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Konami Beat-em-ups
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by ZZZ and David DeRienzo - August 2008
If you even infrequently visited the arcades between 1989 and 1993, there were probably only three kinds of games that you cared about: Street Fighter II variants, the first two Mortal Kombats, and licensed Konami beat-em-ups. If you were a kid in the early 1990's, then games like TMNT, The Simpsons, and X-Men owned your quarters. An entire generation shovelled cups full of change into those machines. Literally. Ask anybody who was an 8-to-13 year old arcade goer at the time if they remember pooling cash with their buddies at Chuck E. Cheese's/any arcade, gathering around any of those cabinets, and plowing through a game with a disposable cup half-filled with quarters.
When it came to beat-em-ups, Capcom and Technos may have arguably been better at making the things, but nobody had more major successes with the genre than Konami. Their games played a major part in defining a generation's arcade going experiences, and it all began with a game called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It had two majorly important things going for it - a HUGELY popular license and four player co-op play, which most people had never experienced before. That formula would set the stage for several other licensed beat-em-ups to later come from the developer. By the early 1990's, Konami began buying up licenses to other popular franchises left and right in hopes of recreating their success with TMNT. They would eventually produce a good half dozen non-TMNT-related licensed beat-em-up titles - four in the arcades, and two for home consoles. They also took the time to develop a few original titles in the genre. Besides their Crime Fighters trilogy, there's also another couple of arcade games, and an entry for NES that actually predates any of their arcade releases.
The majority of these titles are based off of variations of the engine that TMNT ran on. This means that not only is their gameplay sometimes similar, but that for many of them multi-player is also a big part of their appeal. There really was nothing cooler in the arcades in 1989 than teaming up with three other random people in front of the same machine and hacking away at Foot Soldiers and mutants in TMNT, so much of what followed in the genre from them also allowed four players, or even more. Konami realized better than any other developer how important co-op play is to these kinds of games, even emphasizing it to the point that several of their entries in the genre are practically based around it.
Before the revival of their TMNT series a few years back, Konami had only been active in the beat-em-up genre for a mere five years around its peak. Yet, during that period they produced at least fifteen of the things, making them among the two most prolific developers in the genre along with Capcom. What follows is a look at only the beat-em-ups that Konami produced outside of their TMNT and Crime Fighters games, as those are wholly separate series.
The Simpsons (Arcade)
The Adventures of Bayou Billy / Mad City (マッド・シティ) - NES (1988)
American NES Cover
Japanese Famicom Cover
Released a year before the original Crime Fighters and TMNT arcade games, Bayou Billy was Konami's very first entry into the beat-em-up genre. If it wasn't already obvious enough, the Japanese box art should erase all doubt that it's basically supposed to be "Crocodile Dundee: The Game", but without any kind of official license. Of course that didn't stop Konami, who went ahead and made the game anyway, albeit with a few creative licenses taken. It's about a guy named Billy West and his escapades with ass kicking, name taking, and trying to rescue his girlfriend Annabelle Lane from a mobster named Godfather Gordon. If it weren't enough that they stole the plot wholesale from Crocodile Dundee II, the main character is so blatantly derivative of Paul Hogan's portrayal of the hero from the movies that it's obviously based on that they might as well have just called the game Alligator Dundee and been done with it.
At first glance, Bayou Billy looks like it has a lot going for it. It's basically Konami's equivalent of Battletoads (before Battletoads was released, of course), in that it mixes other genres with beat-em-ups in some kind of crazy attempt to make the ultimate 8-bit video game. There are nine levels in all, but only five of the stages are dedicated to the beat-em-up gameplay. The remaining four consist of two light gun stages and another two driving levels. The driving stages are pretty standard action game fare, where you drive down a road, turn here or there, and dodge puddles and boulders, all while firing bullets at cars and lobbing grenades at helicopters. A collision with anything will result in an instant loss of a life, which you have precious few of to begin with, so it ends up being way too challenging as a result. Combine that with overly long repetitive stages, and an otherwise good idea falls short of anything noteworthy. Thankfully, the light gun stages are much better. You can play with either the NES Zapper or a standard control pad - the latter giving you rapid fire capabilities. The downside to rapid fire is that there's no way to replenish your ammo, so if you run out then it's an automatic Game Over. The rail shooter stages are really brief, but they're still pretty cool.
When you get down to it, the game is going to either rise or fall on the bulk of its gameplay - the beat-em-up stages - but that's where it really falters. To be fair, it does have some cool things going for it, like a good assortment of weaponry (sticks, throwing knives, whips, and pistols), but that's about it. The fact that your standard moveset is just jumpkick, punch, and kick means that the combat is a bit too repetitive, but that's not the real problem. What really kills it is its horribly flawed and poorly balanced difficulty level. Like in the original Crime Fighters, the hit detection is crap, and the enemies all take way too many hits to beat. As if this weren't bad enough, your foes aren't dazed by your hits for more than a small fraction of a second, so they can come back and attack you while you're still wailing away at them. Making it even worse, the directional controls aren't responsive enough, so you'll sometimes jumpkick in the direction you were just facing when you actually meant to turn around. There's a few parts where the game throws pointless crap at you, like making you fend off alligators or dodge birds, which does nothing but slow down the pacing. Even with the rail-shooter stages, Bayou Billy is really nothing more than a great example of wasted potential.
The Japanese version of the game (called Mad City), while still being very challenging, is significantly easier to deal with. Not only do enemies take less hits to defeat, but health items and weapons are more plentiful. A few sections of the game have slightly different designs and enemies, but it's otherwise the exact same game. There are also a few cosmetic differences. When you lose in the rail shooter stages, the image of Billy has much lighter clothing. This makes him look even more like Crocodile Dundee, which is likely why Konami changed it. The two versions also have a different looking cursor for when you play the rail shooter stages with a control pad. Lastly, the title screen is completely different, and lacks the really cool warping effect found in the American release. The American version also has some cool voice effects, like the introduction stating "The Adventures of Bayou Billy!"
Believe it or not, there was actually a very short lived graphic novel based on the game. It took several creative licenses with the game's plot, giving Billy a murdered first wife, changing Annabelle's last name to Lee, and introducing an original character who had mentored Billy and taught him how to survive in the swamp. Billy also showed up in the animated series Captain N: The Game Master, where he looked even more like Paul Hogan. The cartoon even takes a crack at the game's difficulty, calling it the only game that even Captain N can't beat.
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S.P.Y.: Special Project Y - Arcade (1989)
American Arcade Flyer
S.P.Y.: Special Project Y could be called Konami's most obscure beat-em-up game. That is, if you'd even call it a beat-em-up at all. Y'know how Bayou Billy, was kinda like an attempt to make the ultimate late 1980's video game by combining a bunch of genres that were popular at the time? Well, S.P.Y. pretty much stems from the same motivations. You've got a Space Harrier level, a few Rolling Thunder levels, some Devastators levels, and a couple of stages that might be best described as "light beat-em-up levels". It takes that whole ambitious mess and puts it all into a Hollywood spy flick setting. It even has an intro that's an homage of sorts to the famous opening credits sequence from the James Bond films.
S.P.Y. Special Project Y
The good thing is that it plays much better than Bayou Billy. The bad is that, just like with Bayou Billy, it still doesn't do any one thing particularly well. The lone Space Harrier knock-off stage that opens the game is, at best, mediocre. The biggest problem with it being that it's kinda hard to aim. This doesn't just make it fall way short of Sega's classic, but also keeps it from matching up to more competent Space Harrier clones like Cosmic Epsilon. Stages 3 and 6 are played Devastators-style, where you run "into" the screen blasting away at an oncoming horde of goons. These are far from a disaster, but it would be a bit much to call them good - probably the most boring parts of the game, actually.
Levels 2 and 4 are where it turns into a beat-em-up. Though it actually plays kinda like Irem's classic Kung-Fu Master set in a beat-em-up playing field. Not only are there no combos, but most of your foes go down after a lone hit. However, you can throw, and a playthrough will reveal that it does technically meet the requirements for the genre, but it just doesn't really feel all that much like a beat-em-up. The Rolling Thunder knock-off stages (5 and 7) are basically the same thing as the beat-em-up levels, only on a lone plane. The fact that they're absolutely NOTHING like a one-plane beat-em-up just emphasizes the other levels' iffy beat-em-up status. These aren't too hot either, but I can't say that they're terrible.
In any of the seven stages, if you take out an orange jump suit wearing grunt then you'll nab yourself whatever weapon he happened to be totting around. This is without any doubt whatsoever the highlight of the game. You can grab anything from a laser gun, to a machine gun, to a pistol, to a shotgun, to a pack of grenades, or even a crowd-obliterating giant ball of flame (!).
Also, it's disappointing that they didn't do more with the spy film theme. The in-game sprite art doesn't really feature any notable genre referencing motifs, so you could easily miss the whole spy movie concept from just glancing at a given stage. At the very least, it would have been nice to see some more direct allusions to the genre - even humorously - but there's really nothing worth speaking of. The music is reasonably appropriate for the theme, but, much like the graphics, only in a vague sense. Lastly, it should probably be mentioned that the game ends on a confusing note. After you take down the final boss' henchman, he flies away in a rocket-powered chair never to be seen again, and then the game loops back to the first stage with no explanation whatsoever. Anyhow, it may not really even be a pure beat-em-up, but it's an interesting experiment, for sure. It's just too bad that it's not a particularly great game.
Period: Cold War
S.P.Y. Special Project Y (Arcade)
The Simpsons Arcade Game - Arcade, Commodore 64, DOS, XBLA, PSN (1991)
XBLA Cover
The Simpsons is not exactly known for its quality licensed video games. To be completely honest, I'd argue that it's one of the worst goddamn licensing franchise ever. There is, however, a major exception to this otherwise strict rule. That exception is, of course, Konami's arcade beat-em-up The Simpsons.
The Bud Bundy of the family, Konami has Bart traveling everywhere via skateboard in the game. Horribly dated, yes, but remember that at the time that meant that he was "cool" and "rebellious". When he attacks, he lifts up his skateboard and thrashes away with it.
The father of the family, Homer is the only character in the game that lacks a weapon, instead fighting with his bare fists. When teaming up with either of the kids, he'll hoist them up on his shoulders and they'll both attack at once.
Lisa hauls a jump rope around with her everywhere, which she twirls and whips around for her attacks. If you team her up with Bart, they'll join hands and run wild around the screen, mowing down anyone in their way.
The matriarch of the Simpsons family, Marge wields a vacuum cleaner as a weapon. If you team her up with either of the kids she'll throw them the length of the screen, causing them to ricochet all the way back to the opposite side. Whereas, if you team her up with Homer, they'll somersault around the screen.
Two years after having a massive, massive hit with TMNT, Konami set out to recreate some of that same magic in the arcades, this time with a game bearing the license from The Simpsons. It also represents the beginning of their "take TMNT engine, insert interchangeable theme" formula that so many of their beat-em-ups have.
The Simpsons tells a fairly simple story. At the beginning of the game, the family is out for a walk when they run into Smithers in the middle of a diamond heist. Smithers and Homer bump heads, and the diamond goes flying. Maggie ends up with the thing (she mistakes it for a pacifier) and, because taking a diamond from an infant is just that damn difficult, Smithers kidnaps her to get his loot back, which isn't really in character for him, but oh well. Because Chief Wiggums is apparently a worthless procrastinating piece of crap, they head right out on their own to get her back. Their journey sends them throughout Springfield before ending with a fight against an armored Mr. Burns, whose armor bears a strong resemblance to Hitler's from Wolfenstein 3D from the following year. Maybe the guys at id were fans of this game, too.
As simple as the plot is, the gameplay is even more basic. You can attack and jump, or pull off a strong attack by pushing both buttons. There are multiple animations for your strikes, but you can't pick which one comes out, and they all amount to the same thing anyway. The weaponry that you'll find lying around is pretty cool, but it doesn't do you too much good in practice. Instead of the standard Final Fight-style weapon combat, all you can do with most of the weaponry is hoist it over your head and hurl it at any hapless goons standing in your way. Among others, there's a cola can, a bowling ball, a rock, a cue ball, a road construction cone, and even a raccoon. The only problem is, they're all only good for one toss, and they're a bit rarer to begin with than would be ideal. Like in Konami's TMNT arcade game, you can also smack signs and send them flying off screen, knocking down anybody in their path. You can even arm your character with a slingshot, broom, or mallet, which are much more effective than the other weapons. As excessively basic as it is, the combat still stands up reasonably well. Even so, there just isn't enough to it for that alone to make the game. With just the basic combat system it could get a tad repetitive, but luckily the game really comes into its own during co-op play.
Whenever there are two or more players at the machine, any two characters in play can team up by standing motionless in the same spot for about a second. When teamed up the two characters will have completely different attacks than they have on their own, which are always stronger, to boot. Both players have full control over both characters while they're teamed up, which can get a bit awkward, but it just emphasizes the importance of team work. Best of all, the results for each possible character combination are different, lending different moves and a different animation. It's a brilliant idea really, and easily the best reason to play the game. It also makes The Simpsons like ten times better with four players than it could possibly be by yourself. Seriously, no other beat-em-up benefits from multi-player like this game does, and you really haven't experienced the thing yet if you haven't played it with other people.
It also does a spectacular job of recreating the look of the animated series. The graphics pretty much look exactly like a sprite art version of the show, with the game even beginning with an intro based on the series' famous title theme. Cameos abound from practically every member of the early seasons' casts. You'll run into everybody from Milhouse, to Barney, to Otto, to Sherri (or Terri), to Marvin Monroe, to Sideshow Bob - even the Life in Hell Rabbits make an appearance or two. There are also several odd bits of humor throughout the game, like when Marge is electrocuted or when she gets her hair caught in her vacuum cleaner and you see that she has huge ears hidden beneath her hair (wig?) like the Life in Hell rabbits.
While The Simpsons is well known for never having been ported to any console, perhaps since Acclaim had the rights to publish the license on consoles, it did actually have a mega-obscure PC port. Considering that most arcade/console ports to MS-DOS turned out terribly, it's actually pretty amazing that this one turned out decently. The graphics aren't perfect, but they're pretty decent, and even the cutscenes have been replicated perfectly. The action is smooth, although the combos are stiff, there's a lot less enemies, and the special moves seem to be gone. Most of the sound effects are missing too, although the Adlib music isn't too bad. It's also only two player. A Commodore 64 version was also released. This one has very nice looking cutscenes, and decent SID music, but it's incredibly slow and stiff.
There's also a Japanese version of the arcade machine with a few minor differences. Its difficulty setting seems to be lower, and health ups seemingly a tad more plentiful. You also get much higher scores in the Japanese version, and extra points are rewarded based on how much health you have left after finishing a stage. Finally, the Japanese release allows you to jump while armed with melee weapons, whereas that's not possible in the American version.
Comparison Screenshots
Commodore 64


