Basic mechanics - the core mechanics of the mining skill in the rework.
XP and ore rates - a balancing spreadsheet showing the rates after the rework.
Basic mechanics - the core mechanics of the smithing skill in the rework.
Masterwork smithing - smithing complex and expensive tier 90 gear.
Energised armour - tier 92 armour made by combining masterwork armour with rare PVM drops.
Mastery system - become a more efficient smith post-99 by creating masterwork items.
This design is very much subject to change, please give me your feedback.
I will update this post every time I add a new document.
Time investment seems fine, but please do not require Torva to craft these. It would be a shame if such a nice skilling process was gated behind a boss drop. Barrows is fine though as the brothers are not too tough to beat and their armour is consequently not overly expensive.
I really do hope you keep it truly time consuming.
I like that it takes a long time to make masterwork items, but I don't see the need to throw PVM items into the mix. From what I understand, the new BIS items will require combining these masterwork items with PVM drops. It would make more sense for masterwork items to be wholly skilling based (especially if they're only T86).
Looks amazing ! But time required seems a bit absurd, at end it says 5007 minutes for a sword (time included for obtaining materials). Isnt that too much ?
And its a T90 sword ! In 5007 minutes, one can get drygore set or noxious scythe very easily just killing the respective boss even if the person gets extremely extremely unlucky !
I'm pleased to see the level of thought and detail put into the design, so thank you.
Would it be possible for Masterwork Aetherium armour to have some sort of passive effect? As it is, pure tank gear is still going to be very inferior to existing T90 power gear, even for tanking, without something. It doesn't have to be as good as Achto (it should be, since Achto is idiotically hard to obtain, but I'm fairly sure that will be shot down). Since you've made sure Masterwork Aetherium will be valuable because of both the base materials (Torva, Barrows, Dragon) and slow to make, it would be a shame if the gear didn't have some use for tanking.
I'm not sure you really need to start incorporating onyxes into these things; it seems to me that hydrix items have provided a more than adequate item sink for them. IMO there are much better items you can choose to sink and that could me thematically apt (such as many dragonstones), or it could be just cut. the inclusion of Torva specifically would make this armour more than expensive enough.
I actually don't mind the inclusion of Torva armour into the design, and I am pleased to see that it isn't being included at an extortionate level. Obviously the design is still subject to playtesting, but it looks good to me so far.
You should probably explain what "fine" quality items will be, and I suspect this design will make the most sense when shown alongside the T92/Energised items document, so I look forward to this.
Oh, and why is everything at 99 Smithing? It looks like we will end up with every T90+ item at 99 Smithing - isn't this a slighty reduced version of the problem we're meant to be fixing?


text:
Telling Tails
Final Thoughts from the Fires...
byScott Delucchi, President and CEO
Moments during our response to the River, Carmel and Dolan Fires I won't soon forget…(Please click the title or photo to read more.)
Weeks into our shelter-in-place, I called a childhood friend I hadn't spoken to in 20+ years. As pre-teens, we were inseparable, playing sports, collecting baseball cards and taking family vacations together. We spoke for close to two hours, mentioned dozens of names from the old neighborhood, got up to speed on our current lives, and laughed a ton. (Please click the title or photo to read more.)
byScott Delucchi, President & CEO
Yerevan, Armenia is 7,000 miles from Soledad, CA and 14 hours by plane. In so many ways, the cities are worlds apart. Yet, they share at least one common thread: a young man charged with attempted murder in 2002 who's now volunteering for one of Armenia's only animal shelters. (Please click the title or photo to read more.)
Helping Animals Thanks to You
Mr. Rogers famously said "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping'." We see those helpers everywhere now: in our hospitals, delivering groceries, sewing protective gear for first responders, and right here at the SPCA. (Please click the title or photo to read more.)
byScott Delucchi, President & CEO, SPCA Monterey County
There is an emptiness at the SPCA. Amidst this global pandemic, we quickly moved many animals into foster homes and permanent ones. We suspended services and programs, cancelled events, and modified animal intake to address emergencies only. Yet, we're still here and still helping animals. (Please click the title or photo to read more.)
byScott Delucchi, President and CEO, SPCA Monterey County
You're Super Tuesday-ed out and done with delegates. The bloom is off The Bachelor's final rose, and you are shaking your head at the conflicting and confusing Coronavirus coverage (or my alliteration)? I can help.(please click the title or photo to read more)
Dear Murray
byScott Delucchi, CEO, SPCA Monterey County
Early February is a time for love letters and this one's for the moppy lug sleeping near my feet as I'm typing.
Murray, you came into our lives 10 years ago after being taken to the local shelter by your first family; they had three dogs plus four young kids and needed to move from a house to an apartment. Something had to give and it was you. Your previous owners said you lived outside, that you were a poodle mixed with the dog from the Beethoven movie, and that you liked tortilla chips! (please click the title or photo to read more!)
Because of Her
byScott Delucchi
The holidays are here whether you're ready or not. The Budweiser Clydesdales are popular this time of year and their commercials are super cute and clever, but I have something that will pull at your heartstrings even more.
Last month around this time, a local resident surrendered two dogs, saying he could no longer care for them. This happens daily at SPCA. The owner explained that they were both backyard dogs, left outdoors 24/7 in fact, and he noted one was highly unsocial. During our intake evaluation, we found this dog to be shy, but friendly. Once staff spent more time with her, a wiggly, playful dog emerged; one we knew we could safely rehome. What we didn't know at the time was the right match was just around the corner.
byScott Delucchi, SPCA Executive Director
There's a verse I like in a popular country song by Rodney Atkins.
And it makes me wanna take a back road
Makes me wanna take the long way home
Put a little gravel in my travel
Unwind, unravel all night long
Makes me wanna grab my honey
Tear down some two lane country who knows
Get lost and get right with my soul
Makes me wanna take, makes me wanna take a back road
I like playing matchmaker and I have a special touch and soft spot for women in their 80s. I'm not so great matching people, but pretty good with pets.
All adoptions are special. But, I'll admit, some are just more special. Anyone who works for a shelter would say the same.
Animals touch us differently. Sometimes, this is based on what they endured before coming into our care and the remarkable transformation they make through our hard work and the SPCA's TLC Program. Other times, it's the special people who adopt them and the great feeling knowing the match is perfect, that the animal will be loved and give the person, couple or family every bit as much in return.
We had two of these "more special" adoptions recently, both horses. We never put time limits on our adoptable pets, but once dogs and cats are made available for adoption at the SPCA -- after we've spayed/neutered them, and completed any necessary medical and/or behavior work -- we rehome them, on average, in 6-7 days! For horses, it's closer to one year. There's simply a much smaller market of people looking to adopt and people fully prepared in all ways, including financially, to care for horses.
Shock Jock Smitten with Kittens (when Fartman fosters...)
Howard Stern. Brilliant, wildly entertaining generational talent or unctuous, egotistical, crude shock jock? Most people have an immediate, definitive opinion. This is the man who titled his first book and movie Private Parts, and adopted the alter-ego superhero Fartman who took on bad guys with his flatulence, but has also ridden high in the entertainment world for a nearly unheard of four decades.
