text:
Diamond Reynolds on Police Detainment: 'I Was Not Allowed to Talk to Anybody'
Reynolds, who livestreamed a video showing her partner dying from a Minnesota police officer's bullets, spoke out about the killing and her arrest at an impromptou press conference this morning.
Sameer Rao Jul 7, 2016 3:07PM EDT
Colorlines Screenshot of Lavisha "Diamond" Reynolds (center), taken from CNN's video report on July 7, 2016.
Lavisha "Diamond" Reynolds was forced into the national spotlight after livestreaming video of her partner, Philando Castile, dying from gunshot wounds inflicted by a Minnesota police officer during a traffic stop. Reynolds addressed her partner's killing, her and her daughter's treatment while in police custody and her demand for justice in a press conference earlier today (July 7).
"The police did this to our community," a distraught Reynolds told a gathering of supporters and media outside the Minnesota Governor's Residence in Saint Paul. "They took me off the scene. I was not allowed to talk to anybody, and up until 5 o'clock this morning when they dropped me off on my doorstep."
Reynolds elaborated on the circumstances of her detainment, saying that she and her young daughter were separated and not fed or given water while in custody. She also asked that Mark Dayton, Minnesota's governor, give those with licenses to carry guns—like Castile, who Reyonlds said disclosed his legal possession of a weapon to the officers before he was shot—protection under the law.
Reynolds further said that other officers on the scene comforted the officer who shot Castile while arresting her.
When one reporter asked her why she livestreamed the video on Facebook, Reynolds said that she did so "because I wanted everyone in the world to know that no matter how much the police tamper with evidence, how much they stick together, no matter how they manipulate our minds to believe what they want, I wanted to put it on Facebook and go viral so that the people to see."
Watch video from the press conference here:
(H/t CNN)
Police Violence
Diamond Reynolds
Lavisha Diamond Reynolds
Lavisha Reynolds
Permalink Submitted by Nikki Amann on Thu, 07/07/2016 - 16:32
What can be done? Were do we start. It is so sad. And just keeps happening. I am a 44 year old white woman. I dont want to just sit and watch as this keeps happening. People are losing there life in the hands of those who vowed to protect life. And the police have bean diffrent races. But these attacks have been on black and latino people the most. Mostly black men. So what do we do? #istandwithyou
Permalink Submitted by Hilary Latta on Fri, 07/08/2016 - 18:19
I am a 60 year oldAustralian white woman,
This is not on we all must STAND , those police must face MURDER charges
Permalink Submitted by dersa on Sun, 07/10/2016 - 23:16
They consoled the cop, the coward Barney Fife imbecile. See this is what is also sick. NEVER have I seen a good cop step up to a bad cop, stop him from being or doing bad and there really hasn't been one to arrest a cop . Cover
Police Release Dashcam Video of Philando Castile Shooting
Officer Who Killed Philando Castile Charged With Manslaughter
Philando Castile's Killer Placed Back on Admin Leave Following Outcry
READ: Transcript of the Philando Castile Video
Philando Castile is 123rd Black Person Killed by Police This Year


Despite the title of this post, I'm not one for setting goals simply because it's a new year. But sometimes you need a little boost or nudge to get on with setting fresh goals and the arrival of a new year is the perfect excuse.
I'm taking nine months off work on long service leave to work on my writing, and I already know the time is going fly by.
I've been dedicated to writing sci-fi, so I've decided to branch out and write in other genres. I've also been a bit of a slave to the full length novel, so I'm also going to try my hand at a few novellas. As the saying goes, change is good for you. I don't have work to distract me, and although I am no longer writing as much in the evenings, I am making good word count by day. Usually at least 2k words per day, but I've been getting up to a very healthy 4k+ on some days.
I've got five different book projects on the go at the moment at various stages of development, which is also unusual for me. Usually, I stick to one and finish it before I move on. I'm finding having several projects to pick from depending on my mood has been really beneficial to my word count. If I'm feeling out of ideas on one, I just pick up another.
It's early days with this approach but it seems to be working so far. One novella is complete, another is at 75%, and I have had a good stab at a couple of other books. Whether I ever publish them is another matter. I think sometimes just getting back to writing for the joy of it without any end goal in mind delivers its own reward.
My first two books in my new Predictive trilogy are complete and with beta readers. I have some work to do on the first one based on feedback, and I'm letting the ideas incubate before I dive in.
I'm also playing around with the fourth book in the Divided World Series. I swore I would park it to devote time to other projects, but the ideas have been flowing so I figured why not.
And I'm loving being a full-time writer for the first time in my life. And although I know it has an end date, I'm determined to make the most of it.
"This is just a dream," Tanis said.
"Hannah isn't a threat." Tanis turned once more to the cell door, pounded on the aged wood and called for the guard.
The Master began laughing, a rich, melodious sound that rose above his furious thumping on the door.
Looking for a little old-school sci-fi?
As readers we seem to have developed a fixation with dark future worlds. Are we purposely casting a sinister slant onto human destiny? Is it a desire for sensationalism, or simply realism that colours our apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic science fiction trends? Are we heading rapidly towards disaster? Or is it a slow unfurling of all that we hold dear? Love it or loath it, dark future sci-fi is here to stay. Here is my pick of common themes in the post-apocalyptic / dark future world.
No matter how bad, no matter how much decimation, no matter what we do to our world, there is always the residual hope of the survivors the book is based around.
Often there is just an indication that life changed, but no one actually knows the cause. Much of the book may be dedicated to understanding the trigger event, fitting the pieces of the puzzle together in an attempt to rectify or resolve the damage done.
Sometimes they just move on to dealing with the consequence. It all comes down to whether the trigger to change life in this new dark direction was fast or slow.
A slow trigger such as climate change could provide people with plenty of warning.
A fast trigger such as a natural disaster could keep people in the dark.
And many triggers can be applied in different ways depending on how you pitch the book. For example a war could be swift or take decades to tear society down. The same with diseases, and even an alien invasion could be pitched from multiple directions.
The book can often be themed around a journey or search. Always seeking to find a safe zone or utopia homeland that is just around the corner, over the hill, or a hidden message away.
Even a localised natural disaster can bring out the hero…and the criminal who wants to prey on the weak. An apocalyptic event just does this exponentially more. Dark, lawless futures, likewise set a grim backdrop that provides plenty of scope for the scourge of society to step into. There is a big difference between an opportunist criminal that knows he has a few days or hours to take advantage of his fellow men, and the far more profound knowledge that the law and order we have come to rely on is never coming back.
Dark places and events can change people, but perhaps more dramatically it can leave them the same. I love the way this genre is often centred around the character arc. Some characters change significantly as their survival instinct kicks in and they adapt. They become something more, or worse, or better, than they were. My favourite is when they stay exactly the same, for example the person who doggedly retains their innocent, hopeful, and caring ways, no matter what hardship or horror comes their way.
It's not just about surviving against the evil humans in these dark future worlds. Zombies, mutations, diseases, out of control robots, rabid dogs, and alien attack! So much creative scope when it comes to the bad guys.
I always like to hear of new sci-fi whether it is books, or as in this case, movies.
I have not seen any of these films, but the descriptions are intriguing so I will definitely be checking them out.


For information regarding attorney vacancies with the Office of Immigration Litigation, Appellate Section, please visit the Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management's attorney vacancy page.
The Appellate Section offers unpaid internships for law students year-round. Interns are assigned to one of the Appellate Section's litigation teams and work under the supervision of the team's Assistant Director and Senior Litigation Counsel. During the school year, interns may be assigned to draft motions for appellate cases, perform administrative records review, conduct various research projects, and draft appellate briefs. Schedules for school-year interns are flexible, but 15-20 hours per week is recommended. Summer interns, who work a minimum of 30 hours per week, will primarily draft appellate briefs, as well as perform the tasks of school-year interns. Summer interns also benefit from OIL's summer intern program, which includes visits and tours (such as a tour of the Board of Immigration Appeals and a tour of the Immigration Court in Arlington, VA), as well as social activities and softball games.
Applicants who are offered positions will be required to undergo a criminal background and fingerprint check, as well as a credit check. For more information about legal internships with the DOJ, please visit OARM's Opportunities for Law Students page.
OIL-Appellate participates in the Civil Division's part-time student employment programs.


