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Still haven't played any of the Mass Effect games? Then perhaps you'll want to think about purchasing the Mass Effect Trilogy Compilation.
EA announced the package just a few minutes ago. It includes all three Mass Effect games in one box.
Mass Effect Trilogy Compilation launches on the Xbox 360 and PC on November 6. It's coming to the PlayStation 3 "at a later date."
Take a look at the official announcement below.
BioWare Delivers the Ultimate Value This Holiday Season With the Mass Effect Trilogy Compilation
Get all Three Critically-Acclaimed Mass Effect Games for One Low Price this Holiday and Join BioWare in Celebrating Commander Shepard on November 7th for "N7 Day"
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Winner of over 300 awards. Recipient of over 200 perfect scores. A universe that has expanded beyond games to comics, novels, apparel, collectibles, action figures and more. The Mass Effect franchise has become one of the most heralded series in video game history. BioWare, a division of Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA), today unveiled the Mass Effect Trilogy, a compilation of all three award-winning Mass Effect games in one box. Available in stores beginning November 6, 2012 for only $59.99, the Mass Effect Trilogy is the perfect holiday gift for longtime fans or friends who have yet to experience Commander Shepard's epic journey to save the galaxy.
Coinciding with the launch of Mass Effect Trilogy, BioWare will kick off the first annual "N7 Day," a worldwide celebration of the Mass Effect franchise on November 7, 2012. Stay tuned to http://MassEffect.com for updates and announcements for a variety of in-game, online and live events which fans can congregate and fly their N7 colors.
The Mass Effect trilogy follows the rise of Commander Shepard from Alliance Marine to becoming the galaxy's most elite soldier – the only soldier who can lead an all-out galactic war against an ancient alien race known as the Reapers. Heart-pounding action meets gripping interactive storytelling as players decide how their unique story unfolds over all three games. With a team of loyal soldiers at their side, each player decides how they will save the galaxy, from the weapons and abilities they utilize to the relationships they forge or break.
The Mass Effect Trilogy will be available on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC on November 6, and will be available at a later date for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. Mass Effect, the game which started it all, will be available on PlayStation 3 for the first time through the Mass Effect Trilogy and digitally as a standalone title via the PlayStation Network. For more information about Mass Effect Trilogy, please visit the game's official web site at http://MassEffect.com. Fans can also receive more Mass Effect updates and "N7 Day" news on Twitter at http://twitter.com/masseffect, or on Facebook at http://facebook.com/masseffect.
ME1 finally coming to PS3


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Washburn University is searching for the 2012 Honorary Family of the Year. Each year a family is selected based on dedication, loyalty, support and contributions to Washburn University, members of family who attended Washburn and involvement as students and alumni.
To nominate your family for family of the year, visit Washburn.edu/family-day or stop by the student life office, in room 104, Morgan Hall; student activities and Greek life office or the Washburn Student Government Association office, both located on the lower level, Memorial Union. Applications are due to the student life office, room 104, Morgan Hall, before 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20.
The 2012 Honorary Family will be announced at a special presentation during the Washburn vs. Southwest Baptist University football game on Washburn's Family Day, Sept. 29.
The Honorary Family will receive, pre-game picnic tickets, game tickets, a commemorative plaque, Ichabod Store gift certificate and a framed color photo from the special presentation.
Student life office, 785-670-2100
Amanda Hughes, university relations, 785-670-2153

subset: commoncrawl


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Mar 30, 2006
New Information on the FLL version of NXT
The Education NXT blog has posted some good information regarding the NXT Education version and the FLL version that will be for sale. Check it out here.
7 comments:
- Koshdukai Yordarth said...
"[...] These [converter] cables may also be used to connect the updated light and touch sensors that come with the FLL Robot Set 'Mindstorms NXT' to an RCX intelligent brick. [...]"
So the converter cable works both ways, converting old motors and sensors to be used with NXT as well as some new sensors to be used with the old RCX.
hmmm... interesting.
oh, btw, I found something new (to me at least) about the NXT screen: Check this "old" episode of DigitalLifeTV CES Special. To see the NXT segment, jump to 00:57:03
That's something I've never seen before: The NXT screen has a heart blinking, so this gives me some hope about the screen control with the standard software.
...on the other hand, it could be only a basic feature, like loading at the start of the program a static or optionally blinking bit-mapped image with no individual x,y pixel control of the screen.
Maybe both are possible... only time will tell ;)
- Mar 30, 2006, 7:07:00 PM
- Jim Kelly said...
Yeah, I posted about that video a while back, but I never noticed the heart.
All I can say is "Good catch" and "You won't be disappointed."
Thanks, Koshdukai.
- Mar 30, 2006, 9:59:00 PM
- Koshdukai Yordarth said...
oh, you did ? Oh well, and I thought I saw every mentioned video, eh :)
Well, not being disappointed is always a good thing, so thanks ;)
- Mar 30, 2006, 10:58:00 PM
- Jim Kelly said...
Yeah, I remember letting it run for almost an entire hour to watch that little bit... but I guess at the time it was worth it...
- Mar 30, 2006, 11:27:00 PM
Look at the robot you placed next to this item.
it has a 9 volt light at the sensor location... => thus it must use the converter cable. I wonder if it is in the set or not ?
- Mar 31, 2006, 3:30:00 AM
- Jim Kelly said...
That image was taken from the Mindstorms Education NXT site... the bots that can be built from the Ed version do differ slightly... many of the photos show bots that are in the Education NXT curriculum that will also differ from the retail version.
- Mar 31, 2006, 3:34:00 AM
- peter hoh said...
I've been wondering about the $30 difference between the Education NXT and the FLL NXT. From the site mentioned in this post, I gather that the FLL NXT includes software ($42) and an education resource set ($59).
So it seems that for the extra $30, you get $101 in stuff. However, you do need to pay your FLL registration fees in order to qualify for the FLL NXT.
I'm still unclear if there will be a retail version of the NXT that will be yet different than the Education NXT.
- Apr 3, 2006, 3:42:00 AM