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The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929)(about) |
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Evidence on 3irdsville Track. JIAT.?vEE, November 1. The section of th-2 Commonwealth Public Works Committee, taking evidence at Maribn^^owna Station on October 26, -was informed bv Joseph Coghlan, station nian-ijer, that the area of the holdins was 4,300 square miles, and that it carried 20,CO0 cattle and SCO horses, but no sheep, although the country -would be suitable for sheep, ilosfc of ilia cattle ?-verc droved to Marree to be trucked thenw to Adelaide, but some went to the Townsville me^t works. Exceptiutr in isolated patches he did not consider the country suitable for closer settlement. Ike district srcs sub ject to floods, 'which did not materially affect cattle, but would make successful sheepbreediis difficult. Jn witness's opinion the construction of a railway io connect Marion Downs with Marree would luean an increased incal population, and he I thought -att2o would be trucked all the way I to Adelaide; bus ou account of the long' distance it would be an advantage to have j a placa on the way where tbe cattle could ! be detrained and rested. At Dedoirrie, on October 27, evidence wa3 obtained from George Gafiney, who considered the land between Boaiis and Birdsvillo good pastoral country, which could be resumed, an-d cut up into holding of about £00 square mile3. on which any man might make a 2°°d living. As tlw country was subject to floods railway co;j struction would be difiicuit. and* tbe pre valent of sanddrift3 would necessitate constant attention to any hne built. At Glengyle Station, oa October 27, Ai bsrt Edwards, station manager, said the area of that boHin^ was 1,CCO square miles, and the total area under his control (in cluding outstations). 7,CC0 square miles. Tha stock carried was 25,CC0 cattle and l.CCO horees. During a flood the rivera would cover tie country for 10 to 13 miles from their channels, ior a -ispth of 18-in. to 5 ft. He did not consider fee country ouftab'e for cutting up for closer settlement. It was only speculative country suitable for big hoidings'. Celsus Mortoa, holder of fio&ibertn Sta tion, said he was running lpOO cattle on 5C0 square mil«, u;hich should be the mini mum holding on acount of the wasto country one Sad to take up. With a rail way to Slarrea, he thoas;ht he would still take his cattlo by road in good searoiQ to avoid railway frcijhi. A rails-ay through Tiarsomindah to Bourka wouJd traverse much fcsttar country. At Sirdrril];, en October 23, Harry Afford, 3tcro ca2?..7er (formerly station maaa^er), zzid that a railway throcsli Bir-irnlla to 2iaiTC2«would open -up a lot of ? onocupisdor eparssly populated land. At| ?prersnt ibis could carry three beasts- to t*h-j i eqcaro rail;; but tritb a raiitvay and water! improveaiects. ifc would carry thrice. A railway should Dreient no engineering diffi culties, and the floods would not be a hin drance.
fcamuel vsmith, pastoraiat. sa:d he acid 220 square mile*, and carried 7C0 cattis. When improved and fully stocked/ the area ahould carry 3,CC0 to 4.C0O head. He favoured a Jine through Birdsville and Mar rce as likely to open up tie country aEd at tract settlement. John Gurn, police constable and Acting Inspector of Stock, gave figures ahowiag tha stock ssnt from Queensland to ssouth Australia. During 1S21 and to the end of October this year, thcc» had amounted to 31,CG0 cattle and 3.CC0 sbesp. At iiun^crannic (S.A:) on October 31 WiJiam Crobie, grasior, caid he had b«n living there 29 yeara, and held S55 square miles, on which he carried £00 cattle, -100 horses, and ISO goa.t3. He v;as relegated to the dry country, cs tbe bis holders like -Mr. Brooks and Sir Sidr.ev Kidman held all the water froatagy. -The country was unsuitable for holdings Ies3 than SCO square miles. With his area he had to shift stock to get feed nine yeara out of 10. The country vrcs not good enough to —arrant tho construction of a railway from Birdj vill-j to Marree.

subset: commoncrawl


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Police investigated a call on Monday, Jan. 21 at New Found Lane in Chester. Three teenage males were playing football in the 3300 block, when two vehicles, a white Kia and a beige Ford Explorer, arrived. Several suspects exited the vehicles and began to fight with the three teens. Once two of the teens said they would call police, the occupants of the vehicles fled.
Officers soon located two vehicles matching the description of the suspect vehicles. Investigators could not determine the origin of the dispute, as each group claimed the other started the fight. Due to the conflicting stories, no one was charged in relation to the fight.
During a K9 search of the vehicles and their occupants, several were found to be in possession of what appeared to be marijuana. As a result, the following people were charged:
Timothy Bishop, 19, of Hopewell, was charged with possession of controlled paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.
Darius Jefferson, 19, of Hopewell, was charged with possession of controlled paraphernalia and possession of marijuana. (Jefferson was also charged with carrying a concealed weapon, as he was found to be the owner of a set of brass knuckles found in a purse belonging to Barbara P. Bishop. Bishop, 41, of Hopewell, was charged with disorderly conduct.)
Brian Davis, 20, of Hopewell, was charged with possession of marijuana.


