text:
The announcement in our parish bulletin last spring seemed innocuous enough. A program entitled Transgender Homosexual Awareness (T.H.AW.) was being held to give parishioners “an opportunity . . . to hear the voices and to understand the experiences of our transgender brothers and sisters and their family members.”
But since our parish had already hosted an obviously skewed program/event entitled “Let’s Talk”, there were good reasons to be concerned about the true intent of the T.H.AW. Program. As it turned out, the concern was justified. There was more to the program than simply hearing the voices of and understanding the experiences of our gay and “transgender brothers and sisters,” and helping people “better understand the issues.”
The use of the word “program” in describing what was going to take place is fitting since a program is “a plan or system under which action may be taken toward a goal.” In this case, the goal of the program appears to be much the same as the goal of most (maybe every) secular LGBTQ organizations in existence – presenting homosexuality, same-sex “marriage,” and now transgenderism, as “normal.”
THAW was apparently developed by Tielman, a former social worker, under the auspices of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays). PFLAG boasts of 400 chapters and over 200,000 members throughout the U.S. The PFLAG website proclaims, “PFLAG has been saving lives, strengthening families, changing hearts, minds and laws since 1972.”
Unlike Courage, a true Catholic organization that ministers to people with same-sex attraction, LGBTQ organizations such as PFLAG, Equally Blessed, Dignity USA, New Ways Ministry, Fortunate Families, and Caring Catholic Families, seem to have one overriding aim – to “make gay ok” by convincing the world that God created “gay” people as “gay” people.
Even Fr. Greg Greiten, of St. Bernadette Parish in Milwaukee, WI, seems to have bought into this lie. He announced to his parishioners in December that he was “gay.” He then followed up his announcement with an article in the National Catholic Reporter entitled “Parish priest breaks the silence, shares that he is gay.” In the article he states, “I promise to be my authentically gay self. I will embrace the person that God created me to be.” One can’t help but feel pity for Fr. Greiten if he truly thinks that God created him “gay.”
If the THAW program is any indication, now that Obergefell v. Hodges is the law of the land, LGBTQ activists are more determined than ever to make the LGBTQ lifestyle and same sex marriage “normal” and “acceptable” to all Catholics and Christians. Programs like THAW seem to be purposely designed to play on people’s emotions. They are a blatant attempt to elicit a false compassion for the ‘plight’ of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. The goal of such programs is to convince people that Catholic Teaching on homosexuality is wrong and that homosexual behavior is perfectly normal.
The T.H.AW. Program
After introducing Tielman, our pastor said that any discussion following the presentations by the panelists should not get into politics or the morality of homosexuality or transgenderism. The focus should be on the stories of the panelists.
Tielman then kicked things off saying that in his 20-plus years of counseling young people, three LGBTQ individuals he knew had committed suicide after being bullied, teased or tormented for being different. This is what THAW is all about, he said. We are here, said Tielman, to hear the stories of the presenters so we can learn to feel compassion for them and all of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters.
The first presenter was a Catholic mother who recounted the struggle of coming to terms with the fact that her child was “gay.” The other three presenters – a homosexual young man, a young lesbian woman, and male-to-female transgendered person – all talked about how they struggled with their “identities,” and feeling different and unaccepted while growing up. The young man and the young woman also mentioned during their presentations that once they entered into “a relationship” with another LGBTQ individual life got better for them. So much for not talking about morality.
At the conclusion of the presentations, the two young people who said they were in relationships were asked if their relationships were chaste relationships. Tielman quickly jumped in and said that it was not proper for the panelists to discuss their sex lives, so he was instructing them not to answer that question. And that statement summed up the whole point of the program: pity these people, feel compassion for them, accept them, welcome them into the parish community – and just ignore the fact that they are choosing to openly live immoral lives.
The usual LGBTQ propaganda was also handed out to those in attendance. The handouts included an “equality literacy” handout, developed by PFLAG. It was a list of words and terms used in discussing LGBTQ issues and their “approved” definitions. Also included was an old, outdated photocopy of “Answers to Your Questions About Sexual Orientation and Homosexuality” from the American Psychological Association.
OUTDATED Handout From the APA:
What Causes a Person To Have a Particular Sexual Orientation?
There are numerous theories about the origins of a person’s sexual orientation: most scientists today agree that sexual orientation is most likely the result of a complex interaction of environmental, cognitive, and biological factors. In most people, sexual orientation is shaped at an early age. There is considerable recent evidence to suggest that biology, including genetic or inborn hormonal factors, play a significant role in a person’s sexuality. In summary, it is important to recognize that there are probably many reasons for a person’s sexual orientation, and the reasons may be different for many people. [Emphasis added.]
NEW APA Answer to: What causes a person to have a particular sexual orientation?
There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay or lesbian orientation. Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors. Many think that nature and nurture both play complex roles; most people experience little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation. [Emphasis added.]
Playing on Emotions
What’s concerning here is that programs like THAW may well change some minds regarding the morality of homosexuality. As such our pastors and clergy simply cannot allow themselves to be ‘suckered’ into allowing the LGBTQ crowd to put on such programs.
These kinds of programs enable the LGBTQ activists to set the agenda regarding how homosexuality and transgenderism is to be discussed. If the focus of discussion is only on how those who “are different” are bullied and tormented as children and teenagers, it’s difficult not to feel compassion. But implying that “we” are putting LGBTQ youth at risk of committing suicide by not accepting homosexual behavior as normal is not being honest.
According to StopBullying.gov:
“The relationship between bullying and suicide is complex. Many media reports oversimplify this relationship, insinuating or directly stating that bullying can cause suicide. The facts tell a different story. In particular, it is not accurate and potentially dangerous to present bullying as the “cause” or “reason” for a suicide, or to suggest that suicide is a natural response to bullying.”
What those clerics and laypeople who are sympathetic to the LGBTQ agenda and same-sex “marriage” will not admit or accept is that same-sex attraction is no different than any other sinful impulses, attractions, or temptations. But if we are going to accept Christian moral standards at all, they must be applied to everyone.
God did not create homosexuals any more than He created kleptomaniacs, or people who are greedy, slothful, or filled with hate. These are all learned behaviors and choices.
The unspoken message of the THAW program – that we should feel compassion for our LGBTQ brothers and sisters and ignore the fact that many of them are choosing sin over virtue – is completely misguided. We should feel pity and compassion for unchaste homosexuals and their enablers, but in the same way we pity all sinners who feel no remorse and are unrepentant.
The kind of compassion the LGBTQ crowd wants, however, is quite different. They want to “alleviate the suffering” of those who are afflicted with same-sex attraction or gender confusion by the normalizing and accepting homosexual and transgendered lifestyles. For the LGBTQ activists there is no need for repentance or remorse because there in nothing wrong with two persons of the same sex engaging in sexual relations or a male deciding he wants to be a female, or vice versa.
The Catechism, however, offers an unequivocal response:
“2357 . . . Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.”
“2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity.”
St. Paul is also very clear in Romans 1:24-27 that homosexuality is a “perversity,” and in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, that sodomy is a sin. In the Old Testament, we are told in Leviticus 18:22, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; such a thing is an abomination.” And again in Leviticus 20:13, “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, they have committed an abomination; the two of them shall be put to death; their bloodguilt is upon them.”
Since we were created in God’s image we cannot have been created with a built-in perversity.
SSA is Not Genetic
“. . . the major media continue to promote the idea that a “gay gene” has been discovered. However, researchers have failed to find evidence of a biological cause for SSA, and gay activists are backing away from the claim of a “gay gene.” If SSA were genetically predetermined before birth, then identical twins should virtually always exhibit the same pattern of sexual attraction. However, a study of males in the Australian Twin Registry found that only 11% of identical twins with SSA had a twin brother who also experienced SSA. It is also important to note that a number of studies have found that sexual-attraction patterns are not stable over time. Some people spontaneously cease to identify themselves as homosexuals as they mature or receive help.”
That pamphlet also answers the question, “Can SSA be prevented?”
“Yes. Early identification of at-risk children, along with appropriate psychotherapy and parental support, are key factors leading to successful prevention and treatment of the emotional pain in these children and adolescents.”
Parents of children who suddenly announce that they are gay, or that they “identify” as a person of the opposite sex, need to keep in mind two specific verses in scripture:
“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (MT 22:37)
“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.” (MT 10:37-38) [Emphasis added.]
God and the Logos must always come first in our lives. Parents, clergy and laypeople should not allow themselves to be swayed by the false philosophy of moral relativism and a false compassion for their children or others afflicted with same-sex attraction or GID. Those who are accepting of their children’s, loved ones’, or friends’ homosexual or GID lifestyle are being led astray by the evil one.
As the Homosexuality and Hope pamphlet states:
“Authentic Christian charity and prayer for those with GID and SSA and their families should be features of the Catholic community life. Parents, priests, and teachers have a serious responsibility to communicate the fullness of the Church’s teaching on sexual morality, to counter false information about SSA, and to encourage people with SSA to obtain help. Catholic mental-health professionals, educators, physicians, priests, and religious should recognize that medical science supports the Church’s teaching on homosexuality. True compassion toward those with SSA requires communicating to them the scientific truth about treatment.” [Emphasis added.]
Download the pamphlet at: http://www.cathmed.org/assets/files/HH%202010%20Pages%20for%20Website.pdf. Don’t let the LGBTQ crowd set the agenda when it comes to same-sex attraction and GID.

