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Sounds like a smile!
Bruce Springsteen, Dropkick, Jeremy Fisher, Lord Huron, The Mowgli's
There are songs that come on and a smile follows. It's spontaneous, even if it happens every time. Even this random car graphic above can't resist smiling. Given the headlines, it seems like every day our world needs a few more songs that sound like a smile. Here are a few random choices that never fail for me.
Scotland's Dropkick are a fave here at Poprock Record and I can't resist a chance to feature another of their fabulous tunes, this time from Good Vibes: The Dropkick Songbook, a 2014 release of re-recorded songs drawn from material first released between 2001 and 2008. "Dog and Cat" is lovely, lilting happy tune, with a sweet sentiment. One could imagine Schroeder of Peanuts fame playing this for Lucy, I mean, if he actually liked her and switched from piano to guitar.
The Mowgli's have that upbeat positive sound I associate with Family of the Year and Good Old War, bands that lean heavily on acoustic guitars, sweet harmony vocals, and catchy hooks. Stand alone single "Room for All of Us" builds from a positive message to an anthemic poppy chorus, and the song raises money for the International Rescue Committee, a nonprofit that helps those displaced by conflict.
Lord Huron is largely known for his dreamy Americana but from the first time I heard "Hurricane (Johnny's Theme)" it practically leapt out at me as some kind of weird but wonderful mid-1960s pastiche revival tune, one part Johnny Rivers, another part Johnny Horton, with even some Marty Robbins in there somewhere. Listen to how the song takes off with it's trebly lead line and strong vocals, so unlike most of Lord Huron's other material. Upbeat and positive in its relentlessly peppy presentation.
Bruce Springsteen hardly needs press from the likes of me but his 2014 Record Store Day EP release American Beautycontains a stand out track that is just a little bit different than the rest of his catalogue with "Hurry Up Sundown," particularly with its carmelized, fattened-up vocal track. The song is classic Bruce but coated in a polished poprock veneer circa 1987 that makes me smile. https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/03-hurry-up-sundown.m4aHurry Up Sundown
Rounding out this post is a bit of Can Con I've regularly featured on the blog, Jeremy Fisher. Most of this Canuck's songwriting is pretty sunshine and rainbows positive but "Come Fly Away" from his 2010 release Floodis smile plasteringly pleasant and uplifting. Cue sun-up and chirping birds.
They say smiles are free but we know that's not true. Smile production costs money. So send a smile to Dropkick, The Mowgli's, Lord Huron, Bruce Springsteen and Jeremy Fisher via your wallet or repeated Spotify streams today.
4 thoughts on "Sounds like a smile!"
traingeek said:
I really like that "Come Fly Away" by Jeremy Fisher! Buying the album. You really should have affiliate links. 🙂
Great! What do you mean by affiliate links? To his bandcamp page? I do link to that sometimes, if it's available, or I link to the artist's facebook or webpage. If you click on their highlighted name at the end of the post, it will take you to some page linked to the artist.
I mean affiliate links where you get a commission to recommend the product. This is the one for iTunes: https://www.apple.com/ca/itunes/affiliates/
Ah, I see.


>look forward to your recommendations.
standard is # IT9-23.  The SMPTE revised recommended practice is RP-103.
line.  He has posted to this list a number of times.
web-sites.  The ANSI site is www.ansi.org.  The SMPTE site is www.smpte.org.


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Podcasts Like The Super Mates Podcast
Podcasts Like The Super Mates Podcast public [dynamic 0]
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Read along with the Sword and Laser book club! From classic science fiction to the latest gritty fantasy, we cover it. Subscribe for book discussions, author interviews, hot releases, and news from the genre fiction world!
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


• Your father had to have been convicted and did time in prison for being involved in landing of DRUG PLANES.
• Your family must own huge tracks of undisturbed lands in areas, where DRUG PLANES are known to have landed and continue to land.
• Your family must own FUEL STATIONS, where huge volumes of fuel including the type used in planes, are handled.
• Your family has to be involved in the TELECOMMUNICATIONS business.
• Your family must have a huge and loyal work force.
• Your family must own plenty trucks, pickup trucks, drums, fuel pumps and lights, for the landing and discharging cargo, transporting and refueling of drug planes.
• Your family must handle large sums of monies, from its various legal businesses. Monies from such businesses must then be used as ways to launder the proceeds from the DRUG PLANE LANDING.
• Have a squeaky innocent sounding voice, to conceal one's real intentions.
Method: mix posturing, lie to deflect complicity by blaming others, go to mass every Sunday, live in Orange Walk, be able to give instructions to workers at a moment's notice and be a PUP Politician.
For best results only allow planes to land under the cover of dark.


The sensor under the nozzle automatically detects your hand and dispenses the perfect amount of soap. No touch hand washing is very hygienic and prevents cross infection. Stylish design of ELEFOAM2.0 adds a modern touch to your life. Stay clean with ELEFOAM2.0 for everyday hand washing.
• No touch hand hygiene: Eliminates cross infection.
• Slim profile designed to fit in any space around sink.
With Tray Holder Type L (optional) , ELEFOAM2.0 can be installed on the wall or placed where the nozzle cannot extend over the sink to collect any drips.
• The nozzle provides foam soap directly to your hand and the open design extends over the tray or sink for clean use and easy access.
• The ELEFOAM2.0 uses 4 AA alkaline batteries, so there is no need to set near an outlet.
How to use : Place hands under the sensor to activate and dispense a premeasured amount of hand hygiene solution.


Unleash your wild side with the KENZO WORLD Eau de Parfum Spray, a woody-floral fragrance for exuberant women with amber facets.
This creative and animated scent is for a woman who loves to walk on the wild side. Unafraid, imaginative and surprising, her inquisitive nature takes her on a spontaneous trip of pure self discovery with each spritz. The KENZO WORLD inspires thoughts of playfulness and freedom, whilst taking on a provocative persona that can't help but turn heads.
As the fragrance opens, a glowing aura of amber shines through from the base, shining light on the juicy red berry top notes. Sharp yet sweet, sticky drips of berry sap stick to the blooming peony petals in the core, creating a flourishing feminine romance between elegant jasmine and the dark, crystallized ambroxan base.
KENZO WORLD Eau de Parfum Spray is rated 4.0 out of 5 by 3.
Rated 2 out of 5 by Audreythatperfume from Disappointingly generic Whilst there is nothing unpleasant about this fragrance, I cannot find much positive to say about it. It has a safe, shampoo-esque clean aroma and the longevity is good. However, this is the most disappointing of the Kenzo scents and the bottle and adverts made it seem so exciting and fun. It would make a safe gift in that the recipient is unlikely to hate it but I prefer a little more going on.
Rated 5 out of 5 by ShazzaT from Great perfume Fabulous fragrance and free gifts a bonus. Service impeccable. Thank you.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Lisa4452 from Love it !! Long lasting need shower gel and body lotion now !!


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Designed by the renowned Berlin architect Eduard Fürstenau (1862–1938), the synagogue was designed according to the rules of moderate Orthodox Judaism: Women and men sat strictly separately – the space of worship had 90 seats for men downstairs and 70 seats for women in the gallery. At the same time, the room offered space for a choir and a harmonium, which was frowned upon in strict Orthodox congregations. The congregation lacked the money for an organ and a heating system, which was not installed until 1929. The building also contained a schoolroom, a ritual bath, storage and changing rooms, toilets, and a janitor's apartment.
Fürstenau was responsible for the construction of two other synagogues in Dortmund and Bielefeld around the same time, which were inaugurated in 1900 and 1905, respectively. They were incomparably larger than the ones in Siegen – nevertheless, the three are referred to as "sister synagogues."
When the foundation stone for the Siegen synagogue was laid on July 23, 1903, the event attracted attention throughout German Jewry: the Allgemeine Zeitung des Judentums, published in Berlin, paid tribute to the "solemn act" with a detailed article in its July 31 issue. The reporter referred to the special situation of the Siegen community, for it was located in "the main town in Stöcker's constituency, where Jewry has enough to fight against prejudices and misconceptions anyway." Thus, it must be "particularly concerned (…) to appear dignified to the outside world as well."
The document for the laying of the foundation stone was written by Simon Grünewald. Among other things, it contains an outline of the history of the Siegen Jews since 1815. In addition to the document, the statutes for the synagogue congregation and the Israelite Women's Association as well as the cemetery regulations for the Jewish burial ground were also walled in a cassette.
Interior photograph of the Siegen Synagogue [Source: Berlinische Galerie – State Museum of Modern Art, Photography and Architecture].
The construction work progressed quickly so that the Richtfest (topping-out ceremony) could already be celebrated on October 15, 1903. The Siegener Zeitung was impressed by the "building with its pleasing forms": it did not "change the image of the eastern part of our city to its disadvantage. "
The Allgemeine Zeitung des Judentums also reported on the "uplifting celebration" of the dedication of the synagogue on July 22, 1904. However, in the list of guests of honor, which included the district administrator, the district commander, the member of the state parliament, and the master craftsmen involved in the construction, the names of the pastors were missing: "The clergymen of both denominations, who had received invitations, had not responded." In addition to the Protestant and Catholic pastors, the mayor of the city of Siegen was also absent. The absence of the head of the city and the representatives of Christianity was unusual: in other cities where synagogues were inaugurated during the Empire, civic and Christian communities were represented.
Reichspogromnacht
The local builder of the synagogue was the Siegen architect Hermann Giesler (1865–1941). His sons Paul (1895–1945) and Hermann (1898–1987), who also became architects, joined the National Socialist movement early on and took high ranks in the SA. Both brothers were among the leading elite in the Nazi state: Paul, among other things, as Gauleiter of Westphalia-South and as Bavarian Minister President, Hermann as a confidant of Hitler. After the fall of Nazi Germany, Paul evaded his responsibility by committing suicide. Hermann was sentenced to life imprisonment by a U.S. military court in 1947 for homicide, but was released from prison as early as 1952. He remained a convinced National Socialist until his death in 1987.
The virtual reconstruction of the Siegen synagogue
Text: Uwe von Seltmann (2021)
"The clergy of both denominations, who had received invitations, had not responded."
Allgemeine Zeitung des Judentums (AUGUST 12, 1904)