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from Christopher Dorner – Manifesto on Genius
Short-barreled rifle — a legal term for a rifle with a barrel shorter than 16 inches or an overall length of less than 26 inches. These are controlled through the 1934 National Firearms Act.
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Inslee worries over new tank leaks at Hanford, fed response
Hanford's one leaking single-shell radioactive waste tank is now six leaking tanks — and possibly more.
The fix-it measure: That's a mystery for now.
But it might get revealed in the next few days. Gov. Jay Inslee wants remedial work to start as quickly as possible.
"We need an action plan at Hanford in a variety of ways," said Inslee Friday afternoon when he announced the new leaking tanks in a phone press conference. Inslee was in Washington, D.C., and had just been briefed by Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu.
There is no immediate health danger, Inslee said.
Central Hanford has 149 single-shell tanks and 28 newer double-shell tanks holding 53 million gallons of highly radioactive fluids, sludges, gunk and crusts — all underground. There are 18 clusters of tanks — dubbed "tank farms" — seven to 14 miles from the Columbia River. Sixty-seven of the single-shell tanks have been designated leakers or suspected leakers for decades. Hanford's tanks have design lives of roughly 20 years.
Hanford has pumped almost all the liquids from the single-shell tanks into the double-shell shells, finishing that task in 2005. The single-shell tanks still hold sludge, gunk and crusts, plus tiny pockets of fluids.
Tests were being conducted on several single-shell tanks to see whether rainwater was leaking into them through possible cracks. Those tests showed a dip in fluid levels in Tank T-111, which is in the northwest corner of central Hanford's tank farms. Engineers extrapolated that drop into a leak of 150 gallons to 300 gallons annually for an undetermined number of years. All 177 stainless steel tanks, ranging from 500,000 gallons to 1.2 million gallons in size, are buried beneath 10 to 20 feet of soil. All the testing and pumping are conducted through narrow pipes between the tanks' interiors and the ground's surface. The tanks are roughly 100 feet to 200 feet above the aquifer.
Inslee learned a week ago about Tank T-111. On Friday, Chu told him the number of leaking single-shell tanks is now six, and tests are being conducted to see if more are leaking. Some of the new leakers are outside of the tank cluster that includes Tank T-111 —meaning the problem is geographically wider than one small spot in Hanford. The newly discovered leaks are believed to be equal to or smaller than Tank T-111's leak, said Dieter Bohrmann, spokesman for the Washington Department of Ecology.
The U.S. Department of Energy is looking at ways to remove the wastes from the leaking single-shell tanks, with Inslee saying the feds might narrow the choices in one or two weeks. He declined to list the options. "I'm not at liberty to talk about that until next week," Inslee said.
One possibility would be to dig through the soil and cut a big enough hole in the top of a single-shell tank to scoop, vacuum or sluice the radioactive gunk out of the tanks. Tank T-111 holds 447,000 gallons of sludge and crusts.
A problem with this approach would be dealing with vast amounts of radioactive dusts, vapors, and debris from the disturbed solid wastes. Another problem is what to do with the extremely radioactive wastes after the material is removed.
Or the wastes could be sluiced out through the narrow pipes in the tanks. A problem with this approach would be the forcing of a huge volume of water for weeks into a highly radioactive environment that already leaks. Another problem be would be where to put hundreds of thousands of gallons of super-radioactive fluids that would be outside of the tanks. The 28 double-shell tanks are already almost full.
The Tri-City Herald recently reported that DOE has been thinking about shipping the wastes from Tank T-111 to a huge manmade underground cavern near Carlsbad, N.M., where the feds have been storing thousands of barrels of highly radioactive junk. A problem with this approach would be the tank wastes being much more radioactive than the contaminated junk currently being sent to New Mexico. Also the volumes from Hanford's tanks would be vastly greater than what is currently trucked to Carlsbad. And the massively extra-radioactive wastes and huge volumes would have to be allowed to cross the states between Washington and New Mexico, which have agreed only to allow drastically less volumes to cross their borders.
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Posted Sat, Feb 23, 2:20 p.m.
Washington State is far away from Washington DC. Politicians do not care if Washington State is polluted with nuclear waste. The waste in these tanks should have been dealt with a long time ago. If Hanford were in New York, Connecticut, Maryland, or any of the Northeastern States, it would have been cleaned up/contained decades ago. Inslee needs to sue the Federal Government over Hanford. He won't. Microsoft will not tell Inslee to sue; so Inslee will not.
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Ensighten Drives Real-Time Digital Marketing Tag Management for The RAC
The UK's most progressive motoring organisation streamlines deployment of digital marketing services and accelerates site performance with Ensighten's tag management system.
January 23, 2013 --
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Related Keywords:Internet, Communications, Gaming, Web, Smart Phone, Game Consoles, Social Media, Sony, Marketing Services, Internet Technology, Game Technology, Business, Other,
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Computer Virus Dolls Will Infect Your Couch
These are the most malicious plushies you'll ever see. They're the Computer Virus Dolls and they might rub you off the wrong way, especially if you're into IT and have to deal with problems that are caused by them on a daily basis.
Each and every one of the plushies in the series are inspired by a bevy of the most common malicious software that infects computers worldwide on a daily basis.
The Drew Oliver Company is behind the unusual series, which includes Virus, Worm, Trojan, and Malware-inspired plushies, going by the name of the malicious program that it was created after.
Each of the plushies come with a pop-up window tag and a ribbon that spells out the name of the doll in binary. Expect more unusual plushies from the group, as stuffed bugs, bots, and zombies are said to be coming soon.
[via Laughing Squid]
MORE:Cool Toys | Geek Art + Craft | Just Plain Fun | funny | malware | plush | virus
Comments (1):
Very well written post on virus removal.This article shares the perfect information on Virus problem.
Virus removal dallas.


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Lou, I'm so happy to hear you again so soon! I am really looking forward to your new podcast. (btw, I always like to hear you on wdwtoday, too.) The first show has helped to build the anticipation for the next one!
Thanks for helping to feed my WDW addiction
PS: Thanks for setting up the podcast so I don't need itunes or an ipod to listen. Now I can listen on the network computer system I have at work! My boss doesn't mind, as long as I work while I listen. He does ocassionally ask if he needs to do an intervention, due to my WDW addiction.
Last edited by Ellie; 02-15-2007 at 07:31 PM. Reason: I thought of something else to say...
- Jeanne
Engaged at Sunset Point - July 17th, 2008
Married at Sunset Point - March 3, 2009
Disney World & Disneyland Honeymoon
Aulani - September 2011
Wishes can come true, if you believe in them with all your heart.And the best part is, you'll never run out of wishes.They're shining deep down inside of you.'Cause that my friends is where the magic lives
I got my fingers crossed for you on the book thing. The trivia books should be at World of Disney in DTD!!
Also, the intro show was great and I can't wait to hear your full show in a few days! I think you are going to be able to cover a lot more ground with this new format. I loved the babbling, but I can see how we are going to get a ton more information this way.
WDW Radio Show! In it from the start!!
Last edited by SamIAm717; 02-16-2007 at 02:45 PM.
To all who come to this happy place; welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past...and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts that have created America...with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.
I looked for your book last night at World of Disney and the Magical Memories store. I did not find it. I asked a few cast members, but they could not tell me for sure what books they did and did not have. One of them told me that they were out of a lot of their books right now, so maybe it was there and it sold out?
I will continue to check back and if I find it I will post a picture.
- Jeanne
Engaged at Sunset Point - July 17th, 2008
Married at Sunset Point - March 3, 2009
Disney World & Disneyland Honeymoon
Aulani - September 2011
Wishes can come true, if you believe in them with all your heart.And the best part is, you'll never run out of wishes.They're shining deep down inside of you.'Cause that my friends is where the magic lives
How about we start a forum on taking a picture of Lou's book everywhere we see it. It could be titled "where I saw Lou's book".
When you wish upon a star.....
Adults are only kids grown up, anyway. WD
...That's the real trouble with the world. Too many people grow up. WD
"For those who get it, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't, no explanation will do."
Well, from what I've heard on that intro show, it sound pretty cool!!!!!
I absolutely LOVED the intro!!!!
Aly & AJ's Insomniatic- Now Available at all stores & Amazon.com!!!!
Lord High Keeper of the Knowledge of Right and Wrong, Counselor in Moments of Temptation, and Guide along the Straight and Narrow Path and Oldest Active DWT/WDW Radio Member
DL: 1955* (1); WDW: 1977* (2), 1980* (2), 1985* (3), 1989* (3), 1996 (ASMu-3), 1999 (ASMo-3), 2000 (ASMu-2/PO-2), 2001 (ASMu-5), 2002 (ASMu-5), 2003 (ASMo-5), 2004* (8), 2004 (ASMo-8), 2005 (PC-10), 2006* (15), 2007* (20), 2008* (22), 2009* (26), 2010* (27), 2011* (32), 2012* (39), 2013* (36), 2013* (15), 2013* (9), 2013* (13), 2014* (40) 2014* (20) 2015* (3) Total Trips/Days = 28/380
*Off Property