domain: sociology


text:
Economic Doctrine And Method: an Historical Sketch.
SCHUMPETER Joseph A. (1954.)
£225.00 [First Edition]
Available to view at our Curzon Street shop.
First edition in English. 8vo. , 207,  pp. Original grey cloth, spine lettered in red, dust jacket (jacket price clipped, spine panel very faintly toned, otherwise a near fine copy). New York, Oxford University Press.
The first English translation of Schumpeter's third work, which formed the kernel of his great History of Economic Analysis, written much later and first published posthumously in 1954. Schumpeter is probably best known as a historian of economic thought, and the present work is the earliest expression of this historical interest.
"This classic little book is divided into four sections: the first chapter gives a broad survey of economic thought from the days of Aristotle to the beginnings of modern times, the second chapter traces the development of the conception of the circular flow of economic forces, the third deals with the main theorems of the classical economists, and the fourth chapter describes the genesis of the school of marginal utility" (publisher's blurb).
Stock Code: 235096

domain: library


We are often approached by our clients to provide legal advice on a very pertinent yet very complex legal aspect of local government, that is whether a political party has the authority or power to remove its member as a municipal councillor.
In order to understand this question fully, it is necessary to have an understanding of the various types of councillors that exist within a municipal council.
The various types of councillors
There are essentially three types of councillors:
(1) Proportional Representation councillors
Proportional Representation councillors (“PR councillors”) are members of a political party and are elected onto the municipal council because of their position on the party list. The party list is basically a list that each political party contesting the election submits to the Independent Electoral Commission (the IEC) listing their candidates for the proportional representation seats within the municipal council with the most preferred candidate being first on the list. PR councillors are not elected directly by members of the public, they are chosen by the party.
(2) Ward councillors (nominated by a political party)
Ward councillors that are nominated by political parties are generally referred to as “ward councillors”. A municipality is demarcated into various wards by the municipal demarcation board in consultation with the IEC. Each ward within a municipality is entitled to be represented by a ward councillor in the municipal council. Ward councillors are elected directly by the residents of ward in which they reside. A ward councillor nominated by a political party must be a member of the political party that nominated him or her. The difference between PR councillors and ward councillors nominated by a political party is that although ward councillors nominated by a political party are members of that party, they elected directly the residents of the ward and are not chosen by the party.
(3) Independent ward councillors
Independent ward councillors are ward councillors that are elected into the municipal council without membership of a political party. Independent ward councillors, just like ward councillors nominated by political parties, are elected directly by the residents of a particular ward. The further requirement for independent ward councillors is that they must not be members of any political party.
Can a political party remove its member as municipal councillor?
In most cases that we deal with the facts before us are generally as follows:
A municipal councillor either, a PR councillor or ward councillor nominated by a political party, is charged with misconduct by his her or political party or is subjected to some form of disciplinary procedure. The party, being of the view that the seat occupied by the member within the municipal council belongs to it by virtue of the fact that the member came to occupy the seat either through his or her position on the party list or because he or she was the party’s nominated candidate in a particular ward, generally deems it politically prudent in those circumstances to “remove” the member as a councillor within that municipality. In most instances the party will then write a letter to the municipal manager of that particular municipality informing him or her that the party has decided to remove that particular member as a councillor.
From these facts, the issue that we are often requested to advise on is whether or not a political party has the power to remove its member as a municipal councillor.
In order to understand the complexity of this issue one must understand the core arguments that are often made by, on one hand the political party in justifying its authority or power to remove its member as a councillor and on the other hand, the party member who is a municipal councillor.
The case for the political party
Generally the core argument put forward by political parties in justifying their authority or power to remove their member as a municipal councillor is as follows:
The member was elected to the municipal council by virtue of his membership of the party. In relation to PR representation councillors, the party will generally argue that the citizens did not vote for the individual member but voted for the party therefore the seat in the municipal council belongs to the party not the individual. It therefore follows, so the argument goes, that the party through its internal mechanisms (which ultimately in the case of PR councillors manifest themselves as the party list) has the authority to determine which of its members becomes a municipal councillor. The political party will also argue that it also follows that if a party has the authority and power to choose, through its internal processes, which of its members becomes a municipal councillor, the party must have the authority and power to remove that member as a municipal councillor at a later stage if it is not satisfied with that person.
The case for the party member
Against the argument of the political party, the member will often argue that the political party does not have the authority or power to remove him or her as a municipal councillor because the municipal council is a separate and independent body over which a political party does not exercise authority. The core of the argument by the member is that once a municipal council is duly formed, it is the municipal council itself that has the authority and power to determine whether or not a person ought to be removed as a councillor.
The issue therefore has to be determined taking into account the arguments made by both parties.
The legislative framework
The issue of vacancies within a municipal council is regulated by section 27 of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act (“the Structures Act”). The Structures Act provides that a councillor vacates office if one of the following occurs:
(a) he or she resigns in writing;
(b) he or she is no longer qualified to be a councillor;
(c) he or she was elected from a party list and ceases to be a member of the relevant party;
(d) he or she contravenes a provision of the Code of Conduct for Councillors and is removed from office in terms of the Code;
(f) he or she was elected to represent a ward and –
(i) was nominated by a party as a candidate in the ward election and ceases to be a member of that party; or
(ii) was not nominated by a party as a candidate in the ward election and becomes a member of a party
In most cases that we are requested to advise on, the circumstances are such that the member refuses to resign from his position; still qualifies to be a councillor; and has not contravened a provision of the Code of Conduct for Councillors.
Judicial Interpretation of the legislative provisions
The jurisprudence that has developed through our courts strongly suggests that a political party does not have the power to remove its member as a municipal councillor. Furthermore, the jurisprudence suggests that the only way in which a political party can remove its member as a councillor is by expelling the member thereby terminating his or her membership. One of the earliest court cases in which this issue had to be decided was the case of De Villiers v Munisipaliteit van Beaufort-Wes en Andere 1998 (9) BCLR 1060 (C). In this case Mr De Villiers had been elected as PR councillor in the Beaufort West Municipal Council. The party on whose list he had appeared and which he was a member of instituted disciplinary proceedings against him on the basis that he had failed to adhere to certain caucus decisions and had publicly adopted a position contrary to the manifesto of the party. Ultimately the sanction imposed on De Villiers was suspension as a councillor for a period of five years. This decision was then communicated by the party to the Town clerk who then declared a vacancy in the municipal council and that the person whose name appeared next on the party list submitted by the party would fill that vacancy.
Mr De Villiers approached the Court seeking an order declaring that he was still a member of the party and that as such he was entitled to all the rights and privileges of a councillor. It was argued on behalf of the party that the phrase ‘ceases to be a member of the party’ should be interpreted to mean that the political party may remove a PR councillor by a resolution of the party and that it must not be interpreted to mean that a political party may only remove a PR councillor by expelling him or her from the party. The court in this case rejected that argument on the basis that the word “cease” means “a discontinuance of something already in operation”. The court held that this plain and unambiguous meaning need not be extended. The court concluded that the phrase “ceases to be a member of the party” means a discontinuance of membership of the party.
The next case in which the issue was raised was the case of Marais v Democratic Alliance 2002 (2) BCLR 171 (C). In this case Mr Marais was a member of the Democratic Alliance and was the Mayor of the Cape Town. Mr Marais received a letter from Tony Leon who at the time was the leader of the party asking him to resign as the Mayor failing which the National Management Committee (the NMC) of the party would pass a motion requiring him to resign as Mayor. Upon his refusal to resign, Mr Marais received another letter informing him that should he not comply with the resolution of the NMC he would lose his membership. Ultimately Mr Marais didn’t comply with these requests and as a consequence was stripped of his membership of the political party. In terms of section 27 (c) Mr Marais had to vacate his office as the Mayor because he had been elected from the party list and was no longer a member of the party.
The court in this case found that the constitution of the Democratic Alliance did not provide for the power to compel a mayor of a council to resign. The court held that even if the constitution of the Democratic Alliance contained such a power, in terms of section 58 of the Structures Act, only the municipal council has the power to remove an executive mayor from office. The court went on to state that although Mr Marais was elected Mayor because of his membership of the party, “once he was elected he was a duly elected municipal official whose powers and functions and his retention of office, are subject to the provisions of the [Structures] Act”.
In the case of Ngqwebo v Mhana & Others the applicant was a member of Bedford Residents Association (Bera) and was appointed as a PR councillor. He received a letter from the municipal manager informing him that his name had been withdrawn as a councillor by his party. The court in this case held that the withdrawal of Applicant’s name by his party cannot be a ground for his removal from the council. The Court in this case expressly stated that once appointed as a councillor, the Applicant’s party (Bera) ceased to have control over him. It could not recall or remove him as a councillor and that he could only be removed in terms of section 26 and section 27 of the Structures Act. The court was of the view that allowing councillors to be removed or recalled as councillors by their party would “open a can of worms” because PR councillors would be recalled at the whim of the party and that the legislature was trying to avoid that situation by enacting section 26 and 27 of the Structures Act.
In conclusion the principle to be derived from the jurisprudence that has developed through the case law is that a political party does not have the power or authority to remove or recall a PR councillor or nominated ward councillor from their position as a councillor. Once a member of a party is elected as a PR councillor or a nominated ward councillor, he or she may only vacate office in terms of section 27 which lists amongst others the termination of membership of the party on whose list the person appeared. It is important for all municipal managers to ensure that they obtain professional legal advice if they receive a letter from a political party purporting to remove one of its members as a councillor.
Should you require any assistance or advice regarding any aspect of this issue, do not hesitate to call our offices.
* Disclaimer: the contents of this article/newsletter do not constitute legal advice and must not be construed as such. Legal advice should be sought before any action or decision is taken based on the contents of this article/newsletter. BMM Inc is not responsible for any action or decision taken based on the contents of this article/newsletter without prior consultation with our attorneys. No person shall have any claim of any nature arising out of or in connection with the contents of this article/newsletter, against BMM Inc and/or any of its directors and/or employees
 Case No: 3277/09 Eastern Cape High Court, Grahamstown, unreported.


