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- Written by Kurt Hoberg
- Category: Membership Information
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Below is a high level overview of the CVA Membership process. Please review and if interested in becoming a member please read the more detailed articles below for specifics.
Membership processing is done at CVA General Membership Meetings. These meetings occur on the fourth Sunday of each month after the CVA Club Shoot at 11:30am at the benches near the CVA kitchen. Please be prompt if you going to attend. Also be sure to check the CVA website in case there is a change to the General Meeting schedule due to holidays or other events.
What to bring to your first CVA General Meeting:
- Membership paperwork filled out with all personal information.
- Your checkbook. We recommend that you do not make out your check prior to membership processing due to proration amounts, CVA branded items you may want to purchase, and donations. At this time CVA accepts both checks and cash as payment for membership.
- Full-Time Student membership (24 years old or younger) please bring a copy of your next semester's registration and proof of age.
- SGA (Senior Golden Ager) and FGA (Family Golden Ager) memberships please bring a copy of your driver's license for proof of age.
What to expect during your first CVA General Meeting:
- The General and Board of Directors meeting minutes will be read for the prior month.
- When the meeting agenda reaches the New Members section you will be asked to stand, introduce yourself, and give a quick overview of your preferred shooting style and archery background. We really enjoy hearing about our new members and their archery stories!
- After the meeting:
- Membership paperwork will be processed.
- A safety seminar will be conducted, which is a requirement for membership.
- You will be provided a gate key and membership card.
- NOTE: Please display your membership card at all times while on the range – many members attach it to their quiver.
After attending your second General Membership meeting your name will be submitted to the BOD for approval to be sworn in. At your third General Meeting you will be sworn in as a full CVA member.
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- Written by Bonnie Marshall
- Category: Membership Information
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Conejo Valley Archers Membership Packet
Congratulations on choosing to become a member of Conejo Valley Archers. We are very proud of our club, and hope that you will make many friendships as well as find fun and relaxation during your membership.
A club can only be as strong as its membership, so in this respect we ask that you give your utmost cooperation to club officers, board members, and committee chairpersons. Please help in any way that you can. Don't wait to be asked. Much of the club maintenance and improvements depend entirely on member volunteers who want to have a better facility to enjoy.
At Conejo Valley Archers, love for the sport of archery is one thing that we all have in common. We strive to create an atmosphere of camaraderie and support. If problems should arise, please take them to the committee chairperson or another person in charge. If you do not feel that your problems have been solved to your satisfaction, please bring it to any board member. We are here to serve the good of the club and its members.
Always remember to conduct yourself in a mature and courteous manner. Don't be afraid to introduce yourself to anyone on the range. For your maximum enjoyment in our club, try to get to know as many of your fellow archers as possible and participate in events.
Most importantly, have a good time, enjoy our sport, and don't be afraid to make suggestions and express your ideas to help make our Club the best that it can be.
General Information
1) Prospective members attend the monthly General Membership Meeting where they are introduced to the club and are asked to speak about their archery interests. After the meeting you will be taken on your Safety Seminar of the range. You will then be given your gate key and membership card. After the 2nd meeting you attend, your name is presented to the Board for approval and at the 3rd meeting you attend you will be eligible to be sworn in as a full member of the Conejo Valley Archers. You hold all privileges from the first meeting you attend but are considered on probation until your third meeting.
2) Safety seminars are held at the end of every monthly General Membership Meeting or by appointment. Your key is your responsibility and you will be charged $5.00 for lost keys. Do not loan your key to non-members. For the safety and security of the club and its members, always lock the gate at the entrance to the range coming in and going out, except during JOAD sessions and range events. The main park gate should be left as is.
3) General Association Meetings are held the 4th Sunday of each month at 11:30am.
4) Club Shoots are also held on the 4th Sunday of each month, beginning at approximately 7-7:30 a.m., with a break for our monthly general meeting. No shooting is allowed during the general meeting and all members are encouraged to attend.
5) Executive Board meetings are held the 2nd Thursday of each month. If you have items you would like to have the board address contact the club president at least one week before the meeting if possible.
6) Regularly scheduled work parties are not required but everyone is expected to help out in some capacity. You can help by becoming a Board Member, holding a Chair position, attending one of our 'Range Beautification Days, or assisting with one of our invitational tournaments. If you have a special skill (woodworking, electrical, etc.) that would be of value to the club we ask that you help by doing so. There are lots of ways one can assist us in helping to make the club better. We ask for 2 hours a month from members.
7) Our monthly newsletter, The Conejo Quiver, is a great source of news about our club and archery events throughout the state and local areas. Submissions to the Quiver must be made by the 3rd Wednesday, or the 15th of the month to be considered for publication. (Whichever is earlier) The editor has final say on all items.
8) There are also other clubs in the area that conduct various types of tournaments. These clubs are dependent upon our help and support. Please try to attend as many of these club functions as you can. Information on these tournaments can be found in the Quiver.
9) You are allowed to bring a guest to the field range to shoot three (3) times in a club year (October 1st to September 30th). As a courtesy and to encourage membership growth, the club does not charge guest fees for open shooting on the field range the first time that a guest comes to the range. There is no guest fee or limit for non-shooting guests. You are responsible for collecting guest fees from persons that you bring to the range. Our guest fee is $3.00, unless attending a monthly club shoot and then the fee is $5.00. All guests walking on the field range must sign waivers whether they are shooting or not. Place guest fees and waivers in the lockbox located at the kitchen bin kiosk.
10) To learn even more about archery, it may be to your advantage to join the National Field Archery Association (NFAA), the National Archery Association (NAA), the California Bowmen Hunters and State Archery Association (CBH/SAA) or USA Archery (USA). These organizations promote the sport of archery through legislation and training. Most of these organizations offer various magazines and newsletters, as well as put on tournaments. You may receive discounts at many shoots that will more than offset the cost of your membership, as well as special group insurance. Membership may be required for certain tournaments. See our links pages for all website connections.
General Restrictions and Agreements
Our range is located on Ventura County park land, even though it is ours to use as a private archery range. The range is not open to the public, but to members and their guests only. Consequently, there are some important do's and don'ts that we must all follow. Failure to follow these rules can jeopardize our lease!
2) No broad-heads or blunts shot on range, except in special broad-head lane/areas.
3) No overnight camping or open campfires on the range except by permit.
4) No firearms or crossbows allowed on the range.
5) No dogs allowed on the range at any time!
6) No one except club members shall be allowed to have a key to the gate, and each member is responsible to see that the gate is securely closed and locked upon entering and exiting the range.
7) No wandering off of the range onto adjacent property is allowed. Our lease of the park property is restricted to the range area only.
8) The Conejo Valley Archers club officers, representatives, and members shall not be liable for the actions or behavior committed by club members or guests under the influence of alcohol while on club premises.
9) Consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited before or during any shooting activity on the practice and shooting ranges, and is only permitted after a club member or guest has finished shooting for the day. No glass bottles are allowed except in the picnic area.
10) No smoking on the range except in designated areas. Areas with red "Butt Cans" are considered designated areas. Please use these cans.
11) No controlled and/or illegal substances shall be used or possessed on the range at any time.
Any violations of the above restrictions can be grounds for dismissal from the club.
Shooting Safety Rules
1) When looking for lost arrows on any of the range areas either place a bow in front of the target butt or have someone stand in front of the bales. Be sure that you do not stray behind an adjoining target lane. Children are not allowed behind the bales.
2) If there is a Range Captain running lines, follow all safety whistle directions.
3) Never shoot an arrow so that you cannot see where it will land, and never shoot an arrow straight up into the air. No sky drawing!
4) The roving range is to be shot in a counter clock-wise direction. Never backtrack on the range.
5) Never shoot a broken or damaged arrow. Be sure to check the condition of your equipment regularly.
6) Never attempt to show your skill by shooting at a person, or by permitting another person to hold an object that you are going to shoot at.
7) Never touch another person's bow, or draw another person's bow, without permission.
8) Remember, a bow and arrow when properly used can be a lot of fun, but can be dangerous when used irresponsibly. Protect our sport by being careful and safe, when you shoot.
Tournament Shooting Etiquette and Rules
1. Keep the noise level down when others are shooting near you.
2. Do not whisper while someone is shooting.
3. Always load an arrow onto your bow string while holding the bow in a vertical position. Be sure that a loaded arrow always points downrange towards the target butt.
4. No coaching is allowed during any tournament.
5. Stay behind shooting positions while others are shooting.
6. Do not touch the target or any arrows until all arrows are scored.
7. Always shoot with a minimum of three (3) people in a group.
8. Always shoot from the longest shooting distance first when on a walk-up style lane.
9. Bounce-in shots do not count for score except during tournaments with a specialty shot.
10. Witnessed pass-throughs are to be re-shot.
11. Interference in the flight of an arrow by brush, tree limbs, etc. will be re-shot with a marked arrow.
12. In the event of a mechanical breakdown (i.e. equipment failure), a shooter will have 45 minutes to make the needed repairs to their equipment. Four (4) arrows may be shot for practice before resuming their round. Targets missed during repair time will be made up at the conclusion of shooting under the supervision of tournament officials.
Target Scoring
Field Targets (white-faced targets) - Four arrows to be shot from white stakes. Arrow has to touch line to count for higher score. Score five (5) points for center black area, four (4) points for center white rings, and three (3) points for outer black rings.
Hunter Targets (black-faced targets) - Four arrows to be shot from red stakes. Arrow has to break line to count for higher score, Score five (5) points for center white area, four (4) points for center ring, and three (3) points for outer ring.
Animal Targets - Minimum of one (1) arrow shot per target, with a maximum of three (3) arrows, to be shot from yellow stakes. Arrows must be marked prior to shooting (i.e. 1, 2, and 3). Only one arrow shall score and arrow must cut completely through a line to score higher value. If your first arrow scores than you are through shooting for that target. If you miss, you will move to next shooting stake and shoot arrow #2, and so on. First arrow scores 20 points for a kill and 18 points for a wound. Second arrow scores 16 points for a kill and 14 points for a wound. Third arrow scores 12 points for a kill and 10 points for a wound.
Young Adults (15 thru 17 years old) shoot from the adult stakes;
Youth (12 thru 14 years old) shoot from the light blue stakes when the adult stakes are more than 50 yards. Cubs (11 years old and under) shoot from the black stakes.
FITA Targets – Score 1 through 10 points from the outer white concentric circles through to the center gold.
Tie breakers will be determined by gold X shots.
Shooting Styles For Competition
Freestyle Unlimited - allows for use of virtually all types and styles of equipment and aids, including mechanical releases, movable sights, scopes, long stabilizers, etc.
Freestyle Limited - same as Freestyle (Unlimited) above, except that mechanical releases are not allowed.
Barebow - No sighting devices or mechanical releases allowed. String walking (or multiple anchor points) is allowed.
Bowhunter Freestyle Unlimited - must use fixed pin sights that cannot be adjusted during a tournament. Length of stabilizer limited to 12" maximum. Mechanical releases are permitted.
Bowhunter Freestyle Limited - Same as Bowhunter Freestyle (Unlimited) above except that mechanical releases are not permitted. Fingers may be protected by gloves or finger tabs.
Bowhunter - No sights or mechanical releases. Length of stabilizer limited to 12" long. Must use a single anchor point and string walking is not allowed.
Traditional Bowhunter - recurve, long bows, and self-bows only. No sights, stabilizers, mechanical releases allowed. Single anchor point only.
If you are not sure what style you fall under just ask.
CVA Club Tournament Information/Scoring
Club Shoots are held on the fourth Sunday of each month. All shooting shall stop for our monthly General Meeting. Year-end awards include: Perpetual Trophy given to the member with the highest aggregate scratch score for the year, a Club Champion belt buckle given to the member with the highest total of five handicap scores, the Fred Leven Memorial Award given to the Golden Ager (age 63and above) with the highest total of three handicap scores, the President's Award given to the member making the greatest contribution to the club each year, and Range Record Trophies awarded for each style and division (highest scratch score).
Handicap Scoring
third score that you shoot during the club year. Assuming you compete in each club shoot, you would receive a handicap at the completion of the third shoot in January. Your handicap is determined by taking the average of your three scores and subtracting it from 80% of a perfect score, which is 560. That handicap is then added to your third score. Your handicap is then recalculated each month you shoot. As an example, if your three scores add up to 1200. Your average for the three would be 400. Your handicap would be the difference between 400 and 560, multiplied by the factor .8 (80%), which is 80% of 160, or 128. Your handicap score would therefore be 528.For the purpose of CVA club competition, you will receive an unofficial handicap score to help even everyone out. Our October "Fun Shoot' does not apply to your handicap. Scoring for the new year will start over again fresh from the first club shoot held every November. Your handicap will be applied to the
If you are a NFAA member you will receive a Handicap Card with your membership. By shooting approved Qualifying Rounds such as we shoot each month at our Club Shoots, you can record scores that will allow you to shoot in tournaments against equal competition in "A", "B" and "C" classes. Without a handicap card (or enough qualifying scores) you will be required to shoot in "A" classes or Guest Classes.
To establish a handicap you must have a minimum of two scores recorded on your card within a period of one year. To get your scores you will need to shoot a 28 target Field Round, a 28 target Hunter Round, or a combination of 14 Field and 14 Hunter targets at an official tournament. The club tournament chairman will record these scores on your card.
If you have questions regarding scoring or handicapping, please see the club tournament chairman.
Club Activities
All club activities are done to support the club and its members
Monthly Club Shoots – 4th Sunday of every month running from October to September
300 Rounds – held every Saturday during the Open Public Sessions starting at approximately 10 am.
Monthly General Meetings are held the 4th Sunday of each month immediately following the club shoots. All members of the club should come and participate and approve decisions that affect the organization of the club.
Executive Board Meetings are held the 2nd Thursday of each month.If you have items you would like to have the board address contact the club president at least one week before the meeting if possible.
Fun Shoot – October - includes the year-end awards ceremony, BBQ and installation of new club officers
Invitational Tournaments are held during the year at our range. Club members are allowed to shoot in these invitational shoots if they also help to prepare and clean-up for these events.
Range Beautification Days are held the 1st Saturday of even months.
Tournament Preparation Day is held usually the day before one of our invitational tournaments. Help is needed is setting up targets on the range and prepping the kitchen and stage areas. Emails are sent out to notify everyone when needed.
Target Pasting Parties are usually held at one of our member's home and are announced through emails to all members.
Open House is an annual publicity drive for the club to inform the general public of our presence, our sport, and what we have to offer. We ask that all members participate.
Open Public Sessions are held every Saturday on the J.O.A.D. range from 9 am -1 pm, rain or shine. Cost is $5/person for non-members or $15/family.
Private Parties – Available to members or public. Arrangements must be made in advance with the Private Party Organizer.
J.O.A.D. BBQ – Occasional party events open to the public and our members. All meat served has been forested by club members for people to experience the taste of fresh game and introduce them to the sport of hunting with a bow.
J.O.A.D./Adult Pin Programs – See details under the JOAD and PIN Programs Tab
MEMEBERSHIP FEES and Assessments
Membership Types/Required Work Hours OR Maintenance Fees are as follows:
- Single Membership (18+) - $130.00 per year with 24 work hours OR $300 Maintenance Fee
- Single Golden Ager (65+) - $65.00 per year with 12 work hours OR $180 (must show ID)
- Family Membership - $160.00 per year (spouses and children up to 18 yrs. old) with 48 work hours OR $600 Maintenance Fee
- Family Golden Ager (65+) - $75.00 per year with 24 work hours OR $360 Maintenance Fee (must show ID)
- Student Membership (18-24yrs) - $50.00 per year with 24 work hours OR $300 Maintenance Fee (must show class registration)
- Life Memberships - Honorary. Life Memberships are exempt from all fees and assessments.
All members are always required to have their membership card visible when shooting on the range.
Fees and Assessments
New memberships will be assessed a one-time $10 initiation fee.
New memberships will be prorated as appropriate for fees and assessments.
Each membership will be assessed a $5 key deposit. One additional key can be obtained for an additional $5 deposit for a Family or FGA membership.
Each membership will be assessed a Maintenance Fee. That fee can be waived for the year, by the member(s) agreeing to the parameters of a 'Working Membership", requiring specific hours of verified volunteer work, per membership, supporting the range, for the renewal year.
These fees will be held in a Maintenance Account specifically for the use of range maintenance and shall be overseen in the same matter as all other Club accounts.
Volunteer Hours
Available volunteer work opportunities will be posted monthly on all bulletin boards, published via the Quiver, sent out by email or by any way as the Club sees fit, for proper dissemination of the information.
All Working Memberships are required to work at least one 2-hour shift supporting one CVA hosted tournament.
Members are required to sign in or contact the appropriate leader overseeing the area of their volunteer work completed.
Leaders will decide how they wish members to communicate their volunteer hours using either sign in sheets, email or phone communication or any other process that allows the best communication possible for all concerned.
Leaders are required to verify all submitted volunteer hours and to report these hours to the Volunteer Coordinator.
Members are responsible for checking their volunteer hours for their membership, each month, as verified by posted hours at the Main Gate, email alerts sent out or by contacting the Volunteer Coordinator.
All volunteer hours are required to be completed by end of the day, September 15th of each year. No credit will be given for any partial amounts under their required hours.
The Volunteer Coordinator's assessment will be considered finalized as of September 15th and will be final.
Members who choose a 'Working Membership' but fail to work their required hours will be required to pay that previous year's Maintenance Fee, plus the current fee and will be set as a 'Non-Working' membership for the renewal year for a period of one year.
Further renewals of membership will be denied if the member fails to complete their volunteer hours under a second Non-Working Membership unless the above process is followed.


