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The Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge
Three days of mechanical abuse on a course where you're only expected to survive...
Posted: 26 Jul 2013
It's dark now, and there's a storm brewing up on the hill. For the past few hours, TopGear snapper Thomas and I have been watching from a safe-feeling distance as the crowd - fuelled by the on-track chaos and dripping in beer, sweat and testosterone - has swollen in both size and ferocity. It's now pulsing like a hurricane-ravaged river set to break its banks.
What began as a booming cheer every time a truck failed has morphed into a non-stop wall of sound, regardless of what's happening on track. There's something happening in the eye of this boozy storm. Something that's keeping them entertained.
Thomas and I share a look that's equal parts fear and resignation. There's nothing else for it. We're going to have to go in. We push our way into a scene previously only found in one of Tolkien's nightmares. Shirts are optional. So are trousers. Someone thrusts a shoe filled with a foul-smelling liquid into my hands - though how much of the stench is down to the shoe and how much is the liquid is unclear. Then suddenly it's not. "It's a ritual here," I'm told by a marginally less-intoxicated clansman. "You need to drink beer out of your shoe. Or someone else's."
It's day two of a three-day event. It's hot. It's muddy. And showers are virtually non-existent. And
they're drinking out of each other's shoes. Someone's brought a pushbike, and he's been challenged
to jump a rubbish bin. The fact that, whether he succeeds or fails, his trajectory will put him and his bike smack bang in the middle of the group of spectators appears irrelevant.
He jumps and collides with a shirtless, bald giant, knocking him down. The giant's back on his feet in a second, bellowing loudly before pouring a beer on his head. There seems to be a bit of that going around. Flares go off. People yell. It's madness. Welcome, then, to the Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge. Spread over three booze-and-mud-stained days, it's Australia's biggest extreme 4WD event, with 61 teams, 10,000 spectators and a total prize purse of around £20,000.
The event unfolds deep in 4WD country - a muddy, mountain-ringed outpost some three hours outside the suburban sprawl of Sydney, Australia. The distance is important. An event like this needs space. Needs camping. Needs fires and beer and bonding and insanity. And, perhaps most importantly, it needs to be far, far away from civilised society. Which is at least partly why we'd never even heard of it. It's a secret society of petrol-headed mayhem. And it's growing in Australia at an exponential rate.
The rules are fairly straightforward. There's a time limit attached to each of the 10 obstacle-strewn courses, but for insurance reasons, it can't be called a race. Instead it's a test of technical skill, with 10 points awarded at 10 different check points on each track, along with a bonus section worth another 10. Points are deducted according to a set of 39 penalties - engaging reverse, for example, might cost you five points, while clipping a bollard or the safety tape might cost you 10 points. Each team consists of a driver, a navigator and a support crew ready to fix whatever goes wrong. Lots will go wrong. The navigator travels outside the truck - everything is run at walking pace - calling out the most worrying obstacles to the drivers through a headset comms system. There's no penalty for failing. If you make it halfway through a track before your truck collapses, then you're awarded however many points you'd tallied so far, then you try to fix whatever went wrong and move on to the next one.
And everybody fails. The tracks, devised by event mastermind - and presumed Saw movie fanatic - Peter Antunac, are designed to cripple and maim as many competitors as possible. Boulders the size of hatchbacks, seven-metre-deep trenches filled with mud, telegraph poles and those huge tyres from mining trucks, impossibly vertical rock climbs, and a midnight 'mystery' run through the forest with nothing but headlights for guidance, all conspire to narrow the playing field.
The tracks are so brutal, in fact, Peter's been forced to bring in an entire fleet of sling-enabled excavators, ready to rumble in and pluck twisted, flipped or wedged 4WDs off the tracks, the crowds cheering and jeering for the stranded driver the whole time. No driver wants to hear that excavator coming.
It's the ultimate sign of failure - like being relegated to the spare car in a TopGear TV challenge. And, yet, despite the beer-stained hooliganism of it all, there's a family friendly atmosphere - albeit more Addams than Brady - to the event. There's a generous smattering of kids sitting atop dads' shoulders. No shortage of pram-pushing mums, either. Few spectators have teams to cheer for. They're just here to see some quality driving. If someone bails on an obstacle then the mob turns on them with the ferocity of a prison riot, but largely they just cheer for anyone willing to have a go. "We just come to see a good drive," says long-time fan Alex Clifton. "There's no other type of motorsport where you can get this close to the action like you can here. Sure, you've got your Toyota fans and your Nissan fans, but mostly people just want to see the drivers do well."
Fans like Alex perfectly encapsulate the spirit of an event like this. As you read this, he'll be holed up in his garage putting the finishing touches on a truck he hopes will carry him to the top step of the podium in the 2014 competition. He's never driven competitively before, but the fact he's built a car is all the qualification he requires. There are few kinds of national, respected, real cash prize-giving professional race series that still push an if-you-build-it-you-run-it ethos. "We haven't tested it yet, but we reckon it'll be pretty good," he tells us. "The thing about something like this is that every truck here can compete; it doesn't matter if it's worth $10,000 or $100,000 - everyone has a pretty good go."
That includes the crowd. Police-tape style safety markers stretched millimetres off the track are all that separates the spectators from a couple of tonnes of probably-soon-to-be-upside-down metal. The crowds are so close they can, and do, offer advice to both driver and navigator, generally ranging from the sage "A little more to the left", to the somewhat more unhelpful "Just f***ing have a go, you girl".
But they're a tough breed, the drivers, who tackle these phenomenally cruel tracks with the mild consternation of a grossly overweight man tackling a flight of stairs. And of all the pumped and primed trucks on display, car 05 stands out above all others - Team OPW's Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 so heavily modified it's barely recognisable as one of its street-going brethren.
The custom-built truck sits on 42-inch Interco tyres with military-spec Unimog axles. The interior is stripped back to exposed metal, and the dash is covered with the kinds of switches you'd expect to find in a Virgin Galactic cockpit. They control everything from the four-wheel drive system to the rear steer, power delivery and independent front and rear braking. Laughably, the trucks still need to 'resemble' their road-going counterparts, so each is equipped with windscreen wipers, cleaning jets and indicators.
But car 05's in trouble. A top-five finisher these past three years, OPW's truck is considered to be the most heavily engineered and most talented vehicle here. More than £65,000 worth of parts has been sunk into it - a massive number when you consider the bulk of its competitors are running cars they've built in their garages using little more than beer and hope. But, as sometimes happens with a heavily tipped favourite, things aren't going well.
On day one, a freak accident - the lateral travel in car 05's wheels is so extreme that one bent inward and collided with the alternator, requiring a trip to town to try to find another one - followed by a comms fault that meant the driver and navigator couldn't talk to each other, has seen the team fluff the first four races. The scoring at the Tuff Truck Challenge is blind, but the drivers know when things aren't going well. And things aren't going well. "We've had a tough start," the car's pilot Tazz tells us when we catch him at the start line of the next track. "That alternator thing was unbelievable, and then the intercom thing meant we were basically driving blind. We've got a lot of catching up to do."
As night falls on day two, though, the team's mood has improved slightly. The team has aced the day's final stages: a performance they hope is enough to propel them within touching distance of the competition leaders. But to mount a serious challenge, they'll have to tackle the mud.
During the day, the crowd is spread out over the event's 10 tracks but, as night descends, their collective attention focuses solely on a track called Mudrat's Revenge. Considered the event's only high-speed run, the Mudrat consists of four mud-filled trenches deep enough to swallow a car whole, and lined with hidden truck-crippling obstacles like boulders, telegraph poles and giant tyres. It's brutal. Of the first 10 cars to compete, not one finishes. The excavators are busy.
The drivers hate it. It's near impossible to conquer and attempting it means a long, torch-lit night excavating kilogrammes of mud out of the truck's vital organs. But the on-track carnage is nothing compared to what's going on up on the hill. The sheer number of teams ensures the event runs deep into the night and, as the evening wears on, madness descends upon the hill-top revellers. Amazingly, there's no real ill-feeling. If this was any other major event, the police would have charged in hours ago. But not here. There are few, if any, arrests. It's fun, nothing more.
Those craving madness enter the throng. Others don't. And for those not keen on a beer-shoe-pint, there are fireworks, dodgem cars, face-painting and kids' rides. "It's all just good fun," says Raelene Paradisi, who along with husband Troy and seven-year-old son, Austin, is on her fifth-straight event. "We call it our 4WD family reunion. We absolutely love it."
Eventually, the night passes with nothing more than some crippling hangovers and thousands of soggy shoes to show for the previous evening's festivities. And things are looking up for team OPW. A series of near-faultless runs has boosted car 05 to the top tier of racers. When the dust finally settles, the team rests on a solid 1,107 points. Impressive, but not enough. The team's finished second to Rock Rash Racing, who finished on 1,121 points. And TopGear's been let into one of motoring's best-kept secrets. It's accessible, honest motorsport at its very best, and as far removed from a media-trained and sanitised professional race series as you can get. In other words, it's wonderful.
Words: Andrew Chesterton
Pictures: Thomas Wielecki
This feature first appeared in Top Gear magazine


