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I need a New Laptop!!
This topic was created by Joeman .
I need a New Laptop!!
My current Laptop (Asus M50) is getting a bit long in the tooth, so im looking for a replacement.
Ideally would like the same screensize but higher resolution, i7 CPU, SSD.
The closest i can find to this spec is a 15" MacBook Pro with HD screen and SSD options, but im not an Apple fan, so can anyone suggest an alternative??
Re: I need a New Laptop!!(http://www.reliabletop.com of obd2 connector)
you can use the lenoveo E40,it is made by IBM.that is better than others company.
I have a web you can go their to search
Is there any other choice other than Apple?
No, there is not.
"This experiment in crowd-answering was not a great success: it was an exciting day when a Q&A got five responses.
Fast forward to 2012 and the new El Reg Forums, where commentards are beginning to set up their own Q&As. Perhaps these grass roots initiatives will fly a little higher. Let's see if we can help."
Well, this is comment number three, and there's still no helpful responses. Maybe we can get to six and totally smash the previous record.
Wow, this is kind of like Yahoo Answers, isn't it? Only with far fewer fundamentalist nutjobs.
Yahoo Answers?
Cruel, sir.
More responses - and helpful too - here.
Re: Excitement.
"Wow, this is kind of like Yahoo Answers, isn't it? Only with far fewer fundamentalist nutjobs."
I'm not sure that I'd agree that there are fewer fundamentalist nutjobs in here (especially once the Apple / Not Apple debate starts), however I think that the answers in here will at least come from people who know what they are talking about!
Re: Excitement.
Heh. But about as many trolling and deranged nutjobs.
Buy the Mac
Here's what you should do:
1) Buy the MacBook
2) Install Windows (wiping OS X)
3) Put a big Dell Sticker over the Apple logo.
Re: Buy the Mac
This is essentially the same as what I did back in 2008 - problem running Windows for my 2008 Macbook Pro were:
Windows drivers for the GPU weren't up to much, running the GPU hot at idle (metal case = burnt thighs too). Disabling Aero for Windows 7 didn't help any.
Bootcamp took a good few updates to get any sort of mutlitouch enable for the trackpad. There are some issues I have with sleep meaning the laptop actually goes into some sort of hibernate mode - so when you open the laptop it goes through a minute long boot before becoming usable.
Not to mention the fact that Apple don't fully enable all features in the bootcamp drivers for things like auto-dimming the screen, brightness of keyboard lights, etc. The keyboard layout is different too, the " and @ are in the wrong place for UK keyboards etc.
Having said that, the hardware is great and the one time I've need support (replacement faulty battery) they've been really good, swapping for new no questions asked in store. But from my experience Apple really don't want you to have the best experience you can have with Windows installed on a macbook pro, even though if they spent time on the Windows drivers you could.
My next laptop will probably be an XPS or Alienware laptop... don't know enough about the current specs to recommend one for you though. Sorry.
Re: Buy the Mac
My 2010 15" Macbook Pro runs Windows 7 with bootcamp and I have had none of the problems with drivers that you mention. The only painful think is trying to get a # character in Outlook 2007 - Outlook does some weird shit with the keyboard mapping. My company now has about 10 Macbooks running Windows and we have far fewer issues than when we used to use HP or Tosh business class laptops.
I'd definitely recommend a Macbook Pro - quality and reliability mainly. Plus, amazing resale value when you want to upgrade - check Ebay. Just buy online so you don't have to speak to Apple's dreadful drones in person.
Sorry if that isn't what you wanted to hear.
Samsung RF511
Wonderful laptop, had one for a little while now. I have the Core i5 version but an i7 is available. 15" screen with 1366x768 resolution, not many more pixels than your current machine but the screen has a matt finish so no trouble with stupid angles reflecting the lights. Make sure to grab one with the 540GM graphics card though, some places sell the cheap version that leans on the integrated Intel graphics. Optimus makes the battery last forever even with a dedicated card in there.
Re: Samsung RF511
@Pauliroth - yes the Samsung is a nice looking machine, and has the numeric pad with is useful, but alas, my current M50 has a "1440 X 900" screen, and i was hoping to get higher resolution...
Does nobody make a windows machine with anything higher than WXGA+(1440 X 900)???
Help yerself, mate.
Skinflint (UK) » Hardware » Notebooks & Tablets » Notebooks with screen size from 15.4", screen size to 15.9", Screen resolution: 1600x900/1920x1080, CPU type: Core i7/Core i7-2/Core i7-3, HDD type: SSD/Flash yields six offers, from 1220 to 2000 quid. Or try whatever other filtering you prefer.
The laptop I'd like (trackpoint, custom keyboard, 4:3 hi-res no-glare screen, no-fan cpu, ssd) simply isn't available. But skinflint has pretty good filtering; now for hoping the specs are accurate.
OK, I'll bite
My normal ( admittedly fanboi-centric ) advice...
If you want a laptop, buy a MacBook.
If you want a Windows laptop, buy a Thinkpad ( in your case the W520, I've never failed to be impressed by the W series )
Dells are Cheap
.. and run stuff that might be useful to an IT professional.
Unlike a Mac ..
Re: Dells are Cheap
My work LT is a Dell E6240 with quad-core i7, 256GB SSD, 1600x900 screen and 8GB RAM. No idea what it costs, mind.
I've also had good experience with Lenovo - previous model was an N200 with the same screen but Core Duo processor and only 4GB (and a spinning disk); that was about 700 GBP but over 4 years ago.
At home we have an Acer Timeline which is lovely, again it's getting a bit long in the tooth but they've really done magic with the battery life - still gives 6 hours ++ on a full charge, even after about 4 years!
If style is your thing (and you *really* don't want an Apple) then Sony's Vaio range might be worth a look, although you do pay a premium...
All of these suppliers have websites that let you review and (mostly) update the specs and all (last time I looked - 2011, YMMV) allow you to spec-up to the sort of components you want.
Where you may find difficulty is if you expected to buy something off the shelf at PCW or DABS that meets the spec...
Re: Dells are Cheap
An Acer? And are the hinges still intact?
Alienware M14x...?
Take a look at a 15" macbook and either wipe and bootcamp, or perhaps partition and dual boot. They run win7 absolutely beautifully. Other than some issues with the express card port in the 17" version, they are perfect. I oversee dozens of them at this point.
On the other side, take a look at the dell latitude e6520. You can kit it out with SSD, i7's, up to a fullHD screen, etc.
No cheaper than the MBP however. You can buy a better warranty though..... However you may actually need it more often.....
Although Thinkpads have had some bad press since Lenovo took over from IBM, they've always functioned 100% for me, despite spillages, dog hairs, etc. I currently have a W510 and the W520 looks good: http://bit.ly/JZSZsA. You can push it to 16GB RAM and it can take a 160GB SSD, so it's a pretty good spec, albeit not inexpensive.
BTW, I am at a loss why anyone salivates over a MacBook - the things are more unreliable than Windows Vista. Friends have even been so frustrated that they've installed Ubuntu for the sake of stability and reliability. They are definitely not extreme user machines!
You haven't talked about your requirements much.
Is disk performance more important than the storage? If it isn't then a non-SSD machine will be fine. If you want the storage but need it a bit faster, you can pull the standard drive and jack in a 7200RPM 750GB Seagate for about £90.
Do you want to play games on it so does a gaming graphics card matter?
You haven't defined your requirements or your budget, but going on what you listed:
You can fit an SSD into any laptop, so this is mostly a non-requirement.
What exactly do you need a Core i7 for? What benefits of it do you require compared to, for example, a Core2? Can you quantify that? I have not seen any compelling reason to upgrade to an i[357] from Core2.
High-res screen:
High res screens seem to be diminishing in numbers, especially on laptops. If you don't need cutting edge graphics performance, you might want to consider getting an IBM T60 (yes, they are getting a bit old nowdays) and upgrade the screen (15") to 2048x1536, and put an SSD of your choice into it. You will end up paying a fraction of what you would pay for a Macbook, and you will end up with what is in reality a much better machine.
A suggestion
A couple of the guys at work have been using these for a while now...
Medion Erazer 6817 (MD97891). It comes with i7 2670 CPU, Nvidia GTX 560 GPU, full HD screen and 120GB SSD with 750GB HDD. All for less than £900.
