text:
Victoria, capital of the Seychelles. Source: Wikimedia Commons
The African nation of Seychelles is an archipelago nation of ninety thousand people on over a hundred islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar,
The exact number of islands is uncertain. The couintries constitution states 155, while other sources count 115 or 116. About 42 are "granitic islands", that is composed of granite, and about 75 coralline islands.
The most important Granitic Seychelles are Mahé (the largest Seychelles island and location of the capitol Victoria), Praslin, Silhouette, and La Digue. There are also and about 75 small "coralline islands", that is an an island composed in part of coral sand and detritus
Seychelles is the smallest African nation by both area (455 km2) and population (82,247). About 75% of the Seychellois live on Mahe Island. Most others live on Praslin and La Digue, with the remaining smaller islands either sparsely populated or uninhabited.
Seychelles lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts are possible.
The Seychelles' major environmental issues include its water supply which depends on catchments to collect rainwater.
A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came in 1976.
Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new constitution and free elections in 1993.
President France-Albert Rene, who had served since 1977, was re-elected in 2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James Michel took over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year term; he was reelected in May 2011.
Seychelles is located in the Indian Ocean about 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) east of Kenya. The nation is an archipelago of 115 tropical islands with two distinct collections of islands, some comprised of granite and others of coral. The Mahe Group consists of 42 granitic islands, all within a 56-kilometer (35-mi.) radius of the main island of Mahe. These islands are rocky, and most have a narrow coastal strip and a central range of hills rising as high as 914 meters (3,000 ft.). Mahe is the largest island and is the site of Victoria, the capital. The coralline islands are flat with elevated coral reefs at different stages of formation. They have no fresh water; human life can be sustained on them only with difficulty.
The climate is equable and comfortable, although quite humid, as the islands are small and subject to marine influences. The temperature varies little throughout the year. Temperatures on Mahe usually vary from 750F to 850F, and rainfall ranges from 288 centimeters (90 in.) annually at Victoria to 355 centimeters (140 in.) on the mountain slopes. Precipitation is somewhat less on the other islands. During the coolest months, July and August, the temperature drops to as low as 700F. The southeast trade winds blow regularly from May to November, the most pleasant time of the year. The hot months are from December to April, with higher humidity. March and April are the hottest months, but the temperature seldom exceeds 880F. Most of the islands lie outside the cyclone belt, so high winds are rare.
Location: archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar
Geographic Coordinates: 4 35 S, 55 40 E
Area: 455 km2 (455 km2 land and 0 km2 water)
Land Boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 491 km
Maritime Claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Natural Hazards: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible
Terrain: Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs. Its lowest point is the Indian Ocean (0 metres) and its highest point is Morne Seychellois (905 metres)
Climate: Tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)
Ecology and Biodiversity
The Seycelles isalnds are included within the Granitic Seychelles forests ecorgion.
The Seychelles Islands are the only mid-oceanic granitic islands in the world. The islands are scraps of Gondwanaland that were cast adrift millions of years ago when India drifted north toward Asia. Isolated for 75 million years, the Seychelles now hosts a unique assemblage of flora and fauna, many of them extremely primitive. Such ancient species include endemic palm trees such as the coco-de-mer and seven species of caecilians. However, 200 years of human settlement has exerted a serious influence on the native biota of these islands. Habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as invasive species, have caused several extinctions and reduced populations of many species to extremely perilous levels. Human use continues and poses a serious threat to the Seychelles' native flora and fauna.
The 115 islands in the group can be divided into two types: granitic islands and low limestone islands. The 42 granitic islands are peaks on a largely submarine plateau, situated in the northeastern part of the archipelago. Mahé, the largest and tallest island in the Seychelles (145 square kilometers (km2); 905 meters (m)), is typical of the granitic islands. A mountain ridge runs the length of the island. The lower regions have been developed for residential and agricultural use, and the upper regions are still largely forested. The granitic islands have steep sides and impressive peaks, shaped by weathering and erosion. The erosion of the steepest inclines has produced large rocky outcrops, or "glacis." The islands experience a humid tropical climate with little seasonal variation in temperature. They receive heavy monsoon rains from November to February, and in the cooler months the trade winds blow steadily from the southeast. Mean annual rainfall varies with elevation, and on the granitic islands rainfall ranges from 2,300 to 5,000 millimeters (mm). The abundant rainfall and warm temperatures, along with soil enriched by guano, allowed lush palm forests to develop on the islands, most of which have now been cleared.
At elevations below 610 m, palms, pandans and hardwoods characterize the natural forests of the granitic islands. Above this elevation, there is cloud forest, rich with tree-ferns and mosses. Forest composition varies somewhat from island to island within the Seychelles, but common tree species include: Phoenicophorium borsigianum, Albizzia falcata, Pterocarpus indicus, Adenanthera pavonina, Morinda citrifolia, Phyllanthus casticum, Pisonia grandis, and introduced coconut palms. Tree-ferns, palms, orchids, and an endemic species of pitcher plant (Lalyann potao) are all also relatively common. Although the Seychelles flora boasts many interesting species, the most famous of these is the coco-de-mer palm (Lodoicea maldavica) that is found only in the Vallée De Mai on Praslin Island. This palm grows up to 30 m tall, with leaves up to 6 m long by 4 m wide. Even more striking are the nuts: the coco-de-mer produces the largest nuts in the world, with some specimens weighing more than 22 kilograms (kg).
Most of the lowland forests of the Seychelles granitic islands have been disturbed or destroyed. Coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon plantations occupy most of the coastal plateaus. The mountain forests are certainly not pristine, however, there is still some native forest in the higher reaches of the granitic islands. The Vallée de Mai on Praslin Island provides the best example of intact native forest and has been declared a World Heritage Site. The Morne Seychellois N.P. (35 km2) contains important mountain mist forest. Other important reserves are Aride Special Reserve (0.7 km2), Cousin Special Reserve (0.3 km2), La Digue Veuve Special Reserve (0.1 km2), and Curieuse National Park (15 km2). Although extremely small the reserves do a good job of protecting critically endangered species as well as the habitats they rely upon. For example, an intensive recovery program has helped increase the total population of the Seychelles warbler from 30 to 500 individuals. Intense management efforts have helped build up the populations of the Seychelles magpie robin on Frégate Island, and to translocate it to other islands.
See also:
- Aldabra Atoll
- Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve
- Biological diversity in Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands
- Western Indian Ocean Islands and coastal and marine environments
- Western Indian Ocean Islands and freshwater resources
- Western Indian Ocean Islands and forests and woodlands
- Western Indian Ocean Islands and land resources
People and Society
Population: 90,024 (July 2012 est.)
About 75% of the Seychellois live on Mahe Island. Most others live on Praslin and La Digue, with the remaining smaller islands either sparsely populated or uninhabited.
Most Seychellois are descendants of early French settlers and the African slaves brought to the Seychelles in the 19th century by the British, who freed them from slave ships on the East African coast. Indians and Chinese (1.1% of the population) account for the other permanent inhabitants. In 2010, about 7800 expatriates lived and worked in Seychelles; of those, approximately 75 are U.S. citizens.
Seychelles' culture is a mixture of French and African (Creole) influences. Creole is the native language of 94% of the people; however, English and French are commonly used. English remains the language of government and commerce.
About 92% of the population over age 15 is literate, and the literacy rate of school-aged children has risen to well over 98%. Increases are expected, as nearly all children of primary school age attend school, and the government encourages adult education.
Ethnic groups: mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab
Age Structure:
0-14 years: 21.9% (male 9,987/female 9,501)
15-64 years: 71% (male 33,044/female 30,277)
65 years and over: 7.2% (male 2,399/female 3,980) (2011 est.)
Population Growth Rate: 0.922% (2012 est.)
Birth Rate: 15.1 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
Death Rate: 6.9 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
Net Migration Rate: 1.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
Life Expectancy at Birth: 73.77 years
male: 69.14 years
female: 78.54 years (2012 est.)
Total Fertility Rate: 1.9 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Languages: Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)
Literacy (2002 census): 91.8% (male: 91.4% - female: 92.3%)
Urbanization: 55% of total population (2010) growing at a 1.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
The Seychelles islands remained uninhabited for more than 150 years after they became known to Western explorers. The islands appeared on Portuguese charts as early as 1505, although Arabs may have visited them much earlier. In 1742, the French Governor of Mauritius, Mahe de Labourdonais, sent an expedition to the islands. A second expedition in 1756 reasserted formal possession by France and gave the islands their present name in honor of the French finance minister under King Louis XV. The new French colony barely survived its first decade and did not begin to flourish until 1794, when Quéau de Quinssy became commandant.
The Seychelles islands were captured and freed several times during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars, then passed officially to the British under the 1814 Treaty of Paris.
From the date of its founding by the French until 1903, the Seychelles colony was regarded as a dependency of Mauritius, which also passed officially from the French to British rule in 1814. In 1888, a separate administrator and executive and administrative councils were established for the Seychelles archipelago. Nine years later, the administrator acquired full powers of a British colonial governor, and on August 31, 1903, Seychelles became a separate British Crown Colony.
By 1963, political parties had developed in the Seychelles colony. Elections in 1963 were contested for the first time on party lines. In 1964 two new parties, the Seychelles Democratic Party (SDP) led by James Mancham, and the Seychelles People's Unity Party (SPUP) led by France-Albert René, replaced existing parties.
In March 1970, colonial and political representatives of Seychelles met in London for a constitutional convention. Elections in November 1970 brought the resulting constitution into effect. In the November 1970 elections, the SDP won 10 seats, and the SPUP won 5 in the Legislative Assembly. Under the new constitution, Mancham became the Chief Minister of the colony. Further elections were held in April 1974, in which both major political parties campaigned for independence. During the April 1974 elections, the SDP increased its majority in the Legislative Assembly by 3 seats, gaining all but 2 of the 15 seats. Demarcation of constituencies was such that the SDP achieved this majority by winning only 52% of the popular vote.
Following the 1974 election, negotiations with the British resulted in an agreement by which Seychelles became a sovereign republic on June 29, 1976. The SDP and SPUP formed a coalition government in June 1975 to lead Seychelles to independence. The British Government was asked to appoint an electoral review commission so that divergent views on the electoral system and composition of the legislature could be reconciled.
As a result, 10 seats were added to the Legislative Assembly, 5 to be nominated by each party. A cabinet of ministers also was formed consisting of 8 members of the SDP and 4 of the SPUP, with Chief Minister Mancham becoming Prime Minister. With independence on June 29, 1976, Mancham assumed the office of President and René became Prime Minister.
The negotiations following the 1974 elections also restored the islands of Aldabra, Farquhar, and Des Roches to Seychelles upon independence; those islands had been transferred in November 1965 from Seychelles to form part of the new British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).
Although the SDP/SPUP coalition appeared to operate smoothly, political divisions between the two parties continued. On June 5, 1977, during Mancham's absence at the London Commonwealth Conference, supporters of Prime Minister René overthrew Mancham and installed René as President. President René suspended the constitution and dismissed the parliament. The country was ruled by decree until June 1979, when a new constitution was adopted.
In November 1981, a group of mercenaries attempted to overthrow the René government but failed when they were detected at the airport and repelled. The government was threatened again by an army mutiny in August 1982, but it was quelled after 2 days when loyal troops, reinforced by Tanzanian forces, recaptured rebel-held installations.
At an Extraordinary Congress of the Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF, now known as Parti Lepep) on December 4, 1991, President René announced a return to the multiparty system of government after almost 16 years of one-party rule. On December 27, 1991, the Constitution of Seychelles was amended to allow for the registration of political parties. By the end of that month, eight political parties had registered to contest the first stage of the transition process: election to the constitutional commission, which took place on July 23-26, 1992. A consensus text was agreed upon on May 7, 1993, and a referendum to approve it was called for June 15-18. The draft was approved with 73.9% of the electorate in favor.
July 23-26, 1993 saw the first multi-party presidential and legislative elections held under the new constitution, as well as a resounding victory for President René. All participating parties and international observer groups accepted the results as "free and fair," as has been the case for each subsequent round of elections in Seychelles. Elections were next held in 1998, when candidates for Vice President ran on the same ticket as candidates for President for the first time. President René was re-elected in both 1998 and 2001, but retired in 2004, turning over the Presidency to then-Vice President James Michel. Though aging, former President René remains an influential figure in Seychellois politics.
The July 2006 presidential elections saw President Michel win his first elected term. Following a 6-month boycott in the National Assembly by the SNP opposition party, President Michel dissolved the National Assembly in March 2007 and called early elections to fill the vacated seats. The SPPF thereafter held a majority with 23 seats, while the SNP/DP alliance held 11 seats. In the May 2011 presidential election, incumbent President Michel was again victorious, winning 55.5 percent of the popular vote. The National Assembly voted to dissolve itself in July 2011, prompting early legislative elections in October 2011. Those elections were boycotted by all major opposition parties (though one new, minor opposition party did participate), resulting in Parti Lepep sweeping the seats in the National Assembly.
Government Type: Republic
The president is both the chief of state and head of government and is elected by popular vote for a 5-year term. The Council of Ministers serves as a cabinet, and its members are appointed by the president. The unicameral National Assembly has 31 seats -- 25 elected by popular vote and 6 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve 5-year terms. The judicial branch includes a Court of Appeal, a Constitutional Court and Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president. The legal system is based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law.
Seychelles has had a multi-party system since the adoption of a new constitution in 1993. Multi-party elections deemed free, fair, and credible took place in 1993, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2011. Parti Lepep has won the presidency and majority in the National Assembly in all of the elections, except for the 2008 by-election that it boycotted.
Capital: Victoria - 26,000 (2009)
Administrative Divisons: 23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka
Independence Date: 29 June 1976 (from UK)
Legal System: based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law. The Seychelles has not submitted an International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction declaration; but accepts International Criminal Court (ICCt) jurisdiction
Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal
International Environmental Agreements
The Seychelles is party to international agreements on: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, and Wetlands.
Agricultural Products: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna
Irrigated Land: 3 sq km (2008)
Natural Resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees.
Land Use:
arable land: 2.17%
permanent crops: 13.04%
other: 84.79% (2005)
|Energy in Seychelles
|260 million kWh
(2008 est.)
|241.8 million kWh
(2008 est.)
|0 kWh
(2009 est.)
|0 kWh
(2009 est.)
|0 bbl/day
(2010 est.)
|8,000 bbl/day
(2010 est.)
|0 bbl/day
(2010 est.)
|6,203 bbl/day
(2009 est.)
|0 bbl
(1 January 2010)
|Natural Gas
|0 cu m
(2009 est.)
|0 cu m
(2009 est.)
|0 cu m
(2009 est.)
|0 cu m
(2009 est.)
|0 cu m
(1 January 2011 est.)
|Source: CIA Factbook
International Disputes: together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)
Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the pre-independence, near-subsistence level, moving the island into the upper-middle income group of countries.
Seychelles' economy relies on tourism and foreign direct investment. Employment, foreign earnings, construction, banking, and commerce are all largely dependent on these.
The services sector -- including transport, communications, commerce, fishing, and tourism -- has accounted for close to 70% of GDP in recent years. The share of manufacturing has been between 15%-20% of GDP, although it fluctuates from year to year owing to changes in output from the Indian Ocean Tuna cannery. Public investment in infrastructure and strong foreign direct investment inflows in the tourism sector have kept construction buoyant, with its share of GDP at around 10%. Given the shortage of arable land, agriculture, forestry, and fishing (excluding tuna) make only a small contribution to national output.
GDP in 2010 was estimated at $750 million (official exchange rate), and GDP per capita was $8,720 ($21,050 calculated by purchasing power parity - PPP), putting the island in the World Bank's "upper middle-income" bracket. For that reason, Seychelles is low on the agenda of international donors and aid flows are limited. Given the small size of the economy and its heavy dependence on tourism, the island remains vulnerable to external shocks, including the threat of piracy from the nearby Horn of Africa. There is some offshore banking activity, and recently also the prospect of oil in Seychelles' waters.
Economic growth was strong in 2006 and 2007, with real GDP growing by 5.4% and 7.3%, respectively. Growth slowed to 3.1% and 0.7% in 2008 and 2009, respectively, due to external shocks, lower tourism earnings, and the persistence of structural constraints reflected in a rising debt burden and foreign exchange shortages. Real GDP grew by 6.3% in 2010, driven mainly by tourism and foreign direct investment. Inflation, which reached a historic high of 32% in 2009, has been brought under control and is estimated at less than 3% for 2010. Foreign exchange reserves are estimated at U.S. $211 million compared to U.S. $169 million in 2009, equivalent to more than 2 months' import cover. The budgetary surplus, which was initially estimated at 7%, will now be 9.4% of GDP for 2010.
Seychelles had years of socialist-oriented economic policy during single-party rule, characterized by price, trade and foreign exchange controls, a prominent role for parastatal companies, and robust debt-funded development spending. This led to rapid economic development, but also created serious economic imbalances. These problems included large fiscal and external deficits and mounting debt arrears, which contributed to persistent foreign exchange shortages and slow growth. Press reports indicated that high-level corruption contributed substantially to these problems. In October 2008, facing the near-depletion of official foreign exchange reserves, Seychelles defaulted on interest payments due on a U.S. $230 million Eurobond issued 2 years previously, severely damaging its credibility as a borrower. The government subsequently turned to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for support, and in an attempt to meet the conditions for a stand-by loan, began implementing a program of radical reforms. These included a fundamental liberalization of the exchange rate regime, involving the devaluation and floatation of the rupee, and the elimination of all foreign exchange controls. In light of the economic and financial reforms, the IMF approved a 2-year U.S. $26 million stand-by loan in November 2008, which represents the Fund's first-ever formal program in Seychelles.
Seychelles' program implementation continues to receive praise from the IMF, helped by the committed implementation of reforms and broad-based public support for the process. Reflecting this, the IMF converted Seychelles' 2-year stand-by agreement into a 3-year fund facility worth U.S. $31 million in December 2009. An IMF mission in May 2010, visiting for an initial review of the extended fund facility, commended Seychelles for meeting all of the program conditions to date. The IMF's endorsement continues to facilitate the engagement of other key donors, including the World Bank, which approved a U.S. $9 million policy support loan for Seychelles in October 2009 as a prelude to a 2-year interim country assistance strategy. The IMF's seal of approval will also facilitate the rescheduling of Seychelles' large foreign debt burden. In a key breakthrough, Seychelles' commercial creditors (which hold about 60% of Seychelles' debt) gave their approval in January 2010 to a restructuring offer from the Government of Seychelles that will see the amount owed cut by 50%, with repayments taking place between 2016 and 2026. In combination with the 45% debt write-off agreed by the Paris Club of creditors in April 2009, it is estimated that Seychelles' debt burden should fall from about 98% to a more sustainable 56% of GDP for 2010. However, Seychelles remains highly exposed to external shocks, including piracy threats and risks to the European economic outlook (source of most tourists).
Seychelles is ranked 8th in Africa and 103rd worldwide in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business report, and comes in at 142nd in the Heritage Foundation Index of Economic Freedom. In February 2011, global rating agency Fitch assigned Seychelles a Country Ceiling of 'B' (from 'B-' in 2010) and a short-term foreign currency Issuer Default Rating of 'B'. According to Fitch, Seychelles' revised ratings "reflect Seychelles' outperformance, by a wide margin, of the fiscal targets set for it by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, for a second consecutive year."
Although Seychelles is eligible for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), it has been unable to take advantage of AGOA thus far. Seychelles is not qualified for apparel benefits under AGOA and, in any case, its apparel manufacturing capacity is negligible.
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $2.244 billion (2011 est.)
GDP (Official Exchange Rate): $1 billion (2011 est.)
GDP- per capita (PPP): $24,700 (2011 est.)
GDP- composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.9%
industry: 18.7%
services: 79.3% (2011 est.)
Population Below Poverty Line: NA %
Industries: fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages
Exports: canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)
Export Partners: UK 25.1%, France 19.3%, Mauritius 10.8%, Japan 8.1%, Italy 5.6%, Spain 5% (2006)
Imports: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Import Partners: Saudi Arabia 16.4%, Germany 10.1%, South Africa 9.2%, France 7.6%, Spain 7.1%, Singapore 5.4% (2006)
Economic Aid Recipient: $18.81 million (2005)
Currency: Seychelles rupee (SCR)
Ports and Terminals: Victoria


