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If we look back into the geologic record of the Earth, it appears that our planet's magnetic field flips polarity every few hundred thousand years or so. Why does this happen? When's it supposed to happen next? Is it dangerous?
We usually record Astronomy Cast every Friday at 1:30 pm Pacific / 4:30 pm Eastern / 21:30 PM UTC (9:30 GMT). You can watch us live on AstronomyCast, or the AstronomyCast YouTube page.
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This episode is sponsored by: Barkbox
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Pamela: Hi, everyone. This is Pamela and I am here to talk to you, once again, about my favorite sponsor of our show and this is BarkBox. We've been super-lucky to only get sponsors who are companies that we really love – and I love BarkBox because my dog loves BarkBox. For an extra free month of BarkBox, visit barkbox.com/astro and you'll get your free month when you subscribe to a six- or twelve-month plan – I have a twelve-month plan.
Each month, I get a new box that has a few different treats that are all natural, they're made here in the States and Canada, there's a couple of toys; and it's a different theme each month and I never quite know what we're gonna get in to. So, there was the school box month, where there was a pencil. And then there was the Thanksgiving box, which included a carrot that is my dog's favorite toy. There's usually a couple of different toys but only one of them becomes his favorite toy.
And the other great thing about getting these every month is it's my personal reminder to go out, pick up all the rest of the toys that have been scattered in the house, in the yard, and throw them in the washing machine. And he has new dog toys to play with, while everything tumbles and dries.
So, go get your dog a BarkBox. They have them set up for all different sizes; pick if you have large, medium, small. They even have programs for the destructor dog. So, get yourself a happy dog. Subscribe to BarkBox. Go to barkbox.com/astro. Your dog will love you and, you know – my dog will love you anyways. Thanks.
Fraser: Astronomy Cast Episode 442: Magnetic Pole Reversal
Welcome to Astronomy Cast, our weekly facts-based journey through the cosmos, where we help you understand not only what we know but how we know what we know.
My name is Fraser Cain. I'm the publisher of Universe Today and with me is Dr. Pamela Gay, the director of Technology and Citizen Science at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and the director of CosmoQuest.
Hey, Pamela. How are you doin'?
Pamela: I'm doin' well. How are you doing?
Fraser: Fantastic.
Just a big reminder to everybody – of course, the eclipse 2017, August this year – if you're planning on attending, there's a really cool project that you're gonna want to get involved in called the Eclipse Megamovie and it's sort of a collaboration from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and Google and Berkeley, I think. And they're gonna have amateur and professional photographers across the United States – across the eclipse line – gather together and take a bunch of pictures and then merge those pictures together into one megamovie that shows the whole eclipse. So, I'm going to be doing that –
Pamela: And there's a lot of cool science that can come out of this, from – Basically, depending on where you are, you can see how the light is getting refracted, based on – do you see Baily's Beads? Do you see what are the nuances of how you experience the eclipse? And we're going to be able to catch that and do that science.
Fraser: So, if you're planning on seeing the eclipse – not necessarily with us but anywhere across the US when it happens – and you think you've got the right gear – like a DSLR and a reasonable lens – then do a search for "Eclipse Megamovie" and you should be able to find the project and sign up.
Alright. So, if you look back into the geologic record of the Earth. It appears that our planet's magnetic field flips polarity every few hundred thousand years or so. Why does this happen? When's it supposed to happen next? Is it dangerous?
Alright, Pamela, set the stage: Earth magnetic field – let's start there. The Earth is a big magnet?
Pamela: Sort of.
So, magnetic fields are generated by lots of different things. And one of the easiest things to make a magnet out of is flowing current. This is an electromagnet. We've probably all done this, at some point, in school; where you take wire, you wind it around your fingers, you run electricity through it and suddenly you can fling paperclips at one another. This is what you do with electricity in middle school.
Now, with the Earth, we –
Fraser: You build an electromagnetic rail gun.
Pamela: Exactly, exactly.
Fraser: Yeah, okay. Yeah, yeah.
Pamela: This is the purpose of science class in middle school – to build weapons.
Fraser: Sure, of course.
Pamela: So, our Earth doesn't exactly have wires attached to a battery, but what we do have is molten metal. And molten metal has lots of readily flowing electrons – that's a fancy way of saying "current" – and, thanks to convection, this molten metal is looping through the interior of the planet. And this process is, we believe, generating our Earth's magnetic field.
Now, for reasons that we don't fully understand – at a rate we don't fully understand – the magnetic field of the Earth turns itself inside out and realigns, so that what was once north becomes south, what was once south becomes north; the land stays put but the magnetic field lines reverse, so that your compass is now pointing in a different direction.
Fraser: Okay, you went straight to the reversal. That's fine. That's fine. Go ahead, jump forward. Spoiler alert!
But, okay – so, it's the moving molten metal at the core of the Earth that is generating this magnetic field and aligning with, essentially, the rotation of the planet – but not quite.
Pamela: It's the convective motion of this circulating –
Fraser: Metal.
Pamela: Yeah.
Fraser: Molten metal.
Pamela: Yeah.
Fraser: Yeah. So – and, of course, they don't line up, right? The point where the Earth's actually rotating and the point where the magnetic north pole is are actually in two different locations and, in fact, here in Canada, we track – we own the pole, the magnetic north pole, here in Canada – and we track its position and it's moving.
Pamela: It is.
Fraser: Yeah.
Pamela: And what's amazing is, while over the course of our lifetime, we've been able to see it move several degrees across land, there have been points in history where looking at how the magnetic fields trapped in lava rock has recorded that changing magnetic field; it looks like, at some points in time, it was moving as fast as 6 degrees per day.
Fraser: Wow!
Pamela: Yeah, yeah.
Fraser: Now, we haven't been around for a long time and we definitely haven't had the ability to measure the event – you know, the magnetic field of the Earth. So, how do we measure, how do we know, the strength and location and position and polarity of the magnetic field into history – millions of years ago?
Pamela: Well, it actually is fossilized. In fact, it's fossilized more readily than critters are fossilized. And this is because the minerals that come out when volcanoes erupt, when the world parts and new land is created at the mid-ocean rift, that lava has magnetic particles in it that will align with the Earth's magnetic field and, as the lava cools and becomes rock, it freezes in that alignment.
Fraser: Oh, that is so cool! That's amazing. So, you've got this fresh lava that's coming out of the Earth. It's got little, tiny iron filings, little magnetic particles, in –
Pamela: Yeah.
Fraser: – you know, that are forming – I mean, rock forms crystals, right? Metal forms crystals. So, you've got these little particles inside the lava and they are lining up with the magnetic field lines of planet Earth before the lava cools. And you've got this record of the magnetic fields – the strength, the direction, the position – as this lava is flowing out and cooling.
That is one of the most amazing, sort of geologic discoveries that I can imagine. It's beautiful.
Pamela: What's super-cool is this provides a different way to see how our Earth has changed over time and to track things to different points in time. Because we see the same reversals creeping up across the entire planet and it's the set of: Well, for this many tens of thousands of years, it was aligned in this direction; and then, for this entire million years, it was lined up in this other direction. And then – Oops! For 450 years, we're going to point this way.
And so, just like the rings of a tree have patterns of sometimes thick, sometimes thin, but the rings themselves go all the way around the tree so that you see the same thick on either side if you take different samples. Well, it's the same thing with the magnetic stripes of alignment across the planet.
Fraser: Right.
Pamela: And so, we can look at the various places where a planet is forming new land over long periods of time and see: Well, this stripey section – this corresponds to 300,000 years ago; this stripey section corresponds to 800,000 years ago.
Fraser: And then, you check multiple lava flows on different parts of the world and they all line up, so that they are duplicate records of each other but they're showing you from the different perspectives. So, you're seeing, for example, the one in the South Pole is indicating the exact same thing that the North Pole is seeing, but it's seeing it from the reverse perspective because it's located on a different part of the Earth. It's amazing!
Pamela: And another part of this that's super-cool is you have the stripes getting formed and then, the land that they're forming on is moving – it's that whole continental drift thing that we talked about in the last episode.
Fraser: Yeah.
Pamela: And we can see, essentially, the stripes drift off and rotate.
Fraser: Yeah.
Pamela: And we can put back together what things looked like, at different points in time, by lining the stripes back up.
Fraser: Right. So, not only can you get a sense – you know, this confirmation – but you can then run back through history, of the motion of the planet and see how – You know, you can tell that this thing should have been aligned – If the continents weren't moving, then it should have been aligned this way, but because they were moving, it's off by 5 degrees or some amount. And you can literally, then, use that to just run the – a completely independent way of tracking the motion of the continents in the past.
Again, this process of measuring the magnetic orientation of the lava is one of the most incredible things in – you know, it's as fascinating to me as, like, spectroscopy – you know, how you can, like, blow up the lines, the chemicals, in a star and detect planets orbiting around them. It's just this precise, amazing science.
So, volcanologists, geologists – kudos; you are amazing.
Pamela: Well, it took them a while to get there because this is one of those discoveries that, when it was first made, everyone was like, "Ehh."
Fraser: Yeah.
Pamela: "Who cares?"
Fraser: Yeah, "Ehh," you know – "whatever."
Pamela: It was first noted back in the 1920s, when people were starting to get in to dinosaurs – the competitor to astronomy, in terms of great sciences.
Fraser: Yeah, of course. Yeah.
Pamela: All of the rocks they were seeing from the early Pleistocene were magnetically aligned the opposite of what was experienced currently – or currently, for the 1920s. And, as people started thinking about the Earth's magnetic field, they started noting in the '50s that the poles seemed to be wandering and there seemed to be tie to continental drive. And it was just sort of like, "Hmm."
Fraser: "That's funny." Yeah.
Pamela: "Interesting." Yeah.
And it was only in the '60s that people started to really take a look at this and look at the banding and map out these changes; and notice, basically, the fact that the Atlantic Ocean is striped with alternating magnetic fields.
The bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, which has been forming over time, is this amazing record of all of these fossilized changes. And it took, essentially, 40 years from the notice of, "Huh. Pleistocene fossils are reversed magnetic field" to 1960s, of realizing exactly what this implied.
Fraser: Right – that the magnetic field lines flip polarity on a random time scale and that this has happened many, many times in the past. And what you thought used to be the North Pole – you see this on both ends. And so, if I did literally have a compass and, one year, it's pointing north and then, the next year, it's now pointing south? Like, it's just – it's worthless now.
Pamela: Well, it's not worthless; you just have to realign yourself.
Fraser: Just look at it backwards, that's all.
Pamela: And that's okay.
Fraser: Yeah.
Pamela: Just stick a new sticker on. But the –
Fraser: Repaint the little –
Pamela: Exactly.
Fraser: – the little blob on the front that says "North".
Pamela: Why not? Recycle.
Fraser: Yeah.
Pamela: But the idea that it takes just one year and it's gonna be a nice clean sweep –
Fraser: Yeah. How long does this take?
Pamela: No.
Fraser: Alright, so let's talk about this reversal. How long does it take for this reversal to actually happen? So, from when I'm firmly North Pole to firmly South Pole, how long does that process take?
Pamela: As long as it wants to.
Fraser: How long has this process taken in the past?
Pamela: So, this is the crazy thing is – this is a fairly random process that people have been trying to find patterns in and they're just not really succeeding. Where there appears to be evidence that some of the reversals took less than a human lifetime; in one case, it looks like it went from north to south to north again within 450 years. But, in general, it's a process that is thought to take – in most instances but not all instances – between 1,000 to 10,000 years.
But, like I said, there's evidence that, at one point in time – and it's actually evidence in your neck of the wood, lava flows in the American Northwest – where you had 6 degrees change in where the pole was each day.
Fraser: Right. And even, like – Well, we'll get to this in a bit.
So, what is going on during that time that it is changing? Is the pole, like – now, the pole is at the 49th parallel; and now, the pole's at the equator; and now, the pole is – Or do they just, like, realign instantly? You know?
Like, you know on the sun, you get like these magnetic field lines; they're coming out of sun spots and then they get all tangled up and then it just snaps and they reconfigure into a new configuration and it's back to business as usual. Is that what we see?
