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Very nice SGT ..... this should be a sticky for sure
Very nice SGT ..... this should be a sticky for sure
It puts the Underquilt on it's hammock ... It does this whenever it gets cold
I do count myself lucky. I think if we did this a lot we would have a better system. As I was finishing up making the patches, I realized having a way to hold the cuben material down while I was working would have been a good thing. With the mat I was using, I was thinking I could have used some binder clips or something to fasten it to the mat. I did work out having the material turned over into place and then pulling the tape backing out when doing the hems - that worked great and it sounds like what you do as well. If I did a bunch of these I would definitely get some 1" wide tape for doing the patches and the ridge.You're fortunate to have an assistant. I don't have that luxury, so I've had to find another way to do the long seams. What has worked best is to lay a 4' x 8' piece of masonite on the floor and put a 4' x 4' piece next to it, so I have a work surface 12' long. Then I put one half of the tarp down and pull it taut, fastening it at each end with weights and pieces of painters' tape. I use a long strip of blue painters' tape to mask the edge of the 1" edge that will be bonded, so I can apply the Primer 94 with a small paint brush. The throw-away foam brushes work fine. Then I apply the 9460 VHB tape to the primed area. Because the cuben is held flat, one person can do this quite easily. Then I remove the blue masking tape. Next, I prime a 1" strip on the other half of the tarp in a similar fashion. Then I put the primed edge of the second tarp half over the taped edge of the first half and fasten it in place with weights and tape at each end. The backing paper is still on the VHB tape, but everything is lined up for bonding. Then I carefully start peeling the backing paper off at one end, but instead of pulling it straight back in line with the edge, I pull it at an angle to one side, so I'm pulling it out from between the two sheets of cuben, which are already in contact. To get it started you need to move the weights and lift one corner of the top piece. Once a 3" end of the backing paper is free, you can roll the bond and put the weight back. Then roll the entire seam as you pull the backing out, with the roller following an inch behind the backing as it comes off. If I did have an assistant, I think I would still use this method, with the assistant pulling the backing paper, so I'd have two hands to hold the cuben down ahead of the bonding area and roll it tight immediately after. I use 1" wide tape. A single backing strip is easier to pull than two, but it can be done. It's possible to prepare the cuben by trimming the edge with a soldering iron along a metal straightedge just before applying the primer, but using a cutting mat and rolling cutter is just as easy. I have thought about a cutting mat that's 6" wide and 12' long, but I don't do enough of this stuff to justify the expense. (Besides, they don't exist.)
Something else I was thinking of when after I had already seam sealed the tie outs and then taped over them: What if I put enough seam seal on them to create a good surface for the cuben and 3M tape to bond too? I think that maybe if I were to do it again I would use 1/2" wide ribbon instead of para cord, and I would cover them with enough seam seal to help bond them to the patches.
I expect a sticky is coming, I will certainly suggest so to the mods.
Was happy to see this, I've been working with Cuben and Sgt Rock does a great job of pointing out the things to which you must be attentive.
great job Sgt
(alias ProfessorHammock on youtube)
The thing almost didn't happen. The camera I used did something different this time and the files wouldn't edit. I had to play with about three different programs trying things like file conversions and such until I got them to where the editor would recognize them and use them. It was totally baffling since I didn't change anything I normally did, and the .avi files normally open just fine. If I hadn't figured out a solution yesterday afternoon I was about to scrap trying to make a youtube video altogether.
I vote for STICKY, STICKY, STICKY...
Oops, I voted 3 times
"Life is a Project!"
Here's a picture of my test cuben, 15" x 15" bonded to a piece of aluminum on one edge so I can pull it evenly across the whole width. Below it is the 2" x 2" square of Triastic with the strap sewn to it.
Here is the Triastic patch bonded to the cuben with 3M 9460 adhesive transfer tape (plus Primer), ready for the pull test. I have already tested the Triastic-to-cuben connection, both sewn and with 9460 tape, and I know that both methods of connecting them are strong enough. What I expect to learn is where the cuben material will tear and how much force it takes to tear it. From Sgt. Rock's video, I see I could further strengthen the connection by adding a layer of cuben over the Triastic patch, and I may do that in the future because it would provide a way of tapering the reinforcing patch (if the cuben added was bigger than the Triastic). Earlier pull tests have shown that a strong reinforcing patch on cuben will fail right at the edge of the patch. Tapering may help spread the force over a larger area, resulting in a stronger connection.
I'll post test results in this thread, with a link to my earlier tests. As this one builds on what we learned earlier, it make sense to sticky this thread, adding new information as it appears.
It looks like a good solution. What I have come to believe is if you spread the ends out so they lay side by side instead of directly top and bottom from each other, that this would spread the force over a greater area. I need to make an example of what I am thinking of to illustrate this.


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Posted by on 10/16/09
Dear Track Cyclists, Coaches, Clubs, Organizations, and Supporters,
There will be a National Track Cycling Camp in Burnaby from November 2nd to the 6th and all are invited to join us.
The focus of this camp is to improve track speed and skills, as well as to serve as an introduction to the National Team Program and National Team Coach Richard Wooles.
Cyclists will be responsible for the cost of accommodation and booking of flights to arrive in Burnaby on Nov. 1, as training starts the morning of Nov. 2. Coaching and track time have all been planned and the costs will be covered by the CCA. More information will be sent regarding the training schedule as it becomes available; however, track time will be as follows:
November 2 - Monday - 9 AM until 12 PM
November 3 - Tuesday - 1 PM until 4 PM
November 4 - Wednesday - 9 AM until 12 PM
November 5 - Thursday - TBD
November 6 - Friday - 9 AM until 12 PM
Participants are welcome to compete in the Friday night races the evening of November 6th and are encouraged to bring road and track bikes as there will be some cross training and group rides the week-end of Nov. 7 and 8 should they wish to extend their stay past the National Track Team Camp.
Please RSVP your attendance by Friday October 23 to Petrina at firstname.lastname@example.com
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subset: commoncrawl


