text:
/* $Id: crf.c 176 2010-07-14 09:31:04Z naoaki $ */

#include <os.h>

#include <stdarg.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>

#include <crfsuite.h>

int crfvol_create_instance(const char *iid, void **ptr);
int crf_dictionary_create_instance(const char *interface, void **ptr);
int crfvo_create_instance_from_file(const char *filename, void **ptr);

int crf_create_instance(const char *iid, void **ptr)
{
    int ret =
        crfvol_create_instance(iid, ptr) == 0 ||
        crf_dictionary_create_instance(iid, ptr) == 0;

    return ret;
}

int crf_create_instance_from_file(const char *filename, void **ptr)
{
    int ret = crfvo_create_instance_from_file(filename, ptr);
    return ret;
}

void crf_content_init(crf_content_t* cont)
{
    memset(cont, 0, sizeof(*cont));
    cont->scale = 1;
}

void crf_content_set(crf_content_t* cont, int aid, floatval_t scale)
{
    crf_content_init(cont);
    cont->aid = aid;
    cont->scale = scale;
}

void crf_content_copy(crf_content_t* dst, const crf_content_t* src)
{
    dst->aid = src->aid;
    dst->scale = src->scale;
}

void crf_content_swap(crf_content_t* x, crf_content_t* y)
{
    crf_content_t tmp = *x;
    x->aid = y->aid;
    x->scale = y->scale;
    y->aid = tmp.aid;
    y->scale = tmp.scale;
}

void crf_item_init(crf_item_t* item)
{
    memset(item, 0, sizeof(*item));
}

void crf_item_init_n(crf_item_t* item, int num_contents)
{
    crf_item_init(item);
    item->num_contents = num_contents;
    item->max_contents = num_contents;
    item->contents = (crf_content_t*)calloc(num_contents, sizeof(crf_content_t));
}

void crf_item_finish(crf_item_t* item)
{
    free(item->contents);
    free(item->preprocessed_data);
    crf_item_init(item);
}

void crf_item_copy(crf_item_t* dst, const crf_item_t* src)
{
    int i;
    crf_item_init(dst);

    dst->num_contents = src->num_contents;
    dst->max_contents = src->max_contents;
    dst->label = src->label;
    dst->contents = (crf_content_t*)calloc(dst->num_contents, sizeof(crf_content_t));
    for (i = 0;i < dst->num_contents;++i) {
        crf_content_copy(&dst->contents[i], &src->contents[i]);
    }
}

void crf_item_swap(crf_item_t* x, crf_item_t* y)
{
    crf_item_t tmp = *x;
    x->num_contents = y->num_contents;
    x->max_contents = y->max_contents;
    x->label = y->label;
    x->contents = y->contents;

    y->num_contents = tmp.num_contents;
    y->max_contents = tmp.max_contents;
    y->label = tmp.label;
    y->contents = tmp.contents;
}

int crf_item_append_content(crf_item_t* item, const crf_content_t* cont)
{
    if (item->max_contents <= item->num_contents) {
        item->max_contents = (item->max_contents + 1) * 2;
        item->contents = (crf_content_t*)realloc(
            item->contents, sizeof(crf_content_t) * item->max_contents);
    }
    crf_content_copy(&item->contents[item->num_contents++], cont);
    return 0;
}

int  crf_item_empty(crf_item_t* item)
{
    return (item->num_contents == 0);
}

void crf_sequence_init(crf_sequence_t* inst)
{
    memset(inst, 0, sizeof(*inst));
}

void crf_sequence_init_n(crf_sequence_t* inst, int num_items)
{
    crf_sequence_init(inst);
    inst->num_items = num_items;
    inst->max_items = num_items;
    inst->items = (crf_item_t*)calloc(num_items, sizeof(crf_item_t));
}

void crf_sequence_finish(crf_sequence_t* inst)
{
    int i;

    for (i = 0;i < inst->num_items;++i) {
        crf_item_finish(&inst->items[i]);
    }
    free(inst->items);
    crf_sequence_init(inst);
}

void crf_sequence_copy(crf_sequence_t* dst, const crf_sequence_t* src)
{
    int i;

    dst->num_items = src->num_items;
    dst->max_items = src->max_items;
    dst->items = (crf_item_t*)calloc(dst->num_items, sizeof(crf_item_t));
    for (i = 0;i < dst->num_items;++i) {
        crf_item_copy(&dst->items[i], &src->items[i]);
    }
}

void crf_sequence_swap(crf_sequence_t* x, crf_sequence_t* y)
{
    crf_sequence_t tmp = *x;
    x->num_items = y->num_items;
    x->max_items = y->max_items;
    x->items = y->items;
    y->num_items = tmp.num_items;
    y->max_items = tmp.max_items;
    y->items = tmp.items;
}

int crf_sequence_append(crf_sequence_t* inst, const crf_item_t* item, int label)
{
    if (inst->max_items <= inst->num_items) {
        inst->max_items = (inst->max_items + 1) * 2;
        inst->items = (crf_item_t*)realloc(inst->items, sizeof(crf_item_t) * inst->max_items);
    }
    crf_item_copy(&inst->items[inst->num_items], item);
    inst->items[inst->num_items].label = label;
    ++inst->num_items;
    return 0;
}

int  crf_sequence_empty(crf_sequence_t* inst)
{
    return (inst->num_items == 0);
}

void crf_data_init(crf_data_t* data)
{
    memset(data, 0, sizeof(*data));
}

void crf_data_init_n(crf_data_t* data, int n)
{
    crf_data_init(data);
    data->num_instances = n;
    data->max_instances = n;
    data->instances = (crf_sequence_t*)calloc(n, sizeof(crf_sequence_t));
}

void crf_data_finish(crf_data_t* data)
{
    int i;

    for (i = 0;i < data->num_instances;++i) {
        crf_sequence_finish(&data->instances[i]);
    }
    free(data->instances);
    crf_data_init(data);
}

void crf_data_copy(crf_data_t* dst, const crf_data_t* src)
{
    int i;

    dst->num_instances = src->num_instances;
    dst->max_instances = src->max_instances;
    dst->instances = (crf_sequence_t*)calloc(dst->num_instances, sizeof(crf_sequence_t));
    for (i = 0;i < dst->num_instances;++i) {
        crf_sequence_copy(&dst->instances[i], &src->instances[i]);
    }
}