Pamela: Pretty much.
Fraser: Or do we actually see the pole move over to its new location?
Pamela: So, in general, we see this long-term excursion of the pole. It's the way we refer to it: "The pole wanders" –
Fraser: The pole-wander, yeah.
Pamela: It's not set in where it wants to be. But, with the geomagnetic reversal, it is very similar to what the sun does – where it essentially turns itself inside out; you end up with multiple field lines poking through the planet in different places. It acts like there's multiple north and south poles at the local level, if you're walking across the surface of the planet. And there is magnetic chaos. It's not that there's no magnetic field, it's that there's a chaotic magnetic field – and one thing that is very different from with the sun is the magnetic field appears to be weaker during the period of reversal.
So, you end up with this chaos of lower magnetic field, multiple poles, the field line's kind of tangled up and sticking out in all different directions; and then, they settle themselves out with the pole in the opposite orientation.
Fraser: Now, as I recall, the magnetic sphere around the Earth is important.
Pamela: It is.
Fraser: Right?
Pamela: It really, really is.
Fraser: Which is – You know, we always talk about going to Mars. The big problem with Mars is that there's no magnetosphere. And so, if you go out and stand on the environment, your whole body will erupt with cancer and you'll die. So – Okay, maybe not that quickly but it's very –
You know, we want the magnetosphere here. Without it, we would – Life on Earth would be lethal, right? Being out on the surface of the Earth –
Pamela: Yes.
Fraser: – would be lethal, with the amount of radiation out there.
Pamela: And this is a weakening of the magnetic field, not a destruction of the magnetic field. And so, there are some interesting side effects: You would get solar auroras at different latitudes than you currently see them. But, while getting auroras at mid-latitudes is awesome, you still have enough magnetic field that we don't die.
And this is stood up for in the fossil record. We can go through and we can look at various parts of the planet and go, "Over here says there was a reversal; over here says there was a reversal." There was a reversal everywhere – and no death. Because we don't see die-offs –
Fraser: Right.
Pamela: – in fossil record that are punctuated at the same times as the magnetic field reversals.
Fraser: While we do, for example, see great die-offs when there were –
Pamela: Oh, yeah.
Fraser: – supervolcanoes; when there were Armageddon asteroids. Events like that –
Pamela: Yes.
Fraser: – clearly caused great die-offs. But, in this case, we know the moment – the thousand years, the hundred years, the couple of years – when this reversal time was happening and we don't see total, catastrophic death of all life on Earth.
Pamela: Exactly.
Fraser: Whew!
Pamela: So, it appears we're safe, as long as there is a magnetic field. It's when the magnetic field goes away that we're toast. But, while it's simply weak, we just get different forms of aurora.
Fraser: Okay. I mean, everyone loves auroras and I know you folks in Florida are missing out on a really big aurora – so, this will be for you.
It feels, to me, like there still would be, like, some kind of increase in radiation; like, it wouldn't be – The thought is, you know, a nicely, well-aligned, fully operational magnetosphere is better than a chaotic, flippity-floppity magnetosphere, right? Like, we want the former, we don't want the latter.
Pamela: There will be an increase on what particles can get through. There will be an increase on how the solar wind affects the atmosphere. But it's not death – and the "not death" is the key part here.
Fraser: Okay. So, there ya go.
Now, when did the last one happen?
Pamela: Oh, a little over 700,000 years ago.
Fraser: 700 – And how often does it happen?
Pamela: It's estimated, over the long and fairly random process, that about every 300,000 years.
Fraser: Huh!
Pamela: Yeah.
Fraser: So, we're due in the –
Pamela: Well –
Fraser: You know – and this is where we have to go back and reference a previous episode that we just did about how, you know, there's no such thing as "we're due" – but are we due?
Pamela: So, there's process where you know it happens regularly at this interval and, just like the mailman –
Fraser: Cicadas.
Pamela: Yeah, cicadas –
Fraser: Yeah.
Pamela: Seven-year cicadas.
Fraser: Or the sun's polar reversal.
Pamela: Right.
So, there's certain things that have a known periodicity and, when they're delayed – each day that you're not seeing them – There's each minute you're not seeing the mailman, each day you're not seeing the seven-year cicadas that are due that year – yes, they should be hatching imminently.
Fraser: Yeah, those cicadas are going to be popping out any day now.
Pamela: Right.
Fraser: Yeah.
Pamela: Now, this is a weird process. There's like this period where, for like a million years, the magnetic field did absolutely nothing; followed by – zip, zip, zip – back and forth, can't decide what it wants to do. And we don't know why.
And we can build computer models that replicate what's going on but it's a sufficiently chaotic process that, while we can replicate getting a magnetic dynamo – getting the pole reversals out of this convection of the liquid iron in the Earth's core – we can't say, "Yes. On August 24th, three days after the solar eclipse, the Earth's magnetic field will reverse." We can't do that.
Fraser: Right, right. And so, to say that we are overdue, we could be overdue forever. It may never flip again. And it may –
Pamela: We're pretty sure –
Fraser: – flip seven times in the next thousand years.
Pamela: Yeah, yeah.
Fraser: We don't know. But, if it was going to flip – or we thought that it might be in the process of flipping – what are some signs that we might see that it was underway or that it was before being underway? What would we see?
Pamela: So, as near as we can tell, there's an overall weakening of the field and then you end up with this effect of basically multiple, magnetic field lines coming out through the surface, acting like: Here's the north, here's the south – where you have the field lines cutting through.
So, think sun spots.
Fraser: Right.
Pamela: Except now, we're trapping magnetic field in all of our little magnetic-field-detecting equipment on the surface of the planet. It's going to be the kind of thing that sort of is like, "Huh. Magnetic field seems a little weak. Let's keep an eye on this." "Huh. There's the magnetic field poking out of Siberia."
Fraser: Yep.
Pamela: And, "Oh, wait. We have magnetic fields everywhere now."
So, it's the kind of thing that will sneak up on us.
Fraser: But isn't one of the signs that we would theoretically see the pole wandering pretty quickly?
Pamela: Yes. So, that's one of the things that happen in some cases. But, if it's going to be a 10,000-year flip –
Fraser: Right.
Pamela: – versus a couple-of-year flip, this is something that acts however it feels like.
Fraser: But don't we see our pole moving pretty quickly right now?
Pamela: And this is where we have two different things that we have to worry about: One is the excursions, where it's just simply wandering about; and the other is the, "And now I shall reverse."
Fraser: Right.
Pamela: And we don't know –
Fraser: Which one it is.
Pamela: – until you get the – yeah.
Fraser: But we are in a period – If I recall my reporting correctly, we are in a period where our pole is moving pretty rapidly.
Pamela: It is.
Fraser: Unusually quickly. So –
Pamela: But that doesn't mean it's gonna reverse. It doesn't have to; it can do what it feels like.
Fraser: It can do what it wants and, you know – it doesn't matter to us or the compass companies.
Pamela: Magnetic field doesn't care.
Fraser: Alright, let's talk about consequences then.
So, let's say – You know, we talked about the radiation and our need for a magnetosphere. Birds appear to navigate by the magnets in their heads. Would they have a problem?
Pamela: Yeah. Well, so here's the thing. We do have the whole "no death" in the fossil record. That doesn't mean you don't end up with things deciding, "And I shall nest over here now because my magnetic field sent me somewhere totally different."
With the gradual processes that we see now, generation after generation, the birds are able to figure out where they're supposed to be. We don't have the swans, the sparrows, the whatever birds, radically changing their nesting sites due to magnetic wander; we do have them moving because of human beings. So, looking at all the impact factors, one generation of birds to the next can figure out, "Oh! I now need to navigate slightly more to the left."
Fraser: Right.
Pamela: So, it's – Life has a way of adapting.
Fraser: Right. So, you might have a generation of birds that's completely confused, goes in the wrong direction and suffers.
Pamela: Finds a great new nesting site.
Fraser: Or suffers a terrible die-off.
Pamela: Yes.
Fraser: But then you're gonna see a follow-up generation – you know, the ones who will evolve the correct direction – and, within a few generations, they'll be back in business – and now they're going to have upside-down compasses in their heads.
Pamela: And, while we may end up with some critters that struggle due to these navigation issues, there is no evidence – and I'm just going to keep saying this – there is no evidence for massive die-offs –
Fraser: Right.
Pamela: – tied to magnetic field reversal. And the actual planet just keeps spinning in its normal orientation.
Fraser: Right. And so – And we can't find evidence of confused birds, right?
Pamela: No, no – that's probably a little too fine a grain for fossil record.
Fraser: Yeah.
What about our technology?
Pamela: Yeah, that's a different problem because life hasn't been as technologically evolved at any point when there's been a past reversal and we use magnetic fields a lot. Now, GPS satellites do help.
Fraser: Yeah.
Pamela: But –
Fraser: So, 50 years ago, a worldwide jumbling of the magnetic field would cause total chaos to our navigation system – you know, airplanes and boats. Now they all have GPS, so we're kind of protected, right?
Pamela: We're a little bit better off but we use the Earth's magnetic field to push against for a lot of spacecraft; it's part of how they do their navigation thing. And so, you start having difficulties with how we handle spacecraft if we have a significantly weakened field that you can't push as hard against.
I think we're going to find that there's a whole lot of stuff we hadn't really thought through how much it relied on the Earth's magnetic field –
Fraser: Yeah.
Pamela: – if that field suddenly is a lot less intense.
Fraser: Right.
So, in conclusion, the Earth's pole flips every now and then. We don't know why, we don't know when it's going to happen. We don't know when it's going to happen next. It's probably alright. Don't worry about it.
Pamela: But it will be a bad generation or so.
Fraser: Yeah. But it's fascinating.
Pamela: Yes.
Fraser: Thanks, Pamela.
Pamela: My pleasure.
Male Speaker: Thank you for listening to Astronomy Cast, a non-profit resource provided by Astrosphere New Media Association, Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay. You can find show notes and transcripts for every episode at astronomycast.com. You can email us at email@example.com. Tweet us @astronomycast. Like us on Facebook or circle us on Google Plus.
We record the show live on YouTube every Friday at 1:30 p.m. Pacific, 4:30 p.m. Eastern or 2030 GMT. If you missed the live event, you can always catch up over at cosmoquest.org or our YouTube page. To subscribe to the show, point your podcatching software at astronomycast.com/podcast.xml, or subscribe directly from iTunes. Our music is provided by Travis Serl and the show was edited by Chad Weber.
This episode of Astronomy Cast was made possible thanks to donations from people like you. Please give by going to astronomycast.org/donate.
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Duration: 30 minutes
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Baking in the Mojave Sun: US Army Awards $2B Fort Irwin Solar Farm Project
The US Army Corps of Engineers signed an agreement with Irwin Energy Security Partners to build a $2 billion, 500-megawatt (MW) solar energy complex at Fort Irwin located in the Mojave Desert, California.
Through an enhanced use lease (EUL) agreement, the Army will lease about 14,000 acres at Fort Irwin to Irwin Energy Security Parnters, a joint venture of ACCIONA Solar Power in Henderson, NV and the Clark Energy Group in Bethesda, MD. The project will be financed and developed by the joint venture partners who will deliver services in kind (e.g., operation and maintenance) to the Army in exchange for the lease of military landholdings. The venture will be able to sell electricity not used by Fort Irwin on the commercial grid via two high-power transmission lines in the vicinity of the base.
The 500 MW project will be the largest DoD solar power project, dwarfing the 14 MW solar farm at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada and the 2 MW installation at Fort Carson in Colorado…
The Fort Irwin solar power facilities will be installed at 5 sites selected by Army technicians. The project could expand from 500 MW to 1,000 MW at a later stage. The first phase of project will be completed in 2014 and will provide enough solar power to sustain Fort Irwin. The project will use concentrated solar thermal and photovoltaic technology.
The contract signing follows a competitive bid process opened in March by the US Army's Senior Energy Council, a body created in October 2008 to oversee a sustainable energy strategy aimed at finding alternative energy sources, obtaining increased energy savings, and securing energy supplies for US Army installations, personnel, vehicles and other assets.
A federal mandate requires the US Army to reduce its energy consumption by 30% by 2015 and to cover 25% of its energy needs with renewable energy sources by 2025.
The EUL program is designed to allow private companies to acquire value from underutilized real estate assets on Army bases and other US Department of Defense (DoD) installations. The new 500 MW solar facilities are expected to produce approximately 1,000 Gigawatt hours (GWh) annually, far exceeding Fort Irwin's 35 MW peak load.
Fort Irwin sprawls over 2.5 square miles and is home to the Army's largest training camp (5,000 recruits arrive there every month) and NASA's Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex, whose antennas are used for space mission communications.