How about Howard Stern, tireless and dedicated kitten foster parent? Not even 1,000 kitties can poop out this guy and his equally committed wife! They've fostered this many (up to 25 at a time!) in recent years, helping the animal shelter in their area, and Stern says his work rescuing and caring for kittens both calms him when he's stressed and has defined his life the last couple of years. An "insane, beautiful thing" he says.
HE LOVES LUCY
Paul's Pebble Beach home was filled with Scottie dogs. I tried counting them.
Scotties in paintings and photos. Scottie pillows, hand towels and figurines. I thought I found all of them, then noticed another wearing a lampshade; a Scottie was the decorative lamp base!
But, no real Scottie dogs scampering around or sleeping on couches, and for good reason.
MARCO...POLO
I looked to the sky at just the right time. A Red-tailed hawk had just dived down to grab a live rat in its talons. She was ascending directly above me while I was walking Murray, our rescue mutt, in our neighborhood not far from Big Sur Land Trust open space. What happened next was pretty cool.
Murray, 12 years old in a few months, didn't mind stopping, having just crested a steep block. I kept my head up, and his went down to investigate new smells. The hawk and the hawk's chicks began a series of back and forth contact calls, a version of the popular swimming pool game, Marco Polo. In this case, calls help the adult find chicks eagerly awaiting their next meal. Red-tailed hawks co-parent so the adult could have been male or female. I'll go with "she."
It's summer Animal Camp season at the SPCA. Each Monday, a new group of 40 eight to twelve-year-olds visits our campus for a week-long day camp led by our Humane Education and Outreach Coordinator — Miss Darlenne to the kids — and her talented team of junior counselors.
This popular SPCA mainstay since the 1980s offers children a unique mix of fun and educational hands-on experiences that nurture compassion and respect for all living things, and makes a difference for animals in our care. And, every now and then, the kids work their parents over and end up adopting a dog, cat, bunny, guinea pig, snake or bird they've met during the week!
My two kids are three-year camp veterans and they enjoyed camp this summer every bit as much as they did our first summer here in 2016. No doubt, Audrey will apply for a counselor position when she's eligible, age-wise, in a few years.
WHALE OF A TIME!
Our logo is a bit of a mess and mystery. As far as anyone here knows, it was created for us sometime between 1989 and 1991. Prior to that, we had a typeface only logo, our SPCA letters spun in a groovy 1970s font. That should have gone out with feathered hair, pet rocks and disco, but it survived a decade past its "freshness" date.
A class of students possibly from Monterey Peninsula College took on our logo project either unsolicited or by invitation. Again, the history's fuzzy. Each student in the class developed a concept and one was selected by our leadership or by a vote. Who knows? And that's the logo we have and use today. Well, almost. Interestingly, this logo did not initially include our name. Oops.
Depending on how one looks at it, the logo could be seen as clever, confusing, cluttered or maybe a little of everything. Let's begin with the whale, the logo's featured star. And, that starts and ends with one simple question: why? We don't save whales, we don't find new homes for them and don't write legislation that protects them. We like them and they are here, in Monterey Bay. Maybe that's why they made the logo.
BIG DOSES AND SINGLE SERVINGS...
As I often say, we see the best and worst in people in our business. Take this past week, which started with this email message:
"I need to get rid of these three dogs. One of them is half boxer and something else and the other 2 is rottweiler [sic] and I just really need to get rid of them. They're just taking up to much room for me and my family."
Wow. I haven't seen a message worded so bluntly, with so much detachment. As the only open-admission shelter in Monterey County, we responded as we always do, informing the owner that we should be seen as a last resort after they've exhausted other efforts to rehome their dogs…that we rehome all healthy animals, that we make well most animals with health and behavior challenges, but can't make any promises. We assess animals carefully and individually.
SPAYING AND NEUTERING ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT
On April 28, the Monterey Herald ran a Letter to the Editor from a Seaside resident. The writer promoted low-cost spay/neuter, made claims about animals being tortured and dumped, and criticized the SPCA and other local rescue groups for spending "virtually zero dollars" on spay/neuter. The letter made many inaccurate points, so we responded with this as yet unpublished letter.
I joke that our shelter is like the 1980's classic sitcom Cheers. Our volunteer group is 350 strong, filled with a cast of colorful characters, and the Cheers opening theme "Everybody knows your name" applies to the regulars. Meet two from our Cat Adoption floor, Benny and Susan.
Benny has lived a few lives, much like the cats he watches over at the SPCA. He spent four years in the Navy as an air traffic controller, sold Armani and Hugo Boss suits, then found a career in the hotel, restaurant and bar business. This included a stint as assistant manager at the Phoenix at Nepenthe in Big Sur and bartender at Rocky Point Restaurant, just south of Carmel. Like the bartender from Billy Joel's Piano Man, "quick with a joke or a light of your smoke" applies to Benny.
Benny invested well and retired early and that was good for us and the animals. He began volunteering with the SPCA four years ago just to "get out of the house" and he found much more than that. He spends four or five hours in our cat adoption wing every Monday and Wednesday. Sam "Mayday" Malone's charm with Cliff Clavin's gift of gab. That's Benny.
If it should be that I grow frail and weak,
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then will you do what must be done?
You will be sad I understand,
But don't let grief then stay your hands,
We have had so many happy years,
You wouldn't want me to suffer so,
When the time comes, please let me go.
Take me to where my needs they'll tend,
Only, stay with me until the end
And hold me firm and speak to me,
Until my eyes no longer see.
I know in time you will agree,
It is a kindness you do for me.
Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering I have been saved.
Don't grieve that it must be you,
Who has to decide this thing you do.
We've been so close – we two – these years,
Don't let your heart hold any tears. – author unknown
I trust many of you have seen this poem. It gets me every time, especially the last line. When I think about the final days, minutes and seconds with my last dog, Cooper, I lose it. If I think about the end with Murray, our perfectly healthy 11-year-old, I well-up. We can't bear to think about losing our recent addition JoJo and she's just 11 months old with hopefully 12-15 years ahead of her. I think about special relationships that family, friends and co-workers have with their pets and the loss they will feel someday, and that gets me.
TURTLE HEAVEN
Eric Clower, the SPCA's super-talented Maintenance Manager, oversees all aspects of our 200+ acre campus. Our resident MacGyver tackles complicated HVAC systems, maintains a small fleet of vehicles, and chases down water intrusions from rooftops in a single bound. He didn't wake up last Wednesday morning thinking he'd be building a turtle platform. But, it's what he did and it's among the many reasons I love this organization.
The backstory: our equally talented Humane Investigations Supervisor, Marty Opseth, was out playing a round of golf. Knowing he was with the SPCA, the golf course staff brought him their animal-related dilemma: turtles in their man-made pond were having trouble sunning themselves, clinging to the pond's steep edge. Aquatic turtles, as some of you know, need sunlight. They spend the good part of their day basking in it. Basically, they live the lives of Kardashians.
TO THE RESCUE...