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Careful, Frustrated 'Glee' People: 'The Break Up' Might Suck You Back In
Every high-school show deals with the same problem — even if with Beverly Hills, 90210-like leisure — if it lasts long enough: What now?
Most often, as on 90210, everyone mysteriously goes off to the same college that doesn't exist. Sometimes, as on Friday Night Lights, the show follows some of the kids further but also toughens up and freshens the cast.
Glee appeared last season to be especially poorly positioned to deal with the graduation of several of the members of the ensemble: Rachel (Lea Michele), Finn (Cory Monteith), Kurt (Chris Colfer), Santana (Naya Rivera), Puck (Mark Salling), Mercedes (Amber Riley), and Mike Chang (Harry Shum, Jr.). Despite the continuing presence of some good performers, optimism was hard to muster. This, after all, was a group effort. What's that going to look like without the group?
The first three episodes of the new season were, to employ the adjective that has haunted Glee from the outset, uneven. The premiere was okay, a second Britney Spears episode was mostly flat, and last week's student-government episode was better, but mostly served as setup for what comes this week.
That's what makes it so surprising that in Thursday's fourth episode, Glee suddenly seems to know exactly what to do. The lesson it's somehow learned: when you take kids out of a fantasy version of high school, you don't have to send them off to fantasy college. You can, instead, steer into the skid and make the abandonment of the fantasy into the story.
Called "The Break Up," the episode has more than a whiff of gimmick: it follows Rachel and Finn, Kurt and Blaine, Santana and Brittany, and Will and Emma. Will someone break up? And if so, which couple?
But in fact, it's not really a romantic shuffle. It's legitimately an episode about loss. Not loss of a boyfriend or a girlfriend, but loss of a lovely idea — in this case, the idea of the choir room and everything that accompanied it as your sanctuary and your solution. Your solution to your family problems, your solution to bullying, your solution to not fitting in. That's part of what puts the poignancy in every coming-of-age story: even the happy things are likely impermanent, because almost everything about being 17 is impermanent in its details and lasting only in the way it pushes you to the next thing. Most high-school sweethearts will not marry. Football teams, glee clubs, student governments, people who share a prom limo — all these groups will nurture you, they will teach you something, and then all of them will turn into pictures where you will one day strain to remember at least one person's name.
It's been hard to remember with the theme episodes and the weird storylines and the fancy guest stars, but when Glee began, it had an evident strain of bone-deep sadness. Some of the most heart-swelling numbers, like Artie's "Safety Dance" faux flash mob, were reflections of some of its toughest truths, as when Artie watched Tina dance with Mike Chang, knowing that many things might be part of his future, but dancing as he dreamed of it was not.
And one of the show's best moments came after the Glee kids sucked it up and had their yearbook photo taken, overcoming their fears that they'd just be made fun of and have their photo vandalized. In the closing moments, they posed, they grinned, "Smile" played, and the episode closed as we watched the same bullies who had tormented them all along laughing and defacing their group photo just as they always had, scrawling "LOSERS" and giving Kurt breasts and a skirt. When the show has been good, it's always had a certain grim understanding of the limitations of "believe in yourself" as an actual defense against pain. But it's also built in plenty of fantasy, from the booming musical numbers to the giant trophies.
What "The Break Up" does is turn the fantasy elements, the way everyone felt safer and better and cuter as Glee and Glee grew, against the characters. For Finn, after all, it's great not to peak in high school because of football, but it's not that much better to peak in high school because of Glee. It's taken the question that confronted the show — What now? — and made it the question that's confronting the characters. And that takes a structural problem and makes it an asset. For three seasons, the choir room was where everything was happy, but now, the show is able to see that room two ways at once: for the kids still in high school, it's where they need to be, and for the ones who are out of high school, it's where they need to learn not to be.
The strategy crystallizes in a gut-punch repeat performance of a song the show has done before — one that's so well suited to its purpose that you'd almost suspect they planted it in the second season just for the wallop they're able to draw from it here. It's a big help that they narrow the field a bit in this episode, because the show has absolutely been guilty of trying to juggle too many stories and too many new characters.
Moreover, as much as everyone loves Jane Lynch, since Sue Sylvester grew a heart and therefore a limit on her evil scheming, they haven't quite known what to do with her. It's sad to say, but this is the strongest Glee they've put forward in quite a while, and she's not in it at all. They're coming back to strengths here, especially Rachel and Finn's surprisingly genuine love for each other (easy to forget until they play a terrific scene together as they do at the end of this hour) and Kurt's progression from terrified gay kid who just wants a love life like everybody else to young guy on his own in New York with the same messed-up love life as everybody else. All the relationships that were so comfortable across a classroom, however genuine they are, look like underdogs when they bump into distance and diverging paths.
Given the unevenness of Glee over the past several seasons, it would be wildly optimistic to assume that this is some sort of a permanent stabilization of the quality or improved treatment of the characters. There's still Glee itself — a whole crowd back at McKinley High that needs a lot of help. Just like it's often said that a cynic is a disappointed idealist, a person who can't stand Glee is often a person who's gotten excited about it over and over and then felt let down. There's no guarantee they can keep this up, but if it's been a long time since you actually cared what happened to the people on this show, this is an episode that might surprise you.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Eat Beat Neighborhood News
Division – Mi Mero Mole, Nick Zukin's new eatery specializing in Mexican guisados is opening on Tuesday, November 29 at 5026 SE Division Street. Get more details on the Mexico City-style stews and stir-fries from our recent interview with Zukin.
Division – Double Dragon, the new banh mi shop from Rob Walls (formerly of Bunk Sandwiches and Momofuku), is opening today at 1235 SE Division St (formerly home to Artemis Cafe). The dine in/take out spot will feature "Portland versions" of the traditional Vietnamese sandwich (translation: local produce and plenty of bacon).
Division – The Woodsman Tavern (4537 Southeast Division St) is opening for brunch on Saturday, November 26. Full details (including a sneak peek of the country-style menu) can be found here on Eat Beat.
E. Burnside – The recently-shuttered Guild Public House will be re-opening in December, as reported by the Willamette Week (1101 East Burnside St). The new owners—Bartender Justin Atkins (of Vintage Cocktail Lounge), Chef Kenny Hill (of Trebol), and beer program director Daniel Roy—will keep the name and update the interior and concept (think pinball machines and a sportier vibe along with beer/spirit pairings and beer flights).
Alberta The long-awaited return of Aviary (1733 NE Alberta St.) is set for Tuesday, December 6, and a full bar is set to debut 2-3 weeks later in an adjoining space (a former salon that was also damaged in the infamous 4th of July fire). The bar program will be managed by Ross Hunsinger, formerly of McMenamins' Kennedy School.
Stark – According to the Willamette Week, a new Heart Coffee Roasters location is set to open at West End Bikes this week (1111 SW Stark St). This will be the coffee roaster's second location.
Mississippi – Interurban, the new tavern from John Gorham (of Toro Bravo and Tasty N' Sons), Dan Hart (of Prost!) and Kurt Huffman (the powerhouse restaurateur behind Portland hot spots Grüner, St. Jack, Wafu, Oven & Shaker and more) is set to open December 1st at 4057 N. Mississippi Ave (formerly home to Lovely Hula Hands). According to the Oregonian, the "new American saloon" is set to serve rotisserie meats, fish and chips, and shepherd's pie with an extensive beer selection and on-tap wines daily from 4 pm to 2 am.
Newberg – One of wine country's top dining destinations, the Painted Lady in Newberg (201 S. College Street), has just received 4 AAA diamonds. The designation makes the fine-dining establishment—owned by husband and wife team Chef Allen Routt and Jessica Bagley—AAA's highest rated restaurant in Oregon.
Got a food news tip? Send it my way at [email protected]!


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John David Kasay (born October 27, 1969 in Athens, Georgia) is an American football player in the NFL currently the placekicker for the Carolina Panthers.
Kasay attended Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia, where he was a soccer stand-out and football kicker/punter He was an all-state selection with 37 career field goals, including a 54-yarder.
Kasay graduated from the University of Georgia in 1991, and was drafted in the 4th round in 1991 by the Seattle Seahawks. During his tenure, he led the Seahawks in scoring all four years, and left the team with the highest field goal percentage in team history. The Panthers signed him as a free agent prior to the team's debut in the 1995 NFL season, and as of the beginning of the 2010 NFL season he is the only remaining "original Panther" from that 1995 team. To put that into perspective, there are only two kickers who currently play for the same team they played for in 1995: Kasay and Jason Hanson (Detroit).


