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Boat Specifications

Make: Wellcraft Boats
Model: 210 Fisherman
Year: 2013
Length: 21 ft. 0 in.
Type: Bowrider Boats
Listing: 1311806
Buyer's Tools:

There are those who fit fishing into their lives, and there are those who fit life into fishing. If you're among the later, this boat's for you. Fishing is first rate when you're surrounded by the tools of the trade: big baitwells and fish boxes, plentiful and comfortable seating, rod storage and so much more. With Wellcraft, you can count on the stable, smooth performance of a vessel designed with the fisherman in mind!

Grab your rods and hit the water in this stylish center console workhorse that keeps your mind on the sport of fishing. The cockpit features removable aft seats for maximum space and there's an enclosed head under the console. Rod holders, rod storage, a lean post and tackle storage tray are just a few of the standard features that keep this boat ready for fun; just bring the bait!
Draft: 2 ft. 9 in.
Beam: 8 ft. 6 in.
Fuel tank capacity: 101
Standard features:
Aft seats, removable, port/stbd
Baitwell, w/light and overboard drain, 26 qt.
Beverage holders, stainless steel (7)
Cockpit overboard scuppers
Courtesy lights, LED
Fish boxes, in cockpit floor, port/stbd (2)
Fish boxes, raised, forward port/stbd
Glovebox, helm
Leaning post
Rod storage, under gunwale, port/stbd
Skid-resistant surfaces
Tackle storage trays (2)

Anchor roller w/8" cleat
Anchor rope locker w/hawse pipe
Bow and stern eyes, stainless steel
Cleats, pull-up, stainless steel, 6"
Half dive platform
Rails, stainless steel
Rod holders, stainless steel (4 gunwale/2 baitwell) (6)
Rub rail, heavy duty w/stainless steel insert
Thru hulls, stainless steel

Accessory plug, 12V
Accessory switches
Baitwell pump, 700 GPH.
Battery storage w/tray(s)
Battery switch, dual, w/2 trays
Bilge pump w/auto float switch, 800 GPH.
Circuit breakers, helm, weather-resistant
Connections, electrical, submersible-rated
Full digital instrumentation
Horn, flush-mounted
Hoses, steel-reinforced
Ignition, safety interlock system w/lanyard
Navigation lights
Propeller, aluminum
Raw water washdown
Remote oil fill (2-stroke)
Steering wheel, stainless steel w/power knob
Steering, hydraulic tilt
Switches, weather-resistant

Access to helm console rigging/storage curtain
Dome light, 12V, w/switch
Head, self-contained (non-plumbed)
Liner, full fiberglass, skid resistant
Port lights, opening w/screens
Toilet paper holder

Optional features:

AM/FM CD player w/MP3 jack at helm w/ Speakers (4)
Backrest, removable for leaning post
Baitwell cushion, aft facing cushion
Bimini top, premium canvas w/stainless steel hardware
Bow cushions w/backrests
Cockpit bolsters, port/stbd
Forward console cooler seat w/seat back and bottom cushions, 48 qt.
Full bow rail
Head - self-contained with dockside pump out
Hullside color
Impact Red
Midnite Blue
Onyx Black
Pressurized fresh water system w/transom shower
Raymarine Package - A65
HD fishfinder/chartplotter and VHF radio (Raymarine 54)
T-top canvas enclosure (3-sided)
T-top, canvas, w/ PFD storage, rod holders, spreader light
Trim tabs

Evinrude 150 E-Tec
Evinrude 200 E-Tec
Evinrude 250 E-Tec
Mercury 150 Optimax
Mercury 200 Optimax
Mercury 250 Optimax
Yamaha F150 4-stroke
Yamaha F200 4-stroke
Yamaha F250 4-stroke

Australian certification

Trailer, aluminum w/brakes
Trailer, galvanized w/brakes

Contact Wellcraft

Contact by Email

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Contact by Mail

1651 Whitfield Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34243
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1975 Tri-Sonic 1700 Caprice BR Jet

Zodiac-Honda Inflatable Boats This Tri-Sonic jet runabout has a fiberglass hull, is 16.25 feet long and 79 inches wide at the widest point. The boat weighs approximately 2382 pounds with an empty fuel tank and without any gear or passengers.

Despite the fiberglass hull on this runabout, we recommend that the boat be kept dry and covered in order to preserve the value of the boat. Proper care and regular maintenance can help your craft stay nice and increase resale value. We have included some engine information since a boat isn't much good without a good, reliable source of power.

Information on this page is provided to you as a free service of iboats.com. Because this information has come from many sources we can not guarantee its accuracy. Even if this information is the same as the original factory specs, boats are sometimes modified. Thus, for safety and other reasons, it is a good idea to verify information here to make sure it matches up with your boat. For additional information, we recommend the iboats forums and a boating safety course.

Engine Information:
This boat may have come with the following or other engines :
(In the interest of safety, never exceed the manufacturer's maximum horsepower rating for your boat.)
   245 hp
   290 hp

Engine Parts:

Parts, Accessories & Upgrades to Consider:

Information on this page has come from multiple third parties and can not be guaranteed to be accurate.

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the Latest Deals, News and More.

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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

The Myth of America's Decline

There has been much written of late about America's decline.  There seems to be hysterical nostalgia for the 'good old days'.  Frank Rich writes thoughtfully about the topic in the latest issue of 'New York', the magazine, in a piece entitled, "Mayberry RIP".

Rich points out that the declinist panic is nothing new in America.  He refers us to political scientist Samuel Huntington who points out, in the Journal of Foreign Affairs recently, at least five other decline panics in recent decades. The first being the Sputnik moment of 1957, then the economic rise of Europe and Japan in the late sixties, the OPEC oil shock of the 1973, and a cornucopia of woes of the 1970s (Watergate, defeat in Vietnam, and the Iranian hostage crisis).  He then reminds us of the celebrated peace, booming economy and surpluses during the Bill Clinton years, only to be followed by the tech bubble burst and market crash, soon to be follow by 9/11.

Rich seems to feel much of the decline hysteria revolves around a sustained and rabid opposition to President Obama, a culturally 'different' President.  Intertwined is a new concept coined by 'the right' as 'American exceptionalism' which, in the eyes of  'the right', is a concept to which this 'different' President does not seem to subscribe.  The 'American exceptionalism' idea is actually a proxy for patriotism, as coined by Sarah Palin and the Tea Party, of course, a concept used to plant doubts about the President, a concept, bought into by the less thoughtful 'far right' in America only, who are already predisposed to dislike the President.

I leave you with Rich's closing thought as he ties his theme of the declinist panic into the Mayberry theme:

"Lost in all our declinist panic is the fact that the election of an African-American president is in itself an instance of American exceptionalism—an unexpected triumph for a country that has struggled for its entire history with the stain of slavery. “Only in America is my story even possible,” Obama is understandably fond of saying, knowing full well that as recently as the year of his birth, 1961, he would not have been welcome in Mayberry, let alone the White House. That his unlikely rise has somehow been twisted into a synonym for America’s supposed collapse over the past four years may be the most disturbing and intractable evidence of our decline of all."

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Great Worship at First Baptist Church - Greensboro NC

Sometimes I am more struck than other times with worship themes.  This morning I was particularly struck with the theme, and scriptural basis, for the sermon by the gifted servant, Interim Pastor Dr. Mike Queen.  For me, the somewhat familiar Old Testament passage spoke in a unique way to the issues and challenges of the day.

Micah 6: 6-8

6With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God?  Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?  7Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil?  Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?  8He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

"......To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Friday, July 20, 2012

Albert Einstein - Not Only a Genius, But Wise As Well

Help your children find their gift.......or a gift.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Thursday, July 12, 2012

"Flat Iron" by Peter Lik

I like old, corner buildings.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Old Soldiers Shaking Hands

Great image of two old Civil War soldiers, one blue and one gray. It was taken in 1913 at Gettysburg during the 50th anniversary reunion of the battle. Looks as though there could still be some bad blood between them. Wonderful, historic photo.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

"Southern Roots" - NASCAR in Greensboro

There are many things which can legitimately claim association with the label "southern roots"..........pecan pie, magnolia trees, story telling, college basketball, country music, beach music, Sunday school, baseball, mountain dew, on and on. But few activities are more closely related, or more instantly related, to the term "southern roots" than old-time stock car racing.

Above is an great image of a stock car race at the Greensboro Fairgrounds dirt track in 1948. The Greensboro Coliseum Complex now sits on the old Greensboro Fairgrounds property. As a youngster, I can recall being taken to a few dirt track races at The Fairgrounds in the early 1950s by an uncle. Great excitement! And "southern roots" indeed.  I haven't been back to auto race since.  I hope to someday.

Mt. Hood, Oregon - A Dormant Volcano

Earth's crammed with heaven,
\And every common bush afire with God;
And only he who sees takes off his shoes;
The rest sit around and pluck blackberries.

~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Love Thy Neighbor

Abe Lincoln Portrait

Extraordinary portrait of extraordinary Abraham Lincoln.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Historic Tax Rates on the Top Tax Bracket

No, I do not think the trend will lead to a Great Depression II as the graphic suggests.  I do think it is interesting to chart the rate on the top bracket historically.  Simply returning to the Clinton era rate of 38% on the top bracket would reduce the current national deficit by approximately one-third.  Makes sense to me.  If low rates on the top bracket was a jobs creator as we are told by conservatives, we would be awash in jobs.  Of course, we are not.

After the November election, my guess is we will get serious about this option, as well as many others, in a concerted effort to get the national deficit under control.

The Howdy Doody Show

Now this is a great picture. This is my good neighborhood friend Mike Warner (I hope he is still my friend after this post) with Howdy Doody. Howdy Doody was a children's TV program which ran on NBC from 1947 to 1960.  It was a pioneer program in children's TV as well as color TV. It was produced at NBC in historic Rockefeller Center in Studio 3A.

