Wizards sign Pierce, think Durant in 2016?
LAS VEGAS – They're signing Paul Pierce but thinking Kevin Durant.
If the Washington Wizards' decision to budgetarily hold the line on Trevor Ariza Saturday didn't tip their hand on Durant ambitions in the summer of 2016, their move to land Pierce in free agency later in the day sure did.
Signing Pierce to a two-year, $10 million deal, a move reported by multiple outlets, looks like a potentially perfect maneuver to plug the hole in Washington's starting lineup opened up by Ariza's departure for the Houston Rockets. The longtime Celtics and one-year Nets star might not have a lot left in the tank – he averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 28 minutes for Brooklyn – but he might not be asked to do too much for the Wizards.
That club's backcourt, John Wall and Bradley Beal, drive the offense and second-year forward Otto Porter already is being counted on to pick up much of Ariza's slack. Pierce can ease Porter's transition – the No. 3 pick in 2013, Porter played sparingly as a rookie – while providing leadership among the youngish team.
But make no mistake, this isn't conjecture anymore. It's real. The hiring of David Adkins, who coached Durant in high school, from the University of Maryland's women's team as assistant coach to player development for the Wizards this past week isn't a coincidence.
The building blocks are being put in place now. Ariza is off the books and Porter, who is playing on a rookie scale contract, is a much cheaper option. Nene, who will make $26 million for the next two seasons, will be off the books as well.
So what had been whispered or at least kept to a low roar evolved into some full-blown rumbling Saturday.
The word all along had been that when LeBron James made his decision, the rest of the dominoes would start to fall.
Seems the first one came crashing down on the best laid plans of the Rockets, who had made a four-year, $88-million offer to power forward Chris Bosh.
It was a neat little plan by Rockets general manager Tradin' Daryl Morey, who had managed to come away with the plums of the past two off-seasons in Dwight Howard and James Harden.
Houston had gone as far trading away a piece of an already thin bench to make room for the All-Star Bosh under the salary by shipping guard Jeremy Lin and a pair of draft choices to the Lakers. What the Rockets took back in that trade was nothing and what they ended up with at the end of the day was just more of it.
Rather than form a new Big Three in Texas, Bosh surprised and spurned the Rockets by choosing to remain in Miami for a reported maximum contract of $118 million over five years.
For the 30-year-old Bosh, it makes all the financial sense in the world and it could be his time to shake off his third-wheel status with the Heatles and go back to the starring role of his Toronto days. He's a tent-post that club president Pat Riley can build on in reconstructing the Heat again.
While it was well known and publicly stated the Bosh and his family enjoyed living in South Florida, one question is why he stretched out the affair and dragged the Rockets across the dance floor before jilting them. It is, by the way, the second time in four years that Bosh batted his eyes and flirted with Houston only to give the Rockets the kiss-off. Maybe they'll learn next time not to pucker up.
If you're keeping score in Houston, that's no James, no Carmelo Anthony and no Bosh.
So the question becomes: What's Plan D?
In addition, how do the Rockets respond to the offer sheet three-year, $46 million offer sheet the Mavs gave to forward Chandler Parsons?
When Bosh was in play, the Rockets plan had likely been to dig deep into their pockets to keep Parsons in order to form what, at least on paper, could have been the most solid starting five in the Western Conference — Howard, Harden, Bosh, Parsons and Patrick Beverley.
However, without Bosh to stretch the floor with his shooting and solidify the defense on the frontline, one of the biggest holes in the lineup remains. The Rockets were a 54-win team last season but still with holes and unable to get out of the first round of the playoffs.
Therefore is it worth it to break the bank for Parsons to virtually keep the same together? Of course, the fact that they're in this predicament is the Rockets' own doing, since they never had to allow Parsons to become a restricted free agent in the first place. Too cute by half.
According to numerous reports, Morey has spent the past several days talking to the representatives of Luol Deng, Trevor Ariza and Paul Pierce. The other interesting name who might fit in neatly on the front line is Pau Gasol, but indications are that he has shown little interest in Houston.
Deng, Ariza or Pierce would all come far cheaper than Bosh — and even Parsons — but the question is whether a significant commitment to any of them truly moves the Rockets ahead in the rugged Western Conference pecking order.
Morey won't stop trying to roll the dice and place another bet, because that's what he does. But in a way, what happened to the Rockets is a variation of what happened to the Heat on Friday. When you play the free agent game, sometimes you get burned.
The difference, of course, is that Miami has two championships and four straight Finals appearances in its grasp and the Rockets just blistered fingers.
The Cavaliers' metamorphosis from lottery outfit to true championship contender won't happen overnight. While Las Vegas and everyone else seems to have forgotten about the San Antonio Spurs (the team that smashed the two-time defending champion Heat in The Finals last month), LeBron's keen eye for history allows him to see that.
Even with LeBron, the Cavs might not be the best team in what could be a loaded Central Division next season.
Don't forget, the Cavaliers couldn't even make the playoffs in a watered down Eastern Conference last season. And the Atlanta Hawks made it to the playoffs last season with just 38 wins.
LeBron's belief in the Cavaliers' core group won't necessarily be enough to push them past the Indiana Pacers, the team that owned the best record in the Eastern Conference last season, or the potentially revamped Chicago Bulls, were they to secure the services of free-agent Carmelo Anthony and get a healthy season from one-time league MVP Derrick Rose.
No one should forget about the Toronto Raptors, winners of the Atlantic Division, or Washington Wizards, a surprise Eastern Conference semifinalist after knocking off the Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. Both teams retained their marquee free agents — Kyle Lowry in Toronto and Marcin Gortat in Washington — and will both be a year wiser and better.
Still, LeBron's arrival changes the Eastern Conference landscape the same way it did four years ago when he showed up in Miami and (along with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh) turned a middle of the road Heat team into a contender.
Forget what that Cavaliers' roster looks like today. Focus on what it could look like when the Cavs are done exploring their options. Swing a Kevin Love deal and add veterans and LeBron-friendlies like Mike Miller and Ray Allen, and perhaps that process LeBron mentioned can be accelerated.
The one thing that was true in 2010 about LeBron and his approach remains true this time around: He cannot do it alone. Wade and Bosh were crucial then and Irving and Wiggins will serve as his chief aides this time around. Love would certainly be the X-factor, but with or without Love, there is a new world order in the East.
1) Indiana — Even with all of their dysfunction at the end of the season, the Pacers remain the most formidable roadblock for contenders in the Eastern Conference.
2) Cleveland — They get a big edge from the LeBron bump … YES, he means that much to whatever team he's on. And that's before we see what else the Cavs can come up with this summer.
3) Chicago — Carmelo pushes them up to a near tie for the No. 2 spot. Toss in Pau Gasol and we're talking about a possible new No. 1. But there is much work to be done in the Windy City.
4) Toronto — Masai Ujiri is in the midst of changing the culture in Toronto, the most important step being his successful effort to keep Lowry in the fold.
5) Washington — Trevor Ariza remains an important piece for the Wizards, but he's replaceable if a deal cannot be struck. The Wizards have as strong a young backcourt tandem in John Wall and Bradley Beal as there is in the East.
6) Charlotte — The addition of Gordon Hayward, if the Utah Jazz don't match the $63 million offer sheet, does not vault the Hornets into the top half of the playoff chase.
7) Atlanta — The return of Al Horford from injury is more important than just about any free-agent signing the Hawks could execute this summer.
8) Miami — They lost out on LeBron but will keep Bosh and Wade as Pat Riley tries to repair the damage of the departure of the best player on the planet.
LeBron James is headed back home to Cleveland.
For the Suns to keep rising, they must re-sign the tough, spry Eric Bledsoe (left).
Carmelo Anthony, Forward, Knicks (unrestricted) — The new boss of Madison Square Garden Phil Jackson can keep trying to play hard ball and insist that Anthony accept less than a maximum level contract this season. But that truth is the Knicks need Anthony far more than he needs them. His options are many, from joining the Bulls or Rockets to try to lift them to the elite level, becoming another Hollywood star with the Lakers or even going to Miami to raise the temperature with the Heat. The Knicks' options, if 'Melo bolts, might include just leaving the ice down permanently at the Garden and letting the NHL Rangers play twice as many home games. Since LeBron has opted out this summer, the fantasy of chasing the game's biggest name and best player will go back on hold in New York for another several years. The Knicks don't have the assets to swing a deal for Kevin Love. They have a new coach in Derek Fisher. The declining Amar'e Stoudemire handcuffed the team further by deciding to opt in for $23.4 million. By keeping Anthony, the Knicks give fans a reason to show up or turn on the TV. Without him, they're irrelevant.
Eric Bledsoe, Guard, Suns (restricted) — Never mind that they picked up rookie Tyler Ennis on draft night. When he was healthy for 43 games last season, Bledsoe was a difference-maker and likely could have lifted Phoenix into the playoffs if he'd been around for the full season. Though there might be a few who'd question his durability, Bledsoe is a 24-year-old sheer talent with a very high upside. He and backcourt partner Goran Dragic can both slide over to play shooting guard. But it's running the show as a 1 where Bledsoe has the potential to carry the Suns into the future and could even crack the All-Star lineup in a very crowded Western Conference backcourt race. General manager Ryan McDonough has vowed to match any offer that comes his way. Bledsoe needs to be the foundation on what the Suns are building in the desert.
Boris Diaw, Forward/Center, Spurs (unrestricted) — You almost never want to tell the Spurs that one individual not named Tim Duncan means so much, especially after they've just picked up championship No. 5 by demonstrating that the team concept can outshine superstars by a wide margin in The Finals. But the point-guard-in-a-big-man's-body Diaw was a very large part of that accomplishment, shifting the balance of power in the series against the Heat when he moved into the starting lineup. There was a great deal of talk on Draft night that the Spurs got the next Diaw-type player in forward Kyle Anderson. But this is a team where the clock is ticking loud and the championship contending days for this bunch will come to an end in another year or two at the most. Anderson will be fine for the next generation, but the Spurs need their crafty passer, good rebounder and underrated defender to stick around in order to have a shot at hanging up banner No. 6.
Marcin Gortat, Center, Wizards (unrestricted) — Yes, the Wizards will have to overpay, but that's just a fact of life when you're talking about a big man. Especially when it's a big man coming off a season of averaging 13.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.5 steals, 1.5 blocks and anchoring the front court on a team that is built around guards John Wall and Bradley Beal. Gortat is simply solid at both ends of the ball, helping with the efficiency of the offense and stepping up to the play the role of large body stopper at the other end of the floor. In short, he just fits. Plus, the 30-year-old gives Washington a veteran's sense of perspective. If it comes down to a choice between Gortat and fellow free agent Trevor Ariza, it's really no choice at all. While Ariza's defense on the perimeter and streaky offense are nice to have around, the big man keeps everyone grounded and gives the Wizards credibility in the East.
Lance Stephenson, Guard, Pacers (unrestricted) — Was it the moment that he blew in LeBron's ear? Or when he gave the King that little chuck on the chin? At some point during the Eastern Conference finals virtually everybody leaned in a little closer to the HDTV screen and asked: "What in the world is Lance thinking?" Of course, the answer might have been nothing at all. Surely, the Pacers will have to think long and hard about how far they're willing to open the wallet for a 23-year-old with a crazy streak. But that's just it — Stephenson is just 23 and if club president Larry Bird can eventually get through to a player who has been a personal favorite, this team finally reaches its potential. If they let Stephenson get away, the Pacers are giving up part of their identity, their edge and simply take a step back into the soft middle of the standings. Yes, he's a risk. Yes, he's going to be infuriating. But yes, Indiana has to keep him.
What can the Heat offer free agents?
HANG TIME NEW JERSEY — LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and now Chris Bosh have informed the Miami Heat that they will exercise the early termination options on their contracts, ending what were six-years deals after four seasons.
In addition, Udonis Haslem, has declined his $4.3 million player option.
Nine days ago, Pat Riley made it clear that he'd like his three All-Stars to take less money to help him retool the roster. On Tuesday, James put added pressure on Bosh and Wade by opting out of his deal. Now, it looks like things are falling into place and Riley will have the opportunity to upgrade the other two positions in his starting lineup.
Rumored targets for the Heat include point guard Kyle Lowry, forward Trevor Ariza and center Marcin Gortat. All have tools (ball-handling, defense, size) that would certainly help Miami. The idea of adding Carmelo Anthony seems far-fetched, but it all depends on how much money he's willing to sacrifice, as well as how much Miami's Big Three are willing to sacrifice.
Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that James is seeking a max contract, which would be a five-year deal worth about $120 million. So it would apparently be Bosh and Wade who would have to take pay cuts.
1. James' max contract would start at about $20.8 million. Since his cap hold (1.05 x last year's salary) is a little less than that, the Heat would use that number until the other pieces are signed. Then they can go over the salary cap to re-sign James.
4. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reports that the Heat are looking to unload Norris Cole. If they do that (and don't get another player in return), his $2.0 million would be replaced by another rookie minimum cap hold (see 7-11) and they'd have an additional $1.5 million of cap space.
5. The Heat could renounce the rights to Chris Andersen, but he has just a vet's minimum cap hold. Keeping that would allow them to sign him for much more after they're back over the salary cap.
6. The Heat can pay Shabazz Napier 120 percent of the rookie scale for the No. 24 pick. As with James, better to keep the cap hold number until the other pieces are signed.
7-11. If you don't have 12 guys on your roster, there is a rookie minimum cap hold ($507,336) for every slot that takes you up to 12. So, if we're talking about James, Bosh, Wade, Cole, Andersen, Napier and one free agent, we need five minimum cap holds.
Additional note: In this scenario, the Heat have renounced their rights to Haslem, Ray Allen, Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers, Toney Douglas, James Jones, Rashard Lewis, and Greg Oden, and have also waived Justin Hamilton (who has a non-guaranteed deal). It's assumed that Haslem will get rewarded for opting out (with a long-term deal that pays him more than the $4.3 million he could have earned next season), and Allen is a critical piece in the rotation, but their cap holds ($8.2 million and $4.2 million) are too big to keep on the books.
After the Heat have gone over the cap, they can use the room exception (starting at $2.7 million) to bring one or more of those guys back (or add other free agents). It can be split among multiple players. After that, they'd have only minimum deals to offer players.
If all the above holds, the Heat could offer one free agent $45.1 million over four years ($11.3 million per year). If they are able to trade Cole, that would turn into $51.7 million over four years ($12.9 million per year).
That's still about half of what Anthony could earn elsewhere. If he were to re-sign with the Knicks for the max, he'd get $129.1 million over five years ($25.8 per year). If he were to sign with a new team for the max, he'd get $95.9 million over four years ($24.0 million per year).
So Lowry, Ariza and Gortat are obviously more realistic options. If the Heat were to split their cap space among two free agents (assuming they traded Cole), they could offer them a total of about $13.5 million per year. Ariza and Gortat each made $7.7 million for the Wizards this past season, while Lowry made $6.2 million for the Raptors.
Both Gortat and Lowry will likely be offered raises from their current teams, who are both looking to keep the momentum going after returning to the postseason after long layoffs. With Martell Webster and Otto Porter on the roster, the Wizards might not fight hard for Ariza, but he could still get more than mid-level money elsewhere, as one of the better three-and-D guys in the league and still just 29 years old.
So there's no clear starting-lineup upgrade for the Heat. But if James accepts less than the max or if Bosh and/or Wade accept less than $15 million per year, there's more money to spend. And since they're also offering a chance to play with the best player in the world for a championship on Biscayne Bay, they may not have to spend as much as other teams.
HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS — At least we were spared the made-for-TV announcement special this time.
LeBron James opting out of the final two years of the deal he signed in 2010 with the Miami Heat to explore his free agent options is the decision many of us expected. From all indications, it's the only reasonable decision he could have made, given the circumstances.
Never mind the craziness his choice will usher in over the course of the next few weeks.
We're still waiting on the decisions of the other two members of the Heat's Big 3, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, who are expected to follow the lead of James and opt out of their deals before the June 30 deadline and become free agents July 1.
That would place them in a superstar class that also includes Carmelo Anthony, who informed the New York Knicks that he was opting out of the final year of his deal Monday. The fun (and madness) begins with the speculation about what these guys will do in the next phase of their respective careers.
That Heat Big 4 that Pat Riley called a "pipe dream" last week suddenly looks like a possibility, a far-fetched one maybe but still a possibility. By opting out of their deals LeBron, 'Melo, Wade and Bosh have created an opportunity for Riley to pull off the unthinkable for the second time since 2010, when the Big 3 was put together.
Andrew Bogut is ready to get down to business with the Warriors once he returns to the States.
SHANGHAI, China – The Warriors and Andrew Bogut have opened negotiations on a contract extension designed to keep him off the free-agent market in July, he told NBA.com, with Bogut willing to make major concessions to stay but also looking for payback from management for pursuing Dwight Howard last offseason.
Bogut said team officials started conversations with agent David Bauman last week, before the Warriors left Oakland for exhibition games in Beijing and Shanghai against the Lakers. Bogut expects talks to heat up once Golden State returns to the United States following the Friday night contest (7:30 a.m. ET, NBA TV). The issue will come to some resolution by early in the regular season: either he will have a new deal soon or he will become a free agent because neither side wants the discussions dragging long into 2013-14.
Not insulting is encouraging — the sides are starting in the same vicinity.
Additionally, in a move that creates more common ground on what could have been a contentious point, Bogut is willing to accept a deal with incentive clauses based on games played, a nod to his battle with injuries. Management would obviously like the idea of protecting itself, a give-back it didn't get a year ago in negotiations with Stephen Curry, who had his own health issues but got his extension fully guaranteed.
The compromise from the Warriors in what would likely be a three-year extension, tacked on to the end of 2013-14 as the final season of the current deal on the books for $14.2 million, will be the larger payments if Bogut reaches the incentives.
Bogut watched and agreed with the pursuit of Howard. But he also remembered. He plans to remember all the way to the negotiating table.
"Oh, of course," he told NBA.com "A hundred percent. Yeah. It's nothing personal between business. I definitely remember that. That's just a part of the NBA and a part of business. You want to get as much as you can for your worth and they want to get as much as they can out of you and they want to get as much as they can from anyone.
But does he know the teams?
The tampering claims will almost certainly never come to light. But Bogut either feels very secure about his options in July if he doesn't reach a deal now with the Warriors or is doing a good selling job. It's playing the negotiating game. It may also become payback for last summer.
Bogut is also choosing between an extension now at a maximum of three years or waiting to become a free agent and being able to get a lot more money with a four-year deal. He said, though, he will sign now and give up the additional season if the money is right.