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MP Board 12th Result 2014 Declared Online. MP Higher Secondary School Certificate Exam HSSC Results 2014 at mpresults.nic.in:
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SMS – MP12<space>ROLL NUMBER and send to 5676750 (all mobile) and
For BSNL send to 58888,
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As an appendix to the series of posts on the release history of my Call And Response Records label which started here, I'm just going to add a few more comments and thoughts.
First up, you'll notice that the catalogue numbers often skip a few (and actually it doesn't show here but in some cases are out of sequence). The reason for this is that some releases are free downloads or private CD/Rs and things that I chose to pass over in favour of the CDs I pressed and released professionally. They also sometimes fall out of sequence because I'm disorganised and sometimes things get delayed and something else slips into the gap. Anyway, this isn't a big deal, but just in case anyone was wondering why the N'toko album was CAR-77 but the Black Sabbath Paranoid covers compilation was CAR-75, it's because CAR-76 hasn't been released yet die to production delays (next month, maybe?)Jebiotto (live at Kichijoji Planet K)
Looking forward, there's a Jebiotto album (the much-delayed CAR-76) in the works, and a new issue of Quit Your Band! gradually taking shape, with Slow-Marico on the accompanying CD. There are friends of the label also working on new albums that even if they're not on Call And Response, I'll certainly be loudly cheering on, with Iguz Souseki's psychedelic post-Zibanchinka band Futtachi foremost among these. September 27th 2014 will also mark the ten-year anniversary of the first Clear And Refreshing live event, so there's going to be a big party to celebrate that.
Finally, in a purely hypothetical exercise (the last one was too recent for it to really be worth doing another one right now), I'm going to talk a bit about what a new Call And Response compilation in the Dancing After 1AM/1-2-3-Go! mould might look like if I were to make one now.
Firstly and obviously since it was only a year and a half ago, a lot of bands would be the same. Futtachi, Hysteric Picnic, Hyacca, Mir, Slow-Marico and Jebiotto would be right at the top of my list of people I'd be mailing. However, there are some bands who were on DA1AM who are probably a bit too famous or at least operate in a slightly more professional milieu now — bands who wouldn't really benefit from being on the album and who I'm not really doing stuff at live events with these days. She Talks Silence, Extruders and The Mornings for example are bands I still very highly regard, but who are kind of above my level now, and while I'm not opposed to getting in popular bands who work musically with what Call And Response does, there is a balance between that and finding out new stuff that I feel should tilt more towards the latter than the former.Umez: Lingering Dream
Bands that have come onto my radar over the past year and a bit and who I'd definitely be trying to get something from for this hypothetical CD include indiepop jangleteers DYGL, noise-pop duo Umez, industrial/EBM duo group A, Fukuoka electronic glitchgaze duo Deltas, jittery Saga punk trio Hakuchi, Krautrock-kayoukyoku three-piece Fancy Numnum, new wave/artpunkers Compact Club, and Tokyo postpunk band illmilliliter. The marvellous Buddy Girl and Mechanic, who I missed out on with DA1AM, would be well up there among my priorities too, while it would please me greatly to get original 1-2-3-go! band Usagi Spiral A back to do something as well.Hakuchi: Suttokodokkoi
As I say, I'm in no hurry to make another compilation, but I'm not short of stuff I'm still excited enough by to do something with. Anyway, back to regular posting after this. Your attention has been greatly appreciated.