text:
Michael Bublé will retire from music, admitting he no longer wants fame following his son's battle with cancer.
Bublé, a four-time Grammy winner and legendary Christmas crooner, said his life was changed when his then-three-year-old son was diagnosed with liver cancer.
- Michael Bublé 'devastated' after 3yo son's cancer diagnosis
- Michael Bublé's son out of hospital in time for Xmas
- Michael Buble talks rap music and changing directions in new album
"My whole being's changed. My perception of life. I don't know if I can even get through this conversation without crying. And I've never lost control of my emotions in public," Bublé told the Daily Mail in his "last interview".
After the diagnosis, Bublé took time off from his career to spend time with his family as Noah went undergo treatment in the United States.
Now, two years later, with Noah in remission, Bublé said he doesn't want anything to do with "the celebrity narcissism" of the music industry.
"I was embarrassed by my ego… I decided I'd never read my name again in print, never read a review, and I never have. I decided I'd never use social media again, and I never have".
The Canadian singer has, however, been working on a charity edition of James Corden's 'Carpool Karaoke' and will release a new album next month.
But that album is likely to be his last.
"I'm retiring from the business," he said. "I've made the perfect record and now I can leave at the very top."

domain: entertainment


Much thanks for the link pazuzu. I had to move a couple of components on the circuit board, but got the needed power supply filter components to fit (I'm using a 1590B enclosure so things are a little tight). This seems to have removed the nasty buzz coming from the external 9v power supply!
Now I have another question. I've noticed that there is a pop coming through my amp when engaging the footswitch. Have searched this forum and found several posts which discuss switch popping issues with other pedal designs, but nothing specific to the beginner npn boost switch project. Is there anything to be done here, did I not find the answer already posted, or is this something that you just learn to live with?


