text:
AUTOMATIC UNDERSTANDING OF ACOUSTIC SPEECH SIGNAL PATHOLOGY
"... In this work, parts of the research concerning a new concept of applying computer tech-nique in pathological speech analysis have been presented. This new concept assumes that during the pathological speech analysis we are not aiming neither at the establishing of such or other signal parameters nor ..."
nor at the trying to classify them, but we tend to understand auto-matically the causes of deformation, which can be observed in the considered signal. There-fore the concept presented postulates the replacing the well known process of the pathological speech acoustic signal recognition by a more
Neural Network Applications As Inverse Transform Method Of The Acoustic Speech Signal
by Mats Båvegård, Jesper Högberg
"... this paper. The parameters are varied independently to extract a number of area descriptions of the vocal-tract. The area functions are synthesised with DLEA, (Liljencrants, 1985) and the speech signal where processed and divided into 16 MEL-scaled filters (Båvegård; Högberg, 1992). ..."
this paper. The parameters are varied independently to extract a number of area descriptions of the vocal-tract. The area functions are synthesised with DLEA, (Liljencrants, 1985) and the speech signal where processed and divided into 16 MEL-scaled filters (Båvegård; Högberg, 1992).
Maximum Likelihood Linear Transformations for HMM-Based Speech Recognition
by M.J.F. Gales - Computer Speech and Language , 1998
"... This paper examines the application of linear transformations for speaker and environmental adaptation in an HMM-based speech recognition system. In particular, transformations that are trained in a maximum likelihood sense on adaptation data are investigated. Other than in the form of a simple bias ..."
This paper examines the application of linear transformations for speaker and environmental adaptation in an HMM-based speech recognition system. In particular, transformations that are trained in a maximum likelihood sense on adaptation data are investigated. Other than in the form of a simple
A maximum likelihood approach to continuous speech recognition
by Lalit R. Bahl, Frederick Jelinek, Robert, L. Mercer - IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Machine Intell , 1983
"... Abstract-Speech recognition is formulated as a problem of maximum likelihood decoding. This formulation requires statistical models of the speech production process. In this paper, we describe a number of sta-tistical models for use in speech recognition. We give special attention to determining the ..."
Abstract-Speech recognition is formulated as a problem of maximum likelihood decoding. This formulation requires statistical models of the speech production process. In this paper, we describe a number of sta-tistical models for use in speech recognition. We give special attention to determining
Approximate Signal Processing
by S. Hamid Nawab, Alan V. Oppenheim, Anantha P. Chandrakasan, Joseph M. Winograd, Jeffrey T. Ludwig , 1997
"... It is increasingly important to structure signal processing algorithms and systems to allow for trading off between the accuracy of results and the utilization of resources in their implementation. In any particular context, there are typically a variety of heuristic approaches to managing these tra ..."
It is increasingly important to structure signal processing algorithms and systems to allow for trading off between the accuracy of results and the utilization of resources in their implementation. In any particular context, there are typically a variety of heuristic approaches to managing
Attention and the detection of signals
by Michael I. Posner, Charles R. R. Snyder, Brian J. Davidson - Journal of Experimental Psychology: General , 1980
"... Detection of a visual signal requires information to reach a system capable of eliciting arbitrary responses required by the experimenter. Detection latencies are reduced when subjects receive a cue that indicates where in the visual field the signal will occur. This shift in efficiency appears to b ..."
Detection of a visual signal requires information to reach a system capable of eliciting arbitrary responses required by the experimenter. Detection latencies are reduced when subjects receive a cue that indicates where in the visual field the signal will occur. This shift in efficiency appears
The Aurora Experimental Framework for the Performance Evaluation of Speech Recognition Systems under Noisy Conditions
by David Pearce, Hans-günter Hirsch, Ericsson Eurolab Deutschland Gmbh - in ISCA ITRW ASR2000 , 2000
"... This paper describes a database designed to evaluate the performance of speech recognition algorithms in noisy conditions. The database may either be used to measure frontend feature extraction algorithms, using a defined HMM recognition back-end, or complete recognition systems. The source speech f ..."
for this database is the TIdigits, consisting of connected digits task spoken by American English talkers (downsampled to 8kHz). A selection of 8 different real-world noises have been added to the speech over a range of signal to noise ratios with controlled filtering of the speech and noise. The framework
Comparison of parametric representations for monosyllabic word recognition in continuously spoken sentences
by Steven B. Davis, Paul Mermelstein - ACOUSTICS, SPEECH AND SIGNAL PROCESSING, IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON , 1980
"... Several parametric representations of the acoustic signal were compared as to word recognition performance in a syllable-oriented continuous speech recognition system. The vocabulary in-cluded many phonetically similar monosyllabic words, therefore the emphasis was on ability to retain phonetically ..."
Several parametric representations of the acoustic signal were compared as to word recognition performance in a syllable-oriented continuous speech recognition system. The vocabulary in-cluded many phonetically similar monosyllabic words, therefore the emphasis was on ability to retain
Automatic Musical Genre Classification Of Audio Signals
by George Tzanetakis, Georg Essl, Perry Cook - IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SPEECH AND AUDIO PROCESSING , 2002
"... ... describe music. They are commonly used to structure the increasing amounts of music available in digital form on the Web and are important for music information retrieval. Genre categorization for audio has traditionally been performed manually. A particular musical genre is characterized by sta ..."
by statistical properties related to the instrumentation, rhythmic structure and form of its members. In this work, algorithms for the automatic genre categorization of audio signals are described. More specifically, we propose a set of features for representing texture and instrumentation. In addition a novel
A new learning algorithm for blind signal separation
by S. Amari, A. Cichocki, H. H. Yang - , 1996
"... A new on-line learning algorithm which minimizes a statistical de-pendency among outputs is derived for blind separation of mixed signals. The dependency is measured by the average mutual in-formation (MI) of the outputs. The source signals and the mixing matrix are unknown except for the number of ..."
A new on-line learning algorithm which minimizes a statistical de-pendency among outputs is derived for blind separation of mixed signals. The dependency is measured by the average mutual in-formation (MI) of the outputs. The source signals and the mixing matrix are unknown except for the number


Plasma gasification is a phrase heard often when discussion plasma-arc treatment or waste-to-energy technologies, however this entry looks to give a closer look as to what plasma gasification is and its associated reactions. Plasma gasification is a thermal chemical conversion process designed to optimize the conversion of waste into the synthetic gas or ("syngas"). The chemical reactions take place under oxygen starved conditions. The ratio of oxygen molecules to carbon molecules can be less than one in a plasma gasification reactor (sometimes a stoichiometric amount of oxygen to achieve pyrolysis).
The following simplified chemical conversion formulas describe some of the thermo-chemical processes that are typically occurring in gasification.
Some of the waste undergoes partial oxidation by precisely controlling the amount of oxygen fed into the plasma reactor (see first reaction above). The heat released in the above exothermic reactions provide additional thermal energy for the primary gasification reaction (endothermic formulas above) to proceed very rapidly.
At higher temperatures (around 3,600°F) the endothermic reactions are typically favored. Some plasma companies (not PEAT however) introduce supplementary fuels such as coal, petroleum coke or even other hot gases generated by their plasma torches (sometimes referred to as plasma-assisted gasification) to maintain the desired plasma gasification temperatures in the reactor.
Your article is here, the feeling of a mere individual can harvest more.Let these people from all over the world, even in the heart with happiness. We are not desolateness….