text:
What is RM Cash
This is a "machine-selection optional" part.Please choose a vehicle to see the options specific to your machine,choose from all of the options below and add to cart.
User Tip: If you're unsure of your vehicle type, you may skip the machine type selection box.
"Customer service is priority #1 at Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. We value our customers and strive to be the best shopping experience- when you buy from us, you are buying lifetime service."
-Dan Thomas, CEO and Founder
We take pride in offering no hassle returns. In the event of a return, please call, email or chat with us to receive a solution to the problem. For apparel that doesn't fit quite right, Click here to see our Fit Guaranteed Program.
We will stand behind all products we sell with regards to manufacturing defects in workmanship and material. Most products are limited to the manufacturer's warranty. However, we will do everything in our power to take care of the problem.
Each review submitted enters you into a $100 gift card monthly drawing, and a $500 gift card quarterly drawing!
Comments On Nov 16, 2015:Tire should come with warning label DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TURN..rib lifts tire up off ground at lean angle..Maker should try testing the product first
Was this review helpful?
Comments On Nov 02, 2014:I bought this to put on my KX 250 for a week long trip to Sand Mountain, NV. Worked great all week, climbing the hill, riding bowls, etc felt predictable. The place is pure sand even in the camping area, so I did not really use the rib, it did make it easier bringing the bike to and from the trailer for loading on pavement. I did not notice any issues with the rib reducing traction on the sand like another reviewer mentioned, but this is the only 2 wheeler / sand paddle I have experience with, so I really cant compare this to a non-ribbed tire.
Was this review helpful?
Comments On Oct 27, 2014:This is a very high quality paddle that is perfect for a beginner or less aggressive rider. It helps to prevent unwanted slipping of the tire while on a bowl and it also protects it when momentarily crossing hard surfaces. It will also prevent intentional sliding of the back tire when turning aggressively.
Was this review helpful?
Comments On Sep 17, 2013:the spine may seem like a great concept. And rolling through camp it is. But on the sand of Little Sahara it is horrible. The ribs keep the tire from digging in at high speeds and you start to float over the sand which sounds great but it is extremely squirrely and scary to take at high speeds. i took a razor blade and cut the ribs off and it was much better and still very durable. but is no where near as good as another brand of paddle which had a rib design similar.
Was this review helpful?
Comments On May 29, 2013:I have zero complaints about this tire. I have the 10 paddle on my KTM 520sx and had no problems at Sand Lake this Memorial Day weekend. Shows no wear at all and I sure didn't baby it. I let a few buddys try out the bike and they said that they will be getting this tire when their paddles wear out.
Was this review helpful?
Comments On Feb 08, 2013:I run this on my YZ450F in the Oregon dunes. This thing hooks up great and throws a rooster tail so nobody will want to ride behind you. The center ribs make for a smooth ride from the campground to the sand. I will definitely buy another one when this one wears out. I also used it at Glamis this year with the same excellent results.
Was this review helpful?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This issue marks Allergic Living's fifth anniversary. Yippee for us – and heartfelt thanks to all of you loyal readers. To be honest, back in the drawing board stages, before our first issue was published in May 2005, there were doubters. First, launching a magazine of any description had its risks. Were we, excuse the pun, nutsto launch an independent magazine? Publishing has become an industry fraught with high costs and Internet competition, with a scary track record of titles that haven't made it.
Creating a magazine because you believe in the importance of its existence, and because you can identify a large, unserved audience are not guarantees of success. Nor is coming from several years as magazine professionals, as we did. Living with serious allergies certainly keeps the story ideas flowing, but they won't pay bills, and even a solid business plan doesn't make for a home run. When you don't have government subsidies, you depend on two things: attracting a sufficient number of readers and advertisers. If you build it, you sure hope they'll come. You work hard, you promote, but in the end, they gotta believe in your magazine.
Here's where we have been so fortunate. Readers, from parents of kids with allergies and asthma to adults with allergies or celiac, have embraced Allergic Living magazine; they've understood it was aimed right at them, they've lauded it, thanked us profusely and repeatedly for it – and they've helped the magazine to grow. Readers have told schools, libraries, friends, neighbours and relatives about us. They've turned to Allergic Living for advocacy on issues such as air travel and allergies and begun lobbies for school accommodations on the forum at Allergicliving.com. Five years along, our relationship has become – not just magazine serving reader but – one of community. The core of our advertisers are also part of the community, they get our readers and what we mean to them. Hearty thanks for their support, which makes us able to say: yes, this idea of a health and lifestyle magazine for allergies is working.
In our five short years, it has been quite a ride. An allergist recently congratulated me on our 10th anniversary. I burst out laughing, and told him it "just feels like 10 years". The topics we tackle, such as the Spring issue's outstanding, 20-page section, "The Future of Allergies", do take a ton of research. But of greater import has been the sense of gratification, the knowledge from letters and e-mails that our readers get so much out of this magazine. That makes every minute of work worthwhile.
When I speak at conferences or attend meetings, people come up to tell me about a favourite article and so often they'll say: "I love the magazine, it makes me know that I'm not alone." I also get asked, invariably by allergy moms: "can I give you a hug?" This still feels new: in other magazines and newspapers, no reader ever asked for hugs. To paraphrase Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own – "there's no hugging in journalism." But with Allergic Living there is hugging, and dammit, I like it and I get it. My readers live what I live.
So thank you so much to this community of friends. We share our fifth anniversary celebration with you, and we hope you will tell more people about Allergic Living. The more support we get, the more we can do. We look forward to serving you well in the years ahead. Keep letting us know what you think of "our" magazine.
Publisher Peter Wilmshurst and I extend congratulations on Allergic Living's 5th anniversary to our great magazine team: Giselle Sabatini, Claire Gagné, Simon Clarke, Samantha Yaffe, Pamela Lee, Chris Gonzaga and Erin Stevenson. Special thanks to all our regular contributors and to our wonderful expert columnists: Dr. Wade Watson, Dr. Susan Waserman, Dr. Sandy Skotnicki-Grant, Shelley Case, Laurie Harada, Shauna James Ahern and Alisa Bar-Dayan. A champagne toast as well to our Allergicliving.com team: Travis Brown, technical director, and Susan Clemens, website moderator.


