their lifetime than similar individuals without tumour. The differences were only significant for bitewing and panoramic type dental X-rays and not for full-mouth X-rays.
These mixed results raise the possibility that dental X-rays may be associated with brain tumours but it stops short of proving this link. The study has significant limitations which should be borne in mind when interpreting the results of the research:
- This was a case-control study that looked at people with and without a brain tumour and analysed differences in their past exposure to dental X-rays. More of the people with brain tumours recalled having dental X-rays (bitewing and panoramic) in the past and so an association was identified. However, this does not prove that dental X-rays cause brain tumours, merely that the two events may be linked. There could be many other factors at play that are contributing to this association.
- It is slightly odd that full-mouth X-rays were not shown to be linked with brain tumour in this study, which we would expect to be the case if the X-rays were indeed linked to brain tumours, particularly as they are performed using a series of X-rays. This highlights that further work is need to prove any link between dental X-rays and brain tumour. A cohort study that followed people over time to see who developed tumours and who did not would be needed to establish a causal link.
- Participants were asked to recall their own history of dental X-rays from throughout their lifetime. The accuracy of recalling this information may not be perfect and this may reduce the reliability of the results. It would have been preferable to assess the use of X-rays by examining people's medical records.
- In particular, a specific type of bias called "recall bias" may also be at play here. There is a public perception that X-rays are linked with cancer and so people with cancer may be more likely to recall X-rays in their lifetime as it has more perceived significance to their lives than someone without cancer. This would bias the results to suggest a link between dental X-rays and cancer when there may not be one, or to show a stronger link than actually exists.
The study's design and these limitations mean that the study cannot prove that X-rays cause brain tumours. However, even if the chance of developing brain tumours is indeed doubled by a history of regular dental X-rays (a big "if" based on this study alone) it would still be a very rare event given that the absolute risk of developing a brain tumour is very small. To put this into context, the increase in risk of meningioma over a lifetime has been estimated at 0.07% - with X-rays associated with an increase from 15 cases to 22 cases in every 10,000 people.
Therefore, people should not be alarmed by the findings of this study and should not worry about the risk of brain tumour when deciding whether to have a dental X-ray, which is a useful tool for dentists to monitor and maintain oral health.
The authors note that radiation exposure from dental X-rays in the past was stronger than is currently the case and so the results gained from X-rays in the more distant past may not be relevant to contemporary dentistry. It is known that exposure to ionising radiation is linked to cancer, which is why X-ray use is minimised, but people should not be alarmed by today's sensationalist headlines and should not be dissuaded from having dental X-rays when recommended by their dentist.
Analysis by Bazian
Edited by NHS Website
Links to the headlines
The Independent, 10 April 2012
Most common teeth X-rays given to millions of Britons every year 'raise the risk of brain tumours'
Daily Mail, 10 April 2012
Dental x-rays 'double brain tumour risk'
The Daily Telegraph, 10 April 2012
Dental X-rays could increase tumour risk
The Sun, 11 April 2012
Links to the science
Claus EB, Calvocoressi L, Bondy ML et al.
Dental x-rays and risk of meningioma
Cancer, April 10 2012


text:
Heart palpitations are an uncomfortable awareness of the heart
beating rapidly or irregularly. Palpitations can be caused by stress, fatigue,
or overuse of alcohol or stimulants such as caffeine or nicotine, and they
usually are not a serious problem.
Heart palpitations can feel
If palpitations persist or occur with fainting, near
fainting, or lightheadedness, they may be a sign of a heart problem.
Last Revised:
September 13, 2012
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & David Messenger, MD & H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
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- This event has passed.
Four Seasons Trail Association Group Walk
June 7, 2017
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 12:00am on Wednesday and Saturday, repeating until December 31, 2017
Event Navigation
1 p.m. every Wed. and Sat. group walking on trails, Four Seasons Lodge. Bring lunch. 728-7047.


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By Matt Duffy| 2007-01-31T22:53:00-04:00 January 31st, 2007|Uncategorized|0 Comments
About the Author: Matt Duffy
Matt J. Duffy, PhD, is an academic media scholar. His works have been accepted for publication in the Journal of Middle East Media, the Journal of Mass Media Ethics and the Newspaper Research Journal. An assistant professor of communication, Duffy teaches UAE and international media law at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi. He is an active member of AUSACE, the Arab-US Association for Communication Educators. Follow him on Twitter.