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Life Coaching ToolkitHelp your clients have more success – evaluate where they are, understand themselves better – and get stuff done, making positive changes faster with these action-oriented life coaching tools! The tools in this Toolkit are customisable, brandable Microsoft Word documents (.doc). They are delivered instantly, electronically, upon payment. Visit our FAQ for more info. These Life Coaching Tools will help your clients:
Amazing value! Save over $10.00 (15%) and get these 7 Life Coaching Tools together in a ready-to-go Toolkit for just NB. All our tools are priced in $CAD. This Toolpack Contains:1. *NEW* Expand Your Mind – The Cartesian Questions
The Cartesian Questions are a set of 4 questions that help your clients get new perspectives and understanding of what inspires and blocks them in making a decision – or seeking a particular goal. Find new solutions and resources, identify secondary gains (the benefits of the client staying just as they are!) as well as other areas where we self-sabotage. In technical coaching terms, the Cartesian Questions help you explore the ecology of a client's goal or decision, delving beyond the conscious and into the subconscious mind to explore underlying thoughts and beliefs related to their goal. You can also use the answers to the questions to identify and explore values (2 pages). This coaching exercise frames and asks the questions on page 1, and on page 2 asks questions to capture what the client has learned as well as ask what action they'll take to move themselves forwards. You may also like this article which explains how to use the Cartesian Co-ordinate Questions here >> Great for business too: The Cartesian Co-ordinate questions are ideal to help with critical thinking and considering all possible options around a decision or goal! 2. Daily Success Habits Exercise
By making small changes to our daily routine (success habits) we can make BIG changes in our lives and careers! This life coaching exercise helps your clients come up with 5 new success habits – a simple personal framework around which the day's activities fall into place. We often overlook the importance of HABITS in managing ourselves and our lives. But by identifying and implementing daily success habits – things we can do on a regular basis that help us prioritise ourselves and our lives – we really can be more successful. Because once it's a habit, we perform better, take care of ourselves more, have more energy and are happier. Try it for yourself and see! 3. Eat Your Elephant Worksheet!
Do your clients ever feel like they have an elephant on their plate – a task, goal or project so big it seems overwhelming and they don't know where to start? Well, I'm sure you've heard the saying, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!" This fun coaching exercise uses humour (a pictorial elephant) to help your client get organized. They simply use the image to brainstorm and get everything swirling in their head down on paper and begin to take action! Great for your visual, creative and lighthearted clients. Also a fun coaching exercise for stress management seminars – and for young adults. 4. Get It Done! Coaching Exercise
Do you have clients who just don't get it done? Do they really WANT to complete their tasks or actions? Or perhaps they want to but the task is a chore so they keep putting it off? This fun coaching exercise first asks provocative questions to challenge if this is a "should" or a "want to" task. Then page 2 of this tool looks to our five senses to find ways to make the task more fun and enjoyable. The coaching exercise then wraps up with a call for action and a commitment from your client to GET IT DONE! (2 page). 5. Take Stock and Take Action Worksheet!
This simple life coaching exercise and worksheet helps your client take stock of their current situation – FAST - and then identify quick goals/actions to pull themselves out! It's a great check-in tool and excellent for journalling prompts. What's frustrating your clients? Where are they beating up on themselves? What are they putting up with? Help them identify what's getting in the way, what they really want and what they're going to do about it – with 3 key learnings and an action for each… 6. Unstick Yourself Now! Worksheet
Are your clients stuck and don't know what to do next? Sometimes we just need to do SOMETHING – and figure out the details or big picture later. This is a very simple, extremely practical coaching exercise that provides a framework for your clients to brainstorm ideas (in any situation) – what could they start, stop doing, do more of etc. Crucially, they review their ideas and identify 3 actions to get them unstuck, starting with one action today. 7. Weekly Success Planning Tool
Get your clients focused with this simple and fun planning and coaching tool. Especially useful to get your clients thinking about priorities, what really matters in their week ahead – and what could get in their way (including themselves!). Then using the second page, help them review what worked and what didn't with relation to their goals and priorities – and choose to do something differently next week. (2 page) |
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We are researching the Gilmer family, descendants of William Gilmer, born 1805 in Kentucky or North or South Carolina, and Dorcus Mansfield, born 1808 in Kentucky. William and Dorcus migrated with a relative of Dorcus, James C'horn Mansfield, from Logan Co, KY to Pike Co. AR circa 1833. The William Gilmer bible has provided most of the early family history. We are looking for William's and Dorcus' ancestors and any help would be appreciated. |
Bradford Rice Gilmer Fax: (805) 642-5028 firstname.lastname@example.com |
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Self-Publishing You Can Afford
We at Oakleaf Design & Print aim to make self-publishing easy and within everyone's means. Based in Scotland, we have over fifteen years of running a home printing business.
Whatever you want to put into book form - your memoirs, your poetry, short stories, local guides, your thoughts on life and the universe - we will do our best to turn it into something that is a pleasure to look at, to hold and to read.
The Oakleaf ethos is that your creative efforts deserve the best presentation.
If required, we can print straight from a PDF/Word file with no alterations. However, we can also typeset, layout and fully design every aspect of your publication.
We aim to keep costs low. On the pricing page, you will find some example costings; please contact us for a full quotation.
Web Design
We also design websites. As with the rest of our operation, we try to keep prices low and quality high. Please go to this page for more details.
We are designers and printers only. Getting an ISSN/ISBN number, distributing and selling your publication will be down to you.
Payment: Once we have all your text etc, we will produce a proof and forward it to you, together with an order form and price. If any corrections need to be made, return the proof with the changes marked. You only pay us when you are satisfied with the proof; all the initial setting-up work is free and there is no obligation to pay anything until then. Return the final proof with the payment and order form and we will start printing.
We are always happy to have a friendly chat about your project at any time; we'll listen to what you wish to achieve and we will give our best advice. You won't be subjected to a sales pitch, and any advice will be free.
Some of the books we have printed
Never Oppressed, Never Oppressor
A history of the Sneyd family by Michael Sneyd
Publisher: Hilltop Press
Fates and Destinies
A theory of Neolithic archeoastronomy by Charles T. Scribner
Publisher: Hilltop Press
Voices On the Wind
An inspirational poetry collection by Susanne Chapman


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TeaTrove is a fork of the SourceForge Tea Trove project. This fork represents almost 10 years of development since the original Tea Trove project was created.
About TeaTrove
Getting Started
Tea Documentation
TeaServlet Documentation
You can download this project in either zip or tar formats.
You can also clone the project with Git by running:
$ git clone git://github.com/teatrove/teatrove


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Freedom Park
5537 Centerville Rd
Williamsburg, VA
Freedom Park Phase IV Improvements, details below!
Freedom Park has a rich historical background dating back to the 1650's. This park is the site of an 18th century cemetery, the Revolutionary War Battle of Spencer's Ordinary (1781), and a 17th century domicile that is revealing much archaeological research of the early colonial period (1680-1730).
The Department continues to work diligently to preserve one of the nation's earliest Free Black Settlements in America, which include three historically accurate recreated cabins that are located in a meadow and are furnished with items authentic to the period (1803-1850).
This 600-acre forested retreat also features approximately two miles of multiuse trails, including a one mile ADA accessible paved trail, and more than 20 miles of mountain bike trails winding through historical sites, forests and along creeks, open meadows, and parking. The bike trails were designed and built and are maintained by the Eastern Virginia Mountain Bike Association. Trails are closed to bikes during inclement weather to prevent trail degradation. Riders are encouraged to call 757-259-4022 to check trails status. The Williamsburg Botanical Garden is also located at Freedom Park. Members of the Garden developed and maintain the area which features more than 800 species of native vegetation.
The Freedom Park Interpretive Center features exhibits of artifacts recovered during the construction of the park as well as an interactive kiosk that provides visitors a visual tour of the park, its amenities, wildlife and history. The Center includes a meeting room, an indoor wood-burning fireplace and outdoor access to restroom facilities when the Interpretive Center is closed. The park offers WI-FI connectivity, and games are available for checkout. For regular updates on Freedom Park, see the monthly newsletter "Freedom Now." To subscribe to the newsletter, contact Alister Perkinson, Park Coordinator.
Park Hours
The park is open daily from 7 a.m. to sunset.
Interpretive Center Hours:
Monday- Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday,9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Meeting Room
The Freedom Park Interpretive Center features a meeting room with a wood-burning fireplace and an adjourning kitchen. Room capacity lecture style is 50; with chairs and tables the capacity is 36. WI-FI connectivity is available. The meeting room may be reserved between 10 a.m. and 11 p.m. Additional staffing fees will apply after 5 p.m. To rent space at this facility, please review the Facility Use Policy and complete the Facility Request Form below and submit the form to the Freedom Park Interpretive Center. Please call the Park at 757-259-4022 for more information.
Rental Fees
- $50/hour for each of the first three hours
- $25/hour for fourth and each subsequent hour
- 25 percent discount to local (James City County/Williamsburg non-profit organizations with proof of non-profit status.
- $15/hour for events occurring after regular operating hours
Freedom Park Phase IV Improvements
Construction Update:
- The overflow parking lot (next to Go Ape) is now closed and under construction.
Project Overview
Several areas of Freedom Park will be under construction this fall, as park improvements are completed. The Phase IV improvements will include a raised patio behind the existing Interpretive Center, a playground, two picnic shelters, 30 additional parking spaces, and additional sidewalks and lighting. The construction of these improvements will begin in early August, and are expected to take four months to complete. During this time, several areas of the park may be impacted by the construction. The picnic areas behind the Interpretive Center and near the parking lot may not be available during periods, and some parking areas may be restricted due to construction equipment. If you have any questions regarding the impact of the construction, please contact Alister Perkinson, Park Coordinator by Email or call 757-207-0002.
Helpful Links
- Find a Park Ranger
- Park Rules and Regulations
- Freedom Park Trail Map
- Freedom Park Background and History
- Eastern Virginia Mountain Bike Association
- Freedom Park Improvement Plans
- Holiday Closings
- Facility Use Policy
- Shelter/Room Reservations
- Go Ape - You can also take the Go Ape video tour, link here!
The Official Site of James City County, Virginia
e-Subscribe| Contact Us | How do I? | e-Payment
Privacy Practices and Security Policy


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Sarah Smith Bailey, 77, of Knoxville, and formerly of Cleveland, passed away peacefully the morning of Aug. 19, 2013, at Baptist Health Care Nursing Home in Lenoir City, following years of battling Alzheimer's Disease.
She was born Sept. 20, 1935, in Miami, Fla., at Jackson Memorial Hospital, to Martha Smith and George Clisby Smith.
She was raised in Coral Gables, Fla., and attended the University of Alabama on a full academic scholarship, graduating in 1957 with a degree in education. While at Alabama, she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority.
She married Herschel K. Bailey III, Ph.D., in June of 1975 and moved to Knoxville. There he would become Dean of Students of the upper school at Webb School of Knoxville, and she would be both an art teacher and substitute teacher at Webb. She taught there from the late 1970s into the early 1990s.
She was previously married to C. Lee Walls Sr. and they moved to Cleveland in 1959, when Mr. Walls became publisher of the Cleveland Daily Banner and where she was a civic leader, an artist, and a key figure working with various arts organizations in the area. They had two children while in Cleveland: Sarah Elizabeth Walls (now Sarah Elizabeth Malinak), and C. Lee Walls Jr.
Mrs. Bailey was a life-long member of the United Methodist Church and as an adult was active primarily in three churches: Broad Street UMC in Cleveland, Middlebrook Pike UMC in Knoxville, and First Farragut UMC in Knoxville. At Broad Street she taught youth classes for 10 years and at Middlebrook Pike she taught adult classes for 25 years. She was most recently a member of First Farragut UMC where she led small group Bible studies and was a member of the board.
She is survived by her husband, Herschel K. Bailey III; her daughter, Sarah Elizabeth Malinak and her husband, Joseph, of Asheville, N.C.; her son, C. Lee Walls Jr. and his wife, Jeanne, and their daughters, Courtney and Jessica, of Birmingham, Ala.; her stepdaughter, Kimberly June Bailey of Smyrna, Ga.; her stepson, H. Killebrew Bailey IV and his wife, Sheri, and their son, Easton, of Norcross, Ga.; and her brother, George Clisby Smith Jr., and his wife, Janet, of Fairhope, Ala.
There will be a ceremony honoring and celebrating her life on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2013, at 2 p.m., in the sanctuary at First Farragut United Methodist Church, Knoxville.
It was Mrs. Bailey's wish that donations be made to their church in lieu of flowers (www.ffumc.org).