void crf_data_swap(crf_data_t* x, crf_data_t* y)
{
    crf_data_t tmp = *x;
    x->num_instances = y->num_instances;
    x->max_instances = y->max_instances;
    x->instances = y->instances;
    y->num_instances = tmp.num_instances;
    y->max_instances = tmp.max_instances;
    y->instances = tmp.instances;
}

int  crf_data_append(crf_data_t* data, const crf_sequence_t* inst)
{
    if (0 < inst->num_items) {
        if (data->max_instances <= data->num_instances) {
            data->max_instances = (data->max_instances + 1) * 2;
            data->instances = (crf_sequence_t*)realloc(
                data->instances, sizeof(crf_sequence_t) * data->max_instances);
        }
        crf_sequence_copy(&data->instances[data->num_instances++], inst);
    }
    return 0;
}

int crf_data_maxlength(crf_data_t* data)
{
    int i, T = 0;
    for (i = 0;i < data->num_instances;++i) {
        if (T < data->instances[i].num_items) {
            T = data->instances[i].num_items;
        }
    }
    return T;
}

int  crf_data_totalitems(crf_data_t* data)
{
    int i, n = 0;
    for (i = 0;i < data->num_instances;++i) {
        n += data->instances[i].num_items;
    }
    return n;
}

void crf_data_set_num_labels(crf_data_t* data, int num_labels)
{
    int i;
    for (i = 0; i < data->num_instances; ++i) {
        data->instances[i].items[data->instances[i].num_items - 1].label = num_labels;
    }
    data->num_labels = num_labels;
}

void crf_output_init(crf_output_t* output)
{
    memset(output, 0, sizeof(*output));
}

void crf_output_init_n(crf_output_t* output, int n)
{
    crf_output_init(output);
    output->labels = (int*)calloc(n, sizeof(int));
    if (output->labels != NULL) {
        output->num_labels = n;
    }
}

void crf_output_finish(crf_output_t* output)
{
    free(output->labels);
    crf_output_init(output);
}

static char *safe_strncpy(char *dst, const char *src, size_t n)
{
    strncpy(dst, src, n-1);
    dst[n-1] = 0;
    return dst;
}

void crf_evaluation_init(crf_evaluation_t* eval, int n)
{
    memset(eval, 0, sizeof(*eval));
    eval->tbl = (crf_label_evaluation_t*)calloc(n+1, sizeof(crf_label_evaluation_t));
    if (eval->tbl != NULL) {
        eval->num_labels = n;
    }
}

void crf_evaluation_clear(crf_evaluation_t* eval)
{
    int i;
    for (i = 0;i <= eval->num_labels;++i) {
        memset(&eval->tbl[i], 0, sizeof(eval->tbl[i]));
    }

    eval->item_total_correct = 0;
    eval->item_total_num = 0;
    eval->item_total_model = 0;
    eval->item_total_observation = 0;
    eval->item_accuracy = 0;

    eval->inst_total_correct = 0;
    eval->inst_total_num = 0;
    eval->inst_accuracy = 0;

    eval->macro_precision = 0;
    eval->macro_recall = 0;
    eval->macro_fmeasure = 0;
}

void crf_evaluation_finish(crf_evaluation_t* eval)
{
    free(eval->tbl);
    memset(eval, 0, sizeof(*eval));
}

int crf_evaluation_accmulate(crf_evaluation_t* eval, const crf_sequence_t* reference, const crf_output_t* target)
{
    int t, nc = 0;

    /* Make sure that the reference and target sequences have the output labels of the same length. */
    if (reference->num_items != target->num_labels) {
        return 1;
    }

    for (t = 0;t < target->num_labels - 1;++t) { /* data set includes EOS, which we are not tagging */
        int lr = reference->items[t].label;
        int lt = target->labels[t];

        if (eval->num_labels <= lr || eval->num_labels <= lt) {
            return 1;
        }

        ++eval->tbl[lr].num_observation;
        ++eval->tbl[lt].num_model;
        if (lr == lt) {
            ++eval->tbl[lr].num_correct;
            ++nc;
        }
        ++eval->item_total_num;
    }

    if (nc == target->num_labels - 1) { /* data set includes EOS */
        ++eval->inst_total_correct;
    }
    ++eval->inst_total_num;

    return 0;
}

void crf_evaluation_compute(crf_evaluation_t* eval)
{
    int i;

    for (i = 0;i <= eval->num_labels;++i) {
        crf_label_evaluation_t* lev = &eval->tbl[i];

        /* Do not evaluate labels that does not in the test data. */
        if (lev->num_observation == 0) {
            continue;
        }

        /* Sum the number of correct labels for accuracy calculation. */
        eval->item_total_correct += lev->num_correct;
        eval->item_total_model += lev->num_model;
        eval->item_total_observation += lev->num_observation;

        /* Initialize the precision, recall, and f1-measure values. */
        lev->precision = 0;
        lev->recall = 0;
        lev->fmeasure = 0;

        /* Compute the precision, recall, and f1-measure values. */
        if (lev->num_model > 0) {
            lev->precision = lev->num_correct / (double)lev->num_model;
        }
        if (lev->num_observation > 0) {
            lev->recall = lev->num_correct / (double)lev->num_observation;
        }
        if (lev->precision + lev->recall > 0) {
            lev->fmeasure = lev->precision * lev->recall * 2 / (lev->precision + lev->recall);
        }

        /* Exclude unknown labels from calculation of macro-average values. */
        if (i != eval->num_labels) {
            eval->macro_precision += lev->precision;
            eval->macro_recall += lev->recall;
            eval->macro_fmeasure += lev->fmeasure;
        }
    }

    /* Copute the macro precision, recall, and f1-measure values. */
    eval->macro_precision /= eval->num_labels;
    eval->macro_recall /= eval->num_labels;
    eval->macro_fmeasure /= eval->num_labels;

    /* Compute the item accuracy. */
    eval->item_accuracy = 0;
    if (0 < eval->item_total_num) {
        eval->item_accuracy = eval->item_total_correct / (double)eval->item_total_num;
    }