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Radu Ulmeanu's novel, Chermeza Sinucigasilor (Editura Pleiade, 2009) could be called an epopée of (anti)heroism that depicts the period immediately following the 1989 anti-communist revolution in Romania. The title itself, at least in Romanian, captures the mixture of lyrical abandon and cynical historicism that we find expressed in the novel through an intoxicatingly sensual and poetic style. The word "chermeza" is borrowed from the Dutch kermesse—whose roots are kermis or kerk (church) and mis (mass)– and refers to the mass that celebrates the foundation of a church or parish. Historically, the term also has a sinister connotation, as one of the first kermesse was the medieval parade in Brussels that occurred around 1370, when the town's Jewish population was burned alive.
Ulmeanu's novel shows with accuracy and depth the chaotic atmosphere around the Romanian revolution, with its mixture of idealism, hope and the cynical lust for power that kept many of the former Secret Police (Securitate) members and informants in influential political and cultural positions even after the revolution. The most odious representative of this group is the sociopathic character Dragnea, who takes advantage of his political power to satisfy his perverse desire for hunting and raping young women.
Monica, a high school student who tries to resist the hedonist leanings of her mother and friends, falls victim to Dragnea's predatory inclinations. Can the romance that develops between her and the main character, the hopelessly idealistic teacher, Grigore, save her? Or will she be another incarnation of Grigore's first obsessive love—one that borders on idolatry—for the formerly untouchable Marta who has also been profaned by another?
There is, after all, a strong resemblance between the two young women. Both of them lose their virginity in painful and senseless ways to men who take advantage of them. Grigore's love for both of them takes the form of a Platonic idealism that finds its literary echoes in the Abélard/Héloïse love story: a love that in its exalted form expresses a poetic and emotional ideal; while in its stereotyped form borders on the Madonna/Whore complex that feminists have criticized during the past few decades.
Without a doubt, there's a strong idealist undercurrent in this novel, similar to the Hegelian dialectic traced by Julien Gracq in Au Chåteau d'Argol (1938). Only for Ulmeanu these philosophical echoes go back to the Platonic roots of idealism, in its dual depiction of love. Plato famously delineated two largely contradictory models of love: in The Symposium, he depicts eros as an abandoned, sensual, daemonic source of inspiration; while in The Republic and most of his other dialogues he depicts agape as a rational mirror of the perfect, ideal Forms (of beauty, humanity, virtue, etc). In Chermeza Sinucigasilor we find the main character, Grigore, oscillating between these two largely antithetical forms of love. The young teacher is torn between his desincarnated Platonic love for the (formerly) untouchable Marta and his carnal desire for other young women, including Monica.
With psychological subtlety and stylistic finesse, Ulmeanu depicts Monica's predicament. Harassed by the sociopath who raped her and desperate to find justice and respite; literally still haunted by Doru, her deceased boyfriend and first love who comes back to her in nightmares and visions; embarrassed by insinuations of her mother's affairs with her schoolmates; tempted by the libertine sensuality of her girlfriends, Monica seeks a way out of the tangled web which has become her life. In Grigore she hopes to find her salvation: a father-figure and a friend; a mentor and a lover; a kindred spirit and a savior, all in the same man.
In some respects, through her characterization, Ulmeanu picks up the themes from Nabokov's legendary novel Lolita (1955), not only in subject matter but also in an exquisite literary style. Last but not least, there are elements of magical realism in Ulmeanu's complex and beautifully written novel. Discussing the works of Nobel-winning writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez, whose novels One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967) and Love in the Time of Cholera (1985) play with myth and fantasy to offer a deeper representation of reality, the critic Matthew Strecher defines magical realism as "what happens wheen a highly detaild, realistic setting is invaded by something too strange to believe."
That something, in Ulmeanu's novel, is the figure of the vampire. Only in Chermeza Sinucigasilor we don't encounter the crude vampires of genre fiction, but more subtle, liminal figures, neither dead nor alive, which haunt the characters' conscience and consciousness. Interweaving historical fiction, magical realism and love story that explores and transgresses the limits of both carnal love and the aspirations to a philosophical and political idealism, Radu Ulmeanu's novel, Chermeza Sinucigasilor, is a contemporary masterpiece.
Excerpt from the novel:
"He reproached Martha something. And, of course, he reproached her exactly what he allowed any other woman. The fact that Marta had slept with another drove him crazy, electrified him, even paralyzing him for a period of time. Afterwards, he distanced himself from her and began to look at their past with an increasingly cold condescendence. More precisely, the cataclysm lingered within, in his subconscious, remaining active underneath, which precluded any overture towards her. He longed to return to her, but Marta no longer offered the demon—or maybe the angel—before which lay prostrate in the past. Any other woman became superior to Marta solely in her latent capacity to re-electrify him; to stir in him a horrible deception; to propell him once more—as he now desired–to the limits of despair." (Chermeza Sinucigasilor, 18)
Claudia Moscovici, literaturesalon


