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This week we have a special guest with the Rangeley fly guy stop by for some awesome fishing talk, all about stripers, browns, brook trout, redfish and everything in between. super fun having Aaron join us for the evening. enjoy the marathon episode and get ready because the stripers are here!
Organising a literary festival is no mean feat. You've got to book the right guests, organise plenty of activities, and find somewhere to host it.Vicky and Charles Rangeley-Wilson joined the podcast this week to talk about exactly that, ahead of the upcoming Literature and Landscape Festival in Norfolk. With a star-studded lineup, there was plenty to talk about. Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleFrom discussions on the future of farming and the environment, to getting children to count insects in rivers, it turns out the literary festival isn't just boring old men reading from their novels. Thank goodness for that.The Literature and Landscape Festival takes place in Wells-next-the-Sea, from October 4-6. Tickets can be found hereEpisode creditsHost: James FisherGuests: Vicky and Charles Rangeley-WilsonEditor and Producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Bex got chatting to the amazing Iona Rangeley chatting about the third installment in the Einstein The Penguin series - The Case of the Polar Poachers, Imogen springs into action as penguins start to go missing from the wild. Could old adversaries be behind the random disappearances? With the help of their old friend, Einstein, it's time for Imogen and Arthur to turn detective again! Remember to tune in to Bex on the Book Worms Podcast every other Wednesday via the Fun Kids AppSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In recent decades, Americans have purchased second homes at unprecedented rates. In Privileging Place: How Second Homeowners Transform Communities and Themselves (Princeton UP, 2024), Meaghan Stiman examines the experiences of predominantly upper-middle-class suburbanites who bought second homes in the city or the country. Drawing on interviews with more than sixty owners of second homes and ethnographic data collected over the course of two years in Rangeley, Maine, and Boston, Massachusetts, Stiman uncovers the motivations of these homeowners and analyzes the local consequences of their actions. By doing so, she traces the contours of privilege across communities in the twenty-first century. Stiman argues that, for the upper-middle-class residents of suburbia who bought urban or rural second homes, the purchase functioned as a way to balance a desire for access to material resources in suburban communities with a longing for a more meaningful connection to place in the city or the country. The tension between these two contradictory aims explains why homeowners bought second homes, how they engaged with the communities around them, and why they ultimately remained in their suburban hometowns. The second home is a place-identity project—a way to gain a sense of place identity they don't find in their hometowns while still holding on to hometown resources. Stiman's account offers a cautionary tale of the layers of privilege within and across geographies in the twenty-first century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
In recent decades, Americans have purchased second homes at unprecedented rates. In Privileging Place: How Second Homeowners Transform Communities and Themselves (Princeton UP, 2024), Meaghan Stiman examines the experiences of predominantly upper-middle-class suburbanites who bought second homes in the city or the country. Drawing on interviews with more than sixty owners of second homes and ethnographic data collected over the course of two years in Rangeley, Maine, and Boston, Massachusetts, Stiman uncovers the motivations of these homeowners and analyzes the local consequences of their actions. By doing so, she traces the contours of privilege across communities in the twenty-first century. Stiman argues that, for the upper-middle-class residents of suburbia who bought urban or rural second homes, the purchase functioned as a way to balance a desire for access to material resources in suburban communities with a longing for a more meaningful connection to place in the city or the country. The tension between these two contradictory aims explains why homeowners bought second homes, how they engaged with the communities around them, and why they ultimately remained in their suburban hometowns. The second home is a place-identity project—a way to gain a sense of place identity they don't find in their hometowns while still holding on to hometown resources. Stiman's account offers a cautionary tale of the layers of privilege within and across geographies in the twenty-first century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology
In recent decades, Americans have purchased second homes at unprecedented rates. In Privileging Place: How Second Homeowners Transform Communities and Themselves (Princeton UP, 2024), Meaghan Stiman examines the experiences of predominantly upper-middle-class suburbanites who bought second homes in the city or the country. Drawing on interviews with more than sixty owners of second homes and ethnographic data collected over the course of two years in Rangeley, Maine, and Boston, Massachusetts, Stiman uncovers the motivations of these homeowners and analyzes the local consequences of their actions. By doing so, she traces the contours of privilege across communities in the twenty-first century. Stiman argues that, for the upper-middle-class residents of suburbia who bought urban or rural second homes, the purchase functioned as a way to balance a desire for access to material resources in suburban communities with a longing for a more meaningful connection to place in the city or the country. The tension between these two contradictory aims explains why homeowners bought second homes, how they engaged with the communities around them, and why they ultimately remained in their suburban hometowns. The second home is a place-identity project—a way to gain a sense of place identity they don't find in their hometowns while still holding on to hometown resources. Stiman's account offers a cautionary tale of the layers of privilege within and across geographies in the twenty-first century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies
In recent decades, Americans have purchased second homes at unprecedented rates. In Privileging Place: How Second Homeowners Transform Communities and Themselves (Princeton UP, 2024), Meaghan Stiman examines the experiences of predominantly upper-middle-class suburbanites who bought second homes in the city or the country. Drawing on interviews with more than sixty owners of second homes and ethnographic data collected over the course of two years in Rangeley, Maine, and Boston, Massachusetts, Stiman uncovers the motivations of these homeowners and analyzes the local consequences of their actions. By doing so, she traces the contours of privilege across communities in the twenty-first century. Stiman argues that, for the upper-middle-class residents of suburbia who bought urban or rural second homes, the purchase functioned as a way to balance a desire for access to material resources in suburban communities with a longing for a more meaningful connection to place in the city or the country. The tension between these two contradictory aims explains why homeowners bought second homes, how they engaged with the communities around them, and why they ultimately remained in their suburban hometowns. The second home is a place-identity project—a way to gain a sense of place identity they don't find in their hometowns while still holding on to hometown resources. Stiman's account offers a cautionary tale of the layers of privilege within and across geographies in the twenty-first century.
In recent decades, Americans have purchased second homes at unprecedented rates. In Privileging Place: How Second Homeowners Transform Communities and Themselves (Princeton UP, 2024), Meaghan Stiman examines the experiences of predominantly upper-middle-class suburbanites who bought second homes in the city or the country. Drawing on interviews with more than sixty owners of second homes and ethnographic data collected over the course of two years in Rangeley, Maine, and Boston, Massachusetts, Stiman uncovers the motivations of these homeowners and analyzes the local consequences of their actions. By doing so, she traces the contours of privilege across communities in the twenty-first century. Stiman argues that, for the upper-middle-class residents of suburbia who bought urban or rural second homes, the purchase functioned as a way to balance a desire for access to material resources in suburban communities with a longing for a more meaningful connection to place in the city or the country. The tension between these two contradictory aims explains why homeowners bought second homes, how they engaged with the communities around them, and why they ultimately remained in their suburban hometowns. The second home is a place-identity project—a way to gain a sense of place identity they don't find in their hometowns while still holding on to hometown resources. Stiman's account offers a cautionary tale of the layers of privilege within and across geographies in the twenty-first century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/geography