According to Wikipedia, an "animal rescue group or animal rescue organization is dedicated to pet adoption. These groups take unwanted, abandoned, abused or stray pets and attempt to find suitable homes for them….rescue groups exist for most pet types (reptile rescue, rabbit rescue, bird rescue), but most are common for dogs and cats…rescue groups often find volunteers with space in their homes for temporary placement."
Can an animal shelter also be an animal rescue group? What is the SPCA?
Like a rescue group, the SPCA is funded by donations and is dedicated to finding new loving homes for animals. We do this for between eight and nine of every 10 animals we receive which is especially meaningful given we never turn away animals. We accept unwanted, abandoned, abused, neglected and stray animals daily! This includes physically and behaviorally broken animals and animals that no amount of resources could possibly make well.
MAKE IT RAIN FOR THE ANIMALS!
We'd like to see rain tomorrow. Not a heavy downpour and gusty winds that rattle windows and cause power outages. Just the kind of steady rain that might cause people to stay off roads and inside, curled up by the TV, preferably with a loved pet on their lap or at their feet. We're also hoping for no big breaking news, unplanned presidential messages or the release of the Mueller Report!
Why? Tomorrow is the SPCA's annual "Share the Love" telethon, 6 am to 8 pm, on KSBW 8 and Central Coast ABC.
During commercial breaks of your favorite shows, fabulous KSBW news anchor Brittany Nielsen and irrepressible meteorologist Gina DeVecchio — animal lovers in their own right — will introduce heartwarming stories about animals you helped rescue, and they'll be joined by yours truly and other SPCA staff. You'll learn about everything your local, independent SPCA does for pets, people, and wildlife in Monterey County.
150,000 AND COUNTING...
We snipped our way to 150,000! The SPCA's low-cost spay/neuter clinic, which has served Monterey County since 1976 as the area's only consistent provider of low-cost spay and neuter, reached the life-saving milestone this week.
We celebrated the feat with an unsuspecting pet owner — lucky number 150,000! Next week, we'll party with our clinic staff. A sheet cake customized for spay/neuter work could go in a few interesting directions, but I didn't want to be the one to describe this over the phone to a bakery. We'll keep it simple, sweet and non anatomical.
GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST
If you've visited animal shelters between here and the SF Bay Area, you may have noticed the name George Whittell on a building. It's on the SPCA's Education Center, in fact. The made for Hollywood story behind this would be a perfect vehicle for Bradley Cooper or Gary Oldman.
George Whittell Jr. died in a Redwood City hospital at the age of 87 in 1969. He left three quarters of his $40 million estate to the National Audubon Society, the Defenders of Wildlife and a number of animal hospital and pet cemeteries. Of the remainder, $6 million was bequeathed to the Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to "relieve the suffering and pain of animals." The problem was that no such organization with that exact name existed.
Naturally, the ambiguously worded will created a field day for animal groups. More than 50 staked claim to the $6 million remainder, some with stronger cases than others. The humane society located near Mr. Whittell's Woodside estate had a good case, as did the San Francisco SPCA, since he owned property there and belonged to many social organizations. He purchased several acres on the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe and may have had landholdings in Carmel.
PRETTY PAPER, PRETTY RIBBONS, UGLY SWEATER
Ugly sweaters have jumped the shark. Now that sweaters are specifically designed and made to impress at ugly sweater contests, that goes against the spirit. I mean, it started as a simple idea where people would pull out their ugly sweater that wasn't designed to look ugly. It just was. That was the beauty (or ugliness) of it.
For decades, animal shelters placed a moratorium on adoptions in the days leading up to Christmas and would forbid people from adopting pets as gifts to protect them from being sent back, just like ugly sweaters that get returned in the days after Christmas.
As they say, a photo's worth a thousand words. To me, this photo is worth much more, but I've kept it to a tidy 567. Hey, we're all busy this time of year. Busy decorating homes, addressing holiday cards, and shopping.
Our neighborhood is holding a holiday lights decorating contest; $100 for first place, $50 for second and $25 for third. My 8-year-old pleaded "Go big, Dad!" He doesn't have a great sense of money yet and I don't have the heart to tell him I already spent the equivalent of the first-place dough on extension cords. My wife asked if I knew what I was doing with all the cords and multi-pronged outlets snaked around the garage and front yard. I said yes with Clark W. Griswold confidence, but I'm also holding my breath when anyone plugs-in a hair dryer.
Two custom, almost life-sized gingerbread men (people?) we made for our front yard could push us into contention. Why buy inflatables, when you can spend far more time jigsawing, sanding, painting and sealing plywood? One of the cookie cutter figures needed minor surgery after a button eyeball I attached with glue slid halfway down his face, making him look more like a deformed Halloween decoration. The eye is screwed back where it belongs. We're looking good now, ready to be judged.
A QUEEN'S LIFE
Our feeds are filled with news related to shootings and fires. We can't even catch a small break in the world of sports, an escape for many. The Golden State Warriors, who've brought nothing but joy, championships and parades in recent years, are fighting with each other!
We need something warm and snuggly. Meet Coco whose name alone fits the bill and that's just the beginning.
REVISITING HUMANE INVESTIGATIONS
This week, I'm going back to a familiar topic: our Humane Investigations work. With apologies, I'm going to rant a little.
First, the background. As avid readers of this blog know, The SPCA for Monterey County investigates animal cruelty reports and complaints. We do this by choice because the animals need us and because this work aligns with our nonprofit mission. We do not receive government funding or tax dollars for this work, and it is not required by law. This vital, compassionate, and often heartbreaking work is made entirely possibly by donations.
New people bring a fresh pair of eyes, another perspective on programs or services, opportunities others may not have seen or, some things less important. This falls into the latter category.
Most days, I take my shelter dog on a short walk to enjoy some of the SPCA's magnificent, 200 acres. Our buildings sit on a somewhat flat five-acre bowl and the surrounding land is oak-studded, sloped and rugged, with meandering unpaved access trails. Truly, an amazing gift.
My walk takes me past our oldest structure — a wooden, two-story building which houses programs for kids and an office for our Humane Investigations team.
JUSTICE FOR KATO
Last Thursday, SPCA staff attended a hearing for the man charged with lighting on fire and torturing his family's beloved dog. We prepared media statements for any possible outcome and heard the one we had hoped for but didn't expect. Devonte Sirwet pled no contest to three felony charges and two strikes. As part of his plea agreement, he'll be sentenced next month to six years and eight months in state prison.
SUMMER OF JOJO
It took nearly two years, but the final piece of being a tried and true SPCA employee was thrust into my arms this summer when a co-worker brought a surrendered puppy to meet me after I let it slip that my family was looking to adopt.
I did tell co-workers we were interested in a dog. This powder puff looked and felt more like a guinea pig with piranha teeth! The mostly white with black patches, 8-week old Shih Tzu mix barely moved the scale at 4.1 pounds. When curled up asleep, she looked like an ice cream sundae without the cherry on top.
HUMANE INVESTIGATIONS UPDATE
For our fiscal year which just ended June 30, the SPCA's Humane Investigations team responded to 981 reports related to animal cruelty or abuse. I have mixed feelings seeing that number, and imagine you might as well. Is that number heartwrenching or comforting?
