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On a March day when the temperature touched 70 degrees in Brooklyn for the first time since last fall, the United States Army Corps of Engineers presented a new plan at a public meeting in Coney Island to bring sand to a beach. They showed aerial photographs of Coney Island beaches that appeared wide and full, while, just to the west, there was a severely depleted beach near the gated community of Seagate.
The corps, the federal agency responsible for maintaining the nation's shores and navigation channels, wants to restore the level of sand at the Seagate beach to the way it was 15 years ago, and shore up a large pile of rocks at West 37th Street, known as a "groin," that holds sand in place for Coney's Island public beaches. Groins can be many hundreds of feet long and several feet high. The corps proposal calls for the construction of four groins at the southwest tip of Coney Island near Seagate, which will then trap and hold sand along the Seagate beach. A wide sand buffer at Seagate is necessary, in the corps' view, to bolster and protect the 37th Street groin from a storm that could attack the site from the side ("flank") and undermine the effectiveness of that groin.
The corps is joined in this effort by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Funding (65 percent federal, 24.5 percent state and 10.5 percent city) was secured through the efforts of Congressman Jerrold B. Nadler.
The army's engineers are not new to the Brooklyn beaches. Ironically, some critics say, the work the corps is proposing is intended to fix problems that the corps caused in the first place. Coney Island was a corps project in the 1920's, and they addressed the Seagate peninsula again in the late 1980's and early 1990's.
Residents living on Gravesend Bay, the north side of the Seagate area, contend that sand drifting around the peninsula, perhaps the result of the lengthy 37th Street groin and other corps construction projects, is damaging their community. One resident spoke of sand drifting into Kaiser Park, covering pathways and benches. Another bayside resident spoke of sand drifting into people's homes. A third resident, stated, "we now have 300 feet of beach we did not have twenty years ago." These residents asked the corps to use this "excess" sand to replenish south side beaches. The corps estimates that bayside sand could account for 30,000 of the 190,000 cubic yards it needs.
The corps' Edward Wrocenski, stated that "T-Groins are the best chance for the sand to stay in place" on the oceanside. He indicated that T-Groins have worked in New Jersey and elsewhere. Some people attending the public meeting did not agree..
Sand moves naturally by long shore ocean currents and storms. The corps is engaged in many locales around the country, building groins and jetties, and mining and moving sand. These methods are expensive. Where it is necessary to both build and replenish, it is even more expensive. And some corps opponents question the wisdom of long term beach projects that primarily benefit private property owners.
Environmentalists also raise concerns about the impact of corps projects that dump large volumes of crushed stone onto sensitive underwater inter-tidal habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fears disruption of the foraging behavior of the species they protect.
Still, the corps and the state contend that the $450,000 study and the $9 million project "are not about a beach for Seagate". The agencies say the project is about preserving the groin that holds the sand that makes the Coney Island public ocean beaches possible while keeping sand out of the homes of residents on the bay side. Some observers wonder if T-Groins will work.
Peter B. Fleischer, currently writing a book on the New York City waterfront, was formerly a transportation and environment policy advisor to New York City Mayors David Dinkins and Rudy Giuliani.


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Todd Feusier, Director
The mission of the Coeur d'Alene Street and Engineering Department is to provide citizens with safe, unrestricted street surfaces. The Street Department maintains traffic control devices and providing departments with cost effective vehicle maintenance services.
The Coeur d'Alene Street Department maintains over 250 center lane miles of road and right-of-way including asphalt and pothole repair, 64 signalized intersections, 12,000 street signs and 500 permanent pavement markings. Other maintenance responsibilities performed include the Drainage Utility maintenance (sweeping, swale restoration, hard pipe cleaning and videoing), sidewalk repair and replacement to bring into Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance as well as support of the many Special Events such as (4th of July, Car d'lane, Ironman, Street Fair). The Department also provides a total maintenance one stop shop for the city fleet and 360 various pieces of equipment and over 1000 assets to these vehicles.

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Into Africa
"She's very hungry," whispered our guide. Less than 20 feet away crouched a lean lioness, her ribs clearly visible. She stood perfectly still, every muscle in her powerful body tensed, as she waited patiently for the wind to die down, so no scent would carry to the oblivious zebra grazing a hundred yards away. When the breeze stopped, she resumed her methodical stalking, silently closing the gap between her and her quarry. As she drew close, the zebra sensed something amiss and looked up, but by then it was too late.
This scene is repeated hundreds of times daily throughout Africa--the hunter and the hunted vying in a constant game of survival. Often brutal, but always necessary, the savage beauty of predators on the hunt is often the highlight of an African safari. This wasn't always true. Earlier in this century, adventurers like Teddy Roosevelt and Ernest Hemingway traveled to Africa to play the hunter themselves, bagging trophies as they went. Today's wildlife safaris are all about stalking images--visual, photographic and especially mental. To see a lion, all one has to do is go to a zoo. To experience a lion, one has to go to Africa.
No number of pictures or National Geographic specials can prepare you for the real thing. Only when a three-ton bull elephant emerges from the trees, 20 feet away, and eyes your car as a plaything can you comprehend his size and power. When a giraffe cranes his head two stories over you to pick leaves from a tree, you suddenly appreciate every brown spot on his huge body.
Tourism to Africa is at an all-time high. While this means increased human crowding in the most popular parks and game reserves, it also translates into larger animal populations as governments recognize that protecting these four-legged attractions is good for business. Furthermore, tour operators are constantly devising new ways to experience the stunning wildlife and natural beauty that are unique to Africa. Wildlife safaris now couple a wide variety of destinations, transportation and lodging with other diversions, including golf, water sports and river rafting. This may seem peculiar, since we usually associate safaris with great white hunters going after big game, but the word safari comes from an Arabic term that means a trip of any kind.
One element common to most wildlife safaris is the game drive. Since nearly all African national parks prohibit traveling on foot, safari visitors usually find themselves driving through a park in some kind of vehicle as a guide and a driver seek out animals. If you are lucky, you stumble into the midst of action, whether it is a cheetah streaking across the plains at 70 miles an hour or buffalo locking horns near a salt lick.
On a recent safari in Kenya, I discovered that the search for action makes for early wake-up calls. Because of the oppressive heat, the animals are most active at dusk and dawn, so drives are usually conducted in two-and-a-half-hour segments at daybreak and in the late afternoon. On most mornings, we downed our coffee before 6 a.m., packed into a Land Rover and raced the rising sun to whatever section of the park promised the particular animals the group's members had requested to see. To catch a glimpse of the elusive leopard, the driver might head for the large trees, where this great cat sleeps and waits for his next meal to pass below. For hippos and crocodiles, he might go to the rivers and watering holes, where these two vastly different creatures coexist. Cheetahs, on the other hand, frequent the vast, open savannas, where they use their phenomenal speed to bring down smaller antelope.
