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*The 20% affordable homes provision is subject to a viability assessment
The Millennium Communities are intended to provide a range of high quality and innovative homes that create sustainable communities and inspire the housebuilding industry. Phases 1 and 2 at Greenwich Millennium Village (GMV) are complete. After receiving planning consent in March 2012, we started construction of phases 3, 4 and 5 in March 2013.
Greenwich Millennium Village Ltd is a joint venture between Taylor Wimpey and another private developer. We are delivering the development in association with the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Moat (the registered provider managing the affordable homes). There is a very close working relationship between all four organisations and we hold regular meetings and workshops.
Greenwich Millennium Village has been constructed on what was a heavily contaminated industrial site, previously cut off from the rest of London, and has transformed the area into a highly desirable place to live.
To ensure sustainable regeneration a development of this size must provide opportunities for new jobs and commercial enterprise, and GMV includes a village square with commercial units, including a supermarket and a pharmacy. There is also a visitor centre which is available for community use as an events space.
The village square incorporates 'pop-up' power and water supplies, enabling it to be used as a market. Taylor Wimpey, as part of GMV Ltd, has also part funded the Greenwich Local Labour Body, with the intention of encouraging subcontractors to use local labour, helping to promote economic and social regeneration.
Phases 1 and 2 have won many awards including Building for Life Gold for Maurer Court and Sustainable New Homes and Housing Design awards.
GMV was the first large scale development in the UK to achieve an EcoHomes 'Excellent' rating. Phases 1 and 2 incorporated a number of innovative building techniques in order to meet or exceed sustainable construction targets. For example the 30% reduction of water consumption target was met and we achieved a 76% reduction in construction waste compared to a target of 50%.
Phases 3, 4 and 5 are being built to the Code for Sustainable Homes, starting at Level 4. Features such as rainwater harvesting facilities and electric car charging points will be installed. We have outline planning approval for an Energy Centre, containing a Combined Heat and Power system and gas boilers, which would provide heat to all of the homes in phases 3, 4 and 5 through a district heating network, as well as producing electricity for export to the National Grid.
The design of phases 1 and 2 is iconic, incorporating 'barrel vaulted' roofs, colourful balconies and enclosed courtyards. However, the multi-coloured renders and window frames do require regular maintenance and re-painting. For phases 3, 4 and 5, in conjunction with the GLA, we held an international competition to secure suitable architects with the experience to deal with the technical design issues including the noise from the industries based at the wharf next door. Jestico & Wiles were appointed.
In order to reduce maintenance works and the associated cost to the residents on phases 3, 4 and 5, the buildings have been designed so that they have brick elevations and their balconies use glass panelling. The upper levels will have aluminium features and create a 'square boxed' roof line. We have outline planning consent for a landmark building overlooking the ecology park. Along the eastern edge of the ecology park is a strip of protected Metropolitan Open Land. We intend to landscape this area for public use and create a 'natural' swale to assist with drainage.
The design of phases 3, 4 and 5 incorporates additional technical features to protect residents from the noise generated by the wharf's operations. Thicker walls and windows have been specified to insulate the homes along the eastern boundary of the site and the apartment blocks have been designed and positioned so that they can act as a shield for the other homes within the development.
Across all phases the properties are designed to be Lifetime Homes compliant, which means the homes can be altered internally to meet the changing needs of their residents. To specifically accommodate disabled residents 10% of the homes have been designed with extra features so that they fully comply with the Disability Discrimination Act regulations.
As part of the open space for the development, 50 acres of land have been developed as parkland. In addition, the Ecology Park, a four-acre freshwater wetland has been created. It comprised two lakes and areas of beach, marsh, meadow and wet woodland, with a network of wooden boardwalks, bird hides and special features to attract wildlife. Enough turf has been laid to cover 20 football pitches and over 60,000 shrubs have been planted, as well as 12,000 trees.
During the planning stage for phases 1and 2, we carried out extensive community engagement, ensuring we took local needs and concerns into account where we could. We made regular leaflet drops, held open events, and set up a dedicated GMV website to keep local people up to date with our proposals and progress, and to allow them to provide us with feedback.
As part of our community engagement when planning phases 3, 4 and 5 we held 37 consultation events, including evening and weekend exhibitions, and sent 4,500 letters to local people containing updates and invitations to these events. Further information was made available on the dedicated GMV website.
Once again we consulted with local organisations, such as the Peninsula Forum, the local yacht club, the Port of London Authority, the companies operating the neighbouring wharf and the residents association. In March 2012 our outline planning proposal for 1,746 homes plus commercial, retail and community space was approved alongside detailed planning consent for the first 459 homes.
If you would like to find out about the homes that are currently for sale at GMV, please click here
For information about new homes available on other developments in the capital please visit our Central London website by clicking here


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My buddy (11C ABN) is shipping me a MKE SP89 take off barrel for my mockup and the handguard has been ordered from HKPARTS.
I think I can make the SP89 barrel work with a 22mm AK74 trunnion.
My "K" mockup is starting to resemble this a little. I'll use HK sights though. I also contacted SAMSON MFG. about a handguard that might work very well for this application. http://www.mountsplus.com/AR-15_Acce...STAR-MP5K.html
I'll have to wait to hear back from them and see if it might work or not.

subset: commoncrawl


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In 2011, PBS presented America in Primetime, a documentary in four parts about the history of television. Focusing on the evolution of the Independent Woman, the Man of the House, the Misfit and Crusader, each episodes offered a look back at the beginning of mainstream television in the 1950s until today. Blessed with a great variety of popular interviewees, America in Primetime was an ambitious project with names such as Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Ron Howard, David Lynch and Shonda Rhimes attached to it. Unfortunately however, the series did not live up to its potential and rarely offered controversy about contemporary perception. For years, it's been in vogue to bash the 50s and idealize the 1960 and 70s, for example, but from the announcement of this PBS production I had expected otherwise.
It's always easy to look at a bygone era with modern eyes without looking underneath the surface. But no matter how much I am personally tickled by Lucille Ball, the 1950s had more to offer than just I Love Lucy, The Donna Reed Show and Leave it to Beaver. I was surprised, to say the least, when I didn't hear a mention of Betty White and her already flourishing career and bewildered, like so often, when Mary Richards was called the first single working girl on television. Whatever happened to Connie Brooks and Della Street? After all, not every female character (despite their feminine appeal) was "just" a housewife, a job many (post-)feminists still seem to wrestle with.
Male characters of that era weren't appraised more adequately either. I mean, Ralph Kramden may have been a prototype for characters like Fred Flintstone or Homer Simpson, but he was already a caricature back in his time and not just a regular guy. Jim Anderson from Father Knows Best, as another popular example, was also more flawed than critics often depict him today. His wholesome attitude and simple answers may have fostered the image of the omnipotent father, but only on the surface – he was wrong too often with his fatherly assessments to call him a picture perfect patriarch.
But America in Primetime doesn't like to dig deeper and rather creates an odd summary of female liberation (and correlated emasculation of male role models) on TV. Murphy Brown, Sex and the City and Grey's Anatomy serve as notable examples along with The Good Wife's Kalinda Sharma. Positive role models such as The Cosby Show's Clair Huxtable, Maggie Seaver from Growing Pains, Designing Women or The Golden Girls don't even get a mention and I wonder if it's their grace and domesticity or their love for men that interferes with the desired image of women who favor their careers over everything else.
All in all, America in Primetime – like other documentaries before – celebrates the evolution of television from the simple, archaic days of the 1950s to a supposed golden age of the 2000s (predominantly on pay TV). By celebrating the creation of broken and disturbed characters whose complexity supports the audience's alleged desire for drama and realism, the program may appeal to anyone who enjoys shows like Nurse Jackie, The Sopranos, Mad Men or Breaking Bad. For anyone who prefers dignity, subtlety and moderation in storytelling, the documentary may draw the wrong conclusions about a bygone era and leave a taste of bias in your mouth. Personally, I was dissatisfied with the fragmented glimpse into TV history and the overwhelming number of present-day TV makers as a primary interview source. But with my fondness for vintage that may not come as a surprise.


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Are you in the United States?
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Quad-Monitor Desktop Stand - Articulating
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Work with greater comfort and productivity
Clear up your desk surface and enjoy an ergonomic workspace. This computer monitor stand supports four displays that are each 13" to 27" (330 to 686 mm) in size and up to 17.6 lb. (8 kg) in weight.
With its dual-crossbar design, this monitor stand lets you mount four monitors onto a single base that rests on your desktop. This gives you more surface area on your desk for personal devices or for physical tasks like reviewing paper documents. And, adding extra monitors gives you ample screen space to simplify multitasking -- using four displays makes it easier to reference material on several screens while working on another, saving you the time and hassle of having to flip back and forth between documents.
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Rugged steel and aluminum construction
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- Create a more ergonomic workspace in office environments or your home office
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Product Numbers
Ingram Micro Colombia
UPC Code
Technical Specifications
|Warranty Information
|5 Years
|# of Displays Supported
|Cable Management
|VESA Hole Pattern(s)
|75x75 mm
|100x100 mm
|Display Rotation
|Display Tilt
|+ 45° / - 45°
|Height Adjustment
|Maximum Display Size
|Minimum Display Size
|Swivel / Pivot
|+90° / -90°
|Weight Capacity (Per Display)
|17.7 lb [8 kg]
|Physical Characteristics
|Steel and Aluminum
|Product Height
|32.2 in [81.8 cm]
|Product Length
|12.4 in [31.6 cm]
|Product Width
|34.8 in [88.5 cm]
|Weight of Product
|19.1 lb [8.6 kg]
|Packaging Information
|Package Height
|5.7 in [14.5 cm]
|Package Length
|13 in [33 cm]
|Package Width
|19.4 in [49.2 cm]
|Shipping (Package) Weight
|21.8 lb [9.8 kg]
|What's in the Box
|Included in Package
|2 - crossbars
|1 - baseplate
|1 - lower pole
|1 - upper pole
|1 - pole connector
|2 - cable-management clips
|1 - cap
|1 - 3 mm hex key
|1 - 5 mm hex key
|1 - 6 mm hex key
|16 - M4x12 mm screws
|16 - M5x12 mm screws
|16 - washers
|1 - instruction manual
Product Support
Data Sheets
Compliance and Safety
Compliance Letters
Safety Measures
- If product has an exposed circuit board, do not touch the product under power.
- If Class 1 Laser Product. Laser radiation is present when the system is open.
- Wiring terminations should not be made with the product and/or electric lines under power.
- Product installation and/or mounting should be completed by a certified professional as per the local safety and building code guidelines.
- Cables (including power and charging cables) should be placed and routed to avoid creating electric, tripping or safety hazards.
* Product appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.


