text:
Race preview
VeloNews Events Tour de France
The Yates brothers: British twins in the Tour peloton
If the young British twins Adam and Simon Yates were not already in the spotlight, they will be after beginning the Tour together for the first time
Adam Yates won the Tour of Turkey, an eight-day stage race, in 2014. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com
UTRECHT, Netherlands (VN) — Chris Froome is racing for the win in the Tour de France, which began today in Utrecht, but another British storm is quietly brewing in colors different than Sky's black and blue.
If the young twins Adam and Simon Yates were not already in the spotlight, they will be after beginning the Tour together for the first time.
The duo blasted through the Under 23 ranks with wins in the Tour de L'Avenir and the Tour of Britain, and surprised many when they signed for the Australian team Orica-GreenEdge, for 2014. Last year, they kept going strongly at the WorldTour level: Adam won the Tour of Turkey and placed sixth at the Critérium du Dauphiné, and Simon 12th in the País Vasco and debuted at the Tour. Now, for the first time, they are both in the Tour peloton, and wearing the same colors.
Sky general manager David Brailsford told VeloNews last year that ultimately he'd like to have the British twins on his British squad. "It doesn't take a genius to figure it out," he said. "At a certain point in time, we'd like to think they'd ride for Sky."
The Yates, instead, have extended their contracts with Orica through 2016. Along with Colombian Esteban Chaves, they are the team's grand-tour hopes.
During the first half of 2015, the twins have continued to prove that they are likely the next big thing out of Great Britain, ready to take the spotlight from Froome and classics star Geraint Thomas. Adam rode to ninth overall at Tirreno-Adriatico behind Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and last month, Simon placed fifth behind Froome in the Dauphiné.
"In the Tour, we are not going for the overall. The idea is to win a stage," Simon said at a press conference Friday. "I don't think I'm ready, I've not even finished a grand tour yet. A few more years down the line, we can talk about that, right now, mentally and physically, I'm not ready."
Simon spoke to the press with the coolness that comes with having already raced the Tour. Adam, who raced and completed the Vuelta a España in 2014, appeared nervous when talking to a small group of journalists off to the side.
"I need that experience, especially in the first few days of the race, but it's more off-the-bike stuff that makes the difference," added Simon. "Even now doing the press conference or the team presentation… Last year, I was shaking and didn't know what to say, but now it feels normal."
What is striking and what their directors and coaches say, is that they are both determined and confident. They speak clearly about what they want and not with the air of young, second-year professionals.
"I think Froome, and all the big GC favorites, are a lot stronger than both myself and Simon," Adam said. "We are 22-year-olds. Hopefully, in a few years we can be at that level, and fight for victory."
"Throughout this year, I've had the legs to stay with these guys on some of the hilly days and harder days," added Simon. "I feel a bit more confident being at the front with those guys and not overawed, but at the grand tour level, it's still a different kettle of fish."
Orica manager Matt White said he believes the young British twins could one day have overall victory hopes, but at just 22 years of age, they are not yet ready for that responsibility.
"The biggest thing for us is to leave an impact on the race, that would be our number one goal," White said. "One stage win would be pleasing, multiple stage wins even more so. As far as GC it's not a goal, and never has been a goal. It would be pretty unprofessional of us to put pressure on the Yates boys, who we see as GC talents, in their first Tour de France that they're hoping to finish. They've shown throughout the year, and since joining the team, that they're very capable of achieving some great results against the best guys in the world, but that's for stage victories, not GC."
Though they are not the first twins to compete in the Tour de France — most recently, Peter and Martin Velits rode together in 2012 — they could be the most powerful pair coming through. They both have a strong finishing sprint, they both climb well, and they both are working to improve their time trialling. To their advantage in the Tour, they have each other – and Simon's music.
"We can draw on rooming together? Yes, it feels more like home," Simon said. "We share a flat in Girona, so it's almost the same. Every day, I wake up and go for breakfast and I see his face. It feels a bit more at home, as much as home as you can have at the Tour."
"He always plays his music really loud which pisses me off. House music… full gas," Adam added. "I like the music, but not at 11 or 12 at night!"
"I just don't like the silence," continued Simon. "This small issue keeps coming up. He's getting a bit annoyed with me."
For those trying to tell them apart, Adam sports a scruffy beard, wears black socks and green sunglasses, and will wear number 108. Simon wears white rim sunglasses with 109 on his back and bike.
The rest, including what their future holds in the world's biggest bike race, is a story that remains to be told.
The 5 best Tour de France stage cities
Ineos Grenadiers has to try and win the Tour de France, says Steve Cummings
Tour de France: Yates, Groenewegen, Matthews a possible three-pronged approach for BikeExchange
Jumbo-Visma keeps everyone guessing with Tour de France and Giro d'Italia leadership question
Simon Yates
Team Jayco-AlUla
VN news ticker: Deignan targets May comeback after childbirth; Froome, Thomas, Yates to Down Under
Vuelta a España: Top 10 riders to watch
A record six former winners to square off at Vuelta a España


Funded by Comic Relief the Inclusion Officer will work within The EDGE Project to identify and address the support needs of women who have experienced domestic abuse. You will work on a one-to-one and group basis providing emotional support and assistance in accessing services within the local community. You will work specifically with women who are Older, Disabled or members of the Roma and Gypsy Traveller Community.


text:
You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and Records > Hansard > Commons Debates > Daily Hansard - Written Answers
Previous Section Index Home Page
5 Dec 2007 : Column 1211W—continued
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been (a) questioned and (b) charged in connection with the recent attempted murders of Police Service of Northern Ireland officers in Londonderry and Dungannon. [168485]
5 Dec 2007 : Column 1212W
Paul Goggins: The PSNI has confirmed that two people were formally questioned in connection with the attempted murder of the PSNI officer in Dungannon but later released without charge. Three people have been formally questioned in connection with the attempted murder of the PSNI officer in Londonderry. PSNI investigations are continuing into both incidents.
Police Service of Northern Ireland: Graduates
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Police Service of Northern Ireland regular officers are university graduates, broken down by (a) rank, (b) age, (c) sex and (d) community background. [170487]
Paul Goggins: I am advised that since the PSNI was established in 2001 and recruiting was outsourced, educational qualifications have not been routinely requested or supplied. This is consistent with national recruitment policy. It is, therefore, not possible to accurately state how many officers are in possession of a primary degree or equivalent as this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Police Service of Northern Ireland: Part-time Employment
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many regular officers in the Police Service of Northern Ireland worked on a part-time basis in the last period for which figures are available, broken down by (a) age, (b) sex and (c) community background. [170493]
Paul Goggins: I am advised by PSNI that, as of 30 November 2007, the breakdown of regular officers working on a part-time basis is as follows:
Number of officers working part-time basis
Female Male Total
Age b and
Overall t otal
Community background
Overall Total
Police Service of Northern Ireland: Secondment
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Police Service of Northern Ireland officers were seconded to police forces in Great Britain in each year since 2005, broken down by (a) rank and (b) sex. [170491]
Paul Goggins: I am advised by PSNI that there have been no PSNI officers seconded to police forces in Great Britain since 2005. A number of officers have been seconded to a variety of policing agencies including Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) and National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA). A breakdown by rank and gender is outlined in the following table.
Rank Female Male Total
Chief/Inspector
Chief/ Superintendent
Police Service of Northern Ireland: Sick Leave
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Police Service of Northern Ireland (a) regular and (b) full-time reserve officers were on paid sick leave caused by stress in each financial year from 2002-03. [168536]
Paul Goggins: The number of (a) regular and (b) full-time reserve officers who were absent on grounds of stress (work related and non work related) during the years for which figures are requested is detailed in the following table.
Regular officers Full-time reserve officers
The figures include all officers who took paid and unpaid sick leave at any time in each year. The number of officers absent and unpaid varies over the course of a year.
Police Service of Northern Ireland: Training
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will break down the numbers of Police Service of Northern Ireland trainees by (a) age, (b) sex and (c) community background. [170486]
Paul Goggins: I am advised by PSNI that, as of 28 November 2007, the breakdown of the 206 police trainees is as follows:
Age bands Number
Prisoners Transfers
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Northern Ireland prisoners were transferred to prisons in England and Wales in each of the last 12 months. [170458]
Paul Goggins: There have been no Northern Ireland prisoners transferred to prisons in England and Wales in the last 12 months.
Prisons: Mobile Phones
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many mobile telephones were seized in prisons in Northern Ireland in each of the last 12 months. [170456]
Paul Goggins: The following table sets out the number of mobile phones found in Northern Ireland prisons in each of the last 12 months.
Maghaberry Magilligan Hydebank
Next Section Index Home Page

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


It sounds obvious but this is how it should be: the SCHEUERLE FlatCombi is easy to operate, time-saving and safe to use.
The high axle compensation of the SCHEUERLE FlatCombi guarantees full ground contact also in difficult situations, prevents damage to the vehicle and ensures the maximum level of safety.
The SCHEUERLE FlatCombi has a modular design, is very flexible, and suitable for transporting long materials, construction machinery, wind energy plant and bridges.
The SCHEUERLE EuroCombi can easily be coupled with the proven SCHEUERLE InterCombi, EuroCombi and UltralightCombi models, i.e. the Combi series.
The SCHEUERLE FlatCombi makes load securing easy - with many, easily accessible and load-bearing lashing points.A wide range of slab, excavator and frame decks makes the SCHEUERLE FlatCombi very versatile.
A wide range of slab, excavator and frame decks makes the SCHEUERLE FlatCombi very versatile.
Due to its extremely low height, the SCHEUERLE FlatCombi is particularly suitable for transporting high loads.


very usefull for beginer. Great!
I'm starting to learn piano and this is so useful for people like me, a beginner.. Thank you Admin BA!
i want to know more about piano , and you guys helped me a lot :D thank you !
this is really useful for me .. i can definitely learn more !
this is great. it helps me a lot.
can you tell me what the x in front of the note means please?
tnx for the piano chords..
Really great putting this up on the net.


