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BIOMIMETIC TACTILE SENSOR FOR OBJECT IDENTIFICATION AND GRASP CONTROL by Nicholas B. Wettels A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING) May 2011 Copyright 2011 Nicholas B. Wettels
Object Description
|Biomimetic tactile sensor for object identification and grasp control
|Wettels, Nicholas B.
|Author email
|firstname.lastname@example.com; email@example.com
|Doctor of Philosophy
|Document type
|Degree program
|Biomedical Engineering
|Viterbi School of Engineering
|Date defended/completed
|Date submitted
|Restricted until
|Date published
|Advisor (committee chair)
Loeb, Gerald E.
Valero-Cuevas, Francisco
|Advisor (committee member)
Weiland, James D.
Schaal, Stefan
|PROBLEM STATEMENT. One of the severe performance limitations of robotic and prosthetic hands in unstructured environments is their having little or no tactile information compared to the rich tactile feedback of the human hand. Object interaction involves two senses: proprioceptive (information about force and pose of joints of a manipulator) and cutaneous (information from the skin or sensors near the surface of the manipulator's end-effector). The discussion of tactile sensing here will surround problems and solutions based largely cutaneous sensing inspired by the human fingertip.; This necessity of tactile information is obvious in clinical cases where patients that suffer peripheral nerve damage to their hands are able to initiate, but not maintain stable grasp due to lack of sensory feedback from cutaneous sensors (Rothwell 1982). Neurophysiologists have identified that rapid reflexive adjustment of grip is essential for handling objects and depends on tactile feedback via the spinal cord (Westling & Johansson, 1984). Autonomous robots can deal only with rigid objects in known orientations specifically because they lack tactile feedback. Engineers developing telerobotic manipulators have also improved performance when force and vibrotactile feedback is provided via "haptic displays" to the operator's hand (Kontarinis & Howe, 1995).; Advancements in sensor hardware will undoubtedly catalyze equally important advancements in controller design and grasp planning algorithms. Numerous fields of research would benefit from such advances: anthropomorphic robotics, tele-operated and autonomous robotics, robotic and telesurgery, telediagnostics, diagnostic palpation and prosthetic limbs. With respect to upper limb prosthesis, 58.5% of the 1,199,111 patients from 1988 to 1996 were upper limb amputees (Dillingham et al. 1998).; As mentioned, one of the limiting factors in all of these applications has been the absence of sensitive yet robust sensors that can be incorporated into anthropomorphic mechatronic fingers. A wide variety of technologies have been applied to the cutaneous tactile sensing problem in robotics and medicine. Transduction mechanisms such as optics, capacitance, piezoresistance, ultrasound, conductive polymers, etc. have all yielded viable solutions but only for limited environments or applications. These solutions often result in large numbers of delicate transducers and connections that are unable to survive the often hostile environments in which the hands function. Additionally, the sensors may not possess all the modalities necessary for a tactile sensor to support grip control or object identification.; DESCRIPTION OF SOLUTION. Here we describe a biomimetic tactile sensor that is sensitive to the wide range of normal and shear forces encountered in robotic and prosthetic applications. It is intrinsically simple, robust, and easy to manufacture and repair. The elastomeric skin is resistant to wear, and possesses texture and tackiness similar to the properties of human skin that facilitate grip. The curved, deformable nature of biological finger tips provides mechanical features that are important for the manipulation of the wide variety of objects encountered naturally. Electrodes are distributed along the surface of the rigid core and all sensitive components are safely embedded within the core. By applying an alternating current to each contact, one can measure the impedance of each volumetric flow path from a given contact to a reference electrode. Several factors will affect the resting impedance of an electrode: electrode size, material, fill volume, skin geometry, excitation frequency and fluid resistivity. External forces deform the fluid path around the electrodes, resulting in a distributed pattern of impedance changes containing information about force magnitude, direction, point of contact and object shape (Wettels et al. 2008a).; Because the conductivity of the fluid or gel increases with temperature, a thermistor is incorporated for thermal compensation. Furthermore, the fluid can be heated; when objects contact the device heat will be transferred according to the thermal and geometric properties of the object. Thus material information about the object can be extracted using heat-flow information, as biological finger tips do.; A hydrophone (pressure sensor) can also be mounted to the fluid channel of the sensor to gather acoustic information about contacted objects. Objects that slip will produce a high-frequency stick-slip phenomenon between the skin and the object; these high-frequency vibrations will be transmitted through the fluid and can be measured by the hydrophone. Objects with textures and surface features finer than the resolution of the impedance sensors will also produce a similar acoustic phenomenon within the fluid as the sensor haptically explores objects (Fishel et al. 2008). We posit material information from texture can be gathered from these data as well.; Here we will show that it is necessary to possess all three sensing modalities in order to make an accurate assessment of object properties. For example, if heat-flow sensing is used to gather information about a contacted object's thermal properties, one must calibrate the data with the force sensing modality, because surface area of contact, point of contact, object geometry and time of contact all impact the heat-flow signature.; What remains to be determined is how the data will be used, which is not entirely clear. In the biological system, direct computation of the measured percept occurs (e.g. your fingertips and brain do not calculate Newtons), but these systems must obviously encode forces for proper manipulation. The question then becomes, how do we utilize data from non-linear sensors such as the BioTac? Shall their outputs be linearized using machine learning and/ or curve-fitting techniques so they can be employed as commercial sensors, or is there a solution akin to biological systems?; STRUCTURE OF DISSERTATION. This discussion is separated into six chapters. In chapter one we outline the specific problems we are trying to solve in tactile sensing, the state of the art and the requirements to solve those problems. In chapter two we discuss the decision making process regarding the material choices for the core, skin and fluid and how these choices lend to meeting the requirements and constraints outlined in chapter one. Chapter three continues the discussion by taking these material constraints and demonstrating how design considerations evolved into the fabrication and testing practices that produced simple prototypes to the current sensors ready to be equipped on mechatronic manipulanda. Chapter four explores the notion of how to use the data produced by the sensor's force detection modality. This chapter focuses on how machine learning and heuristics can be used to extract radius of curvature, point of application of force and explicit force vectors. This is done not only match commercial sensor usage, but to show that these data are in fact embedded in the non-linear processes of the BioTac. Chapter five is a validation of sensor performance on a prosthetic hand. This involves normal and tangential force extraction using a Kalman filter for a constrained grip control task. Chapter six consists of preliminary experiments to thermally characterize objects using the heat-flow sensing modality. The paper ends with a discussion of how this work fits into the field of haptics and how the tactile signals can be used for conscious feedback of sensation for a prosthetic, reflexive grip control for a mechatronic hand and object property identification algorithms for robotic systems.; The chapters in this thesis are based on published or journal articles in progress:; Chapter one is based on unpublished and published work: -- Wettels N., Santos V. J., Johansson R. S, and Loeb G. E., "Biomimetic tactile sensor array." Advanced Robotics, vol. 22, no. 7 pp. 829–849, June 2008.; Chapter two is based on unpublished work; select material to be submitted to Journal of Applied Polymer Science.; Chapter three includes unpublished results and is based on work that has been published and appears in Appendix A and B: -- Wettels N., Santos V. J., Johansson R. S, and Loeb G. E., "Biomimetic tactile sensor array." Advanced Robotics, vol. 22, no. 7 pp. 829–849, June 2008. -- Wettels N., Smith L.M., Santos V.J., and Loeb G. E., Deformable Skin Design to Enhance Response of a Biomimetic Tactile Sensor, in Proc. of International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics, Scottsdale, Arizona, 2008b.; Chapter four is based on work that is unpublished and published work (Appendix C); select material to be submitted to International Journal of Robotics Research: -- N. Wettels, J.A. Fishel, Z. Su, C.H. Lin, and G.E. Loeb. "Multi-modal Synergistic Tactile Sensing" Tactile Sensing in Humanoids – "Tactile Sensors and Beyond Workshop 9th IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots" Dec 7-10, 2009.; Chapter five is based on published work: -- Wettels, N., Parnandi, A.R., Moon, J.-H., Loeb, G.E. and Sukhatme, G.S. Grip control using biomimetic tactile sensing systems. IEEE/ASME Trans. Mechatronics, 14(6):718-723, 2009.; Chapter six is based on work that is unpublished and published; select material to be submitted to: International Journal of Robotics Research: -- Lin, C.H., Erickson, T.W., Fishel, J.A., Wettels, N., and Loeb, G.E. "Signal Processing and Fabrication of a Biomimetic Tactile Sensor Array with Thermal, Force and Microvibration Modalities" IEEE Int'l Conference Robotics & Biomimetics, Gulin, China, 2009.
|dexterous manipulation; feature extraction; force sensing; grasping; haptics; tactile sensing
|Part of collection
|University of Southern California dissertations and theses
|Publisher (of the original version)
|University of Southern California
|Place of publication (of the original version)
|Los Angeles, California
|Publisher (of the digital version)
|University of Southern California. Libraries
|Electronically uploaded by the author
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|University of Southern California
|Wettels, Nicholas B.
|Repository name
|Libraries, University of Southern California
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|Los Angeles, California
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|BIOMIMETIC TACTILE SENSOR FOR OBJECT IDENTIFICATION AND GRASP CONTROL by Nicholas B. Wettels A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING) May 2011 Copyright 2011 Nicholas B. Wettels