After the game drive, there's typically time for a hearty breakfast back at the lodge and, in most areas, the core of the day is spent at leisure. But if a pride of lions is in attendance, it may be worth an additional game drive after lunch to see them sleeping lazily in the midday sun. The king of the jungle enjoys the rare luxury of being able to sleep out in the open, nestled in the tall grass, because the adult lion is hunted by no other animal.
Late-afternoon game drives usually begin at around four or five, and this may be the best chance to experience the heart-pounding action of the kill. As the antelope, wildebeest and zebra graze in the falling temperatures, the predators, rested and hungry, prepare for the hunt. One afternoon, a group of vultures circling on the horizon led our driver into the thick of the action as hyenas feasted on a wildebeest recently killed by a lion. In the bush, the food chain often depends on the meat left by larger predators for a succession of smaller scavengers. For our part, the life-and-death spectacle was followed by cocktails, called "sundowners," at the lodge, and an extensive dinner.
Most safari operators use specially equipped minivans, with beefed-up suspensions and removable roofs. These allow for comfortable game drives, and passengers can stand up for a clear field of view and good photo opportunities. In many parks, vehicles are restricted to the numerous dirt roads, and although these may extend deep into the park, there are places the minivans cannot go. In parks that allow off-road driving, some outfitters use Land Rovers or Toyota Land Cruisers, with open tops or detachable roofs. Although these vehicles aren't as comfortable inside as the minivans, they're ideal for tracking animals on the hoof. They can get surprisingly close to the animals, especially those that don't perceive humans as a threat. A hunting lioness will give the car a once-over and then ignore it, even as the vehicle creeps along just a few feet behind her.
Despite the nonchalance of the animals, there is something disquieting about stalking a predator or parking in the midst of a dozen dozing lions. While our guide assured us that these beasts are not hungry for humans, they are big cats after all, and in an open-top Land Cruiser all that stands between us and them is an easy leap to the hood. Whether we were following great cats, hyenas or baboons, there was always the uneasy feeling that most of these creatures could join us in the car anytime they wanted.
Game-viewing lodges offer a more relaxed approach to getting close to the action. These facilities are built near watering holes or salt licks where animals gather, and guests can spend most of the day on a porch, sipping cocktails and smoking cigars, while watching the tableau unfold below. One afternoon, a number of gazelles and buffalo served as a barometer of activity for our group. When the animals suddenly became alert and bolted into the woods, everyone on the porch gazed down intently, awaiting the arrival of a predator, in this case a single lion, whose short visit cleared the area in a trice. Once he had left, our previous guests slowly began to return. Then the noise of rumbling and breaking branches in the nearby trees indicated that an elephant was about to make an appearance. A young male emerged from the jungle and proceeded to the watering hole while the smaller animals eyed him warily. Soon he was joined by another, and the elephants continued to arrive, coming in groups of four or five. Within half an hour there were nearly 50 elephants below, and we sat transfixed by the scene. The herd dominated the watering hole for several hours, crowding out smaller game, then suddenly moved on, allowing other species to take their turn.
Another advantage to this arrangement comes at night, when much animal activity occurs but often can't be seen. At the lodges, powerful spotlights are turned on (to which the animals have long since become accustomed), and game viewing continues around the clock. I was awakened in the wee hours one morning by a brisk knock on the door. I scurried to the porch in time to view the rhino I had been waiting to see. Earlier that evening, at dinner, a spotter had come to the table and taken requests. You could register your favorite animals in case the desired quarry made a nocturnal appearance. I had left a rhino wake-up call.
Many itineraries combine game drives and stays at game-viewing lodges, and may even include a short walking safari. Daytime diversions range from fishing excursions to visits to local villages to hot-air balloon rides. As well as providing a thrilling ride, these balloons offer a unique airborne perspective, as the gondola drifts silently over herds of elephants, prides of lions and other denizens of the plains. When the balloon touches down after an early-morning flight, tables are set up so you can enjoy a bush breakfast, complete with Champagne. As the sun climbs into the sky, you nibble your croissants in the middle of the vast Serengeti National Park, but the lions and cheetahs are never far from your mind.
In addition to the driving safari, where participants spend a couple of days at each park and drive on to the next, there are rafting safaris, foot safaris, cycling safaris and even camel safaris. A more expensive option is a flying safari, where instead of ground transportation you are whisked about in small bush planes, greatly reducing the time spent in transit. One outfitter, Classic Aerial Safaris, offers individualized itineraries using its reproduction 1935 Waco biplanes. These carry a pilot and one or two passengers in an open cockpit à la Denys Finch-Hatton, the character played by Robert Redford in the film Out of Africa. Dressed for the part, right down to the white silk scarf, leather helmet and goggles, I gazed in fascination as my pilot pointed out a herd of giraffes, then banked and flew lower, allowing a close-up view of two rare white rhinos.
Most of these safari options can be combined in different ways, permitting guests to spend all or part of the trip using various forms of transportation. A "wing safari," for instance, allows guests to tour the parks close to one another by car, even while they fly between more remote destinations to save time. This method is generally reserved for lengthy itineraries and multinational safaris.
The countries of East Africa, especially Kenya and Tanzania, comprise the classic wildlife and terrain associated with safaris. Kenya's Masai Mara (often shortened to "the Mara") is a large, open grassland high on the Serengeti Plain, where some of the most popular species, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, rhinos, zebras and a variety of gazelles, make their home. Since the Mara is a reserve, not a national park, off-road driving is allowed, and visitors can exit their vehicles and walk among the protected rhinos in the company of soldiers. The best time to visit the Mara is in July and August, during the incredible annual wildebeest migration, when millions of these animals move across the Serengeti, providing an indispensable part of the food chain for a variety of predators, especially lions.
Also in Kenya, Amboseli National Park is dry thorn country at a much lower altitude than the Mara. Amboseli is known for its huge herds of elephants, and visitors can often see several hundred of these magnificent beasts at a time, as well as views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the continent's highest peak.
Samburu, in northern Kenya, has very different topography. The hilly and wooded terrain makes game viewing more challenging but allows glimpses of the animals in a different habitat. This terrain is well suited to camel safaris.
Tsavo, a large and popular park that is also in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, recently achieved fame as the site portrayed in the Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer movie The Ghost and the Darkness, based on a true story about the legendary man-eating lions of Tsavo. More famous now are the 8,000 or 9,000 elephants that roam its thick bush and appear brick red because of the prodigious dust there. Only a decade ago, Tsavo was the scene of shootouts between park rangers and elephant poachers with assault rifles. Happily, the area has been secured and the once dwindling herds are coming back.