What 1 Word Will Instantly Stop the Law of Attraction from Working for You?
Are you doing everything you can to make the Law of Attraction work for you? Have you gone through the steps of the Law of Attraction but you still aren't attracting the money, success, relationships, happiness and everything else you desire?
You aren't alone! I've said it a million times and I'll say it a million more. The Law of Attraction is always working…the only question is if it is working for you or against you. If you are reading this article, my guess is that the Law of Attraction is working against you.
If you're anything like some of my coaching clients, you are further along than most people with The Law of Attraction as far as reading about it and believing in it and making sure you go through the steps of the Law of Attraction.
You are probably clear on what you want and spend time visualizing it and maybe you have a dream board and even take inspired action. Am I right? Does this sound like you?
Luckily, I have the answer and that answer comes in the form of 1 word. This 1 word lies in your unconscious and waits there to judge every move you make toward your desires. This 1 word is all powerful if you don't flip on the lights and deal with it head on but the good news is, it loses all power once you do face it.
What is the 1 word?
Yup, the word is impossible. If you unconsciously judge everything that you desire and visualize as impossible, it will be just that. And the thing about impossible is that it is just a word.
There is 1 essential step in the practice of the Law of Attraction that you may be missing. You must remove any resistance to what you desire.
1. Write down everything you want.
2. Ask yourself if you believe that there is anyone (not you) that could have what you desire.
I guarantee you'll say 'yes'.
3. Write down 'Why' this person can have what you desire.
What is it about them? What resources do they have? What are their beliefs? What is their personality like? Etc.
Now it's time to be honest with yourself (or this won't help you).
4. Ask yourself if you believe what you desire is possible for you?
You have already described the person you would need to be to attract what you desire.
5. Answer this: To attract what you desire, what do you need to believe? What do you need to be like? What resources do you need to cultivate? How can you start to cultivate them? Even if it seems that you are so far from being that person, take 1 step toward it now.
That was an interesting series of questions. Worth asking. Thank you!
Thanks for the great advice... good questions to ask!


text:
www.gannett-cdn.com
Jim Parsons Net Worth $70 million
Jim Parsons | Movies/TV shows :The Big Bang Theory , Hidden Figures, The Normal Heart , Young Sheldon, Wish I Was Here, Garden State, The Muppets | Awards : Individual Achievement in Comedy, Best Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Favorite Actor, Choice TV Actor: Comedy, Best Ensemble – Motion Picture | Residence : Los Angeles, California, U.S | Charities: Entertainment Industry Foundation, GLSEN, Motion Picture and Television Fund Foundation, Stand Up To Cancer | Causes supported : Cancer, Children, Civil Rights, Creative Arts, Education, Health, Hunger, LGBT Support, Poverty |
Actor Comedian Jim Parsons Net Worth TV Personality
Pinned onto Actors & Actresses
Also from www.gannett-cdn.com
Source: www.gannett-cdn.com via Errol Bergonia on Tom Ash Net Worth
Lisa Gastineau Net Worth $30 million
Heather Dubrow Net Worth $30 million
Kathie Lee Gifford Net Worth $30 million
Kourtney Kardashian Net Worth $35 million
Jill Zarin Net Worth $35 million
Delia Smith Net Worth $36 million
David Faber Net Worth $40 million
Steve Irwin Net Worth $40 million
Ina Garten Net Worth $44 million
Anne Robinson Net Worth $45 million
Tasha Marbury Net Worth $45 million
Bob Costas Net Worth $45 million


text:
Home » My Practice » Proudest Provider Moments
Honoring a fallen solider and son
Edith Baickle, MSN, ARNP
I had the privilege of caring for an elderly patient, who was a World War II combat veteran and Marine at the hospice unit of a Veteran Affairs hospital in upstate New York.
Jack was very open about his illness and as we got to know him and his family, we learned that his son, also a Marine and a combat veteran, but of the Vietnam War, had died a few years earlier at a different VA. For some reason or another, Jack did not receive his son's American flag (all veterans' families are presented with a flag at time of death).
As it so happened, an elite Marine Corps unit was visiting our VA around Veteran's Day. Our hospice social worker and I were able to work it out so that the Marine Corps unit would present Jack with a flag in honor of his son at the end of the program. We involved his family, who were all very excited to help us. It was decided that the presentation would be a surprise for the patient.
As fate would have it, Jack's condition started to quickly decline. We wondered if he would still be with us by the time of the event, let alone be able to participate in it.
On the day of the program, Jack was too weak to attend to ceremony in our auditorium. With some quick thinking and fast feet, I explained the situation to the captain of the visiting unit. Without hesitation, he agreed to have his unit present the flag to the patient on the hospice unit.
With his family present at his side, six Marines in full dress blues, and an entire corps of retired Marines marched to Jack's room, and in proper Marine decorum, presented the patient with an American flag in his son's honor. There was not a dry eye in the house.
Although Jack left us a few days later, his family was grateful for what we had done for their father. That was my proudest moment as an NP.
Geriatric Illnesses Palliative Care Physician Assistants Proudest Provider Moments
Next post in Proudest Provider Moments
Diagnosing left eye retinoblastoma in an uninsured child
Close more info about Honoring a fallen solider and son


text:
Entertainment Reporter
John Wenzel
@johnwenzel
jwenzel@denverpost.com
Reporter and critic-at-large John Wenzel has covered comedy, music, film, books, video games and other popular culture for The Denver Post for more than a decade. He moved to Denver from Dayton, Ohio, shortly after college and has found himself unable to leave.
Tweets by John Wenzel
Netflix's star-studded new hit, "Don't Look Up," was directed and created by Denverites
Netflix's new sci-fi comedy, "Don't Look Up," was its most-watched release over Christmas weekend and an instant global hit, the streaming service said Monday. We talked to co-creators Adam McKay...
Review: "Spider-Man: No Way Home" strains under plot, finds joy in the past
In "Spider-Man: No Way Home," Colorado-born director Jon Watts helms his third web-slinging effort for the MCU and finds pathos and humor in Tom Holland's depiction of the superhero. But...
Olivia Rodrigo, Foo Fighters, Keith Urban, Tool and more big shows coming to Denver
This week's crop of new Denver concerts and shows includes Olivia Rodrigo, Foo Fighters, Keith Urban, Jack Johnson, Tool and more at the state's biggest venues, including Red Rocks Amphitheatre,...
Holiday TV shows and movies set in Colorado: From "Dumb and Dumber" to "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"
Screenwriters have, for decades, set their westerns, horror films and apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy in the malleable mountains and plains of Colorado. But the holiday special or movie is so far down...
Kacey Musgraves unveils "Star-Crossed" tour, joins crowded 2022 calendar at Ball Arena
August 30, 2021 at 12:39 p.m.
Grammy-winning country star Kacey Musgraves will headline Denver's Ball Arena on Feb. 16, 2022, as part of a 15-date North American tour.
Sudden cancellations and mask requirements rock Colorado music, comedy scenes
August 12, 2021 at 9:18 a.m.
Rising COVID-19 cases and canceled tours are suddenly remaking Colorado's 2021 concert calendar, sending artists and promoters scrambling just as the industry was starting to recover from last year's staggering...
Meow Wolf Denver preview: Navigating the Ossuary, a winding network of "catacombs" at Convergence Station
August 6, 2021 at 6:00 a.m.
Meow Wolf Denver preview: Navigating Ossuary, a winding network of trippy "catacombs." Check out exclusive photos from the forthcoming exhibition opening Sept. 17, 2021.
Meow Wolf Denver announces name, opening date for its $60 million installation
Meow Wolf Denver's four-story installation west of downtown is poised to become a major tourist attraction as it reveals its name, Convergence Station, and opening date of Sept. 17
Bobby Kennedy III's new Hunter S. Thompson movie, "Fear and Loathing in Aspen," almost didn't see the light of day
July 30, 2021 at 6:00 a.m.
The new film "Fear and Loathing in Aspen," written and directed by Bobby Kennedy III, follows late writer Hunter S. Thompson's drive to become sheriff of Pitkin County. Filmed in...
Dierks Bentley, King Crimson, Lindsey Buckingham and more Colorado concerts on sale
June 10, 2021 at 6:42 a.m.
Seven Peaks Festival revealed its 2021 lineup, King Crimson is headlining Fiddler's Green, Lindsey Buckingham returns to the Boulder Theater, and Red Rocks is positively bursting with new shows. Here's...