text:
This website can no longer be updated. Work on a replacement is underway with a launch expected in Spring 2020.
Profiles Menu
General Goods (7)
Hoppers (15)
Opens (15)
Steel Carriers (12)
Other/Special (6)
Profiles - Hoppers
This section covers open and covered hoppers with the common theme being gravity discharge from the bottom. There is some overlap between covered hoppers and tanks as I have categorised modern cement wagons as the latter due to their cylindrical barrels. Until recently, the most numerous wagons in this category were railway-owned coal hoppers, large numbers of unbraked (HTO), vacuum (HTV), and air-braked (HAA) examples having been built. BR also had designs of hopper wagons dedicated to other traffics including coke and ironstone, both of which were also served by smaller, privately owned fleets. The aggregates boom of the 1970s saw the number of privately owned hoppers increase, first with 2-axle designs and later bogie types. Prior to this, the only common bogie hoppers were ballast carriers in the departmental fleet. Hopper wagons are limited in that they usually require under-track unloading equipment and attempts were made in the 1980s and 1990s to bypass this, firstly with the Self-Discharge trains and then with other similar schemes for handling ballast and spoil. More recently, the fleet of autoballasters has represented the application of technology to the hopper concept. However, many of the traffics formerly conveyed in hoppers now use simple box wagons with loading and unloading by mechanical grabs.
CBA/CDA/PGA Hoppers (MGR derivatives) 1969-1989 235 1969-current 22/12/2007 21/05/2008
Three batches of wagons have been built whose design derived from the hugely successful Merry-go-round coal hopper type. Separated by nearly 15 years, the designs were for three different commodities (lime, gypsum and china clay) and served specific flows in almost geographically opposite corners of the country. The gypsum hoppers were sold to the private sector before entering service while the limestone wagons diversified into potash before succumbing to corrosion. Only the china clay wagons, built in the 1980s, survive.
HAA 'Merry-go-round' Coal Hoppers 1964-1977 11162 1964-current 1/12/2006 24/12/2006
The HAA wagon (and its derivatives) was part of a drive to improve the efficiency of the movement of coal to power stations. They became the most numerous air-braked wagon type, and quietly went about their business until they were eventually displaced by the closure of many collieries and the introduction of new wagon designs. Although large quantites were scrapped, many lived on, having been rebuilt as box wagons for carrying ballast.
HBA/HEA Hoppers 1975-1979 1999 1975-current 16/12/2007 16/12/2007
Just under 2000 HBAs were built in the 1970s and were intended to become the standard general-purpose hopper wagon. Within a few years they were recoded as HEAs with improved suspension. However, declining traffic has seen the fleet undergo numerous modifications and rebuilds.
HOA/IIA Bogie Aggregate/Sand Hoppers 2006-2009 162 2006-current 15/10/2014 10/05/2015
Almost from the start, EWS had ambitious plans to build many new wagons. However, its first order for aggregate hoppers was not placed until 2005, these becoming the HOA class. Delivered in EWS livery, many of the wagons were very soon repainted into the colours of their main user. A follow-on batch also wore this livery but were from a different builder and carrying 'international' numbers. More wagons to the latter design were ordered for use by Mendip Rail.
HTA Bogie Coal Hoppers 2001-2004 1144 2001-current 01/12/2006 16/03/2010
Soon after it was formed, EWS announced it was to buy a large number of new high-capacity wagons. One of the types indentified for replacement was the HAA merry-go-round coal hopper, all of which were between 18 and 36 years old. The design selected became the HTA, and a total of 1144 were built at the reopened York works between 2001 and 2004.
HTO/HTV 21t Coal Hoppers 1949-1959 23150 1949-1991 15/12/2007 02/07/2008
The 21ton steel-bodied coal hopper was based on an LNER design and was the standard BR coal hopper until the advent of air-braked types in the 1960s and 1970s. Over 23,000 wagons were built, making them one of the most numerous types on BR and, although seen in many places, they were most at home in the coalfields of North East England. Most of the wagons were rebodied at least once, to a simplified design with fewer ribs, while over a third of the fleet eventually gained vacuum brakes. Coded HTO and HTV under TOPS, the wagons were never fully replaced by air braked wagons but colliery closures had a major impact on their numbers. The unfitted fleet was eradicated by the mid 1980s while just a handful of HTVs made it into the 1990s. Many of the wagons survived longer, at least in part, with their underframes receiving new box bodies for the departmental fleet.
JGA RMC Bogie Stone Hoppers 1984-1997 89 1984-current 01/10/2007 10/05/2015
The fleet of bogie hoppers used by Ready Mixed Concrete (RMC) wear a distinctive bright orange livery and until 2007 could be seen running in block formations carrying limestone from the quarry at Peak Forest near Buxton. The total of 89 wagons covers four batches built to three main designs over a period of 13 years, and trains often featured several or all of the variants. More recently the wagons have been in general use with EWS in the South East.
National Power JHA/JMA Hoppers (later HJA/HKA) 1993-1995 106 1994-current 15/10/2014 15/10/2014
In the mid-1990s, electricity generator National Power joined the small club of companies that ran their railfreight services using their own locomotives. Six class 59 locos and two batches of hoppers (totalling 106 wagons) carried a distinctive blue and grey livery on services centred on the giant Drax power station. The operation was short-lived, being sold to EWS in 1998. The rolling stock has seen more widespread usage under its new ownership, with many of the wagons being rebogied and renumbered.
PG010 Hoppers 1975 115 1975-current 1/12/2006 24/12/2006
This batch of wagons was built to convey limestone from the quarry at Redmire in North Yorkshire to the British Steel works at Redcar, Cleveland. They were notable for having automatic door control equipment similar to that fitted to MGR coal hoppers, and tall bodies with a narrow top opening. Although the ownership of the wagons (and the quarries that the services work from) has changed in recent years, most still serve the Teesside steel industry. Some surplus wagons were rebuilt as general purpose hoppers but these saw very limited use and were soon withdrawn.
PHA/JHA/HLA Marcon Bogie Gravel Hoppers 1969-1991 35 1969-current 1/12/2006 24/12/2006
For a small fleet seen in a limited area this group of wagons has had a fairly interesting time, although I am perhaps biased as they are the only type I see on a regular basis. Three batches were built, with two types of bogies and several other design differences. Over the years, four liveries have been carried, and all the wagons were eventually rebodied and modified to have a more uniform appearance. Throughout this time the wagons worked in bloack formations carrying sea-dredged gravel from terminals on the River Thames to various locations around London.
PHA/JGA Bardon Bogie Aggregate Hoppers 1986-2004 73 1986-current 23/12/2007 10/05/2015
Bardon Hill Quarries (later renamed Bardon Aggregates) bought four batches of bogie hoppers between 1986 and 2004, totalling 73 wagons. They have been used in block formations between the quarries in Leicestershire and various terminals in the southeast of England.
Redland Self-Discharge Trains 1988-1990 124 1988-current 01/01/2008 17/05/2008
The Self-Discharge Trains operated by Redland (later Lafarge) were an attempt to combine the rapid unloading characteristics of hopper wagons with the operational flexibility of open wagons that required no specialised unloading equipment. This is achieved by use of a conveyor built into the bottom of each set of wagons and an unloading vehicle coupled at one end. Despite the mechanical complexity of the concept it appears to have been successful with several sets built for use both in the UK and abroad.
PIA/KPA Tiphook Hoppers and HQA/JJA Autoballasters 1988-2006 400 1988-current 20/10/2008 01/05/2013
Wagon hirer Tiphook bought 150 bogie hoppers in the late 1980s for spot-hires in various traffics. Within a few years most were stored out of use and one was modified as a ballast hopper with a view to replacing railway-owned types such as the Walrus and Sealion. The conversion, dubbed Autoballaster, was evidently a success and further batches accounted for the majority of the stored wagons. There was then a programme of building new Autoballasters with an order for 190 wagons followed by further batches of 50 and 10.
YGB Seacow / YGH Sealion / YGV Walrus
40t Bogie Ballast Hoppers 1954-1982 789 1954-current 1/12/2006 24/12/2006
Although seemingly built over an extended period, the basis of this type was actually a design by the London and South Western Railway first introduced in 1903. Apart from the bogies there were only very minor changes between the oldest and the newest builds, a testimony to the soundness of the original design. Most of the examples built in the 1970s and 1980s remain in service today, working alongside newer autoballasters and a growing number of box wagons.
ZEV 'Catfish'/ZFV 'Dogfish' Ballast Hoppers 1953-1961 1959 1953-2007 30/03/2008 05/04/2008
The Catfish and Dogfish were BR�s standard small ballast hopper wagons, almost 2000 being built. Fitted with vacuum brakes from new, many lasted into the 1990s while a programme to fit air-brakes to surviving Dogfish wagons was started in 2000. Despite this, the last examples of both types were withdrawn in 2006.
Page added: 01/10/2007 Spotted an error? Got some additional info?
Please e-mail me at tom (at) ltsv.com Last edited: 15/10/2014

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A nice line up of A320's, embraer, and 717's.
I think I get an A320 back home to FCA since I'm in row 31.
There was a cowboy on my last flight trying to get to the rodeo by 8 pm, he was all dressed up with rope, and even still had spurs on his boots.


Natasha Buchanan, Erika Queiroz, John Demirs, Junzheng Yang, Barrett Leehy, Nalini Rangaswamy, Ivana Arellano, Maura Crowley, Chad E Bigelow, Karen Anderson, Sha-Mei Liao; Retinal degeneration and subretinal Iba1+ accumulation in complement factor H-deficient mice are associated with increased gene expression of phagocytic markers. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2018;59(9):990.
Purpose : Over-activation of the alternative pathway is strongly associated with age-related macular degeneration. We previously reported that subretinal Iba1+ cell accumulation and retinal degeneration was observed in complement factor H knock-out mice on a factor P background (Cfh-/-Cfp+/+; Liao S-M, 2017 ARVO Abstract). In order to confirm and further investigate the photoreceptor (PR) thinning observed in a subset of these animals, both homozygous (Cfh-/-) and heterozygous mice (Cfh+/-) were evaluated for ocular abnormalities.
Methods : Male and female Cfh-/- (n=26), Cfh+/- (n=20) and WT littermate (n=18) mice were aged from 4 weeks to 11 months. Animals were assessed by fundus photography and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Ocular flat mounts and tissue sections were examined for Iba1+ cells, and gene expression was assessed by Taqman. The two-tailed t-test was used for statistical analyses.
Results : Cfh-/- mice (19%) exhibited retinal flecks by fundus imaging as early as 5 weeks of age, with incidence and severity progressing over time (77% by 7 months), and OCT revealed PR thinning in 50% of these animals. Histological evaluation of 4 week old Cfh-/- mice identified numerous Iba1+ subretinal cells and PR loss (↓32%, p<0.001). This correlated with increased expression of phagocytic markers Trem2 (p<0.001), Aif1 (p<0.001), Tmem119 (p<0.01), Csf1r (p<0.001), and mitochondrial stress gene Hspd1 (p<0.001). A reduction in rod-specific Gnat1 expression (p<0.01), but no change in cone-specific Gnat2 mRNA was evident in young Cfh-/- mice. The partial complement activation in Cfh+/- mice resulted in delayed onset of retinal flecks with a modest increase in expression of Trem2 (p<0.001), Aif1 (p<0.001), Csf1r (p<0.001) and Hspd1 (p<0.01). No eye abnormalities were observed in WT littermates.
Conclusions : Young Cfh-/- mice displayed retinal flecks, accumulation of subretinal Iba1+ cells, and a subset also exhibited retinal degeneration. The PR loss affected rods prior to cones, and correlated with elevated gene expression of phagocytic and mitochondrial stress markers. Cfh+/- mice displayed a delayed onset of retinal flecks and a more moderate elevation in phagocytic and mitochondrial stress gene expression. Further investigation is required to determine if the subretinal Iba1+ cells are a consequence of or contribute to PR loss in Cfh-/- mice.


