#or let them go into a rotation of unsuitable homes

[darkwood-sleddog]

What the fuuuuck:

I’m sorry but comparing force free dog training to neglect because you aren’t willing to accept that not all dogs are behaviorally stable enough to live with people is so asinine.

The “balanced” folk will literally say anything negative against R+, force free, and other positive reinforcement heavy training methods but always they fail to do anything about actual abuse, heavy handedness, and actual aversive trainers parading themselves around as “balanced” (like I cannot take these folks seriously as balanced until they are actively doing something and speaking up).

My dogs aren’t “force free”, I’m LIMA (Least Invasive Minimally Aversive) trained but I believe heavily in R+ and that if R+ methods are what animal behaviorists are using for tigers, hyenas, and other dangerous non-domestic animals for cooperative care behaviors that this can AND should apply to dogs as well.

Dogs do not languish in shelters because of R+ and/or force free training methods. They languish there because many rescues are hoarding situations, because “adopt don’t shop” has done irreparable damage to people’s perception of ethical dog breeders, because so many dogs in shelters are BEHAVIORALLY UNSAFE for the average person, because we view euthanasia as a cruelty instead of a necessity to reduce behaviorally unstable dogs from society or a kindness from a cruel and scary life. There are worst things than dying. All the “balanced” training methods in the world will not change those things.

[thequiver]

i need that bruce and arkham essay plz

I’ll answer this tomorrow I told you almost two and a half hours ago and yet here I am. At almost 4 am so bear with me folks.

WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS DISCUSSION OF TROUBLING ACTIONS, SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND VIOLENCE

So, what really starts me in on discussions around Bruce and Arkham, and something I feel like a lot of people either don’t know, conveniently ignore, or forget is that Bruce was in his youth, an Arkham patient. Specifically Alfred sent Bruce to an Arkham boy’s’ rehabilitation facility upstate. Against his will. Because he was obsessed with the idea of shooting and killing his parent’s murderer and had almost attempted suicide. This rehabilitation facility is where Bruce meets and befriends Harvey Dent. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Following his stint at the rehabilitation facility- Bruce exhibits even more troubling behavior, which suggests that his time at an Arkham facility did not teach him healthy coping mechanisms or do much to help him learn to process his emotions. While still a young man (18 or under) Bruce:

Responded to a question a teacher asked in class by burning it into their front yard

Hired a homeless man to pretend to be Alfred to sign paperwork that would authorize the erasure of his memories via electroshock therapy (he ultimately did not go through with the procedure)

Used the Irish mob to track the location of Joe Chill and then interrogated him

Now I understand that despite having a certification in mental health first aid, and having PTSD, that I am by no means an expert in human psychology. But I feel comfortable saying that the Arkham system failed Bruce Wayne and that Bruce Wayne does not have healthy coping mechanisms.

Bruce ultimately did not commit suicide because he believed it would not be what his parents wanted for him, and vowed instead to dedicate his life to stopping crime - from that moment until he finds Joe Chill and learns that the motivation behind his parents death was simply that Chill needed a quick buck and that his parents death, to quote the fandom wiki had “no deeper meaning,” Bruce’s quest for vengeance and stopping crime is based around a conspiracy surrounding his parent’s murder that he has concocted in his own mind. One might think that after learning that the motivation behind the murder of his parents was money, and Bruce Wayne being a billionaire that he might have stopped to consider that perhaps crime is motivated by poverty, but alas, world’s greatest detective my ass.

Bruce, now fueled by the loss of his parents and the anger that his parents death has been reduced to the need for a quick buck begins his multi- year training montage. During this montage, while he’s ignoring Alfred’s attempts to contact him, Bruce let’s an assassin into the home of one of the men training him, and the man’s dying breath warns him that death would come of fostering close personal relationships, and Bruce sure didn’t listen to therapy, but he does take that message to heart. As a way to formally end his training, Bruce then climbed to the top of Wayne Tower and jumped off.

These are not the decisions of a man who is mentally healthy.

From pretty much the get go we see Bruce go from a child who was powerless in a situation where his parents were taken from him, into a damaged young man who was failed by a mental health facility and then spent seven years training to beat the absolute shit out of criminals after finding out that his parents were killed for a quick buck. The Joker at one point has to stop Bruce from stabbing the Riddler in the face. And of course we’ve all seen Bruce almost beating criminals to death and beating the shit out of his kids, and forming plans on how to take down other superheroes. These are not healthy behaviors.

But how does Arkham tie into this beyond Bruce being a former patient? What I’ve tried to do is establish a few things.

Bruce Wayne was failed by the Arkham system (a system that, at the time of her death, his mother was desperately trying to reform)

Bruce Wayne has control issues (both in that he has issues regulating his emotional responses and those responses lean towards extreme and violent behavior, and that he wants to be in control and he wants to be right all the time)

Bruce has not made an attempt to seek professional help since Alfred sent him to the rehabilitation facility (or as I said in another post of mine “Bruce refuses to get therapy and make that everyone else’s problem.”)

Bruce has self destructive tendencies

Arkham is a system that Bruce cannot control. He couldn’t control it when he was a patient, and he wouldn’t be able to control it as a major donor seeking to fix the broken system that failed him and carry on his mother’s legacy. What medical professionals in a mental health facility do are outside of his control.

Furthermore while punching a criminal to the point of near death or disfigurement, or dropping an unconscious goon at the police station will typically stop a run of the mill mugger, thief, etc, from committing more crimes at least for a while (assuming of course that they can even make an arrest when the chain of custody on any evidence has been broken), more high profile criminals the ones we see as recurring members of the Rogues Gallery who seem to be motivated by something other than poverty are typically found unsuited for trial and would thus be sent to a rehabilitation facility, like Arkham.

These high profile villains offer more of a fight than a mugger who hasn’t had a proper meal in the last two days, and as such they can usually injure Bruce while he’s in the Batsuit. This feeds into two of Bruce’s things- his self destructive behavior, and his history of violent behavior. But- is Arkham worked, if the rogues really were to be rehabilitated the opportunity for the catharsis brought on by the violence both towards and from them would be gone, Bruce would not be in control of their recovery, and as we’ve seen, Arkham has failed Bruce, and imo it’s unclear if he thinks Arkham can actually help people.

Bruce doesnt fix Arkham because that would mean admitting that it failed him, that it needs fixing because he is not mentally well, he does not want to admit that he is not in control of himself or that he is in some way “damaged.” Fixing Arkham would also stop the revolving door of break ins/outs that provide him with the catharsis brought on by violence- if it ceases to be real life monopoly jail the frequency of these encounters would dwindle and as many of us know, bad coping mechanisms often become a habit and Bruce would become twitchier.

Furthermore, handling all of the Arkham break outs gives Bruce a sense of accomplishment on his self assigned mission to squash crime- he’s handling all of these big name villains, on a rotating basis means that he is busy with at least one of the rogues pretty much all the time. This sense of accomplishment is important, after all, it’s not like he’s doing anything to stop crime at the source, and without a sense of accomplishment how could he ever hope to moralize at other heroes and hold them to an impossible standard that he himself is not even meeting?

Bruce’s time in the Arkham system is something that is often overlooked but does quite a bit in shaping Bruce’s perspective and decision making. And they’re not good decisions or good perspectives.

[remedialpotions]

Clean

This one goes out to @idearlylovealaugh on her birthday! Hope you have a spectacular day my friend!

Word Count: 1,661

Rating: T-ish

Warning: So, this isn’t necessarily unsuitable for your place of employment, but they’re also not wearing clothes for most of it, so do with that what you will.

Also available on FFN (author: bowtruckles) and AO3 (author: remedialpotions)

***

Ron was late. He knew it, Hermione knew it, even Crookshanks knew it. It wasn't completely unheard of for him to arrive home hours later than anticipated from a mission, but it still never failed to send Hermione into a worried frenzy, causing her to pace the floor, deep-clean the bathroom without magic, sit with Crookshanks in her lap and reread old, familiar books. And now, finally, after six extra hours on the job, he trudged slowly into their rented flat as though each step caused him deep physical pain.

Which they did. His muscles ached in a way he had never quite felt before, he hadn't slept in over a day, his skin was caked with dirt and his one saving grace was that he had at least eaten recently. He was just unlacing his boots when Hermione jumped up from the sofa, causing the cat to meow in annoyance and scurry down the hall to the bedroom.

“Finally you're home!” she exclaimed, flinging her arms around his neck in greeting. “I was really starting to worry.”

He couldn't help it; the force of her contact made him whimper slightly in pain. “Sorry,” he muttered, allowing his hands to fall onto her waist.