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A Hunting We Will Go
Tonight I journeyed out early to see what might be out and indeed the prize for the Summer Harvest Hunt from NiNight Creations was available. A very cute sweater, it doesn't quiet fit me well enough to linger in my closet, but YOU might have better luck. It is definitely a style I like!
I tried a few other shops but didn't find the acorn. It IS early so that's OK. I did find another set of very pretty mesh eyes at Mayfly. I really love these and my collection is growing. This set is gold with a hint of green. Very pretty.
I didn't find any hints on the SHH blog and the acorns are pretty small so while not the infamousTwisted Hunt (also starting at midnight), this may not be the easiest adventure. Judging from the prereleases I saw on the official blogger sites though, there are plenty of nice things to garner.
Alli&Ali. Serafine comes in a big pack of colors from jet black to snow white. You can pick up a pretty, dirty blond shade in the shop for free. It is the weekly voting present. Find it by the voting wall. I really like this one; both messy and carefree. I fit mostly in that first category :D.
Poses by: Diesel Works from the new Destiny set
Something Wicked
Posted by Chic Aeon in hair, new releases
AD Creations is definitely eye-catching. Biker gal meets supermodel in this creation. Two sizes of rigged mesh skirts are included. There is a caveat here. Unless you are a VERY brave gal, a thong would be advised when tping about. I'll let you think on that - LOL.
Wicked Tattoos.
EMO-tions releases Saturday. Great for punk stylings, it can move over to the glamor category with a change in accessories and attitude.
Poses by: Nigotine (nla), Diesel Works, Vista Animations
The Perfumed Cutlass
Posted by Chic Aeon in hunts on Thursday, August 30, 2012
I was building a canon last night and taking a vendor photo for the upcoming Mad Pea mini-hunt, The Perfumed Cutlass. I so love the theme even if I haven't read any of those historical romances in a decade or so :D. I was going to store this photo and bring it out closer to the beginning of the hunt, September 7 -- but the end of the month doldrums have hit and I don't have too much to show you today, so this will be my offering.
It was fun to build the canon and get garbed up in a fairly old but still quite stylish pirate wench outfit from Reasonable Desires. It may even still be in the shop. It comes complete with guns and swords and treasure chest.
I haven't actually gone on a Mad Pea Hunt although I have found a prize or two by accident. This adventure sounds like lots of fun so I may give it a try. Finding the prize in MY shop will be very easy. There are only so many places you can hide things in 12 x 16 meters *wink*.
So mark your calendars!
Pose by: LAP (nla)
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies, hair, new releases on Wednesday, August 29, 2012
There is a LOT of news in my world, but before I get to that here's the scoop on the photo.
A new sleek twisted chinong (had to look up the spelling on that *wink*) is out from Vanity Hair; Hlin is the vendor to look for. It is definitely different and super stylish. That "posh" adjective comes to mind yet again.
My beach dress is a freebie from {Bii} on the Marketplace. Very cute, it is sized for extremely thin hipped gals with big shoulders so it won't fit everyone. The colors are bright and fun!
Now here's the news and it has nothing to do with fashion. There are some of you out there though that have been reading this blog for years and may just want to know what I am up to.
I heard last eve that I am the recipient of an Artist in Residence Land Grant from Linden Endowment for the Arts. This is a full sim for six months. You know what that means; I'll be busy. I won't be giving up the blog. Really; I couldn't do that! It does mean that there will be much less time for hunting and sleuthing. So my posts will mostly be new releases for the designers who I admire and who send me "stuff" *wink*.
So, while I had planned to do several hunts this month, I will most likely just check out my favorite shops and those who post photos of things that appeal to me. I am also a vendor in two hunts this month and have other irons in the fire. So time will definitely be at a premium.
My project for LEA (and you heard it FIRST here on The Blog) is for film. The Machinima Open Studio Project will be a collection of sets, stages and installations for machinima. Open to the public with REZZING abilities, it will also be photographer and blogger friendly. I have already started a blog for MOSP, and will be posting new builds as I install them. So stay tuned fellow bloggers, this might be something of interest to you.
Wanted you to know :D.
Pose by: Diesel Works
Posted by Chic Aeon in hunts on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Now I don't often go for hunts that cost, mostly because I am hunting for you guys much more than I am hunting for myself. A few things stay in my inventory but they have to be pretty special. Looking through the prize photos on the hunt blog I can see many lovely things. Most, however, were not "me" -- that me that doesn't like to fritter away her hard earned lindens.
There was one item though that I definitely needed -- OK, lusted after would be more appropriate -- and that was the Tea Time necklace from LouLou&Co. Easy to find, it is simply lovely! My outfit is an oldie; my hair from Calico Ingmann Creations.
For those of you that don't spend your off hours reading the hunt feeds, here is a list of SOME of the hunts starting soon, the ones that seem to me to be the most likely winners.
Carnival Days Hunt ($5)
Summer Harvest Hunt
Color Me Blue
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies, new releases
I am obviously having fun with the new "vignette" effect in my graphics software so dreamy is the theme again. The headliner here is the September group gift from Pekas, Urban Sparkly Babe. Obviously blue, it coordinates nicely with my new favorite shoes from lassitude & ennui. Scroll back through the posts to see other colors and more info.
My info on the group gift is sketchy so I can't tell you if it is available quite yet. I can tell you it comes in standard sizing and is indeed sparkly *wink*.
My earring choice of the day is a new release from PiNK CHERRY. A variety of colors are available. User friendly, these flexi attention getters contain a resize script and a bling on-off option.
Pose by: Diesel Works
Potstickers and Eggrolls
This necklace and earring set by FuLo, made up of red jade and Chinese coins, is my personal favorite. The sim is really fun to explore and photo opts abound.
The 28th is the LAST day of this short hunt so get over there and have some fun.
Pose by: Helamiyo
Depth of Field
Pose by: Diesel Works from the new Destiny set
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies, hair, new releases, places, poses on Sunday, August 26, 2012
Lots of morning exploring lead me to Abduction Alley. While its name suggests role play, it is actually more like a movie set. Add some misty amber Windlight, some new poses from Diesel Works and three gifts and we have ourselves a post.
The locale is a deserted town, quiet and empty with remnants and reminders of lives no longer there. A homestead sim with plenty of extras, it takes some time to fully load all the effects so patience is key.
EMO-tions, Colien in brown. My mesh tankini is free from [ LogiQue ] on the Marketplace.
Poses by: Diesel Works from the new Destiny Set
Lookin' For Adventure
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies, new releases, places on Saturday, August 25, 2012
If you have been reading this blog for a long while, you probably remember when I did a lot of destination posts, places to go and things to see. I've been feeling a bit wanderlusty of late and so headed out this morning to what looked to be a good photo op spot, Titanium City.
Now Titanium city is listed in the destination guide under popular places. It is that as there are tons of little green dots permeating the map; actually I count 60. I expected a role play sim and that it is. It is also a place of photo opportunity. I didn't stick around long however. There was no notecard to greet me on arrival. I had no idea what the rules might be. I donned my generic visitor tag, left over from my exploring days and took these quick shots. Still, you may be braver than I; if so zip on over for a visit.
Audrey pants and belt from Paradisis. This is part of a huge mix and match set which includes three colors of jeans and five mesh tops. Now the tops didn't fit me and are British themed so not really my thing anyway. But even so, this new collection set on special for a week is SO on special that you could easily toss the tops and still have a very good deal.
I love, love, love the belt and since all my belts disappeared a year or so ago (thank you database devil) this will be especially loved. You get one with resizer and one unscripted. There is of course a demo of the off the shoulder mesh top so you can test for the fit before you purchase.
The top that I am wearing is a marketplace freebie from WGD - Acidic Infektion on the marketplace. It has a logo on the top back but long hair (or pony tail) will cover that. Standard mesh sizing fits true.
Other newness previously featured this week -- so scroll back as needed -- are Minuet hair from Vanity Hair and bare feet from Tarashoes.
Poses by: LAP (nla)
Bare Rose Anniversary
Posted by Chic Aeon in hunts
The story comes in seven languages so translating shouldn't be a problem. The hunt is extremely easy. And if you have nothing much to do after hunting, hang around the Bare Rose store and pick up some gifts from the raffle orb which goes off every three minutes.There is always lots to see at this huge store now celebrating its seventh anniversary.
Boots by lassitude & ennui
Pose by: Nigotine (nla)
Midnight in the Tropics
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies
You can pick up this free dress from ALB Dream Fashion on the marketplace. Standard sizing runs a bit small on this one. Many alpha layers and two lengths are included.
Hair by Discord Designs
Pose by: Vista Animations
I let a friend know about the Shiva hunt skin as she was on the prowl for her alt. I let another friend know because she was still wearing three year old skin. And then THEY let me know *wink*.
There are skins in the group lucky chairs!
Three for the ladies, three for the guys -- short term; a great place to hang out while you read the feeds.
With just a little time spent I came away with this very pretty skin.
Get them here!
And then I had a chance to let them know more. There are group gift skins (shown at right) too.
You don't even have to wait to win these and there is no group join fee.
So a bunch of us now have new skins. Some will wear them everyday; some now and then.
That's my morning tip - five skins for the ladies; four for the guys.
Poses by: Diesel Works, LAP (nla)
A Misty View
Posted by Chic Aeon in hunts, new releases, places on Thursday, August 23, 2012
I have been doing quite a bit of hunting lately. You wouldn't necessarily know that as I haven't found all that many stellar items to pass along to you. But happily I found a couple of things to share on the Make a Wish Hunt for kids. Now I didn't know what I would find on a kid's hunt, but I was running out of options. And what do you know? This lovely Endless Summer dress is yours for free at NiNight Creations.
Another very pretty gift is this wishbone necklace from at N@N@.
I hope you didn't miss the shoes in the top post *wink*. They are the orange version of the new lassitude & ennui Blossom Sandals.
Read all about them in this previous post.
I started out for the beach to take these photos, but got sidetracked along the way. The destination guide can do that!
So I ended up here at the Bay City Fairgrounds where a car show is in progress.
Whether you love vintage, hot rods, woodies or speedsters -- this is a fun place to come and see what some of our content creators have been up to.
Hair from Discord Designs
Poses by: Diesel Works
Revisiting Roche
Posted by Chic Aeon in hair, hunts, new releases, places on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Vanity Hair is deserving. Minuet comes in three parts. There is the hair base of course, then the crown part of the hair with bangs and top braid. The last piece, the long pony with top braid, needs to be "added" so hopefully that is a choice in your viewer. By now it certainly should be.
This is definitely a favorite for me and I will be leaving out more than one color when I repack as I know I'll want to wear it often. This is the Bordeaux shade.
I am wearing my new hunt mesh eyes from Mayfly (see previous post) and Ginkgo earrings from KOSH.
Poses by: aDORKable
First off are some mesh eyes from Mayfly. Loving my golden mesh eyes from the same shop, it was my choice of starting locations. The eyes come in four whiteness versions; I prefer the murky and slightly bloodshot ones; so realistic. Some of the other stores I visited seemed to be no longer in the hunt. Signs were missing. After a bit more searching though, I found this very pretty skin at Shiva.
Paperdoll, I zipped over. While billed as a hunt, this is actually a give away! Find four shopping bags and reap the rewards. This strapless sundress complete with buttons in the back is my favorite. Pink is the theme here with two other dresses and an undies set to be garnered.
That's the early morning wrap up. Have a great day.
Poses by: aDORKable
Guys and Gals Sharables
Posted by Chic Aeon in design, hunts, skins, sneak peak on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
If you are a guy --
If you live with a guy --
Or even if you just want to remind yourself when you USED to live with a guy *wink* --
this new tie rack from PILOT is for you. Beautifully detailed and mod to add you own photo or resize a bit, it will be available come August 25th at 7 pm.
Oh, and did I say, "FOUR prims"?
My printed top (actually a dress) and ohsobright shoes as well as Chav's new mesh baggie pants can be yours for free as part of a new hunt at Reila. There are ten watermelon slices to find. Some items are for guys including skin, hair, sneakers and tank. Look for number 5 for these pants.
Poses by: Diesel Works, LAP (nla)
Comfy and Stylish
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies, sneak peak
Pilot is having its grand opening August 25th at 7pm. I can't wait! Meanwhile, here is one of the soon to be releases, an extremely cute patio set complete with cactus in planters. The cushions have a choice of six fabrics and a big variety of animations including ones for couples. They weigh in at a mere 2 prims each. What is really amazing is that the table -- complete with planter -- is only 3 (THREE!) So mark your calendars for the unveiling in a few days. The textures are simply gorgeous.
Zibska this morning and found these oversized earrings in a box on the stairway. Happily they are a gift!
Tara Shoes. Find them on the Midnight board to the RIGHT as you enter the building. They come with sandals and the hud lets you take the sandals on and off, resize as needed, match skin color and paint nails.
Now, to be fair, these don't fit well without the accompanying sandals, so the bare feet are more geared toward pants. You could of course add anklets if you are a skirt gal. Still, a great find and free!
My outfit is a new release from PARADISIS. Scroll back a couple of posts for all the info and better photos. My hair a recent release from eXxEsS.
Poses by: the patio set
Sway's Summer Flower Hunt
Posted by Chic Aeon in hunts on Monday, August 20, 2012
There are MANY decoys, so don't be surprised if you find lots of "try again" notecards before finding a real one. Look both inside and outdoors.
No style coordination was attempted or implied in the making of this post *wink*. This one's about the info!
Pose by: the cushion
School Daze
Posted by Chic Aeon in new releases
If you are a think ahead gal -- and I just know you are -- PARADISIS has a great new set for you; Love Academy. This is my favorite new release in awhile and is value-packed, especially this next week when it is on special.
Along with all of that comes a school tote filled with all things a girl might need including water bottle and hair clip. The tote comes in both scripted and unscripted versions with the scripted model boasting four choices of holds (some animated). These work WITH your AO (at least they worked great with mine *wink*). Click the tote to get a menu and change the pose.
The sweater works amazingly well and isn't just for photo opts like so many of the often shown mesh sweaters are. Try the demo of course and see how it works for you. This pink trimmed set goes very well with the GOS pink booties that a few thousand of you picked up on a hunt not long ago!
Hair - The Hamptons (Vintage Fair) by Vanity Hair
Necklace - a hunt prize from Sway's Summer Flower Hunt; I'll tell you all about that tomorrow.
Poses by: Vista Animations
Rice Fields
The other day when I was checking out prizes for the If I Were Rich Hunt I spotted this lovely kimono in kisetsu's lucky board. With a little bit of time on my hands I journeyed over to see if my letter would come up. It took a couple of trips but I came away with this lovely Fallesce style. There are several ways to wear the pieces with various skirts and collars and such. Extremely pretty.
Poses by: juxtapose
Buckles and Bows
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies, hair, new releases on Sunday, August 19, 2012
I am so loving these shuz!
OK. They do have bows and might seem a bit girlie for me, but they are simply sexy - oh so sexy. I love wedge sandals and these Blossom ones from lassitude & ennui are to die for. Pick them up now in a variety of colors at L'Accessoire, a new intimate sales venue. While you are there, check out the other offerings including some striking jewelry.
The shoes come both as rigged mesh (what I am wearing) and unrigged single shoes. Now I do have a bit of a caveat; the model I am wearing is called black. To me, they are not black -- no matter my Windlight setting. For me, they are a gorgeous dark taupe with hints of rose; really lovely. Still, if you have your heart set on black .... :D
The hud lets you save lots of skin presets should you be someone that changes their skin tone frequently. The color swatches are happily large! Yay!
Blue Blood has just released its first mesh dress. Neutralist me, I picked the solid black version of Nadine, but it comes with colored skirt in all the traditional Blue Blood colors.
The standard sizes fit true.
My hair is a new release from Alli&Ali. Haden comes in eleven shades and is in theory guy hair. So much for theories *wink*. This dark brown color is a group gift; a dark honey version is a voting present.
Necklace: an oldie from KOSH.
Poses by: fountain and LAP (nla)
Storm Watch
Posted by Chic Aeon in places on Saturday, August 18, 2012
Outfit by BlakOpal, boots by lassitude & ennui, hair by Alli & Ali.
Poses by: LAP (nla), Vista Animations
Dining In
Posted by Chic Aeon in design, new releases on Friday, August 17, 2012
Newness at Sway's includes the Brenda table and chair set. Choose from a single color or this multi-hued version with a full variety of colors. Chairs, stools, two sizes of tables and even an upside down stool are include. Foodstuff are part of the package.
While the dining set is extremely low prim, my favorite piece is (of course!) the Tasha Chandelier (sold separately). At 36 prims it isn't in everyone's budget, but if you are prim rich? So cute!
The chairs include a variety of animations and poses with adjustment. Some are for guys and there are eating and drinking versions with props.
Also new is a teacup candle gatcha lamp.
Larger than a traditional teacup (see the photo above), it comes in five colors and is transfer to share or trade.
Pose by the chair :D