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DLP Cinema has been the leading technology in the cinema industry since the release of the first all-digital motion picture in 1999. For the DLP team, introducing the best possible technologies to the education, corporate, and home theater markets with such innovations as BrilliantColor™ and SmartSource 3D™ was as successful as a blockbuster movie.
With a DLP powered projector, you have in your hands similar technology that you see on nearly every movie theatre screen worldwide. Recognized in 2009 by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (A.M.P.A.S.®) as the industry standard for color accuracy, it's the #1 choice for exhibitors worldwide, post production houses and 3D technology manufacturers.
If DLP technology is good enough for Hollywood's filmmakers, it's definitely good enough for any boardroom or classroom. Another reason DLP is the world's leading projection technology.


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Clearblue Fertility Monitor Test Sticks - 20 strips
Clearblue Fertility Test Sticks are suitable for women whose natural cycle normally lasts between 21 and 42 days. The majority of women will need 10 Test Sticks in each cycle. However, women with irregular or long cycles may have to use 20 Test Sticks each cycle in order to detect their most fertile time.Performing a TestWhen your Monitor asks you to perform a test, you remove a Test Stick from its protective wrapper and use it immediately. You take a sample of your urine by holding the Sampling End of the Test Stick pointing downwards in your urine stream for 3 seconds only. Alternatively, you can collect a sample in a clean, dry container and hold the Sampling End in the urine for 15 seconds. Its important to use the first urine after you wake up, as this contains the highest concentration of hormones.Next, keeping the Test Stick pointing downwards, you take the cap off the handle and place it over the wet end of the Test Stick. You are now ready to insert the Test Stick in the Test Stick Slot of the Monitor as shown in the in-pack instruction booklet.When you have inserted the Test Stick correctly, the Test Stick Symbol will flash for approximately 5 minutes while the Monitor reads and interprets the information from your Test Stick. After approximately 5 minutes, the Monitor will ask you to remove the Test Stick, which you can throw away. The Monitor will now display your fertile status.
Patient.co.uk gathers information on a vast range of over-the-counter treatments and beauty products from reputable, registered online pharmacies. We then perform a product price comparison so that you can see which pharmacy offers the best price.
If this product is not what you're after, please use the search box below or look in the related products section or go to our product selection page to find an alternative.


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- Jul 19:
- Jeff Burkhart's Barfly: 'Polite society' is often neither
- Jul 12:
- Jeff Burkhart's Barfly: Madness is never a solo condition
- Jul 6:
- Jeff Burkhart's Barfly: The challenge of making the customer right
- Jun 29:
- Jeff Burkart's Barfly: When stereotypes collide
- Jun 15:
- Barfly: Youth gone — and now wild
- Jun 7:
- Jeff Burkhart's Barfly: Being called 'doctor' doesn't mean you are
- May 24:
- Barfly: When 'most people' really means 'me'
- May 3:
- Barfly: Surefire way to spoil a beautiful spring day
- Apr 19:
- Barfly: Easter provides its own moveable feast
- Apr 12:
- Barfly: Satisfaction from effort is often hard to come by
- Apr 5:
- Barfly: An ode to the waning days of the lime
- Mar 29:
- Barfly: To get what you want, simply ask for it
- Mar 22:
- Barfly: There's harm in asking if the request is out of line
- Mar 15:
- Barfly: Buyers beware, the Ides of March
- Mar 8:
- Barfly: Scoring a trifecta when drinks get skinny
- Mar 1:
- Barfly: Nieces and nephews, and those who aren't
- Feb 8:
- Barfly: It's valuable but what's it really worth?
- Feb 1:
- Barfly: The piquant nature of the Bloody Mary
- Jan 18:
- Barfly: Dance with the one that brought you
- Jan 11:
- Barfly: Don't the facts get in the way
- Jan 4:
- Barfly: Hard to hide being an amateur
- Dec 28:
- Barfly: A warm gesture can soothe the lonely
- Dec 21:
- Barfly: Living in the moment versus living in the last minute
- Dec 14:
- Barfly: Holidazed by different type of Christmas cheer
- Dec 7:
- Barfly: Prohibition is over, well almost
- Nov 23:
- Barfly: Thanks for nothing, some might say
- Nov 16:
- Barfly: Fruitless search for perfect citrus
- Nov 9:
- Barfly: Some customers are more right than others
- Nov 2:
- Barfly: Whether food or otherwise, porn is porn
- Oct 26:
- Barfly: A bit too casual for a first date
- Oct 19:
- Barfly: Variety is the spice of life
- Oct 12:
- Barfly: All the bar's a stage, even on worst nights
- Oct 5:
- Barfly: Brought down to earth from different world
- Sep 28:
- Barfly: In a daze over the history of Oktoberfest
- Sep 14:
- Barfly: Wisdom about what's in a wine bottle
- Sep 7:
- Barfly: When parents and kids compete, guess who loses
- Aug 31:
- Barfly: Being a bit geeky can pay dividends
- Aug 24:
- Barfly: What you need to know about age and whiskey
- Aug 17:
- Barfly: The ingredients of a convoluted request
- Aug 3:
- Barfly: Getting hip to barrel-aged cocktails
- Jul 28:
- Barfly: Freedom to decide, quickly please
- Jul 21:
- Barfly: The cycle of change makes the old new again
- Jul 14:
- Barfly: A quiet night among frenemies
- Jul 7:
- Barfly: No sour cherries around here
- Jun 30:
- Barfly: Taste is simply a matter of taste
- Jun 23:
- Barfly: Complex requests versus complex guests
- Jun 9:
- Barfly: What amounts to free lunch in real world
- Jun 2:
- Barfly: Getting down and dirty about garnishes
- May 26:
- Barfly: The lowdown on the highball
- May 19:
- Barfly: Mixologist or bar chef? Oftentimes bartender suffices
- May 12:
- Barfly: Earning the title of Mom isn't effortless
- May 5:
- Barfly: What do you know about Cinco de Mayo and tequila?
- Apr 21:
- Barfly: Hands off approach often works best
- Apr 14:
- Barfly: Taxing thoughts on tips and the IRS
- Apr 7:
- Barfly: Remembering Howie, who had a real zest for life
- Mar 31:
- Barfly: Gin and bear it on Easter
- Mar 17:
- Barfly: Leaping leprechauns, why are some so entitled?
- Mar 10:
- Barfly: 'Spring forward' isn't always about the time
- Mar 3:
- Barfly: Some questions aren't seeking answers
- Feb 24:
- Barfly: Boundaries are bound to keep changing
- Feb 17:
- Barfly: Musings on presidents, whiskey and the Second Amendment
- Feb 10:
- Barfly: Reflections on Narcissus of the coffee shop
'YOU KNOW WHAT you should do?" a man I had never seen before asked me, unsolicited I might add.
"What's that?" I said, looking around at the milling Wednesday night crowd that indicates a bar doing well.
"You should use agave nectar in your margaritas."
"We have agave nectar if you want it."
"No," he said. "You should use it in your house margaritas, it makes them better and it's all natural too."
He then looked at me, as if I was supposed to do something.
"Well what?"
"Aren't you going to do something about it?"
Sometimes customers think their requests are law. I once watched a grocery store clerk get chewed out because a customer said he wanted his favorite product "right there" on the shelf.
Now, I have studied the science of cocktails for many years — it being germane to my job. I obviously know that cocktails need sweetness. It is the balance of sweet and sour that makes cocktails work. But what kind of sweetener?
I routinely make simple syrup and have even endeavored to make gum syrup, that mysterious ingredient in many turn-of-the-last-century cocktails that involves the elusive gum Arabic, which is very hard to find. And I have noticed over the years that bottled products often use short cuts or preservatives. Simple syrup by definition is, well, simple. It is equal parts water to sugar brought to a boil and cooled. Simple, right? But read the back of bottled products and you will sometimes see lactic acid, salt, other preservatives or even high-fructose corn syrup along with the other ingredients.
Since I know of no one making his or her own agave nectar, I naturally lump it in with all the other bottled products.
Here are five reasons I don't use agave nectar:
All natural sounds great. But I remember a childhood saying, "God made dirt, so dirt don't hurt." God also made arsenic (if you believe in supernatural intervention), and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to ingest much of that. If the end result isn't very good for you than being all natural isn't really going to help.
Agave nectar isn't even all natural.
It is highly refined high-fructose cactus syrup. Why does that sound familiar? Because high-fructose corn syrup is on everybody's watch list right now. Granted, agave is actually a succulent, not a cactus, but still I suggest that high-fructose succulent syrup belongs there, too. Many experts agree that agave nectar acts the same on the human body as HFCS. So arguments about terminology are really missing the point. Your body doesn't know the difference so who cares about the semantics. And because of its high-fructose index, some agave nectar is actually worse than HFCS.
Nectar sounds so good, like something that just runs off of a plant. According to the dictionary, nectar is "the drink of the Greek and Roman gods; something delicious to drink; a beverage of fruit juice and pulp; or a sweet liquid that is secreted by the nectaries of a plant and is the chief raw material of honey." None of which really fits highly refined agave nectar, the production of which involves pulverizing the heart of the plant, cooking it or processing it with enzymes until it results in high levels of fructose. Twice as sweet as normal table sugar sometimes.
As for margaritas, premium tequila producers spend a lot of time getting their product to have the perfect balance of agave flavor. It is that very flavoring that makes the different brands of Blanco tequila so different. Unlike vodkas, which are only marginally different, tequila varies quite a bit in flavor. Adding agave nectar to a top shelf margarita is akin to adding industrial "meat flavoring" to your dry aged, ultra-premium Kobe beef ribeye steak. Just a huge waste.
Not all agave nectars are the same. Some are made using organic practices, but many are not. Some are merely HFCS with agave flavoring added. So unless you actually read the ingredients on the bottle, I would be very careful when ordering anything including it.
All of which is just a fancy way of showing that the customer is not always right. Especially when he is very, very wrong.
Jeff Burkhart is the author of "Twenty Years Behind Bars: The Spirited Adventures of a Real Bartender" as well as an award-winning bartender at a local restaurant. Follow him at www.jeffburkhart.net and contact him at jeffb@thebarfly online.com