Some more details...
... Laptop used for development ( Visual Studio, C#, SQL server, Excel VBA, GAE VMWare etc..). Im not a gamer so no need for fancy graphics cards, I just like to have the highest resolution possible so i can fit more code on the screen!
i dont want stupid Wide-screen, im not going to watch movies on it - why do all manufacturers think we want to watch movies on a laptop?? thats what my TV is for!!
I've upgraded my current machine with a Crucial M4 128GB SSD. i dont use much space apart from for Virtual Machines and i dual boot Windows/Ubuntu.
As for the reason for SSD - i think once you've had SSD i dont think you can go back without getting frustrated. Guess i could always take the SSD from my current machine and stick it into the new machine if it doesnt come with SDD already (would that void an apple warranty??)
Reason for i7 is that i like to buy top spec machines that are useable for a few years. The faster the CPU, the faster my code compiles, more VM's i can run, and longer it will be a usable dev machine. also (if im honest) for bragging rights over my mates :)
My Asus M50 is still a very good machine, its just geting old. the mouse buttons have lost all their silver paint where ive worn them out, the palm rests are getting very hot, and the fan is getting noisy. I guess i could do some surgery to fix it, but its a good excuse for an upgrade and i would really like some more pixels!
Cost not too much of an issue, i'm a contracor so it just reduces my company tax bill, but i do resent paying apple nearly 3k just for the brand name.
I find it really interesting that there isnt one default Developer focused laptop thats everyone uses. A gap in the market there surely??
Re: Some more details...
So, if we're being honest, you could easily use a Core i5 or AMD A8 laptop, but having a Core i7 makes you feel like you've got a tiger in your tank.
I can't help but feel that 'highest resolution possible' is exactly the same thing here. Super hi-res on a 15" screen can't be comfortable. Why not use an external 28" or 32" screen if viewing that much code really matters?
So what're we trying to achieve here? Are we trying to kit you out with a decent laptop for coding, or are we trying to make you feel big in front of your friends?
I imagine that changing a major component would invalidate the Apple warranty but I could be wrong.
Re: Some more details...
If i wanted to "look big" and impress people, then most likely the Apple would be the fashionable choice right?? This is a work machine, and the more power it has, the quicker i get my work done its not a fashion statement!
The point is that i buy a new machine every few years, and ensure its high enough spec to last until the next upgrade.. Not much point me buying an A8 or i5 when there is a better option available.
As for external monitors - i already have a 28" screen which i hook up to when i really need the extra screen space, but i cant really take that on the train between clients, or make use of it whiles sat on the sofa. Anything bigger than 15" is too big to carry about, but more pixels would make the machine more usable when away from the external display. Current screen res of 1440x900 is ok, but higher res would be better...
Currently looking at the Dell Precision M4600. it has a 15.6" screen running 1920x1080 resolution. Has i7 Quad core, and SSD option. All in with a few extra bits and bobs for just over £2k +VAT. Other plus point is the numeric pad (like my current machine)..... its a bit of a brick though!
Re: Some more details...
Our developer laptops are actually aimed as desktop replacements with an external monitor.
Unfortunately the use of TV resolution screens in laptops defeats laptop screens being useful for serious work, even blahx900 is crap compared to what was available before HDTV compatible screens became the norm. Once connected to an external monitor our devs don't care anyway.
We found Lenovo was the best fit apart from the screen resolution.
TBH from our developer viewpont, the laptop resolution is kind of irrelevant because an external monitor becomes your primary screen and actually working on the laptop screen is a "when i must" situation.
Buy a Samsung
As an IT consultant, I always used to say buy Dell, but having bought a Samsung laptop end of last year and now got a Samsung smartphone (having had a cheapo Samsung non-smartphone for ages which is still 100%), I am totally "switched" to Samsung - just get the best you can afford.
Re: Buy a Samsung
You sound like me!! i have a Samsung D8000 TV, Galaxy S2 phone, Galaxy Tab 10.1, and i bought my mum a little Samsung laptop for xmas.
Samsung kit all seems really good at the moment... shame they dont have a Laptop with the spec im looking for else i would buy it in an instant :(
So I bought a Dell
For what it's worth I bought a Dell Precision I7 8 Core 17" screen with £2K of my own money.
It's not light, but fits in my rucksack, the PSU is heavier than many whole laptops but as I age I want a big screen and some of the crap I run will soak up the horsepower of anything I throw at it.
The trick with Dell support is to get the Scots, not the BNP
The BNP have infiltrated Dell with the mission of getting Brits to see all Indians as clueless liars.
My current favourite is a Dell support manager who claimed to be the head of compliance, yes really. This beats the previous winner of a support guy who believed that I spoke Turkish and don't get me started d on the "leave the punter till he goes away" trick.
Also they now seem to have a policy of trying to claim pretty much anything is wear and tear.
No Indians I know are as stupid, willfully obstructive and entirely lacking in personal integrity as those employed at Dell, so I am forced to conclude that they are fascists pretending to be Indians.
Re: So I bought a Dell
Last time I was forced to call Dell' so-called "support", the flunky ("Billy", the most Indian name I've ever heard ...) informed me that there was no second tier of support, and that in fact he had no boss ... he was the highest level person in the company!
The mind absolutely boggles ...
Re: So I bought a Dell
So I bought a Dell, oh dear
I bought the above Dell and a mistake I made was that Precision workstation support has moved to India. It's lousy, not as lousy as Dell's "Customer Relationship" group who don't take incoming calls, or their PR people who put the wrong email address up on their site, or as crap as their "escalation" people who promise to phone back, but never do, then stop answering their phones and emails. In the same order as crap as the tech group that that told the escalation people that the issue was resolved...
which it wasn't and I have the logs to prove that I had contacted tech support immediately after the technician had called in to report that the machine could not be made to work.
Then they tried the "send it back and at some point we might decide to refund, depending on how we feel and no there is no one you can call to chase this".
This for a top of the line £2.4 K laptop with the extra warranty.
Dell are a shambles, only the credible threat of taking them to court got any response at all and that wasn't actually useful, when you have to have a lawyer present when Dell tried to fix a machine because they lie to their own colleagues about the fix, then you know that they are not a firm to do business with.
You say you are not an apple fan, but you can make yourself be. That is only my suggestion
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African American Leadership Council Gets Vocal in Opposition to Senate Immigration Bill
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A press conference was held Wednesday morning by the African American Leadership Council in Washington D.C. to oppose the Senate Gang of Eight's 844-page plus, immigration bill.
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I'd be happy to quote you for a 100mbps line, we can go up to 1gbps also, but costs do rise steeply.
Drop me a PM with your requirements and I shall pop something together for you
Hi folks,
We're considering moving away from our LA provided connection, as the stability is less than great and it's overcomplicated.
Based on the experience here, what's a 100Mb/s synchronous connection likely to cost us, and who are suppliers to use (or avoid)?
Is more than 100Mb/s viable in this day and age, and again what are likely costs?
I'd be happy to quote you for a 100mbps line, we can go up to 1gbps also, but costs do rise steeply.
Drop me a PM with your requirements and I shall pop something together for you
I'm in a similar situation. Our internet speed is awful now and our supplier just says there's no problem with the line. What sort of average download speed would you expect from a 100mbps line?
We're in then process of changing our provider and, after talking to several companies, decided on exponential-e.
It really depends on your location for costs. Where I am here, its super expensive. Where I was 2 years ago, it was pretty cheap.
Before you look at 100mbps, check that you can't get a city fibre connection... Network
They are doing us a 1gbps connection for 4k a year less than virgin wanted for a 100mbps connection!
We've done 100/100 from about £5.5kpa.
The biggest we've done is 1Gbit on 1Gbit for £24kpa.
We are a 1gbps symmetric uncontended on a 10gbps bearer and we are signed up for 5 years at £10k8 a year. Install of the fibre was free. Virgin quoted us £14k2 for 100mbps and they also wanted £8k to install the fibre as our original connection was a 10 on 10.
Ok. Now I'm sad.
Try EXA Networks. We are now with them and our bill halved. Excellent service and support too.
We did this a couple of years ago, plumping with Schools Broadband.
