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Land For Sale
Views over Conservation Land to the Sakonnet River
Striking views of the Sakonnet Passage and coastline from a 100+-foot elevation provides a unique setting for construction of your dream home. The 4.0+/- acre building site with approved 5-bedroom septic system plan is located down a private country lane overlooking conservation land and capturing magnificent sunset views over farmland out to the sea.
~SOLD~Offered at $995,000
Rural Meadow with Sea Views
This lovely stone-walled meadow slopes gently towards the sea. Views over open meadows out to the Atlantic Ocean. Ideally located in a seaside neighborhood within walking distance to the ocean.
Deeded Access to Sandy Beach on Sakonnet River
This 3.35+-acre lot is located along a private right-of-way off West Main Road in Little Compton, Rhode Island. Deeded access to an expansive sandy beach of the Sakonnet River makes this a very special offering. Protective covenants enhance the lovely rural setting. The property is close to all town amenities at the Commons and only a few miles from ocean beaches.
Beautiful Views over Richmond Pond out to the Atlantic Ocean
Westport Harbor: Build your year-round or summer retreat. This 1.5+-acre site is located in the heart of Acoaxet at the corner of Butterfly Lane and Brayton Point Road. There is an approved four-bedroom septic system and an onsite artesian well on the property. From the site there are beautiful water views over pastoral land, a coastal pond, and out to the Atlantic Ocean. Protective covenants help maintain the rural integrity of the site. This is a unique opportunity in a highly desirable neighborhood. Beautiful piece of land – build your dream home!
SOLDOffered at $495,000
Building Site on Private Drive with Deeded River Access
The 2+/- acres site has an approved five-bedroom septic plan and a well in place. The building site is an open meadow with a slight slope to the west. There are lovely views of conservation land and the Sakonnet River. Beautiful sunsets can be enjoyed from the property. There is deeded access to the Sakonnet River. Close to the center of town at the Commons.


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Faculty Publications
Marjorie Hart
Summer at Tiffany
Former chair of USD's Department of Fine Arts Marjorie Hart's memoir, Summer at Tiffany, has just been released in paperback. Reviews of the book, which documents Hart's summer job in 1945 at the iconic jewelry store, have been stellar. "Remarkably, this winsome memoir was written 60 years after that giddy summer spent pinching pennies and dreaming of diamonds," says Booklist. "The 82-year-old author's memories have been polished smooth over the course of six decades," enthused Kirkus Reviews.
Marjorie Hart is professor emerita of music at the University of San Diego. She received her BM from University of Iowa and her MA from San Diego State College.

subset: commoncrawl


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Wright State University joins the ADS CFD Academic Program
Danville, Calif. - February 21st, 2018
ADS CFD Inc announces the addition of Wright State University to its Academic Program. "Our goal at Wright State has always been to equip our students with the knowledge and tools they will need in industry," stated Professor Mitch Wolff, of the Mechanical and Materials Engineering department, "We are excited to join the ADS CFD Academic Program and employ ADS CFD's turbomachinery software for compressor and turbine research."
Dr. Ron Ho Ni, Founder and CTO of ADS CFD responded, "The goal of ADS Academic Program is to provide universities easy access to industrial strength software for teaching and research without putting heavy limitations on them. Today we are excited to partner with Professor Wolff and Wright State University."
About ADS CFD
ADS is a provider of design and analysis software for the turbomachinery industry. Our software suite is built around the aerospace-class CFD solver, Code LEO, an HPC enabled solver capable of handling your most challenging analyses. Organizations trust ADS in the design of their radial and axial compressors and turbines when high fidelity and fast turnaround time are required. ADS is turbomachinery CFD you can count on. http://www.adscfd.com


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Technology trainer David Casuto explains basic Windows conventions, and explores how to best resize and manage windows, change the way your mouse behaves, and customize the desktop, including the taskbar and Start menu. Need help finding files and applications? Learn how to search more effectively using the File Explorer and Cortana, Microsoft's digital assistant. If you have visual or audio impairments, Window's accessibility features are a great tool. Learn how to use the Ease of Access options (like the Magnifier and closed captioning) to make Windows more user friendly. Last but not least, David shows how to save time with some helpful keyboard shortcuts. Windows is a powerful platform; with these tips, you'll find it even easier to use.
- Personalizing your desktop
- Managing windows
- Changing mouse properties
- Searching for files, folders, and apps
- Using the File Explorer
- Using accessibility features
- Using keyboard shortcuts
Skill Level Beginner
- [David] Hi, I'm David Casuto, an experienced tech-trainer who loves technology, and loves to teach it. I'm very excited about all the new features in Windows 10, and I think you will be, too, after learning all the neat tips and tricks this course has to offer. Windows 10 offers a great deal of features and functions for all users to enjoy. One of the great things about Windows 10 is the ability to customize and personalize your computer settings, visual elements, interface, and so much more. Although powerful and easy to use, they're not always easy to find.
That's where this course comes in. In this short course, we will cover a solid range of topics from file management tricks, using Windows Cortana, searching effectively, using shortcut keys, creating and sending screenshots, and making your computer more accessible for those with audio and visual challenges. By the end of this course, you will have a solid foundation of how to use and customize Windows 10 to make it easier to navigate, and create a more personalized experience for your computer needs.
So if you're ready, let's get started.


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PROJECT TEAM training: working with people
The ability to effectively manage projects has become an increasingly important skill. However, many project managers are not always able to successfully lead projects due to a lack of the necessary management skills. We foresee a 4-days training where we capture a balanced tool set of hard and soft skills to bring your project to successful completion.
Commonly referred to as "soft skills", interpersonal skills include leadership, communication, negotiation, expectations management, influencing, problem-solving and decision-making. "Hard skills", that is, the mainly technical aspects of the project manager's role, generally involve the creation of a tangible deliverable such as a work breakdown structure, project schedule, critical path diagram, project budgets, dashboards, and so forth.
The program of Milvus has been designed to provide a balanced training of these hard and soft skills. We will support you in "what" to do and "how" to do it from project initiation till completion. By means of several exercises you will learn how to apply the tools. Special attention will be given to team work: team organization, team engagement and team decision making.
Project leaders, team members, sponsors and all employees participating in projects.
In company training
Details on request


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I know that your thinking…"Oh boy! Another pumpkin recipe. This is the best week ever!" And you are right, 5 days of pumpkins is just plain good!
Pumpkin Bread
This recipe is always a hit. The recipe makes two 9×5 inch loaves of pumpkin bread. I usually put chocolate chips in one of the loaves, if you do decide to only put chocolate chips in one loaf I reccomend only using 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Just pour half the batter into one loaf pan and then mix the chips into the remaining portion before pouring it into the batter.
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup apple sauce
2 cups pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips(optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9×5 loaf pans. Stir together apple sauce, oil, eggs, pumpkin puree and water. Combine dry ingredients in a seperate bowl. Blend dry ingredients and wet ingredients together. If using chocolate chips add them now. Divide batter between the two loaf pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. After removing from the oven let stand 10 minutes. Remove from baking pans and let cool.


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TOKYO -- Japan's financial watchdog is stepping up its oversight of cryptocurrency businesses following inspections that revealed their inadequate internal controls, shifting its focus from nurturing financial technology to consumer protection.
The Financial Services Agency on Thursday ordered two cryptocurrency exchange operators, BitStation and FSHO, to suspend operations through April 7. A senior executive at the former was found to have misappropriated customer cryptocurrencies, while the latter failed to appropriately monitor large transactions.
Neither exchange was formally registered with the authorities, as both predate enforcement of the law requiring registration and so are allowed to continue operating while they apply for official recognition. Another five operators, including two registered exchanges, were ordered to improve their operations.
Since February, the FSA has conducted on-site inspections at all 16 of Japan's unregistered exchange operators and some of its 16 registered exchanges. While these inspections are in progress, the probe so far has shown that systems meant to protect customer assets and data, as well as measures to prevent crimes such as money laundering, are utterly inadequate in most cases.
More reprimands are likely as raids on the exchanges continue. Three unregistered exchanges, including BitStation, have retracted their applications for registration and are expected to shut down.
Japan became the first country requiring exchange operators to register with regulators when a revised fund settlement law took effect last April. The registration process is a good deal less rigorous than the permitting process that upstart banks and insurers must go through, letting new players enter the industry fairly easily.
Yet while the FSA was trying to nurture cryptocurrencies into a means of payment, the market saw them as prime targets for speculation. Traders seeking a quick profit sprang into action, flooding Japan's exchange operators with more funds than they were equipped to handle.
In principle, exchange operators are expected to possess the knowledge and corporate ethics of both the technology and financial sectors. But in practice, many put profit first amid the cryptocurrency boom, neglecting to put in place the business infrastructure required of a robust financial company.
The FSA said Thursday that it would establish a research group to study how cryptocurrency businesses should be regulated. Likely questions include whether to impose a limit on how long unregistered exchanges may operate or to limit leverage used when trading cryptocurrencies on the margin. The group will also consider regulation of so-called initial coin offerings.
"We're going to crack down for a bit to rein the industry in," a senior FSA official said.
Ultimately, regulators aim to craft regulations that match the reality of the cryptocurrency sector. Rather than encouraging expansion, the FSA's new priority is to ensure that customers can trade in cryptocurrencies without worrying about the systems they are using.
Japan is not alone in this. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday warned that many companies engaging in cryptocurrency trading are not registered as exchanges as required. "Many online trading platforms appear to investors as SEC-registered and regulated marketplaces when they are not," the regulator wrote.
Joachim Wuermeling, an executive board member of Germany's central bank, called in January for global regulation of cryptocurrencies, arguing that the borderless nature of digital society makes unilateral solutions difficult. Finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 major economies plan to take up cryptocurrency regulation when they meet this month in Argentina. Japan is willing to offer its own successes and challenges, the FSA has said.