text:
Bipolar DisorderConditionsDepressionYour Body
THE DRUGS DON'T WORK: So why are more and more being prescribed for bi
There's been a worrying shift in the treatment of elderly patients with bipolar disorders, or manic-depression. The old standby drug lithium has been slowly replaced over the years by valproic acid.
There are two big problems about this shift. In the first place, there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that valproic acid can successfully treat bipolar disorders, as was confirmed by a recent, and exhaustive, Cochrane study. Secondly, valproic acid is better known as Epilim, designed to treat epilepsy.
Canadian researchers studied the medical records of patients registered with the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, and noted that the number of new lithium users per year fell from 653 adults in 1993 to just 281 in 2001, whereas the number of valproic acid users rose from 183 in 1993 to 1090 in 2001.
So, if there is no evidence that valproic acid can help in bipolar disorder, why is it being increasingly prescribed?
It's a good question, but the researchers had no answers. Is the drug perhaps being oversold by zealous salesmen? It was certainly the case with a drug called Neurontin, manufactured by Warner-Lambert. The problem was highlighted recently on the NBC Dateline programme, which featured David Franklin, a former 'medical liaison' executive (aka salesman) for the company.
He revealed that his job was to 'talk up' Neurontin, so that doctors would prescribe it for diseases for which it was never intended, otherwise known as 'off-label', and at far higher doses than was safe.
Has the same happened with Epilim? We don't know, but perhaps someone out there could tell us.
(Source: British Medical Journal, 2003; 326: 960-1).
Tagged asantiepileptic drugsbipolar disorderselderlyEpilimlithiummanic depressionmarketing practicesNeurontinoff-label prescribingoverdosingvalproic acidWhat Doctors Don't Tell You
I understand what you are telling us about Dental Wellness, but what tools do I need to begin my program?
Experimental Evidence of Life Extension
St. John's Wort: One Powerful Herb
UPDATES:OVARIAN CANCER: TESTS INACCURATE
Questions to Ask your Doctor after a Cancer Diagnosis
Atherosclerosis: scurvy in disguise:How safe is high-dose vitamin C?


text:
Q: Would Apple approve an app that uses unmodified sample code from the iPhone developer center? I'm writing a class that extends a UIScrollView to display a large tiled image, and I've realized that the TiledScrollView from Apple's ScrollViewSuite sample code does the same thing very well. Can I use their code, or do I have to write my own, even if it ends up heavily inspired by Apple's code?
If it makes a difference, I don't have any plans (at the moment) to monetize the app.

A: Typically I would take the "I am not a lawyer" route, but Apple really is quite clear in their license. You can pretty well do whatever you want with it. You can certainly use it in your products in any of the ways you likely have in mind, and Apple encourages you to do so. The only restrictions they really have in there are standard BSD-style things: don't sue us, don't say you're part of Apple, and "if you redistribute the Apple Software in its entirety and
 without modifications, you must retain this notice..." (so don't strip off their notice and put the source code on your web site and pretend you wrote it).
Apple's example code license is in the same realm with BSD and MIT. Very laid back; easy to comply with.

A: I don't think they care. A lot of developers (myself included) include the Reachability sample in their code and it hasn't caused any rejections that I'm aware of.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Asura Hiranyakshipu Through many years of penance he had been granted a boon that he could not be killed of anything born from a living womb, neither be killed by a man nor an animal, neither during the day nor at night, neither indoors nor outdoors, neither on land, nor in the air nor in water and of no man made weapon. Despite several warnings from his father Hiranyakashipu, Prahlāda continued to worship Vishnu instead. His father then decided to commit filicide and poison Prahlāda, but he survived. He then trampled the boy with elephant, but the boy still lived. Then he put Prahlāda in a cave with venomous snakes, and they made a bed for him with their bodies Holika, the sister of Hiranyakashipu, was blessed in that she could not be hurt by fire. Hiranyakashipu put Prahlāda on the lap of Holika as she sits on a pyre. Prahlāda prayed to Vishnu to keep him safe. Holika then burned to death as Prahlāda is left unscathed. This event is celebrated as the Hindu festival of Holi.
According to Chinese mythology there was a horrible beast called Nian which lived on the mountains.
Towards the end of Winter when there was nothing to eat, Nian would come on the first day of New Year to the villages to eat livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children.
The villagers would live in terror over the Winter, but over time they learned that the ferocious Nian was afraid of three things: fire, and noise and the colour red. So when the New Year was about to come, the villagers would hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on windows and doors. They also used firecrackers to frighten away the Nian. From then on, Nian never came to the village again.


