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When riding long distances, either solo or with groups of people, it is obviously necessary to carry a first-aid kit in case of a crash or other injury. What are the most important items to pack, while still considering weight or space? What items can be included in 'travel-size', and which items should be 'full-size'? What items should definitely be left at home?

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An Outdoor focused first aid course is far more important than anything you carry, and weighs nothing.... –  mattnz Feb 10 '13 at 21:01

7 Answers 7

up vote 13 down vote accepted

I bring enough to dress small cuts and stop bleeding, at least until 911 could get to me. If you're riding in areas you might not be able to be reached by emergency services, or if you have particular medical issues that need specialty supplies, a kit like this would insufficient.

  • Bandages/band-aids of a few different sizes
  • Gauze -- usually a small roll
  • Tape -- small roll, enough to tape a skinned knee and a little more
  • Small tube of antibacterial gel (like neosporin)
    See GaryW's comment, below, liquid may (or may not) be more appropriate
  • Advil -- I usually have this in my handebar bag anyway
  • Alcohol wipes -- one or two individually-wrapped

Other things you might consider are snappable heat packs, a knee brace, and something to put on bug bites or poison ivy for rides in the woods. If you're allergic to bee stings, you might bring something for that.

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I would also add: cellphone and money –  sixtyfootersdude Aug 30 '10 at 1:59
I'm not sure about gel, because IMO a gel might impede healing/scabbing. It may be useful for penetrating, when a cut wasn't cleaned, is partially healed/closed, and infected under the skin. Liquid can be better than gel, for first aid (and if you really mean 'first aid', you probably needn't worry about bacteria: the medics can look after that, first aid is more about suviving the first minutes/hours until the medics arrive, so controlling bleeding, breathing, shock); but liquid might be bulkier/heavier than a tube of ointment. Gel can be nice for pain relief, of superficial burns and grazes. –  ChrisW Feb 26 '11 at 19:09
@ChrisW - So noted, have updated my answer. –  Neil Fein Feb 26 '11 at 20:37

In addition to what's already mentioned, I bring a small vial of "liquid band-aid". It's good for small cuts, and with bandages it helps larger cuts heal faster.

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Yes, this stuff is amazing. Some helpful German tourists patched me up with this after a bad touring crash. Allowed my wounds to heal but still flexible enough to let me keep riding. –  darkcanuck Feb 26 '11 at 18:00

... it depends on your activity. Long-distance can mean so many things such as random touring, rescue ops or challenging sport. I use standard first aid kits and mix them with some prescription drugs, such as stress-relieving hormones, and essential vitamins, such as B12-vitamin in tube.

Travel size

My smallest first-aid kit is a small container that holds master link and some very useful medicine, very hard to notice (carrying always). You can hook it to anything like clothes or bags: small, unnoticeable and easy-to-carry. Cortisone and allergy stuff. You can get the containers here and here. I also use the red kit with bandages, scissors and an extra B12-vitamin tube to heal sore skin, cannot stress enough the importance of the last thing particularly if you are a male rider.

enter image description here

Full size

Then again my long-distance first-aid kit is much larger. Epinephrine, heat-blanket, resuscitation face shield, wound compress, plastic gloves, pain relieving gel, --. Some extra stuff are small saw chain, magnesium lighter, mosquito web and extra reflection vest. The picture contain some of my first aid kits. There are actually three kits in the same picture. The blue one is something I rarely need. The red one is something I carry very often, stuff at the bottom. The upper stuff is for very serious accidents, actually the yellow thing, epinephrine, at the bottom should be there. Other answers cover mostly my red first aid kit. I use the other kits with my other sport activities mostly dealing with water and camping.

enter image description here

Alert about the prescription drugs mentioned

Do not use the prescription drugs mentioned if you are not instructed to do so, particularly meaning the things such as epinephrine and cortisone. They do have side-effects so you need to know how to use them. I wanted to cover them here because I hope you won't get fooled by very expensively marketed placebo drugs such as "snake tablets" where the affecting agent is cortisone but usually in a very low amount as non-prescription drug.

The hormones work differently. Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, lasts a short time, luckily, the cortisone lasts much longer. The effect of the former is fast and short-lived while the effect of the last is slow and long-lived.

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why downvotes on this? –  user652 Apr 6 '11 at 19:46
I expect because you're talking about prescription/licensed drugs. In some countries it's an offense to possess those without a licence or prescription. –  Мסž Apr 20 '11 at 22:23
I take it the saw chain is for field amputations? –  mcgyver5 Apr 21 '11 at 16:54
@mcgyver5: of course not, the kits are more about stopping bleeding, lowering panic and just keep you warm until the rescue. I like carrying extra survival chain saws a bit light extra flashlights, I got it from DX here. You cannot have too many chain saws, they weights nothing but can be used for many things such as ice and wood. You can adjust them to bow saws. For proper survival chain saw, I would look for Nato approved versions, though I like testing low-cost options time-to-time. –  user652 Apr 23 '11 at 13:15

A cell-phone, possibly one that's specifically adapted to the purpose:

  • Switched off most of the time (so that its battery doesn't run down)
  • Therefore it's a spare (not your usual cell-phone which you're actualy using and running down)
  • Perhaps with a pay-as-you-go subscription (because pay-by-the-month isn't worthwhile if you're not using it; or, emergency/911 calls might work (you'd better ask) even if the subscription has ellapsed)
  • Perhaps unusually simple and robust (to survive accidents), or shielded/padded (e.g. inside a first aid kit's hard shell)
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This was a guess: I'm theorizing; not based on practical experience. –  ChrisW Feb 26 '11 at 18:53
In most countries you don't even need a SIM to call emergency services, so any old phone will do. Although in countries with poor cellphone reception in remote areas you may not gain anything by having a(nother) phone without reception. –  Мסž Apr 20 '11 at 22:22
-1: A cell phone is not first aid, its an (unreliable in many locations) means of calling for help. –  mattnz Feb 10 '13 at 20:55

I would substitute the tape and roll of gauze for a small ace bandage and a few gauze pads. You'll be able to treat the same injuries as you would with the tape and gauze roll but with the added benefit of the ace bandage to use as a brace. If you wreck and jam your wrist or you have a knee that starts acting up an ace bandage will let you keep riding. I carry Betadine instead of a gel based antibiotic, it helps the gauze stay put and can make it's way deeper into a cut. I'd also throw in a few safety pins, good for gear repair and digging out splinters.

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You probably want to take loads of stuff if you are touring from 'Angola to Burkino Faso via the Cameroon' with a whole bunch of people as 'tour guide', however, here is my recommended list for solo tours in 'first world' countries:

  1. Scalpel blade in sealed pouch.
  2. Tape to patch oneself up with, inch wide variety suffices.
  3. Small pouch of cleaning wipes ('Handy Andies').
  4. Water.
  5. Aspirin tablets.
  6. Mobile phone, money and debit card.
  7. Fleece jacket.
  8. T-Shirt.
  9. Pen Knife with tweezers.

The scalpel blade is for tidying up gravel rash, the tape to bandage oneself up with. I keep both of these items in the handlebar bag front pocket for ease of access. Sometimes I get a bit faint if I look at a 'flesh would' and it is helpful to be able to patch up the damage quickly without having to look at it for any longer than needed.

All the other items are 'in stock items' carried anyway. Warm clothing, i.e. the fleece jacket is important for those times when one's body does not do a good job of keeping itself warm. The spare T-shirt can be used for a larger scale bandage, in conjunction with the tape. Water is obviously useful for cleaning oneself up with, as are the cleaning wipes.

Aspirin does have an effect on blood and how quickly it clots, some people may want to take a different headache relieving drug, e.g. paracetamol. I don't have many headaches but I do carry a couple of aspirin tablets in my wallet out of habit.

The Pen Knife is a 'dual use' item for general camping, however, the tweezers have came in handy many times, hence a mention.

Fortunately I have only suffered 'flesh wounds' on tour (and mountain biking). I have yet to use the surgical scalpel blade but it weighs next to nothing so it gets carried. Only the tape is a real necessity, having proven its worth in the field.

I see that the sports-injury brace is cited by others here, I have never needed such an item ever, on the bike or off it.

For my first ever tour I did carry lots of stuff that others thought I should take and I bought into the 'better safe than sorry' risk-averse thinking. Three days in and I dumped off a lot of things that were not necessary and the 'elephant sized' bandages and other silly gubbins had to go. It came down to realistic basics for the first aid supplies - some tape to patch myself up with and the sterile scalpel blade in case of gravel rash problems.

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Wrist supporter (Either ACE bandage or one of those velcro slip-ons with a hard thing inside; one you use for roller blading)

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Monday, December 31, 2007

for you

For you, for all of us, I wish a new year of splendid things: love, laughter, joy and tears. Those are my top four wishes, heavy on the love and joy and laughter, of course, with just enough damp to add a piquancy to the others.

I am not happy about the state of the world and particularly of my country. 2007 was rife with disappointment in so many areas, foremost the new Democratic congress which never found its footing and was so inept, in so many ways, that I find myself suspicious of intent.

As of this very moment, there are 385 long and frightening days, 7 dangerous hours, 32 minutes and a variance of seconds left in the most destructive presidency in the history of this country. Since I've been sleeping better, I haven't been as openly enraged about politics, but in my heart there is a constant awareness of the urgency of this: we must have more Democrats in Congress come November and we must have a Democratic president. If we do not accomplish this one thing, the Supreme Court will turn against the vast majority of us and will become a tool for those who would use religion to control us.

Vote, vote Democrat, do not stay home, check your registration frequently, vote at the polls if at all possible, ensure your address is correct and that you're at the correct polling place. We face enormous challenges in fighting the corrupt thugs who would steal the last vestiges of democracy from us through caging and corruption. It will be an up hill battle to win this election and we must.

