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At 65, Arnold Schwarzenegger has left the California governor's mansion and returned to his Hollywood roots as the star of Kim Jee-Woon's "The Last Stand." He plays Sheriff Ray Owens, who has moved from LA to a small, laid-back border town.
Have you seen the film? Leave your review in the comments below.
Most of the town's residents have left to attend an out-of-town football game--just as the sheriff learns that a Mexican drug kingpin has broken out of prison and is heading for the border. Right through the sheriff's town.
So it's Sheriff vs. Bad Guys, just as it was in "High Noon." It's a classic Western setup, with predictable outcomes. But way way more violent. Practically everything that can be shot, is shot. Here's what the critics are saying:
A very welcome respite from the "Jason Bourne-ing" of most action films released nowadays, The Last Stand is a proudly over-the-top, shamelessly violent and frequently funny mash-up of high-octane shoot-'em-up and conventional western. It marks the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger to leading man status, but almost just as importantly, announces the arrival - to American audiences, anyway - of the supremely talented Korean director Kim Jee-Woon, who juices up some very old-school ideas and set-pieces with his wildly kinetic style. The Last Stand is a must for those who have eagerly been awaiting Arnold's return, and a "probably should" for those of you who are looking for an action film that offers crazy fun as opposed to gritty realism. Eric Walkulski
Sometimes, all you want is a knock-down, guns-blazing approximation of an old-style western, even if it's set in contemporary times. As a modern oater, The Last Stand is shamelessly entertaining. As guilty pleasures go, this one is relatively defensible. Directed by Korean émigré Kim Jee-woon, it's a 21st-century take on a story that was old hat when it was new hat 60 years ago, when they called it High Noon.—Marshall Fine, Huffington Post
No one was expecting former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's return to the big screen to be a collaboration with Whit Stillman or Lars Von Trier. But even by the big, loud standards of a big, loud Schwarzenegger movie, "The Last Stand" feels like a succession of pitches that never amount to a script.
One minute, it's a high-speed chase movie, lovingly showing off the Corvette 01, and then it's a heavily-armed showdown with a bunch of faceless goons. Sometimes the movie avoids credulity and operates with tongue firmly in cheek, but then we're supposed to actually care when one minor character dies and another one gets a shot at redemption. Alonso Duralde, The Wrap
The shootouts and showdowns are muscular, high-energy and consist of an insane amount of gunfire, although there are some bursts of squirm-inducing, creative carnage.
Much of the hand-to-hand combat is shot and edited in a way to obscure what Arnold is actually doing while creating the illusion that he's kicking all kinds of butt. Far more effective is a clever, intimate car chase through a cornfield that's thrilling and suspenseful.
That this scrappy band of underdogs can take out the more technologically advanced villain and his crew should come as no surprise. It's as predictable as Arnold saying he'll be back, and making good on that. Christy LeMire, Associated Press
The Last Stand is playing at Beechwood Stadium Cinemas 11 and at Carmike Cinemas 12. It's rated R for violence and language and runs 107 minutes. In addition to the ex-governor, the movie stars Arron Shiver, Forest Whitaker, Luis Guzman, Eduardo Noriega, Johnny Knoxville, Eduardo Noriega, Peter Stormare and Harry Dean Stanton, among others.
You might also be interested in reading:
'Parental Guidance' Movie Review: Great Family Entertainment
Movie Reviews: 'Django Unchained' Scores Big with Critics
Movie Reviews: 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'
Movie Reviews: 'Zero Dark Thirty' The Hunt for Bin Laden is Compelling


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Gov. Pat McCrory starts the second year of his term on uneven ground.
The Republicans first year was marked by repeated controversies in his administration and a hot-button legislative session that led to contentious decisions on abortion, immigration and elections. His approval rating among voters in January is 37 percent, eight points lower than where he started a year ago.
But at the same time, much of his legislative agenda is moving forward and McCrory is touting the states improving economy.
Soon after his election, The News & Observer looked at five main goals McCrory set during his campaign: lower unemployment, cut taxes, join an offshore drilling coalition, implement an infrastructure plan and increase accessibility.
Through his first year, McCrorys record is mixed. Heres a look:
Goal: My goal is to be beating our neighboring states in terms of unemployment.
Analysis: In the campaign, McCrory said he expected to see North Carolinas unemployment rate fall lower than its neighbors rates at the end of his four-year term and beat South Carolina after his first year in office.
So far, the states unemployment rate is improving. But South Carolina remains better.
When McCrory entered office last January, the North Carolina jobless rate stood at 9.5 percent, the fourth-worst in the country.
Since then it has declined steadily, dropping to 7.4 percent in November, the latest data available, a five-year low. North Carolinas rate is now tied for 15th-worst.
South Carolinas unemployment rate in November stood at 7.1 percent, and Virginia is at 5.4 percent.
Nevertheless, McCrory is championing the improvements. He is calling this 2.1 percentage-point drop the Great Carolina Comeback. But others question his assessment, pointing to the decline in the states labor force. From November 2012 to November 2013, employed workers increased just .1 percent.
Economic experts say the states economy in the short term is at the mercy of national and global forces, for the most part. The state can help create jobs with a big government spending program but otherwise federal policy changes will largely dictate the direction of the states rate going forward.
Status: In progress
Goal: If I have an opportunity to reduce a tax, the first tax I will reduce is the income tax.
Analysis: One of the governors major policy achievements in his first year is a tax-cut package.
After working with Republican lawmakers for months, McCrory signed into law a bill that trims the states personal income tax to a flat 5.8 percent in January and lowers it again to 5.75 percent in 2015. Under the previous three-tiered system, people paid 6, 7 or 7.5 percent depending on income.
The corporate tax rate falls to 6 percent this year from 6.9 percent, with another reduction to 5 percent planned in 2015.
To make it happen, McCrory did break a campaign pledge to keep his tax cut revenue-neutral. The tax cut package will limit future state spending by more than $2 billion in the next five years.
Status: Fulfilled
Goal: I want to ... implement a 25-year plan for infrastructure to show our business community and our citizens exactly how we plan to invest their hard-earned tax dollars.
Analysis: McCrory campaigned calling himself an Eisenhower Republican, a reference to the former presidents focus on infrastructure that the governor emulated as Charlotte mayor.
The N.C. Department of Transportation is still developing a document that will express the McCrory administrations priorities, but it will not include a list of prioritized projects.
The work is building on efforts in former Gov. Bev Perdues administration to develop a 2040 statewide transportation plan, as required by the federal government, and other assessments conducted in recent years. DOT officials said more details are expected in a couple of months.
Status: In progress
Goal: Were going to form a coalition (with Virginia and South Carolina) and share that revenue from offshore oil and gas drilling.
Analysis: McCrory announced in February that he joined the Outer Continental Shelf Governors Coalition to push for offshore oil and natural gas drilling along with the governors of South Carolina and Virginia. He is preparing to become chairman of the coalition soon.
The post will put him in a good position to advocate for offshore drilling, but much remains uncertain as to whether the states can drill and develop a revenue-sharing compact.
The federal government holds the keys. It must approve any drilling leases. McCrory said last week he is setting up a February meeting with the U.S. Energy Department to ask it to allow seismic testing, a step needed to drill exploratory wells.
Status: In progress
Goal: Would you hold regularly scheduled news conferences? Absolutely.
Analysis: After criticizing his predecessor for not being transparent, McCrory made it clear he wanted to be accessible as governor.
To this point, he pledged to hold regular news conferences to communicate with the public. In a meeting with N&O reporters and editors on Oct. 16, 2012, McCrory said he would meet with reporters at least twice a month.
McCrory has had some limited press availability at public appearances around the state. Occasionally, hell take a question or two from the press after his monthly meetings with the Council of State. He held news conferences at major points during the year, for instance when he announced new initiatives, debuted his budget proposal and signed significant legislation, but they not occur on a regular basis.
Status: Not fulfilled
Frank: 919-829-4698

subset: commoncrawl


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Gig Harbor resident Ryan Walton was on his way to a winter ski instructor job at Crytstal Mountain with his colleagues when they came upon a dire situation.
Washington State Patrol credits good Samaritans as a large reason why two occupants of a vehicle that left the road and tumbled into White River near Greenwater Friday only sustained minor injuries, but the rescuers apparently left the scene before they could be properly thanked.
They had good reason: they were late for work.
Walton, Jeff Barth, Levi Waddell and Keith Dawson are ski and/or snowboard instructors at Crystal Mountain this winter. Dawn Zeleznik, the office manager for Snowsports School, said she knew they were involved in the rescue because they had turned up to work late and consequently received some gentle ribbing by colleagues before being recognized for their efforts earlier that morning.
The men corroborate that Barth and Walton were the first two people who entered the water after a mass of brake lights illuminated eastbound traffic on State Route 410, shortly before 8 a.m.
Barth, of Preston, said he was five to six cars behind and saw the "plume of steam" rising from the river in the distance.
The vehicle, a 1998 Toyota 4Runner with four-wheel drive, was nose-first upside down in the water, with the headlights aimed at the road, he recalled.
"It was bad," said Walton. "I was thinking we were going to be pulling out bodies."
Barth said he approached the front to see about the occupants and was able to speak to them and verify there were two people inside. State Patrol later reported they were a 48-year-old male driver and 19-year-old female passenger, both of Silverdale. Barth also noted that there was about a foot of space inside the vehicle between the floorboard and the water level, so the occupants had room to breathe.
"I was talking to them to let them know help was coming," he said. "If it were me in there, I'd want to hear a voice like that telling me I was going to be OK."
While Barth maintained contact, Walton said he began looking for a way to pry a door open to free them. The doors were jammed and while he was working, a third person (as yet unidentified by Patch) entered the water and was able to get the back driver's side door open and pull out the female occupant first.
Both were carried to the river's edge and assisted by others waiting with warm cars so they could dry off and warm up.
Waddell and Dawson, both of Puyallup, were among those at the water's edge standing by to help bring the occupants to safety. "The people that day did a fantastic job," Waddell commended his colleagues.
Four-Wheel Drive No Guarantee
All four men, very familiar with State Route 410 leading up to Crystal, recalled the road was icy and slick that morning, which was why they were taking it slow.
State Patrol reports the driver of the vehicle had lost control on the ice as he tried to pass another vehicle. Technically, he did it in a passing zone, said Barth.
But four-wheel drive is no guarantee in conditions like that, he added.
"You see it [people passing] more frequently than you should," said Walton. Since most people still wind up parking next to each other in the parking lot at Crystal, "it's not worth it to save five minutes to get up there and the lifts might not even be open yet."
The accident took place just east of Federation Forest, Barth said, and in a section of road right before the speed limit reduces to 35 mph entering Greenwater. The road bends left and then you're right next to the river. "You never would have thought that would launch a car off the road," he said. Then again, the driver was also cited for speed too fast for the icy conditions with a penalty of $175.
Taking Charge
Walton and Barth recounted that as they got to the scene, about a dozen people were already there standing, and staring.
Barth didn't fault the spectators for their inaction - movies give the impression the car might do something unexpected like explode in situations like that - but his background as a bike guide for Issaquah-based Bicycle Adventures, kicked in at the sight of people in trouble, he said.
"Somebody needed to take charge," he said.
And the adrenaline was flowing. "We didn't even break stride," Walton said.
When the occupants were safe, and apparently before first responders arrived, "Jeff and I looked at each other, shook hands and were like 'see you at work.'"
Only several minutes after he'd returned to his car did he realize he was freezing, Walton said.


