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Contact Information About A J CRAWFORD, LPC
A J CRAWFORD has an office in Piscataway, New Jersey and provides counseling and/or therapy for their clientele. A J CRAWFORD is listed as a LPC, but may provide additional support.
For detailed questions about A J CRAWFORD's therapy practice, you should contact their Piscataway offices at 8009695300.
A J CRAWFORD is local to the 08854-5627 area.
A J CRAWFORD Reviews, Feedback, & Complaints
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text: If you like science and mysteries, then this is for you. if you are a physics nerd and like a good mind , then this is for you. if you just like mysteries and suspense, then this is for you. This drama is actually based on a mystery novel under the name " Detective Galileo" and they took it to 2 successful seasons as TV-drama series. Starting Masaharu Fukuyama as Yukawa Manabu who is a physics professor who helps the police in solving the kind of weird cases. This drama is kind of new in the way they made science can solve everything and Yukawa doesn't leave you question a lot because he got the answer for everything. so, it's 2 seasons , each season is 10 episodes and besides them other 2 movies. Try to watch them and let your imagination opens its widest doors.

subset: commoncrawl


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A cups through D cups need not worry about traveling with their bras ever again. With this brag, you get to journey around, while your bras don't move around!
You're intuitive, artistic and even a bit spiritual, thus why you're drawn to our Sahara print. If you're a leopard person, your need for privacy is key, too -- that's where the brag comes in!


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Marie Carmichael Stopes knew a thing or two about smut. In later life she was unfairly accused of writing it- but before that, she studied the ancient, sooty kind: coal.
Marie Stopes (1880-1958) was an extraordinary early trowelblazer. Famous worldwide today for herpioneering work in birth control and women's rights, it is less well known that she was one of the leading palaeobotanists (ancient plant experts) of her age.
She grew up with parents who undoubtedly influenced both spheres of her life: her mother was an early feminist historian and Shakespearean scholar, while her father created the largest private collection of fossils and ancient stone tools in Britain.
At a time when women were barely being admitted to universities, she won a scholarship for her first degree in botany at UCL, became the youngest person in Britain to gain a DSc, then completed a PhD in palaeobotany in one year at the University of Munich. She was a Fellow and lecturer at UCL and became the first female academic at Manchester University in 1904.
Her palaeobotanical work was 'her first love'. She made major research contributions on the the nature and composition of coal, including 'coal balls' (concretions in Carboniferous coal seams) and at Manchester wrote a seminal textbook, Ancient Plants. In 1907 she spent over a year in Japan researching Mesozoic floras and in 1910 was invited to settle a long-term dispute on the age of a Canadian fossil locality. During the First World War she worked on coal and coined petrological terms that are still in use today.
She asked Sir Robert Scott to search for plant fossils in Antarctica; despite the tragic fate of the expedition, her requested samples were later discovered on a sledge and they proved to be one of the most important scientific findings the expedition made.
By 1923, the date of her last scientific publications, Marie Stopes had gained both acclamation from ordinary women and opprobium from religious and medical establishments thanks to her book on women's rights and health, inspired by an unsuccessful first marriage. She supported contraception and equality within marriage, and established family planning clinics (providing women with her self-designed cervical cap), the first of which opened in London in 1921.
While her work in promoting reproductive health is what she is now remembered for (plus some unsavoury socio-political views common to her time e.g. support for eugenics), her significant contributions to palaeobotany and role as an early trowelblazer should be better known.
We received two great Marie Stopes submissions *on the same day*, by Lil Stevens and Susie Lydon (@susieoftraken): we hope they don't mind our editorial amalgamation!
Edited by Becky (@LeMoustier)
Marie Stopes: passionate about palaeobotany. A 2008 article for Geology Today by Howard Falcon-Lang.
Chaloner, W.G. 2005. The Palaeobotanical Work of Marie Stopes In: Bowden, A.J.,Burek, C.V. & Wilding, R. (eds) The History of Palaeobotany. Geological Society London Special Publications 241, 127-135.


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...running that is. Not that I've done that much of it recently. None during the week, just a trainer session on the bike and some core work, then 13.2 kms of very hilly stuff yesterday, which took 1 hr 15 mins. It was a nice enough run, through a combination of Teggs Nose country park and Macclesfield Forest, ascending gradually into cloud at the top of the Forest, then descending through it again into countryside as I picked up the Gritstone Trail on the way back.
However, two problems emerged: a very stiff and painful right knee, which started to bother me last Sunday, and a real lack of energy. Neither particularly helpful a week before your first marathon. I have no idea what's causing the former, though it seems worst when running uphill. I can't think of any remedy other than rest and painkillers on the day, so that was the last run before next Saturday. As for the latter, I can only assume that Maggies and the near-marathon length run I did last Sunday have left their mark. Fortunately, rest is probably the best cure for that too, so pre-race prep this week is looking like more core work and a good diet, and not much else.
And that is why I'm not enjoying this running lark right now. Whilst the actual feeling of running can't be beaten in many ways in terms of the adrenaline rush (as it's not accompanied by a strong sense of your own mortality, which can take the edge off rapid mountain descents on the bike), having to constantly manage yourself to avoid injury and exhaustion is a bit of a bore. To be fair, that really only comes in to play over longer runs, which I'd categorise as 10 miles plus. So, whilst it's dangerous to draw conclusions before a big event, at this stage I think a) I'm going to do the marathon, and b) carry on running (for duathlons, enjoyment and winter training), c) I can't see me getting into distance running as a regular thing. I'm looking forward to getting back to bike training, where worries about injury and exhaustion just seen so much smaller. Different challenges replace them of course - running is very time-efficient from a training gains standpoint compared to cycling for example. But there is, I think, a reason why so many old geezers stay on their bikes compared to the number that you see pavement-pounding.
Two more things this week. First, speaking to t'eldest this week, she didn't realise that "La Manche" element of the title of this blog related to a planned London to Paris bike ride this September. Well, it does. There's 4 of us doing it, raising money for various charidees, and there's a separate blog started for the 4 of us to contribute to. I'll provide a link and more detail in future blogs, but even though that'll be the one remaining blog event after next weekend, this one will remain the main one, as I'll have lots of other things to report: riding in Brittany to watch the Tour de France, a long weekend of non-stop climbing in the Pyrenees with Mendip Rouleur later in August, and probably other things along the way.
Talking of Mendip Rouleur, I was at his house when last year's Eurovision Song Contest was on, taking part in the Tour of Wessex. He's doing that event again this year, I'm not. But this part of the blog is about Eurovision, not sportive-riding. We had a Eurovision party last night, me, the missus, t'youngest and 5 friends. Complete with union flag-adorned cup cakes (Liv), copious amounts of chilli, 1970s flared jeans (me), and officially-sanctioned scoring sheets (BBC) it was a darned good laugh. Aside from the nakedly political but ultimately futile political voting, and assessing outfits and dance moves as instructed by said scoring sheets, the best entertainment was to be had with the Moldovan entry. I'm sure you'll recall the men in pointy hats if you had the good fortune to witness them yourself, but if not, imagine an amalgam of men in those very large pointy hats singing/rapping a soundalike Beastie Boys song, accompanied by a performing fairy on a unicycle and a head banging brass section, and you'll be maybe 50% of the way to capturing the true genius of their performance. Wonderful. I urge you to discover that wonder through the medium of YouTube.


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When you have a Financial Plan, Time Works for You. Not against You
The world is full of numbers, so the last thing you need is more that don't make sense to you. You don't want to be treated like one either. Talking to an Anne Street Partners Financial Services adviser is your first step to developing a strong financial future that will get you to where you want to be without being onerous and unsustainable. Its our core service and something we take great pride in providing to Australians from every walk of life.
Your Anne Street Partners Financial Services adviser will work closely with you to understand your financial situation, goals and objectives. They will then work with our team of in-house specialists to develop an integrated approach that aims to complement each specific area of your plan, rather than assembling a range of ad-hoc, competing structures that can potentially conflict each other.
Your Financial Strategy Made Easy
Creating a financial strategy that will help you achieve your goals is our specialty. We know that engaging a stranger to delve into your finances can be daunting. At Anne Street Partners, we aim to make the process seamless. We take a transparent, straight-forward approach without harsh surprises or unnecessary critique.
Regardless of your current financial position or stage of life – whether you're starting out, rising through the ranks or close to retirement, an Anne Street Partners financial adviser is a trained professional who is here to ensure your transition is smooth.