METHODS FOR PRODUCING AND EMPLOYING OIL AND GAS WELL DRILLING AND COMPLETION FLUIDS AS WELL AS HYDRAULIC FRACTURING FLUIDS EMPLOYING TRIGLYCERIDE PROCESSING BY PRODUCTS AND PROPYLENE GLYCOL RECOVERED FROM AIRCRAFT DEICING OPERATIONS
The present invention relates to processes employing industrial streams, including glycerol-containing by-products of triglyceride processing as well as waste glycol streams recovered from several sources, to produce oil well drilling, completion and hydrofracturing fluids.
The present invention relates to processes employing industrial streams, including glycerol-containing by-products of triglyceride processing as well as waste glycol streams recovered from several sources, to produce oil well drilling, completion and hydrofracturing fluids.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to novel processes to produce oil well drilling, completion and hydrofracturing fluids, that comprise industrial streams comprising glycerin, preferably produced when processing triglycerides. Triglyceride containing feedstocks, such as vegetable and animal oils and fats, have been employed traditionally to produce soaps and other materials, such as fatty acids with crude glycerin streams as by-products of these processes. Virtually all of this crude glycerin was refined and distilled to produce purer grades, such as USP, technical grade and food grades, such as kosher or halal. Until recently there was a substantial market for pure glycerin, beyond that generated by processing of fats and oils. For example, Dow operated a plant in Freeport Tex. producing 60,000 tons/yr. of synthetic glycerin based on hydrocarbon feedstocks.
From a small start in the early 1990s, to a larger industry today, triglyceride-containing feedstocks have been reacted with alcohols to produce monoesters that are used as diesel fuel—“biodiesel”. In 2011 biodiesel production in the United States reached one billion gallons. As 0.7 pounds of glycerin is produced for each gallon of biodiesel, Glycerin production from this source amounted to about 350,000 tons of glycerin. In the face of this production Dow has shut down the Freeport facility, and finding stable, profitable markets for this product has been an important factor in the economics of biodiesel production.
The processes of this invention provide a means to meet this long felt need by employing the crude glycerin by-products of triglyceride processing in production of products for use in producing oil and gas well fluids. Glycols are also a useful component of certain glycerin-based drilling and completion fluids. Propylene glycol recovered from industrial applications, such as aircraft deicing operations, can be an economic source of this material.Oil and Gas Well Fluids—Drilling Fluids and Completion Fluids
Drilling fluids, generally referred to as muds, are employed in drilling oil and gas wells to perform several functions. These were summarized by the Institute of Petroleum in “Modern Petroleum Technology”, as follows;
- a. to remove cuttings continuously at reasonable velocities while ensuring that they need not be ground too finely before being lifted to the surface;
- b. to release the cuttings and the detritus readily from the return mud on screens and in settling pits;
- c. to form a gel, when flow ceases, so that cuttings entrained in the mud column do not settle down in the bottom of the hole;
- d. to act as a lubricant and coolant for the bit and drill column;
- e. to maintain the requisite pressures in the bore hole in excess of the reservoir pressures existing in gas, oil and water bearing reservoir fluids.
Once the drilling operations are completed, “completion” fluids are needed to contain the formation pressure during completion and servicing (workover) operations. Muds employed in drilling are occasionally used for this purpose, but more often, “clear” liquids including brines, such as solutions of zinc or calcium chlorides or bromides, are used to create a density adequate to contain the reservoir pressure during completion and workover operations. In practice, densities can range from about 8.4 to over 20 pounds per gallon.
Drilling fluids fall into two general categories; water-based muds and oil-based muds. Employing water-based mud when drilling through shale formations has led to several problems including sloughing shale, tight hole, gradual hole enlargement, poor hole cleaning, high torque and cementing failures (Ismail, I & Huang, A. P., Journal Technologi, 50(F) 53-65© University Technologi Malaysia). While oil-based mud addresses these issues, its use has become restricted due to environmental regulations. In response to this situation, a number of developers have identified compounds that can be added to water-based drilling and completion fluids in order to mitigate the effects of water on shale formations.
Peterson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,220) teaches the use of glycerine and polyglycerine in drilling and completion fluids for use in shale formations, as well as the use of glycols to control the foaming tendency of glycerine in these applications. Peterson further teaches that the concentration of glycerine should be at least 6%, but preferably more than 25% in order to inhibit shale swelling.
Walker (U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,820) teaches the use of alkyl glucosides—particularly methyl glycoside—in a water-based drilling fluid to inhibit shale swelling. He also teaches that it is preferred that the drilling fluid in this instance also contain at least 2% of an alkali metal hydroxide in order to have a pH above 8.5, and preferably 9-12.
In addition to the above enumerated constituents, drilling and/or completion fluids typically contain other additives including corrosion inhibitors, weighting agents (including salts, barites and other clays), defoamers, emulsifiers and biocides.
Schilling et al (U.S. Pat. No. 6,806,231) teaches advantages to employing beet molasses together with methyl glucoside, and that a salt—NaCl or KCl—appears to assist the shale-swelling effects of methyl glucoside. Schilling also identifies maltodextrins, carboxymethyl starches and hemicelluloses as useful constituents of drilling fluids.
Special mention is made of Sapienza, et al (U.S. Pat. No. 7,138,071) that teaches the inclusion of a variety of components as freezing point depressants in drilling fluids; including alkyl aldosides, maltodextrins and glycols and/or glycerin recovered from aircraft deicing operations. Also, to be noted, Sapienza, et al (U.S. Pat. No. 6,890,451) teaches inclusion of glycerin and glycerin-containing by-products of triglyceride processing as freezing point depressants in oil and gas well drilling fluids.
Taking the existing background into consideration, a need exists for economic sources of the ingredients of environmentally benign water-based drilling and completion fluids for application to oil and gas wells.Oil & Gas Well Fluids—Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids
At this time, in response to the growing need for clean energy sources, there exists a dramatic expansion in drilling operations associated with development of natural gas and hydrocarbon liquid resources associated with deep shale formations. This resource has now become economically viable through the development of advanced directional drilling techniques that permit drilling in several lateral directions from a given drilling site coupled with hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracturing) techniques that enable production of hydrocarbons from tight shale formations.
In addition to drilling and completion fluids, the above mentioned hydrofracturing techniques employed in production of hydrocarbons from tight shale formations employ substantial quantities of a fluid comprising primarily water and a “propping” agent, such as sand. This fluid is introduced at high pressure into the completed well to initiate and expand fractures in the shale formation thereby enabling an economic rate of recovery of hydrocarbons. These fluids also contain a small percentage (ca 0.5%) of “chemicals” (a chemicals package) that provide useful properties to the hydrofracturing fluid.
(D. Arthur, et al—Hydraulic Fracturing Considerations for Natural Gas Wells of the Marcellus Shale) presents a discussion of hydrofracturing with particular reference to the Marcellus shale of the Appalachian region. They state; “The fluids currently being used for fracture treatments in the Marcellus shale are water based or mixed slickwater fracturing fluids. Slickwater fracturing fluids are water-based fluids mixed with friction-reducing additives, primarily potassium chloride.” The amount of hydrofracturing fluid used in a typical well can range from 2 to 4 million gallons.
“Modern Shale Gas Development in the United States—a Primer”, a US DOE publication, presents the following breakdown of the “chemicals package” in percentages as contained in a typical hydrofracturing fluid;Table Goes Here
Exhibit 36 of this DOE publication presents specific compounds that are used to provide the functions enumerated above. One of the concerns surrounding these hydrofracturing operations is the potential for contamination of potable water sources should the chemical-containing hydrofracturing water enter any natural aquifers in the area.
These developments are leading to an increasing need for economic sources of environmentally benign components of the chemical package added to hydrofracturing water.
Materials Employed in the Processes of this Invention
The present inventor has found that the issues and markets discussed above can be addressed by processes utilizing certain by-products and waste streams as described below.
The biodiesel industry, driven by US and European statutory requirements for alternative fuels, has led to a substantial increase in the supply of by-product crude glycerin and to a decrease from the historic price of both crude and refined glycerin from all sources. Against this background, the present invention provides novel methods for producing desirable products for use as oil and gas well drilling, completion and hydrofracturing fluids, while at the same time reducing the costs of producing glycerin-containing products employing purer grades of glycerin.
The principal by-products for use in the present invention comprise the glycerin produced during several processes that employ raw materials comprising triglycerides. These raw materials include vegetable and animal oils and fats including, without limitation, soy and rapeseed oils and waste cooking oils.Production of Mono Esters, Soap and Fatty Acids
Triglyceride-containing raw materials are processed by several processes including;
- 1. Transesterification reactions with monoalcohols to produce monoesters. Production of monoesters has grown in response to the need for alternative fuels as monoesters, known as “biodiesel,” which can function as an alternative or supplement to the use of petroleum-derived diesel fuel.
- 2. Hydrolysis of triglycerides to produce fatty acids for sale as such or for subsequent reaction with monoalcohols to produce monoesters, or with alkalis to produce soap.
- 3. Saponification (reaction with alkalis) to produce soap.
All of these reactions produce glycerin-containing by-product streams of varying purity. These processes are described more fully below.
a) Transesterification Crude Glycerin
This process is typically catalyzed by a homogeneous catalyst system employing as a catalyst either a base or an acid. The base catalyzed route is the most popular because of reaction efficiency, mild operating conditions and as it requires only simple materials of construction. Typically, the base catalyst will be NaOH or KOH dissolved in the alcohol that will be employed as a reactant in the process. Methanol is typically employed, but higher alcohols may be used.
The principal products of the transesterification reaction, oil-soluble monoesters and water-soluble glycerin—are typically separated by gravity decanting. The monoester phase is generally water-washed to remove any remaining glycerin, alkaline catalyst, soaps formed during the reaction and other water soluble impurities. This wash water is normally added to the glycerin phase to constitute a by-product glycerin stream. The resulting glycerin-containing stream (with or without the addition of wash water) is termed “transesterification crude glycerin,” for convenience in the present specification. Both the monoester and the glycerin by-product will normally contain unreacted alcohol that typically are be removed by stripping and recycled to the reactor or disposed of otherwise.
Transesterification crude glycerin is often neutralized with an acid to convert the remaining alkaline catalyst to a salt and to convert soaps formed in the transesterification reaction to free fatty acids. Formation of soap during the transesterification reaction can result from the presence of free fatty acids in the triglyceride-containing raw material or from water in any of the materials being processed.
The fatty acids resulting from the reaction of the acid with any soaps formed can be recovered by gravity or centrifuge assisted separation. The remaining glycerin phase is termed “neutralized transesterification crude glycerin” and will generally comprise water, glycerol, the salt of the base catalyst and, depending on the efficiency of the separation of free fatty acids and other organic materials, MONG (matter organic not glycerol). A typical analysis of neutralized transesterification crude glycerin is shown in Table 1.
There is considerable flexibility in choice of the base employed as a catalyst and in the acid used for neutralization. Consequently the crude glycerin could comprise one of several bases such as NaOH and KOH, while the salts contained in the neutralized stream could be sodium or, potassium salts such as acetates, chlorides, sulfates, lactates, etc.
b) Heterogeneous Catalyzed Transesterification Crude Glycerin
As taught by Stern (U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,946), a transesterification reaction employing a solid catalyst comprising zinc and alumina, with carefully controlled conditions can pro'duce esters and a relatively pure glycerin by-product. At the same time minor impurities may be present in the glycerin by-product depending on the purity of the triglyceride raw material. For example, unless the raw materials (oils, fats and alcohol) are essentially water free, soaps may be formed that would be included in this crude glycerin. For purposes of this discussion this glycerin-containing stream will be referred to as “heterogeneous catalyzed transesterification crude glycerin.”
In both the homogeneous and heterogeneous catalyst cases, water and or free fatty acids in the feed can react to form soaps that in turn will become free fatty acids following acidification of the crude glycerin. If a purer glycerin is desired, care is taken to avoid water and free fatty acids in the feeds can be esterified with glycerin to triglycerides before entering the transesterification reactor.
c) Hydrolysis Crude Glycerin
Hydrolysis of triglyceride-containing vegetable and animal fats and oils typically takes place at high temperature and pressure (ca 500 F and 600 psi) in a vertical counter-flow reactor with the fat/oil phase flowing upward and the hot water phase flowing downward. Reactor overheads contain the fatty acid product and the bottoms stream (hydrolysis crude glycerin) is a water/glycerol stream containing about 12-25% glycerol with a small amount of impurities, such as dissolved fatty material and proteins. The fatty acids produced can be reacted with caustic to produce soaps or with alcohols to produce monoesters that may be employed as biodiesel.
d) Saponification Crude Glycerin
Saponification, an alkaline hydrolysis of fats and oils with caustic, is the traditional method for manufacture of soap. In this method, fats and/or oils are mixed with caustic (such as sodium hydroxide) and boiled. After cooling, salt (NaCl) is added causing the mixture to separate into two layers with the “neat” soap on top and “spent lye” on the bottom. The “spent lye” is the primary by-product and comprises a mixture of glycerol, salt and unreacted caustic together with small quantities of unseparated soap. Typically this spent lye will contain 5-15% glycerol and 8-20% salt. Processing of the spent lye to recover glycerol can proceed through the following steps:
- a. Skimming off most or all of the free soap and then boiling the spent lye with fatty acid to remove free caustic followed by cooling and further skimming.
- b. Removal of impurities by coagulation with alum or ferric chloride (purified spent lye).
- c. Neutralization with an acid, such as HCl (neutralized spent lye).
- d. Addition of caustic to raise the pH range to 8.5-9.0 (pH adjusted spent lye).
In the present invention, the glycerol-salt solution obtained at any point in the above sequence (“saponification crude glycerin”) could be employed as a raw material for the processes of this invention.Distillation of Glycerin
Distillation is traditionally employed to produce essentially pure glycerin products (e.g. USP, technical grade, kosher, etc) from the crude glycerins described above. The Crown Iron Works website brochure describes distillation of crude glycerin from biodiesel production.
As the atmospheric boiling point of glycerin is 290° C., these distillation processes are normally conducted under vacuum to avoid high temperatures that would degrade the glycerin product. In the case of the crude glycerin from hydrolysis, the 12-25% crude glycerin can be processed without a vacuum through multi-stage evaporation to a concentration of about 88% prior to being distilled under vacuum in the manner described above. The Lurgi website brochure illustrates processing of hydrolysis glycerin that has been concentrated in this manner.
As an alternative to vacuum distillation, it is also possible to employ steam distillation employing systems known to persons skilled in the art, such as vapor recompression, as a means of avoiding excessive temperatures.
Crown Iron Works reports that bottoms from the still will contain 65-75% glycerin. If a neutralized transesterification crude glycerin as shown in Table 1 were being processed, this level of recovery would lead to rejection in the bottoms product of about 7-10% of the glycerin contained in the crude glycerin being processed. As the principal objective in these distillation processes is to maximize recovery of glycerin as a pure product, the vendors suggest that the bottoms product from the still—comprising some glycerin together with the salt and MONG contained in the crude glycerin—be processed in either a “foots” still or a thin film evaporator in order to maximize recovery of glycerin in a pure form.
Bottoms from these operations have been typically marketed as livestock feed additives or disposed of as wastes.Membrane Separation Techniques
Muraldihara, in International Application WO 2008/156612, describes the application of membrane separation techniques to purification of crude glycerin. Membranes are designed to separate on the basis of molecular size. In descending order of molecule size, they can be ranked as follows;
- microfiltration—300-20,000 Å
- ultrafiltration—25-1500 Å
- nanofiltration—9-70 Å
- reverse osmosis—1-20 Å
In the processes of this invention, membrane separation may be employed to remove organic materials (MONG). Muraldihara shown a case in which a 32.9% glycerol, 2% NaCl and 1.0% MONG solution in water was processed through a nanofiltration membrane (MPS34 produced by Koch) yielding 89.6% of a stream containing 33.03% glycerol, 1.71% NaCl with no remaining MONG.
When processing glycerin streams containing low concentrations of water to remove MONG, it is preferable to add water for membrane separation to reduce the pressure needed to effect the separation. This need not be an issue in the present case as the oil and gas fluids being produced will require water in any event.
Recovery of Glycol from Industrial Waste Streams
In addition to glycerin-containing products, in certain cases the present invention also may make use of glycol recovered from industrial waste streams.
Airports, in response to environmental concerns, are increasingly turning to collection and processing of the waste dilute streams of propylene glycol resulting from aircraft deicing applications (Stormwater—March-April 2008—“Aircraft Deicing Fluid—The Recycling Solution”). Also, propylene glycol can be recovered from waste heat transfer fluids and gas dehydration fluids.