← #AdventBotany 2016 – Day 2: How do you create a Candy Cane Chrysanthemum?
#AdventBotany 2016 – Day 3: A sweet surprise!
Happy birthday to me, Happy birth… hold on just a minute this is the 25 days Advent Christmas Botanical Calendar, so why the birthday?
My birthday does indeed fall on the 3rd day and like anyone else I do love a cake. But the cake for today is a Japanese Christmas Cake. However, Japanese do not celebrate Christmas so the 25/26 December is not a national public holiday but it doesn't stop them celebrating or eating cake.
So move along you traditional Christmas cake ingredients cinnamon, nutmeg, cherries and sultanas, it's time for the strawberry! The strawberry I hear you cry as you think hot summer days and Wimbledon Tennis! Yes, the strawberry!
This cake is lush. It can be any shape you want and is easily made. Make a light sponge, cover it with lashing of whipped cream and decorate with strawberries. For those of you with Masterchef skills variations on this theme abound .
Now I have tantalised you with the cake, let's go 'hug' the strawberry (don't get it on your clothes now!).
Fragaria x ananassa commonly known as the garden strawberry is an artificial hybrid between Fragaria virginiana Mill., the scarlet strawberry from Eastern North America and the walnut sized fruiting species Fragaria chiloensis (L.) Mill., the beach strawberry from Chile. The word for strawberry in Japanese is ichigo.
And how about my attempt at making my Japanese Christmas / Birthday cake? Not bad for a first try – beginners luck as usual!
Fi Young is an alumnus of the UoR MSc. Plant Diversity degree (2007-2009). When Fi is not in poor mental health she is a Committee Member, Winnersh Parish Coordinator and tree hugger for the WDVTA, a Coursera.org Volunteer Mentor for the Johns Hopkins University Data Science Specialism: Capstone Project and a School Governor. Fi continues her scientific projects online at www.lacistemataceae.org.
This entry was posted in Advent, Public Engagement with Science and tagged Amaou, Christmas cake, Fukuoka and 'Hinoshizuku, Kumamoto, Nyoho, Tochi, Tochiotome. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
The Academy of Urbanism Journal
Prince's Exchange, Leeds
by Editor November 29, 2021
Simon Smithson, Architect
I guess you could call me a Leeds lad as I was born at Jimmie's, went to Leeds Grammar School, and did my architectural training at Leeds School of Architecture. I started work with Leeds Housing Federation, and then for Carey Jones architects in Leeds, before setting up my own practice, Think Architecture, with my colleague Jonathan Wilson.
My strongest subjects at school were Art and English but after taking a distinct dislike to all things Dickensian I turned my full attention to Art and in turn became interested in Architecture. I also got involved with a really inspirational group of people who renovated properties for the charity Shelter. I have to admit I did have an ulterior motive as it was a great way to meet girls!
Seriously though, there was a huge amount of redevelopment going on in Leeds in the late sixties, what with the urban motorway and so-called slum clearance. I thought 'I can do better than that', and a career in architecture was a vocational way to make a difference.
My place is Prince's Exchange. The initial plans for an 18-storey scheme were changed on the grounds that it would spoil the views of the surrounding moorland from the city centre. By pushing the building out to the limits of the site, I discovered that I could achieve the same total floor area in only ten storeys.
The next stages of the design programme included a rigorous development and review process with around 20 different models created to evolve the final design into what it is today. The dynamic aesthetic of the shape was borne out of the restrictions of the surrounding land, as we could sink piles without interfering with the bed of the River Aire, which runs directly under the car park.
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The Future of Retail in London
As we struggle through another COVID Christmas, Kathryn Firth asks why shopping is such a divided activity. Visitors to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in..
The Farrell Centre, Newcastle.
Sir Terry Farrell – Architect and urbanist I grew up in a prefab on a housing estate to the north of Newcastle, the edge of..
The Greatest Street?
Create Streets recently tweeted a picture of Grey Street in Newcastle asking whether this was still Britain's best street. Inevitably it triggered a twitter debate..
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The Academy of Urbanism is a politically independent, not-for-profit organisation that brings together both the current and next generation of urban leaders, thinkers and practitioners, as well as those that support our programmes, events and activities. If you would like to help us to recognise, encourage and celebrate great places, and the people and organisations that create and sustain them, we encourage you to become a member of the Academy.
© 2022 The Academy of Urbanism
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Reading: Prince's Exchange, Leeds


This is rolling machine to roll the leaf thickness and width of heated fork arm material. The width is rolled by squeezing roll, and the leaf thickness is rolled by working Roll & Draw bench. The tapered shape can be formed by NC for up/down movement of upper roll (Electric servo system) without changing forming dies. This machine has a function to storage the product shape data of a various kind.


text:
Dixie Regional Medical Center Opens Surge ICU Unit
BY CARY J. SCHWANITZ, KSL TV
ST. GEORGE, Utah – Intermountain Healthcare confirmed it opened a special intensive care unit surge facility at the Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George because of increasing numbers of COVID-19 patients who need high-level ICU care.
"We continue to see high volumes of patients in intensive care units at our hospitals across the state," said Intermountain Healthcare Spokesman Jess Gomez in a statement. "New cases of COVID-19 and subsequent hospitalizations of COVID patients continue to spike in Utah."
The statement said the Surge Unit is part of the Dixie Medical Center's ongoing plan for dealing with the growing number of hospitalized patients in the community.
Monday the Utah Health Department reported 1,168 new cases of COVID-19 and three new deaths statewide. There were 288 patients hospitalized with the virus.
"Healthcare resources across the state, including highly-trained caregivers who provide specialized intensive care, continue to be stretched due to the rising numbers of COVID-19 patients and subsequent hospitalizations. This is adding to high patient volumes in ICUs," Gomez said.
Intermountain is asking the community "to stand with us at this time" by masking up, social distancing, washing hands, and staying home when you are sick.
The state has a detailed website that offers help with reducing the spread of COVID-19, getting help with financial difficulties, even how to find a job.


text:
// Copyright Naked Objects Group Ltd, 45 Station Road, Henley on Thames, UK, RG9 1AT
// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
// You may obtain a copy of the License at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.
// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.

using System.Collections.Immutable;
using System.Reflection;
using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
using NakedFramework.Architecture.Component;
using NakedFramework.Architecture.Reflect;
using NakedFramework.Architecture.SpecImmutable;
using NakedFramework.ParallelReflector.Reflect;

namespace NakedFunctions.Reflector.Reflect;

public sealed class FunctionalIntrospector : Introspector, IIntrospector {
    public FunctionalIntrospector(IReflector reflector, ILogger<FunctionalIntrospector> logger) : base(reflector, logger) { }

    protected override IImmutableDictionary<string, ITypeSpecBuilder> ProcessType(ITypeSpecImmutable spec, IImmutableDictionary<string, ITypeSpecBuilder> metamodel) =>
        ((FunctionalFacetFactorySet)FacetFactorySet).Process(Reflector, IntrospectedType, new IntrospectorMethodRemover(Methods), spec, metamodel);

    protected override IImmutableDictionary<string, ITypeSpecBuilder> ProcessCollection(PropertyInfo property, IOneToManyAssociationSpecImmutable collection, IImmutableDictionary<string, ITypeSpecBuilder> metamodel) =>
        ((FunctionalFacetFactorySet)FacetFactorySet).Process(Reflector, property, new IntrospectorMethodRemover(Methods), collection, FeatureType.Collections, metamodel);

    protected override IImmutableDictionary<string, ITypeSpecBuilder> ProcessProperty(PropertyInfo property, IOneToOneAssociationSpecImmutable referenceProperty, IImmutableDictionary<string, ITypeSpecBuilder> metamodel) =>
        ((FunctionalFacetFactorySet)FacetFactorySet).Process(Reflector, property, new IntrospectorMethodRemover(Methods), referenceProperty, FeatureType.Properties, metamodel);

    protected override IImmutableDictionary<string, ITypeSpecBuilder> ProcessAction(MethodInfo actionMethod, MethodInfo[] actions, IActionSpecImmutable action, IImmutableDictionary<string, ITypeSpecBuilder> metamodel) =>
        ((FunctionalFacetFactorySet)FacetFactorySet).Process(Reflector, actionMethod, new IntrospectorMethodRemover(actions), action, FeatureType.Actions, metamodel);

    protected override IImmutableDictionary<string, ITypeSpecBuilder> ProcessParameter(MethodInfo actionMethod, int i, IActionParameterSpecImmutable param, IImmutableDictionary<string, ITypeSpecBuilder> metamodel) =>
        ((FunctionalFacetFactorySet)FacetFactorySet).ProcessParams(Reflector, actionMethod, i, param, metamodel);
}