In the process of checking various suppliers and from what we've heard from other local schools, the most positive were easily SB, Exa and M247 and the worst were Exponential E, Virgin and BT who either gave false information, promises they'd not be able to keep or clearly didn't give a crap about schools until after we told them where to go.
We too recently moved from our LEA supplier.
@Gongalong Do you know what kind of bandwidth you are using at the moment?
I set up a 'The Dude' install to keep an eye on my router well before moving suppliers. We've got a 100/100Mbps fibre through @SchoolsBroadband now, and typically use around 35-45Mbps bursting up to 80-90Mbps every so often. We've 450 machines.
"The Dude" is awesome
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Phones on a Plane: FCC still says no
The FCC today called time on discussions to unban the use of cell phones onboard planes, prompting mass rejoicing from America's airline passengers. In a statement today, the FCC said that responses to its request for comment on the use of cellphones on airplanes provided "insufficient technical information" on whether …
Perfectly logical
This makes perfect sense given the speed and efficiency that we have come to know and expect from US corporate cellular and federal agencies. It is clear that the expense and difficulty of performing experiments to gain sufficient technical information on potential harm to terrestrial networks is far beyond the scope of and ability of the U.S. gubermint and cellcos.
In a way thank you FCC
In some respects thankfuly the ban remains in place, as a frequent traverler it's is a joy to not be contactable for 2-12 hours also it is a joy not to hear somebody elses one way converstation, but on the flip side I will still have to wade through a mountain of Texts and VM and when checked in at the Hotel, emails but i guess it is a small price to pay for some P&Q, as much as I would like to be able to work on the go I can't have my cake and eat it. so i choose have the cake and eat it at the Hotel!!
hospital payphones otoh
there was an anouncement today that the already excessive charges for patients' use of payphones are to be increased by 160% - so let's make the leap of faith that the physics of mobile phones make it impossible that using one will fry your neighbours pacemaker or interfere with a CAT scanner two floors away.
AndyD 8-)#
Unnecessary network traffic
When the phone is moving away from the area covered by one cell and entering the area covered by another cell the call is transferred to the second cell in order to avoid call termination when the phone gets outside the range of the first cell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handoff).
Imagine an airplane in a waiting loop over London. If 300 passengers had their phones switched on, the plane traveled at 400km/h and the range of a mobile cell was about 10km, this would result in 200 hand-offs per minute (400/10*300/60). Multiply this by the number of planes in the air at any one time and one can get an idea of the magnitude of un-necessary cell traffic which mobile operators would have to handle without being able to charge the user for it.
Each mobile phone cell has an upper limit on the number of calls and the amount of traffic it can handle. Once this limit is reached, additional traffic cannot be handled and results in dropped calls.
Hundreds of potential hand-offs can generate enough additional traffic volume to temporarily drive mobile phone cells to or above their maximum capacity, resulting in dropped calls or user's inability to initiate/receive a call.
The problem could be solved by installing additional cells and by upgrading existing ones but since mobile phone operators do not charge their users for hand-off traffic, there would be no financial benefit to these operators. And if it doesn't generate revenue, it makes no financial sense and consequently it won't be done.
Thus, I don't think that allowing airplane passengers to use their phones from airplanes is something which mobile phone operators are likely to endorse or encourage.
Some things to be cleared up...
Considering that generally the rule of "please switch off all electronic devices on landing approach", which includes sitting in a holding pattern, continues to apply, the above calculation in "Unnecessary network traffic" is irrelevant. If you get told to switch off your phone during approach, you SWITCH OFF YOUR PHONE!
And I have to agree with Andy who maintains that flights are an oasis for business people bombarded with email, phonecalls, texts and the like. Except... that oasis will only be perfect when you have noise cancelling earphones on and listening to your favourite music - drowning out screaming/whining kids, irrelevant conversations, and all the other bumf. Give me data calls, yes, but voice calls, no thank you.
Handoffs and Brushoffs
"The problem could be solved by installing additional cells and by upgrading existing ones but since mobile phone operators do not charge their users for hand-off traffic, there would be no financial benefit to these operators."
Actually they do it by limiting the angle at which they'll accept signals - as a pilot who occasionally accidentally leaves his phone on (and I'm talking about slow-flying paragliders, not much faster aircraft), I can tell you you're very unlikely to connect more than say 2000ft above the ground.
One of the great unanswered questions of 9/11 is how the phone calls from United 93 are supposed to have been made - uninterrupted calls from much greater altitude on a day when many networks were understandably already maxxed out.
9/11 - no mystery
'One of the great unanswered questions of 9/11 is how the phone calls from United 93 are supposed to have been made - uninterrupted calls from much greater altitude on a day when many networks were understandably already maxxed out.'
No mystery at all.
Whilst mobile phone circuits in the New York and Washington area were maxxed out by the huge amount of traffic. Fixed line and mobile circuits in Manhattan were destroyed when the towers collapsed. However, the majority of the American phone system remained in working - but very busy - condition. The calls from United 93 were routed from Pennsylvania on lines unaffected by the disasters.
US/UK Mobile Systems
You appear to have missed the bit about the mobile system actively refusing connections from above. Does the US mobile system not do this? I'm yet to find anyone who can authoritatively comment (with references) on this one way or another. I can tell you from personal experience and that of many other pilots that the probability of those calls being completed in the UK from that height is extremely small.
Handoff problem solved!
The handoff problem is easy to solve, Emirates already did it.
Emirates are installing small cells in some of their planes, they only support 5 simultanious connections at a time, and considering the hoops they have to go through to get it to the ground (IE satelite), you're looking at automatic high roaming charges.
But the days of "Hello, I'm on a plane, I said Plane!", are coming!.
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UUC played very well and deserved a losing bonus point.
Clogher Valley recorded a bonus-point win over the Coleraine Students in a high-scoring midweek game under lights at The Cran. Valley's second bonus-point win in a week sees them move up to third place in the Qualifying One table,and right in the mix for an elusive top four spot which would guarantee All-Ireland Cup rugby next season.The loose game suited the visitors as they scored four trys to pick up a losing bonus point. Valley scored six trys but will be disappointed to concede 22 points. Andy Breen scored two trys while Kyle Cobain,Andy Creaney and Clive Donaldson scored one each. The other one came from a penalty try. Paul Armstrong kicked two penalties and three conversion in the 42 point total. The Students showed great resilience and determination to pick up three second half trys to pick up what could be a valuable losing bonus point.
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WASHINGTON -- Good Samaritans at shopping center took matters into their own hands when they saw two children crying in a hot Jeep Monday afternoon in Katy, Texas.
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KHOU in Houston reports the mother later arrived and said she was getting a haircut.
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She might not have officially confirmed her pregnancy, but it sounds like Gisele is already getting into that mum-to-be nesting phase. 'Before I had to go out, had to work. Now I think about it twice, three times, four times. So I only do the things I really want to do,' the supermodel said in a TV interview with Brazil's chat show Fantastico. (Watch it here). 'I prefer to stay at home. The big husband wins. Because of this relationship, what is most important to me is the family. Now I am creating my other family.' The child – apparently due on 14 December – will be Gisele's first with husband Tom Brady, who has a child with ex-wife Bridget Moynahan. But, thankfully, it seems some jobs will still tempt the supermodel away from her home-making: she interrupted her honeymoon to take to the Sao Paolo catwalk last week, after all. [People, Fashionologie]
Gisele is nesting!
25 June 2009
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By far the most fun and least stressful part of organising my wedding, has been choosing my accessories. I'm keeping it simple in that I'm sticking to just shoes and earrings – my dress is lace and has long sleeves and a high-ish neckline, which negates the need for bracelets or a necklace. Shoe wise I needed to find a pair that were fabulous – natch – but also comfortable (and lets face it, the two things don't often go hand in hand).