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Himes, Esty hold fundraising advantages
The power of incumbency played itself out again during the first three months of the year for U.S. Reps. Jim Himes and Elizabeth Esty, both D-Conn., who padded their 3-1 fundraising advantage over a stable of would-be Republican challengers.
Himes, a fixer for the House Democrats when it comes to raising campaign cash, amassed $1.6 million for his bid for a fourth term as of March 31, according to the Federal Election Commission.
In contrast, former state Sen. Dan Debicella, who has been seeking a rematch with Himes of their 2010 contest, raised $507,453 since jumping into the 4th District race late last August.
For the first quarter, Himes banked $367,154, compared to $204,645 for Debicella, who downplayed the disparity.
"His money advantage has come all through special-interest groups," Debicella told Hearst Connecticut Media.
FEC filings show 39 percent of the money raised by Himes, national finance chairman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, came from political action committees. All of Debicella's contributions have come from individuals.
Debicella said Himes has been moonlighting on the fundraising circuit when he should have been focusing on the transportation bottleneck and the economic struggles of his district, which covers 17 cities and towns in southwestern Connecticut.
"Jim's been doing fundraisers with lobbyists in D.C. and Vail, Colo., since the day after he was elected," Debicella said. "Jim, in a lot of cases, is putting the needs ahead of his party ahead of his district."
Himes' surrogates characterized Debicella's comments as sour grapes from a candidate who has been unable to tap into additional funding sources for his campaign.
"Some political advice for Dan Debicella -- secure your own contested nomination by sharing your arch-conservative views on gun-violence prevention and dangerous fiscal policy before lying about Jim Himes," Himes' campaign manager, Maryli Secrest, said in a statement to Hearst. "This November, 4th District voters will support Jim Himes's thoughtful, bipartisan leadership to break the tea party paralysis in Congress, fighting for common-sense investments to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and bolster our schools -- creating jobs today and fostering quality job growth for tomorrow."
Joe Bentivegna, an ophthalmologist from Fairfield who is selling himself to the GOP as a practical alternative to Debicella, raised $22,669 and loaned his campaign another $88,000 since entering the race in late January.
"Am I going to catch up to Jim Himes? No," Bentivegna said. "You can't beat Jim Himes just with money.
Twenty years since he last ran for public office -- the U.S. Senate in 1994 -- Bentivegna said it's critical for Republicans to nominate a candidate who can contrast with Himes on issues such as the Affordable Care Act and Wall Street bailouts.
Carl Higbie, a retired Navy SEAL from Greenwich and former Fox News Channel commentator, raised $12,550.
"This race is not about money," Higbie said. "This race is about getting the message out there and resonating with people, which I do best."
Less than a month away from the state GOP convention, Higbie said he is leaning toward trying to force a primary, should he not earn his party's endorsement.
In the 5th District, which stretches from Danbury to the Farmington Valley and includes Litchfield County, Meriden and New Britain, Esty surpassed to the $1.5 million mark in contributions during the first quarter.
Unlike her Democratic colleague Himes, Esty is a freshman. The percentage of registered Democrats is lower in the 5th District than the 4th District.
FEC filings show that 35 percent of Esty's donations for this election cycle come from PACs.
Esty was observing Good Friday and was not available for comment.
Republican Mark Greenberg, a Litchfield businessman who is running for Congress for a third time, totaled $229,930 in political contributions for the cycle.
Consistent with the previous two elections, when he did not get past the GOP primary, Greenberg made several loans to his campaign, totaling $251,400.
"This campaign will be well-funded," said Bill Evans, Greenberg's campaign manager.
Evans declined to comment about how much cash Greenberg is willing to commit to the race.
Sal Lilienthal, a GOP rival of Greenberg from Kent who owns the Bicycle Tour Co. there, raised $17,370 and loaned his campaign $15,000.
"I feel that out of the announced candidates I'm the best one to challenge Elizabeth Esty in November," said Lilienthal, who has written a book on Revolutionary War sites. "I'm very much in tune with how things are on Main Street."
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Divine Doctor Daughter of the First Wife
Chapter 230 – This Grandaunt Will Scare You to Death
Sign out
Divine Doctor Daughter of the First Wife
Author :
Mao Shi Liu
© Wuxiaworld
Chapter 230 – This Grandaunt Will Scare You to Death
This Grandaunt Will Scare You to Death
The position of Chen Yu's shoulder blocked her line of sight and prevented her from seeing the movement of the maid's lips, so she was unable to determine what was being said. But when she turned back around, she just happened to meet Xuan Tian Ye's gaze. His usual angry expression stopped at her face for a moment then turned to the gourd at her hip.
Feng Yu Heng tugged one corner of her lips into a smirk and patted the gourd. She then raised the cup of tea in her hand and toasted him.
Xuan Tian Ye did not avoid it. Raising his cup, he downed its contents.
At this time, the singing and dancing performances had begun. Beautiful dancers went to the perform on both sides of the hall. Their movements were graceful, and their clothes were beautiful. From time to time, people would exchange cups. This was nothing more than a banquet, and it did not have anything that was fresh.
Xuan Fei Yu was the young star of this birthday banquet, so he naturally could not leave the main stage. He was presently playing around with his many uncles.
Feng Yu Heng looked around the hall before finally returning her gaze to the area before her.
To her left, the young misses, who had lost face earlier, had already left. On her right, Fen Dai moved a little closer and sat next to Xiang Rong; however, she was unable to control herself and continued to look towards Chen Yu.
Chen Yu said a few words to the young misses next to her before everyone went their own way, with Chen Yu moving closer.
Fen Dai did not want to be too close to her and wanted to move further, but she was not willing to look away from the crystal ornaments.
For some inexplicable reason, under Fen Dai's burning gaze, Chen Yu raised her hand and removed her white crystal earrings.
"Elder sister saw that fourth sister likes this item. If younger sister does not mind, you can take it."
This action not only caused Fen Dai to freeze with shock. Even Feng Yu Heng furrowed her brow.
What sort of situation was this?
Some of the nearby young misses heard what Chen Yu said and could not help but blurt: "You are going to give away such a valuable thing?"
Chen Yu smiled at the person who spoke up and calmly said: "This is my family's fourth sister. I am the elder sister. Even if I have great things, so long as my younger sister likes them, I will need to give them to my younger sister. But this set of head ornaments was gifted by a very noble person, so it would not be good to give it away entirely, otherwise" She looked at Fen Dai, "Even if elder sister gave the entire set of ornaments to younger sister, I would be willing."
The young miss teared up from what she heard and lamented: "Being able to have an elder sister like you is truly great." She then stood up and went to gossip with the young misses from other families.
Feng Yu Heng sneered mentally. Perhaps there would be rumors related to how kind the Feng family's eldest young miss was after this banquet concluded.
But she did not believe this was the only reason Feng Chen Yu was willing to part with that pair of earrings. It had to be known that the reason this set of head ornaments caused people to be shocked was because it was a full set. If it was missing a pair of earrings, the effect would lessen drastically. Feng Yu Heng felt it was impossible for Chen Yu to have the intelligence to give up on them for that reason alone.
As for the reason that item could find its way into Fen Dai's hands…
She squinted her eyes once more and watched Chen Yu put the earrings on for Fen Dai. While putting them on for Fen Dai, she said: "Last time, the earrings elder sister gave you were quite pretty, but they can not be compared to these." After changing the earrings, Chen Yu looked at Fen Dai and was unable to hold back her praise: "Fourth sister really is becoming more and more pretty. In a few years when you are a little older, I fear that elder sister will be repressed by you."
Feng Fen Dai had originally found Chen Yu so irritating that she did not even want to look at her, but now it was different. She had received the earrings that she desired at her deepest level, and they were on her ears. This caused the child to nearly hug Chen Yu and kiss her a couple times.
Feng Yu Heng had no time to pay any attention to the beautiful affection between sisters. Instead, she looked past the graceful dancing of the dancers and turned her gaze towards where the princes sat.
There were not many princes that had come today; however, the fifth prince, who did not usually appear at banquets, was invited by the second prince. At this time, the fifth prince had already turned his gaze from Chen Yu to Fen Dai. His eyes were fixed on the earrings, as he leaned forward. It seemed though his eyes were practically falling out of their sockets.
Was this the disaster of the East?1 She understood this reasoning, but how did Chen Yu think of it?
When they had met at the Refined Deity Building, the three princes spoke of how the fifth prince had taken in a multitude of concubines. They also spoke of how each of the concubines had very similar facial appearances, so she developed an understanding.
Over the past few days, under the guise of reflecting on her mistakes, she had met up with Xuan Tian Ming a few times. She had also inquired quite thoroughly about the fifth prince.
It turned out that a few years prior, he had become interested in one of the imperial concubines of the imperial harem. After this was discovered by the Emperor, the Emperor sent that concubine to a water-filled prison to be drowned. He also sent the fifth prince to Huang Zhou to suffer hardships for many years.
After the fifth prince returned to the capital, his nature had completely changed. One after another, he brought concubines into his palace, and all of them were born looking like the concubine that had drowned.
Of course, just this alone was not enough to convince the eldest prince to give Feng Chen Yu the set of crystal head ornaments. The only reason there was this set of crystal head ornaments was because Xuan Tian Hua had mentioned how that concubine was apparently wearing white crystal earrings at the time she drowned. As for the other accessories, she did not have any, as the white crystal earrings were part of the dowry given by her maternal family when she married into the imperial palace.
Feng Yu Heng kept note of it in her heart and discussed idea with Xuan Tian Ming. First was to make use of the gift, allowing the eldest prince to express his positive stance on having heard that Chen Yu was the aspect of the phoenix. Second, since the fifth prince was able to take in so many concubines that looked the same, she did not believe that a full set of white crystal head ornaments would fail to attract his attention. If the fifth prince continued to take notice, things would have become even more lively.
But… how did Feng Chen Yu manage to accurately choose to hand the earrings to Fen Dai?
She recalled the servant that had whispered into Chen Yu's ear and could not help but feel a sudden shock. Subconsciously she turned to look towards the third prince, Xuan Tian Ye. There, she saw him looking back at her with a slight smile. Raising his cup, he downed its contents once more.
Feng Yu Heng felt a stirring in her heart, as she began to regret advising Xuan Tian Ming and Xuan Tian Hua not to come. This left her without anyone to discuss this situation with.
Huang Quan stayed at Feng Yu Heng's side and felt that something was wrong with her mood. She could not help but lean close and ask: "Young miss, what happened?"
Feng Yu Heng pondered anxiously for a while and did not respond. Watching Chen Yu and Fen Dai act like good sisters, she felt that something had gone wrong.
She placed her hand on the large gourd. She originally thought that she had the upper hand in this matter, but now she feared that her hands would be tied.