text:
Air Force Academy brawl injures 23 cadets
An Air Force commander says 23 cadets were injured in a brawl during an unofficial ritual marking the first snowfall of the season.
Brig. Gen. Dana Born says in an internal email that cadets needed treatment for injuries including concussions, cuts and a human bite in the Oct. 25 brawl.
The email was provided to The Associated Press and other media outlets Wednesday.
Academy spokesman John Bryant says the email is authentic. He says the academy will release a statement later Wednesday.
Details of the ritual were unclear. It wasn't immediately known if any cadets were disciplined.
The email from Born, the academy dean of faculty, says not all the cadets involved in the ritual got into the brawl, and other cadets didn't participate in the ritual at all.


text:
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text:
Thanks junny
Thanks junny
I've been away for a while and it's so nice to come back to updates. Thanks Junny!
Sorry for the wait!
Chapter Seven Drowning sorrows in wine
The bed was indeed very big. The sheets were white, the bedding brand new. The moment they walked in, Widow Hua immediately lay down on the bed.
Lu Xiaofeng remained standing at the head of the bed.
Widow Hua scrutinised him from head to toe with her misty eyes, then suddenly said: By now you should know that Im that scary Widow Hua. Lu Xiaofeng nodded.
Naturally youd have heard that Im a b.itch, a man-eating one, she continued.
Lu Xiaofeng nodded again.
Do you know people here think I can sleep with them anytime?
Lu Xiaofeng still nodded his head.
Widow Huas eyes seemed to mist over. So why arent you jumping into bed?
Lu Xiaofeng did not even move.
You dont dare?
Lu Xiaofeng did not nod his head, but he did not shake it either.
Widow Hua sighed and said: Of course you dont dare, because you dont even know who I am!
Lu Xiaofeng suddenly smiled. There are not many who can merge the zhenqi of the Liu Family of Huainan and Diancang Sects Flowing Cloud Swordplay, so
So, what? Widow Hua asked.
So you must be Liu Qingqing, the Huainan Heros woman, and the wife of the Diancang swordsman.
Do you know too that I have slept with Xie Jians four best friends?
Lu Xiaofeng admitted that, since it was such a scandal to begin with.
Since you know everything, why dont you come to bed? she asked.
Lu Xiaofeng smiled and said: Because I dont want to, and because its none of your business.
Widow Hua laughed. Looks like youre quite different from other men.
She suddenly leapt from the bed. Come, Ill treat you to a drink.
As they started getting tipsy, the mist in her eyes seemed to deepen as well.
Precisely because the valley was always shrouded in mist, that was why it was able to preserve its aura of mystery.
Was it not the same for her as well?
It was probably not too difficult to see her naked body, but it was much harder to guess what was in her heart.
After another cup of wine, she suddenly asked: Do you know why Hai Qikuo always wants me to sleep with him?
Because he thinks you have slept with the other men here.
Widow Hua smiled. Every one thinks that way, but the number of men Ive slept with, I think not even you can guess.
Not even one in this place?
Only one, Widow Hua said.
Lu Xiaofeng started drinking.
Widow Huas gaze seemed very faraway, as though there was a faintly discernible figure in the distance; her gaze was filled with love and adoration.
Aftter a long while, she snapped out of her reverie: Why did you not ask me who this person is?
Why should I ask? Lu Xiaofeng said.
Widow Hua smiled. You are indeed a unique person. I like unique men.
Her smile suddenly vanished: Xie Jian was a very unique man as well. I married him because I really liked him at that time.
But you changed later on, Lu Xiaofeng said.
It was not I who changed, it was him, she said.
A slit appeared through the mist in her eyes, sliced by a sword full of hatred and anguish. You will never be able to imagine what kind of person he had turned into, much less the terrifying things he had done.
Terrifying? Lu Xiaofeng asked.
Do you know why I slept with his friend? Widow Hua asked. Her fists clenched and tears rolled down her cheeks. Because because he wanted me to do it, he liked to watch he even knelt and begged me to, even threatened me with his sword
Lu Xiaofeng suddenly averted his gaze, downed his cup of wine. He suddenly felt his gut clenching and he almost felt like vomiting.
When he turned around again, Widow Hu had quietly wiped away the tearstains on her face.
She too downed her cup of wine: You must be wondering why I am telling you these things.
Lu Xiaofeng did not feel it was strange, not at all.
When one is feeling grief and anguish, and these emotions have been suppressed for too long, one is wont to find someone else to confide in.
Even though Widow Hua had managed to vent her pain, she was getting tipsier: Hes an old man now, but he is a real man, an extraordinary one. Even if I dont love him, I respect him. So long as I can make him happy, I am willing to do anything.
She raised her head and gazed at Lu Xiaofeng: When you meet him, you will like him too.
Lu Xiaofeng could not resist asking: You mean
I am talking about Old Sabre Honcho, Widow Hua said.
Lu Xiaofeng was shocked. Old Sabre Honcho?
Widow Hua nodded and said: He is the only man for me here. I know you couldnt have imagined that. She smiled, a desolate one: I had thought no one in this world would be able to understand me or sympathise with me, but he understands me and sympathises with me, and it is genuine.
So you gave yourself to him? Lu Xiaofeng asked.
I can sacrifice everything for him, Widow Hua said. Even if he tells me to die, I will die. But but
She did not continue. Such emotion was not something that could be put into words, and she knew Lu Xiaofeng would understand.
Lu Xiaofeng could understand, all right. Not only that, but he could also understand Old Sabre Honcho the person.
If I were you, I would have done the same, he said gently. I think he must be an extraordinary man.
Widow Hua let out a long breath, as though she had just set down a very heavy burden. To know that there is still someone in this world who understands your pain and anguish is still a pretty good thing.
She gazed at Lu Xiaofeng, her eyes filled with gratitude and gratification. Ever since coming here, Ive not been so happy like I am today. Here, Ill toast you, three times.
Well be drunk if we drink more.
Whats the worry? She raised her cup. If I could get drunk, Id be really grateful to you.
Lu Xiaofeng laughed. To be honest, Id long wanted to get rip-roaring drunk, just this once.
So they ended up being drunk on the bed.
They held each other, mumbling words in their drunken stupor that other people would never be able to understand, because in their hearts they were lonely and had too many knots they were unable to untangle.
Although they were holding each other tightly, their hearts were pure like a childs; there was probably no other time in their lives that they were so pure and honest.
What then was this sort of feeling?
Youth was dying and the past was best left forgotten. A woman who had suffered abuse and humiliation, a man with no roots who on this earth could understand your feelings?
Both of you have been driven into such circumstances, but since you have met, why should you need other people to understand your feelings?
Outside the window, the night was deep, and so was the fog.
The window was not closed tightly and in the cold fog there suddenly appeared a figure, whose eyes were filled with enmity, jealousy and hatred.
Then, through the crack in the window, there appeared a blowpipe.
A black blowpipe, puffing out dark purple smoke.
The fog dissipated, and even those who were not drunk were now intoxicated, they had no choice.
This person was confident of it, because what he used was the Bone and Soul Corroding Powder, the most effective of intoxicating drugs. He had used it thirteen times it had never failed him.
Hurrah, thank you Junny! More talking about the old sabre honcho.. When do we get to meet him?
Thanks Junny
One is never too late for this sort of thing .... thks Junny...
Hi Junny
It's been 5 months since the last update. Any new chapter translated? Thanks for the effort.
[I will continue this translation as best as I can. Cheers all!]
When Lu Xiaofeng and Widow Hua woke up, they were no longer lying on the spacious, soft bed.
Cellars are cold and moist. They were lying in the corner of one such cellar. Who knew how they got here?
Only one person knew.
There was one stool in the cellar. Cousin sat on top of this stool. He coldly stared at them, his eyes filled with venom and jealousy.
Upon seeing him, Widow Hua couldnt refrain from shouting, You!
Are you surprised?
I really am. Widow Hua sneered. I didnt imagine that a disciple of the Bashan Swordsman actually stoops to using this sort of anesthetic fragrance.
There are many things that are outside of your imagination, Cousin smiled.
But by now, Ive come to understand everything.
Everyone who came to this place had signed a contract. The Old Sabre Honchos contracts were always safe and reliable.
But in recent years, in the Mansion of Spirits, there were many people who suddenly disappeared without a trace. No one knew who it was who had gotten rid of them!
Its you. Widow Hua pronounced her verdict. Only now do I realize that its your doing!
Cousin didnt deny it.
Unfortunately, no one could have imagined that it was me. He smiled. This time, after I kill the two of you, no one will suspect me.
He was very confident. Because everyone will place their suspicions upon Hook.
Widow Hua didnt deny it either.
Virtually everyone in the Mansion of Spirits knew that Hook lusted for her, and also knew that Hook wanted to kill Lu Xiaofeng.
This wouldnt be the first nor the last time that a man would commit murder due to jealousy.
Widow Hua said, Actually, I know that you hate me.
Cousin said, Oh?
Widow Hua said, Because you like men, but men like me.
Cousin laughed. Maybe I have other reasons as well.
Widow Hua said, What reasons?
Cousin laughed in a strange way. Maybe I just want to help Hook give vent to his frustrations.
But as he laughed, someone above their cellar laughed as well. Or maybe youve just come to realize that ole Hook is right above you and could hook your brains out at any time.
Housekeeper had arrived as well.
Like all housekeepers the world around, whenever this person appeared, a sour, worried look was always on his face. But Hook was laughing very happily.
Cousin was also laughing, but his laughter was very unhappy.
Although Hai Qikuo didnt hook him in the skull, he had hooked him in the arm. Lifting him up high, it seemed as though he was raising up a piece of dead meat. Naturally, this was a very unhappy sort of feeling.
There is a type of person in this world who rejoices in the misery of others. Hai Qikuo just so happened to be this type of person.
Smiling, he said, Didnt you say, just now, that you plan on pushing the blame for this event onto me?
Cousin didnt deny it. He couldnt deny it.
Hai Qikuo said, Because you wanted to kill them, but you were afraid that the Old Sabre Honcho wouldnt agree.
Cousin didnt deny this either.
Hai Qikuo said, To be honest, I feel the same way.
Cousin didnt understand. You feel the same way?
Hai Qikuo said, I also want to kill Lu Xiaofeng, and I am also afraid that the Old Sabre Honcho wouldnt agree to it. Theres only one difference between the two of us.
Cousin couldnt resist asking, What difference?
Hai Qikuo said, My luck is better than yours. I found someone to be my scapegoat.
Cousin actually understood everything, but he still played along and asked, Who?
Hai Qikuo said, You.
Cousin said, You want me to kill Lu Xiaofeng for you?
Hai Qikuo said, Are you unwilling?
Cousin said, Why would I be? I wanted to kill them anyhow. Otherwise, why would I go to the trouble of tying them up?
Hai Qikuo said, Previously, if you killed them, I wouldve become your scapegoat. But now?
Cousin forced out a smile. Now, if I dont kill them, you will kill me.
Hai Qikuo laughed loudly. You really are a discerning person. Thats why Ive always liked you.
Cousin said, If I were to kill them, you would be willing to let me go?
Hai Qikuo said, I can let you go right now. No matter what, you wont be able to escape me.
He released his hook.
Cousin relaxed slightly. Turning around, he looked at him. A smile crept out onto his face. He suddenly asked, Tell me, do I look like a very excitable person who isnt able to keep his cool?
Hai Qikuo said, You do not.
Cousin said, Do I know that Widow Hua is a very formidable woman, one who is dangerous to anger?
Hai Qikuo said, I do.
Cousin said, Then why did I use poison to incapacitate her earlier?
Hai Qikuo said, Why?
Cousins smile became very strange and sinister. Because I wanted you to believe that my martial arts are very poor.
Hai Qikuo no longer was smiling. And in reality?
Cousin said, In reality, I can kill you with just a single stance!
He said a total of eleven words in that sentence. By the seventh word, he had made his move. By the final word, he had already killed Hai Qikuo.
His attack was fast yet effective. In actuality, no one was able to see how he made his move; the only clue was two heavy, nauseating sounds, which sounded similar to a butchers blade cutting into dead flesh. And then, like a piece of dead meat, Hai Qikuo collapsed.