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Is our world of broader e-choices narrowing our view?
If you're of a certain age -- older than 7, maybe? -- you remember how home entertainment used to be: How our only options were to walk into libraries and video stores and skim the shelves; how we flipped through channels on the TV and radio until something sounded good.
Now physical browsing is giving way to electronic self-selection: Think Netflix, TiVo, e-books and RSS feeds.
We have access to a huge new variety of entertainment and news, but we're pre-targeting our personal choices with ever-narrowing precision. Is this good?
Well, we're a society in flux, said Andrew Nachison, director of the Media Center, a Virginia-based think tank that studies the interaction of media, technology and society. He thinks it's neither good nor bad -- and that we're not the U.S. of TiVo just yet.
Nachison says behavior is changing, especially among those who love to be on the leading edge of technology, "but it would be going too far to say the world as we know it has crumbled."
To help you sort through these new worlds, some of us at the Post-Intelligencer tracked our explorations with e-browsing and entertainment-on-demand. We developed opinions about what we like and what we don't, and we ran into some interesting questions about availability, convenience -- and don't forget copyright.
One thing we learned for sure: If you've been ignoring this, you can't do it much longer. As technology evolves, entertainment-on-demand grows faster and becomes more accessible to the average user.
"There's really no technical distinction anymore between music, movies, audiobooks and books, because they are all simply digital files," said Jed Moffitt, head of Information Technology Services for the King County Library System.
Inside are six of our random experiments:
TiVo DVR and service
TiVo is three things: Hardware, software and a brand name for both.
The hardware part is the TiVo box, more generally known as a digital video recorder or DVR. Several manufacturers now make DVRs, some in conjunction with TiVo, some not.
All DVRs contain a hard drive that allows users to store 35 to 400 hours of movies, sports or Homer Simpson. (Storage = memory = gigabytes, where 1 GB = 1 hour of programming.)
More storage costs more money; the bigger the hard drive, the bigger the bucks. Entry-level DVRs with 35 to 40 hours of storage cost about $100 -- or less with rebates. DVRs give viewers the ability to pause, rewind, fast forward and replay live TV or recorded programs.
The software part of TiVo is TiVo service: a 14-day program guide with fantastic, easy-to-use features. The guide automatically downloads and updates itself over a regular phone line -- yep, you need one -- so you always know exactly what's on, when and where.
The cost of TiVo service varies. If you subscribe directly through TiVo (www.tivo.com), it costs $12.95 monthly for the first box and $6.95 for each additional box, or $299 for a subscription that lasts the lifetime of a single TiVo/DVR unit.
DirecTV with DVR subscribers can sign up for TiVo service for $4.99 a month -- one monthly fee covers every DirecTV TiVo receiver in the house; that fee is waived if you're signed up for premium satellite package.
As far as the brand-name part goes, think of it this way: TiVo is to DVR as Kleenex is to tissue. Now add this spin: TiVo service is to DVR program guide services as Microsoft Windows XP Home is to operating system. Got it? OK! Let's move on.
WHAT WE LIKE: I kid you not when I say that owning DVR with TiVo service has changed the way we watch TV in our house. I would now rather give up TV entirely than live without TiVo. Here are the features I love best:
Wish lists -- The ability to search and capture programs and movies according to our personal specifications. Our wish lists range from simple keywords, such as "tsunami" and "football," to more refined combinations, such as "actor + Peter Sarsgaard + movies" or "Georgetown + sports + basketball." TiVo makes it all very easy.
Season passes -- I no longer have to worry about missing seeing The Donald fire someone. Why? By following TiVo's very simple, highly intuitive on-screen directions, I set up a Season Pass for "The Apprentice": Every time a new episode airs, TiVo records it for me.
Instant digital replay -- We love the replay in our house. A sexy look, a snarky laugh, a weird snort, an odd walk, a throw-away line: If we like it enough or it piques our curiosity, we'll replay it over and over and over.
WHAT WE DON'T: The worst thing about TiVo is it begets the desire for more TiVo. More TiVo units -- one for each TV in the house. More memory -- 120 GB and up, please! More TiVo add-ons.
In particular, I covet a combination DVR and DVD recorder, so I can easily, seamlessly burn favorite movies or a whole season of "Arrested Development" onto DVD.
Unfortunately, I get my TiVo service through DirecTV, and DirecTV does not offer DVR-DVD recorder combination units or DVRs with the more advanced TiVo Series 2 features. For more information, visit www.tivo.com or www.directv.com.
Hear Music kiosks at selected Starbucks stores
Seattle is one of two communities (the other is Austin, Texas) where Starbucks is testing kiosks that allow you to listen to selected music titles and burn your own CDs. It's sort of like having access to a friend's great music collection and getting to make your own copy of the album you like, or your own mix tape (although your friends probably won't charge you $8.99 per CD)
WHAT WE LIKE: The kiosks (there are 15 locations in Seattle) have comfortable seating and headphones. In some ways this service expanded our musical tastes and browsing abilities rather than limiting them. The system is set up with enough interesting links and recommendations that we had fun surfing around to hear selections from new artists whom we had read about but not yet heard.
It was easy to select the songs we wanted to purchase (even people who still struggle with e-mail could figure this one out) and we could even select a special Valentine's Day-themed label.
WHAT WE DON'T: This service is fairly new, yet already reeks of obsolescence, reminding us of the clunky e-book "readers" that you used to have to purchase to read an e-book on the road. We bet a hot Chantico that the Hear Music kiosks will disappear, morphing into a service in which you can log onto the same excellent archives from your own PDA or from home, and download the music to your own device. Heck, wait! Isn't that called iTunes?
RSS feeds
Using what's called "real simple syndication," we can devote a single Web page (or get e-mail notifications) with links and headline-like descriptions of all new postings on the Web sites and blogs we ask it to track. We can ask to be "fed" items as specific as the latest "Dilbert" comic, or get only book reviews from The New York Times site, while ignoring all else.
We tried a free Web-based service from newsgator.com, which also will e-mail chosen "feeds" straight to a Microsoft Outlook inbox for a one-time, $29 fee.
WHAT WE LIKE: We saved a lot of time that we might otherwise have spent clicking through our favorite newspapers, magazines and blogs, checking out whether anything was new. The feeds would be especially helpful for sites that aren't updated regularly and therefore drop off our radar.
There was a zaniness to getting our chosen news in such a mishmash -- information on product recalls followed by conservative rants followed by liberal rants followed by blurbs on new technology.
We downright loved getting the day's chosen comic strips delivered right to our desk every morning, like our own personally designed comics page.
WHAT WE DON'T: We aren't sure it's good for us to be able to define so exactly what we're interested in seeing: When we subscribe only to The New York Times' book reviews, for instance, we're missing a lot of news that we otherwise can't avoid seeing -- and perhaps becoming edified by -- when we visit nytimes.com with the intention of checking out only the books.
Also not all sites are RSS-friendly, (although a newsgator spokesman said the number is growing rapidly), so we still had to remember to click around to some favored Web sites, such as comics and culture maven Scott McCloud's "Morning Improv."
If RSS feeds become all-inclusive, they'll be more attractive.
Netflix online DVD rentals
We keep an online queue at www.netflix.com of the movies we're most interested in seeing. For $17.99/month, we're entitled to get three videos at a time, which are mailed to us with postage-paid envelopes for returning them. Each time we return a title, Netflix picks another from the top of our queue (assuming there's no waiting list for our chosen title, which there usually isn't), and mails it to us. There are no late fees; we can keep the videos forever if we want, so long as we keep paying our monthly membership fee.
WHAT WE LIKE: We always have three movies on hand we want to see, as opposed to what's left on the chain-store shelves on Saturday night. And we can wait as long as we like before watching them without racking up huge late fees.
We're impressed with Netflix's speedy service -- we've mailed back videos on Monday and received our new titles on Wednesday -- and the company does a good job of using e-mail to alert us to which titles it has received and which it's about to send.
The Netflix catalog doesn't have the depth of Scarecrow Video, but who does? It does have 30,000 titles, and we haven't had problems finding most mainstream to semi-obscure selections (our favorite: A 1965 documentary on singer Leonard Cohen).
WHAT WE DON'T: As with the radio, it's tough to justify yet another substantial regular monthly bill for entertainment. We admit, though, that we probably already averaged $17.99/month on late fees in our pre-Netflix lives.
We don't miss the spontaneity of going to the video store as much as we thought we would; it turns out we usually can predict accurately which three movies we might be in the mood for a few days from now. But we do miss the social nature of it, where the family would decide together what sounded good, rather than individually rating choices on a computerized list.
We also miss the personal recommendations of our video-store clerk friends. Computerized recommendations based on our past ratings have always struck us as cold and not particularly on-target. A neat new "Netflix Friends" feature, though, allows you to see how your friends have rated movies. It's useful and restores some sense of community.
Going to the library used to mean walking in, glancing through every shelf of new releases, seeing what titles the librarians had spotlighted, browsing racks of favorite fiction and non-fiction -- is that an Edgar Award blurb I see on that paperback on the mystery rack? -- and sometimes even asking librarians for recommendations.
These days?
When we hear about a book that sounds interesting, we log on to our King County Library System or Seattle Public Library account, and make a reservation. King County even e-mails us when it receives new titles in categories we've indicated we like.
When we walk in the front door, it's to march straight to the reserved shelves, pick up the stack of books already set aside in our name, and slide them through the self-serve checkout counter before leaving. The most time we spend in the building these days is when we use a public computer for a quick e-mail check.
Both systems offer a growing number of downloadable e-books, and King County recently became the first in the country to offer downloadable audiobooks -- so a trip to the library isn't even necessary to get the material.
Just for context, Moffitt, of the King County Library System, notes that while online reserves are growing rapidly, nearly three-quarters of the system's circulation still comes from "walk in and browse" people. "You can see the trend, but then ask yourself to project how long it is going to take that trend to make a significant outcome," he said.
WHAT WE LIKE: The 24-hour access of online reservations, and how the system allows us to queue up for books before they're even published, were impressive. For the most part, we read weekly book review sections, log on to reserve the books that sound good, then can forget about them until they appear on the reserves shelf with our name in them.
As for e-books and audiobooks, the selection is improving (although still not as wide as we would like), and downloading e-books to our home computer is much simpler than the pricey "e-book reader" that used to be required. Once you go through the cumbersome process of installing the free software, it's spellbindingly convenient to download an audiobook at home (and then burn a home CD), rather than drive to the library to check it out, but with one important caveat: You need high-speed Internet access.
We could have read the first section (out of 24) of our chosen Jean Auel opus aloud in the 45 minutes it took our dial-up system to download it. On DSL, it took a tenth as long.
WHAT WE DON'T: With online reservations, we do notice that we're less likely to be attracted by the blurbs on a book's cover, or a book we hadn't heard of but which looks interesting on the shelf. We miss the happenstance treasures like those we found on a recent rare foray to the stacks, where we were looking for Jack Bishop's "A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen" and walked out with Greg Atkinson's "The Northwest Essentials Cookbook" too after seeing it nearby.
The same reservations (no pun intended) hold for downloadable books and audiobooks: We find that the convenience is well worth the lack of serendipity, but we still miss it.
One thing that surprised us on the audiobooks: They're limited to a few virtual "copies," and several of our first choices were already checked out. Also, the downloaded copies self-destruct after 28 days, a virtual "due date." That's to prevent users from violating copyright law and sharing free books with a zillion friends. (If you've burned your own CD copy of the audiobook, the CD will survive.)
"If you were going to copy a book, the cost of copying it -- paper and toner and time -- probably would exceed the cost of the book. When you just have to go click and duplicate, then there's not the automatic constraint by cost and market forces," said copyright law expert Landau.
"The way to try to limit it is to say, 'You can make X number of copies, or use it on Y number of machines.' "
Also, the compressed files will expand as you burn them to CDs, said Steve Potash, head of OverDrive Media, the company that provides the library's downloadable audiobooks. That means it may take a dozen CDs to hear an entire book, which makes it less financially attractive to make the copies.
The selection of digital books is rapidly improving as publishers see their success and start signing up, Potash said via an e-mail to the library. Many need to negotiate new permissions with their authors and agents, he wrote, because downloading rights weren't an issue when the original contracts were signed.
Streaming radio and XM Satellite Radio
Want to hear a radio station from across the country? Or did you miss a cool report on KUOW's "Morning Edition"? Many stations now allow users to listen to live or archived broadcasts via computer, and some offer extra streaming-only programming. Then there's satellite radio, which offers commercial-free radio programming targeted at specific niches.
WHAT WE LIKE: After spending years blathering about how much we miss WFUV radio, out of Fordham University in the Bronx, we're giddy to realize its sharp programming and sterling taste in new artists can be ours again.
Since our computer was already loaded with Windows Media Player, it was simple to get started: we just clicked on a single button. (We could have used other players, such as iTunes or RealPlayer, too.) To our surprise, there were no annoying time delays in the broadcast, even via modem, and streaming the programs didn't noticeably interfere with our other work online.
Turning off our computer and moving to our car, we turned on XM Satellite Radio, where we appreciated the chance to hear favorites such as XM's Public Radio station, which broadcasts Bob Edwards, late of "Morning Edition," and "Mountain Stage" with host Larry Groce, which, sadly, was dropped from Seattle's public radio roster a few years ago.
We also liked having our niche interests catered to with XM's 150-plus stations (looking for an all-bluegrass station?). For local traffic and weather, we could listen to a Seattle-specific channel or switch to our regular local stations.
WHAT WE DON'T: For streaming radio, there's a practical problem and a philosophical one.
For the former, it's that copyright law blocks some of the programs from being available online. For instance, the law prohibits webcasting more than two songs played consecutively from a single album within a three-hour period, according to WFUV.com, so programs like a station's "CD of the Week" aren't available. Some shows also have been yanked from stations' online archives because of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the WFUV site said.
Michael Lindau, an expert on copyright law and director of the intellectual property program at Georgia State University, noted that changes in copyright law have accompanied just about every new technology in U.S. history. The conflicts usually shake out to an acceptable solution that allows sufficient public access to the creative works, without shortchanging the creators, he said.
The more ephemeral drawback for us is how online access dissolves geography. Should our everyday minds be focused on a cultural institution that's 3,000 miles away, or, for satellite radio, stations that are chiefly all-national broadcasts rather than community-specific?
For satellite radio, we're also resistant to the $9.95 monthly bill. We're still struggling to accept the concept of paying a fee for TV. Now radio too? Cable, cell phone, Internet access ... we could drown in the potential $10 to $50 fees added to our monthly budget. We'd -- almost -- rather suffer through the ads.