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Location: Balsam Lake Mtn Trail - Town of Hardenburgh - Ulster County
Search/Rescue: On July 3 at 8:07 p.m., a hiker contacted DEC Central Dispatch from the Ridge Trail on Balsam Lake Mountain. The subject believed he got turned in the wrong direction and was looking to speak with a Ranger to talk him out. Ranger David Meade called the hiker, confirmed his location, and determined that the man and his friends were not adequately equipped to continue hiking due to darkness. Ranger Nathaniel Shea, responding with head lamps, located the hikers and assisted them out of the woods.


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Haddon — Verner
FOLLANSBEE – Stephanie Kay Haddon and Brian Joseph Verner were united in marriage on July 27 at the Hooverson Heights Church, with the Rev. Dan Harry officiating.
The bride is the daughter of Steve and Jackie Haddon of Follansbee. The groom is the son of Howard and Jane Verner of Follansbee.
The bride was escorted to the altar by her father. She wore a strapless, sweetheart neckline gown with floral appliques, taffeta bodice with layered organza and lace skirt. She carried a bouquet of pink gerber daisies.
The maid of honor was Ashley Winters. Bridesmaids were Tennille Coladonato, Briana DeVore, Tracy Fluharty, Shannon Blake, MeKenzie DeFranco and Sydney DeFranco.
The best man was Marc Verner. Groomsmen were Michael Haddon, Zack Hesske, Keith Fluharty, Todd Blake and Travis Blake.
Flower girls were Cadance DeVore and Emma Dulanley. The ringbearer was Raymond DeFranco.
A reception followed at St. Francis Centre in Follansbee.
The bride is employed as a dental assistant at Dr. David DiBiase's office in Follansbee. The groom is employed as manager of Howdy's Owls Nest Cafe and Howdy's Dari Owl in Follansbee.
The couple plan to honeymoon at Walt Disney World.
The couple reside in Follansbee.


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January 21, 2010
Only a month after COP15 in Copenhagen, Abu Dhabi opens the doors to World Future Energy Summit, for which heads of state, politicians, scientists and business people gather to discuss the world's urging energy topics.
Grundfos participates in an exhibition running at the same time as the conference from 18 to 21 January 2010 at the Abu Dhabi Conference Centre. Some 20,000 visitors are expected from around the world, almost 600 exhibitors from a large number of sectors related to energy supply, a large number of heads of state and politicians from almost 100 countries.
The 96 sq m Grundfos stand focuses on pump solutions with sustainable energy. A complete SQFlex system with solar panels and a wind mill is presented as well as a prototype of the new CR-flex booster system including two pumps, one driven by solar power, the other battery-powered.


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The instrument for quick and efficient seed coating formulations
Within the Hoopman Group there exists a tremendous amount of know how and experience in equipment manufacturing and engineering. The expertise regarding seed processing already exists for more then 35 years.
This expertise is now explicitely made available to the seed industry. We can offer you a range of sorting, coating and drying equipment, including project engineering and support.
Passion, know-how, experience and innovation brings added value and perspective to you, our customer, and our own business.
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The Netherlands
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Your daily news briefing, with the video of the day, the top news and the quote of the day.
News to know
Apple reported that it sold more than 5 million iPhone 5s in the first three days of the smartphone's release. The company is struggling to keep up with demand, and much of the initial supply of the iPhone 5 is gone. In related news, an Apple factory at Foxconn Technology in China was closed Monday because of riots at the plant.
Quote of note
"I visited the keepers last night and early this morning. They have reported to me the Mei is slowly returning to her routine, she has taken water, she has began eating both bamboo and biscuits and was offered fruit. I'm cautiously optimistic, based upon what the keepers and curators have told me, that she will slowly return to normal." - National Zoo director Dennis Kelly, talking about mother panda Mei struggling to overcome the death of her cub, who was born last week.
Hot video: Truck driver flies out of windshield, on tape
The driver of a truck flew out of the front windshield and landed on his feet after a head-on collision with another truck.
GateHouse News Service


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So Easy A Caveman Can Do It
Thagg knows reserving, by placing a hold, is the fastest way to get the library material he wants. Using his library card, he can place a hold on almost any book, DVD, music CD or audio book the library has. Even soon to be released titles can be reserved.
You too can place a hold on library materials. Try it. Click here.
No card? Check this out!