// Copyright (c) Naked Objects Group Ltd.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
This Is Where I Came in
By the time you met him, several million copies of his books had sold. Since that time, hundreds of millions of copies of his books have sold. A prolific author as well as a legendary best-seller, he has by your reckoning ninety novels and numerous collections of short stories, at least ten. The margin of error in your figures is at the low end of the curve, let's say + or - one percent. His death in 1980, yet additional hundreds of millions of copies of his books have been purchased.
He was by any account a story teller as opposed to a stylist who had a way with story; his narratives had shape rather than elegance of structure. No one you know of has ever listed him in any kind of stylistic elegance hierarchy, no one you know has ever quoted a line of Louis L'Amour dialogue nor recalled a particular scene. Even the earlier analog of Louis L'Amour, that dentist-turned frontier-writer, Zane Grey, dead since 1939, is more often quoted or cited for some particular scene. Of the two writers, L'Amour held the edge in elegance, although that is not saying much.
L'Amour knew story, understood it, in his way seemed to have treated it in a manner suggesting the stock trope of many frontier and country novels, the horse breaker, man or woman who understood and were able to convince wild horses to accept the civilization of bridle, saddle, and rider.
Your paycheck at the time of meeting L'Amour was from Dell, the massmarket paperback imprint of the Delacorte family. In New York, when you'd call in at 750 Third Avenue, you'd hear the receptionist say, "Dial, Dell, Delacorte," although the receptionist would not miss a beat if you asked to speak to someone in the Yearling or young reader segment of the empire. L'Amour drew enormous royalty checks from the most significant rival of Dell, Bantam Books.
Your mission was to convince L'Amour to leave Bantam for Dell. Although you were not authorized to offer terms such as advances or royalty percentages, you were aware of the enormity of the coup, were you able to bring this great treasure to Dell. In practical terms, had the plan worked, you'd have earned yourself four or five years of remarkable influence in massmarket publishing. Should your balance sheet radiate health after those years, your editorial future could have extended your time spent in the part of the United States then believed to be the hub of American book publishing.
You had brought about the meeting by calling in favors from a few friends, and with a pitch you thought might at least cause L'Amour to consider. Any given paperback title of an Agatha Christie mystery had appeared already as a Dell edition and a Bantam edition. You even had one title--thanks to your passion for browsing used book stores--that had started Dell, gone to Bantam, then returned to Dell. Surely, your proposed argument went, Louis L'Amour readers were even more likely to collect L'Amour titles than Christie fans were to care one galloping hoot who'd published her work.
But you never got beyond the first sentence of your pitch because Mr. L'Amour, among other things, was a man of considerable loyalty. What was then accomplished at that up-scale Italian restaurant on the Sunset Strip was a leisurely lunch of shop talk, talk about writing and books and history that Mr. L'Amour without doubt forgot in its entirety, but which has remained with you to this day for the bit of information he set forth, assuming you already knew it. You may well have known it, but you could not have articulated it as well as he did. "You've served your time as an editor," this amiable man noted as fact. "I'm sure you've had any number of opportunities to observe that most writers begin their story too soon--even before there is story."
With judicious eclat, you broke a breadstick, then dipped it into some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. "Every editor goes through that," you managed to say with some aplomb because you were already floating. This casual assumption had lift-off force for you; you were flying. You wanted to get out of that restaurant and back to your red Olivetti portable because this taken-for-granted truth for L'Amour was pure, vivid revelation, and what do you do with revelation but put it into a story, several stories, all stories.
The closest you ever came to meeting Graham Greene was when you were stopped at a traffic light in Beverly Hills and he, lurching in slight tipsiness with the splendid actor, Trevor Howard, crossed in front of you. This meeting was some time after your meeting with L'Amour. You'd found a quotation from Graham Greene in his novel, The End of the Affair: "A story has no beginning or end; arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back or from which to look ahead."
You were tempted to roll down your window, thereupon to call forth, "Mr. Greene, I agree with you." And for emphasis, you'd even throw in the unnecessary adverb, "completely." But he would have no idea what in the world you were talking about.
Wherever we are--yes, even in Beverly Hills--we make sense to ourself, often using a rib or two from another person, another thing, another work. The sense is our property, to repress, squander, yes, even to write about--if we choose. We run the risk of our sources and our readers not having the faintest inkling of what we mean unless we supply some context. And even then, there is no guarantee they will care. Enlightenment or its second cousin, understanding, is something we strive to achieve, but in an analogy with the enormous information about whales and whaling in Moby-Dick, the reader may well decide to pass on the offert desert.
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The font for the 2019 DESIGN SCHAU Magazine was provided by Commercial Type.
The editorial design specialists granted the designers of the magazine access to their entire library of fonts.
The MCBW word mark and figurative mark have been developed by KOCHAN & PARTNER of Munich, Germany.
Slate Pro is the key typeface of MCBW and is distributed by Monotype.


text:
New Hampshire Casts No Ballot Before Its Time
New Hampshire lacks the ethnic diversity of a Florida or Nevada, or the blue-collar clout of Ohio or Wisconsin. And though it's as fiercely contested as the other eight or so battlegrounds in terms of ground game and ad saturation, it's seen comparatively little of the presidential candidates.
By Tribune News Service, Tribune News Service | November 2, 2012
For full election coverage and analysis, go to Governing's 2012 Election Center.
One reason why: New Hampshire is the rare battleground without any significant early or absentee voting, the increasingly common practice that has become a driver of campaign strategy for much of October. That's particularly true for President Barack Obama, who cast his own ballot in person last week in Illinois to visibly promote the practice.
In New Hampshire, though, the only early voting is the kind that will take place at Dixville Notch, the remote northern hamlet that opens and closes its polls at midnight. All but a small fraction of the state's half-million or so votes are expected to come during regular Election Day hours.
In 2008, a majority of the votes cast in Florida, North Carolina, Nevada and Colorado were cast early or by mail. And in Virginia, Wisconsin, Ohio and Iowa, the percentage of early votes ranged from 11 percent to 36 percent.
The campaigns have both worked to expand those numbers, and of late are working overtime to claim momentum from what each says is an early advantage.
No such tea leaves will be found in the Granite State, where in 2008 just about 1 percent of voters cast absentee ballots. The state still requires voters to offer an excuse to vote early. Veteran observers say most here simply choose to see the campaign through until the end.
"The last weekend matters. As it always has," says Bill Gardner, New Hampshire's longtime secretary of state.
"New Hampshire's a late-deciding state _ at least it's a late-committing state," says former Gov. John Sununu, a co-chairman of Mitt Romney's campaign. "They may be decided but they're not going to tell you. And sometimes they're telling you just the opposite to be perverse."
That's why, after weeks in which neither party nominee visited the state, both campaigns have stepped up their presence. When Obama campaigned in Manchester on Oct. 18, it was his first visit since the day after the Democratic National Convention.
He was back last Saturday in Nashua, one day after Jill Biden held events at the far northern extreme and a day before Joe Biden flew in and out on a storm-shortened trip to rally volunteers at the campaign's state headquarters.
"You guys are the epicenter," he said. "You not only determine who our nominees are, you determine who our presidents are."
Romney's first rally here in seven weeks was to come Tuesday, but, like Biden and first lady Michelle Obama, he nixed those plans because of Hurricane Sandy. He will, though, hold his final campaign rally here on election eve, with special guest Kid Rock, a fitting bookend more than a year and a half after he launched his second presidential bid in the state.
Romney also heightened his television ad presence after a long period in which Obama had the advantage. His campaign is now spending money on the more expensive Boston television market, which penetrates into the southern tier of the state _ filled with Massachusetts emigrants _ in a bid to overcome a deficit in the polls.
The University of New Hampshire poll has fluctuated significantly, from a 3-point Obama lead in August to a 15-point advantage in late September. The most recent survey had him leading Romney 51 percent to 42 percent, with 7 percent undecided.
But Obama knows all too well how fickle voters here can be. The double-digit lead he built over Hillary Rodham Clinton in the state after winning the Iowa caucuses was undone in five days, and her victory forced the two combatants into a six-month battle for the nomination.
New Hampshire has the fewest electoral votes of the most hotly contested states _ just four. But in a razor-thin vote, neither side can afford to write it off.
"We don't know how this thing is gonna play out," Obama said at a stop at the Teamsters Local 633 in Manchester last Saturday. "These four electoral votes right here could make the difference."
"I was here in 2000 when New Hampshire's four votes would have (won) the election for Al Gore. So that's why we're not taking anything for granted," said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who served as governor when George W. Bush carried the state.
Andy Smith, who conducts the UNH poll, said that while Obama maintains an advantage here, enthusiasm among Democrats lags behind 2008 levels, while Republicans appear to be more motivated behind Romney than they were for Sen. John McCain.
"You (could) have the bottom drop out in terms of marginal support for Obama," Smith said. "It will be a lot easier for them to not vote. I think that's what Republicans did in 2008."
Much of what drives Obama's strategy in other states does not apply to New Hampshire. There is no early vote and no significant growing minority population, meaning that he has less ability to increase his strongest segment of the electorate. The exception: women's issues, which the campaign says are as powerful, if not more powerful, here than anywhere else.
Shaheen's introduction of Obama at the Nashua rally underscored that fact.
"You know, here in the Granite State, we don't need binders full of women. We've got ballots full of women!" she said. The Democratic nominees for governor and in both congressional races are women. "The women of the Granite State say thanks but no thanks to Mitt Romney."
Sununu says the winning message for Romney is easy: taxes and spending, reflecting the state's longtime enmity toward both.
"We're overspending in America and we're overtaxing," he said. "And the small-business community reinforces that up here."
Nobody in New Hampshire Cares about Jeb Bush
So far there is no evidence of any spontaneous activity on the former Florida governor's behalf in the New England state.
Absentee Voting Record Set in South Carolina
More than 375,000 South Carolinians already have voted absentee -- the most ever in state history.
Pre-Election Ratings-Palooza
We've rounded up all our ratings and rankings for the Electoral College, governors' races, control of the state legislatures and state attorney general contests.
Tax Pledge Permeates New Hampshire Politics
A look inside the state's anti-tax dynamic and how it plays out in statewide races.
The Final Handicapping of the 2012 Governors' Races
With Election Day looming, a few races go down to the wire. For full election coverage and analysis, go to Governing's Election Center.
Congressional District Compactness, Gerrymandering By State
Geographic analysis measures compactness of each congressional district.
Which States, Districts Are Most Gerrymandered?
A new report examines redrawn Congressional districts, highlighting ones with unusual boundaries.


The Manhattan Institute has long been committed to staying at the forefront of urban-policy innovation.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the questions of urban policy were existential—could America's major urban centers survive at all?
Today, this question has been answered with a resounding yes in many U.S. cities, from New York to San Francisco, and Denver to Houston. Yet that very success poses new challenges to a new generation of urban leaders.
Today's urban citizens demand effective, efficient government services. They are less tolerant of bureaucratic dysfunction. Technology is transforming the world; government is no exception. And the experiences that today's urbanites have with technology, from the iPhone to Uber, set a high service-delivery bar that citizens expect government to meet. Meanwhile, problems of success, such as uneven economic advancement and soaring rents in many cities, pose challenges to future urban growth.
The Manhattan Institute has long been committed to staying at the forefront of urban-policy innovation. To that end, we have partnered with leading academics to commission the series of urban-innovation essays found in this volume—essays that speak directly to some of the big challenges that U.S. cities now face.
In the first essay, Harvard Business School's Michael Luca discusses the innovative work that he and his team did in partnership with Yelp, a customer-review website, and the cities of San Francisco and Boston. Traditional urban-data applications have involved either making better internal use of government data or posting government data to an online portal to allow private users to take advantage of it. In Luca's work, there is a bidirectional flow of data and more collaboration between private firms, such as Yelp, and cities.
Luca examined public-health inspection scores in San Francisco and helped get that information onto Yelp—a useful thing for the many diners who peruse it before selecting a restaurant to visit. He also discovered that reviews posted on Yelp can be used to predict which restaurants will subsequently fail health inspections. Luca worked with the city of Boston to run a contest to create an algorithm to apply that insight to Boston, which could potentially allow health inspectors to more efficiently target restaurants that are likely to have violations.
In the second essay, UCLA's Donald Shoup outlines better ways for cities to manage their on-street real estate. Demand for parking is growing with cities, and new technology offers new ways of managing parking. He suggests that cities should use market-based pricing for parking meters, varying the price by time of day to reflect the variation in demand for parking spaces. He outlines the concept, and then reviews the results achieved when San Francisco implemented his policy for its new SFpark system.
Shoup also describes how market-based pricing could be extended to residential street parking. His plan: allow neighbors to petition for a uniform price auction to allocate spaces to homeowners. The money raised would then be spent in the neighborhood itself. Rich and poor neighborhoods would both benefit through a "power-equalization system" of financial allocation.
In the third essay, Alex Armlovich and I address the problem of soaring housing prices in many U.S. cities. To help ease this burden, we suggest more aggressive permitting of so-called microunits—apartments that are smaller than conventional studios.
We highlight a number of the barriers to microunit construction, including minimum unit-size regulations, a lack of multiunit zoning generally, and other de facto restrictions, such as density caps. We then review the experience of microunits in Seattle and other cities, as well as the political barriers to them, including legacy opinions shaped by the history of single-room-occupancy hotels.
In the final essay, Jeffrey Liebman and Hanna Azemati, both at Harvard's Kennedy School, discuss ways to help cities improve their contracting. Virtually everything that cities do involves some type of contracted purchase from the private sector. In Boston alone, contract purchasing totals $1.2 billion per year. But the contracts themselves often have not been changed in many years. Instead, they are simply rolled over as they expire. There is little high-level focus on pursuing strategic contracts, either.
Liebman and Azemati recommend that cities assign a senior member of the mayor's inner circle to be responsible for strategic management of the city's contract portfolio; and that cities explicitly define their goals for major procurement efforts, structure the contracts correctly (such as by bundling or unbundling items) to achieve those goals, and investigate innovative types of contracting, such as problem-based procurement.
These essays address diverse topics. But they all cover themes that directly speak to the problems, as well as the opportunities, that today's city leaders face.