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Still (slowly!) working my way through The Feminist Porn Book. Every piece in it has so much going on, I sometimes feel like "summing up" articles here just isn't doing it justice--but I'll live in hope that readers will be tantalized by little tidbits here to read the book for themselves. Dylan Ryan's piece, Fucking Feminism, is a dense analysis of feminist porn artfully disguised as a lovely memoir piece. It's downright tricky, this piece, because you're reading along about Ryan's entry into the world of feminist porn, and before you know it, you've read something that takes on many of the main themes of discussing feminist porn, addressing all sorts of anti-porn critiques without vilifying said critiques, or dismissing them outright; Ryan manages to give room for a lot of the complexities of these debates that are often left to the side. At the same time, she's kind of "just" talking about how she came to be in porn. And she does all of this in just a few pages. It's a great stylistic choice, because the more varied stories are told about (feminist and not-so-feminist) porn, the better.
A central theme of Ryan's take on queer and feminist porn is that of "authenticity", which she acknowledges to be a complex concept. Noting early on in her life as a porn consumer that the sex in much of porn wasn't the kind of sex she was having, or liked to have, and that the bodies (especially female bodies) in porn weren't like hers in various ways, she knew that she could make better porn. One way to make better (and, as it turns out, more feminist) porn was to better represent sex and the bodies of performers more authentically:
The films Nina [Hartley], Annie [Sprinkle], and others made represented a sexuality that was open, honest, and without shame; they showcased sex that was fun and consensual. They had a sexual agency that I found arousing. It was the first time that I saw sex that resonated with me and that I wanted to emulate...[e]ven with these films though, I still had issues with the bodies: the differences between theirs and mine. I couldn't relate to the curvaceous body type of Nina Hartley or Annie Sprinkle. At five-feet-ten and 145 pounds, I have been athletic and sinewy for most of my adult life. My breasts are small A cups, and my look is often more androgynous than girly. Like many women, I experienced the simultaneous intrigue and revulsion that can accompany pornographic film watching: of being simultaneously captivated and repulsed by the performers as they embody stereotypical female "beauty" and "perfection."I suspect that many men also feel a similar "simultaneous intrigue and revulsion", at least at times, though of course men have a different relationship to women's bodies, and to their own bodies, than women do. Still, it's great that Ryan gives voice to this idea.
Ryan got a chance fairly early on to do some practical tests of her ideas, when Shine Louise Houston asked Ryan to be in what was to be their first porn film. The film also starred Jiz Lee(!), whose piece in The Feminist Porn book I talked about here. (The way these folks met and got together to make feminist porn, by the way, is part of the "context" of feminist porn that Lynn Comella wrote about in her piece in the same book.) As she has continued to make movies, she has continued to consciously use authenticity as a touchstone, which is part of what makes her work, she tells us, subversive of the traditional paradigm. She says:
When Shine and I first talked, we both believed that the majority of mainstream porn was inauthentic and not in agreement with what we knew to be true of our sexualities and the sexualities of those around us. "Authenticity" took on a somewhat mythological quality and became the Holy Grail in our vision for pornographic filmmaking: if we could achieve it, we truly would have transcended the existing constraints of the known porn world. We considered authentic porn our goal. Even now, this far into my porn career, I still reference the concept of authenticity as a sizeable part of my rationale for the porn that I make. It is a term that I use frequently to explain my position and identity as a porn performer. By situating myself inside my understanding of authenticity and explaining that to interviewers and interrogators, I also protect myself from some of the criticism that dogs other porn performers. Of course, what is "authentic" varies among individuals. When I say I'm making authentic porn, it means I prioritize my sexuality, which has allowed me a much less-criticized position than a female performer who may not have thought as much about authenticity in sexual representation.In true feminist spirit, Ryan also talks about the limits of her ability to transform porn as a cisgendered, white woman:
I struggle to blaze a trail for women while accepting my own whiteness and privilege. I "get" to be in porn, to raise my conceptual fist to the mainstream because I am close enough to the mainstream to even be let inside in the first place. This has been a bitter pill to swallow, but it reminds me that the deeper work of change to the representation of women in porn has to occur beyond me. It will come when we have greater inclusion of women of all body types, ages, and ethnicities in porn to counter the dominant imagery.See! Told you she is taking on all kinds of various complexities!
She even manages to quickly sum up her shift from 'I'm not a feminist, but...' kind of thinking to identifying as a feminist, and as a feminist porn performer:
It was at some point in those next few moments, on stage in front of hundreds that I came to see myself as so many others had already: I performed in feminist porn, I was a feminist porn performer. I was a feminist. In all those years of crafting my work to represent empowerment, awareness, positive female sexuality, women's choice, I was representing feminist ideals about sex. After years of believing that all or most feminists disapproved of what I was doing with my life, it took a moment on a stage beneath a bright spotlight to realize that many feminists not only approved of, but appreciated, what I was doing. It was also the moment I realized I had been setting myself up, through all my choices, to be seen that way—as a feminist porn performer.Ryan is the kind of writer who has clearly thought things out so precisely that I had to resist just quoting the whole text--as it is, I kind of failed, as you see from the swathes of quotes above. I recommend reading the entire article: The details of Ryan's entry into porn and the way she navigates these complex conceptual puzzles is half of the joy of the article. The other half being reading what is essentially deep feminist theory that reads like a memoir.
Ryan has several interviews which convey some of the themes of her piece in The Feminist Porn Book:
Here's one on HuffPo.
One from backstage at the Feminist Porn Conference (I think):
And another:
Note: This is one of a series of posts about articles in The Feminist Porn Book. The other posts can be found here.

subset: commoncrawl


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ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.
In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.
Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at firstname.lastname@example.com.
- Krajmalnik-Brown, Rosa
- Rittmann, Bruce E
- 1 Allen, Rebecca Custer
- 1 Arizona State University
- 1 Curtiss III, Roy
- 1 Vermaas, Willem
- 1 English
- 1 Public
- Environmental engineering
- contamination
- 1 Microbiology
- 1 Molecular biology
- 1 biofilm
- 1 biofuel
- 1 cyanobacteria
- more
- 1 exopolysaccharide
- 1 polyculture
- Mobile Crowd Sensing in Edge Computing Environment
- The Effect of Disability on Subjective Well-Being across the Adult Lifespan: The Moderating Roles of Age at Disability Onset and Disability Type
- Mechanically Active Heterogeneous Polymer Matrix Composites
- Attribute-Based Encryption for Fine-Grained Access Control over Sensitive Data
- 并购背景下教育行业品牌价值研究
ABSTRACT Sustainable global energy production is one of the grand challenges of the 21st century. Next-generation renewable energy sources include using photosynthetic microbes such as cyanobacteria for efficient production of sustainable fuels from sunlight. The cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC 6803 (Synechocystis) is a genetically tractable model organism for plant-like photosynthesis that is used to develop microbial biofuel technologies. However, outside of photosynthetic processes, relatively little is known about the biology of microbial phototrophs such as Synechocystis, which impairs their development into market-ready technologies. My research objective was to characterize strategic aspects of Synechocystis biology related to its use in biofuel production; …
- Contributors
- Allen, Rebecca Custer, Curtiss III, Roy, Krajmalnik-Brown, Rosa, et al.
- Created Date
- 2016


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Researchers who normally use high-resolution satellite imagery to study glaciers are using their technology this week to help with disaster relief and longer-term stabilization planning efforts related to the recent earthquake in Nepal.
Primary tabs
Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor John Carey and other dignitaries visited Ohio State's west campus today to help unveil the Ohio Supercomputer Center's newest supercomputer platform – the HP/Intel Xeon Phi Ruby Cluster.
In pursuit of a graduate degree next year in the United Kingdom, an Ohio State Honors student will leverage what he's learned about using specialized processors at the Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) to study cutting-edge mathematical methods for analyzing large datasets.
Research projects featuring a wide range of scientific interests, such as ultra-intense lasers, pesticides and polymers, were featured at the first-ever poster session and flash talk competition at the Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) Dec. 4.
Researchers at The Ohio State University were recognized today at the SC14 conference for the supercomputer industry for studies that leverage high performance computers to help unlock the origins of cancer development.
State-of-the-art supercomputers, sophisticated software and high-speed research networks will be on tap as Central Ohio technology experts travel this weekend to New Orleans for SC14 (sc14.supercomputing.org), the international conference for high performance computing, networking, storage and analysis.
Klaus Schulten, Ph.D., the Swanlund Professor of Physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, delivered the 2014 Pitzer Lecture in Theoretical Chemistry at 4 p.m., Monday, Oct. 27, in Room 2015 of McPherson Laboratory, 140 W. 18th Ave., on the main campus of The Ohio State University.
The U.S. Department of Energy recently awarded Engineering Mechanics Corporation of Columbus (Emc2) and its partners $1 million to develop a cloud-based tool that will simulate welding processes employed in the manufacture of metallic products. The funding gives added momentum to AweSim, a public-private, Ohio-based initiative to boost industrial use of modeling and simulation.
Fifteen middle school girls from around the state are studying the biological systems of Big Darby Creek and then are leveraging powerful technology to compare their findings with federal environmental data to determine the human impacts.
The group of 16 talented high school students attending the Ohio Supercomputer Center's Summer Institute will be presenting their research tomorrow evening (June 20) and joining with alumni to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this high-tech, fast-paced summer experience.