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The cold wind whistled down the street. A curious place to meet a stranger! The normally unflappable Adolph shivered a little; and the chill air was not, by any means, the only reason he was curiously set all-a-quiver, as he inched towards the decrepit tavern; a remnant of an Olde Worlde he was unwilling voyaging towards, with all his waxen-eared comrades.
He remembered an old vision of his; has it not been well said that old men shall have vision, and young men shall dream dreams?
Adolph and his friend Saul had spent long hours into the night discussing Adolph's supposedly 'idle and pretentious' fancy.
To Adolph's dismay, Saul had spent half the night guffawing and snorting at what Adolph had written in his 'Athenian Journal.'
If only I could be tied to the mast forever more, like Ulysses.
The spray, the wind, the gushing sea.
I should then be carried away forever, and no man should disturb me.
The cruellest cut of all was when Saul spat out his cheapy, shoddy Jack Daniel's all over Adolph's nice new 'Fidelio and Marzelline' manuscript. 'HORSESHIT!' Saul cackled and choked, almost beside himself with mirth.
Seeing the gentle Adolph burst into tears, Saul began crying too, and almost strangled Adolph in a conciliatory bear-hug.
The next day, Saul went away for the holidays. After he came back, something seemed to have changed. Most of the time, Adolph met Saul with a weak smile; Saul lowered his head, grunted, and muttered something under his breath; nothing particularly hostile, by any means! So far as Adolph could tell.
One late evening, Adolph could have sworn he had heard his clumsy, clunky, lonely Jewish classmate staggering past in the distance, howling half-joyously, half-mournfully, the words of the Prophet Zechariah. "The House of my friends… The House of my Friends…" Adolph whispered; reverently and fearfully, the words stabbed him to the very marrow.
For several days, he could think of nothing but these words. Generally sceptical of religion, but utterly in love with the beauty and power of Bach's St Matthew's Passion, Handel's Messiah, Haydn's Creation, and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis. Although, his favorite text of all was Charpentier's Te Deum. He used to dance to it in the privacy of his room, for he was sure that nobody could see him.
Adolph moved into the dimly-lit tavern.
He said down.
Someone moved out of the shadows; a 'strider' of menace, in his thousand-league boots?
The words of the ancient, hopeful, helpless-aching rabble-rouser Joel stormed the corners of his mental tapestry like a silver hammer!
The sinister prophet of 'American carnage' squeezed down next to Adolph on the couch.
His fusty breath made Adolph mildly nauseous.
"We know what you did on that mountain, with that Arab. $10 000 dollars, or the MSM are hearing about it tomorrow. That's the end. The Zioliberal establishment will win."
"I never used that word, 'Zioliberal,'" Adolph gently protested; not without a hint of urgency in his voice.
"No you didn't… Honest Adolph," the hooligan snarled. "Race-traitors gonna race-traitor, as you and your stupid coon-enablers are always saying. An Adolph who is a freakin' anti-white Marxist!"
Beginning to lose his temper, Adolph got up and prepared to leave.
The stranger pulled him down.
"We must secure a future for all white children. That means no more niggers. No more coons. No more Jew comedians, like that filthy kike Ziotrash you've been bending over for. No more spick rapists and ragheads. So give me $10 000 to help us, and to finally keep our… network… afloat. Or else it's all over. You are the only non-establishment boy out there from the two big treasonous, Ziotard cuck parties. So I've come to you. If you don't help us, there is no future."
Adolph jumped up, staring at the man in utter horror.
"Of course… If you're still too damn proud… We have friends who can fix up your and your friends. Remember how that fuckin' broke-ass cotton-choppin' nigger, Food Stamp Bunty…"
"Ubuntu Grace," Adolph corrected him, so furious at the truckload of unconscionable provocations he could barely breathe.
His hideous enemy continued:
"Remember what Food-Stamp Bunty said before she died? You won't even get a chance to woke out that kinda 'prophetic' jive talk. Show us the fuckin' money, Adi baby! Or it's all over for you. And we have ways and means of breaking the establishment; ones that don't involve talking to niggers, bribing Zioroaches, or dealing with faggots. Understand?"
Adolph paused for a moment, feeling utterly helpless.
"Kurgan coin? Safe, rare… more or less legal!" the hideous stranger cackled.
Adolph scowled. "Give me 24 hours to make a decision."
The stranger snarlingly consented.
Adolph strode out of the tavern, sweating from every pore.