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LAWTON — Jeff Brickman really wanted to be Southmoore's coach for nights like he had Friday when his ninth-ranked SaberCats traveled to Lawton to face the sixth-ranked Wolverines.
Even though LHS was undefeated and ranked as high as No. 1 in other state polls, Brickman knew the type of team he was taking with him. It was why he fought to get the head coaching job this year. His belief in the team paid off with a 20-17 victory at Cameron Stadium.
"It's like I told these guys, I had some opportunities to do some other things when coach (Chris) Jensen left," Brickman said. "I really wanted this job. I knew we were going to have a special team. I really wanted this job badly."
The SaberCats led for much of the game before watching Lawton make a furious second-half comeback.
With just over seven minutes left in the contest, SMH got the ball on its own 5-yard line. It needed a long drive to salt the game away.
Brickman turned to his offensive line and asked them to clear the way for tailbacks Karltrell Henderson and Jaelon Walker. Southmoore took more than five minutes off the clock behind its power running game before it had to punt the ball.
Lawton took over with 1:59 left in the game, but were unable to get past midfield. The Cats watched the clock run down as they earned the biggest win of the season.
"We played a heck of a game," quarterback Tre Edwards said. "I think this is the best game we've ever played."
Henderson led the way for Southmoore with 108 rushing yards. Edwards threw for 177 yards on 10-of-15 passing.
Lawton's Ivan Thomas racked up 138 yards on the ground in the defeat, but it wasn't enough.
"We thought that Thomas would be a big threat, but we stopped him," linebacker Keaton Bell said. "And we just had a great game. It makes me feel great. Awesome."


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Quality & Comfort - two essentials which Van Heusen always ensures to deliver.
Our designers travel the world looking to partner with leading fabric and technology providers to translate the latest advancements into wearable and affordable business apparel. Here we explain a little more of the science behind some of our innovations.


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411 Spruce Street
San Francisco, CA 94118
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 10am - 7pm
Sorry, no pets please.
Welcome to Tease
TEASE is an innovative cut and color salon, located in Presidio Heights, one of San Francisco's most popular neighborhoods, featuring upscale, fashionable shopping and Michelin rated restaurants. Clients will also enjoy the stress free luxury of easy 2 hour parking.
Tease is dedicated to consistently providing high customer satisfaction by rendering extraordinary, personalized services, experienced fashion forward colorists and stylists, quality products, and furnishing an enjoyable atmosphere at exceptional prices. We offer Brazilian Blowout and Brazilian Blowout Zero-for those who prefer less chemicals. We also provide head turning styles and updos for those special occasions. We are proud to feature Oribe and Davines product lines; quality sustainable products engineered to help maintain your style at home.
TEASE caters to individual preferences, offering a spa-like setting with a full service styling center. The comfortable environment welcomes customers and makes them feel at ease as their images are transformed. TEASE offers a relaxing environment where clients can kick back and be pampered. Clients are welcomed with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or wine. Escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, grab a drink and enjoy the friendly atmosphere. When your time at TEASE is complete, you will feel stylish, relaxed and recharged. It truly is like no other salon experience.
What people are saying...
"Lori is the absolute BEST! Super nice, extremely talented -- Lori gets it right all the time (been a client for a year now). Always accommodating since my schedule is crazy. Thanks Lori -- you rock!"
"Gustavo is the best. I have very difficult thick unruly hair. And he knows how to cut my hair. I now live in MI and I still go back for his hair cuts. He is a true professional and has taught me how to blow dry my hair and style it. He knows how to make you look good. HE IS JUST THE BEST! And even months later my hair is still great."


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- Home
- Departments
- Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy
Professional Program in Physical Therapy:
UNTHSC is currently offering a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program on its Fort Worth campus, classes began this July 2010. Become part of this exciting new DPT program. This 33-month program will prepare you to practice as a Doctor of Physical Therapy in one of today's fastest growing and most rewarding health professions.
Program Mission:
To produce highly qualified physical therapists who will enhance the health and functional abilities of the people of Texas with a distinctive focus on Tarrant County, rural areas, and beyond; to participate in research that impacts the practice of physical therapy; and to provide high level physical therapy clinical services.
Program Highlights:
- Well-rounded education in all aspects of contemporary physical therapy.
- Curriculum includes a course in Rural Health and underserved populations and opportunities for clinical internships in rural areas.
- Learning in a research-intensive health science center environment.
- A low student-faculty ratio that ensures close contact with and continuous mentoring by physical therapy faculty.
- Interdisciplinary education experiences with students in medical school and physician assistant programs at the health science center.
Clinical Experiences:
You will have opportunities to learn at clinical sites across the DFW area and the nation, including opportunities to train in smaller communities throughout Texas.
The Department and the Health Science Center:
The Department of Physical Therapy is the second academic department in the new School of Health Professions, joining the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. Both programs prepare students for exciting and satisfying careers that are among the nation's top health professions. Additional health professions programs will be proposed in future years.
UNTHSC belongs to the three-campus University of North Texas System, is regionally accredited, and is recognized as one of the state's fastest growing health science centers. UNTHSC currently includes three schools - Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and the School of Public Health - in addition to the School of Health Professions. With more than 1200 students and 300 full-time faculty, annual extramural research support totals approximately $30 million, and a new master plan is designed to double the size of the current campus. The health science center is poised to greatly enhance its already successful educational programs, fast-growing research initiatives and critically important health care service to the community and state.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at the University of North Texas Health Science Center is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: email@example.com;
website: http://www.capteonline.org.
The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award master's and doctoral degrees. SACS approval to offer the DPT degree at UNTHSC was received October 15, 2009.
Feedback Welcome!
The Department of Physical Therapy values comments and complaints that relate to its curriculum, students, faculty, and graduates from parties outside the University. We strive to respond in a timely and appropriate manner. Comments may be directed to the following individual: Dr. Clayton Holmes, Chair, Department of Physical Therapy, 817-735-2952, email@example.com.


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In Durham, there's a business that's not a retail store but that I know will interest a lot of business owners and aspiring business owners.
The Cookery will open its doors this month, offering folks with a food-related business kitchen space with professional-grade equipment that can be rented by the hour 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It's one of those places you might use if you don't yet have a professional kitchen of your own.
You can rent the bakery area, the kitchen or both. It looks like rates range from $15 to $30 per hour, depending on how many hours you commit to using and what time of day you wish to rent the space.
The Cookery is in the Durham Food Co-op building on West Chapel Hill Street.
The co-founders are husband and wife Nick Hawthorne-Johnson, co-founder of Bull City Restoration, and Rochelle Johnson, owner of Row Design Studios. More at www.durhamcookery.com.
Raleigh-based Golden Corral is preparing to complete one of its biggest local changes in recent years.
The company will open its new "Pavilion" style restaurant at 3424 Capital Blvd. on Thursday.
The store, like its first Pavilion store in this market on Glenwood Avenue, is larger and features a buffet divided by types of food.
As a result of the new restaurant opening, the company is choosing to close its locations on New Bern Avenue and Millbrook Road in Raleigh. The New Bern Avenue site is already closed, and the Millbrook Road site will close Tuesday.
Employees from both locations are moving to the new one on Capital Boulevard.
In Wake Forest, in the Gateway Commons shopping center at N.C. 98 Bypass and Jones Dairy Road: Edible Arrangements is open, Fire Pit BBQ will open this summer, Gatehouse Tavern is expanding and will complete the work on its new space in June, and Salus Massage will open this summer.
In Raleigh, David Fowle is getting close to completing his return to serving coffee downtown.
Fowle, who operated Café Udine in two locations from 1994 to 2002, will open The Wilmoore Café at 223 S. Wilmington St., next to Busy Bee.
The restaurant will sell "quite a bit of coffee," Fowle says, but will also boast a full kitchen. Chef Jackson Harris has worked at 18 Seaboard and Herons restaurant at the Umstead Hotel.
Other items: In Chapel Hill, Crepes Veronique closed in the Courtyard on West Franklin Street last week. The owner says the store may pop up in a new location. ... In Raleigh, Aladdin's Eatery opened a second store in Brier Creek, next to Caribou Coffee. Another Raleigh store is in Sutton Square on Falls of Neuse Road. ... And in Raleigh, Courtney's Bistro on Falls of Neuse Road closed, but the one at 407 E. Six Forks Road is still open.
firstname.lastname@example.com, 919-829-4649 or takingstock.newsobserver.com


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For residents of the city of Coral Gables, there are all kinds of strict rules and regulations, like the ones that we explored yesterday.
Not too long ago, you couldn't even have a pickup truck within city limits -- at least not one that you kept parked in your driveway overnight.
Coral Gables has a reputation for its very strict—and frequently unusual—city codes.
As recently as 2007, the entire zoning code was revamped, but to this day, there are still a few ordinances that are... well, peculiar.
While flipping through the 464-page zoning code manual, there were seven ordinances that stood out.