Inland Technologies, Inc, in its website brochure, describes a concentrator that will produce a 50-60% glycol solution from deicing wastes containing 1-20% glycol. The concentrated product would be a useful additive to glycerin-containing drilling and completion fluids to avoid foaming. Other firms are offering similar products including the use of membrane separations.
Thus, there also exists a need in the art for processes by which glycol in industrial waste streams can be used economically and efficiently.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to processes for employing the crude glycerin streams recited above in producing blended products for use in fluids for oil and gas well drilling and completion.
The processes of this invention provide economic and efficient ways to employ crude glycerin streams, or materials derived from such streams, as a component of oil and gas drilling and completion fluids. Peterson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,220) has shown glycerin to be an effective additive to water-based drilling muds to prevent sloughing of shale and swelling of clays. Further, it has been found that glycerin is effective in insuring that drilled contaminants like salt, gypsum, anhydrite and calcium chloride are held in suspension rather than in solution thereby preventing deterioration of the mud. Concentrations as low as about 6% have been effective, and effectiveness I reported to continue to increase at concentrations over 25%. Also, glycerin is useful in a water-based mud in that it raises the boiling point thereby enabling operation at higher downhole temperatures. The present inventor unexpectedly has found that the processes of the present invention provide glycerin byproduct streams that can economically and efficiently be used instead of the purer glycerin employed in the prior art.
In addition to glycerin, there are several other materials that can be added to improve the effectiveness of a formulation in accordance with the present invention.
- 1. An issue with glycerin is foaming and a defoamer is needed. While there are commercially available defoamers, glycols can also serve this function. Peterson reports that propylene glycol is preferred as it is less sensitive to high temperatures than other glycols. In accordance with the present invention, the present inventor has found that propylene glycol recovered from industrial operations such as aircraft deicing can be used. Preferably, if such a glycol stream were concentrated to say 40-50%, any one of the above mentioned impure glycerin streams could be added thereto to make a product for use as a mud additive in accordance with the present invention.
- 2. As taught by Walker (U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,820), alkyl glucosides—particularly methyl glucosides (MEG)—are also effective in decreasing the swelling of hydratable shales. This phenomenon has been further studied by Ismail & Huang. These investigators found that a NaCl fluid increased shale recovery in a hot rolling dispersion test from about 10% with fresh water to about 55%. When MEG was added shale recovery was increased to about 80% at 35% MEG to about 90% with 35% MEG. Given these effects, it is apparent that MEG can be a useful additional additive for use with a glycerin-containing mud produce by the processes of the present invention.
- 3. A glycerin-containing drilling mud will require a number of other components. These can include; another form of glycerin—polyglycerine, lubricants, gelling agents such as drilled solids and bentonite or organic colloids and agents to control the filter cake at the bore interface such as methyl cellulose and lignite. Likewise, these additives can be added to the materials formed by the processes of the present invention, where desired. Completion fluids will not normally have gelling agents as there is not the need for suspension of cuttings, and not as much of a requirement for lubricants. Aside from these differences, a completion fluid will be similar to the drilling fluid in terms of properties to inhibit negative impacts on shales and clay. An important factor is maintaining the density necessary for the column of fluid to counteract the pressure at the producing formation. While a glycerin/water mixture will have a density higher than water, in many cases it would be desirable to include NaCl, CaCl2 or other weighting agents in order to achieve the requisite density. Likewise, these weighting additives can be added to the materials formed by the processes of the present invention, where desired.
The processes of the present invention employing crude glycerin streams that generally can be divided into two categories;
- 1. Processes comprising blending of one or more or the crude glycerin streams described above as a component of said agents or fluids. Prior to blending, steps may be employed to remove impurities.
- 2. Processes comprising separation of one or more or the crude glycerin streams described above into (1) one or more essentially pure glycerin streams, optionally comprising water and (2) a stream, comprising the glycerin remaining after recovery of the essentially pure glycerin stream, any salt(s), unreacted catalyst and/or any materials present in the crude glycerin having molecular weights and/or boiling points higher than glycerin. The separation can involve one or more of the techniques familiar to those skilled in the art including distillation and membrane separation.
1. Processes for Production of Oil and Gas Drilling and Completion Fluids and Hydrofracturing Fluids Based Upon Crude Glycerin
The crude glycerin streams resulting from the processes described above—may be employed in the processes of this invention for producing oil and gas well drilling and completion fluids. Table 2 presents typical ranges of concentrations of the components in these aqueous solutions.
Under certain circumstances, the present invention provides recovering any of these crude glycerin streams and employing them directly in producing drilling and/or completion fluids. The salts or alkalis could have useful functions as described earlier and, depending on the characteristics of the MONG, this material could supply surface activity or lubrication. Should this not be the case, the ultrafiltration step described above could be used to remove essentially all of the MONG.
In accordance with the processes of the present invention, other materials may be added to produce a completed fluid. Among these would be; components selected from the group consisting of glycol, methyl glucoside, polyglycerine, salts, lubricants, gelling agents, methyl cellulose, corrosion inhibitors, weighting agents, water and mixtures of any of the foregoing.
Regarding hydrofracturing fluids, any of the crude glycerin streams could be employed as part of the “chemicals package” employed in production of these fluids. For example, the glycerol-containing by-product stream from alkali-catalyzed transesterification contains—or can be processed to contain—a substantial portion of the components of the chemicals package included in such hydrofracturing fluids.
Examples include the following;
- Glycerol—Glycerol can provide important functions required in hydrofracturing fluids. These include; (1) replacing ethylene glycol (a toxic material) as an agent to prevent scale formation and (2) as a friction reducer—replacing petroleum distillates that may contain carcinogens, such as benzene or other aromatic compounds.
- Salt—Depending on the choice of alkali as the transesterification catalyst, and the acid used to neutralize, a range of salts are possible. For employment of the glycerin by-product in hydrofracturing applications NaCl or KCl would be preferred The former would be useful as a breaker and KCl is employed to produce a “slickwater” fluid.
- Acid—If desired, an excess of HCl could be employed beyond that required for neutralization.
- Biodiesel—petroleum distillates are often used as friction reducers, but the presence of carcinogens such as benzene and other aromatics raise issues. The biodiesel product of the transesterification process is free of aromatic compounds could be employed in this service.
One exemplary procedure for manufacturing a “chemicals package” for inclusion in a hydrofracturing fluid could be;
- Using the glycerol-containing by-product described in Table 1 above, this could be used—as is—as a component of the hydrofracturing chemicals package. Glycerol, a non-toxic, environmentally benign compound, will function as a scale inhibitor (replacing ethylene glycol—a toxic chemical) and as a friction reducer. The salt present would supply part of the salt normally added. If potassium hydroxide were employed as the catalyst, then the KCl produced in neutralization would provide that component. Further, if the neutralization employed a surplus of HCl, this would also supply part, or all, of that compound. The other necessary chemicals (detergent, biocide, etc) could be added at the point of manufacture, or at the drilling site. The finished hydrofracturing fluid would comprise principally water combined with the “chemicals package,” other necessary chemicals and proppants.
2. Processes Involving Separation of the Crude Glycerin Stream Leaving a Remainder that is at Least Partially Employed in Producing Oil & Gas Well Drilling and/or Completion Fluids.Separation by Distillation
Some processes of this invention may include distillation as an element of the process. As described earlier, in the case of crude glycerin from processes including transesterification, saponification and hydrolysis, it has been common practice in refining glycerin from such sources to distill—normally under a vacuum—with an emphasis on maximizing the recovery of a pure glycerin. To this end, it has been normal practice to add a processing step—such as a “foots still” or, alternatively, a wiped film evaporator—to insure maximum recovery of glycerin from the distillation bottoms stream.
In the case of hydrolysis crude glycerin, the 12-25% crude glycerin by-product can be processed without a vacuum through multi-stage evaporation to a concentration of about 88% prior to being distilled under vacuum in the manner described above.
As an alternative to vacuum distillation, it is also possible to avoid excessive temperatures by employing steam distillation employing techniques known to parties skilled in the art such as vapor recompression.
In contrast to the stress on maximizing glycerin recovery in the distillation processes described in the manufacturers brochures, certain processes of this invention require substantial amounts of glycerin to be left in the distillation bottoms, thereby producing a functional fluid rather than a high salt content waste or low-valued animal feed component. Depending upon the requirements of the markets for the overhead and bottoms products, the amount of glycerin remaining in the bottoms product in operations under this invention will vary, typically from about 6% to about 30% or more of the glycerin contained in the distillation process feed. Employment of at least part of this functional fluid as a component of oil and gas well fluids is a novel element of this invention.
If the crude glycerin being distilled comprises organic impurities (MONG), virtually all of these are higher-boiling compounds that will remain in the still bottoms. For many industrial applications of these still bottoms these impurities may not be objectionable and, in those cases, do not need to be removed prior to application. However, if a purer product is required, one option is to employ an ultrafiltration step employing a nanofiltration membrane such as MPS34 from Koch. Such as procedure may require adding water to the glycerin/salt bottoms, but addition of water will likely be required in any event for most applications of the bottoms stream. When the distillation overhead product is to be refined to a purer grade, the water removed in this process may conveniently be employed as the diluent for this procedure.
In many cases, particularly where the transesterification facility and the distillation process are under common control, MONG content of the crude glycerin can be controlled by eliminating water from the triglyceride-containing feed materials and if free fatty acids are present, esterifying these with glycerin to form triglycerides. These steps minimize production of soaps during the transesterification reaction that are then converted to fatty acids during neutralization. Also, centrifuging neutralized crude glycerin following acidification/neutralization of the byproduct glycerin stream can assist in separating any fatty acids formed during neutralization.
It has been typical practice, when distilling crude glycerin streams comprising water, to withdraw the essentially pure glycerin as a side-stream from the distillation column. Water, together with any alcohol and minor quantities of glycerin, will then comprise the overhead product. The relatively pure side-stream product is then further refined to meet the specification for USP glycerin or food grades such as kosher or halal. This processing step may comprise treatment with activated carbon.
This processing sequence can be employed in the case of this invention, and the overhead product can be produced to meet USP and/or food grade specifications. However in this case the still bottoms, to be employed as an oil and/or gas well fluid, will contain 6%, or more, of the glycerin contained in the crude glycerin feed.
Alternatively a single overhead stream can be produced in the distillation step. This product will contain all of the water contained in the crude glycerin as well as the glycerin not contained in the bottoms. Following any purification required to remove other material such as any alcohol and/or MONG, this product can be employed in manufacture of various products or can be sold as Technical grade glycerin. Also, in the context of this invention, such essentially pure glycerin products, that may contain water, can be employed in production of oil and gas well drilling and completion fluids.
In the case of producing a chemicals package for hydrofracturing, the present invention contemplates distillation of the Table 1 compound to produce a salt-free glycerin/water overhead product and a glycerin/salt bottoms product. In this way the glycerin/salt ratio in the bottoms product can be controlled to meet the ratio desired in the hydrofracturing chemicals package. The excess acid could be added after distillation to avoid corrosive conditions in that process.Separation by Membrane Processing
As noted earlier, where desired, the crude glycerin streams can be purified using ultrafiltration to reject MONG. Muraldihara shows that this procedure can also include reverse osmosis steps leading to pure glycerin as a final product. There are several intermediate points in this process where the intermediate product is a fluid comprising glycerin, salt and water. Such fluids could be usefully employed in the oil and gas fluids of this invention.
The processes described above may be practiced at one site to produce a finished product or alternatively, the streams produced at the source of the glycerin-containing by-product, or at the distillation site, may be shipped—with or without added water and/or other components—to another site for finishing and/or use.
Many variations of the present invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art in light of the above described processes. All such obvious modifications are within the full intended scope of his invention.
The above referenced patents and publications are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. A method for producing water-based oil and gas well drilling and/or completion fluids, said process comprising;
- (a) recovering a crude glycerin stream selected from the group consisting of transesterification crude glycerin, neutralized transesterification crude glycerin, heterogeneous catalyzed transesterification crude glycerin, saponification crude glycerin, hydrolysis crude glycerin, or mixtures thereof,
- (b) adding to the crude glycerin stream one or more components selected from the group consisting of glycol, methyl glucoside, polyglycerine, inorganic salts, lubricants, gelling agents, methyl cellulose, corrosion inhibitors, water and mixtures of any of the foregoing and optionally
- (c) prior to step (b), employing an ultrafiltration step to remove at least part of organic materials having higher molecular weight than glycerin from said crude glycerin stream.
2. A method for producing water-based oil and gas well drilling or completion fluids as described in claim 1 wherein said glycol is at least partly derived from waste streams from the group consisting of residues from aircraft deicing operations, waste heat transfer fluids and waste gas dehydration fluids.
3. A method for producing water-based oil and gas well drilling or completion fluids, said process comprising:
- (a) distillation of a crude glycerin stream selected from the group consisting of transesterification crude glycerin, neutralized transesterification crude glycerin, hydrolysis crude glycerin, saponification crude glycerin and mixtures thereof, said distillation producing a bottoms product comprising at least approximately 7% of the glycerin contained in the crude glycerin stream, and one or more overhead products consisting essentially of glycerin and optionally water and,
- (b) adding to at least a portion of said bottoms product one or more components selected from the group consisting of glycol, methyl glucoside, polyglycerine, inorganic salts, lubricants, gelling agents, methyl cellulose, corrosion inhibitors, weighting agents, water and mixtures of any of the foregoing,
- (c) optionally, prior to step (b), adding water to said bottoms product and processing it by ultrafiltration to remove at least a portion of organic impurities having higher molecular weights than glycerin.
4. A method for producing water-based oil and gas well drilling or completion fluids as described in claim 3 wherein said glycol is at least partly derived from waste streams from the group consisting of residues from aircraft deicing operations, waste heat transfer fluids and waste gas dehydration fluids.
5. A method of producing a hydrofracturing fluid, said method comprising blending one or more crude glycerin streams selected from the group consisting of transesterification crude glycerin, neutralized transesterification crude glycerin, heterogeneous catalyzed transesterification crude glycerin, saponification crude glycerin, hydrolysis crude glycerin, a bottoms product from the process of claim 3, or mixtures thereof with water and at least one compound from the group consisting of inorganic acids, biocides, breakers, corrosion inhibitors, crosslinkers, friction reducers, gels, iron control agents, potassium chloride, oxygen scavengers, pH adjusting agents, proppants, scale inhibitors, surfactant and mixtures of any of the foregoing.
6. A method of producing a hydrofracturing fluid as described in claim 5 wherein said friction reducer comprises monoesters produced from triglycerides by transesterification.
7. A method of producing a hydrofracturing fluid as described in claim 5 wherein said inorganic acid is at least partially HCl included in neutralized transesterification crude glycerin.
8. A method of producing a hydrofracturing fluid as described in claim 5 wherein said potassium chloride comprises potassium chloride included in neutralized transesterification crude glycerin.
9. A method of producing a hydrofracturing fluid as described in claim 5 wherein at least part of organic materials having higher molecular weight than glycerin contained in said crude glycerin stream and/or bottoms product is removed by employing an ultrafiltration step.
10. A method for producing glycerin meeting the requirements for products consisting essentially of glycerin and optionally water, said method comprising the process steps of claim 3 and further comprising, obtaining at least part of the one or more overhead products consisting essentially of glycerin and optionally water, and optionally performing one or more of the following;
- a) stripping to remove alcohol
- b) distillation to remove water
- c) removal of impurities comprising color bodies and high molecular weight organic compounds.
11. A method for producing glycerin meeting the requirements for products consisting essentially of glycerin and optionally water of claim 10 wherein said products are selected from the group consisting of technical grade, USP grade, kosher grade, halal grade and mixtures thereof.
International Classification: C07C 29/80 (20060101); C09K 8/60 (20060101); C09K 8/62 (20060101); C09K 8/03 (20060101);