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Home > About NRC > Fire Protection > Related Information > Circulars
Circulars Related to Fire Protection
Circulars transmit information to licensees or permit holders when (1) the information is of safety, safeguards, or environmental interest; (2) the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) wishes to disseminate the information within 30 days; and (3) no reply is necessary in order for the NRC to assess the significance of the matter. The following table lists (in chronological order) the circulars that the NRC has issued regarding topics related to fire protection for licensed facilities and materials. The complete collection of NRC circulars is available through the NRC Library.
This page includes links to files in non-HTML format. See Plugins, Viewers, and Other Tools for more information.
|Document #
|Document Title
|Fire Inside a Motor Control Center
|Installation Error that Could Prevent Closing of Fire Doors
|UL Fire Test
|Replacement of Diesel Fire Pump Starting Contactors
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 30, 2016


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A large transformation in changing the cinemas to digital and eventually 3D is currently taking place. The key driver for upgrading the screens to digital cinema has been eliminating the cost of film printing and distribution. The next revolution following the success of 3D deployment is expected to be the replacement of conventional lamp projector technology with high-efficiency, long lifetime and color rich laser projectors. Lasers are also being deployed in compact front projectors for business and home use supporting low energy consumption and longer, service-free operation.
Laser projectors composed of visible lasers are used also for flight simulators, planetariums, as well as in virtual reality applications and laser shows. Due to the special features of laser projectors it is possible to project images or data on any kind of projection surface. Typically, sharpness, color space and contrast are higher than that of other projection technologies. High-efficiency visible lasers are also becoming the technology of choice for many backlit display applications, including flat panel displays and TVs. In many cases the ultimate drivers are unbeatable brightness and lower power consumption than any other lighting solution. Modulight has designed and manufactured number of rack-mounted, light engines for leading projector manufacturers in North America.


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'Mamma… kahi ghumney chaley? Mujhe Ranthambore mai aur nehi rehna hai…', the little cub asked Mamma tigress. [Mom… let's go for a holiday. I'm getting bore at Ranthambore…']
'Kaha jana hai beta? Sariska? Thik hai raat ko nikaltey hai. Waise waha bahut kuch hai khaney ko… ekdum taza', Mamma tigress replied. [Where? Sariska? Ok… We will move out tonight and moreover there we will get some fresh prey.]
That might be the conversation going between a tiger family but in reality it is true where it seems that wildlife are sick and tired of their native habitat. They have started to move on their own to cast around their neighbouring areas.
According to a lion safari guard of Renuka Wildlife Sanctuary and villagers settled in periphery of the sanctuary, a tiger have been spotted in its vicinity on 16th May, 2014. Although the forest officials have installed camera traps in the safari's adjoining wildlife sanctuary to track the movement of the wild animals, but more such traps would soon come into process after the recent claw clamour. Further, as concluded by the Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife) Satish Gupta, a team of researchers are in action to identify any tiger pugmark and scat.
Earlier in 2005 and 2007, according to the Zoological Survey of India in Solan town, likewise elephants, the tiger occasionally moved from Rajaji National Park to adjoining Simbhalwara sanctuary. Evidences like scats and pugmarks were collected by the researchers.
Rajaji National Park, which spreads over 820 square kilometers and located in Uttarakhand near the foothills of the Himalaya and in proximity to Kalesar forest in Haryana, is a home to Asian elephants in large number and big cats like tigers and leopards in small number. It also safeguards several other animal species. On the other hand, Simbhalwara Sanctuary that lies in proximity to Renuka Wildlife Sanctuary, in Siramur district, Himachal Pradesh, is a home to Goral, Sambhar and Chittal, whereas, Renuka Wildlife Sanctuary, covering an area of 402 hectare, houses two lions and several leopards, which is quite a common sight. The Himachal Pradesh state wildlife wing earlier sent a detailed report to the central environment ministry proposing to include 4,400 hectares, including 1,990 hectares in Simbhalwara, under the tiger reserve.


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3 Key Ingredients for a Successful Self-Funded Startup
Photo Credit: heisenbergmedia
How did two family men develop a SaaS startup that powers the biggest sports and entertainment brands in North America without any investor funding? Darshan Kaler, CEO of Tradable Bits (a digital marketing platform), provides his insight.
Young entrepreneurs are obsessed with funding. Yes – sometimes it's necessary, it accelerates your growth and it often earns you lots of free press. But new founders often fail to realize that it can also distract from your core objectives, cripple your autonomy and ultimately cause you to crash even faster than you grew. Securing funding is a full-time job that too often distracts from your essential CEO duties.
I challenge you to seriously ask yourself if your startup idea requires funding to deliver.
If it doesn't – then wait. All you need to develop a successful self-funded startup are these three essential ingredients (spoiler alert: none of them involve investors).
Table of Contents
1. Dream Team that Delivers
Everyone has an idea; only a select few can actually execute. Making your idea a reality requires a dedicated, talented team. You won't succeed without one. As ego-boosting as it is, you can't be a one (wo)man show. Find a partner that complements you – if you're a big ideas optimist, find a critical, detail-oriented doer.
Once you've found your partner, you'll need supporting staff: design, marketing, and extra development as required. These people don't have to be experts in their fields – they need to be self-starters that genuinely believe in your company.
If you hire people with experience that only care about a pay check you (a) will bankrupt yourself trying to afford them in the first place and (b) will lose them as soon as a bigger offer comes along – both of which seriously cripple your growth. Learn more towards passionate recent graduates over industry superstars for your supporting staff.
2. Real (Free) Customers
These cannot be your family and friends. Your first customers must be objective companies with real business problems. This guarantees your product will actually solve industry challenges – and when it does, they'll be so grateful that they'll be personally invested in your startup success.
Pick a few key companies that suit your target audience, and give them an offer they can't refuse (likely everything you have, for free). I can't emphasize enough that in these early stages, you must under promise and over deliver. When looking for funding, entrepreneurs often do the opposite. Although this may work for VC's, it absolutely won't work with customers.
Give them your product and listen to every single piece of feedback you receive. You don't have to implement it all – but you must listen with great appreciation. When you both agree your product is acceptably complete, ask them honestly what they would pay for it. Pricing is hard in SaaS – it's not like a burger shop where there's a standard. Associate the price of your solution with the cost of the business challenge you solve.
3. Built-In Brand Awareness
We live in a connected world. Development in the 80's to early 2000's was all about the individual. Today, new technologies are about communities. Build your product to be shared, seen and sent to others – even if it's B2B. Positioning yourself ahead of this wave of connected businesses is the easiest and cheapest way to gain major traction.
One of the biggest struggles we had at Tradable Bits when we moved from freemium to the enterprise was we lost much of our "built-in brand awareness". When you give products away for free, you can justify putting your logo all over them. People stumble upon you much more easily when every product isn't customized and white labeled.
Now we must rely on our crucial mantra: under promise and over deliver. When you exceed customer expectations, even major brands are happy to sing your praises. In a saturated space like B2B SaaS, you have to work extra hard to gain credibility. Quotes from the VP's of happy clients are worth millions in paid search and social ads.
If you can secure these three must-haves without funding, you're set for a much more successful business long term. You maintain complete control of your direction, you have the time and power to develop a great product, and future investors will love you because your cap table is clean. You'll be in a much better position when finally negotiating investment because you own your entire company and can demonstrate proven success.
Contrary to popular belief – it takes a long time to become an overnight success (did you know Slack is actually over five years old?) Be patient, work hard and I promise organic growth will pay off… in 100% ownership of the company when you eventually exit.
Don't believe me? Chat with Markus Frind – the recently very rich owner of Plenty of Fish.
Now over to you, apart from investment what other must have's do you think is needed to have a successful self-funded startup? Add them in the comments below.
CEO of Tradable Bits. Loves to connect people and businesses.
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With a snap of the shutter and a couple clicks of the mouse, you can take stunning photos and share them with the world. Digital photography is one of the easiest art forms to master-if you only know how.
The Everything Digital Photography Book, 2nd Edition, has everything you need to take full advantage of this evolving art form. Learn how to:


text: We welcome you to Atco Baptist Church's website. Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and see what Atco is all about here on our site. If you are new to this area or have lived here awhile but haven't had a chance to stop by and visit, we would love for you to take that moment in doing so on either a Sunday or a Wednesday at one of our services; or just drop by the main office to pick up some helpful information during the week. You will find the worship schedule located under the About Us menu. In the meanwhile, please feel free to browse our site and see the many ministries and activities we have going on here at Atco.