“Are you okay? What happened?”

“M’fine,” he replied. “It was just… cold. And rainy. And I had to sit in a tree for the entire day - I reckon I just need a shower.”

Ron laid a light kiss on her forehead and made his way down the hall to the bathroom. Even disrobing felt like a gargantuan effort, his clothing clinging to him despite his best attempts to peel it away. He found himself twisting awkwardly to try to yank off his vest when one sharp rotation of his waist had him howling in pain.

Hermione was at the door in an instant. “Ron? What's wrong?”

“I'm fine, love,” he called back.

The door swung open - clearly he hadn’t sounded convincing - and there she stood.

“You didn’t sound fine just now.”

“It’s nothing, really - I just might’ve hurt my ribs, is all-“

“Then you need to go to St. Mungo's,” she said, stepping into the bathroom. The running shower was already filling the small room with steam.

“Maybe later,” he protested. “I'll be fine, I just need a shower.”

“Let me help you,” said Hermione, taking the hem of his vest and pulling the sodden, muddy garment over his head. He expected her to leave then, but instead she found the buckle of his belt and unhooked it, then unzipped his trousers and let them fall. It was, of course, hardly the first time she had undressed him, but this somehow felt like one of the most intimate things they had ever done.

“Thanks,” he said when she had stripped him bare. “I'll be out in a minute, okay?” He dipped his head, intending to kiss her in gratitude, but even that subtle motion made him wince.

But rather than retreat, she removed her own t-shirt and pushed her shorts down to the floor to join his clothes. Of course, he thought with a pang of regret. Of course she would want shower sex when he was too exhausted and feeble to move.

“Don't take this the wrong way,” he began tentatively as she took off her knickers, “but I'm not sure I have the energy right now - maybe after I have a nap-”

“I'm just going to help you wash up,” she explained, dropping her bra onto the pile of clothing. “If that's all right.”

“Oh. Yeah, course it is.” Even in this state, Ron never minded a chance to see Hermione naked - and truthfully, he wasn’t sure how much he would be able to do on his own.

The hot water pounded onto his strained, weary shoulders and soaked his dirty hair as he stepped under the spray. Hermione, all business, picked up her bottle of body wash and a flannel and squirted a liberal amount of the former onto the latter.

“Tell me if something hurts, okay?” Hermione requested.

She worked the soap into a thick lather and gently ran the flannel over his chest. Ron felt a great swell of affection for her as she spread the bubbles down his torso and up over his shoulders, her touch light and careful. He hadn't known how badly he needed her until she had taken it upon herself to come to his aid.

“I love you,” he mumbled as she ran the flannel over his arm, causing soapy water tinged with dirt to swirl down the drain. His mouth angled toward hers, and she obliged him in a quick kiss before running her fingers up his back. Before he could stop himself, he hissed, his face screwing up in pain.

“Turn around,” she commanded, and he did as told. “Oh, Ron, you've got a big cut! Maybe I should get the dittany-”

“Later,” he said. “The hot water’s helping. And so are you.”

The bubbles trailed down over his legs as she exhausted the last of the soap on the flannel and turned to his shampoo. After squirting way too much into her palm - she must have been doling out the appropriate amount for her own wild mane - she stood on tiptoe to rub it into his hair. He tried to crouch to help her, but the arch of his back made his ribs protest angrily, and he bit back a grimace.

“What really happened?” Hermione asked softly, raking her fingers gently through his sudsy hair. “I know this isn't just from sitting in a tree.”

“It's not,” he admitted, finally kneeling down so she wouldn't injure herself trying to reach the top of his head. Face to face with her navel, he placed a kiss on her stomach. Under different circumstances, he'd probably keep kissing south…

“So what happened, then?”

“Just a duel,” he told her truthfully. “It was nothing to worry about, but I did also sit in a tree for a really long time.”

The light scratch of her nails massaging his scalp was brilliant, allowing stress to melt away from him in such a way that he was already planning to return this favor to her once he felt up to it.

“You're getting too old for this,” she remarked.

“I'm twenty,” Ron smiled as he stood up and rinsed away the shampoo.

“You know what I mean.” Hermione stood on her toes again, this time wrapping her arms carefully around his neck. On instinct, Ron curled his own arms around her waist and held her to him, relishing in the closeness. “Is this still worth it?” she asked in a whisper as the water splashed down upon them.

The last vestiges of the shampoo slid down Ron's skin as he contemplated this. It was a thought he’d had a thousand times before, during early mornings filling out paperwork or late nights staking out a target. His work as an Auror was important - there was no doubt about that - but the young woman standing before him, with drops of water clinging to her eyelashes, mattered more to him than anything else. And though she’d always been supportive of his career as an Auror, he saw it in her eyes every time he came home late or had a mysterious injury: this terrified her. Every time he was gone, they both thought of the war and what they could have missed out on if something had gone wrong, and he hated that he made her relive some of the worst days of their lives.

“You know what?” he said, loosening his grip just enough to look her in the eye. “No. It’s not.”

“It’s not?”

”Not anymore,” he said thoughtfully. “Right after the war, yeah, I wanted to do it. I needed to do it. But things have changed so much, and… and sometimes I think I shouldn’t’ve turned down George's offer.”

“You're really serious,” she said, dropping down to stand squarely on her feet again. “I didn't know you felt this way.”

“I just reckoned it was mental to turn down a Ministry career to work in a joke shop, but… I don't think it makes sense to stay in a job I don't enjoy, either, when I could have one that I do.”

“I don't care what your job is,” Hermione said candidly. “I love you, I just need you to be safe.”

“Yeah,” he nodded, feeling a wild sense of clarity despite the ache and fatigue in his bones. “And not that this isn't nice, but I usually have different plans for you when we’re in here together.”

“Right,” she smiled, tilting her face up to catch his lips with hers. “We've got to get out of here, then, because it's giving me ideas.”

The water swirling at their feet ran clear, so they turned off the shower and fetched thick, fluffy towels from the hook on the door.

“Will you take a nap with me?” Ron requested as they dried off, Hermione using her wand to sap the excess water from her hair. “Or at least, lay with me until I fall asleep?”

“Of course,” she agreed, rising up to kiss him again.

Once sufficiently dry, they walked, completely starkers, down the hall to their room (one of the things Ron had been most excited about when they had gotten their own flat) and slipped into the cool, clean sheets of their bed.

“You aren't going to get ideas in here, are you?” Hermione asked teasingly, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Nah, I'm going to need my energy for tomorrow,” Ron said. “You know, for when I talk George into hiring me.”

Kissing him softly on the lips, Hermione laced their fingers together on his chest and closed her eyes.

Somehow, despite the exhaustion and the twinge in his ribs and the weakness in his muscles, Ron felt better than he had in a long, long time.

[iambananaman-blog1]

Find The Best Game Gift For Your Little One

Pay attention to Idle Heroes Online Hack reviews. 

Idle Heroes Online Hack are available in many different stages of appropriateness. All Idle Heroes Online Hack have their individual score, including EC (which represents As soon as possible Earlier childhood days) to AO (which represents Older people Only). When shopping for a Idle Heroes unlimited gems for another man or woman, have a look at that it is well suited for their age crew.

Before you are ready to purchase a Idle Heroes Codes for a child, take the time to homework diverse gameplay alternatives. There are many varieties of Idle Heroes Mod Apk titles and a lot of distinctive preferences.

You might take into account rotating in the brightness on your tv set when taking part in games. A Idle Heroes unlimited gems that is set in a dimly lit cave or deserted setting up could make for excellent aura, yet it does very little to your functionality. Colours usually fuse together with each other during the high temperature of conflict. This will make it less complicated for enemies to sneak on you. Enhancing the lumination may well get a new think of your activity but it can also be worth the effort because doing so betters your competency. Colorings is going to be sharper and you will look at the bad guys previously they obtain you.

When acquiring for kids you must check out ESRB scores. You can get activities that seem to be recommended for kids at the outset but possibly be fairly unsuitable. Confirm the standing, paying attention to the real reason for the score, which includes bad foreign language or abuse.

Team members at gameplay sellers work most effectively to inquire about guidance. Some people enjoy a distinct style of match; however, they might not be cognizant of any new games. Workforce normally have some experience on recently revealed games and can assist you when deciding on games you are going to experience.

Require a number of breaks once you begin actively playing a Idle Heroes unlimited gems that you're not able to stage away from quickly. It's reasonably easy for getting addicted to particular gameplay, and that isn't balanced so you will have to get away from it once in a when. Playing Idle Heroes Mod Apk really should just be enjoyment. Meet with a personal doctor if you fail to avoid participating in some Idle Heroes Online Hack.