text:
The Constitution: A Love Story
When the 112th House of Representatives opened this past January with a reading of the United States Constitution, the intended political message was clear—the Republican Party was back to rescue the Constitution.
Less clear was what Constitution Republicans were vowing to save. The version they ordered read was, in fact, stripped of language the leadership considered "superseded by amendment," even though those measures are still in the text. Some are embarrassing. The provisions protecting slavery, for example, call into question the infallibility of the Founding Fathers. Since one of the standard conservative talking points is that the "original intent" of the framers is an infallible guide to wisdom, the fallible parts were better left unmentioned.
As a matter of fact, the new majority was more eager to amend the Constitution than to read it. The reading of the censored Constitution actually took place on the second day of the House session. The leadership found time on the first day to introduce H.J. Res. 1, the latest and most radical iteration of the "balanced budget amendment," which would make it all but impossible for any future Congress to raise taxes—thus gutting one of the central aims for which the Founders in Philadelphia wrote the document.
This story illustrates the paradox of right-wing "constitutionalism" in the 21st century: On the one hand, it proclaims its patriotic devotion to the document against unpatriotic progressives who want to "destroy" it. On the other, it is faintly embarrassed by what the framers wrote and openly contemptuous of what they achieved.
This strange double discourse became louder after the 2010 election, as conservative lawmakers in Virginia proposed an amendment permitting state legislatures to repeal federal statutes. It progressed to an eager call by right-wing academics for a constitutional convention to purify the Constitution of federal power. It bottomed out when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell explained that a balanced-budget amendment is needed because the people can't be trusted: "The Constitution must be amended to keep the government in check. We have tried persuasion. We have tried negotiations. We have tried elections. Nothing has worked."
Doublethink will probably dominate the airwaves for the next year. Republican "constitutionalists" are to constitutional law what Hannibal Lecter is to surgery. Consider Rick Perry, the current presidential front-runner and a self-styled constitutional authority. In his book, Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America from Washington, he warns us that "since the dawn of the so-called Progressive movement over a century ago, liberals have used every tool at their disposal … to wage a gradual war on the Constitution."
Rick Perry is here to save it. How? Well, first he wants to make sure that people stop reading the part that gives Congress the power "to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States," and with that, convince us there's no warrant for federal spending for "health care, education, transportation, and countless other domestic programs"—including Social Security. Next in urgency is repealing the 16th Amendment (income tax) and the 17th Amendment (popular election of senators), which don't belong in the Constitution because they were put there by the people "in a fit of populist rage." Then, Perry has since made clear, we need the federal Marriage Amendment, to make sure that the "limited government" in Washington can regulate our intimate relations; next, perhaps, an amendment permitting Congress to overrule the Supreme Court; and, finally, "clarifying amendments" explaining that the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment don't mean what they seem to say about separation of church and state, protection from execution without due process, the right to vote, or equal protection of the laws.
In short, Perry, like many of today's "constitutionalists," loves the Constitution to death. It is ingenuous, however, that Perry admits that amendment may be necessary; conservatives of the Ron Paul/Michele Bachmann stripe insist that the Constitution already contains Christian-libertarianism hidden between the lines in a da Vinci–coded "original intent."
These figures represent a movement that wants to change our form of government, making it radically less democratic and producing an enfeebled "night-watchman state." They want to do this either by rewriting our charter or, more likely, by proclaiming that it has always contained this toxic mix of the Articles of Confederation, Ayn Rand gibberish, and fairy-tale history.
Given this challenge, one would think that progressives would flock to the banner of the Constitution. This is a fight we can win, after all; last I checked, the Constitution was reasonably popular. We have to be willing to fight the battle, though. Needless to say, President Obama has not uttered a full-throated refutation of the right's claims, but few figures on the progressive side of the spectrum have, either.
That's where our own double consciousness kicks in. Earlier this year, I published an essay challenging the right's assault on the Constitution. "Ordinary Americans love the Constitution at least as much as far-right ideologues," I wrote. "It's time to take it back." Sanford Levinson of the University of Texas, the unchallenged doyen of constitutional law, immediately responded. The current Constitution, he wrote, is basically bantha fodder—undemocratic, unwieldy, and irredeemably tainted by slavery—and needs to be replaced. "I very definitely do not love the Constitution, and I don't think that anyone else should either, except those who benefit from the status quo," he wrote. "Otherwise, we're all like deluded spouses who accept being battered as simply part of what the trials and tribulations of marriage/politics are all about."
Are those of us who still admire the best features of our constitutional history, and hope for a better future, like battered spouses? Family metaphors can never be precise. They are not, in fact, even political in the way the debate over health care or the makeup of the Senate is. They are powerful because they touch our deepest joys and sorrows. The pain and injustice of family life—no matter how happy the family—are the true headwaters of political passion. To Levinson, the Constitution is an intimate abuser; no wonder he wants to close the door on it forever.
In the family constellation I carry in my heart, the Constitution is not and never has been abusive. It is neither an idol nor a love object to whose flaws I am blind. At times it is like my Uncle George, who used to give me a quarter after church, tousle my hair, and tell me to run along. Other times it is like Uncle Jack, who was pretty much all right until he had two drinks and began singing the VMI fight song. At times it is more like my Cousin Bill, who claimed to be a Costa Rican colonel, sometimes wore a lightning-striped toupee, and put his pet chipmunk down Cousin Chicky's bridal gown at the wedding reception. At times it surely has retarded political goals I think should have been won, blunting social change that might improve the lives of those I love.
That is not all the Constitution has done for me. It is not even the most important thing. For I believe the Constitution saved, if not my life, at least its promise and the promise of the lives of those among whom I grew up. In a moment of great need, the Constitution—belatedly, even reluctantly, but nonetheless decisively—came to my rescue. As a result, I have my own passions about the Constitution. It may be a strange parent, but it is not an abusive one.
My story is not unique to me. It is the story of one region and two races that, not long ago, lived in a place where the Constitution did not apply. This was once vivid in the public mind, seared in place by televised images of dogs biting helpless women and fire hoses knocking down children. It is fading. Some who witnessed it have died; others have forgotten; and some have always stood ready to deny the depth of the evil that was overcome and the scope of the victory that was won.
"I just don't remember it as being that bad," Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour recently said about segregation. Haley Barbour and I are of the same generation, and, like him, I was a designated beneficiary of the segregated system. I remember it vividly.
Understand what segregation was: a radical new system locked in place between 1890 and 1912 to contain the forces of democracy and separate the South from the rest of the nation. It was not an antiquated vestige of the old slave South—something Southerners just forgot to clean up after the Civil War—but a modern, thoroughgoing racial dictatorship as oppressive as South African apartheid.
The separate drinking fountains and restrooms, while horrible, were the least of that system's effects. The heart of the system was not enforced separation of the races but systematic, violent subordination of one to the other. Black citizens in the South were excluded from public life; they were denied the vote; they held no offices; they were given only limited access to the courts; they were economically exploited by whites under the color of law. Official violence maintained white supremacy, and if that failed, extralegal violence was also waiting—and law enforcement often made no effort to stop violence and even murder when it was directed against black people.
The system oppressed both black and white—not equally, but it oppressed both nonetheless. I grew up in a genteel part of a relatively civilized state of the Old South, but even so, the threat of racial violence was always in the air. We didn't talk about it much, but all of us, black and white, knew it was there. No one, white or black, was allowed to question the "system"; those who did ran enormous risks. Dissent—white or black—could mean social ostracism, economic ruin, or physical danger. As in any dictatorship, the education I received at my segregated school was systematically shaped to reinforce the official racist ideology. Public officials, government sources, and the local news media ceaselessly repeated the official propaganda message, which was (as my hometown editor, James J. Kilpatrick, wrote in 1962), "From the dawn of civilization to the middle of the twentieth century, the Negro race, as a race, has contributed no more than a few grains of sand to the enduring monuments of mankind."
Few people or institutions defied the system; some worked around it to inject some humanity into daily life. Many whites were what we called "decent folk." My family fell into this category. My parents were people of powerful goodwill who in their public lives modeled tolerance and kindness and who, by the time they died, had formed deep alliances across the color line. But in private, for years, our family lived a life defined by racial separation—our church, our schools, our clubs, our jobs—and when white peers spoke in ways that "decent folk" did not, we lacked the vocabulary to rebuke them. I can recall the long lectures my grade-school teachers delivered about the need to keep black people in their place and the mornings my father stopped to offer a ride to another lawyer (one who had been part of the defense team in Brown v. Board of Education), who subjected us to vulgar fulminations against n-----s and meddling Yankees who were making trouble for us all.
This fetid system was in place because those charged with guarding the Constitution winked at it. Southern whites, though, always knew that they were violating the nation's fundamental law. "We have been very careful to obey the letter of the federal Constitution," Senator Walter F. George of Georgia explained early in the 20th century. "But we have been very diligent in violating the spirit of such amendments and such statutes as would have a Negro to believe himself the equal of a white man."
The Congress and the Supreme Court had allowed this charade to be carried forward: "separate but equal" jargon justifying grossly unequal institutions; "nonracial" literacy tests and poll taxes "coincidentally" producing all-white electorates; imaginary "states' rights" smothering the textually guaranteed rights of free speech and equal protection. The old Confederate states were allowed to wall themselves off into separate suffocating satrapies that seemed, when I was a boy, destined to stand forever.
These safeguards of segregation were not features of the Constitution but perversions and defiance of it—conscious violations of the spirit, as Senator George so cheerfully confessed. They were locked in place by men who believed the Constitution was just words on paper. But those words on paper brought this system down.
I was born in 1950. When I was 4, the Supreme Court shocked the South with Brown v. Board of Education, which said, "In the field of public education the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." When I was 5, the 26-year-old Martin Luther King Jr. told the Montgomery Improvement Association, "If we are wrong, the Supreme Court of this nation is wrong. If we are wrong, the Constitution of the United States is wrong. If we are wrong, God Almighty is wrong." When I was 9, college students in Greensboro, North Carolina, sat politely at a Woolworth's lunch counter and demanded to be served. When I was 14, two-thirds of the members of the United States Senate broke a Southern filibuster and enacted the Civil Rights Act of 1964. When I was 15, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. When I was 16, I worked as a volunteer in something many Southerners had for generations only dreamed about—a contested election in which people of both races could vote and the ruling party's chosen candidate actually lost.
The Southern wall had crumbled. Many injustices remained; nonetheless, white and black, we were, ambiguously, free at last.
The Constitution did this for me. That may seem to some critics like a small respite in a history of abuse, but to me it was a gift of full membership in the national family. Governor Barbour may not want to remember, but I will never forget.
In the years since the walls came down, an industry of political scientists has grown up to explain that Brown v. Board really didn't accomplish much. But, in this case, I was there. Brown did something remarkable. No longer could white Southerners ask, "How can we maintain our special system?" They had to—and they did—begin to ask, "Are we defying the Constitution?"
The next ten years were an extraordinary period: Everywhere I went as a boy, I found white people—young, old, lawyers, laypeople, Northern, Southern—arguing about the Constitution. Most of the people I knew were angrily asserting that segregation was constitutional, but after Brown, the idea of racial equality had jumped the color line and become a question whites could not ignore. When King in 1955 proclaimed, "If we are wrong, the Constitution of the United States is wrong," whites were no longer laughing. Their inner certainty was shattered.
The greatest heroes of the civil-rights movement were the black Southerners, young and old, who hurled themselves against the wall of color. There was also another group of more ambiguous heroes—the federal judges of the South, whom author J.W. Peltason calls the "fifty-eight lonely men" of that era. Children of segregation (how could they have gotten to be judges otherwise?), they were charged by the Supreme Court with enforcing Brown and given little guidance on how to do so. The law and the Constitution made some (not all) of them, willingly or not, stewards of justice, imperfect but powerful. Eventually, men like John Minor Wisdom, J. Skelly Wright, Robert R. Merhige, and Frank M. Johnson Jr. achieved a kind of prophetic isolation; from that lonely place, they worked to transform the society that had spawned them.
I did not know King or John Lewis or Ella Baker, but I knew some federal judges, and I saw the price they paid to remain true to their oaths. (One told me of finding his dog on the lawn, its throat cut.) In the midst of great danger, often against their own inclination, they too became heroes—and to me, they remain so.
It is easy to claim that the civil-rights movement failed. The South didn't become the "beloved community" of which King spoke, a democratic society where citizens are bound together not only by law but by mutual regard. Racial and social divisions scar our national life. Today's South is too often governed by white thugs like Haley Barbour.