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Window Tinting You Can Rely On For Cooler, More Comfortable Living
When it comes to choosing a window tinting company near Wenden, visit an installer that you can trust. Browse a variety of tint shades for your home, car, or commercial window tinting needs at your nearby location. Our window tint is custom cut for your home, business, or vehicle windows to assure a perfect fit—every time. Since it's manufactured to last, there's no need to stress about the peeling, bubbling, and discoloration that may occur with low-grade window film. Choose to have your window film installed by our professionals and you could get the added security of a lifetime limited warranty. In the unlikely event that bubbling or fading does occur, give us a call. We'll remove and replace your car, office, or home window tint completely free of charge.
Install window tinting for a cooler, more comfortable drive
Over time, exposure to heat and sunlight can cause unsightly cracking, peeling, or fading on the interior of your vehicle. LLumar window tints give drivers superior protection and value for their money. Tinting your car windows means better safeguarding the interior of your car, but also everyone in it, from the sun's heat and harmful rays. Ranging from clear to dark charcoal, your tinting company offers a full line of car window tint shades for you to choose from. The laws in your state may legally limit the level of darkness you can select for your car windows. We know your state's regulations. Call or visit today to check out the many options that are available to you!
Live more comfortably with high quality residential window tinting
When one of our expert technicians installs your home window tint, your family is better protected from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays, but sometimes from the prying eyes of would-be burglars too. Residential tinting could help prevent the fading of flooring, cherished furnishings, and valuable artwork by the sun. And did you know? It helps block up to 99% of the ultraviolet rays that cause discoloration and fading. When the weather turns warmer, it helps keep your house cool and comfortable. After having their residential window tint installed, many satisfied customers have even reported that their home energy costs have gone down by as much as 15%. LLumar is LEED-certified, so you could save even more money through local and national tax credits and incentives for homeowners.
Office window tinting: Convey style & curb energy costs
When you choose window tinting for your business, you can work in confidence knowing that you're helping to limit the burden on your facility's energy bill, all while conveying an image that's professional and polished. Ranging from crystal clear to deep charcoal, there's a tint shade to match the needs of your business. Once installed by your trusted LLumar dealer, non-reflective window tint provides a consistent look that effortlessly complements the architecture of your facility. For businesses that need a shiny exterior to increase solar heat rejection, but a less reflective interior for nighttime privacy, a dual-reflective option is also available. What's more, custom office window tint is for more than the exterior of a building. Inside your facility, it can be installed as an additional design feature that offers style and privacy in stairwells, meeting rooms, and on interior office windows. Stop by or call a LLumar window tint installer near Wenden to discuss your custom commercial tinting project!
Enjoy first-rate service from your LLumar tinting company
Window tint installation is effortlessly smooth when you visit your nearby LLumar location. Most custom window tint projects are completed within a few days, depending on the size of the windows in your home, vehicle, or business facility. An everyday installation takes approximately 15 minutes per window. For professional window tinting in your area, visit a LLumar dealer. From home or business window tinting that needs opaque, mirrored, or color-tinted films, we're here to assist you in selecting the right one for your needs. Ready to learn more about your window tint options? Drop by or call a LLumar dealer near Wenden today to get a free estimate and schedule your installation! It's time to improve your view of the world.
Find Nearby LLumar Dealers
Find Dealers in Nearby Cities
Window Tint for Homes, Offices & Cars Near Wenden
Trust your LLumar dealer near Wenden to install great, high quality tint. Help cut your energy costs, drive in total comfort, and increase your style with office, car, and home window tinting. For more than 55 years, LLumar window tints have provided superior protection from the sun's heat and harmful rays. Wherever you work or play, and whatever you drive, we're here to help you live a cooler and more comfortable life!Your window tint installer has been carefully chosen and certified at the highest level of service to make sure you have an excellent estimate and installation experience!Visit a LLumar dealer near Wenden for a window tint estimate today! It's always fast and free!


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The benefit of this service is that you are always logged on to Skype so you can receive all incoming calls even when you're away from your web cam and computer.The Skype-to-Skype service also doesn t use minutes from your wireless plan.You can add contacts from Facebook, AIM, MSN, Google and Yahoo to create one convenient place for all of your phone calls and video chats.
The latest version of Skype, version 4.2 for Windows, allows users to make video calls in high definition using their HD web cam. It is simple to install and navigate, and with the pre-call sound check, Skype will give you optimum quality from your web cam and built-in microphone.
Video chatting is becoming an increasingly more popular way to communicate.


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A 'bokur' is a sorcerer in the Voodoo religion, who is believed to be blessed with the power to perform black magic. Powders used by the sorcerers give them power over their victims, with one of these being the power to create zombies.
In Haiti, the punishment of zombification is only reserved for those who commit really serious crimes.
'Coupre Powdre' is the name giving to the powder that the bokur used to initiate zombification, which applied all over the face any body of the victim to be absorbed into their system. The main active ingredient of the powder is tetradotoxin (TTX), a chemical produced by certain types of puffer fish. TTX is an extremely powerful neurotoxin which stops the nerve and heart cells from sending electrical impulses to the brain. In small doses this causes paralysis a near-death state, and makes breath and pulse undetectable, although the victims brain is still functioning.
Usually after this state has been reached, the zombie is then buried alive.
After a few days the zombie is dug up and given a powder made from atropine and scopolamine. which cause the victim to hallucinate and fall into a permanent state of delirium. The victim is usually very disorientated, and can be easily influenced to do menial jobs in order to repay the debt which their crime caused.