"This banquet hall is too stuffy. Come out for a walk with me." Feng Yu Heng stood up and pulled Huang Quan out. As she moved, she saw a prince also get up and walk out. In an instant, he left even faster than she did.
The two strolled over to the Yuan Palace's garden. Despite the frigid cold of the twelfth month, there were still Winter plums. With the snow on red safflowers, it caused people to exclaim in wonder.
But she was not in the mood to enjoy the flowers. Even if the flowers here were much more beautiful than those in the Feng manor's flower-viewing garden, she was not in the mood.
Huang Quan saw that she was feeling irritated and could not help but say: "If young miss does not like this place, how about we return to the manor first."
Feng Yu Heng shook her head, "If we return now, wouldn't third brother be left waiting for me?" She said this while increasing her pace, heading towards the center of the garden.
Sure enough, in the pavilion at the center of the garden, the third prince, Xuan Tian Ye, stood waiting with his hands clasped behind his back.
Huang Quan was startled. Out of habit, she moved in front of Feng Yu Heng to protect her, but she was pulled back, "It's fine. Wait for me to the side. I will go speak for a while with third brother."
Huang Quan wanted to remind her to be careful, but before she could say anything, Feng Yu Heng had already walked over.
Xuan Tian Ye looked towards her and could not help but clap, "County princess is bold."
Feng Yu Heng smiled, "You are his Highness Prince Yu's third brother. A-Heng also calls you third brother. We are all family, so what is there to fear?"
"Spoken well." Xuan Tian Ye nodded, "How come county princess is not enjoying the song and dance inside, instead coming to wander about in the garden?" He decided to sit on the stone chair, looking at Feng Yu Heng with a calm demeanor.
"There is nothing more normal than a girl strolling around in a garden. Why is third brother making a fuss out of nothing." She walked to the pavilion and removed the gourd from her hip, "I came in a rush. May I know if third brother brought wine?"
Xuan Tian Ye also pulled out a small pot of wine from his waist and placed it on the table, "There is not much, but it is enough for the two of us to enjoy a bit."
"A-Heng is a doctor and is very skilled at making wine with medicine. I just happened to receive a good snake today. I heard that soaking snake venom in wine is very restorative for the body. Third brother, are you interested in trying it?"
She raised an eyebrow at him. How could her appearance go with "Are you interested in trying it?" It was clearly "Do you have the courage to try it?"
While speaking, she brought the gourd up from her hip and opened it up. Flipping the gourd, she poured the green bamboo snake out.
Xuan Tian Ye was slightly shocked by her move. The green snake was placed between the two on the stone table. It did not move as though it were asleep, but it was not dead.
He naturally understood how venomous this thing was, but he saw Feng Yu Heng pick it up in her hands and begin to caress it. She made it seem as though it was not a snake, instead being something like a kitten or a puppy. Just watching caused him to stare blankly.
"This snake is a green bamboo snake, and it is very venomous. If a person is bitten by it, forget about seeking medical help. I fear that there will not even be enough time to scream for help before one's life is lost." She held the snake in her lap as though she were telling a story, but the look in her eyes was filled with venom, which could cause people to feel a chill. "The the more venomous the snake, the better the wine. I have always wanted a green bamboo snake, but I have never had time to look for one. I don't know who, but today, someone kindly sent this gift and placed it in my carriage. I did not even get a chance to say a word of thanks to that person."
Smiling, she stood up. With her left hand, she held the snake, and with her right hand, she reached into her sleeve and pulled out a wooden dowel and a dagger. Looking around, she picked out a large tree in the garden. Picking up a random rock, she actually placed the wooden dowel on the snakes head then raised the rock and nailed the snake to the tree in a few hits.
Xuan Tian Ye did not know what exactly she was wanting to do, so Feng Yu Heng had truly given him a fright. He felt that this girl's viciousness truly caused people to feel chills. Even though he was a man, he could not help but frown upon seeing this scene.
But Feng Yu Heng did not stop moving. After nailing the snake to the tree, she picked up the dagger in her hand and made an incision in the snake's head. After sticking the dagger in, she did not pull it out, instead she cut downward towards the tail. Her cut was straight and of a uniform depth. In the blink of an eye, an entire snake skin had been removed.
"Find a craftsman who deals in hides, and this can be made into a very beautiful purse." She smiled and tossed the snake skin to Xuan Tian Ye, as easily as one would throw a piece of cloth.
The nerves of the now-skinless snake still trembled. Removing the snake from the tree, she placed the mouth of the snake above the pot of wine and squeezed, causing a few drops of venom to be squeezed out.
She then placed the snake's body back in the gourd and sealed it up, no longer using it.
"Does third brother want to try this wine?" She shook the pot of wine, "It's very good for the body."
Xuan Tian Ye's eyebrows were furrowed together, as he felt that the girl before him was some sort of ghoul. The things that she did, what sort of normal person was capable of doing?
Having been thought of and planned against by this sort of person, he truly did not know if he should feel fear or honor.
"Third brother doesn't dare drink it?" Feng Yu Heng asked in a clear laughing voice, "That is true. I am inviting you to drink wine, so I should take the first sip." Saying this, she threw her head back and poured some wine into her mouth. Then, as Xuan Tian Ye was watching on with a panicked gaze, she nimbly swallowed the snake wine.
1: This is a historical reference to how England and France attempted to use Nazi Germany to suppress the Soviet Union.
TN: Snake wine is indeed a thing. Please go to
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By Elizabeth SheanI had to run some errands, so I suggested to Mom that we go out for lunch. She's always up for that! Dining in restaurants is one of the little joys of her life, and an impromptu lunch date makes a nice opportunity for her to get out of the house.Mom loves to point out interesting or amusing sights as we drive. One time, she got quite a laugh out of a billboard advertising "free vaccinations with spay or neuter" for pets because she initially associated the "vaccinations" with children and could not imagine what parent would.... never mind. Her cognition has declined now to a point where it often takes more than a moment for her brain to correctly parse the meaning of advertisements or signs—often to hilarious effect.The hilarity is welcome because, frankly, it's in short supply with my mother. Her attitude frequently trends toward bitterness, which manifests itself in stories of how bad her life is. And you know what? I don't really blame her. Her life isn't very pleasant or happy right now, with physical pain and frailties accompanying the cognitive decline that frustrates her daily. At the same time, the constant barrage of these negative stories weighs on me, emotionally, and makes it hard to maintain my own cheerful equilibrium sometimes.In fact, I found myself challenged on this particular car ride. The mood turned quickly from frivolity to unhappiness when Mom spotted a laser eye clinic."I wish I'd never had that laser procedure done on my eyes," she said bitterly. "It absolutely
ruined my eyesight."I felt my back stiffen and my jaw clench. "Here we go," I thought to myself. I'd heard this particular diatribe a hundred times before, and that's no exaggeration. What makes it particularly difficult to listen to Mom go off about this episode is that her account of it is entirely false.You see, many years ago, after Mom had cataract surgery, she needed a second procedure to clear one of the prosthetic lenses, which had turned cloudy. A quick zap of laser energy cleared the lens, and she went on about her business for several more years.But then the dry eyes started.That's 'eyes,' plural. Like many older adults, Mom is chronically dehydrated despite my best attempts to get her to drink more water. She began using saline eye drops periodically in both eyes, and it has provided her with some comfort. Mom blames her dry eyes on the laser procedure, but since the problem affects both eyes, not just the one that was zapped, it's hard for me to believe her theory. Nonetheless, I frequently get to hear about the grave injustice that was done to Mom by the laser eye doctor.I tried to gently re-direct Mom's focus. "Oh, look, Mom. There's a flower shop. Isn't that a beautiful display they've put up outside the door?"But Mom is having none of it. "If I could see them better, I would probably agree with you," she sniffed. "But that laser eye surgery absolutely ruined my vision."The ruined vision lament isn't the only one I get to hear repeatedly. There's also the "I used to have that book in my collection, but I was forced to give them all to Goodwill when I moved in with you" story and the "Your aunt used to complain all the time about getting cheated out of some Social Security by being a notch baby, but honestly they wound up with more money than anyone" account of a story that occurred more than 60 years ago. Honestly, it gets wearying.Not knowing what to say, I fell silent. I turned up the volume on the radio a bit. I thought about the fact I will never be able to change Mom into a person with a positivistic attitude. I reminded myself to accept her as she is while still remaining true to who I am, as well."Is that a hot air balloon?" Mom suddenly said with excitement, pointing toward a colorful dot floating above the west horizon.Indeed it was. A lone balloon drifting above Albuquerque. Just like that the mood inside the car changed again, from bitterness to the joy that comes from witnessing something rare and special. I savored the moment while I could.
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Flying Pig organizers hope precautions alleviate concerns after Boston
Expect more security, questions, vigilance
As Flying Pig Marathon runners get ready the final two weeks, their thoughts are about training and tapering, as well as, understandably, the terror and tragedy Boston experienced and how it impacts security planning here.
"I mean, that's the first thing that I was thinking about," Dr. Doug Olberding said.
Olberding is on the board of the Flying Pig.
He ran Boston twice back in the 1990s. Since last Monday, his thoughts have been racing to overtake any and every security contingency.
"Everybody is being extra vigilant. We've had these extra meetings with the police. We've done a security audit," Olberding said. "It causes us to, you know, look inward and study what we're doing and make sure that we're putting on an event that is safe for the participants and the spectators."
Among the changes, runners and spectators should expect additional uniformed personnel at the start and finish, and bomb-sniffing dogs will be prevalent.
People carrying bags or backpacks that conceal contents should not be surprised if they're approached by security.
"When I was in elementary school, we had to have those mesh backpacks, the clear backpacks. It's a little, you know, whatever. But, I can understand heightened security now," runner Mercedes Fussnecker said.
Fussnecker noted that race director Iris Simpson Bush has been forthcoming about adjustments in the week since Boston.
"On Facebook, she answers questions and people have asked her, 'What are you guys doing?' and she really gave some thoughtful answers that let me know that, 'Hey, they are doing something,'" she said.
As Joe Fung helps arrange Monday's Boston Solidarity run from Roncker's Running Spot at 6:30, he is also fielding calls about the precautions.
He ran Boston five times starting in 2007. He knows the course well, knows the concerns that spring from a tragedy like the one last Monday.
Fung also knows the running mentality.
"Nobody's afraid or anything. I mean, everybody still wants to run and, you know, have a good time at the race," he said.
Neighborhood districts traditionally choked with spectators -- O'Bryonville, Hyde Park, Mariemont, Downtown -- will receive additional attention and manpower this year.
The 3,000 volunteers will be asked to be extra vigilant. Organizers speak of clear bags as an absolute necessity for this year's 15th Pig.
All the precautions may help those running and attending the event relax somewhat and enjoy it a bit more.
"I just think that that diligence in taking that extra step can put a lot of minds at ease," runner Jeff Brannon said.