I already had a pair of simple heeled sandals that I love, from Jimmy Choo (style name 'Lace'), that as I had worn to both my 40th birthday party and my cousin's wedding, so I knew I could go the distance and dance the night away in them. However they weren't the right colour (and anyway there was no way I am going to wear old shoes – this is my WEDDING after all, an occasion that most definitely requires new shoes!). Handily, I discovered that they have the exact same style in a sparkly fabric that would work with the diamante beads in my dress (there are only a scattering of them on the dress I hasten to add, if you were conjuring up visions of a Big Fat Gypsy Wedding/Strictly Come Dancing style affair). Here they are:
But my plan was to go for the silver version of Lace, went right out the window when my head was turned by this pair, called 'Secret'. I must admit, they are not very me (I'm more of a classic lines/simple styles kind of girl) and would never go for a diamante bow in normal life, but if ever there is a moment to go for a princess shoe, this is it.
My 6 year old daughter sealed the deal, declaring they were the "most wonderful shoes EVER". I do hope she has the same size feet as me when she grows up, as her inheritance will be mostly in the form of shoes, it would be such a shame if she can't wear them! They have the same heel as the original pair and are equally comfortable. Result.
Other than shoes, my fashion weakness is earrings, especially the oversized and dangly type. However nothing in my extensive collection was quite what I was after. In my head I wanted diamond drops; classic and elegant. In reality my budget is more crystal than diamonds! I looked at all my usual favourites - Erikson Beamon, Astley Clarke, Anina Vogal, but nothing was quite right. I did see two lovely vintage pairs – by Chanel and Givenchy - at The Vintage Wedding Dress Company, where I got my dress, but though I was sorely tempted, in the end I think the double Cs were probably a little bling for me, and the yellow stones in the Givenchy pair wouldn't work with my dress. By this point, I have to say I was slightly panicking, but last night at around midnight – so much for getting a few early nights in ahead of the big day – I found this pair on earringboutique.co.uk, which were pretty much perfect! So I'm accessory-ed up and ready to go. Now, just need to collect my dress …
Chanel diamante and faux pearl earrings from the 1950's – The Vintage Wedding Dress Company
Givenchy vintage silver plate and glass earrings from The Vintage Wedding Dress Company


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by Marygrace Taylor—
I always say that once the holidays end, I'd be more than happy to fast forward through the rest of winter and move straight on to spring. Cold weather and short days aside, for local-minded eaters, January through March offers little culinary variety. Even down here in Austin, the farmers markets are still open, but all that's really available are leafy greens and root vegetables. Oh, and cauliflower. If there's one good thing about the dead of winter, roasted cauliflower is probably it. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor that's often more appealing to kids (and many adults) than the raw stuff. And when seasoned with a zesty, curry-based dressing, the white winter veggie will warm your family up without weighing them down.
Warm Curried Cauliflower with Chickpeas and Cashews
This recipe only calls for a tablespoon of curry powder, which will help introduce kids to the flavor without overwhelming them. If you regularly cook with the spice mixture, feel free to add up to 2 tablespoons.
Active time: 10 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
1 medium head cauliflower, chopped into florets
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons safflower oil
¼ cup coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder (or more, if desired)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 cup cooked chickpeas (canned are fine)
1/3 cup cashews, toasted and coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
2. On a baking sheet, toss the cauliflower and onion with the safflower oil and a big pinch of salt. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the edges of the cauliflower are golden brown.
3. In a small skillet, warm the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, curry powder, sugar, turmeric, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is fragrant and the garlic begins to brown, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Place the roasted cauliflower and onion in a large bowl and add the chickpeas and cashews. Drizzle the spiced coconut oil over top and toss until well mixed. Taste for seasoning and serve warm.
Serves 4
Per serving: calories 326, fat 22 g, protein 8 g, carbohydrates 30 g, dietary fiber 7 g
Tags: cauliflower, cooking with kids, healthy meals for kids, kids, kiwi, kiwi magazine
by Alex Norelli—
Sapote are an exceptionally imaginative group of fruit, especially since their complex sweet and colorful interiors are often hidden behind a deceptive epidermis. Like weather-beaten treasure chests holding pirate's booty, sapote promise a treat for those who dig inside. While all sapote are not directly related, they do share the overarching characteristic of having delicious flesh hidden beneath a callous exterior, and have their origins in Central America. When I first encountered them at a farmer's market in southern Florida they were seriously upstaged by bundles of fiery orange carrots, heady plumes of crisp emerald lettuces, and celestial mounds of golden star fruit. But next to such visible palates of color, they came to stand out for not immediately catching my eye.
When it comes to an apple, peach, or pear I feel like they look as good as they taste—though sometimes they do taste better, i.e. Bosc pears. However, it is only once sapote are halved to expose a ripe custardy flesh that they exemplify the saying: "Its what's inside that counts." Their flavors are evocative and expansive, to the point where each new tasting evokes new descriptors for the flavor. And while the fruit of this group are most often eaten as desserts, they are not merely chosen as a healthy alternative to ice cream or flan—They are good enough on their own, with just the right level of sweetness that serving them for dessert will not be met with a shrug of lost indulgence.
What follows are four sapote that happen to be available now in Southern Florida, Central America, though rarely, if ever, in a store near you.
Black Sapote, the dark delicacy
The Black Sapote is an intriguing fruit, on the tree it looks like a very under-ripe persimmon, green and hard as a melon to touch. That is, before it has been picked green and allowed to cure, ripening until it looks a couple days from outright rotten. It's then that it's at its edible zenith: before then, just as with the related persimmons, the flavor is a tongue-puckering astringent.
Maybe it's this over-ripened appearance that keeps it from being more well known outside of Florida and Central America. Once you do eventually try one, tasting the dark buttery flesh—a malty sweetness not far from molasses, not far from chocolate—will expand into an ethereal realm where you try and grasp for other ways to explain this bewitching fruit (note: to me all fruits are bewitching, but this one especially). Coincidentally it is also know as 'the chocolate pudding fruit' and from the first bite you will taste the reasoning. The pulp of this fruit, if blended and presented as chocolate pudding, would fool more than a handful of people.
Additionally, for locavores this fruit may satisfy your urge for chocolate without coming from another continent. Vegans should take note of black sapote because it is a chocolate pudding alternative with very little processing needed. While most of the recipes I've uncovered for it have revolved around milkshakes and desserts, I have begun thinking of other applications. It could be spread on toast, like an apple butter, or made into muffins or bread. Now that I think of it, this fruit tastes a lot like Shoe-Fly Pie, and I'm tempted to make a black sapote pie using my pumpkin pie recipe and see how the maltiness interacts with the nutmeg, clove and ginger. And I bet with the addition of certain spices you could have a delicious molé of sorts.
Of the four sapote here described, this one is by far the most outwardly appealing. Its yellow is as familiar as that of a New York City Taxi cab, however its texture is far more foreign—when it comes to fruit anyway. The first bite is floral, almost like a zucchini flower while the texture is like that of a hardboiled egg yolk.
But where as you might ditch a yolk to avoid the cholesterol, this yellow you savor. Its dry sweetness spirals through the senses, and of all the sapote here described, this is by far the most indescribable in flavor. Reminiscent of acorn squash or pumpkin pie, similarly loaded with vitamin A, this fruit is as much a dessert for its flavor as its color. This would be a great substitute for pumpkin in a pie recipe and because of its natural sweetness you could cut back on any added sugar.
Originally this little fruit, similar looking, though less fuzzy than a kiwi, was harvested for a different thing, its sap. If you scratch the unripened fruit it will ooze driblets of gummy white that becomes increasingly tacky when exposed to air. The name of this is chiclé and it was used in the first chewing gums, like Chiclets. Even now some chewing gums still use this natural latex, as opposed to the vinyl of manufactured gum.
The fruit itself is the smallest of this sapote quartet, looking something like a russeted goose egg. Its flavor is of a pear steeped in the maltiness of sugar-cane, with a roasted nut aftertaste.
Mamey Sapote
This one is quite something, and if you are a fan of sweet potato, pumpkin or papaya you will find this insatiable. Though if it were a beauty contest, mamey would certainly have only its hidden talents going for it. About as rough looking as elephant skin, anywhere from oval to oblong, this fruit is about as visually unfruitlike as they come. It looks more like a stone pestle or muddy potato.
Yet if you cut it longwise and carefully ply the two halves, you will see a large glossy almond-shaped seed of sculptural elegance surrounded by blushing glossy flesh the color of clouds burnt orange by the setting sun. This color tells you it is rich in vitamins and flavor, and its flavor tells you you've made the right choice. This fruit has enough firmness that it can be cubed and add it to a fruit salad, and similar to papaya, it tastes awesome when doused in lime.