If you own a home or a business in Muskego, chances are you already know Russ's Tree Service. We've been providing tree care services from our home base in Muskego for over 20 years—everything from tree pruning and trimming to tree and stump removal. We're also on-call 24/7 for emergency storm damage cleanups.
If you are dealing with an emergency situation due to a storm, call (414) 422-9298. We take emergency calls at all hours and can be on-site within 24 hours.
As a family-run business, we know the importance of doing a good job at a fair price. Not surprisingly, most of our work comes from referrals and previous customers. Employing experienced, Certified Arborists, we provide expert tree care and tree treatments for homes and businesses throughout Milwaukee County.
As part of our commitment to providing the highest quality tree care services, Russ's Tree Service has Certified Arborists on staff. Our arborists are able to diagnose and treat any type of tree disease or infestation—including the invasive Emerald Ash Borer, which has been destroying ash trees throughout Milwaukee County.
While a certified arborist may not be necessary for every job, most tree problems require the expertise of an arborist to diagnose and treat. Certification as an arborist also requires following a strict code of ethics established by the International Society of Arboriculture. When you hire Russ's Tree Service, you can count on work done to the highest standards.
Over the years, Russ's Tree Service has built up a fleet of equipment enabling us to take on virtually any job. Need an enormous tree branch dangling precariously over your house removed? We'll get it out of there safely. Need a gnarly tree stump removed? We'll root it out.
While we take a lot of pride in keeping our crew safe, we also make it a priority to keep your property in good shape. Our investment in equipment specifically designed to lessen the impact of heavy equipment on lawns takes part of the credit, but much of the credit goes to good old-fashioned respect for the property of others.
Although tree trimming, tree removal and stump grinding and removal are the bread and butter of any tree service, we also provide residential and commercial land clearing services. Are the woods in your backyard getting out of control? Need to clear out a place to put a new building? Let us give you an estimate to get it done.
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Contact our Muskego tree care service to request a free quote.