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Posted by Editoress on 08/15/08
Transrockies Challenge
All reports supplied by TransRockies, all photos by Dan Hudson and are courtesy TransRockies.
Day 5 (August 14th): Whiteswan Lake toElkford: 88.5km/2247m climbing
It was a day of battles on the TransRockies trail, as a blazing sun and a slew of mechanical failures added an extra element of challenge to the day's grind.
In the prolific Open Men's category, the impressive Italian duo of Marzio Deho and Johnny Cattaneo, who nabbed three 1st place finishes in the first four days of racing, managed to hang on to the overall lead after suffering five flats and a broken chain in Stage 5. Though placing 5th in today's stage, Deho and Cattaneo have a 10 minute lead in the overall standings ahead of Kris Sneddon and Max Plaxton of Canada, who have been persistently nipping at the heels of their heels all week.
Sneddon and Plaxton grabbed their first top finish of TransRockies VII today, after placing lower on the podium throughout most of the week, securing the second place overall lead and no doubt fueling their thirst for first with only two stages left. Rounding out the top five in the overall standings are Stefan Widmer and Marty Lazarski (CAN) in third place, Andreas Hestler and Chris Sheppard (CAN) in fourth, and Keith Hickerson and Evan Plews (USA) in fifth.
Observers this year have noticed the increased competition and excitement in the Open Men's category, which has grown from a typical field of four or five competitive teams in previous years to a fierce and ambitious posse of eight to ten pairs all duking it out for final prize money. Deho and Cattaneo had best put some extra padding in their lead during Stage 6, or top spot could be up for grabs come Saturday's final leg.
American's Carey Lowery and Lisa Randall have been riding away with the top Open Women's spot all week, with a sweep of five straight 1st place finishes. As of the close of Stage 5, the pair has put nearly two hours of lead time between themselves and 2nd place team Amy Guidinger and Meghan Osborne of Canada. Guidinger and Osborne have taken 2nd place every day thus far, and themselves maintain a hefty nearly-two-hour lead over 3rd place Canadian pair Angie Bryans and Inga Ivany in the overall standings.
Consistently rounding out the top five are Teri Majer and Shelley Mattson (CAN) and Allison Greer and Julia Lovecchio (CAN).
A similar story is unfolding in the Open Mixed category, in which the top two spots appear to be locked up, while the third remains up for grabs with two stages to go.
Defending champions and husband-and-wife Normon Thibault and Wendy Simms (CAN) don't appear to be handing their title over this year, with 47 minutes of lead time between themselves and 2nd place pair Steven Wallace and Katerina Nash (USA/CZE), though with two big days ahead anything is possible. David Harris and Lynda Wallenfels (USA) are currently sitting in 3rd place overall with a 12 minute advantage over 4th place.
The remaining top ten teams in Open Mixed are within an hour of each other, and 3rd through 5th place are mere minutes apart. With such a close field, there's little doubt teams in the top ten plan to cruise through the final stages ˆmore likely it will be a grind to the finish for anyone wanting a piece of the $20,000 in prize money up for grabs.
With only two stages to go, it's still not clear who will go home with a podium victory at TransRockies VII. Of all categories, 80+ Men appears to be the most volatile, with top finishes from four different teams in only five days.
Stage 5 podium placers Milan Spolc and Jan Kopka (CZE) took first place in today's leg and currently sit in 2nd place overall; Jon Gould and Ryon Butterfield (USA) landed 2nd place in Stage 5 but currently hold the overall lead with a five minute lead on Spolc and Kopka. Today's 3rd place finishers Oyvind Vaaglan Reiten and Olav N Birkeland (NOR) also sit in third place in the overall standings, 17 minutes behind 2nd place.
With all top five overall teams within a half hour of one another it's likely the title for 80+ Men won't be decided until Stage 7.
After several days of podium placings being dealt between many teams it appears that one team has taken a clear lead in the 80+ Mixed category. With three straight 1st place finishes in the last three days, Moira-Ann Handford and Andrew Handford (CAN) have cushioned their overall lead by well over an hour, ahead of 2nd place overall team Dan McCarthy and Amy Kemper (USA). Sitting in 3rd place overall, Christiane Bouchard and Marc Payment (CAN) are a little more than two hours behind the leaders.
Stage 5 winners are Handford and Handford with 1st place, Bouchard and Payment with 2nd place, and Kirk Buckman and Cindy Carroll with 3rd place.
After an impressive four days of 1st place finishes, an injury has ripped potential victory from Americans Howard Jones and Jon Roberts. The team was unable to complete Stage 5 and are no longer qualified for podium placement. A harsh reality for Jones and Roberts but a wide open opportunity for Canadians Les Davidson and Tim Hudema, who slid from an across-the-board 2nd place domination to fill up the top spot left empty by the injured leaders.
Also impressive is the performance of Stage 5 winners Pierre Loubser and Ben Cronje of Russia, who went from averaging 5th place this week to win today's race with 15 minutes to spare. They are sitting pretty in 2nd place overall, roughly an hour behind the leaders and an hour ahead of 3rd place team Jeff Bandura and Bart Nakano (CAN).
Rounding out the top five are Gary Pelletier and Dale McAllister (CAN) in 4th place, and Mike Meagher and Garry Froehler (CAN) in the 5th spot.
Results (PDF)
|Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top