I did not notice this earlier, but thanks Ren. If we could wrap it up, we will have a completed Lu Xiaofeng series soon.
I simply agree, foxs. A complete series of LXF! Thks Ren.
I popped into this thread because I was thinking of asking if someone could help pick this up and look what I found! This is great, thank you RWX!
So nice to see you here too, Foxs!
Lu Xiaofeng and Widow Hua were shocked. But Housekeeper was even more shocked.
Cousin dusted his hands off. Smiling, he said, Ive always heard that the three hall-leaders of the Phoenix Tail Sect are all extraordinary figures, especially the chief hall-leader, Gao Tao. But unfortunately, to this very day, Ive never had the good fortune of witnessing the awe-inspiring techniques that you used to awe the martial world.
Housekeeper, who always looked sour and worried, now looked as though he were about to cry. What sort of awe-inspiring techniques do I have? The only skill I have is in helping others take care of their domestic issues.
Cousin said, You dont know how to kill?
Housekeeper immediately shook his head. No, I do not.
Cousin let out a long sigh. Then you might as well hurry up and let me kill you.
Housekeeper let out a long sigh as well. His body suddenly flipped into the air and in the blink of an eye, forty or fifty different hidden weapons shot out. Filling the sky with their cold gleam, they all shot towards Cousin.
Turns out, this person wore countless hidden weapons on his body, all of which could be shot out instantly.
There were definitely less than ten people who could shoot out that many hidden weapons instantly.
There were even fewer people who would be able to dodge that many hidden weapons.
But unfortunately, Cousin just so happened to be one of those few people who could dodge this weapons. Not only had he long ago calculated that Housekeeper would use this attack, he had also prepared a way for dealing with it.
When the hidden weapons shot out, his sword was already there, waiting.
A sword flash rose up and chopped through all of the hidden weapons. With another flash of the sword, Housekeeper collapsed as well. Only after collapsing did the blood begin to flow from his wound.
Only after the blood began to flow did Lu Xiaofeng let out a held breath. So this would be Bashans Seven-Sevens Forty-Nine Strikes of the Dancing Wind Willow Sword?
Cousin said, Just so.
Lu Xiaofeng said, So you are the one and only true heir of the Bashan Swordsman. You are Gu Feiyun?
Cousin said, I am indeed.
Lu Xiaofeng sighed. Bashans divine sword arts definitely are incredible.
Cousin said, It always is.
Lu Xiaofeng said, But I dont understand. How could a person like you also be forced to the point of no return by Ximen Chuixue?
Cousin said, And you also dont understand why I killed them, but not you, right?
Lu Xiaofeng truly did not.
Cousin chuckled. The logic behind this is actually extremely simple. Its because I never wanted to kill you to begin with.
Lu Xiaofeng didnt understand.
Cousin said, The Old Sabre Honcho always believed that our organization was extremely secretive, but in the martial world, at least three people are aware of it. The very first is my venerable teacher.
Lu Xiaofengs countenance changed. Then you
Cousin said, I was sent by my sect here to be a spy. Because although we knew of the existence of the Mansion of Spirits, we didnt know any of its secrets.
Lu Xiaofeng said, So they intentionally put you in a position where Ximen Chuixue would force you on a path with no return?
Cousin said, That entire event was nothing more than a scheme. They had calculated long ago that Ximen Chuixue would intervene in this affair, and had also calculated that someone from the Mansion of Spirits would come to me first and offer me a contract.
Lu Xiaofeng said, Why?
Cousin said, Because I had just inherited a significant inheritance. At any point in time, I can withdraw over a hundred thousand taels of silver.
Lu Xiaofeng said, The price of the contract here is a hundred thousand taels?
Cousin said, In order to purchase ones life, a hundred thousand taels isnt an overly large sum.
Lu Xiaofeng said, It definitely is not.
Life was priceless. What was more valuable to a person than his own life?
Cousin said, When they ordered me to come here, the most important command was to investigate the Old Sabre Honchos background.
Lu Xiaofeng said, Even they do not know the details about the Old Sabre Honcho?
Cousin said, No one knows.
Lu Xiaofeng said, What about you?
Cousin laughed wryly. Although Ive been here for quite a while, Ive never even seen his real face, so Ive urgently been searching for a person.
Lu Xiaofeng said, Who?
Cousin said, The person who will come to my rescue.
He explained, They originally had agreed to send someone to bring me out as soon as possible. But all the newcomers find it very difficult to move about freely, and it would also be hard for them to discover that Gu Feiyun is actually Cousin.
Lu Xiaofeng said, You were really anxious, so you had no choice but to seek them out instead.
Cousin said, Ive already sought out twelve people.
Lu Xiaofeng said, But you were wrong about all of them.
Cousin said, So I had no choice but to kill them so as to silence them.
Lu Xiaofeng said, And so this time, you believe Im the person who has come to bring you out?
Cousin stared at him. One word at a time, he slowly said, I just hope that this time, Im not wrong.
Lu Xiaofeng let out a sigh. I also hope that this time, you arent wrong.
Cousin was still staring at him. His eyes had turned as cold and sharp as knife blades. He suddenly asked, Aside from my master, the Swordsman of Bashan, who are the two others? Who asked you to come? What is your code name?
Lu Xiaofeng said, I cant say.
Cousin said, Because you dont know!
Lu Xiaofeng nodded. Forcing a smile, he said, Im very apologetic. Looks like this time, you are wrong yet again.
There was a lamp lit in the cellar. This was spring, and so it shouldnt have seemed too cold down there.
But Lu Xiaofeng suddenly felt a wave of cold horror fill him. It wasnt because Cousin was gripping his sword with his hand yet again. Rather, it was because another person suddenly appeared in the cellar. A man wearing a gray robe, who wore a bamboo hat on his head.
Just as Cousin gripped his sword, the man appeared behind him.
Lu Xiaofeng saw this man. Widow Hua also saw this man. But Cousin himself did not.
[to be continued]
Thanks Ren!
Thanks Ren
This reminds me of ASITP....
justin, in where art thou?
This person was like a ghostly spirit, with form but without substance.
An unusually designed bamboo hat covered his face. Lu Xiaofeng was totally unable to see his face, but could already guess his identity. Widow Huas face was expressionless, but a look of joy appeared in her eyes as well.
This person was waving at her.
Cousin seemed to have realized that something was amiss. He suddenly turned around.
But no one was there. Not even a shadow could be seen.
This person remained behind him like a shadow, then waved at Widow Hua again.
By the time Cousin turned around to face her, she had already calmed down. Icily, she said, Do you want to kill Lu Xiaofeng first? Or kill me first?
Cousin slowly sat down. He leisurely said, Neither of you look like you are afraid of death.
Widow Hua said, Since we have no choice but to die, whats the point of being afraid? Only
Cousin said, Only you dont want to die without even know whats going on.
Widow Hua assented to this. His words struck a chord in her heart.
Cousin said, So you want to ask me, aside from my master, the Swordsman of Bashan, who else knows this secret?
Widow Hua said, Since Im going to die no matter what, why not tell me?
Cousin stared at her. Suddenly, he began to laugh, very loudly.
Widow Hua said, Why are you laughing?
Cousin said, Im laughing at you. You know the answer already. Why ask me?
Widow Hua said, What do you mean? What do I know?
Cousin said, Aside from my master, there are two people who know. One is the Wooden Taoist. The other is your old man. You clearly are just the same as me, someone who was sent here as a spy. Why put on an act?
Widow Huas face changed.
Cousin said, By now, I imagine you already know what kind of a person the Old Sabre Honcho is. Because you are a woman. You can accompany him to bed and sleep with him.
Widow Hua said, You want me to pull me under as well?
Cousin said, Actually, Ive always known your secret. The only reason I did this today was because I set a trap for you. I wanted to entice you into spilling your secrets. Id rather kill a hundred innocents than let a single spy live.
Widow Hua stared at him. She suddenly let out a sigh. So you arent trying to pull me under. You are just trying to find a scapegoat for yourself.
Cousin said, Why would I need to find a scapegoat?
Widow Hua said, Because although you didnt see the Old Sabre Honcho, you know that hes already here.
She sighed again before continuing. You really are a talented person. But theres something you dont understand.
Cousin said, What?
Widow Hua said, This really is a scheme, but the person who fell into it wasnt me. It was you.
Cousin said, Oh?
Widow Hua said, The Old Sabre Honcho and I had suspected you long ago, which is why we set up this trap to catch you. If you believe that I really was poisoned by you, you are wrong about that as well.
Dusting off her sleeves, she slowly stood up. Someone poisoned by the Powder of Rapture would find it difficult to purge the poison that fast. But she actually stood up.
But Cousin continued to sit on that stool without moving. He suddenly turned to look at Lu Xiaofeng. What do you think?
Lu Xiaofeng let out a sigh. Forcing out a smile, he said, All of you are geniuses. I respect all of you.
Cousin suddenly laughed loudly. For someone like Lu Xiaofeng to respect me, even as I die, I, Gu Feiyun, feel content!
He said the word die, and he really did die, just like that. It was even faster than when he killed others.
His sword flipped around, his blood spurted out, and he collapsed.
He definitely couldnt let himself survive and allow others to force information out of him.
If you want to find out someone elses secrets, you had best prepare to be willing to sacrifice your own life.
Widow Hua frowned. I didnt expect him to not fear death at all.
The Old Sabre Honcho said, People who are afraid of death cant enter his line of work at all. People who are overly intelligent cannot, either.
Lu Xiaofeng said, Theres another sort of person who cannot as well.
Old Sabre Honcho said, Who?
Lu Xiaofeng said, The type of person who, no matter where he goes, finds lots of trouble for himself. Even if he doesnt want to cause trouble, trouble still manages to find him.
Old Sabre Honcho said, Are you this sort of person?
Lu Xiaofeng forced out a laugh. Ive always understood myself very well.
Old Sabre Honcho said, You definitely did bring a lot of trouble to my doorstep...
Lu Xiaofeng interrupted him. But you definitely cannot kill me.
Old Sabre Honcho said, Why is that?
Lu Xiaofeng said, Because I didnt want to come here. You were the one who brought me in. So even though others can kill me, you cannot, because I am your guest.
Old Sabre Honcho grew silent. He slowly said, I can spare you, but you have to promise me one thing!
Lu Xiaofeng said, What?
Old Sabre Honcho said, Seal your mouth as tightly as a closed bottle. Forever maintain your silence regarding what you learned of this place.
Lu Xiaofeng immediately said, I accept.
Old Sabre Honcho said, Fine, Ill trust you. Leave!
Lu Xiaofeng was startled. You want me to leave?
Old Sabre Honcho said, Even if a host cannot kill his own guest, he can at least ask his guest to depart.
Lu Xiaofeng said, But outside
Old Sabre Honcho said, No matter who is waiting for you outside, at least its better than dying inside.
Lu Xiaofeng spoke no further. He could tell that no matter what he said, it would be useless. So he left.
But Old Sabre Honcho suddenly called him back. But at the very least, you were my guest, and at the very least, you didnt sell me out. So if theres anything you want, Ill let you take it with you!
Lu Xiaofeng said, No matter what I ask for?
Old Sabre Honcho said, As long as you can take it with you.
Lu Xiaofeng said, What if I want to take her?
The her he wanted to take away was Widow Hua!
Old Sabre Honcho shut his mouth. After a long time, he slowly said, You can take her away as well. But in the future, you had best never let me see you again!
The ravine was still filled with dreary, misty clouds. In any circumstance, it would be extremely difficult to find that narrow, steel-chain path. To pass across it would be even harder.
And after crossing it? The world within the ravine was the world of the Mansion of Spirits. And outside? How many life-threatening dangers were outside?
Lu Xiaofeng let out a long sigh. He suddenly laughed.
Widow Hua looked at him. She couldnt help but ask, Arent you afraid?
Lu Xiaofeng said, Afraid of what?
Widow Hua said, Death.
She gently held his hand. Arent you afraid that as soon as you leave this ravine, youll die under someones sword?
Lu Xiaofeng smiled. Ive already died once. So what if I die a second time?
Widow Hua laughed as well. No matter what, at least they had left the Mansion of Spirits, left this world of the dead.
Widow Hua said in a soft voice, Ive often thought to myself that so long as I had the chance to once more truly live again, even if it was just for a day, I would be utterly satisfied.
[Chapter End]
Thanks Ren!!!