In the northwest corner of the country, Lake Nakuru National Park, with more than a million pink flamingos crowding its shores, is one of the world's most impressive bird-watching destinations.
Tanzania offers the famed Serengeti National Park. With the adjoining Masai Mara on the Kenya side of the border, the two parks form the Serengeti Plain. Visitors can also experience the magnificent wildebeest migration here. Close by, Ngorongoro Crater conservation area features a flat caldera (a volcanic crater) with steep walls, about 15 miles in diameter; it is home to the densest concentration of wildlife in Africa, teeming with virtually every East African creature, with the exception of the giraffe, whose long legs are unable to negotiate the steep sides of the caldera. Near Serengeti and Ngorongoro is Olduvai Gorge, where Louis and Mary Leakey discovered fossils of prehistoric man.
The vastness of parks such as the Mara and the Serengeti is surreal. Herds of buffalo, gazelles and zebras, numbering in the hundreds, fill the plains as far as the eye can see. Where the plains give way to trees, giraffes nibble at leaves overhead. When spooked, these graceful creatures sprint surprisingly fast, their long legs making huge strides. Up in the hills among the rocks, rhinos wander. Down by the riverbed, the leopard lurks in the lush foliage. "There he is, right in front of you," my guide whispered as I stared blindly into the tree. Shaking my head, I watched again as he pointed, following his finger upwards. Suddenly I saw that the thick branch was not a branch at all but a sleeping leopard, barely distinguishable from the tree, with his spots blended into the bark and leaves. I could have driven beneath the tree hundreds of times without noticing him. Considering the cruel efficiency of nature's camouflage, I pitied the animals he feeds on. I wondered how many other leopards wait in trees like this one throughout the Serengeti.
Two other notable Tanzanian parks are Arusha National Park and the Selous Game Reserve. Both allow walking safaris. Arusha, at 20 square miles, is tiny but quite beautiful, with its forested foothills, crater lakes and grassy glades. While Arusha is on many safari itineraries, Selous is on few. It is one of the more remote parks, but well worth the visit, as it is uncrowded, parts remain unexplored, and it is the largest park in all of Africa. Since it contains wild rivers, it is well suited to rafting trips and among the best places for viewing hippos and crocodiles.
South Africa offers many of the same animals found in East Africa, and while the game viewing is less concentrated, visitors are drawn to South Africa by the wide variety of other sights, from preserved gold rush towns to the golf courses and entertainment complexes of Sun City. South Africa is the most modernized nation in Africa, and the amenities and health conditions (you can drink the water in many areas) reflect this. Kruger National Park, along its eastern boundary, has more wildlife species than any other place in Africa, including black rhinos, buffalo, leopards, lions, cheetahs, wild dogs and the recently returned elephant. The private reserves on its western boundary provide greater seclusion and upmarket comforts. Mala Mala Reserve is one of the few places to see the "king cheetah," a larger example of cheetah with stripes instead of spots, and its main camp is one of the lushest safari lodges in the world. Londolozi Reserve is widely known for its many leopards.
In the West African nation of Namibia, Etosha National Park is an enormous reserve that is home to a wide variety of animals, including the black rhino and the black-faced impala (a large, brownish antelope), which is found almost exclusively there. There are few human visitors, and its huge animal population tends to crowd around the dwindling water supply (except in the wet summer months), making viewing very easy.
Clearly, Africa is a large place and visitors will not see every form of wildlife in every area. Some they will not see at all. When one of the guests at a lodge in Samburu asked, "When do we get to see the tigers and gorillas?" our guide could barely suppress his laughter. This is a question they get weekly, given the misinformation generations of Americans have been fed by the Tarzan movies. Despite what the Lord of the Apes would have us believe, tigers inhabit Asia, not Africa, and larger primates do not coexist with lions, cheetahs and the like. To see the great apes, you must travel deep into the mountainous regions, and for this reason travel to Uganda is on the rise, although the country's volatile political situation makes the more stable Kenya and Tanzania the choice of most tourists. Another option is neighboring Rwanda, where researcher Dian Fossey lived for 13 years. Her book, Gorillas in the Mist, which describes her studies, was later made into a feature film. Gorilla safaris are generally conducted on foot and can be quite a bit more strenuous than conventional safaris. Gorillas can be hard to find, and some guests come away disappointed, but others experience the thrill of sitting in the midst of a family of these amazing creatures.
Many guidebooks and brochures name the "big five"-- lions, buffalo, elephants, leopards and rhinos--as the animals to seek out on safari. The "big five" is something of a misnomer, because the term was originally created by hunters who were describing the most difficult or dangerous prey, not necessarily the most desirable to view. Most visitors would gladly trade a glimpse of the buffalo, which is commonly seen in huge herds, for the more elusive cheetah or the graceful zebra and giraffe. For tourists, the great cats--the lion, leopard and cheetah--are the most sought-after animals, and while almost every visitor will see lions, those who spy a leopard should consider themselves lucky.
A luxurious alternative to standard safari accommodations in lodges is a mobile tented safari. This is the quintessential traditional safari experience popularized by Teddy Roosevelt on his 1909 journey to East Africa. Accompanied by hundreds of porters, Roosevelt's entourage enjoyed spacious deluxe tents, portable bathtubs, vintage wines and gourmet meals served on fine china--all in the privacy of the bush. Fortunately, this deluxe experience is still available today, albeit on a smaller scale.
The idea of camping in tents may suggest an image of roughing it, but do not be fooled; mobile tented safaris are more expensive and often more comfortable than their lodge-bound counterparts. The sturdy canvas tents boast more than 400 square feet of living space, en suite bathrooms with hot showers, beds and linen sheets, dressing tables and mirrors, and a private veranda where you can sit out and enjoy the pleasant African climate. A dining tent accommodates your silver-domed serving trays and crystal Champagne glasses, and the bar can be stocked to your specifications. At a tented camp in the Masai Mara, I enjoyed cocktails on my tent porch while watching the sun set over the nearby river. That night I slept soundly, only to be awakened by the sounds of hippos frolicking in the cool predawn temperatures. There are worse ways to wake up.
In addition to history and pampering, mobile tented safaris give you the convenience of creating a varied itinerary, and going where there are no lodges. When you depart on your morning game drive, porters break camp and move it to your next location, where all the luxuries await you. For this experience, which is offered through the major outfitters, expect to spend $400 to $1,000 per person per day. Trip size can begin at just one. For those seeking something special but a little less extravagant, groups big enough to fill a van, usually six or more, can plan a custom or private trip. This is a particularly attractive option for families traveling together.