I took a trip to Kress Liquors and pulled a bottle of Weihenstephaner Weissbier Dark off of the shelves. While not a big fan of wheat beers, I was intrigued by the dark aspect of this beer. Weihenstephaner traces its roots to an abbey established in 768. The abbey received a license for a brewery in 1040. The monastery operated the brewery until 1803 when they were secularized by Napoleon. The property (brewery and all) then became the property of the State of Bavaria. Since, 1923 the brewery has been operated by the state in conjunction with the Technical Univeristy in Munich. So, with the historical provenance and the continuous production, the brewery bills itself as the world's oldest brewery.
Soft, malty and full-bodied. The well-balanced taste is our dark weiss beer's great strength. Not only a good accompaniment to hearty meals.
Appearance: Cloudy, dark brown with light foam and good lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malt and citrus.
Taste: Like a heavier wheat beer with more body, a little clove and a muted flavor.
As I had said, I am not a big fan of wheat beers but I really liked this one. If you like a wheat style this is certainly one to try.
Brew News: Philly Beer Week Saves Belgium!
I too am not a fan of wheat beers, but I have found myself enjoying quite a few European wheat beers lately. I think it may be that I do not care for american style wheat beers. The Europeans seem to add some spice and heft to theirs that I rather enjoy. Highly recommend Ayinger.
Totally agree with you. The Ayinger Brau Weisse is spectacular. Love it!
The Europeans really know what they are doing. I'd put the Paulaner and the Erdinger right up there with the Ayinger and the Weihenstephaner.
Biggest thing I've found with regards to taste of wheat beers, especially ones with active yeast still in the bottle, is how you pour it. That german style inverted pour works great for this style of beer. Just make sure you have a big glass though.
A good beer indeed! Try that Erdinger Dunkel, too!


Do you have a son or daughter that plays youth sports? Sports such as soccer, baseball, football, and basketball can be very risky for your children's dental health in Burlington if they don't take certain precautions. Football is a violent contact sport, yet there is a relatively low rate of tooth injuries that occur in football as compared to other contact sports. Why? Because football players are instructed to wear a mouth guard and a helmet at all times. Inexpensive athletic dental mouth guards are worth their weight in gold!
If your child participates in a contact sport and does not currently wear a sports mouth guard, we recommend that you pick up an appropriately-sized mouth guard and make sure they wear it regularly. They are available at most local athletic supply stores. Some dentists make individually-constructed athletic mouth guards that furnish even better protection than the one-size-fits-all brands.
Is your child still a toddler? It's not too early to start protecting your children's dental health in Burlington. If your toddler has not yet had a dental examination, call us at 859-534-5640 to schedule one. Starting early dental visits is vital for lifelong oral health.
At Pediatric Dental Center in Burlington, we care about your children's dental health in Burlington. To discuss your child's dental condition or to learn more about sports-related tooth injury prevention, call us at 859-534-5640. We have been keeping young athlete's smiles healthy since 2004. Our child-friendly staff will cater to your son or daughter. At Pediatric dental center, we offer our patients information about early dental care, dental sealants, and laughing gas. We look forward to hearing from you.


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← Ugly Duckling Perfect Match Episode 8
Wanida: Still in Love With This Lakorn! →
A Final Word on Destined To Love You 2015 / 偏偏喜欢你
Destined To Love You 2015 has definitely taken the number one spot in my heart for Chinese dramas. As a pretty underrated drama and one that is largely unsubbed, it has not garnered a decent fan base just yet. As I am a sucker for Revolutionary era dramas and some handsome sausagefest, this drama hooked me right from the start!
Plot: The drama focuses mainly on three characters' journey and growth through an elite military academy. Baobao, the main female lead, was a circus troupe performer who acted her way into the academy. She takes the place of a psychology instructor who "died on a train accident" in order to get her ailing mother medical care from the military facilities. On the way she meets Xiang Hao, rebel student soldier who is being dragged back to the academy after a year of freeroaming due to a tragic accident. Finally we have Wen Tao, straight-laced ace student of the academy and rival of Xiang Hao, though they were tight buddies once. While Xiang Hao and Baobao butt heads on every issue, Wen Tao takes a liking to Bao Bao and protects her even when he finds out her real identity. Now the Dean of the school and his devious son are trying every which way to eliminate or kill these power three in order to get the son in the Captain position of the future elite squad. The rest of the episodes give us great scenes of how these three unwittingly work together to overcome all the obstacles thrown at them. We see growth in their personalities and skills not only in these three characters, but in the other students/instructors of the school as well. Bonds are strengthened, misunderstandings unknotted, and romance is developed. Of course, as it is a Revolutionary era drama, they ALWAYS MUST end with a devious attack from the Japanese forces (hello Lady&Liar and Cruel Romance). With one last tragic and patriotic boom, the drama takes out some of our most important and loved characters. I for one, bawled my eyes out for our second lead. Two, I am not so keen on amnesia tropes as that negates all this wonderful growth and bond between certain star-crossed lovers.
Characterizations: The characters are what made this drama so amazing. First and foremost, Qian Bao Bao is so kickass, there are no words to describe her awesomeness. Not only is she a strong female lead, she ends up saving our two guys a lot of times through her own wit and skills! Not once did she become a damsel in distress in front of these soldiers, but instead matches up to them and even leads them on missions. She is also such a realist and brave person. She isn't trying to become some sort of Cinderella, but is willing to confront her wrongs and grow from them. She chooses not to run away when the real psychology instructor comes back, but instead faces her straight on with apologies. As for Xiang Hao, he is such a jokester and fool. Usually in Revolutionary era dramas, you have a cold and indifferent drama lead, blah blah blah. However, Xiang Hao is the opposite. He is such a child, immature, hot-tempered, and just wants to have fun. He does have his serious moments though when it comes to loyalty and brotherhood. His stubbornness and fiery passion makes him sometimes a "crazy dog" who bites and does not let go. Wen Tao is the complete opposite. He is the ace of the squad who is cool, calm, collected, and all about the rules! He has a warm heart that goes out toward Bao Bao and is also skilled in his own right. Wen Tao and Xiang Hao play against each other and build each other up. As for the rest of our squad, their brotherhood is heartwarming as the teams come together to work through each problem. Even the instructors have their own humorous storylines.
Acting: Because the drama opens up in such a comedic and slapstick way, some watchers may be turned off by such humor. However, the drama builds up by episode 2/3 as we see our characters start interacting with each other. For me, the comedic relief was refreshing and Xiang Hao played by Nai Liang is such a riot! His expressions are really a hoot and just makes me roll around laughing. He doesn't take anything seriously and everyone just playfully tolerates him. Contrast him with the collected and indifferent Wen Tao played by Wong Bosco, they make a great pair. However Wen Tao does not have a frozen face! He is a really subtle actor whose eyes and small expression changes speak volumes. Bao Bao played by the every so lovely Joe Chen stepped right from the pages of Cruel Romance into a better role! She is lovely and cute, always great in her acting! Not only can she play the strong female, but she can also play the vulnerable one who is still trying to hold things together. As for our villains, they are at times laughable. They have tried so many times to eliminate the power three with absolutely no success at all.
Filming: I love military uniforms! Well, I love the amazing sharp and clean uniform suits that the drama uses. There are more than three or four types of the military suits that are worn in the drama in addition to the field uniforms. They just make everyone look sharper and more professional. While sometimes the color of the drama may get candy-like, it is offset by the nitty-gritty of the battlefield splattered with blood. As we all know, Revolutionary fashion is something I absolutely adore!
Themes: Patriotism is key in this drama. Whether it is to your brothers, your school, your family, or your nation. You are to stand by your words and protect the nation at all costs. These boys joined this elite military squad to serve the nation and look forward to dying in battle together as the highest form of glory. Betraying the nation or your word is of highest treason and is sentenced by death. Another theme of this drama is the fine line between obeying your superiors in all ways or deviating from the commands due to your own judgments. During such a patriarchal era, being filial and obeying your elders is of utmost importance. It is hard for one to break such molds and think for themselves, especially in a military environment when everything is "yes, sir!" However, this drama chose to portray that at key times, it is important to trust your own judgement in order to benefit the greater population. And of course, lastly, we also have the discussion of the Japanese. This time, it concerns a secret Japanese outpost near Chinese military grounds. The last few episodes focused on penetrating this secret lair and blasting it sky-high. It gave me shivers and goosebumps as these soldiers were so willing to sacrifice their lives without fame or glory as it was a secret, non-ordered mission in order to potentially save a nation. I give props and thanks to those who have such courage to enter the military and serve, in the past and for our soldiers now.
After such a delicious 3rd round of Revolutionary drama, I hope there is more to come!
Posted in Chinese Dramas, Drama Reviews, Uncategorized	| Tagged bosco wong, cdrama, chinese, destined to love you 2015, joe chen, military, Nai Ling, Revolutionary, 偏偏喜欢你
6 thoughts on "A Final Word on Destined To Love You 2015 / 偏偏喜欢你"
Kate - skimmedmilkdrama
I just watched Cruel Romance and thought maybe I'll skip the other republican era dramas but now that I saw your review, it's back to my plan to watch and I guess I'll be watching it soon! You make it sound fun…. until the end where they die 😦
Ah did you see Lady and Liar yet? I really prefer this one over both. I am so glad you decided to pick this one up again! It was certainly a fun ride until the tragedy at the end…but expected of a Revolutionary era Chinese drama.
msmayylee
Oh yea.. I love this one but I don't know if I can say this one was better than Cruel Romance. CR holds this special "thing" in my heart… However, DTL was so good from the start (for me)… and lasted till the end. Love every minute of it, from the friendship, to relationship, to family-ship…. It was spot on….
Oohh really? What is it about CR that you like the most? DTL hit every drama trope that I loved. The acting was great and the it was so funny at times. But of course I cried as hard as I laughed too.
Pervizshah Abdul
Xiao hao and bao bad looks good together