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Canada consistently ranks as one of the top nations to live in. A peace loving country that provides the lowest tuition fees among G8 nations. Being next to The United States of America creates additional opportunities to Canadians and those who live here. Globally recognized colleges & universities. Financial benefits from our government to raise a family is huge! The most successful multicultural country in the world who's people are known for being most polite and welcoming. "Canada welcomes you"- Hon. Justin Trudeau, Rotarian and Prime Minister of Canada. Make Canada your home!+
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Canadian Education & Life Skills Network (CELSN) is inspired by Rotary International's principal of "Service above self". CELSN is an organization dedicated exclusively to the youth of Canada and international students wishing to come to Canada. CELSN promotes Critical Thinking, Value Propositions, Multiculturalism and Safe Environment to line in. Our goal is to assist foreign students from around the world and assist them 365 days in a year, so that they become successful Canadians.
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HiBid is an excellent source of online auctions featuring oil, acrylic, watercolor, and pastel paintings, including landscapes, portraits, and abstracts on canvas, paper, and other materials. There are affordable paintings available as well as one-of-a-kind pieces that should attract the attention of serious art collectors and dealers. You'll find artwork from popular American painters, like Bob Kuhn and Donald Roller Wilson, Mexican painters, like Diego Rivera, French painters, like Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, and British painters, like Godfrey Kneller. This includes antique and art from the 1800s as well as modern pieces painted in the last few years. If you don't find what you're looking for right now, check back again soon. Our website is continually updated, with new auction items added regularly.
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Ronald Valle thrown nearly 30 feet in gas station crash
WALPOLE, Mass. —The gas station attendant struck by an elderly driver and thrown nearly 30 feet said his body is sore, but is okay, the victim said in a phone interview Tuesday
Ronald Valle was undergoing treatment at Norwood Hospital. The Providence man said he was counting money when he saw the car coming toward him.
An elderly driver accelerated when he meant to stop, causing thousands of dollars in damage and hitting Valle at the Rte. 1A Auto Clinic across from Bristol Square around 11 a.m. Monday.
A fire erupted after the man hit the gas pump.
Victim talks about the incident: Watch video
The man driving a Toyota Avalon struck Valle, who was standing near the pump, carrying him and eventually coming to a stop leaving him injured near the side of Rte. 1A.
Valle said the next thing he remembers was being unable to move on the ground.
John Nassar, the owner of the gas station told Wicked Local Walpole he had no plans to file charges against the driver, saying the man was concerned and apologetic after the incident.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it," Nassar said. "That's why it's called an accident."


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COLUMBIA, Mo.—A 23-year veteran firefighter was killed Saturday while helping evacuate students from a University of Missouri-run apartment complex after a second-story walkway collapsed, according to Columbia Fire Department officials.
Columbia Fire Chief Chuck Witt said at a news conference that Lt. Bruce Britt became entrapped beneath rubble while responding to the collapse at University Village Apartments and was pronounced dead at University Hospital.
Firefighters responded at 4:45 a.m. to a structural collapse at the central Missouri apartment complex, Witt said. Some second-floor residents had to climb out of their windows and down ladders to get to safety. No residents were injured.
The chief didn't provide Britt's age and declined to answer questions after making a statement, saying his priority Saturday was helping the firefighter's family and the rest of his department cope with the tragedy.
Columbia officials issued a statement Saturday expressing their sorrow and noting that Britt's wife also works for the city.
"The City of Columbia family is devastated by this tragic loss of one of our own," City Manager Mike Matthes said.
Flags on all city buildings will be flown at half-mast for 30 days in the firefighter's honor, he said.
University Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin expressed his condolences to Britt's family and said structural engineers had been brought in to examine the building. He said that all other Residence Life facilities owned by the university were being inspected and that on Monday all of the university's buildings would be examined to ensure structural integrity.
The apartment complex, built in 1956, houses students with children, married students, single graduate students and students older than 21.
Residential Life director Frankie Minor, in a story published in The Columbia Missourian in December 2012, said his department had explored renovating or rebuilding four aging complexes known as University Student Apartments, which includes University Village, since 2008. A lack of financing prevented either option from taking place, he said.
Minor was not available for comment Saturday afternoon. A telephone message left with the Residential Life office was not immediately returned.
Leaky windows, cracked ceilings and chipped paint are common complaints about the complex, the newspaper reported in the 2012 story. But it also said the apartments are close to campus, have a day care for children of residents, and rent for a two-bedroom apartment was under $500.
On Saturday, university student Ghazwan Alwan said he woke up to a loud crashing noise at 4:15 a.m. and thought something had fallen onto the roof. When he looked out his window, he saw that the walkway had collapsed.
"I saw the sparks. Almost everything was hanging down," Alwan told the newspaper.
He said fire trucks and emergency personnel arrived about three minutes after he called 911.
Alwan said he saw the firefighter fall and appear to lose consciousness. He said the man was taken away by an ambulance.
"He was walking on the hanging part," he said. "Then he suddenly fell down, and he didn't wake up."
It was unclear when residents would be able to return to their apartments, even briefly enough to gather personal items such as cellphones and car keys, said Christian Basi, a university spokesman. Basi said about 18 people were in the building at the time of the collapse.
"We may ask them to make a list of the belongings they need, and have a professional go into the buildings and get them," Basi said.
It's also possible the building will be declared safe and residents will be able to go back into their apartments, he said.
In the meantime, the university gave residents the option of staying in on-campus residence halls, hotels or university-owned apartments.


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Matte Porcelain Cereal Bowls Black Set of 4Urban Oasis
Perfect for a modern, minimalist, but dark tabletop. It also makes a great house warming or wedding gift.
- Matte porcelain.
- Microwave and dishwasher safe, fully glazed.
- 7.5 inches diameter x 3.3 inches high.
- Set of 4
For all option of black, grey or white matte porcelain dinnerware go here.