text:
package cmd

import (
	"github.com/bitnami-labs/kubewatch/config"
	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
)

// msteamsConfigCmd represents the msteams subcommand
var msteamsConfigCmd = &cobra.Command{
	Use:   "MS Teams FLAG",
	Short: "specific MS Teams configuration",
	Long:  `specific MS Teams configuration`,
	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
		conf, err := config.New()
		if err != nil {
			logrus.Fatal(err)
		}

		webhookURL, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("webhookurl")
		if err == nil {
			if len(webhookURL) > 0 {
				conf.Handler.MSTeams.WebhookURL = webhookURL
			}
		} else {
			logrus.Fatal(err)
		}

		if err = conf.Write(); err != nil {
			logrus.Fatal(err)
		}
	},
}

func init() {
	msteamsConfigCmd.Flags().StringP("webhookurl", "w", "", "Specify MS Teams webhook URL")
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Struggle. It crosses every sector of human existence. No matter your skin color, economic class, geographic upbringing, perspective on faith nor educational attainment, we all have seen or been apart of struggles to make life on this earth just a little bit better. As an African American male growing up in the United States, I have a particular view of struggle that was inherited through birth and reinforced through my personal experiences.


Eva wanted to give back to her community and decided on raising money for Childhood Cancer Canada (CCC) because of a good friend of the family who was diagnosed with cancer in April of 2017. Eva watched how he and his family experienced a roller coaster of challenging events for many months and did not want any more children and families to go through what they had to endure. I am happy to say that this little friend is in the all clear and is happy and thriving! Eva wants to create more victories for the 10,000 kids currently battling cancer in Canada. Did you know that only 5% of cancer research dollars is allocated to childhood cancer?
In order to raise the money, Eva is spearheading her first fundraiser on Sunday, June 10 from 3-5pm at The Market Brewing Company in Newmarket, Ontario. The theme is "Sweet Taste of Summer" and the cost of the ticket is $10 which includes a sweet and savoury treat, a beverage and a chance at winning the door prize. The afternoon will be filled with family fun activities including a silent auction, door prize, face painting, raffle prizes, wine grab, bake sale and craft table with competition. Eva and her friends will be working hard at the event to ensure that both young and old have a wonderful time!
Please support this amazing cause by donating generously to this page, as well as coming to the event on SUNDAY, JUNE 10. Tickets will be on sale shortly! Please contact me if you have any questions or if you would like to donate anything towards the event.


text:
apt-get -y install apache2
sed -i 's@User ${APACHE_RUN_USER}@User vagrant@' /etc/apache2/apache2.conf
sed -i 's@Group ${APACHE_RUN_GROUP}@Group vagrant@' /etc/apache2/apache2.conf

echo "" >> /etc/apache2/apache2.conf
echo "# Use this env variable in your code to add dev only features (debug, etc.)" >> /etc/apache2/apache2.conf
echo "SetEnv ENV_DEV true" >> /etc/apache2/apache2.conf
echo "SetEnv ENV_VAGRANT true" >> /etc/apache2/apache2.conf

cat <<EOF > /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf
<VirtualHost *:80>
        DocumentRoot /vagrant/web
        <Directory /vagrant/web>
                AllowOverride All
                Require all granted
        </Directory>
</VirtualHost>
EOF

usermod -aG adm vagrant

a2enmod actions
a2enmod rewrite


1. Why is NAMCA adopting a group life insurance plan?
Guaranteed Issue Group Life insurance helps build stronger communities. The Insurance Plan covers all members, including those without perfect health or finances. It guarantees cash in event of death. This eliminates the need for traditional burial fundraisings.
2. Who is the Insurance Company?
The Hartford® is the Financial Services Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, including issuing company [Hartford Life Insurance Company] [Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company].
3. When are claims paid?
Claims are paid within 2 or 3 days after The Hartford received completed claim forms and required documentation. Deaths that happen outside the United States require extra time to process because documentation needs to be obtained from the embassy.
4. What benefit is level?
The coverage level is $15,000.The group chooses the coverage level, and it is the same for all group members.
5. Why is the benefit level 50% of the long-term plan design during the first year? This policy design allows the plan to be written without members having to fill out health questionnaires. All active members are insured on a guaranteed issue basis without the requirement of medical underwriting. The plan design safeguards the long-term rate stability for all insured .
6. Why are there benefit level reductions at age 65 and age 70?
The benefit level reductions at age 65 and 70 keep the rates affordable. Members over age 65 are able to have some coverage. Members who reach age 65 and 70 do receive premium reductions that correspond to their benefit level changes. This policy design is in contrast to employer provided insurance, where employee group life benefits can terminate immediately and completely at retirement.
7. How are premiums paid?
NAMCA will receive common billing for all members. Premiums will be paid annually.
8. Can membership be canceled at any time?
Membership can be cancelled however insurance coverage will only elapse after the annual date for which membership was paid.
9. Will claims by our group increase our premium rate or result in termination of coverage?
Premium rates will not be selectively increased, nor will your group plan be terminated because of one or even multiple claims.
10. Would it make sense to purchase individual policies instead of group insurance?
There are significant problems in trying to fit individual insurance to a group. Everyone in the group would need to be medically approved by completing health questionnaires. The members most in need coverage, due to age and/or poor health, would most certainly be declined.
11. Do members need to qualify for the insurance by answering health questions?
There are no health questions for members who apply for the coverage when it is first offered to them.
12. Can our children be insured?
There is an optional children's rider that covers all eligible children in the family with $7.5 per child annually. Unmarried dependent children of Eligible Members, who are U.S. residents, possess a Social Security number, and who are at least 14 days but under age 21, or 23 if a full-time student, are eligible for coverage.
13. Can my child be my beneficiary?
Yes; however, if the child is a minor, most states require that the proceeds of a death claim be placed in an interest bearing trust account until the child reaches age 18.
14. Can a member who belongs to multiple associations have insurance coverage through The Hartford with more than one of those associations?
Members can be insured with only one association through group life plans underwritten by The Hartford. Allowing members to carry coverage with more than one group could adversely affect the rate structure for all groups. If members with serious health problems were to apply for coverage with more than one group, the result could be unusually high claims experience.
15. Can a member decline coverage and then apply for insurance later?
A member that declines coverage can apply at the next policy anniversary. That member will be required to complete a health questionnaire in order to be approved for coverage by The Hartford.
16. What is the Travel Assist plan and will our group be billed extra for these benefits?
Travel Assist Benefits provided by Europ Assistance Service USA are included automatically with your group life plan at no additional cost. The plan covers a host of services from pre-trip planning to emergency medical evacuations. Each member will receive an ID card with an 800 phone number to easily access the services from anywhere in the world.
17. How does our group get the Insurance Plan started?
A complete census of active members requesting insurance coverage and the first premium are the key elements. (Beneficiary forms can be completed after the policy is issued. The proceeds would be paid to the closest relative according to a line of succession stated in the policy if a member should die before designating a beneficiary).