I remember the show well and it was a joy for kids in the 1950s.  I would date this picture in the early 1950s.  It appears Mike may have been on the show.  I will have to check with him on that. Thanks Mike!

Hypocrisy in Sports and in America

I never cease to be amazed at our society's hypocrisy around athletics and sports at all levels. Youth sports are said to foster sportsmanship and team play, yet we see parents bicker among themselves, and Dads press their children to uncover that aggressive side of the child. As we have seen at North Carolina, college Presidents turn a blind eye to abuses in their programs for fear alumni might not fill their coffers if the football program doesn't get to a bowl game or the basketball team doesn't make the NCAA tournament.

There is the issue of admission of college athletes of questionable academic ability who can win games. We pay coaches millions of dollars a year without any oversight. There's the fact that college athletics is a multi-billion dollar operation, as evidenced by the new BCS football national championship playoff, while players  are often unable to afford to a blazer for away trips or a meal beyond a fast food restaurant.

But the area of hypocrisy that galls me most is the simple conflict between what we say we treasure, what we say is important to us, versus where we spend our money, how and where we spend our time. We are all guilty.  The whole question revolves around our values, around what we say we value as a people and a society, versus what we do.

At the heart of nearly all issues in America is money. We are capitalists, flat and simple. What we say we value, good schools, strong churches, public safety, programs to uplift those who can't make it in our system........none are revenue generators. Therefore, in America, they suffer.  So it is with us capitalists.

But obviously, in spite of our hypocrisy, in spite of the conflict between what we say and what we do, in spite of our shortcomings, in spite of what amounts to our problem with public integrity, we've built a great nation............a nation with the highest standard of living, for the most people, in the history of the world.  But, no doubt, we can do better.  Each of us needs to do self-examination, to do our part more honestly and effectively.

The Fareed Zakaria Show and America's Bright Future

The Fareed Zakaria show on CNN Sunday afternoon, July 8, was once again excellent.  There was a five-person international panel discussing the potential shift in power among nations during the coming decades.  Fareed's book, "The Post American World", is also an excellent discussion of the topic.

The simple conclusion of the last speaker on the panel is that the future of America is very bright.  This observation was based on the discovery and conversion of shale oil into fuel on America's road to energy independence, the increasing flow of manufacturing jobs back to America based on the growing cost of overseas production and shipping, and the near certainty that after the election in November there will be both a will and a desire on the part of the American people to tackle the budget deficit and the national debt.

These are very encouraging indicators.  I, too, have confidence in the initiative, creativity, resilience, and responsibility of the American people. Despite the continue unresponsiveness of our political process and the unwillingness of leadership to work together across ideology for the common good, America is well- positioned, I believe, despite the "doomers and gloomers", to catapult into the mid-21st century as the world's economic and cultural leader.

I feel strongly that America needs the continued leadership of Barack Obama and the addition of more moderates in Congress willing to negotiate, collaborate, compromise, and cooperate to help achieve results, but America will move forward in any event........either with, or in spite of, Washington.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

The Fascinating World of Blogging......... and The Power

I never cease to be amazed at the potential power of blogging.  My blog, as you see, is a blogspot blog, the google blog service.  As a result, I am able to track statistics regarding the leading nation sources of my blog visitors as well as the number of visits.  Yesterday, alone, I had visitors from Russia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, India, Brazil, China, the UK, and the U. S.  That was a normal day.  Two years of blogging has resulted in over 25,000 hits or visitors.

Page views by browser type for this past week included Internet Explorer, Foxfire, Chrome, Safari, Mobile.  Page views for the week by operating system included Windows (181), Macintosh (37), Ipad (14), IPhone (18), Linux (27), and Android (4).  Referring sites included Google, Bing, Yahoo, News Google, and Stumble Upon.

I am able to track keywords used in the searches as well.  Some leading keywords in searches this week were "good old days", "Archie Bunker quotes", "Cape Cod Home of Lucius D. Clay", "Babe Ruth", 'Abe Lincoln death photos", "Eisenhower political memorabilia", and "Boar and Castle Restaurant - Greensboro NC".  And, of course, I am able to track my most visited posts, which this week included "Those Good Old Days - No thanks" (over 1000 views all-time),  "Greensboro War Memorial Stadium Memories", Supreme Court Decision on HCR", "Poker Playing Presidents", "A Political Family - The Carvilles", and "Curt Flood and Marvin Miller - Two of the Most Significant People in the History of Sports".

To be able to share that which is important and entertaining to me with the world is satisfying.  It is important and fascinating.  I encourage you to consider your own blog.  I encourage you to read a variety of blogs.  Links to a list of blogs and websites which I recommend are here on my blog (in the right-hand margin).  The opportunity to be in "community" and dialogue with God's world is important.......it's actually part of "The Great Commission."  As I put the word "faith" in the search bar of "ThePoint", my blog, I am amazed and pleased with the number of blogs posts which appear.  Put in politics or baseball and it's likely off the charts!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

RIP Andy Griffith.....A Great, Great North Carolinian

It's a sad day in many ways, but the happy, happy memories abound.  For a kid of my generation growing up in North Carolina, it got no better than Andy.  My favorite movie growing up was "No Time For Sergeants" (by a long shot), my favorite TV show was 'The Andy Griffith Show", my favorite actor was Andy Griffith.  Andy made you proud to be a North Carolinian.  He was 'one of us.'  He was talented, funny, intelligent, respected, wholesome, the absolute best.  It is a bitter sweet day, as I reflect back over the full, productive, entertaining, meaningful life he lived.  'Thank you, Andy', seems so understated.......but thank you, Andy Griffith......RIP my good, good man.

Blog Archive


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Punch card curtains

Jeffrey Garman made an ingenious set of window shades from old computer punch cards, a needle, and some thread. From his build notes on Flickr:

 52 172422910 80C947F1D8 We have where I work boxes upon boxes of these prehistoric paper punch-cards. I'm always looking for novel ideas to put them to good use again. Besides being good for blocking out the sun they also make good book marks and table leg stabilizer's... I think the cards I used were 'saved' Fortran programs.

(via MAKE: Blog)


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Train crossing Brooklyn Bridge: Thomas Edison film, 1899

Here's a video transfer from an 1899 film shot by Thomas Edison of a rail-crossing of the Brooklyn Bridge. As with all Edison films of the day, it ends spectacularly, with the electrocution of an elephant, the cursing of Tesla, and broad claims of credit for all the research performed by every researcher at Edison Labs. It originally retailed for $22.50 in the Edison films catalog.

Brooklyn to New York via Brooklyn Bridge 1899 (via Kottke)

  1. I think this was actually stolen from a French filmmaker, originally titled Le Voyage dans la Brooklyn Bridge.

  2. It is loathsome that posting this video isn’t a copyright violation. How will Edison be incentivized to posthumously ripoff more intellectual property if we don’t retroactively extend copyright for works from the 19th Century? Won’t someone think of the “inventors?”

    His estate needs to collect fees for the use of his works and patents in order to fund a lawsuit mill that seeks out violators of his intellectual property rights and garners millions in judgments and licensing fees. The lawyers of dead men need to eat too!

    Christ, what an asshole.

  3. Just a weird, slightly OT thought: the people on the left-hand side of the tracks… if they were, say, 20 when this video was shot and had a baby at home, and that baby had a baby when they were 20, that baby would likely be dead really old right now. Crazy!

  4. I had to stop it before the elephant stopped shuddering and presumably hit the ground. Seeing the acrid smoke rising from his body was enough for me. I sincerely hope to never smell burning elephant flesh in my lifetime.

  5. Just 6 years later, a real increase in quality in the San Francisco Trip Down Market Street (from 1905).

  6. Amazing coincidence! I just watched this film last week while I was researching what films we might be showing at next year’s PDX Bridge Festival. And while I can’t say much for the captivation level of this particular piece, Edison, the Lumiere Bros and a few others do make use of bridges in early film â€” a motif that has continued for more than a century. There’s a really great (and really exhaustively long) essay on bridges in films (including this Edison transfer). Good mining for our film schedule, even though we tend to be a little less literal and more tongue-in-cheek with our choices. (say, a Tron double feature with Jeff BRIDGES!)

    Here’s the essay:
    And for what it’s worth, the festival (where you might be able to check out this and other films on a sunny Portland rooftop next summer!):

  7. This lady, still alive, Eunice Sanborn of Jacksonville, Texas, was a 4 year old girl most likely playing in the yard while this film was being made.

Comments are closed.


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Hadopi was the jewel in the Sarkozy regime's crown of shitty copyright policy: a rule that said if you lived in the same house as someone who'd been accused of copyright infringement, you would lose your Internet access. Heavily lobbied for by the entertainment industry and hailed as a success thanks to dodgy, misleading studies, Hadopi is now on the outs. The agency that administers it has had its budget zeroed out. Next up: outright cancellation? EFF hopes so:

Citing extraordinary costs and scant results, a high-level French official has announced intentions to defund Hadopi1, the government agency charged with shutting off Internet access of individuals accused of repeat copyright infringement. Under the French three strikes law, Internet subscribers whose connection is repeatedly used to share copyrighted material may be disconnected from the Internet and may even have to continue paying for the service (the so-called "double pain"). The three strikes law in France runs contrary to principles of due process, innovation, and free expression—yet has unfortunately served as a template for similar legislation in countries like New Zealand, the UK, and South Korea under pressure from the entertainment industry. Defunding Hadopi may mean that France won't be focusing on enforcing its three strikes law anymore, but that's not enough. France needs to repeal the three strikes law altogether.

When copyright holders (working through professional organizations) file complaints about alleged infringement, Hadopi is authorized to contact Internet access providers and issue warnings to subscribers. After the third warning of copyright infringement is issued to a subscriber, Hadopi can recommend to a public prosecutor that the individual have her Internet connection terminated.