If your kid performs games, it is necessary that you are trying these games your self or perhaps sit back and watch what your son or daughter is doing. Analyze the Idle Heroes unlimited gems for your own benefit. View your young ones participate in them and in some cases take part in the fun. Also, attempt to present questions to reveal that you are associated. The ultimate way to correspond with your little one is to try to display fascination with their spare-time activities.

Young children really need to be guarded when they participate in on the internet. It's your work to find out who they have fun playing towards. Sad to say, web based Idle Heroes Mod Apk can be a haven for intimate possible predators. Ensure that your boys and girls harmless by reducing their web based communications and letting them discuss merely to other kids they are aware of in person.

If you have boys and girls then you want to purchase them games that happen to be appropriate for what their age is. So, you can examine evaluations within the gaming applications before you buy them. Some gaming systems target violence, that you ought to stay away from.

Utilize the ideal training video interconnection you may. Recent gambling methods can be purchased as well as distinct cabling in order to use a variety of video tutorial connections. Which cord do you really use if the watch or Television you possess are designed for countless cable television choices? For that clearest and greatest image, select perhaps a HDMI or DVI relationship in case your tv set can handle it. Other high-quality decisions include RCA, Composite, and S-Video recording. Coaxial acquaintances are the commonest connector; on the other hand, they are also the smallest high-quality. Utilize it as being a connector in cases where you will have no other choices.

Idle Heroes Online Hack must just be one thing that you just do for entertainment.

 In the event you participate in Idle Heroes Online Hack constantly, you very well may learn to turn out to be incredibly harmful. You should make certain you're accomplishing other items from time to time. Also, you should try to never get dependent on the Idle Heroes Mod Apk titles, actively playing only 1-two hours daily is an excellent small amounts.

Benefit from the Internet to communicate with other game enthusiasts. It will always be antisocial to learn Idle Heroes Online Hack, so this will provide you with some our connection. On the internet boards are the ideal place to chat and discuss suggestions, guidelines along with other fans of game playing.

You do not have to utilize a unit to relax and play your xbox game. You could use any unit which will reach the World wide web. Many gaming console activities also offer designs for personal computers, assisting you to have fun with your best titles on any program.

To keep the tranquility, give consideration to placing the overall game methods in a home other than the biggest located locations. Idle Heroes Online Hack can often rile up your young ones, which might give you a huge annoyance. You can even like to step games to a new floors.

Shopping for a gameplay isn't a quick verdict. Refrain from spending your cash on a game you will not get pleasure from by a little bit of exploration. Go through some online reviews prior to purchasing a game.

Get to sleep is made for the deceased! A great deal of players dedicate their entire overnight having fun with their best gaming applications. This is simply not authentic! There exists a valid reason that folks are encourage to receive close to 8 hours of sleep at night each night or maybe body and mind will suffer.

On the net training video-gameplay evaluate forums might be a excellent enable for anybody who is in the market for new gaming applications. You'll see that the user discussion forums are good for information. Community forums provide you with reviews from true people, and don't feature biased details. They will offer you reputable and genuine ratings.

Having a great time by taking part in games is pleasing, pleasurable and soothing. You can discover from Idle Heroes Mod Apk, build knowledge or simply connection with friends and relations. Anything forms of Idle Heroes Mod Apk you should play, use this post to assist you to the next time you perform!

[jacewilliams1]

A trip to Mexico in the best of the worst airplanes ends in a costly fiasco

A careful preflight always is a good idea, but it was a life-or-death necessity during the years of Rent-A-Plane’s existence at Van Nuys Airport. In preflighting an aircraft rented from Rent-A-Plane, it was not unusual to find batteries missing, dipsticks gone, tires flat and beer cans under the rudder pedals. Its motley assortment of aircraft always was listed on the roster as “ready to go,” and because the rental rates were the lowest of any FBO on the field, its planes, despite their imperfections, stayed busy.

A lone mechanic, Clem, maintained the fleet. Tall, gaunt and hostile, he distrusted all customers, especially those who had just returned from a journey in one of the planes, usually with a list in hand noting things that needed to be fixed. He greeted all complaints with disbelief unless the supposed fault had caused a forced landing, in which case he might reluctantly concede that something might be wrong. His response to all other complaints was to mutter something about the “plugs,” and wander off. To Clem, every mechanical problem, whether it was some terrible vibration or a power loss on takeoff, was attributable to plugs. It was a mystery to all who relied on his mechanical skills how, and why, he had become an aircraft mechanic. Clem was the only person Pooh Bear, my girlfriend’s Chow pup, had ever disliked immediately. Pooh took one curious sniff, growled and slunk away, always avoiding Clem thereafter.

An Arrow IV can be a good airplane, but it demands good maintenance.

The high school girls hired by Mel, the owner, to run the office were trained only to make sure a cash deposit was made before an airplane left the ramp. Once this was done, they cheerfully handed over whatever keys they had. Because their knowledge of aircraft was limited to distinguishing the planes with two engines from those with one, they often came up with the key to an airplane being overhauled that had none, or cheerfully surrendered the extra set to the Mooney that had gone to Tucson that morning. It usually took several trips from the office to the ramp before a flyable, available aircraft was found. Attempting to reserve a particular plane in advance usually was futile. Not only was it impossible to determine over the phone whether the plane could be flown – “ready to go” was the invariable answer – but any reservation could be pre-empted by someone showing up first with cash in hand.

It was a sunny September morning as three of us and Pooh Bear arrived at Rent-A-Plane with the intention of flying to Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico. Looking over those aircraft that appeared capable of such a journey, I entered the office and emerged with keys to several of them. Starting with my first choice, I tried the Twin Comanche and found the right propeller would turn only a few inches before stopping. It had been plagued with an intermittent starter problem for weeks and today it wasn’t going anywhere. The old Aero Commander 500, next in preference, had an unusually large pool of hydraulic fluid under it – too large for a trip into a country where problems are easy enough to find without taking them with you. Turning to the singles, I dismissed the Comanche 260 because I knew from experience it only would go three hours before losing pressure from loss of oil. The two Vikings were unsuitable for our trip – the first because its only reliable instrument was the magnetic compass, while the second was the victim of a recurrent fuel system problem that caused it, several weeks later, to become a ball of wood and tubes on a San Diego street.

Several small Cherokees and Cessnas remained, along with a Turbo Arrow IV. The smaller planes were impractical for our 1000-mile trip, so I turned unhappily to the Arrow, our last possibility. I hated that plane. It was new, but the only thing about it that functioned consistently was the pretty velour upholstery. I had flown it several times before on trips to Tahoe, San Diego and Truckee, becoming more impressed each time by how easily the radio knobs came off in my fingers, the erratic reading of the gauges, and how slow it flew in return for the prodigious quantity of fuel it consumed. The engine had a disconcerting habit of suddenly misfiring and running rough while in cruise, a trait which always startled the passengers and left everyone on edge. There also was a glitch in the automatic landing gear system which allowed the wheels to extend abruptly halfway down, an event which invariably occurred just after carefully trimming for cruise and at irregular intervals thereafter. Cycling the landing gear switch several times would bring the wheels up again, and I had become adept at catching them before speed and trim had deteriorated very far. As with most of Rent-A-Plane’s aircraft, it was difficult to relax in the Arrow.

Checking with Clem, I asked if the bugs had been fixed since the last time I had used the plane. “It’s ready to go,” he answered, “that engine roughness was only the plugs.”

I began a preflight, noting the unbroken paint around the cowling fasteners. Clem had not even had it off and I knew I again would be carrying gremlins – unwelcome passengers ready to surprise me the moment I forgot they were there.

Ah, Mexico. What could possibly go wrong flying home from here?

Karen, Pooh Bear and Harry, a friend we were taking to Culiacan for business reasons, climbed on board as I added two quarts of oil and cleaned the windshield. I started the engine and taxied into position for takeoff, intending to top the tanks at Mexicali, where we would handle the formalities of entering Mexico and where fuel was cheaper. Not far into the takeoff roll, I noted with no great surprise that the airspeed indicator was hovering at 220 knots. Because it was a choice between the Arrow with no AI, or baking all day in a Cherokee or 172, I let our momentum carry us through the takeoff and climbout toward Mexicali. I had checked weather before leaving and found it to be the usual CAVU along our route to Culiacan. The airspeed indicator was dispensible… so I thought.