text:
Next ►Page 1 of 4
Tomalak
Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 7:55pm (UTC -6)
Re: DSC S3: That Hope Is You, Part 2
I stopped watching this garbage mid-way through this season, but I still come back for the joy of seeing Jammer slate it in the reviews. Thanks, Jammer. If anything will get me watching again it would be a really positive review ... I'll not hold my breath.
Thu, Jan 7, 2021, 6:42am (UTC -6)
Re: DSC S3: There Is a Tide...
It says it all that the writers have managed to drop in an attack on capitalism so juvenile that even socialists here think it's dumb.
Sat, Dec 19, 2020, 3:24pm (UTC -6)
Re: DSC S3: Terra Firma, Part 2
I am not a fan of Discovery at all, but I would say three of the last four episodes were decent. I really like the Mirror Universe.
But I agree strongly with Jammer that the schmaltz was silly for all the reasons he gives. Even the schmaltz around Mirror Detmer's death was a bit much. This is a character who has had few lines in our universe. Why would we feel anything about her evil counterpart dying?
I also really didn't like the idea that Georgiou was a "badass" - even said in a jokey way by the bridge crew in our universe. It just doesn't work within the Star Trek universe that the crew would admire a cruel mass murderer and slave owner who constantly talked about butchering people.
Note that it wasn't that they admired her despite these things, or thought that she used to be evil but had changed. No, they think those things mean she was a "bad-ass". It's a bit like saying Dr Mengele or the leader of ISIS or someone is a "bad-ass". If that comparison seems ridiculous, it's only because Georgiou is more like a Marvel villain than a real life evil human being - not something that would have happened back in the days when Star Trek took itself seriously.
Thu, Dec 10, 2020, 10:02am (UTC -6)
Re: DSC S3: The Sanctuary
Huh? Bastard is a matter of taste but when did Tomalak lie or cheat?
Thu, Dec 10, 2020, 9:06am (UTC -6)
People don't take kindly to baseless accusations that they are foaming at the mouth ranters with a phobia. Funny that. How baffling it all is.
Number of posts by Booming on this site: Hundreds
Number of threads on this site without Booming accusing people of white supremacy, transphobia etc.: 0
Mon, Dec 7, 2020, 11:43am (UTC -6)
(Janey not Stacy.)
"This is the very first episode ever which included a transperson and a few issues connected to that."
28 years ago The Next Generation had one as the main guest character. It's not a new idea at all - just one handled with characteristic lack of deft by the Discovery writers.
"Of course people will discuss those issues. Dismissively calling a debate about trans issues those "usual debates about woke identity politics" as if that is all the struggles of transpeople are is a pretty bad thing to say."
The episode suggests the exact configuration of 2020's transgender politics, with people asserting their pronouns to colleagues in a heartfelt way, will be in place in 3188. Depending on your politics you can think that in 1,168 years it would be way too small a deal for anyone to even need to mention it in this way. Or perhaps you think that we're in the grips of a barmy fad, complete with puberty blockers for children, that has zero chance of continuing for 12 years let alone 1,200 years. But what seems ridiculous as others have said is inserting a 2020 political anachronism into 3188. Star Trek has historically done this stuff much better: e.g. Chekov was a proud Russian but didn't indulge in Cold War rhetoric that would soon have dated the show. Even at the time it would have seemed utterly implausible that things would be so similar in 1968 and 300 years later.
"This is an open discussion board, nobody has to cater to your likes and dislikes."
As I've suggested before, if someone could read a post here and not even know it was discussing a Star Trek episode/the Star Trek universe then it's gone way off topic and should be brought back on topic. Jammer has said he agrees. Far too many posts above don't keep to that rule. Obviously those of us who come here for discussion of Star Trek episodes can't force you to play ball, and Jammer has made clear he doesn't have the time to either, but I'm certainly going to encourage people to remember what this site is for, and give a nod of appreciation when people like Stacy do so too.
Sun, Dec 6, 2020, 7:59pm (UTC -6)
Personally I thought the writers wading in on the modish pronouns debate was just pathetic of them - why didn't they also talk about whether the 2020 election was stolen and the Pfizer vaccine? But I mainly just agree with Janey that it's a shame these boards are being hijacked by political debates on woke issues, week after week. If I watch an old DS9 episode I will easily find 30 or more insightful comments on the episode, and that is often a joy. If I watch a Discovery episode I'll be lucky to get even 30 comments on the episode, and all will be interspersed with hundreds of comments that are just the usual woke identity politics debates.
Sat, Dec 5, 2020, 5:49pm (UTC -6)
Re: DSC S3: Unification III
Chris, I tend to agree. I would rather watch a DS9 or VOY given a 1.5 by Jammer than a Discovery he gives a 2.5 or a 3 to. I think there has been a bit of devaluation of the currency.
Fri, Dec 4, 2020, 6:44am (UTC -6)
Booming, two weeks ago you pledged to avoid in future the personal arguments that have swamped so many other threads on this forum, and always seemed to involve you. I wondered how it's working out so far?
Re: DS9 S1: Past Prologue
I thought it was good to have the Duras sisters along. But I found it questionable that they made such a fuss about handing over their weapons, even reacting physically. If they had an ounce of sense they would have kept a low profile while trying to conduct nefarious deals, as criminals try to. Instead, their actions immediately lead to a discussion between Sisko and Odo about whether they should be locked up right away - and it's easy to see how Sisko and Odo could have justified it given their attack on the security officer. Maybe they're just meant to be dumb villains, lacking self-control, but that they would have risen so high while being so dumb is itself questionable.
Thu, Dec 3, 2020, 1:05pm (UTC -6)
Re: TNG S5: Unification
"I wonder how much better the encounter could've been if it were Tomalak instead of Sela. It's disappointing that he didn't resurface during seasons 4-6."
I couldn't agree more. Such a waste.
Thu, Dec 3, 2020, 7:15am (UTC -6)
The fact Space Jesus (arguably?) cries a lot is the least of the character's/show's problems I would say. She's a superhero movie protagonist dropped into the Star Trek universe and it doesn't work.
Sun, Nov 29, 2020, 10:22am (UTC -6)
Pro tip for the Discovery writers. The word momentarily means "for a moment" not "in a moment", as they apparently think. If I momentarily distract you it means that I do it for a second or so, not that I will do it in a second or so from now.
Thu, Nov 19, 2020, 7:32am (UTC -6)
Re: DSC S3: Die Trying
@Omi, while I agree with your post, Booming has made clear above his intention to behave differently in future. So I suggest we not dredge up past behaviour - even from yesterday. What matters now is whether future discussions get derailed.
Wed, Nov 18, 2020, 2:29pm (UTC -6)
I think we need an unwritten rule that if someone could read your whole post here and still not know you were discussing a Star Trek episode, or at least the wider Star Trek universe, then - whoever started it! - it's gone way off topic and it's time to bring it back on topic. There is nothing really wrong with arguing about Star Trek here. The problem is if the Star Trek discussion gets entirely lost.
Wed, Nov 18, 2020, 12:12pm (UTC -6)
"Though I'd worry more about the possibility that the endless arguments will simply make the interesting stuff near-impossible to find."
True! But I think this is the key point: "There's one person who is always involved in any argument on here. I suggest not replying more than once or twice (or none) and just dropping it when that person is clearly wanting to argue and planting obvious comments to stir the pot"
To the present and future reader who wants to avoid the thousands of words of not very important or relevant debate, just skip past the posts by Booming and replies to him.
But it does take two to tango. If some idiot accuses you of white supremacy for no reason, just ignore him rather than get in a 50 post debate, especially if you know he has done this at the drop of a hat to lots of others.
And as someone said last week, this probably wouldn't be happening if Discovery episodes weren't so forgettable. They leave discerning viewers with almost nothing to say, so even obvious trolls/fanatics like Booming suddenly seem worth the effort.
Sun, Nov 15, 2020, 8:04pm (UTC -6)
I honestly don't think I could bear to watch this show but for the enjoyment of seeing discerning fans rip it apart on this web site. If Jammer falls under the proverbial bus, presumably ending the comments here, will stop watching. It actually had its moments in Season 1, and Lorca was for some of his time a fantastic Captain. I hated Season 2 and this season seems just as passable.
Fri, Oct 30, 2020, 5:49am (UTC -6)
Re: DSC S3: Far From Home
@Jammer - well said.
@Slacker, I think you've responded to one of my points that wasn't aimed at you (I thought clearly, but probably not) about an anti-science ideological agenda, and ignored all the ones that were?
@Dave, I take the point but if you believe this why do you and others with similar views keep repeating the actress's name, as if it was her and not Tilly that Cody and I had commented on? By far the most likely way she would stumble across this is by googling her name.
Thu, Oct 29, 2020, 6:34am (UTC -6)
Good post, Jason. I genuinely want to understand if saying things like "whatever its cause, obesity is not healthy, end of story. Talk to a doctor. It isn't, sorry" is considered body-shaming or not by some of those who have used the term here?
"Body-shaming" seems to be used in a deliberately misleading way to conflate comments as reasonable as yours or mine in this thread right up to being grossly insulting to people who are struggling with their weight, something no one would reasonably support. It also seems to disguise a ferociously ideological anti-science agenda that says being fat is no problem for health and that being less attracted to fat people is a cultural construct caused by society rather than an innate preference driven by evolution that no amount of cultural change can alter. This kind of thinking is not just mistaken but intellectually disreputable.
@Sen-Sors "I don't think pointing out an actor's weight gain on a TV show makes someone a bad person, and it's worth noting that Tomalek has commented on many other aspects of the show besides that topic. However, the defense of "genuinely curious of what you dislike about me saying this, I'm just pointing out the truth" comes off as a little disingenuous. A bit babe-in-the-woods, if you will. Surely we are all aware of the context of people's weight, self-esteem and the judgement society will often place upon you in relation to it."
My tone is more like scepticism that the person I am asking has a good reason for these taboos, if they really think about it. But obviously you can't engage with someone's reasoning until they explain it. Certainly if someone can provide a really good reason to avoid mentioning in passing a Star Trek character's weight gain, I am all ears. But the very fact that people's self esteem (whatever that is) is partly based on their looks and health does not preclude rational discussion or sound like a good reason to avoid talking about it on this kind of forum at all.
Yes, not every post here has been rational or mature, but that says more about the person making the post than the topic of nutrition and weight gain, which millions of people around the world discuss calmly and rationally every day. And let's be honest, all the genuinely insulting posts in this thread have been in one direction and have come from one person, Boomer, who clearly has a history of it on this web site on other topics. Suggesting that it's been "mutual bashing" (someone else's phrase not yours) or an outbreak of rage and fury is very unfair to everyone else here, on either side of the discussion.
@Cody B "If Tilly were chain smoking cigarettes the whole series and they were real it would be fine to not just mention it's not healthy but it would be fine to say she's stupid etc. Mention the obvious that a character has gained a lot of weight in two years and that's just a no go zone."
Yes, this is one reason I ask for people to justify their distaste and anger at this discussion topic. Not only are there some unargued premises at work here that at very least need articulating, but there also seem to be some very obvious double standards and inconsistencies at work.
I wonder if sexism is at work here too, given apparently we had a discussion about Riker's weight gain. Did that meet with the same opposition and anger or are people applying one rule for male characters (and, I suppose the actors who play them) and another for women? Similarly, in this very thread, when Tilly's weight was mentioned Boomer fired back with male Star Trek characters who were overweight, before later deciding that even mentioning such things causes anorexia and makes the person who says it a douchebag and all manner of other childish insults.
@SlackerInc A few thoughts. I agree studies showing how much adopted children are like their biological and unlike their adoptive parents are hugely important in their implications. But I am unsure how much you can go from "at a statistical level, genetics explains a huge % of variation in a trait [like obesity] across a large range of people" to "at an individual level, genetics is by far the main driver of whether someone is obese/some other trait". I don't fully understand why this is an error myself, but this is something scientists often clarify as it's misunderstood a lot. Peter G has sort of explained why.
You say your personal experience is that exercise and a healthy diet don't help you shift weight. All I can say is that I have found exactly the opposite many times in my life. When I exercise and eat right, it makes a massive difference. When I don't, it makes a massive difference in the other direction. Like you, I have read the type of studies you cite but I can't say I am convinced that they merit media headlines like "diets don't work". Whenever I've looked at studies downplaying exercise, for example, they actually seem to show the limited impact of exceedingly modest amounts of exercise, which is no doubt true. But journalists then hype these studies as "exercise can't help you lose weight". It's the difference between saying saving and investing tiny amounts of money a year won't make you rich and saying no amount of saving and investment can ever make you rich.
Your first quote fits the genre: it seems to be a sensationalist way of saying that there are no short-term diets that will overcome years of subsequent bad eating habits. Who would disagree with such a modest claim? But show me the bodies of two people, one with years or decades of a healthy diet and regular exercise and the other with neither of those things and I am confident I'll be able to tell the difference way better than you'd be able to predict by chance. I am confident that you could too.
Tue, Oct 27, 2020, 3:15pm (UTC -6)
Great post, Peter G. It's sad that it even needs saying.
Tue, Oct 27, 2020, 8:11am (UTC -6)
It's the reality of being fat that causes the problems, not randoms on the internet pointing it out in a matter of act way. As you said yourself, it's vanishingly unlikely the actress is even reading this stuff so I can't even see the point in worrying about it.
Yes, my understanding is body shaming doesn't usually literally refer to making people ashamed of their body. It's more like an all purpose term for anyone who thinks a person can become healthier or more attractive by losing weight/can become less healthy and less attractive by gaining weight. It's an ideological belief that flies in the face of reality.
I like Tilly and Detmer.
SlackerInc, I don't know what you mean by body-shaming, really, or how that's different from simply noting someone is overweight or has gained weight, which is all I am conscious of doing? Even in the very unlikely event that the actress read this I wouldn't feel I'd said anything insulting. I suppose she might have been unaware of how obvious her rapid weight gain is to others, in which case I'd say bringing it home to her in a matter of fact, non-insulting way is probably helpful. It also helps her friends and family avoid an awkward conversation. More likely of course she won't read a word of this.
I don't think anyone should feel shame for their size unless it really is driven by greed and laziness, which is rare. Far more common is that people have busy lives that preclude regular exercise and they receive lots of contradictory dietary advice and struggle to differentiate the good from the bad. But I *do* think that being fat or obese makes someone objectively less attractive, and does risk their health - if that's what people mean by body shaming, and they still think it's a bad thing, then I think they're denying both common sense and science (not just nutrition but evolutionary psychology and medicine too) in favour of ideological fantasies.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Candlestick I found at a yardsale, proudly displaying a "24% Lead Crystal" sticker!
This means they are 240,000 ppm lead.
There is no safe level of lead exposure to children. Items manufactured today that are intended for use by children must be no higher than 90 ppm lead. Items intended for use by adults (especially decorative items) are not regulated for total lead content in any way.
Leaded crystal (especially crystal with higher levels of lead) can chalk lead into the environment (depending on how the crystal was made) and will often test positive with a LeadCheck swab, especially if the item has been sitting on a shelf not cleaned for a long period of time. Manufacturing and selling crystal with lead is not (yet) illegal. It is not (yet) regulated. Purchasing leaded crystal products contributes to the mining and refining of the lead required to make these products, which adds lead to the atmosphere and contributes to "background" levels of lead contamination in our environment. Conversely – choosing to not buy them – and finding lead-free alternatives helps to save the planet! You choose!