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The Undercover Soundtrack – Dave Newell
Posted by Roz Morris @Roz_Morris in Undercover Soundtrack on November 13, 2013
'A song that puts me under a spell I dare not break'
Once a week I host a writer who uses music as part of their creative environment – perhaps to connect with a character, populate a mysterious place, or hold a moment still to explore its depths. This week's post is by Southern Gothic literary novelist Dave Newell @davenewell
Soundtrack by Beethoven, Olafur Arnalds, Thayer Sarrano
Can music make a writer a better writer?
I grew up in South Carolina so my literary diet consists of the great Southern Gothic writers like Flannery O'Connor, Edgar Allan Poe, Truman Capote, and Tennessee Williams. In addition, local storytellers with little name recognition outside of their own counties introduced me to unique styles. Horrific stories told beautifully are nothing new to me; they're what I grew up hearing and how I thought storytelling was meant to be.
When I was in elementary school my parents signed me up for ten years of ill-fated piano lessons. Sure, I didn't miss a lesson, but very little came of those years in terms of musical skill. However, I did learn the importance of the metronome – a steady guide and constant companion that helped me stay as consistent as I was able to. It afforded me the ability to concentrate on other tasks instead of focusing solely on rhythm. I was able to focus on the position of my hands and recall what my teacher had reminded me of. In terms of writing, music is my metronome.
Writers have to perform an incredible amount of mental gymnastics in very tight spaces. Some of the writing comes naturally while much of it is learned and then mastered through practice. For brainstorming I listen to music with lyrics, but when writing I need a guide to pull along my voice, which comes naturally, while I concentrate on practicing what doesn't – new sentence structures and world-building.
Conspiracy, calm and bitter tension
When writing my book Red Lory I created a small 1950's town and centered the story on Dr Douglas Howard and the wife of a patient, Mrs King. Her wealthy husband owns a very profitable department store, but his health took a surprising dive, leaving him incapacitated and in a coma-like trance. She appears to be giving up on him in favor of making plans to marry Dr. Howard, who happens to be struggling financially. Many of the scenes take place in the Kings' library where the doctor and Mrs. King spend hours while her husband fights for his life upstairs in his bedroom.
Theirs is a strange world – a complex environment of conspiracy, calm, and bitter sexual tension. I needed something to keep me in that world, so I went back to the classics. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, a song Mrs King plays on the library piano, became invaluable. I also looped Olafur Arnalds' album Living Room Songs, using it as my metronome to carry my voice while I concentrated on other things.
Since it was published the book has been produced as an audiobook and is being adapted into a movie. Both producers have remarked on how cinematic the story is, and I owe much of that to the music I listened to. A strong soundtrack helps me paint the story with a finer brush and more vibrant colors.
Music isn't just something I use to allow my voice to carry on and remain consistent; it's also something I learn from. Songwriters tell stories; they just pack it differently than novelists do. Thayer Sarrano's Quiet Now Your Bones changed my perception of what's expected of me as a writer. It's a lonesome song that puts me under a spell I don't dare break.
I often associate page-turners with action-packed stories where the turning points are easily identified, and the tension rings the doorbell instead of sneaking up on you. I like to think that I've learned how to write tension into a story like she does with her songwriting. By nature of the Southern Gothic genre, readers are expecting strong doses of tension to show up in my stories, and I'm happy to oblige. However, I don't want my tension to waltz up to the front door and announce itself. I want it – without the reader realizing – to have been sitting beside them the whole time, turning the pages.
Listen for the stories
To me music is something more than background noise. Each, with or without lyrics, is a carefully crafted story. Both Sarrano and Arnalds construct songs with heavy amounts of friction disguised by beautiful melodies. Listen for the stories the artists are trying to tell. Those stories, although kept in the invisible binding of digital formats, are page turners that bring us into their world and teach all along the way.
Dave Newell was born and raised in the Midlands of South Carolina. After graduating in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism, he moved to Greenville, South Carolina where he currently lives with his family. Red Lory is his first novel. Find him online at davenewell.net and on Twitter at @davenewell.
authors, Ólafur Arnalds, Beethoven, contemporary fiction, Dave Newell, Desert Island Discs, Douglas Howard, drama, Edgar Allan Poe, entertainment, Flannery O'Connor, literary fiction, literary novels, literature, male writers, Moonlight Sonata, music, music for writers, music for writing, My Memories of a Future Life, Nail Your Novel, playlist for writers, Red Lory, Roz Morris, South Carolina, Southern Gothic, Southern Gothic literary, storytellers, Tennessee Williams, Thayer Sarrano, The Undercover Soundtrack, Truman Capote, undercover soundtrack, voice, writers, writing, writing to music
- The Undercover Soundtrack is a series where writers - and occasionally other arty folk - reveal how music shapes their work.
- It began as a companion to my first novel, My Memories of a Future Life, and now thrives as a creative salon in its own right. Pull on your headphones and join us.
- If you're curious about the novel that started it all, click the image below.
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What is The Undercover Soundtrack?Sleeve notes here
For the soundtrack of My Memories of a Future Life, you'll need Chopin's Sonata in B Minor, Rachmaninov preludes, lashings of Grieg's piano concerto in A minor and The Clash's Rock the Kasbah (they go together well).
You'll also need Samuel Barber's Dover Beach on piano, although that doesn't actually exist so do the best you can.
And the novel's undercover pieces. You can find them here
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Love & Mercy tells the story of two Brian Wilsons (the heart and soul of the Beach Boys): 1960s Brian, portrayed by Paul Dano, at the height of his creative genius, working doggedly on a game-changing album that no one else believes in while fighting the ugly spectre of an abusive father, and 1980s Brian, portrayed by John Cusack, a broken shell of a man under the care of and heavily medicated by a shady, domineering psychiatrist.
Both Brians are sad to watch on-screen. No matter how much or how little you know about Brian Wilson's life going in, you do know the Beach Boys, and you understand pretty quickly that the Beach Boys were nothing without him. The man was so talented that he took a harmonizing boy band in matching shirts and pushed them toward musical complexity to rival (and inspire) The Beatles. And he did it all while in the throes of a nervous breakdown.
The recording sessions in the film were some of my favourite. Sean has a nice little vinyl collection and of course Pet Sounds has always been part of it – Rolling Stone's definitive list of the top 500 albums OF ALL TIME rates Pet Sounds at #2, only being eclipsed by Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the album The Beatles made in response to their hearing and adoring Pet Sounds. So it was really neat to see and hear the hard work and the many layers and the sheer creativity that went into producing a sound that had never been heard before. And even if you don't know the album, I guarantee you've known some of these songs for nearly your whole life. They're part of our cultural lexicon. And now you get to peek behind the curtain thanks to scenes that were mostly improvised with real studio musicians and shot in a documentary style with 16mm handheld cameras.
This is not a traditional biopic. It depicts two very specific times in Brian Wilson's life, and this parallel narrative is very effective, contrasting the height of his career with his crashing mental and emotional downfall. We see him change from vitality to despondency, and to heighten that disparity, director Bill Pohlad kept actors Cusack and Dano separate so that they would each develop their own organic understanding of Wilson in their respective time periods. In the second portion, the John Cusack years, Paul Giamatti plays Dr. Landy, the evil psychiatrist while Elizabeth Banks appears as a love interest. These two are of course at odds with each other and the battle over Brian Wilson, when Wilson is too traumatized and petrified to fight for himself, or to even recognize the need for it.
Tonnes of original Beach Boys recordings are featured throughout the movie, lots flawlessly mixed in with Paul Dano's own voice. And I'm giving props to composer Atticus Ross who had a mountain of a task to compose a score that would flow in and out of all of these iconic songs, and yet he didn't just do a competent job, he elevated things, drawing inspiration from such varied sources as The Beatles' Revolution 9 to Jay-Z's The Grey Album and it sounds exciting and alive and masterful.
There are significant gaps in this film, which is narrow in its scope, but it is an otherwise mournfully accurate account. Lots of the characters and events feel larger than life but if anything, Wilson felt that perhaps some were treated "too fairly" and after all he's been through, you can understand where that's coming from. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, from the recreation of several Beach Boys album covers to Elizabeth Banks' impressive 80s garb, and as much as I can tell you so, you really just have to see it yourself.