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I am a member of the Johnstown Senior Activities Center and I love it. Recently, I heard that the center is removing the dances and other things from the activities.
Am I missing something? I thought the center was county-run. How is it that one person can make such decisions? What are the elderly to do?
Many go there to relax and meet others, as well as to enjoy the activities.
I also witnessed an act of rudeness when a center official yelled at a member for her singing when she was not handicapped.
The woman can now walk without help, so she no longer is considered as handicapped.
It is time for changes for the better at the senior center in Johnstown.
Beth Schry
Editor's note: We asked the senior center for response, which follows:
Manager: Dances, other activities continuing
Dear members, future members and readers of The Tribune-Democrat:
I invite you to come and enjoy our hospitality firsthand. We offer an array of activities Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Special events such as dances and other group activities are offered in the evenings.
The cafe is open for all ages on the second floor on Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
To qualify to become a member, all you have to do is be 60 years of age or older and a resident of Cambria County.
All members are treated equally and with dignity.
Dances are not being discontinued and activities are not changing.
I encourage the writer of this letter to please contact me or stop by so we can find a resolution to her dissatisfaction.
Dianna Harmotta
Manager, Senior Activities Center
Time our nation had a three-party system
In the U.S. Constitution, it says that we have freedom of choice.
Well I don't believe that's true. If it were true, then why must it take an act of Congress to pass a bill to give us a free choice to have an independent person run for president?
This is up to the Republicans and the Democrats to make this happen. And we all know it never will.
Currently, I am not very happy with the two people who are running for president.
No matter how you look at it, the real losers in this race are the middle class and the poor. I would like to hear what an independent person has to say so that I might have a better choice in who I might want to vote for president.
We need a change and that change should be a three-party system. Who knows? It might be better, then it might not, but we would have a choice.
Remember, this country didn't start out as Republican and Democrat. Our Founding Fathers said we are guaranteed life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Right now, people are not happy. It takes two people in a household working hard to barely make a living. And to buy a home and to raise a family are harder yet.
Remember, Congress has to stop spending money to get this country back on track. It's not about who is president.
Homer Mattes
Editor's note: Listed under president on Pennsylvania's Nov. 6 ballot will be candidates from the Democratic, Republican, Green and Libertarian parties.
Click here to subscribe to The Tribune-Democrat print edition.
Click here to subscribe to The Tribune-Democrat e-edition.


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Vote between the fifth-seeded Washington Huskies head coach Chris Petersen and the 12th seeded Cal Bears head coach Sonny Dykes.
How will Chris Petersen perform in his first season as head coach of the Washington Huskies?
Luckily, He Already Has It --- From the Core of Bronco Nation
You wish you were there. So do I.
A collection of Husky links - Chris Petersen's press conference video, reactions to his hiring, speculation on Justin Wilcox to Boise State, recruiting news and a new job for an old Dawg.
Who will be on the coaching hot seat in 2013? Who are the hot coaching commodities? Might we see some retirements after this season?
Oregon's impending hire of OC Mark Helfrich has squashed what should have been the greatest Coach Pete coaching scare in recent Boise State history. Too bad. I was emotionally ready.
This Cal coaching search doesn't end. We rank the candidates from worst to Chris Petersen.
Taking our weekly (and hopefully final) look at what's going on with the coaches frequently mentioned in connection with the Arkansas job.
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text: No, for me it sounds a little better with the grills off. This applies to LSi15s, PSB Synchrony One, and Aerial Acoustic 7T. They all are a bit more clear and focused with the grills off. Whether I have my eyes open or closed, it sounds better. I agree grills can provide some protection, and keep the dust off, but neither is that big a deal to justify not having them perform best.