Study "design of jewelry an daily works" at the Pforzheim University in Germany means exploring the different levels of meaning and spatial possibilities presented by the jewelry. Students become familiar with different techniques, making contact with the tradition and exploring the unknown. In Pforzheim there are no borders.
This entry was posted in JEWELRY WORLD (EN) and tagged Design of Jewels, Jewellery Schools, Mediterranean Design, School of Design, Signature Jewels. Bookmark the permalink.


(Mozart: Die Zauberflöte). Bar. A bird‐catcher. He meets Tamino and goes with him to rescue Pamina, having been given magic bells to protect him. Though frightened, he rescues Pamina and takes her to meet Tamino. He also wards off the evil moor Monastatos and his followers by playing the bells and luring them away. He accompanies Tamino to his trials, but is unable to remain silent as ordered. Determined to find love for himself, he meets an old crone who, to his horror, declares herself to be his future bride. When he agrees to save her from incarceration by marrying her, she miraculously turns into the young and beautiful Papagena. Arias: Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja ('I am the bird‐catcher'); Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen ('A maiden or a little wife'); duet (with Pamina): Bei männern ('All men'). Created (1791) by Johann Emanuel Schikaneder (the opera's librettist. When the opera had its British première, this role was taken by Michael Balfe, the composer of The Bohemian Girl).