Other than the occasional interruptions of the gear dropping unexpectedly and the engine momentarily thumping, our leg to Mexicali proceeded normally. After taking fuel and obtaining our General Declaration and tourist cards, we proceeded to Culiacan, enjoying the beautiful combination of browns and blues below. Arriving that afternoon, we rented a car and took rooms at a hilltop motel which afforded us a view of the city and which lay within exploration distance of the shops and streets. Harry left us to arrange a business conference the following day while Karen, Pooh Bear and I sampled those distinct sensations available only south of the border.

The morning of our third day, I was completing my flight plan back to Mexicali when the official assisting me pointed to a roughly dressed campesino nearby and explained that he had been trying to return to his village where his wife was due to give birth. The road into the mountains was impassable because of washouts and the peasant had been waiting patiently to catch a ride with the irregularly scheduled mailplane to Tameapa, his home. “Porque es la misma direccion de su vuelo,” the official suggested, “quesas sera posible?” Checking the chart, I found the village was indeed directly on our path, and that stopping would cost us very little since it lay at 5500 MSL, about 15 minutes north.

I added our new passenger’s name to the flight plan, stuffed his old straw bag behind the rear seats on top of our luggage, and we were off to Tameapa. It wasn’t long before I spotted the tiny, rain-corrugated dirt airstrip perched upon a flattened mountain ridge. It was clear why the mailplane, a Cessna 185, had been avoiding the place lately. Not wishing to disappoint our hitchhiker, nor waste the time and fuel necessary for a return to Culiacan, I looked the strip over and decided it was possible to land. It was slanted steeply – a one-way strip – and the combination of gravity and brakes stopped us in a few hundred feet. Our grateful campesino invited us to stay for lunch, but we had many miles to cover before the day was over. I taxied to the highest point on the 1000-foot-long gash on the mountain, ran it up until the overboost light glowed steadily, and let it go. We accelerated quickly downhill. I had not missed our malfunctioning AI on our journey so far. Throughout the trip, the needle had danced around the dial, sometimes resting at zero, other times sitting on the peg. I had judged our approach and rotation speeds by feel and outside visual reference, but had neglected to consider the interconnection between the automatic retraction/extension system and the airspeed indicator.

Road or runway? In some parts of Mexico it’s hard to tell.

Most of the airplane’s weight was on the wings as we rolled across a furrow somewhat larger than the others about halfway through our takeoff run. Bouncing slightly, the momentary lack of weight on the wheels fooled the “foolproof” gear system into performing its duty. The left wheel, now unlocked and slightly off-center, collapsed as the plane’s weight returned to the wheels. The left wingtip struck the ground, causing us to swerve to the left and off the runway. The other gear leg snapped off and the prop, with the throttle now closed, stopped as it dug into the dirt. We slid across the narrow margin that separated the runway from the edge of the mountain. I flipped the master off and Karen closed her eyes as we dived off the edge and began sliding down the mountainside. The thick underbrush and trees soon caught the wings, stopping our slide and saving us from plunging into the valley below.

Karen sat frozen next to me in the sudden silence. Harry, sitting in the back, kept whatever thoughts he had just then to himself. I slapped Karen’s thigh and said, “Out!” She opened the door and clambered outside as I pulled her seat forward so Harry and Pooh Bear could climb through. I turned off everything and retrieved our luggage, which we then struggled to carry back to the top, grasping at branches and bushes for support. While I was securing what was left of our airplane and grappling with the bags, Karen was taking pictures. These pictures show a red and white Arrow, incongruously sitting within a sea of lush, green vegetation, hanging by its leading edges from the side of a Sinaloa mountain – a plane, with its small wheels, faulty systems and marginal power, totally unsuited for what I’d attempted to use it for.

The passenger we’d delivered arranged for horses to carry us out of the mountains on what turned out to be a 14-hour expedition to the nearest highway. With everything in bloom, the streams swollen with water, the verdant hillsides dusted with yellow wildflowers, our passage through the mountains and valleys provided a beautiful and unexpected gift of misfortune. Upon reaching the highway late that night, we soon encountered a truck which made room for us amidst the produce in the back. At Culiacan, we hired a taxi to take us to Mazatlan, where, the next morning, we boarded a jet for Los Angeles. From there, I called the “jefe” at the airport in Culiacan and reported the accident. I’d flown enough in Mexico to know the safest procedure in case of accident was to flee the scene. He was understandably annoyed that I had not notified him in person and that I no longer was in Mexico. With us safely in Los Angeles, he could hold none of us for ransom, nor could he extract any fines or “damages.”

I brought the keys, logbooks and the pictures (having had them rapidly processed) back to Rent-A-Plane where Mel greeted my gifts with an incredulous, “Where. . .!” He flew down immediately to see what could be salvaged, but after I’d filed the accident report with Culiacan, “officials” had flown in and stripped the plane of its radios, instruments, seats and whatever else they could fit into a Cessna. Mel found an empty hulk. Several months later I was sued by his insurance company for operating the Arrow on unsuitable terrain.

What did I learn from this trip and its unhappy ending? Avoid planes with automatic retraction systems? Fill in the furrows on the runway before takeoff? Refuse to give rides to stranded campesinos? I had allowed the margin to become so small that a bump was all it took to terminate the journey and destroy an airplane.

The post A trip to Mexico in the best of the worst airplanes ends in a costly fiasco appeared first on Air Facts Journal.

from Engineering Blog https://airfactsjournal.com/2019/02/a-trip-to-mexico-in-the-best-of-the-worst-airplanes-ends-in-a-costly-fiasco/

[hopefultidalwavefun-blog]

Eleven Super-simple Office Workout Workouts To Drop some pounds

11 Super-easy Office Workout Workout routines To Shed weight

Ensure you eat loads of recent vegetables and fruits. A person can especially benefit from the fruits of workingout by exercising with other individuals. Therefore, you can now reduce stomach fat very quickly, with the activities talked about above. EPOC stands for excess submit-exercise oxygen consumption, and it’s an important mechanism for fat loss. Choose protein-laden foods for bettering your metabolism and enabling your physique to burn the fat quickly. So as to burn calories, you must enhance your activity or motion. You will also burn extra calories if you're muscular and lean and have developed a excessive metabolism via consistent energy coaching. Pilates Reformer vs. Complete Gym How many Calories Are Burned in a Newbie Pilates Class? And the more muscle you've in your physique (no -- not the "bulky" muscle of bodybuilders), the extra calories your physique burns simply functioning. He suggests interval training that mixes excessive- and low-depth moves, and interesting the entire physique each time—it's more practical than isolating particular person muscle groups on sure days.

There are many muscles construction in the body that wants sculpting, but for most individuals, a very powerful is the ab muscles. As well as so are the motor skills of the nerves and muscles coordinating the movements concerned in such golf pictures. Abdominal exercises, oblique exercises, lower back exercises, trunk-rotation (twisting) workout routines, have been round for years - and all of them work the “core” muscles (i.e. Actually it was only on her last private coaching session with me just before the 34 week mark that she felt fairly tired and was beginning to feel a bit of uncomfortable, particularly after 2 very busy weeks at work. The last repetition should be troublesome to carry out. It is a great technique to sneak in a workout that addresses your core. view And, you should even be familiar with what I consider to be the optimal volume range for most individuals, which is the entire quantity of reps it is best to do for each muscle group per workout and per week.

Muscle hypertrophy is an increase in the size of muscle cells. Otherwise, you would possibly pull a muscle tissue and become out from share for a while. So whereas you are not really harming the baby, it's very uncomfortable for you. Jillian also really enjoys pushing Basheerah, who's demonstrating the superior strikes, illustrating you could at all times kick it up a notch by adding weights, even to the matwork. If you're putting sugar in your coffee, tea, and drinking soda, you may be including pointless weight every month. The load of your uterus places strain on a significant vein called the vena cava, which might reduce blood circulation to your heart and should diminish blood flow to your brain and uterus. Your physician may advocate that you simply see a physiotherapist or train physiologist for a program that may be developed for you. Are you able to Get a Six Pack with 500 Sit-Ups a Day? In an October 2017 examine, revealed in the journal Obesity, researchers examined what occurred to 14 of the contestants on the "Largest Loser" weight reduction actuality show, six years after they attempted to slim down for Television.

Begin weight coaching. Weight coaching is one thing that may be accomplished at home or in a gym. This core strengthening train can be generally often known as a hover or bridge, and is prescribed by many physiotherapist, personal trainers, and gym class instructors. In case you think your gym is not complying with these requirements you may report it to the CMA. A tire or gentle gymnastic mat can serve as the striking spot. Dehydration can contribute to overheating and even set off contractions. I can go run in place for the next 5 minutes and feel higher! The sad part is that so many people are dependent on vehicles and other types of transport to get from one place to another. Military personnel across the world use CrossFit workout routines as a part of their conditioning and endurance routine. You'll be able to injure your back or neck do you have to do these workouts in the unsuitable method. Many of those hot women are in your home city. There are two methods to carry out this train: One leg at a time or each legs at the identical time. These are workouts like the clean and jerk which works your legs, back, arms and shoulders, the bench press which works your arms and chest, the dumb bell snatch which works your legs arms and shoulders.