Resolutions will come and go and I'll make my own, mostly involving more time spent in silence, in the pursuit of spiritual connection. But the one resolution I will make and one I hope you will join me in and pass on is this: I will vote and I will urge others to and I will help register the unregistered and I will make noise about the corruption of the process. One thing, one act that can change the world and possibly save it: Vote.

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Monday, December 24, 2007

belated solstice wishes

A fat yellow moon rose last night and hung in the eastern sky for ages. It seemed full of promise, glowing and lovely, as jolly, in its way, as the mythical man in red who's expected any moment now. The darkest night of the year has passed and the days will soon be growing longer, bringing with them thoughts of a fresh new garden and that delicious sense of possibility that arrives with each new year. I hope that you are all well, that you are warm and toasty and full of hot chocolate and fudge. Happy holy days.

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Monday, December 17, 2007

lily girl

Trying to catch up here, 24 hours into having the computer back. I started at the bottom of my blogroll to see what y'all have been up to, because it seems I always start at the top and run out of time.

I read "The trials, tribulations and jaundiced observations of a gay man over 40 in the shining Metropolis of Los Angeles," otherwise known as World O' Jeff.

As a result, I started bawling and had to quit reading. Blame him. But not really, because Jeff's Lily Girl was completely unexpected and so full of love and emotion and heartbreak that it's still making me weep as I write this. Jeff's tribute to his mother.

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Friday, December 14, 2007

So many folks have written to inquire whether we are okay and I've had just moments on the computer since our power went out Sunday night. I'm having a moment right now at Kinko's/FedEx, so while a dozen Tulsans are glaring at me for hogging the computer, I am providing this brief update for those who are interested in our disaster. Sigh.

As a result of the ice storms which hit Oklahoma over the last weekend, we've sustained terrible damage to the trees around our house. The power, of course, is still off and we have no heat, but I am grieving the loss of the two beautiful river birch trees, my ancient pink dogwood, the old redbud on the south side of the house, my golden honeylocust, which provided such lovely shade in my living room, the bald cypress and a big chunk of my pecan. The sole, unscathed survivor is the black walnut, and I've never been particularly fond of it.

We finally got power at our local Kinko's/FedEx, so I'm trying to take care of some business stuff and it's WRETCHED because this is our busiest time of year and people are expecting their things and they don't give a shit that we're buried under ice. It is hard to run an internet company with no phone and no computer. Sick of my whining yet? Don't quit, because I'm about to start bitching about my hair.

This freezing rain crap sucks. It's just not cold enough to make real snow. We always hover right on the freezing rain temperature, whatever the hell that is, and then the ice starts to accumulate and everything's encased in an inch of crystal and then the trees start to fall. Tulsa is beautiful because it (used to have) has huge, old, gorgeous trees. Gone. It's awful and I'm so sorry to whine, but several of you have been asking and I have only another minute or two here before my fellow citizens begin beating me.

I was pretty perky for about four days, but I haven't been able to wash my hair all week and I really really NEED TO COLOR IT!!! and I am going to start screaming if I can't wash my hair and get rid of that little rim of gray there in the front that turns up without attention. I'm cold and old and pissed.

We have workmen in the neighborhood and if I can just GET SOME POWER and AT LEAST WASH MY HAIR!!! things will be a whole lot better. Fortunately, we've had enough candles so I can read. What a whiner. I can't shut up, but you're all fresh ears and we're all bitching at one another down here and no one wants to hear it anymore, so here you are if you're still reading. God, my hair!! Anyway, the candles . . . fortunately, I'd gone to the library on Saturday, so had a whole pile of good books, one of which was Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, which I think was recommended by Mark and Rodger or TeddyBear.

I LOVE THAT BOOK! and have been inspired to garden like I used to. I was just making out my seed order when the lights went out, so I've been rereading portions of her book for inspiration and hoping each mail delivery brings some fresh seed catalogs.

Aside from that all is well but I HAVE TO WASH MY HAIR!!! I'm feeling pretty edgy about the hair thing and, well, I just have to wash my hair. If I can't wash it today I may have to be locked up. Shallow? You bet. Love to all of you.

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Wednesday, December 05, 2007

25 years sober, dry as a bone

Today I have been sober for 25 years. At my first AA meetings, the old men would look me up and down and dismissively grumble "little girl, I spilled more than you ever drank." It took a while, but I finally learned to respond "well if you hadn't spilled so much, you might have got here sooner." At 23 when I hit the doors of AA I was a complete mess. At 25, having tried my version of the steps for two years, I was worse.

Alcoholics Anonymous. It saved my life. I learned how to live again, relearned all of the lessons I was taught as a child but abandoned in those hazy years of excess. Thirteen years of drugs, alcohol, men, crime. That kind of messy, dangerous, ugly living wrecks the conscience and the soul and the body. The happy thing about getting sober is that I've been able to live three lives in one: my life before chemicals, the addiction years, and then the gift of living sober.

I have been in the rooms long enough to see people come in and out and in and out and then go to their funerals. I have tried to pass on this amazing gift to folks who ultimately killed themselves. The disease of alcoholism and its near constant companion, drug addiction, kills. It's easy to forget that with twenty five clean years behind me, when the memory of my own efforts to die seem vague, as if belonging to someone else.

On the beach in Mexico, Mike asked me if I ever think about drinking. I do, of course. I don't know that any drunk never thinks about it. But it's the same way I think about going to Iceland or drilling for oil in my back garden. Passing thoughts, not going to happen. He thinks about it too, at 16 years of sobriety, just wondering what it would be like now, if it could be different this time.

That's probably the weakened voice of my disease, just a whisper, a question: what would it be like if I tried it again. Could it be different? I drank or smoked or snorted or shot up or swallowed something every single day for 11 years and for another two years I tried desperately to quit. Every day I meant it, absolutely, that this day would be the end. Every single day I succumbed to the obsession, the addiction, the craving for alcohol. It will never be different for me and I know that. Still the whisper, every now and then.

Walking on the beach at Mazatlan with the sun warming our shoulders, the waves washing new patterns into the sand before us, Mike and I laughed about the absurdity of imagining that either of us could ever have champagne at dawn on the beach (my fantasy) or a cold beer in hand watching the sun set over the Pacific (his). I'm not made for it. He's not either. I'm made for the funnel mouthed gulping of cheap vodka staggering throwing up three day blackout fucking some stranger waking in a seedy motel sick and hungover and craving more kind of drinking. Champagne on the beach is someone else's life and good for them.

To drink is to die and that's just a fact of my life. It's okay, better than okay. I wouldn't trade this life I have today for anything. I had my lifetime share of alcohol and probably most of yours between the ages of 12 and 25. To not drink is to live free and happy, at peace on the inside, able to experience life as it comes, to feel things honestly, to cry when I'm sad, to rage when I'm angry, to laugh till I'm breathless and to be fully present for those precious, pinnacle moments of exquisite, perfect joy.

Today I'm grateful for second chances, for the possibility of reclamation. I'm grateful to be blessed and best of all, to know that this life I live is purely a gift. Gratitude is the best feeling of all and I am grateful, today, for 25 years of a good life.

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Tuesday, December 04, 2007

i love lesbians and other random thoughts

It is still too fucking cold. I hate this damp chill. The contrast between the warmth and sun of Mexico and this horror is unbearable.

Coming home to little dogs is truly one of the greatest pleasures of life.

Finding the aloof and dignified cat in a very affectionate state is sweet.

Folks I met from Canada and Mexico and Panama and Peru and England and France also think Bush is a cretin and a thug. Not big news, but comforting. I asked everyone to have their countries send well armed covert ops people to rescue us.

I love lesbians! I found myself in need of help before we departed Mazatlan. In just an instant of looking around the terminal for assistance, I was suddenly surrounded by a trio of helpful gals who conspired to rescue me with a peso. Sweet, funny, no nonsense middle-aged dykes who left me feeling a bit melancholy for my activist years in the women’s movement.

Mexican butter rocks. And coconut LaLa yogurt is fantastic.

There is nothing quite like freshly caught shrimp, quickly boiled and iced down and served with a tongue-burning cocktail sauce thick with horseradish. Nothing.

No matter how nice the accommodations, hotel beds suck.

The average American we encountered in Mexico well deserves the pejorative gabacho. What a bunch of clowns: so rude, obnoxious, cheap, condescending.

Men who grow wide expanses of pubic hair should not wear teensy thongs on the beach unless they’re willing to wax. Or at least trim. Ick.

Snorkeling in rough water can cause a buoyant woman to crash hard into a rocky shore where escape entails a heroic struggle between incoming waves and undertow. To avoid broken bones and drowning, the only solution is swimming like hell under water, thus risking a close encounter with razor sharp coral. That the coral is razor sharp is evidenced by the gouges across my formerly pristine tummy. I am now waiting to see if the legend proves true: that coral will sprout from my wounds.

I was born to live a life of leisure. I don't know how I ended up with this one.

Blogger friends and pals can be missed as severely as "real" ones.

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Working Better Together: Print Shops and Wallcovering Installers

(August 2014) posted on Wed Jun 18, 2014

10 tips on how print providers can communicate with installers to achieve the best outcome.

Print shops and installers all have the same goal in mind: create an eye-catching end product that will be durable, enhance its surrounding environment, and please the customer. Sometimes, however, the communication and working relationship between the shop and the installer breaks down – and the result is something less than ideal.

Chris Johnson, the public relations committee chair of the National Guild of Professional Paperhangers (NGPP), asked his committee and several guild members – who do quite a bit of work with digitally printed wallcoverings – how print providers can better work and communicate with the installer when it comes to achieving the best installation. Here are 10 tips they’ve suggested.