text:
© 2004-2020 Michael-Thomas Foumai. All rights reserved.
HYPERION CANTO II (2015), 5 minutes
Soprano/Oboe & Viola
Text: Composer
For Kristin Leitterman
SCORE: N/A
STUDY SCORE: N/A
PARTS: N/A
HYPERION CANTO for Soprano & Viola
Hyperion Canto II is inspired by a series of books by Dan Simmons. These books are very much in the style of the epic poems of Homer. Simmons' series is in someway, a retelling of the Iliad but in a different place and time, on a different planet.
For the work, I wanted to create an epic poem and a piece that celebrated the great works of Homer. I wanted to illustrate the brutailty of war and the pageantry of heroes and Gods. For text, I used the original Greek of Homer's Odyssey and to create the alternate or parallel version as Simmons creates in his series of book, the words and syllables are changed so that they sound more percussive. Essentially I created my own language that may sound familiar but is impossible to understand, a kind of alien and dead language. This aurually creates a mythical language that sounds of the brutal battles and mythic allegory of Homer's epic poems. The soprano is the role of a greek chorus or narrator setting the stage for what is a mini-epic poem. The work is in an episodic arche form, with stanzas or cantos of a great poem depicting scenes of battle, the greek army, the Trojan War, Achilles and the world's stage for history-makers of men and gods.
This work was adapted from Hyperion Canto for Soprano/Oboist Kristin Leitterman.
MICHAEL-THOMAS FOUMAI


In Hinduism, Ekakshara, literally "the one syllable", refers to the sacred monosyllable OM. Since the A is inherent in OM, meditation on the letter A became one of the most basic Buddhist contemplative practices, and it became particularly developed in the Japanese Shingon (Esoteric) School under the name of Ajikan.
Thus spoke the Lord. The Venerable Ananda, the large congregation of renunciates, the assembly of bodhisattvas, and the whole world with its devas, humans, asuras, and heavenly musicians rejoiced at the teaching of the Lord.
Close your eyes and say, "A".
Click here to read an article on the history and development of Ajikan.
Follow this link for a documentary on the Pilgrimage to Koyasan, the main temple of the Shingon tradition and still a popular pilgrimage destination.


Home / Investment Bootcamp / learn how to buy stocks online in 2 minutes ?
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text:
Clay Gerdes (1934-1997)
Historical Underground Photographs, 1971-1977
creator: Geerdes, Clay (1934-1997)
title: Historical Underground Photographs
extent: 1.0 linear feet (1 oversize box)
preferred citation: Clay Geerdes, Historical Underground Photographs, MS 630, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.
Clay Geerdes was born in 1934 and grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. He joined the Navy in 1954 and served for four years. He enrolled in San Francisco State College (University) in 1958 and earned a B.A. (1962) and M.A. (1963) in English Literature. He subsequently did additional graduate work at University of California, Berkeley.
Geerdes taught English at Fresno State College (now California State University, Fresno) and Sonoma State College (University) prior to becoming a fulltime photojournalist in 1970.
His personal interests led him to the Underground Comix movement, and he published the newsletter Comix Wave (originally Comix World) as well as a series of "Mini-Comix." His photographs of Underground Comix artists have appeared in many publications, and a book of his photographs The Underground Comix Family Album was published in 1998.
Clay Geerdes died of cancer in 1997.
This collection (1971-1977) consists of forty-six black and white photographs taken by Clay Geerdes, compiled into an album titled "Historical Underground Photographs." The photographs portray leading underground comix artists, including Gary Arlington, Joel Beck, Vaughn Bode, Tim Boxell, Roger Brand, Justin Green, Bill Griffith, Rand Holmes, Jack Jackson (or Jaxon), Jay Kinney, Harvey Kurtzman, Lee Marrs, Dan O'Neill, Trina Robbins, "Spain" Rodriguez, Gilbert Shelton, David Sheridan, and Larry Todd. The scrapbook was formerly catalogued with call number PN6725 G44x 1978.
Related material may be found in MS 636, Underground Comix collection, including copies of Geerdes' newsletter Comix Wave and "Mini-Comix" catalogues.
Album "Historical Underground Photographs" (46- 3.5x5" b/w photographs)


text:
#ifndef TILEDB_CPP_API_CONSOLIDATION_PLAN_EXPERIMENTAL_H
#define TILEDB_CPP_API_CONSOLIDATION_PLAN_EXPERIMENTAL_H

#include "context.h"
#include "tiledb.h"

namespace tiledb {
class ConsolidationPlan {
 public:
  /**
   * @brief Constructor. This opens the group for the given query type. The
   * destructor calls the `close()` method.
   *
   * **Example:**
   *
   * @code{.cpp}
   * // Open the group for reading
   * tiledb::Context ctx;
   * tiledb::Group group(ctx, "s3://bucket-name/group-name", TILEDB_READ);
   * @endcode
   *
   * @param ctx TileDB context.
   * @param array The array.
   * @param fragment_size The desired fragment size.
   */
  ConsolidationPlan(
      const Context& ctx, const Array& array, uint64_t fragment_size)
      : ctx_(ctx) {
    tiledb_ctx_t* c_ctx = ctx.ptr().get();
    tiledb_array_t* c_array = array.ptr().get();
    tiledb_consolidation_plan_t* consolidation_plan;
    ctx.handle_error(tiledb_consolidation_plan_create_with_mbr(
        c_ctx, c_array, fragment_size, &consolidation_plan));
    consolidation_plan_ = std::shared_ptr<tiledb_consolidation_plan_t>(
        consolidation_plan, deleter_);
  }

  ConsolidationPlan(const ConsolidationPlan&) = default;
  ConsolidationPlan(ConsolidationPlan&&) = default;
  ConsolidationPlan& operator=(const ConsolidationPlan&) = default;
  ConsolidationPlan& operator=(ConsolidationPlan&&) = default;

  /** Destructor. */
  ~ConsolidationPlan() {
  }

  /**
   * Returns the number of nodes in the consolidation plan.
   */
  uint64_t num_nodes() const {
    uint64_t num;
    auto& ctx = ctx_.get();
    tiledb_ctx_t* c_ctx = ctx.ptr().get();
    ctx.handle_error(tiledb_consolidation_plan_get_num_nodes(
        c_ctx, consolidation_plan_.get(), &num));
    return num;
  }