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There were top ten times at the Circuit of the Americas for Bruno senna and Kamui Kobayashi while Kimi Raikkonen narrowly missed out...
Bruno Senna: "The track is really challenging so it was great to gets lots of running in today. It's very fast and flowing, and also a bit slippery at the moment but the grip is coming. It was a tough session as there is a lot to get used to with the car and the tyres. We need to keep pushing to try to understand the car better and improve to make sure we are in the points this weekend."
Pastor Maldonado: "The circuit is really nice and it was fun to drive. It was very slippery, particularly this morning on the hard tyres, but it's the same for everybody. We struggled a bit today with the car which we need to look at tonight in order to be ready for tomorrow."
Kamui Kobayashi: "The high speed corners of the new circuit are very enjoyable, I really like driving here. The first session was about getting familiar with the track and waiting for the tarmac to improve for a better grip level. In the beginning of the second session I did a 20-lap long run on hard tyres before we then had a break due to a broken exhaust. But the mechanics fixed the car quickly and I was able to go out on medium compound tyres as well. I must say I have big warm up problems with both compounds. It just doesn't work in qualifying if you need ten laps to get the tyres to work. We will now go and look for solutions."
Sergio Perez: "We had a good day in terms of getting all the programme done without any issues. The track is amazing, and I especially like the first sector a lot. I really believe we will see a great race here and I can't wait to race in front of so many Mexicans. Nevertheless I am not happy with the balance of my car yet, but I'm confident we will manage to improve it."
Lotus F1:
Kimi Raikkonen: "It's a nice circuit to drive; the sectors are quite different so there's a good challenge there. Of course, like with any new track there was no grip at the start of the day which doesn't give you a very good feeling, but as the grip improves it will be more fun to drive for sure. This morning was very slippery, this afternoon less so but you still can't really push and it's a bit tricky to find the limit. There's a lot of improvement to come - from the track surface and from the setup of the car - so qualifying will be pretty interesting."
Romain Grosjean: "The most noticeable thing about the circuit at this stage is the lack of grip; it's really, really slippery out there. The layout itself looks very nice but we're a long way off being able to push the car anywhere near the limit, particularly through Turns 7-9 and towards the end at Turn 19 where it's tricky to predict how the car will behave. The good thing is that the car felt comfortable on long runs with the hard tyre so we have a good starting point, but there is still a little bit of work to do with the mediums. We still have tomorrow morning and I think the track will continue to improve right until the end of the weekend, so qualifying will be interesting for sure."
Toro Rosso:
Daniel Ricciardo: "The new track lived up to the expectations we had before coming here, although the lack of grip spoilt it a little bit. But as the track rubbers-in and cleans up, I'm sure it will get even better. The grip level did improve from morning to afternoon but I'd expected a bit more. In fact I reckon next year, we could find a completely different circuit, although by this Sunday I think it will be much more fun. The slippery conditions meant it was difficult to understand what our car was doing. We improved it from the first to the second session, but we need to keep on down doing that tomorrow. The tyres are taking a long time to warm up and that is one of the most complex aspects of the package that we must look at. It will definitely be an important factor tomorrow afternoon in qualifying."
Jean-Eric Vergne: "I have to say this is a really nice track and I like it very much. It is very challenging with a lot of places where you can overtake, even without DRS I can see some corners where you can pass, which will be good for the show and it is also excellent purely from a driving point of view. There was not one corner where I felt it wasn't interesting. Technically, it was quite a difficult day, because this morning there was no grip at all, but I'd say we maybe look a little bit better than at the previous grand prix. We saw some interesting things on the data today and I am sure we can have an okay day tomorrow."
Related Links
Two From Two For Vettel
Practice Pictures From Austin
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93/7 or 7/93
Posted by
SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS -- I took a roll of TSD sales and Distribution's 93/7 All Natural Lean Ground Beef out of the freezer to make dinner. I placed the roll in the microwave for 2 minutes to slightly thaw. When I removed the wrapper it was nearly all fat. I paid more for the "lean" ground beef expecting lean and instead had a product that was anything but. I am dieting for health reasons. I compared the labels of this to ground turkey and this won.
Now I question the accuracy of the label because this is the fattiest ground beef I have ever seen.
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momsey on 12/14/2010:
Wow. Nasty.
Alain on 12/14/2010:
I buy 92% lean ground beef for my diet and THAT is not lean! Momsey is right. Whatever that is, it's nasty!
Anonymous on 12/14/2010:
old fart on 12/14/2010:
Go to Walmart and the choices are 80/20 and 90/10.
consider yours is good.
Anonymous on 12/14/2010:
I prefer ground turkey. It's better for you and is tastier.
momsey on 12/14/2010:
Ground turkey isn't always better for you.
Where did you buy this beef?
Alain on 12/14/2010:
I like ground turkey, too, Yaya, but sometimes I just got to have beef. Not this type of beef, though!
Anonymous on 12/14/2010:
Regular ol ground turkey is akin to regular ol ground beef. Bad for you, if you care about what you eat. Lean ground turkey is better, but extra lean ground turkey is great stuff. I am really annoyed about how much regular ground turkey is as bad as ground beef.
Anonymous on 12/14/2010:
I do buy the extra lean ground turkey. I grew up on ground turkey and I don't think ground beef has much taste to it.
Anonymous on 12/14/2010:
Ground turkey = yuck
Anonymous on 12/14/2010:
I make some mean gyoza with fresh ground turkey.
Anonymous on 12/14/2010:
I've never liked ground turkey because, to me, it has a weird flavor. If you want good ground beef, choose an inexpensive cut of meat (but good quality) and either grind it yourself (leaving as little or as much fat as you want) or have the butcher do it for you. That way you know exactly what you're getting. Tastes much better too. My KitchenAid Mixer came with a grinder, but you can buy them fairly inexpensively too.
Venice09 on 12/15/2010:
OP, take sing's advice, and please never buy ground beef without knowing where it came from and what's in it. I feel obligated to keep posting this article.
Sing, I finally found out from the butcher at my supermarket that they grind their own beef on the premises with no additives. The meat goes straight from the grinder onto the styrofoam tray and is then wrapped. They can't vouch for the ground beef in pillow packs or frozen patties that are brought in, but if it's wrapped in the store, it's pure beef with no additives. I already made meatloaf twice and can't wait to fire up the grill for hamburgers!
azspots on 12/15/2010:
Good Lord, wrap that garbage up, grab receipt and take that back.
That is the grossest crap I have ever seen.
Anonymous on 12/15/2010:
That's great, Venice. There's always better product out there. People just need to figure it out. Glad you're enjoying ground beef again!
Az, 100% agree.
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Posted by
I BOUGHT A 5 LB TUBE OF TSD SALES AND DISTRIBUTING GROUND BEEF AT THE LOCAL WAL-MART. I WENT TO USE IT TODAY AND IT IS NOTHING BUT 3.8 LBS OF HARD FAT. I HAD TO PEEL THE FAT AWAY TO FIND ENOUGH GROUND BEEF TO MAKE MY SON A HAMBURGER. I WAS ABLE TO GET 4 HAMBURGERS OUT OF A 5 LB TUBE. THIS IS REDICULIOUS I AM BARELY ABLE TO MAKE IT AND WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE ENOUGH FOR 5 MEALS WAS ONLY GOOD FOR 1. WOULD you LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHAT IM SUPPOSED TO DO FOR THE OTHER 4 MEALS?
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azspots on 12/14/2010:
You take the 4 left over pound blobs of fat back to Walmut, receipt in hand and tell them you want your money back.
Anonymous on 12/14/2010:
That is disgusting. What did the label say the fat to meat ratio is supposed to be? Even ground beef that is 20% fat doesn't look like that!
Anonymous on 12/14/2010:
What was the fat content? Was this a store brand?
tweetz on 12/14/2010:
it was 80/20 ground beef that is what shocked me
Anonymous on 12/14/2010:
Yuck! Never heard of that brand.
Stick with the name brands and watch the dates.
leet60 on 12/14/2010:
Very interesting information here in what exactly goes into "ground beef".
Venice09 on 12/15/2010:
People need to seriously think twice before buying ground beef packaged like this. Here is some more information that will scare you into never buying it again:
werelucky on 12/15/2010:
Are you sure it's beef?
time_for_change on 06/21/2012:
TSD is a Tyson product, which is a "name brand" so simply sticking to those brands does no good since they are the ones producing this terrible product!!!
e lowrance on 07/17/2012:
I too bought a package of the TSD ground beef and it was all fat also.I fried some up and there was so much grease in the pan it looked like I was making soup. What a waste.