Here's my take. On one level, seeing 981 truly sickens me. We live in a county famous for being pet friendly and we live in a time where people care far more about their pets than they ever have. Decades ago, dogs lived in the yard, maybe with access to a garage if they were lucky. Today, many dogs share homes with their people, even beds in some cases, and have their own social media followers! Despite all this, we receive, on average, nearly 20 reports of animal cruelty, abuse or mistreatment every week.
MARLBORO MAN SPARKED MY INTEREST IN ANIMALS
I don't know exactly why, but it wasn't until I was well into my 40s that I began thinking about how my Dad introduced me to animals, which would eventually lead to my career choice.
Baseball was our main connection, the obvious one. We played catch all the time and went to more Giants games at Candlestick Park than I can remember. He coached my first few little league teams, then backed off as I got older, but was every bit as interested and never the obnoxious "Little League Dad." In college, when it became clear I wasn't going to be the Giants' next third basemen, this seemed harder for Dad than me in some ways.
HELPING ANIMALS LOCALLY
summer, they set-up tables outside of Safeway and Starbucks. This past week, they hit the Crossroads in Carmel. You'll see them with orange logoed T-shirts, table coverings and marketing materials.
These efforts are an attempt to gain support of local residents…to add names to mailing lists and email distributions. This massive East Coast nonprofit fully understands we live in an area that is crazy about animals and has pockets of incredible wealth.
The ASPCA spent $40 million in fundraising expenses in 2016 (likely even more this past year) and raised nearly $200,000,000. That's no typo. I have the right number of zeroes. I'm certain some of those funds came from Monterey County residents and also certain at least some of those residents fully believed their donations to the ASPCA trickled down to the SPCA for Monterey County and benefitted animals locally.
SAVING LIVES TOGETHER
You may have seen recent local news stories about the euthanasia rates at the local municipal, tax-funded shelters.
Naturally, The SPCA cares about all homeless animals in our community, and not just those that come into our care. That said, it wasn't clear from the headlines that the statistics given focused entirely on Salinas Animal Services (SAS) and
INTRODUCING THE SPCA'S NEXT DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR...
I've found The SPCA's future Development Director. She checks all the boxes for this vital role. Passion for our mission. Check. Warm and personable. Check. Not afraid to ask others to open up their checkbooks and piggy banks to support our cause. Check. Results-driven. Check. Poised, polished, delightful. Check, check, check. She also draws really well, so that's a bonus. She does not drive, but we can work around that.
The way I see it, my new friend Dahlia will join our staff around 2038, after she's graduated from college and has had a few years of professional seasoning under her belt. She turns seven in three weeks!
We first met Dahlia, a local resident, during our Telethon in March. She brought in $200 in pennies. She found a penny one day and that sparked an idea: pennies for puppies. With the help of her parents who hand-rolled 20,000 pennies (add "delegates well" to Dahlia's list of attributes), Dahlia made the largest gift we can recall for someone her age.
WALK YOUR OWN DOG TO RAISE FUNDS FOR SPCA ANIMALS
I sent this email message to the entire SPCA staff two weeks ago:
Next year's SPCA Wag n' Walk fundraiser will take place on 4/20. We will invite local marijuana dispensaries to have booths at our event and this will increase the revenue stream from vendors. Once the pot heads are on-board, that will open-up countless opportunities and this is where I need your help to give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down on ideas. For example, a marijuana vendor might charge $5 per hit for our participants (Puffs for Pups!). Easy money for shelter animals, right? As another idea, we're looking at having a special Zig Zag agility course just for humans who have taken the most hits. That could be more fun than watching the dogs in their agility area! In fact, we could go all out and rebrand this event as the Wag n' Weed which would enable us to reach an entirely new audience. Our highly popular event T-shirt could say this on the back: "I inhaled (but my dog did not!) at the SPCA's Wag n' Weed."
Before you report me to the local authorities, please know I sent this April 1. We have to have fun where we can! And, yes, I did fool a few people for at least a few sentences!
WE RESCUED HIM JUST IN TIME!
"We rescued her minutes before she was going to be euthanized."
I've heard countless variations of that statement and people I know who work at other shelters will tell you they've heard the same from adopters in their communities.
I heard it again today. A friend bumped into another person walking a dog, then struck up a conversation. One dog walker told my friend how she had "rescued her dog from the clutches of death just in time" at our SPCA. She claimed the SPCA adoption counselor told her we give the dogs about a month. She said she was given the dog's intake date, noted that it was close to 30 days, so felt she just had to adopt to "get her out of there."
This drives me nuts! My only theory is that some adopters, like some people in general, like being dramatic. Why let the truth get in the way of a good story.
"CHAMPION OF ANIMAL RIGHTS"
The name Marie Aronson isn't familiar to many of you but she's special to the SPCA. When I walk through our adoption courtyard where potential adopters spend time getting to know our dogs — where the magic happens — I pass a bench with this inscription: "In Honor of Deputy District Attorney Marie Aronson – Champion of Animal Rights." Marie's co-workers, colleagues and friends made a generous donation for the naming rights for a bench to memorialize her shortly after she passed away last year.
Marie, as a member of Monterey County's District Attorney's Office, prosecuted animal abuse cases for 15 years. When she first arrived at the DA's office in the 1980s, she "self-identified" as an animal lover and protector, and actively pursued cases that SPCA humane investigators built and submitted for prosecution.
A PRINCE AMONG MEN (AND WOMEN)
We half joke that Mamma, a non-releasable adult Great-Horned Owl who acts as a surrogate mother to orphaned baby owls at the SPCA's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, is our hardest working volunteer. After all, she mothers babies 'round the clock and has raised more than 50 owl chicks since arriving years ago with a significant, untreatable wing injury preventing her release.
SPCA Volunteer Jeff Weill may have knocked Mamma off her perch. Figuratively-speaking, of course.
Jeff joined the SPCA as a volunteer in June 2016, when he was looking to enrich his lighter schedule after wrapping-up a career as a Department of Defense project manager. He was familiar with the SPCA, having adopted a Shepherd/Lab mix (a "Schlab," one of our specialities!) from us when he was 19 years old, and that sweet companion was with him the next 14 years.
DONKS GONE VIRAL!
Two weeks ago, SPCA Facebook followers met Pecan and Chocolate, two miniature donkeys available for adoption. Soon thereafter, so did the rest of the world. Well, not exactly, but a whole mess of them did. The donkey post reached 435,000 people, it was shared 2,400 times and received 2,000+ comments. In our world, that's viral. It's bigger than learning the name of Kim Kardashian and Kayne's baby or the "This is Us" spoiler alert.
LOVING, LOSING
Years ago, when I was new to this field, I sat in on a pet loss grief support group session. I wanted to experience all our programs in action and I was amazed this one existed.
I specifically remember a young couple. They were in tears, talking about their loss, how it hurt so much, how they were depressed and losing sleep and how their home felt empty. Then, the kicker. "And we don't know if we'll ever be able to get another bird" A bird!? I assumed they were talking about a dog or cat and never imagined people could connect as deeply with a bird.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Small chromosomal deletions that affect several neighboring genes.
*Microdeletion: Most sporadic, but 10-15% due to parental translocations.