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"I will sing unto the Lord throughout my life, I will chant to my God as long as I have my being. May my words be sweet unto Him, and I will rejoice in the Lord."
Our choir is under the direction of Reader David Kessler.
CD Recording – 03/21/15
On Saturday, March 21st, the choir of Holy Annunciation recorded their second CD, "Sing to the Lord a New Song."
Choir Outreach – 12/13/14
The choir of Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church, under the direction of Reader David Kessler, sang at Victorian Nights in downtown Berwick, Saturday, December 13th, 2014. They sang traditional Carpatho-Russian Christmas carols at the Christmas tree lighting and in Walker's Jewelers. This was the first year the choir sang at Victorian Nights
Holy Annunciation Annual Christmas Concert – 12/29/13
On Sunday, December 29th, Holy Annunciation Choir presented their annual Christmas concert under the direction of Reader David Kessler. The concert was well attended, and fellowship was held afterwards.
Holy Annunciation Choir performs at Tree Fest – 12/01/13
Holy Annunciation Orthodox Choir performed at Tree Fest in Bloomsburg, PA on December 1st. The choir sang traditional and liturgical Christmas carols under the direction of Reader David Kessler.


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But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. (Micah 5:2)
Once in royal David's city
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby
In a manger for his bed;
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little child. (Once in royal David's City: 1)
During these Christmas days, our thoughts easily turn to consider the little town where mother Mary gave birth to our Savior. The story of that ancient and sacred village engages us still today. Before its gates Jacob buried his beloved Rachel (Genesis 35:16-20). In the fields of Bethlehem pious and faithful Ruth gleaned and gathered her sheaves for her master Boaz (Ruth). On the hillsides above her great-grandson David tended his father's flocks. The little brook from which the hunted shepherd king so longed to drink in his great thirst (2 Samuel 23:15) still murmurs in the green valley lying at the foot of the town. To the little town of Bethlehem came Joseph and his young wife when great David's greater Son was born in a lowly cattle shed.
How wonderful are the ways of God! The Ruler of Israel, the everlasting King of mercy, the Lord of peace is not born in some lordly mansion in Athens or in an imperial palace in Rome, but in the poor, little hill village, insignificant Bethlehem. But our God and Father in heaven always does this: A virgin with child; a faithful husband with the proper blood lines; a difficult journey because of a census; choirs of heavenly hosts sing the great Good News to societies lowliest members, the shepherds. "He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate" (Luke 1:51, 52).
King David no longer sat on his throne and his hometown was nearly forgotten in the Judean landscape. Yet the promise of salvation was not forgotten. "But our eyes in truth should see him through his own redeeming love, for that child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heav'n above" (Once in Royal David's City: 3). And lowly Bethlehem, poor and forgotten Bethlehem, is exalted and becomes again the hometown of Israel's King, the long-expected King – Jesus Christ!
O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
Oh, come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Immanuel! (O Little Town of Bethlehem: 4)


text: In a breath of fresh air for employers, a California Court of Appeal has held that while a plaintiff employee was indeed entitled to $44.63 in underpaid wages, the attorneys in his resulting class-action lawsuit are entitled to recovery of no more than $500 in legal fees, rather than the $46,277 sought for over 120 hours of legal work at rates up to $525 per hour. The Court of Appeal recognized that plaintiff was entitled to statutory attorney's fees for the so-called "pay stub" violations, which have sometimes been used as an extortionate multiplier by plaintiffs' counsel because even a small error in wage calculations can cascade into multiple statutory violations for inaccurate paycheck data and the like. However, the Court of Appeal held that the attorney fee recovery is limited to a "reasonable fee", and that plaintiff was underpaid "as the result of an honest mistake in reliance on a formula provided by his union", and was not viable as a class action. "At the risk of understatement, there is no way on Earth this case justified the hours purportedly billed" by plaintiff's counsel. Finally, rather than remand the case to the trial court for further wrangling and expenses over what is the amount of a "reasonable" fee for the $44.63 dispute, the Court of Appeal declared "we are satisfied that the trial court could not reasonably award an amount in excess of $500, and thus fix the fee at that amount" so as to end the case. (Harrington v. Payroll Entertainment Services, Inc., 72 Cal. Rtr. 3d 922, February 28, 2008)


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|Eco-Justice Ministries
The E-mail Commentary from Eco-Justice Ministries
All About Relationships
When you look at the world, what do you see?
The world in which we live -- all the way from our immediate families to the largest global issues -- is complex and confusing. We all use mental filters to make sense of our experiences. In terms of one of those filters, when you look at the world, do you generally see a web of relationships, or do you see a scattering of individual entities?
Much of western thought -- in fields as diverse as psychology, criminology, biology and theology -- has tended toward an individualist perspective. That "atomistic" approach has contributed to the social and ecological problems we face, by hiding important dynamics of how the world really works. A dynamic, relational perspective provides a more accurate picture of the world, and guides us toward more helpful ways of living.
For example, in any family, there's a certain degree of conflict. In addressing serious conflicts, marriage counseling is different from individual therapy because it works on the relationship, instead of on one individual alone. A whole school of counseling, called family systems theory, is grounded in the recognition that no one lives or acts in isolation, and that we are all affected by each others' behaviors.
A mobile is often used in describing family systems theory. That style of sculpture has a delicately balanced arrangement of objects hanging from a loosely-connected frame. Whenever any one of those objects is touched, the whole sculpture springs into a complex motion. The beauty of a mobile can't be expressed by looking at its parts in isolation; the pieces all move together. Families are like that. A small change in the life of one family member can set off complex waves of changes through the entire family unit.
Similar questions arise at the community level. Do we see welfare programs a way of helping individuals who won't get a job, or are they a way of addressing the failures of our social system? The individual approach targets problems in the people who need help, such as a need for job training. A systems perspective recognizes a broader set of intertwining factors that are involved. Job training doesn't help when the jobs are moved overseas. How can a single mother hold down a job when child care isn't available?
The criminal justice system in the US has focused on the punishment of criminals -- increasingly by sending "bad individuals" to prison. The emerging restorative justice movement calls us to a more relational perspective by seeking the reconciliation of victims, offenders and the larger community.
It's a theological question, too. Christianity has a sharp divide between those who focus on God's desire to reconcile all of creation into a realm of justice and peace, and those who see the core proclamation of the faith in terms of individual salvation.
In families and in community life, a focus on the web of relationships is more revealing and more fruitful than an emphasis on individuals in isolation from each other. That same broadening of perspective is at the heart of understanding ecological issues.
I started my college-level studies of environmental biology in 1970, just a few months after the first Earth Day. In one of the first class sessions, the professor warned us that our topic was a very controversial new subject in the biology department. Several influential members of the faculty didn't like the idea of studying the relationships among different parts of an ecosystem. They had dedicated their careers to the detailed study of individual species, and they were convinced that "real" science should always try to remove any consideration of those confusing "extraneous" relationships.
30-some years later, it seems obvious that we can't understand any species in isolation from its surroundings, and without considering all of the relationships and factors that shape it. But too often, we still get bad policy when an atomistic approach dominates in decisions about the management of natural resources. Too often, a forest is seen only as a collection of trees to be harvested, not as a vibrant system with many kinds of vegetation and a variety of wildlife. So, too, our protection of endangered species is hindered when the needs of the species are not seen in relation to its broader habitat.
The relational and the atomistic are two competing worldviews. They each provide answers about who we are, and how to live. But the relational, systemic perspective provides a richer, more illuminating view.
+ + + + +
Churches can play a vital role in social change by shifting the frame of reference from the pervasive individualistic view toward a richer systemic perspective. Churches can help frame the discussion of needs and issues -- within the congregation, and within the broader community -- in a way that emphasizes a web of relationships.
Our prayers for those with cancer can name the reality that cancer is rampant in our polluted world. Our ministry to the poor can address the realities of economic globalization. We can seek restorative, rather than punitive justice, and we can emphasize a systems approach in our ministry with families. We can acknowledge the countless ways in which the well-being of humanity is dependent on the health of natural systems.
When a relational, systems perspective infuses the ministry of a congregation, church members will start to shift the way they understand their lives. And they will be empowered to spread that worldview into the politics of their broader community.
In your churches -- in worship, classes, fellowship and mission projects -- and your community life, give voice to a relational perspective. Helping others to see the world in that way is an act of transformation toward justice and peace for all of God's creation.
Eco-Justice Ministries * 400 S Williams St, Denver, CO 80209 * Home Page: www.eco-justice.org
Eco-Justice Ministries ended all programming on July 31, 2020. This site is an archive of writings and resources.
To contact a representative of the agency by e-mail, please use the contact form