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DOVER — A man who was shot twice in December after he allegedly waved a gun at police outside his home in Lee and made threatening remarks has been indicted on 16 criminal charges.
Steven Amazeen, 46, is accused of placing his wife and seven police officers in danger during an episode that unfolded Dec. 3 at his home on Lee Hook Road.
Amazeen's wife called 911 shortly after midnight that morning and reported Amazeen was suicidal, according to a Lee police affidavit. He allegedly told his wife to stay inside the house, fired a round from his gun into the floor, then exited the home and shot another round into the air. Police from Lee, Durham, Barrington and elsewhere around the region converged on the property and found Amazeen standing in the road.
The attorney general's office is investigating what took place in the moments that followed, during which police shot Amazeen in the hip and shoulder. In court documents, a police sergeant at the scene wrote that Amazeen refused to drop his gun and was shot when he turned toward two Durham police officers. He was treated at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital after the incident.
Amazeen was indicted on charges of reckless conduct and criminal threatening by a Strafford County grand jury on Thursday, March 14. The indictments, which were made public Tuesday, provide some new information about the incident.
According to court documents, Amazeen allegedly pointed his gun at Durham Police Officer David Carpenter before he was shot. Amazeen is also accused of placing four officers in fear of "imminent bodily injury or physical contact" by saying "I know to shoot for the head," or "words to that effect," according to the indictments.
Amazeen also allegedly said words to the effect of: "I have five bullets left; let's see what happens," the indictments state.
Amazeen is also accused of placing Carpenter and two other officers in fear of physical harm by approaching them aggressively and yelling while "brandishing and/or waving" a gun.
He faces a total of eight criminal threatening charges, which are Class A felony offenses. Each is punishable by between 10 and 30 years in the New Hampshire State Prison and a $4,000 fine.
Amazeen also faces numerous reckless conduct charges. Police claim Amazeen "placed, or may have placed" the seven officers at the scene in danger of death or serious bodily injury through his actions.
One additional reckless conduct charge alleges Amazeen put his wife in danger by firing his gun inside the house while she was in proximity.
The reckless conduct charges are all Class B felonies. If found guilty, Amazeen could face prison terms of between 10 and 30 years on each charge.
Amazeen was treated at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital after the shooting. He has since recovered, and he was released into the custody of a brother in Deerfield while he awaits trial.
Amazeen's attorney contends Amazeen was not taking "appropriate medication" at the time of the incident, and that he is now "stabilized medically and psychologically." In court documents, he characterized the event as an "effort to commit suicide during a depressive state."
Amazeen's wife told police that Amazeen had been "very depressed" before the incident as a result of his father's death in 2008, and because of the pending foreclosure of the family's home.
The attorney general's office, the county attorney and local police have all declined numerous requests for further details about the incident during the past 15 weeks.
Most recently, Foster's requested records associated with the shooting from all seven municipal police departments that deployed personnel to the scene. In a letter dated March 15, Strafford County Attorney Tom Velardi, speaking on behalf of all seven police departments, declined to release any police records before Amazeen's trial concludes. He cited judicial rules that apply to prosecutors, as well as case law surrounding the state's Right-to-Know law.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Susan Morrell declined to comment Tuesday on when the state's official report on the use of lethal force during the incident is expected to be released.


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Sabre Ranger M2M solucion datos en sitios remotos ambientes explosivos terminal Bgan comunicación maquina a maquina SCADA telemetría UTR Modbus.
Wideye Ranger M2M Equipment Features
- Remote configuration and debugging capable, a great feature of the Wideye Sabre Ranger M2M
- It operates in extreme hot or cold temperatures -40°F to 167°F (-40° to 75° C)
- 24 x 7 Always-On capability
- No indoor unit required. Terminal provides Ethernet port and serial port to any device
- Includes mounting frame with U-bolts for 3.5OD pipe mounting (or smaller).
- Internet IP connectivity – at speeds of up to 384/240 Kbps (Down/Up)
- Supports Internet IP, SMS text messaging, Email, VPN, VoIP.
- IP Watchdog… Internal logic maintains a constant network connection,or the system reboots.
- PDP System Activation/Deactivation via SMS text message.
- NEMA 4X with IP65 Ingress rating Outdoor weather rating and corrosion resistant
- 10 meter cable run – Ethernet – Serial Port – and Power Port.. longer lengths available.
- Enhanced vibration and shock resistance
- Hazardous Environmental Rated – Class 1 Division 2 and ATEX Zone 2, Group II, Category 3 –
- Low power consumption. Normal operation use 6 watts idle, 22 watts burst transmitting.
- Operates in -40°F to 167°F (-40°C to 75°C) – Extreme cold and hot.
- Operates globally with the same service plan for all continents. Coverage Map
- Connectivity ports – Ethernet (RJ-45) – RS232 (DB9) 9600 bps with 10m Multifunction cable
- Support 3GPP AT commands
- Power requirements – 12 to 18 volts DC (minimum 2 amps). AC/DC power supply is provided.
- Low Profile – Does not attract attention from possible vandalism or theft.
- SMS texting control. Hibernate, Activate and other status
- Certified CD, FCC, IC, CSA


text:
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Success with Symptoms: No More Blurred Vision or Blurry Eyesight!
... my vision became 20/20... [More]
My son tells everyone he sees that he likes his new best friend, the eye doctor.[More]
... I have had some amazing improvements. When before I just couldn't make something out, I can now focus on it and make my eyes clear up the image. ... some serious improvement in the length of time that I can read. ... I highly recommend seeking Vision Therapy. [More]
The entire experience was so very helpful and enlightening. I would hasten to say, all puns intended that I see things a lot differently and more clearly. [More]
Read more stories below.
When I entered fourth grade my vision was 20/80. It was recommended that I go for vision testing. By having supervised Vision Therapy every Friday for two years, my vision became 20/20! My vision remains at 20/20 today.
I see clearly both near and far, and have fewer headaches.
I just wanted to take time out to thank Dr. X for doing such a wonderful job with Andre today. We got home from daycare this evening and he sat down and colored three pictures in a coloring book, staying mostly within the lines (up to now he was just scribbling the entire page up with one color, and not even paying attention to the picture on it.) He copied some shapes, drew some free hand, picked up some more raisins, and played catch. All this from a kid who doesn't typically stay with any activity for more than 10 minutes, and we have only had his glasses since 2 o'clock this afternoon.
My name is Andrew B. and I am currently a student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. My vision always bothered me as a child, and I've always had trouble concentrating when reading for more than a few minutes. Because of these problems, I have continually been to see eye doctors. They always had a cure and that cure was always glasses. The problem was that I was never satisfied would stop wearing the glasses.
I came to Dr. X to get some Vision Therapy eye exercises to help combat occasional age-related blurriness [presbyopia] when reading. In my twelve sessions with him, Dr. X helped me so very much with his great knowledge and creativity; thanks to him, my eye lenses, which were starting to stiffen with age, have become far more flexible. Vision Therapy made me exercise and strengthen and use my eyes in many different ways.
When I read, the text doesn't get blurry any more. My eyes don't get as tired as they used to.
I no longer have the following problems:
Rickie Gal
I have no more blurred vision after doing prolonged near tasks. I usually don't lose my place when reading. I don't have eyestrain, headaches, or discomfort when reading or using the computer for long periods of time. My reading skills are better. Copying from the blackboard is no longer difficult. I feel this therapy has helped my reading and work in school.
When Eric is tired while reading, he will use Vision Therapy techniques to ameliorate blurred vision.
I no longer have as many problems doing close-up work, such as blurred vision and eyestrain, as I had prior to Vision Therapy. Also, I can more easily recognize when my eyes are tired from doing close work, and I remember to relax them.
No more headaches. No more blurred vision, unless I'm very tired. I can read faster. I'm more confident at work because of better reading. I'm generally more relaxed, less frustrated, and less angry because of getting tired at work frequently and feeling inept. I feel I understand more.
Things don't look blurry any more. I can read much better now. Things have greatly improved! Vision Therapy has helped me a lot.
I have noticed that when I read, I don't strain and don't get headaches after reading. I'm able to control my eyes. For example, when I'm reading and look up, I can control my eyes so things are not blurry.
My focusing ability has improved. I can read for a longer period of time without eyestrain or headaches.
I am able to focus a lot better now for a longer period of time. My eyes do not spasm as much as they did. Also, I'm not as tired, due to the decline in eye spasms. Vision Therapy helped me a great deal; it came out at the perfect time, right before I left for college. If you take Vision Therapy seriously, it can help you a great deal.
Distance vision has improved enough to be noticed. I can now see the blackboard in school much better than before. I also catch myself now when I get too close to my reading material or a television screen.
I can see the blackboard at school better and the TV is clearer. At first, I didn't really believe in Vision Therapy, but now I'm glad I was wrong.
I find that when I copy from the blackboard at school I can focus much faster.
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Crash in Stratford shuts I-95 north
STRATFORD -- At least five vehicles, including a jackknifed tractor-trailer, blocked the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 on Friday, and as many as five people were brought to Bridgeport Hospital from the scene.
State police confirmed that no one was killed in the crash, but Lt. J. Paul Vance said there were injuries. The identities and conditions of those who were injured were not immediately available.
The crash, near the Surf Avenue exit, happened around 1:30 p.m.. The northbound side of the highway was still closed an hour later, and traffic on the southbound side was slowed to a crawl.
Initial reports indicated that the accident occurred when ladder fell from a pickup truck, causing vehicles to swerve. Two cars were up against the cement median. Stratford firefighters extricated at least two people from the vehicles.
The tractor-trailer wound up across the right and center lanes; its cab was on the grass off the right shoulder. Other involved vehicles were in the left lane and shoulder.
A hazardous-materials unit came to the scene to clean up diesel fuel that spilled from the truck's saddle tanks. State Police diverted traffic onto local roads, which also quickly backed up.
The accidentally was cleared about 90 minutes after it was reported, but traffic remained sluggish in the area through the evening rush hour.