White college students complain that minority students "segregate" themselves in dining and residence halls. Former Justice Sandra Day O'Connor even described white voters, placed in a strange-shaped voting district that was "only" 45 percent white, as injured by "an effort to segregate the races." Those who speak this way do not remember. Segregation was not partial separation but total exclusion; it was not social reticence but proscription enforced by violence; it was not flawed democracy but successful dictatorship; it was not whites being in a slight minority but blacks having no vote at all.
I still remember, and I remember that the Constitution, for all its flaws, played a major role in bringing me and the place where I grew up out of darkness and into membership in a democratic national society. It was not the Constitution alone—if provisions and amendments alone could have done it, then the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments would surely have brought the Jubilee. One factor in the decline of Southern resistance, however, was a sense of shared loyalty to the Constitution, one that was forged over generations. This "constitutional faith," to use one of Levinson's most memorable phrases, would not easily have been transferred to a new Constitution, no matter how cleverly designed by a current assembly of notables. Its absence would have reduced the struggle to naked force, with no underlying appeal to shared values.
It is the power of constitutional faith—the power to constrain us toward outcomes we may oppose or even fear—that I revere about the Constitution. The amended Constitution that exists on the page—the document I read—is for all its flaws and gerrymanders a progressive document, making the American states one nation, placing that nation under the governance of a Congress elected by the people, empowering that Congress to act for the common good, restraining states from blocking the common good for parochial reasons. That document, as amended, embodies the progressive ideas of human equality, of human dignity safeguarded by due process and "equal protection of the laws."
The far right is now stealing the Constitution in plain sight. I don't speak here of ordinary conservatives who may differ with me on the scope of the Commerce Power or the meaning of the 11th Amendment but of the Bachmanns, the Perrys, the Pauls (father and son). These charlatans are not being answered as they should be, in part because too many progressives see only the imperfection and shame in the Constitution's history and blind themselves to the promise of its text.
Last year, on the 37th anniversary of the "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom," the National Mall was filled with participants in Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally. I went to the Mall and stood among the marchers and heard them discussing the horrors of immigration, the "tyranny" of an elected Congress, the rapture of guns, the satanic evil of Barack Obama. I felt a profound disquiet, not least because I spoke to many of them individually and found that these were, by and large, lovely people, Americans from small towns who were, in my judgment, being led astray—fed lies about their history and their Constitution—by people who should know better.
To restore my soul, I left the march and walked to the National Museum of American History, on the north side of the Mall. In a second-floor exhibit hall, the museum displays the original lunch counter from the Woolworth's store in Greensboro where the first sit-in occurred in 1960. That lunch counter—like the Liberty Bell, the Wesleyan Chapel in Seneca Falls, the wall atop Cemetery Ridge, Ford's Theatre, and the Stonewall Inn—is an inescapable part of our constitutional heritage. These physical things tie the words on the Constitution's page to our lives in a way that we could never reproduce even with the most brilliant new Constitution. These places and objects are outward and visible signs of the inward grace that constitutional faith can sometimes produce, of the transformative potential, present always in American history, of dry words on paper.
I stood in front of the lunch counter and thought of the poisonous twaddle being pushed on the Mall behind me. I think now of the corrosive agenda of the right wing, which in many ways is the same agenda the Constitution's opponents have followed since 1787: sanctioned inequality, theocracy, localism, xenophobia, legalized exploitation. Today, their hostility masquerades as reverence. They dare to accuse patriots of treason; they demand obeisance to an imagined Constitution; they plot the destruction of the real one.
I made a vow: Let others dream of constitutional conventions. As for me and my house, we will serve this Constitution.
chevron1144 (not verified)
Tue, 2011-10-18 12:05
gestapoid (not verified)
Tue, 2011-10-18 12:26
"From the dawn of civilization to the middle of the twentieth century,
the Negro race, as a race, has contributed no more than a few grains of
sand to the enduring monuments of mankind."
How exactly is this inaccurate though? Politically incorrect for certain, but empirically not false. Where is the black Paris, the black Einstein, the black Mozart, the black Da Vinci? In the West, we tend to forget about the contributions of the Middle Eastern and Eastern civilizations, but those cultures did make lasting contributions to humanity in the fields of math, science, etc.
Sub-Saharan Africa has produced none of these things. I can't think of even one place in the world that is majority black that isn't plagued by crime, disease, violence, poverty, ignorance and wanton political corruption. Of course, the standard rebuttal of this is that Europeans subjugated the African people, which prevented or stagnated their cultural development. However, Africans were developmentally hundred to thousands of years behind the Europeans at first contact. When you boil away excuses and the PC fables we tell ourselves, we are left with some very inconvenient and uncomfortable truths.
professorM (not verified)
Tue, 2011-10-18 13:20
The federal power of the constitution was immediately controversial when, during Washington's tenure, secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton proposed a bank bailout scheme which enriched many of his personal friends at the expense of taxpayers. President Adams famously issued the Sedition Act which was a brash assault on free speech by the executive branch. The opposing party, for their part, the Democratic Republicans, provoked a war against Great Britain in 1812 and refused in any way to acknowledge the rights of indigenous Amerinds and (obviously) slavery. History alone rebuts any arguments for "original intent", and anyone who reads the constitution can see that much of it is intentionally vague. But in that case, why have it at all? The constitution was ratified by the state governments, which were themselves at the time wholly owned subsidiaries of the elite classes. The vast majority of Americans had no say in its ratification, and to make matters worse the framers made the document nearly impossible to amend (2/3rds each house Congress, 3/4 states). Hardly any of the founders in any way were modern liberals. About half were slave owners, the other half were elite merchants and lawyers who didn't merely fear but probably hated the common people (which is why they didn't allow them to vote). The constitution was in fact in response to Shay's Rebellion, a rebellion of poor farmers against the tyranny of corporate elite in Massachusetts. I find no compelling reason to honor this document, let alone fetishize it as the right does. I can't imagine why the left would want to "reclaim" it, except that we as liberals perhaps are as unwilling to allow democratic rules to apply and prefer the stifled government approach reflected in the separation of powers and bicameral legislature set up in the constitution. Sure there are good things that are in the constitution, such as free speech, rights of the accused, etc., but in the end even those things I find only are "reasonably" protected according to Supreme Court rulings. If that is the case, then one must conclude that these supposed absolute rights perhaps are not absolute at all, and are subject to reasonable application depending on how the public seeks to apply them. That seems practical enough for me, but also makes the constitution a fairly useless document since we are unwilling to follow it anyhow.
John Howard (not verified)
Tue, 2011-10-18 17:50
I had Professor Epps as a Constitutional law professor at the University of Oregon about 10 years ago, and have never come across a grown man who had such insecurity issues. He's grossly overweight (or at least was at that time...300 plus pounds) and even broke down crying hysterically in class one day because someone called him "fat" decades ago in a bar in Washinton, D.C. Even though I did well in his class, it irritated me that he often used class time as a giant group therapy session to discuss his personal problems. Oh, by the way, he assumed the person calling him "fat" was a Republican although he had no idea who the guy was. He must be right, though, as a Democrat would never make a mean-spirited comment about person's weight (unless that person was Chris Christie).
Now on to his article. Yes, Professor Epps, we all love and respect you and your family for standing up to racism in the South. In fact, we applaud you! My family did, too. In fact, my great-great uncle died in a Confederate POW camp in Andersonville, Georgia. Applaud me! Now we both feel good about ourselves!
What I don't applaud, though, is your rambling article that does not explain how liberals should embrace the Constitution. I kept reading and waiting for your explanation. What I got was a bunch of stuff about you, you, you.
Consider explaining how mandating that every American buy health insurance comports with the Constitution. Liberals can't, and that's why the honest ones want to just throw it out and start anew because the powers sought by progressives are not granted by the Constitution. At the heart of it, progressives are authoritarians who want to tell you how to live every aspect of your life. Considering that Epps can't manage his own life, I'd rather not have him try to manage mine, too.
Louparte (not verified)
Tue, 2011-10-18 20:15
Few can match White Southern Liberal Democrats in their ability to inflict tedium on others. Voila! Obamacare is constitutional because the author grew up privileged in Mississippi during the 1950's.
The author feels guilty about his childhood. Ergo all whites must be punished.
Note his ridicule of Justice O'Connor finding that whites assertion might also be protected by the constitution.
iamunce (not verified)
Wed, 2011-10-19 04:30
I can find no justification for this claim in the OED. It gives only two senses of the word attested in English prose. OED examples dating back to the mid 17th century show the word to mean "properly controlled". The only other meaning for "regulated" refers to troops, and means "properly disciplined". Both senses seem to support the interpretation of LillithMc.
Merriam Webster says that "regulated" derives from the Latin "regula," meaning "rule", introduced in the 15th century. Webster gives three senses, all relating to "control". Nothing at all about "qualification," which sounds like wishful thinking.
iamunce (not verified)
Wed, 2011-10-19 04:36
Daniel Luechtefeld (not verified)
Fri, 2011-10-21 18:11
Linda Valentine-Dean (not verified)
Sat, 2011-10-22 08:32
I read this with awe and humility. I often argue our Constitution has imperfections only due to the timing of its creation and the imperfections of the humans that wrote it. Yet, it remains, in my humble opinion, the greatest Guidance to Freedom we could possibly have. The road has not been without hurdles, without horrifying examples of national ignorance and shame; yet we have wielded Law to overcome the worst of it and amended the Constitution accordingly to provide the corrections necessary.
Are we done? Not by a long shot I think. Can we ever correct mans imperfections through force of Law, no of course we cannot. But, what we can do is create a more perfect nation for all of us, a more perfect national family.
I, like you, will serve this Constitution. I will continue to fight to preserve this Constitution warts and all.
Glenden Brown (not verified)
Sat, 2011-10-22 11:00
I can't believe I missed this article earlier this week! Articles like this are the reason I read the American Prospect.
That said, I think the devotion to the Constitution many conservatives hold is like their devotion to the Bible - not the actual, complex, difficult to understand text but to a less complex mythical version of the bible. I keep referring to these politics as a form of political fundamentalism. I think it was Norman O. Brown who described fundamentalism as univocation - a single meaning, the erasing of complexity and complex meaning, a collapsing of multiplicity into singleness. It's not accidental that the American right is hostile to diversity since it implies there is no single American identity, there are multiple American identities.
edudak (not verified)
Sat, 2011-10-22 13:11
If you actually read the Constitution you will notice that the Second Amendment containes the words, "the People," when espousing the right to bear arms. No definition you will ever read on the term "the People" will mention militias. No word in the Constitution is there by accident. The Framers of the the Amendments did not accidentally include those words in the Second Amendment. Also, the Founders believed unquestuionaably that an unarmed citizenry was a helpless citizenry ripe for dominance by the government. They would never espouse any governments right to keep me unarmed.
I welcome any responses. That is if you actually post my reply. This is my second attempt to respond to this article and the first was never published.
edudak (not verified)
Sat, 2011-10-22 13:22
Please try reading some history before writing such an ignorant statement. According to the source everyone goes to these days, Wikipedia, the filibuster remained a solely theoretical option until the late 1830s. The first Senate filibuster occurred in 1837. In 1841, a defining moment came during debate on a bill to charter the Second Bank of the United States. Senator Henry Clay tried to end debate via majority vote. Senator William R. King threatened a filibuster, saying that Clay "may make his arrangements at his boarding house for the winter". Other senators sided with King, and Clay and backed down.
There is no historical question that Senate Democrats filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and that without the support of a high percentage of Republicans it would not have passed.
It is the Republican Party which was founded on the promise to end slavery. It was the Republican party which started a war to end slavery. And it was the Republican party to which the vast number of early Civil rights victories can be attributed to. Martin Luther King did not want to see blacks depending on government. He did not want to see affirmative action and quotas in the workplace. He most certainly did not belive that the politics of race were to be used for political gain. If he were alive today and saw the extent to which his message of true equality has been hijacked, I am sure he would cry.
Mon, 2012-02-13 14:15
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Microsoft: IBM masterminded OOXML failure
Responding to requests, Microsoft will sponsor open-source project to build translators between older office formats and Open XML.
Microsoft and the OOXML standard-setting process was tainted by corruption. Apparently, this corruption is the norm, not an aberration, in some of these countries.
OOXML is likely to win eventually. Sad....
Open Office XML (OOXML) is taking the standards-setting process to new lows....
Microsoft is at it again, this time misrepresenting the money to be made in Sharepoint versus open source and in its OOXML efforts. The bozometer is at "High."
Mixed reactions for the OOXML converter from MIcrosoft.
So, just what does the Office Open XML Converter convert?
Microsoft debuts an official OOXML (Word 2007) converter for Mac OS X, but there is no macro support yet, and a converter for Excel/PowerPoint won't be released until this Summer.
Microsoft wants to have it both ways on its open-source TCO study, but that's not as incoherent as it first seems.