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Scribe Conventions
From OWL
Before scribing
- Invite Zakim and RRSagent
/invite Zakim /invite RRSagent
- Set the topic of the meeting to the meeting agenda
/topic <URL of meeting agenda>
- Set the meeting
Zakim, this will be owlwg
- Set the scribe ("scribe" vs "scribenick" doesn't matter for our current tools)
ScribeNick: <scribe>
- Make records public
RRSAgent, make records public
While scribing
This is a subset of all the features supported by Scribe.perl. This should be all about scribing an OWL-WG scribe needs to know. See also Scribe List and Etiquette.
|Scribe Activity
|IRC syntax
|Declare who is scribing
|ScribeNick: <irc nickname of scribe>
|ScribeNick: alanr
|Recording what someone says
|<name>: <text of what they said>
|Sandro: I don't think that's a good idea
|Shortcut for more from the same speaker
|... <additional text>
|... because it will never work
|Correcting mistakes
|s/<old text>/<new text>/
|s/it will/it would/
|Assigning Action Items
|ACTION: <name> to <what they are supposed to do>
|ACTION: sandro to make a wiki page about scribe conventions
|Setting Topic
|Topic: <title of new topic>
|Topic: How to Scribe Effectively
|PROPOSED: <proposal text>
|PROPOSED: The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.
|Resolutions (after voting)
|RESOLVED: <proposal text reiterated>
|RESOLVED: The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.
More advanced commands (often used after the meeting, when editing the log). Don't worry about learning them before scribing.
|Scribe Activity
|IRC syntax
|Provide a summary of the current (sub)topic (often added after-the-fact)
|summary: <text of summary>
|summary: Four proposals were considered, but none had consensus
|Setting Sub-topic
|Subtopic: <title of new sub-topic>
|subtopic: Location of Dinner during F2F
|Setting Sub-Sub-Topic
|Subsubtopic: <title of new sub-sub-topic>
|subsubtopic: Importance of good desert menu
|Recording Attendance
|Present: <list of people who are present>
|present: sandro, ian, evan, bijan
|Recording Remote Attendance (for F2F meetings)
|Remote: <list of people attending remotely>
|remote: dave, deborah
|Recording Regrets
|Regrets: <list of people unable to attend>
|regrets: frank, jim
|Recording Chair
|Chair: <list of people chairing the meeting>
|chair: Ian
|Making a note which does not appear in final record
|Omit: <text which does not appear>
|omit: This line is sort of commented out; it's logged but not usually displayed
After scribing
See Common Scribe Manual for full details. Summary:
- Copy the chat log to the wiki. The easiest way is to use the Common Scribe control panel. If you want/need to do it the hard way, then:
- Let ?yyyy, ?mm and ?dd be the year, month and date of the teleconf
- e.g., if the teleconf was on 18 June 2008, then we have ?yyyy=2008, ?mm=06 and ?dd=18
- Copy the RSS agent log at:
http://www.w3.org/?yyyy/?mm/?dd-owl-irc.txtto a wiki page at:
- Let ?yyyy, ?mm and ?dd be the year, month and date of the teleconf
- Add list of attendees
- Find "Zakim, who is here?" command
- Let ?names be the list of attendees from the above command. (If there is none, you will need to construct it yourself from other meeting records.)
- Add the line
<scribenick> PRESENT: ?namesnear the top of the chatlog.
- The names in this list should be unambiguous with respect to Participants2. In addition to showing who was at the meeting, this line tells CommonScribe which names to match against in disambiguating names.
- Do some cleanup:
- If someone writes a line of the form "word: text" that is not really a scribe-assist, then insert a space before the word.
- Optionally add "Subtopic:" and even "Subsubtopic:" entries
- Optionally use "omit:" to "comment out" lines which you don't want to delete (because you're not sure they should be gone).
- Optionally add "summary:" lines (one per topic/subtopic) giving a summary of that section
- Check the agenda for regrets, and add them to the minutes, by adding a line of the form:
00:00:00 <scribenick> REGRETS: ?names
- Add the chair:
00:00:00 <scribenick> CHAIR: ?name
- Look at your work by clicking on the "preview nicely formatted version" link.
- Correct any "scribe errors" shown there. Typically they involve name ambiguity and typos.
- Use the "Save" button on that page. Edit and repeat as necessary.
- Send e-mail to the group when you're satisfied.
- Move you name to the bottom of the Scribe List, adding the date of this meeting.


text:
- Fantasy
- >
- Pangur Bán
Pangur Bán
"Pangur Bán" - mixed media on wood panel (plywood, uncradled) 24" x 24" x .5". Ready to hang (back has been pre-wired for hanging).
So in peace our task we ply,
Pangur Ban, my cat, and I;
In our arts we find our bliss,
I have mine and he has his.
- PANGUR BÁN, translated from the Irish by Robin Flower
This piece is sold unframed but ready to hang. It will be shipped flat, carefully packaged in mostly repurposed shipping materials. Customs fees and duties are the responsibility of the recipient. Free shipping anywhere in the U.S.A. For international shipping, please email for a quote.
This item is an original work of art. Copyright owned by Jen Jovan.
(In home photo Designed by Freepik. Painting size in display photo is estimated. Please refer to painting dimensions for accurate sizing)


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Free zones have always been the eye-catching factor for investors to establish a business in the GCC countries. These zones have played a great role in bringing international businesses to their respective countries as certain areas they hold stand as tax-free zones. Starting a business in Oman has always been a favorite spot for international investors because of the availability of the free zones. If you are planning to expand your business in Oman, then you can definitely opt for Oman free zones. This guide will give you an overall idea regarding company formation in Oman free zones.
Industrial Free Zones in Oman
The Sultanate holds four free zones that focus on the growth of different business sectors and activities. The zone allows importing raw materials, processing, assembling and packaging, exporting finished products, storing and warehousing products. The free zones in Oman are -
The free zones have been categorized accordingly based on the business sectors they support. One should select a zone according to one's industry and business needs. There are 4 free zones in Oman:
1. Al Mazunah Free Zone
Established in 1999, Al Mazunah is located close to the Yemeni border, making it the Gulf gateway to enter the Republic of Yemen and East African countries. This zone is a hub to commercial, service and industrial sector.
2. Salalah Free Zone
This free zone offers solutions to businesses that have a plan to expand their business into the Middle East, Africa, Southern Europe, and Asia. The location becomes an attractive destination due to low cost in terms of labor, utilities, and infrastructure.
3. Sohar Free Zone
It is a 4,500-hectare deep-sea port that attracts almost US$26 Billion and is one of the fastest growing ports in the world. The port is expected to take responsibility for managing Oman's National Food Reserve.
4. Duqm SEZ
One of the future's biggest economic zones lies in Duqm SEZ. With an area of almost 1,745 sq.km, the zone has been divided into 8 sub-zones that hold different grounds of investments such as industries, sea-port, and dry-dock, tourism, fisheries, etc.
Now, let's have a glance at the benefits that you can derive by establishing a company in Oman.
Benefits of Setting Up a Company in Oman Free Zone
- Investors get 100% ownership
- No Minimum Share Capital requirement
- No Corporate tax for a period of ten years
- No duties are imposed on import and export procedures
- Minimum 5 years of lease
- Trade can start within Oman without a local agent
How to Set Up a Business in Oman Free Zone?
For an investor, one must follow the below-mentioned process to incorporate one's business in Oman free zone:
- Submit the Plot Application Form
- Reach an agreement on the Commercial Terms
- Submit a No Objection Letter to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs
- Clear the due diligence process
- Select a plot and get an approval for its application
- Pay the lease, incorporation and license fee
- Collect the Certificate of Incorporation
- Sign the lease agreement
Documents Required to Set Up a Business in Oman Free Zone
- Name of the investors along with their country of origin
- Plot size required to set up business
- Business Plan along with Capital Investment
- A figurative representation of total employment generation
- Total electricity and water requirement
- Contact details of the investor
- Projected cargo volume
Fees Required to Set Up a Free Zone Company in Oman
Business Registration
Commercial/ Logistics License
OMR 385 (annual)
Industrial/ Manufacturing License
OMR 385 (annual)
2-Year Visa
Summarizing the overall information, we can say that Oman free zones are heading towards progress and are also providing a great platform for business investors to invest in. The location holds a great potential for both established as well as startups and also provides an opportunity for investors to expand their business to the neighboring countries. To initiate the process, it is recommended to have a word with a business consultant who is well versed with the Omani legal rules and regulations, business setup processes. This will help you to incorporate the entity at a faster pace and in a hassle-free way. Wondering whom to approach? Don't worry. We've got your back.
Commitbiz has been helping firms and entrepreneurs in establishing their business in Oman. Our experts are well-versed with the Omani business framework and will cater to your needs accordingly. To proceed towards starting a business in Oman today, do contact us. We'd be happy to assist.


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It can be useful to define a series of stages to represent a sales funnel through which you can move your contacts when they perform key activities such as subscribing or downloading an ebook etc.
Once you have setup your stages you can add an action to any conversion form, landing page or activity stream to change the stage of the contact that converts.
You can also use a contact's lead score as a trigger to make changes, which is useful in this instance as it is a broad indicator of engagement.
Using a lead score to change lifecycle stage
Create a new Workflow in the Automations section.
Give your new Workflow a name and choose whether you would like this Workflow to be triggered once or multiple times for a contact.
Once you have saved your Workflow you will see it in the visual builder.
Click 'Add trigger' and select 'Lead score changed' form the trigger options.
Then you can set the threshold you want to use to trigger your Workflow. I have set this one to tigger if the lead score goes over 60.
Save that and you will be taken back to the visual editor, where you can see your trigger action.
Click the '+' icon to add the action you'd like to the Workflow, and select 'Change stage' from the Action options.
Then choose the stage you would like to move your contact to. I have chosen to make them 'Sales Qualified'.
Save that and your Workflow is complete, when a lead's score goes over 60 they will become Sales Qualified and moved to that stage.
Don't forget to enable your Workflow and you are good to go.