These fruit truly are reminders to not judge a fruit by its cover. Similarly, how many fruit—from cantaloupes to figs, avocados to squashes in general—prove that digging deeper is sweeter than mulling about the outside?
Feel free to post sapote recipes for this quartet of curious fruit.
Tags: alex norelli, fruit, sapote
The farmer who lost his wife just 2 months earlier stood before me in his tan slacks and open blue shirt. His disheveled cowboy hat was cocked back on his brow. He squinted in the sunlight as he explained that here in this quiet, windswept cemetery lay his wife, her name carved into a small cross at the head of her tomb.
He hadn't shaved in a few days and I thought could sense sadness in his words although, if this was true, he did little else to betray his feelings. Paraguayan men don't really cry, or at least that's what they say. Maybe it's the machismo—or maybe it has more to do with the nature of death as it manifests itself among Paraguayan people. In this culture, dying is a process that continues long after one's heart stops beating.
If one visits a Paraguayan cemetery, several features stand out immediately. The rows of tombs are wide and long, more like streets than aisles. And, seemingly as a way to solidify this similarity, Paraguayans will sometimes label the rows with street names written on street signs—at least in the larger cemeteries. The tombs (called pantheones by Paraguayans) are much more than just carved headstones laid in the ground. Each tomb resembles an aboveground altar. For the poorer families, this is often little more than a small brick or wooden structure, possibly even a dirt mound, adorned with a casita ("little house" in English) at its head. In the months following a death—usually on the one-month, two-month, or three-month anniversary—the family will revisit the pantheon to decorate with colored tiles, flowers (in the case of this farmer, small flowers placed in makeshift pots made from recycled soda bottles), trinkets, or other small items.
For the wealthier families, or at least those with more to invest (financially or emotionally) in such an endeavor, the pantheon can assume great prominence. Socioeconomics, it seems, plays out even in the afterlife. Some pantheones resemble mausoleums, rivaling both in size and structural integrity the very houses in which many Paraguayans live. While most rural homes are made of mud bricks or wood slats, the cemeteries are often mistakable for communities themselves with towering concrete rooms dedicated to dead family members. The priorities between the living and the dead are skewed in a way that differs largely from other cultures I have experienced and particularly from U.S. culture. This may relate to the religious tendencies of these people, as this country is predominantly Catholic. It may also have something to do with the connections of many Paraguayan people to indigenous practices or histories.
Regardless, it reflects an amazing reverence that people in this culture hold for death—the allocation of resources (especially in a country with a large portion of the population living in poverty), the regard in which people dedicate time and energy toward post-death rituals (for months and years, even decades following), and the way that all of this falls in stride with the daily lives of most Paraguayans. The anniversary of one's death and birth are observed during weeklong events for the first few years following his or her passing. Then, for the next several decades, smaller but still significant observances are continually held to commemorate these important dates. The dead do not die—at least not until their living memory is lost with the passing of the next few generations.
The north wind is blowing hard through the palm trees when we finish working. It is late morning and the sun is now playing kaleidoscope between the branches and through the grasses of this tropical landscape. It is going to rain tomorrow, the farmer tells me. His wife's tomb looks only slightly better than it did an hour before—the weeds have been cleared, a fresh layer of concrete added to the exterior. He wants to add tiles to the outside; he thinks that blue would look nice. We leave the cemetery and the mood is not solemn or melancholy. There is more work to be done. The fields must be hoed, the crops harvested, the beans dried, and the garden tended. And so our day continues, only an hour later than it would have otherwise, and with my head pondering the matter-of-fact nature in which we visited death for the morning.
—Mario Machado
Tags: mario, Paraguay, peace corps
Guido Almada is a small community just inside the border of the department of Cordillera in central Paraguay. The nearest town of Cleto Romero, about 5 kilometers away, is accessible only by a twisting dirt road, as is the nearest city of Carayao, about 25 kilometers farther. Like much of the rest of Paraguay, Guido Almada is a farming town with almost all of its roughly 500 inhabitants practicing agriculture on a subsistence, if not commercial, scale. The main cash crops upon which most people derive their modest and often tenuous salaries are tobacco (petỹ in Guraraní, an indigenous language) and orange essence (esencia de naranja in Spanish), which must be processed in homemade distilleries. Large tracts of land are also devoted to growing sugarcane, which many farmers choose to sell to the local cane-ethanol production plant that operates out of Carayao.
For subsistence, there is nothing out of the ordinary about Guido Almada. Mandioc, the starchy root that is a Paraguayan staple, is often intercropped with field corn and sometimes beans (referred to by any one of five different names in both Guaraní and Spanish). This starchy trifecta forms a slight variation on the classic "three sisters" cropping system (beans, maize, and squash) used for centuries by indigenous tribes of North America. Regardless, the principle is more or less the same: The leguminous beans provide a valuable nitrogen source to both other crops while the heavy-feeding corn and the light-feeding squash (or mandioc in the Paraguayan case) are complementary. The soil-shading and weed-suppressing capacity of the broad squash leaves is also mimicked by the mandioc. Some families use small-scale home gardens to help supplement their diet with additional vegetables, but still, the diet is primarily and at times almost entirely carbohydrates.
Most residents of Guido Almada live at what would likely be considered a normal Paraguayan socioeconomic state. Typically, the houses are made of wood slats or mud bricks and bamboo with dirt floors. A few houses whose owners are slightly better off are made of cement brick with concrete floors. Food is cooked over open fires or, in the case of wealthier families, propane-fueled stoves. Electricity and water services are accessible to most Paraguayans at relatively inexpensive rates, however, with unreliable infrastructure, one is lucky if they are actually available half the time. Cars are almost nonexistent in Guido Almada, but most families own a motorcycle for when quick transport is needed, or an oxcart if large loads need to be moved.
The soccer field is groomed daily by herds of cattle, bringing about the great query of rural soccer games: Which is better, long grass or piles of cow droppings? Kids in Guido Almada hedge their bets on their fast feet and take the latter. I must say from experience that I would choose longer grass, but that's just me.
The local church and school are simple structures that seem to be visited only when deemed necessary—the church only on Sundays and religious holidays (in this predominantly Catholic country) and the school only during the academic year (from mid-February through the end of November). Otherwise, people pass hot summer afternoons drinking tereré, a cold tea, and sharing town gossip. In such a small and isolated town where a majority of people are either from the same family or have lived under the same roof their entire lives, one can only imagine the thickness of the drama that plays out here under the sweltering Paraguayan sun. As for me, being the first Americano to live in Guido Almada has been all sorts of interesting. Yes, interesting; I think that's the best word for it. More on this in my next blog.
From Guido,
Tags: mario, Paraguay, peace corps


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Legal framework on gender equality situation and gender statistics aspects in Armenia (Section 2 - Engendering the national statistical system: how to make it happen (2)). This document originates from the Inter-regional Workshop on Good Practices in Gender Statistics, Aguascalientes, Mexico, 5-7 November 2014.
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ESCAP hosted a plenary session on Regional Cooperation for Food Security in South Asia and contributed to plenary sessions on regional connectivity and the Post-2015 Development Agenda. ESCAP also contributed to parallel sessions on trade facilitation, non-tariff barriers and macro-economic prospects.
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Luang Prabang
>>Outdoor Activities
Explore the rural area along the Mekong with this outdoor activity that combines cycling, trekking and boating. We will experience local daily life and unique cultures, interact with friendly local people of different ethnic minorities and much more
Day 1: Luang Prabang - Ban Na Kham - Ban Houay Tan - Ban Chan Neu - Ban Peaw
We depart from Green Discovery Laos office in downtown Luang Prabang. We first cycle downhill to the boat docking station to cross the Mekong River by boat to a village called Ban Xieng Man. We then cycle to Ban Na Kham known for growing sugarcane and cooking sticky rice in bamboo sticks. There is time to have a look around in the village and you may sample this snack. We continue to Ban Houay Tan (Khmu village). Lunch is prepared by our local cook.
After lunch, we cycle to the surrounding area of Ban Chan Neu to see a local pottery and head to Ban Peaw for the night.