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According to The Medallion's production notes, the film has been rated PG-13 for its action, violence and "some double entendre." No plot point or narrative thread in the film is convoluted enough to excuse the need for its five screenwriters. On the contrary, the film's crucial double entendre sequence—a gay-vague shtick at the Interpol police department—is so juvenile any fool with a fear of penetration could have written it. Not that it seems to matter, but The Medallion concerns Julian Sands's sniveling Snakehead's attempt to snatch a life-replenishing amulet from a young über Buddha. Jackie Chan stars as Eddie Yang, a Hong Kong police officer whose already superhuman powers are heightened when he intercepts the medallion (later referred to as "the Holy Grail of Eastern mythology"). Claire Forlani's entrance is cued to a cheesy swell in the film's score. After she slaps Chan on the face, they launch into trivial banter that barely hints at their characters' romantic history. Yes, the plot is that threadbare and, for much of the film's running time, it's difficult to tell if there's a point to its deliberate attempts at humor. But after nearly 30 minutes of wire-fu nonsense (mostly shot in a series of cheap and lazy medium shots), things take a turn for the surreal when Eddie chases one of Snakehead's goons through the streets of London. Director Gordon Chan allows the camera to pull back, framing the exaggerated choreography of the chase in such a way that it calls attention to the actors' unrealistic but nonetheless unbelievable movements. Lee Evans is a hoot as Eddie's bungling Interport partner but it's the film's zippy direction that's crucial to its moderate success. Along with the overzealous but mostly successful soundtrack, the director transforms the film's colorful set pieces into something not unlike merry little cartoon melodies. Because the filmmakers often have so little to work with, The Medallion comes across as a mixtape of sparring sounds and various visual styles. While the screenwriters are merely content with pitting the film's women against each other in a requisite cat fight, the meows on the film's soundtrack suggests that the filmmakers were working overtime to subvert the garbage they were handed. Gordon Chan, a success in his native Hong Kong, is being primped for a breakthrough here in the States. The Medallion is his first English-language production and while it's unlikely to do the job, it does show-off his remarkable ability to transcend the sheer ineptitude of his material.
The Medallion
- Buy
- Distributor
- Screen Gems
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Rating
- Year
- 2003
- Director
- Gordon Chan
- Screenwriter
- Gordon Chan, Alfred Cheung, Bennett Joshua Davlin, Bey Logan, Paul Wheeler
- Cast
- Jackie Chan, Lee Evans, Claire Forlani, Julian Sands, John Rhys-Davies, Anthony Wong, Christy Chung, Johann Giscard Myers, Alexander Bao
- Donate
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Ed Alonzo, The Misfit of Magic: Hollywood, CA
Ed Alonzo, with his wonderful Groucho Marx eyebrows, Harold Lloyd Glasses, topped by his signature explosive hairstyle, is easily recognized as one of the country's foremost comedy magicians.
Ed Alonzo career has led him to Command Performances in London, multiyear headline contracts in Las Vegas, and countless US and International Television appearances.
While in his teens, he became one of the youngest comedy/magicians ever to perform at the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. Ed Alonzo went on to win the coveted STAGE MAGICIAN OF THE YEAR for two consecutive years, COMEDY MAGICIAN OF THE YEAR for another two consecutive years and in 2010 Ed was named "Magician of the Year", all from the internationally recognized Academy of Magical Arts. Ed is also the recipient of three WORLD MAGIC AWARDS presented to him on MY-network TV award shows.
Ed is often recognized as the series regular, Max – the owner of the diner, from the hit sit-com "Saved by the Bell", and the costar on "XUXA", the CBS Saturday Morning program. His numerous television appearances include NBC's Las Vegas, ABC's Full House, the CBS comedy Murphy Brown where he became one of the infamous secretaries in a guest-star role. In addition, Ed has appeared on over 100 major television variety and talk shows like The Ellen Degeneres show, Top Chef Masters, Cup Cake Wars, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, E true Hollywood Story, Americas Next Top Model, How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, Masters of Illusion and more.
In 2009 Ed toured the world with pop star Britney Spears, performing in a magic production number with Miss Spears playing the role of magicians assistant. That same year Ed was hired by and met with Michael Jackson to create the illusions for his O2 London concert "This Is It".
In 2013 Britney Spears asked Ed to create a magic production number for her new Las Vegas show "All Eyes On Me", Ed also developed magic and illusions for pop stars Katy Perry for her EMA 2014 performance and magician David Blaine for the Nickelodeon 2014 Kids choice awards.
Nels Ross, Injest: New York
Nels Ross is a performer, speaker, and "Chief Executive Oddball" of In Jest Inc. (www.injest.com). Working solo and with others, he has thrilled audiences throughout the United States, as well as from Australia to Bermuda and Canada to Mexico.
His diverse background includes: studying mathematics, education, and theater at the University at Buffalo; touring with a nonprofit circus; training with instructors from Broadway and Cirque du Soleil; teaching juggling and life skills workshops; and performing and speaking for companies and conferences as well as schools, ministries, and other nonprofits.
Starting at eight years old, Nels pursued interests in physical comedy, juggling, acting, and other arts, applying his talents everywhere from street festivals to theatrical productions. His mother actually encouraged him. That's not surprising when you consider she was a mime and fire eater among other things.
Upon completing degrees in mathematics and education, Nels took the next logical step and became a "fool-time" performer and speaker in 1996. Despite his confessed lack of business acumen, Nels maintains a busy schedule and considers himself blessed: "Somehow I manage to pay my bills and feed my kids at least once a week." He credits faith and hard work, along with supportive family and friends, and strives to pay it forward.
Having made a vow to practice joy on the path of service, Nels keeps working toward a world where people everywhere enjoy life and do good. "Too many suffer from terminal seriousness," he quips. Thus, armed with his contagious sense of humor and playfulness, he continues to defy gravity by helping others "live, laugh, love, and learn… wholeheartedly."
Jon Petz, Comedy Magician and Host: Columbus, Ohio
Bio coming . . .
Robert Strong
Michael Dustman
Matt Jergens
David Kaplan
Chipper Lowell
Danny Orleans
Michael Kent
Michael Dustman
Jon Petz
Kevin James And Company
Joseph Gabriel
Tim Wright
Jon Petz
John Carney
David Williamson
Stan Allen
Jon Petz
Shawn Farquhar
Kalin & Jinger
Jon Petz
Christopher Hart
Joshua Jay
Mac King
Jon Petz
Dana Daniels
Kerry Pollock
Tim Hill
Jon Petz
Ed Alonzo
Mike Caveney
Charlie Frye and Co.
Jon Petz
Kevin James & Company
Eric Buss
Stan Allen
Jon Petz
Scott and Muriel
Phillip Kaiser
Michael Griffin
Nels Cremean
Jon and Stacey Petz
David Kaplan
Matt Jergens
Steven Kline
Jon Petz
Jon Petz
Matt Jergens
Jon Petz
Matt Jergens


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The mood in the Peterborough Lions camp has changed following a crushing defeat last weekend by South Leicester.
The runaway National League Division Three leaders were too good for the city side and cruised to a 31-3 win at Bretton Park on Saturday.
And that has prompted ambitious Lions chairman Andy Moore to admit for the first time this season that maybe his squad isn't quite ready for promotion.
They're still third in the table but they now trail second-placed Hinckley by six points with five games to go. And their final game is away to Hinckley on April 18.
"Of course we're still going for promotion but it really does look as though we've got to win the rest of our games to be in with a shout of second place and a promotion play-off. And with our current injury crisis that is a very tall order," admitted Moore.
"We've been absolutely ravaged by injuries in recent weeks and it's cost us. We're bringing on the reserves for the reserves and even they're getting hit. You really do need one heck of a strong squad at this level.
It won't be the end of the world if we don't go upAndy Moore
"But it won't be the end of the world if we don't go up. We've had a fantastic first season at National League level and whatever happens between now and the end of the season we can hold our heads up high."
The Lions faced South Leicester with several key players absent. Wade Schoeman was suspended, John Harlock was unavailable and Reggie Reid, Tom Laws, Duncan Low and Matt Dunn were all injured.
And it's likely to be a similar story this weekend when the Lions visit Bournville - a side they beat 43-7 at Bretton in November.
Lions influential player/coach Darren Fox, who was shown the red card against South Leicester when receiving a second yellow in the last minute, will be available.
The club decided to take no further action and an RFU disciplinary hearing held last night (March 4) also decided that the sending off was sufficient punishment.
Moore added: "His first yellow was for a technicality and his second was for his involvment in a melee at the end that involved both packs. And he was trying to break it up.
"We felt it was unfair to single Darren out and as a club decided to take no further action.
"And after hearing all the facts and reading the referee's report the RFU similarly felt a ban wasn't necessary.
"And that's great news for us. We were getting so low on players we were thinking about asking the milkman to play."


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July 26, 2017
Music, Arts & Culture
» Arts
Agent Ink Gallery, 531 Fifth St.,
Santa Rosa. 707.595.1372.
Curt Barnickel started collecting Shepard Fairey screen-print posters about 10 years ago. Fairey is best know for his "Obey" images and Obama "Hope" posters.
Since then, he has expanded his collection from screen printing to concert posters, records and apparel printing and stickers—enough to fill up a gallery, Agent Ink, on Fifth Street in Santa Rosa.
After owning and operating a marketing company in downtown Santa Rosa for four years, Barnickel decided that the end of his building's lease was a sign to finally pursue his dream of running a screen-print gallery.
"It's really been a passion of mine to open up a gallery that's a little bit different than what most people are used to," Barnickel says. "I feature screen prints, so that's a little different from what Santa Rosa is used to. I think of myself as more of a Haight-Ashbury slash Berkeley type of gallery than a fine-art gallery."
Agent Ink features everything from screen-printed apparel, records, skateboard decks, rock-art posters and enamel stickers to collectible vinyl dolls.
"I wanted to hit every demographic, so we also have onesies," says Barnickel. "We're trying to get the families in here.
"The screen-printing thing," he continues, "is a big focus. All the apparel is screen-printed as well. Everything is screen-printed, even the covers for the records we sell are screen-printed by local artists."
After a soft opening in March, Agent Ink officially opened its doors on May 13. "Our grand opening was very successful," Barnickel says. "We probably had around 150 or 200 people in here that night, which was way more than I ever could've imagined."
Barnickel says the gallery sees increased foot traffic due to the new Old Courthouse Square and Wednesday Night Market–goers. "I really like downtown Santa Rosa," he says. "I wouldn't open a gallery anywhere else."
Barnickel says downtown Santa Rosa is perfect for his gallery.
"I think my art is more for 25-to-45-year-old-type people," he says. "I think Montgomery Village is a little old; Railroad Square has too many high-end galleries. I'm not really a high-end gallery. What I go for is art for everybody. 'Art for everyone' is one of my taglines. You can come in here with $15 and buy something, or you can come in here with $1,000 and buy something."
Barnickel's favorite part about Agent Ink is that it allows him to show the community a glimpse into the history of screen-printing.
"It's not only a gallery; it's going to be more of an educational center, where I'll have people out here actually doing the screen print process so people can see what it takes to actually create one of these posters.
"I'm just passionate about the art, and I've always wanted to let other people know about it."
Tags: Arts, Agent Ink Gallery
More Arts »
By Charlie Swanson
Dec 5, 2018 11:41 am
By Charlie Swanson
Dec 5, 2018 11:39 am
By Charlie Swanson
Dec 5, 2018 11:37 am
More »
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Links to related sites
The Web is now filled with almost unlimited resources. We want to underline which sites we ourselves enjoy visiting when not playing Scrabble.
For links to Scrabble sites, please visit our Scrabble links page.
Card Games
- Pagat.com - huge collection of card game rules
- SireGames and KartenSpieleOnline (in German) - rules and card games online
Tile Games
- Mahjongg on Scientificpsychic.com - play Mahjongg online
Board Games
- BoardGameGeek - everything about board games


