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Back when the 2016 GOP nomination kicked off (a good 5 days before Mitt got around to losing officially), here's one way Paul Ryan's anonymous advisors envisioned insulating his Presidential ambitions from any damaging votes: quitting.
They say that if he fails, Ryan's instincts will be to return to the House — he is running for re-election to his House seat at the same time he's Romney's running mate — and resume his role as Budget Committee chairman.
Some senior Republicans caution it might not be that easy.
If Romney loses, Ryan will be seen as a leading White House contender in 2016. He will be a national party figure even without being a top member of the House leadership. That could breed resentment among current Republican leaders and perhaps splinter coalitions within the already fractured GOP alliances at the top of the House.
A return also would make Ryan a leading target for Democrats. For the next few years, Democrats would lay traps in legislation, forcing him to take sides on measures that could come back to haunt him during a presidential bid.
That is why some of Ryan's biggest boosters are considering whether it wouldn't be better for Ryan to resign from the House.
Never mind the delusion that suggests Ryan would be that enticing a target for Democrats. It gave Ryan's advisors an excuse to advocate he quit before he has to cast anymore unpopular votes.
As DDay noted, anonymous sources are floating the idea of Ryan quitting again, this time in context of being forced to cast an unpopular vote on the fiscal cliff.
Speaker John A. Boehner has tapped Mr. Ryan, who has returned to his post as the House Budget Committee chairman after an unsuccessful run for vice president, to help strike a deal to avoid big tax increases and spending cuts by the end of the year, and to bring along fellow Republicans.
"He helps us toward creating a product," said Senator Rob Portman, Republican of Ohio, "and he helps sell the product."
The test will be whether Mr. Ryan — who declined last year to sit on another Congressional committee charged with taming the deficit, in large part because doing so might have hurt his prospects for national office — can make the transition from House budget philosopher to governing heavyweight who can help negotiate a bipartisan deal and sell it to his colleagues.
With his new muscle and increased respect from his colleagues, Mr. Ryan could conceivably scuttle any deal if he loudly opposes a solution that the speaker and the top Republican leaders embrace. But his conservative base might rebel against him if he were to endorse any deal seen as awarding too much to Mr. Obama and the Democrats, particularly on tax rates. Some Republicans think the pitfalls are dangerous enough that Mr. Ryan might consider leaving Congress altogether to work on his policy agenda without the inherent headaches of the Hill.
"He has to think about what he wants his role to be," said Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma. "Is he going to run in 2016, or run for something else in Wisconsin, or play a bigger role in the House? He's going to play an outsize role here because of the national profile he now has, but on the other hand, this conference is quite happy to act independently." [my emphasis]
The implication being that if he plans to run in 2016, Ryan can't stick around and–with a vote in favor of a "Grand Bargain"–compromise his governing ideology by admitting does not support a functioning government. Elsewhere, the article notes how much fun he and his wife had visting her grandmother's home in Iowa.
In other words, he clearly plans to run.
Which leaves the question whether he truly agrees with these anonymous and on-the-record sources advising him to quit if he plans to run for President.
I guess he plans to follow the successful path of President Palin, then, even if he can't run a marathon as fast as she can.
I just wonder what his Hollywood reality show will be called.
I'm not really sure why the pundits are wasting time deciding whether Nate Silver is a wizard or a washed out baseball junky. There's another fairly clear sign that insiders believe Obama will win this election: the number of 2016 GOP contenders who are shifting into campaign mode.
Chris Christie can be forgiven for boosting up Obama's image as President the last week of the campaign. After all it makes him look Presidential. More importantly, it'll ensure NJ gets lots of quick federal attention. (Though it did remind me that Christie used his coming out party at Mitt's RNC to talk about Chris Christie.)
Jeb! was a bit more circumspect, spending a Mitt campaign appearance bitching that Obama blames his brother for … things his brother did.
"His entire strategy is to blame others — starting with my brother, of course," Bush said during a campaign rally for Mitt Romney in Coral Gables, Fla. "Basically, he blames every possible thing rather than having the humility to be able to reach out and to find common ground."