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Wednesday, October 31, 2012 - 11:00am to 1:00pm Forrest County Center Student Activities
Fall Fest is Wednesday, October 31st, 11:00 – 1:00 in front of Allied Health.
To participate in the events below, please contact the applicable person:
- Pumpkin carving/decorating – Bethnie Hitt, Dental Hygiene. Each group acquires and decorates/carves its own pumpkin and presents it for judging @ fall fest.
- T-Shirt design - Cindy Boutwell - LPNursing. Each group will design their own t-shirt and wear/present for judging at fall fest; no specific theme.
- Door Decorating - Aaryn Purvis – Student Success Center. Each group/office/department will decorate their own door, to be judged during the week of fall fest; no specific theme.
- Costume contest - SGA (no need to contact prior to fall fest). Participants are to wear their costume to fall fest, for judging.
The groups above are securing prizes, as well as impartial judges, for their events.
Additionally, tables have been reserved for the following:
- Respiratory Therapy – 1 table; information about the benefits of being smoke-free;
- LPN - 1 table; blood pressure screening, breast cancer awareness, donations for American Cancer Society, and bake sale
- History and Humanities – fundraiser (big, spectacular surprise! Not your typical fundraiser! You DON'T want to miss this one!!!)
- Dental Hygiene - 2 tables; dental health info, raffle tickets for Oral B Sonic toothbrush, raffle for Christmas Wreath, sale of cold drinks, ice cream, snow cones
- Walk a Mile in Her Shoes – – to raise money for domestic violence awareness, men (students and faculty/staff) will walk a short lap in heels; see Ms. Otalvaro for details!
- Salvation Army Food Drive – all collected items will be given to Salvation Army @ fall fest
- Skits/Performance - ya never know about this category! Gotta be there to see who will be up to what!!!
If I missed anyone, or if your group wants to be added to the list, please let me know as soon as possible. Fall Fest gets better every year, and this one is sure to be the best so far!!


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Jessica Brookes
Al dente
Means 'to the tooth.'
A Basic Pasta Recipe
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 extra-large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Mound 3 1/2 cups of the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the eggs and olive oil. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and oil and begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well. As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up from the base of the mound to retain the well shape.
- The dough will come together when half of the flour is incorporated. At this point, start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands.
- Once there is a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up and discard any leftover bits. Lightly reflour the board and continue kneading for 6 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky.
- Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Roll or shape as desired.
Pasta Facts
- The average person in Italy eats more than 51 pounds of pasta every year. The average person in North America eats about 15-1/2 pounds of pasta per year.
- Pasta is the world's favorite food. A survey taken in 17 countries confirmed that pasta is what people like to eat most. Not only is pasta the number one food in its home country Italy, but is also enjoyed in faraway places like the Philippines, Mexico, South Africa and much more.


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Beltre activated, Kouzmanoff lands on disabled list
SEATTLE -- The Rangers placed third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff on the disabled list with a herniated disc in his lower back and activated Adrian Beltre off the disabled list to take his place on Friday.
Kouzmanoff has a history of back trouble stemming from falling into a dugout chasing a foul ball in the 2004 Arizona Fall League. He flew back to Texas earlier this week to see Dr. Drew Dossett and received an epidural injection. The plan is to see how he responds to the injection over the weekend before deciding if surgery is needed.
Kouzmanoff was hitting .362 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in 13 games since replacing Beltre, who has been sidelined with a strained left quad muscle.
The Rangers have not made a move with outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, who is sidelined with a sprained left ankle, but he is not in the starting lineup on Friday against the Mariners. Michael Choice was in left field and batting leadoff for the third consecutive game.
The Rangers also lost pitcher Hector Noesi to the White Sox on a waiver claim. He was designated for assignment earlier this week.