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Stardrift Nomads is a 2.5D tower defense/dual-stick shooter hybrid featuring intense retro co-op action and epic space combat!
The Steam Summer Sale is under way, get Stardrift Nomads at a discount and our first content update, the Nebulous Update, is live.
steam summer sale and the nebulous update
Stardrift Nomads is running a giveaway through IndieDB on Sunday, June 18th and we talk about the upcoming update.
stardrift giveaway and development update!
Our plans about post-launch and where we plan to take the game next, along with a recap of streams/videos about Stardrift Nomads. We are planning a stream...
the future of stardrift nomads
Stardrift Nomads is released! We have a new trailer and screenshots of our finalized game to share as well.
stardrift nomads is released!
Members of the Risen Games team play Stardrift Nomads and talk about recent development on the game.
stardrift nomads livestream
We are very excited to announce that Stardrift Nomads is finally on Steam. The scheduled release of the game is March 31st, just three weeks from now!
stardrift nomads steam page!
Our first teaser after three years of revamping the game from our original prototype.
stardrift nomads - official teaser!
Stardrift Nomads needs beta testers and we want YOUR help!
beta testers needed!
Adrift has been Greenlit on Steam! After a long hiatus we have officially begun work on the game again and we're overhauling it from the ground up.
game overhaul in progress!
In this article we talk about the new direction for Adrift and how it improves on the old model!
shifting focus
In this update we talk about class roles and abilities, more specifically how you can use class abilities to fulfill different roles in your team.
play classily!
In light of our recent demo release, we thought it would be a good idea to go over the weapon sets of each class so you can make a more informed decision...
a pile of guns
We're on Steam Greenlight and we want your vote! Check it out and tell us what you think!
We made a demo of where the game is at currently. This is the first playable demo of Adrift, come try it out! Download links inside.
first playable adrift demo
Adrift is a tower defense, but not in the traditional sense. In this update we'll run through how Adrift differs from many other tower defenses out there...
just how do the towers work?
In this article we'll talk about the idea behind the bosses in Adrift and an example of a Scavenger build/strategy to defeat the first boss.
fighting bosses!
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So, I just got back from an early morning dog walk. Although I have itchy mosquito bites all over my legs, it was so worth it.
I couldn't sleep last night and tried a bunch of things to distract myself from the anxiety I was feeling – cooking, watching movies and TV, listening to music, even taking a hot bath. Nothing really helped. The moment it became reasonable to take Muffy and Teddy for a walk, I decided to. They were a bit confused at first but were more than happy to go.
As I began walking, a bunch of panicky, anxious, "what if," worst-case-scenario thoughts flew through my head. Lack of sleep surely played a role in that. Feelings of frustration and loneliness washed over me. Trying to ground myself, I looked around and attempted to take in the beauty of the early morning. Birds chirped. I could hear a woodpecker feverishly hammering someone's tree. An owl hooted its drowsy "good night" to an awakening world.
I looked into a neighbor's yard as I walked by and was greeted by a beautiful rabbit. It did not scurry away as the dogs and I got closer. It just sat there, looking at us. The meaning was clear to me. This bunny – an animal that holds a special place in my heart – was telling me that I was not alone…not to be afraid…to trust in God and His plan for me.
The sight of that animal made me smile and spread a feeling of warmth in my chest. Unfortunately as I continued to walk, that feeling of contentment disappeared. The feelings of fear crept back in. I started a conversation with God in my head, "I know you just gave me a sign…but the fear is strong. Please send me another sign." Honestly, my expectations were low. I had asked God for signs before…and rarely got them (not immediately at least). The dogs and I had reached the other side of the neighborhood. I looked into someone else's yard.
And there was a rabbit…sitting like a little garden statue in the middle of the lawn. My heart leapt up into my throat. What was the likelihood of that?! Tears welled up in my eyes and I let out a "thank you" under my breath.
The feelings of anxiety had floated far away. I focused on trying to get Muffy and Teddy to "do their business" while swatting away mosquitos. As we rounded the front of the neighborhood, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I squinted a bit…my now EXTREMELY tired (and spectacle-less) eyes trying to make out a small grayish-brown form.
A rabbit!!!
I almost let out a laugh. No freakin' way. I walked home shaking my head, feeling connected and loved and far less alone.
As I think about it all now, I realize…God gets me. He gets my fear, he gets my doubt, and he gets my sense of humor. He made sure I got that sign… not once, BUT THREE TIMES.
If I hadn't decided to be present in my surroundings…to actively be mindful, I could have missed those sweet bunnies.
So, my point in sharing this story is to remind people that they are never alone. No matter how scared or sad or alone you may feel, you are part of something bigger. God (or the Universe or whatever higher power you believe in) has a plan for you. Pay attention to the world around you and it just may speak to you.
Also, early morning walks are good for the soul. Clearly.
Take Care All,
Lindsay B.


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The 15th annual African Renaissance Conference was held on the 23rd and 24th May 2013 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban. The African Renaissance Conference allows a diverse group of people to come together to share experiences, learn and collaborate further.
The programme featured prominent speakers including Minister in the South African Presidency, Mr Trevor Manuel; Minister of Correctional Services, Sibusiso Ndebele; Minister of Rural Development
and Land Reform, Mr Gugile Nkwinti; Senior Economist of KPMG, Ms Lullu Krugel; CEO of Nashua Communications, Mr Andy Openshaw and Group CEO of Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd,
Mr Stephen Saad, amongst others.The topics under discussion included the Implementation of the National Development Plan and its impact on public/private partnerships; Drivers of growth for
African cities and lessons learnt; Maritime trade in Africa; ITC development on the African continent; Promotion of Tourism into Africa and SA Government's strategy on economic growth through infrastructure development. Of note a number of presentations included an emphasis on empowering the people of Africa to achieve socio economic growth through the creation of better infrastructure,
regional integration, skills development as well as the development of leaders.
Intrinsic to the Africa Renaissance movement is the likes of leaders such as Nelson Mandela that connected South Africa to the world and the rest of Africa. Through the support of African leaders the foundation has been set for the rise of Africa. The important role of effective leadership was stressed by MEC Mr Mabuyakhulu who stated that Africa was defined as the Dark Continent in 1898. In 2013 Africa is defined as continent of opportunity. He stated, "We need leaders to take the challenges of the regions and convert them into packaged solutions."Minister Sibusiso Ndebele commented that, "Connecting Africa through infrastructure is key to sustainable economic and social growth on the continent, as it allows for movement of goods and people. It is this infrastructure network which connects firms, villages, towns and cities and leads to global markets and destinations.Connecting Africa is also
about empowering the people of Africa tohave better control over their lives throughaccess to resources such as technology, public transport, health facilities and education, which will improve their living
standards. Empowerment creates positive people who are the cornerstone for the advancement of the development agenda for Africa." The importance of people was emphasised by Dr Zweli Mkhize who said that this event, "Is about drawing upon all of our resources to find a people-centred approach to the challenges facing KwaZulu-Natal and the continent of Africa. It's about investing, as a people, in our province and about encouraging our brothers and sisters, who were born and raised in KwaZulu-
Natal, to devote some of their time and resources to helping us build a better life for all in our province."
The need for empowerment was stressed by Deputy President Mr Kgalema Motlanthe who stated that there is a need to develop an African way and break with the view that we must take from the rest of the world how things need to work. The ultimate goal is to create a fair world where Africa has a place as an equal.
The emphasis on human development, leadership and the need for human action is evident in the National Development Plan (NDP), which has six key pillars that have been highlighted for the implementation process: Mobilisation of all South Africans; Active engagement of citizens in their own
development; Expansion of the economy and making growth inclusive; Building of key capabilities (human, physical & institutional); Building a capable and developmental state; Fostering of strong
leadership throughout society. Mr Trevor Manuel stressed that the long term goal is to raise the living standards of all the people. The NDP focuses on education and the empowering of communities. The same Constitution and laws govern the services in the "leafy suburbs" and so we do not want
to perpetuate the inequalities of the past.The NDP addresses the early educational years and also health matters to provide foundations for the future generations. The scale of the NDP implementation over the next 17 years is immense and therefore requires the commitment of all sectors of
society, government and the private sector.Mr Khulekani Mathe, Snr Policy Analyst, Presidency said, "In the words of JF Kennedy, people is the best resource we have. We need to mobilise the people to
implement the NDP. We need the young people to be engaged in the process to ensure the implementation meets their long term needs. We need to increase public support for the NDP."
Mr Bhekokuhle Sibiya –CEO, Chamber of Mines South Africa spoke on the impact of the National Development Plan on business. He emphasised the role of people and that in order to be successful the NDP needed: ӹ Thorough introspection and the inter- nalisation thereof;
- Thorough consultation: consultation is courtship, roses and compliments which do better than criticisms and fobbing off;
- Thorough communication: often times effective communication is done with our mouths shut and our ears wide open;
- Deep commitment to the spirit of partnership: the focus of Team South Africa (government, political parties, labour unions, organised business, community based organisations);
- Eliminating a 'Holier than Thou' attitude the moderation of the 'Me, Me, Me culture', "I want it all–I want it now" approach;
- Resilience, patience, persistence and perseverance.
Mr Molefe, CEO of Transnet confirmed that Transnet has the following focus areas in the development of infrastructure - ports, rail, pipelines and special projects. However, in order to capitilise on the opportunities in resources and markets in Africa, skills are required. He commented that, "We need
to ensure that maritime subjects are taught in schools. In addition, we need to create more maritime colleges to develop the skills for the future, even in remote areas of the country not near the sea."
New technologies and the improved access that the internet provides to education and information have also been shown to be important. The concern was raised around the access that young people have to
the development opportunities. Mr Openshaw, CEO Nashua Communications, stated that the youth can access the education and information opportunities via their mobile phones. New opportunities are arising around telecoms sales and support. The more technical aspects of using the gaps in TV analogue and digital signals to transfer data/information/content is being developed by people with high
technical skills. This does present new opportunities for the youth in direct business opportunities.
Ms Lullu Krugel, Senior Economist, KPMG confirmed that capacity building would promote trade
in Africa which includes the following aspects that: skills transfer takes place on projects; use technology processes to improve document flow; procedures need harmonisation; address infrastructure needs;
and most importantly, political support especially around corruption reduction.
The Youth Conference held on the 20 May was facilitated by Ignitesa.com, which is a value based organisation based on the empowerment of young people. This event emphasised that young people need to be engaged and the issues that they face need to be considered as part of a comprehensive solution. To create the dialogue to move South Africa forward the youth require an number of core values which have been articulated as: Leadership, Education, Personal
and Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Media in Africa and Global Connectivity, Dialogue. The one day conference consisted of a number of presentations, which promoted youth development. Key threads included:
- Leaders are accountable
- No handouts
- Manage Brand You
- Take the first step and implement your
- plan
- Continuous learning and gathering
- information
- Challenge convention and innovate
- Invest in you and identify your True
- Value
- Find your Fire
- Never Give Up
Minister Sibusiso Ndebele who addressed the youth conference also emphasised the role of young people in promoting development in South Africa. He stated that the generation that attended the ANC
conference in 1912 in Mangaung sacrificed a great deal. They travelled from far and wide, recognising that this was essential for the next generation to benefit. It is essential that the youth of today, living alongside the older generations, work to build our country. In his seminal speech entitled 'Without
Unity, There is No Future For Africa', Mwalimu Julius Nyerere submitted that: "Unity will not make us rich, but it can make it difficult for Africa and African peoples to be disregarded and humiliated. And it will,
therefore, increase the effectiveness of the decisions we make and try to implement for our development. My generation led Africa to political freedom. The current generation of leaders and peoples of Africa
must pick up the flickering torch of African freedom, refuel it with their enthusiasm and determination, and carry it forward." As stated by Prof Sihawukele Ngubane the African Renaissance is the celebration
of the continent moving from the status of the Dark Continent to the Rising Africa status.