Approximately: 5 hours cycling / 15-20 minutes boat
Day 2: Ban Peaw - Ban Na - Ban Som Sisomphou - Ban Mok Prai - Ban Phou Luang Tai
After a delicious breakfast prepared by our local host family, we cycle through rice paddy fields to Ban Na and stop for lunch at Ban Som Sisomphou where we walk to a spot to see something that defies youth. Believe it or not, this aged mango tree is more than 500 years old! After feeling young again, we change from biking to trekking. Passing first some rice fields, we then cross a stream. Trekking for about 2½ hours will take us up-hill through Ban Mok Prai (Hmong village) until we finally arrive in Ban Phou Luang Tai (Hmong village) where we will stay over night in the village eco-lodge.
Approximately: 4 hours cycling / 2
hours trekking
Day 3: Ban Phou Luang Tai - Ban Houay Pong - Ban Muang Kham - Luang Prabang
Following breakfast, we start our last day trek that passes the forest to Ban Houay Pong (Khmu village) to relax and have lunch at the 'sustenance hall' built by SNV. We then continue to Muang Kham village that produces riverweed (a Luang Prabang speciality; only in the dry season). From here, we take a 20 minute boat ride back to Luang Prabang.
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Your pet-whether it be a dog, cat, or any other animal-is a very important part of your family. As a valued member of your family, you want them to be taken care of just as you are and so it is important to take your pet to visit the vet to keep him healthy. A healthy pet is a happy pet and when your pet is happy, so are you. Our pets provide us with so much comfort, support, and love that it only makes sense to offer them the same by keeping them healthy. Your local animal hospital in Watsonville will have every thing your pet needs to keep them healthy through out their lifetime and to provide preventative care as well.
When you bring a new puppy home they are so cute and once they get used to you and their new surroundings their little personalities become apparent. It used to be thought that you couldn't start training a puppy until they were six months old. They have found that starting to train your puppy as soon as you bring them home is the best time to start. An inevitable part of a dog's life is visits to the pet vet in San Jose. For some dogs the veterinarian's office is a place of pain and terror. Training your dog early to be comfortable at the veterinarian's office is important for your dog to get the best treatment possible and to make sure no one is harmed in the process.
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The M Ensemble tackles another challenging play.
But you'll leave the theater feeling on the verge of a miraculous revelation, despite the flawed performance.
Jesse Jackson sings a city's soul to wake
When clueless tourist meets shameless skipper, it's a good bet there'll be blood on the docks
Robert "Wild Boar" Moore sticks it out in Miami
King Stable Bar and Lounge
Hold on, Roomful of Blues is comin'
October 15 - 21, 1998
The Texas Tenor train keeps a-rollin', next stop Illinois
Roomful of Blues's Doug James rewinds and fast forwards
From the Third Ward to the Third World, Johnny Clyde Copeland lives a continuing blues adventure
It's still a pornographer's playground, and it's killing our society


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Vin Ordinaire
Duration: 01:10
Only Fools and Horses is a much loved sitcom which aired between 1981 and 1991. Here the Trotters sit down for Christmas dinner and Del demonstrates his superior knowledge of wine.
Available since: Wed 15 Dec 2010
- Del
- David Jason
- Rodney
- Nicholas Lyndhurst
- Grandad
- Lennard Pearce
- Writer
- John Sullivan
- Director
- Bernard Thompson
- Producer
- Bernard Thompson
This clip is from
Only Fools and Horses Christmas Crackers
The Trotters contemplate another Christmas of TV repeats, shut pubs and Grandad's cooking!
First broadcast: 28 Dec 1981
Featured in...
Comedy Extra
Comedy videos to watch and share on the web, mobile and red button.
Christmas Comedy
A collection of warm festive treats from the BBC Comedy archive.
More clips from Only Fools and Horses
- Del Goes Shooting Duration: 00:59 A Royal Flush
- Rodney And Cassandra's Wedding Duration: 01:03 Series 6, Little Problems
- Del's Musical Doorbell Duration: 00:30 Series 7, The Chance of a Lunchtime
- You Plonker Duration: 00:53 Series 5, The Longest Night
- Del Goes Hang Gliding Duration: 01:05 Series 5, Tea for Three


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Martin Beyer-Olsen and Lars Berrum invite you to their unpredictably absurd comedic universe of stand up, music and skin bag moms. Fresh from Norwegian TV with the first season of " Berrum & Beyer – The Worlds Greatest Talkshow" and their live show "Norwegians Of Comedy", Martin and Lars are shooting stars of the alternative comedy scenes in Scandinavia and the UK. True, they are critically acclaimed and multi-award winning comedians in Norway, but what does that matter? After all, the entire country of Norway only has the same population as the state of Wisconsin. In addition to performing, they're also impresarios of unconventional comedy in Norway, running the infamous Crap Comedy Festival every January in Oslo — a festival celebrating the funniest cutting-edge alternative comedians from around the world such as Reggie Watts, Eddie Pepitone, Will Franken, Todd Barry, Eugene Mirman+++ and hosting Oslo's alternative comedy club "Loco Tuesdays" at The Central Theatre.
Martin´s been a writer/actor in Norways SNL, Torsdag Kveld Fra Nydalen, hosted Martin Beyer-Olsen Live on NRKP3 (Norways BBC) headwriter for several comedyshows on radio, and written/acted for Norways biggest political satireshow on radio "Hallo i Uken".
Lars has hosted and written the absurd talkshow "Celebrity Talk" (Kjendisprat in Norwegian), and been the sidekick in MBO LIVE.
"The Norwegians of Comedy" is more of a misnomer, if you will, a comedic red herring, rather than an apropos title for what Lars Berrum and Martin Beyer-Olson bring to the Dali-esque table of surrealist comedy. A more fitting marquee might read "The Left Hook" for that's precisely what the show is. Rather than perpetuate the European equivalent of banal tourist comedy with trite observations on the differences between Norway and whatever host country happens to be lucky enough at that moment to host this brilliant duo, Martin and Lars run rampant as unbridled ids, letting loose their uninhibited subconsciouses to hilarious effect. Nothing transcends national borders quite as well as the language of the bizarre. For irregardless of nationality, it takes a universally crazed mind to conceive of such absurdities as Lars' faux sentimentality over his turbulent relationship with his black skin bag mother or Martin's inspired lip-synching to a YoutTube clip extolling the healing virtues of Epsom Salt. With a hat tip towards the relative valuation of their own currency, the pair even demonstrate an anarchic audacity in treating the audience to free Norwegian kroner afterwards. So with all this weirdness to be unveiled, why have this gifted duo opted for such a traditional title? "Well," they respond, "For some reason, it gets people in the door." Whatever it takes. These guys deserve to be seen. Scandinavia's, or maybe even Europe's answer to "Tim & Eric"
WILL FRANKEN, Comedian.
"I saw Lars in Norway do some of the most outrageous edgy standup i have seen in years. It's hip, and so absurd. The americans will be amazed. His fellow comics were also so good that i was like 'shit I should be in norway more often."
– EDDIE PEPITONE, comedian.
"They´re so funny, they must be Killed!"
– SCOTT CAPURRO, comedian
Dark Room Showcase
Friday, February 7th, 8pm, The Dark Room BUY TICKETS
Saturday, February 8th, 8pm, The Dark Room BUY TICKETS


text: On February 16, 2006, a German registered Cessna Citation 501 airplane, D-IMRX, was destroyed after colliding with terrain near Sulaimaniya, Iraq. The airplane was operated by Hasit Trockenmoertel GmbH as a cross-county flight when the accident occurred. The two pilots and all four passengers aboard the airplane were fatally injured in the accident. The flight originated from Munich, Germany with intermediate stops in Budapest, Hungary and Baku, Azerbaijan. Sulaimaniya, Iraq, was the final flight planned destination for the aircraft. The investigation of this accident is under the jurisdiction of the Directorate of Flight Safety, General Establishment of Civil Aviation, Baghdad, Iraq. Further information pertaining to this accident can be obtained from:Directorate of Flight SafetyGeneral Establishment of Civil AviationP.O. Box 23006 Baghdad, IraqThis report is for informational purposes only.