text:
I opened my 2013-14 (or maybe 5774) music season tonight with Bizet’s Carmen at the Staatsoper.
The Staatsoper dusted off a 1978 production by Franco Zeffirelli, which ensured the staging matched the plot at least. The large sets, painted to look even larger, produced a traditional reading, but also had some little touches. One came when José and Carmen saw each other for the first time: everyone else on stage froze in whatever position they happened to be in, and only the two main protagonists moved, as the music amplified their clear passion. As an example of Carmen’s rough and hot personality, when she danced for José in the tavern in Act Two, lacking castanets she smashed a plate left on a table, and used the shards to click the beats. These little touches added to the drama. Unfortunately, in the end, the production at the big-picture level remained somewhat cluttered, with superfluous action by extras leading to distraction.
The Philadelphia-trained Israeli mezzo Rinat Shaham headed the cast, with a sultry Carmen. Roberto Alagna, as Don José, overwhelmed her however, with a more secure stage presence and and fuller expressive voice. Something about the chemistry between these two lacked, and Alagna had much better chemistry with the Romanian Anita Hartig, who sang the smaller role of Micaela with such controlled drama that she became the most sympathetic character (and characterization) on the stage. The audience showered her with approval during the final curtain call, and the swell of the applause clearly took her by surprise judging by her facial expression. She deserved it. Just one more reason José should have married her and not gotten mixed up with Carmen.
The rest of the cast, in various supporting roles, kept up the basic required standard. The orchestra sounded terrific in the pit, led with a beaming smile by Israeli conductor Dan Ettinger.
After seeing the level of dress in the audiences deteriorate over the years, tonight marked a pleasant exception. Even though this was not a gala evening nor a special event, I saw a number of men in black tie (something I have not seen for years), including a little boy in my loge. Women wore proper gowns. While there was not as much Austrian Tracht as I like, I was far from the only one taking that option. Even the tieless tourists looked neat and clean. Sad that when an audience dresses for the opera it is so noticeable for being so unusual these days.