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Little strawberry cheesecakes
Individual portions will save fights over the biggest slice of this creamy ricotta pud with fruity compote
Nutrition and extra info
Nutrition: per cheesecake
- kcal378
- fat29g
- saturates17g
- carbs21g
- sugars15g
- fibre0g
- protein7g
- salt0.5g
- 50g butter
Butter is a dairy product made from separating whole milk or cream into fat and…
- 6 digestive biscuits, finely crushed
For the filling
- 250g tub ricotta
Ricotta is an Italian cheese made from whey and traditionally a by-product of…
- 50g icing sugar
- zest 1 lemon, juice of ½
Oval in shape with a pronouced bulge on one end, lemons are one of the most versatile…
- 1 egg and 1 yolk
The ultimate convenience food, eggs are powerhouses of nutrition packed with protein and a…
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 150ml double cream
For the topping
- 2 tbsp strawberry jam, melted
- 3 strawberries, halved
Once available in Britain for just a brief period during the summer, strawberries are now a year…
Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2 and line 6 muffin tin holes with muffin paper cases. Melt the butter, stir in the biscuit crumbs until well mixed, then press as firmly as you can into the bases of each paper case. Chill them while you make the filling.
Beat the ricotta with the sugar, lemon zest and juice, whole egg, egg yolk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk the cream until it just holds its shape, then fold into the cheese mixture. Spoon evenly into the paper cases, right up to the tops, then tap the tin on the work surface to flatten the filling. Bake for 30 mins, then turn off the oven and allow to cool completely inside.
To decorate, top each cheesecake with 1 tsp jam and a strawberry half.