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It also should be noted that Lisa Ervin was one of 3 people on the technical panel.
It also should be noted that Lisa Ervin was one of 3 people on the technical panel.
Apparently I'm "blind" too, because even on the slow motion of Ashley's lutz at around 4:26 in this video it looks to me like her left toe has already picked in and her right foot is tilted to a slight outside edge, perhaps a flat at worst (although her body is definitely leaning to the inside). It's hard to tell with absolute certainty, but I hardly think there was an "obvious" change of edge visible in real time that you'd have to be blind not to see.
However, I also looked very closely at her jumps in one of her GP events and it looked the same to me there, and the tech panel DID call an edge change. So it seems very debatable to me.
In roller skating (which still has figures as an event on its own) the figure is also divided into sections of greater or lesser importance. Turns, changes of edge and feet are the most important in that order IIRC. So a mistake made by a botched turn will hurt a skater than straying from the pattern halfway between the strike and the turn.
One thing that would have been nice with CoP is that it would have to make clear which is more important clean turns, tracings close together, overall size and shape etc. Back in the figures era one problem facing skaters was they had no real way of knowing how judges would prioritize the different elements (and different judges were clearly looking at different things).
^ She makes very strange calls at Nationals. For example, in 2008, Ervin was the technical specialist. Wagner received no edge calls, while Mirai's lutz in the FS was called for an edge violation, and her triple-triple was downgraded although it looked around a quarter turn. In addition to that Caroline used to received edge violations for her flips on 2009. In 2010, in the short program, both Sasha and Mirai didn't even receive an attention mark for their lutzes.
2008 U.S. Nationals Championship Ladies technical panel consisted of:
Technical Controller Charles Cyr; Technical Specialist Terry Kubicka; Assistant Technical Specialist Libby Scanlan.
Technical Controller Gale Tanger; Technical Specialist Lisa Ervin-Baudo; Assistant Technical Specialist Denise Williamson.
Technical Controller Wendy Enzmann; Technical Specialist Lisa-Marie Allen; Assistant Technical Specialist Troy Goldstein.
Technical Controller Doug Williams; Technical Specialist Lisa Ervin-Baudo; Assistant Technical Specialist Justin Dillon.
Last edited by Sylvia; 02-09-2011 at 07:52 PM.
I'll try to look at some of those jumps later.
^ Mirai received an attention call pretty much at all the comepetitions she went to the whole season on her lutz in the SP in 2009-2010. Same for Wagner.
Aside from just random variation, a skater could work on their technique so they either don't change edge at all (except perhaps in rare cases where something totally goes wrong with the timing, the same way skaters who certainly aren't "chronic" underrotators can underrotate jumps sometimes) or do so much less frequently (for example, Rachael with her lutzes and Joannie in the past, and Mirai might be another example).
What do you think of the Wagner screen cap I posted? While it is really obvious that most of her body is leaning to the inside, so the technique might not be the best, the edge doesn't LOOK to me to be an inside. And that's taking a screen cap from a slow-mo video, not watching in real time. Maybe the people who thought they saw an "obvious" edge change in real time were looking at the direction her upper body was leaning? If you can produce a screen cap that shows her blade on a clear inside edge, then I'll gladly take a look and be open to changing my mind. I'm just trying to be objective and NOT judge based on reputation.
It seems like on the boards certain things become accepted by many as unchangeable facts ("Sasha/Mirai/Ashley is a flutzer," "so-and-so is an underrotator") and sometimes it's so frustrating when posters just repeat these sayings as facts and automatically declare anyone who says anything contradictory (or doesn't give these skaters with a certain reputation for getting edge calls an edge call) MUST be wrong.
Last edited by RFOS; 02-09-2011 at 09:35 PM.
OK, I changed my mind about Mirai's 3flips at this year's Nationals (just looked at both in slow-mo). It does look like she went ever-so-slightly back onto the inside edge before the takeoff. And I think she did the same on her lutzes. Both had a general outside edge curvature on the entry and therefore looked like outside edge takeoffs to me in real time, and since that's what the tech panel is going by, I can definitely see why they made the calls they did.
Rachael's lutz is really off of a pronounced outside edge here, and her flip looks just fine too:
Because I just can't let go once I've gotten started on something, and love overanalyzing things
Each image includes screen caps, my best analysis, and what I would call for edge violations/warnings in real time and based on the screen caps/slow mo. All videos are from 2011 U.S. Nationals except for Cohen's from 2010.
1. Wagner SP lutz: http://i52.tinypic.com/2w3aqnd.png
Real-time conclusion: "!" if it exists, no edge call if it doesn't (unclear edge)
Slow-mo/screen cap conclusion: edge appears correct, no edge call
2. Wagner FS lutz: http://i56.tinypic.com/kcdzix.png
Real-time conclusion: "!" if it existed, no "e" if it doesn't (unclear edge)
Slow-mo/screen cap conclusion: "!" if it exists, no edge call if it doesn't (Giving benefit of the doubt based on poor quality screen caps. Appears as though she may have changed edge but not confident)
3. Nagasu SP lutz: http://i54.tinypic.com/280inmd.png
Real-tme conclusion: no edge call, looked OK in real time due to overall outside entry curve
Slow-mo/screen cap conclusion: "!" if it exists (unclear edge), no edge call if it doesn't
4. Nagasu SP flip: http://i53.tinypic.com/fapvg1.png
Real-time conclusion: appeared to be a possible slight outside edge in real time due to overall outside entry curve, would give "!" if it existed, otherwise no edge call (giving the benefit of the doubt)
Slow-mo/screen cap conclusion: Still pretty unclear, possible "!" if it existed, otherwise no edge call.
5. Nagasu FS lutz: http://i51.tinypic.com/w9uv84.png
Conclusion: Unclear edge both in real time and slow-mo/screen caps. "!" if it exists, otherwise no edge call
6. Nagasu FS flip: http://i55.tinypic.com/fdykiw.png
Conclusion: Looks OK, no "e" or "!"
7. Lam SP lutz: http://i54.tinypic.com/2n8czs3.png
Conclusion: Unclear edge in real time. "!" if it exists, otherwise no edge call to give benefit of the doubt. Slow-mo appears to show a slight inside edge at takeoff. Would still only give "!" if it existed because it was short and slight. Possibly an "e" if there is no "!" available and screen caps were allowed.
8. Czisny SP lutz and flip: http://i55.tinypic.com/1j6lfm.png
Conclusion: Strong outside edge on lutz, slight outside edge on flip (looked pretty clear in real time as well as slow-mo/screen caps, would give an "e").
9. Flatt SP lutz and flip: http://i54.tinypic.com/2d1s07c.png
Conclusion: Both jumps correct
10. Zawadzki SP lutz and Gao SP flip and lutz: http://i52.tinypic.com/66x24j.png
Conclusion: Zawadzki lutz and Gao flip are correct. Gao lutz looked unclear in real time. Overall entry curve is outside, appears as though it may switch at the very last second but not confident enough to say for sure in real time. "!" if it exists based on real-time. Screen caps show more clearly that the edge did indeed change at the last minute and would give an "e" based on that.
11. Cohen SP lutz (2010): http://i55.tinypic.com/2vazdbn.png
Conclusion: Clear edge change visible in real time and in screen caps from the angle in this video. I wonder if the tech panel had access to video from this angle, because the angle shown in the segment on TV where they gave the tech panel comments was not as good. I would hope they'd have multiple angles.
Based on this year's rules ("e" only, no "!") and real-time (which the tech panel was using), the only "e"s I would give were Czisny's flip and Cohen's lutz. Therefore, the only call I "disagreed" with based on the same limitations the tech panel has is Cohen's lutz (which could be due to the different viewing angle), and Mirai's flips based on the most recent viewing (however, my very first impression watching them in real time was that the edge was incorrect, and I felt pretty confident on the one in the SP, so I can see why the tech panel called it. I was less clear on the one in the FS the first time in real time and would have given her the benefit of the doubt there. Oh, and Ashley's 3Lutz in the FS got an "e" also. I suspect that would've been more clear with a better video. The one I watched switched camera angles a split second before she jumped and had no slow mo.
Overall, I don't think the tech panel was on the "cuckoo train."
Last edited by RFOS; 02-10-2011 at 08:03 AM.
A couple more:
Zawadzki FS flip, Lam FS lutz, Siraj SP lutz and flip: http://i52.tinypic.com/14wvadw.png
Conclusions: "e" for Agnes' flip in real time and on screen cap (not called by tech panel), "!" for Lam's lutz and Siraj's flip if available, otherwise no edge call in real time. No edge call for Lam if "!" is not an option (edge just wasn't clear), would give "e" to Siraj if there was no "!" and screen caps could be used because it does look pretty clear to me there, but not clear enough in real time for me to give an "e."
Gao FS lutz, Czisny FS flip: http://i54.tinypic.com/nl9cns.png
Conclusions: "!" for Gao's lutz in real time if available, otherwise no edge call (to give benefit of doubt, again it just wasn't obvious to me in real time). Does appear to switch to a very slight inside in screen cap. "e" for Czisny's flip in real time and screen cap (not called by tech panel)
Last edited by RFOS; 02-10-2011 at 01:44 PM.
I guess an flat takeoff edge could be considered not a "clean" correct edge, and the judges do have a reduction for "unclear takeoff edge" so based on that some others that I didn't call could be called (any one that didn't CLEARLY appear to be on the correct edge in real time). Only a few of the skaters above had really pronounced, obviously correct takeoff edges in real time (Zawadzki, Flatt, and Siraj's lutzes and probably only Gao and Flatt's flips of the ones I looked at, but I didn't look at Lam's or Wagner's flips [yet ]). Calling almost every jump as an "e" when many were very unclear and possibly would look obviously correct on closer analysis would really water down the significance of an "e."
Mirai's FS flip is one that looked unclear and possibly even outside to me in real time, but correct on the screen cap. The pronounced outside edge curvature going in is bothersome however. Zhang used to often do this and her flips often looked to be off on an outside edge to me in real time in the past, and I recall understanding and agreeing with her "!" calls on her flips that other posters were making fun of. Don't have time to look at her jumps right now. Rachael also used to (often) do the same thing with a very distorted entry curve on her flip (I definitely recall seeing it and taking note at Skate America 2009 when I was there live) but seems to have corrected it in her SP. She's the ONLY one who had no flat-looking or obviously distorted entry curvature or suspected edge changes in either real-time or slow-mo/screen caps. Just one of many things she's improved greatly and people don't give her enough credit for). I usually noticed the same distortion of the entry curve on her flip with Sasha as well. I'll try to look at Zhang's jumps and Cohen's flip later.
Last edited by RFOS; 02-10-2011 at 02:18 PM.
I started a new topic in GSD on my analysis of lutz and flip edges from Nationals:
Also, I'm not going to argue about Wagner's lutz this season. She has clearly worked hard to make the edge a more clearer outside edge than it has before, but it is definitely a questionable edge.
Last edited by smarts1; 02-10-2011 at 09:52 PM.


text:
Middle Tennessee
2009 (Senior): Enjoyed a successful senior campaign while playing through an injury most of the season ... Named FIU/Miami Invitational and UTSA Classic All-Tournament ... Second Team All-Sun Belt ... Most Valuable Player at the Sun Belt Championships after knocking down 50 kills for a .324 hitting percentage with 10 blocks and six digs scoring 56 points ... Joined the 1,000 kill club ... Ended career with 1,222 ... Recorded career high 24 kills against Albany ... Posted a .579 attack percentage against Xavier ... Had eight blocks against Denver ... At ULM had eight digs.
2008 (Junior): Ended season second on team in kills with 402 ... Averaged 3.32 kills per set for a .230 attack percentage ... Notched 47 blocks on the season to assist the defense ... Had career high 21 kills against Duke on Sept. 13 ... Recorded three 20 kill matches (Duke, Florida International and Purdue) ... Notched 33 kills in NCAA Tournament appearance averaging 3.30 per set.
2007 (Sophomore): Ended the season with 364 kills ... Averaged 3.11 kills per game for a .195 hitting percentage ... Defensively, notched 80 blocks with 74 block assists ... Had three 19 kill matches (Louisville, Iowa State, Oklahoma) ... In the conference tournament posted 17 kills against Florida International and 16 against Western Kentucky ... Posted a career high eight blocks against Denver.
2006 (Freshman): Appeared in 20 matches for the Blue Raiders ... averaged 1.40 kills per game with 42 kills on the season ... accumulated 11 total blocks, with a pair of each against Marshall ... served four aces and tallied 15 digs.
Landmark Christian HS
Four-year letterwinner in volleyball ... as a senior, named A/AA Georgia State High School Player of the Year ... First Team All-State ... Atlanta Journal Constitution Volleyball Player of the Year ... Georgia All-Star Team ... First Team All-Area ... Landmark Christian's Female Athlete of the Year ... Atlanta Journal Constituion Athletic Academic Team ... finished high school career ranked in top 10 in Georgia for career kills (2nd), career digs (2nd), career aces (2nd), career blocks (5th), career aces per game (7th), career blocks per game (8th), career kills per game (9th) ... as a junior, named First Team All-State, Area Player of the Year, First Team All-Area ... as a sophomore, First Team All-State, First Team All-Area and helped team to Georgia A/AA High School State Championship ... as a freshman, First Team All-State, Georgia High School State Championship Match Pontiac Player of the Game, First Team All-Area and her team was Georgia A/AA state runner-up.
Karen Ashley Mead ... born August 4 ... daughter of Al and Shelly Mead ... recipient of the MTSU Otis Floyd Academic Scholarship and the U.S. Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete Award ... Majoring in science.