1. Be sure to allow adequate “bleed” for both seaming and perimeter, which would include top, bottom, and sides of the digital graphic. Every installer has their preference, but 2 inches is usually preferred.

2. Top coat with a liquid laminate prior to shipping to the installer. Today’s water-based and eco-friendly inks are sensitive and can scratch easily.

3. Provide a print layout/drawing indicating each panel with seam placement and true center point of graphic.

4. Print shops need to be aware of the space to be covered as they tile the material. Allow the installer to do a site visit to assist in this, so there are no seams too close to certain elements – inside or outside corners, windows or doors, signage, built-ins, change in elevation, or any other obstacle. The installer might request varying panel widths or a specific seam placement.

5. Take care in packaging the completed material. Custom digital prints must arrive on the job in pristine shape. We are unable to cut out bad material and crushed ends with one-of-a-kind panels.

6. If one of the panels in the set is damaged or has a misprint, we recommend reprinting the entire mural. Odds are, printing a replacement at a later date will produce an unacceptable shaded piece.

7. Develop a common verbiage with the installer – keep in mind that we may not be well-versed in printing lingo. Communication is critical.

8. All wallcoverings require a smooth, primed wall surface. Although those working with PSV might install over less-than-ideal walls, wallcovering installers will find this unacceptable. Although this is not necessarily the print provider’s responsibility, if they are providing installation they should be aware of the need.

9. Please get the installation pricing hashed out early in the process. Printers will often print and bill in square feet, while some installers bill at more of a day rate. Allow the installer to provide a quote before labor is discussed with the client.

10. Check out the “Find a Professional Paperhanger" section of the National Guild of Professional Paperhangers website ( for a list of qualified installers in your area. The NGPP is implementing a “Trained Installer” designation for pasted and self-stick digital installations, thereby allowing manufacturers to refer trained installers of their process/product.

Did you enjoy this article? Click here to subscribe to the magazine.


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The Islamic Cultural Center: A Failure in Storytelling

Power in politics turns on being able to simultaneously control attention to an issue while also defining the terms of debate. A golden rule is to define yourself and your initiative before your opponents do. These underlying dynamics that drive the strategic communication process help explain the escalating firestorm over lower Manhattan's Islamic Cultural Center.

The terms of the debate were set early on by conservatives.  Seeking a wedge issue to inflame their base in the Fall elections, they seized on the opportunity to frame the lower Manhattan Islamic Cultural Center--located 2 blocks from the former World Trade Center site--as "building a mosque on ground zero."

That now ubiquitous phrase, a powerful frame device, stirred passion among a conservative base, activating a growing latent Islamophobia. Conservatives now have their signature issue heading into the Congressional Midterms and Democrats are left playing defense. The term has stuck, no matter how much mainstream journalists and others work to shift perceptions and the language of the debate.

But could things have been different?  As Washington Post staff writer Paul Farhi discusses in an analysis piece in Sunday's Outlook section, the controversy was enabled by the failure of the Islamic Cultural Center to anticipate conflict and to tell their story before their opponents.

The article is an excellent read and primer on strategy.  Fahri also discusses the responsibility of journalists on this issue.  Yet he skips over an important question: recognizing attempts to distort and inflame, why did it take so long for major news organizations to add context to the affair?

Following the 2004 election, there was much debate about news organizations showing greater responsibility and quicker action on correcting claims and providing context. Writing at the Columbia Journalism Review, Brent Cunningham proposed that journalism needs a rhetoric beat. I think it is a proposal that merits careful revisiting.

What do readers think? Did the Cultural Center allow itself to be exploited? Did journalists fall too quickly into the rhetorical trap?

Here are key excerpts from Farhi's article:

Calling the proposed Islamic cultural center in Lower Manhattan a "Ground Zero mosque" stirs up a far more passionate response on either side of the issue than calling it "an Islamic cultural center and mosque in Lower Manhattan." Strictly speaking, the proposed 13-story edifice at 51 Park Place isn't exactly a mosque, at least not as that term is generally understood (domes, minarets, etc.), and certainly isn't going to be a mosque that's 13 stories tall.

The proposed building would contain many things -- a cooking school, basketball courts, a swimming pool, child-care facilities, a restaurant, a library, an auditorium, a Sept. 11 memorial (!) and, yes, a Muslim house of worship, or mosque. It would be located two blocks from a corner of the Ground Zero site, in a neighborhood already packed with places of worship, including another Muslim prayer house that predates the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

Read the preceding paragraph and ask yourself: Doesn't "Mosque at Ground Zero" sound more like the sort of thing that could get opponents like Newt Gingrich to declare the project "a political statement of radical islamist triumph"?...

...Politicians, revolutionaries, editors and advertisers have long understood the power of a single word to recast and reframe an issue to explosive effect. By calling the estate tax the "death tax," conservatives broadened a narrow debate over the obligations of wealthy families into a question of taxation for all. Similarly, "pre-owned" vehicles sound a lot nicer than "used" ones....

...In Washington, naming a piece of legislation is a dark semantic art, fraught with deception and political manipulation. No matter what their flaws or merits, on name alone, it's hard to be against something called "the Patriot Act" or the "the Clean Skies Act." Calling anything a "reform" or "progressive" initiative implies that the reform is necessary or that opponents are regressive....

...Corporations try to play the opposite game. Instead of bland neutrality, they spend millions of dollars annually on names they hope will evoke a positive, emotional connection with consumers, says Hayes Roth, the chief marketing officer of Landor Associates, a company that creates names for marketers and organizations.

Ideally, he says, a great brand name is connected to "a great story." Apple, for example, is an ingeniously simple and resonant name for a computer because it suggests simplicity, familiarity and ease of use, all attributes for a potentially intimidating device like a computer.

This is where the promoters of the downtown Islamic cultural center/mosque may have let events slip beyond their control, he suggests: They didn't come up with a name that would have blunted the emotional uppercut of "mosque near Ground Zero."

The project's original name, Cordoba House, simply confuses the issue, Roth argues. "Most people will think of a town in Spain if they think anything at all," he says. But that name also plays on the fears raised by opponents; the Great Mosque of C?rdoba was built on the site of an early Christian church about 1,100 years ago, then rebuilt as a Catholic church a few centuries later after the resurgence of Christianity.

While C?rdoba also became known for its tolerance of Christians, Jews and Muslims, the name can just as easily be linked to interreligious conflict and conquest -- the kind of historic "triumph" that Gingrich is protesting. "It's not a clean story," Roth says. "If the idea of the building is to honor religious freedom in general and respect for others and to remember 9/11," the name doesn't convey that. Nor does the project's new, anesthetized name, Park 51.

Indeed, Roth says, the entire controversy might have been averted if the organization behind the project had selected a name that recognized the neighborhood as the site of epic tragedy and conveyed unassailable, inarguable intentions, using words like "memorial," "reconciliation," "international," "interfaith" or "understanding."

Not coincidentally, Landor recently completed work on logos and brand identifiers for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, located at Ground Zero. Landor's shorthand "identity" for the project is simple and to the point and unlikely to raise any hackles at all: "9/11 Memorial."

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text: Comments on: CycleOps JetFluid Pro turbo trainer review Bike Magic - Mountain Bike News, Videos and Reviews. Keep up with the latest Biking Gear, Events and Trail Guides at BikeMagic. Tue, 07 Jul 2015 08:51:37 +0000 hourly 1 By: The butcher Wed, 27 Feb 2013 19:27:52 +0000 Turbo riding is a must if you want to improve fitness, power and in turn overall race results. Alternatively just get pie and chips followed by lashings of vimto. Great review, when can I loan it?


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New trail for Gisburn Forest

New trail for Gisburn Forest

Bikemagic Bikemagic
Gisburn Forest
A new trail is on the way at Gisburn Forest

A new mountain biking trail is being built in Gisburn Forest, Lancashire.

A team of local riders have already hand-built approximately 60m of the freeride trail in the forest.

When completed in spring next year, the trail will be 400m long and will be suitable for riders of all abilities to hone their technique. Features will include rollers, jumps, berms and table-top jumps.

Permission and support for the trail has been given by the Forestry Commission, who manage the site. The Forestry Commission has supported the project by paying for an experienced trail builder to help design the free-ride trail. They have also provided tools and equipment as well as a trained forester who used a chainsaw to clear a path through the trees.

“This project is being led by an enthusiastic group of volunteers, which primarily consists of local mountain bikers,” said Martin Colledge from the Forestry Commission.

“They were seeking to create a trail with features that could help them develop techniques that the existing trails within the forest are not able to do.

“Following previous Forestry Commission work with volunteers that created other mountain biking trails at Gisburn, this local group had the confidence to approach us with their idea for a freeride trail within the forest, near the village of Tosside.

“I think that it is great that local people are getting together and are willing to work on creating features that will be there for everyone to use.

“And because they are working in conjunction with us at the Forestry Commission we can ensure that the trail blends in with the landscape and meets safety requirements.”

One of the leading forces behind the new free-ride trail is Ed Oxley, who has started a business – Great Rock – providing mountain biking skills training using the trails within Gisburn Forest.

Oxley added: “The Forestry Commission, by helping local riders to create the mountain biking trails within Gisburn Forest, has been really supportive of local businesses like the Dog and Partridge pub in Tosside and people like me.

 “They have definitely supported me with my business by giving me a place to operate.”

Next up in News

Lezyne and Schley join forces


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Monday, June 24, 2013

Velcro lessons

v e l c r o
Things I've learnt from mi cat, velcro.
x | Sleep plenty
x | Groom often
x | Absorb some sun, squint.
x | Frequent naps
x | Stretch often

- - - - -
It has been a good 2 months off-writing posts y fotos, and it has been a nice break. Took a complete month+ off twitter recently, the social platform I tend to use most, and that was nice as well.