text:
Tag Heuer Aquaracer Watches
All Tag Heuer Watches
There are no products matching the selection.
Sign up to receive special offers on Tag Heuer Aquaracer watches
Tag Heuer Aquaracer Watches
The Tag Heuer Aquaracer collection is a luxury watch created for water sports, the line is based off of the 2000 Series. Tag Heuer Aquaracer watches are a balance of precision, comfort, and unrivalled readability. Tag Heuer Aquaracer watches come with a very easily read dial and are manufactured in steel, gold or combination of both, with metal or rubber bracelets. Tag Heuer Aquaracer watches are produced with both automatic and quartz movements with or without chronographs. The Tag Heuer Aquaracer collection has a very unique and recognizable case design, a rhomboid shape, that gives personality to the watch. The Aquaracer collection is a highly advanced Tag Heuer line, due to the demanding situations that come with water sports. The Aquaracer line of sports watches are a high status symbols and is water resistant to 300 meters, they are also a prestigious and fashionable timepiece for everyday wear.
In 1860 Edouard Heuer established his first workshop in St. Imier, Switzerland, giving birth to the world's most reliable and prestigious sports watches. This brand, Tag Heuer is one of the leading watch manufacturers in the world and one of the most important watch vendor in the history of the wristwatch market. The Tag Heuer company motto "Swiss Avant-Garde Since 1860" characterizes the company's innovative spirit, which is a fascination with excellence in design and using advanced technology. Progress, precision and innovation always were the expression of the very core of TAG Heuer's philosophy.
Watch Collections Manufactured By Tag Heuer Watches
Aquaracer, Carrera, Formula 1, Golf Watch, Grand Carrera, Lady, Link, Monaco
Tag Heuer Watches
Well-known for iconic design, ultimate movements and a timeless link to the past, Tag Heuer watches have been considered avant-garde in the world of Swiss watches since 1860. Tag Heuer is known for exclusive collections including Carrera and Aquaracer watches, flagships of luxury and modern design. The F1 watches were designed with the help of a two-time Formula 1 racing champion. All Tag Heuer luxury watches are distinguished by their groundbreaking design and precision time-keeping capabilities. Dexclusive.com has scoured the globe to bring you an exclusive selection of authentic discount Tag Heuer watches that you won't find anywhere else. You will find a wide variety of Tag Heuer watches on sale at Dexclusive.com
Whether you are shopping for yourself or looking for a great gift, Dexclusive.com provides you with an excellent selection of products at unbelievable prices. We also have a team of friendly customer service personnel available to assist you if you have any questions about any model you see at Dexclusive.com. Please call our Toll Free Number 1-866-573-3953 or you can click on the Live Online Chat button located on the right panel and one of our agents will be happy to assist you with any questions or concerns you might have. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @dexclusive or become a fan on Facebook for the latest news and deals from Dexclusive.com.


text:
What's this uncomfortable feeling. They are in your seat. They will move. If for some reason they don't, get security.
What's this uncomfortable feeling. They are in your seat. They will move. If for some reason they don't, get security.
Jimmy Dugan: Because there's no crying in baseball. THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL! No crying! (Tom Hanks, "A League of Their Own" (1992)
Does Mr. Met have a first name?
ESPN has a really nice feature with 360 degree views inside and outside the stadium:
Gary, here's an article for you if you haven't seen it already:
Currently watching the HR Derby from YS. Just wondering which cities Chris Berman will namedrop in response to a long HR. I predict "that one is halfway to Yonkers" and "that one's on it's way to Bristol". That schtick is so predictable now it's become a joke. I wonder if he's in on it?
It's 8:30. I'm surprised he hasn't started yet.
Last edited by Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock; 07-14-2008 at 05:36 PM. Reason: spelling "predictable"
Chris Berman's schtik was cute in 1979 when he, ESPN (and cable TV) were a novelty. Now they're all a colossal bore and have made asses of themselves.
Yeah. So far tonight, I've also heard Hunters Point, Pelham, and the moon.
Given some of Hamilton blasts, I'll give Berman a pass. What a power display. What I'd give to see a ball clear the frieze.
That was a good article. It's interesting to read about life across from Yankee Stadium from the perspective of the people who actually do live there.
Can you, or anyone else, post a still from that 360-degree view from the roof of 831 Gerard?
Does Mr. Met have a first name?
Since we are on the topic does anyone beleive that josh gibson actually hit one out of the stadium? I mean he was a B.A.!
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time.
..."I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for."
There was a really interesting article in the post about some of the hidden places and treasures in Yankee Stadium including the Gehrig pole, secret vault and the championship banners. here's the link: http://www.nypost.com/seven/07142008...780.htm?page=1
..."I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for."
The Yankees switched dugouts in the mid 1940s. Jacob Ruppert died in 1939.
He had nothing to do with the switch.
Once again, the modern "sportswriters" show that they know nothing at all of Yankee history they didn't directly observe. They'll believe, and print, anything they're told (especially if it's Tony Morante that's doing the telling.)