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text:
By AMY IVY, Cornell Cooperative Extension
---- — The wildflowers along the roadways are gorgeous this year. Some states and communities have made concerted efforts to plant wildflowers along their highways. The plantings last for a couple of years before they are overtaken by grass and other aggressive plants.
The oxeye daisies and buttercups were among the earlier wildflowers, and they're finished blooming for the year. Right now along the road I see lots of Queen Anne's lace (white, lacy flowers), chickory (medium-blue flowers on wiry stems), red clover and black-eyed Susans (with their orange blossoms with dark brown centers). If you want to encourage these plants in your meadow, don't mow them down until they have had a chance to go to seed. With any luck, those seeds will help the population multiply next year.
Queen Anne's lace provides an extra benefit if you let it grow near your flower or vegetable garden because it attracts all kinds of beneficial insects that feast on destructive insects such as aphids and scale. It is a biennial, which means it takes two years to complete its life cycle. The first year it produces just a cluster (or rosette) of leaves close to the ground. The second year it sends up tall flower spikes, and once the flowers go to seed, its life cycle is over and the plant dies. But, never fear, they produce plenty of seed to keep the species going for generations to come.
The variety of plants is a good thing. The legumes, including clover and vetch, capture nitrogen from the air and convert it to a form that they and other plants can use. The flat-topped flowers (often described as "umbels") attract beneficial insects as I mentioned earlier, and the daisy-like flowers, including black-eyed Susans, provide goldfinches and chickadees with seeds in the fall. This diversity also means that if a disease or insect pest arrives, not all species will be affected.
Birdsfoot trefoil, another legume like clover, was grown in fields in this region years ago and has now naturalized along roadways all around the Champlain Valley. Its low mounds of bright yellow flowers are easy to spot now. One of its nicest features is its naturally low height — it doesn't need to be mowed — and it survived last year's drought with no problem.
But along with all of these beauties, there are, unfortunately, some troublemakers that are taking over and crowding out desirable plants. This group of invasive plants includes the beautiful purple loosestrife; spotted knapweed; Japanese knotweed; and phragmites (pronounced "frag-my-tees"), also known as common reed grass, all of which are visible along the highways. So unfortunately, not all of those beauties are a good thing.
This is also a good time to caution you about wild parsnip, which is in full bloom right now and spreading very quickly. This plant looks a lot like Queen Anne's lace, except it has coarser leaves and yellow, not white, flowers. It causes a severe reaction to any skin that comes into contact with the plant and is then exposed to sun. Be especially careful when mowing or weed-whacking clumps or stands of this plant since that sends the juicy plant pieces flying, and be sure to keep your skin covered when working near it.
For more information on wild parsnip, visit http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/fact/parsnip.htm. To learn more about other invasive species in our region, visit http://adkinvasives.com.
Amy Ivy is executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension, Clinton County. Office phone numbers: Clinton County, 561-7450, Essex County, 962-4810, Franklin County, 483-7403. Website: www.cce.cornell.edu/ecgardening. Email questions to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Packt Publishing is pleased to announce the publication of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Cookbook, a step-by-step guide to deploying Dynamics CRM 2011 components, configuring claim-based authentication, and IFD deployment. The print book comes in at over 406 pages and is competitively priced at $59.99, whilst the eBook and Kindle versions are available for $30.59.
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Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Cookbook is a hands-on guide to creating successful CRM applications, packed with clear instructions for deploying, maintaining, optimizing, and administering Dynamics CRM 2011, along with explanations of advanced configuration and customization processes. The book describes important aspects of the system and guides the reader through a number of practical recipes that go from successful deployment, hassle-free maintenance, and effective administration to advanced level configuration and customization techniques.
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text:
ARLINGTON, Va. -- Following the release of a video this week that shows Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Moran's son, Patrick, apparently talking about ways to skirt voter identification laws, the Arlington County Police Department has opened a criminal investigation into the matter.
"Every component is under investigation right now," police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said. "It's very early."
The video, released by conservative activist James O'Keefe — whose methods and productions have been called into question in the past — shows the younger Moran responding to requests for advice on how the unidentified cameraman can "vote for" 100 inactive voters. Patrick Moran, after suggesting the person's energy would be better used in more traditional — and legal — get-out-the-vote efforts, tells the man he'd have to forge documents, such as utility bills, to be successful. He also recommends the man call the voters, perhaps posing as a pollster, to be sure they are not, in fact, planning to vote.
Police and the Commonwealth Attorney's Office have been made aware of the video, which investigators described as depicting Patrick Moran "assisting another to vote illegally," according to a news release.
Police are not planning to take Patrick Moran into custody at this point, Sternbeck told Patch.
"I believe the first step would be to reach out to the individuals who produced the video," he said.
Sternbeck continued: "We're going to assign it to a detective, he's going to reach out to the individuals who produced the video and look at every component. Just as any investigation goes, you're going to have a starting point, involve both parties, come to a determination and hand those results over to the Commonwealth Attorney's Office, and they will decide whether they want to prosecute."
When asked about O'Keefe's credibility, Sternbeck said, "We'll find out, right? It would be irresponsible of us not to investigate. So, we're proceeding."
The video was shot in Arlington's Courthouse community, including inside the Cosi across from the Courthouse Metro and in the nearby Arlington County Democratic Committee headquarters. Mike Lieberman, chairman of the Arlington Democrats, issued a statement Wednesday night saying Patrick Moran has been asked not to return to that office.
Patrick Moran resigned from his father's reelection campaign hours after the video surfaced Wednesday. He released a statement Wednesday night saying he has never endorsed illegal or unethical behavior and that "At no point did I take this person seriously. He struck me as being unstable and joking, and for only that reason did I humor him."
State and federal laws govern elections. Sternbeck said he wasn't sure if local police had reached out to other agencies at this point.
The election is less than two weeks away. But that doesn't mean police necessarily have a deadline, Sternbeck said.
"It's our responsibility is to conduct a thorough investigation," he said.
Theo Stamos, the commonwealth's attorney for Arlington and Falls Church, declined to comment.
"That statement is that all that can be said publicly," Stamos said, citing Thursday's two-sentence news release. "It would be completely inappropriate to comment in any way on an investigation that is ongoing, which this clearly is."
Stamos, a Democratic elected official, would not say the extent her office would be involved in the investigation and any potential prosecution of Patrick Moran.
Last year, Stamos and then-Commonwealth's Attorney Dick Trodden asked a judge to grant a special prosecutor to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest in a case involving a Falls Church political activist whom she had met through a mutual acquaintance.
In a radio interview recorded Thursday on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered," Arlington County Republican Committee Chairman Charles Hokanson called on Jim Moran to resign.
"Speaking as a citizen and voter, every Arlingtonian should be concerned about attempts to destroy the integrity of the democratic process and to steal elections by illegal and unethical behavior," Hokanson said, according to a news release.
"Reflecting on the broader implications of this potential voter fraud scandal, this really should be the scandal that finally crosses the line, even for Jim Moran, so that he should resign from Congress and leave public office immediately.
"The people of Arlington — Republicans, Democrats and Independents — will not tolerate potential voter fraud, and we demand of all our officials that they preserve the full integrity of our voting process, which has been held to a very high standard in this county. This is not our way. It's time for Jim Moran to go — by resignation in disgrace, or by voter indignation at the voting booth on November 6."
Earlier this week, Jim Moran and Reps. Bobby Scott and Gerry Connolly called on the U.S. Department of Justice to conduct a multi-state investigation following an incident in the Shenandoah Valley where a man allegedly threw a stack of voter registration forms in the trash.
Colin Small, a 31-year-old man working for the state Republican Party under contract, now faces 13 felony and misdemeanor counts of voter registration fraud in that case, according to NBC4.
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is investigating that matter at the request of the State Board of Elections, according to the (Hampton Roads) Daily Press.
Cuccinelli stated in a letter this week that he lacks the authority to investigate elections matters until formally asked to do so by the State Board of Elections, a local commonwealth's attorney, or a local electoral board member, according to NBC4.
A message sent to the State Board of Elections was not immediately returned Thursday afternoon. Messages left with Jim Moran's congressional office and campaign were not immediately returned.
See also:
Moran's Son Resigns From Campaign
The video above contains strong language.
This article has been updated. Click 'Keep Me Posted' to get email notification when additional updates to this story have been posted.


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CNET audio expert Steve "Sphere" Guttenberg helps us wrap up a week of shows with an episode that may offend a very niche segment of our listeners. Steve's carefully curated list of talking points includes a pair of custom custom headphones, a primer on John Lennon's jukebox, a tiny $39 amp that makes your headphones sound a lot better, and more!
The Monster ClarityHD Micro is a very good little Bluetooth speaker, but it's only worth buying if you can get it for less than $125.