But the most amusing bid for the 2016 front-runner position comes from Paul Ryan's unnamed backers (though Governor Kasich is quoted by name) inventing reasons why Ryan wouldn't fulfill the other position he's running for (Congressman)–including that his newfound popularity would fracture the Republican caucus or that Democrats would make him cast difficult votes. So, these anonymous advisors say, Ryan should instead write a book or become a Professor or lobby or think tank.
Anything for an opportunity to make public use of PowerPoint.
That is why some of Ryan's biggest boosters are considering whether it wouldn't be better for Ryan to resign from the House. He could write a book — "saving America" is a theme often bandied about — or teach at a university.
After all, on the campaign trail, Ryan is as much lecturer as campaigner. Aides routinely set up giant video screens so Ryan can use visual aids to walk audiences through the minutiae of budget politics. Graphs and charts are as common as yard signs and American flags at some events, with Ryan settling into his role as explainer in chief.
Yet curiously, those aides mention a 2016 Presidential bid at least 4 [Update–oops! 5] times in the article.
…future President Ryan?
…biding his time until a presidential run of his own.
a leading White House contender in 2016…
…forcing him to take sides on measures that could come back to haunt him during a presidential bid.
Ryan's allies aren't ruling out a bid for the top spot for their friend.
5 mentions of the next Presidential cycle, about a guy who's on the ticket for this cycle.
And finally there's this "accidental" email sent by Newt's people:
"The truth is, the next election has already been decided. Obama is going to win. It's nearly impossible to beat an incumbent president," advertiser Porter Stansberry wrote in the email to Gingrich supporters. "What's actually at stake right now is whether or not he will have a third-term."
You gotta get an early start, I guess, if you'll be 73 when you run again.
It's all rather ghoulish, this campaigning to take over Mitt's position as the party's standard bearer before the race has even been called.
I don't feel all that bad for Mitt, though. After all, he has participated in the weird custom of posthumously baptizing people, basically converting people after they're dead. Republicans, apparently, follow the opposite strategy, burying you while you're still technically alive.
We awake to a changed and battered country this morning. CNN's headline at CNN.com currently blares "Millions wake to devastation", while AP gives us a state-by-state rundown of the effects of Hurricane (and then Superstorm) Sandy. At a time, though, when the natural American response is to help one another, we have perhaps the strongest example of what is at stake next Tuesday as we go to the polls for a Presidential election. Here is Mitt Romney in the Republican debate hosted by CNN:
The idea that an "immoral" FEMA should be disbanded in favor of private sector disaster response did not go over well with the editorial staff of the New York Times. From this morning's editorial:
Over the last two years, Congressional Republicans have forced a 43 percent reduction in the primary FEMA grants that pay for disaster preparedness. Representatives Paul Ryan, Eric Cantor and other House Republicans have repeatedly tried to refuse FEMA's budget requests when disasters are more expensive than predicted, or have demanded that other valuable programs be cut to pay for them. The Ryan budget, which Mr. Romney praised as "an excellent piece of work," would result in severe cutbacks to the agency, as would the Republican-instigated sequester, which would cut disaster relief by 8.2 percent on top of earlier reductions.
Does Mr. Romney really believe that financially strapped states would do a better job than a properly functioning federal agency? Who would make decisions about where to send federal aid? Or perhaps there would be no federal aid, and every state would bear the burden of billions of dollars in damages. After Mr. Romney's 2011 remarks recirculated on Monday, his nervous campaign announced that he does not want to abolish FEMA, though he still believes states should be in charge of emergency management. Those in Hurricane Sandy's path are fortunate that, for now, that ideology has not replaced sound policy.
A common refrain for the Galt crew is that they want to go back to the basics of the Constitution. And yet, here is the Preamble:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
The simple truth is that if we wish to provide for the common defense and promote the general welfare in the face of such a huge storm, then a Federal agency coordinating the preparations before the storm and the response afterwards is the most efficient plan. Putting disaster capitalists in charge instead would only lead to many more deaths and huge delays in response times.
As the country responds to this terrible blow from the storm, it is worth considering whether we wish to go back to the ineptitude of the Katrina response (or worse) or if we want to work together for the common defense through a properly funded FEMA.
As I noted the other day, Paul Ryan's fake soup kitchen photo op was important not just because it shows him to be a big-footing asshole, but because he may have endangered the funding of a charity serving the Catholic social justice mission–a mission Ryan's entire political career has harmed.
Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks Ryan should be a better Catholic. Actual, still-practicing Catholics think so too!
Catholics United just sent out a press release calling Ryan out for such big-footing. Among others, it quotes Sister Simone Campbell (the Nun on the Bus who spoke at the DNC) preaching the Gospel to Paul Ryan.
"Representative Ryan tried to use the poor, and those who serve them, as a political prop," said James Salt, executive director of Catholics United. "From a man who has done so much to undermine the work of public-private partnerships and faith-based groups, this is an incredibly cynical move."
Sr. Simone Campbell, the executive director of NETWORK Lobby and "Nuns on the Bus" leader, has repeatedly invited Rep. Ryan to meet and experience first-hand how his budget proposals will affect charities similar to the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Youngstown.
"If Paul Ryan is serious about serving the Gospel mission of Jesus Christ, I'd encourage him to read Matthew 6, which instructs us to serve when no one is looking," said Salt. "You can learn a lot about a man by what he does and says when the cameras aren't rolling. I suggest Rep. Ryan take a day off from campaigning to meet and get to know those who would be affected by the budget cuts he's proposed."
I guess if Ryan showed up before the cooking pots were cleaned up, he might have to talk to such people. And given his response to Campbell, he's apparently afraid to do so.
The Nuns on the Bus have been saying for months that Paul Ryan's miserly budgetary approach betrays his Catholic values. The Bishops agree. Joe Biden even called Ryan out for "taking issue" with the Church's social teachings.
Just days after being called out by a fellow Catholic for being stingy with the poor, Ryan commandeered a soup kitchen so he could stage a photo op.
It turns out the soup kitchen is run by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul–a Catholic lay organization.
And the local president of the society suggests Ryan's photo op might hurt their donations.
Brian J. Antag, president of the Mahoning County St. Vincent De Paul Society, said that he was not contacted by the Romney campaign ahead of the Saturday morning visit by Ryan, whostopped by the soup kitchen after a town hall at Youngstown State University.
"We're a faith-based organization; we are apolitical because the majority of our funding is from private donations," Antag said in a phone interview Monday afternoon. "It's strictly in our bylaws not to do it. They showed up there and they did not have permission. They got one of the volunteers to open up the doors."
"I can't afford to lose funding from these private individuals," he said. "For us to even appear like we're backing somebody, it's suicide. … If this was the Democrats, I'd have the same exact problem. It doesn't matter who it was."
He added that the incident had caused him "all kind of grief" and that regardless of whether Ryan had intended to serve food to patrons or wash dishes, he would not have allowed the visit to take place.
Ryan has made a concerted effort to make it harder for the Federal government to help the poor.
And now, with his selfish big-footing, he may have made it harder for Catholics serving the poor to do so.
Contrary to just about everyone, I liked the way Martha Raddatz asked the abortion question in last night's debate, because it gave Joe Biden an opportunity to point out how Paul Ryan ignores the entire social justice aspect of Catholicism. [Note, this was not included in the official transcript, but it appears after Ryan says he takes issue with the Church.]
You have, on the issue of Catholic social doctrine, taken issue.
Moreover, it elicited a really weird effort from Ryan to pretend that his anti-choice stance stems from both science and dogmatic Catholicism. He did so by recalling the ultrasound where he first saw his now-daughter in the form of a bean.
RYAN: Now, you want to ask basically why I'm pro-life? It's not simply because of my Catholic faith. That's a factor, of course. But it's also because of reason and science.
You know, I think about 10 1/2 years ago, my wife Janna and I went to Mercy Hospital in Janesville where I was born, for our seven week ultrasound for our firstborn child, and we saw that heartbeat. A little baby was in the shape of a bean. And to this day, we have nicknamed our firstborn child Liza, "Bean." Now I believe that life begins at conception.
Ryan saw what he himself implies was a bean with a heartbeat, and called it human life. That's his basis in "science" for the belief that beans should have almost the same legal status as women who carry them in utero.
Ryan went on to claim he respects people who disagree that life begins at bean-hood and invoked the Romney current stated policy of retaining exceptions for rape, incest, and the life (but not health) of the mother.