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VICTORVILLE — Zed may be dead but Oscar-winning director Quinten Tarantino's cherry red Chevelle Malibu has resurfaced after nearly two decades, thanks to a vigilant sheriff's deputy here, officials said.
"Deputy (Carlos) Arrieta did a really good job with this case," said Sgt. Albert Anolin of the sheriff's Victorville station. "He took what many would've seen as a minor case and followed it through until it broke this much larger case. "
Tarantino's 1964 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu, stolen in 1994 during the production of "Pulp Fiction," was recovered in the Oakland area this past week, according to law enforcement officials investigating the case.
The iconic Malibu was driven in the film by John Travolta's character, Vince Vega.
On April 18, Arrieta spotted two men near Mojave Vista Elementary School at Seventh and Burwood avenues around 7:45 p.m., Anolin said.
It appeared the men were stripping an older Chevrolet Malibu, so Arrieta approached them. Arrieta ran the vehicle identification number and learned it was registered for a Malibu in the Oakland area, according to reports.
One of the men insisted the Malibu had been his since the 1970s.
Arrieta called in the San Bernardino County Auto Theft Task Force and handed over the investigation to district attorney's Senior Investigator Carlos Flores and California Highway Patrol Officer Brian Leyva.
According to sheriff's reports, investigators learned the VIN number for the Chevrolet found in Victorville legitimately belonged to that car, but it hadn't been registered with the state Department of Motor Vehicles for several decades.
Detectives contacted authorities in the Bay Area to alert them to the VIN match for a 1964 Chevrolet Malibu in their area.
Bay Area investigators contacted the owner of that Malibu and learned that that vehicle had a cloned VIN number on it. Further investigation revealed the Malibu found in the Bay Area was in fact Tarantino's vehicle stolen in 1994, authorities said.
The man in possession of Tarantino's stolen Malibu is not believed to be involved in the theft and is considered to be a victim of a fraud, authorities said.
The vehicle was recovered only a few weeks after the filmmaker's 50th birthday on March 27. It was unclear if the vehicle has been returned to him as of Friday.
The man Arrieta initially contacted last week was arrested on suspicion of an unrelated crime, sheriff's officials said, though his name has not been released.
"Arrieta used the resources available to him and was able to help crack this case," Anolin said of the deputy who's been at the Victorville station for about two years. "He's a good deputy. "
The case is still under investigation.


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I have a confession to make. A run confession. I think I'm selling myself short with my training for Marine Corps.
Let me explain. In the year and a half that I've been running, I've never once set a time goal for a race, and I've especially never set a time goal for a marathon. I mean with a marathon, there are 26.2 miles of opportunities to make a mistake that could completely sabotage any time goal you had at the starting line. Not only that, there are 16 to 18 weeks of opportunities to make mistakes that could prevent you from even getting to that starting line. So yes, the marathon is an intimidating distance and honestly, setting a time goal has me freaking out a bit. Ok, a lot.
I ran my first marathon at Big Sur this past April, just over a year after I ran my first mile. I ran a very conservative (i.e. slow) 4:33. I went out very slow because I knew the hills that were ahead of me were going to be tough but thanks to my by-the-book training I was more than prepared for Highway 1's hardest inclines.
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When it came time to pick a training plan for the Marine Corps Marathon I wanted to set a time goal. I knew I would be able to beat my Big Sur time but I wasn't sure by how much. Based on the training plans provided for Runner's World Challenge, I thought breaking 4:15 would be reasonable.
I'm five weeks into the training plan and have been running all of my training runs much faster than the prescribed pace. I know this is generally a major no-no in marathon training but it isn't feeling hard. When my plan tells me to run 4 miles easy at 10:34/mile pace and I go out and run 4 miles at 8:45/mile pace and it feels easy I don't think I should have to scale it back.
According to my training plan I should be running my long runs at 10:40-12:10/mile pace, which to me feels more than painfully slow. I tend to average between 9:20-9:30/mile pace for long runs and that feels good.
So what does this mean? Do I need to readjust my race goals? Should I stick to following the paces on my plan? Or should I stick to my faster paces that feel comfortable and hope I don't hit the wall on race day?
The reason I didn't set a harder goal in the first place is because I was scared. I'm very new to marathoning and I still consider myself a beginner runner, but when I look down at the paces on my Garmin I realize, I am getting better. I'm getting faster.
I've decided to continue with this plan by following the mileage and most of the workouts but going with the paces that feel comfortable to me. If that means I'm running my easy runs at 8:45/mile instead of 10:32/mile so be it.
As far as any new time goals, I may just keep that one to myself for now!
What do you think I should do? Re-adjust my time goal or stick to this one and see what happens race day?
Hannah is a former Social Media Editor for Runner's World. Hannah started running in February 2012 with a Couch-to-5K program and less than seven months later ran her first half-marathon. You can follow Hannah on Twitter @byHannahMcG.


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So, Kiteworld is 60 issues old. As well as collecting your pension, your bus pass, unwinding and enjoying the fruits of your labour when you
reach your sixties, it's also natural to stop and take a look at where you've come from, what you've achieved and to remember the good times
This issue we look back at a handful of pivotal moves, moments and designs in the sport, taking in everything from the birth of the mega
loop to some of the most important gear developments that helped us leap forward. We also take a look at some of the inspiring artwork that
designers have worked on to make our beloved products as easy on the eyes as they are thrilling for our other senses.
The PKRA and KSP world tours are reaching their exciting climaxes. Jim Gaunt hitched a lift with Alex Pastor in Spain and profiles the wily
Spaniard who has finished runner-up in the PKRA freestyle competition for the last two seasons. Alex has really grown in stature this year and
is widely credited with influencing many on tour to compete in boots after being the first rider to win an event in them at the end of last
season. This is the first year that he's actually ever led the tour and is desperate not to make it third time unlucky. However, excitingly for
us, he and current champion, Youri Zoon, are locked even on points as the tour moves to China and then New Caledonia in November.
We're sure you will have heard of the roaring success of the KSP's second event at One Eye in Mauritius (even if Ireland was a bit of a wash out since then), but you won't have read the behind-the-scenes account we got from our man John Bilderback who spent ten days perched
precariously above the judges tower on scaffolding out on the reef. JB knows how to spin a good yarn. And he knows how to bang out insane shots, too.
Elsewhere we get a ride on three of the latest wave specific kites to be released. We're currently running our way through the rest, but this issue we have the Airush Wave, Best Cabo and RRD Religion, all of which deserve the attentions of many more than just devout wave heads. They are insanely good all-round machines.
On top of that we have the usual wise words from columnists Shinn and Hadlow and our latest columnist and growing favourite, Dr Jason Gallate,
looks at the benefits of avatars in kitesurfing.
All that plus lots more technique tips, stories, hot news and generally marvellously unmissable, typically on-the-money Kiteworld content!
More at: www.kiteworldmag.com