    /* Compute the instance accuracy. */
    eval->inst_accuracy = 0;
    if (0 < eval->inst_total_num) {
        eval->inst_accuracy = eval->inst_total_correct / (double)eval->inst_total_num;
    }
}

void crf_evaluation_output(crf_evaluation_t* eval, crf_dictionary_t* labels, FILE *fpo)
{
    int i;
    const char *lstr = NULL;

    fprintf(fpo, "Performance by label (#match, #model, #ref) (precision, recall, F1):\n");

    for (i = 0;i < eval->num_labels;++i) {
        const crf_label_evaluation_t* lev = &eval->tbl[i];

        labels->to_string(labels, i, &lstr);
        if (lstr == NULL) lstr = "[UNKNOWN]";

        if (lev->num_observation == 0) {
            fprintf(fpo, "    %s: (%d, %d, %d) (******, ******, ******)\n",
                lstr, lev->num_correct, lev->num_model, lev->num_observation
                );
        } else {
            fprintf(fpo, "    %s: (%d, %d, %d) (%1.4f, %1.4f, %1.4f)\n",
                lstr, lev->num_correct, lev->num_model, lev->num_observation,
                lev->precision, lev->recall, lev->fmeasure
                );
        }
        labels->free_(labels, lstr);
    }
    fprintf(fpo, "Macro-average precision, recall, F1: (%f, %f, %f)\n",
        eval->macro_precision, eval->macro_recall, eval->macro_fmeasure
        );
    fprintf(fpo, "Item accuracy: %d / %d (%1.4f)\n",
        eval->item_total_correct, eval->item_total_num, eval->item_accuracy
        );
    fprintf(fpo, "Instance accuracy: %d / %d (%1.4f)\n",
        eval->inst_total_correct, eval->inst_total_num, eval->inst_accuracy
        );
}

int crf_interlocked_increment(int *count)
{
    return ++(*count);
}

int crf_interlocked_decrement(int *count)
{
    return --(*count);
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
About Comment
Announcing Anne Snyder
Authors & Editors
Support Comment
About Cardus
Something beautiful in Hollywood
by Amanda Shaw
January 4 th 2008
Meet Eduardo Verástegui. He's been called the "Brad Pitt of Mexico" and a "Tijuana Tom Cruise." He stars in Bella, a film that garnered number-one rankings since it appeared in U.S. theaters last month—a film that won the Toronto Film Festival in 2006 and is in the running for an Oscar. To put it mildly, Verástegui is a heartthrob, and his talent and passion is touching hearts.
"True love goes beyond romance," reads one of Bella's promotional posters, "One day can change your life forever." Bella's main story-line spans just twenty-four hours, beginning when "Nina" (Tammy Blanchard), an attractive waitress in New York City, learns that she is pregnant. Her life spirals out of control as right and wrong, present and future, hope and heartache jumble together. By an unfortunate turn of events, Nina is fired from the Mexican restaurant where she works, and the head chef "José" (Verástegui) leaves his post to run after her. Prudence or impulse, charity or craziness? Sometimes the heart speaks louder than reason, and its reasons are the deepest.
Through his own life journey, Verástegui knows the feeling. Growing up on a sugar cane farm in the Mexican village of Xicotencatl, Tamaulipas, his original goal was to become a lawyer. But he soon discovered that this path did not seize his passion, and at age seventeen he set off for Mexico City to enroll in acting school. A three-year stint with the Latin-pop group "Kairo" followed, after which he dabbled in modelling and solo musical performance before finding real stardom in "telenovelas," or Latin soap operas. Five years, hundreds of magazine covers, and countless fan letters later, he felt a familiar tug at his heart return. The tug to do something more, to be something more. He just didn't know how, where, or, even, why.
Verástegui set off for Miami where through luck or grace he caught the eye of a casting director for 20th Century Fox. He was talked into auditioning for a new film. He barely spoke English, but he practiced his script with determination and won the lead role in Chasing Papi. More movie contracts followed, and Verástegui—named one of People en Espagnol's "50 Most Beautiful People"—found himself typecast as the Latino Don Juan, playing the part all too well. That is, until he met a wise woman—a woman who taught him to speak English, a woman who taught him to speak to God. "How are you using your talent? Who is God in your life?" she challenged him. He had no answers and he knew it. Verástegui recounts:
We [Latinos] have been stereotyped in movies as banditos, drunkards, prostitutes, criminals. And if you're good looking, then you're a Casanova, a womanizer, and a liar. And that's the person I had become. But this woman opened my eyes to the grace of God . . . God changed my heart and I had to repent of my past. And from that day on, I promised that I would never do anything that would offend God or my Latino heritage. I would never do anything to compromise my faith. That's the moment I realized that the purpose of my life was to know and to love God.
Speaking truth already written on the heart
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But the narrow way is rarely easy, especially when it runs through Hollywood. Verástegui began turning down roles, all of which bolstered negative stereotypes. Finally, on the brink of homelessness but rich with conviction, he met a kindred spirit. Alejandro Gomez Monteverde, an aspiring young screen writer, joined him in optimistic penury. Not long after meeting, the two met a former 20th Century Fox business director, Leo Severino. It was 2004 and "the three Amigos"—determined, in their own words, to "entertain, engage, and inspire"—founded Metanoia Films. All they needed was money, a script, and an audience. With persistence and prayer, that's what they got.
Verástegui and Severino went to see another man dedicated to engaging and inspiring the world—one who also knew the world of acting: John Paul II. And they received his papal blessing. When entrepreneur Sean Wolfington decided, just ten days later to fund the project, the three amigos thanked their spiritual father and example. But Bella is not a Catholic film nor is it specifically Christian.
"We don't want to label our company," says Verástegui. "We want to be just another production company in Hollywood."
"We wanted to do a story that would appeal to universal audiences," Severino adds. So far he has seen success:
What we've found is no matter what the background is, people who've seen the film leave the theater touched and moved, and I think it's because we're speaking to them truth that's already written on their heart, truth about the beauty of life, the dignity of the human person, issues of social justice, issues of family, so many things that just ring true to the human heart.