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New Mexico State football with several ties to Washington State's Air Raid attack
LAS CRUCES — Chase Holbrook can watch a Kentucky football game from 2007 or game film from last year's Washington State team and accurately predict where the quarterback will throw the football.
The Air Raid offense doesn't deviate from year to year and has stood the test of time in college football.
Do it now: For more New Mexico State football coverage this season, make sure to subscribe.
Holbrook is uniquely qualified to speak about the offense. He played for and coached under the architect of the offense, Hal Mumme, rewriting the New Mexico State record books from the quarterback position from 2005-2008.
Holbrook's first coaching job was under Mumme at McMurry University in 2009.
Then in 2016, Holbrook was the offensive quality control coach at Washington State under Mike Leach, whose Cougars' offense is running the Air Raid at the highest level, winning a school record 11 games last year.
More:Eight Aggies will make first college start in Week 1 at Washington State
More:Part 2: Ranking New Mexico State's opponents for 2019 from least winnable to most winnable
"Year to year, one or two things might change but the base nine plays will stay the same," said Holbrook, who is in his third season on the NM State coaching staff and preparing to face No. 23 Washington State on Saturday in Pullman, Wash. "They both understand that you only have so much time to prep so the playbook will not get too big. For the most part, a kid is going to recognize everything from the last 20 years."
For the past two seasons, Holbrook has been the Aggies quarterbacks coach, where head coach Doug Martin has brought his own spin to the Air Raid.
"If you are just watching and didn't know what we called it or how we practiced it, it's almost looks identical," Holbrook said. "We are probably a little more multiple in formations."
If Leach didn't run the Air Raid, he would run the wishbone
Leach coached under Mumme at Iowa Wesleyan, Valdosta State and Kentucky before taking the Air Raid to greater heights as the head coach at Texas Tech and Washington State.
The Cougars were 15th last year in scoring offense with 37.5 points per game and No. 1 in passing offense with 374 yards per game.
"Hal was a guy who thought anything was possible and as a result, I worked with him and that time was the most instrumental part of my career," Leach said. "We worked with the same scheme for 10 years and I really grew as a coach. We experimented with a variety of schemes and things that ultimately a lot of people are borrowing around the country."
The beauty of the Air Raid is that coaches who believe in it will not vary their attack.
Washington State offensive line coach Mason Miller was the Aggies offensive line coach under Mumme while Holbrook was the quarterback. He also coached with Holbrook at McMurry and Tarleton State, where they were co-offensive coordinators.
"Last year in a staff meeting, we were talking about the names of the plays has basically stayed the same since 1994," Miller said. "You have to be consistent in what you do every day and we don't deviate from the plan. It's kind of end of discussion."
While the quarterback runs the show, recruiting skill players who are dangerous in space with the ball in their hands is the key to Air Raid. While the wishbone could be the polar opposite to the Air Raid, it also places heavy value on getting skill players involved every snap.
"I've always said that if I didn't run the Air Raid, I would run the wishbone," Leach said. "In both cases, they attack the whole field and the skill players touch the ball. My thought on balance isn't how many times you run or throw, it's how much your skill positions contribute to the offensive effort."
Air Raid concepts at New Mexico State
Count Martin among the coaches who have adopted many of the Air Raid principles.
"They (New Mexico State) are a good passing team and they have been that way aggressively for awhile," Leach said. "They have always kind of moved the ball so you will have those comparisons to make.
"There are definitely some similar concepts. They are trying to do some of the same things offensively that we do."
Martin's Aggies went all in on throwing the football in 2017, finishing sixth in FBS in passing offense and winning the school's first bowl game since 1960.
"We feel like we can attract wide receivers who are play makers," Martin said. "It's harder to get running backs or tight ends. Early on, we didn't have that so we were more balanced, but we weren't scoring as many points as we needed to."
Martin said the key to Washington State's success is limiting turnovers despite putting the ball in the air on virtually every snap. Washington State had 10 interceptions in 677 pass attempts last season.
"That is good playing and good coaching," Martin said. "That is what we are trying to tell our guys is that you can play aggressive football and not turn the ball over."
Holbrook said Leach's offense is essentially three receivers to one side and one receiver to the other side, two receivers to each side or two running back sets.
The Aggies' offense looks similar, but the Aggies move players around more to try to get a matchup advantage. An example would be moving former Aggies receiver Jaleel Scott to an inside receiver position at times to take advantage of his size.
"For (Leach), the same concept out of another formation is a different play," Holbrook said. "Here we may have a concept that we run out of six formations, but for him, three by one mesh and two by two mesh is a different play."
Holbrook has sat down with defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani during the offseason in preparation for Saturday's matchup with the Cougars. Whether or not it pays dividends remains to be seen, Spaziani said.
"They know that Chase is here, too," Spaziani said. "You can get some ideas out of it, but it's not stuff you can go to the bank with. We have some different looks and coverage that the quarterback will see when they are reading the safety, but when you have that offense, you know how to protect and take care of pressure."
Miller was 29 years old when he was the NM State offensive line coach under Mumme in the first iteration of the Air Raid in Las Cruces. As any coach who has been in Las Cruces can attest, winning football games consistently at NM State is a multiple year project.
Perhaps the Aggies biggest win under Mumme was a 48-45 road victory at Nevada in 2008, a game which Miller reminded his colleagues of during the 2017 season when Miller was on the Wolf Pack staff.
"I kept the script of that game on my board at Reno," Miller said. "We just ran out of time (at New Mexico State). I think it's great they are keeping Doug Martin around and he was able to flip it into a bowl game. For a guy who has been there and done that, that's not a four-year fix."
Sports Editor Jason Groves can be reached at 575-541-5459 or email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @jpgroves.


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Police are still contemplating charges to a Penelakut Island woman who chained herself to a BC Ferries loading dock fence Monday in protest against her band.
North Cowichan/Duncan Cpl. Jon Stuart confirmed Valerie Bob of the Penelakut Tribe chained herself to the fence, blocking passengers from unloading the ferry which arrived at about noon Monday.
"I understand she was chained in total for about an hour," Stuart said Tuesday.
RCMP weren't called immediately, he noted, and it was only after Ferries staffers were unsuccessful in talking her out of unlocking her chain, police were notified.
Bob, who told television news crews her stand was inspired by a number of grievances with her band, but most recently her electricity at her home being cut off, was finally persuaded by police to leave the location.
"She agreed to move herself from the fence," Stuart said. "But unfortunately she couldn't remember the code to the lock she was using, so we had to use bolt cutters."


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Here is a story about the simple, yet powerful act of human kindness.
Clara Daly, 15, helped a fellow passenger on board an Alaska Airlines flight.
The encounter is going viral, sending a strong message of humanity and hope.
A passenger flying on board that flight, named Timothy, is blind and deaf.
The flight crew and other people seated in his row tried hard to communicate with him, but at one point an attendant asked if anyone knew American Sign Language.
Stay on top of breaking news stories with the ABC11 News App
Clara, who knows American Sign Language, spelled out each word with her hands for Timothy to feel.
Timothy asked for a water and also wanted to know how much longer the flight would be.
Later in the flight, Timothy asked for Clara again.
"He didn't need anything, he was just lonely and wanted to talk," said Clara.
She continued, "Doing something like that is what anyone would have done."
Clara is dyslexic and just started learning sign language last year to help with her own communication.
Her mom, Jane, posted about the experience on Facebook.
Jane said their original flight was canceled.
Clara told her extremely proud parents that it was meant to be.


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Bracketology: Everything You Need to Know to Win Your March Madness 2012 PoolMarch 9, 2012
It's here.
The most exciting playoff in sports is back, so get your brackets out, hide them from your boss and get ready for a lesson in Bracketology to take your March Madness pool for all it's worth.
Before you start feverishly scribbling down your picks, there are a few things you must know to give yourself the best possible chance at getting those coveted bragging rights around the water cooler (and maybe a few bucks).
If you followed college hoops even casually for most of the season, you know who you like. If there is a team from each quadrant that you know you like to head to the Final Four or Elite Eight, put them there first then fill out the rest. This will prevent you from talking yourself out of your picks when filling it out solely round-by-round.
We've all had those moments where we curse ourselves for overthinking a pick. It's enough to make you want to kick the closest cat (or at least repeatedly call yourself stupid out loud), which probably won't make you too popular with its owner. So to prevent yourself from having that Twix "Wanna Get Away?" moment, (and possible legal ramifications) read on.
This is where the next tip comes in: go with your gut. If you had an inkling of who might win the 8-9 matchup, go with it because there's probably a reason you felt that way. In short, when in doubt, throw second-guesses out.
Now onto the true Bracketology tips.
The best thing you can do for yourself right now is to watch Championship Week. The teams that get hot and make a run in their conference tournaments often carry momentum into the field of 64. A perfect example of this is last year when UConn won five games in five days to win the Big East Tournament, which fueled the No. 3 seed's run at capturing the national championship.
If you think you have completed your bracket, look again. Look particularly at the 5-12 matchups. If you don't have at least one No. 12 seed upsetting a No. 5 seed, you aren't done. Since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, the No. 12 seed has pulled the upset 36 times in those 26 years. Richmond was the last to do it last year.
Since, on average, this upset has happened at least once per year, you can bank on there being one No. 12 seed advancing, if not more. You need to have one in your bracket as it has become more of a rule than an exception.
If you find yourself reviewing your bracket and you have all of the No. 1 seeds advancing to the Final Four, you may want to reconsider. Since the current format began in 1985, only once have all four No. 1 seeds advanced to the Final Four (2008).
Also, don't listen to the analysts. Each year every analyst picks that year's version of George Mason, Butler or VCU and tries to peg which team will become the newest Cinderella. However, they're usually wrong. Nobody picked George Mason in 2006 and nobody picked VCU last year.
Cinderellas are usually out of left field and if you try to pick them and have them going deep, it could spoil your bracket. Also remember not to get cute with any seeds 14 or higher because you're generally wasting your time.
Let's face it; a perfect bracket is next to impossible, but it's the sensible ones with subtle upsets that usually get the job done. Now it's time to watch Championship Week, take mental notes and get cracking as soon as the field is announced. Now you're ready.
Let the Madness begin.


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It seems that we as humans tend to map out for ourselves what we want our lives to look like.
Goals, relationships, dreams, plans, (Races)....
we hold ideals for these things in our mind.
The thing is....
there often comes moments in this world of reality,
that can change well intended plans in an instant.
It can storm through like a tornado and leave us wondering... just what DID happen.
The supposedly well-planned ideals lie in a heap around us, almost mocking us as we wonder.
I am currently realizing that there are a few options when this occurs.
I can crumble in a heap along side of all the fallen plans I had made.
And sit there indefinitely.
Realize that the best laid plans can and often do change course.
And I ultimately have to choose to get back up and try it over.
Maybe the second time around it will work.
Or not.
Whatever the case may be,
One must not only learn to fall...
but also learn to get up again.
And Learning I am.
(For my "Learning to Fall story"...click here: The Best Laid Plans)
(For my "Learning to Fall story"...click here: The Best Laid Plans)


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Sharing at:
Silver Pennies
Todays Creative Blog
Funky Junk Interiors
Love the stairs even more now. So cool. Love the distressed numbers now. Would love for you to share this little tutorial at Silver Pennies Sundays: http://www.findingsilverpennies.com/2013/01/silver-pennies-sundays-features-and_27.htmlReplyDelete
Of course! You know I'd love to! :) Thanks for the reminder, I don't have things to share every week so I'm not the best at linking to parties. But I decided earlier today I'm going to get serious about linking up to parties from now on!! Adding yours to my new list!! :)Delete
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing it. I love how they came out! xDelete
The stairs look great!
I love how your stairs turned out - what a fun project! Your numbers turned out perfectly. Thanks for the wonderful tutorial!ReplyDelete
These turned about fantastic. It is such as unique idea to number the stairs and they look great. What a creative way to make stairs more decorative.ReplyDelete
Great staircase painting. Pinned it too.