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A particular recipe calls for 1/2c of condensed milk, and 1-1/2c evaporated milk. I am thinking of omitting a couple of teaspoons of the evaporated milk, and replacing with cocao butter.
Thank you
ps it seems like if i can convert the recipe to ounces, I'd get a more accurate result.]]>
Shortbread cookie, cinnamon ice cream and a warm apple compote.
Sugar cookie, blueberry ice cream and lemon curd with thyme.
Oatmeal cookie, Guinness ice cream (yes Guinness) and a chocolate-malted dipping sauce.
Sugar cookie, orange sherbet and creme anglaise.]]>
Lavender-honey ice cream might also be good with some finely chopped nuts or nut brittle for dipping.]]>
Lavender shortbread, mint ice cream, apricot or peach compote (maybe later in the season).
I'll be in Seattle in June and really hope to get a chance to try Poppy!]]>
Now about the black cardamon creme brulee……]]>


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Webdreams: A Showcase Original series
WEBDREAMS, a "Docu Drama" style reality show produced by Gala Film for Alliance / Atlantis's SHOWCASE and IFC Channels in Televisions across canada and became the #1 show on Showcase, and #2 show on all cable channels in Canada in 2006.
"Live adult video chat doesn't quite fit into the overall adult or "porn" model of business or pleasure - it's interactive and not "video on demand" or mere voyeuristic gratification.And maybe that's why our varied team members ended up so highly featured on the show - since no one here quite "performs" the way actors and actresses do - they engage the camera and viewer into an experience that goes beyond pretending. And thus they engaged the television crew and producers just by being themselves before the cameras."
This Showcase Original series enters the labyrinth of the online adult entertainment industry by following a diverse cast of Internet entrepreneurs based in Montreal, one of the largest production centres in North America.
The series consists of 10 half-hour episodes in the first season, and 10 half-hour episodes in seasons 2 and 3.
2Much.net, LiveCamNetwork, Mirichat, Miristream, Mbase and associated technologies are copyright 1999-2014. All rights reserved.
2Much, LiveCamNetwork Mirichat, Miristream and MBASE are Trademark.


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Steak, Breakfast, Drinks and Jazz in NYC - Help
- h
- HungryandThirsty Oct 10, 2006 09:04 AM
I would like your list of three things (I am after your personal favourites):
1. Best steak in NYC (eg Luger, Dylan?).
2. Best place for breakfast (eg a nice scrambled or poached eggs with smoked salmon and fantastic latte - egg quality being most important).
3. Best place for nice drinks (like an upmarket coctail bar).
4. Best place to see live jazz.
We are staying in mid-town in a few weeks, but anywhere manhattan would be great. Don't worry about price (I will do that!)
Thanks in advance.
For the best drinks, you have to go to Bar 89 (89 mercer street in Soho. They make the best cosmos in NY. I discovered the caipirinha last time I was there and they made me forget about the cosmos :) My boyfriend had the mojitos and he is still talking about them....It is a nice place. Not a trendy one where people dance on tables, just a nice place where you unwind with a drink and appetizers.
steak - Peter Luger (no contest)
eggs with salmon - Barney Greengrass (get the latte elsewhere)
live jazz - totally driven by who's appearing where. Get a copy of TimeOut.
For Jazz--see who is at Rose Hall when you are NYC. The view from there is worth seeing anyone who is performing...and you can eat in Time Warner Center restaurants or Mandarin Oriental.
Luger is probably best, but, IMHO, the sirloin at Sparks is a very close second; and it's in midtown so you wont have to travel far.
As for the jazz club question, there are literally dozens of venues in NYC presenting live jazz. If you are thinking of going to a jazz club, The Jazz Standard on E. 27th St. between Lexington and Park is to me the nicest of the city's major jazz spots, it has relatively comfortable seating, friendly help, pretty good acoustics, good drinks, and the pretty damn decent food from Danny Meyer's barbecue restaurant, Blue Smoke, which sits right above it (try the Memphis ribs and the homemade potato chips).
In Midtown the latest incarnation of Birdland, on W. 44th St. just west of 8th Ave. is a very nice room with tiered seating and great sightlines. You can also sit at the bar here, which has a pretty good view of the stand, and get a drink included with your cover.
The Village Vanguard down on 7th Ave. in (where else) the Village is the classic jazz club in NYC. It's also a bit of a dive with small tables, watered down drinks, no food, bad views from anywhere towards the back of the club, and not always helpful help. However, it's also a very good place to hear music, espcially if you arrive early and snag a place closer to the band. The acoustics are legendary and the atmosphere is certainly a throwback to an earlier era (although the prices are not).
Iridium on Broadway in the theater district and the Blue Note in the Village generally get the biggest names. They are also the highest priced clubs and can be a bit unpleasant, with Iridium's policy of seating only dinner customers on the main level being particularly aggravating.
The name of Dizzy's Club Coca Cola is a commercial abomination, and club itself can often show signs of the same spirit. It's part of Wynton's Jazz at Lincoln Center complex in the Time Warner Center and is priced at least as high as Iridium and Blue Note, if not higher, showing all the signs of a tourist trap. Except for 2 things: 1) fine to often truly great musicians, and 2) a hell of a romantic setting up above Columbus Circle.
As I said though, these are just the major clubs, there are many other venues to hear great live jazz in the city, ranging from a large Lincoln Center theater, to the intimate jewel-like piano trio bar in the Kitano Hotel, to the folding chairs and get your own cheap wine setting of the Jazz Gallery, to the late night jam session barroom atmosphere of Small's, Fat Cat, or 55 Bar. As the poster above says, it really all depends on what you want to see. You should pick up a copy of Time Out, or for free the Village Voice, when you're here and check out what's going on. One recommendation though: if you want to go to a first or second set on a Friday or Saturday at a major club you really must call ahead for reservations and try to arrive early to get decent seats.
1. Steak: one that I haven't seen mentioned is the Strip House--the steaks are encrusted w/ crunchy S&P. I think highly of them.
2. Breakfast: Friend of a Farmer on Irving Pl. is good (and expensive, of course--it's next to Grammercy Park!)
3. Flatiron Lounge is my usual destination for upscale drinks, but I've also had good drinks recently at Buddakan (the "Heat"), and Japonais (Sochu martini I think. like four of them.)
4. Of course it depends on the act, but I like Jazz Standard also. The food from Blue Smoke is pretty good, but the service sometimes interferes with the performance. At least it interferes with my attention to it.
I don't think you can beat Clinton Street Baking Company for breakfast if you're looking for a well-poached egg with smoked salmon and a good latte.
The have a smoked salmon benedict that uses one of their great house biscuits, Petrossian smoked salmon, and they really do a good job with poaching eggs. Latte will be OK. Other breakfast options are fantastic (eg brioche french toast with caramelized bananas, roasted pecans, and maple butter). BTW I assume you mean bruch (Sat/Sun). If another day you should call first to check they're serving this.
Top upmarket cocktail bars:
-Pegu Club (Soho -- a gentleman's club from 19th.century Rangoon)
-Flatiron Lounge (Flatiron area, art deco)
-Milk & Honey (LES, hidden, must call to make reservations)
-Employees Only (West Village, speakeasy)
-Angel's Share (East Village, Japanese-style speakeasy)
For steak in town, Sparks, definitely. If you want more of an adventure, cross the bridge to Luger's. But you won't go wrong with Sparks
One comment about Birdland: They make some tasty desserts! I haven't tried their savory food yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's good. Excellent acoustics, great artists.


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The 2013 ARRL January VHF Contest -- scheduled for the weekend of January 19-21 -- is sure to make the dreary winter days come to life with the sound of RF!
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User Score
Universal acclaim- based on 492 Ratings
User score distribution:
Positive: 441 out of 492
Mixed: 21 out of 492
Negative: 30 out of 492
Review this tv show
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Oct 29, 2012Season 1 was excellent but S7 has squandered an excellent opportunity to delve into humanity. What the (amaterish) writers have done is given us melodramatic rubbish. Deba is annoying in what she does and the show is now annoying too
Nov 11, 2012This series was good for one whole episode. It gave me confidence that we were finally on course for a season like 1, 2, or 4, but no such luck. We are back to season 5 and 6's paint by numbers, yawnfest, tedious melodrama filler. When a series is lumped with shows like Homeland, Game of Thrones, American Horror Story, and Walking dead there is an expectation that it shouldn't rather be lumped with the Wiggles.… Expand
Nov 25, 2012Not to be rated after one or two episodes because while starts off well it turns into the dreadful contrived mess that S6 turned out to be. Boring love interest, ridiculous plot turn of a crime writer appearing from nowhere. After a great first few episodes they've just given up (again!).