This exhibit features many items from the General Claude M. Adams collection, as well as many other items related to local citizens.
This permanent collection features artifacts from the first Strawberry Festival to more recent festivals and events. .
This exhibit features items related to and from the old B,C. Jarrell & Sons Box Company. This business has roots in Humboldt from about 1870.


Mark your calendars for October 15th, 2018, for the 17th annual Paul Zia Distinguished Lecture on this exciting new project. Three speakers will present on various topics related to the design and construction of the $3.98 billion bridge, including the structural design of the iconic cable-stayed main spans, design of the pile foundations, and unique construction methods.
Following the lecture, all professional attendees are invited to stay for a cocktail reception, hosted in part by Anderson Hydra Platforms.
Registration is now open, and sponsorship opportunities are available now!


text:
# Author: Johann Romero
# Date: 07/16/2013
# Abstract: Upgrades splunk forwarder
# Need to connect to server before executing
#7zip needs to be present on the server

$tool = 'msiexec.exe'
$i = '/i'
$x = '/q/x'
$tempdir = "E:\temp\splunkupgrade\"
$newdir = "E:\Apps\SplunkForwarder"
$param1 = 'AGREETOLICENSE=Yes /quiet' #/quiet
$installdir = 'INSTALLDIR="$newdir"'
$indexer = 'RECEIVING_INDEXER="slssindex04.sce.com:9997"'
$launch = 'LAUNCHSPLUNK=0'
$startup = 'SERVICESTARTTYPE=auto'
$filename = '\\svr.domain.com\public\splunk\forwarder\w\splunkforwarder-5.0.3-163460-x64-release.msi'
$splunkpath = 'E:\Program Files\SplunkUniversalForwarder'
$bkpname = $tempdir+'splunk-upgrade.zip'
#product can be found here HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
$pcode = '`{3f09c82b-a919-42bc-afb8-f1d34d661b21`}'
$log = '/l*v e:\temp\splunkupgrade.log'
$launch = 'LAUNCHSPLUNK=0'
$startup = 'SERVICESTARTTYPE=auto'
$lstmonitors = "E:\LogFiles", "C:\inetpub\logs\LogFiles\W3SVC1"
$bkpinputs = $splunkpath+"\etc\apps\MSICreated\local\inputs.conf"
$tmpinputs = $tempdir+"inputs.conf"
$restoreconf = "y"
$destinationFolder = $newdir+"\etc\apps\search\local\"

function upgrade
{
	checksplunksvc
	zipsplunkfolder
	backup_inputs
	uninstallsplunk
	installnewsplunk
	if ($restoreconf -eq "y")
	{
		restore_inputs
	}
	else
	{
		addmonitors
	}
	restartsplunk
}

function uninstallsplunk
{
	Write-Host "Uninstalling Splunk..."
	#Enable for debugging
	#Write-Host "$tool $x$pcode"
	Invoke-Expression "$tool $x$pcode"
	Start-Sleep -Seconds 15
}

function installnewsplunk
{
	Write-Host "Installing new splunk now ...."
	Write-Host "$tool $i $filename $installdir $indexer $param1"
	Invoke-Expression "$tool $i $filename $installdir $indexer $launch $startup $param1"
	Start-Sleep -Seconds 15
}

function checksplunksvc
{
	Write-Host "Check if Splunk is Running..."
	$status = Get-Service -DisplayName "SplunkForwarder" | sort-Object status
	if ($status.Status -eq "Running")
	{
		Write-Host "Splunk is Running... Stopping splunk now ..."
		Stop-Service -displayname "SplunkForwarder"
	}
}

function restartsplunk
{
	Write-Host "Restarting Splunk..."
	[string]$basepath = $newdir+"\bin"
		cd $basepath
		[string]$cmd = ".\splunk"
		[array]$args = "restart";
		& $cmd $args;
}

function addMonitors
{
	foreach ($p in $lstmonitors)
	{
		[string]$basepath = $newdir+"\bin"
		cd $basepath
		[string]$cmd = ".\splunk"
		[array]$args = "add", "monitor", $p;
		& $cmd $args;
	}
}

function create-7zip([String] $aDirectory, [String] $aZipfile)
{
    [string]$pathToZipExe = "E:\Program Files (x86)\7-Zip\7z.exe";
    [Array]$arguments = "a", "-tzip", "$aZipfile", "$aDirectory", "-r";
    & $pathToZipExe $arguments;
}

function zipsplunkfolder
{
	Write-Host "Backing up splunk folder..."
	create-7zip $splunkpath $bkpname
}

function backup_inputs
{
	Write-Host "Backing up inputs.conf"
	cp $bkpinputs $tmpinputs
	Write-Host "Done backing up"
}

function restore_inputs
{
	Write-Host "Restoring inputs.conf from backup ..."

	if (!(Test-Path -path $destinationFolder))
	{
		New-Item $destinationFolder -Type Directory
	}
	cp $tmpinputs $destinationFolder"inputs.conf" -Recurse -Force
}

upgrade


text:
Listen: Charli XCX x Troye Sivan - '1999'
Tune in now...
Charli XCX and Troye Sivan link on new single '1999'.
Charli XCX enjoyed a stellar 2017, releasing her 'Pop 2' mixtape and the drool-inducing video for 'Boys'.
Returning with '1999', the UK artist has teamed up with Troye Sivan for a pop blockbuster.
Teased on socials, it's had an explosive impact - deliriously catchy, it comes complete with a Matrix-referencing press image.
Sobering facts: Charli XCX was only seven years old in 1999... Troye Sivan, meanwhile, was only four.
Check out '1999' below.


text:
Home › News & Views › Press Releases › GRADUS IMPLEMENTS NEW SALES STRUCTURE
GRADUS IMPLEMENTS NEW SALES STRUCTURE
Gradus has recruited two new national sales managers, for its Accessories and Carpets divisions, to create a consistent structure throughout the company.
Ian Fairclough joins the company as a National Sales Manager for Accessories, whilst Bob Rothwell has been promoted internally to National Sales Manager for Carpets.
Working in the construction industry for 10 years previous to joining Gradus, Ian brings a wealth of sales experience to the interior finishes company, through his eight years as a Regional Sales Manager and National Sales Manager for Artex – Rawlplug and British Gypsum, and then two years as Head of Construction for Rawl Fixings.
Overseeing the Accessories sales team and regional sales managers, Ian will be responsible for maintaining and building relationships with existing clients, as well as bringing in new accounts for the company's matting, wall protection and flooring accessories products, to strengthen and grow the Accessories business.
Bob joined Gradus four years ago as a PFI Business Development Manager, to research and identify opportunities for Gradus within this market. Continuing with this role, Bob has now also taken on the extra position of the National Sales Manager to support the growth and continual developments into new markets for the Carpets division.
Commenting on the new appointments, David Tierney, Group Sales and Marketing Director for Gradus said: "Traditionally the different Gradus divisions have operated as separate entities but the sales structure put in place in the Accessories division is a very effective way of working and we took the decision to transfer this into the other divisions to gain better performance and sales results."
"These new appointments will strengthen our sales management resource at Accessories and Carpets, enabling the divisions to further improve their sales performance and build on the success we already have of package selling to specifiers across the group."
"I am very excited about the new appointments, we have been delighted with the work Bob has done for the company in the PFI sector and are confident that he will bring his enthusiasm and hard-working attitude to his new role. Ian has also impressed us with his vast sales experience in the construction industry and we are looking forward to seeing great results from both him and Bob in the near future."


Ilse is 13 and an Austrian Jew, fleeing the Nazis in Germany. Her family makes it to one of the few open ports in the world--Shanghai, China, which is under Japanese control. There, Ilse, her brother Erich, and her parents struggle to make ends meet in a land where they don't speak or read the language of either the country they live in or the invaders who occupy it. Thousands of refugees from other European countries fill Shanghai as well, making it a very cosmopolitan city. But with little money or food during wartime, conditions are hard. Ilse tells of their years in Shanghai where new hardships are always just around the corner. Less and less food, no heat, no hot water, no new clothing, no hope. Ilse and her brother Erich join the resistance movement, and in small ways, try to help the war effort against the horrors they hear about in Europe, but in time, even that seems futile, especially after the family is moved to the ghetto. Then when a secret their mother has been keeping is revealed, it seems it will be the final blow that will tear the family apart. Will they be able to pick up the pieces again? An interesting look at a little known piece of history.