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Rory Miller, in his books, talks about how so many martial arts practitioners love to rely on 'assumptions' _
Assumptions that _Any technique we may have 'perfected' _ in speed, power, limb conditioned delivery to elusive assailants' targets in the chaos of the fight, will stop the fight, even before it starts.
We cannot rely on a 'guarantee' of stopping anyone, especially when you begin to realize that the assailant_ fueled by intent_ and bigger and stronger_ is under a high adrenalized state that makes him almost impervious to stopping pain with a few exceptions.
The human body is capable of taking severe damage and carrying on regardless. That there are many cases around the world of people who have been punched, hit with blunt weapons_shot and stabbed in the most severe ways (bullets to head and chest, multiple stab wounds) and who still managed to keep on killing.
To this, add the fact street punks with knives/guns who will confront you for whatever reason, are generally more experienced at this sort of thing than any of us, and we will all have trouble sensing what is about to come, for the most part…plus overcoming the psychological shock when we do sense a weapon in the process of being produced, if we sense it at all.
Being aware of where you are and what you are doing at any specific time, does help somewhat. In my work it was necessary to travel and interact in dangerous cities and neighborhoods, such as trying to pin down witnesses and injured people in ghettos, like in Baltimore, Philadelphia, East Orange, NJ, Boston' Roxbury areas etc.
I.E., Once when in East Orange NJ_ traveling with my company car through an ethnic neighborhood _ while chasing down an elusive witness to a fatality, my car was suddenly peppered with ice cream cones thrown at the windshield by a group of punks suddenly appearing from a street corner I was about to negotiate.
The police said the idea was to make me stop the car to clean the w/shield so they could then rob me at knife or gun point. Fortunately I had some vision left and sped the hell out of there.
Baltimore and Philadelphia were even more menacing to my excursions there.
Most people also do not realize the lingering psychological shock on people exposed to an area of a killing by knife or gun that will affect your interactions with them in ways very unpredictable that can trigger more violence.
As an example, the day after the killing of the karate black belt by the gangbanger in the Roxbury case…the entire building's tenants complex _ was overcome with terrible fear…very few tenants opened their apartment doors to me looking for information on what they may have heard or seen…
some yelled behind closed doors for me to get lost…the few that did talk were terrified in giving me bits and pieces of what they heard…
one guy, ex military, told me he heard the cries for help, tried to get to his shotgun in the closet to get out and help, but could not as his feet were frozen to the floor.
The young girl upstairs was whisked away by the State into protective custody, and I was denied an opportunity to interview her.
Be careful of where you travel, what you do and what risks are lurking…check out the stats on crime rates before you venture out anywhere and be prepared the best you can be.
Example: see this about Las Vegas….
as one example of dangerous big cities, though death can come to you from anywhere, any place.