That's why – those are the reasons why I'm pro-life. Now I understand this is a difficult issue, and I respect people who don't agree with me on this, but the policy of a Romney administration will be to oppose abortions with the exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother.
Biden responded by saying he accepts the Church's teaching, but would not impose that teaching on women who may believe something else.
Life begins at conception in the church's judgment. I accept it in my personal life.
But I refuse to impose it on equally devout Christians and Muslims and Jews, and I just refuse to impose that on others, unlike my friend here, the – the congressman. I – I do not believe that we have a right to tell other people that – women they can't control their body. It's a decision between them and their doctor.
He then went onto call Ryan on his own stated belief that abortion should be illegal even in the case of rape, showing that Ryan does not, in fact, "respect those who disagree" with him on abortion.
Now with regard to the way in which the – we differ, my friend says that he – well I guess he accepts Governor Romney's position now, because in the past he has argued that there was – there's rape and forcible rape. He's argued that in the case of rape or incest, it was still – it would be a crime to engage in having an abortion. I just fundamentally disagree with my friend.
And this boy wonder, this guy who believes that life begins at bean-hood, this guy who the pundits claim is so smart, responded to Biden's provocation, admitting that he does indeed believe it's a crime for a woman to remove a bean a criminal implanted in her uterus.
All I'm saying is, if you believe that life begins at conception, that, therefore, doesn't change the definition of life. That's a principle.
You see, with the Romney-Ryan ticket, it's not just corporations that should enjoy the same legal status women do. It's beans too.
That's a principle, you see.
Eli Lake continues to serve as the mouthpiece for a political attack explicitly crafted by close Rove associates. In today's installment, he repeats Mitt Romney campaign surrogate, UT Congressman Jason Chaffetz' latest attack: that the State Department cut security after the hot war in Libya ended.
In the six months leading up to the assault on the United States consulate in Benghazi, the State Department reduced the number of trained Americans guarding U.S. facilities in Libya, according to a leading House Republican investigating the Sept. 11 anniversary attacks. The reduction in U.S. security personnel increased America's reliance on local Libyan guards for the protection of its diplomats.
Chaffetz went further Wednesday, saying in an interview that the number of American diplomatic security officers serving in Libya had been reduced in the six months prior to the attacks. "The fully trained Americans who can deal with a volatile situation were reduced in the six months leading up to the attacks," he said. "When you combine that with the lack of commitment to fortifying the physical facilities, you see a pattern."
I suppose it would be too much for Lake to acknowledge that Chaffetz is a Romney surrogate and note the repeated admissions that Romney's team intends to turn the Benghazi attack into Obama's Jimmy Carter. Doing so might reveal that this outrage is, to some extent, manufactured.
With the help of Eli Lake.
Perhaps he could at least read this article.
Not only does it support the argument that Mike Rogers, the House Intelligence Chair, should be the one to conduct Congress' investigation, not a Romney surrogate on a committee without the clearances to do so.
Rep. Michael Rogers, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, made clear Wednesday that congressional staff will be looking into the attack, in addition to a probe by the State Department's inspector general and another State Department investigation required by federal law.
But it explains why the surrogate for a candidate running with the House Budget Chair really shouldn't be squawking about the State Department cutting security after a hot war ends.
Since 2010, Congress cut $296 million from the State Department's spending request for embassy security and construction, with additional cuts in other State Department security accounts, according to an analysis by a former appropriations committee staffer.
The Republican party is in a bit of a meltdown in response to the leak of Mitt's comments about the 47% of the country he disdains. Some–mostly the pundits not facing voters in November–are embracing his claim that Democrats are moochers (ignoring that a lot of the seniors, poorer service members, and Red State working poor are actually Republican voters). Others–especially those on the ballot in November–are attacking Mitt for being such a cad.
I'm most fascinated by the Weekly Standard's John McCormack's attack on Mitt's purported misunderstanding of conservatism.
The same kind of person who says, "Forty-seven percent of Americans pay no income tax. So our message of low taxes doesn't connect…. So my job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."
These appear to be the words of somebody who doesn't understand American conservatism and its relationship to the American idea. Conservatives don't believe in economic determinism. Conservatives know–and explain why–their economic policies will help the poor, as well as senior citizens, working families, and our troops who pay no income taxes. Conservatives realize that the Republican party is not the party of people who want to be rich, it's the party of people who want to be free.