Read the rest

Hodgman's COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE, the box set

Benjamin writes, "Five hours ago, John Hodgman released a picture to Instagram showing his three works (The Areas of My Expertise, More Information Than You Require, That Is All) in a collected boxset edition titled COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE." Read the rest

Robotic worm

In another example of biomimicry applied to robotics, researchers from MIT, Harvard, and Seoul National University created this Meshworm.

The robot, made almost entirely of soft materials, is remarkably resilient: Even when stepped upon or bludgeoned with a hammer, the robot is able to inch away, unscathed…

The robot is named “Meshworm” for the flexible, mesh like tube that makes up its body. Researchers created “artificial muscle” from wire made of nickel and titanium — a shape-memory alloy that stretches and contracts with heat. They wound the wire around the tube, creating segments along its length, much like the segments of an earthworm. They then applied a small current to the segments of wire, squeezing the mesh tube and propelling the robot forward.

"Soft autonomous robot inches along like an earthworm" Read the rest

Adam Yauch's will: No ads with my art

Don't expect to ever hear the Beastie Boys in any Budweiser commercial, or any other ad for that matter. From Adam Yauch's will, the relevant sentence, some of which he hand-wrote in: "Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in no event may my image or name or any music or any artistic property created by me be used for advertising purposes." (via Rolling Stone) Read the rest

Clear-bottomed swimming pool atop skyscraper

This cantilevered clear-bottomed swimming pool is on the 24th floor of the Holiday Inn Shanghai Pudong Kangqiao. (via CNN) Read the rest

High velocity trading rendered visceral

The latest installment of Tim Harford's BBC/Open University podcast (RSS) More of Less has a fantastic and chilling look at the world of high-frequency automated stock trading, where warring algorithms execute millions of trades in an eyeblink. The story's jumping-off point is Knight Capital, whose faulty algorithm hemorrhaged $10,000,000 per minute, ultimately costing the company nearly half a billion dollars. But from there, Harford and co do a great series of examples trying to convey the sheer velocity of these markets. I've been following this stuff reasonably closely and had an abstract sense of it all, but this brought it home for me so firmly that it raised goosebumps.

Last week Knight Capital lost a lot of money very quickly. It was the latest chapter in the story of something called ‘high frequency trading’. Investors have always valued being the first with the news. But high frequency trading is different: algorithms execute automatic trades, conducted by computers, at astonishing speeds. We ask: is the rapid growth of high frequency trading progress, or – as some think – a threat to the stability of the entire financial system?

BBC - Podcasts - More or Less: Behind the Stats

MP3 link Read the rest

Interview with developer of 2MP cameras taking those amazing Mars photos on the Curiosity rover

As regular readers of this blog will recall, I asked a question of the Mars Curiosity team about imaging technologies during the post-landing press conference at NASA JPL a few days ago.

Related: Digital Photography Review now has an interview with the Mars rover camera project manager. Above, the 34mm (115mm equiv.) Mastcam from the Curiosity rover. This was developed by Mike Ravine and his team at Malin Space Science Systems, a contractor for NASA. Ravine explains how they developed the 2MP main imaging cameras used to transmit those breathtaking images back from Mars.

The slow data rates available for broadcasting images back to Earth and the team's familiarity with that family of sensors played a part, says [Ravine], but the biggest factor was the specifications being fixed as far back as 2004. Multi-shot panoramas will see the cameras deliver high-res images, he explains, but not the 3D movies Hollywood director James Cameron had wanted.

'There's a popular belief that projects like this are going to be very advanced but there are things that mitigate against that. These designs were proposed in 2004, and you don't get to propose one specification and then go off and develop something else. 2MP with 8GB of flash [memory] didn't sound too bad in 2004. But it doesn't compare well to what you get in an iPhone today.'

(thanks, Michael Kammes) Read the rest

Dery on Vidal vs. Buckley

When Gore Vidal died last month, Xeni posted the classic TV highlight (lowlight?) of the writers' infamous heated exchange on ABD during the 1968 Democratic convention. Over at Las Vegas CityLife, BB contributor Mark Dery dives into that fiery media moment and what it revealed about both men. From Las Vegas CityLife:

The Vidal-Buckley dust-up, dissected ever after by the two combatants and their partisans, is wonderfully instructive. Buckley is at his best, by which I mean his worst — mesmerizing for all the wrong reasons, as he is in his 1969 Firing Line debate with Noam Chomsky on American involvement in Vietnam. In that episode, Buckley is a one-man freakshow of WASP eccentricities, Ivy-League affectations and subliminal seductions, obscenely flicking that reptilian tongue, languorously attenuating the last word in a sentence, flashing a sly wink at Chomsky in mid-debate, flaring his eyes suggestively at the mention of Chomsky’s Syntactic Structures. (Who knew that a double entendre lurked in the title of that classic book on the admittedly steamy subject of generative grammar?) To the self-assurance of the manor-born and the entitlement of the prep-schooled, Buckley adds an invigorating jigger of weirdness, a snaggletoothed leer that hints at a redeeming depravity behind all that high-church, God and Man at Yale conservatism.

Suddenly, as in the near-knockdown with Vidal, we glimpse a less charming depravity. Prehensile tongue in cheek, Buckley commends Chomsky for his “self-control” in debating the Vietnam question, to which Chomsky jokingly replies, “sometimes I lose my temper; maybe not tonight.” Says Buckley, “Maybe not tonight, because if you would I’d smash you in the goddamn face.” A flash of that awful dentition assures us it’s all in good fun, a wry allusion to the Vidal Affair.

Read the rest

To do this weekend: watch the Perseid meteor shower

The brightest planets of the solar system are lining up right in the middle of this year's Perseid meteor shower display. The action peaks on the night of August 12. Meteor rates of up to 100 per hour are expected. More details on how to watch them here.

* Note: NBC plans to delay them by 4 hours. Read the rest

The Counting Song, by Adam Buxton, dir. Cyriak (video)

[video link]. Illustrations by Sarah Brown. Do stay with it. Things escalate. (HT: Tim Shey) Read the rest

Cotton Exchange blues vinyl subscription service

The Cotton Exchange is a terrific vinyl record subscription service that delivers 8 LPs/year of rare, historic, or unreleased blues music right to your door. Recent releases have included Bukka White, Otha Turner, and Skip James! Exquisitely-curated by my dear pal and DIY musicologist David Katznelson with partner Barbara Bersche, who also collaborated on the Grammy-nominated "Alan Lomax In Haiti" box in 2010, every album includes detailed liner notes along with the 180-gram platter. For people like me who dig vinyl, the blues, or music history generally, The Cotton Exchange is a an immersive, educational, and inspirational experience disguised as a record club. It's $100 including shipping for 8 records, a totally fair price in my opinion. The latest release comes straight from the Mississippi Hill Country: "Feelin' Good" by Jessie Mae Hemphill (1923-2006).

Here's what David had to say about "Feelin' Good":

We were fortunate enough to meet Jessie Mae on several occasions, at the yearly Turner Family picnic and at her house in the deep Hill Country. At that point, her stroke prevented her from playing anything but an accompanying tambourine, but she still had the smile that she was known for (just look at the cover of the record in front of you) and was never seen without her dog. She still commanded a presence and showed up at nearly every Hill Country event of note.

Jessie Mae came from regal blues stock (her grandfather, Sid Hemphill, had been recorded by Alan and John Lomax decades earlier) and featured a band of blues family royalty.

Read the rest

Friends With You: "Cloudy" (animated video short)

[video link]. From Friends With You, the short film "Cloudy", described as an art piece "with the purpose to transcend its viewers to a relaxed and joyous state."

This short is an exploration into the Clouds. The idea of clouds singing and performing their duties in a joyful manner show us that everything in our world has a role and a purpose. A sweet visual soundscape that takes the viewer through a personal journey into the sky. Sing, dance and relax as you follow a sweet cast of clouds and raindrops through an entrancing adventure you'll wish to take over and over again.

(Thanks, Tim Shey)

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Man demonstrating milk carton design has difficulty opening it (video)

[Video Link] Arbroath says: "This quite famous clip shows a high-ranking official of the Austrian equivalent of The Milk Marketing Board demonstrating how to use their newly-introduced wax/cardboard milk carton." It's probably from the 1980s. Read the rest

Skateboarding goat wins Guinness World Record (video)

[video link]. The goat's name is "Happy," of course. (thanks, Clayton Cubitt) Read the rest

How do we make web stuff that's secure enough for human rights workers?

Patrick Ball sez, "Lots of people in the world depend on electronic security. That means it has to be seriously strong, and I have been worrying that lots of folks -- esp media folks -- are eager for easy-to-use shortcuts, even if those shortcuts aren't actually secure. CryptoCat is one such shortcut, as was Hushmail, and I believe neither are adequate for the hard case of protecting human rights information. There are solid security solutions, though we have a long way to go to improve user interfaces and overall user experience."

Any host-based system that delivers the encryption engine to you each time you log in, and in which your keys reside on the server, you are never secure against the host (there’s new research on this called “host-proof hosting,” but it’s a long way from being ready to use in real applications). That means that if the host attacks you, or they fail to protect themselves, your encrypted data will be available to them. Remember that the host might attack you because someone evil has taken control of the host. If you are the hypothetical dissident in the Middle East, your government might contract a hacker to break into the CryptoCat server, Hushmail, or other host-based server, and thereby get access to all your data. Or they could bribe an employee at a host-based service. Again: in host-based security, all your security rests on your personal trust for the people at the host, and their ability to protect the server.