text:
Presidential Dollars (2007-2016)
< 2009 S JAMES K. POLK $1 PF | 2010 S MILLARD FILLMORE $1 PF >
2009 S ZACHARY TAYLOR $1 PF
NGC Universal ID: 286G
Coin Specifications
Category: Presidential Dollars (2007-2016)
Mintage: 2,809,452
Obverse Designer: Don Everhart
Reverse Designer: Don Everhart
Composition: Manganese-Brass
Weight: 8.0700g
Edge: Lettered
Link to this coin
Description & Analysis
Description and Analysis coming soon.
GRADE SUMMARY
Use the scroll bar at the bottom of this box to view a summary of the NGC Price Guide, NGC Census, Auction Prices Realized and NGC Registry Scores for each grade.
There was no data found for this Coin.
Select Designation
NGC PRICE GUIDE
AUCTION PRICES REALIZED
Click on a price to see historical prices, comparison charts and trends.
2009 S $1 ZACHARY TAYLOR PF UC
Base $ - - - - - - - - - 3.60 4.25 6.00 8.50 10.00 11.00 12.50 14.00 15.00 20.00 35.00
NGC Price and Value Guides Disclaimer
Go to the NGC US Coin Price Guide
NGC GRADE SUMMARY
Total Graded: 18147
Low Grade: 65
Average Grade: 69
High Grade: 70
NGC CENSUS DETAIL Last Updated: 1/14/2020 2009 S $1 ZACHARY TAYLOR PF UC
Base - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - 3 9 12991 5143 18147
Total - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - 3 9 12991 5143 18147
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 % - 0 % 0 % 72 % 28 %
Go to the NGC US Coin Census
NGC Registry Score 2009 S $1 ZACHARY TAYLOR PF UC
Base 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 6 9 12 12 20 32 37 41 50 54 63 81 143
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 7 10 12 15 24 34 38 44 51 57 69 102 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 4 7 10 12 15 24 34 38 44 51 57 69 0 0
2009 S $1 ZACHARY TAYLOR PF
Base 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 6 9 9 16 24 28 32 41 45 54 67 102
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 7 9 11 19 25 29 35 42 48 58 79 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 3 4 7 9 11 19 25 29 35 42 48 58 0 0
Competitive Registry Sets
Presidential Dollars, 2007-2016, Proof 1307
US Type Set, including Modern Issues 837
Basic US Type Set, with Gold (7070 + Page 5) 496
21st Century Type Set, Proofs & Non-Proofs 337
Silver & Clad Dollar Type Set 333
21st Century Type Set, Proofs Only 311
2009 Proof Set Coinage 147
2009 Silver Proof Set Coinage 115
Basic US Type Set, No Gold (7070), Circulated Coins Only 57
Basic US Type Set, with Gold (7070 + Page 5), Circulated Coins Only 47
Registry Image Gallery
Grade: PF 70 ULTRA CAMEO
Owner: 4thetwinsfuture
See Coin Details
Grade: PF 70 UC
Owner: Andrew Z Kowalski
View the Registry Image Gallery
Misdated Presidential Dollar Excites Error Collectors
2/20/2010 — NGC recently authenticated a 2009 D Zachary Taylor Presidential $1 coin bearing the date 2010 D on its lettered edge.
View full article >
Go to the NGC News portal

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Lokar SG-6016 chrome throttle pedal assembly with rubber inserts. Larger pedal size for more safety and comfort. Throttle pedal is spring loaded like OEM designs and has removable lower arm that is splined for versatility in mounting to the right or left of the mounting bracket. Measures 2" wide by 5" long and made of steel.


Big Issues: Should Congress give the President a line-item veto?
Cover: honoring those who served, Navy Seaman Jeff Heames plays Taps at Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Fla. For more about honor guards and national cemeteries, see articles beginning on page 23. Photo by Picture Group.


text:
Tercer rey de España es una denominación que han recibido varios personajes históricos:
Musa ibn Musa, o Musa II, de la familia muladí de los Banu Qasi de Tudela (siglo IX): Muza, de linaje godo, pero de profesión moro... se sublevó contra el rey de Córdoba, su señor... ensoberbecido con esta prosperidad... se sublevó contra el rey don Ordoño [de Asturias], con cuyo reino y el de Córdoba se contaba por tercer rey de España.
Pedro González de Mendoza, el Cardenal Mendoza (siglo XV), llamado así por oposición a los dos Reyes Católicos (Isabel y Fernando), en cuya corte y reino era un poderoso personaje.

Referencias

Historia de al-Ándalus
Reinado de los Reyes Católicos

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


T.J. Banks is the author of several books, including Catsong, which received a Merial Human–Animal Bond Award. A contributing editor to laJoie, T.J. has also received writing awards from the Cat Writers' Association, ByLine and The Writing Self. Her work has appeared in numerous anthologies, including Chicken Soup for the Single Parent's Soul and A Cup of Comfort for Women in Love, and T.J. has worked as a stringer for the Associated Press, as an instructor for the Writer's Digest School and as a columnist.
What Makes White Cats So Special?
White cats have many fascinating myths and legends associated with them. They symbolize rebirth, happiness, prosperity, healing and more.
Black Cat Awareness Month is a great time to plan a cat-themed fall party, no matter what color your cat's coat is.
Yes, cats and horses can be friends — and both animals share a close connection. Cats and horses are a lot more alike than you might think, actually.
Cat people, like everyone else, just want to find a place where they belong. And they've found it with others who love all things feline.


text:
Q: Removing a specific commit in git history that includes merges I want to remove a specific commit, C, in git history, as well as some single-commit-merges.
The history looks like this. In this example, I want to remove the single-commit-merge m6 and a problematic commit C.
---m0-------------------m1---m2---m3-------------m4---m5----m6---m7---(...)
     \                 /            \           /       \  /
      b0---b1---b2---b3              b4--(C)--b5         b6

I want to wind up with this (changes highlighted):
                                                      vv
---m0------------------m1---m2---m3---------m4---m5---b6---m7---(...)
    \                 /            \vvvvvvv/          ^^
     b0---b1---b2---b3              b4---b5
                                    ^^^^^^^

If I use "git rebase -i" to excise C and b6/m6, this works, but I get:
---m0---b0---b1---b2---b3---m1---(...)---

and the history is flattened. I want to preserve the entire structure. Conversely, if I run with the --preserve-merges flag, then I get:
error: Commit <sha-1 corresponding to m6> is a merge but no -m option was given.
fatal: cherry-pick failed
Could not pick <sha-1 corresponding to m6>

and I can't remove b6/m6 (although I can remove C).
What's the right way to wind up with the desired result? I'm using git 1.8.4, if that matters.
(Note that the other questions on StackOverflow that I perused don't seem to account for this very specific case, so as nearly as I can tell, this is not a duplicate question.)

A: Looks like it may be a small bug in git-rebase--interactive:
            case "$new_parents" in
            ' '*' '*)
                    test "a$1" = a-n && die "Refusing to squash a merge: $sha1"
            ... snip ...
            *)
                    output eval git cherry-pick "$strategy_args" "$@" ||
                            die_with_patch $sha1 "Could not pick $sha1"
                    ;;

When this hits m6, the new set of parents is singular, so it tries to use cherry-pick, but m6 is a merge so cherry-pick requires a hint about which parent to use.
I'm not sure why it's trying to take m6 at all, though.