  /**
   * Returns the number of fragments for a node in the consolidation plan.
   */
  uint64_t num_fragments(uint64_t node_idx) const {
    uint64_t num;
    auto& ctx = ctx_.get();
    tiledb_ctx_t* c_ctx = ctx.ptr().get();
    ctx.handle_error(tiledb_consolidation_plan_get_num_fragments(
        c_ctx, consolidation_plan_.get(), node_idx, &num));
    return num;
  }

  /**
   * Returns the fragment uri for a node/fragment in the consolidation plan.
   */
  std::string fragment_uri(uint64_t node_idx, uint64_t fragment_idx) const {
    const char* uri_c;
    auto& ctx = ctx_.get();
    tiledb_ctx_t* c_ctx = ctx.ptr().get();
    ctx.handle_error(tiledb_consolidation_plan_get_fragment_uri(
        c_ctx, consolidation_plan_.get(), node_idx, fragment_idx, &uri_c));
    return std::string(uri_c);
  }

  /**
   * Dumps the consolidation plan in a JSON representation to an output.
   *
   * @return the JSON string for the plan.
   */
  std::string dump() const {
    auto& ctx = ctx_.get();

    char* str = nullptr;
    ctx.handle_error(tiledb_consolidation_plan_dump_json_str(
        ctx.ptr().get(), consolidation_plan_.get(), &str));

    std::string ret(str);
    tiledb_consolidation_plan_free_json_str(&str);

    return ret;
  }

 private:
  /* ********************************* */
  /*         PRIVATE ATTRIBUTES        */
  /* ********************************* */

  /** The TileDB context. */
  std::reference_wrapper<const Context> ctx_;

  /** Deleter wrapper. */
  impl::Deleter deleter_;

  /** Pointer to the TileDB C consolidation plan object. */
  std::shared_ptr<tiledb_consolidation_plan_t> consolidation_plan_;

  /* ********************************* */
  /*          PRIVATE METHODS          */
  /* ********************************* */
};

}  // namespace tiledb

#endif  // TILEDB_CPP_API_CONSOLIDATION_PLAN_EXPERIMENTAL_H


text:
2,180 bytes added, 16:24, 1 June 2020
→West towards Iowa
=== North towards [[Milwaukee]] ===
If you can make it to the intersection of US 41 and I94, you will be in a perfect spot to easily get a ride into [[Milwaukee]] and quite possibly much further. If you cannot make it to this interchange, standing anywhere along the side of US highway 41 or at a gas station along it will probably net you a long distance ride up this way as well. Anyone trying to avoid the toll roads will be taking US 41.
=== Northwest towards [[Madison]] ===
You could probably take the I90 West and then North out of Chicago, but it is preferable to stay off the interstates where it is illegal to be walking, and go for another direct provincial highway. Instead, follow the #14 or, better yet, the #12 highway northwest out of the Mt. Prospect suburb -- each highway ends in Madison.
You can get to to Mt. Prospect from downtown by taking the rail transit Red Line North to Howard (end of the line), then Yellow Line to Dempster-Skokie (end of the line), and flag down a bus heading west on Dempster, which turns into the #14. Since most of the traffic leaving the city here is headed to nearby suburbs, walk or get a bus (if they exist) a few blocks north to get to the #12, with more outbound traffic.
=== East towards [[Michigan]] or [[Ohio]] ===
Try to grab a short distance ride to the Flying J in [[Gary]] off Grant Street and I80/I94. From here finding a long distance ride to all points East should be easy.
There is a rail that runs from Chicago downtown to Lake Station (Miller stop) in Indiana. It's a 30 min walk from there to an area with four or five truck stops and on ramps for I80/94 and I90. The rail is South Shore line and costs $6.
=== West towards [[Iowa]] ===
You can reach a major highway rest area without too much trouble where you should be able to find a decent lift.
From downtown Chicago take any of the following routes: 3, 28, 29, J14. These all connect with the 353 at 95th or 103rd street
Take bus 353 until you reach E 170 St and Cottage Grove Ave. The stop is right after the bus turns on 170.
When you get off head towards the railroad tracks (opposite direction the bus went) and turn left on the very first road after the tracks. You can even cut across a field to save a few steps. You'll then come to Parkside Ave and just need to follow that until you reach the end of it. Then turn left on 173rd Pl and you will shortly reach the employee entrance to the rest area right on 294. All in all it is about a 20 minute walk from where the bus drops you off.
There are plenty of restaurants here and a gas station so lots of people stop here instead of pulling off the highway at an exit. And the services serve both sides of the highway via a bridge going across so one could use this to go East as well.
<noinclude>[[Category:Illinois]]</noinclude>
== Trashwiki & Nomadwiki ==
[[trash:Chicago]] [[nomad:Chicago]]
{{IsIn|Illinois}}
[[trash:Chicago]]
autopatrolled, Administrators
Retrieved from "https://hitchwiki.org/en/Special:MobileDiff/69324...97897"