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The fitness segment of Brunswick Corp., Lake Forest, IL, which is comprised of Life Fitness and Hammer Strength equipment, saw a 3 percent decrease in sales in the third quarter compared to the same period a year ago.
Fitness segment sales totaled $151.9 million, down from $157.2 percent in third quarter 2011, according to financials the company released last month. International sales, which represented 48 percent of total segment sales in the third quarter, decreased by 4 percent.
Operating earnings for the fitness segment totaled $23.1 million in the third quarter compared to $22.6 million in the same period last year.
Higher sales to North American health club customers and stronger U.S. consumer sales were more than offset by declines in other U.S. distribution channels and in markets outside of North America, the company reported. The slight increase in operating earnings were a result of improved operating efficiencies, partially offset by lower sales, the company added.
Brunswick reported overall net sales of $884.8 million in the third quarter, up from $876.7 million in the same period last year. Company operating earnings in the third quarter were $37.5 million, which included $28.2 million of restructuring, exit and impairment charges, compared to operating earnings of $35.6 million, which included $13.2 million of restructuring, exit and impairment charges, in third quarter 2011.


text: Uncategorized Smile!!! Another unexpected egg formation while preparing breakfast. Good morning! Posted from WordPress for Android Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading... Related Published by Javy Dreamer Wrestling fan since I was a kid when my grandfather used to take me to local wrestling. Grew at home watching his videos from various Wrestlemania learning later that he was a wrestler himself on his prime! Video game lover as well as nature, programming and gardening. Weird combination :P View all posts by Javy Dreamer


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With its wide range of fans, ZIEHL-ABEGG provides optimal protection and complete cooling for various applications. The products are designed to fulfil the applicable standards and are highly efficient, silent and unbeatable in terms of cost, even in explosion protection zones.
Device cooling technology
The control engineering, which has been precisely designed and coordinated, makes it even easier to use our products and ensures perfect results for various applications.


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"Forbidden Planet" is one of the final science-fiction films from the 1950s I feel an almost-urgent need to see - Gene Roddenberry himself said it was a major influence for "Star Trek" - within the first minute of the movie, you can easily see the inspiration for "Warp Drive." The film introduces the legendary Robby the Robot - a seven-foot-tall robot (interestingly, he makes an appearance in "Lost in Space" where he battles "Robot," for whom he was a major inspiration). The film stars Walter Pidgeon ("How Green was My Valley") as Dr. Edward Morbius, Anne Francis ("The Blackboard Jungle") as Altaira "Alba" Morbius, and Leslie Nielsen ("Airplane!") as Commander John J. Adams. It also features Warren Stevens as Lt. "Doc" Ostrow and Earl Holliman ("Where is Everybody?" on "The Twilight Zone") as Cook. If you listen even half-carefully, you'll easily be able to detect the use of a Theremin in the theme song. Recently, I've watched some important science fiction films from the 1950s: "The Day the Earth Stood Still," "The War of the Worlds," "Kiss Me Deadly," and "Forbidden Planet." Of the four, I thought that "Forbidden Planet" was, by far, the weakest of the bunch in terms of "general quality," although there's no denying the influence it had on making "Star Trek," and that alone is enough to place it in the pantheon of 1950s Science Fiction. Likewise, Robbie the Robot as an influence for "Lost in Space." As a movie? It's the weak link of the four, but there's no denying the film's influence, and you can absolutely see "Star Trek" in it, without even looking very closely. The plot is somewhat difficult to wrap your head around, and the viewer walks away from the film with something of a hollow feeling - the acting is fine, the effects quite good, and the character development is surprising, so why am feeling like I saw something "more influential than great?" I feel like I'm missing something here, and I'm hoping that discussion will help me sort things out. Can anyone out there help?