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Tracking Fracking: The Sky's the Limit
by Amy Mathews Amos
The Cessna single engine plane could seat only four people, but LightHawk pilot Jamie Gamble, Tioga County Planner Jim Weaver, chief photographer George Patterson of The Downstream Project and Downstream's Director Bill Howard were serving as the eyes for thousands of concerned citizens on the ground. In a first time ever collaborative effort on May 31, they took grass roots monitoring of Marcellus shale gas activity in north central Pennsylvania to the sky, combining cutting edge technologies with the expertise of at least nine different nonprofit organizations and government partners. As they looked down at the landscape below, dotted with farms, forests and small towns, the guys in the cockpit realized this was a game changer: Even in the remote forests of Pennsylvania, the impacts of hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" for natural gas would no longer be hidden.
Getting to this point had taken a lot of coordination and it showed. To plan for the flight, the remote sensing organization SkyTruth had created a flight map of about 20 permitted gas drilling sites using satellite imagery, state records and Google Earth. The Downstream Project preloaded that flight map, along with GPS capabilities, onto an iPad provided to Weaver. In this way the iPad automatically tracked the plane's location on the map with an icon. As Weaver watched the miniature plane migrate across his screen, he directed pilot Jamie Gamble to the next drilling location and provided running commentary on the activities going on below. Howard snapped more than 700 aerial photos, each automatically sourced to the plane's location through the camera's own GPS capabilities. Patterson filmed the view from the sky, but also the activity in the cockpit. "Blending those GPS tracking photos, the GPS following along the map data on an iPad, and all the collaboration on the inside, we were all flying that plane together," he told me afterward.
I know Patterson from my work as a sometime consultant for The Downstream Project. And I know the SkyTruth crew even better—I'm an officer of that organization and the wife of founder John Amos. Even so, I found the cockpit collaboration impressive. And as I learned more about the project, I became equally impressed with their partners in Pennsylvania. Because this bird's eye view adds a new dimension to the hands-on monitoring already being done by local grassroots programs such as the God's Country Waterdogs, Pine Creek Waterdogs and local Trout Unlimited chapters. Groups such as these in Tioga, Potter and other counties have recruited their neighbors, friends and anyone else interested to get their feet wet and measure water quality in areas experiencing—or expected to experience—heavy fracking activity. No one claims volunteer monitoring captures all the potential impacts, but as volunteer and retired U.S. Geological Survey ecologist Bob Ross notes, "it's a red flag" for when something has gone seriously wrong.
With roughly 2,000 sites permitted across a five county region that includes remote state forest land—and more than 10,000 sites permitted statewide since 2008—information gaps are inevitable. Questions remain about what people are finding in their watersheds and just what everyone should be looking for in the first place.
"The science isn't here now to really understand the impacts of fracking on the environment for the long term," according to Julie Vastine, Director of the Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM). ALLARM developed the scientific protocol used by many local groups to measure changes in water quality, and over the past two years has trained more than 750 people in Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia to monitor their water for fracking impacts. But they want to do more.
"We had this really big aha moment about six months into our program," says Vastine, when they realized that combining data across the state was critical. "Because we have so many streams—83,000 miles of streams and rivers in the state—as many volunteer sites that we can add to a central repository will add to our knowledge of what's happening."
SkyTruth, based in neighboring West Virginia, can help. SkyTruth's Alerts System already maps sites permitted for fracking activity by state agencies in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, making basic information about drilling activity accessible to the public. The next step is helping citizens and scientists share their data to study impacts as gas sites morph over time from pristine forest land to active drilling sites to spent wells. The Shale Network, a collaborative effort involving Penn State University, ALLARM and the University of Pittsburgh, is working to make those data available to government and academic scientists around the world for in depth studies. High on the list of priorities: creating an interactive, user-friendly portal that will give the Waterdogs and other citizen's groups an easy way to connect with the universities' networks and share their information with scientists.
None of this can happen without close collaboration among like-minded players. As my friend Patterson noted, "That's kind of the new way to get things done these days… You've got to pool your resources and everybody work together and do things that the other guy can't do to really paint an accurate picture of what's going on."
Organized citizens have always been the only truly effective antidote to concentrated money or power. And in the 21st century, it's clear that new technologies and capabilities can play to our advantage, if we know how to use them.
"Everybody up there had their different frameworks that they're good at," says Patterson of that groundbreaking LightHawk flight. "When you put it all together, the sky's the limit."
Visit EcoWatch's FRACKING page for more related news on this topic.
9 Environmental Docs To Watch During the Coronavirus Lockdown
By Anne-Sophie Brändlin
COVID-19 and climate change have been two of the most pressing issues in 2020.
1. My Octopus Teacher (2020)
No person has ever gotten as close and intimate with a wild octopus as South African filmmaker Craig Foster, who decided to head out to an underwater kelp forest in the Atlantic Ocean every day for an entire year to capture the life of the mesmerizing creature. An unusual, touching friendship develops that will likely change the way you see your relationship to animals and the planet.