don on 09/21/2013:
Don't buy meat at Walmart ever.
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Ole Carolina Hickory Smoked Sliced Fat.
Posted by
SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS -- Last week I bought (5) 1 pound packages of Ole Carolina Hickory Smoked Bacon at Price Rite. The representative slices looked fine, plenty of meat with a balance of fat.
I opened the first pound, and the representative slice was nothing like the rest of the pound. It was a different size and shape and actually had meat in it. The rest of the pound had a bare sliver of meat less than a quarter of an inch wide at its thickest point, tapering to nothing in about two inches. The rest of the pounds were equally misrepresented, one had No meat, the others were at least 90% fat. In all cases the representative slice appeared to be not more than 50% fat.
I find this to be highly misleading, and deceptive, and urge everyone to realize what the bacon looks like in the package is not going to be what you get. You may as well just buy lard. It appears you can rely on Ole Carolina to be misleading.
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trmn8r on 03/02/2013:
I have heard a lot of complaints about TSD products, including that lumps of alleged meat turned out to be lumps of fat.
Plastering decent looking slices on the end to deceive the customer - that borders on criminal. Thanks for letting us know.
I would take that pile of crud back to the store and demand a refund, unless you decide to take it to an authority as evidence.
madconsumer on 03/03/2013:
American style bacon is mostly fat. try finding a meat market that can cut you a more select style of bacon.
Jeannie on 02/10/2014:
I don't understand your problem. I have been using TSD bacon for a while and I am happy with the quality and value. I buy the thick sliced bacon and my family loves it.
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Posted by
KERNERSVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA -- I purchase your meat a lot from Wal-Mart & Aldi's this roll of ground beef was 93% lean & 7% fat. I think what I got was just a roll of fat. It covered the whole roll, & was through & through. I know times are tight but give us what we pay for ... Less fat!
This had to be the roll the fat was to be thrown away but got made into a roll for sale. I've never gotten this much fat in a package of meat with more required fat. So hurt our country has come to this. We can't afford these types of problems. Times are hard enough!! What ever happened to good old American quality?
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trmn8r on 09/02/2012:
I personally would never compare the values of WallsMart to those of America. WallsMart's one and only focus is driving prices into the ground to attract customers. There is case after case of all kinds of products whereas a result, quality suffers.
I never was adverturous enough to buy any meat from WallsMart during the brief time I used their supermarket side. It always looked very strange - yes, it physically looked different than the meats at other stores. I didn't want to know why, or find out if it tasted the same or different. I just wanted to get the heck out of there.
If I had the experience that you did, I would be running to the nearest stand alone grocery store. You may pay 3 to 5% more, but you will find higher quality meats, produce, and vegetables. For me the premium is worth it, and the customer service is also orders of magnitude better.
Bill on 09/02/2012:
I wouldn't think of buying meat from Walmart or Target for that matter.
Butcher is the only way to go.
GenuineNerd on 09/02/2012:
Prepackaged meat, especially ground beef, can be a real crapshoot as far as quality goes. You would be best off going to a full-service supermarket that grounds the beef on the premises.
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Ground Beef Chuck 80/20 Slimy Texture, Lacking the Taste of Beef
Posted by
SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS -- I purchase 1 lb. ground beef Chuck 80/20 in large quantities at my local Walmart and have for years. I freeze the meat immediately after purchasing it. The meat comes in "chubs", the packaging is the same as it has always been, so I am assuming the distributor has not changed. I have never previously had a problem with the quality or taste of the meat in these "chubs"; however, recently I have found the meat to have a strange almost slimy or slippery texture, and the slimy meat is almost flavorless....I took one bite and literally had to spit it out. I assumed that it was just that particular package, but to my dismay, I have now tried and discovered 3 more of the packages I had purchased to be the same sub-quality beef. I plan to take the rest of my purchase back to WalMart.....
TSD Sales and Distribution, Springdale Arkansas is the company WalMart buys this "slime" called ground beef from...the package says it is USDA Inspected....Yikes!!...USDA, TSD Sales, and WalMart are all a part of this complaint.
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jktshff1 on 07/01/2012:
What is the date you purchased the "meat"? I believe this is a known problem regarding the "slime".
trmn8r on 07/01/2012:
After looking at the meats in WallsMart several times, I am not surprised to hear it described as "substandard". I am a big red meat consumer, but the meats there always looked strange.
ok4now on 07/02/2012:
Sounds like TSD is still putting Pink Slime in their ground meat. After the public out cry most stores have stopped selling this. I buy my meats from either Shop Rite or Costco, where I know it is ground fresh without the slime.
madconsumer on 07/02/2012:
it is called "finely textured beef" NOT slime.
Gary Camp on 09/25/2012:
The Cavanaghsmoked sausage resealable package does not work if the zip lock is not sealed to both sides of the package. your equipment needs to be adjusted to seal the zip lock. Thanks GEC
dale hendrix on 03/25/2014:
big chunks of fat in 1pound 93%lean have pictures if you would like to have me send them to you would like a replacement I do not think I will perchase the product again my wife almost felt ill when she saw that
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Fat Hamburger
Posted by
I just purchased a roll of 80/20 ground beef from a local Walmart and when I got it home to repackage it there were huge lumps of fat in it I paid $11 for 5lbs of hamburger and got fat! I even took pictures and kept the receipt.
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Skye on 12/31/2010:
I hope you returned it to Walmart. Buying meat from Walmart is like having a root canal done by a shoe salesperson.
momsey on 12/31/2010:
Yuck. I've seen a few reviews of this brand just like this.
Anonymous on 12/31/2010:
With this type of packaging, you are pretty much at the mercy of the market, because you cannot see the meat to make any visual judgements. Since it is usually the best bargain, you just cross your fingers.
Clear-wrap packages give you more of a visual choice. The meat should be red, with the fat marbling uniformly mixed.
FlShopper on 12/31/2010:
The fat is what makes it taste so good. Mush it all up so it's evenly distributed and cook 'em up.
Skye on 12/31/2010:
That is nasty!
You should let others know, what Walmart location you are writing this about. I haven't been to a Walmart in years. Definitely not missing anything.
saj80 on 12/31/2010:
There is a reason Wal-Mart has the lowest prices (at least in theory, according to millions of their lemmings). Don't expect a good grade of meat from a company that has established themselves as kings of cheap.
Skye on 12/31/2010:
1000+ saj80.
Nohandle on 12/31/2010:
The only meat I recall ever purchasing in a roll/tube was sausage and it looked a sight better than that. I've known of some who like to purchase ground chuck in the small tubes so they could just toss in the freezer and use later in recipes. They never had a complaint but they also didn't shop for meat at Walmart's. Nice reminder as to why not to.
trmn8r on 12/31/2010:
Hold on people. That is 80/20, meaning 20% is fat. 20% (5 lbs) = 1 lb. Imagine a pound of fat. You have to remember, this is WalMart we're talking about. Never heard of stuffing ground beef into a tube, but I am not surprised you can get it at Walmart.
Venice09 on 12/31/2010:
Please stop buying and eating crap like that. Do you want to end up like this:
Starlord on 12/31/2010:
That is 80/20 ground beef. While it is not mixed thoroughly, I would be willing to bet that it is actually 80/20. The 80 percent and 20 percent are figured on the total weight. Whether it is thoroughly mixed up or you have four pounds of lean meat and on of fat, it works out the same. Take it home and mix it up completely. What do you expect, a solid hunk of red meat? Fat, or more precisely, marbling is what gives meat it's juiciness and taste. 80/20 is considered by the experts as the perfect blend for the perfect hamburger.
Anonymous on 12/31/2010:
Does their beef come from China also?
GenuineNerd on 12/31/2010:
That's why I don't trust Walmart meat...or meat that comes from any store that sells prepackaged "case-ready" items. I once bought a 5-pound chub of ground beef from Walmart, and the meat was very bloody and had an off taste to it when cooked. I prefer meat from a traditional supermarket that has a full service meat department, where the meats are cut and packaged in-store.
jd_beatty on 05/26/2012:
Strange! - We buy TSD hamburger in at Walmart in two states where we own homes. It has always been our favorite for years. We have never seen any packages of ground beef or ground chuck which were not excellent.