Slow, mellow – here we go.

Thank you for reading.

  1. Sounds like a pretty good plan. Though if I were to follow my own cat's behavior, I would also run crazily all over our apartment every night, which might get annoying for our downstairs neighbor :)

  2. Bienvenida!
    You are not sure what's coming next, but you need to be open minded and welcome anything.
    No mucha musica Monday?
    Take care. Bye.

  3. Black kitties are certainly the best. I love my (not so) little baby so much. Their charcoal fur is always so luxurious!

  4. ps. let's meet up for coffee one of these days!

  5. Velcro is the best name and good advice too, I need more sun!

  6. GREAT photo of Velcro, and a GREAT name for a clingy cat!

with coffee in hand, sincere thanks for your readership ×


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Tag Archive for Massachusetts Bicyclist Safety Bill

At the BAC, good things come to those who wait

Eighty percent of success is just showing up.

— Woody Allen

Sometimes, it seems like the other 20% involves just sticking around long enough. At least, that’s how it seemed last night, at the meeting of the city’s Bike Advisory Committee.

Other than the council members themselves, there was only a small turnout — most of whom were there to discuss the many failings of the Bicycle Master Plan. And most of whom left — some in anger and frustration — once the committee turned to more mundane matters.

It wasn’t like I didn’t have anything to say on that subject. But after hearing all the other comments on the subject — and the DOT’s representative swearing she didn’t know anything about it — I didn’t think they really needed my two cents.

Besides, considering the state of the economy these days, that may be my retirement fund.

I was actually more interested in one of the last items on the agenda — a motion from the council that had been submitted in the aftermath of the recent Hummer incident, and eventually signed by six of the 18 council members:

Numerous incidents have been reported relative to bicycle and vehicle collisions and aggressive motorists (sic) attitudes to law-abiding people riding bicycles. Complaints have also been raised regarding the treatment of bicyclists by the Los Angeles Police Department. It is critical that the City respond to these situations and respond appropriately.

I THEREFORE MOVE that the City Council direct the Los Angeles Police Department to report on recent bicycle incidents and conflicts between bicyclists and motorists, as well as efforts to increase police officer training related to bicycling activities and applicable regulations and laws.

It was the last part in particular that interested me. Especially since LAPD had already found itself blameless in the Hummer incident.

When the time came, I spoke in support of the resolution, pointing out that it wasn’t just a problem here in L.A. Cyclists nationwide have complained about police officers who are unfamiliar with the laws regarding bicycling and the rights of cyclists, as well as institutional bias against cyclists — or in favor of motorists, depending on your perspective.

Then I pointed out that Massachusetts recently became the first state to require that police officers receive specialized training in bike law, as part of their new Bike Safety Law. And asked why that curriculum couldn’t be adapted for use in training officers at our own police academy.

Evidently, the committee members agreed. They voted unanimously to endorse the resolution, and to put the MassBike program on the agenda for the next committee meeting in July.

Afterwards, I emailed a link to the MassBike site to 4th Council District representative Larry Hoffman, who forwarded it to the rest of the BAC, as well as the mayor.

So, a small victory. But a victory none the less.

And one worth sticking around for.

If you’re missing a bike on the Westside, the police may have found it in a Venice Garage. Alex Thompson joins the chorus condemning Santa Monica’s bronze award from the League of American Bicyclists. Matt joins in on the other chorus, complaining about the failure of the new Bike Master Plan. Stephen Box questions why LADOT’s redundant bike map business stimulates the economies of Portland and Seattle, while Timur examines the maps that currently exist — and there are more than you might think (good to see you back!). Bike Girl wonders where you keep your bike(s). A writer for the Times rides the L.A. River bike path, evidently holding his nose the whole way. Even Iowa cyclists get sharrows; maybe LADOT can ask them what kind of paint they use so we can get some here. Bicycling’s biking lawyer examines whether cycling is a privilege or a right. And finally, just wait until Rush Limbaugh hears about this — Bike Portland outs the new SCOTUS nominee as a closet cyclist.

Massachusetts Bicyclist Safety Bill vs. Dr. Doom and his Disciples of Death

The last few days, I’ve been reading, with increasing degrees of stomach-churning disgust, the comments that followed the Times’ article about the good doctor’s not guilty plea on their L.A. Now blog

Stomach churning, because many of our fellow citizens seem to believe they are justified in using their car as a deadly weapon, should any cyclist have the audacity to annoy or inconvenience them — and that the good doctor did nothing wrong, despite intentionally injuring two fellow human beings.

Stomach churning, in that many of the comments said that the cyclists were to blame, accusing them of tailgating the good doctor — despite the fact that he admitted intentionally cutting in front of the riders, then slamming on his brakes to teach them a lesson. Or at the very least, that their obnoxious behavior somehow justified sending both to the emergency room.

And stomach churning, in the appalling lack of knowledge of regarding the rights of cyclists under California law — and the belief that roads were made exclusively for motorized vehicles.

While I recognize that some — but by no means most — cyclists may ride in a dangerously aggressive manner, it is disingenuous at best to blame all riders for the actions of a relative few. As I was discussing with an employee at a local bike shop over the weekend, many drivers remember the single rider they saw blow through a red light, but never notice the others who waited patiently for it to change.

Then there are those who don’t believe we even belong on bikeways that were designed and built for our safety.

So despite the progress made in L.A. with the Cyclist’s Bill of Rights, it’s clear that we still have a very long way to go.

Contrast that with the new bill that was recently signed into law in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Bicyclist Safety Bill applies common sense solutions to many of the problems we face everyday, on every ride.

Like making it clear that signals are not required when they would interfere with safe operation of the bike, such as when both hands are needed for braking or steering. Banning dooring, as well as cutting riders off after passing or when making a turn — something I’ve addressed previously.

And requiring that all police recruits receive training on “bicycle-related laws, bicyclist injuries, dangerous behavior by bicyclists, motorists actions that cause bicycle crashes, and motorists intentionally endangering bicyclists.” In-service training on the same subjects is optional for more experienced officers.

Imagine a police force that is actually knowledgeable, familiar with the rights and responsibilities of cyclists, and how motorists can cause cycling accidents — intentionally or otherwise.

I’ve been struggling lately with the question of what comes next, now that the Cyclists’ Bill of Rights is well on it’s way to becoming law.

As indicated above, I’ve made some suggestions for ways the California Vehicle Code could be changed to better protect riders and encourage cycling. (Scroll down to “Change the law. Change the world.”, then back up to see the individual suggestions.)

Another step would be to take the Cyclists’ Bill of Rights to the state level and make it part of the Vehicle Code. And require that drivers be tested on the full range of state cycling laws when they apply for their licenses.

As indicated in my previous post, Brayj had an excellent suggestion yesterday, when he said that the MTA could be sued to force funding of bicycle-related projects. And Ingrid Peterson of Rearview Rider added to his concept by suggesting that it’s time for a local coalition of cyclists and lawyers to protect our collective interests.

But we could do a lot worse than taking the full text of the Mass. law directly to our state representatives, and insisting that they use it as a platform for reforming our cycling laws.

Once they get off their collective asses and do something about the damn budget mess, that is.

Australian riders blame helmet laws for keeping cycling commuters off the road. Evidently, New York Police ignore hit-and-run accidents involving cyclists — as well as requests for more information. And cyclists fight back against bike thieves with exploding locks.

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WR Mike Williams says his hamstring is full go for start of training camp

  • By Mark Gaughan
  • Updated 1:00 PM
    July 19, 2014

Bills veteran receiver Mike Williams, acquired in the offseason trade with Tampa Bay, said he is fully healthy to start training camp. Williams sat out the later stages of spring practices to rest a hamstring that had undergone surgery last year. He landed on the injured reserve list in Week Nine last season due to the torn hamstring.

"I’m fully ready to go," Williams said after Saturday's conditioning workouts on the St. John Fisher College training camp fields. "I trained this whole offseason. There was really no offseason for me. I kinda had to get my leg better. I had to get back to feeling like Mike again, like my mom always tells me. Today running that conditioning test made me feel like I was Mike again."

"At the start of camp, just did the conditioning test and I feel real good," Williams said. "I feel great. I feel I got an A-plus, if there was a grade for it. I feel I’m ready to go."

Williams, the Buffalo Riverside High product, averaged 64 catches for 910 yards his first three NFL seasons. The Bills are counting on him to add size and quality to the receiving corps.

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text: Changes in version 0.5.5: NEW FEATURES o multicoreWorkers() determines the number of workers based on operating system (Windows: 1), user preference (via the global option options(mc.cores=...)), or system capability (detectCores()). o bpparam() selects a default BiocParallelParam, from global options or, if that fails, the most recently registered() back-end. SIGNIFICANT USER-VISIBLE CHANGES o Rename argument controlling resumption on error as BPRESUME o Default to parallel back-end (multicore on non-Windows; snow on Windows). BUG FIXES o bpvec,ANY,MulticoreParam-method with fewer tasks than cores evaluates only the cores for which tasks are defined. Changes in version 0.5.2: NEW FEATURES o mclapply(), pvec() require only length, [, and (for mclapply) [[. o pvectorize() creates a parallel version of its vectorized function argument. o MulticoreParam, SnowParam, DoparParam (foreach-derived), SerialParam to parameterize back-ends. o bplapply, bpvec as parallel evaluation models. o bpstart, bpstop, bpisup for back-end management. o bpvec has a new argument AGGREGATE, a function to specify how results are to be combined. o Support for BatchJobs back-end added, via GSOC Michel Lang. SIGNIFICANT USER-VISIBLE CHANGES o BPPARM is now used as the argument name for passing BiocParallelParam instances to functions. o bplapply and bpvec now only dispatch on X and BPPARAM.