text:
I fell in love with these T-Shirts from Blood is the New Black yesterday, the Google, Search and Destroy T-shirt is such a brilliant and simple joke that tweaks the nose of the search giant who's guiding principal is "do no harm".
As for the One Day I Will Make It All Up To You T-shirt, I love the color and the typography. The message strikes me as playful as well, it somehow indicates you may be doing something you will be apologizing for later, bought


text:
The Power of Independent Thinking
Childhood Poverty, Government Failures, and the Need for Economic Liberty
Recorded: Thursday, April 30, 2015
Senior Vice President Mary Theroux is interviewed on radio station KOGO in San Diego to talk about the latest on California's Maximum Family Grant rule for families on welfare. She discusses the underlying reasons why children are born into poverty and the difficulty of breaking the cycle of poverty.
Experts: Mary L. G. TherouxType: RadioIssues: Bureaucracy and Government, Business, Culture/ Society, Economic Policy, Education, Family, Labor and Employment, Politics, Privatization, Race Issues, Regulation and Deregulation, Urban Issues, Welfare, Womens Issues
Stephen P. Halbrook | Oral Argument at Appeal of Heller vs District of Columbia
Recorded: Monday, April 20, 2015
Research Fellow Stephen P. Halbrook, author of Gun Control in the Third Reich, presents oral arguments in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit in the ongoing appeal of the landmark Supreme Court case of Heller v. District of Columbia. The case affirmed the Second Amendment rights of citizens for lawful purposes such as self-defense.
Experts: Stephen P. HalbrookType: Other EventIssues: Bureaucracy and Government, Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Constitutional Law, Crime, Criminal Justice/ Prisons, Culture/ Society, Freedom, Government Power, Gun Control, Law Enforcement, Litigation, Privacy, Property Rights, Race Issues, Urban Issues
Partitioning Iraq for Peace
Recorded: Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Senior Fellow Ivan Eland, author of Partitioning for Peace, appeared on "Doug Stephan's Good Day" radio program. Eland talks about the state of terrorism in the Iraq and whether the US creates more of a problem with its intervention. He also discusses the question of how ISIS is different than other terror groups.
Experts: Ivan ElandType: RadioIssues: Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Culture/ Society, Defense and Foreign Policy, Diplomacy and Foreign Aid, Freedom, History (International), Nationalism, Politics, Race Issues, Religion, Terrorism and National Crises
Stephen P. Halbrook on the Tom Woods Radio Show to Discuss Gun Control
Recorded: Monday, March 23, 2015
Research Fellow Stephen P. Halbrook, author of Gun Control in the Third Reich, talks with radio host Tom Woods about the events in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s that led to the disarming of Jews and other so-called "Enemies of the State" beginning with gun registration policies of the Weimar Republic, to the Nazis use of that information to disarm and eliminate any opposition.
Experts: Stephen P. HalbrookType: RadioIssues: Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Constitutional Law, Crime, Criminal Justice/ Prisons, Culture/ Society, Freedom, Government Power, Gun Control, History (International), Law Enforcement, Nationalism, Political Ideology and Philosophy, Privatization, Religion, Terrorism and National Crises
The Political Economy of Drones
Recorded: Thursday, February 26, 2015
Research Fellow Abigail Hall joins the Larry Conners USA radio show to talk about the use of drones both domestically and internationally. What are the implications of the use of drones by law enforcement and military? Hall, who has written her dissertation on the subject, talks about the ramifications of the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) also known as drones.
Experts: Abigail R. Hall BlancoType: RadioIssues: Government Power, Law Enforcement, Political Ideology and Philosophy, Technology, Terrorism and National Crises
Civil Rights Are Too Important to Leave to Special-Interest Advocates
Recorded: Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Research Fellow Jonathan Bean, author of Race and Liberty in America: The Essential Reader appeared on WORD radio to discuss Bean's recent Op-Ed about his experience on the Illinois State Advisory Committee on Civil Rights. On Martin Luther King Day, Bean says King's dream of a more just society is poorly served by ignoring viewpoints that disagree with our own.
Experts: Jonathan BeanType: RadioIssues: Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Constitutional Law, Culture/ Society, Freedom, Political Ideology and Philosophy, Politics, Race Issues
Peter Thiel | Developing the Developed World
Entrepreneurship, Liberty, and the Future
Recorded: Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Entrepreneur and Author Peter A. Thiel spoke at a luncheon sponsored by the Independent Institute on January 27, 2015. He shared insights from his new book Zero to One on how to create true innovations in the world of atomsnot just digits and bitsand how to foster a peaceful, prosperous and freer future marked by globalization in a world of limited resources.
Experts: Peter A. ThielType: Independent Institute EventIssues: Antitrust, Competition, and Monopoly, Bureaucracy and Government, Business, Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Corporate Welfare, Culture/ Society, Economic History and Development (U.S.), Economic Policy, Education, Energy, Free Market Economics, Freedom, Government Power, Government Secrecy, Health Care, History (U.S), Labor and Employment, Law Enforcement, Political Ideology and Philosophy, Politics, Privacy, Public Health/ Consumer Protection, Regulation and Deregulation, Science, Technology, Transportation
Ivan Eland: DEA's New Database
Recorded: Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Sr. Fellow Ivan Eland appears on Doug Stephan's Good Day radio show to talk about the DEA and their tactics of accessing data from civilians' phone calls. According to Eland, this is an example of one agency borrowing tactics from another in violation of the Constitution.
Experts: Ivan ElandType: RadioIssues: Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Constitutional Law, Culture/ Society, Democracy, Law Enforcement, Terrorism and National Crises


text:
Demo | Enroll
Contributions to a Roth IRA are not deductible, but your investment earnings over the years can be tax-free. So when you begin to withdraw your earnings you will pay no additional tax. In other words, you get tax-free growth on compounded interest.
Who Is It For?
Is It Tax-Deferred or Tax-Free?
What Is The Income Tax Impact?
Is There An Age Limit On Distributions?
Not on your contributions, but any earnings withdrawn before the account has been open for at least five years, and/or are not used for one of the qualified distributions, is subject to tax and a 10% IRS penalty.
Qualified distributions are:
Effective January 1, 2008, qualified retirement plan participants may now request a direct rollover of their plan assets to a Roth IRA. To be eligible the current traditional IRA to Roth IRA conversion rules apply. The participants modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), whether filling singly or jointly, may not exceed $100,000. Also, a married individual may not convert unless he/she files a joint federal income tax return. Compensation or earned income is not required, nor are there any age restrictions. (Note that the $100,000 MAGI limit and the joint filing requirement for married individuals will no longer apply for conversions occurring after December 31, 2009.)
Plan participants who meet their plans requirements, spouse beneficiaries of deceased plan participants, and spouses awarded some or all of a plan participant's assets through a divorce settlement, may take advantage of this new law.
Moving pretax assets to a Roth IRA is a taxable transaction. Some transaction flexibility is possible, however, allowing an individual to roll any combination of pretax and after-tax assets to a traditional IRA, a Roth IRA, or a combination of the two.
Effective January 1, 2006, 401(k) and 403(b) plans may allow participants to make salary deferrals to designated Roth accounts within the plan. Under IRC Section 402A, an employer can amend an IRC Section 401(k) plan or a tax-sheltered annuity plan under IRC Section 403(b) to permit its employees to designate their salary deferrals as Roth contributions.
Like Roth IRA contributions, salary deferrals designated as Roth contributions are not deducted or excluded from income going into a plan and are potentially nontaxable upon distribution. These salary deferrals and earnings attributable are held within the plan in what are referred to as designated Roth accounts. Distributions of these Roth salary deferrals, plus attributable earnings, are eligible for rollover to another 401(k) plan, a 403(b) plan or a Roth IRA.
Rollovers of designated Roth account assets to a Roth IRA are nontaxable.
A qualified distribution from a designated Roth account is:
A: Coverage you may have with other retirement plans does not affect your eligibility to make a Roth IRA contribution.
A: You are still eligible to make a Roth IRA contribution.
A: Yes, but you must have an adjusted gross income of less than $100,000. You are taxed on the rollover amount of the taxable portion of the Traditional IRA. The funds are not subject to the 10% IRS penalty tax.
A: We recommend you consult with your accountant or financial advisor to determine if a Roth IRA is right for you.
A: There are no special requirements for Roth IRA investments. Your choices range from federally insured Certificates of Deposit to more aggressive non-insured investment products.
A: Yes, the sooner your funds start working for you, the more your Roth IRA will be worth at retirement. Also, the five-year rule for qualified distributions begins when the first Roth IRA is opened.
A: You may move your Roth IRA from somewhere else to this bank. The five years begin when you open your first account. So, if you open it at another institution in 2006 and move it to our bank in the year 2008, we count the date the original account was opened (2006). Thus, you would be eligible for a qualified distribution in the year 2011.
An Equal Housing Lender. Member FDIC.
This icon indicates a link to third-party content. By clicking on the link, you will leave our website and enter a site not owned by the bank. The site you will enter may be less secure and may have a privacy statement that differs from the bank. The products and services offered on this third-party website are not provided or guaranteed by the bank.