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Late menopause?
A place to share your life-changing experiences!
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Late menopause?
What is the latest women get into menopause? I'm not after going through menopause but it will happen that's for sure. I'm 53but maybe I can't read the signs of a premenopause??
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Re: Late menopause?
I would guess that your body has been in perimenopause for approximately 10 years....very subtle changes, but happening for sure.
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The @thens WordPress theme is the result of tinkering with a modified version of Kubrick, known as NFOoverload, which was designed by Isaac Rowntree. The theme is a 2-column layout frontpage, with an optional single-column single post layout. @thens was designed to be light and simple, and provide easy customization. Please keep in mind that @thens is currently in version 1.0, meaning there are some additions I would like to make to improve the theme in the future. However, as of now, it tests out fine on a clean install of WordPress, and there are no known bugs.
You can check out @thens in action with some different modifications at the following links:
Update: @thens is now in version 1.1. There are a few changes made. First of all, the theme now contains (or should contain) absolutely no vestiges of the site-specific code that lives on neverblog's version of the theme. If you find any, please let me know in the comment area below, so I can remove them. Also, a minor CSS error (archive links appear black, instead of light blue) has been fixed.
- Put the @thens folder in the Themes folder of your WordPress install.
- Activate the theme in your Presentation admin menu.
Color Scheme and Typography (CSS)
All of the colors and typography are included in the style.css sheet, with one exception: the CSS governing the images is located in the header.php file. To change your single page layout from the two-column layout to a single-column layout, simply replace the dummy if statement ('1=1') above the image CSS in the header.php file with the commented-out php next to it. The main colors used in the theme are blue (#0099FF), orange (#FFCC66), white, and black.
The images themselves are located in the /images/ subfolder. There are a total of three images: kubrickheader2.jpg is the main header; kubrickbgcolor.png is the gradient background; favicon.ico is of course the bookmark icon (a Greek vase). If you would like to replace the header with one of your own design, you may either replace kubrickheader2.jpg or uncomment the #headerimg line in the header.php file, name your header personalheader.jpg, and place it in the /images/ directory.
Flickr Integration
@thens is designed to work with a customized Flickr badge between the header and content of the blog. To activate this feature, simply uncomment the code at the bottom of the header.php file and replace the user=******** part at the end of the snippet with your Flickr ID (this can be found by going to Your Photos on flickr.com–your ID is the part after the "http://www.flickr.com/photos/" in the URL bar). Your latest photos will appear in the badge automatically.
I'd love to hear any feedback you might have, especially at this early stage of the theme's development. Planned additions that are already in the works include php-to-image functions for greater flexibility in terms of fonts and styles, as well as perhaps a 3-column version.


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On Thursday, state Sen. Bob Dutton, the top Republican in the upper house, claimed that Gov. Jerry Brown's wife Anne Gust Brown, who also is his top advisor, yelled at Dutton during budget talks.
What does this screaming mean? On the practical public relations side, this news guarantees the governor's office weeks of conversation and scrutiny of Mrs. Brown's role in the governor's office. But in a larger sense, the screaming report reminds us of something more profound about our state: the utter powerlessness of our elected officials to do much of anything about the budget crisis.
People usually scream out of frustration. Frustration comes from powerlessness. And it must be awfully frustrating to be an aide/wife to a governor who won an election easily, faces a huge budget crisis, and can't get the defeated minority party to contribute meaningfully to a solution. The LA Times reported Thursday that GOP legislators had lost power by failing to make a deal with Brown, but that was only half-right. The budget talks exposed the fact that everyone -- including Democratic legislators and the governor -- is powerless to make big decisions and resolve fiscal issues.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
This really is the heart of California's governance problem. In most democracies, people and parties who win elections then can put forward their agenda. If it doesn't work, the voters punish them in the next election. But not in California. Our governing system has so many whips and chains and fiscal rules -- and a 2/3 supermajority requirement for raising revenues -- that it's nearly impossible to govern. And our election system is so broken, there's no real political competition for legislative seats, so lawmakers can't be held accountable by voters.
So Mrs. Brown, not to mention her husband and advisors, would be wise to repurpose the energy they are currently devoting to anti-Republican anger and use it to pursue broad constitutional reform that restores some semblance of democracy and accountability in California. Once that's done, governors and their brilliant spouses won't have time to scream. They'll be too busy governing.


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Nov 28, 2011
THE MUPPETS Garners Critical Acclaim, Cash, and Support
The Muppets beat out new releases Arthur Christmas and Hugo along with already-released Happy Feet 2 and Puss in Boots. For those keeping track, that's an animated Christmas movie with good reviews, an epic, 3D family feature from Martin Scorsese with excellent reviews, the sequel to one of the biggest family films of the past few years, and a spin-off film from one of the most popular family film franchises of the past decade.
I think that it's very fair to say that The Muppets has surpassed everyone's expectations (I know it has surpassed mine) as a film, as a critical darling, as a money-maker, and as a franchise relaunch. I have seen the movie five times, with five very different groups of people, and every time the audience reactions, but during and after the film, intrigue me to no end. I saw kids singing "Mahna Mahna," I heard teenagers humming and singing "Life's a Happy Song," and I saw every single person with a big smile on their face. It just does not get any better than that.
But, the question on everyone's mind, and rightly so, is... What's next? Where do the Muppets go next? What do they do now? What does Disney think? Well... I don't know. Honestly, not a clue. But here's a brief little story from Reuters and Yahoo! with quotes from Dave Hollis, Vice President of Motion Picture Sales and Distribution for Disney, that talks a little bit about how happy Disney is, and how excited they are to make more Muppet stuff:
In second place, audiences welcomed the Muppets back to theaters for the first time in 12 years.
New Disney movie "The Muppets," starring Jason Segel and Amy Adams alongside Kermit, Miss Piggy and their puppet friends, took in a strong $29.5 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters in three days. The five-day holiday weekend haul reached $42 million domestically. Two international markets added $1.6 million.
Disney bought the rights to the Muppets in 2004, and the media, entertainment and consumer-products giant is eager to interest a new generation in the characters.
"It's hard to have anyone argue we didn't bring them back," said Dave Hollis, Disney's executive vice president for motion picture sales and distribution. The movie's performance "exceeded expectations," he said.
The Muppets starred on a weekly television show in the 1970s and early 1980s plus a series of films, the last being 1999's "Muppets from Space."
Critics loved the new Muppets movie, with 98 percent giving it a favorable review, according to aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences awarded an A rating on average, according to exit-polling firm CinemaScore. The movie cost about $45 million to produce.
And, as if all that weren't enough... the critics really can't stop raving about how much they love The Muppets. Rotten Tomatoes has The Muppets ranked at an unbelievable 98% fresh rating, meaning that, of 130 reviews, only three were not singing the praises of The Muppets. It doesn't get better than that. And we realize that you don't have time to read 130 reviews (I don't either, but darn if I haven't tried), so our good friend James Carroll created a gorgeous graphic for us to use that compiles some of the best quotes from some of the best reviews of The Muppets. Check it out below (and click to make it bigger and readable)!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, email@example.com
7 comments:
I went to see Arthur Christmass and it was good.ReplyDelete
Seen the movie twice so far, and I don't doubt I'll see it again before it's gone from theatres! It warmed my heart at the first showing I went to that everyone in the theatre stayed until the last credit was done, applauded and even said "aw, it's over!" It just says so much about this movie and how the world is so ready for the Muppets to be back!ReplyDelete
I want to thank you Ryan and this blog, because without it I might not have rented The Muppet Movie and watched it with my wife and kids (2 and 5). Which lead to us watching all the other Muppet classics, which lead me to buy the novelization of the Movie (thanks to the review here), which eventually lead to us all watching the movie on Black Friday!ReplyDelete
We're all holding our breath hoping for a return of a weekly Muppet Show.
Why did you see Arthur Christmas?! You could have seen the muppets with that money!!!!ReplyDelete
I saw it opening day.. I cried 3 times during it! It was AMAZING! I can't stop talking about it! I am definitely a Walter at heart :)ReplyDelete
I'm so happy that the film has done so well!ReplyDelete
I loved the movie, I've seen it three times and I'm going to see it again!
Thanksgiving movie releases are odd birds that don't normally follow the rules of Summer box office returns. While a movie, like the Muppets, can open at number 2, it is very much possible for it to slowly make it to the $100M mark. When Disney premiered "Tangled" the same time last year, it scored $48M in its opening week, but earned $200M by the time it ended its theatrical run... and it also opened at number 2.ReplyDelete
It will be very interesting to see how much the Muppets will gross within the next two weeks. They have a shot at dominating the box office till Christmas. That's when we'll see some major competition from the Chipmunks Sequel, Tin Tin, MI:4, and Sherlock Holmes. I wouldn't want to open a movie on that weekend!