2. David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet (2020)
David Attenborough is the godfather of environmental docs. In his 94 years, the Briton has visited every corner of the world, documenting nature in all its variety and wonder. His latest film is a witness statement, in which he reflects upon the devastating changes he's seen in his lifetime. He also gives a vision of the future in which we work with nature, rather than against it.

3. The Human Element (2019)
This doc follows environmental photographer James Balog on his quest to portray Americans on the frontlines of climate change whose lives and livelihoods have been affected by the collision between people and nature. Balog captures how the four elements of earth, water, air and fire are being transformed by a fifth element — the human element — and what that means for our future.

4. Before the Flood (2016)
In this doc, actor Leonardo DiCaprio teams up with National Geographic to travel the globe and witness the effects of global warming that are already visible, such as rising sea levels and deforestation. Featuring prominent figures such as Barack Obama, Ban Ki-moon, Pope Francis and Elon Musk, the doc offers solutions for a sustainable future and shows how we can challenge climate change deniers.

5. Tomorrow (2015)
Need an optimistic view on how to tackle the climate crisis? Then this upbeat French doc seeking out creative alternatives to our current form of agriculture, energy supply and waste management is for you. It introduces everyday sustainability innovators from across the world, such as urban gardeners and renewable energy enthusiasts, to inspire the rest of us to make local changes

6. Racing Extinction (2015)
In this film by Oscar-winning director Louie Psihoyos, a team of activists expose the illegal trade of endangered species and document the global extinction crisis, which could result in the loss of half of all species. By using covert tactics and state-of-the-art technology, they take you to places where no one can go, uncover secrets and show you images you have never seen before.

7. Virunga (2014)
Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the only places in the world where you can still find wild mountain gorillas. But the park and its inhabitants are under attack from poachers, armed militias and companies wanting to exploit natural resources. This gripping doc follows a group of people trying to preserve the park and protect these magnificent great apes.

8. Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret (2014)
This crowdfunded documentary explores the impact of animal agriculture on the environment and investigates why the world's leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it. The film has caused controversy by suggesting that animal agriculture is the primary source of environmental destruction and the main emitter of greenhouse gases, rather than fossil fuels.

9. Years of Living Dangerously (2014)
In this Emmy-winning documentary series, celebrity correspondents travel the world to interview experts and scientists on the climate crisis and its effects. But rather than focusing on its star power, the two-season series also shines a spotlight on ordinary people affected by the climate crisis and shows how we can save our world for future generations.

- 20 Instagram Accounts for Environmental Inspiration - EcoWatch ›
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This Norwegian Start-Up Wants To Build Houses Out of 100% Recycled Plastic
By Victoria Masterson
Using one of the world's problems to solve another is the philosophy behind a Norwegian start-up's mission to develop affordable housing from 100% recycled plastic.
Sustainable Homes
UN-Habitat says an estimated 60% of people living in urban areas of Africa are in informal settlements. At the same time, between 1990 and 2017, African countries imported around 230 metric tonnes of plastic, "which mostly ended up in dump sites creating a massive environmental challenge," the agency adds.

UN-Habitat deputy executive director, Victor Kisob, said the aim of the partnership with Othalo was to "promote adequate, sustainable and affordable housing for all."

Artist's impression of an Othalo community, imagined by architect Julien De Smedt. Othalo
Othalo's process involves shredding plastic waste and mixing it with other elements, including non-flammable materials. Components are used to build up to four floors, with a home of 60 square metres using eight tons of recycled plastic. A factory with one production line can produce 2,800 housing units annually.

Following successful laboratory tests, Othalo's factory in Estonia has started producing components to build three demonstration homes for Kenya's capital, Nairobi; Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon and Dakar, the capital of Senegal.

Othalo founder Frank Cato Lahti has been developing and testing the technology since 2016 in partnership with SINTEF, a 70-year-old independent research organization in Trondheim, Norway, and experts at Norway's University of Tromsø.

Othalo founder Frank Cato Lahti. Othalo
Almost seven out of every 10 people in the world are expected to live in urban areas by 2050. More than 90% of this growth will take place in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

"In the absence of effective urban planning, the consequences of this rapid urbanization will be dramatic," UN-Habitat warns.

Lack of proper housing and growth of slums, inadequate and outdated infrastructure, escalating poverty and unemployment, and pollution and health issues, are just some of the effects.

Mindsets, policies, and approaches towards urbanization need to change for the growth of cities and urban areas to be turned into opportunities that will leave nobody behind, UN-Habitat says.

Pioneers of Change
Reimagining cities and communities for greater resilience and sustainability was a key topic at the World Economic Forum's Pioneers of Change Summit 2020.

The digital event brought together innovators and stakeholders from around the world to explore solutions to the challenges facing enterprises, governments and society.