madconsumer on 05/26/2012:
very helpful comment jd_beatty!!!
melissa my on 06/10/2013:
Myboys just went to cook part of a roll of hamburger from walmart and found a very small nail in it I called our walmart they told us to bring it in for a full refund
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Excellent Bacon!!!
Posted by
SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS -- I reluctantly purchased Corn King bacon at my fiancés request. We literally debated in front of the breakfast meats for more than two minutes, with pauses and sighs included. It was a whole dollar cheaper than the "less than stellar" Great Value bacon we normally select; we could purchase three packages for the price of two at $2.99 for twelve ounces. Lonnng story short, my cooking experience with this bacon consisted of me saying it was how "old school bacon" used to cook. It wasn't all white fat and didn't shrivel to the point of non-existence, and just looked delicious. As for the taste, it was beyond expectations. I expected a weak flavor, but no. Just delicious. And I'm not one to do research on an unknown distributor and sing their praises, but hey...It's goooood. Lol.
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Did This Bacon Come From A Razor Back???
Posted by
SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS -- Of course, it's BLT time, fresh tomatoes out of the garden. I was in Walmart and checked out the bacon. Almost $5.00 a pound for all brands. Corn King was highlighted with a good buy sign. Slightly less than the rest on price. Grabbed up 3 packs, got the rest of my stuff and headed home.
I opened 1 package and put it all on a cookie sheet, a small cookie sheet. Showed my husband and looked at the package, ONLY 12 ounces, not a pound.! Very fatty and stringy. Cooked in oven 430 degrees, as I learned in working in restaurants for many years.
We ended up with 3 { three} sandwiches out of it. take a bite, can't bite it off, to stringy, even though I tried to make it very crispy.
Everyone has to make a profit, I understand that. Times are hard. But to mislead the public with their packaging and inferior product, Just is not right.
I would take the rest of it back to the store, but it's 40 miles round trip, so what am I saving?
I would like my money back, plus mileage and time wasted, pain and suffering for having to eat that garbage!
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azRider on 08/28/2013:
Maybe you should have gotten it at Costco.
DebtorBasher on 08/28/2013:
The 12 oz package has been out there for quite a while now. I always buy the Sugardale thick sliced bacon. I only had one package before, that had slices so thin you can see through them. I emailed them with a photo of the slices...they were very nice about it. They didn't understand how they passed through their quality department like that. In return, they shipped me 5 or 6 packages of their thick sliced bacon (1.5 lbs each).
You might want to go to Corn Kings' website and let them know about this. They can't fix it if they don't know about it.
trmn8r on 08/29/2013:
I don't buy any food at WallsMart. None. While a BLT with fresh tomatoes sounds delicious in principle, concocting something from produce and bacon from WM blows the appealing vision all to heck.
GenuineNerd on 08/29/2013:
Or buy your bacon from a regular supermarket next time. I was never impressed with Walmart's meat, except for the frozen chicken breasts and hamburger patties. But Corn King is a brand that's carried at many places. Probably bacon from the deli counter would be the best, although it costs more. At least you'd get more meat and less fat.
GenuineNerd on 08/30/2013:
I agree with Debtorbasher about Sugardale. They have great bacon, as well as sister brand Superior's. But I don't know how far away from Ohio FreshMark (parent company of Sugardale and Superior) distributes its products. Perhaps a national brand like Oscar Mayer would be better than Corn King.
R Young on 11/27/2013:
I bought two pound packages of Corn King bacon. I diced and cooked one package and to put on a salad. I tasted three or four small pieces and to my REALLY UNHAPPY mouth I realized the lazy people at Corn King had left the rind on (unchewable skin). I hope they get a hernia carrying their money to the bank this time
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Posted by
I purchased from Walmart an 8-oz package of presliced pepperoni for a basketball game party. After I had cut up all of the cheeses and prepared the tray with crackers, etc., I opened the pepperoni and instantly smelled "rotten eggs." I did a double-take, it was that bad. My husband actually sampled a piece and said it was horrid. It instantly changed his appetite for the party foods I had prepared. The date on the package was 06/06/2011. This is only January. I have purchased this brand every time we need pepperoni and I have never had such a problem.
If you want me to continue my patronage, I would like a coupon for replacement.
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Anonymous on 02/03/2011:
I...ah nevermind.
PepperElf on 02/03/2011:
did you try bringing it back?
I mean if it's already spoiled then you have a valid complaint for getting it replaced with unspoiled food.
if that doesn't work call the manufacturer and report the issue and include the batch number.
and if you buy more - or if you get to replace it with something unspoiled - make sure the batch number is different.
Venice09 on 02/04/2011:
Even if you don't have the receipt, just take it back. It only takes a pinhole in the packaging to spoil the food. These things happen, and most stores will offer an exchange or refund, even Walmart.
jktshff1 on 02/04/2011:
My wife does that to me....."here, try this, I think it's spoiled!"
MRM on 02/04/2011:
Shes trying to kill you for your life insurance! TRUST NO ONE...
Alain on 02/04/2011:
Tyson Foods (Tyson Sales and Distribution): 479-290-4000.
Alain on 02/04/2011:
*calling insurance agent to cancel policy*!
jktshff1 on 02/04/2011:
I don't have any insurance, when I die, I want it to be a sad day for everyone.
Alain on 02/04/2011:
Alain on 02/04/2011:
Also try Tyson Foods at 800-643-3410.
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Plastic Bits In Ground Beef
Posted by
DAKOTA DUNES, SOUTH DAKOTA -- My husband bought ground beef at WalMart, distributed by TDS Distributors out of South Dakota, which had tiny bits of shredded plastic throughout the meat!! The label is teal green FYI.
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madconsumer on 03/18/2014:
make sure to contact them
and let them know in case this is a manufacturing issue. they can research this and discover if this has happened to other packages in the same lot number. you will need the label to give them this info.
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The God SquadComments61
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|The God Squad
|Mercedes Jones (former)
|William McKinley High School
The God Squad is a group of Christian students at William McKinley High School, who attempt to spread the word that being a Christian is not just about reading the Bible, and that it can be "cool." The squad currently consists of one member; Joe Hart with Mercedes Jones, Quinn Fabray and Sam Evans as former members since they have graduated.
Season Three
The God Squad has their first on-screen meeting, welcoming Quinn back to the group, as well as welcoming Joe, a new member. After a discussion on how to raise money, Sam Evans suggested that the squad should offer to sing vocal valentines or telegrams to their customer's loved ones, since the New Directions decided they were not going to do it.
They first sing Stereo Hearts to Rachel from Finn. When they finish, Santana then asked them to sing to her girlfriend, Brittany, which they are all unsure about. In the next meeting they discuss whether or not to sing to Brittany. All of the members are happy to do it, apart from Joe, who is still confused about how he feels, and takes some time to think about it. During Sugar's party, Joe decides that "love is love" and they do the performance to Brittany from Santana, singing Cherish/Cherish.
On My Way
After members of the God Squad hear the news of Dave Karofsky's suicide attempt, Mercedes calls an emergency meeting to pray for him. Quinn suggests that they instead pray for Karofsky's family, for they need the support more. Sam isn't completely clear on what has happened, and Mercedes explains how he has been bullied at school for his sexuality. Soon, Kurt joins the meeting, and after a brief debate with Quinn, comes to pray. Joe confesses that he was the one to invite Kurt after his request. They then tell Kurt that they plan to go see Dave in the hospital and that Kurt can join them if he wants to.
Former Members
- Stereo Hearts by Gym Class Heroes (feat. Adam Levine) (Heart) (from Finn to Rachel)
- Cherish/Cherish by The Association/Madonna (Heart) (from Santana to Brittany)
- In Heart, a list of their goals is written on a whiteboard behind Mercedes, and they include "praying for Artie's legs" and "secretly baptizing people." They also do community services (Shoe Drive, Adopt a Highway).
- Since Quinn and Joe only joined in Heart, it means that Mercedes and Sam were the only members prior.
- While the God Squad performed singing telegrams for people, it is unknown whether they themselves choose the songs or whether they are asked to sing a certain song on request.
- Since Mercedes and Quinn graduated, Sam and Joe are currently the only members. If there are others, they have yet to be shown.
- Sam was surprised that another boy wanted to join in Heart.