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Peanut butter recall lawsuits are starting!
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has issued an alert, warning citizens to steer clear of Trader Joe's Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with sea salt.
Mouth watering?
It shouldn't. The peanut butter might be tainted with salmonella. We brought you this story several weeks ago, but now the lawsuits are starting.
A Boston area family filed a lawsuit against Trader Joe's, after their preschool-age son got salmonella, reports Patch.
Last week, the Center for Disease Control warned the nation about the salmonella outbreak and the tainted peanut butter distributed by Sunland Inc.
This peanut butter is sold across the nation, in major retail chains including Target, Walmart and Whole Foods.
You might know of some of these products better under the labels of Earth Balance and Archer Farms.
But the Trader Joe's lawsuit is the one making headlines.
The Massachusetts boy got food poisoning in the summer. The poor tyke complained of a stomach ache and had a fever of 104 degrees, reports CBS News.
So, his parents sued, if only to make a statement, they told CBS News.
After all, how much could they really get from Trader Joe's, when their son didn't suffer any permanent injury?
Peanut butter lawsuits aren't new.
And in the past, they've cost peanut butter manufacturers mucho dinero.
In 2010, a judge approved a $12 million settlement against the Peanut Corporation of America, when nine people died after a salmonella outbreak. Seven hundred others were infected with salmonella.
The damages award was based heavily on the fact that PCA executives weren't in the dark about the salmonella in their products.
Yet, they put their product out there into the stream of commerce.
As for the current salmonella-in-peanut-butter scare, there have been no reported deaths.
Related Resources:
- Search Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyers (FindLaw)
- Food Poisoning and the Law (FindLaw)
- Skippy Peanut Butter Recalled Due to Salmonella Concern (FindLaw's Philadelphia Personal Injury Law Blog)


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Hello all,
It has been a long while since I have posted anything (on here or 2+2). I haven't been playing, the GF and day trading keeps me busy ATM.
As for poker related news, I have challenge 2+2'er Blue Devil, who I mistakenly called Blue Balls, to a HU match.
His terms were as follows: $1000 HU SNG, 5 games, no backing or selling pieces.
I countered about 20 minutes ago with the following offer:
HUSNG PLO or NLHE $200-$500 per match, min 3 matches. Or HU Cash. 1-2 300 min/max NLHE. Match has to take place in Ann Arbor, probably at the Heidelberg. Also, Coach McGuirk has to be there, because I said so.
I wish I could sell pieces to this, fun sweats and everything, but this is supposedly against the rules. I'd like to do this before Jan. 8th, but we will see if I get a response.