A: Solution/workaround: (for me, anyway) This seems to be a bug in git rebase. I reverted to git 1.7.9 and my problem was solved; git rebase --interactive --preserve-merges worked exactly as I wanted and produces the graph I indicated in my post.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Each additional person staying in a cabin above the base rate ( who are 4 years of age or older ) will be charged an additional $30 per day or $150.00 per week.
Reservation Policy: To confirm and hold a reservation, a deposit must be received within 7 days of making your reservation. You are responsible for the full length of your confirmed reservation. In case of cancellation, deposits will not be returned. Rates do not include state and local taxes. We accept personal checks, traveler's checks, money orders, VISA/MC and cash.
Day Visitor Policy: For the privacy and security of all our resort guests, please let us know if you are expecting visitors. All visitors must register at the office. There is a $10.00 per-day per-person visitor charge.
The base price of each unit is listed above. For cabins there is a charge of $30.00 per day or $150.00 per week for each additional person. Children 4 years old and under are free. There is a charge of $10.00 per person for day visitors.
No pets allowed without prior approval.
There is a charge of $15.00 per day per pet in a cabin.
Pets are not welcome on the beach or in the swim area.
No daily guests can bring a pet.


Wiki Wiki English - Hawaiʻi Style: Let your hair down.
Today's One Point Wiki Wiki e-Xpression is an idiom, "Let your hair down".
It means to relax, be informal.
After a hard day of meetings I want to let my hair down.


Under a new law enacted as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, effective January 1, 2018, individuals' combined federal income tax deduction for state and local income, sales, and property taxes is limited to $10,000. For 2017, the combined deduction is not subject to the $10,000 limitation, so a taxpayer might be inclined to pre-pay 2018 state and local taxes in 2017 to maximize the deductible amount and, potentially, to use the deduction to offset income that will be taxed at 2017's higher marginal rates.
Unfortunately, the IRS recently announced that it will take the position that a taxpayer may claim a deduction for prepaid real property taxes only if the taxes have been assessed in 2017. In general, assessment occurs when the taxpayer is liable for the property tax imposed.
Taxpayers and their return preparers should check local law to determine whether 2018 property taxes have been assessed in 2017. If not, taxpayers should exercise caution in deducting 2018 real property taxes prepaid in 2017 and should consider disclosing the issue on their 2017 federal income tax returns to avoid penalties.


SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2017-- (NASDAQ:AMZN) – Starting today, all Amazon Fire TV customers will be able to browse the web on their TV. With Fire TV, customers already have access to more than 500,000 movies and TV episodes, and tens of thousands of apps, channels and Alexa skills. Now with the Firefox and Silk browsers, customers can access the World Wide Web including popular sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Reddit, as well as local and international news sites, video sharing services, cloud photo sites, and other social news, sports, and entertainment content.
Amazon Silk has been optimized for Fire TV by designing for a true television viewing experience that is best enjoyed from the couch. With the intuitive approach to browsing using Silk on Fire TV, customers can easily discover websites from across the web, launch bookmarks from the curated home screen on Silk, use the Fire TV remote buttons to navigate individual pages, or search the web for specific content with the Fire TV remote.
Fire TV devices are the number one selling streaming media players in the US, UK, Germany, and Japan and have tens of millions of monthly active users. Firefox and Silk are available starting today on every Fire TV device available in more than 100 countries and territories. Customers can easily download the browsers from their Fire TV to immediately begin browsing the web.