text:
May 2, 2016
PHOENIX (AP) -- An Arizona sheriff has announced plans to deploy an armed volunteer posse to protect Phoenix-area students in the wake of the mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio tells KTVK-TV he has the authority to mobilize private citizens to fight crime but hasn't talked to specific districts.
He says he doesn't plan to put posse members inside schools but will have them posted around the perimeters.
Arpaio is known as one of the nation's most high-profile supporters of strict U.S.-Mexico border policy.
His plan announced Thursday comes after two other Arizona officials released ideas for boosting school security.
Attorney General Tom Horne proposed firearms training for one person in each school. And Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu proposed training multiple educators per school to carry guns.
Copyright 2016 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Scroll to Previous Item
Scroll to Next Item
Willoughby Nailhead Dining Chair + Sets
Act fast! Items with prices ending in $0.99 are final sale.
No longer available
A tall and lean take on the classic wingback chair. Reinterpreted for contemporary dining with gracefully shallow side wings, a wide seat and sophisticated nailhead trim, the Willoughby Dining Chair is perfect as an accent chair on either end of a dining table or used all the way around.
21"w x 23"d x 45"h.
Solid wood frame and legs with chocolate-stained finish.
Basketweave upholstery in Putty Gray.
Tall, high back for maximum support.
Nailhead trim.


text:
London Victoria and London Bridge train delays due to engineering works at East Croydon
07:55 30 May 2012
Trains services from Victoria and London Bridge stations are being disrupted this morning by over-running engineering works at East Croydon.
There are delays of up to 15 minutes on Southern services between Victoria and Gatwick Airport, and between London Bridge and East Croydon.
The same delays apply to First Capital Connect trains between London Bridge and Brighton and the Gatwick Express between Victoria and Gatwick Airport.
There are some minor delays on London Overground between Highbury & Islington and West Croydon/Crystal Palace due to the late finish to engineering work.
The Tube appears to be running smoothly this morning, currently.


text:
* Benson
Abrigail Meaning
Quick Facts
No. Of Syllables:4
No. Of Letters:8
Origin & Meaning
The meaning of Abrigail is "my father is joy, father of exultation".
View the Abrigail Name Popularity Page to see how the popularity trend for Abrigail has changed since 1880, or to compare the popularity of Abrigail to other names.
Abigail derives from two Hebrew elements. The first, Ab or Abi
(אב) means "father". The second, comes from the Hebrew root gil (גיל) meaning to "rejoice or be joyful".
The name is also used in Ireland as an Anglicized form of the Irish name Gobnat.
The name Abigail was borne by two women in the bible who were referenced under a number of spellings. It was the name of King David's sister. It was also the name of King David's third wife, who married him upon the death of her husband Nabal.
Because King David's wife referred to herself as David's "handmaid", the name also became widely used as a term for a lady's maid as in the play "The Scornful Lady" (1616) by Beaumont and Fletcher.
Two U.S. First Ladies also bore the name Abigail. Abigail Adams and Abigail Van Buren.
The name saw popularity during the 17th century under Puritan influence. The name has seen a resurgence and has been one of the top 20 most popular U.S. girl's names since 1998 (see Abigail name popularity).
[ Where applicable, mouse over or click on image for credit & details. ]
It may all be in the numbers.
The numbers that make up your child's name.
Children named Abrigail are often academic and dazzling but most of all they are read more >>
Related Names
Abrigail is a variant spelling of Abigail.
Abrigail has the diminutives (nicknames) Abbey, Abbi, Abbie, Abby, Abbye, Abee, Abey, Abi, Gail, Gaila, Gaile, Gayle.
Other Tidbits
Name Fun
Then just follow the diagram below.
Just for fun, see the name Abrigail in Hieroglyphics, learn about ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics and write a Hieroglyphic message.
Learn about nautical flags and see your name or message written in nautical flags, on the Abrigail in Nautical Flags page.
Names Like This
Local language versions of biblical names of Hebrew origin such as Hannah and David are still widely internationally popular today.
Modern Hebrew names are often derived from Hebrew vocabulary, for example Aviva (spring) and Dov (bear).
Children of Jewish heritage are usually given a Hebrew name for religious purposes and are sometimes also given a local language version of that name for secular purposes.
By custom, Ashkenazi Jews (Jews of German or Eastern European descent) name their children after deceased relatives. This is in order to honor the deceased relative, keep their name and memory alive, and to form a bond between the soul of the baby and the deceased relative so that they can live on within the newer generation.
Sephardic Jews (Jews of Spain, Portugal and the Middle East) in contrast, name their children after living relatives or deceased relatives. The father's parents names are generally used first and then the mother's parents names.
Neither Ashkenazi or Sephardic Jews will name a baby after one of the parents.
After a child is born, the father is given an aliyah (religious honor to bless the reading of the Torah). After this a blessing is said for the health of the mother and child. If the baby is a girl, she is named at this time. If the baby is a boy, he will be named during his brit milah (ritual circumcision) generally eight days after birth.


text:
Sports Bet: Social Sportsbook
Games » Sports Games
by Hitpost Inc.
Download this app if: you need a sports news and photo resource.
Developer Notes
The #1 social sports betting game with ALL MAJOR SPORTS. Play for FREE with your friends and make virtual bets on your favorite sports!
"A nationwide sensation for sports fans."
- The Huffington Post
★ Bet with your friends on basketball, hockey, baseball, football and soccer
★ More bets than...
Sports post — Great resource for Sports news.


text:
Sporting Heroes Preview - Francois Pienaar
John Smit talks to his Sporting Hero, legendary Springboks captain Francois Pienaar.
Tue February 5 2013
More Rugby Union Videos
Wed April 27 2016
Sinfield: I will miss rugby
Kevin Sinfield MBE has announced he will retire from professional rugby at the end of the season. Here he is explaining how much both codes mean to him.
Mon April 25 2016
Marler faces another ban
Harlequins' Joe Marler will find out later on Monday if he is to be cited for appearing to kick out at an opponent's head in his club's Challenge Cup semi-final win over Grenoble on Friday night. Gail Davis has the latest.
Sat April 23 2016
Ouderago very happy at final appearance
Montpellier captain and man of the match Fulgence Ouderago was very happy that Montpellier has reached the Challenge Cup final after victory over the Dragons.
Sat April 23 2016
Itoje: Resilience key to win
Man of the match Maro Itoje says Saracens showed great character to come back to win against Wasps in the Champions Cup semi-final.
Fri April 22 2016
'Wasps are on the charge'
Will Greenwood gives his prediction for Saturday's European Champions Cup semi-final between Saracens and Wasps.
Mon April 18 2016
Rugby Club: Big European weekend
Will Greenwood previews the semi final match ups in the European Champions Cup and the European Challenge Cup.
Mon April 18 2016
Greenwood's Favourite 5 - 18th April
Will Greenwood picks his favourite moments from the weekend, including Glasgow Warriors' 8th victory in a row; Kenya's Singapore Sevens win and Christian Wade's record-equalling 6 tries in a Premiership match.
Sun April 10 2016
Racing 92 v Toulon: Analysis
Ali Williams and Will Greenwood analysis Racing 92's quarter-final victory over three times champions Toulon.
Sun April 10 2016
Fiji crowned champions
Ollie Phillips reacts to a superb three days in Hong Kong as Fiji are crowned champions at the Hong Kong Sevens.
Sat April 9 2016
Itoje shines for Sarries
Maro Itoje picks up the man of the match award as Saracens beat Northampton to progress to the Champions Cup semi-final stage.
Fri April 8 2016
A modern rivalry
Alex Corbisiero introduces a modern rivalry as Saracens take on Northampton Saints in the European Champions Cup Quarter-Final.
Thu April 7 2016
Ashton determined to win 40th cap for England
Saracens wing Chris Ashton insists he's determined to win his 40th cap for England after returning from a ten week ban last week.
Wed April 6 2016
Hartley could feature for Saints
Jim Mallinder says Dylan Hartley could feature for Northampton in their European Cup quarter final this weekend, after suffering concussion while playing for England.
Sat April 2 2016
Leinster hold off Munster
Reaction from both camps after Leinster moved to the top of the PRO12 with a 16-13 victory over Munster at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
Fri March 25 2016
Easter weekend rugby on Sky Sports
Drew Mitchell, Scott Quinnell and Sean Fitzpatrick select their game picks for Easter weekend. #TheWeekendFix
Wed March 23 2016
Greenwood to coach Barbarians
Will Greenwood says getting the chance to coach the Barbarians for the match against South Africa is a 'tremendously exciting opportunity'.
Mon March 21 2016
Greenwood: England must build
Rugby World Cup winner, Will Greenwood, thinks England can get even stronger after completing their first Six Nations grand-slam for 13 years.
Mon March 21 2016
Jones: Six Nations just the start
Eddie Jones outlines his targets as England's head coach after leading them to a first Six Nations grand-slam for 13 years.
Sat March 19 2016
France v England - Greenwood preview
Will Greenwood previews England's Six Nations match-up against France.
Fri March 18 2016
Farrell's future uncertain
Will Owen Farrell play at fly-half or centre for England in the future?
Fri March 18 2016
Payne's 6N Preview - Ireland v Scotland
Alex Payne gives his top betting tips ahead of Ireland against Scotland in the 6 Nations.
Fri March 18 2016
Maro Itoje: How to win the breakdown
England Rugby star Maro Itoje, with the help of Mike Brown and Jack Nowell, gives us a lesson in the breakdown.
Thu March 17 2016
Payne's 6N Preview - France v England
Alex Payne gives his top betting tips ahead of England's Grand Slam decider against France.
Thu March 17 2016
Hartley: England ready to win Grand Slam
England rugby captain Dylan Hartley says his side are ready to win the Six Nations Grand Slam as they prepare to face France in Paris.
Thu March 17 2016
Care and Vunipola to start
Danny Care and Mako Vunipola will start for England against France in the Six Nations while Joe Marler is on the bench.
Tue March 15 2016
England Women target Six Nations title
England's Amber Reed looks ahead to the Six Nations decider against France on Sky's Sportswomen.
Mon March 14 2016
Jones: Six Nations title just the start
England coach Eddie Jones says the team enjoyed a couple of beers and that there is much more to come after winning a Grand Slam.
Sun March 13 2016
Jones hails England's attitude
Eddie Jones has hailed England's attitude after they became 6 Nations Champions with a game to spare.
Sat March 12 2016
England completely focused
England's Joe Launchbury says decision-making at crucial times has been high on the agenda in training ahead of their Six Nations clash with Wales.
Thu March 10 2016
Payne's 6N Preview - Ireland v Italy
Alex Payne gives his top betting tips ahead of Ireland's clash with Italy in the Six Nations.
Thu March 10 2016
Payne's 6N Preview - England v Wales
Alex Payne gives his top betting tips ahead of England's clash with Wales in the Six Nations.
Wed March 9 2016
Cockerill warns England about Tuilagi
Leicester Tiger Director of Rugby has warned England coach Eddie Jones not to push centre Manu Tuilagi too hard.
Tue March 8 2016
Wales name unchanged team
Wales rugby head coach Warren Gatland says it was an easy decision to pick the same team for Wales' Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham on Saturday.
Fri March 4 2016
England players target drone in training
Chris Robshaw, Anthony Watson and Matt Mullan take down a drone during an alternative training session at England's training base in Surrey.
Wed March 2 2016
Tackling ban would 'damage' game
Huddersfield Head Coach Paul Anderson thinks that banning tackling in school rugby would badly damage participation.
Wed March 2 2016
Changes to school rugby
Sky Sports News HQ reporter Geraint Hughes explains how teachers might change the way rugby is played at their schools.
Mon February 29 2016
Six Nations: Greenwood's Team of the Week - R3
Will Greenwood selects his team of the week from the third round of the Six Nations.
Fri February 26 2016
Jaguares win it in style
Martin Landajo rounded off a brilliant end-to-end team try to hand Super Rugby newcomers the Jaguares a win on Friday night.
Mon February 29 2016
Mud House Wines and Sky Sports
Take a look behind the scenes the making of the promo for Mud House Wines and Sky Sports.
Fri February 26 2016
Super Rugby changes explained
Nick Evans takes his son, Harry, through the changes to the Super Rugby rule changes. It's so simple, even a child can understand!