Most conventional safaris offer a taste of the Roosevelt experience by spending a few nights at permanent tented camps that are especially popular in the Masai Mara. Here you will find the same canvas tents and services, but they are pitched on permanent concrete platforms, and the camps offer swimming pools, bars and restaurants. For many guests, a night in a tented camp is the highlight of the trip, with lanterns burning and the breeze blowing through the windows.
When you visit Kenya, make sure your itinerary includes a stay at the venerable Mount Kenya Safari Club. Film star William Holden transformed a small inn into what is widely considered to be the continent's finest hotel, and so it remains to this day. In addition to serving as a deluxe resort, Mount Kenya is also a private club, whose membership has included Winston Churchill, Lyndon Johnson, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Conrad Hilton. The resort is home to the biplane rides of Classic Aerial Safaris, and guests can also partake in tennis, spa services, horseback riding, swimming and gourmet dining. Nestled at the foot of Mount Kenya, the continent's second-tallest mountain, the club straddles the equator and golfing guests can hit tee shots from one hemisphere into the next.
Since much of your time on safari is spent out of doors, whether in open vehicles, on viewing decks or on your own veranda, cigar smoking and safaris go hand in hand. Unfortunately, quality cigars are a rarity in Africa, so bring your own. John Paragano, a lawyer and the deputy mayor of Union, New Jersey, was another guest on my safari, and he kept me well supplied with Cuban Montecristos. Paragano and his wife, Sharon, were enjoying a honeymoon visit to Africa. "We looked for something different for our honeymoon, because I'm well traveled," he explained. "A safari sounded like an exciting adventure as well as a unique honeymoon trip."
When Paragano and I returned to camp after an early-morning game run, having just tracked two lionesses on the hunt and glimpsed another elusive leopard, we were the envy of everyone at breakfast. Other groups had returned without spying a single cat. It was our second leopard of the trip, and a few people had yet to see even one. When he was asked how we did it, our guide just smiled.
Choosing quality outfitters and guides is critical in planning a safari. The parks you visit and the accommodations you secure will not affect your enjoyment as much as the professionalism of your outfitter and the knowledge of your guide and driver. Africa is a difficult place to get around on your own, and safaris are very detail-oriented; how these details are handled will mean the difference between the trip of a lifetime and a bitter disappointment. An excellent guide and driver will educate you and be able to find game almost anywhere, while lesser ones will come up empty in the best parks.
Many U.S.-based safari companies are merely booking agents for outfitters in Africa and may have little control over the details. Only a handful, such as Micato, which I chose for my safari, and Abercrombie & Kent, actually own their own vehicles, use their own staff and maintain offices in both the United States and Africa. Micato and A&K operate guide schools, where their personnel are specially trained, and all their guides are multilingual. Our driver, who spotted the leopard, had been leading safaris for Micato for more than 25 years.
Perry Lungmus, the director of tours and specialty operators for API Travel Consultants, a network of travel agents that caters to an exclusive clientele, makes several recommendations for choosing an outfitter. According to Lungmus, a "wholly owned local office in Africa equates to dependable and accessible on-site service. It also means local contacts and current information." And he adds, "There should be a qualified, overall safari guide to keep an eye on quality control. Ironically, although guiding is perhaps the single most important aspect of a successful safari, the quality of guides and drivers varies greatly between companies."
At the start of each game run, our guide would ask what we wanted to see, and when the cheetah was the last major item left on our laundry list, our driver set out to find one. Driving into the rocky hills overlooking the plains, we spotted not just a cheetah but a family--two big cats and four babies--a sight that was rare enough to surprise even our guide. It was a wonderful photo opportunity, one that was made possible because our guide and driver knew where to look.
Group size is also important. The number of passengers per vehicle should be limited, both for comfort and view. For instance, Micato guarantees each passenger a window seat instead of simply cramming as many bodies as possible into the vans. There should also be a limit on overall group size to maintain a feeling of personal service. Some operators require a minimum size, which means that their trips are subject to cancellation, even though you may have bought plane tickets and reserved three weeks for vacation. One reason I chose Micato was its guaranteed departure policy. Once I signed up, I knew the trip was on.
Most outfitters include just about everything, such as lodging, food, park fees, transportation within Africa and incidentals; some throw in international airfare as well. Check the fine print, because items like park admission fees alone can run several hundred dollars. An upscale vehicle safari, excluding airfare from the United States, generally costs between $200 and $400 a day per person. Trip itineraries begin at 10 or 11 days, and 14-, 17- and even 27-day trips are common.
Don't try to cram all of Africa into one trip, Lungmus suggests: "Plan on coming back to Africa. There is an undeniable magic in the wildlife and people there that draws visitors back again and again." *
Larry Olmsted, who frequently writes about travel, golf and outdoor recreation, lives in Vermont.
Entry Requirements: Visas are required before departure for most African countries. While few countries require Americans to be vaccinated, doctors strongly recommend yellow fever and other inoculations, as well as preventive malarial medication. Also consult your tour provider and the Center for Disease Control's International Traveler's Hotline at (404) 332-4559 for specific precautions you must observe for your itinerary.
Operators: Finding a good tour provider is imperative. The family-owned Micato Safaris (212-545-7111) is known for its excellent guides and personal service. The agency offers group and custom private trips, as well as cruise/safari combinations, and top-notch lodges and camps. Another respected name is Abercrombie & Kent (800-323-7308), which offers a wide range of trips throughout the continent, including private and mobile tented safaris. Mountain Travel-Sobek (800-227-2384) and Geographic Expeditions (415-922-0448) concentrate on active trips, including foot safaris and naturalist trips. API Travel Consultants has specialized knowledge of safari outfitters, and can book any of the above suppliers. For the agent nearest you, call (800) 401-4274.
Photography: For a photo opportunity of these proportions, you may want to leave your compact camera home and invest in something with at least a 200mm lens. Use ASA400 film or higher, because you'll be shooting at dusk and dawn. Bring plenty of film; guests typically use two or three 36-exposure rolls a day, and it can cost up to $30 a roll in East Africa. Bring spare video batteries as well. Most safari vehicles are equipped with charging outlets.
What To Bring: Pack warm sweaters, as the temperatures plummet at night. Safari vests may look funny, but they will hold all your film, camera batteries and such valuables as money, credit cards and your passport. For hiking you'll need sturdy shoes; casual footwear is fine for vehicle safaris. Sunscreen and sunglasses are a must, as is very strong insect repellent for protection against malaria. A good pair of binoculars is also recommended. --LO


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10 Signs It???s Time to Break Up With Your Job
By Heather Huhman, Glassdoor.com
Is your current job leaving you feeling blue?
Even the best job have the chance to turn into something you no longer yearn for. Some say all good things must come to an end, but in the case of a bad job, it's best not to put off your departure.
