Subdeacon Joe

When I was there we had Big Bertha, a large downdraft kiln, that was used mainly for bisque firing and had a roll in, roll out rack and Little Bertha which was about a 24 cubic foot downdraft for glaze firing up to Cone 10. Then a small downdraft that was designated as a salt kiln. An Olson 36 and an Olson 24 updraft kilns that were used mainly for glaze firing. There were 5 or 6 electrics that were used for lowfire and ceramic sculpture ware.

I saw a video a couple of days ago of about two minutes of golf ball sized hail in Australia. You guys can't seem to catch a break.

It depends on the type of brick he used. If you use a soft insulating fire brick, no problem. In college (then it was Palomar Junior College) I took some pottery classes and had a job as an assistant in that department. Two of the kilns didn't have a swinging door, we just bricked it up. Had to have a spyhole to look at the cones or to draw out rings when we did a salt fire. Used a soft brick to plug it (unless it was a salt fire) and it would be glowing yellow on the inside end but you could hold the outside without a glove.

That was when there was still some grace and elegance to the Hollywood big-shots. Men in at least a decent suit if not a tuxedo. Women in gowns that were gowns and not some bits of fabric designed to show off as much as possible without impeding traffic or scaring the horses. Awards were announced, actors came up, thanked everyone, and walked off. They didn't try to make it into a platform for social engineering.

Now that you mention it, I would have to say, "NOPE!"

O God of spirits and of all flesh, Who hast trampled down death and overthrown the Devil, and given life to Thy world, do Thou, the same Lord, give rest to the soul of Thy departed servant in a place of brightness, a place of refreshment, a place of repose, where all sickness, sighing, and sorrow have fled away. Pardon every transgression which she has committed, whether by word or deed or thought. For Thou art a good God and lovest mankind; because there is no man who lives yet does not sin, for Thou only art without sin, Thy righteousness is to all eternity, and Thy word is truth. For Thou are the Resurrection, the Life, and the Repose of Thy servants who have fallen asleep, O Christ our God, and unto Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Father, who is from everlasting, and Thine all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever unto ages of ages. Amen May He Who arose from the dead, Christ our true God, through the prayers of His all-pure Mother; of the holy, glorious and all laudable Apostles; of our holy and God-bearing Fathers; and of all the saints; establish the soul of His servant who has been taken from us, in the mansion of the righteous; give her rest in Abraham’s bosom, and number her among the just; and have mercy on us, forasmuch as He is good and loves mankind. Grant rest eternal in blessed repose, O Lord, to Thy servant who has fallen asleep, and make her memory to be eternal!

Nope. Haven't for decades. Just as I don't really pay any attention to reviews by professionals. Other than, maybe to find out if they panned a movie I was thinking about seeing. If they gave it a bad review it's likely a good movies. If they laud it to the skies it is likely garbage.

Dang! Being a rough year!

Defending the Heritage February 8, 2013 at 5:52 AM · "My Captain shouted for us to 'fix bayonets!'....I told him that mine 'Wasn't broken'; Then the 1st Sgt said that I was 'special'...; and that's why I'm on picket duty...again..." Unknown Confederate soldier

Even if it is a photoshop job, it still creates the illusion at first glance that the ear is a snout.

Edge of the collar?

That's for an octagonal hole.

Four boys who went missing for more than a day during a blizzard in rural Alaska were found alive on Monday, and were resourceful when it came to protecting the youngest and most vulnerable to the elements. The children, who range in age from 2 to 14, were found about 20 miles outside the village of Nunam Iqua, on Alaska's west coast, a representative with Emmonak Search and Rescue told CNN by phone Monday night. "The kids are doing fine," the representative said. "I talked to the grandpa. They were cold and hungry." The boys reportedly huddled around the youngest boy. They dug a foot-deep hole in the snow and huddled themselves inside and positioned themselves in a way so that the 2-year-old wouldn't be as exposed, according to Alaska Public Media. “They were protecting the baby,” rescuer Herschel Sundown told the news outlet. When asked how the children got so far from their village during the blizzard, the official noted, "In winter time our storms are very bad. Sense of direction is not to be played with." Alaska State Troopers received a report Sunday at 6:25 p.m. local time that the children hadn't returned from a snow-machine ride near the remote, rural village of Nunam Iqua. Officials were called after the boys were more than five hours late in returning home. "At least three were appropriately dressed for the weather," said state patrol spokesperson Megan Peters at the time of the search. "There's concern for their safety." There were winter storm warnings in effect throughout the region at the time state troopers were alerted, CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said. The National Weather Service warned of wind gusts as high as 60 mph, and wind chills as low as 45 below zero, which can "cause frostbite in as little as 10 minutes to exposed skin," the NWS said in its Sunday afternoon advisory. The four children were identified as Christopher Johnson, 14, Frank Johnson, 8, Ethan Camille, 7, and Trey Camille, 2. Army National Guard and USCG helicopters were called in Sunday to assist, but blizzard conditions hampered visibility. Nunam Iqua has an estimated population of about 200 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

By the way, Thanks for the update, Bob. I know it can't have been easy for you.

I suspect that the Captain has done that once or twice before.