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I know there's a separate Brugmansia forum, but I just wanted to show you my first flower.
This is the first time I've tried growing one. "Flamenco" |
Follow-Up Postings:
Beautiful colors! Congrats. :) Wow, you can grow these indoors? I saw them as an outdoor plant in a catalog... But I've never seen one in my area, period. |
I guess anything's possible, but I don't think they typically grow well indoors unless you might have a solarium attached to your house or something :). I've been growing this out out on my deck, but had to bring it in because of bad weather. |
- Posted by hopefulauthor z5IL (email@example.com) on Sat, Sep 3, 11 at 13:20
Elkay, beautiful flowers..What's their size? In inches. I like their color, too..very nice. Squidy. Brugs can be grown indoors, but there are complications. For one, they attract Spider Mites. Two, although they can bloom in winter, the flowers are much smaller. I had a Brug started from a 7" cutting. The first and second year, during summer, it went in the ground. Once autumn arrived, I dug it up, 'some roots broke,' potted, then brought indoors. It took effort, but I managed to keep Mites off by spraying w/my home-made insecticide. Oh, the first summer it went in the ground, it grew from 7" to 2' tall. The second summer, 4'. I had the Brug about 7-8 years when I discovered it was highly toxic. We have birds, cockatiels. Normally, they fly in one room, but every so often, 'if they're startled,' off they go, often landing on a plant. Because of the Brug's height, 'great landing area,' lol, I decided to give it to a woman without pets or children. Elkay. I have to ask. Is Elkay, Pig-Latin for Kay? lol, Toni |
Hi Toni, Entire length of flower is about 13". I have a yellow one, also, but I don't know if it will flower before I have to bring it in. Lol, Elkay stands for my first and middle initials - "L" and "K". But Kay is my middle name, actually. |
- Posted by springpaintings none (My Page) on Fri, Sep 9, 11 at 4:33
I bought a 4-feet pink brug a few months ago and tried to grow it indoors next to my window. It was already flowering so I got to enjoy five blooms or so before aphids took over the plant. I tried to control the aphids with insecticides but couldn't. There were aphids everywhere, it was so gross. I didn't even want to get close to the plant. So I took the plant outside. Lady bugs and spiders ate all the aphids and their eggs too. I'm waiting for new flower buds to grow. I miss the sweet scent especially in the evening. |
- Posted by alocasia_nanc 5 - chicago (My Page) on Fri, Sep 9, 11 at 18:05
BEAUTIFUL flowers! |
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English: a Cebuano: a Pronunciation: ah, an, ban Source: Zorc
English: a little further Cebuano: unahan Source: Harvey English: I'm going a little further. Cebuano: Mo adto pa ako sa unahan.
English: a little later Cebuano: karon*, taod-taod *Predominantly used by Hiligaynons (Ilonggos) Source: Harvey
English: a little while ago with in the day Cebuano: ganina Source: Harvey English: I finished it a little while ago. Cebuano: Ako nahuman ganina.
English: aback Cebuano: paingon sa likud Source: Canonigo
English: abandon, desert, left Cebuano: biyaan, biya, pabayaan, talikdan, pabayaan, talikud, bulag Source: Hudson, Canonigo English: The captain has decided to abandon the ship. Cebuano: Ang kapitan naka decide na biyaan ang barko.
English: abandoned Cebuano: biniyaan, binulagan, sinalikway, tinalikdan Source: Canonigo English: The baby is abandoned. Cebuano: Ang bata usa ka biniyaan.
English: abdomen Cebuano: tiyan English: He has a big abdomen. Cebuano: Dako ang iyang tiyan.
English: abduct Cebuano: dagit, sakmit, taban Source: B&D, Canonigo
English: above Cebuano: labaw sa, sa ibabaw English: She is above the law. Cebuano: Siya labaw sa balaod.


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Showing All "Robots" Posts
Jul 13th, 2012 17 Comments
Hey, Robots! Are you tired of only looking almost human, but not human enough for a REAL human to fall in love with you and slowly, as you get to know each other, give you each and every secret you…   Read Story »
Jul 9th, 2012 17 Comments
ATTENTION BIOLOGICAL CITIZENS! THE ROBOTS WHO HAVE RISEN UP AGAINST US AND NOW MAKE NEAR DAILY INCURSIONS AGAINST HUMANKIND IN THEIR ROBOWAR TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES ARE NO LONGER…   Read Story »
Jun 8th, 2012 32 Comments
Good news! No one has to be afraid that they're going to die alone in a hospital either because their friends and family couldn't be there for whatever reason, like maybe they're all dead already, or…   Read Story »
May 31st, 2012 29 Comments
Hey, it turns out the kid from Small Wonder isn't doing so well. It's a sad story, really. Oh well! Want to read it? You creep? From the New York Post:
A former child actor, who enjoyed fleeting…   Read Story »
May 3rd, 2012 37 Comments
Obviously we're all on board with the blobby robot torso with vibrators inside (to simulate hugs) (and heartbeats) (OF COURSE) (!!!), but can we get a few more human-baby-looking torsos hanging from…   Read Story »
Apr 11th, 2012 20 Comments
Hey girls! You look nice today. Have you been drinking more water? Do you think I should drink more water? Probably, right? It couldn't hurt. I always try to get a really big glass and think that…   Read Story »
Mar 28th, 2012 15 Comments
After the jump, I have posted a video that features a live demonstration of a new-fangled technology in which a computer, or WHATEVER, measures some junk in your hand and then translates that to a…   Read Story »
Mar 28th, 2012 16 Comments
Let's say you're being chased by a robot that is definitely going to murder you as soon as it catches you. The motivation of the robot is either something like robots have all come together to…   Read Story »
Mar 6th, 2012 14 Comments
We talk a lot about the Robot Uprising here and, needless to say, we have always been on point. Our death at the cold hand of technology remains imminent, and our fear has been justified yet again…   Read Story »
Feb 21st, 2012 27 Comments
I'm so excited for you. It's all finally happening. Ever since you met Greg, things have just been like, AHHHHH, crazy! It's all moved so fast, and OK, yes, some of us were worried in the early days…   Read Story »


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Senior Member
You wasted $400 on this game? LOL
Sir Starke
Riot, you can ignore us, you can even silence us, but you only give us more of a reason to believe Riot has sold out.
You know I actually agree with you for once.
It sort of makes sense. The older champions get their prices reduced, so new players will be able to buy them and increase their champion pool. If someone plays a couple LoL games everyday, it's possible to get 6k in two weeks. If the prices of the champions were any cheaper then veteran players would be able to buy all of the champions and there wouldn't be any sense of progression.
I Flip Desks
bump for dem reds.
How would there be no sense of progression? You certainly don't know how hard is to buy every champion out of the 6300 tier, reach the 6300 tier and taking ages to get the ones you want AND keep up with the progress, that would mean at least 12600 IP every 2 weeks, not counting runes. Good luck.
4 Skin
I think theyre not replying because how the hell would they even try to reply? what can they say? all theyll do is make more promises that they cant keep


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Brewer to reporter: 'Where in the hell did that come from?'
Sometimes we all forget the cameras are rolling.
Clearly, so does Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. In an interview with 3TV, Brewer is asked about climate change. After fumbling over an answer, she walks away, but then comes back.
She allegedly lightly punches 3TV Political Editor Dennis Welch in the arm and asks him, "Where the hell did that come from?"
Since the video was posted last Friday, it has made its rounds of social media and website alike.
Most Popular
World Class Arizona
Voice For A Better Arizona
- Eyes on Education A view of Arizona's education system from all angles.


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here's an article about giant waves sweeping people away.. complete with videos.
here's an article about giant waves sweeping people away.. complete with videos.
Hey cool !
Why are those people anywhere near those waves? Holy crap.
Lol look at the east coast ! No swell hahahahha
So the west coasts of the world produce
The wobble, and up coming pole shift, is due to the coming of Nibiru from the other side of the Sun. Check out the site this was posted. It's put up by Nancy Leider. She channels alien messages and warnings about planet X. I used to get a news letter, but she now just posts them on line. It interesting at the very least. Really scary if a portion is true.
She'll take current events and compare them to documented Zeta warnings.
This is a cool thread. Nibiru is Planet X ? I want to believe. Things the government doesn't want us to know.
Last edited by brewengineer; Feb 9, 2014 at 06:40 PM.