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Sherbrooke Chocolate Cherry Ostiarius - Alley Kat Brewing Company
Displayed for educational use only; do not reuse.
Ratings: 14 | Reviews: 13 | Display Reviews Only:
Reviews by ablaze:
Alberta (Canada)
4.25/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Deep solid black with a thick mocha head that settles nicely. Lacing is thick and beautiful.
Dominant scent of creamy milk chocolate...and cherries. No hint of beer, maybe a hint of hops...but chocolate and cherries all the way.
Medium to full body, creamy with low carbonation. Initially the cherries are quite strong, almost like cough syrup but they mellow out and are quite delicious. Nice hops offering that balances with the chocolately malt and cocoa. Very faintly roasted, ripe cherries that don't overpower, and plenty of balanced porter flavour.
Quite a good show from Alley Kat and Sherbrookes. Pumpkin Pi was ok, but this one is top notch. Have it with a slice of chocolate cake for dessert, or on it's own. Very entertaining and fruitful porter.
Serving type: bottle
12-01-2007 05:50:31 | More by ablaze
More User Reviews:
Quebec (Canada)
3.83/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Thanks to biboergosum for this one.
Poured from a 341ml. bottle, no freshness info.
Appearance: 3/4 of the glass fills with a tan head that is bubbly, frothing and as it slowly breaks away, leaves gaping holes and bubbles.
Smell: Dessert-like a bit, more chocolate syrup than cherry.
Taste: Strong on the cocoa, has a mellow cherry flavor.
Mouthfeel: Tad high on carbonation, some nice smoothness though.
Overall: A good stout, not quite dessert-like but enough flavor to keep you hooked.
Serving type: bottle
04-07-2013 23:47:11 | More by papat444
4/5 rDev -3.1%
03-02-2013 23:58:27 | More by JennBushey
Alberta (Canada)
4.2/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From notes -
Loaded up last time I was in Edmonton at Sherbrooke.
This beer is a nice dark one, basically black with a thin ring of red hilights when held to the light. Big, bubbly, beige head. Foam fades quickly, minimal lacing.
The aromas are just as advertised, cocoa and dark chocolate, and sweet cherry.
The taste follows, with a nice balance between the porter elements of cocoa, coffee, and roasted malts against the cherry fruit. Moderate carbonation, solid body. Alcohol is well hidden, making this very drinkable. Flavor-filled, but not too heavy or cloying.
Another hit from Alley Kat and Sherbrooke.
Serving type: bottle
11-12-2012 00:14:42 | More by BigBry
Alberta (Canada)
4.28/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
341ml bottle poured into pint glass mar8 2011
A looks black until held to the light where it's a super dark cola with ruby hues, thick mocha head quickly falls to a film that leaves a few patches of lace
S black forest cake with some coco and cherry liqueur
T like it smells but with a little more cherry liqueur and some chocolate syrup, faint booze but pretty mellow, almost has a cherry coke thing going for it on the finish pretty darn tasty
M not overly thick but the bubbles give it a creamy feel saving its cause
D super easy to down my only complaint is a thin feel and my lack of desert to go with it
6 months beyond its BB date and I think it could go for a while longer, very mellow yet has strong flavors and I would just love to compare it to a young bottle. Props to Alex at Kawa for stocking this bad boy
Serving type: bottle
03-10-2011 01:23:13 | More by wordemupg
Ontario (Canada)
4.22/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Props to joemcgrath27 for hooking me up with this one!
A - Pours a dark dark ruby red with a thin layer of head which dissipates into small islands with no real lacing.
S - Chocolate malts, a bit smokey, and roasted coffee beans. Slight sweet cherry scent on the finish.
T - I definitely noticed the cherry bomb right off the top, and it was much stronger than I anticipated based on the scent. Nicely balanced with a chocolate malt flavour, and the dark cocoa lingers for a while after.
M - Pretty light on the palette, again surprised, as I thought it might be a bit more syropy.
D - Another gem of a recipe. This one packs a nice punch, goes down smooth and gives you a wonderful blend of flavours. The higher ABV is easily hidden and I could easily toss back a few of these in one sitting!
Serving type: bottle
07-03-2010 00:51:43 | More by andrenaline
Alberta (Canada)
4.03/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
A - poured a very dark barely see through black, with very little mocha coloured head that didn't last
S - a rich dark chocolate dominates, along with a creamy cherry smell, as well as some smokey burt malt
T - smokey and sweet malt along with some hoppy bitterness at first, then the smooth rich chocolate comes through nicely, and while the cherry flavour is subtle but pleasant, it seems a little too "synthetic cherry" for my liking.
M - for how dark it is I found it surprisingly light in feel, and the hop bitterness balanced out the rich sweetness nicely
D - basically a desert unto itself, reminded me of a cherry cream chocolate from a pot of gold box. For such rich flavour, the lightness of feel and overall balance make it very drinkable
Serving type: bottle
06-30-2010 02:00:22 | More by joemcgrath27
Alberta (Canada)
4.1/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On my last trip to Sherbrooke I was not planning to come back with a box of this but was convinced (quite rightly) by the staff that this is a beer that I should not leave without.
A: Pours dark, not totally black but certainly opaque enough to get you ready for a full flavored taste
S: Like some of the previous reviewers my first thought after smelling this beer was "I think someone bottled a cake". The aroma is deep with hints of chocolate, quite appealing.
T: This beer tastes like it could be a desert by itself. There are layers of flavor which fade in and out during each sip that will keep you coming back for more.
M: Smooth, quite smooth
D: I could see myself having one of these once in a while but it is definitely too heavy to make into a session beer.
All in all quite tasty!
Serving type: bottle
03-17-2010 20:51:37 | More by Sharkbitten
Quebec (Canada)
3.83/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle: Poured a light black color porter with a small foamy head with minimal retention and no lacing. Aroma of cherry and sweet chocolate is quite enticing though originating form some syrup. Taste is also a well balance mix between some some cherry blossom with great notes of sweet milk chocolate. Body is a bit thin with low carbonation. I know it does taste somewhat fake but still very good nonetheless.
Serving type: bottle
06-04-2009 02:44:52 | More by Phyl21ca
Alberta (Canada)
4.03/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
341ml bottle. This was last year's holiday seasonal release from Alley Kat for the Sherbrooke liquor store; I found a bottle of this porter buried in my fridge underneath a bunch of summer purchases. Now that summer is officially, and meteorologically, over, the cool weather calls for a drink of this nature.
This beer pours a clear, deep, dark cola hue, with two fingers of frothy, foamy beige head, which leaves some pleasant sea plume lace around the glass as it evenly and slowly subsides.
It smells of chalky cocoa, bitter cherry, a touch of chocolate liqueur - you get the idea - a very inviting aroma, it evokes the holiday season oh so well. The taste is more big milky cocoa nibs and cherry cordial 'sweetness' battling it out for flavor dominance, a roasted maltiness and very subtle hop presence rounding out this strangely balanced holiday porter.
The carbonation is moderate and laid back enough, the body a decent medium weight, and generally smooth, with a wee twinge of smoothness, all of which would make for a lovely accompaniment to seasonal desserts.
The play on words in the name is amusing, as is the Latin lament to being out drinking with the boys, which would make more sense if one could actually sit in a dark, dank little pub and down a few pints of this; however, it's a Sherbrooke special, meaning it's best to stay at home and share this with the missus, if she's so inclined.
Serving type: bottle
09-22-2008 03:49:02 | More by biboergosum
4.2/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
A: Nearly opaque, looking mahogany when light is able to shine through. Roasted marshmallow head, sticking around the sides of the glass as it recedes... retention is mediocre.
S: Reminiscent of cherry liquor dark chocolates; Cherry Blossom candy. Nice smelling brew, though the malts and such don't come through a great deal.
T: Managing to keep cherries from tasting like cough syrup tends to be a bit of a challenge. It is successful here... unsweetened/baker's chocolate, rich cherry flavour - but not assaulting. A roasted maltiness that is not really spotted in the aroma. Pretty nicely done.
M: Creamy, almost a little slick. Carbonation is spot on for such a style, just adding enough to give some life without being skimpy or sharp.
D: A pretty nicely done brew... a good weekend treat, a suitable dessert beer, or even for no special occasion. Worth a try.
Serving type: bottle
07-22-2008 03:59:29 | More by Proteus93
Alberta (Canada)
4.25/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5
Oh boy, just moved back to Edmonton and managed to snag a remaining 6 pack of this at the Sherbrooke Liquor Store.
Dark black in colour, although the opaque facade shatters when held up to light, where it takes on a bright reddish cola hue. Thin beige head that quickly dissipates.
The aroma is heavenly decadence... Rich potent chocolate and cocoa, and the unmistakable smell of cherry extract, it all works. I couldn't even tell the characteristics of the malt, the adjuncts are that intense.
The flavour is a big hit of milky chocolate, with the sweet cherry appearing close to the finish. The finish is actually a dry sweet hit of cocoa, which blends with the cherry again on the aftertaste.
The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, yet on the light side. It doesn't accentuate the bold flavours, but it does make them easier to swig down faster.
This is basically liquid black forest cake in a bottle. Not something I can drink everyday, but I do hope Jim plans on possibly making this the Xmas seasonal at his store, as it is a wonderful little indulgence, and one that I enjoyed sharing. There have been some new beer converts with the aid of this one.
Serving type: bottle
05-09-2008 01:13:23 | More by IronDjinn
Alberta (Canada)
3.98/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Nearly black, very deep brown on the edges. An aggressive pour formed a finger of mocha coloured head, but that faded to a ring rather quickly.
Smells of bakers chocolate and sweet cherry. The cherry smell makes me think of Lifesavers candies. Pleasant smelling, though it gives a slightly artificial impression.
Flavours are a little more "real" than the aroma was. Semi-sweet chocolate with a sweet cherry twist. Slightly roasted finish reminds you that it is a porter base. Chocolate lingers on the tongue for a while.
There is a reasonable amount of body for the style, and the carbonation is on the lighter side, making for a smooth impression. The alcohol is completely invisible. This is an easy beer to drink, and an easy beer to like.
Serving type: bottle
12-16-2007 06:14:39 | More by elricorico
Alberta (Canada)
4.68/5 rDev +13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
It's a shame that this is only brewed once, we can only hope it's made an annual offering.
Dark, deep reddish brown appearance with slight lacing, bubbles remaining to the finish.
The smell initial of roasted hops in the beer, with chocolate becoming quickly apparent, and finally the cherry starts to blend in with the chocolate, leaving a beautiful aroma that you can simply hold and smell for long periods.
The flavor matches the smell, with the chocolate readily apparent, and intense cherry flavor adding a sweetness at the front of the mouth, being counterbalanced by a pleasant hoppy finish.
Medium bodied with a slightly thin texture, making this a very drinkable beer despite the intense flavors, this is sure to be a favorite of mine through the holiday season.
Serving type: bottle
11-24-2007 02:09:10 | More by nafnikufesin
Sherbrooke Chocolate Cherry Ostiarius from Alley Kat Brewing Company
89 out of 100 based on 14 ratings.