September 2012 - In this installation the plumber installed a PVC vent inside of a clay lined double flue chimney. The other flue in the chimney vents a fireplace, the problem we are finding is when homeowners light a fire in their fireplace the PVC in the heating system flue can melt and cause a serious carbon monoxide and flue gas danger. In these (now common) types of installations we strongly recommend the replacement of PVC vent with a chimney liner made from a stainless steel alloy such as AL29-4C which is specifically made for venting condensing heating systems and usually comes with a lifetime guaranty (from many manufacturers) against corrosion in that type of application. We also recommend moving the intake vent out of the chimney to prevent the corrosive by-products of combustion from being drawn into the heating system intake which can actually damage the heating system over time. Even though PVC pipe should not be confused with other non-metal (plastic) vent products that some companies are manufacturing such as polypropyIene vent systems, these other non-metal (plastic) vent products should still never be put in a multi flue chimney that vents a fireplace or solid flue appliance because those types of non-metal vent products are still not designed for use near such high temperatures and this is an application that manufacturers don't even test. For more information on whether PVC should even be used at all to vent flue gases (never mind in a double flue chimney) I suggest reading the following two articles from Plumbing Engineer Magazine, which is a leading publication in the heating industry. It is my hope that the building code will soon ban the use of PVC and plastic vents in multiple flue chimneys where melting of the heating system vent pipe by the use of another flue is a dangerous and deadly possibility.
President, Ron George Design & Consulting Svcs.
I recently inspected the mechanical systems in student housing at a Midwest university. The school had hundreds of apartments in numerous buildings with high efficiency water heaters that were installed more than 10 years ago. There were reported problems of not having enough hot water.
My inspection revealed a high efficiency water heater with purple/brownish PVC pipes and yellowish PVC flue pipe fittings. The flue pipes were obviously deformed from heat, and they were sagging. A maintenance man for the university said that some really bad pipes had come apart at the fittings and melted. This set off the carbon monoxide alarm and prompted a maintenance call. The water heater had scaled up due to minerals in the water supply; this caused the flue gas temperatures to rise, which created the noted problems.
The pipe was Schedule 40 PVC pipe. Although the water heater installation manual we obtained recommended using PVC pipe as a flue material, PVC pipe manufacturers do not recommend this. I called the manufacturer of the PVC pipe in this case and asked the representative a few questions about using PVC pipe as a combustion flue for fuel gases. He was quite familiar with this issue and emailed me a link to the company's technical manual, which discussed all of the physical and temperature limitations of the piping.
He said that the company has had numerous complaints about PVC pipes used for venting flue gases, and that they always point out that they do not recommend this usage and that there is no listing for it in their manual. He has asked every major manufacturer of boilers and water heaters for data to support the recommendations in their literature for the use of PVC pipe for combustion flue materials but has not received any replies.
This is concerning to me. Just because a manufacturer recommends using PVC does not mean that it is acceptable or safe. Just because PVC works in new installations does not mean that a condition cannot occur in which scale builds up over a short time in hard water areas and causes high flue gas temperatures. Most boiler and water heater manufacturers list other ways of venting with stainless steel, but they seem to always recommend the cheapest way in their literature, in an attempt to make the boiler seem more affordable to consumers.
The piping manufacturer recommends that inquiries about the suitability of plastic piping systems for venting combustion gases should be directed to the manufacturer of the water or space heating equipment being installed.
Furthermore, several of the ASTM standards applicable to PVC plastic pipe and fittings that this company manufactures their pipe to include the following note: This standard specification for PVC pipe does not include requirements for pipe and fittings intended to be used to vent combustion gases.
There is no standard referenced in any of the codes in the United States for a plastic flue vent for combustion flue gas piping, although many water heater and boiler manufacturers recommend this. There is a Canadian standard, ULC S636, but that standard has several flaws in that it allows flue gas temperatures that exceed the temperature limits of the pipe material manufacturers.
The maximum temperatures listed in the ABS, PVC and CPVC pipe manufacturers' technical literature are shown in the following table. Any temperatures above the rated temperature will allow the pipe to melt, sag and, possibly, collapse or pull apart. There are serious consequences with carbon monoxide asphyxiation and fire that cannot be ignored.
Generally, for a new condensing water heater or boiler, the stack temperature will be about 20 degrees higher than the water temperature. The design and efficiency of the unit, along with several other factors, including water quality, will affect the stack temperature. If a water heater is set to store water at 140 F to minimize Legionella bacteria growth, the flue gas temperature will be about 160 F when the heater is new.
As scale builds up and the heater efficiency falls off, the flue gas temperatures can easily increase to over 350 degrees F. Even if someone had their water heater set at 120 F, with scaling, the flue gas temperatures can rise well above 300 F. Boiler thermostats or burner controls are generally limited to 200 F, commercial water heater thermostats or burner controls to 180 F and residential water heater burner controls to 160 F, and all can overshoot by several degrees. As scale builds up on the heating surfaces, the scale insulates the flue gases from the hot water in the system, causing the flue gas temperatures to increase.
Some boiler and water heater manufacturers offer stack or flue gas temperature gauges as a way to see whether the unit is scaling up and losing efficiency, which is helpful for monitoring the flue condition. A temperature sensor or probe with a high-limit control could be inserted into the flue at the flue connection to the boiler or water heater.
This control would shut off the burner if the flue gas temperature exceeds the temperature rating of the flue pipe.
A standard will be needed for plastic flue pipes that should include a temperature gauge and a high limit probe. Then PVC, CPVC and polypropylene flue gas piping can be safely used on high efficiency boilers and water heaters. This would be an answer to the dilemma of cost versus safety.
Without a standard for proper use of these safety devices in combination with plastic flue gas piping or without the use of stainless steel flues, plastic flue materials can melt as flue gas temperatures rise. Not only is energy lost when this happens but flues can become blocked or disconnected, which can be a carbon monoxide or a fire danger.
A family of four died in Aspen, Colorado, in 2008, of carbon monoxide poisoning from the failure of PVC plastic flue pipes on a condensing snow melting boiler system in a rental property. The plastic pipe manufacturer was not at fault, because they had published limitations on the use of their piping, and they had not recommended PVC piping for that application. The boiler manufacturer that recommended using PVC pipe as flue material was a target of the liability claim by surviving family members.
I have heard arguments by many contractors that do not believe PVC flue venting for combustion gases is a problem, but I have seen melted and discolored piping in many of my investigations, so I know it is a problem. I also see the proliferation of recommendations from high efficiency, condensing boiler and water heater equipment manufacturers for the use of combustible and unlisted PVC piping products as corrosion resistant combustion flue venting.
This approach seems to be a way to lessen the initial cost of installing a high efficiency boiler or water heater. High efficiency equipment will cost significantly more than less efficient models, so there seems to be a movement by manufacturers to promote these unlisted and, therefore, non-code-approved materials over code approved and listed stainless steel flues, which are corrosion resistant.
801.20 Plastic Vent Joints. Plastic pipe and fittings used to vent appliances shall be installed in accordance with the appliance manufacturer's installation instructions.
802.1 General. All vent systems shall be listed and labeled.
There is no listing for plastic piping for flue gas venting applications.
304.2 Conflicts. Where conflicts between this code and the conditions of listing or the manufacturer's installation instructions occur, the provisions of this code shall apply.
There is a conflict between sections 801.20 and 802.1. The water heater manufacturer's installation instructions conflict with the requirement in section 802.1 that requires all vent systems to be listed and labeled for the application. PVC pipe is not listed and labeled as a combustion flue pipe material, as noted in the piping manufacturer's notes above, yet manufacturers of the water heaters and boilers seem to be avoiding the issue, and they continue to recommend the use of PVC flue venting in their installation instructions.
Section 304.2 addresses conflicts. The code restriction requiring all flue materials to be listed and labeled for their intended purpose is more stringent language, so the more restrictive code requirement requiring listed and labeled flue pipe materials would apply. There is additional language in the International Fuel Gas Code.
I have not seen any testing data or an independent test report from a boiler or water heater manufacturer that shows that PVC piping has been tested and approved for the conditions it will likely see in a water heating or boiler installation. Any testing should include the extreme conditions when scaling occurs and flue gas temps rise, near the end of the equipment's service life.
This temperature limit was intended to allow the use of PVC pipe for use as a flue gas material. The temperature limit for PVC pipe is 140 F, and the allowable temperature in the ULC S636 standard exceeds the temperature limits set by PVC pipe manufacturers.
This temperature limit was intended to allow the use of CPVC pipe for use as a flue gas material. The temperature in the pipe manufacturer technical data is 180 F. The ULC S636 standard allows the material to exceed the limit for CPVC piping by 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
This temperature limit was intended to allow the use of Polypropylene (PP) pipe for use as a flue gas material. There is currently one manufacturer listed to this standard, but the potential for the flue gases to exceed the 230 F is still there. A high-limit switch to shut off the boiler or water heater would be advisable.
I am not aware of any plastic pipe manufacturers that meet this sub-section of the standard. The potential for the flue gas temperatures to exceed the 230 F is still there. A high-limit switch to shut off the boiler or water heater would be advisable.
It will be interesting to see which way the industry goes on this issue. There are forces pulling each way, and I believe that a significant change will be coming within the next few years. I hope the industry can develop a standard to allow low cost, high temperature plastic materials. I believe that we will see a few code changes on this topic in the next round of code hearings. The 2012 Code is nearing completion and should be available in 2011. The 2015 code cycle will begin in the not too distant future.
In the May 2011 issue of Plumbing Engineer magazine, I wrote a column titled, "Is PVC an acceptable vent material for flue gases?" in which I pointed out many problems and challenges associated with venting flue gases with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe. In the March 2012 issue, a representative of the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) wrote a letter supporting the use of PVC pipe on behalf of their appliance manufacturer members that use PVC as an alternative to the stainless steel or high temperature plastic flue venting materials that are listed for use.
AHRI is an advocate on behalf of their members; they lobby at all levels of government, including at model code hearings. AHRI's government affairs staff works closely with congressional staff on legislation that impacts the industry. In this case, it appears that they were lobbying the readers of Plumbing Engineer on behalf of the manufacturers of fuel burning appliances such as water heaters, boilers and furnaces that are recommending use of PVC pipe for venting combustible gases.
Some people have asked why I am making such a big deal over using PVC for venting combustion gases. I would love to tell them it is OK to use these materials, but health and safety trump saving a few bucks on pipe material.
Recently, I received a call from someone on behalf of a woman who had suffered a serious debilitating illness. The caller said a plumber gave him a copy of the May 2011 article. The caller went over some of the comments that were addressed in the article and explained that a woman had become seriously ill and permanently disabled from what is believed to be exposure to the combustion gases from two failed PVC plastic flue vent pipes in her home.
I was asked to inspect the installation. I photographed, took temperature recordings and used a multi-gas detector to take readings. The two PVC flue vents were connected to two water heaters that were piped together in the garage of a three-story townhome. The plumber had found that the flue pipes in separate joist spaces were completely separated and that what appeared to be carbon monoxide poisoning and oxygen deprivation may have caused the woman's illness; she apparently has brain damage and is now permanently disabled.
In exposed locations, the PVC pipe was tan colored; above the drywall and below the second floor decking in the area of the break, it was a very dark brown. Dark areas on the decking and floor joists indicated that high temperature flue gases had possibly cooked the sugars or sap in the wood to a dark caramel color. Apparently, the ambient air had a cooling effect on the pipe in exposed areas; that is why the exposed pipe was a lighter brown color. In the floor cavity, the temperature on both sides of the flue pipe wall was the flue gas temperature. Wherever the pipe was near a floor joist or near insulation, the piping appeared to be darker in color. This was probably because of the restriction of ambient air circulation for cooling.
The pipe was brown and discolored in the vicinity of the two water heaters, and two yellowish fittings were cracked and completely separated. Testing the flue gases in this case revealed that flue gas temperatures after the dilution air was added was still much higher than the 160 F hot water temperature and far in excess of the temperature rating for PVC pipe. The water heater manufacturer's literature recommended the use of PVC pipe and made no mention of system design temperature limitations or installation requirements for the PVC flues with respect to the location in a concealed space or adjacent to insulation. It also did not list any temperature limitations for a maximum thermostat setting on the water heater for systems using PVC flues. The PVC flue pipe separations above the drywall ceiling allowed products of combustion, including carbon monoxide and water vapor, to vent under positive pressure into the house over several years. This caused excessive mold and water damage to the structure.
There is not much data on discoloration of PVC pipe or on ambient air cooling requirements for PVC flue pipes. It appears that PVC flue pipes should not be located in concealed spaces such as the space between a ceiling and a floor deck, near insulation or floor joists or in wall cavities that have no ambient air cooling capability.
There is no standard for PVC pipe for use as a flue material for combustion gases and there is no testing for these conditions.
When the home was being sold, an inspector found significant water damage in the lower levels. A plumbing contractor opened the drywall ceiling on the lower floor and found the two completely separated PVC flue pipes pumping carbon monoxide and moisture into the home. There was black mold throughout the floor space and on the exterior walls, where the wood structure and siding was rotted. Copper plumbing pipes in the area were green with oxidation from exposure to the moisture. The broken PVC flue pipes caused the plumbing contractor to wonder whether the building occupants had experienced any symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. These symptoms include the following: headaches, dizziness, nausea, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, shortness of breath, impaired judgment, chest pain, confusion, depression, hallucinations, agitation, vomiting, abdominal pain, drowsiness, visual changes, fainting, seizures, memory and walking problems. Not knowing her condition, the plumber contacted the homeowner and asked whether she had experienced any of these symptoms.
She was amazed to hear this, because he was describing many of the symptoms she had been experiencing for several years. These were the reasons she had to quit her job and move away. Moving away very likely saved her life.
Interestingly, although the CO levels were elevated to dangerous levels, they were not high enough to trip a carbon monoxide alarm. The combustion gases that were venting into the floor space and coming up through a floor register into the living space had oxygen levels that dropped to well below 18 percent in some areas. Low oxygen levels combined with elevated CO levels can be a deadly combination and can lead to brain damage.
PVC pipe has a temperature limit of 140 F; most water heaters and boilers have thermostats that exceed this temperature. Furnaces can have flue temperatures well above 140 F when the air filters are dirty and the air flow drops off. The maximum temperature setting for residential water heaters is 160 F, for commercial water heaters it is 180 F and for boilers it is 200 F, all above the maximum recommended PVC temperature of 140 F. Boiler water temperatures are typically in the 180 to 200 degree range, because most HVAC hydronic heating coils are designed for these higher water temperatures in order to reduce the heating coil sizes and to reduce the gpm pumping requirements.
Plumbing engineers typically design hot water systems to store hot water about 140 F in water heaters to minimize Legionella bacteria and other organic pathogen growth in the hot water tank. They typically use thermostatic mixing valves conforming to industry standards to reduce domestic hot water temperatures to safe delivery temperatures.
If a fuel gas appliance was 100% efficient, the flue gas temperature would be the same temperature as the thermostat setting or fluid temperature in the water heater or boiler. Since 100% efficiency is not really possible, all flue gas temperatures will exceed the thermostat setting. So, if a water heater is set at 160 F and the thermostat allows the fluid temperature to overshoot the set point by about 10 degrees F plus or minus, the flue gas temperatures on a very efficient residential water heater would be higher than 170 F. This is consistent with the temperature readings I got.
I serve on an industry committee that is developing guidelines for minimizing Legionella in building water systems. The committee includes representatives of ASHRAE, ASPE, water heater manufacturers, plumbing designers, CDC, EPA, several pathologists and microbiologists and many other experts. They have recently tentatively agreed that the minimum storage temperature for water heaters should be 140 F in order to make sure that all parts of the domestic hot water system are well above the ideal growth temperatures for Legionella. The committee is also looking at minimum hot water return temperatures above the ideal growth temperatures for legionella bacteria. When this standard is published, storage type water heaters will have minimum storage temperatures of 140 F or higher; flue gases are typically much hotter than the water temperature.
Water heater, boiler and furnace manufacturers have gone to great lengths to promote and use PVC plastic flue pipes in applications that exceed the temperature ratings of the product. They cannot use traditional galvanized flues because the condensation produced is pure water and very aggressive and would corrode or rust the flue in a very short time. When galvanized steel flues develop rust holes, people may start suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. Manufacturers needed to come up with a flue material that would not corrode. Stainless steel flues are an option but, compared to galvanized steel or PVC plastic, they are very expensive. High-temperature plastic flues were used briefly in Canada but were recalled after a series of flue failures. In the beginning, flues were cobbled together out of whatever flue materials they could find and PVC was included even though it is not rated for the system temperatures commonly experienced in flues. Water heater and boiler manufacturers began listing the ASTM standard numbers for PVC DWV pipe and PVC water pipe as the material to use for venting their appliances.
This standard specification does not include requirements for pipe and fittings intended to be used to vent combustion gases.
The cost of PVC plastic pipe cost is a fraction of the cost of stainless steel. I am guessing that there was a meeting after the May 2011 article and that AHRI decided to defend the use of PVC plastic for venting combustible gases.
The AHRI representative agreed that no U.S. PVC pipe manufacturer recommends use of their pipe for venting of combustible gases. He then goes on to mention that AHRI uses the ANSI Z21 series of standards for appliance testing as the basis for acceptance of PVC flue piping. These standards only test for deflection at 157 F, although he claimed that they test to 158 F. That is not the correct temperature for PVC piping.
He states that the Z21 series of standards tests gas appliances for extreme conditions. According to him, the test involves setting the thermostat to the highest setting and flowing water continuously to keep the burner on. In this condition, enough water can be flushed through the water heater or boiler to keep the water temperatures low enough to keep the flue gases cooled and relatively low. The test does not allow real-world conditions in which commercial water heaters reach the shut-off temperature of 180 F.
To be accurate, just enough hot water should be flowed to cause cold water to enter the bottom of the heater and cause the burner to come on; then the flow of water should be shut off until the burner shuts off. Repeating this step about five or six times would be the real-world extreme condition. Each time the water heater cycles, the hot water rises to the top of the heater; each consecutive cycle overheats the water in the top of the heater and, with each consecutive stacking cycle, the water temperature will be 5 to 10 degrees hotter. As the water temperature gets hotter, so does the flue temperature.
The test does not test for long term thermal cycling of the PVC pipe where the pipe becomes discolored. The test does not address all of the things that can cause flue gas temperatures to rise — scale on the heating surfaces; dirty air filters; insulation, drywall or studs against the pipe in joist spaces; partially and fully blocked dilution air inlets; etc. I would like to see a manufacturer provide a copy of testing and certification for any fuel burning appliance with PVC pipe testing for these conditions.
There is no testing for a water heater, boiler or furnace that has a system set at the upper temperature settings with a build-up of scale on the heating surfaces or with a plugged air filter.
Scale on heating surfaces and higher system water temperatures that increase scale production are not extreme cases but are normal conditions expected over the life of a water heater or boiler. The AHRI representative states in his letter that scale is not an insulator. I strongly disagree. Numerous documents, research reports and papers address the insulating effects of scale formation on the heat transfer surfaces and the waste of energy associated with scale on heating surfaces. The insulating effect of scale on water heater and boiler heating surfaces results in increased flue gas temperatures. Scale also causes a substantial waste of energy.
Scale deposits occur when calcium, magnesium and silica, commonly found in most water supplies, get cooked onto the heating surface and form a continuous layer of material on the waterside of the water heater or boiler heat exchanger surfaces. Scale creates a problem because it typically possesses a thermal conductivity, an order of magnitude less than the corresponding value for bare steel. Even thin layers of scale serve as an effective insulator and retard heat transfer.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology, Handbook 115, Supplement 1 addresses the loss of efficiency based on scale formation. On well-designed natural gas-fired systems, an excess air level of 10% is attainable. An often stated rule of thumb is that boiler efficiency can be increased by 1% for each 15% reduction in excess air or 40 F reduction in the stack gas temperature. The efficiency of the equipment decreases about one percent for every 1/64-inch layer of scale on the heating surface. The result is overheating of the water heater or boiler tube metal, tube failures and loss of energy efficiency, which is commonly diagnosed by an increase in flue gas temperature.
Fuel consumption increases as scale deposits increase. Water heater or boiler output will be reduced as the scale builds up. The flue gas temperatures rise, and the burner stays on longer in order to transfer heat through the scale and the heating surface. Energy losses and increased flue gas temperatures are a function of scale thickness and composition.
A flue pipe should not be allowed to fail and cause an injury or death from a normal system temperatures, location of a flue in a concealed space, or a normal build-up of scale on the heating surface. This is a serious life safety issue that the appliance manufacturers apparently would like to sweep under the carpet.
At the ASHRAE show in Chicago, I asked every water heater and boiler manufacturer that was exhibiting PVC flues on their equipment to show me any testing data they might have that shows the PVC material was not going to exceed 140 F. Some looked at me like deer in the headlights, others rolled their eyes, and a few said they didn't know and suggested I talk to "that guy over there." The guy over there did not know either. A few said, "Yeah, everyone's using PVC now, and I have never heard of a failure." Not one manufacturer could produce any technical data or a report addressing the temperature limits that the fuel burning appliance manufacturers are required to have for non-metallic PVC flue materials. There are acceptable non-metallic flue materials such as high temperature polypropylene and new, high temperature plastics that have higher temperature ratings than PVC.
The fuel-fired appliance manufacturers, in their quest to use PVC pipe as an inexpensive flue material, realized that no piping manufacturer was going to go out on a limb and certify their pipe for use as a flue gas material, so a proposal for a code change was submitted to the International Fuel Gas Code to allow an exception for the listing requirements for flue gas materials. The exception allows for non-metallic flue materials to not be required to be listed for the application if the manufacturer of the equipment certifies their equipment for use with non-metallic flue materials. They are claiming that they have a certification test, but the test that the AHRI representative cited does not test for the proper temperature limits for PVC pipe. I would be glad to show them how to set up a realistic test.
The AHRI representative went on to talk about dilution air being mixed with the flue gas temperatures. This dilution air is often drawn into the water heater through openings in a hood on top of the water heater. It is a function of the size of the combustion air fan which, in many cases, is located on the flue outlet so there can be a negative pressure zone on top of the water heater where dilution air can be drawn into the flue. The dilution air imposes an additional CFM demand on the unit that is not covered in the manufacturer's installation data. There is rarely manufacturer's data on what the fan CFM is and how that affects the combustion air requirements for the water heater or appliance. If there are two appliances located in the same closet and both rely on cooling air mixing with the combustion gases, where are the additional requirements for combustion air openings and dilution air requirements? If a closet or space is designed for only enough air for the combustion requirements, and the hood is drawing many times more cubic feet of air than the combustion air requirement from the same space, the burner can starve, and improper combustion can cause soot conditions that will increase flue temperatures. Improper airflow to the closet or room containing the high efficiency equipment can starve the dilution air ports reducing the cooling capability of the dilution air that is intended to help cool the combustion gases. High ambient air conditions can also cause ineffective cooling of the combustion gases.
Until any fuel burning appliance manufacturer can produce an independent engineering lab test report that shows that the appliance will shut down if the flue gas temperatures exceed 140 F, an engineer or the inspector has every right to reject the PVC flue materials as not being in compliance with the requirements for listed flue pipe materials in the International Fuel Gas Code.
Fuel burning appliance manufacturers should change their installation literature to prohibit PVC pipe and fittings. They should require other more suitable high temperature non-metallic pipe materials or stainless steel flue materials. They should also address all of the thermal expansion, ambient cooling and stress cracking issues with non-metallic systems. A consensus standard for non-metallic flue venting systems is really needed now if they are going to continue to promote the PVC material.
The manufacturers and AHRI have created an unsafe condition by lobbying for a material that is not suited for this application. They should issue a recall letter to every business and every homeowner that has PVC flue pipes installed on equipment designed for non-metallic flue pipes if the equipment does not have temperature sensors or limit switches in the discharge flue that shuts down the burner if the flue gas temperatures exceed 140 F.
Data also needs to be published showing the dilution air requirements at the maximum possible ambient air conditions. Recent weather events in Southern states have shown that ambient air conditions can get close to 115 F or higher. With combustion gases close to 200 F, you would need a pretty big combustion air opening to bring in enough 115-degree cooling air to bring the temperature down to a safe level.
The decision to use PVC pipe for venting flue gases is purely a monetary decision; it totally disregards public health and safety. The International Fuel Gas Code exemption for non-metallic flue pipe materials is not safe and, in my opinion, should be repealed as an emergency code change. I also feel that manufacturers should immediately discontinue recommending the use of PVC pipe for venting combustible gases.
Ron George is president of Plumb-Tech Design and Consulting Services LLC. He has served as chairman of the International Residential Plumbing & Mechanical Code Committee. Visit www.Plumb-TechLLC.com, e-mail Ron@Plumb-TechLLC.com or phone 734/755-1908.