In recent decades, Americans have purchased second homes at unprecedented rates. In Privileging Place: How Second Homeowners Transform Communities and Themselves (Princeton UP, 2024), Meaghan Stiman examines the experiences of predominantly upper-middle-class suburbanites who bought second homes in the city or the country. Drawing on interviews with more than sixty owners of second homes and ethnographic data collected over the course of two years in Rangeley, Maine, and Boston, Massachusetts, Stiman uncovers the motivations of these homeowners and analyzes the local consequences of their actions. By doing so, she traces the contours of privilege across communities in the twenty-first century. Stiman argues that, for the upper-middle-class residents of suburbia who bought urban or rural second homes, the purchase functioned as a way to balance a desire for access to material resources in suburban communities with a longing for a more meaningful connection to place in the city or the country. The tension between these two contradictory aims explains why homeowners bought second homes, how they engaged with the communities around them, and why they ultimately remained in their suburban hometowns. The second home is a place-identity project—a way to gain a sense of place identity they don't find in their hometowns while still holding on to hometown resources. Stiman's account offers a cautionary tale of the layers of privilege within and across geographies in the twenty-first century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to the latest episode of Book Worms! To kick things off Bex chatted to Jennifer Bell about Magicalia: Race of Wonders. A spectacular new fantasy series inspired by astronomy, science and Pokémon – think mysterious riddles, ancient meteorites, magical gadgets, curious science and child heroes who won't take no for an answer! She was then by joined by Iona Rangeley chatting the third installment in the Einstein The Penguin series - The Case of the Polar Poachers - Imogen springs into action as penguins start to go missing from the wild. Could old adversaries be behind the random disappearances? With the help of their old friend, Einstein, it's time for Imogen and Arthur to turn detective again!The third and final guest on this week's episode was Liz Kessler with her latest release Code Name Kingfisher where Liv finds a secret box from her grandmother's childhood she uncovers an extraordinary war-time story of bravery, betrayal and daring defiance. A story that will change Liv and her family forever.That's all on this week's episode of Fun Kids Book WormsJoin Fun Kids Podcasts+: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Best and Worst places to live in Maine Depending on who YOU are Take our Maine personality test! At the end, we'll give you some pointers on deciding where is best for you. Southern Maine: Portland: The largest city in Maine, Portland boasts a vibrant arts scene, diverse dining options, and a bustling waterfront. It's perfect for those who love urban amenities and cultural attractions, with plenty of festivals, music venues, and galleries to explore. Scarborough: Known for its natural beauty, Scarborough offers stunning beaches and the famous Scarborough Marsh, the largest saltwater marsh in Maine. Ideal for outdoor enthusiasts and bird watchers. Cape Elizabeth: A picturesque town where I live, Cape Elizabeth is known for its beautiful lighthouses, scenic coastal views, and tranquil beaches. It provides a quiet, suburban feel while still being close to Portland. Midcoast Maine: Brunswick: Home to Bowdoin College, Brunswick is a lively town with a rich history. It features charming downtown areas with boutique shops, excellent restaurants, and a vibrant arts community. Bath: Known as the "City of Ships," Bath has a long history of shipbuilding. It offers a quaint downtown area with historic homes, unique shops, and a strong sense of community. Rockland: A fantastic coastal town, Rockland is famous for its lobster festival and as a hub for the arts. It's home to the Farnsworth Art Museum and numerous galleries, making it perfect for art lovers. Downeast Maine: Bar Harbor (BAH HABAH): Situated near Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Hiking, kayaking, and whale watching are just a few activities you can enjoy here, along with stunning ocean views. Ellsworth: A gateway to Downeast Maine, Ellsworth offers a mix of historic charm and modern amenities. It's a great base for exploring nearby Acadia National Park and the surrounding natural beauty. Machias: Known for its wild blueberries and rugged coastline, Machias is perfect for those who love outdoor adventures and a slower pace of life. The lobstering industry is also a significant part of the local economy. Western Maine: Bethel: A charming town known for its ski resorts and outdoor activities. Bethel is great for those who enjoy skiing, hiking, and a friendly, small-town atmosphere. Rangeley: Famous for its lakes and outdoor recreation, Rangeley is a paradise for fishing, boating, and snowmobiling. It's perfect for nature lovers and those seeking a peaceful retreat. Farmington: Home to the University of Maine at Farmington, this town offers a mix of academic energy and rural charm. It's a great place for families and those who appreciate a close-knit community. Northern Maine: Aroostook County: Known for its vast potato farms and beautiful landscapes, Aroostook County offers a rural lifestyle with plenty of outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and hunting. It's a great place for those who love the outdoors and a slower pace of life. Presque Isle: A key town in Aroostook County, Presque Isle offers a blend of small-town charm and modern amenities. It's home to the University of Maine at Presque Isle and the Northern Maine Fair. Fort Kent: Close to the Canadian border, Fort Kent is known for its Franco-American heritage and outdoor activities. It's a fantastic place for those who enjoy a tight-knit community and winter sports like cross-country skiing. Factors to Consider: When choosing where to live in Maine, consider factors like cost of living, which can vary significantly from urban areas to rural regions. Employment opportunities are more abundant in larger towns and cities, while school districts and healthcare access can be crucial for families. Finally, think about the community vibes—whether you prefer the hustle and bustle of city life or the peace and quiet of a rural setting. Don't forget to Like and Subscribe! Your support helps us out a lot, and who knows, maybe you'll get a good laugh too!
The Liar's Club: Fishing Expertise, Pro Angler Advice, and New England Fishing News
Fly fishing at Grant's Kennebago Camps in Rangeley, Maine with John Williams and John Blunt!!
we go over the catskills and rangeley area fishing areas and some lessons learned, a scott rod was sacrificed and hopefully soon put back in one piece lol. hope you guys have been getting out on the water and wet a line. be a friend and tell a friend! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/garrett-hutchins/message
Welcome back to a fan favorite guest Mr. Aaron Broaddus, som great fishing talk, getting ready for the year tips and tricks, some other general fishing information and knot tying, alot of chatting about how TU is helping out IFW and the progress hopefully to be made in the western maine area.a good podcast to get you ready to get out this year fishing if you havent already gotten out! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/garrett-hutchins/message
The Liar's Club: Fishing Expertise, Pro Angler Advice, and New England Fishing News
Maine Outdoor Adventure update with John Williams and Mallory Newton owner of 201 Power Sports talking about "The King of The Mountain Hill Climb" at Saddleback Mountain in Rangeley and 201 Power Sports BIG sale...50% of equipment and clothing!!!!!
An Austrian doctor, once part of Sigmund Freud's inner circle, fled Nazi Germany to America, where he set up a secluded laboratory in Rangeley, Maine. There, he conducted experiments and researched sexual energy or "orgone energy". His publications were deemed so dangerous that the government issued a nationwide ban on all of his works and imprisoned the doctor. Find out why... Plus Don't Miss this week's Top 3 Power Ranking!!!See Visual Aids from today's show when you sign up for the True Crime Feed Newsletter!If you enjoyed today's show, please leave a rating & review:Apple Podcasts: True Crime Feed-Spotify: True Crime Feed-Website: thetruecrimefeed.com-Email: angela@thetruecrimefeed.com-Facebook Discussion Group-Twitter: @TrueCrimeFeedX-Instagram: @TheTrueCrimeFeedAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
The Liar's Club: Fishing Expertise, Pro Angler Advice, and New England Fishing News
Join John Williams and John Blunt owner of Grant's Kennebago Camps in Rangeley, Maine, talking about hunting, fishing and equipment care!!
This past Saturday, October 7, 2023, I was the DJ for the wedding of Abbey & Brendan at The Mountain Star Estate in Rangeley, Maine!! We managed to have the ceremony outdoors despite a steady rain and wind. The reception was a blast, featuring all genres of music! Thanks to Sharon, Kim Chapman Dionne and to the florist and cake maker!!!