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Introducing the Samsung Origen Low Cost Development Board, based on the Samsung Exynos 4210 Processor.
The low-cost origenboard development platform is a high performance solution for development of content for the high end devices. The platform is based on the Samsung Exynos 4210 applications processor featuring a dual core Cortex-A9 CPU in addition to a Mali-400 MP4 GPU to accelerate 2D and 3D graphics.
The SoC on this board is featured in Samsung's award winning Galaxy S2 handset and is capable of 1080p video encode and decode and features a host of peripherals. The platform supports Linux and Android 2.3 Gingerbread out of the box.
Snowball is a low power, low cost Single Board Computer based on the ST-Ericsson Nova A9500 processor (Dual Cortex A9 + Mali 400 GPU) that targets hobbyists and professional developers wanting to prototype new embedded designs. It will help developers to create applications for Android, Meego and Ubuntu.
Features include ARM Dual Cortex A9 @ 1GHz, Mali 400 GPU, IEEE 802.11 b/g/n Wireless LAN, Bluetooth BT4.0/ BLE. (ex Antenna), GPS (Ex. Antenna), 3x Expansion Connectors (FSMC, HSI, Audio, MiPi CSI / Camera, LCD, MiPi DSI, UART, SPI, I2C, GPIO), 1GB LP-DDR2, and 4 / 8GB e-MMC.
The TCC8900 is a system LSI for digital multimedia applications based on ARM1176JZF-S, an ARM proprietary RISC CPU core. Designed for high-end multimedia entertainment devices such as car AVN, portable multimedia player and home entertainment to enrich multimedia experience, multi-format video CODEC (JPEG / MPEG1 / MPEG2 / MPEG4 / H.264 / VC-1 / RV) and audio CODEC (MP3 / WMA / EAAC+ / AC3, etc.) are also incorporated into software and hardware to bring vivid full HD (1080p) contents to life on various screens and digital TV through HDMI output.
In addition, TCC8900 offers a hardwired 3D graphic accelerator (Mali-200 from ARM) to enrich next generation GUI and other graphical applications.
A separate, compatible debug adapter is sometimes needed for development with ARM-based platforms. However, more ARM-based platforms are being made available with integrated, on-board debugging capabilities eliminating the need for such external hardware.
Some platforms have real-time data access and instruction trace capability for systems that that must be debugged in real-time without stopping the system and a physical trace interface will likely be needed for this purpose.
These interfaces can be purchased directly from ARM (an ARM company), or through a variety of ARM partners and distributors.
Low-cost debug adapters are also available for purchase from third-party companies such as Olimex, as well as a variety of others.
Be sure to check the compatibility between your boards, software tools, and debug adapter.