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Legal 500 calls Waterfront 'first-rate'
Sep 29, 2015
In its latest legal firm rankings, the Legal 500 describes Waterfront as "a 'first-rate' specialist technology firm", with listings in both the IT and telecoms and intellectual property categories.
We are highlighted for being "an excellent niche firm", with partners Piers Strickland, Matthew Harris and Alison Berryman attracting personal mentions. Piers is noted for being a "first-class litigator", while Matthew is praised for his "extremely personable and engaging" manner.
The directory goes on to mention the wide-ranging work of our specialist IP lawyers on a broad range of matters, acting for clients such as Kenwood and Glasses Direct. It also notes our active role in advising software suppliers to the financial services industry on negotiations with clients.
The Legal 500 - which sets the benchmark for quality across the UK legal market – creates the annual rankings of the most cutting edge and leading legal firms after going through a rigorous process of research with clients and legal experts.
Joint Head of Intellectual Property and Dispute Resolution, Piers Strickland said, "It's reassuring to feature in the Legal 500 year-on-year. Although it's neither the sole, nor the most important measure of success, it does provide a respected, external validation of the quality of the firm, which we would be foolish to ignore."
We have a high number of specialist lawyers, including engineering lawyers, technology lawyers, advertising lawyers and more. Contact us today for assistance.


text: Moscow DJ/Producer/Promoter/Manager Nick 19gale aka Virus19xx took up playing music in his early childhood. By the time he finished music school, he got interested in electronic music. At that time Nick realized that his soul would belong to breakbeat. Certainly, Nightingale didn't limit himself by broken beats only. He listened lots of hard electro styles such as techno, psy, D'n'B, hardcore and some of rap/hip-hop. Virus19xx had became a leader of BREAKBEATZONE (Russian BreakBeat Community). His production was shown only for members of BBZ. Nick became a chief-promoter of BREAKBEATZONE project with creating BBZ Promo group. Nowadays it is the main Moscow breakbeat party-project. Also label BBZ was founded by 19gale. Virus19xx always seeks new stuff and tries to find out and create the most exciting and brain-exploding materials for mixing and production. The 1st official school teacher of EDM in Russia, BBZ Artist and the most savage tech-punk DJ.


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Description: SandyLion Stickers provide the perfect medium to express yourself. Customize, personalize, title, or label just about anything with these unique, colorful stickers. Disney Frozen Decoration Medley- 18 stickers include designs of snowflakes, crowns, an ice castle, a reindeer, a snowman, Elsa and Anna, a caption of "Love Thaws, Love Glows". Colors are Light Blue, Dark Blue, Brown, Grey, Purple, Dark Pink, Teal, Black and White.
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Arsenal 1-0 West Brom: Giroud header enough for Gunners
l, Olivier Giroud's 16th Premier League goal of the season sealed a 1-0 victory for Arsenal over West Brom at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
The Frenchman met Santi Cazorla's left-wing corner with a powerful downward header in the 14th minute, ensuring Arsene Wenger's men picked up their fourth league win in a row.
Everton's 3-2 reverse to Manchester City on Saturday meant Arsenal were already assured of a Champions League berth for a 17th successive campaign, with the FA Cup final against Hull City on May 17 now their main focus.
West Brom, meanwhile, went into the game knowing they had likely done enough to secure safety, with 18th-placed Norwich City facing two difficult fixtures, and there was little intensity on show in a low-key affair.
Lukas Podolski did strike the post for Arsenal in the second half, but one goal proved enough as West Brom struggled to carve out opportunities.
Arsenal went in front just before the quarter-hour mark thanks to Giroud's firm header.
After Cazorla had seen his shot deflected over the bar by Youssouf Mulumbu, the Spaniard curled the resulting corner in from the left and Giroud got the better of Craig Dawson to plant a well-directed header into the net from six yards.
Graham Dorrans stung the palms of Wojciech Szczesny with a rasping drive in the 32nd minute, while Saido Berahino blasted a shot narrowly over a minute later.
The hosts' response was immediate, Cazorla bringing a smart save out of Ben Foster after running onto Podolski's cut-back.
Mathieu Flamini, back in the side in place of the rested Aaron Ramsey, hit a tame effort straight at Foster from the edge of the box as Arsenal ended the first period in the ascendancy.
In a quiet second half, Dawson headed over the bar from a corner in the 72nd minute before dragging a speculative effort well wide of goal from 30 yards shortly afterwards.
Mesut Ozil, quiet for much of the match, stabbed narrowly wide of goal after getting on the end of Giroud's flick as Arsenal looked to put the game to bed.
Podolski's mis-hit shot then rebounded back off the post and into the arms of a grateful Foster, but it mattered little.
While Arsenal's title hopes faded some time ago, the club can at least take some consolation from reaching their highest Premier League points tally since the 2007-08 season.


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Your Amplify Austin Day Fundraiser Guide
Download the P2P Fundraising Playbook
You have a passion: It could be for animal welfare, fighting poverty, supporting the arts, or raising awareness about mental illness. We bet you also have a wonderful network of friends and colleagues in your life. Amplify Austin offers you a vehicle to connect your passion and your network by creating your own personal campaign to raise money for local nonprofits supporting your passion. As an individual fundraiser for your chosen nonprofit(s), you set the goal, you get the word out, and you become a champion for your cause.
Peer to Peer Fundraising is as Easy as...
Become A Champion
Show your favorite nonprofit you're rooting for them by raising funds on their behalf
Tell Your
Use your P2P Toolkit to customize your page with images, text, and video
Spread the
Share your fundraiser with your personal network to promote the organization
Fundraising Champion Basics
How do I become a Fundraising Champion?
What Link Do I Share?
How do I get the Word Out?
What am I Responsible for?
For Handy Reference
Have you left the site and need to get back to your donor account? Check out this support article with step by step instructions on how to log in to your donor account on GiveGab.
Fundraising Champion Communication Guides
Here are some goodies you can use to help get the word outSupport Article
- How do I log into my Peer to Peer Fundraiser Toolkit for Amplify Austin?
- How do I use the Fundraiser's Toolkit?
- How do I change the goal on my Fundraiser?
- How do I thank my donors?
- How do I join a peer-to-peer fundraising team?
- How do I edit my peer-to-peer fundraising team
- 6 Actions Successful Peer-to-Peer Fundraisers Take
- The ABCs of P2P Fundraising
- Four Primary Benefits of P2P Fundraising
- Click here to go to the downloads page


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This recipe has been featured in a post on The Recipe Girl blog: Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart
Pumpkin- Banana Mousse Tart
Prep Time: 45 min
Cook Time: 25 min
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 14 crackers)
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup half and half cream
One 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 extra-large egg yolks
1 package (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1 medium ripe banana, finely mashed
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1 cup (½ pint) cold heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
orange zest, optional
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare crust: Combine crust ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour into an 11-inch tart pan with a removeable bottom and press evenly into the sides and then the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes and then cool to room temperature.
3. Prepare filling: Set heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add half & half, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to bowl. Whisk until mixture becomes hot, about 5 minutes.
4. Whisk egg yolks in a separate bowl. Stir a spoonful of the hot pumpkin into the egg yolks to heat them. Then stir in another spoonful. Keep adding spoonfuls until the egg mixture becomes warmed. Scrape the pumpkin/egg mixture back into the heated bowl and stir well. Heat the mixture over the simmering water for another 4 to 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly. You don't want the eggs to scramble. Remove from heat.
5. Dissolve gelatin in 1/4 cup of cold water. Add the dissolved gelatin, banana and orange zest to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Set aside to cool.
6. Whip heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture and pour it into the cooled tart shell. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
7 For the topping: Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream decoratively on the tart and sprinkle, if desired, with orange zest. Serve chilled.
Source: RecipeGirl.com (Adapted slightly from Food Network)


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4212 Boomer Rd Green Twp OH
2.2 Acre lot on Private Street. In area of fine homes. All utilities. Sewer at street. Wooded lot with creek. Owner Agent.
Directions to 4212 Boomer Rd Green Twp OH 45247: I-74 to South on W. Bend to right on Boomer
More info about this property
Send me information
No spam. Ever.
Galbraith, Realty LLC
John W Galbraith
John W Galbraith
Office: 513-729-1555
Phone: 513-729-1555
Phone: 513-729-1555
The data relating to the real estate for sale on this web site comes in part from the Broker Reciprocity program of the MLS of Greater Cincinnati, Inc. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Comey & Shepherd Realtors are marked with the Broker Reciprocity logo or Broker Reciprocity house icon. The properties displayed may not be all the properties available through Broker Reciprocity.


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MALABO: CONGO have secured hard-fought victory over Central African rivals Gabon to gain some control over Group A at the ongoing Orange Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.
The sides contested the Group A match played at the Estadio de Bata on Wednesday evening. The first half was a cagey affair as the two teams struggled to coin any real chances.
It is the Gabonese who however finished the half the stronger of the two sides- first the dangerous Levy Madinda controlling well but seeing his well struck effort sail just across the face of goal with Christoffer Mafoumbi a mere spectator.
The Congolese keeper however was smarter to thwart opposingcaptain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from a free kick from outside the D-area.
Whatever coach Claude le Roy imparted to his players seemed to have worked as Congo, against the run of play, took the lead three minutes after the restart.
Captain Prince Oniangue led by example as he finished from close range after the Gabon defence failed to deal with a corner. The bustling Madinda nearly pulled one back for the probing Gabon in the 58th minute but his thunderbolt attempt sailed narrowly over the bar although Mafoumbi would claim he had it covered.
The striker wasted another opportunity in the 80th minute when he blazed over Mafoumbi's bar when it seemed easier to score. Gabon's dominance eventually came to nothing as Congo held on to a famous victory that catapulted them to the top of Group A on four points.
Gabon drop to second on three points. Earlier, hosts Equatorial Guinea (2 points) and struggling Burkina Faso played (1 point) to a goalless draw.
Teams Earlier, Congo XI: Koulossa,Ngounga, Moutou, Bissiki, Baudry, Oniangue, Ndinga, Gandze, Babele, Ferebory, Mafoumbi
Gabon XI: Ovono, Appindangoye, Manga, Obiang, Palun, Madinda, Poko, Evouna, Ndong, Bulot, Aubameyang