But in an interview this afternoon, he conceded yet again that his tax policies won't appeal to half the country. "I'm talking about a perspective of individuals who I'm not likely to get to support me," Romney told Neil Cavuto on Fox News. "I recognize that those people who are not paying income tax are going to say, gosh, this provision that Mitt keeps talking about, lowering income taxes, that's not going to be real attractive to them."
The strange thing is that Romney's tax plan isn't actually aimed at lowering taxes. It's a revenue neutral plan that is designed to spur growth–and create jobs–by lowering rates and reducing or eliminating tax loopholes. Maybe it's a hard plan to sell, but I've watched Paul Ryan persuasively makethe case to skeptical constituents that taxreform would grow the economy and create a fairer tax code.
McCormack takes Romney to task for saying out loud the poor won't benefit from "tax reform" and blathers about how "freedom" will "spur growth." He takes Mitt to task because he's not as convincing as Ryan when he claims cutting taxes further will benefit everyone.
The meltdown is so delicious because Republicans don't seem to know whether to abandon the myth that has driven the Republican Party for the last 50 years or not.
And because the Congressional Research Service just came out with analysis that it is, in fact, a myth.
Income tax rates have been at the center of recent policy debates over taxes. Some policymakers have argued that raising tax rates, especially on higher income taxpayers, to increase tax revenues is part of the solution for long-term debt reduction.
Other recent budget and deficit reduction proposals would reduce tax rates.
Advocates of lower tax rates argue that reduced rates would increase economic growth, increase saving and investment, and boost productivity (increase the economic pie). Proponents of higher tax rates argue that higher tax revenues are necessary for debt reduction, that tax rates on the rich are too low (i.e., they violate the Buffett rule), and that higher tax rates on the rich would moderate increasing income inequality (change how the economic pie is distributed). This report attempts to clarify whether or not there is an association between the tax rates of the highest income taxpayers and economic growth.
Throughout the late-1940s and 1950s, the top marginal tax rate was typically above 90%; today it is 35%. Additionally, the top capital gains tax rate was 25% in the 1950s and 1960s, 35% in the 1970s; today it is 15%. The real GDP growth rate averaged 4.2% and real per capita GDP increased annually by 2.4% in the 1950s. In the 2000s, the average real GDP growth rate was 1.7% and real per capita GDP increased annually by less than 1%. There is not conclusive evidence, however, to substantiate a clear relationship between the 65-year steady reduction in the top tax rates and economic growth. Analysis of such data suggests the reduction in the top tax rates have had little association with saving, investment, or productivity growth. However, the top tax rate reductions appear to be associated with the increasing concentration of income at the top of the income distribution. [my emphasis]
Thus, at precisely the moment when Republicans are beating up on Mitt for suggesting–even if inadvertently–that the poor have no self-interest in his tax cuts for the rich, the non-partisan CRS comes out and shows that, in fact, they do not (and have not, for two generations).
It remains to be seen whether any political entity will push this point home (indeed, one of the tax cut plans that CRS says would lead to more inequality is the President's own Catfood Commission plan).
But Republicans don't appear to know how to respond to Mitt speaking the truth, admitting that the poor have no interest in seeing rich people like him get further tax cuts, and speaking the truth in such a snotty disdain.
Amid a flood of lies being uttered at the Republican National Convention this week, there is one truth the GOP has told.
They want you to work for yourself.
The Republican obsession with working for yourself stems from a campaign strategy–to recruit a parade of people–many of them whose businesses suck at the government teat—to "refute" an Obama quote they're taking out of context, "You didn't build that"
Here's how Paul Ryan claimed credit to building a business (he didn't mention it was made possible by Social Security survivor benefits.
My Mom started a small business, and I've seen what it takes. Mom was 50 when my Dad died. She got on a bus every weekday for years, and rode 40 miles each morning to Madison. She earned a new degree and learned new skills to start her small business. It wasn't just a new livelihood. It was a new life. And it transformed my Mom from a widow in grief to a small businesswoman whose happiness wasn't just in the past. Her work gave her hope. It made our family proud. And to this day, my Mom is my role model.