Susie's up in Rangeley, Maine with stories of another non conventional weekend! Follow us on Instagram @diariesofaweddingsinger -- @mixologyband -- @susiestaubs -- @bullcitysyndicate Write in your favorite wedding stories at diariesofaweddingsinger@gmail.com
This weeks episode was on a weather delay, lack of electrons prevented us from recording Wednesday night! but you wanna hear this one, a two day trip with Aaron Broaddus of Headin North Guides Service out of Rangeley, it was amazing time, great fishing, awesome time all around. was an eventful trip that you have to listen to appreciate! Thanks for listening be a friend and tell a friend.! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/garrett-hutchins/message
This podcast hit paid subscribers' inboxes on April 2. It dropped for free subscribers on April 5. To receive future pods as soon as they're live, and to support independent ski journalism, please consider an upgrade to a paid subscription. You can also subscribe for free below:WhoJim Quimby, General Manager of Saddleback, MaineRecorded onMarch 6, 2023About SaddlebackClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Arctaris InvestmentsLocated in: Rangeley, MaineYear founded: 1960Pass affiliations: Indy PassReciprocal partners: NoneClosest neighboring ski areas: Sugarloaf (52 minutes), Titcomb (1 hour), Black Mountain of Maine (1 hour, 9 minutes), Spruce Mountain (1 hour, 22 minutes), Baker Mountain (1 hour, 33 minutes), Mt. Abram (1 hour, 36 minutes), Sunday River (1 hour, 41 minutes)Base elevation: 2,120 feetSummit elevation: 4,120 feetVertical drop: 2,000 feetSkiable Acres: 600+Average annual snowfall: 225 inchesTrail count: 68 (23 beginner, 20 intermediate, 18 advanced, 7 expert) + 2 terrain parksLift count: 6 (1 high-speed quad, 3 fixed-grip quads, 1 T-bar, 1 carpet)Why I interviewed himThe best article I've ever read on Saddleback came from Bill Donahue, writing for Outside, with the unfortunate dateline of March 9, 2020. That was a few days before the planet shut down to prevent the spread of Covid-19, and just after Arctaris had purchased Saddleback and promised to tug the ski area out of its five-year slumber. Donahue included a long section on Quimby:But to really register the new hope that's blossomed in Rangeley, I needed to drive up the winding hill to Saddleback's lodge and talk to Jimmy Quimby. Fifty-nine years old and weathered, his chin specked with salt-and-pepper stubble, Quimby is the scion of a Saddleback pillar. His father, Doc, poured concrete to build the towers for one of Saddleback's first lifts in 1963 and later built trails and made snow for the mountain. His mother, Judy, worked in the ski area's cafeteria for about 15 years. “We were so poor,” Quimby told me, “that we didn't have a pot to piss in, but I skied every weekend.” Indeed, as a high schooler, Quimby took part in every form of alpine ski competition available—on a single pair of skis. His 163-centimeter Dynastar Easy Riders were both his ballet boards and his giant-slalom guns. They also transported him to mischief. In his teenage years, Quimby was part of a nefarious Saddleback gang, the Rat Pack. “We terrorized the skiing public,” he said. “We built jumps. We skied fast. We made the T-bar swerve so people fell off.”Just days after his 18th birthday, Quimby left Maine to serve 20 years in the Air Force as an electrical-line repairman and managed, somehow, to spend a good chunk of time near Japan's storied Hakkoda Ski Resort, where he routinely hucked himself off 35-foot cornices while schussing in blue jeans. When he returned to Maine in 1998, he commenced working at Saddleback and honed such a love for the mountain that, when it closed in 2015, his heart broke. He simply refused to ski after that. “I decided,” he said, “that I just wouldn't ski anywhere else.” Friends in the industry offered him free tickets at nearby mountains; Quimby demurred and hunkered down at Saddleback, where he remained mountain manager. The Berrys paid him to watch over the nonfunctioning trails and lifts during the long closure. “I'm a prideful person,” he explained. “OK, I did do a little skiing with my grandchildren, but they're preschoolers. I haven't made an adult turn since Saddleback closed.”Quimby is now working for Arctaris, which owns Saddleback Inc., but that's a technicality. His mission is spiritual, and when I met him in his office, I found that I had stepped into a shrine, a jam-packed Saddleback museum. There were lapel pins, patches, bumper stickers, posters, and also a wooden ski signed in 1960 by about 35 of Saddleback's progenitors. Quimby's prize possession, though, is a brass belt buckle he bought in the Saddleback rental shop in the 1970s. “I used to wear it every day,” he told me, “but when Saddleback closed, I put it on a dresser and never wore it again.”Quimby stood up from the desk now, to reveal that he was wearing the buckle once more. In capitalized brass letters, it read “SKI.” His eyes were glassy with emotion.“We're going to do this,” he said quietly, speaking of Saddleback's resurrection. “We're going to make this happen.”They did make this happen. One feature of improbable feats is that they are often taken for granted once achieved. The number of people who confessed doubts to me privately about the viability of Saddleback is significant. It won't work because… it's too remote, there are not enough skier visits to spread around Maine, there are too many bodies buried on the property, the previous owners emptied the GDP of a small country onto the property and it still failed. All fair arguments, but for every built thing there are reasons it should have failed. The great advantage of humans over other animals is our ability to solve the unsolvable. I push a button on my phone and a person 5,000 miles away sees a note from me in an instant. That would have been dubbed magic for 100,000 years and now it is a fact of daily existence. Humans can do amazing things. And the humans who dug Saddleback out of the grave did an amazing thing, and it's a story I just can't get enough of.What we talked aboutSaddleback's strong 2022-23 ski season; the Casablanca Glades; the ski area in the sixties; “Saddleback was my babysitter”; Rangeley reminisces; when the U.S. Air Force stations a ski bum in Northern Japan; the Donald Breen era of Saddleback and a long battle with the Forest Service; Saddleback's relationship with the Forest Service today; the Berry family arrives; an investment spree; why Saddleback closed in 2015; why the Berrys replaced the Kennebago T-bar with a quad and whether they should have upgraded the Rangeley lift first; Quimby's reaction when Saddleback closed; how Quimby kept Saddleback from falling apart during his five years as caretaker of a lost ski area; why Arctaris finally revitalized the ski area after so many other potential buyers had faded; the most important man at Saddleback; the blessing and the curse of rebuilding a ski area in the pandemic year of 2020; how close Saddleback came to upgrading Rangeley to a fixed-grip, rather than a detachable, quad; how much that lift transformed the ski area; the legacy of Andy Shepard, the former general manager who oversaw the ski area's comeback; Saddleback the business in year three of its comeback; surveying Saddleback's ultra-new lift fleet; why Saddleback replaced the 900-year-old Cupsuptic T-bar with a brand-new T-bar; why the ski area chose Partek to build the new Sandy quad and how successful that lift has been; the story behind the old Saddleback trailmaps with theoretical lifts scribbled all over them (yes, this one):… whether Saddleback will expand terrain any time soon; the ski area's next likely chairlift; the potential for a hotel; the mountain's masterplan; how important the Indy Pass has been to Saddleback's comeback; and Indy blackouts and whether they will continue.Why I thought that now was a good time for this interviewWith lift towers rising up the mountainside and hammers clanging through the valleys and autumn frosts biting the New England hills, Andy Shepard hacked out an hour for me in October 2020 to discuss the previous six months at Saddleback. He itemized the tasks that Saddleback's crews had achieved in the maw of Covid. An incomprehensible list. Rebuild everything. Clean everything. Hire an army. Demolish and build a chairlift. Stand up a website and an e-commerce platform. All in the midst of the most confusing and contentious time in modern American history. The mission was awesome, and so was the story behind it:Congratulations, you did it. But the second that new detachable quad started spinning in December 2020, Saddleback became just another New England ski area, just another choice for skiers who already have dozens. So now what? What of all those old masterplans showing terrain expansions and lifts extending halfway to Canada? When can we get more places to stay on the hill? Can we get snowmaking on the trail back to the condos finally?Two and a half years later, it was time for a check-in. To see how Shepard and Quimby and the crew had quietly transformed what was long a backwater bump into one of the most modern ski areas in the country. To see how the Indy Pass – which hadn't existed when Saddleback went into its shell – had turbocharged the mountain's comeback tour. And to see, indeed, what is next for this New England gem.What I got wrongI wasn't wrong on this so much as late to publish: Quimby and I discussed season passes at the end of the podcast. At the time, details on the 2023-24 pass suite had not yet been released, and we talked a bit about where pricing would land. These details have long gone public, but I kept the section intact because Quimby details why the ski area was compelled to raise rates from previous seasons (the increase ended up being modest in the context of ongoing inflation, from $699 this season to $799 for next).Also there's a reference in our conversation to Sandy being a detachable quad, but the 227-vertical-foot quad is in fact a fixed-grip lift.Why you should ski SaddlebackMan is this place big. Two broad ridges staggered and stacked and parallel, with dozens of ways down each. Glades all over. Amazing fall line skiing. Lift lines? Not many. Maybe on Rangeley, maybe on big days. But mostly, the place is a glorious wide-open banger, stuffed into a north country snow pocket that most always stands above New England's notorious rain-snow line as storms roll through.