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Paul Steiger of ProPublica came to speak in Toronto this week. The astonishing success of his well-endowed investigative reporting unit is something that we were all eager to hear about. What is the secret to ProPublica's success? Can it be replicated and sustained? And what are the implications for journalism?
Steiger is a journalistic phenomenon: he was, for many years, the Managing Editor of the Wall Street Journal, and forced to take retirement when he turned 65. But his journalistic instincts were not ready to be retired. As he looked around for his next venture, he was approached by the Sandler family in California. They asked him to set up a stand-alone investigative reporting unit, which they believed was being neglected as media organizations continued to downsize.
The Sandlers are now bankrolling ProPublica at the rate of $10 million a year for three years. In that time, ProPublica will also have to find other sources of support, which Steiger says he is slowly building. The Sandler Foundation has a distinctly liberal bent in terms of which organizations it chooses to support. Steiger says that the family has behaved entirely correctly and has not attempted to influence ProPublica either politically in in its choice of investigations.
The results of ProPublica investigations are impressive. They range from how the TARP money is being spent, to healthcare reform, to malfeasance at the state government level. The results are put up on the ProPublica website, and also shared (given away, really) with other news organizations, often at no cost to the newspaper or broadcaster. Public donations are, of course, encouraged. This shows a wonderful sense of civic engagement and Steiger is to be congratulated for this remarkable achievement at a time when investigative reporting is on the decline in legacy media.
My concern (which I expressed at the meeting) was this: isn't ProPublica worried that news organizations will simply contract-out their investigative reporting to them? Doesn't this create an incentive for media organizations to let go of even more reporters? Steiger said he thought not, but I'm not so sure.
ProPublica is a great idea, but it comes with a price which I fear will be a further winnowing out of once solid newsrooms and their own culture of investigative reporting.
Even so, the culture of investigative journalism is still a vigorous one in the US. It's a unique and lively culture, but one that in that Toronto audience thought it may be hard to transplant to the stonier journalistic soil in Canada.
The reasons for that are a subject for another posting.


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Norton Priory's new museum opened in August 2016. The new museum boasts four times the number of objects than previously as well as fantastic new interactives and videos. The adjoining 12th century undercroft has been restored to its former glory after extensive conservation works and access in and around the site has been much improved including a lift to the viewing gallery for the first time. A video about the project can be viewed here. Since reopening, visitor numbers have doubled with more than 10,000 visiting in the first month. The museum also won Small Visitor Attraction of the Year in the 2016 Marketing Cheshire Awards. We are delighted with the new museum and are extraordinarily grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund, Halton Borough Council and the many funders, donors and supporters who have made this wonderful project possible.
A grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund of £3.9m was matched by support from Halton Borough Council, The Wellcome Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, Foyle Foundation, The Wolfson Foundation, The Pilgrim Trust, WREN, The Granada Foundation and many private donations.


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Conductor Carolyn Watson, Director of Orchestral Studies at Texas State, has been selected as an official observer for the 2016 Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera. The second annual session of the Institute takes place November 26 — December 11, 2016 in Dallas, Texas.
From 2013 to 2015 Watson held the position of Conductor of the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra. A Fellow of the American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival, she was a major prizewinner at the 2012 Emmerich Kálmán International Operetta Conducting Competition in Budapest. Dr. Watson is the recipient of the Brian Stacey Award for Emerging Australian Conductors, the Charles Mackerras Conducting Prize and Opera Foundation Australia's Bayreuth Opera Award.