text:
Backcountry Skiing: Teton Pass, Wyoming Descents Guidebook
by rob | Nov 21, 2016
Teton Pass Descents
by Jamie Weeks
Teton Splitboarder
Teton Splitboarder Facebook Page
Avalanche Center: Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
Teton Pass offers some of the best roadside-access skiing and snowboarding in North America.This guidebook includes descriptions, approaches, exits, and hazards for about 100 ski descents in the Teton Pass area written by Jamie Weeks, an AMGA-certified guide and American Avalanche Institute instructor with years of experience guiding in the Tetons and Alaska. The descents described in this book range from the fun, easy bowls of the Edelweiss area to the challenging extreme terrain on Mount Glory and Taylor Mountain. This guidebook will assist your decision making before your trip and continue to provide guidance while you are in the mountains.
Check with your local avalanche center, then use rakkup's unique filtering to remove descents based on slope, aspect, and elevation.
Descriptions, approach, exit and hazards for each of the 100+ runs written by AMGA Ski Guide Jamie Weeks using his years of intimate knowledge of the Teton Pass Area.
Interactive photos in the descent description give you tappable information about your ski run.
Our interactive map shows your current location, your selected descent and the surrounding descent options.
Tap on a descent name and see where it is located on the map. Tap a descent on the map to see detailed information or open a full-page description.
Over 100 ski descents in the Teton Pass area in the palm of your hand.
Nate Greenberg on Rakkup's Backcountry Skiing Product Philosophy
by Nate Greenberg | Jan 20, 2017 | World's Best Backcountry Skiing Areas
I moved to Mammoth Lakes, CA in 2000 right after finishing a degree in Nature & Culture with a GIS emphasis from UC Davis. As a kid growing up in Southern California, I spent a lot of time in Mammoth and the Eastern Sierra skiing and wandering around in the hills. Through my college years, we climbed our hearts out on Sierra alpine granite and sport routes in Owens Gorge. The goal: to run a GIS & technology consulting business out of some cheap housing and ski and climb my ass off. Sixteen years later, I am happy to say that I have been successful at achieving that goal, but the list of things that I want to accomplish has only gotten longer.
Nate Greenberg and Lorenzo Worster look at the snowpack.
As a new skier to the range, I was looking for mentorship and dismayed at the general lack of quality information that existed for this amazing mountain range. That is not to say that there were not resources, but in general, high quality avalanche forecasting and details on the lifetime of skiing opportunities throughout the Eastern Sierra was limited.
After several years of skiing and immersing myself in the community, I, along with a close friend, built a rudimentary online platform that was focused on sharing conditions information and trip reports to our growing community of backcountry skiers and riders. The appetite for what we were doing was surprisingly large, and we got a lot of encouragement to grow it. This ultimately led to the establishment of the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center in 2006 which I helped form with a handful of committed local guides, snow professionals, and business folk. Now in its 11th year of operation, ESAC is growing and committed as ever to providing high quality information to help backcountry skiers and riders make good decisions in the Eastern Sierra.
In 2008, I set out to create a comprehensive and modern guidebook for California's Eastern Sierra Nevada. After several years of skiing in the range, I was awestruck by the quality of skiing, and overall ease of getting into 'real' mountains – quickly. I, together with Dan Mingori, gathered combined years of first-hand experience to write Backcountry Skiing California's Eastern Sierra. In 2013, after five years of successful sales, we released the 2nd Edition with two goals:
Increase the terrain covered in the book
Implement a classification and iconography system to help users quickly look at terrain and make Go/No-Go decisions
My interest in writing a ski guide was more than just publishing popular descents and promoting this region. Rather, I was, and still am keenly interested in helping people make better decisions and terrain choices in the backcountry. I hoped that by providing the community with a variety of descents, classified by relevant characteristics, it would afford people options that they may have previously overlooked. While the 2nd Edition made inroads in this area, I had always wanted to do something more.
Nate Greenberg skiing the Incredible Hulk Coulor. Photo: Christian Pondella.
With my background in Geographic Information Systems, today I serve as Director of Information Technology for Mono County & Town of Mammoth Lakes, CA. Through my daily work, I spend a lot of time thinking about the intersection of information and technology, particularly as it relates to open data and geography, and how we consume information and use it to make (hopefully) good decisions and improve the world around us. I have also always had a keen interest in the intersection between sports and technology, and especially considered how important technology and information were in pursuits such as backcountry skiing where timely decisions are critical and immediately relate to safety and quality.
The thing that has long baffled me, however, was how generally lacking the winter sports industry was with respect to technology. Surely there had to be a lot of other geeks out there like me who loved to ski – so where were all the apps? Today, even when there are more mobile devices in the world than personal computers, the avalanche industry is still struggling to figure out what it needs, where it should be headed, and how best to deliver that to users While there is an ever-growing landscape of digital tools pointed at improving information dissemination and decision making, for the most part we struggle to figure out the best (and unified) path forward. This is not to say that there aren't promising approaches out there – MountainHub for real-time data sharing and trip planning, AvyLab for data collection, and a litany of industry-driven mobile-friendly utilities to help us access avalanche center data.
About a year ago I was introduced to the small, Seattle-based app start-up, Rakkup. With a passion for climbing, the two partners at Rakkup set out a few years ago to transform the guidebook industry, and send it kicking and screaming into the digital world. Over the past 12 months, we have set out to rebuild their digital guidebook platform to accommodate winter backcountry content. The result of that effort launched on December 1st, 2016 with Rakkup v20 for iOS and two guidebook titles – Backcountry Skiing California's Eastern Sierra, and Teton Pass Descents. As of this writing, we are getting ready to release a third title: Backcountry Skiing: Crested Butte, Colorado by Andy Sovick.
The catalyst for this project and moment defining my path forward came to me while visiting my wife in Boulder, CO last year. Being a Sierra skier, I am naturally terrified of skiing in the Rockies, while simultaneously being drawn to the impressive steep terrain of places like Rocky Mountain National Park. As a trained and responsible backcountry skier, the natural thing to do was to pick up Mark Kelly's guidebook and thumb through it, highlighting the obvious descents and making a short list for the weekend. The real challenge, however, came when I tried to apply the information coming out of the CAIC to the actual terrain that I wanted to go ski, and seeing if those nasty persistent weak layers lined up with my list.
Nate Greenberg navigating tricky terrain in the Notch Couloir on Split Mountain. Photo: Jim Barnes.
It turns out this is a challenging pursuit, even with all the resources and technology we have access to. Despite pins dropped on interactive maps showing recent observations, and some of the best avalanche forecasting in the US, relating information coming from avalanche professionals to the real-world terrain that we want to ski is a real chore. Especially as an outsider. Sure, the forecast says "avoid north facing terrain above 10,000," but who in today's world ventures out randomly to seek out non-north facing terrain below 10k? We want a list of objectives (with directions and definitions) of where we can, and should go. Furthermore, I wanted to know more about the descent that was being referred to in observations posted by Center staff or the general public. How steep were the Dream Shots? Was it a beginner or advanced ski? What kind of exposure was there? Oh, and how similar or different was it to the five other things I was looking at in the book?
All of these things drove my objectives and design philosophy for the initial product launch of Rakkup v20:
Establish a platform – that clearly displays content and provides users with interactivity – on which multiple guidebook titles could be authored
Leverage a business model that encourages and monetizes authoritative content development with easy to use authoring tools
Provide a set of search, sort, and filtering tools to help users quickly 'Red Light' terrain based on avalanche forecasts, and target terrain based on where the best skiing could be found
Work offline, on USGS topo maps and aerial imagery with approach/descent lines overlaid alongside your current GPS location
Display multiple photos with route lines, written descriptions, and other information that helps users find their way
Begin a conversation around developing standards for how we classify and categorize backcountry terrain features relative to difficulty and hazard
We hope, and honestly believe, this app will change the way terrain selection is taught, while simultaneously empowering users with the ability to quickly and easily apply everyday conditions to make solid terrain choices. We would also love to hear your feedback on how to make the product better and what kinds of things you would like to see added in the future. Feel free to contact me with any questions or thoughts at any time.
– Nate
Nate Greenberg
Snow Guidebook Product Owner
nate@rakkup.com
Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding — a new adventure for rakkup
by rob | Nov 30, 2016 | Snow Sports
Over here at rakkup "World Headquarters", our homes in Seattle, we are climbers and we love climbing. But like many climbers, we live near the mountains and love playing in them in a variety of ways, and we have winters to get through. And in the Pacific Northwest, we have plenty of precipitation which turns into an amazing amount of snow at elevation.
Early Days – transitioning on a Voilé split, 2005
So, it's only natural that Rob and Todd love to get out on the snow. While we both have skiing in our history, we've become pretty hooked on snowboarding. We can even claim to be pretty early splitboarders; here you can see a picture of Rob starting a transition in the Herman Saddle zone near Mount Baker in the winter of 2004-2005. What we can't claim to be is snow experts. In December of 2005, we managed to demonstrate our lack of expertise by spending an unplanned overnight near Stevens Pass. (That epic led to our first purchase of a GPS, which eventually became the very unit we used to make the first rakkup rock climbing guidebook!)
We have had friends tell us for years that our app would be a great fit for backcountry snow. In the last year, two pieces came together to make that idea irresistible to us. The first is that our awesome partner, Wolverine Publishing, told us about the success and the quality of their guidebook Backcountry Skiing California's Eastern Sierra. The book's author, Nate Greenberg, was interested in the potential of his content combined with an app, too.
Meanwhile, Rob had taken a couple of snowboarding trips to different zones in Alaska, with Jamie Weeks as his guide. As Rob and Jamie became friends, Jamie wondered aloud about what a great guidebook app would look like for the ski terrain near his home in Jackson Hole, and expressed some enthusiasm for the project.
Jamie Weeks doing the guide thing in AK
Nate is the director of the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center, and Jamie is an AMGA certified snow guide and avalanche educator, well known for his work as Teton Splitboarder. What Rob and Todd lacked in experience and technical expertise, they now had in their partners. All four shared a passion for the project.
Together we bring you the newest update to rakkup, and our first two guidebooks for backcountry skiers and snowboarders: Teton Pass Descents and Backcountry Skiing California's Eastern Sierra, a digital enhancement to the existing print title from Wolverine Publishing.
Lots of work went into developing guidebooks that are clear and easy to read, with symbology and maps that let you browse and choose quickly. We added topo maps with contour lines, a necessity in ski terrain. We are especially proud of our filtering feature that lets you apply criteria from your local avalanche center to eliminate runs in higher-risk terrain based on slope angle, aspect, and elevation and choose from the runs that remain.
Best of all: Search for terrain, or Filter based on critical information factors (like those presented in an avalanche advisory).
We've already been told that this app is the most compelling and exciting backcountry ski app yet. Yet we know that this is just a beginning. For one, we have many more guidebooks already in the works, from respected and talented authors all over. (We are always looking for more! Let us know if you want to write a guidebook.) Secondly, we have plans we think you will love, from sharing your adventures with friends, to visualizing the latest reports and information to keep safe. We'll be adding features to make this app a tool you won't want to head into the backcountry without!
So, get out there and shred your own patch of pow! Give one of our guidebooks a spin and tell us what you think.
-Rob, Todd, Nate, and Jamie
Slope Angle Shading released!
by rob | Dec 23, 2020 | App Updates, Snow Sports
We're now in our fourth year of offering backcountry ski guidebooks in rakkup, and we are really excited about our latest feature! Slope angle shading is now available for all our US backcountry skiing guidebooks on both iOS and Android devices. Simply be sure you have our latest app release, go to the Bookshelf tab, and tap the cloud icon to update your guidebook.
Avalanche safety educators have been telling us that Slope Angle Shading is one of the best tools for visualizing areas of high avalanche hazard and selecting safer routes in avalanche terrain. This transparent overlay immediately highlights areas with slope angles yielding the highest avalanche risk along and above your route, as well as terrain convexities, terrain traps, terrain that might be too steep to ski (such as cliffs), and even very flat areas where splitboarders like us might need poles or plan on walking.
According to the American Avalanche Institute, most avalanches occur on slopes between 30° and 45°, with peak risk at 37-38°. (Watch AAI's short video about recognizing avalanche terrain. We're proud to partner with the AAI this season and offer rakkup guidebooks to their instructors and students.) We've used color gradients to show slope angle information with a high degree of precision. We applied a lot of computing power and our best programming tricks to bring you beautiful maps that are easy to download, display quickly, and keep working long after you've left cellular service behind.
In the past, many snow professionals used the premium versions of generic mapping apps to view slope angle shading. We think it's even better to have this feature integrated into your guidebooks – not to mention that these apps have yearly subscription fees several times higher than our guidebook prices! Integrating all our route data with topo maps and slope angle shading helps you choose which zone and which line to ski based on today's conditions without flipping back and forth between different sources of information.
Of course, no app can take the place of quality avalanche safety training, observation of your surroundings including terrain and snow pack, and proper decision making. But the most effective part of avalanche safety is staying out of avalanches, not digging out of them, and better information can lead to better decision-making. If rakkup can help you select a quality descent, stay alive and safe without getting lost, and have more fun away from the crowds, then we've accomplished what we set out to do!
We hope you'll check out a rakkup skiing guidebook and tell us what you think. Many of our digital guidebooks are also available with a companion printed ski atlas or folding map from our friends at Beacon Guidebooks as a backup and additional reference.
Many thanks to our friend Jamie at Teton Splitboarder for encouragement and technical advice that helped us execute and improve our work.
Finally, a reminder to make sure you know how to turn off the cellular, bluetooth, and Wi-Fi radios on your phone in the backcountry and keep it at least 30 cm away from your avalanche beacon. GPS reception is a passive operation that won't interfere with your beacon's signal so you can still pinpoint your location with the radios off.
Happy skiing and splitboarding to everyone!
Available now for Android devices too!
by rob | Mar 23, 2014
Outdoor Geeks was formed by entrepreneurs as passionate about our technology as we are about our climbing. We moved to Seattle because of the proximity of software and mountains, and never looked back. The idea for rakkup came into focus at Red Rocks, Nevada, during a...