text:
Condemned Row Inmates Form Advisory Council
November 1, 2008 by L. Samuel Capers
East Block's Condemned Row has been a world of its own. It's known to house the worst of the worst. It is a man's final stop before his ill awaited fate is to be carried out. But many out on the mainline do not know that there are quite a few changes taking place here on the row. And, though there may be no hope for the condemned in the eyes of others, we see things a lot differently. We no longer sit under rocks and simply accept the fact that many of us may never see the streets again.
There were many issues that needed to be addressed within the East Block unit and absolutely no kind of communication when it came to staff and prisoners. This, of course, caused many difficulties and gaps that to this day remain, except for the reality that these issues are "fixable." With that said, the East Block Advisory Council came into play. The "EBAC" members work along with the unit staff and Administration here on the row to make life easier and the program run smoother, for both staff and prisoners. It is a council of the condemned that have been here anywhere from upwards of many years to just a few. We are all working together to make this program more suitable and beneficial to all.
There are six "Grade A" yards here, and on each yard there are four EBAC representatives, one for each of the basic four ethnic groups, and one yard chairman who goes to the scheduled meetings with the staff. The issues brought up vary, such as: canteen, medical, property, and general unit issues that involved the Condemned population as a whole. The staff needs to know that we are willing to work out issues with them on an advisory level, instead of using the Inmate Appeal Process (CDCR 602). By the EBAC reps speaking to their constituents, we can now bring to the staff's attention issues that have an adverse effect on a certain group of prisoners, or a single person. On many occasions, the individual issue could turn into a population issue. By being able to address the staff using the EBAC process, we can now be at ease to know that most problems will be worked out on a timely basis and resolved.
Condemned Row has a history of not being able to function as others do out on the mainline. By working to resolve the problems on the row, we have now shown that not all inmates are program failures and many are willing to function like any other prisoner housed in the CDCR. It's the EBAC council's hope that the line we now have to the staff and administration can remain open so that programs can continue to run smoothly. Death Row is now stepping out.
Filed Under: Education