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Scorecard & Ranking

Our Pharma Integrity Scorecard ranks the 20 largest pharma companies and each new medicine and vaccine on key ethics, human rights, and public health criteria, beginning with R&D and clinical trial transparency.

Why are Ranking and Transparency Important?

The safety and efficacy information for the medicines we use are contained in clinical trials, the human experiments largely sponsored by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. These trials, how they are done and their results, must be transparent and publicly available, because:
  • Prescription guidelines, medical care, and formulary decisions are based on reviews of the publicly available trial information.
  • Thousands of people participate in important industry-sponsored trials each year, believing they are helping advance medical knowledge, which is not the case if the trials are unpublished.
  • Transparency is important for building merited trust in the life sciences sector and their work: As few as 12% of Americans trust that drug companies are honest and ethical. This distrust can be a substantial barrier to patients participating in clinical trials and to patients taking their medicines.

  • Only two companies publicly disclosed 100% of their drugs’ clinical trial results.

    About half of all clinical trial results are publicly disclosed.

    Positive results are twice as likely to be published as unfavorable results.
    Not publishing negative results undermines evidence-based medicine and puts millions of patients at risk for using ineffective or unsafe drugs [including for common ailments like arthritis, depression and high cholesterol].
    — Institute of Medicine, (U.S.) Committee on Conflict of Interest in Medical Research, Education, and Practice


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WALBRIDGE, Henry Sanford, (1801 - 1869)

WALBRIDGE, Henry Sanford, (cousin of Hiram Walbridge), a Representative from New York; born in Norwich, Conn., April 8, 1801; attended school in Bennington, Vt.; moved to Ithaca, Tompkins County, N.Y., in 1820; studied law; was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Ithaca; clerk of the board of supervisors of Tompkins County in 1824; member of the State assembly in 1829; president of the village council of Ithaca, Tompkins County, in 1829 and again in 1842; again a member of the State assembly in 1846; elected as a Whig to the Thirty-second Congress (March 4, 1851-March 3, 1853); declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1852; trustee of Ithaca Academy 1858-1868; judge and surrogate of Tompkins County 1859-1868; moved to Leonia, N.J., in 1868 and practiced law in New York City; killed in a railroad accident at Bergen Tunnel near Hoboken, N.J., January 27, 1869; interment in Ithaca City Cemetery, Ithaca, N.Y.


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t f p g+ YouTube icon

ECF > Meet the Grantees > From Monkeys or from Dirt? Cognitive Science and Human Origins

Meet the Grantees

This project is supported by The BioLogos Foundation’s Evolution & Christian Faith program. BioLogos does not necessarily endorse the views expressed by the Project Leader(s) or their institution, nor do the Project Leader(s) or their institution necessarily endorse the views expressed by BioLogos.

From Monkeys or from Dirt? Cognitive Science and Human Origins

Bethel University
Dr. Adam Johnson

Evolution appears to provide the best scientific account for many aspects of human and animal biology. However, evolutionary accounts of human origins – even those consistent with theism – are poorly understood and accepted within many Christian communities. Why? Although this observation is frequently explained in terms of social or theological responses, we hypothesize that the cognitive demands associated with constructing a coherent scientific, philosophical, or theological account ofhuman origins push many people to their natural cognitive limit and, consequently, shape these origins discussions.

Constructing a coherent account of human origins requires vast memory resources and comprehension – more than most people freely have available in our busy world.We hypothesize that the cognitive burden embedded within human origins discussions produce a variety of emotional responses that influence origins discussions. Overly complicated discussions produce negative emotions such as exhaustion, frustration and cognitive dissonance. We tend to avoid ideas and explanations that produce such negative emotions. As a result, it’s often less cognitively and emotionally burdensome to neglect theological commitments – as in atheistic evolutionary accounts – or philosophical and scientific commitments – as in biblically literalist accounts. The cognitive perspective suggests that theistic evolutionary accounts frequently pose a variety of cognitive and emotional burdens that atheistic evolutionary and biblical literalist accounts do not pose.

Our research will examine the cognitive and emotional challenges presented by different human origins accounts, determine whether presenting theistic evolution as a narrative or story can overcome these cognitive and emotional challenges, and lead to broader discussion of human origins.

Project Activity

There is no recent project activity. Please check back later for updates!


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Take the 2-minute tour ×
Biology Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for biology researchers, academics, and students. It's 100% free, no registration required.

I was arguing with my colleague about this matter (I'm not going to mention which side I fall on).

Would death be immediate in the vacuum of space? For example, if I was suddenly teleported into the vacuum of space would I die straight away? Or would I experience a suffocating sensation?

share|improve this question
Sounds like a perfect candidate for what-if.xkcd.com! :) –  Daniel Standage Sep 20 '12 at 13:18
Please see skeptics for an answer: skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/8521/… –  rwst Sep 20 '12 at 14:55

1 Answer 1

up vote 8 down vote accepted

Nope, you wouldn't die instantly. While explosive decompression has never been tested on humans (for obvious reasons), the dangers of a vacuum have mostly to do with the pressure differential between your body and the now pressure-less void around you. The most fragile parts of the biological system would be the lungs and ears, and the instantaneous transportation would cause a severe case of the Bends if you were rescued quickly enough. You would pass out within a few seconds stated by NASA when an experiment went awry, and death might be from lack of oxygen to the brain, although after a few minutes everything bad starts to happen so nobody really knows what you would die of:

At NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center (now renamed Johnson Space Center) we had a test subject accidentally exposed to a near vacuum (less than 1 psi) in an incident involving a leaking space suit in a vacuum chamber back in '65. He remained conscious for about 14 seconds, which is about the time it takes for O2 deprived blood to go from the lungs to the brain. The suit probably did not reach a hard vacuum, and we began repressurizing the chamber within 15 seconds. The subject regained consciousness at around 15,000 feet equivalent altitude. The subject later reported that he could feel and hear the air leaking out, and his last conscious memory was of the water on his tongue beginning to boil.

share|improve this answer
"While explosive decompression has never been tested on humans..." Love it! –  Daniel Standage Sep 20 '12 at 14:32
not until somebody does the test with a chimp first –  Robinabo Sep 21 '12 at 12:22

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text:
Comment from: Aaron [Visitor]

I agree with just about everything Justin had to say. These are great casual minimalist shoes. Personally, I don't mind the design on the outside of the heel. It isn't noticeable unless you are really looking at them.

For me, the best thing about the Stems is the comfort. I've never had a pair of shoes that felt so good on my feet.

I have had mine for a week and have done two runs in them (total of 8 miles) in addition to wearing them to the office. I think they are great for running, especially in cooler temps.

I really hope Stem will come out with a running version with more ventilation and maybe some more durable rubber on the sole. I haven't seen any noticeable wear on mine thus far, but I'm sure it will come with continued wear.

For those who don't care for the current colors, they will have an all black version (including the sole) in March. The all black looks a little "orthopedic" to me, but I'm sure they will be exactly what some folks are looking for.

01/12/12 @ 12:30
Comment from: Ran [Visitor]

I wear these lovely ones for 3-monthes now, and I hardly take them off my feet.

If I don't need a Biz shoe (Where I wear the Merrell Tough Glove), I am almost with the Stems on me ALL the time. Sock-less..

I have no idea about the heel thing, you describe, I wear 13US.

These shoes are addictive, and addictions happen over time, not over night.

I wear them as shoes, as *socks*, as *slippers*, they play just about any role excluding Biz Shoes. I wore them in hot/cold weather (again, sock-less) and they preserved my feet very very well..

I love these Stems, more than I ever expected.

01/12/12 @ 13:37
Comment from: JorgeGortex [Visitor]

I was hooked and all set to get myself a pair until I read the fitting info on their site: not for narrow feet. Thanks. Such a shame, as my biggest problem is finding shoes that fit my narrow, below average length feet (8-8.5 C width [ideally]). I'd prefer to go more minimalist in my shoes, but when not even they can guarantee fit in shoes that look half way normal... its a sad day.

01/12/12 @ 16:09
Comment from: anne mccranie [Visitor]
anne mccranie

Thanks for the detailed review Justin (even the part about the socks!)I shied away from vibrams because they were so loud but in person the stems are very under the radar. You can walk down the street in them they don't scream "hey look at my weird shoes"

01/12/12 @ 17:07
Comment from: Hap [Visitor]

Am much enjoying my 'Origins'. Since I'm in my sixties I may not return to running, but I do get in plenty of walking. Today was my first day on a hill trail with plenty of small rocks. Great massage for the feet. For me, it's a comfortable feeling of near-barefootedness without the "Ooh! Ah!" walking-on-eggshells dance. (All depends on the surface, of course.)

I wore through a pair of KSO Treks and haven't replaced them. My lower ankles at the top of my feet seemed to stay swollen. (Product of flat feet?) Also I wasn't getting the kind of big toe alignment which Correct Toes are better at achieving.

Though skeptical about Correct Toes eventually bringing my big toes back in line on their own, I use them in my STEMs. Very comfortable. Worn barefoot with Correct Toes, the STEMs feel great, with no chafing or blisters. Like slippers.

Particularly enjoyable is attempting to soften my gait, the feedback from footfalls being so much more obvious. I can't say it's 'the way,' but the video linked below gives a sense of one overall feeling I sometimes play with. Yes, it's hilarious caricature, but I think there may be something to it. It's very short:

I am curious about how durable the STEM soles will be. (Must be very challenging to choose a rubber which yields enough for feedback and won't wear quickly on pavement.) I don't imagine my cobbler will be able to resole the STEMs. Will probably need a new pair.