That is the beauty of speaking the truth. It doesn't need picket signs or propaganda but, as the Apostle Paul says, it is written on human hearts. Granted, some hearts are scratched and dusty, and that is where great works of literature, art, and film figure in. They show us the way things are—the way things could be, might be, should be. Their makers don't preach to the choir. They don't preach at all. As Monteverde stresses, he took pains "never [to] come across as judgmental. If we come across that way, we lose the whole purpose of the film."
In November, Verástegui was interviewed by American Idol host Ryan Seacrest. There, the lead actor reiterated his hope of reversing the negative Latino stereotypes prevalent in movies and TV shows—the stereotypes that portray men as Casanovas and banditos, and women as objects. "Bella shows the real faith of Latinos," Verástegui told Seacrest. "It celebrates our culture!" With the character of José, gentle and full of strength, passionate and compassionate, that is what he does. As the film opens, Nina learns that she is pregnant, unemployed, and very much alone. More than anything, she needs the support of friendship. José, the chef who follows her out the door, gives that unhesitatingly.
At this point, the film could be swallowed up by mushy pathos. Instead, sappiness is kept to a minimum. José and Nina elbow onto a subway car where an impromptu percussion concert starts up, they roam through a flea market with all its claustrophobic tawdry, and they stop in a corner grocery and witness a shouting match. All very "New York," and more scruffy than saccharine.
Placed in the Hollywood jungle
Without doubt, however, Bella is an emotional film. It is about celebrating Hispanic culture but, more fundamentally, it portrays the beauty of human life. Gradually, José learns that Nina plans to "have it taken care of," because, as she puts it, an abortion is clearly what's best for her. He does not lecture, just gently suggests adoption, and initially she is undeterred. We follow the couple back to the home of José's parents and meet his lively but caring Latino family. And with Nina, we discover that adoption can form deep relationships. More poignantly, though, we realize that José too has had to suffer, and his suffering is not unlike Nina's own. For both, however, there is hope: the hope of life and the hope of love. I won't give away the end, but those who have started painting a happily-ever-after conclusion should think about Monteverde's words:
I wanted to write a love story that isn't just about the romance between a man and a woman, but about self-sacrificial love—and a story about how each other's pain becomes each other's redemption. And I wanted to make a film that shows there's always a choice that doesn't have to lead to moral pain.
Real life isn't perfect. Real life can be painfully confusing, and we rarely know how its details will turn out. As Bella tries to show—and as its makers can attest—when life and faith, love and family are given priority, God takes care of the details. Shortly after his conversion, Verástegui decided that he must do something to make amends for his past life and to renew his culture. He contemplated becoming a missionary or even a monk. But his pastor just laughed: "No, no, no, you're not going anywhere. We have plenty of missionaries over there in that jungle. But you know what, we have very few here in Hollywood. And this is a bigger jungle. Our Lord put you right there for a reason."
Bella has already moved many audiences and will doubtless continue to do so. It has charm, zest, and beauty, but it is just one first step in the renewal of media and culture. Verástegui whole-heartedly agrees, "By example, first, [I'm] trying my best every day to be involved in projects that will inspire people to use their talents to do something positive for the world." This is the challenge of Christianity—the challenge facing everyone in whatever state of life. As Catherine of Siena, a bold and faith-filled woman, proclaimed over 600 years ago, "If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze."
Topics: Arts
Amanda Shaw is assistant editor at First Things, a journal of religion, culture, and public life. A graduate of the Catholic University of America with degrees in math and English, she now lives in Manhattan. When she's not making prolonged phone calls to her twin sister back home, you can find her reading, writing, exploring, and getting lost in the ever-lively city.
December 11 th 2009 by Linnea Leonard Kickasola
An amusing, frenetic new paean takes timely jabs at the nature of celebrity and identity in our culture.
Q&A with Gordon Leverton, Artist
August 22 nd 2008 by Gordon Leverton
Church Practices and Public Life: A Global Feast
June 25 th 2012 by Jamison Galt
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text:
Audion - Subverticul
"Though his electro-pop tunes (and clothing sensibility) are as smooth as butter, Matthew Dear's alter ego, Audion, reaffirms that the sinuous artist still has roots embedded in his Detroit hometown's techno legacy. The warehouse-shaking electronic project has been on the low for five years, but this spring Audion returns with SUBVERTICUL, a brand spankin' new live show that includes an iris-widening audiovisual spectacle. Watch the trailer above, directed byThe Work Inc.
SUBVERTICUL is an evolution of HECATOMB, the 2009 tour where Audion melted minds using tripped-out visual projections to match the warped four-on-the-floor beats. Dear's side project is back with a supercharged revival, including a custom stage set built by Heather Shaw of Vita Motus, the infamous team behind Amon Tobin's legendary ISAM tour that The Creators Project documented in all its projection-mapped glory. SUBVERTICUL will include a swath of LEDs, ebullient sound-reactive visuals, and a labyrinthine sculpture based off the Audion "A" that pulses, spins, and grows in response to the producer's amorphous rhythms. Imagine the installations at a week-long electronic festival concentrated into one focused live show, and you're still not close to the exhilarating experience of SUBVERTICUL.
The performance had a soft premiere on February 22nd in Los Angeles, but the full-on debut kicks off at London's Oval Space on May 4th, and will be followed by several festival dates around the world (see below for specifics). Audion will add more to this magic with a new album slated for some time in 2014."
-From: The Creator's Project
Tagged: installation, digital