RCW 51.12.120 (www.leg.wa.gov) defines a temporary and incidental time period for working in another state. This time period is calculated separately for each state and includes partial work days.
30 days or less then the work is temporary and incidental.
More than 30 days then the work isn't temporary or incidental.
WAC 296‑17‑35203(8) (www.leg.wa.gov) explains the special reporting requirements to avoid paying premiums twice on out-of-state work.
Are required to pay premiums to L&I for all temporary and incidental out-of-state work.
Working in another state for more than the temporary and incidental time period have the option of supplemental no-premium reporting to L&I if they are paying premiums for their Washington workers to an out-of-state insurer.


text:
Clough Career
Derby Days
Forest Arrival
Forest Farewell
Cloughie Baseball Caps
Fifty Fixtures Book
'The Day I Met' Book
Tribute Book
#cloughiememories
Brian Clough Trophy
Civic Tribute
Mrs Clough's Message
Goodnight Youngman
Memorial Poem
Fifty Fixtures
The Day I Met
Youngman Book
Champagne Memories
Miracles Book
Brian Laws
TVTimes
Nottm Statue
Derby Statue
Boro Statue
Simon's Message
Statue Secrets
Nottm Launch
Statue Choice
Buy 'The Day I Met'
THE DAY I MET BRIAN CLOUGH
- BY MARCUS ALTON -
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"A lovely tribute to Dad" -- Brian Clough's daughter, Elizabeth.
"Some of the most revealing and genuine tributes to the Great Man" -- Nottingham Forest matchday magazine.
"A must have for those of us who loved Brian Clough" -- Derby County Mad website.
"An absolute joy - a lovingly compiled book of encounters with the Great Man" -- Middlesbrough fanzine.
Unique Tribute Book
Brian Clough's family are among the many people who describe their personal memories of him in this unique collection of tributes (published October, 2011).
Fans may think they have heard all there is to know about Cloughie. But this book has many untold stories and tributes, demonstrating how he touched so many lives and won admirers around the world.
The book has memories from Brian's widow Barbara, his daughter Elizabeth and his brother and sister, Joe and Doreen. They give a rare insight into life with the Master Manager.
This collection of anecdotes and tributes includes contributions from fans, friends and former players. It has been compiled by the editor of this website, Marcus Alton, whose royalties have helped to raise hundreds of pounds for the Brian Clough Memorial Fund, which has been run by the Clough family for the types of good causes that Brian supported. Any further royalties will go to a charity that Brian and Barbara supported.
If you purchase a signed copy through this website (signed personally for you), you can now benefit from a special offer of 25% off. This special discount means the cost will be just £7.49, plus postage and packing in the UK at £3.00. You can also purchase unsigned copies.
In the book, one of Cloughie's first signings at Hartlepool describes how he poured a bucket of water over the Master Manager - by accident! Terry Bell says he was planning to get his revenge on a team-mate who had cut the toes out of his socks.
"I decided to climb up onto the roof of the dressing room with a bucket of water," says Terry. "Some of my team-mates would then signal to me when the lad in question was walking past and I would throw the bucket of water over him. So I waited and finally got the signal – but unfortunately it wasn't who I expected! Guess who was walking by? I poured the bucket of water over Brian Clough!
"To make it even worse, he wasn't wearing his tracksuit. He was going to a funeral that day so he was wearing a suit. And it got absolutely soaked! As a result he fined me a week's wages."
Usually priced at just £9.99 (but now with 25% off through this website), the book is great value. There have already been signing sessions at Waterstones in Derby and WH Smith in Nottingham, plus the Book Boutique, a leading independent bookshop in Ripley, Derbyshire.
Signing at WH Smith
Marcus signed copies of the book at WH Smith in the Victoria Centre, Nottingham, on Saturday October 29th, 2011. He also presented a highly successful Cloughie evening at Waterstones in Derby on Thursday, November 3rd, 2011, when he read extracts from the book and talked about the times he met the Great Man. He returned for another signing session at Waterstones on December 17th, 2011.
Waterstones evening
During the evening event at Waterstones, fans were able to listen to archive Cloughie interviews and hear previously untold stories about Old Big 'Ead. Afterwards they were keen to ask questions and share their memories too.
Signing at Waterstones
Marcus has been interviewed about the book on BBC Radio Nottingham and BBC Radio Derby. The book has also been serialised in the Nottingham Post newspaper and there was a special report in the Derby Evening Telegraph.
The fans website, Derby County Mad, described it as a 'must have' for all Clough fans. It said: "There are 189 pages of pure enjoyment as the tributes and stories of meeting Brian Clough come thick and fast." The reviewer added that it was a book, "you will not want to put down."
The book is now sold-out at WH Smith, Waterstones and the Nottingham Forest Megastore, but you can still buy it on this website, using the Paypal button at the top of the page.


All the hotel of Maximilian's Hotels Group are wide and suitable to host ceremonies, meetings, conferences or other events, thanks to a professional staff that supports the organiser and oversee the good results of every event.
Our event planners have a great experience in creating and facilitating events of every kind, from team building to marriages and conferences.
Maximilian's Hotels can organise even your sport event, also taking advantage of the beach in front of the hotels that are part of the group. At the beach we can host beach volley tournaments or surf courses and lessons.
A few hundred meters from the hotels in Rimini there is the marina so it is possible to have activities on boat (either motorboat or sailing).
Organising an event or a ceremony is never easy and surely is time-consuming. For this reason, we provide a valid support for your event. Our MICE department is focused on helping you manage every choice in order to achieve a perfect result. Our professional staff can help you from the ideas behind a scenic decoration to the smallest detail.
For further info you can find our contacts here.