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Toronto to host real-life flamethrower game based on Street Fighter II

Joey sez, "Super Street Fire is a creation of a group at Toronto's Site3 coLaboratory hackerspace that lets two people fight 'Street Fighter II' style, with real punches and real fire. Players stand in a special ring with computer-controlled flamethrowers that simulate thrown fireballs; their punches are detected with motion-sensing gloves. They're going to Burning Man at the end of the month, and they're demonstrating their rig in Toronto this Saturday."

The flame effect heads are propane-fed devices that emit a column of fire, or fireball, high into the air. They also dynamically change the colour of the flame so it’s obvious who dealt the blow and who stood there and took it. Flame effects are expressed as two rails, each comprised of eight computer controlled flame effect heads—one rail for the right hand gestures and one for the left. As well as the two rails between the players, there is an outer ring of sixteen flame effects that are triggered by special player move combinations and also controlled by the Master of Games for crowd engagement. The game system is computer hardware and software with an Arduino microcontroller that interfaces with the flame effect head solenoids to regulate both the intensity and duration of the flame.

Site3 is one of Toronto's more amazing hackspaces, quite an achievement in a city that's blessed with an abundance of such facilities.

Super Street Fire: This Saturday in Toronto! (Thanks, Joey!) Read the rest

Down in Smoke: through comics, Susie Cagle chronicles the DEA raids on medical marijuana facilities in California

At Cartoon Movement, "graphic journalist" Susie Cagle (Twitter) surveys the impact of recent DEA raids of medical marijuana centers, and legal attacks against Harborside and the like, in 'Down In Smoke'. The work includes sound clips, which is brilliant.

Oakland, California. Ground zero for a medical marijuana fight between states and the federal government that has only been heating up. Incorporating real audio from activists, Cagle portrays what "feels like class war" as local growers, patients and city officials fight against losing their jobs, medicine, and tax revenue.

The whole thing is here, and it's fantastic. Susie has done some of the best reporting I've seen of the Occupy movement and related protests in America—she's been jailed and injured for it. The fact that her reporting is focused through the medium of comics is just so innovative and cool. She takes true risks for her reporting, and what comes out of it is insightful, informative, and funny. I just love her work.

 My Dinner with Marijuana: chemo, cannabis, and haute cuisine ... A rant on marijuana dispensaries, and the quest for a living wage in ... Pot legalization is on the ballot in three US states. What happens ... Osama bin Smokin'? Marijuana found at Abbottabad compound ... Read the rest

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Photos & Recaps from the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament

 I start the New York Times Crossword every day (I can't always finish) and have often fantasized about throwing down with the real puzzle masters at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Photographer Rufus Mangrove was there last weekend, and his artful shots of the event make it look like a blast.

Check out Eric Berlin and Rex Parker (my favorite crossword blogger) for more info and insight into the tournament. See you next year?

  1. How cool – good (beautiful!) photography is so communicative.  I haven’t touched a crossword for years, and only ever did a few, but the enjoyment in those photos … y’know!

    I particularly liked seeing the t-shirt that read, in symbols, ‘(square root of minus one) (heart) you’

    I’m heading to the paper shop.

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Homlessness and technological literacy: the Tenderloin Technology Lab

Wired profiles Darrell Pugh, a formerly homeless man who teaches people who have no homes or are otherwise in economically precarious position how to use networks and computers, at the Tenderloin Technology Lab in San Francisco. It's an amazing story and draws an important connection between technological literacy and the ability to live a full life in modern society. Pugh's own perspective on this ("Educating myself and passing what I know onto other people so they can try, that’s all part of what I think we need to do. We shouldn’t hold back our knowledge from each other. We should share it so we’re all better.") is fantastic.

After earning his certification, he landed a job at a phone company, helping people fix problems with their DSL internet connections. A few months later, he lost the job when the facility where he worked was shut down, but the experience helped boost his confidence and, ultimately, changed the course of his life.

In 2009, he spent the last of his cash on a bus ticket to San Francisco. When he arrived, he promptly landed in the hospital with a kidney stone, and his doctors diagnosed him with type II diabetes and asthma. But he wound up getting help at St. Anthony’s, a non-profit that offers medical care to the city’s homeless, and St. Anthony’s pointed him to the Tenderloin Technology Lab. At first, he hung out at the lab just to use the computers and scour Craigslist for jobs, but he ended up sitting in on a computer hardware class and eventually asked the teacher if he could serve as an assistant, pointing to the certification he’d earned in Florida.

The teacher told him no. He wanted Pugh to teach the whole class himself.

The Internet Is a Universal Human Right. Just Ask the Homeless [Daniela Hernandez/Wired]

(Image: Alex Washburn/WIRED)


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Vidya Balan’s ‘Shaadi Ke Side Effects’ to clash with Kangna’s ‘Queen’!

At first, Farhan Akhtar and Vidya Balan starrer ‘Shaadi Ke Side Effects’ was supposed to release on Valentine’s Day in 2014. However, on that very day Imtiaz Ali’s Alia Bhatt-Randeep Hooda starrer ‘Highway’, Akshay Kumar’s ‘It’s Entertainment’ and Ameesha Patel’s ‘Desi Magic’ are slated for a release. SO to avoid a major clash at the box office, the makers of ‘Shaadi Ke Side Effects’ has been postponed to February 28. Guess what.. Kangna Ranaut’s next flick ‘Queen’ will hit the theatres on the same day!

Just a few weeks back, Kangna’s ‘Rajjo’ clashed with Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh starrer ‘Ram Leela’. And we all know how badly the movie bombed at the box office without leaving any trace. While the curvaceous Vidya Balan is strong enough to carry a film on her shoulders, having delivered ‘The Dirty Picture’, ‘Kahaani’ and ‘No One Killed Jessica’, the slender Kangna, who has now turned to feminist films has fallen badly whilst trying to carry a film’s weight all by herself.

We would like to inform the ones who are less aware that Vidya’s ‘The Dirty Picture’ was first offered to Kangna and the latter’s ‘Shootout At Wadala’ was initially offered to Vidya Balan. So, despite Kangna’s Rajjo losing out against Dippy’s Ram-Leela, is the actor strong enough to now clash against Vidya’s Shaadi Ke Side Effects? We’ll have to wait and find out..

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Designed to dine

Designed to dine

‘Eat, drink and be very, very merry!”

This dining room conveniently located off the cooks kitchen and adjacent to the living room has been anchored by a stunning golden hued Zeigler Mahal rug that frames a monumental bronze and Lucite ‘Towers’ base by designer Jeffrey Bigelow (go to separate photo for details), with a custom Starfire glass top that is 4′ x  8′, allowing eight to ten to dine comfortably. The Louis side chairs were ‘updated’ by lacquering them in a soft gray and reupholstering them in textured velvet with touches of silver lurex (a nice counter point to the rug). The arm chairs were covered in a luxurious scrolled medallion panne velvet with the back of the seat in the same textured velvet of the side chairs.

The centering of the room with the golden colored rug warms the entire space and softens the grays. The grand antique Czechoslovakian crystal chandelier is reflected in the 1930’s mirror hung over the ‘updated’ antique sideboard.

Strategically hung mirrors, 7′ high windows facing south, a 14′ ceiling and a baby grand piano with a pair of custom, simply modern love seats covered in creamy colored Ultrasuede, pull the room together and add drama, comfort and luxury .

“Even in a formal dining room, you don’t want to be ponderous or gloomy. Eating is one of your indoor sports. You play three times a day and it’s well worthwhile to make the game as pleasant as possible.” – Dorothy Draper


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Sunday, April 27, 2008

Ups and Downs- or Not?

I spent a few minutes at Barnes & Noble with my 86-year-old father this weekend (he can only stand comfortably for a few minutes at a time before his knees start causing him real problems) browsing the "Literature" shelves to see if I might have missed something from any of my past favorite writers, some of whom I've been reading for decades.

I was forced to walk the aisles at a lot quicker pace than I like and, as the names flashed by, I started to wonder something about the ones that caught my eye: in what direction is their work trending? That is, does their later work stack up to what came before?

Here are a few of the names that jumped out at me, along with my gut feelings about the current state of their work (or at least my own reaction to that work):

Joyce Carol Oates/Rosamond Smith/Lauren Kelly - As good, if not better, than ever

John Irving - In decline and actually beginning to lose me as a fan

James Lee Burke - see Joyce Carol Oates, above

Robert B. Parker - In terminal decline - I've stopped keeping up with him at all

Ruth Rendell / Barbara Vine - Current work strikes me as better than her earliest work but not as good as her best of her middle period work

Harry Turtledove - seems to write the same two books over and over again

Pat Conroy - has written true classics and is capable of writing another any time out

Anne Tyler - not quite achieving what she did in her earlier books but still one of the best out there

Elmer Kelton - later work is some of his best and includes a classic western or two

Larry McMurtry - his middle years produced his best work but he's still worth a look with every new book

Stephen King - Horror bores me now but I don't know if that's King fault or if I finally just grew up

Elizabeth George - Getting better and better

Tom Wolfe - Last couple of books make me wonder if he was ever as good as I first believed

Jane Smiley - Early work, I loved; later work and her wacko political stance has turned me completely off her writing

Dennis Lehane - later work is excellent but I still miss his Kenzie/Gennaro series
Those are the names that jumped off the shelf at me as I sprinted through the store well aware that my time was limited. I didn't buy a thing because the pace of the visit through me off, and I started to wonder on the way home if the writers have actually changed (declined, as often as not) or if I'm the one who has changed. Maybe my tastes are so different today from what they were years ago that I overrated authors at one point and can see them more clearly now for what they really are...or vice versa. Who knows?

  1. I think our tastes change over time but so do the way authors write. Your fast trip through the bookstore reminds me of my trips through the library w/my son.

  2. John Updike seems to be repeating himself, fiction-wise. This might be a good time for me to explore more of his nonfiction writing.