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It's an adventure and it's new so there's lots to discover. I thought I'd tell you about a couple of neat things I found out you can do on Google+ Now maybe everyone but me already knew this but in case you didn't...
1. You can share a URL or a note with one person. Let me give you an example. My husband hates IM. He refuses to set it up, won't use Gmail chat or Facebook chat or AOL Buddy. So I have no quick way to send him a link to an article he might find interesting or useful. Of course I could email him but he only picks up his mail once or twice a day (can you imagine???!!! Mine is open whenever my computer is turned on)
But he is on Google+. So today I had a link for a story he might want to read. I went to my Stream (Home page) in Google+ and put the link into my SHARE box. I then chose ONLY his name to share with and hit SEND. He got it in two places - his email and his Google+ Stream. It was almost instantaneous. He liked it in Google+ because it also showed him a photo, a bit of text and the link to the article.
No one but him will see this link because I also disabled the ability for it to be reshared or commented on.
|Joan's Default PopUp Profile Box
Well here's my tip for you - go to the About part of your Profile.
Choose "Edit Profile" In the "employment" area, write up a brief bio and put it in the spot for your employment. Click the "current" box and Save it.
Now when someone hovers their cursor over your name and photo, your bio will display.
|Lorine's Extended Profile Box PopUp


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Video: Obama Admin Is Preparing To Take Out Conservative Americans
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Military veterans consistently poll as identifying themselves as conservative, which in Obama's world equates into "right wing extremists." In fact, the Left has lumped everyone into this category who doesn't swallow Obama's big government crisis management mode of government—which tends to mean nullifying the Constitution and/or spurning Congress.
But when Obama's big government plans start calling for "universal background checks" and bans on "assault weapons," those who are students of history know what is next: totalitarianism. And despots need an enemy. Hitler had the Jews, and Obama has conservatives.
Some will cry conspiracy theory; and up until perhaps a year ago, I would have joined in handing out tin foil hats. But just this week, the Obama administration sent out a slew of letters to "disabled" veterans, telling them to turn in their guns. The Department of Homeland Security produced a ten-minute video on how to recognize domestic terrorists. Did any of these "domestic terrorists" hail from the Middle East or North Africa, as one would normally expect given their track record? Or were they likened to the domestic terrorist par excellence, the Fort Hood Shooter, Nidal Hasan? Oh, wait a minute. That was "workplace violence" according to the Obama administration. So what did these potential domestic terrorists look like in the DHS "training" video? All middle class, all white. Must have just been a coincidence.
How exactly did the DHS come to the conclusion that white, middle class American citizens were the enemy? Well, the government did what the government does best— commission a study. A little known sub-department within the DHS called the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism—START, for short— published "Hot Spots of Terrorism and Other Crimes in the United States." Who should we be worried about per START? Those who are "reverent of individual liberty." Those who are "suspicious of centralized federal authority." Those who believe there is a "grave threat to national sovereignty and/or personal liberty."
Kind of sounds like those who identify themselves as part of the Tea Party movement.
This is no joke, America. Barack Obama and his Marxist minions are coming after conservative America with a vengeance.


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DMFB brauchte ein neues Print oder Verpackung Design und hat einen Wettbewerb auf 99designs gestartet.
Aus 30 Designs von 7 Designern wurde eine Gewinner gewählt.
Althos Publishing
Althos publishing produces technical and business books, magazines, and videos http://www.AlthosBooks.com. We also publish Internet Marketing Mag http://www.iMarketingMag.com where this book will be featured.
Marketing Managers, Business Owners, Marketing Account Managers
Photo image that will be used on a book cover for a white paper marketing book.
Size of the complete image 8.0" x 10.0" where the illustration will occupy 7.0" x 6.5". There should be a relatively solid background on the top 2" for the title and a 1.5" relatively solid area the bottom for author's name.
Preferable colors include black, blue, red. Colors to be avoided include brown and green.
The image should be of a business woman fishing using a white paper that has a title "white paper" with single word in the center of the page "solution" where a man is reaching for the white paper.
The woman should be attractive and dressed in business attire (formal or business casual). If possible, the man should be reaching for the paper from a crowd of people.
We would like to the white paper to "pop" to the audience so it should have a glow around it.
While we would prefer an image as we described, we are willing to accept other attention getting images that portray the white paper marketing process.
A sketch of our concept of the cover is attached.
Credit will be given inside the book for the cover artist and you will receive 10 free copies of the book when it is printed.
This work is exclusively for hire and we plan to use the image in our promotional materials.


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This dress was £15 from Primark, possibly the most expensive thing I've ever purchased from there, but I really like it. I actually cut it so its more of a tunic than a dress, it seemed a bit too ~*prommy*~ so making it into a long top to me made it look a little more appropriate for daywear! Its got a lacey top and quite a full tulle skirt, Its a tad 80's Madonna I reckon with all the grungy jewels and stuff but I loved it. I wore it with my ever trusty super opaque American Apparel leggings! I cant sing their praises enough of their leggings, I know they are pricey but they really last and are super opaque! I like my tights sheer and my leggings totally opaque! Missguided sent me the polish which I absolutely love, Its such a different colour to all the blues and turquoises I already own! I dont think its on the website yet though!
Me and my loltastic friend Gareth went for lunch at this all you can eat chinese place and it was lush! I won the eating contest and snaffled a whole load of imperial mints into my bag. Nothing better than free mints after stuffing your face!


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Item # CC400DS
Price: $80.00 $59.99 (Save 25%)
We're sorry, this item has been discontinued.
Great for sharpening all your knives
The EdgeCrafter 8" x 2" Diamond Sharpening Stone uses 100% diamond abrasives to sharpen your knives. The advantage of using diamonds to sharpen is that they work quickly and require no messy oil or lubricating liquids. The diamonds are permanently secured to a steel support plate that stays flat for precision sharpening. The stone comes in an attractive hardwood box with rubber feet to keep it securely in place during sharpening. The stone features 400 grit diamond abrasives.
Engineered and assembled in the U.S.
EdgeCraft/Chef's Choice Item No. 4002801
SharpeningSupplies.com | 8376 Murphy Dr Middleton WI 53562 | 800-351-8234
Copyright © 2006-2020 Wingra Direct LLC. All Rights Reserved.