Yes we had fun, the grand kids found many items they "needed". All those sacks were just on the 2 hooks. They work great.
I had a TravelScoot adventure with my hubby today. We started out at Bass Pro, which is a combination of a theme park and sporting goods store. Seriously, they had a pond IN the store with ducks, turtles and fish and there were also huge aquariums. Some marketing genius did a terrific job designing the store. After that we went to Ralph's Supermarket, a local grocery store we'd never been in.
This photo shows how I shop for groceries (and that you CAN wear a dress while scooting). Alan was with me today, but I shop this way when I'm by myself too. If I get in a narrower space, I'm able to reach back and pull the shopping cart behind me.
Here my new hooks are, attached to the cane.
Since these latch closed, I thought I would carry my camera and wallet on these hooks.
I am glad they came today my sister, daughter and 2 grand daughters will be here tomorrow and we will be out and about.
I received my TravelScoot Travel Kit today. They are good quality items, and nicely made. The bag that protects the controls is much thicker material than the black bag that comes with the scooter. There's a piece of velcro that holds it in place. Also, the color in the picture looks dark pink on my monitor, but it's actually the same color as the fabric caddy.
The battery bag is the perfect size to hold two of the lithium ion batteries. I'll definitely be using mine to hold the battery (or batteries!) when I fly. I also like it that it has the TravelScoot emblem on it. It makes it look like it belongs with the scoot.
The buggy hooks arrived today so I took some pictures. They look like they will work great. After attaching them I pulled on them to try to get them to slide down the steering upright, and they did not move.
Also when my 2nd set of hooks arrive I am going to attach them to my cane. I think it will work just fine for holding two more shopping bags if I need to use them.
The water bottle holders I purchased will not attach to the upright but they attach to the basket just fine.
I found more information on the hooks Cynth posted about. They're called Think King Mighty Buggy Hooks. They also have a cup holder that sounds like a great accessory.
Think King sells the hooks in packs of 2 on their website for $14.99. They have a drink holder for $14.99 too, that holds more than just drinks.
They have open hooks. I hope between the 2 types I can rig something up on the front of my scoot so I can do a lot of "this and that" shopping with canvas totes instead of a shopping cart.
I spent an hour and a half looking through home depot today trying to come up with ideas for some tote hooks and what not for the TravelScoot. I messed with doweling and looked at all sorts of hooks and connectors.
Then I came home and googled "clamps" and found no-slip grip-clips for wheel chairs. They look like they will work just attached to the steering column. I ordered some and will let you know how they work out.
the middle picture 2nd down.
I must say it was lovely to cruse Home Depot without dragging a shopping cart around.
Cynth, I can't wait to hear how these work. They look wonderful!
Rhonda sent me an email today letting me know that she was on an adventure with her hubby and 10-year-old son, at the New Orleans Aquarium.
What is so special about this trip is that she wouldn't have been able to go without her TravelScoot without the fear of when her next asthma attack would occur.
The first day Rhonda used her TravelScoot to go to work she told me she felt liberated. I have to agree with her!
little children loose. Having a great time ... Wish you were here."
This is an announcement for the NAAFA Convention, being held in Washington, D.C. from July 30 through August 3, 2009. I will be giving a workshop where I'll talk about the TravelScoot, and Hardy Huber (the TravelScoot inventor) will be there too. More information about the convention is available on NAAFA's website, at http://www.NAAFA.org.
NAAFA Is Turning 40 and we are having a convention celebration that you won't want to miss!
Join us for our annual fund-raising Convention being held July 30 thru August 3, 2009 at the Dulles Airport Marriott in Washington D.C. You may register to join us through our website at www.naafa.org. We are forty years old and going strong with the strength we need to build the future.
This year's convention will be packed with learning, networking, community building, swimming, dancing and more. Friday night's 2009 NAAFA Fashion Show is promising to be the country's premier plus size fashion show with dinner and fashion plus our well-known Not-So-Silent Auction. Don't forget your prettiest party clothes for Saturday Night's Awards Dinner and Masquerade Gala as we share a sumptuous meal and dance the night away.
Sunday we will learn from knowledgeable experts the most effective ways of working to change our laws then on Monday August 3rd we will visit key representatives and organizations to present our case for changing this country's anti-discrimination laws. You won't want to miss this opportunity to be involved.
We have worked hard to keep the cost of this convention down and have made it easy for you to register for the convention as well as the hotel at www.naafa.org. Our earlybird special thru June 1 is only $199.00. We encourage you to register for the full package today and to fully participate in this exciting, life-changing event.
There's a new travel kit available for your TravelScoot.
It's available for $39 through the TravelScoot website, at http://www.travelscoot.com/.
In the post titled, "A New and Easier Way of Airline Travel," these are items *1 and *2.
My experience has been, when the entire scooter is stored inside the bag, the airport baggage handler treats it like just another bag and often does not handle it with the proper care. This occasionally leads to damage on scooter and/or bag. Also, airport personnel don't always realize that they are dealing with a mobility device inside the bag; once in a while they ignore the gate check tag and forward the bag containing the scooter to baggage claim.
Below I describe a way to transport the TravelScoot that allows airport personnel to clearly see that it is a mobility aid. Furthermore, this method practically forces them to use both hands when carrying the TravelScoot (up and down the gangway steps, for example), resulting in more careful handling. I have traveled this way already several times, and not once was my TravelScoot damaged.
Also, when traveling, I no longer fold the TravelScoot, and I leave its carrying bag at home.
Before you start your trip, be organized. Your carry-on luggage shall fit underneath your seat across the trailing arms. Like your carry-on luggage, your check-in luggage should have rollers. You can also take a spare battery.
In order to reduce the number of items you have to deal with while roaming at the airports, best is to pack the back rest and its elbow frame as well as the optional folding basket in your carry-on or checked luggage, and drive the TravelScoot without the back rest. This also makes getting on and off easier when carry-on luggage is placed on the frame (see picture above). The rider can swing his or her leg over the seat from the rear, much like on a man's bicycle.
At the airport, when you set up your TravelScoot, stack the second battery on top of the main battery. If you are traveling alone, tow your check-in suitcase with your left hand and drive to the check-in counter. Drive slowly because you can apply only one brake.
At the check-in, remain seated so that an employee will understand that you have walking problems. It will happen either at the check-in or more likely at the gate counter, that you will receive the "Gate delivery" tags for the scooter. Ask for a second tag for the heavier batteries.
At the security checkpoint, you can usually bypass the waiting crowd, ask for assistance. They ask you whether or not you can stand up. You could remain seated but be aware that you may be subjected to a body search. To avoid this embarrassing procedure, better stand up and walk the few yards through the x-ray frame. They will perform a security check on your scooter. After you are cleared you can proceed to the gate. Park in the vicinity of the counter. Disabled persons with their equipment are asked to board before the rest of the passengers.