Mars Defender has been doing quite well in the Android and Apple stores (ranked #52 in the new arcade/action game section on Android Market, and top 100 RPG for iPad in several of the regional Apple stores). The following is an interview with me that has been published on playandroid.com. Give an indie developer time to rant, and stand back..
Hi! My name is Sam Redfern, and I'm the developer of Mars Defender and Block Rockin' on the Android/iOS, plus a bunch of other games on desktops, including a car-combat MMO for Windows/Mac and a wargame on the Amiga – and even a space trader game on the BBC Micro! this courses are amazing for someone who is working and studying at the same time, the classes and learning process has been upgraded in a really higher way, so game development is a part-time (evenings and weekends) activity for me.
2.) What made you want to be a game developer?
I started programming back in the early 1980s, and being an 11 year old I guess games were the obvious thing to work on. Part of the motivation at the time was that games were hard to come by. Not many were available, they weren't very good, and there was no such thing as freeware or shareware, which is pretty critical as a penniless kid. I wanted to play games, and to do that I had to make them myself. I have made games ever since; it has always been my passion.
I can actually trace it back to my very young years – even as a 7 year old, I used to make crazy, rules-based boardgames involving lots of little bits of coloured paper and dicerolls. I came from the Dungeons & Dragons 'do it yourself' generation.
More recently, my reasons for making games have changed. On one level, the opportunity for making a success is clearly attainable by anyone (the 'barriers to entry' have gone away, to put it in corporate speak) – I think mobile gaming has done a huge amount for the democracy of the process, for re-instilling the indie spirit into the industry. So yeah, I want some success But probably more importantly than that, I get a real kick out of bringing pleasure to the people that play my games. Entertainment really is a noble calling, I think. Maybe it's middle-age talking here, but I don't think I'd be content doing a job that didn't improve the world in some way. In Darkwind, for example, I have caused a community of like-minded people around the world to meet – people who have made firm friendships with each other and who spend hours online and even meet face to face – this is my achievement, I have changed these people's lives for the better.
3.) What platforms do you develop games for and why?
Currently, I develop for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Web browser. Why? Because they're all important platforms and are all relatively easy to target.
4.) What are your experiences in porting games between two platforms?
If I'm targeting multiple platforms, I would make this decision up-front, and use a cross-platform tool or language. I have never attempted to retro-actively port a game. My MMO (Darkwind: War on Wheels) is based on the Torque game engine, which allowed me to (fairly easily) deploy my servers onto Linux, and clients onto Windows and OSX. My mobile games (Mars Defender and Block Rockin' – there's more on the way!) were done using the Shiva game engine. The main reason I picked this engine was its truly astounding list of deployment targets. So, deploying a Shiva game to iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and Web Browser is actually very easy – not much code at all needs to be modified.
5.) How do you get inspiration for a game?
Interesting question, and not one I have been asked before. I'd say it depends on the game. Darkwind was a culmination of years of thinking about MMOs, wargames, and my own 'ideal online game' – it was a slow process that was certainly seeded in my Cars Wars / D&D boardgaming in the 1980s. My two Android games both grew out of experimentation with Shiva, coupled with a strong sense of what I personally think makes a game interesting. I have in development a mobile/web 'text-based MMO' style game (drawing on influences from games such as iMobsters and Vampire Online – games which I think are really poor as games, but which have very clever marketing hooks built into them). Maybe this seems like a slightly more hard-nosed way of going about getting inspiration, but my goal is to develop a game that uses the clever techniques of these games while making a good game in the process.
6.) How long does it take for you to write a game from start to finish?
I depends on the game! Block Rockin' took about 3 months, Mars Defender took about 6 months (very much part time though, and while working on other game prototypes as well as Darkwind and my day job!), Darkwind took 6 years and counting! (like any good MMO, it's never 'finished'). I tend to work alone as much as possible, collaborating only in terms of art and music. This keeps everything much simpler and removes stresses and recriminations.
7.) What are the biggest technical challenges when you develop a game?
It depends on the game! – er.. did I say that before?
OK, let's say it depends on the game engine.. Shiva is closed-source, meaning I am limited to working within the parameters of the engine itself – if it has a weakness or inability to do what I want, I have to do a work-around. This came as a bit of a shock after years of working with Torque, which provides full source code to developers. In Darkwind, I was free to make fundamental changes to how textures are blended, how the particle system operates, and even how time progresses in the game. In Shiva I have to make the best I can with the exposed API. The benefit to Shiva though is that it's not my problem to ensure cross-platform compatibilty or future-platform support.
It also depends on the target platform: phones are not as powerful as desktop computers. I started work on a deathracer game last year, while I was admittedly naive about using Shiva, and got quite disillusioned at one point while trying to find a way to have 15 NPC cars moving around under full physics and controlled by AI.
8.) What do you think the future of gaming will look like?
Another good (and difficult) question. I can certainly tell you that gaming has changed radically in the past 5 years or so. Sometimes I give lectures in my university about the history of gaming, so the evolution of the industry is something I think about quite a bit. What mobile and other less powerful devices such as the Wii have brought about is a change to what was previously a relentless drive towards better graphics. It was all a bit depressing between about 2000 and 2005 – but the trend was in place before that too: basically, indies had increasingly no chance of being successful; all that mattered was better eye-candy, and this meant bigger and bigger budgets.
Mobile and casual gaming are, in my opinion, largely responsible for the widespread maturation of the gaming public. I think if Minecraft was developed 5 years ago it may have failed: its potential customers would be unable to see beyond its (on first glance) weak graphics and would be incapable of grasping its awesome and innovative gameplay. I have tangible proof of this too: when Darkwind was first in open Alpha, back in 2006, I used to get a lot of comments about the graphics quality being poor; now, a full 5 years later, I hardly every see complaints about its graphics. This is quite astounding when you consider that this kind of reversal has never before happened in the history of computer games. To some extent, the (modest) success of my MMO project, which doesn't run on mobile devices, can be put down to the shift in emphasis, from graphics to gameplay and depth, brought about in the minds of the public by mobile and casual games.
Sorry, you asked about the future of gaming, not the past! Well, it's an evolutionary process that continues from the past to the future, so the simple answer is that I see exciting times ahead. Nintendo and Apple have taught the big companies that innovative hardware can be very successful, while Facebook and others have taught the same lesson with software; and this will hopefully mean that we continue to see original ways of physcially interacting with our devices – this will translate, of course, into original gameplay ideas. While it's obviously good to have continual graphics improvements, I truly hope that this remains as it currently is, just one factor driving the industry, and that we never return to graphics being the only thing that matters – because that was killing innovation in the early years of this century.
9.) What is your favourite game at the moment and why?
I actually don't play a whole lot of games at the moment. I have two kids and a fulltime job, on top of my game development, so I really can't afford the time. As a game developer, it's important that I'm aware of what's going on out there, so one of the things I do is buy games for my kids to play and get them to report back to me on them. This can backfire.. (my 8 year old son is the world's worst Minecraft addict).
Games I actually play at the moment: Pro Evolution Soccer and Grand Slam Tennis on the Wii. These are very much casual, skill-based games which is one of the genres I like and which don't demand a lot of time. If I had more time, I would probably be playing Football Manager, Minecraft and Darkwind.
As an indie-dev., I think Minecraft is truely inspirational, and it shows what can be achieved. I could have written it! It provides an excellent mix of gameplay that appeals on many levels, and it is hugely successful without having any coherent marketing or even a good website! Even my naive knowledge of marketing tells me that most of the fundamental rules of what a website 'should' do are broken by Minecraft's. But this all just goes to prove that if you have a good enough idea and the vision and drive to carry it through, you can stuff the established wisdom. The modern gaming public has an appetite for deep gameplay and innovation, and this makes it an exciting time to be an indie developer.
10.) What is your advice for new developers?
My main advice would be: don't be afraid to innovate! You are not going to be able to compete with big companies by copying them and making a poor clone. But equally, they often have too much interia behind them and are unwilling to take risks. So: do something original! The world doesn't need another second-rate first-person shooter.
My other advice would be to develop some thick skin. The anonymity of the internet means that some people, even entire communities (I won't name specific websites here) will constantly bash, ridicule and belittle your efforts. You have to realise that these are people who themselves are creating nothing, they have no idea of the talent and dedication involved in what you're doing, so just ignore them if you can. Focus on those people that do like your work; there will be plenty of them too.
You know, the more I learn about selling games, the more I'm convinced that online games are the best way to make a success.. the community becomes a more important component than the content, and the desire for success in a game where others can see it is a strong incentive to spend money. We are social animals.