What neurologically dangerous skeletal problem can infants with Achondroplasia have?
What are the characteristic X-ray findings in Achondroplasia?
Mandible and variable facial and ear anomalies.
-A proportion of gametes have a mutant allele (as opposed to a sporadic mutation where 1 gamete had a mutation).
For what tumor are patients with Beckwith-Wiedemann at increased risk?
Group of congenital anomalies caused by strands of amnion attaching to fetus.
Secondary to renal agenesis leading to oligohydramnios and then pulmonary hypoplasia.
Can be caused by prenatal cocaine or ACEI use due to renal damage.
What neurologic complication may occur in infants with tuberous sclerosis?
What cardiac complication may occur in infants with tuberous sclerosis?


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Born in 1970, Mr. Ragıp Ertuğrul received his B.Sc degree in Statistics from Mimar Sinan University and his M.A. degree in Theatre Criticism & Dramaturgy from Istanbul University. Ragip is a playwright, writer and director, and he has been an art columnist and a critic for newspapers and drama magazines since 2005. He has been one of the permanent jury members of Theatre Awards since 2003. He is the President of International Association of Theatre Critics (IATC) Turkey Section (TEB). His areas of expertise includes dramaturgy, theatre criticism, criticism on media, cabaret theatre, art management, art sponsoring and critical thinking. He won "The Best Theatre Critic Award" at the 75th Anniversary of Cuneyt Gokcer Theatre Awards at Hacettepe University in 2011. His first novel "Soytarice" (based on the life story of Turkish theatre actress Mrs. Dilek Türker) was published in October 2016.
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Go on exciting excursions in Ubatuba with Annika Haraldsson!
I always bring a Brazilian authorized guide, Thiago Lima, on all the excursions led by me. He grew up in a small village here in Ubatuba and knows the nature, culture and the history of the locality very well.
An exciting full day excursion that combines nature and culture - Indian village, handicraft, waterfall, bathing and snorkeling.
At first we visit the home of the "Bambooman" Ricardo Cristaldo, who sells beautiful handicraft made out of bamboo. Then we go for an interesting visit to the Guaraní Indian reservate Aldeia Boa Vista (that means the Village with a beautiful view). A suitable name, so have the camera prepared! The Guaraní Indians are striving to preserve their culture and nobody work outside the village. They make a living of what they can get from the Nature. The only monetary income for the village is selling handicraft and palmheart. If you have space in the suitcase you can bring children´s clothes and toys as gifts.
Afterwards it is possible to cool yourself off in the most popular waterfall of Ubatuba, Prumirim. Then we go to Felix, the most wonderful beach, where we have picnic and several hours for relaxing, sunbathing and swimming. You also have the opportunity to go to the island of Prumirim - a very good snorkeling site. Prumirim is a very small island of 30 hectares covered with rainforest. The excursion ends with a dinner at a beach close to the village of Puruba. We eat traditional Brazilian food. Delicious! Full day excursion. Price 200 R$ for each person. Half the price for children up to 15 years old. Lunch and dinner included in the price.
At least two participants required for the excursion.
Boat trip to the fourth most beautiful beach in Brazil - Cedro.
Go for a relaxing trip with sunbath and swim to the fourth most beautiful beach in Brazil - Cedro. Here you can touch your tan and refresh in the crystal-clear water. If you prefer staying in the shadow, there are several trees with the suitable name of Sun hat (Chapeu do sol) at the beach. If we are lucky we can meet the "Coco man" - don Benedito - and we can have an ice-cold coconut.
Half-a-day trip. Price 75 R$ for each person. Half the price for children up to 15 years old. Snack and fruits included in the price.
Do not miss this fantastic boat trip with a scooner - aboard time approximately one hour one-way - to the nature reserve of the Island Anchieta. The island is covered with 828 hectares of rain forest and has a rich fauna. Among others, there are capybaras, common marmoset monkeys, armadillos and teiu lizards. After the boat trip the excursion is ended with a good dinner at the beach-restaurant Peres.
Full day trip. Price 150 R$ for each person. Half the price for children up to 15 years old. Packed lunch, but not dinner included in the price.
Here is another opportunity to go to Cedro. This time with a little bit more effort... Several ameliorations of the trail has been done during the last years and now it is enough to be in a normally good hiking shape. However there are some solid uphill and downhill slopes. Children from the age of 10 years old can hike in the companion of their parents. About one-and-a-half hour one way in a calm tempo. You should wear trousers and sneakers or other footwear suitable for hiking. Half-a-day excursion.
Price 75 R$ for each person including fruits and snack. Half the price for children up to 15 years old.
The jungle excursion "Seven beaches"
An unforgettable experience! During the trip we will pass seven beaches and stay at many of them to rest and swim.
This jungle trip requires quite good physique; because of all the steep hills. However it is just about three hours of walking in exchange for many hours at the different beaches.
You should wear trousers and sneakers or other footwear suitable for hiking. One-day excursion.
Price 100 R$ for each person including packed lunch, snack and fruits. Half the price for children up to 15 years old.
Climb Corcovado, the highest mountain in Ubatuba! It is a spectacular experience! The mountain reaches a hight of 1150 m and is completely covered by rain forest. This trekking requires a really good physique, it is about 6-8 hours to get to the top. The reward is a great view from the top and an unforgettable overnight camping in the jungle. The trip is led by Thiago Lima accompanied by an English speaking guide. Thiago has so far climbed the mountain about 80 times, so you do not need to worry. You should wear trouser and sneakers or other footwear suitable for hiking. Bring your own tent and sleeping bag if you want to, otherwise we have them for hire.
Price 200 R$ for each person including everything that is needed. Half the price for children up to 15 years old.
We will begin the sightseeing in Ubatuba with a walking tour in the historical center of the town. After that we will take a rest in the juice bar "Sucolandia"; the "Juiceland". There you can choose from 44 different juices! Many of them are made from fruits you've never even heard of! After this wholesome experience we will continue to the "hippie market"; Feira do hippie", where it is easy to find souveniers to take home. The evening will be spent in the bar- and restaurant district - Itagua - where whoever wants to, can stay and experience the Ubatuba night life. Afternoon and evening tour.
Price 100 R$ for each person. Half the price for children up to 15 years old. Snack included.
Paraty is a small picturesque colonial town founded in 1667, with a well-preserved historical town center that is on the UNESCO world heritage list. During the 18th century the town was the center for export of gold from Brazil to Portugal. Paraty means white fish in the Indian Language tupiguaraní and has 17 000 inhabitants.
Paraty is famous for its fine sugarcane rum. You will have the opportunity to visit a distillery where you can taste and buy the Brazilian cachaça. Who does not like the refreshing Brazilian national drink caipirinha!
The tour is led by an English-speaking guide, who is very versed in the history and culture of the town. A full day trip.
Price 175 R$ for each person. Half the price for children up to 15 years old. Lunch is not included.
At the beach Fortaleza, where the hotels are located, you can join a Brazilian night. There will be a capoeira performance in the light of torches and stirring Brazilian music. Capoeira originates from Africa and is a combination of music, singing, dancing and martial art.
Price 75 R$ for each person. Half the price for children up to 15 years old.