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Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
174 Rockhouse Rd
Tomahawk , KY 41262
alt: 606-477-4076
This is a question we all should be able to answer. And the answer is really quite simple if you think about it.
Why should I believe Christianity is better than other religions, beliefs, and ideas? I believe it comes down to seven simple points.
1. Only Christianity Tells Us That God Is The Creator.
If we believe the world was created (If you want to understand the Christian viewpoint of creation see the article "Creation or Evolution") then it was created by someone who is able to do all things. And this creator made man different, more intelligent, more social than all other animals and creatures. So He must be able to tell us how to come to know Him.
And we must logically expect Him to reveal Himself to us as we naturally seek to know Him. Every human has a curiosity about God. Animals don't have this.
Therefor it is only logical that we must have come from some intelligent designer. And if so we must logically conclude that the creator is like us in many ways.
In Christianity God alone is the creator without any help from evolution. In Christianity we believe that in the Bible in Genesis chapters 1-11 we are given the creation story. In Genesis 1:1 we are introduced to God. "In the beginning God......."
We are given the reasons how and why this world was created in an orderly, consise fashion. And How and why man fell from favor with God. And why this world is under a curse today. Why there is death and disease and natural disasters are all explained in Christianty.
Only Christianity shows that God created all things and all things are sustained by Him. All other religions say very little about creation and are open to evolution.
2. Only Christianity tells us How God the creator has revealed Himself in His word.
If God is able to create the world then surely getting 40 authors to write 66 books over 1600 years would be no trouble at all for Him. (read the article "Is The Bible The True Word Of God")
In this book God has revealed Himself to man. He laid down the foundation for His plan for man in Genesis chapters 1-3. God gave us the order of creation in Genesis chapters 1-11.
God has revealed that He is a God of order and not chaos or chance. He told us that man is created in His image. He is a God of purpose and meaning. Only Christianity show how and why God revealed Himself in His word the Bible.
3. Only Christianity Tells us that Man Rebelled Against God.
God revealed that He is a God who loves His creation. He gave us freedom to chose to love Him or not. Without that freedom man is a robot. God loves us but forced love is not love but manipulation. God made man for the purpose of fellowship with Him. To enjoy creation with Him.
But man chose to follow His own path and His own plans. What else would you expect from the creature that God gave self will and self-determination to?
This rebellion is called sin. So When Adam and Eve rebelled in the garden that made man sinners against God.
Many say why doesn't God just get rid of sin? Well WE are sinners. WE started sin. So if God got rid of sin He wojuld have to start with sinners. US!!!
But think about this,,,,, would a good and loving God limit His creations abiltiy to choose? Would God chain His creation? Would you make your children love you by chaining them up by force? Would you make your wife love you by locking her in a room by force? No. You would let them have freedom to choose.
Only Christianity tells us that man is a sinner and why. Only the Bible tells us that man is not good. Only the Bible tells us that man does not seek after God but is in complete rebellion against Him. Only Christianity tells the truth about mankind's rebellion against God and is a sinner with no hope of redemption in himself.
But God had a plan for man's redemption. God was not caught off guard by man's sin.
4. Only Christianity Tells us that God assumed responsibility for man's redemption.
God knew we would sin and rebel against Him so He instead of destroying us He set forth a plan of redemption. God didn't say "find your own way back" God made the way back for man. All other religions expect us to find God. In the Bible God finds us. In Christianity God seeks out man and takes the initiative in man's redemption.
5. Only Christianity tells us that God provided the way for man's redemption.
God revealed Himself in His word and also in a person. God came to earth to show us what He is like. He was born a man, given a mother, and called Jesus. He not only revealed God true character of love and care for His creation but He died on the cross to pay a sin debt we could not pay to purchase our redemption that we could have no way of paying. Only Christianity says that man can never be good enough to save himself. Only Chistianity says that man's good deeds can never outweigh his bad deeds. Only Christianity says man is "lost" without hope in the world.
Only Christianity says "done" all other religions say "do" good works, "do" good deeds, "do" this and "do" that in order to be saved. Only Christianity says "done" in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said on the cross "it is finished!" Jesus said He came to "complete the work His Father sent Him to do."
6. Only Christianity tells us that God's way to find Him is through Jesus Christ only!
The Bible, God's word claims that Jesus is the way, truth and the life. No man comes unto the Father but by and through Him.
All other relgions can give you no assurance of salvation. You never know if you have done enough. You are never sure.
Only the Bible tells that God Himself through Jesus Christ has provided a way back to Him. And only Christianity give you assurance of salvation.
You see our greatest problems is not sickness, it's not the ecomony, it's not government, it's not pollution or the environment, it's not even crime and lawlessness. God provided redemption from our greatest problem..... sin.
We are redeemed by faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone. We can be assured that if we are trusting in Christ we are going to be saved and be with God in heaven. Only Christianity gives that assurance. John 6:37 "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him should NOT perish but HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE!"
7. Only Christianity tells us that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
The most unique claim of all about Christianity is that Jesus Christ rose from the dead! Only Jesus claimed to rise from the dead and proved it! There has never been a body found even though we know where He was buried! 500 witnesses claimed to have seen Him. Jesus Himself said He would rise again. All the apostles but one died for Him. Why would they do that? Unless they had seen Him alive!
Millions down through the ages have claimed to know Him and thousands have also died for Him. Many have claimed to love Him and have served Him down through the years.
You may say "many religions have martrys, what so different about Christiany?" Very simple...the religious died for a creed or a cause, Christians died for a person! The Lord Jesus Christ who rose from the dead is alive and according the word of God at the right hand of God the Father.
The most written about man in history is Jesus Christ. The most interesting man in history is the Jesus Christ. Why so much interest? Why do so many follow HIm and we all are curious about Him. Why? Because Jesus Christ rose from the dead!
It goes back to that curiosity God gave man about Himself. Jesus claimed to be God. Either He is a madman, a fool, a lunatic or God. He didn't claim to be a good man, a revolutionist, or guru. He simply came to seek and to save that which was lost.
What was lost? Mankind. We were lost to God and God provided a way for us to come back to Him.
Only Christianity tells us the truth about man's sin and His only hope of salvation the Lord Jesus Christ. And God raised Jesus Christ from the dead to show us that God has defeated man's greatest enemy, sin and death forever! We must put our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 16:31 Believe (trust) on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Only Christianity offers free salvation in a living Savior the Lord Jesus.
You can deny creation. You can deny redemption. You can deny the word of God. You can deny that Jesus was God. But you cannot deny the resurrection! Only Christianity has a resurrected Savior.
Christianity is better than any regligion, or belief system because God is the creator, The Bible is greater and Jesus is the Savior.
God created the world and gave us His word to gude us into all truth and Jesus is the living Savior of a lost, fallen and rebellious world.
Why Christianity is Better than all Other Religions and beliefs in the world?
Intro: A person was on a plane and wanted to strike up a conversation with someone introduced himself to the lady seated next to him. After introductions…She asked him what he did and he said "I am a preacher of the Christian gospel." She was a college professor in China and spoke 7 languages and was traveling throughout America to give lectures at selected universities including Harvard and Yale. This was a very intelligent person. The preacher was totally intimidated. And then she asked him the question he knew she was going to ask "Why should I believe Christianity? What makes it better than all of the other religions and beliefs in the world?"
What would you say? Would you have an answer? Would you have to bow out?
I have on our website a detailed explanation of Why Christianity is better in the article on the this page... but I'm not going to go into a long drawn out discussion of why God is creator and The word of God is greater because I don't think that is necessary in discussing this with a person one on one. I would dare say that this is one of the easiest questions you will ever be asked about your faith! I can give you the answer in one verse.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
1. The Greatness of Jesus
And the Word was made flesh,
Last Sunday night we talked about the anti-christ. The man of sin who would appear one day soon. If you want to hear that message it's on the website. Today we are going to talk about the true Christ, the son of God, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
God came to this world to redeem mankind. God took the initiative to save a fallen, lost, rebellious humanity. God didn't wait for mankind to approach Him, God took the actions necessary to save mankind.
He came as flesh. God became a man. John declares this with more clarity than any other Biblical writer.
Mohammand was a man. Buddah is a man. Joseph Smith is a man. Jim Jones was a man. Even though there are many men who claim to be god only Jesus Christ claimed to be God and proved He was God. Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic or God. He never claimed to be a guru or a political leader. He was not a revolutionary. He simply claimed that He was sent by the Father to seek and save that which was lost. What was lost? Mankind lost in sin and darkness.
Christianity is Better because Jesus is greater. There is no one like Jesus who as God became man to save man from his sin.
2.The Place of Jesus
….and dwelt among us,
So God came to walk among men. To touch people, to live with people, to work with people. to stand in line with people, to talk face to face with people, to be involved in the lives of people and to touch the children of people.
Jesus proved He was from God because He did miracles for people. He healed the sick, made the blind see and the lame walk. He even raised the dead. He did something greater than that…He forgave sins. Luke 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
Our greatest need is not healing from our diseases but forgiveness from sin our greatest problem.
Did the false gods dwell among people? Did false gods really raise anyone from the dead? Do false religions promise forgiveness of sins? Only if you do this or do that.
Did any religious leader do more to prove that He was from God than Jesus?
…and dwelt among us…. Christianity is not a Religion. Christianity is different because it is a relationship between people and a living Savior. Jesus wants us to know Him. Phillippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
To know God is to know Jesus Christ. To follow God is to follow Jesus Christ.
Our goal as a Christian is to know Christ more and walk with Him or follow Him each day. Can any religion say that they have a living Savior in Heaven that left His Spirit to guide us and to show us the truth? No. None!
Christianity is better than any other religion because Jesus is God who dwelt among us and continues to dwell in us and lead us through His Holy Spirit.
3.The Importance of Jesus
(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)
God glorified and lifted up Jesus. How did God glorify Jesus? He raised Him from the dead. The greatest thing about Jesus is that He rose from the dead. Only Christianity follows a living Lord and master. 500 witnesses saw Him after He arose. Two dozen crack soldiers fled in terror on the resurrection morning. There is a grave but no body has ever been found. Cowardly men were willing to die and did die for Him after the resurrection. Thousands have followed them in death for this Jesus. Millions have claimed Him as Savior. Millions have claimed to follow Him today.
Jesus was glorified by God. He died and He lives. The most unique thing about Christianity is that Jesus ROSE FROM THE DEAD! Christianity alone has Jesus Christ who rose from the dead. There are many false Christ's but only one rose from the dead. This is the glory that God uiniquely gave to His Son. He did miracles, He did good and did not sin, He forgave sins but anyone can claim that…… but no one can deny that Jesus rose from the dead. And if Jesus rose from the dead then Jesus had to come from God, be the revelation of God and Be God Himself.
The greatest reason that Christianity is different from religions is that Christianity says "done" Religions say "do." Why is Jesus so Important to us? He was glorified of the Father because He completed the work He was sent to do. What we He sent to do? Reform the government? Heal the sick, raise the dead, free the slaves? No…. He came to die for our sins, to complete the work of salvation and then be raised again for our justification. So that we can be just as if we had never sinned. So that we can have the free gift of salvation. No works, no efforts on our behalf just faith and trust in a Savior that has done it all for us.
That is the importance of Jesus. Without Jesus we have no salvation. No hope, no resurrection, no peace, no forgiveness and will face judgment. The importance of Jesus is why Christianity better than any other religion or belief.
4 The Character of Jesus.
….full of grace and truth.
Only Christianity has Jesus Christ as the only Savior, the only way to God. This is a man who lived only 33 years and never traveled a 100 miles from His home and never owned a thing in His life except the clothes on His back. Yet He claimed to be the living embodiment of the grace of God and the truth of God. He claimed to have never sinned. The Bible says He never sinned.
The most written about and most famous man in history is Jesus Christ. He is the most loved and adored man in history. What is so unique about Jesus? He claimed to be God. He died on a cross. He did miracles. He gave the most famous teachings in the history of the world. No man has influenced the world more than Jesus. He claimed to be our sacrifice for sin and simply wants to be the Savior of every man, woman, boy and girl in the world.
Only Christianity has this Jesus and that makes Christianity not only the best way but the only way to get back to God and have our sins forgiven. Acts 4:12 there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. John 1: 10-12 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Jesus is the truth of God. Jesus is the living embodiment of the grace of God. The grace of God, the gift of God to man is the Lord Jesus Christ. As I said before Only Christianity has Jesus. THE Bible says in John 14:6 I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes unto the Father but by me.
Why is Christianity Better than any other religion or belief? Jesus Christ! Not the antichrists…. the false Jesus's….. but the only Jesus, the loving Jesus, the healing Jesus, the friend Jesus, the king of Kings and Lord Of Lords, the only Savior Jesus! Do you know this Jesus?
Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
174 Rockhouse Rd
Tomahawk , KY 41262
alt: 606-477-4076