Love fashion? You should check out these posts!
Ever fancied yourself as a fashion trend setter? Well thats exactly what mum of five Claire Barratt did and she landed herself with popular brand ClaireaBella. You may have seen the bags, jumpers etc, modelled by the likes of Lisa Snowdon and Corrie favourite Michelle Keegan – ring a bell? Oh yeah!
Its quickly becoming all the rage as these products allow you to look ever so uniquely stylish as you can personalise bags, mugs, notepads and so much more to your hearts content! Then it's mixed with one of the Claireabella's (Bratz like) images, and tah-dah you can be shopping or festival chic!
So if you want to steal Michelle Keegan's effortless style, want to look chic whilst sight-seeing like Lisa Snowdon or simply want to travel in style like Michelle Heaton, then make sure you have what every fashion-loving celebrity has – their very own aBella character!
So how do you go about it all?
Using ClaireaBella's incredible BuildaBella App you can add your very own character and name to a whole host of stunning products such as classic jute bags, cotton tote bags, hoodies, t-shirts, pyjamas, phone cases, diaries, notepads, candles and even chocolate bars – the list really is endless!
What are you waiting for? Happy step ahead of the trend!


Providing performance based products to the uniquely demanding re-finishing market - both in automotive and industrial sectors.
Award winning Surf-ACE products are used by vehicle OEM suppliers on production lines and in crash repair centres throughout Europe. Surf-ACE products are also used in the highly exacting marine refinishing market where they prove themselves daily on mega-yachts.
Deep pile large lambswool buffing pad.
Secure pad fixing for maximum performance.


Should the bill, A4193, pass, convenience stores would be permitted to sell cannabis alongside cigarettes — available to anyone aged 19 and older.
"This bill would legalize marijuana by removing all criminal liability associated with marijuana from the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice … as well as its regulation as a controlled dangerous substance under the New Jersey Controlled Dangerous Substances Act," the proposed law states.
Carroll's bill audacious thumbs its nose at the DEA's vehemently criticized decision this year not to reschedule cannabis from its current inexplicable designation as a dangerous substance of no medical value, akin to heroin or cocaine.
Alcohol, after all, is a standard fixture at convenience stores and gas stations, with store owners facing fines and other civil penalties for underage distribution.
"The whole point here is to get the government out of the business of treating at least marijuana use as a crime and treat it instead as a social problem," Carroll continued, adding he's never tried cannabis, personally.
Apparently, though, he doesn't feel his personal views concerning substances should override contrary opinions and choices.
Despite an overwhelming public perception cannabis should at least be decriminalized and growing national disillusionment with the failed drug war — with the resultant largest prison population in the world, gang violence, strengthening of Mexican cartels, epidemic-level police violence, and inability of those in need to get life-saving medical cannabis treatment — the Drug Enforcement Agency opted to maintain marijuana prohibition this year.
Should the proposed law indeed pass, New Jersey would join Alaska, Colorado, Washington, and Oregon in legal, recreational weed. In fact, degrees of decriminalization and legalization — mostly for medical use — exist in half the states in the nation.
November's election will likely expand those numbers.
Ballot measures could potentially legalize recreational use in varying degrees in California, Nevada, Massachusetts, Arizona, and Nevada — and although they aren't all expected to pass, the segment of the population arguing against legalization shrinks seemingly by the month.
New Jersey lawmakers are attempting a multi-pronged approach to legalizing weed. Another bill, A2068, filed in January by Assemblyman Reed Gusciora — ironically, one of the most liberal members of the state Legislature — and State Sen. Nicholas Scutari would legalize cannabis and treat it akin to alcohol. A third is expected after several legislators, including Gusciora and Scutari, return from an information-gathering field trip examining legalization in Colorado in October.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — whom Carroll refers to as "the Fat Man" — will almost certainly veto any legislation concerning cannabis. But his tenure in office draws to a close just over a year from now.


There will be no amnesty. Macmeal is spot on, as usual. If these 20+ million were suddenly legalized, they would no longer be profitable. If you think employers prefer illegal aliens due to their exemplary work ethic, and their zeal to do the jobs "Americans won't do," you are delusional. They prefer illegal aliens for one reason -- they are CHEAP.
The last thing we need is 20+ million more legal residents vying for scant jobs. Obama didn't become president by being stupid.
Thanks, Benicar. I can't help but think of the ugly display on the "Harvard Scholarship for Illegal" thread...still going strong as we speak. Nasty things were said in this story....which concerned one individual. You and I were among those personally chastized. As I recall, one poster sarcastically theorized that your anger was caused because you thought "this kid probably took YOUR kid's slot"...another contributor offered the assumption that I may have been jealous, because my daughter's 8 years in pursuit of a Masters Degree must have included "four years sitting in her room smoking weed". Many other posters were called "bitter, angry, jealous, and hateful toward a Hispanic who was seen as a success, instead of a criminal".
It just now occurred to me, that if THIS revolting display is the result of the jealousy that hateful and racist people like you and I exhibit toward just ONE 'deserving Hispanic kid who's given a pass and 'makes it', can anyone IMAGINE what will be the social fallout of 20 Million people being given a pass and 'making it', by being rewarded with amnesty? Do you think we'll be jealous? Angry? Or just all of us glad to see people 'make it'? Will all of us be GLAD, or will some of us be GRUMPY? Will we see these people as 'taking something that belongs to us'?..or just as 'new co-owners of an infinitely prosperous society'?
What are your thoughts on this? Am I being pessimistic?
What does your knowledge of human nature tell you COULD happen? If all of us 'got out of hand', and became REALLY jealous, might the government have to step up to the plate, and "help" us all to behave? How might THAT work out, in a free society?
I don't need to place my hopes or my dreams on any political rhetoric. The only one who is going to be dissapointed would be you and your ilk when comprehensive reform passes in the future.
Btw, one had to be legal and a citizen to vote last time i checked. You are really mistaken if you think CIR is not important to the millions of legal latinos in this country.
Pro-illegals aren't supposed to use the term "ilk"....or so I've been told, by reliable sources.
The last time I checked, one has to be a LEGAL resident of this country for employment purposes as well, but that hasn't prevented illegal aliens from working, has it?
Again; Latinos are not the only people with voting rights in this country; and they sure as hell aren't responsible for Obama being elected.
Dream on DREAMie, dream on.
I stand by my point, sooner or later it is going to happen. You can deny it all you want, but the time will come.
I am sure you are aware of all the promises he made to the latino voters concerning this issue.
blacknight04: watch the economy; if it continues to deteriorate I am willing to bet that even Americans of 'Hispanic' background will wind up turning against their illegal alien analogs.
Trust me: people tend to do strange things when self preservation is involved.
You are absolutely right. That is considered "inflated" vocabulary.
The possibilities are endless, as evidenced by the "Harvard" thread. Even the most ardent bleeding hearts, and those with no propensity for violent behavior, will turn, given the 'right' circumstances. Self-preservation comes to mind.
Absolutely. None of my usual joking here...I absolutely believe this is 'right on'...and what TROUBLES me, is that when "all of us" start to misbehave and begin to go the 'self-preservation' route, we'll OBVIOUSLY have to be stopped, before we hurt each other.
How we'll be 'stopped'...and by whom....and what happens AFTER we're stopped..has haunted my nightmares since LONG before I discovered this thread. "Control yourself....or BE controlled by others" is a lesson I learned in the third grade, and it's never left me. It's as true now as it was then, and it applies to a kiddie's playground as well as a nation...."Get along, and obey the rules, and don't antagonize each other...or SOMEONE'S going to step in and do it FOR you".
It's happened many times before, in history, and I see NO reason we should think it couldn't happen here.
Sadly, the handwriting is on the wall. They have already prepared "detention" facilities. One can only speculate when and how these facilities will be used, and what behavior will qualify for confinement.
Ain't that the truth . . .
If you have any evidence that illegal immigrants voted in the last election, please present it.
Btw, i really like that cute nickname you've given me...i have been told by the ladies that i have really "dreamy" eyes.