At least two participants required.
If you would like to try capoeira it is possible to get lessons. Surfing looks really amazing! We can also offer you lessons in surfing. Ubatuba is a great place for ornithologists - with 514 different species of birds, 170 of them are limited to this location. In Ubatuba there are three stations for observation of birds and there is an english-speaking ornithologist. Best time for observing birds is from September-November.
Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautiful cities in the world! That will most definitely be confirmed in the enchanting view from the Sugarloaf Mountain (396 m) and from the statue of Christ at the high Corcovado Mountain (710 m). The Cariocas (the inhabitants of Rio) special life-style is caractherized of their social life at the wonderful beaches, where they meet friends, dance, play soccer and volleyball. The most famous beaches are Copacabana and Ipanema. In the middle of the city there is a big national park, Tijuca, covered with 120 km² of rain forest. Do not miss the seething nightlife in Rio, full of joy of living and music and dance. You have to book in advance if you want to experience the famous Carneval in Rio! Rio has also a great cultural life. Are you a soccer fan? Then you can visit the world´s biggest football arena, Maracanã stadium.
Annika can help you to make hotel reservations and book guided tours in Rio with an english-speaking guide.


Twelve years ago we began developing a number of small-scale, combined arts projects. Rooted in dialogue and engagement with local people of all ages and backgrounds, these projects succeeded in giving people a voice and helped them to articulate creatively, issues and concerns that mattered to them.
Many partners were involved in getting these projects delivered: community development workers, care staff, teachers, local authority officers, but each project was motivated by our unswerving belief in the power of art to change people's lives.
One of the most successful and rewarding aspects of our work has been intergenerational dialogue and exchange – bringing young and old together to make shared work, explore ideas, stimulate creative thinking, challenge negative perceptions, and share thoughts and views with the wider community.


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Metrics: New York Hospital
The hospital received notification from its local emergency physician group that it would cease providing service within 90 days. In addition to staffing challenges, the emergency department was also struggling with high door-to-doctor and length of stay times, a high percentage of patients who left without treatment, and low patient satisfaction scores.
The hospital selected TeamHealth because of its reputation for recruiting quality providers and improving patient metrics.
Given the short start-up time frame, TeamHealth's first goal was to ensure adequate coverage for the ED's 20,000 annual patient visits. Once staffing was stabilized, we shifted our attention to registration followed by comprehensive triage prior to bed placement. Our goal was to create a new, patient-centered flow model to achieve the operational goals of: a door-to-provider time of 45 minutes or less, an overall length of stay of 180 minutes or less, and a decrease in the percentage of patients who left without treatment to less than 2 percent.
TeamHealth conducted an onsite Comprehensive Process Redesign initiative. In order to achieve, surpass, and maintain the stated goals, ED processes and flow were completely redesigned with a focus on the patient, incorporating the nine countermeasures listed below. These, along with additional operational improvements,allowed the department to utilize the concept of virtual beds without having to develop a complex split-flow or super track model.
Create an ED Action Team
Implement visual cues
Institute pivot nurse in triage
Implement "RN First"
Initiate direct-to-bed concept
Develop virtual bed theory
Realign RN staffing
Initiate "Anyone Can Discharge"
Initiate quick registration
In addition to the nine countermeasures listed above, success at the hospital can be attributed to strong medical director and nursing leadership, a fully engaged staff, and supportive hospital administration. Not only did the department meet its six month operational goals—it surpassed all of them.
For the full case study, click Download below.
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Author: Daisy Castillo
Posted on October 23, 2017 October 23, 2017 by Daisy Castillo
The research team have edited a special issue of the journal Disability and Rehabilitation, on the theme of 'universal design'. The issue features eight papers written by leading international writers from a range of disciplines, including philosophy, social policy, architecture, and sociology. The papers outline some of the key challenges relating to the development of universal design, and discuss how far it may be possible to realise its radical intent in seeking to overturn deep rooted designer conventions that rarely respond to the needs of disabled people and impaired bodies. They draw attention to the tensions between, on the one hand, the propagation of a universal design discourse that is challenging of design approaches that fail to respond to corporeal diversity, and, on the other hand, the incorporation of much universal design practice into conventional, conservative, design methodologies. Such methodologies, and their underlying epistemological bases, appear to delimit the understanding of person-hood to bodies-without-impairment, or cultural norms that define the universal subject in ways whereby disabled people are regarded as aberrations. This observation leads contributors to the special issue to interrogate how far, and in what ways, practitioners may be able to develop universal design not only as a ''design strategy'', but as a political stratagem that has the potential to transform the dominant world view of universal ablebodiedness [12,13].
To view the papers, visit: http://informahealthcare.com/toc/dre/36/16
Rob Imrieon June 19, 2014 /Comments closed
On June 16th, Rob Imrie and Kim Kullman attended the Universal Design Conference 2014 in Lund, Sweden and presented a methodological argument about the challenges that universal designers face as they engage with bodily difference and diversity. Adopting a post-phenomenological perspective, the paper indicates that Univer
sal Design practices could benefit from a critical dialogue around the assumptions and ideas about embodiment and the world that design methods and tools advance as they are employed to make sense of everyday experience. Without such a dialogue, there is a risk that the widely different ways in which bodies, objects and spaces interact can remain unaccounted for and thereby limit what may be designed. We argue that post-phenomenology, through its detailed understanding of the socio-technical mediations of experience, can inspire universal designers to develop a range of critical and creative ways of using and sharing embodied knowledge.
"In my more miserable moments I think we'll never get it right, and people just ignore it, and building control officers don't implement it, and we still see buildings where somebody says it's accessible, and it's not accessible at all. We're still designing public spaces with cobbles, brand new public spaces with cobbles and seats that have got no arms or backrests, and they don't understand that an older person can't get up off a concrete stone bench. Why do they keep designing stuff like that?" (access consultant x)
This article by Charlotte Bates investigates why "they keep designing stuff like that". Focusing on inclusive design – a niche approach that strives towards more accessible, flexible and democratic designs – the article examines the underlying values, practices, and sticking points entangled in the challenge of designing and making more equitable products and places.
As the geographer Doreen Massey writes, "The challenge of the negotiation of place is shockingly unequal." (2005, 169). Despite – and sometimes even because of – the introduction of now taken-for-granted design features intended to make access to urban environments more equitable, our town and city spaces continue to frustrate, fail and ultimately omit many of us, from parents and children to people who are elderly, infirm and impaired.
Our research investigates why "they keep designing stuff like that". Focusing on inclusive design – a niche approach that strives towards more accessible, flexible and democratic designs – we examine the underlying values, practices, and sticking points entangled in the challenge of designing and making more equitable products and places. To date, we have interviewed a range of professionals in the UK, including company directors, access consultants, architects, engineers, and educationalists. These conversations provide insight into the methods and tools used by these professionals, highlight the difficulties and limitations that they face, and offer a glimpse at the possibility that progress is being made.
Inclusive design has developed and evolved in response to increasing recognition that mainstream design approaches fail to take human diversity into account. Anthropometric data, regularly used in architectural and industrial design to incorporate information about human body proportion, posture and movement, constructs the human as a healthy adult of a particular size and ability. For example, French architect Le Corbusier, a pioneer of modern architecture, developed the 'modulor', a universal system of proportions based on the dimensions of a six foot male.