At the door of aircraft you are boarding slide the two handles with the controls out of the T-handle, slide the padded sleeve *1 over it, and lower the steering column almost all the way. Remove the batteries and store them the padded battery bag *2. Remove the batteries and store them the padded battery bag. If you travel with the light batteries, temporarily remove the seat, slide the battery bag's handles over the seat support and replace the seat on the seat support. Now it's a fairly compact item and easy for the airline personnel to handle. If you travel with one or two heavy batteries, the bag must remain separately because of the weight; it shall not be attached to the scooter. Keep in mind that the airline handler (sometimes female) must carry everything up and down the narrow stairs outside the gangway. Ask the gate desk attendant for two gate check tags.
After arrival stay seated until most of the passengers are gone because usually it takes a while until gate checked items are delivered.
I had an idea today about using those cane cups for something useful like maybe a place to hold the end of some kind of upright that also fastens some how at the top of the steering upright. The uprights could be used to add "tools" to the scoot like a drink holder and shopping hooks so the basket could also be used to give more options on carrying things while shopping.
On Saturday, Melissa, Rhonda and I went on an adventure. (Melissa's in blue above, and Rhonda's in pink.) It was day #3 for Rhonda's TravelScoot, and we wanted to break it in right, so we went to the mall. We started by loading both scoots into the back of my Honda Odyssey, then off we went to Sephora, then the Apple store, lunch at a sidewalk cafe, Pottery Barn, Dillards, and many stops in between. We just about walked Melissa's legs off, I think.
After the mall we headed to Bed, Bath and Beyond. We were barely in the store before a woman ran after us to get more information. She has a sister who would benefit enormously from a TravelScoot. We were also able to talk to her about the exercise classes Melissa teaches, and she said she and her sisters would see us there.
I don't know anything about the company that sells these, but this cart looks interesting. I wonder how well it would work with the TravelScoot for shopping? A detachable rotating handle is also available. It has a 100-lb weight capacity, and if you take the bag off you can use it as a dolly.
With a little quick thinking she decided to stay on the scoot, turn it around and give it a hard push off with her feet to head back down the incline. The battery quickly turned from red to green.
She's sure it didn't look graceful, but it worked!
If you're concerned about this happening to you, you can always choose the sealed lead acid battery instead. It doesn't overload. I chose the lithium ion battery instead because it weighs 4 1/2 lbs instead of 20 lbs., it can be charged at any time without damaging the battery, and did I mention it only weighs 4 1/2 lbs?
More information about the differences in the batteries is at http://www.TravelScoot.com/batteries.htm .
The first picture is Bee at the butterfly farm. The second one is Sarge and their cruise director racing the scoots. You can see the cup holder on the front of Bee's scoot. The third and forth pictures are taken from the front and side.
Sarge said it is mounted [with wire ties] in the front so the scooter can fold up and below the compression ring where the top part of the handlebars telescope in.
It was originally mounted with velcro, but Bee said that didn't work well.
Thanks for the pictures, Bee!
Your assignment (should you choose to accept it) is to find the best cup holder out there for our TravelScoots. If you do a google search for "Microphone stand cup holder", "bicycle cup holder" or "wheelchair cup holder" you'll see many options.
I don't think attaching a cup holder to the handlebars is going to be an option, which makes me think the microphone stand cup holder might work best, since it can be attached to a vertical piece. My sister Rae is the one who came up with this idea.
Here's one product that might work. Look at the SwirlyGig II.
Has anyone found other accessories that work with the TravelScoot?
Yesterday UPS delivered my friend Rhonda's TravelScoot. I went to her house last night to help get it set up (which took about 5 minutes), and to ride together to test it out. We had a blast riding through her neighborhood on our scoots. We drove them as fast as they would go. As expected, she can go a little faster than me because I'm a lot larger than she is.
We rode a mile or more (I'm not a good judge of distance) and when we came back to her house at full speed she didn't have any trouble getting up the driveway, but my battery overloaded. It was the perfect opportunity for me to try restarting it by giving the scoot a hard push. I got off and pushed it two or three times and I'd see a red flash on the battery panel, but nothing else. Well, that's when Mark, her wonderful 10-year-old son, came to the rescue. He took off at a run, pushing my scooter, and got the battery restarted almost immediately.
If your battery overloads and you don't have a 10-year-old boy handy, you can also plug the battery into the charger briefly and that's supposed to reset it too.
The picture on top is of the best mom in the world -- mine!
The second photo is my nephew Shane and my great niece Baylen, sitting on my TravelScoot. We were celebrating Mother's Day at my mom's nursing home.
Shane was impressed with my TravelScoot, but not as impressed as Baylen was with the bell.
There's not always a bag hanging from the handlebars!
We were almost finished shopping at this point. Rae and Kelli left me in charge of watching the packages so they had their arms free to try on shoes. It seemed like a good photo op. I was certainly carrying my share of the packages!
I know most people don't take pictures when they go to the mall, but going to the mall is impossible for me without my scoot. I had a WONDERFUL day of independence and freedom, and that was worth photographing.
This is my sister Rae. You can see a tiny bit of the handlebar peaking out from under the clothes. We were in a small dressing room. Me, her, a chair, and my scoot.
Here I am in JC Penney's, shopping for clothes for my mom. Yes, the racks were close together, and YES, I was driving in between them. You can't tell from this picture, but I could actually drive my TravelScoot without moving the clothes that are piled on top of it. I just put my hands under them to reach the handle bars.
This picture was taken today outside the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge. The little pink pouch attached to the handlebars is my camera bag.
This picture was taken at the beginning of our shopping trip today. Look, no bags!
This is Lynn Ellen's travelScoot parked by her VW.
It's hard to believe that scoot fits in what looks like a tiny trunk, but it does!
I have a friend from exercise class who just took her new TravelScoot to Disney. She was there for three days. Normally she rents a scooter, so this was her first time taking her TravelScoot. Let me see how much I can remember of what she told me.
Airport: She got a gate check tag for it when she checked in, then rode it to the door of the plane. The man who checked it was fascinated by it. She was VERY happy about not having to walk in the airport. I don't know about all of you, but airports are a real problem for me. I know many airports have carts you can ride in, but it's hard to find one when you need it and it doesn't take you to baggage claim or to your hotel transportation, but the Travelscoot will!
Busses: It was much easier to take her scoot on the busses than it was to take the scooters she rented in the past.
At the park: LOTS and LOTS of people asked her about her scoot. She said she wishes she had had business cards to give out.
Shopping: The Travelscoot fit in all the little shops at the park, and it was easy to go between the aisles too. That's difficult to do (and sometimes impossible) with a regular scooter.
Battery Life: She took her charger to the park just in case, but never needed it. She said the battery life was great.
Triangle-shaped carrying pouch: She was amazed at how much she could fit in this pouch. She was in charge of purses and shopping bags.
Batteries: Hardy Huber now has more lithium ion batteries in stock. He'd been out for a few weeks.
Bigger Seats: I have the prototype for the new, larger seat. Hardy says he'll have more in and available for shipping in the middle of July. If you buy your TravelScoot before then he'll send the regular seat (which works well), and trade out for the larger seat when they come in.
Sorry the picture is a bit dark, but the seat on the left is the regular seat and the one on the right is the wider and deeper one. The seat is turned upside down, and the one on the left has the metal part attached that attaches to the base of the scoot.