In spite of the economy, there are plenty of fish in the sea or, rather, other jobs available that make you happy. (Yes, even in this economy.) While everyone has a bad day at work, it's important to understand the glaring signs guiding you in the direction of a new job.
Here are 10 signs a job break-up might be the next step in your career:
1. The company is in decline. It's time to get out now while the ship is still afloat. Times are tough for many companies, and it's crucial you're aware of what's going on at your company. If your current employer is experiencing a downward spiral, it may be time to exit swiftly.
2. You're bored. If you're no longer challenged at work, it's likely your work is suffering. This might be a great time to break up with your current position and move onto something new, perhaps even within the same company. Consider having a professional, solution-driven conversation with your manager to get to the bottom of this situation.
3. Learning has ceased. Professional development is crucial throughout your career. If your work has stopped teaching you something new, it might be time to move on. Professional development is a beneficial aspect of career success and should be taken into consideration when seeking out a new position.
4. Your health is declining. Experiencing large amounts of stress, anxiety, and fear can have long-term effects on your health and bad jobs generally provide all of those. Whether physical or mental, deteriorating health isn't something anyone should face due to their job.
5. You've found something new. Sometimes new employment opportunities can appear out of nowhere. While the grass certainly isn't always greener at a new company, this is the best case scenario when it comes to leaving a position.
6. You're having nightmares about your workplace. On-the-job dreams tend to happen to those individuals invested in their work, but it's the recurring nightmares you should take into consideration.
7. Your gut says "go." Trusting yourself is essential to successfully leaving a bad employment situation. If you truly believe you'd be happier at another company or in another position, it's time to move on.
8. You and your company don't share the same core values. Matching your values to your company's values is a necessity when it comes to long-term employment. If your current employer doesn't share the same visions or values as you, it might be time to seek out someone who does.
9. You've lost sight of your career goals. Big or small, the goals you set for your career are important. It's easy to find yourself working at a job for longer than you've expected and completely veering away from your original goals. Take some time to reassess and seek out positions that will set you back on track.
10. You're being mistreated. No one should have to deal with workplace bullying, sexual harassment, or any other kind of reprehensible behavior. Assess your current situation and be sure to share what has been happening to you with human resources. Never be afraid to leave a position in which you are experiencing mistreatment.
Reaching your career goals often means making crucial decisions about your happiness in regard to your current position. Use these signs to help you understand if a new job is in your future.
Read more biotech career tips. Find more biotech and pharma jobs by visiting the career center.
Check out the latest Career Insider eNewsletter – February 21, 2013.
Sign up for the free weekly Career Insider eNewsletter.
Related Articles
* Why You Should be Job Hunting – Even if You Already Have a Job
* Moving Your Career Forward in Tough Times
* Are You Disloyal to Your Employer When Looking for a New Job?


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Event details
- November 24, 2024
- 8:00 pm
Taizé prayer in the evening consists of singing songs from the Taizé community, centered around contemplative prayer. This is a beautiful service done by candlelight, and is popular with students as a time during their studies where they can draw near to God and centre themselves for the week ahead. These services are currently suspended due to the COVID 19 Lockdown.


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We don't have this item available for sale at the moment.
36 packs per box, 12 Cards Per Pack
Every Card Features Full-Bleed Photos, UV Coating, Foil Stamping and Holographic Enhancement! Look For Diamond Collection and Electric Diamond Insert Cards as well as Trade Upper Deck Cards!!!!
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Look for Michael Jordan's "Star Rookies" Subset Card!!!
Diamond Collection (1:18)
Electric Diamond (1:1)
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Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is an age-related reduction in one's central vision, which can make it difficult to work, drive, etc. You will not go blind from AMD, but you must learn to adapt to the loss of your central vision through a number of changes in your life style.
Below we will discuss some of those changes that can make for a positive outcome, rather than allowing AMD to be a total negative experience.
As with many challenges in our lives, a positive and open attitude can be the most important change you can make. Knowing that others have learned to live with AMD may allow you to adapt more readily to the effects of AMD, but some specific changes can go a long way in helping adjust to the loss of your central vision.
For example:
People live with AMD every day, and they live very full lives! It takes a great deal of understanding, adaptation, and support to make the transition from full vision to partial vision, yet, people all over the world are successful in meeting this particular challenge.
Source: http://www.ucirvineamd.org/
Other Articles
You provided assistance when I didn't know where to turn.
You provided assistance when I didn't know where to turn.


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Who doesn't love a simple solution to a messy problem? CDs can be bulky, messy and a downright eyesore at times. Not only that, but if a little one gets their hands on the CD, it could be done forever. Enter in Thirty-One! Thirty-One offers stylish, affordable products that are exclusive to their company. From their signature purses and totes to storage solutions that help organize your life, you'll find something to fit every personality and situation! Here is the adorable Littles Carryall, to simplify the messy CD problem. Can you believe all those CDs fit in that one little pouch?
Thirty-One develops products built on the idea that each item must be functional, fashionable and affordable with many different uses {and of course make great gifts}! One fun feature of Thirty-One is that most of their products can be personalized!!
Our Summer Catalog launched on May 1st… be sure to check it out! This month, for every $31 you spend, get the super useful All-In-One Organizer for just $5!! It is available in an exclusive fun print just for the month of May, in addition to all the regular prints available.
Not only are the products amazing, but the opportunity is amazing as well! Jillian started her Thirty-One business in 2010 as a way to get out of the house once or twice a month for some "me time". Now 2 years later she finds herself using Thirty-One as a means to support her and her three small children. Who would have thought starting a business would actually bring calm, growth, and encouragement to a person's life? That's exactly what happened. Jillian went from struggling month to month, to joining a group of women that she loves working with, making relationships that will outlast any tote or product, increasing the time she has to spend with her children, gaining personal confidence, and growing leaps and bounds in her faith.
Jillian wanted to share her Thirty-One story with you because she knows how it is changing her life and now is an amazing time that Thirty-One could change yours.
Check out Thirty-One Gifts Opportunity to Join Incentive!
Between now and May 31st, join Thirty-One for only $99, qualify in your first 30 days by doing $1,000 in personal volume (2-3 parties), and receive a $99 kit rebate!
You do the math…that's $99 back in your pocket, $250 in commission in your pocket, and $325 in products and business supplies that you will get, all for FREE!
Jillian appreciates the support and help she has received from the members of her Thirty-One family, and would like to share her story to encourage others like herself, ready to stop the juggling act, and start doing something that will be rewarding, put family first, and make working fun!
Send Jillian your email address if you would like more information on Thirty-One's OJ Incentive, or to be added to her monthly mailing list and stay up to date with all the specials and exciting new things coming from Thirty-One. Ask to be added and receive 10% off your FIRST order!