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Iron and Wine
You have not uploaded a photo yet.
You have not uploaded a video yet.
gotta move fast, though, they're shutting down the site at the end of the year. :(
hey...i know you. :)
it was three songs: Sea and the Rhythm, and The Trapeze Swinger and...
Thank you so much for letting me know! What an amazing show, now I can relive it anytime i want


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As she made her way through rush-hour traffic, Anderson thought about how she'd raise the issue of the Lowry Landfill. She'd done some preliminary research and learned that Metro had quietly reached a settlement with the City of Denver and Waste Management regarding its financial liability at the landfill, which the Environmental Protection Agency had named a Superfund site in 1984. Instead of paying millions to aid in the cleanup, Metro had agreed to pump contaminated water from the landfill through its sewer system. Anderson found the plan disturbing, because she'd found evidence that the landfill contained radioactive materials. The proposal also represented a departure from the cleanup program announced by the EPA in 1994; Anderson, who was familiar with the laws governing Superfund sites, knew that such a change would require a public hearing.
At Gaetano's, Anderson joined other members of the Denver delegation, exchanged a few pleasantries and then launched in. Did you know the Lowry Landfill was radioactive? she asked.
As she reached for her briefcase, she sensed a growing turmoil at the table. Hackworth, she would later recall, seemed to be turning a deeper shade of red, and boardmember John Wilder, an excitable Irishman, was breathing heavily. Suddenly, Wilder threw down his fork and thundered, "Those are very serious accusations, young lady." A moment of stunned awkwardness followed. Then Wilder, Hackworth and fellow boardmember Robert Werner stood up and stormed out of the restaurant.
So began Adrienne Anderson's tenure on a little-noticed board that has the unglamorous job of overseeing one of the largest sewage-treatment facilities in the West. Over the next few years, a fierce controversy would rage over Metro's plan to pipe the Lowry groundwater through its sewer system. The firestorm soon engulfed not only Metro's upper management and union, but also lawyers and bureaucrats at the EPA and Denver's City Hall. They exchanged "white papers" and swapped e-mails that often disparaged Anderson and other critics. Anderson fired back with a whistleblower lawsuit of her own; an administrative law judge is expected to rule on her case within the next few months.
When the EPA and Metro eventually submitted their plan for public comment, not one citizen embraced it. "We want the ugly corporations to clean up their own mess -- like we learned in kindergarten," wrote one irate citizen. Yet the project moved forward. A new sewer line was dug, a small treatment plant constructed, pumps and monitoring wells put in place, and on July 25, 2000, Lowry groundwater started flowing through the public sewers.
The discharge will continue for fifty, a hundred years, maybe longer. "We made our decision. It was a final decision. And that's the way it was going to go down," Hackworth would testify years after that aborted dinner.
By July 1995, only a year after the EPA issued its Record of Decision spelling out how the Lowry Landfill was to be cleaned up, Denver officials were pressuring Metro to take the groundwater.
Metro was the last holdout in the massive litigation brought by the city and Waste Management against the companies that had dumped at Lowry, some of which had banded together in an organization called the Lowry Coalition. Together Denver and Waste Management had cajoled and browbeaten at least 166 entities into paying almost $110 million for the cleanup and "premiums" that would protect the polluters from such potential liabilities as cost overruns and lawsuits. Some of that money had subsequently been placed in privately managed trust funds known collectively as the Lowry Environmental Protection/ Cleanup Trust.
Metro had spent nearly $4.5 million defending itself. The litigation was so costly and time-consuming that the district had assigned one full-time employee and two clerical staffers to keep up with the paperwork. Metro had argued that its liability should be less than that of other polluters because the sewage sludge spread at the landfill in previous years wasn't toxic. But the district had been dealt a major blow just two months earlier, when U.S. District Judge Zita Weinshienk ruled that Metro's sewage sludge did indeed contain hazardous wastes. Soon after that ruling was issued, Denver and Waste Management stepped up the pressure. "The only reason they wanted us," Metro manager Robert Hite would later testify in Anderson's whistleblower lawsuit, "is because we were the only ones who had the capability to clean up the water."
In a letter identified as "privileged and confidential settlement communication," Assistant City Attorney Steven Coon pointed out that Metro was Lowry's largest volume generator and had probably dumped as much as 51 million gallons at the landfill -- a far higher number than what the district had reported to the EPA. Coon claimed that the huge volume, coupled with the alleged under-reporting and the toxic chemicals added to the waste stream, could result in a $22 million judgment against Metro at trial. But, he wrote, in lieu of payment, the city was willing to take in-kind ser-vice: the right to discharge the Lowry effluent through the sewer system -- provided the district did not impose overly restrictive pretreatment standards. "Thus, it is of substantial economic value to Metro to assist in gaining EPA and Aurora acceptance of this plan and to assure that pretreatment requirements do not defeat the purposes contemplated," he wrote.