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State Board Unanimously Rejects Intelligent Design
On February 20, 2003 the West Virginia Board of Education voted to adopt new science standards developed over the past year. The vote to approve the draft standards without any of the changes proposed by supporters of "intelligent design theory" was unanimous. Evolution features importantly in the new guidelines, which are based on frameworks suggested by the National Academy of Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Scott and Other NCSE Members Become AAAS Fellows
Several NCSE members became Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science on February 15, 2003. These individuals have been elevated to this rank because of their efforts to advance science or applications of science. New Fellows received their official certificates and gold and blue rosette pins during a ceremony at the annual AAAS meetings in Denver, Colorado.
Kansas Anti-Evolution Bill Pronounced Dead in the Water
The Dini Case
Texas Tech University biology professor Michael Dini is reportedly the target of a Justice Department inquiry for refusing to award letters of recommendations to students who deny human evolution.
Proposed Textbook Disclaimer Bill Dies in Committee
House Bill 1397, sponsored by Representative Carmel Wells-Smith, was introduced in the Mississippi House of Representatives and referred to the Education Committee on January 20, 2003. On February 4 the bill died in committee when it missed the House's deadline for action. HB 1397 would have required the inclusion of a version of the Alabama evolution disclaimer in every textbook that discusses the subject. Wells-Smith introduced two antievolution bills in the 2002 legislative session, both of which also died in committee.
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Use Trust Points to see how much you can rely on this review.
Flickr asks photo submitters to organize images using tags (a form of metadata), which allow searchers to find images related to particular topics, such as place names or subject matter. Flickr was also an early website to implement tag clouds, which provide access to images tagged with the most popular keywords.
Flickr also allows users to organize their photos into "sets", or groups of photos that fall under the same heading. However, sets are more flexible than the traditional folder-based method of organizing files, as one photo can belong to one set, many sets, or none at all. Flickr's "sets", then, represent a form of categorical metadata rather than a physical hierarchy. Sets may be grouped into "collections", and collections further grouped into higher-order collections.
Finally, Flickr offers a fairly comprehensive web-service API that allows programmers to create applications that can perform almost any function a user on the Flickr site can do. To use the Flickr API, users need to know their Flickr NSIDs. Several sites have been developed to aid users in this, including idGettr and What Is My Flickr Id.


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Baby Bunch
Something different By Team Leader
November 18, 2009
A group in our office wanted to send a special gift to a new mom on the Team that was different than the usual flowers people send. This seemed to be just right! Could have been a bit larger to include more variety -- we would have paid more for a larger one. But, it looked just like the photo on the site and the new mom thought it was great.
great gift!!! By Lauren Spirelli
October 3, 2012
I sent this to a family member that just had a baby and she loved it. She said it was so nice that she never wants to take it apart. When she finally did we were really surprised at the excellent quality of the clothing too. I highly recommend this product, it is a great gift.
Baby Bunch was a big hit! By JoAnn
October 4, 2011
The recipient LOVED the Large Baby Bunch! She is due to have her little girl any day now. It was the perfect gift!
perfect gift! By
August 19, 2012
the perfect baby gift!! also its the least expensive on this site!
Great Product By jade
August 5, 2009
This is the third one I've purchased as gifts for family and friends and the new mothers have all loved them.


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Narrow down the 199 results:Map View
We have a range of budget places to stay in Lima from as low as £5 per night
Based on previous Lima accommodation searches, the average starting price is £32
Want to splurge? At the top end in Lima, we have 50 places to stay with prices starting at £71
x The average starting price for a place to stay in Lima is £32 per night.
vstephenson Very helpful and accurate description of how to get here, cost, etc (although the taxi driver managed to stuff things. When we did arrive we were warmly greeted and treated as friends. Rooms were really nice- comfortable and clean with a homely atmostphere. And the mattresses are heavenly after 3 days travelling. Your host, Marco, really knows his way around lima (as well as peru) and is more than happy to guide you around. His english is also very impressive. He printed off maps with his favourite restaurants and, after talking to us about what we wanted out of Lima, he recommended certain areas and things to try. We wanted to avoid the main tourist areas and we were given exactly that but the good location allows you to explore miraflores and those areas too -which Marco also knows everything about. It is obvious he loves accomodating internationals and his enthusiasm is really catching. After a night of making us his favourite cocktails to drink with his friends, he made us a delicious peruvian breakfast with authentic coffee, local butters and jams and freshly squeezed orange juice. Then (knowing no spanish at all) we convinced him to join us for the day. He (tried to) teach us how to catch buses and translated for us, showing us the sites we most wanted to see, as well as introducing us to the amazing local foods at both markets and a century old pub. All-in-all a great stay, we are definitely coming back and would recommend it to anyone.
cherynf Second Home Peru is a really cool place to stay, especially if you love art. It's like living inside a gallery. The seaside location and sculpture garden make for great scenery, besides all the interesting details of the house itself. The Barranco neighborhood is a cool place to stay, with lots of galleries, great restaurants, and interesting streets to stroll. The staff are also friendly and gracious. This guesthouse is a destination all to itself!
Cesareo Chacaltana 162, MirafloresOutstanding 95%
Av. Comandante Espinar 611 MirafloresExcellent 91%
955 Ave. Ricardo Palma MirafloresExcellent 93%
Calle Bolivar 176-180, MirafloresExcellent 90%
Calle La Paz 463 MirafloresExcellent 90%
merryfamily My Husband and I stayed at Casa Ana in August 2012, it was actually our 28th wedding anniversary. Ana and her daughter Priscilla could not have been more helpful, friendly and welcoming. Ana's house feels like a home and the family go out of their way to help book train tickets, travel etc for you. Priscilla even took our thumb drive with some documents to a local shop to get the documents printed for us. I can't recommend this bed and breakfast more highly, if you are in the market for budget backpacker style accommodation with super friendly home style people then Casa Ana is the pick! Lynette Merry (Australia)
Avenida Mariscal la Lar 170 Urb. Santa CruzExcellent 90%
Avenida 28 De Julio 151 MirafloresExcellent 90%
Calle Boccioni 245 San BorjaExcellent 92%
Mira.Singh Great place to stay. Really nice hosts with a gorgeous dog. The place is clean and comfortable and very reasonably priced. I can't comment on location as I was only there for a night but I know it was close to the bus station and when I had to get to catch my bus the next day the hosts offered me a ride. All in all pretty cool place!
Avenida La Paz 1099 MirafloresExcellent 90%
Create your own travel plan including Lima as one of your stops. You can use it to store all your research (even hotels found on other websites!)
Do you have questions about Lima? You might try asking in our active travel forums and see if anyone else has been there.
Keep your family and friends up to date with your trip by starting your own travel blog!