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Alfaro Family Vineyards & WineryAlfaro Family Vineyards & WineryTasting Room Open Sat 12-5pm, Sun 12-5pm (July & Aug)
Welcome to Alfaro Family Vineyards & Winery
Come taste the difference – our Estate grown and bottled Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah and unique Gruner Veltliner reflect the unique terrior of Corralitos, at the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation.
420 Hames Road Corralitos CA 95076
Armitage WinesArmitage WinesOpen Wed-Thu 3-7pm, Fri 3-8pm, Sat 12-8pm, Sun 12-6pm
"My philosophy is to mesh the energy of the separate components of wine in a symbiotic relationship that expresses the character of the wine in its purest form." -Brandon Armitage, Winemaker
Armitage Wines, a sustainable, family-run, boutique winery with six beautiful acres of Pinot noir vines stretching across the historic Heart O' the Mountain estate vineyard, once the home of legendary screenwriter and director Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma. Come taste award-winning Pinot noir at our beautiful Tasting Room in Aptos, open 5 days a week!
Brandon believes that if we quiet ourselves enough we can feel the plants vibrational energy speak to us. This level of connection is what he believes separates one winemaker from the next allowing for great variation in ones development of wine. He uses sacred geometry to pull this vibrational energy from the universe into the wine even during all phases of transformation. You can taste the difference!
For a more intimate look into our winemaking process, reserve your Private Tasting (Saturdays only) at the vineyard here: https://www.armitagewines.com/blogs/events/armitage-heart-o-the-mountain-tasting-at-winery
Aptos Tasting Room 105 Post Office Dr. Aptos CA 95003
Bargetto WineryBargetto WineryTasting Room Open Daily from 12-5pm
BARGETTO WINERY is dedicated to enriching the quality of life through the enjoyment of wine as it complements meals, contributes to well-being and celebrates life.
BARGETTO WINERY is a third generation family owned and operated winery that was established in 1933 on the banks of Soquel Creek in the Santa Cruz Mountains. We specialize in producing award winning, cool-climate varietals like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Grigio which are carefully nurtured at our Regan estate vineyard as well as other varietals from other Santa Cruz Mountains vineyards. We also offer a large selection of wines such as Petite Sirah and Zinfandel from other regions of California. In addition to offering red and white wine varietals, BARGETTO WINERY is also home to the CHAUCER'S CELLARS brand which offers a variety of award winning fruit wines and honey meads. We have two tasting room locations to choose from. One is located at the winery in Soquel and the second tasting room is situated in the heart of Cannery Row in Monterey. Both tasting rooms offer friendly service and are open 7 days a week. We have a variety of special events throughout the year at both tasting rooms so be sure to check out our event calendar. In addition to hosting events for the general public, BARGETTO WINERY is a great place for weddings and private events. We have a dedicated private events department that will make sure your special event is fabulous!
We welcome you to visit our historic Soquel winery and tasting room in this distinctive region of mountain vineyards and coastal breezes.
Soquel Tasting Room 12pm-5pm | Winery Tour 2pm
*Please contact the tasting room directly to reserve a tasting for any Group of 8 or more.
For more information, please email email@example.com
3535 N. Main Street Soquel CA 95073
Big Basin VineyardsBig Basin Vineyards
Our approach to winegrowing is rooted in the earth and refined by hand. Great wines are grown, not made so we farm organically, harvest by hand, ferment with native yeast, avoid filtering and fining and use minimal sulfur. Ocean breezes, rocky soils, mountainous terrain establish the Santa Cruz and Gabilan Mountains as exceptional winegrowing terroir. Each vineyard we work with has a unique personality that inspires us to let them speak for themselves. Our steep windswept hillsides first planted over 100 years ago are now planted to Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache, and Roussanne. Founder and winemaker Bradley Brown has evolved the style at Big Basin to produce wines with more energy, intensity and dimension that speak clearly of their mountain origins.
"Bradley Brown's Big Basin Vineyards is certainly one of the top estates in the Santa Cruz Mountains." – Jeb Dunnuck, International Wine Critic
"Proprietor Bradley Brown crafts some of the most compelling, small-production artisan wines in California's Central Coast… Big Basin is one of the most dynamic up and coming wineries in the state." – Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Two Locations – Our Estate Winery and Vineyard in Boulder Creek
And our Tasting Room in Downtown Saratoga
14598 Big Basin Way
Saratoga, CA 95070
(408) 564-7346
Friday and Saturday, 12-7pm
Thursday, Sunday and Monday, 12-5pm
No reservation is required for less than 8 people.
Now offering prepackaged meat, cheese and crackers for purchase at the Saratoga tasting room. Outside food is also welcome.
The tasting fee is $18 per flight. Wine Club members receive 2 complimentary flights.
Groups of 9+ people require a Private Tasting appointment.
Big Basin Estate Vineyard & Tasting Room:
830 Memory Lane
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
(831) 621-8028
Open Year-round: Saturday and Sunday, 12-5pm
NEW April through October: Fireside Fridays from 5:30-9:30pm!
No reservation is required for less than 8 people.
The tasting fee is $18 per flight. Wine Club members receive 2 complimentary flights.
Groups of 9+ people require a Private Tasting appointment.
*NEW* The Connoisseur Experience: Vine to Wine Tour and Tasting
Reservations can now be made on OpenTable.
Big Basin Vineyards Estate Vineyard & Winery OPEN Year-round: Sat & Sun, 12-5pm. NEW from April to October: Fireside Fridays from 5:30-9:30pm! Boulder Creek CA 95006 United States
Saratoga Tasting Room OPEN: Thu, Sun, Mon 12-5pm; Fri & Sat 12-7pm Saratoga CA 95070 United States
Black Ridge VineyardsBlack Ridge VineyardsTasting Room Open Every Thursday, 12-5pm and every 3rd weekend of the month (both Sat. & Sun) including Passport Days
Black Ridge Vineyards is a boutique, family vineyard producing wines exclusively with 100% estate grown grapes. Our focus is always on making great wines, and on the fun of sharing them!
Our tasting room and vineyards provide the relaxation of wine country, but are just 3 miles from downtown Los Gatos. Our wine club members are friends, and our wine release parties feel like a joyful reunion. Every decision– from the varietals we choose to plant, barrel selection, what is bottled, to what is ultimately sold– is thoughtfully made centering what will make best possible wines.
Our property is ideally located with great soil, steep slopes for drainage, and is just close enough to the ocean to get the morning fog while still capturing the afternoon sun. Our winemaker, Bill Brosseau, is known to say that the most important thing to make a great wine is starting with great fruit. All of these components combine to produce great grapes, is a big part what distinguishes Black Ridge Vineyards wines.
We look forward to visiting with you soon, and hope you enjoy BRV wines as much as we enjoy getting them into your glass!
*Well behaved dogs on a leash are welcome. Feel free to bring a lunch, we have tables and picnic blankets you're welcome to use to lounge on the lawn.
Concert series the last Thursday of every month May through September Los Gatos CA 95033
Bottle Jack WineryBottle Jack Winery
Bottle Jack focuses on producing limited releases of award winning, premium wines from local vineyards including Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sangiovese and unique red wine blends. Our small, family-run team has its hands in every step of the winemaking process from grape to bottle.
Winery Tasting Room Information:
Our winery is located 3 miles from Downtown Santa Cruz and features beautiful bay, and mountain views. We're open the 3rd Saturday of each month, 12:00-4:00 and private tastings with the winemaker are easily available by making an appointment. Call or email us to schedule an appointment or to join our mailing list. Reservations Required for Groups of 8 or More. Buses, Limousines, & Large Party Vehicles Cannot be Accommodated Due to Limited Parking & Driveway Access.
Westside Tasting Room Information:
Open Fri 3-7pm, Sat & Sun 12-5pm
Winery Tasting Room Open every 3rd Sat & Sun of the month, 12-4pm. Santa Cruz 95060
Tasting Room Open Fri 3-7pm, Sat & Sun 12-5pm Santa Cruz CA 95060
Burrell School Vineyards & WineryBurrell School Vineyards & WineryTasting Room open Fri-Sun 11am-5pm
Burrell School's origins date back to 1854 when Lyman J. Burrell settled the rough wilderness that is now home to our winery and Estate vines. Carrying on the more than 130 year old tradition at the School, David and Anne Moulton began development of the Estate vineyard in 1973. At a 1,600 foot elevation, the site faces to the southwest. Soils are a complex mixture of loam and shale due to our close proximity to the San Andreas Fault.
Nearby Monterey Bay brings warm days and cool nights. This results in a unique microclimate, perfect for long, slow ripening of cool climate grapes.
Initial plantings were to Chardonnay and Merlot, with Pinot Noir added in 2002. Cultivation and spraying are done with heritage Cletrac tractors; pruning, seasonal operations and picking are all done by hand.
From growing to harvesting, the goal is toward the best wine grapes possible in order to produce distinctive, concentrated wines reflective of their mountain home.
24060 Summit Road Los Gatos CA 95033
Cinnabar WineryCinnabar WineryTasting Room open Sun. & Tues.-Th. 12-6pm, Friday and Saturday, 12-7pm; closed Monday
Sunday through Thursday, Noon–6 pm
Last tasting at 5:45 pm
Friday and Saturday, Noon–7 pm
Last Tasting 6:45 pm
Closed Monday except for certain holidays. Please check calendar for dates:
Sunday, 2-4 pm April through October
Established in 1981, Cinnabar is a small, family-owned winery with roots in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from diverse California vineyards, our handcrafted wines express a unique sense of place and reflect a commitment to excellence you can taste.
Winemaker George Troquato combines flavorful grapes with traditional winemaking methods to compose the Medallion Series and Watermark Portfolio of wines. Vineyards are selected after a thorough screening of soils, climate and cultural practices as well as a formal tasting of their library wines. The fruit is hand harvested in the morning cool and swiftly moved to nearby cellars where it is gently handled with state-of-the-art equipment. Carefully fermented in stainless steel tanks or small oak barrels, the wines are imprinted with distinct off-the-vine aromas and flavors.
14612 Big Basin Way Saratoga CA 95070
Clos LaChance VineyardsClos LaChance VineyardsTasting Room open daily from 11am-4:30pm; 21 & over only
In 1987, co-owners Bill and Brenda Murphy decided to plant a few rows of Chardonnay in their Saratoga backyard, both for landscaping purposes and to realize their dreams of being small-scale vintners. A few years later, the wines produced from this small backyard vineyard were good enough to sell to the public. It was at this point that Clos LaChance formed into a commercial winery. The first released wines were from the 1992 vintage. The next 15 years would take the Murphy's from 200 cases of wine produced to 80,000; 3/4 of an acre to 150 acres planted and 20 full-time and 25 seasonal employees.
Clos LaChance Winery takes its name from the small fenced-in area encompassing a vineyard (Clos) and from co-owner Brenda Murphy's maiden name (LaChance). The Murphy's chose the Hummingbird as the winery's symbol for both its aesthetic beauty and its ability to keep other birds away from the grapes.
Together with their daughters, Bill and Brenda have created a multi-generational, family-owned and operated winery. It is their dream that the third generation will eventually take over the business.
The winery is located in San Martin, CA, within the Central Coast American Viticultural Area. Tucked into the beautiful Hayes Valley, Clos LaChance is a true wine country experience located only 30 minutes from the Silicon Valley. Click here for more information about visiting Clos LaChance Winery.
Being a good steward of land and resources are key components in Clos LaChance's winemaking practice. The family is especially vested in the sustainability of the winery and vineyard with the homes of creating a legacy for their children and grandchildren. Clos LaChance Winery and Estate Vineyard is proud to be Certified Sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.
1 Hummingbird Ln San Martin CA 95046
Cooper-Garrod Estate VineyardsCooper-Garrod Estate VineyardsTasting Room open weekdays 12-5pm, weekends 11am-5pm
"A Destination Worth Knowing" only 25 minutes from San Jose or Palo Alto or 50 minutes from San Francisco, Cooper-Garrod is an historic family owned and operated estate winery. Located on hillsides above Saratoga, the vines capitalize on the sunny days, moderate nights, and long growing season of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Tasting Room open weekdays from 12-5pm, weekends from 11-5pm. "Come Taste Wine Where The Grapes Are Grown!"
22645 Garrod Road Saratoga CA 95070
Domenico WineryDomenico WineryTasting Room Open Wed-Sat 12-8pm & Sun 12-6pm
Dominick and Gloria Chirichillo's choice of name for their winery is a reflection of their commitment to their Italian heritage and the tradition of family winemaking. In 1955 in New York, Dominick who is called Domenico in Italian was introduced to these traditions by his Nonno (grandfather), Domenico Giovinazzo. In the basement of their home was a wine press that Nonno showed Dominick; passing down from one generation to another the love of handcrafting wine.
Domenico Winery's recipe for success in the wine business is simple – take the finest grapes of California, add Dominick's passion, blend with family tradition, and you get wine that exudes complexity, finesse, and agreeability. We invite you to come by the winery to taste for yourself.
Our Tasting Room has an old world elegance and charm that you notice the moment you step through the doors. The aroma of wine aging in French oak barrels will make you feel as if you have been swept away to an Italian winemaking villa. We'll walk you through the tasting experience of 5 of our wines for $10 (waived with the purchase of 1 bottle). For groups of 6 or more, we ask that you make a reservation by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com.
Saturday: 11 am – 4 pm
Sunday: 11 am – 4 pm
Third Sunday of the Month: Live Music 1 – 4 pm
Tasting Room Open for Passport Days 10am-3pm.
We are available for private tastings Monday – Friday by appointment only (for groups of 10 or more). Please check our calendar here before planning a visit to see what's going on that day.
1697 Industrial Road San Carlos CA 94070
Dorcich Family VineyardsDorcich Family VineyardsOpen: Friday – Sunday, 11am – 4:30pm
Located in the beautiful Uvas Valley, Dorcich Family Vineyards is family owned, grown, and operated. As farmers and landowners, we love the land and are ever mindful of giving back to the land what the grapes take out each year. Environmental stewardship comes naturally because it makes sense for our business, our family, and our community. Our story begins in 1897 , when our great grandfather sailed from Croatia with plans to do what he knew best, work hard as a farmer and create roots for his family in America. Three generations later, we carry on his passion for farming and commitment to family by working together to create wines he would be proud and pleased to drink. Today, you'll find our father and brother Nicholas, working side-by-side to farm the land and manage the vineyards. The rest of the family is involved in business operations and we work together to support our father's commitment to sustainable, environmentally conscious farming and wine growing.
Dorcich Family Vineyards is family friendly. Supervised children are allowed in the outside patio area. Our tasting room and cellar is for adults 21 and older.
*Dogs welcome on outside patio & garden area, must be on leash & accompanied by owner at all times.
11775 Watsonville Rd. Gilroy CA 95020
El Vaquero WineryEl Vaquero WineryOpen the 1st and 3rd weekend (both Sat & Sun) of each month, 12-5:30 PM
El Vaquero is a small, family operated winery in Corralitos, California; homw of our organically farmed estate Pinot Noir Vineyard. We believe great wine is made in the vineyard, using a minimal intervention style of winemaking to express the unique characteristics of each vintage.
2901 Freedom Blvd. (across from 5 Mile House) Corralitos CA 95076
EquinoxEquinoxOpen Daily, 12-6pm
Our tasting room is located at 427 Swift Street, click here for directions. Please call ahead (831.423.3000) if you want to schedule a group tasting or event.
334-C Ingalls Street Santa Cruz CA 95060
Fernwood CellarsFernwood CellarsOpen Weekends, 12-5pm
Check our Events page for other times and occasions when we are open or running a special event.
OPEN EVERY Weekend of the Month. — Noon – 5pm (last pour at 4:30 pm) Saturday / Sunday
Tasting Fees are $15 per person (waived with the purchase of two bottles of wine).
7137 Redwood Retreat Rd. Gilroy CA 95020
House Family VineyardsHouse Family VineyardsTasting Room Open Thu 11-5, Fri 11-8, Sat & Sun 11-5.
Tasting Room Open:
Thursdays 11-5, Fridays 11-8
Sat & Sun 11-5