Dec 11, 2012Season 7 is a frustrating mixed bag. Just when you think the show will hit its stride, it falters with weak plot devices and laughable dialogue (the inner monologues have become eye-rolling groan fests). I'm a huge fan of the series, but the show is past it's expiration date.
Jul 1, 2013honestly i didnt like this season and couldnt find anything markable. this season was diffrent but not good.
i wanted to see some actions but dexter and fellas do nothing, exept debra's F-words storrytelling is garbage!
Nov 7, 2012This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What happened to the writers??? This season was what we were waiting for for so long and the result is just a huge disappointment and a waste of talents! The script is so poor compare to the previous seasons that for the fist time I do not even want to know what is coming next. The story with the Ukrainian mob is just depressingly common, barely worthy of a regular police TV show. The whole story and dialogues are highly predictable and even worse, it is as if the actors themselves are completely bored by it judging from their poor performances. Finally the new Debra is totally boring and the so-called 'romance' between Dexter and the woman-killer is just too easy and was predictable from the beginning. Let's just hope they will try to make it better by the end of the season...… Expand
Dec 9, 2012In today's society, there is something more terrifying than blood and gore. The idea everyone is getting in their head that the bad guy or only half bad guy is somehow the hero. That is absolutely going to be part of the downfall of society. Believe it or not.
Feb 17, 2013This is the first season of Dexter where I actually felt disappointed. Up until this season, I thought the show was perfect. This season felt a little disjointed. Quinn was literally without purpose towards the end of the season, Dexter felt a little too out of character, and I honestly can't stand this new love interest he has. I enjoyed the Ukrainian gangster plot, but as just things got interesting, Isaac was killed off. In all honesty it felt like the writers didn't know what they wanted to do with the story, and most of the time it didn't really feel like I was watching Dexter. A shame because I loved the series up until this point.… Collapse
May 21, 2013I loved the first 5 seasons of Dexter, as each one developped a new side of his personality (even if according to the man himself "he only has one level"). We got to know him as a serial killer with a dark childhood, then as an addict trying to cover his tracks. Season three saw him as a family man and loving father to be and season four trying to juggle too many roles. There were many funny moments, until the unexpected demise of innocent Rita. However, season 5, with his theme of redemption and the introduction of another innocent character was also pretty interesting. I also liked the Deb-Quinn relationship, on the same path of redemption.
Unfortunately it was downhill from there. Season 6 was risible with its Biblical killings and some of the worse investigative work ever. Not to mention the ghosts.... But this season was terrible. It lacked focus, moving from Ukrainian mob to sexy female killer to arsonist. The love stories were atrociously bad and cliche'. Once again Dexter thinks he found another serial killer who can "understand him" and love him the way he is. Of course, it does not hurt that said female killer could also be a model.
All females in Dexter are stereotype pretty, with perfect features and gorgeous bodies. Plastic girls with plastic souls, therefore perfect for Miami. So Dexter is happily in love, producing the most cringe-inducing dialogues ever. Quinn is also in love, guess what? With yet another babe, a luscious blonde stripper. Deb may (or may not) be still in love with Dexter. They all lie their way through the whole series. In fact, they lie so much that I found it difficult to keep track and then I lost interest.
I wished intensely for Dexter to get killed by Isaak, or at least for his morally revolting girlfriend to get her pretty face smashed by a baseball bat. But cheating liars don't get as much as a bruise. I wish they pulled the plug on Dexter in season 5. Serial killers should not get to live happily ever after and this story is dragging on and getting extremely repetitive. What is worse, is not even remotely funny as it used to be.… Expand
Structurally, the whole thing feels fresh again, and even if I have doubts about how the writers will wring two worthy seasons out of the new dynamics (Showtime has committed to airing at least one more season), the three 2012 episodes I've seen efficiently pulled me back in.
The game changer sets season 7 on an exciting new course. [8 Oct 2012, p.60]
[Deb's new] knowledge, and the way it alters Dexter and Deb's relationship, shakes the series out of the doldrums it's been in for several years now.


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Light Up Gold - Parquet Courts
- Band Name: Parquet Courts
- Record Label: What's Your Rupture?
- Release Date: Jan 15, 2013
User Score
Universal acclaim- based on 47 Ratings
User score distribution:
Positive: 45 out of 47
Mixed: 1 out of 47
Negative: 1 out of 47
Review this album
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Jan 1, 2014A good rock album. It's been a long time since i heard any guitar riffs and solos. The energetic vocals, along with the music, provided a good enough listening experience.
There are some really catchy tracks here, some decent ones, and others are forgettable. But they're all short. And that's a problem with the album. It's way too short.
Overall, the album is good. Only time will tell if this band can keep up, or improve, on this work.… Expand
Feb 16, 2014Light Up Gold has its Clumsy moments, where perhaps the guitar solo's feel less as skilled, and the vocals get a little irritating, but aside from that, Light Up Gold not only has the occasional class song, but it sounds like a new heart and soul from a band that had an idea, and got through with it rather successfully.
Feb 8, 2013This is no reinvention of the punk wheel but it does seem like a solid album from beginning to end. It`s catchy at times, repetitive at others and only time will tell if it has staying power.
Feb 28, 2014If this album was a cocktail,it would taste like this:
It is like "Is this It" "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" and like some old dad-countryrock band mixed with a touch of chili powder.
Jun 4, 2013This is an album with potential. What I like about it is that they don't sound like they're trying too hard, They've got a cool, laid-back, indie vibe about them. I expect good things from them in the future,
Feb 6, 2013Like Beck or the Pixies, but not quite. Light Up Gold is a weird concoction of an album, with an inconsistent feel. It ranges from the beautiful melodies on "master of my craft" to the rather annoying and repetitive "Borrowed Time". Tracks like "Disney P.T" verge far too near to the horrendous shouty lad rock genre we're too often used to experiencing from mediocre indie bands in Britain. On the whole this is a strong enough album. Although there are plenty of moments that cause you to hide your eyes behind your hands or press pause on your iPod for a second, feeling embarrassed for the band having to deliver this crap, there are more occasions where the listener is served up a refreshing slice of "cool".… Collapse
Jan 18, 2013A like this album a lot. Reminds me of Kings Of Leon in their early days when they used to be good, can hear a bit of Pavement too. Very good debut album and hope to catch them live.
Feb 4, 2013Are these guys for real? Sure I'll admit the style has a fresh edge to it, but is there any staying power? It seems like the hipster flavor of the month to me, and I'd be surprised to see them ever forge their sound into something beyond what it is now. As I listen to Light Up Gold, I find myself thinking 'I'd rather be hearing Ween's 12 Country Greats'
Feb 8, 2013This is the most exciting new band I've heard in years. The lyrics are as instantly relateable and as obscure as slanted and/or enchanted, the tempos are fierce, the beats relentless. Godspeed the future and the past all at once.
May 30, 2013It's an album of brainy rock songs that state their claims then defiantly step out from beneath the ethereal haze.
May 13, 2013Parquet Courts are a charmingly old-fashioned band, transmitting cryptic, collapsible songs to an anyone who can build a receiver from Guided By Voices-coloured vinyl and Pavement fanzines. [Jun 2013, p.104]


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The pilot reported that about 1 hour after takeoff, while established in cruise flight at 3,000 feet mean sea level, the engine lost power completely and without warning. His efforts to restore engine power were not successful. He executed a forced landing to a bean field and the airplane nosed over during the landing roll. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of an engine malfunction or failure. Surface weather conditions in the vicinity of the accident site indicated the potential for serious carburetor icing at glide power and moderate icing at cruise power. The exact weather conditions at cruise altitude were not known. Further, an abrupt loss of engine power is not consistent with carburetor icing. Accordingly, a determination of the underlying cause of the loss of engine power could not be determined.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
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