This rustic 'Mile High Pear Pie' is flavorful with natural sweetness using honey & coconut sugar, fragrant Ceylon cinnamon, crisp & juicy pears and a flakey, scrumptious, vegan double pie crust using coconut oil – enjoy this recipe on a Fall day after the pear harvest!
I have some great news! We found a pear tree on our property. We have been in the house since our first night here on March 13th, 2014; during the first year, the tree did not bear fruit – this year it did!
As you can see, we as in Eric had to pave a path though some nasty, invasive pricker bushes to get to it. We also have a winding path through the woods to access it but the below route is more direct. There is a creeping vine growing on it which has to be removed. I want to give this pear tree some TLC; I feel so lucky that we have it. I have always wanted to have fruiting trees where I live, I think they are marvelous.
(Above) Eric is holding a feed bucket full of pears and this is just a small amount of the bounty that is still on the tree! I am not a pear expert but definitely a pear lover! Does anyone know what kind of pears these are? We live in Central, NJ if that helps. I have done some research online and they seem similar to the Bartlett or Anjou and within those types, there are probably so many varietals. In color, they are greenish-yellow and become a light yellow when fully ripe. They have a brownish, matte finish on parts of the skin and the skin is firm to the touch, edible but slightly tough. The cores are hard and sometimes grainy. They are crisp, juicy, sweet and flavorful. They maintain their crispiness even after baking (which I think is fantastic texture-wise). I estimate that the tree is about 30+ feet tall.
(Above) You can see this past Saturday was a pear harvest day and the whole family (of 3) was involved. We are all in our Saturday morning, down-home, rolled-out-of-bed, the-hoodie-wearing-family style, you don't mind, do you? Climbing up ladders and picking pears requires dressing for comfort, for sure. Eric and I did the picking, peeling mostly Eric and cutting, Margo supervised, directed and inspected the pears for quality and after, I baked the pie. I clearly didn't get fussy to make the crust look perfect, this pie is homegrown and rustic! It tasted SO good and delicious. We brought it over to dinner at Eric's Sister's and everyone enjoyed it. All those apple pies I've made in the past and my appreciation for the pear has prepared me well for this Mile High Pear Pie. It's my new favorite!
Via my Instagram (below): This is a view of my kitchen table right now where I have a bowl of pears with pears literally spilling out of the bowl. I need to make more pear recipes to use all these pears up!
1/4 cup brown sugar *you can sub this with coconut sugar, , I just like to layer sweeteners for flavor depth in this type of recipe and I had brown sugar to use up!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. PIE FILLING: Combine pie filling ingredients and set aside to marinate. Please note: when combining pie filling ingredients - sprinkle ingredients all over the sliced pears to coat evenly and then mix thoroughly.
After chilling, using a dough scraper, divide the dough in 2. Roll one out 1/4" thick and place in a pie dish (you can try to roll it thinner but I find when using the coconut oil versus butter, having a thicker dough helps it not to break, and makes more flakey crust!). Poke holes in the dough with a fork in the bottom and around the sides of the pie dish. You can trim excess but remember to leave an overhang over the edge of the pie plate because this dough will shrink 1/2-3/4" in the oven. You can save the excess for decoration on the top. Cover the dough in the pie plate with wrap and chill in the freezer while you roll the top dough ball. Make any cutouts in the top at this time. I did a large star which also functions as a generous vent to boil down any excess moisture. You can cover and freeze the top at this point.
Take out the pie plate with the dough and blind bake the dough for about 10 mins, in the 400 degree F oven, feel free to use pie weights, I did not and I didn't have any bubbling of the pie dough, it stayed in place! Take out of oven.
Arrange pears tightly in the baked bottom pie shell, trying to minimize air pockets, press down if you need to, pour the remaining pear filling liquid over the top. It might seem like a lot of liquid and you can add a tablespoon or so more flour if you are concerned about getting a soggy pie (my pie was fine with the 2 tablespoons of flour and ample time to cool and set).
Put top pie dough over pears and arrange any cutouts for decoration if desired. Press down gently over the top to push any air out and seal edges, I used the end of a spoon.
Bake for 1 hour. Check on it 30-45 minutes in, to make sure the top isn't getting overly browned. Put a piece of aluminum foil with a circle cutout for a vent to reduce browning if need be (I did at 45 mins in). Bake remaining time. Allow to cool completely, this ensures it sets up before you cut into the pie. Enjoy!
Recipe Attribution: I came up with the pear filling recipe myself (I've experimented for years with apple pies), trying to tailor it more to these pears I used. For the crust recipe, I really like the crust part of Lynne Rossetto Kasper's "Pie in the Sky" and my recipe is inspired by her. I like listening to her radio show "The Splendid Table" whenever I get the chance.
I loved this post! You tell a very good story, and include many descriptive details – bravo, Sara!
Thank you Linda! I hope you get to try some Mile High Pear Pie over the next weeks and upcoming Holidays, I will be making more for sure!
Wow! What an incredible looking pie! I don't think I've ever had a pear pie before!
Hi Jessica, Thank you so much, pear pies are awesome, sending you a virtual slice!
Given a choice, I'd choose to live on pie and what a great pie to start with. I have made my weight in apple pies and I have made apple and pear pies but never a pear only pie. My brain explodes at the thought.
You're my go-to blog for sweet recipes! This is super cool.
I am beyond jealous that you have a pear tree! What a fun find 🙂 Pears are one of my favorite fruits and this pie looks absolutely delicious. Pinning!
Hi Taylor, if you lived near me, I would give you a bucket of pears, seriously, there's enough for everyone, I have to make another one of these Mile High Pear Pies soon so they don't all get wasted! Thanks for stopping by!
oh wow, that's a lot of pears!! Love this pie and looking forward to more pear recipes from your kitchen!
Ooo, that pie looks fantastic! Love the height – it's so much more dramatic than the pies I usually make.
I can't wait to try this pear pie, what a delightful change from apple!
This looks so good. I have a bounty of pears, too, and I'm wondering, did you use the pears while they are still hard? Do they soften up baking? I want to make this, but wondering if you waited til the pears softened.