What else is in it for you? We are giving away a Thermal Tote in your choice of print with your choice of embroidery to one lucky reader.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Jill is sending me a bag to thank me for sharing her story.


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Swan or Pink Flamingo Floater - $39.99 With FREE Shipping!Highlights BE POOL PARTY READY:
Add a pop of magic to your summer with one of our huge Swan and flamingo water floats! Measuring in at over 6' with a weight capacity up to 400lbs, it's great for kids and adults alike, letting you lounge, play or race with your friends at the pool or beach.NEW RAPID VALVE SYSTEM INFLATES FAST:
Our giant pool floats couldn't be easier to inflate! Just set a hair dryer to cold and your toy will be ready in under 5 minutes. You can also use a standard pump for versatile convenience. You'll spend less time blowing it up and more time in the pool!EASY TO TRAVEL:
Heading to the lake, beach or a friend's house? Don't leave your inflatable raft behind! Each one features a quick release valve that deflates your float in only 3 minutes. You can pack it in the car for go-anywhere fun or easily store it at the end of the summer.PREMIUM QUALITY:
Made of thick, phthalate-free PVC and featuring ergonomic handles, our inflatable pool toys are durable and long lasting – Thicker than our competition! Their vibrant colors and smooth matte finish make them a must-have for every backyard. It's a swim time good time!


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Wing Vs Sails
Theory of lift
General information
The latest version:
Mark IV
This wing is based on a rotating A frame mast, that supports the wing in both sides, having an accurate wing profile as well as high moment of inertia.
It is made of three different sails - two main sails and one leading edge sail. All three sails are sliding independently along the mast. When all three sails are hoisted, we get a wing that one can reef and drop like any other standard sail.
Mark IV
shorter mast,
V shape boom, optional
, square top main sails, and the choice between standard tracks and cars (cruising version) or
luff lines (performance version).
The wing area is 69m², which is about 85% of the standard Elan 37 sails area.
Yachting monthly
tests Omer wing:
A new video clip of Omer self tacking
Why Wing-Sails
As a former fighter pilot and an enthusiastic sailor for long time,
I retired
early in order to be able to spend more time sailing. While sailing a lot, I discovered that there are a lot of similarities between flying and sailing, such as driving a machine on fluids, no brakes, windage effects on the bow / stern, the propeller walk, navigation, etc., However, the most and remarkable similarity between airplanes and boats is the use of lift force.
Airplanes use lift force, created on the wing due to the air flow around it, in order to hold the airplane up in the air. Sailing boats use the lift force, created on the sails due to the same airflow around the sails, as their driving force.
There were always the questions of why do we still
sail around with inefficient rigs, all
bound up with complex rigging and high compression loads? Why do we try to make the sails look like wings rather than using the wing itself? Why do we use sails, although it is very well known that wings have a higher lift/drag ratio than sails, and therefore, can provide more driving force to the boat? Why do we use sails when wing's working angle of attack is smaller than that of a sail, and consequently, enables pointing higher?
I found that the answer to all these questions was
not the theory of aerodynamics. It was
the availability of the right technology!! There was no efficient wing, with a simple structure, easy to use, reliable, light weight, inexpensive, and good for all sailors in any weather condition. This is where I decided to go into it, and to try to
develop a wing sail that meets these demands.
As usual, there are always trade-offs and compromise, as well as several different approaches to solving a problem.
The first approach is the hard (rigid) wing.
This type of a wing sail is the closest to aircraft wing. It is aerodynamically efficient, has higher aspect ratio and performance with relatively small sail area. The trade-offs are: it has a complex structure in order to enable variable geometry. It is not reefable. It cannot be folded down. It does not have enough sail area in running down wind, and it is very expensive. Hard wing sails are very efficient for extreme speed sailing, for racers and professional sailors, and for other exotic uses.
The second approach is the soft wing sail.
This wing sail is made of sail cloth. It can be hoisted, reefed and folded exactly like a main sail. It is not limited in size. It is easy to handle and is as simple as any main sail, with no complex mechanics and no "tail" rudders. The wing turns and wind vanes spontaneously, uncomplicated variable camber system (done by changing the angle between the mast and the boom), no hinges, trailing edge twists naturally, no moving parts, no problems on anchor or in the marina, and it is relatively inexpensive. The trade- offs are: Soft wing sails are less aerodynamically efficient. They need bigger sail area (good for downwind), and one has to hoist and fold it and to keep on with handling sails and sail cloth.
Soft wing sails are good for cruisers and cruiser / racers, and are suitable and robust for recreational service.
I truly believe that wings (of all kinds) are the next step in the evolution of sails.
Ilan Gonen
Mark IV
Mark IV
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The Brunch Dish: Country Grits with Smoked Maple Syrup at Fatty Cue, Williamsburg
Brunch menus to do your weekend right.
The country grits ($5) on Fatty Cue's brunch menu are listed as an "extra" but you shouldn't treat them as optional. They're a fine specimen, with a perfectly creamy and toothsome texture (they're from Anson Mills, so that's pretty much expected). What makes them great, though, is the addition of smoked maple syrup and a generous pat of butter. They manage a delicious sweet-salty balance, a bit like Kettle Corn. We devoured them even as we got dangerously full.
The Curried Black Eye Peas ($14) wasn't as successful, unfortunately. The Black Eye Peas themselves were well-seasoned, just lightly spiced, but they weren't quite tender. The burnt ends stirred into the mix were just soft bits of cut-up meat, without any fatty/crispy edges or charred bits. The eggs on top were perfectly cooked, though, and the Texas toast was well-buttered. Next time, I might just go for the palm syrup glazed pork ribs.
If I worked at a small restaurant (or owned one) and the coffee machine broke, it probably wouldn't take long for me go out and buy a French press to help out my poor caffeine-addicted brunch customers. Or at least some tea bags. The day we ate at Fatty Cue, our waiter told us that because of the broken machine, there wasn't a single caffeinated drink available. Instead, there was the 'Cue Bloody Mary, ($8) which was smoky and tart, with a horseradish kick and plenty of fresh-tasting flavor. Luckily the neighborhood has some solid coffee options elsewhere.
Fatty Cue
91 South 6th Street, New York NY 11211(map)
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Snippet Name: Echo 'n' number of words
Description: To get the first 250 words offset you can use php.net/stripos in a loop like this.
Comment: (none)
Language: PHP
Highlight Mode: PHP
Last Modified: February 27th, 2009
Description: To get the first 250 words offset you can use php.net/stripos in a loop like this.
$the_string = "a very long string of words";
$space_offset = 0;
$space_num = 0;
WHILE($space_num <= 250){
$space_offset = stripos($the_string, ' ',$space_offset + 1);
// after the loop completes, $space_offset will have the offset
// of the space just before the 250th word.