text:
Roy Whitney
Jan Whitney
Jordan Duguay
Dale Swampy
John Whitney
Chris Poitras
Clarence Olson
Renessa Walker-Pelletier
Jason Louis
Karen Crowshoe
Ernesto Pareja
Marcella Fontaine
Roy Whitney - roy@wynteroseconsulting.com
Mr. Whitney has a long and distinguished career in business and community politics. As a former Chief of Tsuu T'ina First Nation from 1984 to 2001, Mr Whitney was instrumental in improving relations between his community, all three levels of government and the non-aboriginal business community. In the year 2000, Roy was the recipient of the National Aboriginal Achievement award for business and commerce along with the Paul Harris Fellow Award for bridging relations and building understanding for Indigenous peoples of the world.
Beyond his work on economic development initiatives, Roy has been instrumental on the political front wherein, he Co-chaired the Prime Ministers dinner in Calgary in 2002/03, attended the UN Forum on International Peoples issues, and served as Board member for the G8 Summit in 2002. Roy also sat as Chairperson for the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board, retiring in 2003 after eight years of service.
Roy is also a recent graduate of Haskyne business school at the University of Calgary from the Institute of Corporate directors, Directors Education Program for Board Governance.
Today, Roy continues to promote socio-economic opportunities for Aboriginal people and sustaining relationships with Industry through Wynterose Consulting Group.
COPYRIGHT © 2007 - WYNTEROSE CONSULTING GROUP LTD.


Let's be honest: braids are tricky at the best of times – even if your fingers aren't made of butter.
Our creative Stylist loves to create a braided masterpiece - and he happens to be phenomenal at it too.
French? Dutch? Classic? We got you.


We've had a number of visitors in town the past few weeks, which means lots of touristy trips around the city. One of our first stops last week was to Teotihuacán, the ruins just north of the city. Almost every town we've visited in Mexico has their own ruins, and, honestly, sometimes I just get tired of seeing them. BUT, Teotihuacán blew me away for its enormity, ingenuity, and architectural prowess. Don't you just wonder how they accomplished this feat? Amazing! And equally baffling were the modern stone mountains on the drive back to the city.
Teotihuacán took over 200 hundred years to erect.
The gophers are clearly not camera shy.
If you can leave without buying anything, you should be rewarded back your admission fee for exhibiting such self-control.
Notice the good angel over my right shoulder telling me, "Don't do it!" And I didn't.
Mountains of concrete homes stacked on top of one another. Definitely not the place to be in an earthquake.
This is so cool thanks for the pics, Iv lived in Mexico for 10 months now and havent seen any of this stuff. Hopefully in June we will get to go check some places out.


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Witnessing an Epic Franco-Italian Culinary Clash at Hullett House. Nothing quells the holiday blues more effectively than several courses of delicious food and a few glasses of wine. So rather than unpacking, on Tuesday evening I headed off to St George, an elegant, fine dining restaurant nestled in the heart of one of Hong Kong's most beautiful colonial buildings to try out a menu intriguingly titled 'Two Peas in a Pod'.
I was lucky enough to try a couple of dishes from each menu the highlights of which for me were the French foie gras terrine with sesame seed fatty tuna and the Italian roasted veal fillet with spinach and Gorgonzola cream.
The Two Peas in a Pod Menu is only available until Saturday night, so we suggest you give St George a call to reserve you table right now and get fasting immediately in preparation for the feast of all feasts.
Diners can choose either the French or Italian menu; both are priced at HK$988 per person (with an additional HK$888 if you opt for the wine pairing) plus a 10% service charge. Reservations are required.
At least 45 minutes of exercise at least five days a week. When there are 168 hours in a week, I really should be able to fit in what works out as less than four hours of exercise. Figuring that much of the issue is being bored of the same routine and exercising alone (and therefore having too easy a get-out if I don't feel like hitting the gym), I've decided to sign-up for a brand new girls only daily Bootcamp, Bikini Fit. Founder and Head Trainer, Alex de Fina, guarantees to get you in the best shape of your life with his eight week fitness and nutrition programme. The first round of Bootcamp starts on 22 October - so Hong Kong girls, you've got ten days to get involved too! Help me stick to it by signing up with me!
Bookworming it up and devouring some seriously great reads. A week without Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter or BBM - you may well be wondering what on earth I did while I was away. Well luckily I'd planned ahead and loaded up my Kindle with plenty of books. This summer I've been so busy that I've barely had a moment to do anything more than crack the spine of Fifty Shades of Grey... As much as I enjoy reading about Christian Grey's long fingers and Ana Steele's Inner Goddess, I was craving something with a little more substance to keep me entertained when I wasn't temple hopping in Burma. Step up three very different but equally brilliant page turners that I've been raving about this week to anyone who'll listen.
A book about a recently retired man who gets a letter one day, sets out to post his reply, but ends up deciding to hand deliver it instead... It doesn't exactly sound like a thrilling read but trust me, it's great. A little bit like the literary equivalent of Up!, it will make you cry but its ultimately very sweet and uplifting.
Set in post-war America across three decades and told from the perspective of five different characters, this book had me gripped from the start. A sort of Great Gatsby meets Desperate Housewives with a bit of murder mystery chucked in for good measure - read it before its made into a film which will inevitably be nowhere near as good as the book.
And that's it for this week! Have a great weekend!
Glad you liked them Adele! We've just entered your Michael Kors Giveaway and have our fingers crossed!
What a beautiful plate of food. I'm eating with my eyes as we speak!