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The Weekly Turbo: Giving St. Paddy's Day the Weekend
This weekend, we hope you celebrated St. Patrick's Day in style, with Guinness and PokerNews while you enjoy March Madness to your heart's content.
Poker champions are made with countless hours of study and incredible hard work. Many people think this game is easy, but we know better. This is Poker. And we are PokerNews.
The Winner's Circle
Ben Tollerene went home with $538,715 and the win after making 4.5 hours of play at the PokerStars Championship Panama Super High Roller look easy.
Imagine entering an online poker tournament for $215 and leaving with $153,203. That's exactly what "Admiral19793" did when he snagged the $215 Sunday Million title.
Stephen Chidwick came away with $366,500 after 12 hours of play at PokerStars Championship Panama. The UK player won the Single-Day High Roller.
Michael Del Vecchio outlasted Sorel Mizzi, Olivier Busquet and Connor Drinan to win the WPT Rolling Thunder Main Event for $284,638.
The Game Changers
Kristen Bicknell made history last week on the Global Poker Index in Canada.
This story made one masseuse, Dana Perianu, poker famous: Phil Ivey once paid me €1,000 for a three-hour massage.
Make the most of the 2017 Western New York Poker Challenge. The tournament kicks off March 31 and will boast a $200,000 guaranteed Main Event April 7.
Sam Panzica outlasted a record field of 806 players to win the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star. That's why he's this week's PokerNews Performance of the Week.
Poker, pools and parties promised at Marrakech Poker Open at Casino de Marrakech Es Saadi. The tournament kicks off March 18.
Poker & Pop Culture: The 1966 film A Big Hand for the Little Lady challenges ideas that poker is solely a "man's game."
Time to book your ticket. The schedule for the 888Live Barcelona Festival is up.
£40,000 is guaranteed to be won in the first 2017 Unibet UK Poker Tour Brighton Main Event.
These players are on the move…and hoping to keep it that way.
Team PokerStars Online player Kevin Martin reentered the Big Brother Canada house March 15.
Global Poker Index: Sergio Aido moves into second behind Bryn Kenney in the 2017 GPI Player of the Year race. David Peters remains over GPI leader with Sam Panzica moving into the top 10.
A rumor about Las Vegas Sands purchasing Wynn is denied, but Wynn's stock jumps nonetheless. This and more in Inside Gaming.
Pat Lyons went all in without looking at his cards and it paid off.
More than £8 million is guaranteed to be won during the partypoker MILLIONS festival in April.
GPL China wants to become the NBA of Poker in China. That's why Mediarex Sports & Entertainment, the company responsible for the GPL, partnered with JuzhongJoy.
West Virginia has to do something to handle declining revenues at brick-and-mortar venues. The state introduced its first online gambling bill March 14 to legalize and regulate online gambling.
Online poker could bring the New York $10 million in licensing fees alone. Maybe that's why the legalization of poker is still in the state's budget proposal.
Humberto Brenes says the shark is sleeping right now, but he has big plans.
Exclusive interview with Ema Zajmovic: When I play, I just want to be better than my opponents, to make fewer mistakes than others, to play my A-game more. I want to compete against everyone and not just women.
Take Matters Into Your Own Hands
Zachary Elwood shares excerpts from his forthcoming book Exploiting Poker Tells.
No-limit players must revise strategy for limit games, starting with how they approach implied odds.
When playing deep-stacked, there can be a huge amount of value in seeing cheap flops.
Play for a share of €25,000 at bet365 through April 2.
If you dream of winning a WSOP Circuit ring, you need to head to King's Casino in Rozvadov. You have 14 chances to win a WSOPC ring.
Here are some strategic adjustments for no-limit players to consider when jumping into fixed-limit games.
Compare your moment of greatest poker pain to this one from Tommy Angelo's Painless Poker.
Earn a chance to win $100,000 in Jackpotland at 888poker.
oker pros Matt Berkey and Andrew Brokos discuss overbetting both for value and when bluffing.
Our exclusive PokerStars tournament gives you a second chance if you get eliminated within the first hour.
The March Mission allows you to learn new things about the Unibet Poker software and win great prizes.
Check out the best real money casinos that let you play with NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED.
Here's how to play WSOP tournaments within your budget this summer.
Daniel Negreanu shares some questions to ask yourself when deciding on your bankroll requirements.
Check Tape
Matthew Parvis and Sarah Herring discuss the latest grudge match with Cate Hall and Mike Dentale. They bring Liv Boeree on the PokerNews Podcast to talk about it all.
David Tuchman answers two minutes of random questions, including this one: What's one rule you give the babysitter?
Tito Ortiz shows poker pro Liv Boeree a few moves on the beach.
Some hands make you wonder, WTF was that?!
Herring talks to the always controversial William Kassouf about some rumors that were circulating after he won the European Poker Tour's last High Roller in Prague.
Herring headed out to explore the Panama Canal, Monkey Island and Jungle Land! It was an amazing day and she jumped right in...literally!
Herring scours the poker Twitterverse to find out what is going on at PokerStars Championship Panama.
With a very stacked Super High Roller Final Table, we scoured results, polls and more to determine which accomplished player is actually the best.
There was almost no doubt that Ben Tollerene was going to win the PokerStars Championship Panama Super High Roller.
We lost our trusty Go-Pro while kayaking back from an adventure with Jungle Land Panama. After days later Barefoot Panama called to let us know if had been found while dredging a canal. Here's that footage.
Here's a look at the PokerStars party at SCORE in the Sortis Casino and Hotel in Panama City.
Favorite Person from Celebrity Apprentice? Worst injury? Worst thing about being a fighter? Find out the answer to these questions and more in this rapid fire question segment with Tito Ortiz!
Not only does Byron Kaverman know a lot about poker, he has an acute memory of his own poker history. Herring puts him through the Amazing Poker Quiz.
Igor Kurganov shares about his passion for both his charity initiative, REG, and the fusion of players into the business side of the poker industry.
Felipe Ramos answers Google's most asked questions about Brazil which leads to a lot of laughs.
Argentinian Rugby player Lucas González Amorosino opens up about this last year being able to play in the Super Sixteen with Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Costa Rican Steven Thompson Vila had a tough few years. But in the last couple of years, he has used his passion and skill at poker to turn his life around.
Jason Wheeler gives a hand analysis where he explains how one should avoid playing a hand.
Herring gets Kristen Bicknell to weigh on all things Canada. Ryan Gosling or Ryan Reynolds? Moose or Polar Bears? Mike McDonald or Marc-Andre Ladouceur?
PN Blogging Excerpts
"It's a strange feeling going back to a card room or casino after a long period." Aaron McBride talks about his journey into live poker for a change. Here's one scenario: The turn gave McBride two pair. It was likely he had the best hand. Then this happened.
Finding a trustworthy room to play online poker can be a monumental burden. That's all the more true if you're just looking for a place to play poker for free. We've listed five of the best play-money poker sites to enjoy and help hone your skills.