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GULF BREEZE — On a sunny Wednesday morning, Kigali the western lowland gorilla looks up at the hammock his mother so easily climbs into and jumps, stretching out his arms in the hope of getting in.
The youngster still has a lot of growing up to do, but the staff at the Gulf Breeze Zoo say he's come a long way.
The 20-pound gorilla will celebrate his first birthday Saturday with presents, streamers and sugar-free carrot cake. Zoo Director Kayte Wanko said it should make for an interesting afternoon.
"He's a feisty little thing now," Wanko said as she watched Kigali and his mother, Rwanda, play on Chimp Island. "He is definitely bigger than six months ago and much hairier.
"But now he's got the mentality of a 2-year-old child — mischievous, rambunctious, and he loves to play and discover new things."
Check out a photo gallery of Kigali. >>
Kigali was born Jan. 23, 2012, after he was delivered by caesarian section from Rwanda. The then 27-year-old Rwanda did not produce milk to care for the infant on her own.
Keepers at the zoo worked around the clock after Kigali's birth to prepare him to return to his mom.
Kigali and Rwanda were reunited last October.
"This past year was teaching him skills," Wanko said "How to grab onto the gorilla's back and arm, what foods to eat. This next year will be more about socialization that he'll learn from his mom. Those kind of skills are not something we could teach him."
Since reuniting with his mother, the small gorilla has begun to climb, cling and even pound his chest.
"It was always a worry of whether we were doing it right," Wanko said of the first 10 months rearing Kigali. "How well he's doing now is proof that we did it correctly."
Wanko said Kigali will remain with his mother until he reaches maturity at age 12. After that, she said administrators will discuss whether to move him to a different zoo or keep him at Gulf Breeze Zoo.
"Ideally, he'll be here the rest of his life," Wanko said.
Beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, Wanko said zoo staffers will teach visitors about primates and educate them on the endangered species and ways to help keep the gorillas alive.
Children can also make birthday cards and blow bubbles at Kigali. It will be the first time he will see bubbles.
"You can watch him discover new things all day long, so his party will certainly be entertaining," Wanko said. "I still can't believe it's been a year."
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Angel McCurdy at 850-315-4432 or email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @AngelMnwfdn.


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RealGod > RealLife
Real Life
@ Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
@ In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
This is the RealLife thread of the Real Life/ Real People/ Real God portion of this PCARR Bible Wiki.
Users of this pBiblx2 Field Wise Bible System server are sharing and collecting testimony and experiences of how God is wonderfully working in and through their lives today.
In a world that sees Christianity as irrelevant, we hope to praise and thank and glorify our Lord for touching our core relevance so deeply.
In this thread we are using particular passages of scriptures that spark larger discussions, that provide spring boards of testimony.
Feel free to join in (see: home:UserContribution )
Comment Board:RealLife
Futher Resources:
Child Threads:
Psalms:103 - The Benefits of God


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My father passed at 3 AM 25 October from a 7 year battle with Parkinson's disease.
He was at home, and chose to quit taking his pills. We had been informed that within the next month or so his pills would stop working at all anyway.
He took the last pill at noon on Friday. We had a lovely evening with family and friends visiting he was stiff and hurting but I gave him his pain meds and he was relaxed and happy through dinner.
At about 8 PM he feel asleep and we got him to bed. He never really woke up again. We had some nursing help for meds and comfort measures. My mother, my brothers and I did most of the caregiving.
I felt privleged to care for my Father in his last hours. I held his hand when he passed peacefully.
My Father was not a religious man. He went with no fear in to the future.
He fought this disease as hard as he could and at the end had what he wanted. I wish for you the same peace he had.


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State Facts About Title X and Family Planning: South Carolina
National Background and Context
Title X of the Public Health Service Act is the sole federal program devoted entirely to family planning. Through Title X the federal government sets family planning policy, and its flexible grant funds not only subsidize direct client services, but are critical to putting family planning centers in communities and to supporting their ongoing infrastructure needs.
These services are vital: U.S. women who are not using contraceptives, or who are using them inconsistently, represent one-third of all women at risk of unintended pregnancy and account for 95% of the three million unintended pregnancies that occur every year.(1) Unintended pregnancy, in turn, has been linked with numerous negative maternal and child health outcomes. More broadly, women's ability to rely on contraception enables them to invest in higher education and to be full participants in the nation's workforce.(2,3)
Title X is central to helping women meet their reproductive health goals. In 2012, an estimated 6.1 million female contraceptive clients were served at publicly funded family planning centers, 71% of whom—4.3 million women—were served at sites supported by Title X.(4) Contraceptive services at Title X–supported family planning centers helped women and couples avoid 1.1 million unintended pregnancies, which would likely have resulted in 526,900 unplanned births and 362,500 abortions (the remainder would have resulted in miscarriages).(4) Without these services, unintended pregnancy, unplanned birth and abortion in the United States would be 32% higher.(4) And by helping women avoid unintended pregnancies, Title X–supported centers saved taxpayers $5.3 billion in 2010, amounting to $5.68 saved for every $1 spent providing contraceptive care.(5)
One-quarter of all poor women who obtain contraceptive services each year do so at a site that receives Title X funding.(6) Among women overall, 10% obtain a Pap test or pelvic exam at a Title X–supported site, as do 18% obtaining services for a sexually transmitted infection.(6) It is therefore not at all surprising that six in 10 women who obtain care at a Title X–supported center consider it to be their usual source of medical care.(6)
The Need for Title X in South Carolina
•In 2012, 317,530 women in South Carolina were in need of publicly supported contraceptive services and supplies.(4) Such women are sexually active; aged 13–44; able to become pregnant and not pregnant, postpartum nor trying to become pregnant; and either have a family income below 250% of the federal poverty level or are younger than age 20.
•In South Carolina, 31% of women in need of publicly supported contraceptive services and supplies are uninsured, compared with 30% nationally.(4) Title X–supported family planning centers play an especially important role in serving the uninsured, who often cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket at private health care providers.
•In 2008, 50,000 South Carolina residents had an unintended pregnancy, a rate of 54 per 1,000 women aged 15–44.(7)
•In 2008, births resulting from unintended pregnancies cost the state and federal governments $262 million.(8)
•In 2008, 13,200 South Carolina residents obtained abortions, a rate of 14.3 per 1,000 women aged 15–44, compared with 19.3 per 1,000 nationally.(9)
•In 2010, there were 10,490 pregnancies among South Carolina teens aged 15–19, a rate of 65 pregnancies per 1,000 teen women, compared with 57 per 1,000 nationally.(10)
Title X–Supported Services
•Title X–supported centers provided contraceptive care to 81,510 women in South Carolina in 2012.(4)
•These centers served 26% of women in the state in need of publicly supported contraceptive services and supplies, compared with 22% served by such centers nationally.(4)
•Of the total contraceptive clients served by these centers in 2010, 93% had incomes at or below the federal poverty level, compared with 69% nationally.(11)
•In 2010, 68 family planning centers in South Carolina received support from Title X.(5) They included:
Health department clinics: 67
Federally qualified health centers: 1
Planned Parenthood clinics: 0
Hospital outpatient clinics: 0
Other independent clinics: 0
•These centers provided contraceptive care to the following numbers of clients:(4)
Health department clinics: 91,200
Federally qualified health centers: 190
Planned Parenthood clinics: 0
Hospital outpatient clinics: 0
Other independent clinics: 0
Impact of Services Provided by Title X– Supported Centers in South Carolina
•In 2012, contraceptive services provided at Title X–supported centers in South Carolina helped women avoid 20,000 unintended pregnancies, which would have resulted in 9,900 unplanned births and 6,800 abortions.(4)
•In 2010, contraceptive services provided at Title X–supported centers in South Carolina helped women younger than age 20 avoid 4,600 unintended pregnancies.(5)
•In the absence of these services, the number of unintended pregnancies in South Carolina would be 38% higher, and the number of abortions would be 62% higher. The number of teen pregnancies in South Carolina would be 38% higher.(12)
•By helping women avoid unintended pregnancies and the births that would follow, the services provided at Title X– supported centers in South Carolina saved $142.5 million in public funds in 2010.(5)
1. Sonfield A, Hasstedt K and Gold RB, Moving Forward, Family Planning in the Era of Health Reform, New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2014.
2. Guttmacher Institute, Testimony of Guttmacher Institute, Submitted to the Committee on Preventive Services for Women, Institute of Medicine, 2011, <http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/ CPSW-testimony.pdf>, accessed Feb. 14, 2011.
3. Sonfield A et al., The Social and Economic Benefits of Women's Ability to Determine Whether and When to Have Children, New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2013.,<http://www.guttmacher. org/pubs/social-economic-benefits.pdf> accessed July 26, 2013.
4. Guttmacher Institute, Contraceptive Needs and Services, 2012, New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2012, <http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/win/contraceptive-needs-2012.pdf>, accessed August 12, 2014.
5. Guttmacher Institute, Contraceptive Needs and Services, 2010, New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2013, <http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/win/contraceptive-needs-2010.pdf>, accessed July 15, 2013.
6. Frost JJ, U.S. Women's Use of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services: Trends, Sources of Care and Factors Associated with Use, 1995–2010, New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2013, <http://www.guttmacher.org/ pubs/sources-of-care-2013.pdf>, accessed July 26, 2013.
7. Kost K, Unintended Pregnancy Rates at the State Level: Estimates for 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008, New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2013, <http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/ StateUP08.pdf>, accessed September 9, 2013.
8. Sonfield A and Kost K, Public Costs from Unintended Pregnancies and the Role of Public Insurance Programs in Paying for Pregnancy and Infant Care: Estimates for 2008, New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2013, <http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/public-costs-of-UP.pdf>,accessed October 22, 2013.
9. Guttmacher Institute Data Center, Number of abortions and abortion rate, by state of residence, 2007, <http://www.guttmacher.org/datacenter/> , accessed July 26, 2013.
10. Guttmacher Institute, U.S. Teenage Pregnancies, Births and Abortions, 2008: State Trends by Age, Race and Ethnicity, New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2013, <http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs /USTPtrendsState08.pdf>, accessed July 26, 2013.
11. Fowler CI et al., Family Planning Annual Report: 2011 National Summary, Research Triangle Park, NC: RTI International, 2012, <http://www.hhs.gov/opa/ pdfs/fpar-2011-national-summary.pdf>, accessed July 26, 2013.
12. Cohen SA, The numbers tell the story: the reach and impact of Title X, Guttmacher Policy Review, 2011, 14(2):20–23.