text:
June 28, 2011
Casey Cowan
Missouri City (Texas) Fort Bend Marshall outside linebacker Deon Hollins Jr. has been making the rounds this summer to get a feel for a few of the programs that have shown him interest so far. Texas Tech was included in that group and has made quite the impression on the 2013 prospect and his family."There are most definitely programs beginning to somewhat separate themselves now and Texas Tech is one of them. Deon loves Tech," his father, Deon Hollins Sr. said. "Coach Chad Scott has made such an impression on he and I alike. Coach Tommy Tuberville really couldn't have found a better guy to recruit his athletes. There's just no lying in the guy. You go through this process and you talk to recruiters and they're always trying to promise you the world. Coach Scott has been straight up with us."Mr. Hollins has even had other parents reference Coach Scott's candor previously."I had an individual that had actually approached me about Coach Scott. He had been recruiting this guy's son and he said that Coach Scott was the realest guy out of all of the recruiters that he had spent time with. He told me that Coach Scott was the one guy that stood out the most while his son was going through this process," Hollins said. "At that time, I didn't even let on that Coach Scott had been talking to Deon as well. I just made a note and it stuck in my mind like glue. I think I'm a pretty good judge of character myself and that was just basically confirmation to me on what I already thought I knew Coach Scott to be." "So I really like him, and every time I talk to Deon he says the same thing. He really enjoys the relationship he has with Coach Scott."The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder has one more camp visit scheduled, which will likely be his last of the summer."Next month we're going to a Texas A&M camp and we've been talking with them quite a bit. I've also talked some recently with Coach Venables from Oklahoma. He's wanting us to come up and check out their facilities and whatnot. That's pretty much it for the rest of the summer," Hollins Sr. said. "Deon has been working so hard to prepare for next season that his time is getting a little tighter now. He's probably going to hit the A&M camp and that will probably be it for this time around. Two-a-days start on August 8th and that time will be here before you know it."Apparently Coach Scott is not the only one on staff who has made an impression on the Hollins family."Of course, I've been around longer than my son has and what sticks out to me first with Tech is the track record of Coach Tuberville. I think about his days at the University of Miami and Auburn, and the success he had there. I've been following him for quite some time and with his history, you've got to know that Tech is on the way up with him in charge," Hollins Sr. said. "Another guy that stands out with their staff is Coach Chad Glasgow. Oh my goodness, that guy is in it to win it. He's got a gameplan and he's fired up about it. I really liked the energy we got from him and Deon did too.""I've talked with [Glasgow] a couple of times when he's been down to Marshall and I talked to him during the Tech camp. He's a great guy. I definitely got a good feeling from him and he seemed like a genuine guy. You know he'll get after his athletes, but he's always got their best interests at heart. His track record with TCU's defense is an impeccable one as well."Hollins' father listed Tech, Oklahoma, and A&M as the schools the 2013 prospect is currently hearing from the most."I'd say Tech definitely stands out, along with Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Alabama at this point," Hollins Sr. said. "You look at the fact that Tech gave Deon his first offer and I think that will definitely play a part in the relationship down the road. They've also got Ryan Flannigan with them now, as well as 'Dre (DeAndre Washington), so there are a lot of connections there. I mean, Ryan had offers from some really great places and for him to choose Tech out of all of them really says something to Deon and I about what they've got going on there." ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now!
Already a member? Click here to sign in


text:
More Information
At the heart of the formula
Inspired by this miracle of nature, the Helena Rubinstein Laboratories created Bio-Sève Moléculaire™ with the botanic synergy of five exceedingly powerful activators capable of targeting the five fundamental layers of skin to "transfuse youth" deeply into the dermis.
New Bio-Sève Moléculaire™ triggers an unprecedented double action at the level of the reticular dermis, the deepest dermal layer:
- by putting cellular senescence "on hold" (i.e., loss of activity and gradual cell death): deep within skin molecular youth is preserved.
- by protecting the glycation collagens (i.e., rigidifying of fibers): firmness and elasticity are restored.
At the level of the other four fundamental skin layers, it regulates the key mechanisms for combating cutaneous ageing:
- Moisturizing is strongly stimulated in the epidermis.
- At the epidermal level, the complexion is more even and radiant.
- At the dermal-epidermal junction, wrinkles are smoothed and tone is improved.
- At the level of the papillary dermis, skin is plumped.
With an unparalleled combination of global anti-ageing power and a sumptuous and addictive texture, the new PRODIGY provides a unique sensorial experience and exceptional skin results.
Application Tips
Expert tips