Such schemas have the admirable intention of placing the body at the centre of design, but, perfectly proportioned, it is a minority body. The result is design that is uncomfortable and out of reach for the vast majority of the population. By valuing human diversity and aiming to make places that work for everyone, inclusive design promises, as a landscape architect said to us, "to open up the challenge of designing for us as we really are, as complex beings rather than the Corbusian perfect man" (landscape architect x).
How inclusive design attempts to achieve its aim is a question that needs unravelling. One key issue that we have focused on to date is the translation of inclusive design values into methods and tools that embrace, rather than reduce, embodied human diversity. In practice, these tools and techniques range from employing expert access consultants, to using 'personas' (descriptions of potential 'users' based on market research) and simulating the physical experience of being elderly or impaired with specially designed goggles, gloves and even entire body suits. The 'Third Age Suit' developed by academics at Loughborough University's Ergonomics and Safety Research Institute for the Ford Motor Company, for example, is intended to "literally let someone walk in the shoes of an older person and experience firsthand what life is like for someone with restricted mobility".
Through 'empathic engagement', these tools offer the possibility of opening design practices to the lived experiences of 'users' and diversifying the body at the centre of design. But, as many of the people we spoke with recognised, they can also be used as 'quick fixes' that effectively reduce the complexity of human embodiment. As one designer told us, "the persona itself will probably be three or four slides on PowerPoint. The description about their disabilities is probably a sentence or two" (designer x).
Sticking points
In addition to the difficulties of incorporating a diverse understanding of lived embodiment into design practices, there are also a number of sticking points in the design process that threaten the promise of inclusive design. From the start, designers can find themselves having to convince clients that designing for 'less sexy users' is the right approach. Instead of taking the needs of the population into consideration, and despite the market potential of the 'golden economy', some clients reportedly prefer to direct their business at the 'young and healthy' market sector.
At the next stage, support for inclusive design can be overridden by contractors who 'value engineer' to deliver projects on time, on budget and on value, so that "even if you build inclusive design in at the design stage, you can't guarantee that it will be kept all the way through procurement – if somebody can find a cheaper way of doing things often they will try to" (designer y).
The installation of design features can also be problematic, as one engineer explained, "the difficulty is executing it and knowing what to do… It's generally done, but unfortunately it's not done in the correct manner all the time." (engineer x). Tactile paving is a prime example. When badly installed, it negates the information it is designed to provide and runs the risk of becoming a public hazard. Common installation issues include using the wrong colour paving, a lack of colour contrast with surrounding paving, incorrect use of warning patterns, and inconsistent use of paving types within schemes.
Finally, there are issues surrounding the maintenance and care of products and places. Once in the public realm products are often left to fend for themselves, as we were told, "nobody takes ownership of it, it's out on the street 24/7, it's out in all weather conditions, and it gets abused" (designer z).
Negotiating place
The process of inclusive design, from ideation to installation, reveals a literal 'throwntogetherness' of place – a term coined by Massey to signal the whirl of global diversity and difference in contemporary urban life. I use the term here to express the precarious and sometimes haphazard way in which places negotiate their way into life. This throwntogetherness reveals the complex and sticky processes through which designs are shaped and ultimately puts the viability of inclusive design at risk.
Our research highlights the labour towards making more accessible and democratic places being undertaken by a passionate group of people who are wrestling with the lack of a joined-up or universal agenda. It has led us to some remarkable and award-winning products, buildings and public spaces. But it also reveals continuing professional and political ignorance of human diversity and the need to take responsibility for making better places.


At iTN Worldwide, we prioritize utilizing teamwork to achieve a common goal, along with giving back to the community. Last year, more than 100 of our employees turned out to serve His House Children's Home, making over two cottages, a laundry room and a computer lab to help provide safe and caring homes for abandoned, abused and neglected children. We were extremely gratified to be able to give our time to such a worthy cause, and we hope to get even more volunteers this year!
Check out the video we shot at the cottage makeover!


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TransAtlantic Way: Ultra-Distance Cycling in Ireland's Wild West
In an interview with race organiser Adrian O'Sullivan, we get the inside line on the history and appeal of one of ultra-cycling's newest additions, The TransAtlantic Way.
'These races are so addictive,' says Adrian O'Sullivan, a veteran of both the Transcontinental and TransAm, and organiser of one of the latest ultra-distance racing equivalents, the TransAtlantic Way.
O'Sullivan's race, which was inaugurated in 2016 with an edition won by German Bernd Paul, is a 2,500km event that traces the Wild Atlantic Way on Ireland's western coast. Like the TransAm, and more recently the Indian Pacific Wheel Race, it is an event that has taken inspiration from the pioneering footsteps of events like the Transcontinental Race, and can now include its name proudly in the ever-increasing list of races that forms the contemporary ultra-racing calendar.
'You've bought the bike, bought the gear, bought the bags, and you like what you're doing,' O'Sullivan continues, explaining the motivation for launching the event last year. 'But after doing the TCR and TransAm, I thought to myself: "Do I really want to do the same event twice?" If I didn't want to, there must be others that would have felt the same, so I suppose this just gives them another race to do.'
And so was born the TransAtlantic Way, a new event for ultra-racers around the world to commit themselves to, and a new stadium of adventure on Europe's rugged, wild, and westernmost frontier.
O'Sullivan wanted to give the adventure racing community another event to sign up to, or dream of riding, but he also wanted to introduce certain details and develop the event in a way that, if he were to be racing it, would appeal to him, and that was a crucial part of the organisation process.
'They have a pretty simple format,' he explains of the basic ultra-race blueprint. 'It's just a start and a finish really – the rest is down to the riders and the route, and that's the beauty. But something I have experienced from doing these races is that you get all these people [competing], from all over the world, that are part of this community, but they never really see each other until the day of the start line. I thought it would be nice to get everyone together in the same place a day before the race begins to give everyone a chance to swap stories, look at each other's bikes, and put faces to names they might only know from Facebook profiles. It's a bit of a niche community we're building up, and a big part of what the TransAtlantic Way is all about – as well as being a race – is getting us all together.'
To that end, O'Sullivan has gone to great pains to secure two night's lodgings for every rider, one before the start in Dublin, and one after they finish in Cork, where he hopes riders will be able to enjoy each other's company outside of the racing environment itself.
'Another thing that we're doing is a bag drop,' he says of the shuttle that will transport the belongings and bike boxes of the racers safely between the start and finish while they are racing. 'I've found that you always have to fly to wherever the race is in a pair of old rubbish clothes, which you then throw away before the start. Of course, you only carry essentials during the race, so when you get to the end and you've got nothing to wear you've got to go and buy a load more. Now riders will have somebody to look after their stuff.'