  3. Larry McMurtry can be great (we just watched "Lonesome Dove" last night; I remember staying up until 2:00 s.m. three nights in a row to finish the book), but he can also be not so great. "The Last Picture Show" was wonderful. The sequels to it were not.

    He has had a few stinkers -- I think they publish him as a brand and sometimes he just wants some cash.

  4. This is an interesting post. I'll have to think of some of my favorites and see how they stack up. I really think the changes are most often a combination of things -- you being in a different place and changes in the author's style, as well. Of course, every author is entitled to one or two less than stellar offerings in a lifetime of great work.

  5. Lisa, you are so right. On the whole, I really like Larry McMurtry.

    You're also right about being in a different place. I hate "Great Expectations" as a ninth-grader; I loved it as a college sophomore. I was convinced it wasn't the same book, but it was I who had changed.

    Maybe I should give "Lord Jim" another chance.

  6. They change; we change. I remember reading The Scarlet Letter in high school and liking it, but after having my first daughter, I had much more invested in Hester. Some more current authors increase in skill, some seem to be just revisiting the same theme with little or no improvement. And like you, I wonder why I liked some authors in the first place. Or...conversely, why I didn't. Great topic.

  7. The authors weren't overrated by you years ago, they struck a chord with you at the time. Times change. We as readers and writers as well.

    But I do remember liking Scarlett O'Hara and Heathcliff much more when I read their stories back as a teenager than I did rereading both books in the last couple of years. Oh my. Spoiled snots, both of them.


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Discover the Lower Glenelg National Park

29th April to 3rd May 2013

Conservation Volunteers Australia is Australasia's leading conservation volunteer organisation, founded in 1982. We offer conservation programs across Australia which enable volunteers to protect, preserve and restore the Australian environment. Projects take place in urban, regional and remote areas, and include tree planting, seed collection, weed control, flora and fauna surveys, building tracks and trails, fencing, and heritage restoration. See below for details of one of our conservation projects, or search for projects near you.
Nelson, Victoria
29th April to 3rd May 2013
Departs from:
7 McPhee Street, Hamilton, VIC, 3300
ph:03 5551 3331
Departure time:
Main Task:
Weed Removal, Survey Work
From $40.00 for 2 days
More details » * single day bookings are FREE

Discover the Lower Glenelg National Park

Have you ever wanted to volunteer but don’t want to spend endless hours planting trees or removing massive amounts of weeds?

 Your Project:

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to get involved in this weed removal project with a difference. Each day you’ll head out into a section of the Lower Glenelg National Park, where you will be tracking and marking the invasive species, Pinus radiata (pine wildlings). After marking the point on a GPS unit, you will then remove the plant.

Pinus radiata is an invasive species which, if left unchecked, not only can outcompete with our native eucalypt species, but also kill under storey plants as they drop their pine needles changing the pH and acidity of the soil, so only the pines can survive.

Fitness Level:

Can you walk around the block at home? If you answered yes to this, then you are ready to go! Each day you'll be walking slowly through the bush spotting pine wildlings. There will be limited amounts of hard labour and no bending/kneeling making this an ideal project for anyone interested in the great outdoors.

What will you require?

You will need no previous experience for this project as all training will be given to you by our trained Team Leader.

We do ask that you provide long sleeve pants and shirts, wet weather clothing, sun hat and sturdy footwear (no open topped shoes such as sandals or thongs). It is also wise to bring your own backpack and water bottle for this venture as we will be out in the bush for extended periods.

If you wish to stay with us you will be required to bring your own bedding.

The Park and Native Wildlife:

Lower Glenelg National Park offers some of Victoria's finest natural settings including the beautiful Glenelg River and estuary. Over 700 species of plants and many native animals can be found.

Native animals, though sometimes difficult to find, include Eastern Grey kangaroos, Rednecked wallabies, Brush-tail possums, koalas, wombats and echidnas. Some of the more common  birds include emus, herons  Azure Kingfisher, and the rare Rufous Bristle-bird.

Where will I be staying?

The team will be camping in the beautiful township of Nelson is situated on the pristine Glenelg River, some two kilometres from the mouth but with views of the ocean across the sand hills to the south either side of the river estuary.

Nelson was named by the surveyor of the township, Lindsay Clarke in 1851. It is believed that he chose the name to commemorate the “Lady Nelson”, the vessel that Lieut. Grant sailed in to explore the southern coastline of Victoria & South Australia about 50 years earlier.

Want to talk to one of our staff?

Please contact our Volunteer Engagement Officer Hannah Cooke on 03 5551 3331 or email

Contact us for more information

For more information, or for help with your booking, please contact the Hamilton office on 03 5551 3331 or email


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Friday, January 13, 2012

Adjustment Time

We have moved! My husband is now the new Youth Minister at a church near Houston. So we moved clear across the state of TX. Are we crazy? Possibly, but not for making this move. We followed God, period.

life rearranged
So I decided to join insta-Friday and show some pics of how my son is adjusting. (he loves it here).

Poor baby only wants to take naps on Mommy and Daddy's bed. I give in so easily.

First trip to Burger King!

More naps on Mommy's bed.

Our morning alarm, every morning! I don't mind too much. It's an awfully cute alarm.
This is how mommy was adjusting! Yummy....  We were doing really well until this happened...
Ugh... now we are cleaning up.

  1. oh my goodness!!! I pray you didn't have much damage from that flood.

    Your little boy is adorable!!!

  2. Thank You Jodi! I think he is pretty cute too. We did have some damage. Mostly things in our garage from an inch of water, but nothing important. My husband's car did get some water so we are taking out the carpet and padding in it. We have been Thanking the Lord that the water didn't get into our house.

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Born at the Crest of the Empire

Friday, November 16, 2007

Picture of the Day

(President George W. Bush greets Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice President of the Government of National Unity of the Republic of the Sudan at the White House November 15, 2007. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque))

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$10,000 Reward Offered For Info Leading To Arrest In Cape Seal Shootings

BOSTON (CBS) – Animal activists are hoping reward money will help catch the person killing seals on Cape Cod.

Six seals have been found shot to death on the beaches between Dennis and Chatham over the last several weeks.

Now, animal rights groups have collected $10,000 in reward money for any information leading to an arrest.

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  1. Mary Steers says:

    they should put whoever is responsible for this horrendous act in JAIL FOR LIFE. PLEASE CATCH THE MONSTER/MONSTERS WHO DID THIS.

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Gresh & Zo: Sean McAdam On Beckett’s Knee

Our Red Sox insider, Sean McAdam, joined Gresh and Roche to talk some Sox.

McAdam spoke with Beckett at the All-Star game after he didn’t pitch because his knee started to bother him. What’s the latest with Josh Beckett and what it may mean going forward?

“On one hand you tend to believe him that they’re airing on the side of caution and it’s no big deal,” McAdam said. “On the other hand the fact that this happened a second time after he left the game last Friday and there is still some inflammation and it’s still not 100% has to be something of a red flag.”

Also, what are the Red Sox looking for as we approach the trade deadline and some names already on the move? That and much more with Sean McAdam from Tampa.

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Passengers Save Woman After Fall Onto Train Tracks

CAMBRIDGE (CBS) -A Minnesota woman had a scare after she fell onto the tracks at Kendall Station Sunday.

Fortunately, nearby passengers were quick to help.

The 54-year-old woman did not touch the third rail, and a group of passengers jumped in to pull her out.

She appeared to be unconscious after the fall, but regained consciousness once she was back on the platform.

She was rushed to Mass General Hospital.

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Ted Olson Makes a ’Conservative Case for Gay Marriage’

by Kilian Melloy
Tuesday Jan 12, 2010

Ted Olson, the conservative lawyer who represented presidential candidate George W. Bush before the Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore in 2000, has flummoxed the political right by taking up a challenge to the constitutionality of California's anti-gay voter initiative amendment, Proposition 8, which in November of 2008 rescinded the existing right of gay and lesbian families in that state to marry.

Olson, who served Ronald Reagan as Assistant Attorney general before serving as George W. Bush's Solicitor General, sought to explain himself in an essay titled "The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage" that appeared in the Jan. 18 edition of Newsweek, and which was posted at on Jan. 9.

Subtitled, "Why same-sex marriage is an American value," the essay addressed a question Olson knew to be on the minds not only of conservatives, but also liberals: "How could a politically active, lifelong Republican, a veteran of the Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush administrations, challenge the 'traditional' definition of marriage and press for an "activist" interpretation of the Constitution to create another 'new' constitutional right?

"My answer to this seeming conundrum," Olson's essay continued, "rests on a lifetime of exposure to persons of different backgrounds, histories, viewpoints, and intrinsic characteristics, and on my rejection of what I see as superficially appealing but ultimately false perceptions about our Constitution and its protection of equality and fundamental rights.

"Many of my fellow conservatives have an almost knee-jerk hostility toward gay marriage," Olson noted. "This does not make sense, because same-sex unions promote the values conservatives prize. Marriage is one of the basic building blocks of our neighborhoods and our nation. At its best, it is a stable bond between two individuals who work to create a loving household and a social and economic partnership."

Olson addressed criticisms that conservatives have leveled at gays who seek marriage rights. Conservatives charge that gays seek to place their own "pleasure" above family and the needs of children; Olson boiled down the sentiment of family as central to marriage, and re-stated the idea that marriage is central to society--but from the perspective that allow gays to participate in marriage will strengthen society, not endanger it.

"Marriage requires thinking beyond one's own needs," noted Olson. "It transforms two individuals into a union based on shared aspirations, and in doing so establishes a formal investment in the well-being of society. The fact that individuals who happen to be gay want to share in this vital social institution is evidence that conservative ideals enjoy widespread acceptance. Conservatives should celebrate this, rather than lament it.