text:
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review: What Is It
It seems like only yesterday that Cadillac decided to retire classic old car names like DeVille and Seville for modern acronyms like DTS (DeVille Touring Sedan) and STS (Seville Touring Sedan), believing such a move would reduce the amount of gray hair and wrinkles in Caddy showrooms. Now, with the arrival of the 2013 Cadillac XTS flagship sedan, the luxury brand is kicking the DTS and STS nameplates to the curb.
A large luxury sedan offered with front- or all-wheel drive and a V-6 engine, the new XTS is based on the same platform as the Buick LaCrosse and upcoming 2014 Chevy Impala, arriving at a time when Cadillac continues its bid for global credibility and relevance. Yet, as attractive and technologically advanced as the Cadillac XTS might be, it appears to be a stop-gap measure, a vehicle intended to plug a gaping hole in a "Standard of the World" product development program that was, perhaps, body-checked by General Motors' bankruptcy and the worst recession since the Great Depression.
Why would I say that? No company claiming that it wants to be recognized as "the Standard of the World" would re-style a Buick and call it a day. Something else is coming (or had better be), a real flagship sedan that can go head-to-head with the best from Europe and Japan. In the meantime, we have the XTS to consider.
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review: Pricing and Trim Levels
The 2013 XTS is offered in a standard model or with three different "collections" of equipment, as Cadillac prefers to refer to them: Luxury, Premium, and Platinum.
The base price for the Cadillac XTS is $44,995, including the $920 destination charge. Standard equipment includes the usual suspects for a big luxury sedan, plus genuine wood and metal trim, a Bose premium sound system with HD Radio and Bluetooth streaming audio capability, a Cadillac User Experience (CUE) system with natural voice recognition technology, keyless access and push-button ignition, a power tilt/telescopic steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, and more. Additionally, the XTS is equipped with a Magnetic Ride Control suspension, Brembo front braking components, 19-inch painted aluminum wheels with chrome inserts, and rear park assist sensors.
The Cadillac XTS Luxury model starts at $49,610. It includes heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, manual thigh adjusters for the front seats, a memory package for multiple drivers, and upgraded wood cabin trim. Exteriors are dressed up with LED front running lights, dual stainless steel exhaust outlets, front and rear parking sensors, and a reversing camera.
At $54,505, the XTS Premium model includes adaptive headlights, a color heads-up display, CUE with a navigation system, a Bose Studio Surround Sound system, a 12.3-inch configurable color gauge cluster, and triple-zone automatic climate control. This model also gets a more upscale set of 19-inch aluminum wheels.
The XTS Platinum model sits at the top of the lineup, wearing a window sticker of $59,080. For that sum, buyers receive full premium leather seating, an extended leather cabin treatment, a suede headliner, an UltraView power sunroof, a power rear sunshade, manual rear window sunshades, a chrome accented grille, and polished 20-inch wheels.
All-wheel drive is optional on the Luxury, Premium and Platinum models for an extra $2,225. A Driver Awareness Package is also offered for these versions of the car, and it includes numerous safety technology upgrades. Luxury and Premium models can also be equipped with an UltraView power sunroof, while CUE navigation is offered as an upgrade on the Luxury model.
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review: What It's Up Against
Though the Cadillac XTS is positioned at the top of the lineup as the brand's flagship sedan, it competes against mid-level models of similar size, price and market intent. These would include the Acura RLX, Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, Chrysler 300, Jaguar XF, Lexus GS, Lincoln MKS, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and Volvo S80.
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review: Exterior
What's New for 2013:
- Standard 19-inch aluminum wheels
- Optional 20-inch aluminum wheels
- Capless fuel filler system
- Illuminating door handles
- Light pipe running lights and taillights
How It Looks:
The Cadillac XTS is an attractive automobile, one that evolves classic Cadillac design cues in a modern way, a way that ensures the XTS cannot be mistaken for anything other than a Cadillac.
From the vertical LED light pipes and ornate but not quite garish grille to the fastback roofline and vertical LED taillights capped by vestiges of classic Cadillac fins, the XTS is an exceptionally well-executed design. Details such as the scowling headlamp brows, scalloped fender tops, creased hood and beltline, metallic side spears, and an art-deco third brake light that doubles as a lip spoiler lend the car plenty of style and character. My XTS Platinum test vehicle had polished multi-spoke 20-inch aluminum wheels that looked terrific, and which I believe are necessary to give the car proper balance.
Unlike with some competitors, it is improbable that the XTS would ever be mistaken for the Buick or Chevrolet with which it shares its underpinnings. If there's a flaw here, it's that the wheelbase is too short, or the overhangs are too long, giving the otherwise appealing XTS an ungainly appearance from some angles.
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review: Interior
What's New for 2013:
- Standard Cadillac User Experience (CUE)
- Optional panoramic sunroof
- Optional reconfigurable gauges
- Optional color heads-up display
How It Looks and Feels:
Frankly, the 2013 Cadillac XTS feels more intimate than I expected, narrower, with tighter foot wells and smaller seats. Of course, it could be that I'm just getting wider. In any case, even if the problem lay with expanding personal girth, there's no question that the XTS Platinum offers comfortable front chairs. All they lack is a massage function.
Comfort is not a problem in the back seat, where occupants sit on a tall, supportive bench seat with no shortage of legroom. I did find, however, that when pulling my size-12 feet out from under the front seat, the laces got caught on an upholstery seam on the bottom edge of the seatback.
Around back, under that short rear deck, resides an 18 cu.-ft. trunk. It is shaped and finished like a plush cube, similar to an Audi, with fixed hinges concealed behind protective panels, premium in every respect except for a lack of a power closing function.
The Cadillac XTS looks and feels upscale inside. From our test car's premium leather seats, extended leather cabin treatment, suede pillar trim and headliner, and real wood and metal detailing, the XTS Platinum conveys the impression that it should cost more than the window sticker says it does. In particular, the thick-rimmed steering wheel is a work of art, terrific to grip and pleasing to behold.
There are areas that feel inexpensive, though, primarily related to the center console, which houses a too-tall gearshift that looks like it may have been yanked out of a 1998 Seville, and a power port cubby that lacks the flocked lining of other storage areas.
The main problem with the Cadillac XTS, however, is its CUE system. Designed to simplify the complexities of modern automobiles, CUE in the process manages to add complexity to what ought to be simple executions. For example, even after consulting the owner's manual and spending 10 minutes trying to find the right screen or menu to do so, I could not figure out how to modify the radio station presets.
Granted, nobody in my family has ever equated me to a technology whiz, but I manage to acclimate to products sold inside the Apple store without any trouble at all. I can even use Siri without once referencing a manual.
With this Cadillac, I often found myself stuck in technological cul-de-sacs within a fun-house maze of software code. Ironically, Cadillac provides each new XTS buyer with an iPad pre-loaded with a CUE application designed to help dealers and customers familiarize themselves with the system.
Making matters worse, the capacitive touch display frequently responded incorrectly, or did not respond at all, revealing a need for CUE's operator to be deliberate and precise in issuing touch commands. Haptic feedback in the form of a subtle vibration is designed to give the operator affirmation that CUE has received your touch command, but it appears to be inconsistently applied, and as a result the driver continually seeks visual confirmation that the system got the message by consulting the in-dash screen, the gauge screen, and the head-up display.
Oh, how I wished for a few simple knobs and big buttons.
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review: Matters of Safety
What's New for 2013:
- 10 standard airbags
- Safety Alert Seat
- Forward Collision Warning
- Automatic Collision Preparation
- Automatic Front and Rear Braking
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert
- Adaptive Forward Lighting
Details and Ratings:
On the previous page, I went into detail about why I think Cadillac's new CUE technology is half-baked. What I didn't say right out loud is that the system is an enormous distraction while driving. If an argument ever existed for automated cars, the new XTS is it*.
Let's put it this way. I was definitely grateful for the XTS Platinum's 10 standard air bags, lane departure warning system, forward collision alert with safety alert seat, automatic front and rear braking, and automatic collision preparation. It would almost seem that even if I wanted to crash the XTS, I wouldn't be able to. And if I did, the car's NHTSA 5-star overall crash-test rating and the OnStar Automatic Crash Response system would protect me and speed rescuers to the scene.
As much as I like the safety alert seat concept, however, I acclimated to it and learned to ignore it because sometimes the Cadillac would sound the alarm without reason (when passing over drainage dips or when a car in the adjacent lane would brake to make a right turn), and sometimes it wouldn't with reason (when zooming up on slower traffic). I couldn't figure out what made it tick, and it didn't seem to execute consistently, so I decided it might not really know what it was doing and therefore could not be trusted.
*To be fair to Cadillac, I think that most of these voice-recognition and touch-sensitive display screens with smartphone pairing capability are accidents waiting to happen. Some are definitely easier to use than others, and none of them bother me if I can operate the stereo and climate controls independently.
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review: Powertrain
What's New for 2013:
- 3.6-liter V-6 engine
- Six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters
- Brembo front braking components
- Hi-Per Strut front suspension
- Rear air suspension
- Optional all-wheel-drive system
How Does It Go:
A tried-and-true 3.6-liter V-6 engine is the only choice for the 2013 XTS, marking the first time Cadillac has sold its largest sedan without a V-8 since, umm, a long time ago. If you want a V-8, buy an Escalade or a CTS-V.
The direct-injected V-6 generates 304 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 264 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,200 rpm, with a 6-speed automatic directing power to the front wheels. Paddle shifters – more like padded buttons, really – give the driver manual control over gear changes.
An all-wheel-drive system is optional, equipped with a Haldex limited-slip differential that distributes power front to rear and, on the rear axle, from side to side as driving conditions warrant. If you ask me, the AWD system adds cost, weight, and complexity that you probably don't need.
Cadillac says our XTS Platinum test car with AWD should return 17 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway, and 20 mpg in combined driving. I averaged 20.7 mpg, with most of those miles travelled on the highway. A Premium Care Maintenance Plan providing free scheduled service visits for the first four years or 50,000 miles of ownership is standard with every XTS.
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review: How It Drives
Big Cadillacs are known for their wide front seats, finger-light steering, and plush, quiet highway ride quality. Fans of that brand of luxury won't like the 2013 XTS, which infers that perhaps enthusiast drivers will like this big new Caddy. That's not true, either.
Equipped with a Magnetic Ride Control suspension, a Hi-Per Strut front suspension, and a rear air suspension, the XTS displays a remarkable lack of squat, dive, and roll, though on rare occasion the car does pitch and wallow. The unfortunate side effect is that the XTS also feels too stiff, sometimes brittle, and entirely out of expected character when driven on anything but glass-smooth road surfaces.
On a positive note, the variable effort steering and braking system, equipped with standard Brembo components up front, work exactly as expected the majority of the time. Take the XTS on a favorite back road, and some drivers are likely to wish the steering offered a little bit of extra heft.
The 3.6-liter V-6 engine is powerful enough, and it sounds good when revved, but nobody will buy the XTS with the intention of running it to redline. The 6-speed automatic occasionally hangs and stumbles as it tries to decide what the driver will require next, putting a dent in the driver's opinion of the drivetrain's refinement.
As I do with every test car, I took the XTS Platinum for a rousing run across the Santa Monica Mountains near Los Angeles, its 20-inch tires frequently squealing under the duress. Here, the aging platform upon which the XTS is constructed made itself evident. Charging up hillsides, road shock traveled up the steering column to my palms as the front tires scrabbled for purchase out of corners. Sluicing down hills, the steering column creaked whenever I tossed the Caddy into a right-hand turn. Structurally, the car felt too light, and too loose.
The good news is that the V-6 had no trouble tackling the mountains, the suspension did an excellent job of controlling body motions, the steering proved accurate, and the brakes suffered zero fade. Still, there was little joy to be found in this exercise.
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review: Final Thoughts
Aside from technology that could some extra development time, the 2013 Cadillac XTS is a decent car, a clear advancement over the DTS and STS that it replaces. There is an audience for this big Caddy sedan, one that values its upscale design, comfortable and roomy cabin, and powertrain layout. Unfortunately, that same audience is likely to become utterly frustrated by CUE, and, in the process, utterly disenfranchised with Cadillac.
Perhaps that's the point, eh?
In the long run, Cadillac must build a great flagship sedan to regain its "Standard of the World" status. That great flagship sedan doesn't necessarily require a V-8 engine and rear-wheel drive, but it must be competitive with the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ, Lexus LS, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and Porsche Panamera. It must look the part, it must act the part, and it absolutely must reek of quality, competence, and class.
This Cadillac XTS ain't it.
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review
2013 Cadillac XTS Road Test and Review
- Gorgeous design and detailing
- Upscale cabin with genuine materials
- Lots of available safety technology
- Top-notch crash-test rating from NHTSA
- Comfortable seats and a big trunk
- Fuel economy
- Occasionally jarring shifts
- Occasionally busy ride quality
- Safety Alert Seat that, just like the boy, cries "Wolf!"
Cadillac provided the vehicle for this review
2013 Cadillac XTS photos by Christian Wardlaw


text:
July 19, 2012
DeAnte' Mitchell
Shooting guard Khadeen Carrington broke the new Rivals Top 100 for the class of 2014 and for obvious reasons. He has displayed his game on a national level and took advantage of the spotlight. ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now!
Already a member? Click here to sign in


text: Dear Mr. President: I know you're proud of the effort made by your team back in 2009 to save General Motors. You should be. But as good as this GM thing has been for you, with the election now over, it's time to let go and direct the Treasury to sell its stake in General Motors.