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NHRA: Kalitta, Line Score Wins and Take Points Leads
Vol. 16, No. 39, September 26, 2013
NEWS NUGGETS
KALITTA, LINE SCORE WINS AND TAKE POINTS LEADS; C. PEDREGON AND KRAWIEC CLAIM EVENT VICTORIES AT DALLAS: Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) raced to victories at the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals. With the Pro Stock victory, Line took over the outright points lead, and Kalitta is now tied for the Top Fuel lead with Shawn Langdon. In the Top Fuel finals, it was Kalitta vs. Langdon with the Mac Tools dragster of Kalitta rocketing to his first win of the year.
"This is huge for us," Kalitta said. "It's a good day for us. I'm really proud of Jim [Oberhofer, crew chief], Troy [Fasching, assistant crew chief] and the whole Mac Tools Team. We were qualifying good and going rounds. I was just trying to make sure I didn't screw it up."
Line prevailed over Shane Gray for the win and takes the points lead for the first time since 2011. "It was definitely a strange final, but we won," Line said. "Timing is everything, and this is a big win being it is my 31st."
In Funny Car, Pedregon won his fourth race of the season when he bested longtime rival John Force for his 34th career victory. "A couple of months ago, I thought about how cool it would be to sweep the Texas races," said Pedregon who won the Houston event in April. "Lo and behold, here we are."
Defending Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Krawiec rode to his first win of the season and moved to fourth in the points standings. "This weekend, I was riding great, but I wasn't racing great," said Krawiec of his first win at the Texas Motorplex. "If we can continue and improve, I think you're going to see our Harley-Davidsons up front."
For a full story log on to www.NHRA.com.
WILKERSON TO RACE AT HOME TRACK; SCHUMACHER ATTEMPTS TO MAINTAIN CHAMPIONSHIP QUEST: When the teams of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series return to Gateway Motorsports Park for the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals, Tim Wilkerson and his team will have the shortest commute as he races at his home track. Wilkerson and Levi Ray & Shoup (LSR)—the team's sponsor—are based in Springfield, Illinois, which is located two hours from the track, and a strong contingent of supporters attend the event.
"We really have a huge group of supporters in St. Louis every year," Wilkerson said. "LSR brings so many people they have to rent a hospitality tent in addition to the space we have in our pit area, so all told, we're talking about thousands of people there to support our team, and that's pretty neat."
In Top Fuel, the pressure is mounting for Tony Schumacher and his U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster to move up from fifth in the points and mount a charge for an eighth Top Fuel world championship. "Basically we've got to be flawless and miraculous the rest of the year," said Schumacher. "It's been done so many times and we're so used to that, we've just got to make sure we go into those last four with the right car, and it's not quite there, yet. But we're closer than we were before."
Looking to defend their titles in the nitro classes are Antron Brown in Top Fuel and Jack Beckman in Funny Car. Nitro qualifying begins Friday at 3:30 p.m. and tickets for the AAA Insurance Midwest Nationals can be purchased by calling 866-Race-TIK.
ARANA JR. LOOKS TO HOLD ONTO PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE POINTS LEAD; LINE SEEKS THIRD CHAMPIONSHIP: Jason Line comes into the event on the strength of his first win of the season and sits at the top of the points standings. Line, a two-time world champion, credits his team for his recent surge in points.
"To go from where we were two months ago to being here is a small miracle and a testament to all of our KB Racing guys and all the Summit Racing folks," Line said. There has been a lot of effort. We have worked harder than we have in a long, long time, that's for sure. It's good to see it starting to pay off."
Hector Arana Jr. has led the Pro Stock Motorcycle points since the season-opening event in Gainesville, but by no means is in a position to win his first championship in the two-wheel category. He has raced to two semi-final apperances since the Countdown to the Championship began and knows the importance of going rounds in the stretch run.
"It's going to be a fight to the finish," Arana said. "I knew it was going to be a long, hard Countdown, and these first two races have done nothing to change my mind. We've all got to dig deep and keep battling."
Pro Stock qualifying for the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals begins Friday at 2:45 p.m. and tickets for the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals can be purchased by calling 866-Race-TIK.
WORLD'S FASTEST TAILGATE PARTY FOR THE AAA INSURANCE NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS SEPTEMBER 26: Fans of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Series in St. Louis can meet their heroes during the free Fan Fest sponsored by Mid-America Chevy Dealers in downtwon St. Louis, September 26. The event will take place from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. on Washington Avenue (14th and Tucker) and will feature activities for fans of all ages. A driver autograph session, car show, interactive displays, food, music and more will be part of the event. Log on to www.gatewaymsp.com for more information.
AUTO-PLUS NHRA NATIONALS, Maple Grove Raceway, October 3–6: Historic Maple Grove Raceway will again host the Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals—the fourth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship—October 3–6, for what could be another record-breaking weekend. In 2012, fans witnessed three national elapsed time (E.T.) records set and two speed records. Antron Brown ran the quickest E.T. in Top Fuel history at 3.701 seconds and, in Funny Car, Jack Beckman set a record of 3.986 seconds while Andrew Hines rode his Pro Stock Motorcycle to a record run of 6.728 seconds.
NHRA TOYOTA NATIONALS, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, October 24–27: The NHRA Toyota Nationals is the penultimate race of the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and the championship battles will be tight as the season comes to a close. Bob Vandergriff (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and Eddie Kraweic (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are defending event champions and will again be top contenders during the weekend. One of the largest autograph sessions of the year will take place at the Freemont Street Experience, October 24, with many of the top stars in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.
"It's pretty incredible how close the points are. There's 35 points seperating the top four in points, so it's really anyone's game at this point. I've been saying all year long how tough the competition is and the points are showing that. Those two points between us and the leaders can be made up in qualifying. Every run really counts in this Countdown right now. We had a really good race there last year. That's what we have to do again this year. Our goal for St. Louis is to go out there and get qualified and try to get some of those bonus qualifying points and then go rounds on Sunday. This is our third race in a row and we can't slow down now."
—Spencer Massey who is currently third in points, just two behind Doug Kalittal and Shawn Langdon who are tied for the top position.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
89: Number of times four-time Pro Stock world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. has won a round of Pro Stock racing on a holeshot in his storied career. Coughlin was on the other side of the coin in Dallas, when Shane Gray knocked out Coughlin with a .029 reaction time to that of .066 posted by Coughlin. Gray ran a slower elapsed time but was able to get the win.
"I just didn't give it enough respect, quite honestly, and I guess that's a wake-up call," said Coughlin. "Sometimes you get away with them, and sometimes you don't."
Coughlin is second in points, only eight behind leader Jason Line.
MEET THE DRIVERS NIGHT AT CLASSIC HARLEY-DAVIDSON IN READING: Numerous NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series drivers will be on hand to meet NHRA fans during a fundraising event taking place in Reading October 3. The event will take place at the Classic Harley-Davidson in Reading and will benefit Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. Tickets for the event are $20 per person with proceeds to benefit the foundation. Drivers scheduled to appear are Blake Alexander, Brandon Bernstein, Johnny Gray, Shane Gray, Matt Hagan, Andrew Hines, Allen Johnson, Eddie Krawiek, Spencer Massey, Tony Schumacher and Greg Stanfield. More information can be found at www.MapleGroveRaceway.com.