It's expected that foreigners will inject about R13-billion into South Africa's economy when they come to the country during the World Cup. According to a recent study, this will boost economic growth by 0.5 percentage points.
While fewer foreigners are expected than initially forecast, those who do visit the country will spend a lot more than tourists did during the tournament in Germany back in 2005.
This information was released in a study by accounting firm Grant Thornton. There are less than 50 days to go before the tournament kicks off but the global economic crisis and the international media's sensationalising of crime in South Africa are all factors that have impacted on tourists coming to the country.
It's expected that foreign fans will contribute about R8.8 billion to the economy during the tournament while spending by governing body Fifa will bring the total of the cash injection to R13-billion.
About 373 000 foreign fans are expected to visit South African shores for the tournament but just 230 000 of those are ticket holders, while this is higher than the recently estimated 230 000, it is well below the initial prediction of 450 000.
It's expected that about 85 000 fans from the rest of Africa and a further 20 000 form overseas will visit the country without tickets. These fans will opt to watch the games at urban fan parks on big screens where the atmosphere is expected to be captivating.
"We always thought people would come for more matches in South Africa, because it is a long-haul destination, but it seems to be a bit more than that," Saunders said.
On average, a tourist visiting the country will stay for about 18 days and watch five World Cup matches. It's expected that, excluding flights, these tourists will spend about R30 200 during their stay in South Africa.
The long-term benefits of the World Cup should not be underestimated, especially the benefit of modernising transport. While government spending has been vastly criticised and labelled as excessive, the infrastructure will leave a legacy and it will be used for years to come.
The country will be marketed by a global television audience which and, if the country is reflected in a positive light, this could be the biggest attraction for millions of tourists in the years to come.
"The profiling of South Africa and future spin-offs have always been the real benefit of hosting an event of this magnitude," Saunders said.
"It's going to be a great event ... volcanic ash willing," she added in reference to the Icelandic plume that has disrupted global air travel.


Our website features the best Rogers, Arkansas real estate search for homes, condos, land and foreclosure properties available. It is the only site you will ever need! It is easy-to-use and updated by the official Realtor®'s database every 15 minutes.
Quiet, large lot located just minutes from Downtown Rogers! This well-maintained 2.67 acre lot contains a structure that would make a great shop or rehab project.