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© Always Riding Ltd 2014
Craft Cycle Clothing & Base Layers
Swedish brand Craft form the core of a rider's wardrobe; technical expertise and pro team feedback are integrated into the design process to create garments you simply couldn't do without. With a strong rider following and a palmares that includes kitting out Monument winners and Grand Tour contenders, Craft's technical pedigree is not to be messed with. From super light base layers to deep winter gloves these everyday essentials are ridden, worn and turned to in all weathers thanks to their timeless reliability.
$128.82 $90.17
$77.68 $54.38
$51.78 $49.19
Just like its cold weather riding stablemate the Siberian Bike Glove, the Craft Bike Thermal ...
$64.72 $45.31
Craft's most popular winter cycling glove, the Craft Bike Siberian Glove gets a timely ...
$45.31 $40.78
$45.31 $40.78
$38.84 $34.96


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CHI Deep Brilliance Gleam Shine Spray
Based on 1 Review
Nicole P.Christmas PresentI'm not able to review the effectiveness of the products I ordered; however, the promptness of the delivery and the unexpected bonus gift is enough to give your company five stars.
Merry Christmas!9 out of 9 shoppers thought this review wasn't helpful.
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Call us toll-free: 866-482-8919
Via Fax toll-free: 866-339-4787
Online: www.deiequipment.com
Choose the correct dish rack:1. Measure the maximum diameter of your glass (stemware or tumbler) to determine the number of compartments.2. Measure the maximum height of your glass (stemware or tumbler) to the top edge of the rim to determine the compartment height.
This item cannot be shipped via UPS and must be shipped via Common Carrier (Truck), curbside delivery only. Additional charges apply for Lift Gate or Inside Delivery and must be requested at the time of order. Please call for a quote if these services are needed.
For other detailed information about item 16S418-119 including dimensions, additional photos, available colors and more, please download the PDF cutsheet Here.
Disclaimer: Due to monitor variations, product's colors shown might not be exact. Photos shown for representation purposes only. Product specifications, availability, and pricing are subject to change without notice.