A few weeks ago we received the sad news that the annual Planet Adventure 30hr race in Indiana was cancelled for 2013. That race was supposed to be the final event in my 7-weekend racing bender. Then I'd have a weekend off (Memorial Day weekend), and then I'd go to Kansas for my first crack at DK200. But Planet was not in the stars (ha...) this year for the race organizers, so that left DINO's MISSION 18hr adventure race as my final hurrah before tackling the Flint Hills. And, honestly...I wasn't all that sad. My body has taken a beating these past 2 months, getting pummeled on the weekends and then spending the weekdays frantically trying to recover. I learned a few great lessons about that process, but overall I knew I was creeping closer and closer to the bucket and very scared of falling in before my biggest individual race of the year.
Thankfully, MISSION is a super fun race, and I was once again racing with my crazy strong Alpine Shop teammates, Jeff and David. These guys are just so much fun to race with and I knew they would motivate and inspire me to perform well. In the weeks leading up to the race, we learned that in addition to traditional adventure race disciplines of trekking, mountain biking, paddling, and ropes, we would also have the option to use scooters or roller blades. I borrowed both from local adventure racer Yvonne who used them in several Wild Onion races. We had a few practice sessions on the 'blades and I was kinda freaked out by them. I can skate just fine (after all, a girl from Minnesota should know these things), but sharp turns were a little tricky and stopping was extremely unreliable. We planned to bring both scooters and blades to the race but then I forgot Yvonne's scooter in my basement, whoops. Thankfully, Jeff had 2 decent Razor scooters that we brought in addition to David's badass scooter. Game on.
For anyone aiming to race at USARA Nationals this October 4th, you should probably know some things about race director Brian's style, since he is directing Nationals this year. First, he likes to not distribute maps until the race starts. Second, he likes to start with a short, crazy prologue before maps are handed out. Third, he likes to base the race around a central TA/HQ, having teams complete loops and then return to HQ between each loop or segment. Fourth, he likes to make teams plot CPs and route plan on the fly. This year's MISSION would be a classic example of a DINO race. Another thing that Brian and DINO are known for is taking excellent care of their racers. Our race fees included on-site lodging Friday and Saturday night, and pre- and post-race meals. This made race logistics really easy for us and we really appreciate it!
Jeff, David and I left St. Louis Friday morning and rolled into Camp Pyoca just minutes before pre-race dinner was scheduled to start. That was enough time to check in, get our race packets (passport, numbers, and shirt) and learn about making duct tape bracelets for TeamSOG's Scott Pleban who was seriously injured after being hit by a car on his bike commute. We grabbed a table and chowed down on delicious lasagna and THE MOST AWESOME brownies I've ever had. Right there, my weekend was a success because of those brownies. Thank you, Camp Pyoca chefs!! We had a quick pre-race meeting after dinner and Brian hinted that the course just might be clearable for a fast team. Boom. There is our carrot we need to chase tomorrow. We spend the rest of the evening prepping gear, interrupted a few times by brief rain showers. Finally we're ready to go and head up to the cabin. Everyone else is asleep already so we do our best to quietly get settled. Turns out, that is all in vain because there are two other people in the cabin who SNORE almost the whole night. I seriously got about 2 hours sleep total before our 0445 wake-up call. Suboptimal!
My alarm goes off right on time and in order to make my cabin exit as quick and quiet as possible, I grab all of my stuff and head down to the main dining hall to make breakfast and get dressed there. I head into the basement and turn on the lights - accidentally and abruptly waking up three people who were sleeping! I feel really bad and tell them I'll go upstairs, but they are racing the 18hr as well so they would've been up in a few minutes anyway. Then I hear..."Um, I think I know you. Are you Emily?" That's probably the last thing I ever expected to hear before 0500 on a race morning, but I do acknowledge that my name is in fact Emily and the sleepy questioner turns out to be my twitter friend Dan! Ha! So it's cool to get to know him and his team, Dandies Vegan Marshmallows, as we all fumble through pre-race breakfast and clothes prep. And for some reason, my standard breaky tastes weird and gross, which is highly unusual since none of the ingredients are that perishable. But my taste buds tell me something's turned strange, so I sadly dump it out and put together a makeshift replacement breakfast of Ensure, donuts, and fig newtons. At this point, calories are calories.
I join up with Jeff and David at the van for the rest of pre-race prep and for some reason my mind is very foggy. I find myself way behind schedule and scrambling to get all of my gear together before Brian calls a pre-race meeting at 0555. I hustle up to the meeting place with my teammates and we get the first set of instructions: our maps are located on the opposite shore of Lake Pyoca, approximately 250m away, and each team must send one person to go get them. There are two ways to get there: run around the lake, or paddle across it. Except, anyone who chooses to paddle is not allowed to use an actual paddle...they must use their hands and/or feet for propulsion. THE RACE IS ON!!
Super zoom-in of the map. We started in the triangle. Maps were at "M".
Which way is faster...right, left, or straight?
Can you see the red blinky straight across the lake? That is where Jeff was going.
We have a quick team conference where I offer to just swim the distance, but after 30 seconds we decide that Jeff will paddle. So we sprint down to the beach and I help him get situated on one of the plastic kayaks that are laying there. The first one we pick is very long and awkward, and Jeff has trouble getting it to move. I see a few other racers using tiny one-person kayaks and I suggest that Jeff use that. He agrees, we switch, and pretty soon he is zooming across Lake Pyoca while the majority of the field runs around on a trail. I stand on the dock yelling encouragement for a while and then return to the van to finish my last few gear prep items. David has got the first set of coordinates from Brian and he tells me we're starting on bikes, so I get my and Jeff's bike stuff ready to go. Jeff returns to TA really quickly, we plot the first 8 CPs, and take off on our bikes.
Entire BIKE 1 route. We went counter-clockwise.
This bike leg has two sections: first we will be on paved roads, and then we will hop onto trails, and then finish up with a short paved return to TA. Almost immediately after leaving Camp Pyoca we are joined by Rev3/MK and a 2-person male team that I don't recognize. After a few CPs we are also joined by the Silent Chasers, a 2-person male team made up of our friends Phil and Kevin. Phil recently finished 2nd to me and Biz in the MNOC AR Tune-Up so we know his nav is completely dialed and he will be tough competition today. The lead pack works loosely together in a paceline, and I successfully avoid a near-crash with Cory from Rev3/MK (Jeff and I exclaim our relief with simultaneous, wide-eyed "Good job!"s). There are a few route choices here and there, but none seem to offer more than 30 seconds advantage either way.
...then to CP8, CP6, CP7, CP5, and back to HQ.
After a few hours of roads, we start looking forward to the next section of trails. Rev3/MK blows past a turn to CP8 which puts us in 2nd place (I think the unknown 2p-male team is still leading). We enter the trail system to find it mostly muddy doubletrack, with some sections of gravel. Definitely not as technically challenging as we had hoped, but we make quick work of CP8 and then hop across the road to pick up CPs 6, 7, and 5. The approach to CP6 goes well and we hike the 100m off trail to get to the saddle it's hung on. We get to the saddle, it's very subtle, and there is no CP hanging there. CRAP. This is the situation that all adventure racers have nightmares about - missing CPs. It destroys confidence levels for the entire rest of the race. We thrash around with the 2p-male team and the Silent Chasers, but no luck. Jeff even climbs 12 contour lines up to check a much more topographically obvious saddle, but no dice there either. Very soon, we are joined by several more teams looking for CP6. The lead we had worked hard for has evaporated and we decide to abandon the search and continue to the next CP.
See the northbound jeep road after CP6? We didn't.
We ride a short distance downhill and then bikewhack across the creek to catch the trail on the other side. We find it quickly, but as we're riding it stays low and the map says it is supposed to climb significantly. Uh oh. We have a quick team conference and discover that we are actually on a jeep road instead of the trail that we want. Another CRAP! So we backtrack a little bit and then bikewhack some more uphill to find the marked trail. Now, the thrashing my legs went through at the Tune-Up is put to the test, and I hack through the thorns with gusto while carrying my bike. This is what adventure racing is all about! We finally reach the correct trail and get to start riding again. It's steep, but we know where we are. As we approach CP7, we pass the mystery 2-person male team, who are stopped on the side of the trail with a broken derailleur. I'm somewhat of an expert in fixing those, and we offer to help, but they say they've got the tools they need to make it back to HQ. CP7 is fine, and then we start the longish trail ride to CP5.
We're riding along, making the best of the sloppy trail conditions, when we comment on the machine tracks that are everywhere. It seems like there's a logging operation going on. Soon, we see Phil and Kevin up ahead, except they are riding back towards us. What?? That's strange. They stop, we stop, and Phil and David put their heads together to talk about the map. Turns out we missed the trail we need and instead we're on an unmapped logging road. This is sort of bad, but it could have been much much worse if Phil hadn't stopped to tell us. We follow the Silent Chasers back along the road and together we find the correct trail we need for CP5. It's cut almost straight down at least 20 contour lines. I'm riding completely behind my saddle and I think I can smell my brake pads. Eeeeeeeeeeek!!! But we all make it safely to the bottom, and to CP5. Then we have a slight route choice back to camp...the Silent Chasers go right, we go left. Which will be faster? Ours is a screaming paved descent that almost shoots me off the side of a cliff. Who said Indiana was flat??
We roll back into the main TA at Camp Pyoca, about 45-60 minutes later than we thought we would, only a minute or two behind the Silent Chasers. We collect the UTMs for the next segment and Brian issues us a caveat...CP10 is not open yet. It is the ropes course, and we are instructed to visit it when we get back to TA in about, oh, 4-5 hours. This is a concern for us because ropes courses, while extremely fun, can be a huge bottleneck in an AR. Right at this moment, if the ropes were open, there would be a short-to-nonexistent line because we are in the lead pack. Who knows what the line will be like when we get back to camp! But, we have no choice so we plot the next CPs and learn that we can use our wheeled-objects-of-choice to get there. The camp road has me scared to use 'blades (hilly and very few places to bail) so we decide to use scooters. Get ready for hilarity!!
Now I'm using pink highlighter to show our route from HQ to CP11.
We grab out scooters (2 Razors and 1 Xootr) and run with them out of TA on the hilly camp road. We pass Silent Chasers sitting on the grass putting on their 'blades, and Rev3/MK is already blading a short distance ahead of us. We catch up with them at the main road, and then are able to pass them as we move through town. We are grinning about the choice of scooters here - the road is bone-jarring chip-n-seal and the scooters are clearly faster. I start on a Razor but David soon switches with me since the Xootr is way faster. There is a 6" strip of smooth pavement on the edge of the road and we all use that to our advantage - something we would have been unable to do on 'blades. I can only imagine what a spectacle this is for the town of Brownstown (pop. 2,986). Adults. In spandex. With bike helmets. On scooters. Oh lordy. Nerd alert!!!
We scooter into the next CP in 1st place and are given more CPs to plot for the paddle. We have to paddle upstream first, which looks like a big challenge since the East Fork White River is high and the water looks fast. So we pile ourselves, packs, and scooters into the plastic banana boat and get to work. Silent Chasers and Rev3/MK are close behind! The great thing about this upstream paddle is that it's almost exactly like paddling upstream on the Meramec, a place where Jeff and David have practiced hundreds of times (me only once). Jeff is an expert at hiding from the current and he takes an extremely efficient route to CP12 located 2.5k upstream. We quickly punch and turn around for the next section, a 5k downstream paddle to an intermediate take-out for CP13. We see Silent Chasers and Rev3/MK on the water and they all look strong. We have to hustle!! Water is flying everywhere since all three of us have kayak paddles and pretty soon I'm soaked. It's also cloudy and a bit cold. David is feeling the chill here too so we let him take a break to put on a jacket. I'm elated to see the intermediate take-out because that means we have a 3k out-n-back scootering leg to jump-start the circulation and eat something. The take-out is on a slippery "beach" but Jeff and David manhandle the boat while I put on a jacket and get the scooters ready to go. We make our way up to the road and pretty soon I stop shivering.
CP11, CP12, then take out at the arrow, scooter to CP13, scooter back to the boats, paddle to CP14.
We scootered into Fort Vallonia. I wonder what the early settlers would have thought of that?