Take your coffee with a side of creativity in this free 18-image set for Windows 10 Themes. These images are to be used as desktop wallpaper only.
With a cozy atmosphere and tons of creative designs including cuddly animals it steams comfort. The backgrounds gives the coffee a different flavor every time making the delicious drink look heavenly . Fully toasty it gave me the happies and I hope it will do the same for you.
Review title of KolbyFully caffeinated!
Thanks for caffeinating my day! There's some really great art in here, inspiring me to take a long coffee break to perfect my barista skills.
Love, Love, Love it!!! Positively beautiful and yummy!!!
Love this theme!!! Definitely would recommend to anybody who loves coffee!!
Simple coffee theme including images of frothy coffee.


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Posted inGovernment, Investigative, Top Stories, Transportation
County Experiments With Privatizing Ambulance Service
by Voice of OC Mar 28, 2013 Updated Jul 8, 2021 Why you can trust Voice of OC
For the first time, private paramedics were deployed last week in Orange County to transfer patients between health facilities, a move that instantly generated ideological controversy and questions about quality.
County Health Care Agency officials designated a lone ambulance company to perform 100 inter-facility transfers beginning March 18 for a "study" to examine "the feasibility, safety and effectiveness" of having paramedics move patients previously cared for by critical-care nurses.
The new transfer method is part of an effort to ensure hospital beds are available for rescued patients by reducing overcrowding in emergency rooms.
But the agency's selection of Lynch Ambulance Co. — an Anaheim firm that has long championed the idea of using private paramedics instead of fire department personnel — immediately drew sharp criticism.
The Orange County Professional Firefighters Association, the union that represents firefighters for the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) in 23 jurisdictions, filed a letter that day with the county demanding the new paramedic service be halted. The letter argued its creation violated county and state policies and law.
County officials dispute that assertion, and others say that using paramedics in interfacility transfers is a widely accepted practice.
In a separate letter addressed March 18 to Shawn Nelson, chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, union President Dave Rose wrote that the "politically driven pilot program that has conflict of interest written all over it" will "seriously erode emergency medical service" for citizens. County officials rejected this criticism too.
Driven by 'Ideology'
The OCFA firefighters see this minimal use of paramedics as the first step toward introducing private paramedics for potentially wider emergency use in the future, said Joe Kerr, the union's spokesman. The program is driven by "ideology," he said, and was implemented in "a cloak and dagger" manner.
The 15-firm Ambulance Association of Orange County also opposes the paramedic transfer concept, with its current president, Bill T. Weston, saying the move gives one firm an unfair competitive advantage for future service.
Weston, who is operations director for Care Ambulance Service of Fullerton, OCFA's primary ambulance provider, added that the study "doesn't make any sense" as less trained personnel will be caring for patients.
But agency officials offer a more benign description of the program, which was planned for at least a year and drew little interest until implemented.
Dr. Samuel J. Stratton, the agency's medical director for emergency and disaster services, said that he had to "recruit" Lynch because no ambulance company volunteered for the study.
"We didn't get any takers," said Stratton, saying his agency put out notices and sought comments and providers for the study. Stratton said he then approached officials at Lynch Ambulance and those at Doctors Ambulance Service of Laguna Hills; the only two companies that met agency qualifications.
"Doctors Ambulance felt due to the politics, it was best to sit back and see how the pilot works," Stratton said.
Pilot 'Makes Perfect Sense'
Lynch Ambulance is the county's largest interfacility transporter of patients with critical-care nurses, officials say.
Walter J. Lynch, the firm's chief executive, said it "makes perfect sense" for his firm to conduct "a pilot designed to make sure policy makers receive accurate data to make an informed decision about what is best for patients."
The number of patients requiring the advanced life support provided by critical-care nurses is relatively low, from 4 to 6 percent of all transports, some ambulance officials estimate.
The Hospital Association of Southern California issued a statement that Orange County facilities will continue to send patients with "medical staff" as determined by physicians. It had no comment "on the potential easing of requirements" for interfacility transports.
Paramedics are used widely for interfacility transports elsewhere in California, Lynch noted, calling it "an established standard of care."
For decades, Orange County has had no private paramedics, with public agencies seen as providing the highest level of care with maximum accountability.
For nonemergency cases, ambulances staffed by emergency medical technicians — less trained than paramedics or nurses — transport certain patients between medical facilities.
In 911 rescue cases, paramedics from fire agencies respond to the scene and then use ambulances for the rapid runs to the most appropriate and nearest general, acute-care hospital. The pilot study will have no involvement with 911 rescues, agency officials said, adding that paramedics involved in interfacility transfers are prohibited from participating.
For more than a year, Stratton has expressed concerns about overcrowded emergency rooms being unable to admit patients brought by paramedics because no beds were available, either in the emergency bays or in intensive-care units. At times, emergency crews cared for patients until they could be admitted, officials say.
It can take up to three hours to procure an ambulance with registered nurse to transfer a patient, Stratton said. By offering a paramedic to care for the least serious patients, Stratton hopes to reduce that transfer-time response to within the 30 minutes required in the study.
On March 14, Stratton sent a memo to various emergency system leaders, notifying them of the interfacility paramedic program scheduled to start on March 18.
But the launch surprised a number of fire department and rescue personnel who believed program was still in the analysis phase. By March 19, some emergency agency officials didn't know whether the program had actually begun.
Fire Chiefs Have Concerns
Among those who didn't know was Wolfgang Knabe, who is fire chief for the departments in Fullerton and Brea, part of the North Orange County region where the paramedic study is being conducted.
Knabe noted that fire chiefs in general weren't supportive of the idea when it was discussed in December at the county's advisory Emergency Medical Care Committee. Knabe was appointed as the Orange County Fire Chiefs Association representative on the committee.
"It took us aback. We thought the proposal had been tabled, that there would be a lot more discussion before it was approved," he said.
On March 21 at a fire chiefs' regular meeting, Stratton briefed them on the paramedic study.
Afterwards, Knabe said, the fire chiefs opted "to see how the pilot program works" before making further comment. But he added that concerns remain about using paramedics because of what was termed "a denigration of service skills."
Countywide, the emergency services system remains divided by concerns and distrust about a potential move toward privatization. Some authorities have said privately that they fear that some politicians looking to save money don't understand the consequences for saving lives.
For instance, Stratton's study has not been endorsed by the county fire authority. Its fire chief, Keith Richter, declined to be interviewed. His spokesman, Kris Concepcion, said the agency "was not taking a position" on paramedic interfacility transport at this time.
But the firefighter's union quickly issued a letter charging conflict of interest within the paramedic study.
Lynch Ambulance's business development director, Patrick J. Powers, was a county regulator of paramedics. He now sits on the emergency committee, which under state guidelines advises on various services.
Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach, known statewide as a strong advocate of privatization, appointed Powers to the committee.
Despite the criticism, Stratton said county executives have given him full support for the pilot program. At least eight patients were transported by paramedics between facilities in the first three days, Stratton said.
The program "is going better than expected," he said. "We are optimistic this pilot will be a huge success for Orange County, its citizens and our patients."
Rex Dalton is a San Diego-based journalist who has worked for the San Diego Union-Tribune and the journal Nature. You can reach him directly at rexdalton@aol.com.
Ambulance Company Raises Concern in Both OC and LA
Operators of Ambulance Company Serving OC Are Under Indictment
Voice of OC Healthy Communities Coverage
Tagged: ambulance service, Care ambulance service, County Government, Dave Rose, Healthy Communities, Orange County Fire Authority, Orange County Fire Chiefs Association, Orange County Health Care Agency, Orange County Professional Firefighters Association, privatization, Samuel J. Stratton, Shawn Nelson, Wolfgang Knabe


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Sanju Third Weekend Box Office Collection. Very Good Again.
Sanju has registered big growth again on 3rd Sunday (17th day) to put up a very good 3rd weekend at box office. Film registered a growth of around 20-25% on 3rd Sunday. Film collected an approx 8.5 crore nett on day 17.
Sanju total business currently stands at approx 314.9 crore nett mark. Film will cross Bajrangi Bhaijaan lifetime mark inside week three. Film lifetime collection is on track now to touch 345-350 crore mark.
Sanju will emerge as second highest Bollywood grosser ever after Dangal. Question now is whether film can touch 350 crore mark or not. Film trending is still very good and it should collect significant till 14th August.
Sat - 7 crore nett.
Sun - 8.5 crore nett.
Total - 314.9 cr nett (approx).
Weekdays 10 to 12 cr.