OFFICIAL NINTENDO MERCH: Officially licensed air freshener by Just Funky.
FEATURING YOUR FAVORITE PRINCESS: Princess Peach! Our freshener is peach scented and is 3" tall.
PEACHIFY YOUR CAR: The perfect accessory to keep your car fresh! Also works in homes and offices.
A FUN AND NICE-SMELLING GIFT: For the Nintendo enthusiast in your life! Suitable for any occasion.
IS YOUR "KART" STILL NOT SMELLING CLEAN AFTER PURCHASE? No problem! Return it for a full refund.
A design inspired by one of the most famous Princesses in Gaming History!
Based off of the famous Super Mario franchise, our air freshener features Princess Peach as its design. The perfect car accessory to start off your day and will make you say Peachy's got it! An officially licensed Nintendo product.
Fight off those stinky Koopa Troopas!
With our peach scented air freshener that will make you think you're in Cascade Kingdom! Made with premium-quality materials to guarantee a long lasting, fresh scent. The product measures 3 inches in length.
Give it to the Super Mario fan in your life!
Use it to freshen up your personal vehicle OR give your friend, colleague or a loved one a present that will bring them Super Mario vanilla smelling bliss! The perfect gift for birthdays, housewarming parties, holidays, graduations, and much more! Our air freshener also makes the perfect stocking stuffer for Christmas!
Mamma Mia! Our air freshener is multipurpose and can also be useful in your home! Hang it in your bathroom or laundry room to keep them smelling cleaning! It is also the perfect accessory to include in your gym bag or locker!
Calling all collectors of this famous video game franchise! Aside from its fun design, you'll also have a car that smells so nice its fit for a princess!


text:
Q: bootstrap hides my field or it reduce its width I have a webpage utilizing the current bootstrap. It displays a label and text input box part of a form.
If I include the class="custom-control-input" to the input text field, Bootstrap hides it. Why?
If I don't include, it shows up, but it won't fulfill the full width according to its parent div tag.
The code is:

        <form class="needs-validation" novalidate action="submit_transgene_entry.php" method="post">

                    field below is shown, but won't extend full width

                        <input type="text" id="comments_fieldID1" name="comments_fieldName">

                    the following field is hidden by custom-control-input

                        <input type="text" id="comments_fieldID2" class="custom-control-input" name="comments_fieldName">

                    <input type="submit" name='accept_transgene_entry' class="btn btn-primary btn-lg btn-block" value="Accept Transgene Entry" alt="Accept Transgene Entry"/>

        </form>

You can see the code in action at this page

A: You must use the form-control class instead of custom-control-input.
I've edited your fiddle:
https://jsfiddle.net/2orbj50v/

A: Just add this in your CSS
#comments_fieldID1 {
  width:100%;
}

A: Reason Behind Hiding this the class "custom-control-input" have some default css value from bootstrap like this, if you change the opacity 1 instead of 0 it will show the original field.
.custom-control-input {
    position: absolute;
    z-index: -1;
    opacity: 0;
}

to make the input field full width just add this css
#comments_fieldID1 {
      width:100%;
    }

A: That may be because bootstrap 4 provide customized form elements for

*

*Checkbox

*Radio button

*Range

*Select

*Upload

*Toggle

And for these to work you have to wrap it around a
 with class="custom-control custom-checkbox". The following is the example if you want to use custom-checkbox. But it won't work if you replace checkbox with text

  <input type="checkbox" class="custom-control-input" id="customCheck" name="example1">
  Custom checkbox

And for your first input box, you can simply make it's with to be 100%. Like shown below:
#comments_fieldID1{
   width:100%;
}