01/12/12 @ 19:15
Comment from: cptp [Visitor]

I have been wearing my stems for about 2months now and have only great things to say about them. I have reccommended them to a bunch of my friends as well. Though I wouldn't go running in them these make some fine every day wear shoes; especially avoiding the, as one commenter put it, the "hey look at my crazy shoes" you msometimes get with the vffs.

P.S. I think the date is wrong on the %15 promotion. You have the year listed as 2011.

01/13/12 @ 09:01
Comment from: Ben [Visitor]

I am new to the barefoot/minimalist movement and I am running in new balance minimus shoe for the most part and moving slowly into my stem Primals. I love the stem shoes, I think they are great. At 265lbs, and having had two prior knee surgeries this is the best have have felt running in a very long time. This post is the second post I have written on birthday shoes that indicate that the stem shoes are more of a casual shoe and not a running shoe. I am not attacking either review, I am purely seeking information and knowledge. Wouldn't the very soft and pliable construction of the shoe be more in line with a pure barefoot experience than a shoe that offers more structural support. If you have been in the barefoot/minimalist game longer than my 3 months, I would certainly welcome any helpful insite.

01/14/12 @ 21:08
Comment from: Andrew Rademacher [Visitor]
Andrew Rademacher

Hey all,
This is Andrew, the creator of Stem Footwear. I appreciate all the positive comments above. It's a pleasure to work on this for about 2 years and see that people enjoy our shoes. The ALL BLACK will be available on March 1st along with a few other slight changes. We have more styles coming out In late Fall 2012, so stay in tune. Signup for our newsletter if you would like to be the first to know. Thanks again!

01/14/12 @ 21:12
Comment from: kai [Visitor]

When will these be available in stores in AZ??

01/14/12 @ 22:40
Comment from: Meredith [Visitor]

I love, love, LOVE my STEMs! I've had them for about a month and I wear them for everything, walking, running, and everything in between. They are super comfortable and offers a minimal shoe that looks good too. My husband is so jealous and now he wants a pair too! I can't wait to see more from this top requests are for kids shoes and a dress shoe line for men and women. Everyone should try them if you get the chance!

01/17/12 @ 19:18
Comment from: Vitor [Visitor]

What is seen can not be unseen...

01/17/12 @ 21:27
Comment from: Matt K [Visitor]
Matt K

I finally got mine today (delayed because of bad weather) and was absolutely blown away by how comfortable they are. I also got the Correct Toes, and they work just fine in them (in my Trail Gloves and Vivobarefoot Neos too). At last a comfy, non-flashy, affordable minimalistic shoe that lets me fly under the radar at work!

01/22/12 @ 01:38
Comment from: jem33139 [Visitor]

I read the preliminary reviews and bought a pair. I have wide feet and was looking for a "barefoot" shoe that I could wear casually. I tried the NB lifestyle but too tight. I tried the NB minimus mt20 in a 2E and still tight, so saw these here on this site and decided I wanted to check them out. I have had them for about a month and they are awesome. They fit like a glove and love the shoes. I just have one question, after wearing them for the whole day, the heels of my feet hurt a bit. Is this due to my not being used to walking with a zero heel shoes and have to get used to it or could it be the heel design?

01/22/12 @ 14:52
Comment from: Ran [Visitor]

Take it easy on the first few takes some getting used to such minimal shoes.

Wear them 3-4hrs a day.
If u start feeling pain, u can reverse back to supportive shoes for a opulent days to let your feet rests it, before going for another adoption period.

2 month or so & u will be good to go :)

01/22/12 @ 15:31
Comment from: Jonathan [Visitor]

jem, i would also suggest learning how to walk correctly in minimal shoes. we are so accustomed to regular shoes with heels, we tend to heel strike and take long strides when walking. try taking shorter strides and land on the mid-foot instead of your heel. vivobarefoot has a good video on their site.

01/27/12 @ 12:01
Comment from: sylvie [Visitor]

I got these Stem shoes and am wearing them with Correct Toes for my bunions. I've been wearing them for a few months, went running in them today and got a blister underneath my foot near the bunion. :( Did you have any blisters? I thought after a few months both of would have been broken in.

02/16/12 @ 00:57
Comment from: Emmanuel Santiago [Visitor]
Emmanuel Santiago

I've been using the light grey stems for about a month now. Good shoes. Very comfortable. My only comments is on the terminations, like the stitches on the right and left shoe in the front are of different widths. And the mall bump on the front of the right show. In the photo that you have up there the difference in widhts can be appreciated. Other than that, the shoes are excellent. And their customer service is second to none.

02/21/12 @ 21:35
Comment from: Hugo [Visitor]

Dang the discount code no longer works!

Who do I have to kill to get a working code?

03/24/12 @ 11:50
Comment from: Lynn [Visitor]

PLEASE more killings over shoes! Here's a code that is good through 5/15/2012 for $10 off -- "tech10off"

03/31/12 @ 22:35
Comment from: Kris [Visitor]

Hi, i was wondering if you guys and Justin in particular have any info on the sizing of the Leming. I usually wear a 10.5 in Nike (11 in Nike Free 4.0) and i really dont know what to order in Leming, a little confusing on the site when they say 10-10.5 (43 Euro)or 11-11.5 (44 Euro)
I'm from Europe so these Euro sizes really confusing me, any input here?

I'm looking for a wide shoe so i can wear it together with Correct Toes.

Thanks a lot!

11/28/12 @ 14:09


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The Impossible Layout of THE SHINING’s Overlook Hotel - Kubrick Wanted To Mess With Your Head

An extensive, incredible video examination of the mind-blowing sets of THE SHINING.

Happy birthday, Stanley Kubrick. In celebration of the master’s birth, let’s watch this kind of amazing video breakdown of the geography of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining - which, it turns out, is spatially impossible. At first I was thinking that this video was simply nitpicking at some design choices made on sets that weren’t intended to be fully functional (they didn’t build a full hotel, after all), but as it goes on it becomes more and more obvious that Kubrick was establishing impossible spaces. This becomes really apparent when exploring the halls around Room 237 and the kitchen storage spaces. It was purposeful design, created to make no sense, to be illusory and dreamlike. It’s amazing!

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#RoamAustralia with Europcar

by Nicole on July 6, 2015

Australia is a land of diverse beauty. While many of us dream of travelling overseas, sometimes I think we underappreciate what’s in our own backyard. From snow and great food in the south to water-based adventures and long lazy afternoons in the North-  Australia has you covered. To celebrate Australia’s beauty, and help you explore more […]

The Nobbies - Phillip Island, Victoria

On Phillip Island: Sunset at The Nobbies

by Nicole on April 20, 2015

As much as I love living in Melbourne sometimes you just need to make an escape! To celebrate my airbnb guests finding an apartment and my first article being published on Skyscanner, we decided to take a day trip from Melbourne to Phillip Island. Known for its Little Penguins (you can’t call them Fairy Penguins any […]

Post image for Into the Yarra Valley to Explore FELL

Into the Yarra Valley to Explore FELL

by Nicole on August 25, 2014

Have you ever travelled to see the places featured in film? Perhaps you were inspired to see Iceland or Greenland after watching Ben Stiller’s character in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty or perhaps dining at London’s Tapas Brindisa Soho after seeing it in the BBC’s version of Sherlock. But what about considering something a little closer […]

A Taste of the Real Spirit of Tasmania

July 9, 2014
Spirit of Tasmania

When I moved to Melbourne I declared that within the year I was going to take the Spirit of Tasmania from Melbourne to Devonport in Tasmania’s north. Sure, flying from Melbourne to Hobart or Launceston are options, but isn’t the journey half the fun of travelling to a new place?! Having just moved to Melbourne, my American housemate […]

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The Black Spur: Is This Victoria’s Best Drive?

June 5, 2014
The Black Spur - drive between Marysville and Healesville

Winding through rainforest, past tall trees and ferns, with the car windows down; this is Victoria’s best drive, perhaps Australia’s best drive. This is the Black Spur, 30 kilometres of road between Healesville and Marysville. The Drive Follow the Maroondah Highway out of Healesville and embark on your drive through the world famous Black Spur. Dipping […]

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Guide: Great Ocean Road

April 24, 2014
Twelve Apostles Sunset

The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s greatest drives. The 243 kilometre drive between Torquay and Allansford (near Warrnambool) winds through rainforest, hugs cliff edges and offers visitors the chance to see a number of renown sights, including the Twelve Apostles. Here are my picks for some of the best things to do on the Great Ocean […]

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5 Great Australian Road Trips

April 9, 2014
Great Australian Drives

There’s no better way of getting to the heart of a country than by taking a road trip. Exploring the small towns, getting to know the locals and having the freedom to to turn into any road should something catches your eye. There are so many options throughout Australia but here are five of my […]

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mass black incarceration

Carl Dix: Revolutionary Communist – Fighting the Plague of Mass Incarceration

by BAR editor and columnist Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo

Veteran activist Carl Dix discusses his early incarceration and how he became a revolutionary and a major figure in the fight against mass incarceration. The capitalist system has no place for Black and brown youth in this country. Its solution has been “to unleash its police like occupying armies in the ghettos and barrios across the country, to pass laws that target Blacks and Latinos and to build prisons to warehouse them in.”

Obama’s Takes His Prison Reform Con Game on the Road

A Black Agenda Radio commentary by executive editor Glen Ford

Never has a president been so highly praised for fraudulent efforts and fictitious accomplishments than Barack Obama, who now pretends – very late in his presidency – to have discovered the evils of mass incarceration. From crack cocaine to solitary confinement, he has mastered the arts of illusory reform.