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by Richard Risemberg
I spent ten years as an art photographer, had numerous exhibits, and sometimes did self portraits. Finally tired of gallery world politics and the limitations of a visual medium, so I returned to my first love, words. Oddly enough, English is my second language, but the one I speak best, thanks to long residence in the US and extensive reading. I was born in Argentina, of a Jewish father and a Catholic Italian mother, which at the time was the equivalent of a racially mixed marriage in the American South. To spice things up a bit, my mother had actually been in the Hitlerjugend in her teens! Needless to say, my family soon found reason to move north; we settled in Los Angeles, and that has been my base of operations since. I found the Los Angeles of the fifties and early sixties to be unutterably banal, but soon discovered that a great deal of the Big World still showed through in the midst of all the stucco and asphalt, partly a result of the propinquity of desert and sea we are famous for, and partly thanks to a 3,000 foot range of hills dividing the town. From liquor stores and traffic jams to birdcalls and rattlesnakes in a fifteen minute walk. The tension between civilization and its supportive natural processes, which most citadins struggle mightily to ignore, has formed the basis for much of my artwork since I was seventeen...
The beginnings were auspicious. I say beginnings in the plural because every journey, no matter how short or uncomplicated, begins first with the conceiving of it, then with the anticipating, the planning, and the preparation, so that when you finally depart, at last, it is only the end of the beginning. Ours--my buddy John's and mine--progressed from wishful thinking to phone discussions to meetings and mapping without the slightest irregularity. It was only when we actually began to move that things went wrong. Or perhaps a little bit before....
I had gotten a nice new Bridgestone touring bicycle, and John and I had decided to baptize it with a weekend journey to McGrath State Beach, a campground about seventy-five miles from my home in Hollywood that I remembered from a pleasant and restful visit about fifteen years before. Back then, there had been trees, meadows, the beach, an estuary, friends around the campfire--all the requirements fulfilled. And for the present trip, we had planned well, my buddy John and I, and worked out an interesting route based on an earlier bike trip he had made in the same area; and I had bought the luggage I'd needed as well as some food and the little doodads that come in handy when you're camping out. The bike was broken in and comfortable, so it was with no sense of disquiet that I saddled up early on the appointed morning to begin the first stage of the trip, a twenty mile run to John's studio in the San Fernando Valley. Perhaps I should have taken the fact that I started an hour early as a sign from the unconscious: I wanted to be on hand ahead of time in case John needed any "inspiration" to get ready. But then, all of my friends have been lateniks all my life, so I am a bit cynical about their early starts. To me, the morning is the best part of the day.
And so it proved to be that day: in the light of a clear summer dawn, even the streets of Hollywood can look good. The first rays of the sun brushed delicately across the pavement as I turned onto the broad deserted reach of Vine Street, and the air was still cool and fresh-smelling at that hour, with no cars about to spoil it. I passed a homeless man asleep on a bus bench, with his shopping carts drawn about him like a coterie of protective worshippers; I passed through the inexplicably famous intersection of Hollywood and Vine, where a trio of pale, dazed tourists craned their necks, searching for the magic; I passed down side streets lined with courtyard motels whose parking lots were filled with old El Caminos and Impalas and discarded diapers; and in the cool and swelling golden light it did not seem as awful as it should have, but only normal and a little sad--which perhaps is what it really is. You are more present in the world on a bicycle than in any other vehicle: everything is right there, no farther than the other side of your skin.
You are more present in geography as well. Just out of Hollywood, I started on the short, steep upgrade of Cahuenga Pass. Despite the weight of luggage on the bike, the climb was easy, and I was able to stay in my usual gears for that route. Cool air came down from the hillsides, drying my sweat and bringing the resinous odors of the chaparral. In only a few minutes, I was over the top and on Ventura Boulevard, with the Hollywood Hills, which I had just passed over, on my left, and the great redundant grid of Valley streets hidden under treetops to my right. A half hour of pedaling brought me to John's studio in an alley across from an Irish bar. Traffic noises filtered in from the awakened streets. Pigeons walked along the cinderblock eaves. John was nowhere to be seen.
I leaned the Bridgestone against John's front window and admired it while I waited. Once in a while someone shuffled by, aimless as the birds. I felt the first hint of the heat of the coming day and was glad I had come early: I thought that maybe I could persuade John to leave ahead of schedule.
You see, I have always been an optimist.
John arrived a few minutes after our official departure time. Driving a pickup truck and wearing jeans and a flannel shirt. He was, in fact, not quite ready. He was, in fact, not ready at all. In fact, he hadn't even had breakfast. So we stowed my bike in the office and went to the coffee shop at the end of the alley, where my buddy John proceeded to fill himself up with a very large portion of fried corned beef hash and eggs.
We were about to set off on a trip involving seven hours of aerobic activity. I had my first intimation that perhaps not everything would go smoothly.
Over breakfast I was informed that "we" would have to put a new tire on John's bike, and that "we" would have to copy the map pages at the nearby printshop, and that perhaps "we" could take care of that while John finished some phone calls left over from last night. "We" took care of that, and made a few minor adjustments on a bike that had not been ridden in two years, and then helped John look for the saddlebags, which had not been seen in as long a time. John then squeezed himself into a baby blue riding outfit that brazenly showed off the potbelly the flannel shirt had so discreetly hidden, and after a preparatory smearing with sunblock, we mounted up and were on our way. Eastward, in fact, though our course lay to the west. It seems that John's tire gauge was broken, and we must hie ourselves to his favorite gas station to finish filling the new tire. Of course, the gauge there was not so much broken as nonexistent, so John guessed at the pressure, and we set off again, this time in the right direction.
We had gone about three miles when a sudden loud noise occurred which, this being Los Angeles, I at first assumed was a gunshot. A quick look at John's wobbling posterior educated me, however: the new tire had exploded. We found a shady spot by a fence, cleared away the newspapers and old beer cans, and reviewed the situation. The tire, it seemed, was salvageable. The tube, it seemed, was landfill. Fortunately, "we" had persuaded John to keep the old tube, which was a nice, thick, unwieldy thornproof. "We" took great pleasure in watching John struggle to cram it into a one-inch Michelin. After a while, wherein I enjoyed a much-unneeded rest, the task was done, and, once again, we set off on our way.
Slowly but surely--or perhaps I should just say, slowly--we climbed the approaches to the Santa Susana Pass in the west end of the Valley. It was about six miles from John's office to the beginning of the pass, so I suppose we were lucky we had to stop only once to replenish John's water supply. Finally we came into a country of steep hillsides broken by great thrusts of rounded stone, very popular with rock climbers and, from the evidence, drinkers of Bud Light. At the end of a short steep climb was the turnoff to the pass. I waited there for John, watching the crows circle in the heat above the rocks. By the time he arrived and the light changed, we had been joined by a shirtless kid on a mountain bike. We set off together. For the first time that day, I was on a two-lane road with no other traffic on it.
To be precise, within a few minutes I was riding with no other traffic on the road, including bicycles. I went along in silence, rarely hearing anything other than the sibilances of my tires and chain, a crow call now and then, the skitter of a startled lizard on the bank by the road. The sky was a fierce vast blue, and though it was barely noon the heat lay on the brown land heavily. Once or twice I stopped in the shade of a scrub oak and sipped some water. In the gully by the side of the road there was the smell of moisture and a glimmer of green leaves. Elsewhere there were only the dry stalks of summerkilled grasses and the dark, self-shadowing oaks. The road wound steeply toward the crest, and I eventually dropped into my lowest gear but one out of twenty-one. A few yards short of the crest I stopped in a spot of shade and waited for John.
And waited and waited.
The shirtless kid made his appearance first, pushing his mountain bike around the bend. When he pulled up by me I inquired after John, and he said that Yes, he was still alive last time he saw him. This gave me confidence, and I pulled out a snack to eat while I waited. Eventually a spot of baby blue came round the bend, also--needless to say--pushing a bike, and inched its way up to where I stood. The sweat dripped from his golden ringlets, and his mouth hung open like that of a poisoned catfish. He didn't, he explained breathlessly, think he could make it. He had better, he reasoned, turn around. He was, he declaimed abjectly, sorry.
We had gone twenty miles together from his studio.
After he caught his breath, we rode the last few yards to the crest of the pass. The road before me dropped away in wide, sweeping turns to a valley crowded with red tile rooftops. John and I talked a few minutes; he told me what he remembered from his last trip that way. Then we mounted our bikes and went downhill, he eastward toward home, and I westward. The road was smooth and black with new asphalt, and the bike tracked more steadily under its heavy load than it would have stripped. Near the bottom of the hill I stopped at a little beige office building--a structure reminiscent of the elementary school bungalows I remember from my childhood--and I filled my bottles with spring water they were giving away as samples. The road then plunged quickly to the flat valley floor, and I spent the next hour or so grinding into a headwind as I passed block after block of deserted sidewalks and beige cinderblock walls that protected the stucco housing developments whose roofs I had seen from high up on the pass. This was Simi Valley, the capital of middle-class conservatism in the county: a place where people drive their sealed and air-conditioned cars from their underground office parking directly to their attached garages, whence they enter directly to the house without touching outside air. The wall on my right seemed endless, broken only by occasional sidestreets that rose toward the hills between their own beige banks of cinderblock. At length I passed under a freeway and was suddenly in open country, following a two-lane between fields of corn and lettuces, with a stream beside the road for several miles. Little houses behind white-rail fences, here and there a horse: only the steady headwind kept it from being a perfect ride. The road wound eventually out of the foothills and onto the sloping plain that led to the sea.
US 101 gleamed in to near distance; the ceaseless motion of its shining cars, confined as they were in its narrow channel, seemed a parody of the tumble of river-water. Far off in the haze, over an indiscernible horizon, the light of the lowering sun shone back from the sea, filling the sky with whiteness. I passed over the freeway on a bridge and found myself among the dusty plowed fields of Oxnard, where railroad tracks and irrigation ditches ran beside the road, while dusty double trailer trucks groaned by me on the narrow lane. Barbed wire fenced in the strawberries, tractors bumped and bumbled under clouds of dust; in the greener fields longs rows of Mexicans bent double over baskets, while their overseers stood, arms folded, in the heat behind them. Once, an oil refinery stood suddenly up out of a field, all tall tanks and silver tubes. California agriculture does not look much like the pictures in my grade-school books.
I stopped for a snack at a little kiosk by a barren intersection as loud and busy as any in L.A. The clerk inside watched television in the breeze made by a portable fan. We made small talk for a while, and he told me about the accidents that had taken place there recently. While we talked, an El Camino, frustrated with the wait at the light, cut out of line and roared across the tarmac in front of the kiosk. I bought a quart of orange juice and sat by the bike to drink it. After twenty minutes in the narrow shade outside, I got back on the bike and started on the last leg of the first day's ride. I came upon Oxnard rather suddenly: a ditch, a fence, a mini-mall, and then I was in a little town; a few minutes more of pedaling, and I was in the fields again. I could smell the sea now, and I felt less tired. Soon I turned onto Harbor Boulevard, the ocean just beyond the trees on my left hand. There was still plenty of day left, and I relaxed. When I came to a break in the trees and saw the sign, I knew I was there: McGrath State Beach.