Building Science Corporation describes issues and considerations for keeping water out of basements.
Concrete Network describes how helical piers can be used to stabilize bowed basement walls and prevent further damage.
High Performance Building Exchange says whether you're building new, or hoping to turn an existing basement into occupied space, you need to understand the science of dry basement construction.
Journal of Light Construction describes how to control moisture condensing on or coming up from a basement slab.
University Of Minnesota provides this report with easy to read information and lots of drawings on moisture sources, moisture movement, causes of moisture problems, and various solutions.
Building America Solution Center describes issues and considerations for treating bulk water drainage issues and providing additional moisture control measures as needed to address site moisture issues before retrofitting a vented crawlspace to an unvented, insulated crawlspace.
BC Building Envelope Council online video of their workshop Building Smart with Basements and Parkades focuses on the design, construction, maintenance and remediation of basements and parkades in residential buildings.
Building Science explains how basements should be designed and constructed to be dry and conditioned for reasons of indoor air quality, pest control, and durability of the building.
Building Science digest on basements covers keeping groundwater & contaminants out, insulating, and conclusions.
Fine Homebuilding article describes how when a basement is finished with as much care and detail as the house above, the message is that the space is an equal part of the home, not subordinate to it.
Fine Homebuilding online video describes a walkthrough of an unfinished basement looking for signs of water entry through the slab, walls, and windows, and outlines a plan to deal with each issue to get the basement dry before moving on with the rest of the insulation work.
Green Building Advisor says it's perfectly possible to build a great house on any one of these three foundation types, as long as everything is properly detailed. Each type of foundation has advantages as well as disadvantages.
Green Building Advisor online construction details describe how to construct a basement that insulates against water, weather, and radon gas.
Green Building Advisor describes how to insulate a basement wall, saying that if you want to avoid moisture problems and mold, choose your insulation materials carefully.
Green Building Advisor describes the lower level of the 1950s house that was one of its most unappealing features. With some planning and elbow grease, however, the space would be turned into a dry, comfortable living space.
Journal of Light Construction describes how to transform a head-bumping basement from a drawback to an asset by lowering the floor to create a reasonable amount of headroom.
Natural Resources Canada online guide Keeping The Heat In describes how to insulate basements from outside and inside, crawl spaces, open foundations, and concrete slab on grade.
US Department of Energy describes how to insulate a basement to improve the overall thermal performance of the building and provide more dry, usable conditioned space for home occupants and for HVAC equipment.


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'Joker' Reigns as UK's Most Complained About 2019 Movie
Some people just can't take a joke.
Keith Dow
Joker 2019 UK Most Complaints
The lead-up to the release of Todd Phillips' "Joker"–the dark origin story and character study on the Clown Prince of Crime–was filled with wild speculation and angst. Remember the signs warning of bag searches and security guards posted in front of theaters? Yeah, that actually happened.
Aside from a few minor scuffles, there was a dearth of the ol' ultra-violence both home and abroad, so much so that all the worrying and hand-wringing seemed a bit silly in hindsight. However, according to a new report by the British Board of Film Classification, that doesn't mean a good time was had by all.
The BBFC gave the film a 15 rating, which means it's deemed suitable for viewers age 15 and over. Europeans tend to view nudity and sexuality more liberally than those in the U.S., while viewing violence more harshly. To wit:
"Several stated that we should have classified the film 18 because of violence and the film's tone," the report reads. "A small number felt that the film should be banned. There are scenes of strong violence in the film that include stabbings and shootings, with accompanying bloody injury detail. They do not, however, dwell on the infliction of pain or injury in a manner that requires an 18."
It's an interesting point considering "Joker" is rated R in the U.S., meaning you either have to be at least 18 years old or accompanied by an adult to see it. But for anyone to call for an outright ban is laughable and nothing more than the hysterics of a bunch of puritanical nincompoops.
In this article:Batman, Featured, Joker, Todd Phillips
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Back to grid
Javier Gómez on the podium at debut Ironman
On athlete Javier Gómez finishes in second place and under eight hours at his first full-distance Ironman in Cairns, Australia.
Javier Gómez's appearance at the Ironman Asia-Pacific Championships in Cairns, Australia, marked a debut in full Ironman distance racing for the reigning Ironman 70.3 world champion.
Among a tough field in Cairns, Javier showed he has what it takes to compete at this level, going under eight hours at his first attempt. The Spaniard finished in 07:56:39, completing the 2.4-mile (3.86 km) swim in 00:46:42, the 112-mile (180.25 km) cycle in 4:25:09 and the marathon 26.22-mile (42.20 km) run in 02:41:03.
The winner on the day was New Zealand's Braden Currie, who set a new course record with his time of 7 hours 54 minutes and 58 seconds.
With his sights set on the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, in October, Javier selected Cairns for his first test over the full distance to mirror Hawaii's hot and humid conditions. As the current Ironman 70.3 world-title holder, Javier has now secured qualification for the Ironman Worlds by completing a full-distance event.
Speaking after the race, Javier was pleased with how his first test at this level had gone.
I'm very happy with the performance. I learned a lot but there is still a lot to adjust. I now know I need to focus more on nutrition and pacing – on the bike, and especially on the run.
With this major milestone a under his belt, Javier is already looking ahead to the next events on the road to Kona.
"First I'll recover with a hot shower and a big burger and will put my feet up. I'll then have some easy training in the coming days.
After that I'm planning some Ironman 70.3 races, maybe the European Olympic-distance Triathlon Championships and then the Ironman 70.3 World Championships.
Follow Javier's journey to the Ironman World Championships right here at on-running.com, with exclusive content coming soon. Photo credit: Talbot Cox.
The Cloudflow
Meet the shoe that carried Javier Gómez to the finish line under eight hours - on his first Ironman.
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