A:
Best Answer : Use form-control for your #comments_fieldID1 element

Or you can add css in your css file :
#comments_fieldID1 {
    width:  100%;
}


text:
Visiting D.C.
Are you planning a visit to Washington, DC? While you are in Washington, DC, I encourage you and your family to stop by my office. Whether you're coming on a short business trip, or an extended family vacation, my office can help you make arrangements for some of the more popular Federal attractions in our Nation's Capital.
Tour Requests
UPDATE: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, tours of the Capitol Building, White House, Kennedy Center, Printing and Engraving, and Supreme Court building are currently closed until further notice.
Library of Congress tours will resume on Thursday, July 15, 2021. Visitors will need to request a Free Timed-Entry Pass for every member of the party, everyone over the age of 2 will need to wear a face covering at all time, and groups can be no larger than 6. More information and where to reserve passes can be found at https://www.loc.gov/visit/know-before-you-go/
Memorials, Monuments, Museums, and Points of Interest:
The Corcoran Gallery of Art Museum
17th Street and New York Avenue, NW - one block west and south of the White House. The main entrance is on 17th Street. Special needs access is at 1701 E Street, around the corner from the 17th Street entrance. Phone: (202) 639-1700 Metro Stop: Four blocks from the Farragut West station or Farragut North station.
Department of the Interior Museum
The Interior Museum is currently closed due to COVID-19.
Ford's Theatre & Lincoln Museum
UPDATE: Ford's Theatre & Lincoln Museum will reopen on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 and will require Free, Timed-Entry Passes. The Peterson House and Aftermath Exhibits will remain closed. More information and where to reserve tickets can be found here: https://www.fords.org/visit/historic-site/.
511 10th Street, NW - 10th Street Between E & F Streets. Telephone: (202) 426-6924. Metro Stop: the closest station to the theatre is Metro Center
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Memorial
900 Ohio Drive, S.W., near the Jefferson Memorial and the Potomac River. There are park rangers available from 8 a.m. to midnight every day except Christmas Day. There are no fees to visit any of the monuments or memorials in the park.
Metro stop: Smithsonian Metro stop comes out on the National Mall.
Hall of States Building
444 North Capitol Street, NW. This building houses 32 state offices. For information call the Council of State Governments at (202) 624-5386.
South bank of the Tidal Basin - At the Swan Boathouse you can rent a paddle boat to cruise on the Basin. The Smithsonian Metro stop comes out on the National Mall. Phone: (202) 426-6841
Korean War Veterans Memorial
The memorial is staffed from 8 a.m. to midnight every day except December 25 by park rangers who are available to answer questions and present interpretive themes. A bookstore in the nearby Lincoln Memorial sells informational items relating to both the memorial and the Korean War. The Korean War Veterans Memorial is part of the National Park System, one of more than 360 parks representing our nation's natural and cultural heritage.
Address inquiries to: Superintendent, National Capital Parks-Central, 900 Ohio Drive SW, Washington, DC 20242.
Lincoln Memorial
West Potomac Park at the foot of 23rd Street, NW. Telephone: (202) 426-6895. Metro Stop: Foggy Bottom or the Smithsonian Metro stop which comes out on the National Mall.
UPDATE: National Building Museum is open from Friday – Sunday every week. You can purchase tickets in advance or purchased at the Visitor Center. More information can be found here: https://www.nbm.org/visit/#hours.
401 F Street, NW, between 4th and 5th streets. Wheelchair access at 4th and G streets. Metro Stop: Judiciary Square - Red line. Telephone: (202) 272-2448.
National Mall and Memorial Parks
The sprawling lands of the National Mall & Memorial Parks include the Mall, the public promenade extending from 3rd Street near the Capitol to 14th Street, including the:
Roosevelt Memorial
Washington Monument – CURRENTLY CLOSED DUE TO COVID-19
National Mall Walking Tour
Explore the National Mall with this walking tour provided by National Geographic.
National Geographic Museum at Explorers Hall
1145 17th & M Street. Exhibits of famous scientific expeditions. Phone: 800 NGS LINE (800 647 5463); 800 548 9797 (TDD).
National Museum of American Jewish Military History
The Museum is currently closed due to COVID-19.
1811 R Street NW. Telephone: (202) 265-6280. Metro: Take Metro's Red Line to Dupont Circle. Leave through the Q Street exit. Walk one block north on Connecticut Avenue to R Street. Turn right and walk east two blocks to 18th Street.
UPDATE: The National Postal Museum will reopen on Friday, August 27 on a limited basis. More information can be found here: https://postalmuseum.si.edu/.
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE in the Washington City Post Office Building on Capitol Hill (next to Union Station). Metro: Take Metro's Red Line to Union Station. Leave through the Massachusetts Avenue exit. As you get off the escalator, the National Postal Museum will be to your left.
UPDATE: The Phillips Collection is currently open from Tuesday – Sunday and requires you to reserve timed tickets beforehand. More information can be found here: https://www.phillipscollection.org/.
1600 21st Street, N.W. The Phillips Collection is located in the Dupont Circle area, one-half block off of Massachusetts Avenue on 21st Street, between Q and R Streets. Offices and Visitor information: (202) 387-2151. Metro Stop: RED line of the Metro to the Dupont Circle Station. Exit to Q street. At the top of the escalator, go left on Q street one block to 21st Street. The museum entrance is located halfway up 21st Street on the left.
Smithsonian Museums
The entrances to the West Building are located on Constitution Avenue at 6th Street, NW, on Madison Drive at 6th Street, NW, and on 4th Street between Constitution Avenue and Madison Drive, NW. The entrance for the East Building is located on 4th Street between Constitution Avenue and Madison Drive, NW.
UPDATE: All Museums require a Free Timed-Entry pass is required and can be reserved up to 30 days in advance. More information found here: https://www.si.edu/visit.
National Air and Space Museum – Open Friday, July 30
National Museum of African American History and Culture – Open
National Museum of American History – Open
National Museum of the American Indian – Open
National Museum of Natural History – Open
National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum – Open
Smithsonian Gardens and Order Exhibitions – No passes required
National Museum of African Art – Open Friday, July 16
National Museum of Asian Art Freer Gallery – Open Friday, July 16
Smithsonian Institution Building (Castle) – Open Friday, July 30
Hirshhorn Museum – Open Friday, August 20
2320 S Street, NW. Telephone: (202) 667-0441. Metro Stop: Take the red line to the Dupont Circle stop. Leave the station via the Q Street exit. Walk north on Connecticut Avenue. At the intersection of Connecticut Avenue, Florida Avenue and S Street cross Florida Avenue and go left. Take immediate right onto S Street. Continue walking up S Street 2 long blocks to The Textile Museum on the left.
UPDATES: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum requires Free, Timed-Entry Tickets found on the Website or submit a request to our office. More information found here: https://www.ushmm.org/information/visit-the-museum/visitor-guidelines-and-safety-measures.
The Museum is located just south of Independence Ave., SW. between 14th Street and Raoul Wallenberg Place (formerly 15th St.). There is an entrance also on 14th street, next to the Bureau of Printing & Engraving. Permanent exhibition is recommended for ages 11 and up. Daniel's Story is recommended for ages 8 and up. The visit will take from an 1 1/2 to 3 hours. ONLY the Permanent Exhibition requires a timed entry pass to begin the self-guided tour of the Museum's primary exhibition. Passes are FREE and are NOT required for the Museum's other exhibitions, memorials, resources and facilities. Metro Stop: Smithsonian on the blue or orange lines exit at 12th and Independence Avenue. Telephone: (202) 488-0400.
United States Navy Memorial and Visitors Center
Located at 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 123, Washington, D.C, 20004-2608. The D.C. Metro's Green and Yellow Line stops at Archives-Navy Memorial, steps from our front door. There is a Motor Coach Drop on Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, between 7th and 9th Streets, in front of the U.S. Navy Memorial. The Memorial offers a Concert Hotline at (202) 737-2300 ext. 768 for updated schedules or cancellations due to weather.
Henry Bacon Drive & Constitution Avenue, NW. Metro Stop: Smithsonian Metro stop comes out on the National Mall. Telephone: (202) 426-6841.
Voice of America is currently closed due to COVID-19.
The Voice of America Studio Tour is a behind-the-scenes look at live broadcasting in radio, television, and the Internet in several of the 44 languages used by the VOA. Tours are free to the public, guided with audio and video features, and last 45 minutes. Reservations are recommended but not required. Tours are offered at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Voice of America is located at 330 Independence Ave., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20237 off of the Federal Center S.W. Metro stop on the Blue and Orange Lines. Phone: (202) 203-4990.
The Washington Monument is currently closed due to COVID-19.
On the Mall at 15th Street, SW. Tickets are required. They are free and available at the booth located on the west side of 15th Street, NW, on the Mall. Advance Tickets (small fee charged): Ticketmaster: (DC Metro) 202-432-7328 (Outside DC) 1-800-551-7328. Facilities: Bookstore, Restrooms, Museum. Information: (202) 426-6841. Metro stop: Smithsonian
The White House is currently closed due to COVID-19.
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Public tours of the White House are available for groups of 10 or more people. Requests must be submitted through one's Member of Congress and are accepted up to six months in advance. These self-guided tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (excluding federal holidays), and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis approximately one month in advance of the requested date. We encourage you to submit your request as early as possible since a limited number of tours are available. All White House tours are free of charge. Metro: McPherson Square.
Note: Tours are subject to cancellations or time changes. For the most up-to-date information about touring and visiting the White House, call the 24-hour Visitors Office Info Line at 202-456-7041.