“Yes but is it worth the drive?” asks Overthinks Everything Bro. Yes it's worth the drive. “But I have to pass 19 other big ski areas to get there.” So? If a genie erupts out of my next can of Bang Energy Drink, my first wish will be to eliminate this brand of thinking from existence. Passing other ski areas to ski Saddleback is not like passing a McDonald's at exit 100 to eat at a McDonald's at exit 329, more than 200 miles down the road. You're passing a number of distinct and unique ski areas to experience another distinct and unique ski area. A Saddleback run will imprint on your experience in a way that your 400th day at Waterville Valley will not.Not all of us, I realize, are so driven by novelty and the unknown. To many of you, turns are turns. Yee-haw. But I'm not suggesting you drive four hours out of your way to lap a town ropetow. This is a serious mountain, with terrain that has few peers in New England. It is special, and it is most definitely worth it.Podcast NotesOn the ski area's battle with the National Park ServiceQuimby and I had a long discussion on Saddleback's 15-plus-year war with the National Park Service over former owner Donald Breen's expansion plans. While Saddleback sits on private land, the Appalachian Trail runs over the mountain's summit, giving the government a say in any development that may impact the trail. As with most things New England, New England Ski History provides a comprehensive synopsis of what amounts to Saddleback's lost generation:With Saddleback finally financially stable and controlling 12,000 acres of land, Breen sought to tap into its vast potential in the mid 1980s. In 1984, Breen told Ski magazine, "Saddleback has the potential to be one of the largest resorts in this part of the country" and could become "the Vail of the East."While a massive development was possible, including above treeline skiing as well as a bowl on the back side of the mountain, initial plans were made for a phased $36 million expansion "opening up the entire bowl where the ski area sits with three more lifts and numerous trails."Working to gain approvals, Saddleback offered to donate a 200-foot easement to the National Park Service for the Appalachian Trail while retaining the ability to have skiers and equipment cross the corridor if needed. Countering the ski area's plans, the National Park Service recommended taking 3,000 acres of Saddleback's land. As a result, instead of investing in the mountain, Breen was forced to spend large sums of money to defend his property from eminent domain.Attempting to break the impasse in the early 1990s, Saddleback offered to pare back expansion plans and sell 2,000 acres to the National Park Service. The National Park Service responded with an offer for one sixth of the amount Saddleback wanted from the property.By the mid 1990s, Saddleback was offering to donate 300 acres of land to the National Park Service, while retaining the right to cross the Appalachian Trail with connector ski trails. The National Park Service once again refused, sticking with its eminent domain plan. Later Congressional testimony revealed that the Breen family was forced to negotiate with and give concessions to the Appalachian Trail Conference, only to have the agreements retracted by the National Park Service. In addition, the National Park Service would refuse to turn over documents relating to its involvement with other ski areas, or to put parameters of potential agreements in writing.After having spent a decade and a half of his life trying to work with the Forest Service, Donald Breen took a step back from negotiations in 1997, handing the reins over to his daughter Kitty. The Maine Congressional Delegation was brought in to attempt to get the National Park Service to negotiate.At Senator Olympia Snowe's urging, Saddleback offered to sell the bowl on the back side of the mountain to the Park Service in exchange for being able to develop its Horn Bowl area. The National Park Service rejected the offer, insisting the expansion was not viable, that the ski area could sustain increased skier visits on its existing footprint, and that Saddleback's undeveloped land had little financial value.Negotiations continued into 2000, at which point Saddleback had increased its donation offer to 660 acres, while the National Park Service still wanted to take 893 acres by eminent domain. Five proposals were put on the table while the National Park Service threatened to turn the matter over to the Department of Justice for condemnation. Finally, on November 2, 2000, the National Park Service and Saddleback reached a deal in which the Breens donated 570 acres along the Appalachian Trail corridor, while selling the 600 acre back bowl for $4 million. While the deal meant Breen could move forward with his development of the resort, the long battle with the government had consumed millions of dollars and nearly two decades of his life. Now in his 70s, Breen was ready to retire. In 2001, the massive resort property was put on the market for $12 million.To understand just how deeply this conflict stalled the ski area's potential evolution, consider this: when Breen and the Forest Service squared off in 1984, Sunday River, less than two hours away and closer to pretty much everyone, looked like this:And Saddleback looked like this:While both had just five lifts – Sunday River sported a triple, two doubles, and two T-bars; Saddleback had two doubles and three T-bars – Saddleback was the larger of the two, with a more interesting and complex trail network. But while Breen fought the Forest Service, his mountain stood still. Meanwhile, Les Otten went ballistic at Sunday River, stringing terrain pods for miles in each direction. By 2001, when Breen sold, Sunday River looked like this:While Saddleback had languished:Whatever market share Saddleback could have earned during New England's Great Ski Area Modernization – which more or less exactly coincided with his Forest Service fight from 1984 to 2001 – was lost to Sunday River and Sugarloaf, both of which spent that era building rather than fighting.And yes, I also thought, “well what did Sugarloaf look like in 1984 and 2001?” So here you go:On the Berry familyBreen sold Saddleback in 2001 to the Berry family, who absolutely mainlined cash into the joint. Over the next decade, the family replaced the upper (Kennebago) and lower (Buggy) T-bars with fixed-grip quads, and substantially blew out the trail and glade network. Check the place in 2014:But two big problems remained. First, that double chair marked “C” on the map above is the Rangeley lift, the alpha chair out of the base. It was a 1963 Mueller that could move all of 900 skiers per hour. And while skiers could have ridden Sandy to the Cupsuptic T-bar (if both were running), to the Pass trail to access the Kennebago quad and the upper mountain, that's not how most people think. They want to go straight to the top. So they'd wait.Which leads to the second problem. Queueing up for a double chair that was pulled off of Noah's Ark when you could be skiing onto high-speed (or at least modern) lifts just down the road at Sunday River or Sugarloaf is frustrating. Lines to board the lift could reportedly stretch to an hour on weekends. Facing such gridlock and frustration, most casual skiers who stumbled onto the place probably thought some version of, “This is cute, but next weekend, I'm going to Sunday River.”And they did. If the Berrys could have upgraded Rangeley, the whole project may have worked. But financing fell through, as Quimby details in the podcast, and the ski area closed shortly after. But to underscore just how crucial the Rangeley lift is to Saddleback's viability as a modern resort, Arctaris, the current owners, reportedly paid more to replace the chairlift ($7 million), than they did for the ski area itself ($6.5 million).On potential buyers between the Berrys and ArctarisQuimby notes that a parade of suitors tromped through Saddleback between 2015, when the ski area closed, and 2020, when it finally re-opened. The most significant of these was Australia-based Majella Group, whose courtship New England Ski History summarizes:On June 28, 2017, the Berry family announced they had reached an agreement to sell Saddleback to the Australia-based Majella Group. Grandiose plans were announced, as Majella declared it would be "turning Saddleback into the premier ski resort in North America." Initial plans called for reopening for the 2017-18 season with a new fixed-grip quad replacing the Rangeley Double and a new Cupsuptic T-Bar. However, despite announcements that "physical work" had started in September and that the company was "committed to opening in some capacity for the 2017-18 ski season," the area remained idle that winter and the sale was not completed.Nearly one year after the original sale announcement, the Majella Group CEO Sebastian Monsour was arrested in Australia for alleged investor fraud, revealing a financial house of cards. The Majella branding was removed from the Saddleback web site that fall and the ski area sat idle during the snowy winter of 2018-19.So things could have been much worse. Had Majella completed the purchase and then fallen apart, Saddleback would likely still be idle, caught in a Jay Peak-esque vortex of court-led asset salvation, but without the benefit of operating revenue.On Mount WashingtonQuimby notes that the weather at Saddleback can be “comparative to Mount Washington and that's no joke.” For those of you unfamiliar with just how ferocious Mount Washington weather can be, here's a synopsis from the Mt. Washington State Park website (emphasis mine):…in winter, sub-zero temperatures, hurricane-force winds, blowing snow and incredible ice claim the peak, creating an arctic outpost in a temperate climate zone. Known as the Home of the World's Worst Weather, Mount Washington's winter conditions rival those of Mount Everest and the Polar regions.The mountain's summit holds the world record for the “highest surface wind speed ever observed by man,” at 231 miles per hour. As I write this, the summit temperature is 4 degrees Fahrenheit, with 62-mile-per-hour winds driving the windchill to 28 degrees below zero. It's April 2. There's surely some hyperbole in Quimby's statement, but the spirit of the declaration is clear: if you go to Saddleback, go prepared.The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year-round. Join us.The Storm publishes year-round, and guarantees 100 articles per year. This is article 30/100 in 2023, and number 416 since launching on Oct. 13, 2019. Want to send feedback? Reply to this email and I will answer (unless you sound insane, or, more likely, I just get busy). You can also email skiing@substack.com. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe
The Liar's Club: Fishing Expertise, Pro Angler Advice, and New England Fishing News
Join John Williams and PJ McSparren director of Marketing with Saddleback for this weeks Outdoor Adventure Update!
Episode Notes We're back! We discuss what we have been listening to while we've been away and Einstein the Penguin by Iona Rangeley as narrated by Miriam Margolyes. When the Stewarts spend a sunny, frosty December day at London Zoo, they're enchanted by one small penguin. At the delight of young Imogen and Arthur, Mrs Stewart insists the penguin “must come and stay with them whenever he likes.” But not one Stewart expects the penguin to turn up at their door that evening, rucksack labelled “Einstein” on his back… The family's new feathered friend helps Arthur to come out of his shell and makes massive demands on Imogen's amateur sleuthing. But together, they must find out why Einstein came to them, and they must keep away from the mysterious white-coat man. And Einstein can't stay forever, can he…? Thanks for listening. If you have any comments or recommendations, email us at audiobookishpod@gmail.com You can sign up for a beginner's martial arts course at Alexandra Park BJJ here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/martials-arts-course-for-beginners-bjj-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-tickets-436132041677 Support Audiobookish by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/audiobookish Find out more at https://audiobookish.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-8a93af for 40% off for 4 months, and support Audiobookish.
Wednesday Nov 23rd - Robert Rangeley Oceana Canada - Federal Fisheries Management Audit by VOCM
Oceana Canada believes that if managed properly, the ocean could sustainably supply the world's population with sustainably harvested wild fish. Ensuring Canada is doing its part is their mandate and the theme of their recent symposium “ Rebuilding Abundance”. Over 140 experts and stakeholders met to discuss Canada's potential, opportunities and needed investments. An invitation and professional Curiosity about how all this might apply to recreational fisheries led to my attending, and a subsequent conversation with Oceana's Science Director Dr. Robert Rangeley. Check out this episode of The Blue Fish Radio Show to hear Dr. Rangeley discuss what we learned and what needs to come next.