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Health and Recreation Center Policies
The following general rules and policies are for the use of the Health and Recreation Center (Building M). Violations may result in, but are not limited to, the following actions: removal from the building, suspension of membership privileges and/or referral to the Harper College Police. All other policies can be accessed by clicking on the links below.
General Rules
- All new members must activate their membership at the Welcome Desk prior to entry.
Requirements include:
- complete registration information
- signature of electronic waiver
- photo (taken by Welcome Desk staff)
- Harper I.D. card or key card activated
- Anyone entering the building must check-in at the Welcome Desk before accessing other areas; the exception are Harper students accessing the Upper Level classrooms.
- A valid membership and a Harper I.D. or membership key tag are required for access to the facility; the exception are Harper students accessing the Upper Level classrooms. Members may use the app as proof of membership; members are also required to have photo I.D. at all times.
- The use of any and all tobacco products is prohibited in the facility. Additionally Harper College has a smoke/tobacco free environment which prohibits use in and on College premises per the following policy:https://www.harpercollege.edu/handbook/policies/smoking.php
- Use, distribution, or possession of any illicit drugs, unauthorized prescription drugs, alcohol or controlled substances is prohibited on the premises, and internal sanctions, federal and state legal penalties may result from violations.
- Patrons may only enter and exit via the main entrance located on the north side of building. All other exits are for staff and/or emergency use only.
- Injuries, accidents or equipment failures must be reported to the Building Manager.
- Only personal trainers and instructors approved by the Department of Campus Recreation are permitted to provide services in the facility.
- Mature and respectful conduct is expected and required at all times.
- Disorderly conduct, abuse of the facility, equipment, or staff and/or disregard for
the Health and Recreation Center policies will result in immediate dismissal from
the facility. Additional sanctions may include:
- Disciplinary action, reimbursement for damages and/or potential suspension from the facilities and programs.
- A user asked to leave by the staff will not be refunded any paid fees.
- All patrons must comply with staff directives. The Campus Recreation staff has authority regarding facility conduct and use of equipment as well as in all emergency situations.
- Failure to comply may result in suspension or termination of Health and Recreation Center privileges.
- The Department of Campus Recreation is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Personal belongings are not permitted in activity areas and must be kept in a locker.
- Mopeds, bicycles and electric scooters are not permitted inside the facility.
- Skateboards, roller-skates, roller blades and non-electric scooters are not permitted to be operated in the facility under any circumstances.
- Animals are not permitted in the facility except for the express purpose of assisting or aiding persons with disabilities.
- Any announcements, fliers, posters, or any other marketing materials must be submitted to the Director of Campus Recreation for approval before being displayed in the facility.
- No prolonged public displays of affection permitted in any areas of the Health and Recreation Center.
- Please consult a physician prior to engaging in physical activity. The Department of Campus Recreation is not responsible for accidents or injuries that occur due to the nature of activity.
- Members are permitted to be accompanied by a Caregiver/Personal Attendant if they require physical assistance or constant supervision prior to, during, or after a workout session.


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British artist Alexander donates artworks to fund plastic recycling facility in Maldives
British artist Alexander James Hamilton has donated a unique collection of artworks to fully fund a plastic recycling facility in the Maldives.
The community-led plastic recycling facility will be established in the northern Noonu atoll in mid 2018.
The facility will recycle PET clear plastics and HDPE plastic used on local islands in the Maldives into useful materials such as building bricks for housing and other useful items. It has the capacity to convert 200kg of plastic per day into objects.
World-leading luxury resort operator Soneva will provide a base for the installation of the first facility in the Maldives adjacent to its Soneva Jani resort in the Noonu atoll. The resort group will also incentivise an intelligent use of the facility amongst its team and the local community as part of its ongoing recycling and community outreach programme.
In order to fund the infrastructure of the facility, Alexander has donated 20 illuminated PhotoGrams. Each of Alexander's 20 unique studio proofs are from the series 'Textures & texts from the shoreline', in the illuminated frame they measure 40.5 x 34.5 x 5 cm, and can be shipped globally.
They are available on silent auction starting now at £2,000 [excluding VAT if applicable and delivery]. To bid on a work of art, please write to firstname.lastname@example.com with the title of the artwork, your maximum bid, along with your name and address. All bids will be transferred and executed on May 25.
Alexander, who has been diving the Maldives and exploring its fragile lands since the late 80s, creates meticulously crafted sculptural scenes; using studio made props, breeding butterflies, growing period specific flowers, hand making the dress and 24 carat gold halo.
In October, Alexander relocated to the Maldives to continue working on a project he started 30 years ago; that of creating installations and interventions underwater and on land, exploring the polarity within this disappearing landscape.
"Currently, there are no tangible facilities for recycling plastic on the remote islands of the Maldives, or indeed creating fresh water on local islands; everything is brought across by sea in plastic bottles. A double edged sword for them – having to bring the product in but having no way of dealing with the packaging once there. There is also, of course, a mass of plastic pollution arriving on their shores from the ocean currents," Alexander says.
"By offering a community-based facility, should a local want to build a house, they would be able to construct it using recycled waste materials. The collected plastic bottles, packaging and other materials processed by the residents to create sustainable replacement planks and building bricks. This could inspire island cleanup and community projects for the ongoing collection of waste. In this way, transforming garbage into valuable materials would change the plastic lifecycle from destruction to construction."
Soneva, which has recently started recycling plastic, runs two resorts in the Maldives, Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani.
Established in 1995, Soneva Fushi is the original Soneva. The No News, No Shoes blueprint for all desert island barefoot luxury hideaways is located within the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Maldives. Soneva Fushi inspires the imagination with 65 spacious beachfront villas, ranging in size from one to nine bedrooms, hidden amongst dense foliage.
The iconic resort has bagged several international awards for eco-friendly tourism and green initiatives, including the 2017 Green Hotelier Award for the Asia Pacific region and the Sustainable Hotel Award by the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) as well as a spot in the Gold List compiled by Condé Nast Traveler China as the Best Hotel in the Maldives and amongst the best resorts in the world in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards 2017.
Opened in December 2016, Soneva Jani is Soneva's newest property and its second resort in the Maldives.
Soneva Jani encompasses a collection of 24 overwater villas and one island villa set in a 5.6 kilometre private lagoon located in the northern Noonu atoll. The resort spans five islands surrounded by pure white beaches, covered in rich tropical vegetation, offering the ultimate in privacy and luxury.
Each of the resort's multilevel water villas has its own private pool and a retractable roof that allows guests to sleep beneath the stars. Many villas also have slides that transport guests directly from the top level into the lagoon below. Other hotel highlights include a spa, an observatory — home to the largest telescope in the Indian Ocean — and an outdoor cinema.
Since its opening, Soneva Jani has created a lot of buzz amongst luxury travellers with its exciting features such as the retractable roofs and the water slides. It has been named the Best Over-the-Top Luxury hotel of the year by Jetsetter.com, the best new resort in the world by CNN, and the Leading Luxury Hotel/Resort in South Asia and Leading Luxury Hotel/Resort in Maldives.