"Campground Full," it said.
Fortunately, the State of California has been gracious, or perhaps distracted, enough to provide most of its campgrounds with an area reserved for those who travel on foot or by bicycle, and which, this being the domain of the automobile, is usually empty. Three bucks bought me the right to camp out in a round meadow otherwise occupied only by robins and crows, and only a short hike from the showers, to which I hurried as soon as the tent was up. Nothing else I could think of at that moment could have surpassed the pleasure of washing off the sunblock, sweat, and road grit of a seventy-five mile ride. Then--the air being cooler by the sea--I put on my jeans and wandered about the campground for a look.
Something felt strange: as if I had entered a world where everything looked the same but something was missing, something left unsaid. Then I realized: everything did look the same. Nearly everyone was white and blond; women and girls all wore pastels, men and boys dressed in polyester polo shirts. Big cars abounded, accompanied by vast, spotless trailers or slab-sided motorhomes. Trunks and tailgates disgorged lawn chairs, Labradors, three-burner Colemans, styro coolers too big for just one man to handle; generators muttered in the recesses of metal walls, while televisions chirped the early news behind the plexi portholes of the Winnebagos. Screaming children chased each other across the meadow, the boys on Huffy mountain bikes, some of the girls in starched and frilly dresses; the robins scattered and hid in the trees. As the daylight faded, gas lanterns appeared--the family nearest me had two on their picnic table, when one would have easily lit up a circle of forty feet. And then, as night fell and the bugs came out and one tired bicyclist got into his sleeping bag, the tape decks started--the bane of every road camp I have stopped in for the last twelve years. Disco on one side; Jesus ballads on the other. On and on, till late into the night: the day had another name before I slept.
I woke to the shuddering roar of a helicopter flying low overhead. This actually was not as bad as it sounds, for I am a Los Angeles boy, and the sound of circling helicopters in the night is no stranger to me than the sound of your refrigerator is to you. Once I was awake enough to remember where I was, though, I decided, out of curiosity, to investigate. A short walk out to Harbor Boulevard enlightened me: it was a crop duster, taking advantage of the still air of dawn to make a few passes over the fields beyond the road. Two rows and then refill his tanks; two rows and then refill this tanks--the rhythm of modern agriculture. I passed fifteen minutes watching him spray poison on tomorrow's salad for Farmer Brown, Inc., and then went back to camp. I ate while the sun dried the tent, and then packed up. I had agreed to meet someone at home at five o' clock, and I did not want to have to hurry back. By eight I was on the road.
The route John and I had mapped took me through Oxnard a different way, alongside the Navy installations, and out past the usual borderland of mini-malls and strawberry fields to some hills. Once I left the city, the road was nearly deserted again. It wound between the foothills and a series of small truck farms, strawberries again, or sometimes tomatoes, until it passed the famous mental hospital at Camarillo. Now, if I had know what was ahead of me in the next few hours, I would have checked myself in on the spot for even considering the ride. But ignorance is bliss, goes the old saying--only it doesn't specify how briefly. The road suddenly jogged to the head of a canyon, turned right, and went directly up a cliff face at an angle that would have daunted an F-15. Well, I said to myself, I have plenty of gears. So up I went.
And I needed every damn gear I had.
Fortunately, the climb was shorter than it seemed. After half a mile or so of heavy exertion, I reached a point where the road turned into a narrow but fairly level upper canyon. I stopped for a sip and a breath and looked back over the fields that sloped down to the sea. The sun shone on me warmly. The cloud cover seemed to have stopped nearly exactly where the hills began. I felt good and started up again. A few turns into the upper canyon, I came upon a double-century rider huddled by his bike in a patch of shade. We exchanged the usual bits of information that two riders would who met in the middle of nowhere, including the news that, from what he'd heard, only the last mile or two of the climb was really bad.
I looked up the road. It wound innocently up the canyon and disappeared around the brown shoulder of a hill. High above and far beyond was an irregular bare line where the bulk of the earth was silhouetted against the sky. Close at hand were the listless sycamores in the dry wash by road, the reverberant asphalt, the beige-brown clods of earth, and always the growing heat of the sky. The double-century rider was crouched in the shade by his stripped-down sport triple. I was sweating standing in the sun to talk with him. The day wouldn't get any cooler nor the hills less steep by waiting. I took my leave and started up the road.
The best I can say for myself is that, at least, I never had to get off the bike and push. But when you have a twenty-seven inch low gear, baggage or no baggage, that's not a big brag. I was standing on the pedals most of the time, and stopping every fifty yards to catch my breath. And the road stayed on the shady side of the canyon. To say it was a steep climb would be to understate the diabolical cruelty of its designers: the road would have been steep to walk up--in fact, if it had been a sidewalk, it probably would have had steps. Even the sag wagons for the double-century were wailing and groaning up the hill in their lowest gears. Add to that the heat, which tightened round you like a straitjacket--well, I was not too proud to accept a share of water from the sag wagon when I finally reached the top. I drank as much as I could and filled my bottles, then I shared the last of my dried fruit with the other riders resting there. Everyone was incredulous about my luggage load and wondered why I would have chosen to haul it up this particular route. But I hadn't, of course.
No, my original plan had been to go down Potrero Road to the sea, and then to go home along the Pacific Coast Highway, a road mostly level and cooled by the ocean breeze. It was my buddy John who agitated for the inland route, mostly, I suspect, because his office happened to lie right along it. John, who had gone home seventy miles ago.
Never was a wish more fervently wished than the "Wish you were here" I sent him in my mind.
But the climb had its rewards. The top of the climb represented not a crest but the edge of a broad highland where the roads, at first, stayed level or sloped down. On either side wide pastures reached from white rail fences by the road to low hills in the hazy distance. Horses and, occasionally, cows grazed in the knee-high grass, and every few miles a pretentious manor house would make its appearance amid a stand of oaks at the end of a long, shady driveway. I could keep my speed up with not too much effort, so the breeze I made kept me cool and I could enjoy the serenity of the scene. Presently, the highlands narrowed, and trees began to shade the road, which turned more as it wound around the low hills that were gradually crowding it. The road climbed again, and suddenly--it must have passed a ridgeline which I had barely noticed it the gradual approach--the hills became steeper, rockier, and drier, the trees fewer, and the air much hotter. Here the road climbed up and down steeply, and I was changing from the lowest to the highest gears and back within every mile. Here I noticed an interesting phenomenon: I was passing the double-century riders on the uphills, despite my load, and they were repassing me on the descents. I suppose it was simply because I had lower low gears than they did and so could spin--if you could call it that--more efficiently on the climbs. I didn't go fast on the descents because I preferred to look at the scenery than to wonder whether I was going to die at the next sharp turn.
As it turned out, I should have worried more about dying on the climbs. Yes, there were more of them: for every time the road went down, it went back up again anon. True enough, every time it went up, it went back down again eventually. But one thing that went up and stayed up was the temperature. The road climbed and fell, climbed and fell, winding around bare sandstone hills that reflected the sun's heat back onto the road and trapped every breeze and choked it among the dry wisps of dead grass that fuzzed the slopes. I stopped in the shade of every oak, often in company of a couple of the double-century riders, until finally the way descended to the level of the Ventura Freeway and the painted-looking lawns of Calabasas. I rode, smeared and sweaty, past more throngs of pastel blondes, crossing the parking lots from their gleaming Buicks and Aerostars to the cool safety of the malls. I stopped--feeling like an intruder--at an AM-PM for a cool drink, and then worked my way slowly over another couple of steep ascents to Woodland Hills. Half an hour later, I stopped at another AM-PM for a cool drink, and guzzled a quart as I sat in the shade by the gaspumps watching my bike. People were looking at me oddly, a phenomenon that continued for as long as I rode through the Valley. I attributed it, at first, to my tie-dyed rainbow jersey, which I wear because it's so obnoxiously bright that, if you can't see it, you are too blind to be driving a car. Later on, around about Encino, I credited the jersey for the thumbs-ups and cheers I was occasionally getting--people were no doubt thanking me for brightening their day a little with it. It wasn't till I checked the weather report the next day that I realized it wasn't because of the jersey at all: it was because I had been plugging along through the San Fernando Valley, on a bicycle loaded down like a Dust Bowl refugee flatbed, at two in the afternoon in July, and it was one hundred and ten degrees Fahrenheit that day--and probably hotter down at street level where I was.
There was one more pass between me and home, but I didn't even count it as a climb after what I'd just been through. The air got cooler as I neared Hollywood, which is on the seaward side of the hills, and I felt stronger and rode harder. By the time I was in Hollywood itself, I was moving right along and felt almost chilly, though a storefront thermometer showed ninety. Soon I was back on Vine Street, which looked bleak and nervous now under the blank white sky, crowded with the stiff lumps of cars and pedestrians like little black smears. As I came down the hills, it all enlarged into familiarity: the heavy faces of the poor at bus stops, waiting in the heat; the dirty, agitated men pushing their shopping carts, the sun-dazed tourists...I rolled on down the street, unnoticed and uncheered here in the town where the bizarre is normal; rolled on down, freewheeling, past the seedy hotels and the musicians' union and my supermarket to the concrete Jesus across from the Radio Shack, where I turned left and picked up the same route I ride home from work four days a week; and then the bike was leaned against familiar clapboard and, by golly, I was home.
After padlocking the bike in the garage and the garage behind its gate--this is Hollywood, friends--I headed for the shower. I left the unpacking for later. I thought of calling John, to let know I'd got back safely. But I was afraid I might also let him know what I thought of him right then. So I just lay back and rested one hot and tired corpse for a good long hour. In fact, I thought about making it two hours, but then the doorbell rang.
It was one of the guys from work, the one I'd arranged to meet when I got back. He was bringing his old tandem, which I'd agreed to restore. I went with him to his van. There, couched in ratty blankets, was the sickliest near-cadaver of a two-wheeler you could imagine--caked grease, rust holes, and a thick icing of garage dust marked the spot where a bicycle ought to have been. I looked down at it.
The perfect trophy for the winner of the Tour de Fiasco.


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The Potomac Institute is excited to annouce Kathryn Ziden as one of our newest CReST Fellows.
Kathryn Ziden holds a Ph.D. in Biophysics from Johns Hopkins University where she studied residual dipolar couplings as a way to elicit protein structure and dynamics using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. During this time, she became interested in science policy and received a NATO Science for Peace and Security Fellowship to study Rapid Decision Making techniques in the event of a CBRN attack, as well as a Boren Fellowship from the National Security Education Program to pursue a project on alternative energy policy in India. She has worked for eight years as a S&T analyst in the government sector.