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Land of the Maya the way it was then
MEXICO Reserve is natural side to resort-lined 'Riviera'
The table in the Mexican beach bar was full. There wasn't an inch left uncovered by colorful maps, which were held down by two empty Sol beer bottles and a frosty full one.
"You should go to Tulum," he said, barely audible above the thumping house music. "The Mayan ruins are on a cliff by the water."
But I wasn't interested in scrambling up Mayan stairways with the gringo throngs. While the stone memories of the Maya are scattered throughout the Yucatan Peninsula and lure millions of visitors each year - especially now with the widely misunderstood end of the Mayan calendar looming in December - the ruins are merely the showiest element of the ancient culture.
I was in the Yucatan, in the southern fringes of the busy Riviera Maya resort region, to find a place where learning about the Maya is more authentic, more natural, more immersive. To see the land the way they did then, instead of the way tourists do now.
The preserved natural areas here might not have been home to bustling cities, but figured just as importantly in Mayan culture - sites integral to daily living and religion. There are no shelves full of stone carvings or racks of "I (heart) Cancun" key chains in the gift shop. Buses full of visitors and attraction lines are conspicuously absent.
"I'm going to Sian Ka'an," I said. I set my full bottle down on a map with an oversized patch of green south of Tulum.
The waiter silently cleared my empty bottles, then leaned over to tell me something - probably that I'd squandered a chance to see one of the top five tourist attractions in the area, I figured.
"That's my favorite," he said. "Almost nobody goes there."
Where sky is born
In Mayan, the name Sian Ka'an translates to "where the sky is born" - and standing at the edge of one of the vast lagoons at the edge of the Caribbean, it can seem that there is nothing but sky, emerging from the waves.
At 2.3 million acres, the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve is the largest protected area in the Mexican Caribbean. The northernmost part of the reserve contains what is thought to be an ancient trade route through lagoons and mangrove channels between the cities of Tulum and Muyil about 15 miles south.
At Muyil, a place where only about 45 people visit daily, my guide and I walked among crumbling Mayan temples. The largest of which, the Castillo, is topped by a circular tower - once used as a lighthouse. Its windows and thatched roof gave it the appearance of a large monster staring out to sea, perhaps intentionally constructed to scare potential intruders.
From Muyil, we slid kayaks into the water and paddled to the edge of Chunyaxche, a brilliant turquoise lagoon linked to the open sea by a narrow canal system dredged by the ancient Maya to provide access to the Caribbean. We could have made the trip in small boats with noisy outboard motors, but the kayaks were closer to the Maya's wooden dugouts.
On the far side of the lagoon is a small building that was used as a Mayan customs post on the route where salt, chicle (gum), honey, and incense were once traded.
Here, between the lagoons in a freshwater canal edged with mangroves, we slipped out of the kayaks, jumped into the water and floated along with the current for nearly an hour. Tiny fish surrounded us, but scattered quickly when I reached toward them.
From this angle especially, it was easy to see what they saw - in nature and in belief. Birthplace of the sky, indeed.
The cenote bird
The wide-open spaces of this largely flat region continue underground in cenotes, the deep limestone sinkholes scattered throughout the peninsula. The fresh-water pits, called dzonot in Mayan, served as the main source of water for the ancient civilization, as well as portals to dark places.
Xibalba, the Mayan underworld, is described in creation stories as the parallel unseen "Otherworld." It was a place of fear where the dead had to traverse an obstacle course of bats, jaguars, rivers of blood and rooms of sharp knives. Caves and cenotes were the gateways to this aqueous, hellish underworld.
The artificial illumination in Aktun Chen, a huge dry cave and cenote system near Akumal, made the idea of Xibalba seem much less threatening. The deep, crystal-clear water made it easy to see the white floors of the natural wells.
In this surreal world of stalactites, stalagmites, fossils and bats beneath the curling thick ocean of emerald jungle, the still cenote water became a mirror for the fantastical rock formations.
Ahead of me, in the sunlight shining through a hole in the cave ceiling, a motmot perched on a stalagmite. The colorful bird with a distinctive blue racket-shaped tail can nearly always be found near cenotes, and is considered an emblem of these water features.
"The Maya say that the motmot used to be the most beautiful bird in the jungle, but he was proud," said my guide. "After a hurricane, he lost some of the feathers in his tail and was so embarrassed, he hid near cenotes."