SQL University.net courses meet the most demanding needs of the business world for advanced education
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Cerulli Associates projects that custom target-date strategies will account for 22% of 401(k) target-date assets by 2016, the consulting group said Friday in "The Cerulli Report: State of Large and Mega Defined Contribution Plans: Investment Innovation and the Plan Sponsor Perspective." This would put the amount of custom target-date fund assets in defined contribution plans at $218 billion, up 370% from the $46.4 billion posted in 2011.
Given that target-date funds had overall second-quarter returns of 2.8% and 12-month returns of -0.5%, according to the research group Ibbotson Associates, investors may be looking for custom target-date funds as a way to improve returns.
Custom target-date funds can include alternative structures—such as collective trust funds over mutual funds, for instance —though mutual funds are expected to remain the product of choice for the majority of choices in plan investment lineups, according to Cerulli. Cerulli's research also notes that custom target-date funds "open the door for alternatives in DC plans," since alternative asset classes have typically not been included in DC plan portfolios.
"We believe that plans will add custom target-dates at a rate of 2% per year for the next two years," says Kevin Chisholm, a Cerulli senior analyst and lead author of the study, in a press release. "The use of custom target-date funds provides access for DCIO asset managers to the growing pool of DC assets.
Cerulli's research also observes that custom target-date funds "open the door for alternatives in DC plans" as alternative asset classes have typically not been included in DC plan portfolios.
The Cerulli report notes that plans with more than $1 billion in assets are more likely to use custom target-date strategies than plans with less than $1 billion. Cerulli estimates that target date assets in the mega market segment now total $139.5 billion.
"In addition, these products also allow new asset managers to participate in the market, outside of the few that have dominated the space since the Pension Protection Act of 2006 blessed these funds as Qualified Default Investment Alternatives," Chisholm explained.
Performance Push
The second quarter wasn't kind to the markets or target-date funds, according to Ibbotson Associates. However, both equity and fixed-income markets had decent 12-month performance results, based on June 30 data, though target-date funds have not kept pace, says the research group, which is part of Morningstar.
"Non-U.S. equity was the biggest drag on target-maturity performance" in the March-to-June period, according to Jeremy Stempien and Cindy Galiano, both directors of investments for the organization and authors of a second-quarter update on target-date funds released in late July.
In the first quarter of 2012, target-date funds had average returns of 9%. But during the second quarter, Ibbotson reports, the average loss for target-maturity funds was 2.8%, nearly identical to the performance of the S&P 500 Index and almost 5 percentage points lower than the Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. "The poor performance was driven by the dismal performance of non-U.S. equities, which lost almost 7%," the authors explain.
Plus, the 12-month performance dropped into negative territory, with the average target maturity fund losing 0.5%. Again, this was "driven by the underperformance of non-U.S. equities," which lost more than 13% over the period. Over the past 12 months, the S&P 500 improved 5.5% and the Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ticked up 7.5%.
Still, assets kept moving into target-date funds, which benefit from auto-enrollment and auto-escalation features associated with many corporate and other retirement plans. As of June 30, assets in target-maturity funds totaled $431 billion. The "big three," Fidelity, Vanguard and T. Rowe Price, continue to garner most flows, and captured close to 75% of net flows during the second quarter.


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Life at № 42
I've been quiet because I've been doing stuff. On occasion my mind becomes exceedingly unpleasant. Critical and negative, to an almost crippling degree. This has been one of those periods. To counter that, I do things. Lots of things. I've finally started ordering my dressing room. By colour. Like all the other normal happy people do.
But I had to stop because I don't have enough wooden hangers, and so I'm waiting for more to arrive. So I moved on to sanding the windows in the landing. The wood looks like walnut.
Then I got distracted, so I took down a door that also needs sanding and painting.
And here's a glimpse at the apartment we're working on now:
In the end we decided we're putting in new floors and a new kitchen, but leaving the floor plan as it is.
I've been limiting myself to a glass of wine p/ day since right before Mike's hip surgery. I do not feel better in any way. The same way I don't feel any better for not smoking since March of last year. Some days I give myself my glass of wine with dinner, other days I have it in the afternoon outside. The weather has been excellent. Like summer. Today it's 27º C in Mazamet. Another Indian Summer in the Tarn.
I was taught that Indian summer was a warm spell in the Spring … maybe it is different in Europe … where you have different Indians (from India?).
I love your dressing room. I wish I had that kind of space. I once did and I hung steel pipes from chains at various levels for short and long items. It wasn't ideal because out in the open, dust is hard to control, but I loved being able to see all my clothes, rather than having them stuffed into small closets or wardrobes.
Other than suit hangers, I don't use wood hangers for shirts and pants, etc. Even fashion maven Tim Gunn (and others) don't do that as they have their clothes laundered so they come back already on hangers and taking them off of those to be put on others is tedious. I do my own laundry (If you want it done right, …) so I invested in some very heavy wire hangers. They do not bend and so they do not tangle anywhere as easily as cheap, thin wire hangers. For pants, there is a cardboard insert available.
Here's the Indian Summer (his)story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_summer Traditionally the phenomena was referred to in France as a St. Denis or St. Martin's summer. But now Indian is more used.
Except for leather I also do all laundry at home. Did you know now you can get home dry cleaning machines? The other day I read an article that said you can get one called Swash for $500.
Spring? Indian_summer was always 2-3 weeks at the end of October which brought August like temps back. Harvest, and Oktoberfest and the like were always more pleasant because of it (if it arrived). This was East Coast US and Utah/Colorado. West coast doesn't seem to experience it much. And the Northwest hardly at all.
How surprising. She was only in her 50's, vegetarian, non-smoker, no stress of having a job…
Do you know how, Harriod?
Heart failure, it seems, there's a link to a page on her blog: https://kcbooksandmusic.wordpress.com/2017/08/18/sad-news/
Where's the link?
Yeah, I saw that, but it doesn't mention the cause of death. Am I mising something?
oops, sorry, here it is: https://kcbooksandmusic.wordpress.com/the-editors-column/
Sorry, no, just that Adrian (hubby) offered no further information on the circumstances when corresponding to someone in the States on K's behalf. Tried searching KJ Gib but nothing came up. A committed dog lover and rescuer. From her Facebook: "If I can give an unwanted dog a home, my time on this earth hasn't been wasted."
Try BNP supporters, or Thatcherites – or something like that in the search 😛
I wonder if, in general, mental health was better back when people had to work much harder at life. I know when I'm idle, (and my son is in a listless miasma right now 24, no job…) the funk we descend into can be difficult to breakout of. But getting busy seems to cure so much. Being productive, in whatever, appears to correct or at least curb, mental meanderings into the melancholy.