The road condition here is way better than the first one and we make good time to Fort Vallonia (side note: At Fort Vallonia Days, you have the exciting opportunity to eat donkey bellies. Who knew?). We find the punch, share a Reese's Crispy Crunchy bar, and then scooter back to our boat. As we're returning to our plastic banana, we see another boat parked next to it. But no racers. We are completely mystified since CP13 is a direct out-n-back and we saw NO ONE. What is going on?!? But there's no time to speculate since we have another 10k of downstream paddling to complete. Rev3/MK approaches the take-out just as we are leaving, keeping the pressure on high. The rest of the paddle goes smoothly, now that we're a little warmer. Brian warned us of several river blockages that were broken up by the recent flooding, so we play a game of "Is this the blockage? Is this it? Oh, this one's definitely it." to pass the time. Very soon, we see a covered bridge up ahead, which signals the end of this paddle section and time for more scootering!!
Take-out at CP14, then scooter to CP15.
There are some race photographers at the take-out and they, like most of the people who've encountered the race, think it's hilarious to see us scootering out of TA. We are laughing at ourselves too, but honestly the scooters (especially the Xootr) have won us over as a rather efficient way to travel. And pleasant, even. SO much less stressful than the 'blades. For this final 6.5k section, the road is in great shape and is mostly flat. We try to sail along as efficiently as possible, swapping scooters here and there to give everyone a break. Pretty soon we are rolling into CP15, a manned CP and TA where we are given our next set of instructions and UTMs.
Let us scooter into the light!
Entire TREK 1, starting at CP15 and finishing back at Camp Pyoca (upper right corner).
We have 10 trekking CPs to plot, and we are absolutely chomping at the bit to start trekking. It feels like late in the race to start the actual navigation, and we're excited to play to our strength in the woods. We chow down on Wheat Thins Sticks and pepperoni as we carefully plot our course. Right as we're finishing up, the Silent Chasers coolly 'blade into the parking lot, putting the pressure on us once again. We skedaddle out of there, taking a creative route across the spillway and into the woods of Jackson-Washington State Forest.
First part of TREK 1.
The CP locations on this trekking leg are scary. Sure, there is a ton of relief in this area, but Brian has placed the CPs on minor features that are similar to a Red- or Blue-level orienteering course. We carefully attack CP16 as a team, meticulously counting paces and reentrants, then finally fanning out when we get "in the circle" to be sure we spot the punch. We almost needn't have worried - David has brought us exactly to the correct spot and we punch with ease. The next CP is equally as tough, and here we discover the quirkiness of the map. It seems that the big features are not all mapped equally - only some of the large reentrants are showing up, while some others of similar size are completely unmapped. This is very difficult to deal with because we can't predict with certainty which features we can use for navigation. David's compass suddenly becomes extremely important. Somewhat shaken by this new and unpleasant discovery, we attack CP18 too early and have to fabricate an around-route to get to the correct spot. But the correction is simple and soon we are back on track.
After we punch CP18, my stomach is growling but I discover that both of the hip pockets on my pack are empty. I swing my pack around to my front and check the main compartment while still trekking. Only my mandatory gear is in there. I am officially out of calories. How embarrassing! Um....guys? Do you have any extra food? Yes, yes they do. Jeff and David stock me up for the rest of the trek with mini Almond Joys, Wheat Thins Sticks, Clif gels, and pepperoni. With a delightfully full belly, we attack CP19 and then run on the same road as this morning to CP20.
For some strange reason, CP20 is tricky for us. We canvass the area and are not finding the reentrant we want. As we are searching, the Silent Chasers live up to their name and show up like AR ninjas right behind us. I keep an eye on them as they proceed to march straight into the CP. Phil tips me off that they've indeed found it and I call over to Jeff and David. We punch CP20, and now we are chasing the Silent Chasers Leaders. Getting passed really lights a fire in my belly and my strongest instinct is to hurry up and catch them. Jeff and David rein me in and we stick to our own pace up a super steep hill. We stick to our own game plan for CPs 21 and 22, where Jeff climbs the fire tower only to not find the punch. Another missing one? We are in disbelief, but the public location of a fire tower is prime territory for punch theft so we memorize some graffiti to prove we were there and continue on. CPs 23 and 24 go well, and then we take a super safe route to CP25 because it's located in extremely subtle terrain. As usual, David works his map whispering magic and we hike straight into it. Well done Mr. Frei!!
We run back to Camp Pyoca, certain that the Silent Chasers now have a healthy lead, and for that matter Rev3/MK might be ahead of us too. We get our passport punched at the scoring table and they tell us we're in first. WHAT??! Crazy, but also incredibly motivating this far into the race. We get our next set of bike UTMs and instructions, and now it's time for ropes!
There is some confusion amongst the race and camp staff about whether or not the ropes course is open. We explain our situation, and after some debate, we finally determine that the course IS OPEN, and we need to do that before hitting the next biking leg. We decide to plot the biking points we have, complete the TA, and then hit the ropes course on our way out onto BIKE 2. We fly through transition without seeing Silent Chasers or Rev3/MK. This is a good sign! As we ride over to the ropes, there isn't a staff member in sight. We have a slight panic attack that we got bad information earlier, so we start hollering "Hello? Hello? Anyone here?" Turns out the ropes course we are doing is hidden a little ways back in the forest, and the camp staff are indeed there eagerly awaiting our arrival. And best of all...no lines! Sweet! We throw on our safety gear (harnesses, helmets, lobster claws) and it takes me back to my days of working the high ropes course at TPOC - I love this stuff! David starts first with the 30' tubular cargo net climb, then me, then Jeff. I'm halfway up the net when I hear hollering from the camp staff - apparently David is taking a highly unconventional approach to the first element. It's hard to explain. I really wish I had pictures of this. You'll have to check back later, hopefully DINO posts them!!
David absolutely FLIES through each element, I think there are at least 10. He's through the final zipline before I'm even halfway done, and below us I see Silent Chasers and Rev3/MK have arrived. The race is ON! I get stuck on the swings element - I lose momentum in the middle and can't reach the next swing. Jeff has to swing over to me and give me a kick so I can grab it. Thanks, teammate! I finally make it through the course and we high-tail it out of there as it starts to rain, with 2nd and 3rd place breathing down our necks.
Entire BIKE 2 loop. We went clockwise.
We hit the road on a mission to keep the lead at MISSION. The sun is starting to set, and it has just started raining. We're doing our best to stay in a paceline even with water flying everywhere. We choose a clockwise route that is mostly paved to start, and then will finish with a gravel jeep road back into TA. The first two CPs are on bridges and we have a little trouble spotting the marker. Each one only takes a minute or so to locate but at this point in the race, every second counts. The rain lets up before the second bridge and a beautiful rainbow emerges - what a great omen! As we're on the way to CP27 (gate), David starts looking at the map more closely and proposes a paved around-route back to TA instead of our initially-planned gravel road. We discuss this, doing some quick mental calculations (stay in school kids!!) and decide to take the pavement after punching CP27. We pass Silent Chasers (with much whooping and hollering) who are going the opposite way as us and guess that we have about a 15-minute lead. We're firing on all cylinders as we race back to TA for more instructions. Once we arrive there, we find out we are still in the lead and there's only one more segment left - a 4-point trek. Bring it on! We transition super fast and race out of TA before spotting anyone else. This is starting to look good!
TREK 3, the final one! We DID NOT revisit CP25 here...went 34, 33, 32, 31.
In transition before the final trek!
As the sun is disappearing over the horizon, we're jogging out of Camp Pyoca for the last time. We take the roads down to Jackson-Washington State Forest and attack what David thinks is the hardest CP of the entire race - CP34. It's located on a large spur that is flanked by other, similarly-oriented large spurs. Choose the wrong one, and it will mean a lot of additional climb and time to fix. We carefully make our way through the woods to the creek at the base of the spur line. David consults the map, and we start climbing. And climbing, and climbing, and...there is the CP. Boom. Right where it is supposed to be. Buoyed by David's success, we strike off in pursuit of CP33, located on one of the only named peaks on the map..."Pinnacle". When we were plotting this back in TA, we all let out a huge "whoa" when we saw this CP. It's a hill that means business.
Fortunately, we discover an unmapped jeep trail following the ridgeline we need. It helps us make great time and keeps the nav simple now that the sun has set and we've switched on our headlamps. As we're jogging along the jeep trail, we see a set of headlamps up ahead. Could this be the Chasers or Rev3/MK?? We nervously approach them and it turns out to be Madcap Racing, a coed team who had massive bike mechanicals earlier today so they're on the trek for fun. So awesome! We chat with them for a little bit and learn that Ashley sang the National Anthem at LBL...this girl's got pipes! After exchanging nav tips and "good luck"s, we jog up the trail and straight into CP33. Despite our elevation, there's not much to see from Pinnacle since everything's dark. We set off in search of CP32 which turns out to be very tricky. We exceed our pace count but David's good nav sense keeps us going for a few extra meters, and suddenly, we are staring at the CP. Only one more CP left, it's really close to camp, we haven't seen any other teams, and we have plenty of time before the midnight final cutoff. Things are looking good.
The trekking to CP31 is tough. The area is full of undergrowth, thorns, and deadfall, and we are making extremely slow progress. It's hard to judge our progress on the map since the features in this area are all very small and similar. Eventually, we lose track of our spot on the map and hold a quick team conference to come up with a relocation plan.. Throughout this entire trek, we've been listening to the stock car races from nearby Brownstown Speedway (shown on the map as "County Fairgrounds"). As we study the map, we notice that the track is almost directly in line with CP31, so we decide to follow the sounds of the racecars through the woods until we hit either the lake or the road. We are all in agreement and not 500m after we start moving again, streetlights come into view and we are able to relocate ourselves definitively on the camp road (orange highlight in the picture). From there, it's a quick jog over to CP31's spur, but once we're there, we can't spot the CP. Madcap Racing (the team we met in the woods earlier) told us they got CP31, so we know it's here somewhere, but it's extremely nervewracking to search for it. Jeff suddenly starts sprinting away from me and David, hollering that he found it, but then stops when he thinks he just saw a weird leaf reflection (these things happen in the woods with bright headlamps). But just to be thorough, he scans the area a bit more and PING!!! CP31!!!!!! We are all very relieved and happy, it's just a short run back to the road and then into the finish line.
As we approach the scoring table, we spot Rev3/MK already inside, relaxing on folding chairs. Our stomachs flip over. Rev3/MK must have had a superb trek to overcome our time advantage, so we head inside to congratulate them. As we enter the doorway, we hear cheers and shouts instead. "Here come the winners!" says Brian the Race Director. What? We won? We find out Rev3/MK returned to TA without all of the final trekking CPs, so if our passport passes inspection, we've won. We wait a few tense minutes and are then, after 17 hours and 10 minutes of racing, are confirmed the winners of the 2013 MISSION 18hr Adventure Race. Huzzah!
We are really, really happy to come away with the win here at MISSION. We wait for Silent Chasers to come in and hear their struggle with the nighttime navigation. Phil and Kevin helped us SO MUCH on the course, it's heartbreaking to hear that the good karma they shared didn't come back to them at night. Rev3/MK also pushed the pace all day and it's fun to share stories with them. Best of all, Camp Pyoca has SHOWERS in the same building as the scoring table. And they are HOT. After cleaning up, all we have to do is go upstairs and the buffet line is full of my absolute favorite post-race food...BAKED POTATOES!!!!! I am in total heaven. We are able to catch up with our new friends from Dandies Vegan Marshmallows who won their division and were 5th overall. Awesome job guys!! I guess that me waking them up early didn't hurt one bit.
Sounds like a great race! The mental picture of you guys on scooters made me laugh. Alpine Shop definitely knows the meaning of team.
Congrats on a great race and overall win! No matter how fun they are, scooters probably aren't allowed at the job site :-).
yes yes we did. only mine made it through the race though. now it's in an envelope on its way to Scott!
Love reliving the race through your report. But mainly, I like this post because you mention ME!!!!
I love hearing what's happening from a participant's perspective! Great job!
Thanks, Brian! CP6 and the change in ropes definitely stressed us out, but thankfully we were able to have a good final trek!
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