"Legalizing same-sex marriage would also be a recognition of basic American principles, and would represent the culmination of our nation's commitment to equal rights," Olson continued. "It is, some have said, the last major civil-rights milestone yet to be surpassed in our two-century struggle to attain the goals we set for this nation at its formation.

"This bedrock American principle of equality is central to the political and legal convictions of Republicans, Democrats, liberals, and conservatives alike," Olson argued, before going on to offer a very brief overview of the history of civil equality in America. "The very idea of marriage is basic to recognition as equals in our society," Olson concluded; "any status short of that is inferior, unjust, and unconstitutional."

Olson acknowledged that the courts have tended to see marriage from a vantage that assumes it to exist between people of opposite genders; "But while the Supreme Court has always previously considered marriage in that context," he wrote, "the underlying rights and liberties that marriage embodies are not in any way confined to heterosexuals."

Writing that the reasons offered for denying gay families marriage equality are "not very persuasive," Olson addressed some of the rationales espoused by the anti-gay side of the debate. One argument cites tradition, Olson noted, "But simply because something has always been done a certain way does not mean that it must always remain that way. Otherwise we would still have segregated schools and debtors' prisons," he wrote.

The Procreation Argument

Olson also noted that those who seek to curtail the rights of gay families suggest that heterosexual procreation would somehow be impacted if gays were allowed access to the protections and obligations of marriage. "But that is plainly not the case," he wrote. "Preventing lesbians and gays from marrying does not cause more heterosexuals to marry and conceive more children. Likewise, allowing gays and lesbians to marry someone of the same sex will not discourage heterosexuals from marrying a person of the opposite sex. How, then, would allowing same-sex marriages reduce the number of children that heterosexual couples conceive?"

Added Olson, "What's more, it is pernicious to think marriage should be limited to heterosexuals because of the state's desire to promote procreation. We would surely not accept as constitutional a ban on marriage if a state were to decide, as China has done, to discourage procreation." Added Olson, "The simple fact is that there is no good reason why we should deny marriage to same-sex partners. On the other hand, there are many reasons why we should formally recognize these relationships and embrace the rights of gays and lesbians to marry and become full and equal members of our society."

Addressed religious conservatives' claims that gays "choose" their sexual orientation, Olson wrote, "Science has taught us, even if history has not, that gays and lesbians do not choose to be homosexual any more than the rest of us choose to be heterosexual. To a very large extent, these characteristics are immutable, like being left-handed. And, while our Constitution guarantees the freedom to exercise our individual religious convictions, it equally prohibits us from forcing our beliefs on others.

"I do not believe that our society can ever live up to the promise of equality, and the fundamental rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, until we stop invidious discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation."

Olson recounted that he has been the target of anti-gay conservatives who feel he is betraying their ideology. "I have certainly heard anger, resentment, and hostility, and words like 'betrayal' and other pointedly graphic criticism," he wrote. "But mostly I have been overwhelmed by expressions of gratitude and good will from persons in all walks of life, including, I might add, from many conservatives and libertarians whose names might surprise.

"I have been particularly moved by many personal renditions of how lonely and personally destructive it is to be treated as an outcast and how meaningful it will be to be respected by our laws and civil institutions as an American, entitled to equality and dignity," Olson wrote. "I have no doubt that we are on the right side of this battle, the right side of the law, and the right side of history."

Olson is joined in the case against Prop 8 by David Boies, who was his legal adversary in Bush v. Gore.

Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Assistant Arts Editor. He also reviews theater for WBUR. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.

  • Anonymous, 2010-01-12 13:15:03

    Good luck to Boies and Olson! Onward to equality, Joe Mustich, Justice of the Peace, Washington, Connecticut, USA

  • Anonymous, 2010-01-12 14:59:07

    This is truly a breath of fresh air. If Republicans want to increase their numbers, this is one issue their going to have to deal with. There many gays who are conservative but can’t relate to the hate attitude of the Republicans on this matter.

  • Anonymous, 2010-01-12 22:34:21

    As a Democrat, I often have trouble imagining anything good coming from a Republican-- sorry, but it is true for me. It is wonderful to me to see a Republican doing something I can respect-- in this at least I see common ground. And I have to say, the "liberal" party has been too cowardly on this issue. Republican or not, I would love to see Olson make "equality" in this country a reality and not just a slogan.

  • Anonymous, 2010-01-20 10:08:36

    God Bless Ted Olson and all those who are trying to make this world a MUCH better place!

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Comments on: Oldies and Goodies: A Book List of Holiday Pairs Boxes and Arrows is devoted to the practice, innovation, and discussion of design; including graphic design, interaction design, information architecture and the design of business. Wed, 24 Aug 2016 04:05:27 +0000 hourly 1 By: Matt Titchener Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 I would like to second Jorge Arango choice of “Godel, Escher and Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid”. No joke, this is quite simply one of the best books ever written. The genius not only of the people Hofstadter describes, but of Hofstadter himself is quite breath-taking (I don’t use the word ‘genius’ here lightly either – it really is a masterpiece of the modern age).

In essence this book is about explaining ‘the self’ – all be it in a rather round-about way – no pseudo-science around here. The patterns Hofstadter analyses, the recurrance relations, recursion and feedback loops are not only talked about but *present* in the book (you will notice even the title, Godel, Escher and Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid has the letters EGB throughout – and the design on the front cover is simply outstanding when you recognise what he’s trying to get at).

Each chapter is seperated by a fictional dialogue designed to reinforce the points he has been making.

Anyway… I can’t say too much about this book! Read! Have you mind twiddled, your eyes twoddled (yes, it’s that confusing at times), and your breath (quite literally) taken away.

By: Vera Garza Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 Wow really nice collection, personifying the fact that old is god.


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Saturday, February 16, 2008

Yesterday, Thursday, was Valentine's Day, which is supposed to be the day of passion, at least according to the chocolate and greeting card merchants. Friday night is supposed to be a night of fights on American television, so perhaps all the passion was spent the previous day, as the main events on both Telefutura and ESPN2 hardly made anybody fall in love.

On Telefutura, Mike Alvarado won a decision over Jesus Rodriguez, while over on ESPN2's declining Friday Night Fights series, Delvin Rodriguez (presumably no relation to Jesus -- Rodriguez, that is) won a decision over 41-year-old Troy Browning. ESPN2's announcer Joe Tessitore called Delvin's performance "workmanlike," a term regurgitated on Fightnews. That’s p.r. speak for mundane, uneventful, and ordinary. Nobody would ever call the measured performances of the victors tonight passionate.

I kept the TV on ESPN2 after FNF finished, mainly because I was staying home for the evening (sorry, my darlin’ bartenders), and planned to watch some other shows later, including perhaps the Pavlik-Taylor 2 preview show and their first fight, which I had taped from HBO 1 and 2 while I was out hunting for salads. But Bowe-Holyfield 1, from 1992, came on next on ESPN2, so I kept watching.

This fight, of course, was Ring’s fight of the year, with the tenth round being named the round of the year. It pitted two then-undefeated heavyweights, both Americans and both former Olympians, against one another for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.

Not only does stating the backgrounds and credentials of these heavyweight fighters sound so dated today, but the fight itself, although held just 15 years and two months ago, seems like it took place in a forgotten, distant era. Constant toe-to-toe action, jabs and body shots and uppercuts, with a few low blows and head butts thrown in, all made this a memorable affair.

Heavyweights? Americans? World champions? Passion, technique, and power? On what planet?

Saturday is Valuev-Liakhovich in Germany. There is a free, legal live stream of this fight, courtesy of the German network ARD, at: For us Yanks, it starts at 4:10 pm EST/1:10 PM PST. For everyone, don’t expect the passion to start at all.

Pavlik-Taylor 2 will likely have passion, as did their first encounter. But these Americans are middleweights, or, for this fight, middleweights plus four pounds. The creeping decline of American boxing has not yet hit all the weight classes, yet.

Next week is Klitschko-Ibragimov, two heavyweight titleholders from the former Soviet Union, and also two former Olympians. I expect a tactical battle where hopefully the expected lack of passion is compensated for, at least partially, by a steady, disciplined attack by one or both combatants.

If not, at least all these great old fights are pretty accessible. Then every day can be some sort of holiday, even if you can’t have chocolate and think greeting cards are part of a contrived commercial ritual.

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Thursday, February 14, 2008

Boxing Writing

One of the things we’ve all been bitching about for the last few years is the ghastly lack of depth in boxing writing. Boxing isn’t just two guys punching each other in the head. And it’s not, “Cotto is calling Mayweather out.” It’s a business, it’s a reflection of elements of culture, it’s a complex and often contradictory network, and it’s an elaborate, mostly unfair hierarchy. If all boxing writing is reduced to a bunch of macho hearts and flowers weeping and tough talk, it’s worthless.

You know, it’s about time for something worthwhile. “Cut Time” was published in 2003. I hate waiting five years between meaningful boxing books. “Owning Cassius Clay: The Commercial and Cultural Appeal of Muhammad Ali” by our own Mike Ezra is more of what we need. It constructs an elaborate timeline that ties together Ali’s boxing career, the various financial machinations that both propelled him forward and fucked him up, and the shifting culture that valorized, condemned, forgave, and ultimately deified him. What emerges from the book is the clearest literary picture we’ve ever been given of Ali. Viewing Ali largely through the prism of events that have surrounded him actually clears away a lot of mythological deadwood. Maybe not surprisingly, Ali comes out of things pretty well.

I like the bar set this high. In order to maintain it, we’ve got to write like adults.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Our Return

After a hiatus which had nothing to do with injury, incarceration, or suspension by any state athletic commission, we are back. We are resuming our commentary and discussion on boxing, and will be explaining a little about who will be doing what, including how everyone else can comment on our posts. So get ready, keep checking back, and prepare for something special.

Your humble editors,

Charles Farrell and Eddie Goldman

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Welcome to BPM Evolution - Online DnB Radio.