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WASHINGTON, DC–The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission fondly recalled Kenner's Stretch Armstrong doll Monday, calling the elastic-limbed 1970s action figure "a genuine safety risk to children under 10" and "so totally awesome."
"The Stretch Armstrong doll poses a severe strangulation hazard to children because the limbs of the doll, when extended to full length, can be wrapped around a small child's neck," CPSC commissioner David Arnell said. "I know this for a fact, because when I was a kid, Benji Marchand, who lived next door to me, had one, and we used to stretch it out, like, eight feet and wrap it all around our heads and stuff. God, it was just the best."
Acknowledging that it is not standard practice for the CPSC to order recalls on products no longer manufactured, Arnell insisted that having at least one of the toys returned directly to him "is of great importance, both for the public good and for personal reasons."
"From 1976 to 1979, approximately 40,000 of these hazardous Stretch Armstrong dolls were manufactured and distributed throughout the U.S.," Arnell said. "And would you believe that, after all my begging and pleading to my parents, not one of those 40,000 wound up in my hands? Boy, I wish I could get a hold of one of those things."
Spokespemen for the now-defunct Kenner corporation have refused to comply with Arnell's recall demand.
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"Arnell contends that several children have died by strangulation as a result of the Stretch Armstrong doll, but he can supply no actual proof of this," said Brad Timmons, who worked as a product-safety supervisor with Kenner from 1971 to 1980. "In fact, he says his primary source for this information is Kenny Orloff, the big brother of Jeff Orloff, his best friend up through sixth grade.'"
Continued Timmons: "Nearly every claim in Arnell's report–for example, that putting Stretch Armstrong in the oven will result in a radioactive explosion or that the doll, if placed on one's head too long, will constrict and cause mental retardation–seems to be based on hearsay."
Arnell's claim that the viscous contents of the toy pose a poisoning hazard and that the substance "eats through your skin in, like, five seconds" remains similarly unsubstantiated.
Arnell responded strongly to Timmons' dismissal of the CPSC charges.
"I'm just telling you what I heard, is all," Arnell said. "One of the guys in the CPSC's product-research laboratory said that if you bust it open, the stuff inside is red and looks like blood, and if you get it on your hands you have to wash it off before you count to 10 Mississippi, or you'll die. Though this has yet to be confirmed, it's certainly not the sort of thing we're about to take chances with when it comes to the safety of the American people."
Unfortunately, Arnell said, the CPSC could not begin safety-testing the Stretch Armstrong doll because the agency was only able to secure one and it "[wasn't] about to ruin it."
"They're almost impossible to find, you know," said CPSC product tester Lisette Grange, 29. "Besides asking everyone I know, I've looked at Goodwill, retro toy shops and a bunch of garage sales. I did find a Weeble Haunted House and an Evel Knievel Turbo Tower Of Power, though."
Grange said the Stretch Armstrong recall has given the CPSC reason to consider ordering fond recalls of other now-defunct toys.
"If this Stretch doll is unsafe, heaven knows how many other things pose a danger, too," Grange said. "Like those Holly Hobby EZ-Bake Ovens. They baked, like, these tiny little cakes with this high-wattage light bulb. That can't possibly be safe. We'd better get one in here and do an accidental burn-hazard spec test. I'm so psyched to test one of those things. I loved those."
According to Arnell, the Stretch Armstrong recall does not affect the newer version of the doll produced by Cap Toys in 1992.
"Some concerned consumers mailed us those new Stretches, and we just sent them right back," Arnell said. "You can totally tell it's not the same one. The head looks completely different–he's got this dumb cartoony grin and a gay headband–and it doesn't even have the same body shape. It's really lame. Our recall is for the cool original one only."
When asked if the CPSC would be warmly recalling other 1970s-era Kenner "Stretch" products, such as the Stretch Octopus and Stretch Incredible Hulk, Arnell confirmed that it would.
"Oh, my God! Yeah!" Arnell said. "I totally forgot about the Hulk one! And my cousin Shelley had one of the pink octopuses. I think they came in blue, too. I've got to call her right now."


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Christopher Hitchens Cancels London Appearance Due to Pneumonia
Atheist Christopher Hitchens has fallen ill from pneumonia, thus cancelling his scheduled appearance in London with his good friend, actor and writer Stephen Fry.
The two were set for an upcoming interview at London's Royal Festival Hall on Wednesday.
FORA.tv and Intelligence2 UK announced a change in the program after learning about Hitchens' sickness, stating that they had good and bad news on their website.
"The bad news is that Christopher has pneumonia. The good news is he is on the mend, but he will be unable to join Stephen in conversation. His voice isn't strong enough, although it should be in the next week or so."
In Hitchens' absence, Martin Amis, Christopher Buckley and Richard Dawkins, close colleagues of the renowned writer, will join Fry for a discussion on the "Life, Love and Hates of Christopher Hitchens."
While Amis and Buckley will join the conversation via Satellite link, Dawkins himself will appear live on stage at Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall.
All three "will be examining their own and Christopher's ideas of what constitutes the good life and the good death – seen against the backdrop of Christopher's career, the causes dear to his heart, the controversies that he has so enjoyed provoking and the things that make life worth defending."
Hitchens, author of books like God is not Greatand Hitch 22, is an outspoken atheist and an Honorary Associate of the National Secular Society. He has written for several publications including Vanity Fair and The Atlantic.
In June 2010, he was diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer. He announced that he was undergoing treatment and stated that he would be a "very lucky person to live another five years."
The 62-year-old author lost his voice in April 2011, but regained it back thereafter and was able to speak at other public events.
His latest book Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchens, which features a collection of his essays and articles previously written for publications like Vanity Fair, was penned with the "full consciousness" that it might be his very last.
In his last public appearance at the annual convention of the Atheist Alliance of America and Texas Freethought, where he was given the "Richard Dawkins Freethinker of the Year" award, a gaunt and weakened Hitchens continued to affirm his atheist beliefs.
"We have the same job we always had. To say that there are no final solutions; there is no absolute truth; there is no supreme leader; there is no totalitarian solution that says if you would just give up your freedom of inquiry, if you would just give up, if you would simply abandon your critical faculties, the world of idiotic bliss can be yours," he told the crowd.
Though some believed he would turn to the Christian faith as a result of his cancer, Hitchens' staunchly held beliefs throughout his sickness confirmed that there were in fact atheists in foxholes, Dawkins commented.
"I'm not going to quit until I absolutely have to," Hitchens said.


text: Prairie Pothole Region Level I Ducks Unlimited conservation priority area, the most important and threatened waterfowl habitat in North America The Prairie Pothole Region is the core of what was once the largest expanse of grassland in the world, the Great Plains of North America. Its name comes from a geological phenomenon that left its mark beginning 10,000 years ago. When the glaciers from the last ice age receded, they left behind millions of shallow depressions that are now wetlands, known as prairie potholes. The potholes are rich in plant and aquatic life, and support globally significant populations of breeding waterfowl. Agricultural development caused considerable wetland drainage in the area. The Great Plains and Prairie Pothole Region are No. 1 on the 25 most important and threatened waterfowl habitats on the continent. The Prairie Experience Explore the prairies like never before. Experience Now Importance to waterfowl Millions of ducks and geese pass through the PPR each spring, nesting in the grasslands. Nest success and hen mortality during breeding are the most important factors responsible for change in mid-continent mallard populations. The PPR provides important breeding habitat for pintails, mallards, gadwall, blue-winged teal, shovelers, canvasbacks and redheads. The PPR is also important migrations habitat for waterfowl breeding in the Boreal Forest and Arctic such as lesser scaup, wigeon, green-winged teal, Canada geese and snow geese. Habitat issues Between 50 to 90 percent of the potholes in some regions have been lost or severely degraded – a trend that continues today. Sixty to 90 percent of the original native grasslands have been lost, and loss of native and restored grassland continues today. Shallow lakes in the eastern portion of the PPR are severely degraded by high water levels and rough fish populations caused by wetland drainage systems. DU's conservation focus Habitat programs delivered by DU and its partners on the Prairie Pothole Region are among the most aggressive on the continent. Programs include perpetual protection of native habitats through easements or ownership, conversion of land use to functions more favorable to wildlife, and stewardship programs. DU's Preserve Our Prairies initiative aims to perpetually protect almost 600,000 acres of the most productive remaining waterfowl habitat. The cross-border initiative covers North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan. DU employs satellite imagery and Geographic Information Systems technology to examine rates of grassland loss in the Coteau region and target conservation efforts. DU's Living Lakes initiative seeks to protect and enhance 400 shallow lakes across Minnesota and Iowa to improve spring migration habitat. States in the Prairie Pothole Region North Dakota | South Dakota | Iowa | Minnesota | Montana Canadian provinces in the Prairie Pothole Region Alberta | British Columbia | Manitoba | Saskatchewan More information