text:
This entry was posted on May 1, 2011. It was filed under Rob Zombie News.
© | Designed and Managed by Nineteen76Designs | Background Photo by Rob Fenn
This site uses cookies. Privacy/Cookie Policy | Terms and Conditions | Links | Visit OnGuardOnline.gov for social networking safety tips for parents and youth


text:
I found UserTesting.com but it costs $40 per person which is super expensive. I want to test if I am communicating the correct message to users on our site. Where is a good place to do some hallway testing? Or does it have to be in-person?
Try Starbucks testing*
Here is how it works:
The last question, especially if the message/site didn't work well, is to explain the intention and ask them what they would have understood better. But only do this as the last thing, don't get into a debate take the comment with a grain of salt.
*I call this Starbucks testing because it works especially well in coffee houses where people are relaxed and spending some leisure time. Often they're open to talk. It might be different in other countries or cultures. I think key success factors are that they get a little reward for their time investment and to make them understand that you won't be trying to sell something.
If you want to learn more about user testing I'd suggest Rocket surgery made easy by Steve Krug - an enjoyable and entertaining read.
I have never used them and I don't know precisely how much analysis usertesting.com provides but you have to realize that setting a test up involves some real work and having a platform to do it so quickly seems very valuable. The users themselves also have to spend time testing your website and deserve a reward so that $40 is actually super cheap. In fact, simply recruiting users through a consumer panel with some minimal targeting (i.e. including the incentive but without the cost of the test/interview/recording) cost more than that where I am now. Why would you think usability testing should be virtually cost-free and you could get useful feedback from multiple people without effort?
Regarding hallway usability testing, the whole point is to quickly test a product with whoever you can find in the hallway (hence the name), typically colleagues, perhaps friends or family. The idea is to compromise on the quality of the sample to be able to gain some quick feedback even if a regular usability test is not practical for you. It does not have to be anything but it's usually in-person, if only because looking for actual users and setting up a remote usability test does in fact require more effort.
If you're new to usability testing, and want to do something cheap and effective, I would recommend that you read Rocket Surgery Made Easy by Steve Krug
It's a very good introduction to running cheap in-person usability tests. Has the added bonus of being quite a thin book too. I'm sure your local library could help find a copy if you don't want to buy one.


text:
October 31, 2012
Adam Gorney
Rivals.com Football Recruiting
Tatum Taylor had an exceptional official visit to Arizona State last weekend and it really covered all the bases for the Seattle (Wash.) O'Dea cornerback. ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now!
Already a member? Click here to sign in


text:
Thousands of Maine residents face the loss of unemployment benefits at the end of the month - unless Congress steps in and passes an extension. They are the long-term jobless, people who haven't managed to find solid work, even as Maine's overall unemployment rate has dropped to its lowest level since the early months of the Great Recession. Jay Field has this profile of one woman who faces a tough choice if her unemployment benefits aren't extended.
Controversy, allegations of bias and fraud, audits and investigations have hovered over Maine's unemployment claims process for much of the year.
But Lori Baillargeon's story is the story of someone who's done all the right things. When Baillargeon lost her job, she applied for unemployment. She got approved, and almost immediately, began visiting a Maine Career Center office for help with her job search, "'cause that's what unemployment asked you to do," she says. "I kinda fell into this class."
Since the summer, Baillargeon has been driving from her home in Orland, two days a week, to Bangor. She's taking a health information technology course. She spent the previous 15 years working as a caregiver for adults with disabilities.
"I've done the personal care for so long. Now I want to be the medical secretary, working medical billing, coding, things like that," she says.
Health IT is hot. Jobs in the field pay well. And they're expected to increase by more than 30 percent between 2010 and 2020, according to a Georgetown University study.
Going in this direction was big step outside Baillargeon's comfort zone. Prior to taking the class, she'd never even turned on a computer. "I took a little tutorial on how to use the mouse! I didn't know how to do any of that, and now I'm getting ready to take a certification test for Microsoft Office," she says.
"But you've got the highest grades in the class," says her husband, Todd.
"Not the highest," she responds, "but I'm right up there."
It's mid-December, a Monday night, Christmas is right around the corner, the decorations are up. So's the tree and Baillargeon and her husband, Todd, are fixing dinner in the kitchen. A fire roars away in the woodstove.
Today is Todd's 47th birthday, but the celebration is muted. A few weeks ago, a letter came from the Maine Department of Labor: Lori's unemployment benefits are being cancelled, effective Dec. 28.
"I've already sent in my application for dislocated workers, so they have that on file," she says. "And hopefully, there won't be a lapse in my pay."
If Baillargeon gets approved, Dislocated Worker Benefits could give her another six months of assistance. But she doesn't know if it would match the $299 a week she's been getting, after taxes, on unemployment.
Todd Baillargeon works for American Concrete, but his hours drop off during the winter. An unaddressed envelope to Toyota Financial Services, the late payment for Todd's truck, sits on a table. The cell phone bill has been late too. And dinners out are a thing of the past, at least until summer, when Todd goes back to working 60 to 70 hours a week.
"I'll get out of work in the summertime and I'll go out and I'll cut wood," he says. "On the weekends we'll haul firewood - you know what I'm saying? - in my little four cylinder pick-up truck, which takes a long time to get a cord to somebody."
The loss of Lori's unemployment benefits, and the extra financial strain it's likely to cause, has her rethinking the immediate future.
Three or four hundred dollars extra - I mean, for us to go without that one week in February, that's not going to be good, you know?" she says. "That's why I just keep debating: Do I stick wth this class and try so hard to get this certification?"
"Yeah you do," her husband interjects.
"I know you say that but...," she says, "or go get a job?"
Being unemployed has been a blow to Baillargeon's self esteem. She says she grew up with a strong work ethic, instilled in her by her parents, especially her mom, who worked for many years in the old chicken processing plants in Belfast.
Baillargeon's health IT class is about to switch to a nighttime schedule and she isn't sure she could work full-time and continue the course. She's says she's seen some nearby job listings for Certified Nurse Assistant positions and has thought about applying.
The difficult decisions she faces will take on added urgency on Dec. 28, when her unemployment runs out.


text:
Faculty Profile (Back to Menu)
Vera Bergelson
Professor of Law and Robert E. Knowlton Scholar
Professor Bergelson earned her diploma in Slavic languages and literatures with distinction from Moscow State University and her Ph.D. in philology from the Institute of Slavic and Balkan Studies in Moscow, Russia. She earned her J.D. cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she was on the Law Review and was named to the Order of the Coif.
Professor Bergelson has been a lecturer at Moscow State University, the Polish Cultural Center, and the Literary Institute in Moscow. Before joining the Rutgers faculty in 2001, she was an associate with Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton in New York for six years. She is fluent in Russian and Polish and has a reading proficiency in Bulgarian, Belorussian, and Ukranian.
Professor Bergelson's book Victims' Rights and Victims' Wrongs: A Theory of Comparative Criminal Liability was published in 2009 by Stanford University Press.
Her recent articles include "Vulnerable Victims" in: "Trafficking in Human Beings" (work in progress), "Whose Pain Is It Anyway: Consent to Pain" in: The Ethics of Consent (Routledge Publishing) (forthcoming in 2016);"Rethinking Rape-by-Fraud" in: Consent and Control: Legal Perspectives on State Power (Cambridge Scholars Publishing) (forthcoming in 2016); "Conundrums of Consent," in The Substantive Issues in Criminal Law (Ashgate University Press) (forthcoming in 2016); and "Self-Defense and Risks," in The Ethics of Self-Defense (Oxford University Press, 2016). "The Meaning of Consent," 12 Ohio St. J. Crim. L. 171 (2014); "The Defense of Consent" in The Oxford Handbook of Criminal Law (Oxford University Press, 2014); "The Boundaries of the Criminal Law," 7CRIM. L. AND PHIL'Y 383 (2013); "The Duty to Protect the Victim – or the Duty to Suffer Punishment?" 32 LAW AND PHIL'Y 199 (2013); "Victimless Crimes," in International Encyclopedia of Ethics (Hugh LaFollette et al., eds.) (Wiley-Blackwell, 2013); "Vice Is Nice but Incest Is Best: Problem of a Moral Taboo," 7 Criminal Law and Philosophy< 43 (2013); "The Defense of Consent" in Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Wiley-Blackwell, 2013); "Choice of Evils: In Search of a Viable Rationale," 6 Crim. L. and Phil'y 289 (2012); "A Fair Punishment for Humbert Humbert: Strict Liability and Affirmative Defenses," 14 New Crim. L. Rev. 55 (2011); "Justification or Excuse? Exploring the Meaning of Provocation," 42 Texas Tech. L. Rev. 307 (2009); "The Case of Weak Will and Wayward Desire" in Criminal Law and Philosophy (2009); "Provocation: Not Just a Partial Excuse" in Criminal Law Conversations (Oxford University Press, 2009); "Consent to Harm" in the Pace Law Review and also in The Ethics of Consent Theory and Practice (Alan Wertheimer & Franklin G. Miller, eds., Oxford University Press, 2009); "Justification or Excuse? Exploring the Meaning of Provocation" in the Texas Tech Law Review (2009); "Autonomy, Dignity, and Consent to Harm" in the Rutgers Law Review (2008); "The Right to Be Hurt: Testing the Boundaries of Consent" in the George Washington Law Review (2007); and "Rights, Wrongs, and Comparative Justifications" in the Cardozo Law Review (2007) and also in Law of Privileges — Journalists and Executives (R. Satyanarayana, ed., ICFAI University Press, 2009).
Professor Bergelson was 2010-2011 chair of the Association of American Law Schools' Section on Jurisprudence. As a Fulbright Specialist, she visited Hebrew University Law School in November-December 2013, and as a Visiting Scholar, Melbourne University Law School in April-May 2014. Professor Bergelson is on the editorial boards of BdeF and Edisofer (Buenos Aires and Madrid) and Law and Philosophy.


text:
Skip to main content
David replies:
Hi Suresh,
It's certainly not bad for you and yes, there's lots of evidence that sexual activity, including masturbation, are good for your health. For men there's evidence that frequent ejaculation lowers the risk of prostate cancer. For everyone there's evidence that sexual arousal and orgasms mildly boost for the heart and immune system.
On a personal level I'm over 50 years old and I've masturbated once or twice a day since I was a teenager. I won't say that's what's helped me stay healthy all these years because it could be other things like a healthier diet, getting better exercise, reducing stress in my life, or any of a thousand other possibilities. But I will say I'm in much better health today than I was in my teens.
Information on this site is provided for educational purposes. It is not meant to and cannot substitute for advice or care provided by an in-person medical professional. The information contained herein is not meant to be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease, or for prescribing any medication. You should always consult your own healthcare provider if you have a health problem or medical condition.