Weebo and Greg give out the first ever squirmy awards! Find out who won what in this episode!hot spring cold stream: 3:28Squirmy Awards: 19:40Mail Day - we answer your questions: 1:15:00
Greg sits down with Casting for Recovery at the Maine Fly fishing Summer Showcase!
We talk to Max, the new owner of Rip Dam Sporting camps in the West Branch region and go over the camps, fishing opportunities in the area, and much more! Tune in and check out Rip Dam Sporting Camps! River Report (2:35), Interview with Max owner of Rip Dam Sporting Camps (9:48), Reflection and own experience of the West Branch area (24:04).
Greg sits down with several Fly fishing community members at the Sebago Trout Unlimited event to share the lime light! 2:34 Aaron Broaddus12:18 Tuck O'Brien Chapter president Sebago TU23:55 Joel Soucie —> Founder of illustrious yarry outdoors31:10 Friends of the Presumpscot river 34:11 LeAnne Conway Rod Builder for MFC39:55 Lou Zambello
Weebo and Greg talk about how stocked fish are promoted in Maine.
Weebo and Greg talk about PFAS (Forever chemicals) and how they will impact fisheries in Maine
Friday April 29th - Dr. Robert Rangeley, Oceana Canada - Fish Stocks & Sustainability by VOCM
Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/314 Presented By: LakeLady Custom Rods, Dette Flies, Jackson Hole Fly Company, Trxstle Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Today, we're fly fishing Maine. Bob Romano takes us into the lakes and streams of the Rangeley Lakes Region. He tells us why he has been traveling up to this area for over 40 years. We dig into some of his books, his favorite authors, and talk about his new book, River Flowers - how it came to be and what makes it special. Bob mentions some camps that give access to different streams in Maine and breaks down the seasons there. Plus, we hear about the story of White Nose Pete - a trout who lived a hundred years and had never been caught. Fly Fishing Maine Show Notes with Bob Romano 04:30 - The first fly fishing book that Bob read was a Robert Traver book 04:50 - His first fly rod was a Cortland Fiberglass Rod in the 1960s 07:30 - Taylor Streit was recently on the podcast at WFS 313 08:30 - Bob talks about the writers that he looks up to - David Brodigan, Gary Schneider, Tom McGuane, etc. 10:30 - George Daniel was on the podcast at WFS 055 11:00 - Bob tells the story of when he fished the Rangeley Lakes Region in Maine and there were no other anglers and boats 13:40 - We can't find top fly fishing writers from the Northeast but there's Top 10 Favorite Fly Fishing Writers from a Google article 14:30 - Bob breaks down Maine fishing - it's known for its brook trout fishing, smallmouth, and landlocked salmon 15:00 - Randy Spencer is a fly fishing guide in Maine, a writer, and has written a number of books 16:50 - The Rangeley Lakes Region has the largest brook trout in the United States - they measure them in pounds rather than inches 18:15 - Bob talks about Carrie Stevens streamers - her most famous streamer is the grey ghost 21:51 - Bob talks about what your itinerary would look like when you go to Maine - drive North, then East if you want to go to Grand Lakes stream, way up North is the Moosehead Region Lake, West is the Rangeley Region - they're equally distant from Portland 26:40 - One of the best times to fish the Rangeley is the 2nd and 3rd week of May - you have to fish something with a white wing because it works great and imitates the smelt 29:00 - The Black Ghost fly pattern is one of the most used in the Rangeley Lakes 30:15 - John Shewey was on the podcast at WFS 296 - Bob shares a tip to keep the streamer feather straight, don't use subtle hackle, use Marabou feather 31:00 - From the end of May and the beginning of June, that's when they use dry flies 34:40 - In the Rangeley Lakes Region, you can get those trophy brook trout in the Magalloway River 42:20 - The Hornberg fly pattern aka meat and potato 42:40 - Bob earns a living as an attorney - he lives on 12 acres of land with his wife 44:20 - June is the dry fly season - the 2nd and 3rd week of June is the black fly season. These flies bite and are intense and so is fishing. July is caddis season. Fishing starts to wane in August. Fishing usually ends by the end of September, then starts the hunting season 47:40 - The moose are dying because they're rubbing off their fur when ticks irritate them - they die of the cold in winter 50:30 - Bob gives 2 reasons why fishing in Maine is great 55:20 - Maine is known for its traditional sporting lodges that date back to the 1800s 56:20 - Bosebuck Mountain Camps give access to the Magalloway river systems 56:30 - Grant's Camps gives access to Kennebago river 56:40 - Lakewood Camps is on the Rapid river 58:00 - Brett and Susan Damm runs the Rangeley Region Sports Shop 58:55 - Bob tells a story about a guy named Shang Willer who came up with a fable about a fish called White Nose Pete 1:03:15 - Ray Troll was on the podcast at WFS 299 1:04:45 - Bob has a new book called, River Flowers 1:05:10 - Elmore Leonard is one of Bob's favorite authors - Elmore wrote the story that became a movie, Get Shorty Fly Fishing Maine Conclusion with Bob Romano Bob Romano took us into the lakes and streams of the Rangeley Lakes Region. We found out why he has been traveling up to this area for over 40 years. We dug into some of his books, his favorite authors, and talk about his new book, River Flowers. Bob mentioned some camps that give access to different streams and breaks down the seasons in Maine. We heard about the fable of White Nose Pete. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/314
In this interview, Weebo and Greg interview two of the largest fly fishing meme accounts on the gram! PuristOnTheFly and Farmington river sit down to discuss what the meme business is all about!
I truly believe a more educated angling population can help foster more productive fisheries. In this episode, Weebo and I go over some amazing tips that all anglers could benefit from. We talk about educational topics including safe handling tips, fish ID tips, and hatch times for the most prominent and important insects in New England/Maine. Know somebody just getting into the sport or are only a few years in? Share this podcast with them, it'll greatly help them avoid common mistakes most anglers make, while helping them become better anglers!
Weebo and Greg sit down and react to the Bob Mallard interview!
I sit down with Bob Mallard from Native Fish Coalition to discuss Maine fisheries, native fish, and current ME IFW management practices, including stocking and native fish programs.
Saddleback Mountain is a popular ski resort in Maine, and is vital to the economy of the Rangeley region. When the resort closed in 2015, it was devastating to both skiers who loved the glade friendly mountain and to the region that relied on the resort. After years of will they/wont they, the mountain secured investment and reopened with Andy Shepard at the helm. Andy talks to Mainebiz about the challenges of reopening a resort that had been closed for 5 years, the major investments that had to be made, and what it meant to the Rangeley region to have their mountain back.
Bob Romano is an author and fishing camp owner in the Rangeley Lakes region of Maine. Bob loves to examine why we fish while using the rivers, lakes, and streams of Maine's Great North Woods as his literary canvas. Join us to learn about the places to fish, how to fish them and a bit of history about this historic fishing region.
Frank Vernuccio serves as editor-in-chief of the New York Analysis of Policy & Government (website usagovpolicy.com). He is the co-host of the syndicated radio program, Vernuccio/Novak Report, and is also a contributor to Fox News. His columns appear in many newspapers. After graduating Hofstra Law School, he was a legislative editor for a major publishing company, then served in both Republican and Democrat Administrations. Following the 9/11 attack, he was appointed to run the hard-hit Manhattan branch of the New York State Workers Compensation Board. Morrie Silvert MORRIE SHERRY IS WEARING A DIFFERENT HAT--AS A CLARINET TEACHER HELPING FOLKS GET STARTED IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC...FOLKS FROM 8 TO 88... first, let me tell you a bit about her... ' www.Morriesherry.com VISIT HER WEBSITE Clarinetist Morrie Sherry has dynamically combined a performing and teaching career in the New York metropolitan area. She was called "an artist of superb ability and flawless musicianship" by The Arlington Journal. She is the founder and director of the NoMa NYC Ensemble. She has performed extensively in chamber ensembles, including the St Cecilia Chamber Ensemble and the Metropolitan Soloists in New York City, the Manchester Music Festival in Manchester, Vermont. Currently, she performs with the Lakeview Chamber Players and will perform in their 2022 summer chamber music series in Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, and Rangeley, Maine. EDUCATION/POLITICAL ANALYST: Sandra Mae Lee, is a GOP political analyst, former school teacher and author of the new 2020 election book, Dear Donald: Four More Years!