But the most absurd case came from Senator, former NH Attorney General, prosecutor, and before that private practice lawyer Kelly Ayotte, who instead of talking about her considerable and impressive professional experience, focused on shoveling snow. (This served the other apparent convention strategy to have all women, save Condi Rice, to define themselves first and foremost as wife and/or mother.)
My husband Joe – who was on track to be a commercial pilot – instead served our great country flying combat missions in Iraq.
When he returned home from the war – he found himself in the same position as so many Americans – he needed a job.
So he started a family business – a landscaping and snowplowing company.
And when I say he – I mean we – because I spent many a sleepless night shoveling snow. And I'm proud of the fact that in addition to being a United States Senator – I'm also pretty good with a snow plow!
Now, Ayotte's husband Joe Daley's story could have served any of several narratives. His military service itself. The declining opportunities for airline pilots, an industry repeatedly bailed out by government. The difficult job market for veterans. But instead it became a story about an Attorney making $174,000 a year for her day job in public service plowing snow.
But it's not just Ayotte's admirable career in public service that gets short shrift here. While many of the speakers talked about how many employees their small business supported, no one I saw–save Condi Rice, who rightly celebrated her success rising from segregated Birmingham to become Secretary of State–talked about the honor of working as an employee, whether as a public servant or in the private sector.
That points to several larger trend that fits well with the real thrust of the policies Mitt and Ryan would implement. First, the Bain-like stripping of real employment relationships in exchange for transient, insecure contracts. The denial of responsibility anytime a contractor makes a mistake. And perhaps most importantly, a tax system that values wealth creation over work.
The RNC is all about these American Dream stories, and a few of them are actually what they appear to be, stories about entrepreneurs building something of their own with little help from the government. But this is about the value of working hard to own things, not work itself.
On August 11, Mitt Romney announced his pick of Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate. A few days later, CrazyPete Hoekstra renewed his earlier call for the repeal of the 17th Amendment in the name of state's rights. More recently, a poll based on off-year turnout model reported Mitt and Hoekstra would win MI. And seemingly in response to that poll, Mitt came to MI to race bait about how he was born in MI, unlike that brown fella.
It all sort of makes you believe MI's Republicans don't plan on running a fair election this November.
All of which makes me grateful that Nate Silver just called out both that earlier poll and an even crazier one that came out yesterday. As he notes, yesterday's poll–showing a tie in the Presidential and, even more improbably, a one point CrazyPete lead over Debbie Stabenow–assumed that African Americans would not be voting in November.
The head of Mitchell Research, Steve Mitchell, wrote a long memo accompanying his poll release on Monday. In that poll, he weighted the survey to assume that African-Americans would make up only 8 percent of Michigan's turnout. By contrast, black voters represented 12 percent of the turnout in Michigan in 2008 according to exit polls, and 14 percent according to another source, the Current Population Survey. Blacks also made up 13 percent of Michigan's vote in 2004 and 11 percent in 2000, according to exit polls. Continue reading


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UHP: Semi-tanker driver victim of hit-and-run in Salt Lake City
The Utah Highway Patrol was looking Friday for a hit-and-run suspect after the driver of a crashed semi-trailer rig was struck while walking on Interstate 80 in Salt Lake City.
Utah Highway Patrol Cpl. Todd Johnson said the driver was in critical condition at Intermountain Medical Center following the 6:30 a.m. incident.
The semi, hauling two crude oil tankers, crashed into a concrete barrier wall on the eastbound I-80 connector ramp to southbound Interstate 15, near 600 South.
"UHP investigators believe that the driver of the semi exited the truck after the crash and then walked west behind the crash scene, possibly to warn other motorists, and was then hit by a vehicle," Johnson said.
Troopers found the driver, who was not identified, lying unconscious on the left shoulder with injuries "consistent with having been involved in an auto-pedestrian crash," Johnson said.
"The vehicle ⦠did not stop at the scene, and there has been no contact from anyone stating they were involved in this incident," Johnson added.
None of the fuel from the tankers leaked.
UHP closed the eastbound I-80 connector to the 600 South off ramp and southbound I-15, diverting motorists to the 600 North exit to access I-15 and Salt Lake City into late Friday morning.