|Aluminum Driveshell - (no internals) for ISO, Classic
This Aluminum driveshell is a OEM factory replacement part that comes standard on Chris King® Classic and ISO Disc hubs.
Note: This driveshell does not come with bearings. You may move your existing bearings to this driveshell. If you have a hub service tool, you can do it yourself. If you don't have the service tool, you can have a local shop move the bearings over for you.
Once the bearings are in place, installing your driveshell is easy. Other than two 5mm Allen wrenches, no tools are needed.


A team of researchers led by Marcin Głowacki of the International Center for Radio Astronomy
View of the megamaser's parent galaxy from Earth. The object itself is not visible to the naked eye, marked with a cross at the bottom of the image. Source: International Center for Radio Astronomy Research
Megamasers are natural sources of forcedmicrowave radiation, the isotropic luminosity of which exceeds a thousand solar luminosities. According to the researchers, the source of radiation they found megamaser are hydroxyl molecules, consisting of one oxygen atom and one hydrogen atom.
When a photon hits such a molecule, itinduces the emission of an additional photon. If the molecular gas is very dense, usually when two galaxies merge, a chain reaction starts, the radiation becomes very bright and can be detected by radio telescopes.
"When galaxies collide, the gas theycontains, becomes extremely dense and can launch concentrated beams of light, says Glovatsky. "Nkalakatha is the first hydroxyl megamaser observed with MeerKAT and is the most distant megamaser found to date."
Astronomers note that the discovery was made inthe first night of a large research program involving over 3,000 hours of MeerKAT observations. The team uses a telescope to study small patches of the sky in detail.
The researchers plan to determine the distributionatomic hydrogen in various galaxies (from ancient to modern). A joint analysis of cosmic hydrogen and hydroxyl masers, scientists say, will help them better understand how the universe has evolved over time.
“We will continue observing the megamaser and hope to make many more discoveries,” Glovatsky said.
There is another “planet” inside the Earth: how it saved nascent life
Nuclear fusion no longer needs millions of degrees: how the new method works
New study refutes light energy transfer theory


Who are the best live acts out there these days? To find out, Rolling Stone asked a panel of industry professionals and artists to vote on their favorite live performers right now. Check out the most rocking, fun and crowd-pleasing live acts.
At a refugee camp near the beach in Gaza, parents took their children out to play. It's Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim holiday that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Children need to be children, even during war.


text:
Mushkegowuk First Nations has elected a new Grand and Deputy Grand Chief. Jonathon Solomon has been elected as Grand Chief, while Rebecca Friday is taking over as Deputy Grand Chief. The elections were held on Saturday. Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day calls the two dedicated, and says Mushkegowuk is in good hands.
The Mushkegowuk Council is one of seven in the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which represents Cree communities in the Northeast. Those are the Attawapiskat First Nation, Chapleau Cree First Nation, Fort Albany First Nation, Kashechewan First Nation, Missanabie Cree First Nation, Moose Cree First Nation and Taykwa Tagamou Nation (New Post).

domain: news


text:
Whitney Port Cries Over ‘Passive-Aggressive’ Mom Bullies: ‘So Silly’
Not having it. Whitney Port spoke out against “passive-aggressive” mom bullies after she was blown off at a Tuesday, March 26, event for new mothers.
“They were just trying to back out of the conversation as quickly as they possibly could,” the Hills alum, 34, said of a pair of women in a Thursday, March 28, YouTube video Opens a New Window. . “I don’t know whether they’re embarrassed by me or just think I’m trashy or cheesy, but this is the vibe that I’m getting, and it does not make me feel good about myself. … [It] chips away at my self-esteem.”
She added: “It’s especially hard when you’re a new mother and you really want to put yourself out there because this is the time to make lifelong relationships.”
The reality star acknowledged that her perception of the interactions may also be part of the issue.
“I think I just have to be more confident … and know that the reason why these girls aren’t being super nice is not my problem, it’s theirs,” she said. “I just have to keep telling myself that and stop telling myself this narrative that’s maybe not true … that you’re awkward. … I think the problem is that I’m bullying myself.”
But if she did have a chance to speak to the women who made her feel insecure, the True Whit author said she’d tell them, “You hurt my feelings. It’s so silly because it’s so easy to be nice to people. … It would be so much easier to just, like, look at me and smile. Whatever.”
The reality star married Tim Rosenman in 2015, and they welcomed their first child together, Sonny, in July 2017.
In April 2018, Port told Us Weekly exclusively that her relationship with her husband requires more work after their son’s birth.
“I think you just have to put in a little bit more effort to make sure that you’re on the same page in life,” she told Us at the time. “It’s just about making more effort to be there for each other emotionally and physically.”
Source: Read Full Article


As law enforcement struggles to keep up with the continuing Covid-19 crisis, and individuals are being asked to isolate at home, some criminals are taking advantage of shuttered businesses and deserted streets, leading many law enforcement agencies to urge businesses and commercial property owners to take proactive measures in preventing their properties from being targeted by a wave of what’s been dubbed “CovidCrime.”
There’s no denying that the UK saw an increase in crime at places where people conduct business over the past year. In 2020, businesses were hit with offences like shoplifting, burglary, and criminal damage at a rate of more than once every minute, and this statistic is from a study of police-recorded crimes across the UK, and doesn’t include statistics where the vandals got off scot-free.
If you are looking for different ways to keep your business safe and secure in 2021, you should consider hiring a mobile security patrol. Mobile security patrols are becoming an increasingly popular and effective way of securing business premises by offering the advantages of having a physical and responsive presence, unlike that of a security camera or alarm.
When hiring a mobile security patrol for your business, choose a security services company that equips their mobile patrols with the latest security software technology for real-time situational awareness. Patrols can scan checkpoints and submit incident reports with pictures and video directly from their mobile devices, while in the back office, security managers can create and assign post orders, dispatch patrol officers to your premises, and track their movements via GPS, providing you with accountability and reliability.
An alternative to static security guards, mobile security patrols are not only an economical solution, but a strong visual deterrent for guarding your premises against criminal activity like vandalism, theft or other criminal activities.
Mobile patrol units visit your premises and carry out whatever tasks you assign to them through post orders. This might be a drive-by observation patrol or involve patrol officers getting out of their vehicles and performing a tour of an entire building and all doors and windows on foot, to ensure the premises are secure. Patrol visits are also conducted at random intervals to prevent anyone from detecting a specific patrol pattern or routine.
Whether you choose your mobile patrols to be done via vehicle or on foot, here are the top eight benefits that your organisation can recognise by adopting mobile security patrols.
Top Eight Benefits
1. Visibly Deter Crime
Patrolling officers in uniforms or in marked cars can be recognised from a distance. This helps people visually recognise and understand that there is security present and acts as a warning to anyone considering committing a crime. The hands-on approach of having someone who is dedicated to the safety and security of an area can be considered a disincentive for criminal activity.
2. Surveillance of Multiple Locations
Patrol officers can patrol on foot, by bike, or by car, which means that they can monitor multiple areas during a shift. Through consistent rotations, they can keep an eye on several areas and help ensure that the premises are secure. Whether on foot or in a car, patrol officers can cover ground quickly, get to an emergency in plenty of time to avoid any alarm violations, and potentially catch criminals in the act.
3. Perform a Range of Security Checks
Patrol officers can carry out a wide range of security checks. Not only can they monitor and respond to alarms, security officers can carry out exterior patrols in places which may not be visible by cameras. They can also ensure that everything is locked up and secured by properly inspecting doors and windows. Mobile security patrols can be contracted to perform any number of patrols, or property checks, day or night. Many security companies also offer on-demand services, emergency dispatch patrols, and are available 24 hours a day.
4. Key Holding and Alarm Response Services
If an alarm goes off on your premises, as a property keyholder, you must be able to get to your premises within 20 minutes to resolve any alarm issues. Failing to do so on more than three occasions may result in the police ignoring future alarms and your alarm will be regarded as a nuisance.
Mobile security patrols can also provide professional key holding and alarm response services in accordance with BS7984 to secure your business ensuring the safety of your business and your employees. In the event of an alarm, a mobile security patrol can go to your property in your absence and take the steps necessary to re-secure the premises in the event of a break-in or criminal damage. Patrol officers can also liaise with local law enforcement to provide you with a report for your insurance company and keep you up-to-date as events unfold. Patrol officers can also arrange for any door repairs and fixes in the case of a break-in.
5. Mitigate Future Threats with Security Patrol Software
While mobile patrols can rapidly respond to unlawful activity at your premises, it isn’t enough to merely respond to security threats and other incidents as they come up. In the end, the goal should be to implement strategies that mitigate threats and prevent future incidents altogether. Consider equipping your mobile patrol officers with security patrol software. By implementing the latest technologies to analyse trends and gain new insights, your business is in a far better position to prepare for the future.
6. Drive Actionable Insight with Data
By using a security patrol software platform to collect and analyse data on past incidents, it becomes much easier to plan for the future. The areas that have seen the highest number of incidents should naturally have their security needs addressed first. A closer look at the types of incidents that have affected the premises should have a direct impact on threat mitigation planning. For example, if data from the incident response platform indicates that a door is frequently left unlocked, it becomes much easier to find connections between other reported incidents like theft and vandalism. In other situations, data insights might reveal a need for an increased security presence or even the installation of a security fence around the premises. Using data enables everyone involved in the decision-making process to understand which factors have truly contributed to past security problems. These actionable insights allow for the creation of a security strategy that will actually work.
7. Cost Effective Option
If a permanent security guard is beyond your budget, you may find mobile patrol services to be much more cost-effective. With mobile security patrols, you can choose the scope of the officers’ work and can pay for only the services that you use. Having a mobile security officer watch over different parts of your premises also helps reduce your losses and liabilities from break-ins, vandalism, and other damage. The money saved from not having to pay for building repairs or a lawsuit is another way mobile patrol units can help you reduce costs.
8. Peace of Mind
Mobile security patrols are a good choice for business owners who own several companies or buildings, or larger premises, as patrols can cover a wider area faster and more efficiently than traditional static security guards. Patrol officers offer around-the-clock protection in a designated area to ensure that the premises are safe and secure. They also offer peace of mind to employees especially for businesses that operate a 24 hour, 7 days a week shift. Patrols ensure employees that they are working in a safe and secure environment.
There are too many benefits that can be recognised by hiring a mobile security patrol to protect your business premises to list. The days of pen and paper are over though, so make sure your security services company is taking advantage of the latest security software technology to help mobile patrols identify suspicious behaviour and address it in real-time, protecting your property and premises from vandals, thieves, and other potential risks.
Debbie is an experienced writer with a demonstrated history of working in the security industry. She is based in Montreal, Canada, with TrackTik—a cloud-based security workforce management company with a mission to build better software so its clients can run smarter businesses.