Opening the summit, Stephan Mergenthaler, the Forum's Head of Strategic Intelligence and a member of the Executive Committee, said: "We need to change the way we produce, the way we live and interact in our cities to make this transition to net-zero emissions a reality…

"And as this year has illustrated so dramatically, we need to make every effort that we keep populations healthy, if we want to avoid jeopardizing all this progress."

Reposted with permission from World Economic Forum.

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By Brett Wilkins
Despite acknowledging that the move would lead to an increase in the 500 million to one billion birds that die each year in the United States due to human activity, the Trump administration on Friday published a proposed industry-friendly relaxation of a century-old treaty that protects more than 1,000 avian species.
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Many people shop online for everything from clothes to appliances. If they do not like the product, they simply return it. But there's an environmental cost to returns.
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How Biden and Kerry Can Rebuild America's Global Climate Leadership
By Dolf Gielen and Morgan Bazilian
John Kerry helped bring the world into the Paris climate agreement and expanded America's reputation as a climate leader. That reputation is now in tatters, and President-elect Joe Biden is asking Kerry to rebuild it again – this time as U.S. climate envoy.
Energy Is at the Center of the Climate Challenge
The effects of climate change are already evident across the globe, from extreme heat waves to sea level rise. But while the challenge is daunting, there is hope. Solar and wind power have become the cheapest forms of power generation globally, and technology progress and innovation continue apace to support a transition to clean energy.

In the U.S. under a Biden administration, long-term national climate legislation will depend on who controls the Senate, and that won't be clear until after two run-off elections in Georgia in January.

But there is no shortage of ideas for ways Biden could still take action even if his proposals are blocked in Congress. For example, he could use executive orders and direct government agencies to tighten regulations on greenhouse gas emissions; increase research and development in clean energy technologies; and empower states to exceed national standards, as California did in the past with auto emission standards. A focus on a just and equitable transition for communities and people affected by the decline of fossil fuels will also be key to creating a sustainable transition.

The U.S. position as the world's largest oil and gas producer and consumer creates political challenges for any administration. U.S. forays into European energy security are often treated with suspicion. Recently, France blocked a multi-billion dollar contract to buy U.S. liquefied natural gas because of concerns about limited emissions regulations in Texas.

Strengthening cooperation and partnerships with like-minded countries will be critical to bring about a transition to cleaner energy as well as sustainability in agriculture, forestry, water and other sectors of the global economy.

Creating a Global Sustainable Transition
How the world recovers from COVID-19's economic damage could help drive a lasting shift in the global energy mix.

Nearly one-third of Europe's US$2 trillion economic relief package involves investments that are also good for the climate. The European Union is also strengthening its 2030 climate targets, though each country's energy and climate plans will be critical for successfully implementing them. The Biden plan – including a $2 trillion commitment to developing sustainable energy and infrastructure – is aligned with a global energy transition, but its implementation is also uncertain.

Once Biden takes office, Kerry will be joining ongoing high-level discussions on the energy transition at the U.N. General Assembly and other gatherings of international leaders. With the U.S. no longer obstructing work on climate issues, the G-7 and G-20 have more potential for progress on energy and climate.

Lots of technical details still need to be worked out, including international trade frameworks and standards that can help countries lower greenhouse gas emissions enough to keep global warming in check. Carbon pricing and carbon border adjustment taxes, which create incentive for companies to reduce emissions, may be part of it. A consistent and comprehensive set of national energy transition plans will also be needed.

The global shift to clean energy will also have geopolitical implications for countries and regions, and this will have a profound impact on wider international relations. Kerry, with his experience as secretary of state in the Obama administration, and Biden's plan to make the climate envoy position part of the National Security Council, may help mend these relations. In doing so, the U.S. may again join the wider community of countries willing to lead.

- 14 States On Track to Meet Paris Targets - EcoWatch ›
- Biden Vows to Ax Keystone XL if Elected - EcoWatch ›
- Biden Names John Kerry as First-Ever Climate Envoy - EcoWatch ›


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Those battling Ikki Tousen girls are bringing their torn clothes and short skirts to the Tokyo stage. The manga turned video game and anime series is getting a theatrical adaptation.
Known as Battle Vixens in the West, Ikki Tousen is the latest anime/game property to be turned in a stage production, following in the footsteps of Sengoku Basara, Persona, and Phoenix Wright. As Comic Natalie points out (via JEFUsion), Daisuke Nishida, who did the Sengoku Basara stage plays, will be writing and directing.
These kinds of plays stick very close to the original character designs, as to not upset fans. For better or worse, the result, however, does carry a whiff of cosplay. That doesn't mean all these adaptations aren't very good. Some, like Phoenix Wright, are terrific.
The stage version will star Shizuka Nakamura as Hakufu Sonsaku and Miyuu Sawai as Shimei Ryoumu. The production runs from November 30 to December 9 in Tokyo.
衣装の破れも再現する舞台「一騎当千」、メイク写真公開 [Comic Natalie via JEFusion]


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There was a time when event coverage consisted of shooting neatly arranged cars polished to perfection. Sometimes they would be posed on grass, sometimes on asphalt and, while they were fun to check out, there was just something missing. We guess it's a lot like visiting a museum where all the animals are stuffed and in static poses versus a wild animal park where they are doing what animals do, mainly moving about. Both are cool, but one just adds a bit more excitement to the mix. After all, what's more exciting, visiting the NHRA museum or sitting trackside at the Winternationals?
Over the last few years, several events have evolved to combine different driving competitions, but in the last year the number of these events has exploded to the point where there's far more than we have time to attend. Even traditional car shows like the Goodguys and Super Chevy shows have added autocross areas. It's a trend we fully support.
The Motor State Challenge held its inaugural event last year and, unlike many of the other events, it offered a road course segment at GingerMan raceway in addition to the more common autocross competition. This combination is nirvana to those of us who love flogging our cars. Now some might call this breed of gearhead terms like "parking lot drifter freaks" or act like their desire to actually push these cars is somehow antithetic to the car hobby. But the truth is that hot-rodding has always been about driving cars hard, both in latitudinal and longitudinal directions. We still dig a good show and shine, but much like the museum versus the zoo, we prefer to see our animals out and about acting wild.
The Motor State Challenge (MSC) is a three-day event. On Friday there's a chance to hang out and check out all the cars at Motor State Distributing's headquarters in Watervliet, Michigan. There was a tour of the facilities, and because this is about street cars and not race cars, there's a cruise followed by a BBQ. This year the organizers arranged for a police escort and, we have to say, having cops around to block intersections so we can run red lights is the only way to travel.
Saturday was set for some time at GingerMan raceway. This is the perfect track for this type of event since it offers plenty of run-off room, is easy enough for novice drivers, and challenging for the more experienced lot. The rules were simple. All the cars had to run tires with a treadwear rating of 200 or greater. Entrants could run stickier tires, but they wouldn't be counted in the official times. The first sessions were more like qualifying laps, with the top 16 moving to the afternoon shootout. At that time all previous lap times were erased and the cars were again sent out in groups, spaced apart to lessen the chance of passing being required. If a car did catch another, then passing was only allowed on the main straights. After all, it's all about safety, and the SCCA crew running the event takes this very seriously.
On Sunday the MSC moved to a local college parking lot for some autocross action. Now, some might scoff that dodging little orange cones isn't on the same level as running a road course, but it does require a different skill set and puts different demands on a car. Like GingerMan Raceway, this was also set up and ran by the local SCCA chapter, and the course was challenging and, most importantly, fun.
Overall the event was much like any traditional car show. People made new friends, checked out cool cars and engaged in the lying game officially known as bench racing. The main difference here is that the cars were much dirtier than they were when they arrived, the entrants were a bit more tired, and everyone's smiles seemed a bit more earned.
Main Event Sponsors:
Motor State Distributing
Lane Automotive
Allstar Performance
Primary Sponsors:
Detroit Speed Inc.
Baer Brake Systems
Carbon Kustoms
MSD Ignition
Twist Machine
Hedman Hedders
Royal Purple
Energy Suspension
TCI Transmissions
Hotchkis Suspension
Comp Cams
Grant Steering Wheels
Painless Performance
Hawk Performance


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