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May 3
The training paradise turns into a challenging and scenic race destination.
OpenRegister ▻
IRONMAN 70.3 Pays d'Aix will take place on the city of Aix en Provence. Aix en Provence is rich in history and arts combine to create some of the most beautiful museums and local architecture in the world.
Athletes will embark on a one-loop, 1.2-mile swim that takes place in the waters of Plantain, located in the city of Peyrolles-en-Provence. During the 56-mile bike course, athletes will pass through Pays d'Aix and eight surrounding towns, which allow for spectator support. A three-loop, 13.1 mile run course winds athletes through city and forest roads through La Torse Park and the city of Aix-en-Provence.
There are 50 qualifying slots to the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship 2015 in Zell am See-Kaprun, Salzburg, Austria.


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Where Enterprise Search Was, And Where It Is
Interested in discovering what's happened to some of the enterprise search vendors that have piqued your interest in the past? You may want to head here, where enterprise search industry expert and author of the Enterprise Search Report Stephen E. Arnold of ArnoldIT is posting a series of profiles of firms that have tried and failed – or in some cases, still are trying to – make a business in enterprise search.
It's not easy, Arnold writes: "Search is a very difficult problem to solve and turn into a sustainable business."


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George W. Bush Presidential Library Prepares For Official Dedication Ceremony
Similar imagesView all
Statues of former Presidents George W Bush and his father George HW... News Photo 167335112Campus,Dallas,Display,Father,Former,George Bush Sr.,George W. Bush,George W. Bush Presidential Center,Gulf Coast States,Horizontal,Large Group Of People,People,Politics,Southern Methodist University,Statue,Texas,Tour,USAPhotographer Kevork DjansezianCollection: Getty Images News 2013 Getty ImagesDALLAS, TX - APRIL 24: Statues of former Presidents George W. Bush (R) and his father George H.W. Bush are on display during a tour of the George W. Bush Presidential Center on the campus of Southern Methodist University on April 24, 2013 in Dallas, Texas. Dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library is to take place on April 25 with all five living U.S. Presidents in attendance and an expected 8,000 invitation-only guests. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)


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A Taylor Swift Song For Every Love Dilemma
Searching for happily ever after means kissing a lot of frogs. Luckily, there's a Taylor Swift song to get you through all sorts of break up drama.
By Emily Laurence
When You Get Cheated On
Song: "I Knew You Were Trouble"
Song History: Even when all your friends warn you about the bad boy, sometimes you just have to find out for yourself. For Taylor, that guy was John Mayer. Even though he had a rep as a player, she still dated himand wound up with a broken heart.
Lyrics To Learn From:
And I heard you moved on from whispers on the street
A new notch in your belt is all I'll ever be
Now I see, Now I see


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Here is the latest top 10 searches from the people using Yahoo Search Engine:
1. New Moon
2. Oprah
3. Tim Lincecum
4. Oasis of the Seas
5. Susan Boyle
6. Kate Moss
7. Nicolas Cage
8. Fort Hood
9. Project Runway
10. Oklahoma State Football
It seems names is the big thing for the searches done at Yahoo on this Friday in November. I'm not sure why some of the names are on the list, but I do know why one name is listed in Yahoo's top 10 searches. She is currently number 2 on the list now, but I'm sure Oprah will go to number 1 soon. Oprah Winfrey will have a special show today (Friday November 20th) and she plans to let her audience and millions of TV fans at home know the show will be coming to an end. It isn't anytime soon and it will be sometime in 2011 when the Oprah Winfrey Show turns off the lights and close their doors for good. Harpo is the owner of the show; which Harpo is Oprah spelled backwards, so she is Harpo. I expect the show today will be a highly rated show and has a chance to be one of the most watched editions of Oprah ever.
I always love to see the sport terms getting listed on top searches and did see two up there today. Tim Lincecum is a MLB pitcher and Oklahoma State is a college football team. A few other things are happening in sports and surprise not to see some of those make the top 10. I don't see Allen Iverson making the top 10 at Yahoo, but I'm sure he's close to those top 10 search terms. He is now a free agent in the NBA and it appears the New York Knicks are interested in the veteran point guard. One reason why Iverson may not be making the top 10 at Yahoo, is probably due to his name getting misspelled in searches. I'm sure some Yahoo Users are using "Alan" or only using one "L" like "Alen" to search for the latest news about him.
Does anyone know why new moon is a popular search term? It must be something good to be at the very top over at the Yahoo Search Engine. Is our moon and astrology that important? Actually New Moon is the name of a movie that starts playing today and many fans are searching for the latest details and information they can find out about this new movie. My local theater has this showing 13 times today and this will be the most played movie in their theater today and tonight. Do you plan to go see the New Moon movie in theaters? It does look like a good movie and I might just have to go out and see this one.


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Pages: 1
New York City's Department of Records officially announced Tuesday that a database of 870,000 images of New York City and its municipal operations is now available to the public online. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303592404577363970036651632.html#slide/eos
Wow it is amazing. I found sth also here http://www.domex-rzeszow.pl/
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Zola Clip Earring
See-through stone pendants touched with golden glitter.
- Acrylic and metal.
- Clip-on styling.
We're so sorry: this item sold out sooner than expected. For an equally chic substitute, please call our Personal Service Associates at 1.888.855.4986. Or click on Chico's Chat below for immediate assistance.


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IndonesiaWe are cosplay team from Indonesia. Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/oniichandame 3 Idiots member : Andy Phebe (Master) Taqii (Slave) Ryuki (Slave) hehehe XD Yoroshiku ne~
Japanhttp://hopper2.net/ "Stay hungry,stay foolish." Cosplay from Osaka JAPAN.
United States
GermanyHi there! I'm Shina from Germany. I started to Cosplay in 2011, so I'm quite new I think :) https://www.facebook.com/shinahyunkicosplay?fref=ts ♥ my deviantArt - http://shihnasan.deviantart.com/ ♥ my animexx (German side) - http://animexx.onlinewelten.com/mitglieder/steckbrief.php?id=576816&#selbst229836 ♥ my photographer - http://tohron1980.deviantart.com/ ♥ his cosplay-gallery on deviant Art - http://tohron1980.deviantart.com/gallery/38634234
Italyhi my name is Jessica I am 22 years old and I am a "cosplayer" Italian (≧ ◡ ≦) I love manga, cosplay, anime and japan <3 I hope you like my photos (≧ ω ≦) Nyaaan ~
GermanyMy name is Bell (known under my nickname Calssara) and I´m a costume artist from Germany and started in 2004. I´m 25 years old and a librarian. To meet new people and to find wonderful friends all over the world are the best things that come along with my hobby. I really love to create my own costumes, wear them, make photo shootings and create stage performances. Feel free to write me <3. http://www.calssara.com http://facebook.com/calssara.cosplay http://calssara.deviantart.com
GermanyHi~ (^w^) My name is Haru~ and i'm a German Cosplayer since 2010 ^^ I'm 18 years old :D Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Haru-Cosplay/272232772880691?ref=ts My DA: http://harustrawberry.deviantart.com/
Mexicohttp://www.facebook.com/kyoskennedy http://www.cosplay.com/member/153974/
Austria♥ FB page https://www.facebook.com/auris.lothol?fref=ts Deviantart http://auris-lothol.deviantart.com/ Blog http://silver-afternoon.blogspot.com/ Tumblr http://auris-cosplay.tumblr.com/
GermanyFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/KuroiMarronCosplay DEVIANTART: http://kuroi-marron.deviantart.com/ Hey! ^-^ My name is Marron and I'm 17 years old. ♪ ♫ I'm turkish but I live in germany. >w< I'm Lolita and Cosplayer ^o^ I'm wearing Lolita since 4 years and my first Cosplay was in 2009 but I really started in 2012. ♥
PortugalFaceBook Page: http://www.facebook.com/Leyyamaguycom DeviantArt: http://leyyamaguy.deviantart.com/ Figure Collection: http://myfigurecollection.net/profile/leyyamaguy Cosplay.com: http://www.cosplay.com/member/81936/