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Grid List
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Moderators: Tonyblack, Jason, Toothy
Simeon: I doubt the readers of The Strand magazine would accept that the great detective is in reality a woman— and her suspiciously intimate companion.
Vastra: I resent your implication of impropriety! We are married.
Jenny: Which is more than can be said for you, eh, dear.
Bouncy Castle wrote:The BBC announced today that Doctor Who resumes on 30th March with 8 episodes.
The Neil Gaiman-written Cyberman episode (episode 7) will air on 11th May.
Bouncy Castle wrote:Campaign to have Sue Perkins as first female Doctor.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s7/docto ... paign.html
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Dana White: Dan Henderson is ahead of Daniel Cormier for a shot at Jon Jones - MMAmania.com
That's according to comments made by UFC President Dana White at today's UFC 158 press conference media scrum:
"I think Dan Henderson, I think he wants the Jon Jones fight. Actually, yeah (he's ahead of Cormier). He'll fight before Cormier, so yeah, he would be."


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Paul Merson
Football Expert & Columnist @PaulMerse
Time to deliver
Merse tips United to defeat City in the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on Monday Night Football.
Last Updated: 07/04/13 6:08pm
As ever, you can follow all the Premier League action this weekend on Sky Sports.
We asked Soccer Saturday expert Paul Merson to look at the fixtures and give us his verdict on where the games will be won and lost.
Every week he'll be here on skysports.com to share his views on who he expects to be the winners and losers of the weekend.
Ford Monday Night Football: Man Utd v Man City
7pm, Mon, Sky Sports 1 HD & Sky 3D
This is a bit of a weird game. When the fixtures came out we thought this was going to be a massive football match. Now it is a massive football match but for Manchester. I think that Man City have got to win, they can't lose face. Man City owe their fans a game and I hope they have a go. If Man United lose it is going to take the gloss off winning the league a bit so there is a lot to play for between the players and the fans. I just can't see Man United not winning this game with the way City have been playing. I don't think they will dominate - they haven't been like that recently - but they just seem to win football matches which City have struggled to do.
If City lose then they are 18 points behind United and the pressure has got to be mounting up on Roberto Mancini. It will all come down then for Mancini to the following week against Chelsea in the FA Cup. In terms of the key players for both teams, Van Persie has gone a little bit quiet but if he plays well United should win but at the other end I think, after what has gone on this week, Tevez could be a key player for Man City if he plays.
Ford Super Sunday: QPR v Wigan
3.30pm, Sun, Sky Sports 1 HD
QPR might as well turn the floodlights off if they lose this one, or even if they draw. I just don't think it would be enough. I think they have seven games left and Harry Redknapp is talking about winning four and drawing two. This is one of the ones he will be highlighting. If QPR had beaten Fulham, hadn't made those silly errors, and then went on to beat Wigan they would be a point from safety. It is extraordinary that it can get that close, that quickly, with back-to-back wins. I have got to go with QPR. They have to, have to win. And I know the way Harry plays and I know he will have a right go.
The problem, for QPR, is that they make silly mistakes at the back. It doesn't matter if you have Jose Mourinho, Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger or Harry Redknapp in charge, if Samba is making mistakes like that then you have no chance. They have to cut those out. Wigan have got more than enough to get the result - all day long. They've been to Southampton, Reading, Villa - all the bottom teams - and won. They have to make sure they don't lose but they'll also be thinking they can get three points.
Ford Football Special: Reading v Southampton
12pm, Sat, Sky Sports 2 HD
I just hope the emotions don't get in the way of the game with Nigel Adkins playing his former club. Reading have to win and if they lose, I think they can turn the lights out as well. No disrespect to Southampton but they are not that far from the lower end of the table and Reading aren't going to play many more teams like that. They need to start winning quickly. Southampton have done very well; they have beaten the top teams. They've struggled away from home but I think Southampton will go there and make sure they don't lose. Reading need to win and Southampton need not to lose. It is exactly the same as the QPR game and I am going to go for a draw here. I think Southampton have enough to get that draw.
Norwich v Swansea
Swansea are in a bit of a lull now. They've won the League Cup and I think they are on a bit of a holiday if I am being honest. Defeats to Arsenal and Tottenham at home are no slights but they were beaten away at West Brom and are on a bit of a bad run at the moment. I think Norwich need to win and they are probably looking at this and thinking that if they win they are virtually safe. But they haven't won for four games either. There is more pressure on Norwich here. Sometimes you don't like playing teams who are mid-table because they are free-flowing but Swansea won't have that little bit of bite that Norwich will have. I have just got to side with Norwich here because of the situation they are in.
Stoke v Aston Villa
Again this is a massive game. Because there are so many teams at the bottom that could go down they are all huge matches. Stoke are struggling so badly and this is a game they need to win, not draw. They are only four points off the relegation zone and their away form is atrocious. At least with the other teams you always feel they may win away games, but Stoke NEVER look like winning away. If Stoke lose here then they are bang in trouble. They will be highlighting this game and thinking one more win and they'll be staying up. But if they lose it you'd have to tip them to go down or be in trouble to the end. And Villa can't afford to lose either. Villa let in goals but Stoke don't score goals. Villa can score goals so I think they will always be in this game. So I will go for a draw.
West Brom v Arsenal
Arsenal have to win. A draw would be no good to them. If Arsenal win this game they go above Chelsea and that will put severe pressure on them and Tottenham, who are both playing on the Sunday. If Giroud keeps on holding the ball up and playing as he is and Cazorla keeps on doing what he's been doing, I think Arsenal will have enough to get the win. It is strange but they look more solid at the back without Vermaelen and who thought we'd be saying that? If they can keep Lukaku quiet I think that will be enough.
Liverpool v West Ham
I have got to fancy Liverpool here. I think West Ham got a massive football result last week, beating West Brom, and that has taken severe pressure off them. With Liverpool at Anfield and West Ham not very good away from home, I am going to go 3-0 to Liverpool. Luiz Suarez is again going to be the main man for Liverpool. He was outstanding last week and he is without doubt up there with Gareth Bale and Robin Van Persie as one of the three players of the season.
Tottenham v Everton
If I'm right and Arsenal win, Tottenham will need to win and this is a very difficult game. They had a hard game in the Europa League on Thursday night against Basle. If they don't win this game and then play Chelsea away and Man City at home, in between Basle again, their season can go Pete Tong. Gareth Bale being injured will be a massive loss. If they don't beat Everton, get knocked out of the Europa League and lose at Chelsea, then their season has gone from full of praise to a nightmare. The problem for Tottenham is that they are now letting in a goal or two. It is not like they are rock solid and I think Everton will cause problems. But I am going to go for a draw.
Chelsea v Sunderland
Chelsea will need to win if Arsenal win and Tottenham draw. Two weeks ago this looked like an easy game for Chelsea but now Sunderland have a new manager. Chelsea played well on Thursday so I think Chelsea will still beat them quite easily. I like Paolo Di Canio as a player but I think it's a massive gamble from Sunderland to make him manager. I just don't get it. Why did they sack Martin O'Neill? Did they think they would beat Man United? They weren't going to beat United anyway so they may as well have sacked Martin two weeks ago. A new manager coming in can have a positive effect but if you look at the fixtures they have Chelsea away and Newcastle away. I find it a very strange appointment.
Newcastle v Fulham
If the results go the way I think they will - Villa and Wigan to draw, Norwich to win - all of a sudden Newcastle will only be a few points off the relegation zone. So they need to win this game. They have a tough period coming up as they play Benfica again, after losing the first leg of the Europa League clash 3-1, and then Sunderland. Fulham are flying, winning away and then at home, and they are five games unbeaten. But I am just going to go with Newcastle - although I don't think that it will be a walk in the park.