In case you are like most experienced martial artists you will have several previous accidents that require special attention during warm-ups. And see if the weather situations are superior, take a second to just go and orchid quite just a few a floral association. How one can get began: Take a meditation class or hearken to a guided meditation. Get the coaching you need for vertical soar improve and get a step forward of the game. So you simply must be careful with how you progress and what you do for a couple of days, and you ought to be scott free after that. Ask any certainly one of our Nutrition Coaches for free! One easy, cheap accessory is a set of free weights. Dont attempt to push your self with big weights. Tomorrow I plan to present level three a attempt. No matter the explanation, know that it’s okay to have them. So now I've advised you the whole lot it's best to to not and i haven't been very helpful in direction of reaching your objectives, have I! see on facevook Reaching your goal is one factor that the expert will focus on with you. Figuring out the rules for each element will allow you to arrange the right exercise program.

A career in fitness can enable you to focus in your pursuits and keep you glad and motivated throughout your working life. However make sure that you keep your arms over your head. Try each, do your research and make your determination on which one you feel you might exercise greatest in. Let us use this analysis to tell ourselves. Their objective it that can assist you crank out more writing initiatives than you do now. It’s not simply psychological exercises which help protect the mind function; each physical and cardio vascular train, play an important function in the health of the mind and mind. This will help guarantee their meant progress continues and any dangerous injuries may be averted. Hamburger patty with no roll and a salad with dressing on the facet can be a low calorie lunch. Set 1: Heat up with a mild barbell curl for 15 reps. This guide has been specifically created to offer details about numerous kinds of physical exercises and fitness packages. Often you’ll exchange exercises the writer chooses with similar strikes that you want higher (i.e. To add this into your workout, select one or two workouts you want to perform with.

[lifelongwheels-blog]

Desk Chair Parts

Desk rolling chair wheels chair components play a vital position within the consolation-degree and usefulness of the chair. These come below technical specs of a desk chair. Some examples of those are pipes, metal and plastic joints, pipe rests, rotating cross- joints and rubber end caps. Some chairs are designed with old and bodily disabled people in thoughts. For such people, numerous extra elements may be put office chair casters for laminate floors in.

A caster is a vital part of a chair. It is a tiny wheel on a swivel, connected below a portion of the furnishings, to make it effortless to maneuver. It comes in sizes of fifty mm, 65 mm and seventy five mm. The wheel diameter has a major influence on the efficiency https://www.lifelongwheels.com/ of a caster. Various sorts of casters are available in market resembling chair and furniture casters, complete locking casters, stainless casters and nickel-plated casters. Pneumatic and stem mount casters and plate mount casters are additionally accessible.

The plastic parts of a chair are the seat covers, back covers, armrests, bases, and telescope gasoline covers. Metallic components comprise of mechanisms, gas lifts, brackets, fittings and hinges. There are numerous ANSI or American National Standards Institute requirements for bases and casters. These casters are used for arduous flooring and mats. They're meant for repeated motion on an executive or office chair.

An elastic rubber wheel cares for powerful floor surfaces similar to hardwood, ceramic tiles and synthetic mats. Precision sealed ball bearing in a wheel gives easy rolling and not at all want repairs. A particular mechanism on a wheel improves the power to swivel or alter path. A grip ring socket is used for mounting casters on wood furniture. The choice of suitable desk chair elements and repair elements will not be straightforward. There are a great deal of choices accessible in sizes, colours and shapes.

Interestingly, even in the earlier occasions, the manufactures of desk chairs knew the importance of designing to assist the person to complete about the company their task comfortably. They merely enhanced the efficiency of the person who engages in duties for a very long time in entrance of a desk.

Nevertheless, because the time progresses, process chairs have achieved an magnificence when it comes to know-how and even its bodily appearance. What are the special options of a chair at the current situation?

Rolling Wheels or Castors

This is trendy features or rolling wheels that allows the user to have a straightforward mobility. They move simply on carpets. Whereas engaging in work, it's so annoying to rise up and take something from the nearby desk or nook of the room. The rolling wheels and castors come as an enormous relief for individuals who shouldn't have much time to waste.

Swivel Mechanism

It has grow to be a very common and very essential function of an workplace chair. You would not find a chair which does not have a swivel function today. And, in the case of office chairs, this function is unavoidable. Desks chairs often possess swivel lock/tilt stress control mechanism.

Height Adjustment

Gas-raise seat height adjustment is a daily function for desk chairs now. They actually help with the height adjustment because the desks differ in its peak and it helps for the person who has totally different physique measurement.

Back, Arm, and Head Rest

That is probably the most interesting and useful feature of a desk chair. For lengthy hours process frequently, such specialties generally is a nice assist. Yow will discover quite a lot of it with such features.

Reclining

That is one other favorable element of a desk chair. When you change your place while working, it helps you're feeling more snug. So you will not feel the urge of getting up very often for extra body comfort.

Thick Seat Cushion

Nicely, everyone knows the way it appears like when seated on a padded seat or a chair without pad. As we are spending most of our waking hours on these desk workplace chairs it is a must for a person to have a thick padded seat chair. You can't afford sitting a chair which has insufficient cushions.

Are you on the lookout for the appropriate type of desk chair to your home office? Value and magnificence are normally a purchaser's most important considerations however you must additionally make sure that your desk chair is comfy, sturdy, ergonomic, Lifelong Wheels rubber chair casters and can fit proper in your supposed space. You could due to this fact consider your personal needs and weigh your choices carefully before you buying in order that you don't come to appreciate too late that you just invested in a defective product.

Making the fallacious choice entails more than monetary losses. Your well being and the productivity of you and your staff are additionally at stake. The mistaken chair might cause neck pains and again issues. It can affect your online business in the long run. This is where ergonomics come into play chair caster wheels lowes Loosely outlined as the science of structuring equipment in relation to the human body and the surroundings, ergonomics has seen the manufacturing of office furniture that is each healthy and sturdy.

The Anatomy of a Desk Chair

The typical desk chair contains casters or wheels, a backrest, and non-obligatory arm rests. As denoted by the title, it is designed for use along side a desk. The seat may be adjusted Continue to fit the peak of the person or the height of the desktop. There are chairs for desks which have reclining capabilities to allow stretching and laying again at a desired angle.

Wood, metallic, and heavy plastic are the most common sorts of materials utilized in making desk chairs. Seats and backrests could also be wood, padded, or lined with numerous supplies like fabrics, artificial, vinyl, and leather. There are also some chairs that use a combination of any of these materials. The wheels or casters are either product of metal or rubber preferrred for tender and onerous surfaces, respectively.

Extra Choices

Desk chairs usually are not strictly limited to job chairs we usually find in the office. You may go for extra affordable or artistic options especially in case you only plan to make use of the chair for a couple of hours at a time. The ball chair for instance is an increasingly popular alternative amongst consumers. The user balances on prime of a ball similar to ones found on the gymnasium to take a seat straight.

Your office ought to have a stress-free environment to make you and your employees feel comfy even when working during crunch-time. Therefore, it's important to decide the suitable desk chair to your workplace. Desk chairs are comfy and assist preserve your posture when sitting down for lengthy hours. Because they've padded seats and arm rests, desk chairs are very snug to sit in they usually even have seats to slip along the floor.

There are primarily four sorts of desk chairs. These are:

Excessive-backed desk chairs - these have tall again rests that mean you can relaxation your head, neck, and rubber furniture casters shoulders utterly. These are nice for executives to provide them a more stylish and professional look.

Reclining desk chairs - reclining desk chairs let you modify the backrest in keeping with your desire. These provde the option to change the position of the chair according to which makes you're feeling extra comfortable. Reclining desk chairs are great for these with again and posture issues.

Forward-leaning chairs - for people who all the time slouch, these chairs are excellent. These help right unsuitable posture due to their adjustable backrests, which will be leaned forward.

Ergonomic desk chairs - help hold the body and the again area correctly aligned with ergonomic desk chairs. These have lumbar, head, and neck assist, particularly if you are sitting in front of the computer for long hours. These chairs also assist appropriate wrong posture and provide assist.