Thanks for sharing. Seems once you factor in labor, a vehicle, misc tools, a charger, you are about in it as much as a Leaf. I swear I got an email a few weeks ago that you can build a lifepo4 ev for a fraction of the cost of a leaf with the same if not more range. Having just driven a Leaf it seemed like a good read.
I still want to see a Bug-e in action one day as I would be the only occupant.
It really depends on your skills and what you are looking for. My EV has greater performance and range than a Nissan Leaf, and I enjoy building things so making an EV was just too much fun!
It's my hobby, it may be expensive but I currently have that kind of disposable cash, and I'm still in college commuting so standing out have helped a lot.
I have a hard time factoring in tools into a project. You still have the tool after the project is done. sort of like capital expenditure. Time should not get factored in either. if you enjoy doing it it is no different from buying a leaf then spending however many hours doing some other hobby.
Any plans to improve rolling resistance / aerodynamics once you've got the conversion details all sorted out?
Do you dream of regen? With the ForkenSwift, I definitely have a case of regen envy.
I am going to get an alignment because it's real bad right now, so I expect a 20% improvement just from that. I am also thinking about LRR tires next year as summer tires but will see how things go.
Nope, I have no dreams of regen. It's actually more efficient to coast than use REGEN because if you need REGEN then you are not driving efficiently! We have Solectria Forces at my university and the REGEN just isn't impressive enough for me. You get more range by spending the same money on batteries vs an AC motor and inverter.
I completely agree that coasting > regen.
But sometimes friction braking is unavoidable (something unexpected/unpredictable happens). And sometimes it's more pro-social to not hold up a line of cars by coasting several blocks from 30 mph to 0 mph at the next stop sign just to get in a perfect coast.
I have 15" wheels, 185/65/R15. Right now I have all season tires I put on the car when I bought it a year ago, they are performance tires but I can't remember the brand, I'll look tomorrow.
I finished collecting everything I can think of for my trip to the RMV tomorrow morning, except for the plates still on the car. I am not sure if I will just get my registration updated or EV plates, I am hoping to EV plates.
I got my EV plates!
Apparently I am the first person to receive these new EV plates in MA! The numbers on the plates correspond to different things such as when the registration needs renewal, which RMV they were assigned, etc. This was actually plate 7 out of the 10 this RMV that I could choose from and I liked the numbers. We had to call the main RMV office in Boston to get the supervisor, who said that this is the first time that she knew any of the EV plates were given out and even she had to figure out what to do with them.
Congrats on the EV plates! Do you get any special perks with those?
I get to park at all the EV charging stations without being towed.
I am not sure what other perks there are, I guess I will find out soon. Monday I get to see if my EV spot has been opened up, I told the professor to make some room for me and the parking department knows I am coming and my access to the lot is still active.
In Ma it's a one time $20 fee. Any EV including Hybrids can get one because they want to let first responders know you have a HV pack in your car. My car doesn't have the model and Hybrid badge on it, and the plates came out sometime time in april or may before i knew about it. Oh well, i try to be as incognito as i can in a little red car.
Maybe if it had a lightning bolt like a dispatcher car.
I try to be helpful. I'm not an expert.


Common ivy , scientific name: Hedera helixa , is a cold-resistant evergreen climbing shrub of the Araliaceae department Hedera genus. It gets entangled in the outer wall of a tree and the house. Leaf shape includes a change, and there are variegations, too. A yellow floret on green blooms in autumn, however a leaf is an appreciated houseplant than a flower. In a representative kind, there is the Grayshah which a thin yellow ornamental border is in the light and shade place of the bluish green.Bushy plant has campaigned the Japanese Ivy, the fall foliage Japanese Ivy, however Common ivy does not leaves.


text:
Flyers should find way to keep Couturier on roster
SEAN COUTURIER has skated into Flyers training camp as a green, 18-year-old lottery pick and possibly could skate back to Drummondville, Quebec, next week despite doing everything in his power to crack Peter Laviolette's revamped roster.
by Frank Seravalli | Columnist
Or, he could be in the lineup when the Flyers painfully watch the Bruins raise their Stanley Cup banner to the TD Garden rafters exactly 1 week from tonight.
For the Flyers, there is zero risk of giving Couturier a 10-game taste of the big leagues to start the season, the maximum number of games before his contract would count toward the team's 50-contract limit. Couturier has little left to achieve in junior hockey. He has already won a QMJHL President's Cup, pocketed league scoring titles and shattered team records once held by Danny Briere.
Minutes for a developing prospect are a lot easier to come by in October than in March. If Couturier struggles, he can head back to Drummondville knowing what part of his game needs work. If he is so undeniably impressive and earns a starring role, the Flyers can find a way to keep him.
At the very worst, Couturier can practice with the Flyers and head back to Canada with a few extra bucks in his pocket.
"I think the more time Sean spends here, the better it is for him - and the Flyers, in the long run," general manager Paul Holmgren concurred yesterday. "He would get to play a tempo that he wouldn't get if he was to be sent back [to juniors]. To be able to skate with NHL players on a daily basis, work with them in the weight room, all of those things are good for him.
"And seeds can be planted on what he needs to work on."
It's a free trial run. Well, almost. They still need to pay the kid.
Couturier being in Beantown next Thursday may end up having little to do with his ability, the Flyers' available roster spots or even the team's trust in him to get the job done. It may have everything to do with the salary cap and whether they can afford his $1.375 million cap hit.
"The cap number is a little bit of a slippery slope," Holmgren admitted.
If Couturier is sent back to Drummondville, he would be wiped off the cap and the 3-year contract he signed last week won't begin until next season. Unless the Flyers call him up again.
It's a confusing loophole, but it's the same one that Brayden Schenn used to play eight games with the Kings - despite spending 23 games on the roster - last year and not have his contract begin until this year. For teams, it's an attractive way to introduce the player to the NHL, further evaluate, and then save a year's worth of his rights.
"He seems to fit in," Laviolette said. "He's smart defensively. When young players come in the league, it's the first thing you look at: Can they win the battles, can they handle the defensive end? We've put him in a lot of situations. He's handled most of the responsibilities well."
So, then, how does Couturier fit under the cap?
That's the money question, no pun intended. The Flyers are once again hamstrung by the salary cap. As it stands now, they have a little more than $175,000 in space on the $64.3 million cap. That's because they were forced to carry more than $1.4 million in paid-out bonuses from last season over to this year's cap - something that will surely hamper them this season.
As of yesterday, Matt Read appears to be a lock, perhaps even taking Andreas Nodl's roster spot away in the process. The Flyers likely will start (but may not finish) the season with Zac Rinaldo on the roster to play the enforcer role with Jody Shelley suspended for the first five regular-season games, even though Shelley will still count against the salary cap at that time.
We're also assuming Schenn makes the team, given his strong camp and ballyhooed hype.
What about the defense? That's the most interesting part of the roster/salary-cap equation. With Chris Pronger's uncertainty - though he has steadily increased his practice participation and the Flyers are "very optimistic" about his Opening-Night status - do they need to carry an extra defenseman like Oskars Bartulis?
If so, that means one forward must go. With a surplus of available penalty killers, that could mean Blair Betts, even with his ridiculous shorthanded-time to even-strength-time ratio, could be the odd man out.
As it stands, the Flyers cannot afford two extra forwards and one extra defenseman to hit the 23-man maximum.
These moves would all just be temporary - depending on how Couturier plays, of course. Once Couturier plays in 10 games, the Flyers would then need to make some sort of move.
Right now, it just doesn't make sense to not take advantage of Couturier's freedom and flexibility.
One option might be to hold Shelley off the roster for 10 games, let Couturier play, and swap the two and their close salary-cap hits when the time comes to send Couturier down. Or, the Flyers could just not keep an extra defenseman and roll the dice with six defensemen to start.
Or, better yet, the Flyers could trade some veteran salary to make room.
"You never know what's going to happen," Holmgren said yesterday with a grin. "I don't think we can assume anything just yet."
Frank Seravalli
Frequent Flyers is your home for news and analysis of all things orange and black.