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How Criminals Get Their Guns
It's unclear how William Spengler, a convicted felon, got the gun he used to shoot at firefighters he'd lured to the scene of a blaze. But data suggests that an NRA-supported loophole makes it pretty easy.
It's unclear how William Spengler, a convicted felon, got the gun he used to shoot at firefighters he'd lured to the scene of a blaze. But data suggests that an NRA-supported loophole makes it pretty easy for anybody to buy a gun, regardless of his or her background. Think Progress points us to the "gun show loophole," an exception to the Brady Law -- ironically, the same one that bans felons from being able to buy or posses a firearm -- that permits the purchase of firearms at gun shows without a background check. More specifically, it does not require a background check if the gun is bought from an unlicensed firearms dealer. As many as half of the dealers at gun shows are unlicensed.
This is a problem. "Not surprisingly, criminals exploit the private sales loophole," reads a 2009 study from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research. "Data from a national survey of inmates indicated that nearly 80 percent of those who had used a handgun in a crime had acquired it through a transaction with an individual who was not a licensed gun dealer." It's hard to know how many of those came from gun shows and how many came from the black market, but it's easy to see how closing one little loophole could have a pronounced effect on gun violence. And the horrible Christmas Eve shooting in Webster, New York provides a pretty powerful case study.
The NRA does not want this loophole closed. When Minnesota tried to tweak its gun laws to require background checks at gun shows, the organization flipped out, calling the proposed measures "a stepping stone for gun control advocates seeking to ban all private sales, even among family and friends." Not that it's a surprise. This is the same organization who said that the solution to gun violence is more guns, after the unprecedented school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut a few days ago. Nevertheless, that rhetoric doesn't bring back any of the children from Sandy Hook, and it certainly hasn't stopped more gun violence since then.
Inevitably, we learned -- or rather, we were reminded of -- one thing after the shootings on Christmas Eve. It is not difficult for people who want to fire guns at other people to find the guns they need to do it. And if it were harder, there's a chance we could've avoided the tragedies in Newtown and Webster. Unfortunately for everyone, there are more ifs than that.


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You Must Remember This
If you're a baby boomer, chances are that you're losing more than your hearing, hair and skin elasticity.
You're also losing brain cells.
Scientists (who really use—and need—their brain cells) already knew this.
"The human brain reaches its maximum volume by the age of 20 and then slowly starts shrinking," says neuropsychologist Cheryl Luis, Ph.D, ABPP/CN, associate clinical director at the Sarasota-based Roskamp Institute, an enterprise committed to finding cures for neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders and addictions, with an emphasis on Alzheimer's. Luis explains that, by the time we hit our late 50s, "Our processing speed begins to slow down and one may notice subtle memory changes, such as difficulty finding words."
By age 70, research shows that more than 10 percent of the population will suffer from mild cognitive impairment (MCI), characterized by frequent short-term memory lapses. These people are also almost five times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. An estimated five million Americans suffer from this mind-ravaging disease, a figure estimated to triple by mid-century because of aging baby boomers. In case you're one of them…
Don't panic.
Degenerative memory loss does not have to be inevitable or develop into Alzheimer's disease, says Dr. Bruce E. Robinson, chief of geriatrics at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Although there is no magic-bullet approach to preventing and treating Alzheimer's disease, researchers are finding that an integrative strategy can offer potential for maintaining cognitive function with aging.
This may be a good time to take a deep breath and do a mental inventory. If you're having trouble remembering what book you read last night or struggling to recall words and names, chances are you're experiencing normal, age-related cognitive decline, says Robinson.
"There are marked changes in brain and nervous system functioning that begin in our late 20s," he says. "The speed of nerve impulses slows down, for one thing—that's why there aren't many fastball pitchers in their mid-30s. By the time we reach our 50s and 60s, we begin to notice a slowing down of our mental abilities. We might find ourselves struggling to retrieve information or find the right word."
OK…great. So, how do you know that forgetting your keys isn't a sign of something worse?
Robinson's heard that question before.
"A lot of people fear memory lapses lead to dementia or Alzheimer's disease," he says. "But that's usually not the case if the individual is younger than 65. We have a study that asks older people questions about how they feel about their brain functioning and mental abilities. We observed that, in many cases, it's the respondents who don't report any recognition of cognitive impairment who later show signs of dementia and Alzheimer's. With serious brain disease, you begin to lose clarity of self-awareness. Forgetting where car keys were put may be nothing to worry about. Forgetting what they're used for is."
Robinson explains that many things can interfere with brain functioning, but you should never take your brain for granted. Or stop using it.
"The bottom line is everyone is going to lose some degree of memory function as they get older," Robinson says. "That's why it's imperative to do everything you can to maintain your cognitive functioning and brain health at a higher level."
Factors other than the natural aging process can also be responsible for memory lapses and cognitive impairment, says Luis. "If you're stressed from too much work, sleep deprived, depressed or taking certain medications, your memory can suffer. As we age, it's harder to multi-task because of normal aging changes within the brain."
Luis recommends taking a proactive approach to maintaining our mental abilities. Nutrition, supplements, stress-management techniques such as yoga and meditation, and exercise can all help to maintain and fortify brain health. Monitoring chronic medical conditions such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels and sugar problems is also important. What keeps your heart healthy, she explains, also keeps your brain healthy.
Keeping your brain healthy is the key. Studies show that the loss of mental abilities associated with aging—including problems such as memory loss, sluggish thinking, and difficulties with problem-solving—aren't inevitable if steps are taken to keep your brain fit.
Remember this: Intelligence is a relative concept and doesn't always have to do with memory retention. Don't compare yourself to others. The important question to ask is: Has my cognitive functioning changed enough for me and others to notice a marked difference?
Memory loss is normal with aging. Alzheimer's disease is just that—a disease. The cognitive loss it creates is far from normal. Know the difference.
"Use it or lose it" really isn't wishful thinking. It's a scientific fact. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, the largest controlled clinical trial to date found that cognitive "training sessions" improved memory, concentration and problem-solving skills in healthy adults ages 65 and up.
Other studies exploring cognitive decline advocate the breaking up of routines and habits. Dr. Lawrence C. Katz, author of Keep Your Brain Alive, has devised a series of brain exercises he calls "neurobics." Neurobic exercises encourage us to shake up everyday routines in order to help the brain manufacture its own nutrients that strengthen, preserve and grow brain cells. Katz calls these exercises "brain gym," and says they can be done anywhere, anytime. Whatever you're used to doing, try the opposite, he advises. Find your keys in your purse—in the dark. If you drive to work the same way every day, try a different route. Take a shower with your eyes closed. "Your brain is forced to use its attention resources to do what used to be a simple task," says Katz. "That creates enhanced activity in the brain."
Spend time mentally exercising your brain, say the experts. Solve crossword puzzles, memorize quotes and passages from literature, memorize long lists of items and engage in games that challenge the mind. These activities both relax the mind and body and sharpen mental acuity.
Diet, too, plays an important role in brain health. Important research points to the negative effects on the brain of a diet high in saturated fat. These studies show that countries with the highest intake of saturated fat and calories also report the highest incidences of Alzheimer's disease. By contrast, Asian countries, which report the lowest intake of saturated fat, also show the lowest incidences of the disease. Research points to the benefit of eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids to keep the brain healthy.
Both Luis and Robinson recommend regular medical evaluations and memory screenings after the age of 60. The Roskamp Institute and Sarasota Memorial Hospital's Memory Disorder Clinic offer comprehensive assessments that include physical, neurological and neuropsychological examinations. Brain imaging tests are performed, and laboratory blood work may also be recommended. Following a diagnostic evaluation, treatment options are discussed with the patient and family. Both centers also work with families struggling with the difficult management problems that result from a progressive dementia.
And here's a final tip: The next time you automatically turn to Wikipedia to look up a fact that you knew you knew but just can't remember, pause for a few moments and attempt to retrieve it. When you do remember the fact, chances are, you'll remember it forever.
According to the Alzheimer's Association, the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's doubles about every five years after age 65, and the risk reaches nearly 50 percent for those older than 85.
Dementia is the most common neurological disorder; more than 4.5 million people in the United States experience it.
Planning for surgery? Read this first.
When Rosann Argenti underwent surgery, she was unprepared for the physical and emotional roadblocks she encountered prior to and following the procedure. This experience inspired her to share her knowledge with others in her recent book, Surgery: How To Rehearse Before You See The Nurse.
Sure, there have been other books written about surgery, says Argenti, who is also director of the Tai Chi Innerwave Academy. But "this is a comprehensive guide written from the patient's perspective. How many times can we get straight information from the person who went through it?"
The book guides the reader through the processes of finding the right surgeon, preparing for surgery mentally, physically and emotionally, organizing the hospital stay and planning post-operative care.
It's all about taking control, says Argenti. "Once you realize you can be an active participant in your medical care, you'll have the strength and know-how to face the consequences of your condition."
Among her most important advice:
Educate yourself and ask questions, says Argenti. Talk to the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, the nurses and other patients who have undergone the same surgery. With a road map, your journey will be easier.
Second, prepare your mind and body through proper diet, exercise (she recommends tai chi) and stress-relieving techniques such as massage and meditation. And laugh a lot: "Watch your favorite comedies. Laughter boosts the immune system."
Finally, pamper yourself—at the hospital and at home. "Bring your favorite pillows, bedclothes, foods and music," she suggests. And have them waiting for you when you get home so that recuperation will be easy on the spirit.
There's more—a lot more—but for that you'll have to read the book.
For more information about Surgery: How To Rehearse Before You See The Nurse, visit www.PracticalSurgeryGuide.com.