text:
I was intending to head for bed, but I was troubled that the only news I'd been watching was national news. The Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case leads the board at every national news site today, and I was getting kind of tired of reading about it. There were mentions, almost as sidenotes, of riots in Los Angeles, so I went to the LA Times website to see what was going on. Well, I found something that seemed to me far more important than Trayvon Martin's death and George Zimmerman's acquittal. One of the LA Times columnists experienced a moment of fear when home alone one night so she had wondered if she needed a gun:
LA Times: Will a gun protect a single woman frightened by a bump in the night?
Ms. Banks has approached the question from a perspective that has little to do with the reality of firearms ownership and even less to do with the reality of her situation as a single woman living alone. She wants to feel safe. Not a bad thing, to be sure, but she does not want to take the steps to become genuinely safe. She is looking for a magic talisman of some kind, a single item that when he takes it into her hand will suddenly grant her feelings of invulnerability and power. A firearm is not a magic talisman.
To feel safe a person needs to feel confident that they can come out of a dangerous situation alive. That kind of confidence does not come from owning a firearm, swinging a baseball bat, or marrying a cop. That kind of confidence can only be achieved through study, practice, and discipline. To feel safe you must learn to be safe. To learn to be safe you must give up a few nights on the town, some dates with your favorite lover, and for a short while you must also forgo your favorite television programs or video games. To become confident in your ability to survive you must spend time studying how to survive. Reading books about how other people survive is a very simple, basic starting point. The one lesson you should take away from reading those books is that every survivor becomes a survivor because they possess a very specific skillset and that skillset is backed up by a very particular mindset. You won't achieve either the mindset or the skillset by reading books about survivors.
Survival skills come in a few small, critical sets: keeping warm, keeping fed, keeping hydrated, avoiding hazards. There are many places where you can learn these skills. You can join the local Army or Marine Reserve. They will send you to boot camp and then you will go on regular exercises with your local unit. People who approach these exercises as genuine opportunities to learn and practice new skills will derive a great deal of confidence from participation in these events. People who approach these events as opportunities to dress up, drink, and socialize will derive nothing from these events. If you go this route you will spend as much time fighting peer pressure from the party group as you will learning new skills. Nonetheless, if you can resist that peer pressure there is a world of skills you can spend time mastering, real skills that will greatly enhance both your ability to survive a dangerous situation and your confidence in that ability.
There are hundreds of survivalist schools in America. Open up a web browser, go to your favorite search engine, and type in "survival schools near MYTOWN", with whatever the name of your current town or city of residence is in place of "MYTOWN". Some of these schools will be very expensive, some will be inexpensive, a few might even be free. Most of them will offer a variety of weekend courses and short (5-10 day) courses. Pick a simple course like, "edible wild foods" and take that course at several of the schools near you. This will give you a feel for how each school is organized, what kind of people the instructors are, and how serious they are about teaching real skills. Once you find a survival school you like, take every course they offer.
Martial arts are also a wonderful method for developing both confidence and a real-world skillset that will help you survive a dangerous encounter. Every major city in America, and most of the smaller towns, have martial arts instructors who hold weekly classes in their art. It does not matter which martial art you study. Pick an instructor who is convenient for you to see on a weekly basis and devote yourself to learning that art, no matter what it is. Every martial art has both strengths and weaknesses and the only way to overcome the weaknesses is to spend your life studying every martial art under the sun and then combining the different schools to create your own. While that is a good and worthy goal, it's also a real burden for someone who only needs enough skills to both be able to survive and to feel confident that they can survive. So pick one martial art that is convenient to get to on a weekly basis and stick with it.
Do you see what I'm saying here? I mean, do you really understand it? Confidence only comes through achievement and achievement only comes through dedication. You can be a survivor or you can be a victim, the choice is yours. You are the only limit in your own ability to walk away from confrontations like the one that dark rainy night in Sanford, Florida that ended up with a young man dead from a gunshot wound. In the end, surviving such an encounter is the only thing that really matters. If Trayvon Martin had survived, then the entire debacle and three-ring circus of the trial and verdict would never have happened. Trayvon Martin did not die because he was a black kid in white neighborhood. Trayvon Martin died because he was not as well prepared as George Zimmerman. If Trayvon Martin had been truly focused on survival and not on proving himself better than the "creepy-ass cracker" following him around, he never would have attacked George Zimmerman and never would have been shot. Trayvon Martin had the wrong mindset. Like Sandy Banks, Trayvon Martin had a magical belief in talismans. In Trayvon's case, those talismans were his fists. It amounts to the same kind of thinking, and yes, if you go into a dangerous situation believing in the power of talismans and feeling invulnerable because you possess those talismans, then you will not survive. Survival is not dependent on magical talismans. Survival is dependent on skilled use of survival tools. Skills, and the mindset to properly use those skills, is the key to surviving and to feeling confident in your ability to survive. Your hands can be survival tools, but only after you train your mind, and that training comes from studying survival.
Like a knife, a can of pepper spray, a baseball bat, or a concrete sidewalk, a firearm is a tool. To use this tool effectively you must develop the proper skills. You develop those skills through training and practice. The problem with Sandy Banks walking into a gun store and buying a gun is not the gun itself, but how she perceives the gun. As long as she sees the gun as a magic talisman able to grant her power, invulnerability, and confidence, then the firearm is more of a danger to her than to anyone she encounters. The first step she needs to take is mastering the skills related to firearms. She can do this by locating a firearms instructor. She lives in Los Angeles and in Los Angeles there are thousands of NRA-certified firearms instructors. She needs to search her phone book, the internet, or the NRA website to locate instructors near her and then to take lessons from them. Once she understands firearm safety, firearms use, and the relationship between a firearm and self-defense, then she will have the confidence she is seeking. It will only be after learning how to use a firearm safely and effectively that she will truly gain the safe feeling she desires.
The best approach to gaining that confidence, and from that confidence to begin feeling safe, is to do as many things from this list as you can manage. When studied together, survival skills, martial arts, and firearms skills, will change the way you see the world. Surprisingly, the greatest skill you will acquire is not finding food in a forest, dispatching a mugger with a few kicks, or shooting a potential rapist. The most important skill you will learn is the mindset of a survivor. You will learn how to see trouble before it reaches you and to take steps to avoid that trouble long before you bring any of those other skills into play. If George Zimmerman had been better trained, Trayvon Martin never would have gotten close enough to land the punch that started the fight that ended in his death. If Trayvon Martin had been better trained he never would have thrown that punch to begin with. Neither man was prepared for a genuinely dangerous encounter on a dark rainy night. If either man had been better prepared, the entire incident could have avoided altogether. The key to survival is awareness and that awareness is the product of training.
So if you don't want to wind up dying like Trayvon Martin or carrying a lifetime of guilt like George Zimmerman, go find some place to learn good survival skills. Gaining those skills will bring you both the confidence to survive and the wisdom to avoid trouble in the first place.


text: Positive thinking is about being able to accept the ups and the downs of life, to feel grateful for what we have and to look forward to the future. Brilliant positive thinking will show you how to reap the benefits of positive thinking, giving you the necessary the tools to make the most of your life, whatever you have experienced. Includes: · information on transforming negative feelings to positive feelings in simple Steps · guidance on how to deal with negative people and lessening their influence on you · identifying your emotional 'triggers' and learning to control them.


text:
One of the most lamented states to cross due to the perception that Texas is one big desert. Our experience was completely different from the torture-fest we thought it would be. Following the rivers through dozens of small towns we enjoyed each moment in this first series in the Ride Across Texas.
From Austin our choice of roads was ill-researched as we danced with horseless carriages along Frontage road. Stamped on every overpass support and blazed on the biggest flags available the Lone Star was a constant reminder: Texas Loves Texas! Shoved in a corner off the highway we found the most liberal of all stoner run shops in Texas, complete with Bernie for Pres proudly displayed.
When given the option to ride side by side with an 85 mph freeway or follow "El Camino Real", the option is perfectly clear. Vive El Camino Real de Los Tejas!! Our camino crossed plantation style houses fit for the likes of Pablo Escobar, the San Marcos River, and more proclamations of Texas' self-love dumping us onto a plaza filled with college students. A few moments to rid ourselves of wallets and the likes and we were all three leaping into the warm fast moving river.
From San Marcos we head to New Braunfels looking for a little Germany in Central Texas. The larger than life river fed water park immediately captured our attention away from our quest. We were slightly dismayed by small presence of a German festival and Bavarian style architecture and the defiantly Texan residents. New Braunfels also lacked Killen quality BBQ and we resided to leave the town in search for a quiet spot to set up camp.
Having run out of water Chris Ayer was up early and left off to resupply and score a caffeine fix. We moved in our faster than a snail, but slow morning pace making it on the road a bit before 8. Texas wildflowers were in bloom so many unplanned stops to capture them in their macro goodness as well as the castle? Expect everything in the Republic of TX.
Basecamp Walmart was a several hour hurrah, with each of us entering and leaving the store no less than a dozen times. Stocked up on provisions for the Oregon Trail we set off only to make it a hour down the road before detouring toward the Guadalupe River. Hot and sticky in the Texas sun we skipped the entrance station and quickly jumped into the cold water.
From the Guadalupe River we were halfway toward the daily goal of 60-miles. Less eventful we rode through Hill Country, grinding the ups and savoring the downs. The milage goal and end of daylight were concurrent in the one horse town of Pipe Creek. Three Lone Star Beer were the conclusion of the day as we set up camp behind the town's church.
Good morning Texas should always be followed by breakfast burritos. By that measure today was a success!! Chris Ayers not convinced by my logic started his mission to find a Lone Star bandana, what better place than the "cowboy capital" Bandero.
A common theme in our ride across the Great State of Texas is to follow a river, today's river of choice was the Medina River. Thrice on this trip we have passed through apple growing regions of the US. One of our favorite fruits Love Creek Orchards was a welcome stop for lunch.
Attempting to keep up with blogging I retreated to the library and was quickly engaged in a conversation about routes with a local. Our ride west would take us over some rather large hills to Vanderpool where it was suggested we turn south and follow the Sabinal River to Utopia. Never one to pass up good information our route changed that instant.
True to description we rode through the valley passing grandiose gates, bisson farms, and retreat ranches decorated in all the western fittings. The end of the Medina River spelled the start of the climbing. Low in elevation Hill Country make up for it in grade. Nearly running out of gears we pushed cresting the top to find Chris with his bike overturned fixing a flat.
Siesta Valley Ranch: A timeless retreat in Hill Country
Our stint on the hilltops lasted but a few miles before the grade reversed sending us coasting down the steepest roads since Appalachia. Spotting an open gate and a covered pavilion Chris & Amanda rode to the back of the Utopia sports complex. The three of us ran to the back of the field to catch the last moments of sunset. Moments later the groundskeeper locked the gate without noticing three bike hobos cooking dinner. We truly found bike tour camping Utopia when we discovered power and running water!
Our plans of cowboy camping changed quickly in the middle of the night upon being attacked by several fire ants. Fire ants were nothing new to us having spent a bit of time in South Florida. The saying goes "everything's bigger in Texas" fire ants included. Swelling up and feeling wheezy I raced to the country store where I could start the morning off by chugging children's liquid Benadryl.
Utopia camping. Complete with water, power, and fire ants.
Sufficiently drugged we hung out in the library chatting with the volunteers. Getting more uneasy about the swelling and my tightening throat I split off from the group and break into a sprint to Sabinal in hopes of a pharmacy or clinic, self medicating with Benadryl while riding. Being small town Texas the town offered three gas stations and not much else.
Back together we grab a bite to eat, restock on water and read the headline on the local newspaper: Someone was murdered in the township park last night. This happened in the next town we would be passing through. Keyword passing through. With three riders on relatively flat road we began drafting off each other crushing as many miles as possible stopping only for snacks.
During the day I realized it was friday and my forwarded mail will only be available for pickup until noon. Passing the 60 mile daily goal we kept spinning until daylight began to fade. Tents pitched literally on the side of the road our attention was drawn from dinner to a clap of thunder and a massive storm system bearing down on us.
Camping in a lightning storm atop a hill with few other objects to draw potential lightning we mutually decided we needed to find an alternative. Our searching turned up a rodent infested camper covered in feces. With the help of Google Chris Ayers spotted a structure down the hill and rode off to investigate. A few minutes later in the howling wind he advised us that it was an unlocked hunting cabin and we knew where we would be spending the night. Tent and gear packed in seconds we pulled up to the cabin as the storm unleashed its fury.