Frank Vernuccio serves as editor-in-chief of the New York Analysis of Policy & Government (website usagovpolicy.com). He is the co-host of the syndicated radio program, Vernuccio/Novak Report, and is also a contributor to Fox News. His columns appear in many newspapers. After graduating Hofstra Law School, he was a legislative editor for a major publishing company, then served in both Republican and Democrat Administrations. Following the 9/11 attack, he was appointed to run the hard-hit Manhattan branch of the New York State Workers Compensation Board. Morrie Silvert MORRIE SHERRY IS WEARING A DIFFERENT HAT--AS A CLARINET TEACHER HELPING FOLKS GET STARTED IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC...FOLKS FROM 8 TO 88... first, let me tell you a bit about her... ' www.Morriesherry.com VISIT HER WEBSITE Clarinetist Morrie Sherry has dynamically combined a performing and teaching career in the New York metropolitan area. She was called "an artist of superb ability and flawless musicianship" by The Arlington Journal. She is the founder and director of the NoMa NYC Ensemble. She has performed extensively in chamber ensembles, including the St Cecilia Chamber Ensemble and the Metropolitan Soloists in New York City, the Manchester Music Festival in Manchester, Vermont. Currently, she performs with the Lakeview Chamber Players and will perform in their 2022 summer chamber music series in Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, and Rangeley, Maine. EDUCATION/POLITICAL ANALYST: Sandra Mae Lee, is a GOP political analyst, former school teacher and author of the new 2020 election book, Dear Donald: Four More Years!
Chris DeMuth founded Rangeley Capital and focuses on SPAC and Value investing. Trained in event-driven situations, Chris has a history of consulting for funds and bank prop desks in his earlier career. He brings a very impressive and analytical framework to his investing style. These days, and in line with us here at Boardroom Alpha, Chris is also spending a lot of time doing SPAC investing, even joking that at the onset of the idea that you can make speculative investments with a built-in redemption feature as almost too good to be true.Listen in as Chris and David go deep on investing in SPACs and in Value.See the report and learn more at www.boardroomalpha.com
In this episode, I talk with renowned author, Bob Romano, and talk about his newest book, River Flowers. Bob has been a regular in the Rangeley Region for over 40 years, so it was great to talk Rangeley fly fishing with him, as well. Bob has published 6 fantastic fictional fly fishing books and his knowledge of Rangeley fly fishing is second to none. Check out his website here or find his books on Amazon or in local Rangeley shops!
In this episode, Aaron and I discuss media with Andrew Walker of Rangeley Capital Andrew Walker yetanothervalueblog.com Twitter: @AndrewRangeley Aaron Sallen Merion Road Capital Management www.merionroadcapital.com/ Twitter: @aaronjsallen David Kim www.scuttleblurb.com/ Twitter: @scuttleblurb
The Liar's Club: Fishing Expertise, Pro Angler Advice, and New England Fishing News
Join fly fishing guru's John Williams, Scott Stone, Bob Harkins and guest John Blunt, owner of Grant's Kennebago Camps in Rangeley, Maine while they talk fly fishing!!!
The Liar's Club: Fishing Expertise, Pro Angler Advice, and New England Fishing News
From the Willaims Broadcasting Studios join John Williams, Bob Harkins and John Blunt owner of Grant's Kennebago Camps in Rangeley, Maine for great conversation about fly fishing.
The Liar's Club: Fishing Expertise, Pro Angler Advice, and New England Fishing News
Join veteran talk show hosts and fly fishermen John Williams and John Blunt owner of Grant's Kennebago Camps in Rangeley with fishing updates!
The Liar's Club: Fishing Expertise, Pro Angler Advice, and New England Fishing News
John Williams and John Blunt , owner of Grant's Kennebago Camps in Rangeley, Maine, talk fly-fishing!
In this episode, we clear up the myth about scrub of death, look at Wayland and Weston on FreeBSD, Intel QuickAssist is here, and we check out OpenSMTP on OpenBSD. This episode was brought to you by Headlines Matt Ahrens answers questions about the “Scrub of Death” In working on the breakdown of that ZFS article last week, Matt Ahrens contacted me and provided some answers he has given to questions in the past, allowing me to answer them using HIS exact words. “ZFS has an operation, called SCRUB, that is used to check all data in the pool and recover any data that is incorrect. However, if a bug which make errors on the pool persist (for example, a system with bad non-ecc RAM) then SCRUB can cause damage to a pool instead of recover it. I heard it called the “SCRUB of death” somewhere. Therefore, as far as I understand, using SCRUB without ECC memory is dangerous.” > I don't believe that is accurate. What is the proposed mechanism by which scrub can corrupt a lot of data, with non-ECC memory? > ZFS repairs bad data by writing known good data to the bad location on disk. The checksum of the data has to verify correctly for it to be considered "good". An undetected memory error could change the in-memory checksum or data, causing ZFS to incorrectly think that the data on disk doesn't match the checksum. In that case, ZFS would attempt to repair the data by first re-reading the same offset on disk, and then reading from any other available copies of the data (e.g. mirrors, ditto blocks, or RAIDZ reconstruction). If any of these attempts results in data that matches the checksum, then the data will be written on top of the (supposed) bad data. If the data was actually good, then overwriting it with the same good data doesn't hurt anything. > Let's look at what will happen with 3 types of errors with non-ECC memory: > 1. Rare, random errors (e.g. particle strikes - say, less than one error per GB per second). If ZFS finds data that matches the checksum, then we know that we have the correct data (at least at that point in time, with probability 1-1/2^256). If there are a lot of memory errors happening at a high rate, or if the in-memory checksum was corrupt, then ZFS won't be able to find a good copy of the data , so it won't do a repair write. It's possible that the correctly-checksummed data is later corrupted in memory, before the repair write. However, the window of vulnerability is very very small - on the order of milliseconds between when the checksum is verified, and when the write to disk completes. It is implausible that this tiny window of memory vulnerability would be hit repeatedly. > 2. Memory that pretty much never does the right thing. (e.g. huge rate of particle strikes, all memory always reads 0, etc). In this case, critical parts of kernel memory (e.g. instructions) will be immediately corrupted, causing the system to panic and not be able to boot again. > 3. One or a few memory locations have "stuck bits", which always read 0 (or always read 1). This is the scenario discussed in the message which (I believe) originally started the "Scrub of Death" myth: https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/ecc-vs-non-ecc-ram-and-zfs.15449/ This assumes that we read in some data from disk to a memory location with a stuck bit, "correct" that same bad memory location by overwriting the memory with the correct data, and then we write the bad memory location to disk. However, ZFS doesn't do that. (It seems the author thinks that ZFS uses parity, which it only does when using RAID-Z. Even with RAID-Z, we also verify the checksum, and we don't overwrite the bad memory location.) > Here's what ZFS will actually do in this scenario: If ZFS reads data from disk into a memory location with a stuck bit, it will detect a checksum mismatch and try to find a good copy of the data to repair the "bad" disk. ZFS will allocate a new, different memory location to read a 2nd copy of the data, e.g. from the other side of a mirror (this happens near the end of dslscanscrub_cb()). If the new memory location also has a stuck bit, then its checksum will also fail, so we won't use it to repair the "bad" disk. If the checksum of the 2nd copy of the data is correct, then we will write it to the "bad" disk. This write is unnecessary, because the "bad" disk is not really bad, but it is overwriting the good data with the same good data. > I believe that this misunderstanding stems from the idea that ZFS fixes bad data by overwriting it in place with good data. In reality, ZFS overwrites the location on disk, using a different memory location for each read from disk. The "Scrub of Death" myth assumes that ZFS overwrites the location in memory, which it doesn't do. > In summary, there's no plausible scenario where ZFS would amplify a small number of memory errors, causing a "scrub of death". Additionally, compared to other filesystems, ZFS checksums provide some additional protection against bad memory. “Is it true that ZFS verifies the checksum of every block on every read from disk?” > Yes “And if that block is incorrect, that ZFS will repair it?” > Yes “If yes, is it possible set options or flag for change that behavior? For example, I would like for ZFS to verify checksums during any read, but not change anything and only report about issues if it appears. Is it possible?” > There isn't any built-in flag for doing that. It wouldn't be hard to add one though. If you just wanted to verify data, without attempting to correct it, you could read or scan the data with the pool was imported read-only “If