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Change Of Face
This story appears in the April 2000 issue of Business Start-Ups magazine. Subscribe »
After his father was murdered in 1981, computer database expert David Wheeler developed a program that could pinpoint perpetrators with startling accuracy by sifting through crime reports, tips and other investigative data. The first time he tried it, the program linked several seemingly unrelated crimes and fingered a suspect. "I've got something here," he thought.
In 1991, Wheeler, 39, founded InfoGlide, Inc. of Austin, Texas, to sell the software program to law-enforcement agencies. Local and national police departments utilized it to investigate everything from serial rapists to international terrorists. But other, cash-strapped public agencies lacked the financial means to support Wheeler's start-up. Says InfoGlide CEO Jay Valentine, 50, "If the client loves the product but can't afford to buy it, there's no market."
In 1996, InfoGlide discovered a new market. Fraud rings were costing the insurance industry hundreds of millions of dollars in spurious claims each year. Insurance investigators' efforts were stymied by the same problems police faced. There were huge files of accident reports, names, addresses, driver's license numbers and the like, many intentionally garbled by criminals to avoid detection. The first time Wheeler ran a file of insurance claims through his program, "it lit up like a Christmas tree," he says.
InfoGlide immediately re-targeted its efforts toward insurance firms. Soon, orders were practically pouring in. In 1998, Wheeler raised $5 million in venture capital. Today, his company has 38 employees and is worth $100 million.
InfoGlide's experience is a prime example of shapeshifting. Also called transmigration, it's the practice of morphing a company so it can enter a peripheral or related industry. "We're seeing an enormous amount of transmigration going on right now," says Barry Sheehy, president of management consulting firm CPC Econometrics Inc. in Savannah, Georgia. Examples include Greyhound Corp.'s change from a bus company into consumer-products maker Dial Corp. and Westinghouse's transmigration from industrial manufacturer into broadcaster CBS Corp.
Transmigration is also occurring in such industries as financial services and health care. The reason, Sheehy says, is that transmigration is a key to long-term success in a changing environment. "If a company lasts more than a generation," he says, "they've transmigrated once if not more."
Mark Henricks is an Austin, Texas, writer who specializes in business topics and has written for Entrepreneur for 10 years.
Tracking Transmigrations
The idea of changing forms precedes modern business. Ancient civilizations passed down legends of werewolves and shapeshifters like the Norse god Loki. A more recent example is American Express, which started out a century and a half ago as a freight forwarder but has become a preeminent global financial services company. Some companies even see shapeshifting as a key to survival.
Transmigration involves more than jumping fences to get into what appears to be greener pastures, Successful shapeshifters are careful to enter new businesses where existing core competencies will give them an edge. For instance, says Sheehy, American Express migrated into financial services after becoming expert at doing money transfers for immigrants it was transporting to 19th-century America.
To identify a transmigration opportunity, listen to the fringes, advises Sheehy. "Very rarely are these transmigrations spawned from the center [of an organization]," he says. "It usually comes as an opportunity on the periphery."
Suspect a transmigration opportunity if a sideline business unexpectedly begins producing sales and profits that are growing faster than your main business. "Pay attention when something that should be a sideshow starts looking less like [that] and more like the main event," advises Sheehy.
Techniques such as economic value added, or EVA, analysis can also help you determine whether the activities are adding value to your company. "As these businesses begin to prove themselves," says Sheehy, "they tend to add value very quickly."
Don't move too radically to take advantage of transmigration opportunities, however. Stay involved in your established businesses while exploring new ones. Eventually, the older businesses may die natural deaths, but don't hurry them. "The old can go on for a long time," says Sheehy. Often, profits from the old business pay for the costs to start the new one.
Shapeshifting Sands
Shapeshifting is as tricky and risky as it sounds. It's hard to focus on the periphery of your business. Sheehy says executives at one of his client companies resisted expanding a sideline business that was actually producing half the company's profits as well as growing faster than the core operation. "You'd be surprised how long it takes people to recognize that," he says.
Shapeshifting also creates tension in a company, as a long-established business is cast aside in favor of a new one. Employees who are comfortable in the old world are likely to resist being pulled into an unfamiliar one. The situation is worsened by the fact that shapeshifting means leaving behind the things that got you where you are and is best begun while the old line of business is still seemingly viable. "You have to have the discipline to be able to shift money to support these new areas," Sheehy warns.
A Growing Trend
Transmigration is destined to become more familiar to all types of businesses. Thanks to forces such as e-commerce and globalization, boundaries between industries are blurring, value chains are adding and subtracting links, and large numbers of companies are facing pressure to develop new markets to replace dying ones. "It's happening more frequently," says Sheehy, "because competitive environments are forcing it."
But you shouldn't force it. "This isn't about going out to find someplace to transmigrate," Sheehy says. "It's about going to the periphery of your organization to find out where it's already happening."
It's happening again to InfoGlide. In 1999, it became apparent that InfoGlide's technology was ideally suited to analyzing large files of Web-based customer data to identify a firm's best customers and their specific tastes. Suddenly, the door opened to opportunities in customer relationship management and online vertical retailing.
"We're not really in the fraud business," Valentine says. "We're in the business of giving you the most detailed information about your customer. When he changes his name, address and identity numbers in order to avoid you finding him because he's being fraudulent, we can still tell you all about him. And every industry cares about knowing their best, worst and fraudulent customers."
Having gone from law enforcement to insurance to general business markets in just a few years, InfoGlide might be an extreme example of shapeshifting. Nevertheless, the scenario is one that any business could face if its market changes. As Valentine says, "The market is the ultimate wisdom. The market is going to tell you what you have to do."
Next Step
- Winning the Race for Value: Strategies to Create Competitive Advantage in the Emerging 'Age of Abundance' (Amacom) by Barry Sheehy, Hyler Bracey, Rick Frazier and Adrienne Hickey explains how companies can, among other techniques, transmigrate to meet changing market needs.
- Shapeshifters by Marlene Piturro, is a September 1999 article in Management Review magazine that examines transmigration from a big-company perspective.
Is your business stretched to capacity? Find out what's not making money-and drop it. Other Content Links


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The 2009 Mazda6 is supposed to be the driver's car in the mid-size sedan segment. Considering it competes with the Camry, that's not exactly a challenge. Still, can it get us hot and bothered?
Hotness is relative; there's actual hot, as in Megan Fox or John Hamm, and office hot, as in someone hot compared to people you work with. Is the 2009 Mazda6 hot... or just office hot?
Since most of us don't work in the same office, I'm going to lean on the cast of NBC's The Office, which is notable for employing actors almost as unattractive as the rest of us. The 2009 Mazda6 is Pam, a.k.a. Jenna Fischer, who is smokin' hot for a receptionist from Scranton, PA but nothing special compared to the cast of most NBC programs (ahem, Chuck). In the same way, this new Mazda is fun for what it is, but that's still a FWD mid-size sedan.
The 2009 Mazda6 is the replacement for the beloved first-generation Mazda6, a sedan notable for offering a sporty ride and enough style to differentiate it from the appliance-like competition. Unfortunately, the biggest difference in the eyes of most buyers was the size. It was much smaller. This is why the little Mazda was more likely to get duty as the daily driver for a hot twentysomething than a MILF.
The only Mazda6 available with the six-speed manual gearbox is the 6i version, which comes paired with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder. Compared to the previous generation's 2.3-liter four-banger, power is up modestly to 170 HP and 167 lb.-ft. of torque, an increase of 14 HP and 11 lb-ft. The V6-powered 6s jumps stratospherically to 272 HP and 269 lb.-ft. of torque, thanks to a switch to the six-cylinder engine out of the Mazda CX-9. We wanted the manual transmission, so we opted for the heavily-optioned Mazda 6i Grand Touring.
Compared to the pudgy Toyota Camry and dated Nissan Altima, the Mazda is sleek and modern. Run into friends while driving a Mazda6 and you won't have to apologize for its looks. The front fenders flare out dramatically from the rear slope of the hood, giving it the athletic look of an RX-8 from one or two angles. From dead-on the 6 is slightly one-note, but it's attractive from most of the remaining angles. It won't stand out on Rodeo Drive, but you were going to Chili's anyways.
On the inside, the new Mazda6 has traded up from The Gap to The Limited. Though it retains the same black-with-metal trim look, the materials are much nicer and the controls are integrated into an actual theme (circles) as opposed to merely stacked on top of each other. More impressively, the designers opted for a smooth-surfaced and piano black accent pieces over cheap and fake wood. Highlighted by silver striations for the Touring models, the trim sounds cheesy but works rather well. The textured plastic on on the underside of the console is too dense and rough for a luxury car, which is just about right for this class.
The new 6 is either larger or within half-an-inch of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry in terms of front and rear legroom and larger than both in terms of rear hip room. With the front seats all the way back, there was plenty of room for four adults. I picked up a couple of Mazda3-owning friends and they were impressed with the stylish look and roomy backseat. Whether a big backseat is a sign of hot or office hot is purely subjective.
Though nearly 200 pounds heavier and six-inches longer, the new 6 retains much of what makes it fun to drive. The speed-sensitive steering is feather light and perfectly matched to the sedan's carefree and fun attitude. Throw it into a corner at a reasonable speed and it won't bend or dive. You'd expect the price for such a stable ride would be a rougher ride, but even on the worst roads its as smooth most entry-level luxury cars. All of this comes from a car that starts at $24,910 in this trim and tops out with all options under $30,000. If you want to forgo all the options and luxury touches it starts at $18,500.
Attractive, fun, comfortable and affordable — what's the catch?
It's not slow, but it's a little community college. Step on it hard and the new four-in-a-line doesn't wake up until well into 3-grand in second gear, near the point where the VVT system opens up and lets it breathe. You'll feel great passing on a downshift, but If stoplight power is all you desire, the new Mazda6s slays all comers with its massive V6. Thankfully, the six-speed manual is fantastic fun, with intuitive shift points, easy throws and a clutch so light you may put your foot through the firewall. The biggest complaint, actually, is the noise. In the throes of passion the inline-four lets out an unattractive and high-pitched squeal.
In the end, the Mazda6, like Pam's status as most desirable girl on The Office, is the most desirable car in its segment . It's the best you can do when you're a salesman at a second-run paper store.


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Yep, I disappeared again. No, I'm not quite back. How am I posting this? With my 3DS. I can't load most pages, can't watch videos, and I can't log into Gameinformer, but somehow, SOMEHOW, I can log into the Pfhorums and post on here. Sadly, I can't map in this state, but hopefully someday I will be able to again. I've got quite a few ideas (none of which I'm sharing). It'll be nice to get them out of my head and into physical form eventually.
So from my 3DS I'll be able to watch you guys. From the looks of things, I'm not missing out solo-content wise.
Speaking of 3DS...
1) 3D on this sucks. It'll give you a headache.
2) I know this is a while back, but wasn't there something that allowed you to play Marathon on a DS? I downloaded it way back, I wasn't able to use it since my lite didn't have a SD card. Now that my 3DS has one, does anyone know where this is at?


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I know that so many people out there must be wondering about this, so I thought I'd put up a post about it. The Colts Rookie Camp started yesterday and will be going through Sunday to give the new team members a brief introduction to the coaching staff and facilities. I wrote more about it last year and it turned out to be a pretty big hit, so here I am writing about it again. This time around though I won't go as in depth about what the camp is for this time I'll just give you the names, listed with their position, college and how we acquired them. Here they are: Continue reading
Filed under: NFL | Tagged: Adrian Grady, Austin Collie, Brandon Anderson, Brandon Barnes, Brandon Harrison, Brett McDermott, Colin Cloherty, Cornelius Lewis, Curtis Painter, Donald Brown, Fili Moala, Jacob Lacey, Jaimie Thomas, Jerraud Powers, John Matthews, Kyle DeVan, Pat Kuntz, Pat McAfee, Ramon Humber, Terrance Taylor, Tim Masthay, Tom Pestock, Tyrell Sales | Leave a comment »


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