How Poor Black Lives Matter to U.S. Capitalism Today: Reflections on “The New Jim Crow”

by Paul Street

The U.S. mass incarceration regime measures Black lives by the value that can be derived from their imprisonment. “The ‘new Jim Crow’ is about disciplining a deindustrialized Black lumpen proletariat and turning it into a largely inert, deindustrialized profit-source whose 'value added' comes mainly from the mere fact of its captive existence.”

America’s Slave Empire: The Resistance Movements Against US Prisons

by Chris Hedges

“We are not looking to politicians to submit reform bills,” say prisoners in Alabama, withholding work until they are paid wages. “We aren’t giving more money to lawyers. We don’t believe in the courts.” The penal slave order must be broken. “The kryptonite to fight the prison system, which is a $500 billion enterprise, is the work strike.”

40 Reasons Our Jails and Prisons Are Full of Black and Poor People

by Bill Quigley

There are many paths to prison in the United States, the undisputed world leader in incarceration. The process begins with hyper-surveillance that can last a lifetime. “Not until Black men reach 50 years old do their rate of police stops for this kind of treatment dip below those of white men twenty five and under.”

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8 Surprising Health Benefits Of Love

    Ain’t love grand? It’s fulfilling, exciting and, as it turns out, good for you, too. Love  can bring you more than just giddiness—it can also positively affect your health and well-being. So whether you’ve been married for years or are single and looking, the following evidence will remind you why it’s important to make room for love in your life.

    LIKE BlackDoctor.org on Facebook! Get Your Daily Medicine…For LIFE!

    It may bolster your immune system.

    Research suggests that happy couples who engage in positive conflict resolution have higher functioning immune systems than those who don’t, says Gian Gonzaga, MD, senior director of research & development at eHarmony Labs. He points to a study by Ronald Glazer and Jan Kiecolt-Glaser, in which couples were observed during disputes. The couples who displayed the most negative behavior during the fights also showed the largest decline in immediate immune system functioning. Those who argued in a more loving, positive way had higher immediate immune function. Looking to fight in a healthier way? According to Dr. Gonzaga, the key to positive conflict resolution is productively engaging in the conversation without retreating or “stonewalling” each other.

    It can make you physically fit.

    No, you don’t get to bid your gym membership goodbye. But, it turns out that couples who exercise together have more success than people who sweat solo. According to certified fitness trainer and nutritionist Jay Cardiello, “nearly half of people who exercise alone quit their programs after one year, but two-thirds of those who work out with a loved one stick to it.” Even better: Both men and women work between 12 and 15 percent harder when training with a romantic partner. Whether it’s the excitement of being together or the extra push to keep up with your partner, sweating à deux clearly has its benefits. To reap the rewards, try scheduling in gym sessions with your honey during a time when you’ll both be able to commit, like in the morning or during lunch.

    It might help you live longer.

    “There’s a long history of research that has looked at the health benefits of marriage,” says Joseph Hullett, MD, psychiatrist and senior medical director for OptumHealth, Behavioral Solutions. “According to a 2004 study by the CDC, mortality rates were found to be the lowest in married couples.” Dr. Hullett attributes these findings to the fact that, generally speaking, people experience less stress when they’re in committed, healthy relationships—and less stress means better health. Plus, it has been shown that when men marry they give up some of their risky behavior—like heavy drinking and smoking—which leads to longevity. Good news for your hubby!

    It may clear up your skin.

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A Trip to the Dentist
The Tooth Maze
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Top Menu

Scheduled Maintenance

Network Maintenance – Dublin

We will be performing Network Maintenance on Wednesday, Sept 2nd on our core network in Telecity Kilcarbery Park (DEG). We will be migrating two route reflectors to a new rack location. While no customer impact is anticipated, services in Telecity should be considered at risk during this maintenance window. Date: 2015-09-02 23:00 – 2015-09-03 02:00 IST […]

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Blacknight Offsite Technical Support Blog - Blacknight Hosting Network Status

Welcome To Blacknight.Tech

Welcome to – our new offsite technical / service status site. As you can see we’ve upgraded from the long “” to a shorter and simpler .tech domain name. As before we’ll be posting server and service maintenance notices, both scheduled and emergency. You can still subscribe to updates via your favourite RSS reader, email […]

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Recent News

ReelLIFE SCIENCE is a novel science video competition for Irish primary and secondary schools, which aims to promote Science in the classroom and beyond, by inviting students to produce a short video communicating a scientific topic in an engaging and entertaining way.
More information at

It is a Teaching Council registration requirement for all NQTs who have completed their initial teacher education since July 2012 to participate in the NIPT Workshop Programme. NQTs have three years from their initial date of registration with the Teaching Council to complete the workshop programme.
Blackrock Education Centre’s workshop series commence September 8th  Further information here

Excited 2015 provides an opportunity for those who are passionate about education to challenge, share and engage with others on the future of Irish education.  The festival starts in Dublin Castle on Friday, May 22nd at 7:00 p.m. and continues on to the Saturday evening.
Click the Read More button for further information.

The RDS is calling for Expressions of Interest from primary school teachers interested in participating in the 2015 /2016 RDS STEM Learning Facilitator programme to become peer-leaders in science and maths primary education.
Those interested in finding out more are welcome to attend an Information Evening in the RDS at 6pm on May 6 – please email to register your attendance.
 Full details are available at and the deadline for Expressions of Interest is Wednesday, May 21, 2015. The programme will take place in St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra across 10 weekday evenings between September 2015 – May 2016


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Kanye West to Crash NBA All-Star Game Halftime Show

Kanye West to Crash NBA All-Star Game Halftime Show

by Robert Littal | Posted on Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

Yeezy is the Old Dirty Bastard of our times.

Not exactly sure what is going to happen when he shows up, but according to Deadspin he is planning to make a grand appearance at Halftime of the NBA All-Star Game.

West sat courtside at last Friday’s Knicks-Lakers game, and our source also says the two will have some kind of star-studded event this weekend. Anyone have the energy for another bounty hunt? The weather will be nicer in Los Angeles.

On Sunday, expect to hear “All of the Lights,” the thumping Kanye track which featured Rihanna, Elton John and Fergie and Alicia Keys and a bunch of other people who are professional musicians.

I thought “All of the Lights” was the best track on his CD (much better than the overrated “Monster”).

I am sure the NBA will have someone available to cut his mic in 2.7 seconds if it appears he is about to say something crazy about Yao Ming continually getting voted as a starter or something to that effect.

About the Author

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  1. Rod says:

    Runaway, Devil in a new dress, blame game>>All of the Lights

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Michael Turner Wants Maria Grissom Banned From Twitter | Robert Littal Presents BlackSportsOnline

Falcons Michael Turner Wants Maria Grissom Banned From Tweeting About Day Care Payments

by Robert Littal | Posted on Sunday, April 29th, 2012
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Michael Turner is desperately trying to catch up with Antonio Cromartie as the player with the most kids by the most women (7 kids by 5 women).

For the most part he has been lowkey about it until a fight broke out at his residence a few months ago (Michael Turner’s Girlfriend Attacks His Pregnant Baby Mama With Golf Club).

Turner went to court to basically try silence his baby mamas, but doesn’t seem to be working out too well.

Turner and baby mama Maria Grissom are battling in court over Turner’s daycare payments for their daughter. According to documents filed in Georgia, Grissom claims the Atlanta Falcons superstar NEVER pays his daughter’s school money on time is demanding he pay her up to four years in advance … to the tune of $59,121.

But Turner is firing back … claiming he DOES pay the school on time and it’s Grissom who is in the wrong … blasting his personal life drama all over her Twitter account in violation of their court agreement.

In the docs, Grissom admits to the Twitter rampage, but is adamant that it’s Turner’s fault … claiming she had to defend her reputation ever since one of Turner’s OTHER baby mamas (he has5 in all) was involved in a “ghetto fight” at his house that made national news.

I am not sure how you can ban someone from Tweeting, she could always start a fake account and Tweet whatever she likes. Deion Sanders would file a police report, but I digress.

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Photos: Caroline Wozniacki Engagement Ring From Rory McIlroy | Robert Littal Presents BlackSportsOnline

Rory McIlroy & Caroline Wozniacki Get Engaged; Photos of Ring

by Robert Littal | Posted on Wednesday, January 1st, 2014
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Caroline Wozniacki Ring

A happy New Year to them.

They have been dating since 2011.

About the Author

Founder & Editor and Chief of BlackSportsOnline The Ohio State University Alum & Dollarnaire for Life

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June 2012 North Carolina Top Blawgs

  1. Covers statutory, case law and other legal developments affecting North Carolina construction professionals. By Matthew C. Bouchard.
  2. Covers North Carolina bankruptcy and workers compensation issues.
  3. By Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton, P.C.
  4. Discusses construction law issues in North Carolina. By Melissa Dewey Brumback.
  5. Reports on judicial decisions of significance to business and shareholders. By Mack Sperling of Brooks Pierce LLP.
  6. A eclectic mix of beer, law, legal issues, and what ever strikes John's fancy. By the Law Office of John Szymankiewicz, PLLC.
  7. Covers North Carolina workers compensation and employment law. By Pattersn Harkavy LLP.
  8. Covers North Carolina contract and tort law. By Maginnis Law.
  9. Covers family law issues in North Carolina. By McIlveen Family Law Firm.
  10. Covers North Carolina divorce, child custody and child support issues. By Arnold & Smith.
  11. Covers businesses, trends, technology and venture investing in the Southeast. By Jason Caplain.
  12. Covers workers' compensation procedures. By Lee Law Offices.
  13. Legal news and analysis on matters affecting financial institutions and other businesses, with an emphasis on North Carolina. By Matt Cordell.
  14. Covers car accidents and premises liability. By Lee Law Offices, P.A.
  15. Covers DUI defense in North Carolina. By David A. Bauernfeind.
  16. Covers North Carolina criminal law and procedure. From the UNC School of Government.
  17. Provides insight and commentary on SEC enforcement actions. By Brooks Pierce.
  18. Covers car accidents, drunk driving, and injuries to children. By Lee Law Offices.
  19. Covers litigation in North Carolina including construction law, personal injury, insurance, N.C. Court of Appeals and N.C. Supreme Court opinions. By Angela Jolly.
  20. Covers trade secrets and trade legislation with a focus on the Southeastern states. By Press Millen and Todd Sullivan of Womble Carlyle.