using a mirror, when a file is read, is it fully read and verified from both sides of the mirror?” > No, for performance purposes, each block is read from only one side of the mirror (assuming there is no checksum error). “What is the difference between a scrub and copying every file to /dev/null?” > That won't check all copies of the file (e.g. it won't check both sides of the mirror). *** Wayland, and Weston, and FreeBSD - Oh My! (https://euroquis.nl/bobulate/?p=1617) KDE's CI system for FreeBSD (that is, what upstream runs to continuously test KDE git code on the FreeBSD platform) is missing some bits and failing some tests because of Wayland. Or rather, because FreeBSD now has Wayland, but not Qt5-Wayland, and no Weston either (the reference implementation of a Wayland compositor). Today I went hunting for the bits and pieces needed to make that happen. Fortunately, all the heavy lifting has already been done: there is a Weston port prepared and there was a Qt5-Wayland port well-hidden in the Area51 plasma5/ branch. I have taken the liberty of pulling them into the Area51 repository as branch qtwayland. That way we can nudge Weston forward, and/or push Qt5-Wayland in separately. Nicest from a testing perspective is probably doing both at the same time. I picked a random “Hello World” Wayland tutorial and also built a minimal Qt program (using QMessageBox::question, my favorite function to hate right now, because of its i18n characteristics). Then, setting XDGRUNTIMEDIR to /tmp/xdg, I could start Weston (as an X11 client), wayland-hello (as a Wayland client, displaying in Weston) and qt-hello (as either an X11 client, or as a Wayland client). So this gives users of Area51 (while shuffling branches, granted) a modern desktop and modern display capabilities. Oh my! It will take a few days for this to trickle up and/or down so that the CI can benefit and we can make sure that KWin's tests all work on FreeBSD, but it's another good step towards tight CI and another small step towards KDE Plasma 5 on the desktop on FreeBSD. pkgsrcCon 2017 report (https://blog.netbsd.org/tnf/entry/pkgsrccon_2017_report) This years pkgsrcCon returned to London once again. It was last held in London back in 2014. The 2014 con was the first pkgsrcCon I attended, I had been working on Darwin/PowerPC fixes for some months and presented on the progress I'd made with a 12" G4 PowerBook. I took away a G4 Mac Mini that day to help spare the PowerBook for use and dedicate a machine for build and testing. The offer of PowerPC hardware donations was repeated at this years con, thanks to jperkin@ who showed up with a backpack full of Mac Minis (more on that later). Since 2014 we have held cons in Berlin (2015) & Krakow (2016). In Krakow we had talks about a wide range of projects over 2 days, from Haiku Ports to Common Lisp to midipix (building native PE binaries for Windows) and back to the BSDs. I was very pleased to continue the theme of a diverse program this year. Aside from pkgsrc and NetBSD, we had talks about FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Slackware Linux, and Plan 9. Things began with a pub gathering on the Friday for the pre-con social, we hung out and chatted till almost midnight on a wide range of topics, such as supporting a system using NFS on MS-DOS, the origins of pdksh, corporate IT, culture and many other topics. On parting I was asked about the starting time on Saturday as there was some conflicting information. I learnt that the registration email had stated a later start than I had scheduled for & advertised on the website, by 30 minutes. Lesson learnt: register for your own event! Not a problem, I still needed to setup a webpage for the live video stream, I could do both when I got back. With some trimming here and there I had a new schedule, I posted that to the pkgsrcCon website and moved to trying to setup a basic web page which contained a snippet of javascript to play a live video stream from Scale Engine. 2+ hours later, it was pointed out that the XSS protection headers on pkgsrc.org breaks the functionality. Thanks to jmcneill@ for debugging and providing a working page. Saturday started off with Giovanni Bechis speaking about pledge in OpenBSD and adding support to various packages in their ports tree, alnsn@ then spoke about installing packages from a repo hosted on the Tor network. After a quick coffee break we were back to hear Charles Forsyth speak about how Plan 9 and Inferno dealt with portability, building software and the problem which are avoided by the environment there. This was followed by a very energetic rant by David Spencer from the Slackbuilds project on packaging 3rd party software. Slackbuilds is a packaging system for Slackware Linux, which was inspired by FreeBSD ports. For the first slot after lunch, agc@ gave a talk on the early history of pkgsrc followed by Thomas Merkel on using vagrant to test pkgsrc changes with ease, locally, using vagrant. khorben@ covered his work on adding security to pkgsrc and bsiegert@ covered the benefits of performing our bulk builds in the cloud and the challenges we currently face. My talk was about some topics and ideas which had inspired me or caught my attention, and how it could maybe apply to my work.The title of the talk was taken from the name of Andrew Weatherall's Saint Etienne remix, possibly referring to two different styles of track (dub & vocal) merged into one or something else. I meant it in terms of applicability of thoughts and ideas. After me, agc@ gave a second talk on the evolution of the Netflix Open Connect appliance which runs FreeBSD and Vsevolod Stakhov wrapped up the day with a talk about the technical implementation details of the successor to pkgtools in FreeBSD, called pkg, and how it could be of benefit for pkgsrc. For day 2 we gathered for a hack day at the London Hack Space. I had burn't some some CD of the most recent macppc builds of NetBSD 8.0BETA and -current to install and upgrade Mac Minis. I setup the donated G4 minis for everyone in a dual-boot configuration and moved on to taking apart my MacBook Air to inspect the wifi adapter as I wanted to replace it with something which works on FreeBSD. It was not clear from the ifixit teardown photos of cards size, it seemed like a normal mini-PCIe card but it turned out to be far smaller. Thomas had also had the same card in his and we are not alone. Thomas has started putting together a driver for the Broadcom card, the project is still in its early days and lacks support for encrypted networks but hopefully it will appear on review.freebsd.org in the future. weidi@ worked on fixing SunOS bugs in various packages and later in the night we setup a NetBSD/macppc bulk build environment together on his Mac Mini. Thomas setup an OpenGrock instance to index the source code of all the software available for packaging in pkgsrc. This helps make the evaluation of changes easier and the scope of impact a little quicker without having to run through a potentially lengthy bulk build with a change in mind to realise the impact. bsiegert@ cleared his ticket and email backlog for pkgsrc and alnsn@ got NetBSD/evbmips64-eb booting on his EdgeRouter Lite. On Monday we reconvened at the Hack Space again and worked some more. I started putting together the talks page with the details from Saturday and the the slides which I had received, in preparation for the videos which would come later in the week. By 3pm pkgsrcCon was over. I was pretty exhausted but really pleased to have had a few days of techie fun. Many thanks to The NetBSD Foundation for purchasing a camera to use for streaming the event and a speedy response all round by the board. The Open Source Specialist Group at BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT and the London Hack Space for hosting us. Scale Engine for providing streaming facility. weidi@ for hosting the recorded videos. Allan Jude for pointers, Jared McNeill for debugging, NYCBUG and Patrick McEvoy for tips on streaming, the attendees and speakers. This year we had speakers from USA, Italy, Germany and London E2. Looking forward to pkgsrcCon 2018! The videos and slides are available here (http://www.pkgsrc.org/pkgsrcCon/2017/talks.html) and the Internet Archive (http://archive.org/details/pkgsrcCon-2017). News Roundup QuickAssist Driver for FreeBSD is here and pfSense Support Coming (https://www.servethehome.com/quickassist-driver-freebsd-pfsupport-coming/) This week we have something that STH readers will be excited about. Before I started writing for STH, I was a reader and had been longing for QuickAssist support ever since STH's first Rangeley article over three and a half years ago. It was clear from the get-go that Rangeley was going to be the preeminent firewall appliance platform of its day. The scope of products that were impacted by the Intel Atom C2000 series bug showed us it was indeed. For my personal firewalls, I use pfSense on that Rangeley platform so I have been waiting to use QuickAssist with my hardware for almost an entire product generation. + New Hardware and QuickAssist Incoming to pfSense (Finally) pfSense (and a few other firewalls) are based on FreeBSD. FreeBSD tends to lag driver support behind mainstream Linux but it is popular for embedded security appliances. While STH is the only site to have done QuickAssist benchmarks for OpenSSL and IPSec VPNs pre-Skylake, we expect more platforms to use it now that the new Intel Xeon Scalable Processor Family is out. With the Xeon Scalable platforms, the “Lewisburg” PCH has QuickAssist options of up to 100Gbps, or 2.5x faster than the previous generation add-in cards we tested (40Gbps.) We now have more and better hardware for QAT, but we were still devoid of a viable FreeBSD QAT driver from Intel. That has changed. Our Intel Xeon Scalable Processor Family (Skylake-SP) Launch Coverage Central has been the focus of the STH team's attention this week. There was another important update from Intel that got buried, a publicly available Intel QuickAssist driver for FreeBSD. You can find the driver on 01.org here dated July 12, 2017. Drivers are great, but we still need support to be enabled in the OS and at the application layer. Patrick forwarded me this tweet from Jim Thompson (lead at Netgate the company behind pfSense): The Netgate team has been a key company pushing QuickAssist appliances in the market, usually based on Linux. To see that QAT is coming to FreeBSD and that they were working to integrate into “pfSense soon” is more than welcome. For STH readers, get ready. It appears to be actually and finally happening. QuickAssist on FreeBSD and pfSense OpenBSD on the Huawei MateBook X (https://jcs.org/2017/07/14/matebook) The Huawei MateBook X is a high-quality 13" ultra-thin laptop with a fanless Core i5 processor. It is obviously biting the design of the Apple 12" MacBook, but it does have some notable improvements such as a slightly larger screen, a more usable keyboard with adequate key travel, and 2 USB-C ports. It also uses more standard PC components than the MacBook, such as a PS/2-connected keyboard, removable m.2 WiFi card, etc., so its OpenBSD compatibility is quite good. In contrast to the Xiaomi Mi Air, the MateBook is actually sold (2) in the US and comes with a full warranty and much higher build quality (though at twice the price). It is offered in the US in a "space gray" color for the Core i5 model and a gold color for the Core i7. The fanless Core i5 processor feels snappy and doesn't get warm during normal usage on OpenBSD. Doing a make -j4 build at full CPU speed does cause the laptop to get warm, though the palmrest maintains a usable temperature. The chassis is all aluminum and has excellent rigidity in the keyboard area. The 13.0" 2160x1440 glossy IPS "Gorilla glass" screen has a very small bezel and its hinge is properly weighted to allow opening the lid with one hand. There is no wobble in the screen when open, even when jostling the desk that the laptop sits on. It has a reported brightness of 350 nits. I did not experience any of the UEFI boot variable problems that I did with the Xiaomi, and the MateBook booted quickly into OpenBSD after re-initializing the GPT table during installation. OpenSMTPD under OpenBSD with SSL/VirtualUsers/Dovecot (https://blog.cagedmonster.net/opensmtpd-under-openbsd-with-ssl-virtualusers-dovecot/) During the 2013 AsiaBSDCon, the team of OpenBSD presented its mail solution named OpenSMTPD. Developed by the OpenBSD team, we find the so much appreciated philosophy of its developers : security, simplicity / clarity and advanced features. Basic configuration : OpenSMTPD is installed by default, we can immediately start with a simple configuration. > We listen on our interfaces, we specify the path of our aliases file so we can manage redirections. > Mails will be delivered for the domain cagedmonster.net to mbox (the local users mailbox), same for the aliases. > Finally, we accept to relay local mails exclusively. > We can now enable smtpd at system startup and start the daemon. Advanced configuration including TLS : You can use SSL with : A self-signed certificate (which will not be trusted) or a certificate generated by a trusted authority. LetsEncrypt uses Certbot to generated your certificate. You can check this page for further informations. Let's focus on the first. Generation of the certificate : We fix the permissions : We edit the config file : > We have a mail server with SSL, it's time to configure our IMAP server, Dovecot, and manage the creation of virtual users. Dovecot setup, and creation of Virtual Users : We will use the package system of OpenBSD, so please check the configuration of your /etc/pkg.conf file. Enable the service at system startup : Setup the Virtual Users structure : Adding the passwd table for smtpd : Modification of the OpenSMTPD configuration : We declare the files used for our Virtual Accounts, we include SSL, and we configure mails delivery via the Dovecot lmtp socket. We'll create our user lina@cagedmonster.net and set its password. Configure SSL Configure dovecot.conf Configure mail.con Configure login.conf : Make sure that the value of openfiles-cur in /etc/login.conf is equal or superior of 1000 ! Starting Dovecot *** OpenSMTPD and Dovecot under OpenBSD with MySQL support and SPAMD (https://blog.cagedmonster.net/opensmtpd-and-dovecot-under-openbsd-with-mysql-support-and-spamd/) This article is the continuation of my previous tutorial OpenSMTPD under OpenBSD with SSL/VirtualUsers/Dovecot. We'll use the same configuration and add some features so we can : Use our domains, aliases, virtual users with a MySQL database (MariaDB under OpenBSD). Deploy SPAMD with OpenSMTPD for a strong antispam solution. + Setup of the MySQL support for OpenSMTPD & Dovecot + We create our SQL database named « smtpd » + We create our SQL user « opensmtpd » we give him the privileges on our SQL database and we set its password + We create the structure of our SQL database + We generate our password with Blowfish (remember it's OpenBSD !) for our users + We create our tables and we include our datas + We push everything to our database + Time to configure OpenSMTPD + We create our mysql.conf file and configure it + Configuration of Dovecot.conf + Configuration of auth-sql.conf.ext + Configuration of dovecot-sql.conf.ext + Restart our services OpenSMTPD & SPAMD : SPAMD is a service simulating a fake SMTP server and relying on strict compliance with RFC to determine whether the server delivering a mail is a spammer or not. + Configuration of SPAMD : + Enable SPAMD & SPAMLOGD at system startup : + Configuration of SPAMD flags + Configuration of PacketFilter + Configuration of SPAMD + Start SPAMD & SPAMLOGD Running a TOR relay on FreeBSD (https://networkingbsdblog.wordpress.com/2017/07/14/freebsd-tor-relay-using-priveledge-seperation/) There are 2 main steps to getting a TOR relay working on FreeBSD: Installing and configuring Tor Using an edge router to do port translation In my case I wanted TOR to run it's services on ports 80 and 443 but any port under 1024 requires root access in UNIX systems. +So I used port mapping on my router to map the ports. +Begin by installing TOR and ARM from: /usr/ports/security/tor/ /usr/ports/security/arm/ Arm is the Anonymizing Relay Monitor: https://www.torproject.org/projects/arm.html.en It provides useful monitoring graph and can be used to configure the torrc file. Next step edit the torrc file (see Blog article for the edit) It is handy to add the following lines to /etc/services so you can more easily modify your pf configuration. torproxy 9050/tcp #torsocks torOR 9090/tcp #torOR torDIR 9099/tcp #torDIR To allow TOR services my pf.conf has the following lines: # interfaces lan_if=”re0″ wifi_if=”wlan0″ interfaces=”{wlan0,re0}” tcp_services = “{ ssh torproxy torOR torDIR }” # options set block-policy drop set loginterface $lan_if # pass on lo set skip on lo scrub in on $lan_if all fragment reassemble # NAT nat on $lan_if from $wifi_if:network to !($lan_if) -> ($lan_if) block all antispoof for $interfaces #In NAT pass in log on $wifi_if inet pass out all keep state #ICMP pass out log inet proto icmp from any to any keep state pass in log quick inet proto icmp from any to any keep state #SSH pass in inet proto tcp to $lan_if port ssh pass in inet proto tcp to $wifi_if port ssh #TCP Services on Server pass in inet proto tcp to $interfaces port $tcp_services keep state The finally part is mapping the ports as follows: TOR directory port: LANIP:9099 —> WANIP:80 TOR router port: LANIP:9090 —-> WANIP:443 Now enable TOR: $ sudo echo “tor_enable=YES” >> /etc/rc.conf Start TOR: $ sudo service tor start *** Beastie Bits OpenBSD as a “Desktop” (Laptop) (http://unixseclab.com/index.php/2017/06/12/openbsd-as-a-desktop-laptop/) Sascha Wildner has updated ACPICA in DragonFly to Intel's version 20170629 (http://lists.dragonflybsd.org/pipermail/commits/2017-July/625997.html) Dport, Rust, and updates for DragonFlyBSD (https://www.dragonflydigest.com/2017/07/18/19991.html) OPNsense 17.7 RC1 released (https://opnsense.org/opnsense-17-7-rc1/) Unix's mysterious && and || (http://www.networkworld.com/article/3205148/linux/unix-s-mysterious-andand-and.html#tk.rss_unixasasecondlanguage) The Commute Deck : A Homebrew Unix terminal for tight places (http://boingboing.net/2017/06/16/cyberspace-is-everting.html) FreeBSD 11.1-RC3 now available (https://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-stable/2017-July/087407.html) Installing DragonFlyBSD with ORCA when you're totally blind (http://lists.dragonflybsd.org/pipermail/users/2017-July/313528.html) Who says FreeBSD can't look good (http://imgur.com/gallery/dc1pu) Pratik Vyas adds the ability to do paused VM migrations for VMM (http://undeadly.org/cgi?action=article&sid=20170716160129) Feedback/Questions Hrvoje - OpenBSD MP Networking (http://dpaste.com/0EXV173#wrap) Goran - debuggers (http://dpaste.com/1N853NG#wrap) Abhinav - man-k (http://dpaste.com/1JXQY5E#wrap) Liam - university setup (http://dpaste.com/01ERMEQ#wrap)