Please be sure to check out our events section for any upcoming events that you will not want to miss out!

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We play only the best in EDM Music - If you have something that will work online then feel free to get in touch

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Nisswa Pioneer Village

  • Museums/Historical Sites
North End of Main Street
Nisswa, MN 56468
  • About

    A Village of relocated structures preserving life in the 1800's and early 1900's in Nisswa, MN. It includes a homestead, bank, schoolhouse and livery along with the Nisswa Area Historical Society History Center. The Swedish, German and Norwegian immigrant houses were added in 2002. The village also has a beautiful Heritage Garden featuring plants that pioneers in the area might have grown. The three immigrant houses are decorated with family heirlooms and treasures. They are also filled with little bits of folklore.


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Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Just for the record . . .

Some folks seem to have gotten the impression that I have a big mouth. My dentist will assure you that I do not - I have had a total of 9 teeth pulled, including all four wisdom teeth. Only my closest friends get to hear the story of the 9th tooth, so don't ask.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

It seems I have a reputation

I will admit to having one or two bugaboos about things. Toilet seats AND lids must be put down before flushing. In a word - aerosols. I think smokers have been unduly demonized, I'll even admit to enjoying catching a whiff of good pipe or cigar smoke from time to time - but don't you dare smoke near my food. Don't chew your gum with your mouth open unless you want to hear my elbow crack (there's catch in my left elbow that cracks from time to time and has been known to create the same sensation as fingernails on chalkboard for those within a mile or so of the sound).

But here's one thing I really don't understand. Why travel if you have to bring everything, including the kitchen sink, with you? Me, I've had perfectly good soft side luggage ripped to shreds in the dim, dark underbelly of one of America's finer airports so I have an additional phobia about checking luggage. But really - you're only going for five days, do you really need to pack five pairs of jeans? Do you really need a 16 ounce bottle of shampoo?

I've been know to travel across the Atlantic to spend two and half weeks on that sceptered Isle of poetic fame with only my carry on and a shoulder tote. Honey, I can pack. Roll something into a little nook or cranny? Haven't you ever heard of rinsing things out in sinks? You do know that you can buy Shampoo and deodorant in other countries, don't you? Did you know that you can probably pack two skirts in the luggage space of one pair of blue jeans, and you don't need to launder the skirt as you would want to launder your jeans after only a day of wear.

I've recently threatened to help a friend pack for a 30-day study trip to Europe this winter - I say only threaten as I don't think she can psychologically bear the trauma of not having 67 pairs of her most treasured socks with her (you get the idea, right?). But I also don't think she can afford the financial trauma of the inevitable extra luggage fees. So, who knows if she will take me up on my mercenary threat or not?

I also have an aversion to seeing people struggle through airports with too many pieces of luggage to keep easily in tow -- or watch them waiting forlornly to see if their bags will be regurgitated in one piece, sometimes not regurgitated at all.

So tonight, I had to laugh when a co-worker told me she intends to pack for her next trip --------

------the "Kamilla way"

Mrs. Gaskell and her purposefully transgressive younger sisters

This is just one of those things that comes to puzzle my brain from time to time. If Elizabeth Gaskell could be a successful novelist, writing under her own name and frequently being known only as "Mrs. Gaskell" -- why did her two successors, Marianne Evans and Aurore Dupin, need to take on the name of "George" in order to succeed as novelists. You will know the former better as George Eliot and the latter as George Sand. I wonder about that.

What you should not wonder about, however, is whether or not to read Eliot's Middlemarch. That is a given -- if you want to understand how women think and feel about men.

Just call me Dorothea.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

What price equality?

Jesus paid the same price for us all - every man, every woman. There was no discount for any woman because she counts less than a man. Christ paid no premium for any man because men are "dominant".

Each and every one of us cost what we all cost - the sort of death reserved for only the worst of criminals. He was beaten and bruised, pierced and nailed to a couple chunks of wood. And then he was hauled upright on that wooden cross until he suffocated to death.

Give me inequality, please! I don't want to know I cost that much.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Life is Good!

Ah, some days life is just good. Last night, I closed out a very minor chapter in my life. It should have been nothing to speak of, but made me a bit sad. The end of a dream always does, even if it is a very small dream unlikely to ever see reality. Almost immediately, however, it seemed as if God gave me a present in place of the dream. My favorite philosopher will be in town speaking at a conference in three weeks - and I can still register.


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Ray Martin

Cavan, County Cavan

My main love is songwriting. I currently have about 50 good songs of my own all of various styles - blues, rock, pop, acoustic, folk, power pop. Can write to order as well in whatever style.

One of my songs "Glad Your Here" was semi-finalist in the UK Songwriting Contest acoustic section 2011. I have also had 2 songs played on RTE Undercurrents radio.

If you wanna collaborate - on tunes or with recording, then drop me a message. (must like beatles / dylan or 1965/66 music in general)

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Thursday, January 04, 2007

What 200 calories looks like

As a follow-up to this. Here's what 200 calories looks like.

Something to consider. Please excuse the Americanisms

1 comment:

Ellee said...

I've just eaten a chunk of cheese and some left over Indian takeaway - how many calories there, I wonder. Hence the need to walk, walk, walk...

Are you going to update your posts while you are in Maasai, btw?


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What’s New at Miller Park!? A Look Ahead at Ballpark Improvements for 2013

Since I have worked here at Miller Park, it seems every off season, the ballpark becomes somewhat of a construction zone.  The team has always done a great job of keeping Miller Park fresh and up to date with features like the Associated Bank Kids Zone or renovations to the suites and the addition of the new HD scoreboard.  The Brewers today announced plans for two renovations at Miller Park, both of which will enhance the fan experience for 2013.

“Every year, we formally survey fans to get a better understanding of their changing tastes and preferences,” said Brewers Chief Operating Officer Rick Schlesinger. “National surveys of fans and media consistently rate the Miller Park fan experience among the very best in all of sports, but we don’t take that for granted. We are committed to enhancing the facility and experience every year to remain a top destination for fans.”

Projects for 2013 include the following:

Dew Deck Renovations

  • The Dew Deck, a seating area above the right field bleachers that dates to Miller Park’s opening year, will be renovated during the off-season. The signature addition to the area will be a 25-foot high rock climbing wall, designed in the shape of a can of Mountain Dew. The wall will be open for approximately three hours every game day, and will be designed to accommodate up to four climbers at a time. Other improvements to the area will include new lighting, new ceilings, installation of flat panel televisions, repainting, and new signage.  The Dew Deck accommodates groups of 25 to 260 people (no individual ticket purchases are available).  The area features stadium seating, a private bar, and private restrooms. Tickets to this affordable party space include an all-you-can eat pregame tailgate buffet that begins when the Miller Park gates open and ends one hour after the first pitch. Individuals interested in hosting events at the new Dew Deck may call 414-902-GRPS for more information.

Home Plate Lounge Renovations

  • Following the addition of a new Brewers Team Store retail location on the Club Level last year, the Home Plate Lounge will be enhanced this winter. The Home Plate Lounge is located on the concourse of the Club Level behind home plate and is open to Club Level Suiteholders and all fans who have Club Level seating. The project includes the removal of an existing concessions stand, storage area and restroom, allowing for the creation of a new fixed “Chef’s Table” counter. Featured upgrades include a new Concierge counter, new carpeting, and new furniture (modular seats, ottomans, bar stools, dining chairs, and tables). In addition, there will be new lighting throughout the space.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Design work for the projects was handled by Uihlein/Wilson.  Both these projects will be ready by Opening Day, 2013.

Ultimately the team on the field is what matters the most. However, on a scale of (0-10) with 10 being very excited about the improvement to fan experience. I would have to rate this as a 1. No access to the real fans. Hopefully they have more in store than upgrading a few limited access areas of the ballpark. Makes me feel more confident in not renewing my season tickets.

I am sure this has been probably been discussed, but it would be nice to have wi fi service at Miller Park

so is the chefs choice stand only going to be on the club level? that would be a shame

Sell larger size T shirts? What about all the 3XL, 4XL, and 5XL fans that can not fit into the small sizes in the Brewers stores?

Yeah-yah!!! Miller Park definitely needs wi-fi up in that joint!!! Bring on the wi-fi!!!

The Mountain Dew rock-climbing wall is ridiculous…what a sell-out…way to ruin one of the nicest parks in MLB…

I think if you need wi-fi at a ballpark, you’re doing it wrong…

I don’t like the trend of ballparks having the elite big spender areas, but I’m in my 50s and remember a different experience at the park, and maybe these high price areas an amenities are needed for cost competivness.

None of these “improvements” are doing anything for the “regular” fans😦

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Behind the Scenes Tour

Welcome to Bridgeview Animal Hospital

Bridgeview Animal Hospital is proud to serve Fishers, IN and the surrounding communities. We are dedicated to providing the highest level of veterinary medicine along with friendly, compassionate service.

We believe in treating every patient as if they were our own pet, and give them the same loving attention and care. We are a group of highly trained, experienced animal lovers who are devoted to giving our patients the best care possible.

If you have any questions about how we can care for your pet, please don't hesitate to contact us today. Thank you!

View Our Staff

Bridgeview Animal Hospital

11740 Olio Rd #300, Fishers, IN 46037

Phone: 317-841-3315, Fax: 317-284-0528


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Soliloquy in an International Cloister

Watch your step as Brother Lawrence takes you inside the monastery walls of a five hundred year-old international order. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll wish you had ignored your hormones and joined the monastery.

My Photo
Location: Rome, Italy

12 October 2015

My muse

must have taken up permanent residence in Ireland. I was there for two weeks, and heard two blogworthy stories.