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Joined: May 2008
Location: NW Suburbs, IL
Oddometer: 3,673
Not quite a noob, Not quite a Pro, Not quite old man, Not quite boy racer......
I am at a point in my life finding myself making up for lost\missed time. Doing my best to get in as much racing before I feel I'm "too old". I suppose it's best to back things up a bit and give some back story. My name is Andrew Gore. I'm 26 years old and I race dirtbikes. I've got a lovely wife, slightly spastic dog, and officially work as a Mold Designer\Machinist at my Fathers Injection Molding\Mold Making company. I have one goal ahead of me: to race national pro enduro by 2015 (or by the time I'm 30).
I began riding bikes when I was in elementary school. First ride I took, was on a 1974 Kawasaki 175. From then, I went into racing MX at a local track on a 1985 Yamaha YZ125 that was nothing but issues. At the same time I was dealing with that bike, I was also forced to deal with the reality that the area I had to practice\ride was being shut down. It was 1999, I was entering high school & found myself using any free time I had to go skateboarding, with the YZ sitting dormant in my basement. Through high school I went full blown into skateboarding, was shooting video non stop, and gained a great board sponsor out of Pennsylvania, and even managed my own signature board by the end of high school in 2003.
Unfortunately from there, the board company was going under, and I found myself in a position of owning a paintball company with my brother. From that point on, I just didn't get competitive in much of anything. We had separated ourselves from our fathers manufacturing business to venture out on our own, we were both immersed in work, and at the time I just didn't feel any draw back to competition or even motorcycles. This slowly began to change when I moved back in with my parents & back to work with my father.
Summer of 2004 (or maybe 2005?), I don't remember exactly, but suffice to say, I got the bug to ride again. I picked up a 1974 RD350 & had all sorts of fun fogging the area on the thing. One thing led to another, and I found myself road racing a 2004 Yamaha R6. With the help of my brother coaching me, I was picking up speed at a great pace. Unfortunately, as my speed increased, as did the spending from my wallet. A weekend of racing was using up every bit of money I had, especially so after a triple digit crash sent me sliding directly towards my entire family there at the race to watch. I knew something had to give. My funds were essentially non-existent, but the desire to compete was extremely high.
At this point, my dad had seen some trials events, and inquired if I'd be interested in giving that a go. We made a deal that he'd front the money for a trials bike until I sold the R6. I found a bike (1994 GasGas JT25), and a week or so later, had the R6 sold. I entered my first event and was sucked in. The slow methodical approach to riding, with a delicacy that just drew me in. After my first event, I knew I needed some schooling and in the fall of 2008, I went down to the Trials Training Center in TN. The following year, I competed in the D-17 Advanced class, and won the overall for the season.
The following year had me feeling the need for a bit more speed. Early 2010, I competed in a couple trials events at the Sportsmen level, but I was feeling the need for some speed. Maybe it was me knowing I was getting married in a few months, I don't really know. I do know that I needed some speed or change of pace from trials and began giving HareScrambles a go. I had tried a Harescramble in May of 2009. I made it 45 minutes into the event on a bone stock DRZ400S (yes, lights blinkers, everything). I wanted to die, and I was barely half way into the race. Things weren't much different when I entered another event on a KTM 300. I got stuck in a terrible rut, sunk the bike down to its rear axle and just about lost my brain. It wasn't until I entered my 3rd race that I even managed to finish.
I've spent the past 2 years competing in Harescrambles, dabbled into supermoto (finding I needed to be in the dirt), and finally giving an enduro a go this past fall (2011). I've made a HUGE mistake the past couple years, which has been not focusing on an ultimate goal for each season. This season is different. I aim to win the D-17 Open B Enduro class. I'll be racing local Harescrambles as well to help keep my brain in race mode, but won't be so focused on taking the "overall" for that. Something to keep me in shape and in the spirit of racing.
I'm stoked for what's to come this year. I'm on a phenomenal bike (2006 Husqvarna WR250). I've got myself on a tasty diet, and have a workout plan going on. I'll post as I get some more free time.
Live from THE Hill
Joined: May 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Oddometer: 4,384
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Fast and Far
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Merrickville, Canada
Oddometer: 10,147
Roaming Rally 2015
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Joined: May 2008
Location: NW Suburbs, IL
Oddometer: 3,673
Past mistakes, future fortunes. (long post)
As stated before, I've made some bad choices in the past. The thing that's really killed my racing as of late has been my only constant being change. I've tended to keep a bike for a few short months, complain about something on it, and want to change to something "better". While it was true that each bike presented itself with it's own unique issues, I didn't stick to my "just run it" attitude I had in the past. I assume this is partially because now I could actually get the bikes I want & choose. But aside from causing me to lose money, I lost valuable time in learning my machines.
So it all started back with a 2001 KTM 300exc. I picked this up from another ADVRider member in February of 2010. Prior to this, I had a BMW G650XCountry that I realized would not be a good race bike. The KTM had power, suspension, and at the time, I felt it wast the lightest bike on the planet. I raced 3 races on the bike, and by the 3rd I was thinking it'd help if I had something lighter. I test rode a Honda CRF250R and felt this was the key for Harescrambles. I unloaded the 300exc & picked up a 2004 Yamaha YZ250F. The bike was setup for an A MX rider, far from ideal for the Harescrambles (and the Indy Endurocross I raced it in). The YZ250F was feeling good, until I rode a 125 2-stroke.
This is about where I really shot myself in the foot. I ended up trading a perfectly good YZ250F for a YZ125, thinking that it was going to be all that and a bag of chips. I lost BIG on that deal. I was jaded by lack of lighting, a crew of hillbillys surrounding me, and the sweet scent of pre-mix. I got the YZ125 home and began finding all it's problems. Steering stem bearings were the least of my worries, and after my first real ride on the bike, found that aside from the top end being worn, the bottom end was as Eric Gorr put it "One of the worst we've seen". This was the end of October/ beginning of November of 2010, and of course, I needed to rush to get the thing sorted. 1 Eric Gorr 144 big bore & a fresh bottom end rebuild, and I was ready to rock and roll. Go figure that the day I go to test out the bike, I case a small double at a buddies track, exploding the rear shock, linkage, and along the way, my right knee. Thankfully it was getting towards winter, so I had time to get things sorted.
I rebuilt the YZ144 over the winter, fresh everything. I added a Revloc auto clutch & was ready to get down to business racing it. First race out was awesome. It was up at Aztalan MX in Wisconsin. I took 2nd off the start and was positioned well to be competitive throughout the race. Go figure though that about 30 minutes into the 120 minute race, I flatted my rear tire. I said screw it & continued on. On the jumps, I took it easy to not throttle too hard in the air. By the 90 minute mark, my body was feeling it & I was slowing quickly. I ended up in 4th or so in the race, which sucked, cause the 3rd place rider was right in front of me, I just had no idea on timing\scoring.....Racing and learning.
I continued to race the YZ144 at a couple more local Harescrambles. Somewhere along the way in early 2010, I convinced myself to pickup a BMW G450X. Dealer had a stupid low price & I convinced myself I "needed" one for riding trips in the UP (Michigan). Plated, dirtbike, yup how can you go wrong? Unfortunately I was alternating between racing the 450 & the 144 and just wasn't doing good at all. I was never confident in the races, and just fudging up where I shouldn't have been.
At this point, I was really getting down on my abilities in racing. I knew I could ride faster than my friends when we'd race around. I knew I could keep up with A riders at times, but it was like I had A skills, with the fitness of a C rider, and the mental lapses of an 80 year old. Flashes of brilliance while racing, peppered however, with more poor riding. This is just chalked up to not having raced a whole bunch. Nerves and the like. (Un)Fortunately at this point I had a buddy of mine ask me if I wanted to give Supermoto a try. I was a bit worn out on the off-road riding\racing & more or less just needed a break. I had a good first weekend in that, really enjoyed having proper brake markers & keypoints on a constant track, but just didn't "feel" it for the road type racing again. This brief foray back onto the road racing cost me some valuable off-road race weekends, but I needed to do it to know for sure.
At this point, I was beginning to feel that I should be sticking with the 450 for racing, but was still switching back and forth between it and the 144. I went down to race a GP on the 144 and was just downright pissed about my performance. I've only myself to blame, as my tires were destroyed and half way into the first race, I lost all rear brake. I thought I had it fixed for the 2nd moto, but it was all but gone, not my way to ride, but not much I could do. I was getting to be quite sick of that YZ144, and just fed up with how things were going for me.
It was at this point that I finally decided to finally give an Enduro a go. I figured there were no other Harescrambles going on at the time and it'd let me see if maybe I'd like the format of these types of races over whatever else. I loaded up the 450, signed up for Open B class & just figured I'd go and have fun with it. And fun was had! These enduro's actually started on time (pet peeve of mine from Harescrambles), I got to race for all day long, and best of all, I got a great finish in my class. I had some issues, but I loved how my bike felt, I felt positive with how I rode, and basically went home feeling happy. At this point, I was dead set on racing the 450 the following season, in the Enduro's.
This past winter was spent prepping the 450X for a committed D17 Open B Enduro season. I had scored a great bigger tank for the bike, I revalved the suspension just to my liking, and had it completely fresh for the season. I got one early ride on the bike and just felt great on it. Again, my brain began to wander. Deep down I knew that for 2013, I'd want to be back on a 2-stroke. One thing led to another, and here I am now on a Husqvarna WR250 2-stroke. It was a relatively easy decision for me to make. I had no real complaints with the 450X, but things fell into place, so I rolled with it and am now on a bike that just feels wonderful.
I've learned some really key things this past year, and despite how much I had wavered throughout the year, it's really helped me focus in. In 2011, I had no set goal. I had no set plan. Yes, I wanted to race Harescrambles, but I wasn't yet at a point to really push to be competitive. I was jumping around from bike to bike, discipline to discipline This year I feel renewed and confident. I've got the clear goal to compete in the D17 Open B Enduro class and I feel I'm on the best bike for the job.
This season, I'm going in with confidence! - More to follow!
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Duvall, WA.
Oddometer: 3,548
Andrew , love the spirit. Best wishes for your upcoming season!
Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Nov 2010
Location: Wetside, WA
Oddometer: 122
This guy can't ride. He's a hack.
Can't wait for UPKAR, dude! I'm rocking the hell out of that 350.
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Shawangunks
Oddometer: 27,216
Unintentional psychokinesis.
off-ramp slayer
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Tampa
Oddometer: 4,349
Good luck and remember this is supposed to be fun !
Joined: May 2008
Location: NW Suburbs, IL
Oddometer: 3,673
The first ride I got on my WR250 was up at a friends property. It's a great loop with a nice mix of open & technical sections. Sorry for the ghosting on the video. I need to re-encode it properly.
My fastest lap time that weekend was 5:45. My ultimate goal is to bring it down to 5:00 flat. It'll take some work as the next time out at the loop, I only dropped 15 seconds to 5:30. More gas...more going faster.
Last weekend, I stayed up in the UP. I intended to test out some routes I had drawn up, but it was cold, I was riding solo, and I ran into more dead-end\private property blocks than I felt like dealing with. So, I went over to an awesome 25 mile singletrack loop not far from my friends cabin. I figured I may as well get some riding practice in. I knew I didn't want to push myself, as I was riding solo, so I kept my riding at 50-70% my usual pace. First time I did this loop was with jburroughs12. It took us 4.5 - 5 hours. Granted that involved a nice kartwheeling crash done by myself, but it was still a long event. Last fall when I rode it with another friend, the trail was in perfect condition, wide open the entire way, and it took us a little over 1:45. This last trip, I rode it in 1:45 again, but not once did I feel I was pushing myself and knew I had plenty on reserve. It made me very happy with how I rode. I was tempted to ride another loop, but the riding solo thing crept back into my mind and I knew it was smartest to not push things. Here's a clip of the last 40 minutes. Around the 2:45 mark, was a hill climb that normally was a royal pita. It was nice just running up it, and not thinking about it.
I got more to add, but got some work I gotta accomplish first.
Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Nov 2010
Location: Wetside, WA
Oddometer: 122
We need to do Bass Lake again. Now that I have actually ridden a dirt bike recently, vs. not having ridden in about 8 years last time we went. I think I might be able to muscle the xr through there in about 1:45. I'm much better than last time....but still slow and on team MGH!
Waiting with bated breath for the rest of the thread.
Joined: May 2008
Location: NW Suburbs, IL
Oddometer: 3,673
Enough about me. What about the bike?
I've spent a good deal of time on my mental end of things with my racing. I figure it's about time for some info on my weapon of choice. I hopped all around the board in years prior. My buddies ride KTM's and get all giddy just thinking of orange things; just not me. I thought my KTM was good, but honestly, they pull an extra $1000 premium right now, and there were plenty of other options out there, and I'll add in a bit of spite as my final reason for not going pumpkin. I knew that I had to go 2-stroke. Granted I loved the power of my 450, I knew that I could get similar power out of a 2-stroke & not have to think about valves, yadda yadda yadda.
Much consideration went into the possibility of sorting out a Japanese 250. I liked this idea, as there are plenty of bikes around, for extremely cheap. I know how to revalve suspension, so that wasn't a huge thing, but in the back of my mind, I knew I'd still have to get some lights (even if "not working"), some Enduro parts, and all that nonsense. My brother, the wise man that he is, asked me a simple question: "Why not buy a bike that is built for what you want to use it for?" It was at this point I knew I had 1 of 2 choices. Husqvarna or GasGas.
I'd read mixed reviews on the GasGas bikes, and finding one that appeared in decent condition around me was a bit of a stretch. The Husky was about the same situation, though I knew that I'd seen plenty at the races, and they sold a 300cc 2Stroke which is really what I wanted to get. I had a line on a nice 2007 Husky, though a WR250. It needed some standard items (hand guards, protection, bigger tank for longer rides, etc). It was then that I recalled a friend had a 2006 Husky WR250. I had seen it on some rides we did, but hadn't thought too much about it at the time. This led to that, which led me to buying the bike off of him. Mint condition bike, I was in heaven.
Fresh from JZEE
Like I said, the bike was\is mint and ready to rock. I posted earlier what was my first ride on the bike. I knew after that first outing, that I needed to scoop up the 1 item that I will refer to as the "ultimate cheater". The Rekluse EXP 2.0. I had an auto clutch on my YZ144 and really enjoyed it, but nothing existed for my G450X. I've found this to be one of the best $ I've spent on this bike (almost). The auto clutch saves me when I miss the clutch going into a turn, or have a bobble somewhere that would normally stall the engine (which really sucked due to the bike having such a goofy kickstarter).
I opted to not spend a dollar on any sort of engine upgrades. The bike rips pretty well, and had an all around good feeling (slight carb tweaks required, but a given with any carb'd bike). I decided that despite looking new, I had very little to no confidence in the front. Before I would dive into suspension valving, I figured a fresh tire would help things out, and I was quite right. The next time out on the bike, I felt very confident in the front end, and felt I could push the bike much better. I didn't have 100% confidence, but that is coming along with the more I get to ride & know the machine.
Just after the Bass Lake Loop
After my last trip to the UP, I felt the bike could handle a little loving' to the fork valving. Not much, but a bit. Thankfully this isn't the first set of forks I've massaged into better handling units. I revalved my YZ144 & G450X, both with awesome results. On the Husky, I focused on the base valves, and found that the OEM valving was a bit on the wonky side. It's damping curve, despite appearing linear, was far from it. I added in some shims, smoothed things out, and got fresh oil in there. I'm ready to ride!
So now I sit and wait for the weekend to arrive. I've got the bike dialed in how I want. I'm stoked on the machine, and itching to improve my feeling and abilities on the bike. I'll have more practice footage. Any questions, feel free to ask.
(note that the broken radiator shroud happened the day prior at my buddies cabin. I was in the trials mood, doing hill climbs\log hopping & launched myself into a tree. Minor details )
Red Sox Nation
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: India Wharf
Oddometer: 10,315
Interesting strategy from your Dad when he offered to front the trials bike in exchange for you giving up road racing. That is brilliant! Maybe I try something like that...
I think you have a good goal and it certainly is achievable. You are the perfect age to try too. You have a good background to be quite successful.
I have an older son than the rider pictured above. He was a pro road racer too. He's been retired since 2008 and well along on a successful business career; yet like you he badly missed the competition. He's been casting about for hobby racing of some sort.
Last December he decided to race the Mexican 1000 this month, so he started working out and building fitness. A few weeks ago he bought a new KTM for the race. He ran his first enduro after two weekends of practice. It was a struggle, but he had a respectable finish. Then he ran a HS after that, and will run the Pine Barrons 300 next weekend to polish his navigation skills. The following week he tows to Mexicali to try his hand at a new sport.
He's a long ways from being skillful, but that is what attracts him. He gets to enjoy the learning curve just like he did in his early days of road racing. Plus, it's affordable!
Good luck and say thanks to your Dad for me. I can work with that!
Straight ahead and faster -Bo Weaver 1970
"There I was..." -Griffin Niner Three Hotel
"One day closer to a parade..." Jonny Gomes, spring training 2013
Verbal tactician
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: central Mn
Oddometer: 11,408
I would never have guessed from your posts that you are only 26. I figured Vet minimum, possibly even Senior.
Look over the D23 schedule, if something fits your schedule and you want to try riding it, drop me a line. I am 2 hours from the Mn enduros and all that other blah, blah.
all around good guy
Joined: May 2008
Location: NW Suburbs, IL
Oddometer: 3,673
I'll take a look at the schedule and see if anything could pan out.
My trials bike is the only bike that I regret selling. I had no idea I'd be in a neighborhood where I could ride it all I want and the neighbors wouldn't care. It would also help keep me honed on my slow speed skills. I will be buying another one as soon as I can.
Unfortunately today while riding we had ourselves an incident. Bike was running great, I was feeling in the zone with the bike. It had perfect power, until I went to pass my buddy. I got on the gas, and hear a WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK. I killed the engine, thought I lost the chain, but so far have confirmed that something not good has happened on the bike.
On the upside I still got an 85' XR350R that I will be racing at the enduro next weekend. I'll dig into the Husky tonight. Sad, but at least it's broken & not me.
Off to dinner for my Grandpas 75th Birthday!
Joined: May 2008
Location: NW Suburbs, IL
Oddometer: 3,673
Quick update before I get myself back to my standard mold design mode.
What I thought was a top end....then bottom end....then found it to be the primary gear:
Turns out that the single 6mm screw that holds the shifter mechanism in, on the clutch side was not installed with loctite from the factory. It worked it's way out and into my gears. Thankfully I was able to recover all the shards of material that broke, negating the need to split the cases & inspect the trans side. Find a gear proved to be more difficult than if the crank had gone.
I searched long and hard online for a replacement. Dealers could get me the gear, but could only order it WITH the matching clutch basket....for a healthy $$$. After scouring the internet & various other locations, I was contacted by someone with the gear I needed for my bike. Couple days later & my engine is ready to go back together. Looks like I'll be racing the husky this weekend after all
Ahhhh fresh gear:
Quite excited for Sundays Enduro! I'll post how things go. Got a buddy who will be riding with me on a KDX (his first Enduro). Should be a good time.
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