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How safe is your rental car?
In recent years more and more car owners have been affected by manufacturer recalls on critical automotive components. But what if a recall doesn't affect the car you own, but instead affects the car you're renting?
The good news is the Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2013 can remedy this situation by ensuring rental fleets comply with recall notices. The bad news is this law is floundering in Congress: GovTrack's prognosis is not good, citing only a 14% chance of being enacted. And in the meantime, it can be hard for renters to determine what a rental firm's policy is on recalled vehicles.
A tragic watershed
The bill—which has bipartisan support in Congress—is named for two sisters, 24-year-old Raechel Houck and 20-year-old Jacqueline, who were killed in a grisly accident in 2004 when the Chrysler PT Cruiser they rented from Enterprise caught fire due to a power steering fluid malfunction. The Houcks were the fourth renters of that vehicle after the recall was announced.
During the ensuing legal battle that resulted in a $15 million settlement for the Houck family, a gaping hole in the consumer safety net was exposed. In testimony captured on camera, an Enterprise employee admitted there was no corporate policy requiring that recalled vehicles should be held back from the public. (For the record, Enterprise has since posted a statement announcing its "formal support for federal legislation" on this issue.)
The proposed law itself has been neatly summarized thusly: "Authorizes a rental company that receives a notification (approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA]) from the manufacturer of a covered rental vehicle about any equipment defect, or noncompliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards, to rent or sell the vehicle or equipment only if the defect or noncompliance is remedied." Simple enough.
To their credit, most major rental firms have offered support, including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty. But according to the nonprofit organization Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety (C.A.R.S.), the pushback against the bill has come from auto manufacturers and auto dealers.
Unfortunately, there is a long and troubling history of recalled vehicles changing hands prior to the implementation of proper repairs. In 2011, one year after auto manufacturers recalled more vehicles than in any other previous year, the U.S. Government Accountability Office released a detailed report on vehicle recalls and focused on the lack of clear guidance and conformity among car rental firms, stating "the rental car companies noted that notification letters rarely provide guidance as to whether the vehicle can continue to be operated." And just last month The New York Times reported several major consumer organizations asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate CarMax for such practices.
For renters of recalled vehicles, the lack of a federal law has meant it's caveat emptor on many recall notices. In Congressional testimony last year, former NHTSA Administrator David Strickland summed it up: "Currently, there is no prohibition on rental car companies renting vehicles that are under a recall, but have not yet been remedied."
How do rental firms respond?
In recent years some high-profile recalls have generated responses from the rental industry. For example, after Toyota made front page news with its infamous stuck gas pedal debacle, major U.S. rental firms announced that affected Toyotas and Pontiacs were being pulled from their fleets. But not all safety-critical recalls generate that type of media coverage, and in many cases it's up to consumers to be proactive.
What's more, the rental industry—like the airline industry—can be lacking when it comes to transparently providing consumers with essential data. Consider Hertz. If you enter "recall" into the search function on the rental giant's website, you'll generate an update about not being charged for returning a recalled car to a different location, but no information on recalled cars themselves. However, if you back out of the site and use a third-party search engine such as Google, you'll find a helpful and detailed Hertz Vehicle Recall Procedure, which includes a comprehensive Q&A for customers.
For Avis, the site map doesn't provide any information on this topic. But a Google search provides an April 2012 warning on Avis.com about the recall of 10,000 2012 Ford Focus sedans. There's also an undated update that all recalled Toyotas have been repaired and returned to service.
Among other major U.S. rental firms, the search functionality varies, but there can be valuable information buried within some of their sites:
• Alamo. A pledge on the company's site states Alamo will not rent, sell or wholesale recalled vehicles.
• Budget. As with sister company Avis, there is no info on recalled vehicles on Budget's site map.
• Dollar/Thrifty. Although both sister firms have pledged not to rent recalled cars, there is a dearth of information about this issue on both websites.
• Enterprise. An online FAQ addresses recalled cars, and like its sister companies Alamo and National, the firm states it will not rent, sell or wholesale such vehicles.
• National. A search through National's press releases indicates a flurry of releases from early 2010 concerning the Toyota recall, but nothing since.
There's one other consideration, which I detailed here back in 2010 with "Rental car companies emulate airlines, embrace added fees." Roadside assistance from a rental company is an a la carte option in many cases now, not a consumer's right. So theoretically a rented car with a defect can cost a renter—at least in the short term.
What you can do
You can be proactive about ensuring you rent a car that hasn't been flagged by the manufacturer or government for a recall.
• Check the rental firm's website for any notices about recalled models in the fleet. As noted above, use a third-party search engine to hone your research.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides a comprehensive online database of motor vehicle recalls dating back to the 1949 model year. NHTSA also provides information on recalls of tires, equipment, child safety seats and school buses. In addition, drivers who suspect potential safety defects can report such incidents via the site.
• Don't assume the car you book is the car you will pick up at the rental facility. First, many rental companies offer multiple models within a given class. Second, it's not uncommon to be given an unrequested upgrade if a given class is not available.
• The rental industry can classify the same model inconsistently, such as a Focus being a "compact" at one rental firm and an "intermediate" at another rental firm. If you're concerned about a given model's safety record, when you're signing off at the rental counter make sure you know the specific model you're receiving—and watch for fine print promising an "or similar" vehicle.
• If you would like to offer support for the Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act, GovTrack provides an easy link so you can weigh in.
Bill McGee, a contributing editor to Consumer Reports and the former editor of Consumer Reports Travel Letter, is an FAA-licensed aircraft dispatcher who worked in airline operations and management for several years. Tell him what you think of his latest column by sending him an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. Include your name, hometown and daytime phone number, and he may use your feedback in a future column.


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Where to start?
Back a few month ago when ITERA was off the cards I struggled to find something to focus on and motivate myself to train so I stumbled across the 1st running of the Sligo Trail Ultra a 50mile track from West to East through Sligo.
Grand so, entered and started running again.
No plan or anything of the sort, just more frequent running required and we'll see how it goes.
Roll on a while and the green light for ITERA appears and AR focussed training in ernest begins so SWU slightly relegated from 'A' to a training event.
So with nothing longer than a 12k run (bar Paris marathon in April – off no training) there was no training done for this event. To be fair I was confident of mind over muscle and my nutrition strategy and knowing what my body was capable of and was also happy to make it a long trek to condition the body too.
Last week was rough, up and down to Dublin a couple of times cleaning our house there for letting. Late in work on Friday (all day on feet) and driving to Sligo friday night meant bed quite late for an early rise at 3am to get to reg in Dromahair.
A small group of 24 were then bused to the start in West County Sligo where a quick briefing and off we went in the drizzle.
The hares disappeared off up the road and in no time the line stretched out and I was tipping away comfortably on my own enjoying the time.
Not going blow by blow but there were great times out there.A few months ago I struggled to find something to focus on and motivate myself to train Click To Tweet
Running as a group of 3 with Octavius & Vallo for a big chunk of time, almost like a mini AR team, we chatted and chipped away at the
miles kilometers. They thought I was mad using my AR pack with full rig out. They were using dropboxes and travelling light.
We got stuck behind some cattle and laughed about startling them into making whipped cream as they ran away from us 😀
Not too long after this the two boys stretched on ahead of me for a while but I brought myself back to Octavius on the run from Ladies Brae and we chatted away for quite a while more. After the pit stop in Coolaney where I changed one sock due to a hot spot, we parted ways as I felt I was holding Octavius back – "see you at the finish! Just another marathon to go :)"
The family were there as I ran into Cooloney – I was starting to hurt, not bad but the body was feeling it and there was a bit of chaffing to deal with, and the kids were all excited to see dad and cycled with me for a while as mum updated the Twittersphere (job for her in August 😉 )
I slowed way down as I ran into Union woods, over the rock and on towards Slish Woods. I seemed to be forever in the hills and the weather changed a few times but I came off the hills running and hit the road to Slish… running… and onto the 5th CP … running and around the lake …running… and over the boardwalks….running… suddenly the legs seemed livelier. Finish line fever with 20k to go??
In all honesty I was cursing the devil that put boardwalks steps towards the end of an ultra but they were lovely to run over. It was also great to see the proactive fixing and replacement of boardwalks with pressure treated planks instead of steeped boards. They weather nicely, don't sweat oil and are a pleasure to run on. Having wire mesh fixed helped too.
But I was happy and tipping away at the distance.
All of a sudden I was off the hills, off the boardwalk and back running on a road like surface again. There was a clatter of marshals at a few junctions telling me"only 3 miles to go", 'just 1.5 miles from Dromahair" "200 metres up the road" They may have been speaking Russian for all the sense it made to me!!
In fact I was sure the marshal that met me at the village as I crossed the bridge had sent me the wrong way to the finish and only for I had gone over the top of the 'hill' and down the other side I was going back to argue with him! 🙂
Just as I was trying to figure out when I was (in the middle of a town) I heard the clacky, clacky, clackity clack of the clappers my wife and kids had and sure enough there was Edel 200m down the road shouting and cheering at me to come on!
Running down to meet her and left over the bridge to the finish area and I was chuffed to have finished. When someone told me a lap of the pitches would make the official double marathon distance it took all of a nano-second to dismiss. I finished what I set out to do. I had planned 12 hours, would have taken 14 if I had to but to finish in 10:49 was just brilliant.
The laughing and joking afterwards was should we run back to Sligo just to make it the round 100k…there was some serious consideration too!! 😀
Great day out, great race in a cracking location with superb volunteers and marshals.
Will I be back next year? Hell yes!!!
Will I do the double for the 100? Emmmm….I'll get back to you…first some training!! 😉
More photos here: Sligo Way Ultra the #TriHarderAR way 🙂
My Polar file


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Video – Fr Peter Fehlner: Mutilation and Organ Transplants
Views 1441
Ave Maria!
Fr. Peter continues his reflections on medical ethics and the troubles that moral-conscience physicians and patients face in today's culture. In this talk, Father specifically discusses mutilations and the morality of organ transplants.
Ave Maria!
Audio (MP3)
Join the discussion 3 Comments
Thanks for posting this. I think my theologian friends from Massachusets will really like this therefore, I'm forwarding the link to them. God Bless Fr. Peter.
Ave Maria!
Thank you, Fr. Peter, for clarifying this timely topic. I was wondering if the document from the Holy Father from which you are reading and to which you are referring is available online and what exactly it is called. It might be helpful if viewers could follow along. I'm sorry if I missed it being said in the course of the talk!
Ave Maria!
Great talk!! Thank you for making this available. Fr. Peter is a wealth of knowledge.


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Ajax have joined Liverpool and Manchester City in the race to sign Groningen wonderkid Richairo Zivkovic.
The 17-year-old, who has been compared to another former Groningen attacker, Arjen Robben, became the youngest player to appear for the Eredivisie side in their history when he debuted at the age of 16 in 2012.
His emergence has alerted several top European teams, including Paris St-Germain and Barcelona, to his potential, while both Liverpool and City have him on their radars.
But Dutch heavyweights Ajax have also entered the running, with their Director of Football Marc Overmars admitting he is already thinking about Zivkovic ahead of next season.
"Zivkovic? He is an interesting player that we are following," Overmars told Voetbal International. "Thinking about possible reinforcements for next season, our preference is for Dutch players."
Zivkovic, who is under contract until 2016, has scored five league goals this season and has previously represented Holland at Under-19 level.