One of the brothers is part of an organization that serves to help religious congregations of women work together to solve issues that are common to them all. The job allows him to hear about the various odd customs that became traditions in some of the congregations. In one congregation, he told me, the sisters were taught that whenever they met one another, they were to use the following cheerful greeting:
Sister A: Die we must, sister!
Sister B: And we know not the day nor the hour!

One of the brothers is famous for asking questions during meals. He is particularly delighted when there are visitors because it provides him with an endless source of new questions. However, he will happily grill the brothers he has known for decades, as well. On one occasion, while seated at table with a professor of philosophy and a professor of psychology, among other, he asked, "Which is more important, philosophy or psychology"?
Quick as a flash, the philosophy professor responded: "Don't answer that! A fool can ask more questions than a wise man can answer!"

18 June 2014

Brolo the grammarian

As I see it, the fact that English is not one's mother tongue does not excuse that person from speaking and writing correctly. This is in contrast to German, which is so devilishly convoluted and difficult that no one could possibly be expected to speak it correctly. Back to the subject at hand, however. On a recent Swiss Air flight, I noticed that the sandwich packaging had a grammatical mistake.

This is a case of the misuse of the transitive verb "Enjoy", which is altogether too common among those with a poor command of English. Although one is tempted to let the error slide, that does not help the person in the long run. I feel it is my duty, therefore, to explain to them that transitive verbs, such as "enjoy", require a direct object. That is, you must put a word or phrase after the verb. In this case, I helpfully supplied a corrected version that I hope will be used on future flights.

You're welcome.

20 November 2013

Physician, heal thyself

One of brothers, let us call him Brother Veneficus, has made a second career out of offering medical advice to the other brothers. He convinced two of them to join him in a strict, liquids-only diet for the whole of this week. To another brother, he prescribed a purgative of Epson salts (which, by the way, are called "English salts" in Italian), which backfired - quite literally - and kept the poor patient in bed for a day.

I predict he will bring out the leaches before too long.

30 October 2013

High Expectations

Brother Tandoor, who recently joined one of our American monasteries, wanted to get an American driving license. He passed the written test with flying colors. Then he took the driving test, going through the usual routine of parallel parking, merging into traffic, driving on residential streets, etc. Eventually the instructor said, "You've done very well. Now take me back to the office." On the way back, Brother Tandoor came up to a stop sign and, after checking both left and right for traffic, coasted through the intersection. Back at the office, the conversation went like this:
Instructor: "You failed."
Brother: "What? But you told me that I had done well!"
Instructor: "Yes, but then you went through that intersection without stopping."
Brother: "But you told me that the test was over!"

26 March 2013

Now that's a vocation story!

I am indebted to @RevRichardColes for this story of how St Enda was called to the monastic life.

"An Irish warrior, [Enda] was rebuked by his sister, the Abbess Feancha, for rattling his sword and dripping blood everywhere. She promised him her prettiest nun if he mended his ways, but took him to see not a bride but a corpse. He immediately became a monk and founded the great monastery on the Isles of Aran, where the jumpers come from. St Brendan gave him a nice magic stone."

So much more interesting than, "I felt God was calling me to help people."

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Monthly Archives: August 2011

Hello, My Name Is…

Name decals for your bike are not just for pros–they have many other uses as well:

  • Identification on organized tours: While there is rarely ever a problem with a bike being handed to the wrong person off the truck, having a name tag on your bike makes it crystal clear who owns what
  • Cycling, like soccer, is an international sport. You can celebrate that diversity and community by including your national flag on your nametag. (This is also a great icebreaker)
  • If *you* have a nametag it’s also great for me as I’m terrible with names and it is more likely that I’ll be able to commit it to memory on our first ride. :-)
  • It’s kind of like the analog version of using your real name when posting in online forums–when people see that you’re not afraid to identify yourself they will view you differently and know that you will act responsibly, professionally and courteously

Name and flag decals add a professional touch to your bike

There are options to match the color, border and background with your existing decals

Usually you can get a set of 6-10 stickers for about $20.

Pictured decals: “Name Stickers on Clear with Flag” from Victory Circle Graphics

Epic Rides from New York: Gimbel’s

The Ride

Three Distances: 35, 40, 55 miles
Terrain: Hilly
Pace: Race training (fast, speeds often hitting 30mph on flats)
Start Location: Cross Country Shopping mall, Yonkers, NY
Start Time: 9:20am sharp weekends and holidays

This is the premiere ride in the northeast, if not the country, attracting upwards of 100 riders and racers from all over the tri-state area. The ride starts at the south facing steps of Macy’s (formerly Gimbel’s) Department store in the Cross County Shopping Center in Yonkers NY and loops up through Westchester ending in New Rochelle.

The first 11 miles are ridden at a gradually increasing warm-up pace through southern Westchester, picking up riders along Central Park Avenue (Rt. 100). Once the ride reaches Kensico Lake, the pace picks up and the pack splits into short, regular, and long groups.

The short and regular rides have similar routes, while the long ride tackles some difficult climbing (at a difficult pace) in northern Westchester. From my experience, there are two kinds of “being prepared” for the long ride that are worth noting:

(1) You have the fitness to finish with the leaders which include grizzled veteran racers and the occasional pro
(2) You have full Garmin maps (or have studied the routes) you can follow after being shaken off the back like a cowboy off a rodeo bull.

Elevation Profiles

Once the regular ride reaches tempo pace attacks are made, flyers are taken, and sprints are led out. Gimbels is your essential race-pace training ride. After an intermediary sprint at Manhattanville College, the pack navigates through Rye before lining up a final sprint at the Mamaroneck town line.

As torquer writes on “…we almost never stop for anyone’s flats/mechanicals, and only grudgingly for crashes.” As such, it is a good idea to bring your own repair kit, as well as a map of the course to find your way back. If you have a mechanical, or are dropped and take a wrong turn it may be some time before you see another rider.

Hostilities and legs finally cool down as the group rolls to Bagel Zone in New Rochelle. (243 Main Street, New Rochelle, NY)

The pace is always hot at Gimbel’s

From an objective standpoint, Gimbels cannot be considered a safe group ride. Despite riding at a time of day when traffic is low, the group has earned (both deservedly and not) a reputation for taking unwarranted risks on the road. Crashes are rare, but they do happen. The same can be said for any race-paced training ride in the country, but that doesn’t mean that the group couldn’t make better decisions on the road. The flip side? The ride offers great training, camaraderie, and a chance to mix with cyclists of all shapes and sizes. It’s a one-of-a-kind cycling experience.

Garmin Downloads

Right-click and choose “save link as”…

When your Garmin is plugged into your computer it will appear as a hard drive. Drag-and-drop the GPX file into the Garmin/GPX folder on your 705 or the Garmin/NewFiles folder on your Garmin 800 (NOT your SD card if you have one).

Getting to the start

Address: 99 Mall Walk, Yonkers, NY. You can park at the mall.
GPS coordinates: 40.928267, -73.854690
If your Garmin can’t find the address above, try: 744-766 Central Park Ave,Yonkers, NY

By Train:

  1. Ride to Grand Central, take Metro North (8:23am train recommended) to Hartsdale Station
  2. Take Hartsdale Ave. (right turn out of depot) to Central Ave.
  3. Turn left (south), and ride slow until you see the group coming the other way.

Gimbels forums: introduce yourself, read the history, rehash battles on the road.

Bicycling Magazine writeup

Image licensed from New York’s cylcing friend victor chan of One Image Photography.

Text excerpted from Trimble outdoors. Check out ride profile for map and points of interest along the ride.

Videos from carbonride100′s handlebar cam can be viewed on YouTube.

Train instructions provided by Kissena member on nyvelocity.

Mt. Washington Auto Road Climb

Location: New Hampshire
Distance: 7.6 Miles
Elevation Gain: 6288ft

There are a number of Mount Washington’s on the East Coast. but only one lays claim to the highest peak in the NorthEast, and that is “The Rock Pile” in N.H.

Described as “the toughest hillclimbs in the world” the Auto Road Hill Climb had been a goal of mine for some time so after a good season of racing I woke up at 8am on a cold Sunday in February to join the registration rush for the following August’s event (online registration usually fills up within the first half hour of being posted!).

Mt. Washington on a clear day

After reading the forums and adding some special training to my schedule I made a few adjustments to my bike to prepare for Mt. Washington. I, like many others, may not have properly respected the “hors categorie” rating of the beast and thought I could get away with a modest 30-25 chainring combo. After all, it was “only” a 7.6 mile course up a hill…

As soon as we hit the first slope it became clear to me that I had made a mistake. :-) In the Garmin charts below you can see what a drag it is being overgeared.

CADENCE: The red line represents my minimum cadence to output proper power. Whoops! I really could have used a few more teeth on that cassette!!!

ELEVATION: Note the positively monotonous elevation gain from beginning to end--there is nowhere to rest!

Unlike most mountain roads that undulate and give you opportunities to recover between efforts, Mt. Washington is maniacally consistent from bottom to top. This means you have to find creative ways to prevent redlining or popping. I, rather surprisingly, found myself slowing down slightly and recovering while pedaling out of the saddle on the 18% sections.

The course itself is amazing, and the fans made it feel like a stage race at the ‘Tour. There are groups of them on the switchbacks cheering and many who drove up before the race wrote messages on the road in chalk.

You are greeted at the top with a blanket, a medal and a bottle of water. Once you catch your breath you can wander around the top and enjoy the view and the clouds blowing by between your feet (literally).

Just to make it interesting the finishing stretch is on a 22% grade.

This race isn’t *long* but it is difficult on an epic scale and like a marathon or triathlon it is a race you enter to finish, not to win. Though I missed the cutoff time for the “top notch” category by 3 minutes, largely due to the gearing misjudgment, I have no regrets and will return.

For more information on the Mt. Washington Auto Road Hill Climb visit the official site: has great analysis of all of the great climbs in the area including a comparison of Mt. Washington vs. the other great climbs around the world.