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- Sensitivität (1) (remove)
- Holographic Investigation of Azobenzene-Containing Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds (2011)
- In the present thesis, holographic volume and surface relief gratings in azobenzene-containing low-molecular-weight compounds are investigated to obtain a broader understanding of this new class of material. Azobenzene chromophores undergo light-induced trans-cis-trans isomerization cycles leading to a reorientation of the long axis of the chromophores. If linearly polarized light is incident on the sample, these isomerizations result in a reorientation of this axis perpendicular to the light polarization. A holographic light grating, which can be formed by the interference of two coherent laser beams, leads to the inscription of a refractive-index modulation in the material. The azobenzene-containing low-molecular-weight compounds studied in this thesis consist of different building blocks: the core unit, the azobenzene chromophores with substituents, and the spacer and the linkage group between chromophore and core unit. These components can be used in a modular-design principle to synthesize a large library of low-molecular-weight compounds. Surprisingly, some of the investigated low-molecular-weight compounds form also a liquid-crystalline phase besides the amorphous phase as evidenced by polarized microscopy. If these liquid-crystalline compounds are prepared as solid films, however, they are quenched to an amorphous state. Upon reorientation of the azobenzene chromophores by illumination with a holographic light grating, a phase transition from the amorphous to an ordered state can be induced. This phase change in the latent liquid-crystalline low-molecular-weight compounds is very interesting for applications. The latent liquid-crystalline low-molecular-weight compounds show a post-development of the refractive-index modulation after the writing process. The holographic gratings are even stable at temperatures higher than the glass transition temperature, which further proves the light-induced formation of an ordered domain. In contrast to their polymeric counterparts, molecular materials are expected to show a faster response to light because of the absence of polymer chain entanglements. Therefore, molecular glasses can be used as blending material for photo-addressable polymers to improve the photo-sensitivity of the blend as compared to the pure polymer. The influence of the core and the substituent was investigated in low-molecular-weight compounds which do not form liquid-crystalline phases. An azobenzene-containing diblock copolymer for holographic data storage consists of an inert majority block and a minority block containing the covalently bound photo-sensitive azobenzene chromophores. Blending a few weight percent of the optimized molecular glass to the diblock copolymer leads to an increase of sensitivity with increasing content of the molecular glass, mainly because the writing time to the maximum of the refractive-index modulation decreased. The increase of the sensitivity is much larger than the observed rise of the refractive-index modulation due to the higher concentration of azobenzene chromophores. It was demonstrated that the shorter writing times are not caused by thermal effects, the molecules of the molecular glass in the inert block, or by changes of the free volume or the morphology, but that they are due to the azobenzene chromophores of the molecular glass in the minority block. They reorient faster than the chromophores attached to the polymer backbone and, thereby create free volume. Additionally, they can assist the reorientation of the azobenzene chromophores bound to the polymer by cooperative effects, i.e. dipolar and steric interactions. Both effects result in shorter writing time and higher sensitivity of the system. In a blend containing two weight percent of the molecular glass, the inscribed gratings are still long-term stable and the sensitivity increases by a factor of 1.7 as compared to the pure diblock copolymer. Upon illumination of an azobenzene-containing material with a holographic light grating, besides the volume grating, also a surface relief grating can develop. Surface modulations with heights of up to 600 nm were achieved in molecular glasses. It was found that the build-up of the surface relief grating depends on the electrical susceptibility of the material at the optical frequency of the laser and the polarization of the laser beams. These experimental findings are in agreement with the gradient force model. According to this theory, the macroscopic material transport results from the forces on the polarized material in the electrical field gradient caused by the holographic light grating. For many applications it is important that the holographically produced surface relief gratings can be transferred to polymer surfaces. Replica molding can be used to easily copy the surface modulations to e.g. polycarbonate.


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Refuse reuse: Kids build big toys out of recycled materials at children's museum
Sunday, January 20, 2013
DOVER — As a child, Nathan Walker loved getting new toys — not as much for the toy itself, but for the packaging that came with it.
"It was awesome, the kids had a blast," said Kennedy after the workshop.
She said she was glad the children learned about proportions, and that the event focused on using recycled materials.
"The kids always play with the boxes rather than the toys anyway," she said.
On Saturday, Meghan had made a supersized version of her rubber duck wearing a cowboy hat, while Johnnie made a larger version of his favorite toy, a G.I. Joe.
The children used materials such as cardboard boxes, cherry tomato containers, Styrofoam, plastic bottles, and duct tape to make their supersized toy versions.


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Welcome to Movie Grooves.com web shop.
This is the place to find vinyl albums and CD's from the era of the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and new as well as compilations, remixes and new pre-releases from your favourite composers or labels.
Now with FREE UK shipping on orders over £12.99....
New stock and Pre-releases added daily so please bookmark us and keep checking in !!.
Join in our chat on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. If you dont see what you want tell me!!.
YouTube music links have been added to many of the products.
© 2014 Movie Grooves
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Abounding in Hope
Even though the subjective experience of peace and joy will wax and wane to some degree over the course of our walk with Christ, we should nevertheless expect our sense of peace and joy to grow stronger as we mature ...Read More
Righteousness, Peace, and Joy
Dr. R.C. Sproul writes in his commentary Romans: "Life in the kingdom is about loving the things of God and loving those for whom Christ died. That is the recipe for mature Christian unity." When we keep in first ...Read More
Taking Joy in the God of Salvation
Believing God when "the chips are down" is one of the most difficult things that we will ever be called to do. Yet if we trust the Lord only when things are going well, then we do not really trust ...Read More
The Joy of Everlasting Life
Knowing that we have everlasting life comforts us because we know that it is a life grounded in the perfect righteousness of Christ and, therefore, secure forever. It also comforts us because we know that we will experience righteousness, peace, ...Read More
Secure in the Love of God
When Paul says nothing can separate us from God's love, he means that even we cannot snatch ourselves from His hand. If we have true faith, we will maintain that faith until the end. Times of doubt may arise, and ...Read More
The Mandate to Rejoice
When we suffer for Christ's sake, experience the death of a loved one, or encounter the same problems and sins in our lives yet again, it can be difficult to rejoice. Yet despite the reality of pain in these circumstances, ...Read More
The Source of Joy
Are you finding it difficult to rejoice even in the midst of difficult circumstances? Perhaps it is because you are not forming deep relationships with other believers. Let us all resolve to become active in our churches and take advantage ...Read More
The Greatest Joy
Desiring outward success and growth is not necessarily a bad thing, but it has caused many churches to water down the gospel in the drive to increase attendance. We too can water down the gospel in our everyday lives so ...Read More
Rejoicing with Others
All of us find it difficult at times to rejoice in the joy of other people. Yet as believers, we should be the first to rejoice with those who rejoice, especially if those who are rejoicing are brothers and sisters ...Read More
Counting It All Joy
Dr. R.C. Sproul has often said that while anyone can believe in God, it takes real faith to believe God. Trusting in His goodness during a severe illness, times when others sin heinously against us, the death of a ...Read More
DevotionalsDaily readings to encourage your heart and mind in the pursuit of God and his glory.
- All
- Angels and Demons
- Atonement
- Basic Reformed Theology
- Irresistible Grace
- Limited Atonement
- Perseverance of the Saints
- Total Depravity
- Unconditional Election
- The Church
- Church Discipline
- Church Leadership
- Creeds and Confessions
- God
- Holiness
- Sovereignty
- Heaven and Hell
- Heresies
- The Holy Spirit
- Jesus Christ
- Cross
- Incarnation
- Resurrection
- Justification
- Last Things
- Man and Sin
- Sacraments
- Salvation
- Faith
- Regeneration
- Scripture
- Systematic Theology
- Theological Views
- Roman Catholicism
- Music
- Apologetics
- False Teaching
- Atheism
- Christianity and Culture
- Creation
- Ethics
- Philosophy
- Bible Figures
- Bible Interpretation
- Books of the Bible
- Gospels
- Covenants
- General Reference Works
- Jesus' Ministry
- Life of Jesus
- New Testament
- Old Testament
- Parables
- Prophecy
- Sermon on the Mount
- Ten Commandments
- The Lord's Prayer
- Controversies in the Church
- Arts
- Covenant Theology
- Creationism
- Inclusivism
- Law and Gospel
- Lordship Salvation
- Politics
- Sabbath
- Spiritual Gifts
- Theonomy
- Women in Ministry
- Marriage and Family
- Divorce
- Parenting
- Practical Theology
- Discipleship
- Evangelism and Missions
- Grief and Death
- Pastoral Ministry
- Preaching
- Worship
- Spiritual Growth
- Anxiety and Worry
- Apostasy
- Assurance
- Conscience
- Depression
- Doubt
- Fellowship
- Godliness
- Guilt
- Humility
- Joy
- Knowing God's Will
- Legalism
- Love
- Money and Stewardship
- Oaths and Vows
- Prayer
- Pride
- Repentance and Forgiveness
- Sanctification and Growth
- Service
- Spiritual Fruit
- Suffering
- Thankfulness
- Vocation
- Ancient Church
- Biography
- Reformation