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Iceland Boats or Condos or Cottages(59)
59 Results
Recent Iceland Reviews
We stayed 8 nights in this lovely house.The house was very comfortable and had everything you could possibly need. The area the house is in was so beautiful and we could have spent all our time there.As it was Iceland is amazing so we did lots of exploring too. We would recommend this house to our family and friends and would come back again. Thank you very much.
Our stay in Helluskogur was so nice. The house made us feel at home right from the beginning. It is really cozy and comfortable and had everything we needed. The nature surrounding the house is beautiful and we really liked sitting out on the patio in the evenings, listening to the birds singing and enjoying the view. It was fantastic getting away from the big city to this wonderful, quiet place. It was exactly what we needed. We are already planning on coming back next year or even next winter. We had been there before in the area because we liked it, we came back and concentrated on Snaefellsnes national park which was absolutely amazing experience. Thank you so much Heidrun and Robert. Klaus and Erica
It war our first trip to Iceland and it was a very nice trip. We had found a lovely cottage in a quiet area. From this basic station we started some trips to naturally attractions of Iceland. We had learnd many things about Iceland an there pepole what there think, feel and do. Thanks a lot to Anna and Luffi for possibility to rent your cottage. It was realy very nice place. We like to remember for this time and please, send us a message, when the Hekla is awake. Bianka und Andreas from Germany/ Saxony


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The Daily Star
---- — As the former city assessor for the city of Oneonta for the last 27 years, I've been planning to retire for the last couple of years. My decision to "call it a day" was not an easy one, because I loved my job and I am going to miss it. Nevertheless, I believe that the time has come to fade away. My last day in the "dungeon" was Sept. 6.
I had the honor of working under four amazingly capable mayors; but my deepest appreciation rests on Mayor David Brenner who was always there as a mentor and friend. I am leaving a wonderful career behind; and I think that I gave it a good run. I have tried to be as fair, considerate and, at times, compassionate of the taxpayer. Conversely, I believe that the taxpayer has returned that fairness, consideration, and compassion back to me tenfold.
I have always based my decisions in the best interest of our city; never used the process to punish or reward; and had the character and courage to do what in my heart was the right thing to do. I'd like to believe that I have built and kept a reputation of friendly openness, integrity, and professionalism in the Office of City Assessor.
As everything in life, time goes on and eventually comes to an end … the sun goes down, the tide recedes, and the music stops … but for every joy that passes, something beautiful remains … and that's all of you, the wonderful people of Oneonta that I had the pleasure to meet, and assist. Although one never forgets the respected colleagues and the true friends, I trust that I can see some of you every so often; and I can only hope that I can see some of you again.
God bless you all…
Mario R. Arevalo


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A 22-year-old Waukesha man who targeted young pre-teen and teen girls and a boy has been released into the community following his four-year prison sentence.
Brandon M. Melton had sex with a 13-year-old girl, inappropriately touched three 13-year-old girls without permission and exposed himself to a 10-year-old boy, forcing the boy to touch him inappropriately, according to a news release from the Waukesha Police Department. Melton was an acquaintance of all the victims.
Online court records show Melton was sentenced to four years in prison and eight years of extended supervision following his guilty plea on a second-degree sexual assault of a child conviction. He continues to appeal the case.
Melton will live at 1100 E. Main St., according to the news release He will be a life registrant with the sex offender registry and will be submitting to face-to-face registration with law enforcement. He is to have no unsupervised contact with minors, no taverns/bars/liquor stores, no contact with victim and not to purchase/possess or consume alcohol or illegal drugs. He is to comply with sex offender rules and will be on G.P.S. monitoring while under supervision.
Further information from the Waukesha Police Department:
The Waukesha Police Department, in cooperation with the Sex Offender Registration Committee, is releasing the following information pursuant to Wisconsin State Statutes 301.46(2m) which authorizes law enforcement agencies to inform the public of a sex offender's release when, at the discretion of the agency, the release of information will enhance public safety, awareness and protection.
The individual who appears on this notification has been convicted of a sex offense. Further, his criminal history places him in a classification level which reflects the potential to reoffend.
This sex offender has served the prison sentence imposed on him by the courts. The offender, under the supervision of the Department of Corrections, Division of Community Corrections, will be living in the location listed below. He is not wanted by the police at this time. This notification is not intended to increase fear, rather, it is our belief that an informed public is a safer public.
Sex offenders have always lived in our communities; but it wasn't until Act 440 (June 1997) that law enforcement is now able to share this information with the community. Citizen abuse of this information to threaten, intimidate or harass registered sex offenders will not be tolerated. Please understand that such abuse could potentially end law enforcement's ability to do community notifications. We believe the only person who wins if community notification ends is the sex offender, since sex offenders derive their power through secrecy.
The Waukesha Police Department Crime Prevention/Community Relations Bureau is available to help you set up Block Watch groups and provide you with useful information on personal safety. Crime Prevention may be reached at 524-3769 or 524-3774.


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Lifelong Learning
The Wake County Public School System will offer the following classes through its Lifelong Learning Program. For details, call 919-431-7593 or visit www.wcpss.net/adult-edu.
Athens Drive High School
• Educating the Fearful Flyer: Why Aren't We Falling?: 6:30-9: p.m. Monday, Oct. 14, $59.
• Basics of Cooking I: 7-9:30 p.m. Mondays, Oct. 14-Nov. 4, $100.
• College is Possible/La universidad es posible: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, free.
• Zumba Basic Fitness: 6:30-7:45 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 15-Dec. 3, $65.
• Cooking in Spanish: 7-9:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Oct. 16-Nov. 6, $100.
• Hoy dia: Spanish for Real Life Part 2: 7-9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 17-Dec. 12, $105.
Reedy Creek Middle School
• Hidden Habits of Empowered Employees: 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays, Oct. 9-Oct. 30, $107.
• Fitness at Any Age: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, Oct. 14-Dec. 18, $65.
• How to Self-Publish a Book Successfully: 7-9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 14, $100.
• Guitar Master Class for All Skill Levels: 6:30-8 p.m. Mondays, Oct. 15-Nov. 5, $85.
• College is Possible/La universidad es posible: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, free.
• Communidades: Más allá del aula Part 2: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 24-Dec. 5, $97.
Walk to School Day at St. Mary Magdalene
St. Mary Magdalene Catholic School of Apex participated in its third annual Walk to School Day on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Walk to School Day is part of the school's efforts to promote students' health. The school participates in Jump Rope and Hoops for Heart every January and earned the Advocates for Health in Action's Brains and Bodies Award in 2011.
Local students are National Merit Scholarship semifinalists
Local high school seniors have been chosen as semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship program for their scores on the 2012 PSAT. They can go on to compete for National Merit Scholarships that together are worth more than $35 million.
Here are the semifinalists, listed by school:
• Apex High School: Rachel Mumford, Yu-Ming Shi, Kerri Stanton and Leah Weaver.
• Middle Creek High School: Laura Stedbeck.
• Cary Academy: Emma Astrike-Davis, Keegan Hines, Hannah Hubbard, Shantal Jayawickreme, Elliot Kuan, Kyle Lerch, Elizabeth Lewis, Savannah Lynn, Austin Mangelsdorf, Nisha Modi, Brittany Schulz, Samuel Title, Theodore Waechter and Alexis Williams.
• Cary High School: Laura Roberson.
• Green Hope High School: Alexander Bartell, Samuel Chao, Inan Husain, Nadia Johnson, Michelle Lam, Boning Lu, Thrisha Oruganti, Michael Schmithorst, Noam Sheetrit, Anna Sun and Sonya Zhang.
• Panther Creek High School: Henrik Lindvall, Nishad Waghmare and Shannon Zhan.
• Holly Springs High School: Kathleen Chenevert and Jacob Inkrote.
• Athens Drive High School: Jonathan Otten.
Cary student's water project wins state award
Christie Jiang of Cary, a student at the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, was named a state winner of the 2013 Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition. Her project, titled "Chitosan-modified Cellulose as Adsorbent to Collect and Reuse Nitrate from Groundwater," went on to the national competition in Oregon in June. The international competition solicits water-related science projects to promote research and awareness of global water challenges.
Assistance League rewards local students
The Assistance League of the Triangle Area awarded scholarships to local high school students this year, including Aryn Kontos of Holly Springs High School. The scholarships, which are to be put toward college education at North Carolina schools, are open to students in Wake, Durham or Orange counties and are awarded based on financial need, scholastic aptitude, an essay and a balance of academic and extracurricular activities.
Davis Drive Middle School wins music contest
The Intermediate Orchestra program, directed by Johanna Rogers, of Davis Drive Middle School in Cary was one of five winners of the Win Music for Your School contest sponsored by Carl Fischer Music, Yamaha, D'Addario and VH1 Save the Music. The Intermediate Orchestra program won six sets of music from Carl Fischer Music and $500 worth of strings from D'Addario Strings.
Green Hope High School PTSA seeks treasurer
The PTSA of Green Hope High School is looking for someone to hold the position of treasurer. If you are interested, contact Diana Bader, the nominating committee's chair, at firstname.lastname@example.com.
'Much Ado About Nothing' at Cary High School
Cary High School students will perform Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, to Saturday, Oct. 12, in the school's auditorium at 638 Walnut St., Cary. Tickets cost $5 for students and $8 for adults, at the door or with reservations. To reserve tickets, call 919-462-6816.
Spirit Sprint at Northwoods Elementary School
Northwoods Elementary School will host its seventh annual Spirit Sprint fundraiser on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 8850 Chapel Hill Road, Cary. During the school day, the entire school, organized by grade level, will run, hop, skip, jump or walk to raise donations from sponsors.
College Disability Services Workshop
N.C. State University and Wake Technical Community College staff will discuss disability services with students and parents from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the Davis Drive Middle School auditorium, 2101 Davis Drive, Cary. Register at www.eventbrite.com/event/8514375727.
Middle Creek High School PTSA annual craft fair
Middle Creek High School's PTSA annual holiday craft and vendor fair, Winter Wonders, will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, at the commons at the high school, 123 Middle Creek Park Ave., Apex.
Wrestling club for future Panther Creek students
Panther Creek High School athletics and CREW Wrestling will offer a wrestling program for students in third through eighth grade who plan to attend Panther Creek High School. The wrestling club will meet 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the CREW facility, 1823 NW Maynard Road, Cary. Registration costs $50. For details, go to www.crewwrestling.com.
Send School Notes to email@example.com.