The VoiceLink III system is a two-channel infrared wireless microphone system that can be an addition to any existing sound system whether in a classroom, conference room, banquet room, or district courtroom.
The VoiceLink III system is a two-channel infrared wireless microphone system that can be an addition to any existing sound system whether in a classroom, conference room, banquet room, or district courtroom. The VoiceLink III features a two-channel infrared wireless microphone receiver for the simultaneous use of two wireless microphones: no messy cables and you have total freedom of movement throughout the room. An Aux/Comp input and front panel output for Lesson Capture. The line level output, balanced (phoenix 3-pin) or unbalanced (1/4″ phone), is connected to an existing sound system. Excellent vocal quality and reliable connectivity in excess of 30-foot radius to a central ceiling sensor. Interference-free transmission with 100% program material security (infrared will not transmit through walls).


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What entwine means in Arabic, entwine meaning in Arabic, entwine definition, examples and pronunciation of entwine in Arabic language.


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text:
A Superior Spectre Book Club Qs & Drink Suggestions
About Angela Meyer
Editing services & writing advice
Essays, journalism, reviews
Guest review: 'It doesn't have to be fun to be fun', Alice Robinson on 127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston
March 1, 2011 November 25, 2011 / Angela Meyer (LiteraryMinded)
(Aus, US, UK)
Reviewed by Alice Robinson
Aron Ralston is starving, dehydrated and on the brink of death when, six days after being pinned beneath an 800-pound boulder, stranded alone in a remote Utah canyon, he snaps his own wrist; the blade of the $15 multi-tool in his pack just won't cut through the bone. Ralston is committed to amputating his right hand – a desperate bid for survival – and a broken wrist is the least of his worries. For six days, the experienced mountaineer has stood alone in a dark, narrow slot canyon without adequate food or water, drinking his own urine and watching his right hand decompose. He has tried everything he can think of to free himself: applying his survival skills, engineering knowledge, and pure dumb hope to the task; working the problem of his entrapment like a puzzle, whatever limited resources he has carried in on his back, the ill-fitting key to freedom.
No one knows where Ralston is; or even that he is missing. The twenty-seven year old is wholly on his own: just two arm bones, a steak of muscle, whole networks of tendons, arteries and nerves, and one dirty, blunt little blade standing between certain death and the uncertain promise of life. That Ralston successfully completes the amputation without bleeding to death is no new news – the event was all over the media in 2003 when Ralston survived, and again this year promoting Danny Boyle's film 127 Hours , based on the climber's grim experience. That once free, Ralston rappels down a cliff-face six stories high and hikes for miles through the desert to rescue, bloody stump bandaged in plastic, might be less well known, though no less remarkable for it.
Ralston is obviously a man of enviable, almost inhuman self-possession, grit and determination; his story so incredible and inspiring and unlikely, so compelling, that it brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. This is narrative at its best: full of suffering and pain, brimming with hope and the overcoming of immense adversity – in other words, a classic example of a ripping 'good' story. Regardless, readers need to ask themselves: does an amazing story – or even a pretty good one – make in turn a good book? Then again, when you've just witnessed a desperate man hack off his own rotting limb in text, does anyone care either way?
It does, and I do.
Honestly, since finishing 127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place, I've been obsessed with this gruesome survival narrative, googling Ralston and reading old press releases from the time of his accident; watching You-Tube clips of his infamous video-letters home, made on a camcorder in the canyon as stand-in will and testament – a final, tearful goodbye to his folks. I felt – still feel – like turning back to the first page of the book and beginning again, compelled to search out the cracks between lines that might reveal exactly how this whole strange sequence of events came to pass; how he survived them. It is not that the narrative isn't plain or clear enough: Ralston more than adequately outlines the actions and decisions that led him to the terrible point at which he stabs his own flesh, and cuts through. We understand implicitly that the dying man has assessed and attempted every other option at his disposal; his self-amputation appears neither startling nor strange to the reader, but necessary. Yet there remains something intangibly opaque about the whole narrative, something impenetrable and mystifying. I have been puzzling over its source for weeks, and neither my reading, nor my research, nor viewing Boyle's film has satisfied it. Nowhere in the book – or, incidentally the film, though much has been made of actor James Franco's infamous blinding scream of pain – do we ever really understand how it feels to cut off one's own limb. Since this act sits at the centre of the narrative and is the source of much of the intrigue, its inaccessibility is some kind of failing, one I put this down to the very delicate, almost invisible line between telling a good story, and writing one.
Of course, Ralston is not a writer; he is an extreme sportsman, albeit one who studied French and piano performance at university. He is obviously highly articulate and resourceful, as both his story and his book attest. I was at times deeply impressed, even moved by his control of language, his straightforward, sensitive approach. At other times though, Ralston's prose felt lacking. I don't believe that we should accept works simply because their authors suffered greatly, or are heroes, or because the stories they are trying to recreate are worthy of being told. By no means am I advocating literary works above those of other genres and styles, either; I understand that a range of texts have their place in reader's lives and minds. It is simply that the large absence in Ralston's work – it's lack of show and too much tell – is just too unsettling to dismiss.
Some might argue that the intricacies inherent in the emotion and pain derived from the act of self-amputation are impossible to convey any more viscerally on the page, that Ralston's blow-by-blow account more than suffices the reader's curiosity and blood lust. Yet at no point in 127 Hours are we ever really invited into the canyon by Ralston's prose. Instead, we watch at an arm's length (a cruel but apt pun) as events unfold at an inaccessible distance. This distance is only compounded in Boyles' film, where Ralston's narrative is reduced to a thrilling but ultimately vacuous montage; his epic physical and spiritual test of endurance distilled as music video clip for the big screen.
It comes to this: that a good book must communicate something more than the facts; more than pure narration or observation regarding what happened next.
Think about the pain and pathos conveyed in Andre Dubus' House of Sand and Fog, Richard Yates' The Easter Parade, even Michael Cunningham's The Hours. Of course these are all novels, but they establish a framework for writing about struggle – internal or imposed – pinning down the borders of what bleak and sensitive narrative can do. In Sebastian Faulk's Birdsong, by no means the most accomplished novel on any front, we watch a man in a collapsed tunnel struggle to survive; the scene is rendered so chillingly, the circumstance so desperate and difficult, that in recalling, it gives me goosebumps even now. In terms of non-fiction, David Finkel's The Good Soldiers – a text that admittedly appropriates many literary devices, and so to some extent assures the conveyance of all the gristle and despair of war to the reader – provides such a horrifying window into Iraq that I defy any reader to remain unaffected by its prose. At the outermost point of affecting non-fiction, marking the high-tide mark of successful narratives, The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion shows just how one might tell a tragic story from one's own life in such a way that the reader feels, really feels every twinge of sorrow, hopelessness and pain. In contrast, Ralston's book is affecting – the facts assure it – but at the same time the book itself remains alienating, puzzling. The reader survives it, but has no real purchase on what any of it meant.
To some extent, this is the fault of Ralston himself – not Ralston the writer, but Ralston the man. The problems of the book's craft are compounded by the extent to which Ralston himself mystifies and evades, precisely because he is so extraordinary. What is compelling about his story – his bravery and determination, his sheer inhuman physical fitness and strength, also the extent to which he exerts control over his emotions and mind in the most extreme and desperate of situations – are, in the end, difficult to relate to, and understand.
When Ralston's mountaineering exploits are catalogued at the beginning of the text, we understand that he is no average man. In fact, there is something almost pathological about his pre-accident project: his plan to climb all of the Colorado fourteeners (mountains that exceed 14,000 feet), alone, in winter, regardless of conditions. He recounts alpinist Mark Twight's words, 'it doesn't have to be fun to be fun' as indicative of his chosen sport's appeal, but pursuing such obvious and critical risk for pleasure places Ralston outside the bounds of 'ordinary' life from the start. By the time he finds himself pinned beneath the boulder – as ironic as this unexpected mishap is, against the playing field of all his other, far deadlier expeditions – he has far surpassed expectations of normality, evading avalanches and deadly storms as par for the course. Though the pre-accident anecdotes Ralston provides are true to his life, from a narrative perspective, they make murky the reader's understanding of, and sympathy for the climber when disaster finally strikes. More crucially, when the boulder pins Ralston to the canyon wall, we are hardly surprised. Shocked, yes; but not surprised. His pre-accident daring and fearlessness set up an expectation of danger and injury; the accident's predictability in the context of Ralston's lifestyle robs the event of critical drama. It did not surprise me to find that Boyle cut much of the book's opening from the film, understanding, if not quite executing that critical delineation between a story and narrative.
No doubt a phenomenal person, a survivor of something beyond the bounds of anything any human can realistically expect to survive, Ralston comes off as some kind of superhero – flawed, vulnerable and scared, its true, but also undeniably strong. So strong in fact, that he is almost impossible to comprehend. In spite of this, a part of me wants to champion this work – despite its flaws, despite myself. There are ways of reconfiguring the narrative, changes to Ralston's prose style and aptitude for storytelling that might improve what is essentially an articulate paperback holiday read. It strikes me that essence of that phrase, 'it doesn't have to be fun to be fun' transfers beautifully to Ralston's book, which is neither 'fun' in content nor execution, but which nevertheless contains an essential and admirable quality, one generated in the act of reading; just as climbing life-threatening mountains provides something to Ralston despite the many dangers in the act, so does reading his book, despite its failings, provide something to the reader. For at the center of the work remains a fundamentally incredible experience: touching, inspiring and true. That I remain affected by what I read, even now, is testimony to the undeniable strength of 127 Hours: that Ralston faced death, and with only his character and wits with which to fight, was victorious.
Alice Robinson writes fiction. She works as a freelance writer, professional book group and writing group facilitator, and she teaches in universities. Since 2008, Alice has been researching climate change and Australian literature at Victoria University, where she is a PhD candidate. Having been published in various journals, she also blogs on books and reading at www.critrature.blogspot.com.
Other People's Words, Reviews + Analyses
127 Hours, 127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Alice Robinson, American books, Aron Ralston, climbing, cutting off own arm, Danny Boyle, film, guest review, memoir, mountain climbing, moutaineering, moving stories, nonfiction, rock climbing, shocking, survival, survival narrative
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One thought on "Guest review: 'It doesn't have to be fun to be fun', Alice Robinson on 127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston"
A very interesting review. Thanks for sharing the complexity of your response to the book Alice.
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text:
Cave art: Stories in stone
Aziz KingraniPublished December 6, 2015
The dancing men
Anyone entering Balochistan province from any direction is sure to be caught by the eye-catching and magnetic natural beauty, as the entire area looks like a holiday resort with unique natural attractiveness. Its vast coastal area, wonderful mountainous valleys, arresting waterfalls, undefeatable high mountain ranges and hillocks, stunning springs and climate makes one feel like staying there forever.
Ancient remains of life and civilisation can be found in Balochistan, as water, being a basic necessity of life, existed in the vales and mountains, while some remains of archaeological sites and cave paintings have been found in Balochistan.
Several sites of cave paintings on rocks have been registered in upper Balochistan but the sites of cave paintings of lower Balochistan are still unexplored — for instance the cave paintings of Tharia cave in Pabu mountain near Qili (village) Chatoka Bhit (mound) in the valley of Pallimas, Tahseel Wadh, Khuzdar District, which I visited this year in March.
More parietal art in Balochistan awaits attention from experts
The cave of Tharia is located at a distance of 15km from Wadh town towards the east, where the hilly torrents such as Kunj and others flow from Pubu Mountain towards Pallimas valley. This stream of rainy water flows towards the Tuk and Wadh rainy streams.
About six historical and archaeological sites are situated in the surroundings of Wadh town and valley of Pallimas which are probably related to neighbouring civilisation of Nal hilly torrent near Khuzdar city towards the west. Sadly, the remains of this city have been destroyed by the treasure hunters. The Tharia Cave is located along a hill torrent and an ancient route which leads to the passes of Kirthar mountain range near Tahseel Johi, District Dadu, after crossing Pub Mountain range from Chatoka Bhit.
The humped bulls
The cave paintings are illustrated on rock in five separate panels. In one panel, a dancing group is depicted in a circle; while dancing, the men are holding their hands, and their waists and hands look like a moving picture or animation. In the second panel, the men are dancing in a row. In the third panel, probably three men are dancing and their hands are raised. In the forth panel, deer like animal is presented. In the fifth panel, two humped bulls are festooned, while the colour of portrayed men beside the humped bulls is wiped out. The horns of the humped bulls are as large as the horns of bulls found in Thar Desert of Sindh. The cave is named Tharia by local people, probably because of this association. In Brahvi language, Tharia denotes "of Thar". It is assumed that the earlier name of the site was different, and later it began to be called Tharia by the locals who might have recognised the bulls of Thar Desert due to depiction of humped bulls.
The paintings are mostly in red and black colours, which most probably were extracted from the coloured stones in the area. The pigment might have been made by artists mixing water with ground coloured stones. Such soft stones of different colours can still be found near the cave. The art of painting and usage of colours in the pictures show the expertise of the artisans.
As for the date of these cave paintings, it is believed that these were painted in the Paleolithic period — based on the fact that such cave paintings discovered elsewhere in the world have been mostly from 40,000 BC to 25,000 BC and later. However, this prehistoric site of cave paintings needs attention of expert archaeologists for preserving and presumption of its accurate period.
Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, December 6th, 2015
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