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Gator Basketball March Prospectus

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Gator Basketball March Prospectus

Written by James Brown, Co-Founder

The road to the NCAAs for the Florida Gators men’s basketball team will be tough.  If they didn’t lose to the Georgia, I’d say they are in (barring an oh-for-the rest-of-the-season scenario).

This weekend, they play Tennessee at home, then go to Starkville (hosted by the Jarvis Varnado man-beast), and home again for Kentucky.  None of these are easy, and they need to win two out of three.  I don’t think single digit wins in ‘this SEC’, get you into the Dance.

Strengths and Weaknesses

This Gator team has one standout strength: team passing. During the LSU game Tuesday night, ESPN’s announcers quoted a statistic: UF was No. 7 in the nation in team assist-to-turnover ratio coming into this week.

It all starts with Nick “Wonderboy” Calathes, but does not end there. Billy Donovan always recruits big men who are skilled passers, and Dan Werner, Alex Tyus, and Chandler Parsons are all capable of picking up some assists.

Another advantage is that basically everyone on the floor is capable of getting the ball quickly out to a guard and starting the break, or running the floor and finishing on the other end, usually by way of a great pass from Calathes. Our offense runs very well in the open court, and Billy Donovan is great at calling set plays to get his team some easy baskets.

Our offense is a huge strength, until one of our weaknesses effects us on the offensive end. This team has a couple easily definable weaknesses. I can trace them back to really one thing: personnel.

Personnel, because we are undersized.  Personnel, because we are either too small (Hodge, Walker) or not athletic enough (Calathes) to contain athletic, penetrating guards on the perimeter.

Personnel because we are young (A-Rod will tell you this means ‘dumb’, Weird Al would add ‘ugly’) and that’s the easy excuse for inconsistency. It certainly explains why we either get ahead and slack off, or get behind and quit taking advantage of our team passing (how many missed shots as we fell behind against LSU Tuesday were way too early in the shot clock?)

Our lack of defense isn’t (well, isn’t always) because of a lack of effort.  We really are limited by playing an undersized center and a couple of munchkins.

The combination of subpar perimeter defense without an imposing front court presence forces Donovan to play more zone than he traditionally plays. Rebounding out of a zone defense makes box out assignments more complicated, but Billy D would rather make sure there is at least one body in the paint.

We actually are pretty good at offensive rebounds, but those are considered to be more the result of effort and athleticism.

Billy D’s reliance on the zone is also a product of our inability to stop athletic guards from driving.  He is taking a gamble that it will take some abnormally hot shooting to bring us down.  And it happened in Athens.  And, less surprisingly (and on a smaller scale), it happened in Baton Rouge.

The final weakness I’ll discuss, which was exposed in our only blowout loss of the season, is that our entire offense depends on Nick Calathes. At Tennessee, foul trouble forced Calathes to the bench. Erving Walker is a very good player, and does a good job giving Calathes some rest and time at the two, but this is still Nick’s team.

We fell behind by a lot at the half.  With Wonderboy, we won the second half!  I think all of the players are capable of making great passes, but when they see Nick do it, it’s contagious.

I also think that, with him on the bench for several possessions, we miss out on one or two extremely easy buckets he could have gotten us. That allows for opposing teams (especially on the road) to steal the momentum.

Postseason Outlook

This Florida team, because it is led by a player as talented as Nick Calathes, and because ‘anything is possible’ in March, could certainly pull some upsets, and make some sort of miracle run. But they have shown their youth in their inconsistent play all season, and at this point it would be folly to assume they could put together such a run.

The SEC Tournament is in Tampa, and this team is a top-tier SEC team, so they have as good of a chance as any to be able to take home the SEC Tournament title (their fourth in five years. Previously, the program had won zero).

But I expect the inconsistency this team has shown from game-to-game and even from half-to-half, or timeout-to-timeout, to prevail and prevent any type of run.

Of course, a year ago, they seemed to gain some perspective in March, and made the run to the NIT Final Four. But that would seem to be the exception, and not the rule.

This team’s weaknesses: defending the perimeter, terrible free throw shooting, and lack of a low post presence, in my opinion, give the Gators a pretty definable ceiling. Some team will be able to take advantage of these things in March, and, if given a bid at all, Gator fans should expect an opening weekend exit from the NCAAs.

Any Thoughts?

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Why The Prime Time Players Need a New Manager

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Why The Prime Time Players Need a New Manager
photo from wwe.com

The Prime Time Players have faded into the shadow of mediocrity without Abraham Washington and need a new manager to regain their momentum.

With AW in their corner beginning at No Way Out 2012, Titus O'Neil and Darren Young seemed to be on the verge of capturing the WWE tag team titles. In fact, they were the top contenders for the gold until Team Hell No defeated them for that position on the Sept. 10 edition of Raw.

Since then, Team Rhodes Scholars have surpassed them.

Without AW, they have zero pay-per-view wins. Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow have two in that span.

Washington was the spark that made The Prime Time Players stand out. More than a mouthpiece, he made O'Neil and Young a cohesive unit that compelled.

WWE overreacted to AW's Kobe Bryant rape joke and Twitter rant on Linda McMahon and released him on Aug. 10, 2012. His absence has lowered The Prime Time Players' status to that of The Usos, talented, but underused.

O'Neil showed off his funny side when he did commentary on Raw. Paul Heyman even went as far as to call it a breakthrough moment.

As much as sizzle as that performance had, O’Neil isn't strong enough to carry the team on the mic. Young is awkward and timid more often than not. A manager can make the team's interview more robust.

The tag team division is crowded and teams need something that gets fans' attention. Rosa Mendes' sex appeal makes Primo and Epico that much more desirable to watch.

Think of the great teams of yesteryear and just how many of them where flanked by a manager.

Hart Foundation had Jimmy Hart. The Road Warriors had Paul Ellering. Everyone from The Moondogs to The Wild Samoans had Captain Lou Albano.

O'Neil and Young can put on good matches as seen by their work in the recent tag team tournament.

Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio vs. The Prime Time Players

Against Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara, they played the vicious bullies when needed and the dazed victims as well. O'Neil and Young are both solid performers who will likely improve as they accumulate experience.

A new manager can recharge their stagnant careers and allow them to showcase those ring skills.

Plucking a face from the past infuses The Prime Time Players with the power of nostalgia.

It gets fans talking about them. New storylines all but write themselves.

Who will The Prime Time Players' Jimmy Hart be? (photo from wwe.com)

What's Jimmy Hart doing these days? What about Slick or Marlena? Alternatively, Teddy Long is around with not much to do.

Someone funny with great stage presence or just a pretty face elevates O'Neil and Young and the tag division as a whole.

A more entertaining version of The Prime Time Players makes a feud with The Usos or Primo and Epico more appealing. And like when AW abandoned Primo and Epico for O'Neil and Young, a manager adds the possibility of the classic manager switching sides angle.

The Prime Time Players are not likely to ever make millions of dollars like they suggest, but the simple addition of another manager would do wonders for them.

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Mike Smith Ran Perfect Race to Lead Palace Malice to Belmont Victory

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Mike Smith Ran Perfect Race to Lead Palace Malice to Belmont Victory
Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Mike Smith has won it all. He won the Preakness Stakes in 1993, the Kentucky Derby in 2005 and the Belmont Stakes in 2010, along with myriad other big-time races.

Mike Smith knows the drill. The 47-year-old won the Derby on Giacomo, a 50-1 long shot, via USA Today. He's been aboard some of the best horses of the last 20 years.

So it's not a surprise, then, that Mike Smith ran the perfect race at the 2013 Belmont Stakes. On top of Palace Malice, with 13-1 odds, via Bovada, Smith hung back just long enough before blowing by Preakness winner Oxbow for the win:

Palace Malice entered the first turn in fourth place, right on the tails of Oxbow. This is where Smith's genius shone though. An inexperienced jockey would make his move then, charging past Oxbow, taking the lead for a glorious few seconds before losing it again to either Oxbow or Orb, who was charging from behind despite starting nearly 12 lengths back.

An inexperienced jockey would put all his chips down, sensing his opportunity to take on the previous champ. Not Mike Smith. He knows better. He stayed behind.

The Belmont is as much about talent as it is about sheer endurance. It's a mile-and-a-half. It's the true test of champions. Many great horses are not up to the challenge.

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

That's why it was so important that Smith didn't make his move after the first turn. Had he done so, Palace Malice would've tired, using too much of his energy before it mattered. Had he done so, Palace Malice might have finished 12th, like he did in the Kentucky Derby.

In Louisville, Palace Malice got out to a blazing start, recording the second-fastest half-mile in Derby history. But it was too much. He quickly began to fall back before finishing in 12th.

The crew behind Palace Malice learned from that mistake. They learned that Palace Malice is not a front-runner. He needs to be in the middle of the pack, making his move toward the end.

That's what Mike Smith did. He waited until there was about a quarter-mile left, as he roared past a tiring Oxbow and took the lead for good. He built up quite the lead by the time it was over:

That's what a perfect race looks like. It's about knowing the horse and the competition.

Mike Smith is a great jockey, a Hall of Famer. When the chips are down, there are not many better. He's won everything there is to win. He's the consummate professional. When there's a big race, he's the jockey to call:

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