One final differing characteristic that the race can boast is its route format, which combines the two recognised formats of existing ultra-races: self-navigated, such as the Transcontinental, and the set-route format adopted by events such as the TransAm and Indi-Pac. The start of O'Sullivan's TransAtlantic Way is in Dublin, where riders will embark on the first self-navigated sector to Derry in Northern Ireland, and the first checkpoint. From there begins the Wild Atlantic Way, 'a designated route, which must be completed in full – no detours', which riders will follow to the second checkpoint at Kinsale on the south coast. The final sector, from Kinsale to Blarney Castle in Cork, is again self-navigated.
'One of the great things about these races is that it's not just about the cycling,' says O'Sullivan when explaining the reasoning behind the novel three-part route. 'The bike is just a vehicle, but what this is really about is getting people up and out of their comfort zones, and the whole navigation side of doing the Transcontinental drove me mad. I didn't know how to use a Garmin, I didn't know how to use computer mapping, and it just annoyed me. I thought "Well what's that got to do with cycling? I'm a really good cyclist, but I'm rubbish at using a computer." But actually it made me learn how to use maps, how to plot routes, and since then it's made my cycling that much more of an adventure. Hopefully with some self-navigated sectors, as well as the set route, it will suit all types of racer.'
The Wild Atlantic Way
As O'Sullivan himself says, adventure racing is defined by two things; the riders and the route. But if the old adage of 'build it and they will come' is to be believed, then that just left the question of where to build it. Luckily, the answer was soon forthcoming.
As a resident of England, O'Sullivan's initial ideas naturally gravitated towards the country he knew and lived in. 'I wanted to put on a race close to home,' he says.
But after trawling through maps and researching the routes of pre-existing audax events, with a view to linking them all together for a quasi-'TransEngland', he decided that the route would require riders to navigate hundreds upon hundreds of miles of busy main road, 'and that didn't really do it for me.'
As a second-generation Irishman though, having spent time there and completed some long-distance rides in the country too, O'Sullivan's mind eventually came to rest on the Emerald Isle, and through his subsequent research, the newly-established Wild Atlantic Way.
'In 2014 the Irish tourist board basically just joined all of the western coastal roads together between Derry and Kinsale, creating a trail the length of the country, and called it the Wild Atlantic Way,' O'Sullivan says of the trail, which forms roughly 90% of the race's total route.
'Traditionally the west coast of Ireland has been a very poor area. The conditions for farming aren't great, which meant it was left untouched throughout the whole industrial revolution that swept through the rest of Europe, so it hasn't really been touched. Apart from a few roads and fields, it's still more or less as it would have looked hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago.'
'The scenery is spectacular, it's fantastic cycling, and all the infrastructure is there too – bed and breakfasts, hostels, hotels, restaurants. You've got to remember that a lot of these racers are taking their holiday time from work to go and do these events, so there needs to be a bit of fun involved – it's not all about torment.'
Indeed, one of adventure racing's greatest assets is that it goes far beyond just riding a bike and partaking in the challenge. For many, it's that travel element of seeing new places, meeting new people, and discovering new ideas that is as enticing as the riding itself, and this fact isn't lost on O'Sullivan.
'When I did the TransAm and the Transcon, I could feel that I was going across a whole continent. Each state or country would change and be very different, geographically and climatically, from the last, and the Wild Atlantic Way is a bit like that. It changes from rolling hills to craggy cliffs to flat landscape to forest, and you go through nine different counties in which the people change too; their accents and the way they look. You get a sense of passing through a whole country, rather than just getting to know one place.
'Ireland, and the Wild Atlantic Way. It all just seemed like a no-brainer.'
The TransAtlanticWay takes place every June in Dublin, Ireland. Follow the action on Dotwatcher.cc.
In 2019, the TransAtlantic Way changed format to become a 'ride', rather than a 'race'. To encourage a broader range of abilities, Adrian also introduced a second, shorter route option to allow more relaxed riders to keep up with the bunch. This non-competitive side of the ultra-cycling scene is where Adrian sees the biggest growth, as more people search for an escape and an adventure.
"The competitive end is starting to change from when I started racing. It's moving towards a more professional approach, with more and more riders employing personal trainers, nutritionists and devoting large portions of time to training. power meters, super lightweight bikepacking setups and sponsorships are making it faster ever year. 400km a day is being averaged by more and more riders every year, and considering they have to carry everything and look after themselves, that's outstanding. The great thing about our sport is that it's so much more than a race though. It's an experience. An adventure. An odyssey."
Read the full 2019 preview with Adrian at Dotwatcher.cc.
Un-Lost: Exhibition Film
A short film introducing the concept, and the photographer, behind Camille McMillan's Un-Lost exhibition
A Race of Two Halves
Ups, downs, and the importance of focus, on the TransAm Bike Race


Proprietary Process. Custom Engineered For You.
Every client's needs are different, so our process needs to accommodate the broadest range of sizes, styles, uses, accessories and tank design as possible. Houston PolyTank is the sole manufacturer of large extrusion wound tanks in the United States, and each one is made exactly to your specifications. These high performance tanks meet the more stringent German DVS 2205 Standard and can be made with high density linear polyethylene or polypropylene materials.


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VSU Commemorates the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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VSU Magazine
USG News
"We are not makers of history. We are made by history." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
VALDOSTA -- Valdosta State University will honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a list of events throughout the next week.
The African American Studies Program invites students, faculty, staff and community members to attend the free campus screening of STAND at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11 in the Student Union Theater. The documentary features talk show host, political commentator and philanthropist, Tavis Smiley, who explores diversity and black male experiences in the U.S. The film also features well-known black male scholars, artists and critics such as Cornel West, BeBe Winans, Michael Eric Dyson and Isaac Hayes.
A panel discussion of STAND will be held the next day, Thursday, Jan. 12, at 9:30 a.m. in the University Center Theater.
Later at 7 p.m. Thursday, the Philosophy Department will host a panel discussion on the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Bailey Science Center Auditorium. The panel will consist of local religious and community leaders, including Rabbi Moshe Elbaz from Temple, Israel; Rev. Floyd Rose, pastor of Serenity Christian Church and president of the Valdosta/Lowndes Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; Imam Yahya Mat Som from the Valdosta Islamic Cultural Center; and Michael Stoltzfus, professor of religious studies at VSU. The panel discussion will be moderated by Fred Downing, department head and professor of philosophy and religious studies at VSU.
On Wednesday, Jan. 18, a commemorative march and candlelight vigil will be held. Line-up for the march, which is hosted by the VSU NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity-Mu Omicron Chapter and Office of Social Equity, begins at 4:30 p.m. at the University Center on the corner of Ann and Patterson streets. The march ends at the front lawn. The vigil will be held in front of West Hall and include words from VSU President Louis Levy and Rev. Floyd Rose.
All events are a collaborative effort of the VSU Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Planning Committee, which is comprised of the host departments and organizations.
For more information, contact the Office of Social Equity at (229) 333-5463.
Office of Communications Powell Hall West, Suite 1120
General VSU Information


Nobody likes to read a mountain of text. After tons of playtests I've seen that about half of the players never bother to read tutorials. Lots of people prefer to jump in and figure things out for themselves. When making instructions, I try to minimize the amount text and provide pictures that can better explain the details. People like discovering strategies on their own, so I just give the basics on how to get started. One sentence is pretty easy on the eyes don't you think?