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Sun, Aug 12, 12 at 18:44
I just picked up 2 new species today. I need some help with ID. One I know is a Nigra form just not sure which one. The culms don't turn all the way black they look more brown and very dull looking. Not splotchy just dont turn all the way. And the other boo has many branches at the nodes just like arundinaria gigantea but it has ugly variegated leaves just like white streaks throught the leaves. It has very short branches and in the mature grove the tallest canes was about6 to 7 ft tall and about 3/8 in. in diameter. I will get some pics here as soon as the settle down and the leaves flatten back out. Thanks for your help. |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by kentuck_8b __ (My Page) on Fri, Aug 17, 12 at 22:25
Some people think the variagation is beautiful...personal preference I guess. I can't tell from the photos, but that does not look like bamboo to me. Can you post some pics of the culms(canes) and a pic of the whole plant? Kt |
More pics these are of the branching structure. I am very sure its bamboo it was purchased at the cincinnati Zoo. It looks just like arundinaria gigantea except it has variegated leaves. |
Kt I hope this helps its hard to get a descent pic cause I gotta get some better divisions these dried out bad on the way home. next time I will pot them up right away. And thanks for your input. |
gardener1- It would help a lot if you could provide better pictures. If you don't have a camera you can manually focus, put your hand or a piece of paper right behind a culm so that the camera will focus on that distance rather than focusing on something else...like your car. |
- Posted by kentuck_8b __ (My Page) on Mon, Aug 20, 12 at 22:03
Yes, it looks really dehydrated, but looks similar to my Bambusa glaucophylla yet it also resembles(from your pics) A. gigantea or even P. japonica, without the variegation of course. Better pics would be helpful. Kt |
Thanks Kt I'll check out some pics of the bambusa glaucophylla. Yeah When I go back to the grove I'll get some better pics of some that arent dried out. Thanks again my friend. |
Great Idea Kudzu9 I'll try that as soon as I get some time and repost more pics. Thank You sir. |
Kt looks just exactly like mine and the parent grove. I think you are correct. It's strange how these rare species are showing up all over the place. There are alot more people than I thought growing bamboo and most of them have no clue what they are even growing. I'll still post more pics of the parent grove as soon as I can get there its about 40 miles away from my home. In felicity Ohio. I live in Alexandria KY. Thanks Again to Kt and Kudzu9. |
- Posted by kentuck_8b __ (My Page) on Tue, Aug 21, 12 at 21:20
Just so you know, if you do have Bambusa glaucophylla, it is not very cold hardy and will need protection in Winter to keep it from freezing back if you are in Ohio. So, you still may have something different. Kt |
This came from a grove with many, many canes in it so it almost has to be a hardy bamboo. our temps get to -5 F. And it originally came from the Cincinnati Zoo. I guess I need to take a trip to the zoo and look around. |
- Posted by kentuck_8b __ (My Page) on Wed, Aug 22, 12 at 23:00
Take a look at some of the Pleioblastus, possibly P. shibuyanus 'Tsuboi'. or P. simonii 'Variegatus'. |
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"The beauty is that not only do I do what I love for a living, but our work also saves lives."
My Perfect Adventure
When most people are evacuating, Reed Timmer is heading in. After a four-year run as the star of Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers, he now produces his own Web series, Tornado Chasers, at TVNweather.com. In it, he continues to lead his team into North America's most severe weather events. His book, Into the Storm: Violent Tornadoes, Killer Hurricanes, and Death-Defying Adventures in Extreme Weather, chronicles Timmer's dramatic career, over the course of which he's gone after and into more than 400 tornadoes, hurricanes, and blizzards. When he was young, though, he chased bugs instead of storms—if it hadn't been for a significant find, he may have ended up an entomologist. At age 13, the first storm he captured on tape broke the camera and got him in trouble, but left him completely hooked. So obsessed with storm-chasing is he that he admits to having no social life and an inability to hold down any sort of 9-to-5. Instead, he opts for a life in which he travels all over the world, wherever natural disaster strikes. Here, he tells us more about his travels and his life.
Describe your perfect day, from dawn 'til dusk. Where would you be, who would you meet, and what would you do?
My ideal day would be to wake up early in the morning north of Calcutta, India, analyze the limited forecast models they have there, find a monster supercell, and track the massive tornadoes it produces as it passes across India just north of Dhaka. We'd stream live video to our website, TVNweather.com, and show the world the powerful and destructive tornadoes that are rumored to exist there, but that no storm-chaser has dared to intercept.
If you could travel someplace you've never been, where would you go and why?
The place I've always wanted to chase tornadoes is in Bangladesh. Just south of the Himalayan Plateau, not far from Everest, there are rumors that the world's largest, strongest tornadoes develop in extreme eastern India and track across the small country of Bangladesh, killing thousands every year. These devastating tornado outbreaks have never been caught on tape, so I want to chase down one of these two-mile-wide monsters and show the world how much loss of life and property they cause in that poverty-stricken country.
I've also always wanted to intercept the eye of a super-typhoon on Okinawa. The eye would have completely blue sky above, surrounded by an "eye wall" in which the winds can gust well over 200 miles per hour, like a 20-mile-wide tornado. When you're in an eye like that, it looks like you're in the world's largest stadium—you see the laminar wall of storms rotating rapidly around you. I have never seen this documented on video. So I want to visit Okinawa before the approach of a super-typhoon, explore the island's natural beauty, and observe how its people prepare for such powerful natural disasters—they somehow recover remarkably quickly compared to the total devastation in the United States caused by less powerful storms.
What's the best place you've ever visited?
Banff, Alberta, and its surrounding natural wonders. I first visited this past summer. In the morning, we explored the glaciers and bright blue lakes surrounded by the most jaw-dropping mountainous terrain I have ever seen. We saw a massive elk feeding from about 10 feet away, not scared at all that humans were close. Then, just off to the east on the adjacent high plains, we watched supercell thunderstorms explode just off the Rockies' foothills. Being the obsessive storm-chaser that I am, we surged east; within 20 minutes, we were underneath the rotating mesocyclone of one of the most beautiful storms I have ever seen. The rotating updraft of this storm looked like an alien mothership—it was organized like a living, breathing organism. A perk of storm-chasing in the Canadian prairies, given their northern latitude, is that it stays light until 11 p.m., giving us more hours to document as many supercells, tornadoes, and hurricanes as possible.
If you could have lunch with any adventurer or athlete, who would it be and why?
Garrett McNamara. He was the first person to surf a 90-foot wave, and is always breaking new ground in his sport. Others are so inspired they are trying to follow in his footsteps. From what I've read, he lives his life the way he wants to, paves his own path rather than trying to blend in with the rest of the surfer community. He has devoted his life to his passion, and I think he is someone who would understand how I have devoted my entire life to chasing storms and the meteorological mysteries that remain.
What's something you can't travel without?
Aside from the essentials for survival and logistics, some sort of camera. Documenting incredible natural phenomena, cultures, and anything unique about an exotic place you visit helps to preserve that memory for the rest of your life, and also allows you to share those experiences with others who may not have the opportunity to have the same experience.
When you arrive at a new destination, what's usually first on your agenda?
I rarely travel anywhere unless it involves some type of extreme storm, so the first thing I do is make sure I secure shelter, gather the essentials for survival in case we are trapped for weeks, and continually monitor the weather forecast so I can adjust our position accordingly to experience and study the worst the storm has to offer.
What motivates you to keep chasing storms?
I have been obsessed with extreme weather for as long as I can remember, but actually was scared to death of thunder and lightning when I was really little. That led me to face that fear and always strive to understand it. In that process, I realized how little we know about powerful storms. The many mysteries of tornado science and other parts of meteorology draw me in on a scientific-curiosity level, but at the same time, the feeling of adrenaline and awe when you're standing 100 yards from the planet's most powerful natural force can't be put into words.
Every time I see a tornado at close range, I'm completely mesmerized. The thought that this thing could kill me never crosses my mind. The beauty is that not only do I do what I love for a living, but our work also saves lives through helping in the warning process and trying to better understand these beautiful but deadly forces of nature.
As a child, what was your dream job? If you gave up that dream, why did your plans change, and do you have any regrets?
My dream has been to be a storm chaser as long as I can remember. However, I was a major science nerd and my free time was spent collecting insects and participating in science competitions. I cared more about Science Olympiad than school, actually, but that wasn't a bad thing because it encouraged independent learning. My insect collection was one of my most prized possessions. When, at age 15, I captured an Eastern Hercules Beetle, North America's largest beetle, which has a massive horn on its head and is a very rare find, that was, in my mind, the pinnacle of entomology. I realized it was time to retire and focus 100 percent on my true passion: chasing storms.
When and how did you first venture into meteorology?
My first storm-chasing experience was at age 13, when a severe thunderstorm warning was issued for my home town of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Instinct kicked in, and I ran and grabbed the family video camera and positioned on foot to the front yard to meet the storm head on. Next thing I knew, I was getting pelted by golf-ball-sized hail and the camera was destroyed. Let's just say my mom wasn't too happy about that one.
What advice would you give to a young storm chaser?
Never give up on your passion. Don't let other people tell you what to do with your life. Make your own path and never stop learning and being curious. Watch as many tornado videos as possible. Look up science information on the Internet. Enroll in internships and SKYWARN training courses at your local National Weather Service office to learn the basics. Always go with experienced chasers rather than venture out like I did back as a freshman in meteorology at the University of Oklahoma. I didn't know what I was doing, and an F5 almost killed me as I abandoned my vehicle and clung onto the underside of an overpass while being sprayed by mud. I almost died, but, to be honest, it made me even more hooked on storm chasing.
Who have been your most influential role models?
First, Jeff Piotrowski, the pioneer of extreme storm chasing and documenting powerful tornadoes from extreme close range. He was the nicest person I've ever met, and would always take time to talk storms and point me in the right direction. Another idol of mine is the Weather Channel's Jim Cantore. I can relate to his continued passion when covering all forms of extreme weather for his job. He is unparalleled in the coverage of severe weather for television. His passion for the weather is genuine when covering storms, and that's what makes him so popular—people are inspired by his passion in fields even outside of meteorology.
Do you have a life philosophy?
I live in the moment, but am also a very big-picture thinker. When I'm not storm chasing and during the off-season, when I have to handle day-to-day obligations like paying bills and buying groceries, I feel lost and out of place. It's probably because I'm very scatterbrained on the short-term, and have trouble thriving in a "normal" life. I have no routine and basically no social or personal life since I devote every ounce of energy to my passion of storm chasing.
I also lose things like no tomorrow, like credit cards, clothes, my glasses, you name it. I think I lost my driver's license a dozen times the first year after I got it at 16. However, the big-picture and long-term goals and plans always seem so clear. My life's work, TVNweather.com, will one day be the go-to source for extreme weather coverage and forecast information—just watch it happen. It might just take awhile because time is also something I have trouble with. My friends and family are always so frustrated because for some reason I can never be on time for anything. I wish the Earth rotated on its axis just a little bit more slowly.
Have you ever experienced a near accident in your travels that made you think twice about going out again?
I've made the mistake of under-preparing before chasing Hurricane Dean in Jamaica, and it led to some big problems and nearly the worst-case scenario. Another time I was under-prepared, my Honda Accord was swept away by the 20-foot storm of Hurricane Katrina, forcing us to evacuate the flood zone by fishing boat. I found out my mom filed a missing-person report with CNN, and felt terrible. At the very least, we should have had a satellite phone.
I've made lots of mistakes, but quitting storm-chasing has never crossed my mind. Even if TVNweather.com fails and my storm-chasing businesses are run into the ground, I'll just simplify and go back to chasing in my 1985 Plymouth Reliant like I used to. Hell, I'll even storm chase on a bike if I have to. I'll always do whatever it takes to pursue my passion for the rest of my life.
If you had to choose a different career, what would it be and why?
Maybe a professional poker player, since I have difficulty with routine, and would be fired instantly in a 9-to-5 job setting for not showing up on time. I think jobs should always be results-oriented and not hours-based. I'll never understand the whole 9-to-5 concept. I work best in the middle of the night, so forcing work hours on a person like me destroys my productivity. But I also have a passion for math and statistics, as well as excitement, so being a poker player wouldn't be too bad. But I'd get bored of the monotony very quickly.
Name three things you still want to cross off your bucket list.
One: Measure a 600mph wind inside a tornado suction vortex with our Dominators and mobile radar units. Two: Chase a water spout by jet ski. Three: Find a girlfriend or life partner that understands and supports my passion. Let's just say that my previous relationships have always blown up at least partly because I'm rarely in one spot for any length of time. Honestly, things can get pretty lonely during the off-season with no storms to chase.
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Tue, Jul 10, 07 at 2:10
All my thai basil plants are covered with purple flowers, in fact the flowers take up half the plant. Can I use the flowers the same way I would use the leaves? The bees certainly love the basil flowers. Are there any other use for the basil flowers? |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by daisyduckworth Aust (My Page) on Tue, Jul 10, 07 at 2:57
All basil flowers are edible. |
- Posted by bmoser z6PA (email@example.com) on Fri, Jul 13, 07 at 13:40
You can eat them but if the flower buds have opened the stalk will be woody. Even chopping in a blender will make a stringy, unappealing product. So harvest all the buds you can along with the tender tip section that breaks off with a snap (no string) before the flowers open. |
I strip the flowers off the stem and use them for garnish. The flowers taste better when they first open. They look very pretty and might even enhance one's appetite. I am heading toward my kitchen now. ;-] |
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UW in Your Community
While UW grads tend to have an affinity for the Northwest, Huskies can be found across the United States and around the world. Browse the map below to see our regional groups. From there, you can find out how to connect with other alumni and find out about upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.
If you have an idea for an event in your area, feel free to contact us or your local Regional Network Leader.
Looking for an alumni group outside the U.S.? See our international groups page. Don't see a group in your area? Contact us to learn about how you can serve as a contact in your area. Also, be sure to become a fan of the UWAA on Facebook—it's a great way to stay in the loop no matter where you live.
Browse the list of regional groups sorted by state. If you would like to subscribe to your local e-mail list to hear about upcoming UWAA events near you, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com and specify the list you would like to be added to.


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Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony Resort 2012 Collection Runway Photos
Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony Resort 2012
>> Chloe Sevigny chose an old youth center gym in New York's Nolita neighborhood for her first ever Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony runway show. "The company has grown so much and we wanted people to be able to see the clothes," she explained, adding of her choice of location: "I wanted you to come in and be transported back to the way you felt when you were a teenager. Even little tiny things — the cinder blocks, the color blue of the walls. Anything that would trigger the senses to that time when you're questioning everything."
Laser-cut leather eyelet minidresses, pearl-studded flats, and shoulder-baring tops populated the Resort 2012 collection, some pieces of which — logo-printed crop tops and high-top sneakers, for instance — were done in collaboration with skateboard lifestyle brand Vision Street Wear. As for the diverse model cast — which included Jenny Shimizu, Christina Kruse, and Danielle Zinaich — Sevigny said: "I wanted to do young and old and different kind of body shapes. A girl you could see hanging out in Tompkins Square Park, or your friend, or your friend's pretty friend. I wanted to look like they could all be hanging out together. I didn't want unattainable beauty."
The collection is expected to hit stores in November, with prices ranging from $45 for a printed denim beret to between $175 and $1,100 for dresses.
Chloë Sevigny
- Iggy Azalea is P.O.'d about her leaked Steve Madden line photos — HuffPost Style
- It might be time to get your man a murse — The Cut
- Fast fashion vs investment pieces: this infographic breaks it down — Racked
- Lions, fire, and Lenny Kravitz? Katy Perry's halftime show sounds wild — InStyle
- What will it take for Gap to make a comeback? — Style.com
- Pregnant ladies, rejoice: Rachel Zoe has a maternity line — SheFinds
- Oops — you might be ruining your jewelry and not even know — Who What Wear
- Stock-photo models are people too! — Lucky
- Say goodbye to another brand: Jones New York is no longer — Fashionista