Designed and integrated at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland — with contributions from companies and institutions in the United States and abroad — the New Horizons spacecraft is a robust, lightweight observatory that has withstood the long, difficult journey from the launch pad on Earth to the solar system's coldest, darkest frontiers.
The New Horizons science payload was developed under direction of the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), with instrument contributions from SwRI, APL, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, the University of Colorado, Stanford University and Ball Aerospace Corporation. Fully fueled, the agile, piano-sized probe weighed 478 kilograms (1,054 pounds) at launch. Designed to operate on a limited power source — a single radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) — New Horizons needs less power than a pair of 100-watt light bulbs to perform its mission.
On average, each of the seven science instruments uses between 2 and 10 watts — about the power of a night light — when turned on. The instruments send data to the two onboard solid-state memory banks, where data are recorded before later playback to Earth. During normal operations, the spacecraft communicates with Earth through its 2.1-meter (83-inch) wide high-gain antenna. Smaller antennas provide backup communications. When the spacecraft was in hibernation through long stretches of its voyage, its computer was programmed to monitor its systems and report its status back to Earth with a specially coded, low-energy beacon signal.
New Horizons' "thermos bottle" design retains heat and keeps the spacecraft operating at room temperature without large heaters. Aside from protective covers on five instruments that were opened shortly after launch, and one small protective cover opened after the Jupiter encounter, New Horizons uses no deployable mechanisms or scanning platforms. It does have backup devices for all major electronics, its star-tracking navigation cameras and data recorders.
New Horizons has operated mostly in a spin-stabilized mode while cruising between planets, and also in a three-axis "pointing" mode that allows for pointing or scanning instruments during calibrations and planetary encounters (like the Jupiter flyby and, of course, at Pluto). Small thrusters in the propulsion system handle pointing, spinning and course corrections. The spacecraft navigates using onboard gyros, star trackers and Sun sensors. The spacecraft's high-gain antenna dish is linked to advanced electronics and shaped to receive even the faintest radio signals from home — a necessity when the mission's main target is more than 3 billion miles from Earth and light itself takes more than four and a half hours to go from Earth to the spacecraft.
New Horizons' primary structure includes an aluminum central cylinder that supports the spacecraft body panels, supports the interface between the spacecraft and its RTG power source, and houses the propellant tank. It also served as the payload adapter fitting that connected the spacecraft to the launch vehicle.
Keeping mass down, the panels surrounding the central cylinder feature an aluminum honeycomb core with ultra-thin aluminum face sheets (about as thick as two pieces of paper). To keep it perfectly balanced for spinning operations, the spacecraft was weighed and then balanced with additional weights just before mounting on the launch vehicle.
For data storage, New Horizons carries two low-power solid-state recorders (one backup) that can hold up to 8 gigabytes each. The main processor collects, compresses, reformats, sorts and stores science and housekeeping (telemetry) data on the recorder – similar to a flash memory card for a digital camera – for transmission to Earth through the telecommunications subsystem.
The Command and Data Handling system is housed in an Integrated Electronics Module that also contains a vital guidance computer, the communication system and part of the REX instrument.
New Horizons is designed to retain heat like a thermos bottle. The spacecraft is covered in lightweight, gold-colored, multilayered thermal insulation – like a survival camping blanket – which holds in heat from operating electronics to keep the spacecraft warm. Heat from the electronics has kept the spacecraft operating at between 10-30 degrees Celsius (about 50-85 degrees Fahrenheit) throughout the journey.
New Horizons' sophisticated, automated heating system monitors power levels inside the craft to make sure the electronics are running at enough wattage to maintain safe temperatures. Any drop below that operating level (about 150 watts) and it will activate small heaters around the craft to make up the difference. When the spacecraft was closer to Earth and the Sun, louvers (essentially heat vents) on the craft opened when internal temperatures were too high.
The thermal blanketing – 18 layers of Dacron mesh cloth sandwiched between aluminized Mylar and Kapton film – also helps to protect the craft from micrometeorites.
The propulsion system on New Horizons is used for course corrections and for pointing the spacecraft. It is not needed to speed the spacecraft along its trajectory to Ultima Thule and beyond; that was done by the launch vehicle, with a boost from Jupiter's gravity. But it does make small corrections to the flight path and tiny changes to the speed to ensure that New Horizons arrives when and where it can make the best observations. For example, after the Pluto encounter, it changed the trajectory very slightly to go to Ultima Thule.
The New Horizons propulsion system includes 16 small hydrazine-propellant thrusters mounted across the spacecraft in eight locations, a fuel tank, and associated distribution plumbing. Four of these thrusters, each of which provides 4.4 Newtons (1 pound) of force are used for course corrections. Operators also employ 12 smaller thrusters – each providing 0.8 Newtons (about 3 ounces) of thrust each – to point, spin up and spin down the spacecraft. Eight of the 16 thrusters aboard New Horizons are considered the primary set; the other eight comprise the backup (redundant) set.
At launch, the spacecraft carried 77 kilograms (170 pounds) of hydrazine, stored in a lightweight titanium tank. Helium gas pushes fuel through the system to the thrusters. The Jupiter gravity assist, and the mission design calling for flybys at Pluto and Ultima Thule (instead of entries into orbit), reduced the amount of propellant needed for the mission.
New Horizons must be oriented precisely to collect data with its scientific instruments, communicate with Earth, or maneuver through space.
Attitude determination – knowing which direction New Horizons is facing – is performed using star-tracking cameras, Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) (containing sophisticated gyroscopes and accelerometers that measure rotation and horizontal/vertical motion), and digital Sun sensors. Attitude control for the spacecraft – whether in a steady, three-axis pointing mode or in a spin-stabilized mode – is accomplished using thrusters.
The IMUs and star trackers provide constant positional information to the spacecraft's Guidance and Control processor, which like the Command and Data Handling processor is a 12-MHz Mongoose V. New Horizons carries two copies of each of these units for redundancy. The star-tracking cameras store a map of about 3,000 stars; 10 times per second one of the cameras snaps a wide-angle picture of space, compares the locations of the stars to its onboard map, and calculates the spacecraft's orientation. The IMU measures spacecraft angular rates 100 times a second. If data shows New Horizons is outside a predetermined position, small hydrazine thrusters will fire to reorient the spacecraft. The Sun sensors back up the star trackers; they would find and point New Horizons toward the Sun (with Earth nearby) if the other sensors couldn't find home in an emergency.
Operators use thrusters to maneuver the spacecraft, which has no internal reaction wheels. Its smaller thrusters are used for fine pointing; thrusters that are approximately five times more powerful are used during the trajectory course maneuvers that guide New Horizons toward its targets. New Horizons spins – typically at 5 revolutions per minute (RPM) – during trajectory-correction maneuvers and long radio contacts with Earth, and while it "hibernates" during long cruise periods. Operators steady and point the spacecraft during science observations and instrument-system checkouts.
New Horizons is the first mission to use onboard regenerative ranging to track the distance between the spacecraft and Earth. When a spacecraft is far from home, the ranging tone sent from the ground to measure distance is weak (or "noisy") by the time it reaches the spacecraft's communications system. In normal ranging, the spacecraft simply amplifies and sends the noisy tone back to Earth, which adds errors to the range measurement. In regenerative ranging, the spacecraft's advanced electronics track and "regenerate" the tone without the noise. The ground station on Earth receives a much clearer signal – giving navigators and operators a more accurate lock on the spacecraft's distance, and improving their ability to guide New Horizons through the solar system.
New Horizons' X-band communications system is the spacecraft's link to Earth, returning science data, exchanging commands and status information, and allowing for precise radiometric tracking through NASA's Deep Space Network of antenna stations.
The system includes two broad-beam, low-gain antennas on opposite sides of the spacecraft, which were used early in the mission for near-Earth communications; as well as a 30-centimeter (12-inch) diameter medium-gain dish antenna and a large, 2.1-meter (83-inch) diameter high-gain dish antenna. The antenna assembly on the spacecraft's top deck consists of the high, medium, and forward low-gain antennas; this stacked design provides a clear field of view for the low-gain antenna and structural support for the high and medium-gain dishes. Operators aim the antennas by turning the spacecraft toward Earth. The high-gain beam is only 0.3 degrees wide, so it must point directly at Earth. The wider medium-gain beam (4 degrees) is used in conditions when the pointing might not be as accurate. All antennas have Right Hand Circular and Left Hand Circular polarization feeds.
Data rates depend on spacecraft distance, the power used to send the data and the size of the antenna on the ground. For most of the mission, New Horizons has used its high-gain antenna to exchange data with the Deep Space Network's largest antennas, 70 meters across. Even at Ultima, because New Horizons will be more than 4 billion miles from Earth and radio signals will take more than six hours to reach the spacecraft, it can send information at about 1,000 bits per second. It will take 20 months to send the full set of Ultima flyby science data back to Earth.
New Horizons is flying the most advanced digital receiver ever used for deep space communications. Advances include regenerative ranging and low power – the receiver consumes 66% less power than earlier deep-space receivers. The Radio Science Experiment (REX) that examined Pluto's atmosphere is also integrated into the communications subsystem.
The entire telecom system on New Horizons is redundant, with two of everything except the high-gain antenna structure itself.
New Horizons' electrical power comes from a single radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG). The RTG provides power through the natural radioactive decay of plutonium dioxide fuel, which creates a huge amount of heat. Unlike a normal reactor, the Plutonium-238 used in the RTG cannot undergo a chain reaction. But, its normal decay rate is high enough (that is, its half-life is short enough) that it always releases heat at a high rate. That heat is converted directly to electrical power by thermocouples.
The New Horizons RTG, provided by the U.S. Department of Energy, carries approximately 11 kilograms (24 pounds) of plutonium dioxide. Onboard systems manage the spacecraft's power consumption so it doesn't exceed the steady output from the RTG, which has decreased by about 3.5 watts per year since launch.
Typical of RTG-based systems, as on past outer-planet missions, New Horizons does not have a battery for storing power.
At the start of the mission, the RTG supplied approximately 245 watts (at 30 volts of direct current) – the spacecraft's shunt regulator unit maintains a steady input from the RTG and dissipates power the spacecraft cannot use at a given time. By January 2019 (when New Horizons flies past Ultima Thule) that supply will have decreased to about 190 watts at the same voltage, so New Horizons will ease the strain on its limited power source by cycling science instruments during the encounter.
The spacecraft's fully redundant Power Distribution Unit (PDU) – with 96 connectors and more than 3,200 wires – efficiently moves power through the spacecraft's vital systems and science instruments.
How hot is the RTG? Sensors attached to the outside of the RTG case before launch pegged the case temperature at about 245 C (nearly 475 F). When New Horizons reaches Pluto, engineers estimate the temperature will have dropped to around 208 C (406 F) – thanks to a combination of distance from the Sun and fuel decay.
The RTG is not hot enough to produce visible light, but it does emit infrared (or thermal) radiation.
At launch the fuel produced almost 4,000 watts of thermal power; of that, New Horizons used about 25 watts of the waste heat to warm the spacecraft. Electrical power output of the RTG was about 245 watts. Some of that electrical power (about 120 watts) is also reused after powering components to help heat the spacecraft. The rest of the RTG heat and any extra electrical power are radiated into space.
Many scientific instruments work better when they are cold; that's one reason why they are located on the opposite side of the spacecraft from the RTG. New Horizons also has a heat shield around the base of the RTG to avoid a direct line of sight from the instruments to the RTG. These design features help avoid any interference from the RTG with scientific measurements.