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Genealogy, local history and historical research in New England and other interesting places.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Father's Day Tree 2013, 25th Anniversary Edition
In 1988, on my husband's second Father's Day, we planted an oak. Over the past 25 years this scrawny little tree has grown into a mighty oak next to our house. It is a a Father's Day tradition that we take a photo of Father and Daughter every year next to the tree. In This is the newest photo, with a smattering of photos from previous years. Our collection of photos show quite a history as the tree, people, and weather changed over time.
2013 - 25th Anniversary of our Tree
The year the tree was planted
Our daughter was 1 year 3 months old.
During the Halloween "Snowtober" blizzard of 2011 the Father's Day Tree suffered much damage, since the leaves were still on the branches. The heavy snow broke limbs off trees all over New Hampshire and New England, and millions of people were without power for nearly a week. We were quite sad to see all the damage on our beloved tree.
A crew was called in the spring of 2012 to cut many of the branches off the Father's Day tree. Despite the unexpected "pruning" the Father's Day Tree has thrived and looks great this year. Many other trees in New England were not so lucky.
Happy Father's Day!
Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo
3 comments:
Wonderful idea and great photos! We had a similar tree at my childhood home - planted when the first child was born almost 60 years ago now. Last time I drove by the home (out of the family for 10 years now), it had been cut down.ReplyDelete
Yes, from 2007 to 2013 it looks as if it simply lost a few bottom branches. It looks great in this year's photo. REALLY amazing to see how much it grew in only 25 years. Hard to believe.ReplyDelete
Truly amazing to see how much that tree grew in only 25 years. The latest photo in 2013 is great -- looks like it simply lost a few bottom branches from the storm. Can't believe it is the same tree as when your daughter was a year old.ReplyDelete
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Concept 1
Hindsight Critique: Probably my weakest concept. Looks like a hood ornament a faith healer would have on his Rolls-Royce. No wonder they didn't choose it.
I have to admit something before I jump into this post. I normally avoid working with Churches on design projects like this. It pains me to say that since I myself am a Christian, but my experience thus far in my career supports my hesitation and that is unfortunate.
So when I was contacted by Northwest Church in regards to designing a new identity for them I was very skeptical about it. That said I quoted it like any other corporate identity project and we proceeded.
Concept 2
Hindsight Critique: This is OK. A bit too literal perhaps. Note how I colorized the NW section of the mark.
I'm happy to say that the creative process went extremely well. Working with Northwest Church was truly a joy. Mainly because they get it. I felt like I was working with an agency.
That said I still had that nagging feeling in the back of my head that at any moment someone would mess it up, look at one of my designs and say it looked like a penis or something. But I had to keep the faith.
Concept 3
Hindsight Critique: I like the clean simplicity of this idea.
Every business has a personality. Designing a successful identity is all about capturing that personality accurately in a visual sense so it honestly represents them.
That said a design can be good, even great in and of itself but still fail as an identity for the client because it doesn't capture the essence of their personality.
Concept 4
Hindsight Critique: This approach was one of my favorites. I like the simplicity, form and the color denoting location all the while serving as a cross as well.
The main problem with most Church oriented design is it's lame. Sinfully ugly if you will. Sorry the truth hurts.
So when I approached this job I wanted to avoid your standard stereotypical graphic crosses as much as possible. And instead create a new cross-like graphic to use.
Concept 5
Hindsight Critique: This is another approach I liked as well. The hint at a page from the bible makes for a good graphic device.
Graphic metaphorical visual hints are the spice in design cooking. Anyone can serve up a circle, square or triangle. It takes more conceptual culinary elegance to plate a design that goes beyond ordinary.
Concept 6
Hindsight Critique: Probably a bit too comical. Doesn't fit their personality. More inline with a t-shirt design for a Church picnic I suppose.
Logo design camps in one of two locations. Literal or Figurative. A literal approach uses literal imagery in a literal way. A figurative approach uses metaphorical imagery or literal imagery in a non-literal metaphorical way. I prefer the latter.
Concept 7
Hindsight Critique: I really liked this approach. The icons nested together well and formed a subtle cross like shape in the negative space.
Sometimes in the design process you realize an idea can work in another way for the same project and that is what happened with these icons. I used them as part of the over all identity package to define the various ministries within the church.
Concept 8
Hindsight Critique: Simon says welcome to Milton Bradley Church.
I like the symbolism in this mark. The outer circle representing the Church. The inner sections representing the four Church ministries all forming a subtle graphic cross like shape. Note how I used the color to denote the northwest.
Concept 9
This is the concept the client selected. I have to admit I was surprised but they said they loved the thought behind it and that sold it. So it's a good argument for explaining your design when presenting your ideas rather than just sending them off and saying "Let me know what you think."
Designers should be good thinkers and share a vision with the client so the client can buy into that vision and truly embrace it.
To understand the design philosophy behind this mark visit the full project post at my primary site.
A Typical Glitschka Studios Project Folder


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The Klementinum boasts a rich architectural evolution. Since the middle ages many of Europe's great astronomers, scientists, musicians and philosophers have studied and worked here, influencing the development of its wonderful array of buildings.
Major buildings in the Klementinum- Mirror Chapel: a truly beautiful and unique chapel built in 1724, with extensive frescos and carvings. Houses two 18th century organs, one played by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his visits to the Klementinum.
- Baroque Library Hall: the stunning home of the Czech National Library, with 20,000 books which date back as far as the 16th century.
- Astronomical Tower: 172 steps lead to the top of the tower for 360° views over Prague. The climb is steep, so not for the very elderly or disabled.
Churches in the Klementinum- St. Salvator and St. Clement's form part of the outer wall of the Klementinum, and feature some of the most important Baroque architecture in Prague.
Two ways to visit the Klementinum1. Classical Concert.2. Tour & Concert Package.
Concerts in the Mirror ChapelClassical concerts are held in the historic Mirror Chapel. Both 18th century organs are played during performances.
Our long standing relationship with the Klementinum ensures that by booking tickets through Prague Experience you are guaranteed the best seats.
Price for concerts: 500czk.
Listings and tickets: Book Concerts.
Tour & Concert PackageCombine the concert with a guided tour of the Klementinum (Mirror Chapel, Baroque Library Hall and Astronomical Tower).The tour is in English, it starts one hour before the concert and lasts 50 minutes.
Price for the package: 650czk.
Listings and tickets:Book Tour & Concert Package.