text:
← The Rongolian Star Issue 10: September, 2011
The Wonderfully Wild West Coast →
Wild Wild West Coast Towns
Posted on September 20, 2011	by LivinginPeaceProject
Off the Top of My Head
By Paul Murray
Way up north as far as you can drive; you'll arrive at the warmest, driest place on the wonderful West Coast. Karamea has a great climate year round and the drive from Westport is spectacular, so take your time, stop often and enjoy the many interesting spots along the way. Nestled between the densely forested mountains of the Kahurangi National Park and the Tasman Sea, Karamea is a geographical island paradise, connected to the rest of New Zealand by the stunningly scenic 100-kilometre "bridge" road north of Westport.
The road to Karamea is one of the most beautiful drives in the world and affords stunning views of the Tasman coast, river valleys, verdant forest and jagged mountain ranges. The journey takes you along the coast through the charming seaside villages of Granity, Ngakawau and Hector and across the Mohikuniui River before heading into the mountains of the Kahurangi National Park, you'll pass ancient tree giants, beneath majestic tree ferns and go high over the Karamea Bluff before dropping into the broad alluvial coastal plain at Little Wanganui. You'll pass happily grazing dairy herds on lush green pasture, the expansive Otumahana Lagoon and over the mighty Karamea River before arriving in the beautiful hamlet of Karamea…getting there is just the beginning of your adventure.
In Karamea, you'll find the largest limestone arch in the Southern Hemisphere, limestone caves with glow worms and the bones of a giant moa, rushing rivers to raft, forests to explore, mountains to climb and beaches to roam…Karamea is often referred to at the West Coast's "best kept secret."
Westport is the gateway to the Northern West Coast. It is at the end of the Lewis Pass road from Christchurch, which enters the West Coast region at Maruia Springs…you'll know you're entering the West Coast when the forest starts to thicken, the mountains become more majestic, the air gets fresher and the climate improves. Westport is right on the coast and is a great base exploring the region's many attractions. There are adventure activities like jet boating, rafting, caving and horse trekking, as well as coal mine tours, the Coal Town museum and much more to do in Westport. The smart traveller will turn north and head up to Karamea after exploring Westport region and visit the quaint coastal towns of Granity, Hector, Ngakawa, Mokihinui and Seddonville before heading over the spectacular bluff road through the Kahurangi National Park to Karamea.
To the south lies Cape Foulwind. Ship captains, who found it difficult to fill their sails due to lack of breeze, rather than the evil aroma the name suggests, named the cape.
Palmerston Street Westport (Photo Supplied by Tourism West Coast)
Situated equidistant between Punakaiki and Westport, this quaint little town once boasted 94 hotels, was home to 18,000 people and was considered as a possible location for the capital city of New Zealand. The town boomed on the back of the gold rush and from 1866 to 1884 it was perhaps the most happening place in New Zealand. Only one of the many gold mines that used to operate in the area is still working and guided tours of the Mitchell's Gully Gold Mine workings includes a working a battery stamper powered by a water wheel that pulverises gold-bearing quartz rock to release its riches.
The Underworld Adventures company operates out of Charleston and conducts a range of limestone cave and underworld rafting guided tours in the Paparoa National Park. Educational, exciting and fabulous fun, the company's tours are great value and begin with a little train ride through stunning rainforest and beneath towering limestone cliffs.
UnderWorld Adventures Cave
Ingenious feat of engineering excellence, the Denniston incline was the steepest railway ever built and it was powered by gravity. The weight of a laden coal truck being lowered to the rail yard at Waimangaroa was used to lift goods and people in empty coal buckets to the top of the hill. The brakeman, who applied friction to the cable at the Denniston summit, controlled the speed of the bucket. The experience of riding to the top of the mountain in a coal bucket at the mercy of the brakeman was apparently so harrowing that some of the women who successfully completed the journey never again left the mountain such was their terror at the mere thought of again having to take the fearful ride.
Reefton Townsfolk (Photo Courtesy of Tourism West Coast)
Reefton is considered the gateway to the West Coast for travellers from the east. The region is all about history. Built on gold, the town dates back to the 1860s and retains much of its old-world charm today. The main street of the town has a Western movie set feel and many of the buildings lining Broadway Street date back to the 1870s. Reefton was the first town in New Zealand to have electric lighting, which was switched on in 1888, just six years after Thomas Edison's technology first lit the streets of New York.
Coal mining supported the region in the 1900s and these days, gold and coal mining remain the community's economic foundation. The historically high gold price of late has boosted the local economy and given the region a surge of development and much of the town has been renovated to retain its historic appeal. The drive between Reefton and Westport along the Buller Gorge is enchanting; there are many places to pull over, stop and breath in the scenic splendour of the raging Buller River and the giant white clouds that rise from the steep forested valley.
Swing Bridge over Hokitika Gorge (Photo by Paul Murray)
The vibrant town of Hokitika is perhaps the most artistic and creative urban centre on the West Coast. Artisans work with local materials; gold, silver, pounamu greenstone, driftwood, paua shell and stone to create a tremendous array of fine art pieces, jewellery and sculpture that make for excellent souvenirs as you'll be taking home a piece of the West Coast lovingly fashioned into an original work of art by a Coaster.
A good starting point would be the stately Carnegie Building, which houses the West Coast Historical Museum and the information centre. The museum has an exceptional collection of both Maori and European artefacts, a documentary video display of the region's history and a gallery of local painting and sculpture. Another attraction for visitors is the Saturday outdoor market on the bank of the Hokitika River. The market showcases the talents of local artists and craftspeople and fresh produce is also sold. Hokitika is an excellent base for exploring the area and a visit to Hokitika Gorge, Lake Kaniere, the Ross goldfields and Kumara regions will be highly rewarding.
Hokitika Cemetery is also a very interesting place to visit as it has the graves of South Westland explorer and philosopher Charles Douglas, as well as that of Eric Stanley Graham, the West Coast's most infamous mass murderer. Graham, a dairy farmer, ran amok in 1941, fatally shooting seven men, four of which were policemen. Graham was wounded and later died of his injuries and was later buried in a nondescript grave at Hokitika Cemetery in a row of graves that includes two of his victims. A monument recalling the tragic incident now stands at Kowhitirangi and can be seen on the road to Hokitika Gorge.
Hokitika Gorge (Photo by Paul Murray)
Among the many gravestones, people from the world over are represented; some of the headstones are in Hebrew, Chinese and other languages and the many New Zealand soldiers lost in the Boer, Vietnam and both World Wars reflect the great sacrifice made by New Zealand in the service of her allies. The cemetery looks out over the Tasman Sea and is a very interesting place to stroll around and reflect on yesteryear.
The National Kiwi Centre has live kiwi, tuatara and giant eels on display and you can carve your own greenstone pendant at Bonz n Stonz, or take a leisurely cruise on calm waters through virgin rainforest on a paddleboat…Hokitika has a plethora of sightseeing and all-weather activities for the whole family.
It was here that the largest gold nugget in New Zealand was found in 1909. The "Honourable Roddy Nugget" was as big as a man's fist and weighed 99 ounces. It was purchased by the N.Z. government and presented to King George V as a coronation gift. A 1950 enquiry about the whereabouts of the nugget to the Royal Family resulted in the embarrassed Imperial Household reporting that the nugget had been melted down to gild a Royal tea service! (Further discomfiture ensued when the said tea service could not be located).
(There is some conjecture over the nugget's origin. Some consider the "Honourable Roddy" was in fact found in Australia and smuggled to New Zealand by dishonourable diggers and planted at Ross to fraudulently inflate the sale price of their gold claim).
The land beneath the township of Ross has never been mined and a Ministry of Commerce geologist estimated in 1993 that gold deposits of about $700 million lie under the town.
The loop walkway around the pancake rocks at Punakaiki is one of the most popular tourist spots on the West Coast. An easily accessible walkway that is wheelchair friendly winds through the nikau palms, cabbage trees and flax to a spectacular layered limestone formation that has been shaped by the elements and crashing waves from the Tasman Sea. At hight tide in a big sea, the waves crashing into the limestone force water into cracks and crevasses and up through blowholes in the rock to create huge plumes of salty spray in which rainbows can often be seen. People of all ages will enjoy this walk and the stunning coastal views.
Opposite the entrance to the blowhole loop track is Punakaiki Crafts, a West Coast artist's cooperative. Punakaiki Crafts has an international reputation for excellence and the work many of the Coast's most creative artists and craftspeople is available for sale. From warm possum skin lingerie, creative and unique Coast jewellery to smiling driftwood fish, Punakaiki Crafts is a great place to pick up a quality souvenir from the West Coast.
Punakaiki Township (Photo Supplied by Tourism West Coast)
There are also some great tramps in the Punakaiki area from the sedate Truman Track, which meanders through the rainforest to a stunning coastal view, to the more challenging Inland Pack Track into the heart of limestone country. The Pororari and Punakaiki rivers offer fabulous canoeing, safe swimming and bird watching activities and there are also many caves in the region and horse riding along the beach is the embodiment of freedom.
Punakaiki Pancake Rocks (Photo Supplied by Tourism West Coast)
Barrytown
Between Punakaiki and Greymouth, Barrytown is situated on an expansive fertile plain between mountains and sea and is a perfect location for an extended "away from it all" break. The area has many retreat-type accommodation facilities suitable for families or for a romantic escape.
Right in the heart of Arthur's Pass National Park, this idyllic alpine village is a warm and cosy base for mountaineers, alpinists and nature lovers to explore the peaks and valleys, forests, waterfalls, rivers and snowfields in close proximity to the town. Inquisitive Kea, a native alpine parrot, can be seen in and around the village. Prone to mischief, Kea are extremely curious and playful, they pose for photographs and sometimes try to dismantle your car with their sharp beaks and strong talons. They have been known to open unattended packs to sample hiker's lunches and souvenir tourist's cameras and flown off with them into the forest.
This fabulous old pub was once a coach stop between the Canterbury and the West Coast. It is still a great location to break up the drive in either direction, and an excellent place for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Down the road is probably the best camper van facility in New Zealand. Jacksons Retreat has all-weather camping facilities and a great view of the Taramakau River and the mountains around Lake Brunner.
Otira was once a busy town that serviced construction gangs working on the 8-kilometre Otira tunnel, which opened in 1923 and enabled rail transport between Christchurch and Greymouth. It flourished as a rail town until road transport and buses took over much of the freight and people transport in New Zealand and gradually became a ghost town on the way to Greymouth. The town's raison de'etre ceased to exist, employment opportunities faded, the people moved on and eventually, all the houses stood empty and the businesses closed. However, the entire town—the pub, 17 houses, the fire station and engine, the swimming pool, school, railway station and community hall–was purchased in 1997 by entrepreneurs Chris and Bill Hennah for the princely sum of $78,000. In the past decade, they have been working hard to restore the town's infrastructure and rebuild the services and facilities it once offered.
Otira is a very interesting place to stop and have a break and it is also possible to stay at the historic hotel, in one of the renovated houses, or the backpackers there to explore the town and the many walking tracks in the area.
As the commercial hub of the West Coast, Greymouth is centrally located and is the Coast's largest town. All roads lead to Greymouth as well as the scenic Tranz Alpine train line, which terminates in Greymouth after traversing the Southern Alps on its way west from Christchurch. The town is replete with fine restaurants, museums, art galleries, amenities, facilities and services you would expect from a major urban centre. A number of sport fishing charter boats operate out of Greymouth between July to September and some record blue fin tuna have been caught off the Coast recently. Greymouth is also home to the famous Monteith's Brewery and tours of the facility and beer tasting is a great activity in any weather (sorry kids, this one is for mum and dad only).
Across the Grey River is the suburb of Cobden, which has some marvellous day walks along driftwood-strewn pebble beaches and along the Tasman coast.
From Greymouth on most days, a clear view of the large looming Southern Alps suggests much awaits the traveller heading south. Greymouth represents a botanical turning point and the forest changes from nikau palm groves, pohutukawa and other more tropical trees fade out and are replaced by more cold-tolerant varieties such as rimu, kahikatea and beech forests.
Home of the N.Z. Labour Party, Blackball was the site of a miners strike in 1908 when the miners downed tools seeking a 15 minute extension to their lunch 15-minute lunch break. The successful strike paved the way for similar action by miners across the country and from it workers nationwide were empowered. The town is on a plateau with views of the peaks of the Paparoa Range. The many walks in this region are centred on the remnants of the region's gold and coal mining history.
"Formerly the Blackball Hilton" a historic hotel in Blackball, was formerly called the "Blackball Hilton." However, a sternly worded letter from lawyers representing the Hilton family suggested that legal action would be taken against the owners of the old pub if they didn't change the name of the establishment. Not wishing to enter into a protracted legal challenge with such a deep-pocketed opponent the publicans duly changed the name.
The BlackBall Hilton (Photo by Dan Goodwin)
New Zealand's premier historic attraction. This replica township has been constructed from buildings from round the West Coast and recreates the atmosphere and style of a West Coast boomtown. Shantytown has working stores in the style of the late 1800's as well as a steam train, sawmill, goldfields, water races, a shebeen, a hospital, bank, jail, gold panning activities, a Chinese mining settlement and a fabulous display of relics and artefacts from the heady days of the Gold Rush.
Shanty Town, Greymouth (Photo by Paul Murray)
Lake Brunner
Lake Brunner (Photo by Paul Murray)
A raft of aquatic activities await you at Lake Brunner as well as numerous scenic and historic bushwalks around the lake that take in the region's gold mining and timber milling history. One of the best trout fishing locations in New Zealand with year-round fishing possibilities, local fishing guides, tackle and bait supplies and plenty of fishing stories at the Moana Hotel in Moana, the main township on the lake. Lake Brunner is a fabulous location for a family holiday ands is one of the West Coast's fastest growing tourist destinations. The Tranz Alpine train stops at Moana and it is possible to disembark here and enjoy the lake for a few days before heading on to Greymouth and beyond.
On the way to Lake Brunner from Greymouth a detour to the Jack's Mill School historic reserve is very rewarding. The school principal Edward Darracott was a inspiring and innovative leader who believed in teaching his students how to think for themselves as well as providing them with practical skills that they could apply to their lives. The students built beautifully landscaped gardens and constructed a 3/4-sized bungalow and in the process developed gardening skills, botany, architecture, carpentry, bricklaying, plastering, painting, surveying, report writing and other abilities. Darracott believed that if the students were actively involved in the beautification of the school grounds and creating an aesthetically pleasing environment, that it would promote inner harmony in the students. The school grounds are in the process of being restored by a group of former students and the Department of Conservation. The school, bungalow and grounds are recognised by the New Zealand Historical Places Trust.