Parking is limited, so consider carpooling, or using a service like Uber or Lyft. Turnaround is difficult, and stretch limos and busses are not allowed without prior arrangement.
For groups of 8 or more, please call ahead to inquire about reserving our farm table and lounge areas. Reservations are required for groups of over 20 people.
13336 Old Oak Way Saratoga CA 95070
Integrity WinesIntegrity WinesTasting Room open Sat & Sun 12-5pm
Tasting Room Open Saturday & Sunday 12-5PM, Including Passport Days
Integrity Wines is one of the newest wineries to the Santa Cruz area and is founded on a key principle that everyone contributes to the wine, whether it's tasting wines with us, working the crush, working in the cellar, or enjoying the wine with friends – everyone matters.
We are a local winery, with wines made by native Santa Cruzans with an extensive history of award winning amateur winemaking who've now gone commercial.
We make wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains, local counties and other areas that produce a great expression of that particular varietal. Handcrafted wines include Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon – and some surprises.
Every customer, club member, person joining us for a tasting is important to us and is why we are here. We look forward to seeing you and having you be part of a dream come true!
135 Aviation Way Suite 16 Watsonville CA 95076
Kissed by an Angel WinesKissed by an Angel WinesOpen Fri 3-8pm, Sat 2-7pm, Sun 1-6pm & Passport Days 12-7pm
We are family owned and operated, specializing in handcrafted aged red wines. Our wine making practices result in soft, smooth drinkable wines. Our wine making efforts are dedicated to the memory of our beloved daughter, Amanda.
Our family's wine making began back in Bedonia, Italy which is a small mountain town overlooking the city of Rapallo on the Italian Riviera in Northern Italy in the 1800's. Larry began his wine making at the age of six years old in his Grandfather Futanato's cellar in San Francisco for the families private enjoyment. Today, although Larry is third generation he is the first generation to take the wine making technique to the market commercially. Our wines are nurtured and meticulously cared for from harvest through the bottling process. We use all natural methods.
75 Mount Hermon Road, Suite E Scotts Valley California 95066 United States
Left Bend WineryLeft Bend WineryTasting Room Open Thu–Sat 12-7pm; Sun 12-5pm
346 N Santa Cruz Ave Los Gatos CA 95030
Lester Estate WinesLester Estate WinesOpen the 1st & 2nd Saturday/Sunday of every month, 12-4:30pm
Drop In Days at Lester Estate Wines
Get to know Deer Park Ranch and Lester Estate Wines on the first and second Saturday/Sunday of every month from 12-4:30PM. No appointment necessary.
Private Tastings at Lester Estate Wines
2000 Pleasant Valley Road Aptos CA 95003
Lexington Wine Co.Lexington Wine Co.Open Thu 3-7pm, Fri 4-8pm, Sat, 12-8pm, & Sun 12-5pm & Passport Days
Lexington Wine Co brings wines born of high-elevation mountain vineyards in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountain AVA. It is our goal to offer wines that are singularly distinctive and representative of the remote and beautiful land that we farm.
Gist Ranch vineyard, home to Lexington wines, is located on the Pacific Plate in Santa Cruz County at an elevation of 2,400ft. The Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon vines were planted by the Fogarty family in 2000, and were carefully farmed to establish optimal organic, sustainable farming practices for ten years before our first release in 2011.
The wines are grown and made to be expressive, traditional, energetic and unapologetically not "conventionally Californian", with vibrant fruit, energy, complexity and depth.
Passport Offering is 1/2 price tasting to passport holders. Their regular flight of 5 wines is $22, passport holders will be offered a 5 wine flight for $11.
Lexington Wine Co. Tasting Room 14598 Big Basin Way Suite A Saratoga CA 95070
Martin Ranch WineryMartin Ranch WineryOpen every 1st and 3rd Friday, Saturday, Sunday of the month from 12-4pm
We treat every step in the wine-making process like an art form. You can feel it in the warm, welcoming environment where everyone is treated like family and you will taste it in every bottle of our Martin Ranch wines.
"Every year we produce award winning wines, and are blessed to share with you the rewards of our Tradition-Passion-Excellence."
Open every first & third weekend of the month Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, from 12:00 to 4:00 pm.
6675 Redwood Retreat Rd. Gilroy CA 95020
Mindego Ridge VineyardMindego Ridge Vineyard
Mindego Ridge is a small 10-acre hillside vineyard lovingly farmed and cared for by husband & wife owners David & Stacey Gollnick. Our passion is farming and our mission is to produce 100% estate grown, single vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that authentically express the marine-influenced mountain vineyard site that is our home. Wines are crafted in small lots with minimal intervention by cool-climate virtuoso, Ehren Jordan.
Passport Offering is 1/2 price tasting to passport holders. Their regular flight of 5 wines is $22, passport holders will be offered a 5 wine flight for $11.
Please call in advance to make reservations for groups of six or more.
Hours: Thur 3-7pm, Fri 4-8pm, Sat 12-8pm, Sun 12-5pm & Passport Days 14598 Big Basin Way, Ste. A Saratoga Ca 95070
Nicholson VineyardsNicholson VineyardsTasting Room Open Saturdays 12-5pm & Summer Fridays 3-8pm
Our boutique Santa Cruz Mountains winery is located at the end of Pleasant Valley in Aptos in the Corralitos foothills. The winery grounds are planted with four acres of estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, as well as 4 acres of Tuscan varietal olive trees. In addition to our wonderful extra virgin olive oil, we produce over 1000 cases of wine annually, which include limited releases of our estate wines, as well as additional production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah Grenache, Sangiovese and Zinfandel from Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties.
The winery is open for tasting Saturdays from Noon to 5 pm, except for special event days (please call 831-724-7071 to confirm). We are also open on Sundays during the summer. We hope you have the opportunity to visit, and join us in savoring a glass of wine. Relax and enjoy the vineyard and valley views while you share a picnic lunch with friends under the Oaks.
2800 Pleasant Valley Road Aptos CA 95003
Regale Winery and VineyardsRegale Winery and VineyardsTasting Room open Sat 11am-4pm, Sun 11am-5pm
Regale crafts a terroir-driven collection of elegant wines offered for taste and purchase at our winery and through our membership.
The romantic wine lover's mantra echoes our core winemaking values at Regale; the finest wines borne in the vineyard and crafted by passionate hands and questioning minds achieve greatness primarily in relation to food and community. Every year we produce small lots of handcrafted wines from our estate-grown Pinot Noir vineyard and other remarkable vineyards located in California's finest winegrowing appellations. Our wines typically show extraordinary finesse, provocative personality, balanced acidity and, remarkably, alcohol levels similar to our European counterparts.
With our primary enological focus on Pinot Noir and Cabernet, we also feature limited-production Italian varietals such as Sangiovese and Barbera as well as our popular Chardonnay. For a full list of current releases, please contact the winery.
24040 Summit Road Los Gatos CA 95030
Rexford WineryRexford WineryTasting Room open Sat & Sun 1-5pm
Unique wines crafted in Santa Cruz, California.
Rexford Winery handcrafts wines in small lots using grapes from select local vineyards. The focus is on single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Merlot, and other premium varieties. The wines accurately reflect the varietal characteristics of the grapes and the unique microclimates and soils of the vineyards from which they come.
Our style is strongly influenced by European wines that pair well with food.
Joe Miller, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and Astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz, is the winemaker at Rexford. He has taught university courses on enology and wine appreciation for more than 30 years and began making wine in the 1970s. Joe works with his son Sam Miller, the Rexford associate winemaker. Based on over 35 years of hands-on winemaking combined, Joe and Sam depend on sensory evaluation to guide them in crafting Rexford wines.
Open hours for tasting and sales: Saturday and Sunday, 1-5 pm.
429 Ingalls St. Santa Cruz CA 95060
Ridge VineyardsRidge VineyardsTasting Room open weekends from 11-4pm
At Ridge we begin with respect for the natural process that transforms fresh grapes into wine, and for the 19th century model of guiding that process with minimal intervention. When you have great vineyards that produce high-quality grapes of distinct, individual character, this approach is not only environmentally and socially responsible, it's also the best way to consistently make fine wine.
17100 Monte Bello Road Cupertino CA 95014
Santa Cruz Mountain VineyardSanta Cruz Mountain VineyardTasting Room Open Monday-Friday, 12-5pm & Saturday-Sunday, 12-5:30pm.
Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard has been making European-style, food-friendly, cellar-worthy wines since 1975. We are well-known for making Pinot Noir that can age beautifully for three decades.
Our basic philosophy is that wine should dance with food and make the food/wine experience more than a sum of the ingredients. This means making wines with moderate alcohol and oak so that the true characteristics of the grape varieties are expressed. You won't find any high-alcohol, jammy, oaky wines here.
In 2008 we launched a second brand, Quinta Cruz, which features only varieties that originated on the Iberian Peninsula but are now grown here in California. These Portuguese and Spanish varieties include Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Souzao, Graciano, and Tinto Cão.
After more-or-less hiding away in the mountains for 32 years, the winery moved into the city of Santa Cruz in 2008 and opened the first tasting room in our long history. We are located in an area where you can walk to many other tasting rooms nearby and are only a few blocks from the beach and Natural Bridges State Park.
334-A Ingalls St. Santa Cruz CA 95060
Sante Arcangeli Family WinesSante Arcangeli Family Wines
Sante Arcangeli Family Wines are carefully handcrafted Burgundian varietals from Corralitos and Bonny Doon that have been gently nurtured from rare mountain-grown fruit to a new life as elegant and expressive California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Winery at 238 Carpenteria Road in Aromas is open for select invitation-only events – please check our website or Facebook page for updates: http://www.facebook.com/santewinery . Tasting room in Pescadero is open weekends.
We are the exclusive producer of Pinot Noir from Split Rail Vineyard in Corralitos, an extremely unique dry-farmed mountain vineyard with a very interesting lineage and some rare heritage Pinot Noir clones. We also produce Pinot Noir from Lester Family Vineyard and Hicks Vineyard in Corralitos, along with the coveted Mardikian Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast. To learn more, visit http://www.santewinery.com/vineyards.
For a fun video about the winery, with striking aerial footage of the vineyards, see https://www.santewinery.com/about-the-family/.
Pescadero Tasting Room Open: Fri, Sat & Sun, 12-5pm 216-A Stage Road Pescadero 94060
Aptos Tasting Room Now Open Thu – Sun, 12-6pm Aptos CA 95003
Silver Mountain VineyardsSilver Mountain Vineyards
Welcome to Silver Mountain, land of breathtaking views and award-winning premier wines. Our winery and vineyards are set high in the mountains, overlooking the beautiful Monterey Bay.
Silver Mountain Vineyards' fine wines are distinguished by the following traits:
- Handcrafted, using the best of old world traditions and new world science.
- Organically grown in harmony with mother nature.
- Produced in small lots of premium wine that capture delicate nuances of flavor.
- Made with a passion for quality, complexity, purity and richness of flavor – this is the heart of Silver Mountain.
Winery Open Saturdays, 12-5pm Los Gatos CA 95033 Open Sat 12-5pm
WestsideTasting Room Open Fri 3-7pm, Sat & Sun 12-5pm Santa Cruz CA 95060
Silvertip VineyardsSilvertip VineyardsOpen on Passport Celebration Days, 12–5pm
Founded on the principle that great wine can only come from a great source, Silvertip Vineyards was begun with the intent of producing wines that express the uniqueness of the soil and climate of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
In 1967 Gerald Nelson purchased 162 acres of Santa Cruz Mountain land, and soon after planted the land with Christmas trees. For 30 years, the property was known as Nelson's Christmas Tree Farm and the family grew a variety of Christmas trees, the most prized trees among them were the slow growing Silvertip Firs.
In 1999 the Nelson family decided to exchange Christmas trees for grape vines and 9 acres of Pinot Noir and Syrah were planted. Over the years since establishing the vineyard, the high quality fruit that the estate produces has been sold to numerous wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains. In 2008 the family decided to venture out on their own and create a brand that could highlight the exceptional character of the fruit produced from the estate.
Silvertip Vineyards began with the intent to produce nothing less than some of the finest Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah that California can produce. With a dedication to the unique terroir of the vineyard, the mission is to create wines that will not only prove worthy of ageing, but will also inspire, delight, and bring joy to the senses.
16644 Upper Zayante Road Los Gatos CA 95033
Storrs WineryStorrs Winery
Welcome to Storrs Winery. For those of you joining us for the first time, we are a small winery dedicated to the excellence that can be grown in the Santa Cruz Mountains and created from this special appellation's fruit.
And to you long time devotees, we thank you for your continuing support. We think you will find this site informative and that it will enhance your appreciation of our unique wines.
At Storrs, with each new day, we strive to make the best, ever better. This thinking extends not only to each and every barrel, but to those choices along life's path that move us daily from the expected to the exceptional.
Tasting Room Open: 7 days a week, 12-5pm Santa Cruz CA 95060
Pleasant Valley Winery & Tasting Room Open: Weekends, 12-5pm Aptos CA 95003
The Mountain WineryThe Mountain WineryTasting Room Open Thu-Sun 12-5pm
Welcome to The Mountain Winery in Saratoga, California. We are dedicated to preserving the Mountain Winery's history and restoring the property to its magnificent glory for the enjoyment of all. We are very proud to continue the tradition started by Paul Masson, and our committed team takes personal pride in creating innovative and memorable experiences for our guests.
14831 Pierce Road Saratoga CA 95070
Thomas Fogarty Winery & VineyardsThomas Fogarty Winery & VineyardsOpen: Mon-Fri 12-5pm, Sat-Sun 11am-5pm
Thomas Fogarty Wine Estate:
Beginning in 1978, Dr. Thomas Fogarty and Winemaker Michael Martella planted vines and built a small estate winery in the rugged Santa Cruz Mountains, 2,000 feet above sea level. The coastal climate, high elevation and thin rocky soils are unique and define the authentic site-expressive wines. Today a new generation continues the founders' spirited pursuit. Tom Fogarty Jr. runs Thomas Fogarty Wine Estate. Winemaker Nathan Kandler produces distinctive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from 25 acres of estate vineyards, 8 unique sites, in the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation.
19501 Skyline Blvd. Woodside CA 94062
Vidovich VineyardsVidovich VineyardsOpen Weekends, 12-5pm
Here at Vidovich Vineyards we make one varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon. Our grapes are grown in our estate vineyard located at the very top of the Monte Bello mountain ridge at 2,450 feet above sea level. The vines, planted primarily on the north-eastern facing slope of the beautiful mountain, benefit from cool marine influenced evening temperatures and long daytime exposure to sunlight above the fog line. From an exceptional vineyard site comes fine age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon with the distinct complex flavors of the Monte Bello wine region.
OPEN every Sunday 11:00-5:00 and on Passport Days. *Starting May 12th the Tasting Room will be Open on Saturdays as well*
Reservations are recommended for parties of 8 or more. Drop -ins are welcome all day.
18101 Montebello Road Cupertino CA 96014
Villa del Monte WineryVilla del Monte WineryOpen one weekend per month and on Passport Celebration Days from 12-5pm. Check website for details.
Villa del Monte Winery is an award-winning, family-owned boutique winery in Los Gatos, CA. We are open for wine tasting, and we pour at wine tasting events throughout the local area. Located in the picturesque Santa Cruz Mountains, we specialize in Chardonnay, Cabernet, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot, Syrah, Syrah Rosé, and Zinfandel. We believe in producing extraordinary single-varietal, single-vineyard wines that reflect the terroir of the vineyards. Our small lots of wine allow us to meticulously control quality, nurturing our fine Villa del Monte wines to perfection at every step in the process.
Open for wine tasting one weekend per month. Check web site for details: http://villadelmontewinery.com/tastings/
23076 Summit Road Los Gatos CA 95033