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If you're a data junkie when it comes to your exercise, you've probably moved well beyond the finger-on-wrist technique for monitoring your heart rate. Cyclists, for instance, often like to measure heart rate, speed, cadence, and power all at once. The only problem is, if you're on a bicycle, it's hardly the safest thing to be peering down at a smart phone or wrist monitor to check on your progress.
A Canadian company, 4iiii Innovations, thinks it has the answer. It's developed the first heads-up display for athletes, called Sportiiiis. (Gizmag says that's supposed to be pronounced "Sport-Eyes"; good luck to the company on convincing consumers of that!) The device can be mounted to just about any pair of sport sunglasses. When mounted, it presents a series of seven LEDs in front of your eyes, ranging from red on either side to green in the middle. Is your heart rate lower than your goal? A red or yellow light will light up on the left. Is it too high? A red or yellow light will light up on the right. Just right? Then a green light will reassure you that you're right on track.
You can of course program the device to tell it what your optimal heart rate, speed, and so on are. And if you change your mind on the fly, you can reprogram it at any moment with an iPhone or Android app. How does the device get its data to begin with? It can be paired with ANT+ devices, familiar to "personal wellness" data fiends. One other neat feature of the device is a simple mode-toggling feature; with a tingle tap to the side of the glasses, you can switch just which metric you're monitoring. A double tap switches between paired sensors.
The device isn't out just yet–its site says it's "Starting at $199" and will be available in November. It also promises to sell various accessories, including a combined speed/cadence sensor, a heart rate sensor, and a foot pod sensor.
To someone like me, who is just ecstatic if he can convince himself to take a jog around the block, such a device is more than superfluous. But it does comfort me to know that some of the intense cyclists zooming around me will be able to keep their eyes on the road even while they get their latest data fix.
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Starter Eddie Lacy left Sunday's 38-20 win over the Washington Redskins with a concussion, according to the Packers' official Twitter feed. Lacy took a big hit to the head from Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather and immediately went to the locker room for evaluation. Lacy had only one carry for 10 yards before his day ended early.
James Starks shined in Lacy's absence, rushing 20 times for 132 yards and one touchdown. It was the Packers' first 100-yard rushing performance in 45 regular-season games.
Lacy, the Packers' second-round draft pick, was supposed to be the lead back in Green Bay this season with DuJuan Harris, but the team placed Harris on injured reserve before the start of the season.
Meriweather, an infamous head hunter, knocked himself out of the game in the second quarter with a helmet-to-helmet hit on Starks. Meriweather didn't return.


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Natural Bridge Caverns – TX
26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78266
Natural Area: Birding, Caving, Picnic, Walk
Natural Bridge Caverns is so much more than one of the most treasured natural attractions Texas has to offer. This beautiful and historical cavern system offers an experience that is high energy, educational, fun and family oriented. Whether you are a first timer, an avid caver or someone in between, Natural Bridge Caverns awaits with a once in a lifetime experience you'll never forget. Pan for precious stones, take the ultimate leap of faith from the Watchtower, go caving on one of our adventure tours or simply experience nature on the original Discovery Tour. Bring your family, your church group or your classroom. With so much to do, see and learn, once you've experienced Natural Bridge Caverns, we promise you'll be coming back for more.


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14 years in a row, our patient care efforts at Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital have earned us national recognition as a healthcare leader, meaning that we provide the highest level of available care to our patients in our own community. We consider it a privilege to be able to offer high-level care and are honored to be a vital part of the community we serve.
Our nationally recognized programs include:
Top 10% in United States for Rehabilitative Care – It Matters!
Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital ranked in the top 10 percent of inpatient rehabilitation facilities in the United States, 14 years in a row.
The ranking is by the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation (UDSMR), a not-for-profit corporation that was developed with support from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation research, a component of the U.S. Department of Education.
The UDSMR ranks rehabilitation facilities based upon care that is:
- Patient-Centered
- Effective
- Efficient
- Timely
This means that through services at Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital, our patients are receiving the highest level of rehabilitative care available – without having to leave the area.
UDSMR, which administers the world's largest medical rehabilitation database, provides common language and measurement tools to monitor patient results.
Through UDSMR, our hospital collaborates with peers throughout the United States to share information and establish best practices for patients. This helps us elevate rehabilitative care for everyone across the United States.
Certification in Stroke Rehabilitation
Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital has received the Joint Commission's disease-specific certification for stroke rehabilitation, which signifies the hospital's dedication to developing better results for stroke patients. The award is given after a rigorous on-site review by an expert evaluator.
The award recognizes how committed we are and how well we provide rehabilitation following a stroke. Through our services, we want to provide hope and quality of life to our community members who have experienced this debilitating event.
Certification in Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation
Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital received The Joint Commission's disease specific certification in Traumatic Brain Injury. This certification signifies the hospital's dedication to developing better results for patients that have suffered brain injuries.
The recognition was given after a rigorous on-site review by an expert evaluator of the hospital's practices, programs and outcomes in treating these patients. The certification reflects our ongoing evaluation of this program and commitment to constantly improving our performance.
Certification through the Joint Commission's Disease-Specific Care Programs is voluntary and available only to Joint Commission-accredited acute care hospitals. Certification requirements address three main areas:
- Compliance with consensus-based national standards
- Effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care
- Organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities