Last weekend I tapped back into a local jewel for riding, which joyously reminded me that our riding options in Western North Carolina truly make this a mountain biking Mecca.I never think to go to DuPont State Forest because if I’m going to drive that far from home, it’s really hard not to dedicate the day to the Pisgah National Forest where the trails are tight, steep and technical. I kept hearing about how many more miles of awesome trails have been cut, so when I had the opportunity to tag along on somebody else’s ride, I decided to go for it. It’s always nice to ride without having to make decisions beyond when to eat snacks and when to go home.The thing about DuPont is that you never realize, until you’re very far away from the trailhead, that you probably need to stop. Nothing is too hard to pedal, which means you never really use the granny gear, so the suffering stays at bay for a good while. While that sounds easy and great, it’s good to remember that when consistently pedaling for hours, your legs will definitely wear out and eventually refuse to spin any further. That’s when it’s good to have a beer in your hydration pack. It warms the legs back up so that you can make it back to the truck. Or numbs them a little.The constant rolling trails definitely make for a different ride, giving your legs the opportunity to keep moving. It was more like a road ride in that way. While technical and steep trails offer gnarly climbs that strengthen muscles, the constant rolling offers an even cardio that provides overall endurance. It’s like the difference between lifting heavy weights for bigger muscles or high reps for more endurance. The descents aren’t all that difficult, yet there are times that they are tricky enough to make for an interesting ride with death-defying options, like large drop-offs and waterfalls.The terrain is reminiscent of Utah, only with better trees. The park sits in a bed of large rock, which means there’s plenty of hopping on and off of grippy surfaces that don’t roll out from beneath the front tire. There are very few mossy patches or slippery roots, and you never really hover over the rear wheel because it just doesn’t get that hairy.It is definitely treacherous on the camera battery though. It’s so pretty that you have to take a lot of pictures.
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The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will investigate five state institutions found to have used personal bank accounts to manage public funds.“The KPK will investigate the findings to see if there is an indication of crime or if this is merely an administrative mishap,” KPK deputy chairman Nurul Ghufron said on Wednesday.The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) announced on Tuesday that five ministries and state institutions had used personal bank accounts to manage a total of Rp 71.78 billion (US$ 4.9 million) in state funds. They are the Defense Ministry, the Religious Affairs Ministry, the Environment and Forestry Ministry, the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), and the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten). According to the BPK, Rp 48.12 billion in state funds was found in 62 personal bank accounts within the Defense Ministry, Rp 20.71 billion in several personal bank accounts and in cash within the Religious Affairs Ministry and Rp 2.93 billion within the Bawaslu office in Lampung.Read also: Government earns highest audit rating from BPK despite irregularitiesIf the use of personal bank accounts was an administrative error, Ghufron said, the matter should immediately be addressed by each of the institutions. He said the KPK would take “strict measures” if the investigation revealed that the state institutions had been using personal bank accounts for their own profit while managing the state budget.In response to the BPK’s report, Defense Ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Djoko Purwanto said the personal bank accounts were used by the ministry only for administrative purposes – to manage the budget for Indonesian defense attachés stationed around the world who needed ready access to funds for their activities.He added that the ministry had filed a request with the Finance Ministry regarding the opening of bank accounts to provide for defense attachés.”The Defense Ministry’s inspector general has given a detailed explanation to the BPK regarding its findings,” Djoko said as quoted by kompas.com. Religious Affairs Ministry acting inspector general Muhammad Thamrin said the ministry had immediately responded to the BPK’s findings by wiring the Rp 20.71 billion back to the public service agency (BLU) that managed state funds and providing ministry financial reports.Bawaslu secretary-general Gunawan Suswantoro said the use of a personal bank account in Bawaslu, Lampung, was merely an “administrative mishap”, adding that the Rp 2.9 billion – which was what remained from direct purchases and stockpiling – had been returned to the state. (dpk)Topics :
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The tenth Offshore Energy Exhibition and Conference (OEEC) has opened its door today, 10 October 2017, at Amsterdam RAI, the Netherlands.The event was officially opened last night, 9 October, after the first day of Offshore WIND Conference, at an Opening Gala Dinner & Awards Show, attended by 450 industry professionals. An award for Best Innovation in Offshore Energy was given to Next Ocean. Our Oceans Challenge was announced the winner of the Offshore Energy Public Outreach Award, and Dries Lammens won the Offshore Energy Young Engineer Award.OEEC is focused on the complete offshore energy industry, from oil & gas to wind and marine energy, and this year it is being held on 10 and 11 October 2017 in the Europe Complex of the Amsterdam RAI.The Offshore Energy Conference started this morning with breakfast sessions on decommissioning and global business opportunities.The two-day Offshore WIND Conference, which gathered experts from all fields of the industry to discuss the current and future movements within the sector, resumes today.Check the website www.offshore-energy.biz for all the information and the conference program.
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Share Tweet Sharing is caring! Recipe source: BHG.com Mediterranean Alfredo Pizza.A creamy Alfredo sauce teams up with fresh spinach leaves and other vegetables to create a divine supper dish.Or, if you prefer, cut the pieces in small squares for a nummy snack or appetizer. There is no tomato-based sauce on this pizza and the result is amazing.This is a satisfying vegetarian dish as is, or you could add cubed, cooked chicken for a tasty addition.Nutrition facts * Servings Per Recipe 6 to 8 servings * Calories270 * Total Fat (g)12 * Saturated Fat (g)4, * Cholesterol (mg)28, * Sodium (mg)384, * Carbohydrate (g)29, * Fiber (g)2, * Protein (g)11, * Vitamin C (DV%)14, * Calcium (DV%)13, * Iron (DV%)13, * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.Ingredients:1 unbaked 12-inch homemade pizza crust, frozen bread dough crust, or Italian bread shell crust1/3 cup refrigerated Alfredo sauce8 to 10 fresh spinach leaves1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced (about 3 ounces)1 small tomato, thinly sliced4 canned marinated artichoke hearts, quartered or sliced1-1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed1-1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese Food & DiningLifestyle Mediterranean Alfredo Pizza. by: – June 21, 2011
Share Directions:Spread an unbaked pizza crust or bread shell with Alfredo sauce. Arrange spinach leaves over sauce; sprinkle with mushrooms. Arrange tomato slices and artichoke hearts over mushrooms. Sprinkle with oregano and mozzarella cheese. Bake as directed or until cheese is bubbly around edges. Makes 6 to 8 servings.Menu Suggestion: Make it a meal with tomato soup, rainbow sherbet, and sugar cookies.Homemade Pizza Crust: Combine 2/3 cup bread flour or all purpose flour, 1/2 package active dry yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add 2/3 cup warm water (120 degree F to 130 degree F) and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed 3 minutes. Stir in 2/3 cup more flour. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in additional flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (45 to 60 minutes). Punch dough down. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Roll into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface, building up edges slightly. Transfer to greased baking sheet. Arrange desired toppings on top. Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.Frozen Bread Dough Crust: Use 1 pound frozen whole wheat or white bread dough, thawed. Place on lightly floured surface and let rest 10 minutes. Roll out and proceed as directed in the Homemade Pizza Crust recipe above.Italian Bread Shell Crust: Use one 16-ounce (12-inch) purchased Italian bread shell (such as Boboli). Place on a greased baking sheet and arrange toppings on top. Bake in a 400° degree F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and toppings are hot. Share 29 Views no discussions
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LocalNews Young people should empower themselves to be real. by: – August 24, 2011 Share Sharing is caring! 19 Views no discussions Share
Share Tweet Coordinator of the Health Promotion Unit, Mrs. Helen Royer. (File photo)Coordinator of the Health Promotion Unit, Mrs Helen Royer has admonished young people in Dominica to empower themselves to be real.Mrs Royer who was addressing a youth symposium in the Castle Bruce Community recently, impressed upon our youths not to allow anyone to take advantage of their youthfulness. “As a young person one of the things that you can do to empower yourself is to be real, by just being yourself. And 1 Timothy 4: 12 says to us as young persons that you should let no one look down on your youthfulness. So it is not because you are young you should allow people to take advantage of you. What does real mean? Real means; according to the World Book Dictionary it describes real as being, actual meaning that in reality things have happened to you and you are true that means that you are worthy of trust, you are reliable and you are not false,” she said.In providing tips on how the participants can exhibit characteristics of a real person, Mrs. Royer explained that they must first be true to themselves and not wallow in pity. “A real person is true to himself. You need to know your strengths and weaknesses, you need to be able to hold up your head up high and you do not waddle in pity. You know as young persons sometimes things happen to us when we were much younger and we tend to think that everything is over and you like to feel sorry for yourselves; boy I didn’t go to high school, I didn’t get subjects so I start to feel very pitiful about myself; that’s not going to help you to be real,” she said.According to Mrs. Royer, a few attributes of being real is one who is a survivor, can stand on their own feet, ability to make good and informed decisions,“Some things that can make you feel that you are real; a real young person is a survivor; a person that continues to exist in spite of the odds. Another thing that can make you real and make you empowered is that you stand on your own feet. You need to make good and informed decisions. You need to have foresight you don’t just look at today. A real person strives for excellence so you don’t settle for anything,” she explained.Mrs. Royer also informed the young people that their upbringing plays a part in whether they are real or empowered and that we should all be open to change.“How does all that happen? Your upbringing controls whether you are real or empowered? Parental influence; your values, your self-worth, willingness to change; some of our young people and even older people we do not like changes, we like to be status quo, we are accustomed of doing something one way and we are not going to change it,” she noted.Dominica Vibes News
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Nigeria born England junior international, Joshua Onomah, was in action for 110 minutes on Tuesday night as Fulham overcame Brentford in Championship play-off for a return to the English premier league. The hard-fighting midfielder and his teammates battled Brentford to a standstill at the Wimbley. It was one tie in which goals were very hard to come by, but two quick goals after extra time by fulham’s Joe Bryan did the magic. An equally extra-time goal scored by Brentford’s Henrik Dalsgaard was not enough to turn the table as Fulham moved on with a 2-1 victory. Onomah who joined Fulham last year is luckily heading into the premier league less than a year after the move. An elated Fulham coach Scott Parker is confident that Fulham will learn the lessons of their Premier League failure in 2018-19 after securing a return to the top flight. “There were some clear errors made last time,” said the ex-England midfielder. “We will learn from that. We need to learn from that.Advertisement FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail分享 “We’re going into the best league in the world, the best players, the best teams… it’s a brutal league and I realise the challenge ahead,” he said. read also:Playoff: Onomah seeks to re-enact performance against Cardiff Brentford, who have not played in the top flight since 1947, have now had nine unsuccessful play-off campaigns in their history without winning promotion. Head coach Thomas Frank said: “The sun will rise again tomorrow. It is not the end of the world. Of course I’ll be very sad tonight and disappointed, but that’s the way it is. Loading… Promoted ContentHow Good The CGI Effects In Those Movies Were!Who Is The Most Powerful Woman On Earth?The Woman The Whole Muslim World Is Proud OfThe 10 Best Secondary Education Systems In The World2020 Tattoo Trends: Here’s What You’ll See This YearTop 7 Best Car Manufacturers Of All Time8 Weird Facts About Coffee That Will Surprise YouThe Best Cars Of All TimeMesmerizing Pictures Of World’s Most Beautiful StaircasesThis Guy Photoshopped Himself Into Celeb Pics And It’s HystericalThe Very Last Bitcoin Will Be Mined Around 2140. Read MoreEverything You Need To Know About Asteroid Armageddon
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Sam Allardyce is unfazed by West Ham’s near 50-year wait for victory at Anfield ahead of Sunday’s Barclays Premier League clash with Liverpool. “Other people have won there – West Brom and that – so they have slipped up now and again. “You just hope when you go it’s your turn to catch a big boy who slips up on the day. “On any given day you hit your best form, then anybody can win any football match. “It happens less often at some places like Anfield than it does others.” The Hammers beat West Brom 3-1 last weekend, with two goals from Carroll, to all but secure their Premier League survival. Allardyce believes his side are capable of winning at European hopefuls Liverpool, but knows if they are not at their best they will be punished. “We need to be on top form and we need to take our chances when they arrive,” he said. “If we don’t life will be really tough at Anfield.” The Hammers hope to claim a first Anfield win since September 1963 by finding the away goals that have been lacking so far this season – and they must do so without Andy Carroll, who is blocked from playing against his parent club. “Most of the time Liverpool were so much better than anybody else, you wouldn’t have expected it,” said Allardyce of the half-century wait.