To stand at the terminal face of a massive frozen river and feel the weight and might of this natural phenomenon is a truly humbling. To then strap crampons to your boots and climb upon the glacier and explore its crevasses and folds is an incredible experience. Glacier Country is understandably one of the most popular destinations on the West Coast. Outside of Argentina, New Zealand is the only country where glaciers extend their icy tongues into the temperate rainforest and grind to a halt only 250 metres above sea level. Government geologist Julius von Haast named Franz Josef Glacier in 1863 after the then Austro-Hungarian Emperor. Franz Josef is a hive of activity year-round. There are helicopters buzzing overhead, buses coming and going and throngs of sightseers browsing around the town and enjoying the many fine restaurants and cafes as well as the excellent information centre, which has models of the region and loads of information about the glacier, it's history, geology and physiography. Two glacier guiding companies operate out of Franz Josef as well as a number of helicopter and fixed-wing scenic flight companies that will take you high above the mountains and can even land on the upper reaches of the glacier for a truly incredible natural experience in white and blue.
Whataroa
Rare white heron (kotoku) nest at the Waitangi Roto Nature Reserve in the summer months and guided tours, which include a jet boat ride to the sanctuary, is a wonderful way to observe these most regal and elegant birds tend their young.
The Kotuku Gallery in the main street has a fine collection of Maori artefacts, craft and artworks.
Hari Hari
It was here in 1931 that Australian pilot and adventurer Guy Menzies completed the first solo flight across the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand. Menzies crash landed and his craft—the Southern Cross Junior–came to rest wheels up in a swamp. Much controversy surrounded the flight as Menzies had informed the authorities in Australia that he would be flying across Australia west to Perth, however, shortly after takeoff, he banked east and took on the Tasman. He completed the flight in 11 hours and 45 minutes. A quaint little rural town, Hari Hari has a lot to offer trampers, anglers, deer hunters, bird watchers and sightseers.
The 16-kilometre drive off the coast road to the charmingly quaint coastal town of Okarito will be rewarded with stunning panoramic views of the august jaws of the Southern Alps, an expansive and peaceful estuarial lagoon teeming with bird life and the solitude and calm for which this special place is renowned. An obelisk commemorates the first recorded sighting of New Zealand by Abel Tasman near here in 1642 as well as the charting of the coast by Captain James Cook in 1770.
Fox Glacier Guide (Photo by Paul Murray)
A lovely little village at the foot of the largest glacier on the West Coast. The town offers a more intimate glacier experience as the town is smaller than it's neighbour Franz Josef. The Fox Glacier Guiding Company has been conducting ice tours since 1928 and offers a range of half and full day hikes on the ice as well as several heli-trek options ranging in duration from several hours to several days. Training courses for aspiring alpinists and ice-climbing excursions are also on offer for the more adventurous. Interestingly, the Fox Glacier—unlike most of the world's glaciers—has been advancing sine 1985.
Stunning walk for all ages around a still and peaceful lake that on a clear day perfectly mirrors the Southern Alps and the giant snow-capped peaks of New Zealand's highest mountains; Mt Cook and Mt Tasman.
Lake Matheson (Photo Supplied by Tourism West Coast)
Walk along a wild, stony beach littered with driftwood past old gold workings, tunnels and abandoned machinery through the forest to a seal colony where seals can be observed in their natural state…lolling about on the beach, fighting, lumbering along, and plunging into the ocean from the rocks.
Seals at colony on Gillespies Beach (Photo by Paul Murray)
Bruce Bay
Here the coast road emerges from the forest canyon to reveal sweeping coastal views of the bipolar Tasman Sea, which ranges from a millpond to a thrashing turbulent maelstrom, depending on how it is feeling.
Wood carving at Bruce Bay Marae (Photo by Paul Murray)
Lake Moeraki
To paddle a kayak or canoe on this peaceful mirror lake inspires reflection and introspection. Surrounded by ancient kahikatea tree giants and steep mountains, the lake offers tranquil sanctuary from the dense forest. A walk through the forest at Monro Beach will bring you to a calm bay of stones and shells where rare Fiordland Crested penguins (Tawaki) can be seen from July to January. Guided tours are available for guests at Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge. Please take care not to disturb the birds, observe them from a distance and respect their habitat.
Jackson Bay
The southernmost settlement on the West Coast is also its only seaport. A calm and sheltered bay is home to a few hardy Coasters, a small fishing fleet and Fiordland crested, blue penguins, fur seals and dolphins can be easily seen most days. The drive to Jackson Bay should be rewarded with a meal at The Cray Pot, which serves a bounty of seafood from local waters.
Jacksons Bay Wharf (Photo by Paul Murray)
Located at the heart of the South West New Zealand UNESCO World Heritage Area, Haast is a wild, untamed and wonderful place. Today the word "untouched" has become a synonym for beautiful, when it really means "pristine." The Haast region is one of the genuinely untouched accessible places left on Earth. Here mighty rivers, giant trees, ferocious seas and tempestuous weather combine to create an emotive masterpiece of natural splendour. The World Heritage Information Centre is perhaps the best such facility n New Zealand and has a wealth of information, photographs, displays, maps and charts on the region's history, geography, flora and fauna.
Designated a World Heritage Area by UNESCO in 1991, the South-West New Zealand (Te Wahipounamu) World Heritage Area covers 2.6 million hectares, or about 10% of New Zealand. Other World Heritage Areas include; Mt Everest, the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon.
Haast River (Photo by Paul Murray)
Maori knew this spectacular, wild and remote region as "Kaika Paeki," "Place of Abundant Food." They visit the area to hunt and fish and stock up on supplies as they made their way to the West Coast from Otago and Southland in search of pounamu greenstone. Today, Makarora offers a range of outdoor activities, day walks and more challenging multiple-day walks up and down mountains, across rivers and along pristine valleys.
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The Wonderfully Wild West Coast
The West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand is a slice of paradise sandwiched between the roaring Tasman Sea and the majestic Southern Alps. It extends 600 kilometres from the subtropical north at Karamea to the temperate south at Jackson's Bay. Along its length are a smorgasbord of activities, a feast of scenic splendour and a banquet of opportunity for wondrous experience through vivacity and adventure or via blissful relaxation.
From the first glimpse of the morning sun over the impressive alps to the east to when it sinks into the Tasman in the evening, your day will be filled with discovery, fascination and wonder…the West Coast is the best coast…take your time and enjoy the experience of being in one of the greatest, wild places on Earth.
This is an invitation to indulge yourself in the wondrous West Coast, to explore the many facets of this scenic jewel and take home with you fantastic memories of an unforgettable holiday. The West Coast is a holiday destination in itself, there is something for everyone here, take you time, relax, listen to the birdsong, smell the flowers, photograph the stunning scenery, chat to the colourful "Coasters" you meet along the way and find for yourself a secret, special place…somewhere just for you to unwind, be free and discover yourself in the bosom of Mother Nature.
For more detailed information, track guides, books on flora, fauna, history and Coast life, help with accommodation, weather reports and local knowledge, drop in at the many information centres and ask the affable and conversant staff about each region along the West Coast.
Ever since the lure of gold in the 1860s, people from around the globe have been flocking to the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. The economy exploded during the gold rush years, crashed when it ended and has bumped along with the emergence of lesser industries of flax milling, timber milling and stabilised somewhat through dairying and now tourism. It is currently the fastest growing regional economy in the New Zealand. The Coast took an economic hit with the 2002 decision by the federal government to halt native timber logging, but it is again finding its way to prosperity through the relatively new industry of tourism, the booming dairy industry and its old stalwarts—coal and gold mining.
All along the Coast evidence of investment and development is evident, houses are being renovated, fresh paint and home extensions, new sub-divisions and businesses catering to the burgeoning tourist industry are opening their doors to the world. Projections by Statistics N.Z. show no end in sight for the popularity of the region for overseas visitors and domestic travellers alike.
The free and easy West Coast lifestyle and relatively inexpensive real estate allows people to establish quirky businesses to pursue their passions and make a living by doing exactly as they please…you'll find all sorts of unusual business ventures, curiosity shops, galleries and artisans along the West Coast and in them you'll find people filled with the contentment and happiness that only comes from following your dreams.
Maori discovered the West Coast around 700 years ago and it was later explored by intrepid men like Charles Brunner and Charlie Douglas, who ventured into the unknown and reported on its mystery. Gold and coal mining, flax milling, sphagnum moss collection and the timber and dairy industries then developed the Coast. Today people come to appreciate the Coast's natural beauty rather than to plunder its natural wealth…nature has finally triumphed over man.
"Toitu he kainga; whatu-ngarongaro he tangata" "People come and go, but the land endures."
Maori proverb
To maximise your enjoyment of the West Coast, take your time, slow down to match the pace of life and work with the weather…if it is raining, which it occasionally does on the Coast, visit any of the numerous museums and delve into the region's fascinating history, check out the many art galleries, visit Shantytown, a replica 19th century gold rush town, drop in at a local pub and have a chat with a friendly "Coaster," go underground and explore a limestone cave system…pretty soon, the sun will again be shining and you can resume your outdoor adventures. If you take plenty of time and work with the Coast, the Coast will work with you and you'll have the time of your life.
"We have a great deal of disagreeable weather, an a small proportion of bad weather, but in no part of the world, I believe, does Nature so thoroughly understand how to make fine days as in New Zealand."
(Lady Barker 1870)
The diversity in scenic beauty is a feature of the West Coast, around every bend awaits a stunning new vista. The Southern Alps are petrified Gods to the Maori people…travelling along the West Coast is a spiritual experience. As you observe the mountains, forests, cloud formations, crashing waves, rocky outcrops and raging rivers, it often seems like the scenery is watching you…yes, it is very easy to accept that the West Coast is where the Gods of nature live. There are faces in the clouds, in the landscape and the dense forest, these are the Gods watching over and protecting travellers as they pass, please enjoy, but respect our sacred coast.
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Handy West Coast Hints and Historical Quotations
"Please remember that sandflies are an endangered species…every one you kill drives them closer to extinction…it is estimated that there are only 80 billion of the little critters remaining in the wild."
"Don't worry about the rain, it will wash off, doesn't stain your clothes, is non-toxic and is great for your skin!"
"Driving along the coast road is best done in as lower gear as possible, slow right down, and take in the stunning scenery, stop often and enjoy the ride for the journey is what the Coast travel experience is all about."
"Pull over onto the many overtaking bays along the way to let other vehicles pass is the correct driving etiquette (remember, not everyone is on holiday) and take extra care on the many one-way bridges that only allow passage of one vehicle at a time, if in doubt as to right of way, give way to all oncoming traffic, especially large trucks!"
"Coasters may initially seem gruff and unfriendly, but they're all softies and will roll over and beg if you scratch their tummies…or buy them a beer!"
"If you can see the mountains, it's going to rain…if you can't see the mountains, it's raining!"
"Rain is champagne for the forest."
"Intermittent periods of intense beauty amid a deluge of immense beauty"
(West Coast weather report)
"More specific local detail about activities and attractions is available at the many information centres along the West Coast. Drop in and pick up the regional brochures and have a chat with the friendly and helpful i-site staff, who are full-bottle on local knowledge."
"Karamea may be the end of the road for you, but it's the start of the road for us!"
(Karamea Resident)
"Far South Westland is as remote from the settled centres of New Zealand as one can reach; its extent is vast enough to test all the powers of the body and the imagination. Set between sky-popping peaks of the alps and the vast emptiness of the western seas are forests and lakes, rivers and seashores, as beautiful, as mysterious, as rich in elemental spirit as any left on Earth."
(West Coast poet Peter Hooper)
I've travelled quite a lot–Swiss Alps, Pyrenees, New Guinea—but the West Coast tops the lot. It's absolutely spectacular, we've had a wonderful holiday and we're definitely coming back."
(Ian Johnson, Willunga, South Australia)
"One of the top 10 coastal drives in the world."
(Lonely Planet)
Historical West Coast Quotations
"Nothing populates a waste, howling wilderness like gold."
(James Buller on Hokitika)
"As far as the eye could reach everywhere snow and ice and rock appeared around us, and in such gigantic proportions that I sometimes thought I was dreaming, and instead of being in New Zealand, I found myself in the Arctic or Antarctic mountain regions."
(Geologist Julius Haast, exploring the Mt Cook region in 1862, on the grandeur of its peaks and glaciers)
"Rain continuing, dietary shorter, strength decreasing, spirits failing, prospects fearful."
(West Coast Explorer Thomas Brunner 1847, just prior to deciding to eat his faithful dog "Rover" to stave of certain death from starvation. The desperate act earned him the nickname "Kai-Kuri," "Dog-Eater.")
"One long solitude, with a forbidding sky, frequent tempests and impenetrable forests."
(French sailor Jules de Blosseville 1824)
"The last, loneliest, loveliest, exquisite apart…"
"Now that that is over, I wouldn't tackle it unless someone gave me 5,000 quid."
(Australian pilot Guy Menzies after crash landing in a swamp at Hari Hari in 1931 to complete the first solo flight across the Tasman.)
"Moral engines that were put on Earth to see that men didn't lay about"
(Explorer Charles Douglas or sand flies and mosquitoes)
"Not being able to swim has saved my life many a time."
(Charles Douglas on the dangers of river crossings) (The brave, the foolish and the drunk often drowned)
"Fools say that knowledge can only be acquired from books & men."
(Charles Douglas, South Westland explorer, philosopher and naturalist.)
"For curiosity and impudence, the kea takes the record among all the feathered creation."
(Charles Douglas, South Westland explorer, philosopher and ornithologist)
"A small grain of knowledge is cheaply purchased at the expense of a thousand ordinary lives."
(Explorer and philosopher Charles Douglas reflecting on his unconventional life of adventure and battling the elements in the harsh south Westland environment.)
About LivinginPeaceProject
Paul Murray is the founder of the LivinginPeace Project. www.livinginpeace.com Paul originally from Australia, but have been living in New Zealand for 14 years. Before that he was in Japan for a decade working as a journalist. He met his wife Sanae in Japan and they married in 2008.
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