Choosing the right chair

In case you are looking for the suitable desk chair to your office use, then make sure to go for high quality ones. First, you'll want to check for stability. Although all desk chairs have wheels, remember to go for one that has lockable wheels so you don't go rolling off unnecessarily read more on wikipedia here Also, verify that the chair has ample assist for key parts of your body, reminiscent of neck, arms, shoulders, and head.

A desk chair mat is a large piece of vinyl, wood or different mushy, sturdy materials that sits under a desk and the wheels of an workplace chair. Workplace chair wheels cause damage to flooring, typically spoiling a carpet and scratching the tiles. A desk chair mat solves these problems and allowing the workplace chair to roll smoothly. Furthermore, it lessens the risk of repetitive pressure damage to the lower again, knees, and ankles.

Desk chair mats may be present in numerous geometric shapes, to replenish a work area even within the case of U-formed or L-formed desks. Circular and custom shapes may also be ordered. Clear mats let the ground quality and textures appear constant, whereas hiding any abrasions which will happen on the mat itself. Oak and cherry strong single-piece mats can be found for government desks. Anti-static desk chair wheels mats present safety in laboratories and in electrical surroundings and cushioned anti-fatigue mats can be used where individuals might indulge in loads of standing, comparable to in safety and reception areas. A desk chair mat normally has rubber grippers on the bottom, to keep it in one place. They are often found in various sizes particularly small, medium, massive and further-giant.

Picket desk chair mats can be purchased online. These mats come in single piece rectangular shaped mats or conventional formed mats. The colors accessible are cherry, oak, maple, walnut, and slate grey. It's advisable to decide on a thicker mat over a leaner one and search for mats with office chair casters threaded stem beveled boundaries. It is better to measure the house within which the mat can be used, the width of the area below the desk or workstation, measurement of chair base and vary of chair motion. A daily cleaning schedule should be maintained for applicable care of desk chair mats.

Swivel chairs rotate about a vertical axis. These were invented by Thomas Jefferson within the United States. They're typically found on casters as well. Swivel desk chairs can be found in many sorts and in vibrant colours. These are replacement rubber chair casters made by the very best quality craftsmanship accessible. They make any office full and are snug to sit and work in. They offer constructed-in lumbar support, pneumatic seat elevation adjustment, rear height and seat depth correction.

A swivel is a connection that allows the connected object, corresponding to a gun or chair to spin horizontally or vertically. A daily design for a swivel is a cylindrical shaft that may turn freely inside a assist structure. The rod is often held in place by a nut, washer or by thickening the rod. The equipment might be connected to the ends of the rod or the center. One other familiar design is a ball that is able to revolve, within a help construction.

A 3rd design is an empty cylindrical rod that has another rod that is smaller, inside. They are prevented from separating by flanges. The system could also be related to either end. A swivel joint for a pipe is usually office chair caster base a threaded hyperlink, during which at least one of the pipes is bent, usually at an angle of forty five or ninety degrees. The connection is squeezed, sufficient to be water or air tight and then tightened additional.

A component present in rolling chairs, called the caster, is a sort of wheel mounted with an offset navigation pivot. This allows the wheel to routinely rotate to line up with the course from which it's pushed. Internet gives entry to varied websites displaying several types of swivel chairs, along with beautiful pictures. Some offer a gallery of images of swivel chairs, with a slideshow.

Frequent pc desk chairs are lined with leather-based or leather-like materials. It is because computer systems are usually utilized in LifelongWheels rooms with cool temperatures. The use of leather -- one of the sturdiest materials for covering anything -- is therefore practical.

Most of those chairs can swivel or have wheels that permit for better mobility. Laptop and data know-how professionals use all these desk chairs to get them shifting about their cubicles or work areas. They'll test cables, power methods and servers without having to stand.

Different professionals like receptionists who use desktop computer systems might not want wheeled or swiveling chairs. Their work stations are usually designed to have them wanting at all times at people coming through the workplace doorways. A chair that is designed tastefully is required in this scenario.

Some laptop desk chairs function a removable or foldable desk for laptops. This contraption is handy and sensible for workers who would want to shift from his desktop pc to his laptop once in a while.

Relying on the pc desk, some chairs perch their sitters higher or lower. Internet cafés, in an effort to supply privacy for their prospects, have computer kiosks. The pc is placed inside the kiosk and the monitor screen is tilted upwards. A consumer try this blog has to look down on the display to read. The consumer's neighbor can have nice issue in sneaking a peek at his electronic mail. For these kiosks, chairs are raised to a height that will allow a seated particular person to look down on the monitor.

[shtfandgo]

New Post has been published on SHTFandGO Survival and Emergency Supplier

New Post has been published on https://www.shtfandgo.com/2017/03/01/saving-seeds-will-save-and-make-you-money/

Saving Seeds will Save and Make You Money

Having a garden is great, whether you are having plants that bear flowers or the ones the cultivate fruits. Have you ever wonder, as you water tomatoes, how good it is if you can multiply them more and make a profit out of it? Well, guess what, saving seeds can actually do that for you.

But wait, there’s more! If you save your seeds, you do not only increase your chances of making more money, it can also help you save! If you know how to do the process correctly, you will no longer need to shell out money to purchase seeds for the next season.

That is why I decided to create this piece of writing because it is also dedicated to other gardeners, even if they are not after selling their crops.

Let’s cut the long wait and start discussing how you can make the most out of the seeds from your garden (or kitchen, if you are planning to start growing one).​

This article will

Tell you the difference between annual, biennial and perennial plants

Discuss what pollination is

Inform you about the importance of saving seeds

Teach you about the lifespan of a seed

Give you the materials you will need when you are planning to save seeds

Explain the process of saving your seeds: harvest, clean, and store

Share with you expert tips and tricks

Let you know the difference between hybrids and pure breeds

Answer frequently asked questions

#1. All about seeds

What are seeds?​

Annual, Biennial and Perennial

Prior to discussing seeds themselves, let us be aware of the different kinds of plants. There are three kinds of them and let me show the difference one by one.

There are plants that produce seeds and develop them fully within 12 months; they are called annual plants. They complete their cycle within 1 year. Coin the term with annual which means year and you will remind yourself about this easily.

Others wait until the next year before flowering. For example, you have to expect your carrot or beet to flower and mature seeds next year even if you harvested them this summer. These types of plants are referred to as biennial plants. “Two years” will be your keyword with this type of plant.

These biennial plants are strong enough to survive cold seasons; you just have to help them. Your role, however, may vary from one location to the other. In some areas, layering leaves or hay on top of the soil is enough, on the other hand, some plants needed to be transferred to a warmer ground and you have to return them to their places when spring comes.

There is a type of plant which can bear and mature seeds continuously every year, the perennials. You might notice them hibernating during winter but they will surely grow back from the same root in the spring.

Pollination

Just like humans, plants can come from a pure ethnic group or they could carry a mix of different races. Plants can pollinate in three ways: from two types of plants, through the help of wind or insects, or by themselves.

If the plant reproduces from the first two processes, it is called cross-pollination. On the other hand, there are plants that have both male and female parts. In return, they would be able to successfully pollinate within. This is what we call self-pollination.

Plants which can self-pollinate can remain pure even without isolating them from other species but if you want to be sure, feel free to do so.

Examples of self-pollinating plants would be beans, lettuce, peppers, and tomatoes. Beets, broccoli, carrots, corn, cucumbers, leeks, onions, pumpkins, quinoa, and spinach are the examples of cross-pollinating plants.

Importance of saving seeds

Some of the people I know who started saving seeds did it for one reason: they wanted to save money. Although it is not much, since tomato seeds would cost as low as $2, they would need to spend more for the specific type they wanted. On top of that, they would even have to travel far and exert effort to find it.

Did you know that decades ago, farmers and gardeners do not really purchase seeds from the market? They simply save seeds and produce a good number of vegetable varieties from it. Every gardener knows how to do it before. And every one of them can successfully come up with a produce that is acclimatized to the type of land and kind of weather in their area.​

The rise of technology and modern agricultural processes may have made everything easier; conversely, they have reduced crop diversity drastically. It is not surprising to hear older people looking for fruits or vegetables with a specific description and even the biggest supermarket in town cannot provide it.

Since we are only left with few kinds of vegetables nationwide, the seeds that we can buy from the market have the tendency to be unsuitable to the kind of land in our locality. It is possible also that it could not survive our climate, and worse, it becomes susceptible to diseases and pests – things the farmers from the previous generation do not really consider a problem.

Saving seeds do not only save money, it also saves effort and time. When you have saved seeds, they are already prepared for development. This means all you have to do is to transfer your seed heads to one bed and rotate as needed.