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Xavier Badosa
Excellent article, Jeremy: everything you write is always so clear.
Nevertheless, I think Antoine has a point (accessibility). CSS and JS are different technologies with different support and availability and it's not always a good solution to use one of them to solve the problems of the other.
Somehow, the formula should include, not only the portion of your audience using IE6, but also the portion using JS.


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Browsing Working Papers (ECON) by Author "Davies, Ronald B."
Now showing items 1-1 of 1
Ionascu, Delia; Kristjánsdóttir, Helga; Davies, Ronald B. (København, 2007)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: This paper applies the panel fixed effects with vector decomposition estimator to three FDI datasets to estimate the impact of time-invariant variables on FDI while including fixed effects. We find that the omission of fixed effects significantly biases several of these variables, especially those proxying for trade costs and culture. After including fixed effects, we find that many time-invariant variables indicate the importance of vertical FDI. We also find that by eliminating these biases, the differences across datasets largely disappear. Thus, controversies in the literature that are driven by differences in data sets may be resolved by using this estimation technique. JEL Classification: F14, F23 Key Words: Foreign Direct Investment, Trade Costs, Culture URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7610
Files in this item: 1wp2-2007.pdf (355.7Kb)
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"Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
Hermann Goering
Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.
John F. Kennedy
"Of course people don't want war. Why should a poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best thing he can get out of it is
to come back to his farm in one piece?"
Hermann Goering
Hermann Goering
"War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people. Only a small
inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses
Major General Smedley Butler, USMC.
"In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a higher moral ground. A time when we have to shed our fear and give hope to each other."
From Wangari Maathai's Nobel Lecture, delivered in Oslo, 10 December 2004.
A Research Project for Peacemakers
There have been many excellent studies showing how companies induce people to buy products or services that they could easily get along without. Vance Packard started with his 1957 classic, The Hidden Persuaders. More recently, Martin Lindstrom's Brandwashed: Tricks Companies Use to Manipulate Our Minds and Persuade Us to Buy show that the companies are far more sophisticated than they were in 1957.
The surprise is that there has been zero detailed research showing how the military industrial complex pulls the big con in history: telling us that war is glorious and necessary.
Progressives must recognize the awesome sales job made by government propaganda that war is necessary and glorious, like a football game. The war sport is like mountain climbing or deep sea diving, far more dangerous than everyday life. As in a football game, we root for our side to win because a defeat would bring catastrophic consequences. In World War Two, a victory by the Axis Powers would have brought slavery for all and extermination for many.
As a teenager (born in 1944), I saw war as a great adventure. Of course, a fellow could get killed. In the comic books, movies and documentaries, I did not see burn victims nor injured soldiers who lost limbs. Dead soldiers looked like they were asleep.
The best war propaganda ever made was the 1952 NBC series Victory at Sea. The editors reviewed 11,000 miles of film, prepared a stirring musical score and narrative making 26 episodes lasting about 26 minutes each. Television reviewers wondered who would want to watch war documentaries on a Sunday afternoon. By the second week, they got their answer: just about everybody.
On YouTube see the finale for the episode, Beneath the Southern Cross, which described the successful efforts by the American and Brazilian navies to protect convoys in the South Atlantic. This is the ending narrative:
And the convoys come through,
Bearing the wealth of the Southern Hemisphere,
Refusing to pay one cent for tribute but willing to spend millions for defense,
The American republics have swept from the ocean highways of the South Atlantic their common foe.
Spread wide across the sea
Guarded by the might of nations that can fight side by side because they have learned to live side by side.
The ships stream toward their goal Allied victory.
Progressives must offer a peace vision through songs, poems, short stories, movies and plays. Offer contests with some prize money and much recognition. My favorite peace vision comes from the 1967 hit, Crystal Blue Persuasion by Tommy James and the Shondells:
Peacemakers must offer specifics. Otherwise, war criminals like George W. Bush and Barack Obama will talk about peace until the cows come home. Here are some specifics:
1) reduce the bloated US military budget by 90%,
2) tax international arms sales,
3) begin a moratorium on weapons research,
4) start a world-wide anti-poverty program,
5) train our troops for disaster relief,
6) establishing a cabinet level Department of Peace,
7) reduce nuclear weapons to zero, and,
8) negotiate to take all the world's nuclear weapons off hair trigger alert.
Note that each proposal can become a bumper sticker. I invite progressives to copy the excellent communication skills demonstrated our right-winger friends, who have done well with simple slogans. People can instantly understand what right-wingers want.
Make no mistake. Humans must end war or war will end us and all life on our planet. This is not just an idea from hippies and Quakers. See this plea from General Douglas MacArthur when he spoke to the US Congress on April 19, 1951:
"I know war as few other men now living know it, and nothing to me is more revolting. I have long advocated its complete abolition, as its very destructiveness on both friend and foe has rendered it useless as a means of settling international disputes...
"Military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn failed, leaving the only path to be by way of the crucible of war. The utter destructiveness of war now blocks out this alternative. We have had our last chance. If we will not devise some greater and more equitable system, our Armageddon will be at our door. The problem basically is theological and involves a spiritual recrudescence, an improvement of human character that will synchronize with our almost matchless advances in science, art, literature, and all material and cultural developments of the past two thousand years. It must be of the spirit if we are to save the flesh."
Environmentalists may be the first major group to accept war abolition although, up to now, they have been indifferent to military spending. I hope they wake up for two reasons: 1) a nuclear war will end our civilization in an afternoon and 2) the resources devoted to the military means crumbs off the table for everything else. We all want cleaner energy and to reverse global warming but all these efforts achieve little as long as the military goes full speed ahead.
Since Lloyd George remarked at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 that making peace was more complicated than making war, seeing this charade will not be easy. However, it must be done. With courage and vision, humans can follow Isaiah by turning swords into plowshares saving ourselves and all life on our planet.
Useful research material:
Kurlansky, Mark (with a forward by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Nonviolence: Twenty-Five Lessons from the History of a Dangerous Idea.
Regan, Geoffrey. Picking the Past: Reclaiming the Past from Politicians. The Spanish language title is better: Guerras, Politicos y Mentiras: Como nos enganan manipulando el pasado y el presente (Wars, Politicians and Lies: How They Deceive by Manipulating the Past and the Present).
Ed O'Rourke is a retired certified public accountant living in Medellin, Colombia.