Press Association
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Ciaran O’Lionaird and Paul Robinson qualified for the final of the 1,500 metres at the European Championships on Friday. O’Lionaird recorded a time of three minutes 39.79 seconds to advance, while Robinson clocked three mins 39.83secs. However, Ireland saw strong medal chances extinguished in downtown Zurich. Press Association
Robert Heffernan was looking to add the European crown to last year’s World Championships triumph in the 50km race walk. The Irish team captain looked to be in the medal hunt at the halfway point, but soon began to drop off the pace. Heffernan was clearly battling with a knock and, having stopped briefly to stretch, withdrew just before the 40km mark. He showed his class at the finish line, though, by going to congratulate France’s Yohann Diniz for setting a new world record of three hours 32 minutes and 33 seconds. Brendan Boyce was never going to challenge the leading pack, but set a new personal best as he finished 16th in 3:51:34.
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“In a difficult time you need to survive the moment which is not going well for you,” Cech told Chelsea TV. “You need to have the discipline not to try to do things which wouldn’t help; you try to do things which might help you to get through the difficult period in the game. “We have the belief that once you overcome the difficult period of a game you can come on top of it. “A lot of times we’ve done it and it’s great to see that we haven’t lost this kind of touch.” Cech made his fourth Premier League start of a season in which he has been second choice behind Courtois. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho opted for Cech after Courtois played consecutive matches against Liverpool, City and Aston Villa and, according to the Blues boss, was fatigued by the focus required. Illness to John Terry on the morning of the game meant Mourinho wanted Cech’s leadership on the field, too, even though the skipper recovered to play. And the 32-year-old Cech did not disappoint. Cech’s cleansheet was his 168th in the Premier League and he could soon surpass David James’ record haul of 170, particularly if Mourinho sticks with him. “I’m delighted with the way the cleansheets are going, especially in the Premier League and hopefully it will stay like this for a while,” Cech added. “I think the most important thing is to get three points, because if you played 0-0 it would’ve been nice for me to get a cleansheet but it wouldn’t have been good for the team. “I’m more delighted with the fact we scored at the end and we got three points.” Chelsea have a rare weekend off after their shock FA Cup elimination to Bradford and Cech will be hoping he keeps his place for next Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg at Paris St Germain. Striker Diego Costa, who completed his three-match domestic suspension against Everton, will also be available for Mourinho, who has a big decision to make in defence. Gary Cahill again was a substitute against Everton, with Kurt Zouma preferred and there is a possibility the Frenchman could start in Paris. “He’s doing remarkably well every time he gets a nod from the manager,” Cech said. “As every game passes he gets more experience, more used to the Premier League and his tactical awareness is really good now. Everybody benefits when he plays.” Tim Howard returned in Everton’s goal after an eight-match absence with a calf problem. The United States goalkeeper rued the late loss, which came after Gareth Barry had received a second yellow card. “I think any time you come up against a Chelsea side that is top of the table, you know they are not going to roll over, but we feel we can play and we were not going to be bullied,” Howard told evertonfc.com. “Not many teams come here and win, and we felt that if we could do a few things which we did, then we could go on and get a result. “We created chances and we were resilient defensively – we were just unfortunate with the sending off and the goal came quickly after that. “Of course there is disappointment over the result, but I think we played well and we were resilient at the back again. “On a personal level, it’s just good to be back. I have been clawing at the physio, telling him I’m fit for the last three weeks but he kept telling me I wasn’t.” Everton, also out of the FA Cup, next play Young Boys in the Europa League. Howard added: “It is a really exciting game – we’ve seen some nonsense about the competition getting in the way of things, but we don’t see it like that at all because it is a fantastic competition. We are really looking forward to it.” Petr Cech believes surviving challenging moments is key to his and Chelsea’s enduring success. The Blues are in pole position for their first Premier League title since 2010 – seven points clear of second-placed Manchester City with 13 games remaining – after Wednesday night’s 1-0 win over Everton. Cech, restored in goal ahead of Thibaut Courtois, made two outstanding saves to deny former Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku and then Willian struck in a frantic and ill-tempered finale. Press Association
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Texas firefighter, Quincy Blount, who has been fighting the California wildfires for almost a month, has finally reunited with his daughter, 7-year-old Adley.The McKinney Fire Department shared a video on social media showing the sweet reunion between the two.Blount told KTVT moments like that is what keeps him going, “knowing I’m coming home to her, and I get those hugs.”Blount spent 25 days in California fighting the California wildfires. Blount was one of the first wave of 44 firefighters sent to assist with the fires.McKinney Captain Ben Jones said 234 firefighters from Texas are currently assisting.
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