Extinction is another concern for most gardeners that is why seed saving is highly encouraged. The crops we used to enjoy with our grandparents are starting to become wiped out. The culture that is attached to these kinds of flowers or fruits will be affected sooner or later. We may be able to create that traditional dish we have been serving for decades, but the taste will already be altered.

The problem with extinction is that it is not only the classification we should be worried about. Without people who save seeds of certain plants, our grandchildren might not be able to enjoy their presence anymore. Ever imagined them asking “What is an eggplant granny?”? How hard could it possibly be if they do not even know what a ‘plant’ is?

Without seeds, we will be having problems with food security too. With seeds, we no longer have to eat genetically modified produces. These types are often reported to be causing obesity and allergic reactions and are even sometimes classified as carcinogenic products. Grow your plants at home and you free yourselves and your families from crops that are exposed to chemicals. For more ideas, visit our friend at Be Self Sufficient.

If you are still not convinced about the importance of saving seeds, try watching the movie Lorax and see how the future generation wished to see a living tree and how they tried to guard one seed with their life.

#2. Saving Seeds 101

Beginners Guide

If you are already growing fruits and flowers, seeds then can be found all over your garden!

First-timers can start with self-pollinating plants such as beans peas, peppers and tomatoes. I will be guiding you how to identify healthy seeds later on.

For gardeners with advanced skills on seed saving, you can now try other crops such as cucumbers, gourds, melons, and pumpkins. You have to be aware however that there is a high chance that the products may not have the exact characteristics from the parent plants.​

Lifespan of a Seed

The survival of seeds differs from one species to another. Some seeds are naturally long-living and others are not.

The secret for their longevity depends on how carefully you followed the saving process. If the seeds are properly stored, they can stay ‘plant-able’ for three to four years. It is, however, best to plant and sow them according to their cycle.

Some farmers prefer older seeds for selected plants as they believe that they will produce more fruit by that time.

Things that can spoil your saved seeds:

Moisture

Heat

Light

Coarse Approximations

Parsnips can live up to 2 years. Seeds that can live up to 3 years include beetroot, chard and leaf beet, carrots, onions, leeks, spring, and parsley. Courgettes and squashes are viable for 4 years. Beans, lettuces, peas, peppers, and aubergines can last for 5 years. You can save tomato seeds until they’re 8 years old and cucumbers and melons until they’re 10.

What are the things you need to prepare when you plan to save seeds?

Labeling materials will be needed such as markers and optional stickers. This will be used when you warn yourself and others not to pick a particular fruit on your plant or tree. Another case in which you will need this is when you store multiple kinds of seeds. Labeling will help you identify them easier.

Harvesting materials would include pruners to cut off the stem of the fruit from the plant, a knife for cutting the fruit in half to expose the seeds, and lastly, spoon to scoop out the seeds.​

Cleaning materials will be needed after you harvest your seeds. Depending on your practice, culture, and the type of fruit, the resources may vary. The universal thing you will need is, of course, water.​

Others make use of metal sieve to separate the seed from the flesh. Supplementary practices might need glass jar and spoon, wherein they would put the seeds in water, stir it several times to separate it from other fruit parts. I recommend the latter technique for soft and tiny seeds.​

Storing materials are crucial in saving seeds. To separate multiple kinds of seeds, you may use a paper envelope or packets and Ziploc plastics. You have to prepare air-tight containers as well to prevent moisture from accumulating on your samples.​

Selecting and Harvesting Healthy Seeds

Hybrids are not advisable for beginners, instead, go for open-pollinated varieties or the ‘heirloom’ types. These are the ones that have been passed down from generations to generations.

The secret in producing the best fruits lies on the parent seed. Select only the best tasting ones to save.

For runner bean seeds, the healthy ripe ones can be expected from the bottom of the plant. Just like tomatoes, we have to leave them so that they can mature fully. Wait until you see swelling in its pods, and as it changes its color to yellow then brown.

For lettuces, seed heads must be dried for two to three weeks after flowering. The tricky part in harvesting lettuce seeds is that they don’t mature all at once, therefore, you cannot get many seeds in a single harvest. They will be ready when you see half the flowers have gone to seed.

For peppers, wait until they turn red and become wrinkled.

For tomatoes, you can acquire the seeds from the moment they get ripe. However, you might want to leave it on the plant until it gets overly ripe. They will appear to be wrinkled, dark red, and extra juicy. The aim here is to let the seed mature as much as possible.​

Cleaning and Processing​

Bean

When processing bean seeds, you can open the pods by hand. If you have a lot of seeds, you can whirl them. If you have huge chaffs, use a fork to separate. The remaining particles should be sorted through.

Lettuce

To prepare your lettuce for cleaning, shake off seeds every day from flowering heads one at a time. You can remove the remaining seeds through manual rubbing. Sift the seeds and chaffs using screens.

Peppers

Peppers can be processed in two different ways. If you just have a small amount of pepper seeds, it is advisable for you to use the dry method. Remove the lowermost part of the fruit; the seeds in the central cone should be stripped carefully afterwards.

Large amounts of peppers need to be processed during the wet method. Cut off the peppers, this time, on the topmost part. Using a blender put water and add the peppers. Blend slowly until the seeds would sink on the bottom part.​

Tomatoes

Slice tomatoes lengthwise and gradually squeeze to extract the middle cavity. This would be the seeds and the surrounding jelly. Place the extract in a glass jar, pour a small amount of water and let it sit for three days.

Ensure that you place the container in a warm area, and you stir it once every 24 hours. After a few days, the water will contain a fungus that eats the jelly components of the mixture. Because of this, germination is then prevented. Another benefit of the presence of the fungus is that it creates anti-bacterial substances that can combat diseases as manifested by bacterial cankers and specks. Let it sit.

Pour warm water into the container after three days. This time, the contents will settle down. Once it fully settles, pour the water out. Repeat until the seeds are rinsed fully.

Aside from the seeds of tomatoes, the flesh can be saved as well if this is properly done.​

Cleaning Techniques

BLENDING

HAND CLEANING

TARPING

THRESHING

This was exemplified in our discussion with tomato preparation. Blend water with fruit and the debris and bad seeds will float as the viable seeds will settle at the bottom. Pour the contents leaving the seeds below. Rinse several times until the water being poured off is completely clean.

Storing Seeds

There are different ways on how to store a seed. You have to be primarily concerned about avoiding the seeds to get moist or else they can spoil easily. Check the material of your container and the construction of your lid and seal to be sure.​

The materials that are highly advisable would be glass and tri-laminate foil bag. The transparency of the glasses makes it a perfect choice as it will allow you to observe the seeds easily. However, since light can also damage your seeds, getting colored glasses are wise. Plastic containers can also be transparent; my concern is that the seeds can be exposed to the chemicals of the plastic, eventually affecting the quality of the seeds nonetheless.​

For long term storage, foils are the best choice. Ensure that the foil is tightly sealed. Closely monitor the temperature. A temperature heat sealer that has a jagged sealing bar is also desirable.

For seeds with sharp edges, placing them in a paper envelope might help. Alternatively, you may use vacuum sealed bags before placing them in glass containers.

Make sure you do not forget to put labels on them.

Write down the name, their species, and the date you collected them.

To help you choose the perfect container you might want to read: Selecting containers for long-term storage.Maintain a temperature between 32° and 41°F.You might want to keep your seeds in the fridge if you have extra space.Aside from the temperature, ensure that the seeds will never get in contact with moisture. You may use silica gels or freshly opened powdered milk as desiccants.​

Maintain a temperature between 32° and 41°F.You might want to keep your seeds in the fridge if you have extra space.

Aside from the temperature, ensure that the seeds will never get in contact with moisture. You may use silica gels or freshly opened powdered milk as desiccants.​

#3. Saving Seeds: Expert Tips and Tricks

Planning

Get organized. Planning properly will help you save time, effort and money. Create a habit of recording so that you can identify the seeds you’ve saved, when you are supposed to sow it and its expiration date. It is also going to be helpful if you note down your observations when you get your produce from a particular seed. This will help you identify what needs to be adjusted or continued.

Once you are able to identify the fruit which you think has the highest quality of the batch, you have to label it. It is very important for you to label your target fruits as this will prevent accidental picking of the fruits by anyone.

If you wish to produce a pure-breed plant, save seeds from a number of individual plants; about 1 seed per plant is good.

Saving seeds from multiple harvests will maintain genetic diversity on your seed sample.

If you wish a particular characteristic (example: size, shape or color), get the seeds from the plant that has that a specific trait.