Ah, the Sixties... so many changes in the world, and of course so many changes in the world of music. The business model of the industry never stops evolving, and among the biggest changes of that decade was how albums were perceived. The Beatles are an easy example; when their career started, albums were essentially collections of singles, almost as though each release was a "greatest hits" compilation on its own. By the time the Summer of Love rolled around, the band was putting time and thought into the concept and execution of the album as a legitimate and important part of their artistry... and from Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band onward, the argument can easily be made that a complete reversal in attitude had taken place; the albums were made with an eye to consistency and solidarity of presentation and the singles were chosen after. The change was so complete that names like George Martin and Jimmy Miller became as important and, in many places, as well known in the industry as those of the recording artists themselves. Picking the right producer for ambitious album projects became an essential part of the creative process as well as pretty popular gossip for the rock press back then.
When you start taking about studio masterpieces of the Sixties, Pet Sounds from the Beach Boys (released May 1966, produced by Brian Wilson) and Sgt. Pepper (released June 1967, produced by George Martin) come immediately to mind, and for all the right reasons. Fans and rock historians often rank them as numbers one and two on those "Best Albums Ever" lists... and depending upon your definition of "fun," it can be interesting to put a couple of proponents of either album in a room and let them argue it out as to which album is the better of the two. For me and many others, the contributions of those two classics did not stop with their release, instead proving that the creative potential of rock 'n roll had hardly even been touched. As sights got set higher and recording (and budget) boundaries were stripped away, plenty of other masterpieces were recorded. Two of my personal favorites from the era were Forever Changes from Love and Music In A Doll's House from Family.
Shew! Researching the history of Love, with the apparent unpredictability of founder/leader Arthur Lee and the constant personnel changes throughout the history of the band makes it almost impossible to even think of them as an outfit that could have created one of the best albums ever recorded... but that's exactly what happened. Forever Changes was the third album recorded from the Los Angeles-based band who were starting to make a name for themselves with memorable songs like "My Little Red Book" and "7 And 7 Is." Those who prefer their bands to have neat and easy identification labels had to stray far, far away from Love; their music was categorized with such diverse labels as rock and roll, garage, psychedelic or psycho-folk... and honestly, every one of those labels actually fit various aspects of the band's music. This diversity/schitzophrenia is, in my opinion, a large part of the reason why Forever Changes remains a classic recording to this day.
Artistically and aesthetically, the album goes right for the throat immediately, opening with "Alone Again Or," still the album's best-known track. The opening guitar riff is as catchy as it gets with it's sort-of-flamenco flavoring, and pretty soon all those categories and influences seem to converge at once. The song title and lyrics speak to their psychedelic influences; the folk influence is obvious with the melody and the absolute killer vocal harmonies and the subtle-yet-essential string and horn flourishes pull us in and let us know that we're at the start of a very well crafted ride here. Reading that description sounds like the track could be cacophony, but it's as perfect an integration of elements as you'll ever hear. That's essentially the greatest strength of this release - the near-seamless integration of what could be clashing elements in most situations.
Forever Changes also benefits from a superb variety of hooks in the individual tracks. "A House Is Not A Motel" works a catchy staccato drum part into the song's intro and it remains a cohesive element through the duration of the track, including some excellent interplay between the drum and guitar during a late break. "Andmoreagain" always seems like it should be a dismissable track with the schmaltzy rhythm and strings; instead, it lures the listener into exploring the excellent lyrics and, in the long run, completely works. "The Daily Planet" is a very full sounding track within the most traditional rock instrumentation on the album. Depending upon who you believe, Neil Young may or may not have arranged this track (Young says no, Arthur Lee always said yes). Young was originally set to produce the entire album but had to back out of the project due to his commitment at the time with Buffalo Springfield; frankly, that fact alone makes me believe Young did arrange the track, since it's not very far removed from sounding like a Springfield effort. "Old Man" (not the Neil Young song) would potentially be the weakest track on the album to me, but brilliant use of horns and strings more than saves the song. "The Red Telephone" is the track that got the most airplay after "Alone Again Or," and it completely deserved it. This piece again draws heavily on their folksy side with typically understated and brilliant vocals, complemented by one of the sweetest string arrangements I've ever heard in a rock song. There's a little touch of psychedelia at the end, and as the track fades away, it remains a permanent etch in your head.
Side two (on the original release) began with "Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark And Hilldale;" the song is far too good to need such a clumsy title. More superb guitar and vocal work, more outstanding accents from strings and horns, and... yawn... just another brilliant piece of work. The only moment that annoys me at all on the album is the opening line from "Live And Let Live" - I've never been terribly interested in hearing about snot caked against somebody's pants, but truly, if it's the only weak moment on an album, I can forgive it. I love the interaction between the guitar, harpsichord and vocals on this track - with the exception of the one annoying line, it's another beaut. "The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This" harkens back to "Andmoreagain," taking what could in weaker hands be a forgettable track and making it interesting and vital (though a very strange horn ending that sounds like a mistake always made it a tough song to mix out of on the air). "Bummer In The Summer" contains my favorite vocal performance on the album (and that's going some) - the rhythm and style of the vocal actually reminds me of Bob Dylan, which matches the very folksy stylings of the tune. "You Set The Scene" finishes the original release in flawless fashion. The opening riff is a fantastic bookend to "Alone Again Or," the tune is uptempo catchy, there's a cello accent that melts me every time I hear it and I've never really had any idea why this wasn't the third classic track on the release; at times, it is often my favorite track on the album, but then again, at times any of them are.
As a general rule in my life, I've grown very wary of extra tracks on the "expanded version" releases of classics. Usually, it's pretty obvious why the extra tracks didn't make it to the original, and in fact I can only think of two examples off the top of my head where the extra tracks were welcome to me in the long run - the Rolling Stones' Exile On Main Street and this album. Two alternate mixes, a "tracking session highlight," an outtake, a demo of an unreleased tune and the A and B sides of a followup single that never made it to an album before are mostly welcome additions to the album's legacy.... and legacy is a well-chosen word here. Oddly enough, upon it's release it was a commercial flop; even for the attention "Alone Again Or" got, even for good reviews, even on the heels of two previous albums that sold better than this one, it showed terribly on the American charts (though it did much better overseas, where is was embraced as a work of genius almost immediately). I can only speculate as to why; Lee's growing reputation of being difficult to work with may have scared off promoters... maybe he was uncooperative when it came time to doing legwork for the album... drug problems had begun to infiltrate the band, and personnel changes were coming on a seemingly daily basis... Regardless, the album initially tanked, but history has been very kind to it. Rolling Stone ranked it at number 40 on their "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" list; the album has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and has been honored by being added to the National Recording Registry; overseas, NME ranks it as the sixth best album ever made and has even been praised in Parliament as one of the greatest albums ever. Still, neither Arthur Lee nor any of the various incarnations and remnants of Love really reaped the success that should have been their due.
Sadly, Arthur Lee died of leukemia in August of 2006 in his home town of Memphis (though his family moved to Los Angeles when he was five years old, I'm happy to call him "one of ours"). While I certainly wish he had gotten more respect for his masterpiece during what should have been its golden era, I'm glad the world finally came around and offered the album it's due before Lee's passing.
There are a lot of similarities between the two albums I'm revisiting today. While I honestly wouldn't say the albums sound much alike, they both use very adventurous production techniques to good effect. Both albums feature very good songwriting and, of course, great performances throughout. A few differences - Forever Changes has a more consistent sound all the way through, sounding more like an album project. Music In A Doll's House is a little more uneven; the album's fifteen songs (totaling under 37 minutes) feature a few genius pieces, a lot of very strong efforts and a few clunkers. Just as it's difficult to slap a genre on Love's album, this debut release (that's pretty impressive!) combines elements of psychedelic, progressive, pop-ish blues, some hints of R&B, even the occasional trace of pub rock. Though a touch less cohesive than Forever Changes, Music In A Doll's House is still varied and fascinating enough to stand the test of time.
I have to admit, I was very much a latecomer to this album's party. Family formed in 1966 and disbanded in 1973; during their relatively brief run, I wasn't terribly aware of their music. The little bit I was familiar with was from their later period, characterized by a more bluesy, more street-gutsy sound than this album. I own the entire catalog from Family and have for decades, and just never got around to listening to it. When I did, I began by revisiting the few tracks I knew and enjoyed, then went to give them a chronological listen... and was absolutely shocked at this release. I kept checking the credits to see if this was the same Family that I was familiar with (essentially yes), and if this album, which sounds WAY ahead of its time really was released in 1968 (definitely yes). As delighted as I am to have become familiar with the record, I'm pretty angry at myself for having missed out on it for all these years! A quick bit of interesting rock trivia; the Beatles were recording an album in 1968, and the working title at the time was A Doll's House. Due to this album being released first, the Beatles changed the name of the album they were working on to simply The Beatles... more commonly known as The White Album.
Like Love's album, Music In A Doll's House jumps at you within seconds. "The Chase" kicks off with an eerie haunted-mansion style vocal chorus, merging smoothly into what would have been commonly called progressive music back when the term was reserved for bands like Genesis and Jethro Tull (and in fact both Peter Gabriel and Ian Anderson cite Family as a strong early influence). Complimenting standard rock instrumentation, you'll hear some very unique instrumentations (both here and on most of the album's tracks) - violin, cello, harmonica, mellotron and saxophone are all used at various times through the album and generally used effectively, not in a gimicky fashion. Saying there's fifteen tracks on the album is a little misleading, as three clock in at under 60 seconds each (and all three are variations on the theme of another album track); still, of the remaining twelve tracks, only five go over three minutes (and only one over four minutes), so these songs are short, sharp, catchy and sweet.
When I hear songs like "Mellowing Grey," "Me My Friend" or "The Breeze," I get particularly annoyed that I wasn't familiar with this record when I was on the radio. Production values are both excellent and quirky; at times, I hear the heavy mellotron stylings of early King Crimson, at other moments, I'm reminded of some of the oddball attitudes that The Move often used to such good results on their pop masterworks. I would truly have enjoyed playing these pieces in "compare and contrast" mode on the air. On the other hand, tracks like "Old Songs New Songs" or "Peace Of Mind" exhibit a solid knowledge of more traditional rock forms... albeit still with a unique outlook on the production and engineering qualities. In regards to this often being called a psychedelic album, "See Through Windows" is probably the most half-psychedelic-half-pop number here, "Winter" wanders into psych territory, though with more of a Syd's Pink Floyd feel and "3 X Time" closes the album with a more subtle exploration of the psych mindset, taking what might be the most ordinary tune on the album and turning it into a memorable closer through the use of interesting sounds and tempo changes. Track by track, I love this album nearly as much as Forever Changes; there are times, however, when I listen to it and it just sounds a little TOO varied from song to song, almost like it was less of an album project and more a matter of a bunch of interesting sounding pieces that all wound up on the same record.
Still... a debut album? Dayam!
Like Love, Family underwent frequent personnel changes. There were substance abuse problems and there were differences in opinions about the direction the band should take. During their first tour of the United States, multi-instrumentalist Ric Grech left the band to join the new supergroup Blind Faith. Replacing him (in mid tour, even!) meant a very different sound for the band. Throughout their turbulent history, Roger Chapman's distinctive vocals (often criticized but always referred to at least as "unique") and John "Charlie" Whitney's solid chops on guitar kept the band interesting, even as they morphed their sound to a less psychedelic, more hard rock style of playing. Still, for only having officially been a band for some seven years, they recorded seven full length albums (most released to at least decent acclaim), and the musicians who played in the band for varying amounts of time accomplished a lot in the world of music; Jim King, Ric Grech, Rob Townsend, John Wetton and Tony Ashton were among the musicians who were officially band members, and Family received recorded contributions from the likes of Dave Mason and Nicky Hopkins. Mason also produced the debut album, though Jimmy Miller was originally slated to handle the job due to a long relationship with the early incarnation of Family. However, at the time of the recording he was involved with the Rolling Stones Beggar's Banquet album. Mason was a longtime friend of the band and so was a good choice to guide their debut.
History, at least on this side of the Atlantic, hasn't been as kind to Music In A Doll's House as it has been to Forever Changes. When researching the album and talking with friends, I found a lot of people who were as completely as unfamiliar with the record as I was three or four years ago. Prog fans are a little kinder to the band (and this album in particular); on specialized lists of "Best Ever" or "Most Influential/Important" prog album's, Music In A Doll's House generally finds its way to the list.
In retrospect, it's not the album Forever Changes is, but few are. Both albums show incredible vision and brilliance, both helped further the cause of rock as a legitimate art form, and both are albums I'm convinced will remain in my collection for all time.