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New comic book Wednesday has come and gone. The dust at your local comic shop has settled. An eerie silence descends as you finish reading your last superhero book of the week. Now it's time for something a little more sinister. Welcome to Bagged and Boarded: comic reviews of the sick, spooky, twisted and terrifying!
Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. No. 16
A group of bio-terrorists intent on changing the world launch a dirty bomb on Central City. These freaks, powered up by mutagens found in Victor Frankenstein's castle, don't stand a chance against Frank and his fellow S.H.A.D.E. agents in this thrilling story. The narrative is framed through the eyes of an intelligence agent for the government who's been tracking the terrorists. We get a fun perspective on the events of the issue as all this agent's hard work gets wiped away by a band of monsters.
Bag it or board it up? I really enjoyed this issue. This is what a comic like Frankenstein needs: a sort of "business as usual" issue showing the S.H.A.D.E. agents doing what they do best. New readers can jump right into this issue without feeling confused or off-track. It's just a bunch of cool monster-heroes fighting punks and baddies.
Billy the Kid's Old Timey Oddities and the Orm of Loch Ness No. 4 of 4
Whew! What a title. This final issue in the awesome Orm of Loch Ness storyline has Billy the Kid and St. Anthony delving deep into the lair of Dracula. Dracula is a giant red snake worm monster who can shrink himself down to human/vampire size. Billy the Kid makes crack-shot jokes at it, and even gives a fitful and awkward prayer to the lord above for help.
Bag it or board it up? Yeehaw! (Sorry, I had to.) This is a great comic. Full of monster-slaying action, punchy dialogue, and a protagonist I can never get sick of. Billy the Kid really shines through as a protagonist in this series that never takes titles like "protagonist" too seriously. This is a fun one, guys and gals, and you don't have to read the earlier three issues to enjoy it.
Mars Attacks The Real Ghostbusters
While intercepting a radio transmission of War of the Worlds in the 1930's, a saucer of Martian scouts thinks they weren't invited to the alien attack and speeds towards Earth. Finding nothing but people listening to their radios they realize they've been duped and attempt to escape, but when their ship fails, they plummet to Earth and die underground in New Jersey. Cut to present day, and the Ghostbusters have to fight the angry Martian ghosts.
Bag it or board it up? No, I'm not picking on Mars Attacks comics. I know I hated the KISS crossover I reviewed last week. But I'm a sucker for anything Ghostbusters, so I had to give this a read… if only to see just how much I was going to hate it. And… I loved it! This comic is super fun, makes a lot of sense (which the KISS comic certainly did not), has levity, awesome action, and is very well written. This is, by far, the best Mars Attacks comic I've ever read (a bar that is set admittedly low.)
Jennifer Blood No. 21
Jennifer Blood is on trial for the various murders she's famous for. Her defense attests that she's crazy. We see some background to the story, and it picks up right when things start to get nasty for Blood, right after the death of her husband. The police in the small town in which she kept a low profile are sniffing around… and then a team of assassins strike down upon her and her family.
Bag it or board it up? This comic is very stylized and has a lot of high octane action. But, the writing can be a little lack-luster (or even downright corny) at times. The story is on target, but I need to rant for a moment. Comic book illustrators, please listen. I know you want to sell comics to boys but please: the gratuitous cleavage shots, from every conceivable angle, aren't making me crazy for your comic. They aren't the "selling point" for me and all of my mature friends who read comics. They're making me think you don't know how to tell a story so you objectify your strong female protagonist. Please, don't objectify your strong protagonist, okay? Rant over.


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The Sabres host Toronto tonight in their final preseason home game, and the lineup sheet has just been delivered during the morning skate in First Niagara Center. It lists 23 skaters, meaning two forwards and one defenseman will be scratched.
The list:
Forwards: Cody McCormick, Drew Stafford, Brad Boyes, Ville Leino, Thomas Vanek, Paul Gaustad, Patrick Kaleta, Matt Ellis, Nathan Gerbe, Zack Kassian, Tyler Ennis, Luke Adam, Corey Tropp and Marcus Foligno.
Defense: Jordan Leopold, Christian Ehrhoff, Marc-Andre Gragnani, Robyn Regehr, Andrej Sekera, Tyler Myers and Brayden McNabb.
Goaltenders: Jhonas Enroth, Drew MacIntyre.
---John Vogl


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Universal Fit
JVC Kenwood Victor Inner year Headphone HA-FX3X
" After having sony mdr ex50's I decided I needed headphones with a little more punch for my electronic music. After listening to it once, I feel like there is nothing better in this price bracket with this much bass to offer. You can feel your chest tremble sometimes(it actually doesnt shake it), and it can sometimes be overwhelming for some. Overall, great headphones. Only downsides are the..." --Snyper0012
H2O Audio H3 Waterproof Headphones
H2O Audio H3 Waterproof Headphones let you listen to music while swimming with the optional H2O Audio waterproof housing. Their modular design allows you to use the headphones as standard earbuds, or with the detachable wrap-around sports band. Aquatic silencer earplugs reduce noise and seal out water. The reactive coiled cable eliminates tangles and provides flexible slack that moves with you.


text: Supply and demand will never be easier to explain. A greater supply of mainly suburban hotel properties has led to a decreased demand - in the form of a drop in occupancy rates for Erie County. Smith Travel Research reports June occupancy rates fell off 3.3% to 76.4%. The year-to-date numbers are off 1.7% compared to 2012. The June housing numbers for Buffalo-Niagara went the other way. According to the Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors, mid-year sales totals were up 5%. There were 208 more closings through the first six months of 2013 compared to last year. At the same time, median prices remained the same, at $130,000. A recent spate of orders for Batavia's Graham Corporation total $10 million. Synacor revenue dropped from a $1.2 million profit for last year's second quarter to a $600,000 loss this year.


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Microsoft Psychedelic Browsing
Internet Explorer still holds the highest score in Microsoft's own Psychedelic Browsing benchmark, followed by Firefox 9. Chrome takes third, Opera is in fourth, and the Windows version of Safari only earns 64.5 points for a last-place finish.
The scores are nearly reversed in OS X, with Safari earning a high score that's a few points higher than what Firefox demonstrated under Windows 7 to take its second-place finish. The rest of the browsers perform dismally in OS X. Opera comes in second just shy of 80 points. Firefox's 41.5 points are good enough for third place. And Chrome's 36 points earn it last place.
We still haven't received an explanation as to why the IE9 score jumped by several thousand points without the browser version being updated. If Microsoft's representatives ever respond to our inquiry we'll update the article. Until then, Psychedelic Browsing is under observation.
Mozilla Hardware Acceleration Stress Test
In Windows 7, IE9 and Firefox are again the only two Web browsers able to max out Mozilla's Hardware Acceleration Stress Test, sharing first place. Chrome falls to a distant second with 23 FPS, trailed closely by Opera's 22 FPS result. Safari only earns 13 FPS, placing it in last.
On Apple's platform, Safari takes the high score of 56 FPS. Opera places second with 19 FPS, followed by Chrome at 10 FPS, while Windows 7-winner Firefox only achieves 5 FPS on the Mac.
- Web Browser Grand Prix VIII
- Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, And Safari
- WBGP VIII Test Setup
- Startup Time Performance Benchmarks
- Page Load Time Performance Benchmarks
- JavaScript Performance Benchmarks
- DOM And CSS Performance Benchmarks
- Flash Performance Benchmarks
- Java And Silverlight Performance Benchmarks
- HTML5 Performance Benchmarks
- Harware Acceleration Performance Benchmarks
- WebGL Performance Benchmarks
- Memory Usage Efficiency Benchmarks
- Memory Management Efficiency Benchmarks
- Page Load Reliability Benchmarks
- Standards Conformance Benchmarks
- Benchmark Analysis
- Crowning Two Champions In Windows 7 And OS X


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Serious Eats - seriouseats.com
Fast Food
Coming Soon to KFC Japan: Ketchup-Flavored Rice Patty Sandwiched Between Chicken Fillets-For-Buns
This week on February 7, KFC Japan is granting you the joy of eating boneless fried chicken and ketchup-flavored rice without utensils by releasing the Kentucky Chicken Rice, a bun-less sandwich with a patty of ketchup rice, a slice of cheddar cheese, tomato sauce, and special mayonnaise stuffed between two fried chicken fillets. The sandwich clocks in at 585 calories and will set you back ¥450 (about $4.85).
In 2010, KFC released a similarly bun-less sandwich, the KFC Double Down made with two slices of cheese (Monterey and Pepper Jack), two slices of bacon, and "Colonel's Sauce" between two fried or grilled chicken fillets.
If any Serious Eaters in Japan try this thing, let us know how it is.
[via Foodbeast, Inventorspot]
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Historical photo information, provided by readers, for the Oct. 7 image:
The skaters are Julie Bradford (later Telgard) and Harold Telgard. They were skating in a show at The Coliseum Skating Rink located at 425 W. Front St., today the location of a Huntington Bank Branch. The photo was taken in the late '30s, according to Julie, who called in herself to identify the photo. She said after the building was a rink, it became a furniture store.


text: The contemporary design of the new Midtown Bar & Grill incorporates a bar and restaurant with an open plan kitchen. The restaurant serves US Prime beef along with fresh seasonal dishes showcasing local Belgian ingredients. The new bar serves a wide variety of famous Belgian beers, cocktails as well as a selection of wines by the glass.


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Important notes on articles:
Message:And went with the Keens. I bought them for an Inca Trail hike (and I can't remember who was asking but yes -- you'll want something with ankle support for the descents, and yes there's lots of walking along pretty sheer drops). I found that the cushioning was far superior. But everyone's different. REI staff are knowledgeable and will let you try on as many pairs as you like and walk around as much as you need.
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Science at FMNH : Ep. 28 - Biodiversity of Marine Mollusks in the Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are one of the best studied areas of the US coast, but little is known about the marine molluscs, such as snails and clams, that live there. One of Dr. Bieler's ongoing projects is an in-depth survey of marine molluscan biodiversity in the Florida Keys. This project will lay the groundwork to better understand this marine ecosystem and the impacts humans have on it.
Related videos:
- Ep. 24 - Human Impact on Ecosystems
- Ep. 25 - Exploring Unknown Deep Sea Ecosystems
- Ep. 26 - Mammal Conservation in Island Ecosystems
- Ep. 27 - Museum Collections and the Mammals of Tanzania
Featured links:
- Bivalve Tree-of-Live
- Bivalves in Time and Space
- Worm-snail Project
- PEET-Bivalves
- Expeditions - Mapping the Mollusk Family Tree in Moreton Bay, Australia
- Rüdiger Bieler
- The Zoology Department