I think the whole structure of life in the past kept most people from mental meanderings. Everything was a lot of work. Even getting dressed was work. Undergarments, winter garments, and ties and corsets and boots with endless laces. And homes where people didn't heat "the space", rather they heated themselves by sitting by the fire. An endless struggle.
So you are aware that it takes quite awhile for the body to detox after being a longtime smoker, no? Same/same the drinking. Liver and lungs are like sponges. Takes awhile to squeeze them out. Acupucture and herbs can speed the detox, if you're curious. Little else can, that I'm aware of. As Hariod says, be kind to yourself. The mood thing definitely correlates to the detox in TCM terms.
Love that you simply get busy and do stuff – I'm the same when my head isn't right. First, I go for a long bike ride (but I do this regularly anyway). Then I strip and sand and paint and such. Take care.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who does one thing, gets distracted, does another, etc. I have a project of stripping my kitchen door of paint and see if I can get the old transom to work. Don't know if that'll happen before or after the kitchen remodel that we finally pulled the trigger on.
I certainly am 😀
Good! Another remodeling project, My favorite part of your blog. Why are you ripping out the floors? They didn't look that bad in the pic.
I wonder what ideas you have for the wall space above the clothes racks.
I was a heavy smoker, I've been chewing nicorette gum for 15 years, works well for me, I can get a little high strung sometimes & the nicorette gum takes the edge off.
Good on cutting back on the booze, you know what you have to do.
Do you ever listen to the blues, blues music? One of my favs is BB King Live at Cook County Jail. I don't know why listening to blues music makes you feel better, actually lifts you up, it's counter intuitive.
How is Mike's recovery going? Right at the 4 week mark it seems you make really rapid progress towards full recovery.
I would make a lousy therapist, I'm completely lacking in insight.
The floors look okay in the pictures, but in real life they're lino pretending to be wood!!! The wood pattern is just printed on it. I know some people are okay with lino, but I just can't stand it.
Mike's recovery is just amazing. He couldn't be happier. He still has therapy twice a week, but the limp and pain are completely gone 🙂
It is a good floor plan, but if I were living there, I'd want to knock down the wall between the kitchen and living room. I don't like kitchens that feel confined. That would also eliminate the problem of entering the apartment and being confronted with a wall instead of space.
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Welcome to the personal website of Ben Franske, technologist extraordinare!
People seem to come here from all walks of life and for a variety of purposes. I hope that in addition to your original purpose you take some time to explore the diversity of the site and learn something new and useful.
I've had various versions of this site redesign almost ready to go for about three years now and I've decided that waiting to get all parts of the site finished before it goes live is a losing proposition. Therefore you will almost certainly find areas which are not yet complete and areas with typos and other mistakes. Please come back in the future to see how things develop and if you find a mistake please let me know about it.


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Green Arrow #16
Green Arrow must liberate Seattle's waterfront from the grip of Harrow, a thug who's running guns into the city!
Things may seem dire for Green Arrow as he loses his grip on his town and his company - but if he's going down, he's going down fighting!
Cover Illustrator


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Fed: Economy growing moderately; no policy changes
Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve says the economy is growing moderately while cautioning that risks from Europe remain. It's holding off on taking any further steps to boost the recovery.
In a statement after a two-day meeting, the Fed said Wednesday that economic growth should "pick up gradually" -- a somewhat brighter view than it offered last time. It said the job market has strengthened slightly but that unemployment remains elevated. And it pointed to a pickup in inflation but said it should be only temporary.
The Fed stuck with its plan to keep a key short-term interest rate near zero through at least late 2014. It announced no new plans for further bond buying after a current program ends in June.
The Fed has pursued two rounds of purchases of Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities to try to push down long-term interest rates. The goal has been to encourage borrowing and spending.
Its decision to leave its policy unchanged had been widely expected, and reaction in financial markets was muted. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note edged higher, and the dollar rose slightly against other currencies. Stock indexes didn't move much.
"If markets were looking for any hints of further monetary (easing), this communication will be a disappointment," said Chris Jones, economist with TD Economics.
David Jones, chief economist at DMJ Advisors, said he thinks the Fed will keep another round of bond buying as an option through the rest of this year. But with the economy slowly improving, Jones said, the Fed is unlikely to implement such a program this year.
Critics have expressed concerns that the central bank has raised the risk of higher inflation with its campaign to push rates down as long as it has.
The Fed's stay-the-course decision was approved on a 9-1 vote of the central bank's key policy panel, the Federal Open Market Committee, composed of Fed board members in Washington and five regional bank presidents.
As he has at the past two meetings, Jeffrey Lacker, president of the Richmond Fed, opposed the late-2014 target date. The statement said Lacker didn't think economic conditions warrant a record low rate late for that long.
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will meet with reporters later Wednesday, marking a year since he began holding quarterly news conferences as a way to provide more openness about the Fed's decision-making process.
After their policy meeting in January, Bernanke and his colleagues had hinted that they were edging closer to a third round of bond buying. But since then, signs have suggested that the U.S. economy has strengthened.
The Fed first set its late 2014 target at the January meeting. That target date represented a move from last August when it announced a mid-2013 target for the first Fed rate move.
The Fed's benchmark funds rate has been kept near zero since December 2008. That means consumer and business loans tied to that rate have also remained at super-low levels. The lower those loan rates, the more likely people and companies are to borrow and spend and invigorate the economy.
After its bond-buying programs expired, the Fed in September began a $400 billion program dubbed Operation Twist. Under this program, the Fed is not expanding its portfolio but instead selling shorter-term securities it owns and buying longer-term bonds to keep their rates down. That program is scheduled to end in June.
At his previous quarterly news conference in January, Bernanke said a third round of bond buying, known as quantitative easing, was an option that was "certainly on the table."
But more recently, Bernanke and other Fed officials have sounded less inclined to pursue further bond purchases. Private economists expect the Fed to keep more bond buying as at least an option. They have pointed to the cloudy state of the economy in light of Europe's debt crisis, a potential new spike in oil prices and still-high unemployment.
On Friday, the government will issue its first estimate of economic growth for the January-March quarter.


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Hello everyone!
We are members of the World Archaeological Congress' Student Committee joining together for this quick post from Crete, Australia, India, Iran and the United States of America. We're representing ourselves and our respective 'days' of archaeology through this collage to highlight some of the diversity of who we are and what we do. Today we are working in the field, writing our theses, teaching our students and even helping out with the organisation of the DoA! While we're are all very different archaeologists and are spread across the world, what unites us is a passion for supporting and advocating for our fellow archaeology students through our work within WAC.
Have a fantastic DoA,
Marta, Jacq, Aadil, Sepideh, Courtney and Kate! (on behalf of the entire WACSC)