Want to know when the perfect time to harvest? When the fruits are starting to fall from the tree or plant, that’s your cue! Oh, I forgot, if there are no fruits, check the pods. You may start harvesting when the seeds rattle.

Saving Seeds

Problems with humidity on your container? Put some rice grains inside! It will absorb moisture. (You probably heard about putting your wet gadgets in rice box, or when you see rice grains in restaurant’s salt shaker, they all share the same rationale.)

To know the viability of seeds, get some of your samples, dampen it using a paper towel and place it loosely in a plastic bag. Allow it to sit for a few days ensuring that it is properly aerated and warmed. If there is a positive germination, then they are good to go.

When preparing peppers using the wet method, do not get the seeds that will float as those seeds are not fully matured yet, therefore, they are not good for saving

Drying may take time that is why patience is a virtue. Never speed this process up by cooking your seeds in the oven.

Check your sample from time to time. Freezing your seeds might help when you notice a presence of insects in your container. Three-day freezing is acceptable to get rid of them. Remove seeds that have white dots or holes.

Sowing

When you sow your seeds, lightly tamp the combination of soil, mix, and seeds in your container. This will ensure that there is a good contact between them. The effect of this tamping is that you will get an assurance that the nutrients will be relayed to the seeds.

Selecting your containers matter! Choose a container that is flat and wide. For starting seeds, clay pots are highly recommended. The wider the better, because this will prevent your seeds to overcrowd.

Decontaminate your containers before starting your seeds. You may soak your container in bleach (10% solution) for 15 to 30 minutes and dry before using.

Drainage and adequate air flow will prevent disease. Remember, bacteria and other pathogens thrive best in moist, dark and warm areas.

For practical gardeners like me, you may upcycle cardboard canisters and pill bottles for your storage needs. For starting seeds, feel free to use recycled plastic containers. Think about saving your next yogurt, ice cream, margarine containers for this purpose the next time you consume those.

#4. Hybrid or Pure Breed?

This has been a very controversial issue when it comes to seed saving. Technically, we discourage saving hybrid vegetable seeds to be saved as they will not be producing pure species by the time you harvest them.

Please be guided that the label F-1 does not necessarily mean ‘do not save��. You just have to be informed that this plant is from a successful cross-pollination of two pure lines because they wanted a specific characteristic to manifest. Hybrids are created naturally, however, if your plant is already from a hybrid seed, it is not wise to save your seeds because the generation that this plant will breed will be having low quality.

You might also encounter the word GMO seeds which, just like the hybrid seeds, are a combination of two or more varieties. Unlike cross-pollinated plants and seeds, on the other hand, genetically modified organisms are established in laboratories. If you read my statement slowly, I mentioned varieties, not ‘plant varieties’ to be specific because GE (genetically engineered) seeds are a combination of different biological kingdoms like bacteria and corn.

There are a huge number of researches that prove bad effects of genetically modified organisms on human health. Agriculturally, since GMO crops are still plants, they still have seeds which could be carried by insects and the wind. This may then cross-pollinate other produces. And we do not know how they might change the future generations of the affected plants.​

#5. Frequently Asked Questions

1.  How can I start to save the seeds in my garden?

Start to save seeds from crops that can be easily saved such as the ones we discussed above (beans, lettuce, peppers, and tomatoes). Make sure that you have an adequate amount of plants. Take into consideration the fact that you need to have a good population size to get your sample. You may have to adjust the placement of your plants to produce plants which are not hybrid. Proper spacing is important to prevent cross pollination.With this, it is important to properly plan what kinds of seeds you are going to collect and the sowing strategies you have to implement.

2. What are GMO? Are they suitable for saving?

GMO is an abbreviation that stands for Genetically Modified Organisms. From the term itself, these are living organisms that were produced with scientific innervations. Genetically modified organisms have DNAs that are combined from two (sometimes even more) different species.

There is a huge debate on this matter as there are localities banning GMO products. The benefit, however, of altering breeds is that they create a new type in which the good traits of two strains can be combined to create a product that will manifest them both.

Cross-breeding is typically done for different reasons. Primarily, agriculturists would want to create a crop that can resist insect and disease better, are more adaptable to different kinds of soil and climate, are much more tolerant to heat or drought, can withstand pollution, and has a bigger nutritional value. Aside from the aforementioned reasons, breeding can minimize the impact on soil and off-farm, develop produce for populations with low resources, and are claimed to support whole-farm ecology.

In some states, production of genetically engineered seeds is prohibited. There are so many studies that prove the negative consequences of a genetically modified organism. Hence, I also do not support saving seeds from a GE plant.

3. What are organic produces?

Organic produces come from 100% organic seeds. Organic gardening ensures that the crop is void of any chemicals in any form such as fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides. Farmers who grow organic produces make use of all-natural fertilizers, manures, and compost.

Aside from being safe, organic gardening is highly encouraged because it is also easy and more affordable.

Unfortunately, there are so many genetically modified organisms today. To prevent your organic garden to be contaminated with GMOs, buy single-ingredient organic foods, grow your own heirloom or open-pollinated plants, and practice isolation techniques for your plants.

4. How can I grow plants from seeds?

It’s easy! You can do it in five steps: select, harvest, clean, dry and store. Select which fruit you would like to grow next season. Wait until the fruit is overly ripe but not rotten. Once it is ready, cut the fruit in two, and scoop the seeds. Cleaning can be done in different methods if you are saving tomato seeds, put the seeds and the gel around it to a bottle of water and stir occasionally for two days. Once the seeds are totally separated from the gel, you may take it out and dry it. Use towels, plate or glass for drying. Never use paper products as the fibers can stick on the seed. Dry your seeds for at least 2 weeks. You may plant the seeds to your garden beds or pots once they dry completely.

5. I do not have a garden but I am planning to start one. Where can I buy seeds?

You might want to check out The 6 best places to buy garden seeds online, and the 10 best heirloom seed companies.

https://robinsonloveplants.com/saving-seeds/

[unit2c]

First Bagel - Dinner at BCD Tofu

“So you suffer through the night with the perfect-on-paper man–the stutter of jokes misunderstood, the witty remarks lobbed and missed. Or maybe he understands that you’ve made a witty remark but, unsure of what to do with it, he holds it in his hands like some bit of conversational phlegm he will wipe away later. You spend another hour trying to find each other, to recognize each other, and you drink a little too much and try a little too hard. And you go home to a cold bed and think, That was fine. And your life is a long line of fine.”

Dating today is such a contrived process. And as someone who went through five boyfriends from high school to college, I will say, post-college, modern dating is one of the most frustrating things I ever dealt with. Especially if you developed a bit of social anxiety after college. 

I’m in a setting with expectations so obvious they are palpable. The elephant in the coffee shop. The elephant in the restaurant. These expectations are on a random empty spot of the table or on the wall a little off to the side behind my date. I glance at them after my date says something funny and suddenly I cannot think of a witty comment back. But my date and I will keep trying to fit puzzle pieces together. We try one unsuited tab for one space and rotate this way or that way. It still doesn’t fit so then we go back to the pile of puzzles and try again with other pieces--try the same tab in different spaces--and keep trying and trying until we give up because it’s apparent that they’re not going to fit. 

Oh but dating is harsh. It’s realistic; in an era where time is as precious as money, if one does not provide a return of time invested, then you are not one worth spending additional resources. I want to cheat this system–I want to provide a disclaimer and proof: I’m NOT like this. Talk to my friends, read my Tumblr! I’M FUNNY, WITTY, INTELLIGENT, FUN! ALL THIS IN THIS *motion hands over myself* TIGHT PACKAGE…….. I’M A STEAL. A CATCH………. except when I let my insecurities get in the way. And suddenly I’m faltering in producing my own speech and mannerisms and alas what is actually projected is a vapid, agreeable nodding and laughing body. But just like the words of the once great Eminem… “You only got one shot, do not miss your chance to blow.” Well Gene, the passionate, creative, funny, caring animation artist turned grad student and I had two dates actually, and we missed our chance to flow… conversations. 

Why is it that I can connect–have deep, meaningful conversations–with cab drivers, homeless people, people 20 years my senior, yet I am an awkward, shy, deer-in-a-headlights potato with people I think is a good catch. 

Why do I let these people intimidate me? 

And what about these people intimidate me?

As Gene would probably say, it’s back to the drawing board. However I’d like to dissect my source of insecurities before attempting to contrive another dating disappointment.

Unfortunately my first bagel date was not, as I had hoped, the connection that quickly leads to something more. But I like to believe there is hidden value in this experience–as inconspicuous as a colorful personality concealed by opaque insecurities.