I tiptoed slowly through the cavern, hoping to get closer to the motmot, when a second bird landed on a nearby rock outcropping. The two birds called to each other with the mot-mot sound that gave the bird its name. As I inched closer, they suddenly launched and flew through the open ceiling, into the dense jungle.
On the floor of the cave was a bright blue feather - the rounded end of one of the tail feathers. They're considered good luck, and a sign that you'll return to the Mayan world. I held it gently in my fingers until we were outside, then tucked it into my pocket, next to the map of Sian Ka'an.
Path to Xibalba
On my map, now overly creased and softened by wear, small dots showing cenotes in the region appeared as small constellations. Today, many are open to the public for swimming, snorkeling and diving.
In the thick jungle south of Akumal, I walked from the parking lot with my dive guide toward the gaping limestone maw of the Dos Ojos ("two eyes") cenote. The screeches of children playing near the cave entrance bounced off the undulating stone and through the trees. At the opening, the sunlight on the shallow, sandy bottom caused the water to glow turquoise.
I sat on a small, wooden stairway that disappeared into the liquid, tied my flashlight onto my wrist and slipped beneath the surface. The silence in this underwater cavern was different from the sound of diving or snorkeling in the Caribbean, where there's a constant clatter of fish. All I could hear were the bubbles that signaled my breathing.
The beam of my flashlight served as a spotlight on stalactites and stalagmites, fossils and tiny fish. Glowing through the water far ahead was such a serene shade of blue that I found myself holding my breath. Below me were huge fissures in the limestone that made me wonder about the Mayan view of the underworld. If Xibalba is a hellish place, the pathway there seemed quite the opposite. Was the idea to calm the dead, to prepare them for what's ahead?
At the end of our dive, I spent some time alone at the gateway to Xibalba. The children from earlier were gone. I floated in the luminous water, enjoying the stillness and surroundings - probably much of it unchanged since the Mayans lived, worked and worshiped here.
It was a moment not in the resort brochures or in the guide books, but was perhaps closest thing I'd found to a kernel of Mayan time. Some moments are best found on maps - in places where "almost nobody goes."
Calling Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve home
1.3 million acres
375 species of bird
115 species of mammals
90 species of native bees
47 species of dragonflies
74 species of beetles
276 species of crustaceans
310 species of mosquitoes
318 species of butterflies
84 species of coral
1,048 species of flora
If you go
Getting There
Cancun International Airport (CUN) is the gateway airport to the Riviera Maya. The southern region - including Akumal, Tulum and the Sian Ka'an Biosphere - is about two hours south of Cancun. Some hotels provide airport transfers, although if you're planning to explore the area, arrange for a rental car or a driver.
Where to Stay
Hotel Akumal Caribe: Carretera Cancún-Tulum Km. 104, Akumal; (800) 351-1622; www.hotelakumalcaribe.com. Comfortable beachfront hotel, garden bungalows, condos and villas within steps of the Akumal Dive Center and a handful of restaurants. Rates start at $120 per night.
Cabanas La Luna: Carretera Tulum-Boca Paila Km. 6.5, Tulum; (818) 631-9824; www.cabanaslaluna.com. Small collection of cabanas scattered along the beach, a short drive to Tulum. Rates start at $100 per night.
Where to Eat
Altamar Restaurant: Avenida Tulum at the corner of Beta Sur, Tulum; +52 (998) 282-8299. Casual Yucatecan restaurant with quality seafood. Cooking classes offered. Entrees, $10 to $26.
La Cueva del Chango: Calle 28 at Fifth Avenue, Playa del Carmen; +52 (984) 147-0271; www.lacuevadelchango.com. Garden restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Try the eggs with chaya (a spinach-like plant) for breakfast. Entrees, $6 to $13.
Turtle Bay Bakery & Café: Plaza Ukama 1, Akumal; +52 (984) 875-9138. Restaurant near the center of town. Save room for homemade ice cream. Entrees, $5 to $15.
What to Do
Aktun Chen Natural Park: Carretera Cancún-Tulum Km. 107; +52 (998) 881-9400; www.indiana-joes.com. This cave complex includes a huge dry cave with cenotes, a protected forest, canopy tour and small zoo. Cave tours are $30 per person; other tours have an additional fee.
Akumal Dive Center: (located on the beach at Club Akumal Caribe); +52 (984) 875-9025; www.akumaldivecenter.com. Aside from classes and equipment rentals in Akumal, this dive center offers diving and snorkeling tours of nearby cenotes, including Dos Ojos. Cenote dives start at $70.
Community Tours Sian Ka'an: 134 Avenida Tulum, between Escorpion and Libra Sur, Tulum; +52 (984) 871-2202; www.siankaantours.org. A Mayan ecotourism organization, this group leads history and adventure tours in the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, from kayaking to birding to visiting the Muyil archaeological site. Kayak tours are $45 per person.
More Information
Riviera Maya tourism: +52 (984) 206-3150; www.rivieramaya.com.
Writer Jill K. Robinson lives in Half Moon Bay. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com