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GCH CH Tamarin Top Banana
They had nearly 2000 dogs show up in Puyallup WA at today's Sammamish Kennel Club show. The seven who made it to Marsha Hill Brown's final were the Weimaraner, GCH cH Silhouette's LifeInTheFastLane, the Harrier, GCH CH Downhome Hi-Tech Innovator, the Kuvasz, GCH CH Szumeria's Wildwood Silver Six Pence, the Kerry blue Terrier, GCH CH Perrirsblu Kennislain's Chelsey, the Affenpinscher, GCH CH Tamarin Top Banana, the Standard Poodle, GCH CH Brighton Lakeridge Encore, and the Old English Sheepdog, GCH CH Lambluv Gambolon Blue Thunder.
Best In Show was the Affenpinscher, Topper. Topper's 2011 resume includes BISS at the Affenpinscher Club of America's National Specialty, 58 Toy Groups, and Ten all breed BIS. Congratulations to breeders Tamarin Kennels, Tracy Kahlo, & Suzy Stremel, owner Myrna Kahlo, and handler Jorge Olivera.


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AMES - The local excitement for Iowa State appears to be peaking, even if national expectations are modest at best.
The Cyclones could see much of that hometown buzz dissipate with a poor showing against Northern Iowa.
Iowa State will open its fifth season under fan favorite Paul Rhoads on Saturday at a sold-out Jack Trice Stadium. The matchup against the FCS Panthers is expected to be the first of four consecutive packed houses for the Cyclones - even though they're picked to finish ninth in the Big 12 yet again.
Rhoads knows the rest of the country won't start buying into his program the way the folks in Ames have until they crack the three-win plateau in conference play.
"That starts and probably ends with more victories in the league. I think we're recognized by most as a team that plays smart, a team that probably overachieves. But you've got to go beyond overachieving. You've got to start increasing your level of play, your talent base and so forth and win more games than you're losing in league play," Rhoads said. "When that happens, I think the vision of our program will change from a nation standpoint."
The Cyclones and their fans also know better than to overlook Northern Iowa. The Panthers beat Iowa State in 2007 and nearly did it again in 2011.
With that in mind, here are five things to watch out for as the Cyclones and Panthers renew acquaintances:
SAM THE MAN: Iowa State's Sam Richardson will get his third career start - and his first after a full offseason working as the No. 1 quarterback. Richardson threw eight TDs against just one interception in 2012 and also ran for nearly six yards a carry. The coaching staff and his teammates are high on Richardson's potential after a promising end to 2012. "The biggest area of improvement is in his leadership," Rhoads said.
TOP SAWYER: The Panthers have a highly-touted sophomore quarterback of their own in Sawyer Kollmorgen. He threw for 222.7 yards a game last season and was a rare bright spot for a program that stumbled to a rare sub.-500 record. Kollmorgen was the freshman of the year in the Missouri Valley Conference and is expected to be one of the top players in all of FCS in 2013. "He deserves all the preseason accolades he's received," Rhoads said of Kollmorgen. "Really showed great leadership skills as a young player in 2012."
RB SHUFFLE: The Cyclones had five running backs listed on their first depth chart of the regular season, and each of them could log carries against Northern Iowa. Seniors James White and Shontrelle Johnson will likely split most of the playing time, but Iowa State will also want to see junior college transfer Aaron Wimberly in game action for the first time.
PANTHER RESURGENCE? Northern Iowa took a major step back in 2012, finishing 5-6. But the Panthers have finished in the Top 25 of the FCS 10 times in the past 12 seasons and have won at least 10 games six times since 2001. Led by Kollmorgen and 12 other returning starters, Northern Iowa will look to return to the playoffs for the 17th time. "It's a new season and a new day," Northern Iowa coach Mark Farley said.
NEW D FOR ISU: This will mark the first time in years that Iowa State won't have star linebackers Jake Knott and A.J. Klein keying their defense. The Cyclones will have six new starters, with Jeremiah George taking over as the leader of the unit and 6-foot-7 end David Irving moving over to tackle. Iowa State is experienced in the secondary, but the defensive backs could be limited if a rebuilt line and linebacker corps struggle. "I think this team, from August 31 to the end of the season, will probably grow more than any other team we've had. How far? We'll find out," Rhoads said.


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Earth from Space: Typhoon Melor
This Envisat image captures Typhoon Melor spinning in the Pacific Ocean northeast of the Philippines on 6 October before slamming into the main Japanese island of Honshu on Thursday.
As the typhoon approached Honshu, it was generating winds of 198 km/h, but weakened after making landfall. The strong winds associated with Melor have toppled trees and power lines, leaving some 10 000 homes without electricity.
By early Thursday, the storm was moving northwest at 30 km/h, carrying a maximum sustained wind speed reaching 111 km/h, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Melor is the first typhoon to make landfall in Japan since Typhoon Fitow hit in 2007. Last year was the first time in eight years that a typhoon did not hit the island.
Typhoons and hurricanes are different names for the same kind of storm – a tropical cyclone. If a storm begins in the Atlantic Ocean or the Eastern Pacific Ocean it is called a hurricane, and if it begins in the Western Pacific it is called a typhoon. Typhoons usually pack stronger winds than hurricanes.
Tropical cyclones are large powerful storms that rotate around a central area of extreme low pressure. They arise in warm tropical waters that transfer their heat to the air. The warmed air rises rapidly, in the process creating low pressure at the water surface. Winds begin rushing inwards and upwards around this low-pressure zone.
Knowing their strength and path is critical for issuing timely warnings. Earth observation satellites are the best means of providing data on the forces that power the storm.
Instruments aboard ESA's Envisat allow it to observe various features of tropical cyclones, including cloud structure, wind and wave fields, sea-surface cloud structure, sea-surface temperature and sea-surface height.
Envisat's Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) optical instrument acquired this image working in Full Resolution mode to provide a spatial resolution of 300 m.


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Welcome to the Cookie Factory
The Cookie Factory was formed in 2006 but, don't let the name fool you.
Chris and Joe Alberino have been in the business since as far back as they can remember. They bring over 40 years of combined experience to the table. and to your table.
With their roots going back to their grandfather, as being known in the city of "Troy" for his bread! Joseph Alberino, Sr. was a well-known baker in Troy for years opening and growing a large bakery in Troy, NY back in the late 60's known as Alberino & Sons along with his two sons, Joseph Jr. (our father) and Carl Alberino (our uncle).» read more on this story
On the Cookie Factory Menu
Generations of Quality Baking, Retail and Wholesale.
The Cookie Factory was formed in 2006 but, don't let the name fool you.
Home | Menu | Specials | Wedding Cakes | Corporate Gifts | Mailing List | About Us | Contact Us | Locations
© 2011 The Cookie Factory, LLC All rights reserved ph: (518) 268-1060 Fax: (518) 268-1063 520 Congress Street Troy, NY 12180
Hours of Operation: Tuesday - Sunday, closed on Monday, Retail store and fresh baking daily etc.
Website Design and Development by Shufelt Group