Why is my activity's average speed or pace different than my friend's?
Even if you and your friend do an activity together, it is possible to get different distance calculations on Strava. In most cases, this will be because one or both of your GPS devices recorded location (or other) data that does not accurately represent your activity.
- Things like GPS drift, GPS signal loss or a 'jumpy' GPS track can cause your activity to report more or less distance than you actually traveled. If for example, your bad GPS data tells Strava that you traveled a longer distance than your friend in the same amount of time you can expect different average speed calculations.
- In addition to distance discrepancies, Strava uses moving time to calculate average speed and pace. It's possible that you and your friends calculated moving time may be different which will lead to different average speed or pace calculations.
Why is my activity's average speed on Strava different from my GPS device?
When uploading rides Strava will use the recorded GPS data to calculate our own version of your moving time. During the upload process, whether you recorded with our mobile app or a third party device, Strava relies on a speed threshold to determine whether or not you are resting. You can enable auto-pause on our mobile app to automatically pause during your activity when your GPS tells us you are resting.
- In general, Strava tends to be more strict about resting time so we remove less of it than other platforms. This means that even though the elapsed time is the same, the moving time can be a bit different, which can cause differences in average speed.
- When uploading runs Strava relies on the recorded "timer time" which is the time the app or device was unpaused to determine moving time. As long as your device is recording conventional pauses, Strava will respect any pauses recorded in the file whether your device pauses automatically or you manually hit the pause button. It's important to keep in mind is that if you choose to pause you must do so consistently. If there are any pause events in your activity file our server will not remove any additional resting time.
- If you do not pause at all our server will calculate moving time based on the recorded GPS data. Again, even though elapsed time may be the same, Strava may calculate moving time differently than other platforms.
Why is my max speed so high?
Strava calculates your max speed in a such a way that a GPS error can cause the value to be greater than expected. To calculate max speed, Strava looks for the fastest speed recorded between any two GPS coordinates on your activity. If, for example, one GPS coordinate is recorded + or - 50ft from where you actually are, and the next GPS coordinate is also recorded + or - 50ft from where you actually are in the other direction, Strava will think you are moving faster than you really are because the distance between the two GPS coordinates isn't accurate. On the Analysis graph, there is a little bit of smoothing because we do not plot every data point but instead every 3 or so to make a readable graph. If you look at the analysis graph, you usually won't find the same max speed as is reported in the activity stats because the graph is smoothed.


text:
"YOU HAVE TO GET LOST BEFORE YOU CAN BE FOUND."
Can I book if I am traveling on my own?
On our group walks we have a minimum number of two guests to go ahead, however once we have a booking confirmed we are then able to add individuals. Please contact us by email with the date and time you require and we will do our best to accommodate you on a walk. If you would like to guarantee your walk, you can book for two people, and we will refund you for the second person if we get another booking It is recommended you book in advance to get the dates you require, especially between September and April.
How fit do I need to be?
A basic level of fitness is required, you will be walking approximately 8-12 km per day, and this will involve some climbing. We cater for different levels of fitness, be sure to let us know if you have any concerns when you make your booking so we can best meet your needs.
How long and how far are the walks?
Total duration of the full day walk is approximately 6 hours, and within this expect to be walking approximately 3-4 hours, covering 8-12 km on average. The half-day walk duration is 4 hours, with 2-2.5 hours walking time.
What sort of footwear and clothing do I need?
Good walking shoes, warm clothing, a jacket and sun hat are essentials. New Zealand is very seasonal, so in the summer you will be more comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt, and in the winter you might prefer long pants. Either way, we recommend bringing layers as the weather can be changeable, and you can always leave unwanted items in the locked vehicle.
What if there is a group of us?
We cater for groups between 2 - 10 people. If your group is larger than this please get in touch to arrange a quote. We can cater for up to 40 guests with multiple guides.
Are your walks suitable for children?
For families with children under 12, it is best to arrange a private guide rather than join a group walk so you can take the day at your own pace. We have some very special excursions popular with families including swimming beaches, ferry rides, hunting for crabs, picnics, and generally exploring off the beaten track with a shortened walk. Tried and tested with our own families, we will make this a trip highlight for your whole family. Book here.
Do you do guided walks for Corporate Functions?
Absolutely, we can arrange anything from just a guide to the entire package including transport and catering. Please get in touch with your details so we can tailor the perfect day to suit.
Do you offer walks for cruise ship passengers?
For guests arriving into Lyttelton Port, we offer a Shore Excursion for small groups of 2-10. As Lyttelton is a nonpedestrian port, your guide will meet you at the Lyttelton information Centre (20 Oxford Street, Lyttelton). There are free shuttles from the port to this location, which takes approximately 5 minutes. We are in communication with the Lyttleton Information Centre staff, and monitor cruise ship arrival and departure times, so can ensure we have you back in plenty of time.
For guests arriving into Akaroa Port, there is a 9:30am shuttle you can get into Christchurch arriving outside the Canterbury Museum at 11am. You can book a Luxury Half Day Crater Rim Walk departing at 11am and we will have you back by 3pm in time to get back to Akaroa by 4:30pm. Please get in touch for more details as these times can be adjusted to meet your personal requirements or ship departure times. Contact Us.
How far in advance do I need to book?
Advanced bookings are recommended to ensure we can arrange a guide for the date you require. A minimum of 24 hours notice is needed in most circumstances, but we will endeavor to include you whenever possible on the day of choice or the next available day.
What if I do one day's walk and want to do more the following days?
Speak to your guide on the day, and if space allows we can book you in for any additional days on our other walks on the day of choice or the nearest available day.
Is the walk available all year round and what will the weather be like?
We walk 12 months of the year, there are very few days in Christchurch that the weather prevents us from enjoying a fabulous walk. During the colder months of July and August, some of the walks may be unavailable due to the tracks becoming wet. Our guides will identify the best walk for the conditions of the day. If the weather conditions prevent us from walking, we will reschedule for another day to suit, or you will receive a refund.
What is your cancellation policy?
This walk is scheduled 12-months of the year. On days when the weather or track conditions prevent us from walking, we will try to reschedule, offer a wet weather alternative, or a refund less a 25% administration fee. We require 48 hours notice for cancellation for bookings of 1 - 4 guests. For group bookings of 5 or more, we require 7-days notice. If cancellation is made within this time frame you will receive a full refund less any expenses incurred.
What food and drink will you supply?
On our full day walk, we provide a hot drink to order on the day, morning tea (fruit, and trail mix or a muesli bar), lunch (roast vegetable frittata and a colslaw with some chocolate), and a stainless steel water bottle which you can refill along the way. This is all included in the price you paid for the trip. On a half-day walk, we provide either morning or afternoon tea along with water, however lunch in not included. We can cater for special dietary needs, please let us know when you make your booking.
What if I have special dietary needs?
No problem. Please let us know when you book if you have any allergies or intolerance. We have excellent vegetarian, gluten and dairy-free food options available.
Why do I need walking poles?
We include walking poles in the price and recommend them for everyone. Our tracks occasionally become wet, and poles will lessen any chance of injury. Using walking poles reduces accumulated stress on the feet, legs, knees and back by sharing the load more evenly across the whole body.
Protect knees, especially when walking down steep hills
Improve your power and endurance when walking uphill
Aid balance on uneven trails
Improve posture, making walkers more upright as they walk and in turn this can help breathing
Increase speed, especially going downhill
Provide extra stability
Reduce fatigue and improve endurance
Burn more calories by providing an upper body workout as well as a legs workout
Strengthen muscles that support the spine
Build muscles in arms, shoulders and neck
How do I pay for the walk?
Payment needs to be made via our website at the time of booking. We require 24 hours notice to ensure we can provide a guide and meal to suit your needs, but please get in touch in any situation and we will include you wherever possible.

domain: travel


text:
Christmas is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than by going to see a light show with your family and friends this season? Some of these displays are set up for the entire Christmas season, while others have set times and showings. A few locations even offer lodging, food, drink, and souvenirs while others simply allow you to drive through a magical display for a small fee. Regardless of the show length, or how far you have to travel across the state to witness the display, this activity can be the perfect way kick off of the season for all ages.
Here is what Travel and Leisure had to say about the best Christmas light display in the entire state:
"When you're on the water, it doesn't get any better than a boat parade of lights. And these Southern California boat — or, let's be real, yacht — Christmas light displays are pretty exceptional. The Dana Point Harbor Boat Parade of Lights is a Southern California tradition where you're in for a treat, with boats showing off their best holiday decorations, Christmas-themed photo-opts, visits from Santa, and a slew of impressive installations like the "Merry Kiss Me" arch and the giant whale sculpture (in Dana Point). Nearby, the King Harbor Holiday Boat Parade in Redondo Beach is another family-friendly favorite, and the best views can be seen from around King Harbor, in the former Moonstone Park and Mole B areas, but not from the pier."
For more of the best Christmas light displays across the country visit travelandleisure.com.

domain: geography


This dwarf shrub makes a low, spreading dome of foliage. The leaves are brilliant in spring, a bronzed-gold with rich reddish-orange tints, turning yellow for summer, but still retaining ruddy-orange tints. It also produces clusters of rich pink flowers in summer.
Enjoys full sun in well-drained soil.
Photo taken in Summer to show flowering.
This is said to be a very vigorous form. It has dark green leaves that have pointed tips and which are densely held. The plant flowers from mid spring when it produces many pendulous clusters of cream-coloured pinwheel flowers with yellow suffusion at the petal base and tiny orange pin-eyes. The flowers often have wavy-petals that appear to dance as they dangle and which emit a delicious fragrance. This makes a wonderful background shrub for a warm wall with shade from hot sun as the flowers can easily be damaged. Note: These are plants for warm sheltered positions away from cold winds.
Eventual height and spread 9x6m