Anyone with information about the vehicle that struck the victim is urged to call UHP dispatchers at 801-887-3800.
Twitter: @remims
See more about comments here.

subset: commoncrawl


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weight loss
Contestants Prank Bob Harper on 'The Biggest Loser,' But it Backfires on Them (VIDEO)
As a temptation, a bucket filled with ten lbs of candy was hung in the kitchen. For every pound of it someone ate, they would earn a pound advantage on the scale. While none of them seemed to seriously consider eating the candy too much, they did come up with a way to unite in a prank against Bob -- only they may not have thought it all the way through.
TV 101: Trimming the Fat With Television
How can you tell when an issue has turned from mild concern into full-blown epidemic? When you can't turn on the telly without seeing a show on every channel. In this case, there are now roughly a thousand shows about fat people losing weight and getting healthy. The question becomes: is it a call to actually tone flabby arms and get healthy, or an exploitative endeavor to help our rotund masses reassure themselves that "even I wouldn't eat that?"
'The Biggest Loser' - 'Week Eleven' Recap
As promised, we got to see a lot of familiar faces, and a couple of not-so-familiar faces, as the eliminated contestants returned yet again for a chance to return to campus. It was a little odd seeing some of them at a size that is clearly before what we saw in their "after elimination" packages.
The return was especially difficult for the original blue team, Cherita and Victoria Andrews, as neither of them have had the opportunity to spend even one full night as part of 'The Biggest Loser' on-campus experience.
Victoria Makes a Comeback on 'The Biggest Loser' (VIDEO)
On this week's episode, the eliminated players were given a chance to return to the ranch, and Victoria drew the lucky straw on that score. She was so grateful to have the opportunity to come back and change her life for the better. It's easy to get excited and emotional for her, even sitting in our living rooms at home.
Watch the video after the jump.
HBO Chooses New York Jets for 'Hard Knocks'
This year, however, it's a whole 'nother story. The Jets are smokin'. As a Miami Dolphins fan, this pisses me off like you can't imagine. But for HBO, the New York Jets are a great pick for 'Hard Knocks,' the show that takes viewers into the training camp of an NFL team to watch them put it together for season to come.
Michael Drops Below 400 Lbs on 'Biggest Loser' (VIDEO)
Michael cracked the 400 lb. mark, dropping to 397 lbs, and wept as he said it was for his grandma. "I'm getting there. I'm getting there," he said. "I worked my tiny little butt off when I was in Chicago. It was my way to, like, run away from the pain."
As trainer Bob Harper said, "It doesn't even matter if Michael wins this show or not. Michael has already won this game." And he's inspired a whole bunch of other people along the way. Way to go, Michael! We're cheering for you!
Watch the video after the jump.
'The Biggest Loser' Contestants Inspire Co-Workers (VIDEO)
Here's the thing about this show. Yes, it does seem like most of the contestants do well because they've got Jillian and Bob and a whole team of people helping them. Not to mention the fact that they're cordoned off at the ranch, so they don't have to worry about all those pesky life distractions.
But it's segments like this that really bring the show home to all of us in a real way. Weight loss and healthy living is absolutely achievable, and it's really up to each person to set and achieve their goals. Thus ends our 'Oprah' moment of the day.
Watch the video after the jump.
Weight Gains and Torches on 'The Biggest Loser' (VIDEO)
Meanwhile, Cheryl and Darrell battled each other in an elimination challenge that involved balancing a torch on their head. Ok, that's just not right. Not only does it seem really dangerous, but are they trying to give the contestants a closed head injury?
Watch the video after the jump.
Weight Watchers suing Jenny Craig over Valerie Bertinelli commercial
I hate ads that show someone in a lab coat or standing in front of a bunch of books. Ooooo, he's in front of a bookcase, he must know what he's talking about! [via Gawker]
Jason Alexander the latest Jenny Craig pitch man
Jason is the latest Jenny Craig celebrity pitcher, joining Sara Rue and Valerie Bertinelli. I can't wait to see Jason in a Speedo like Valerie in the bikini! No, seriously, Jason's goal with the diet is clearly all about shrinkage. He wants his old waistline, the one that made George Costanza such a catch.
Kirstie Alley getting a weight loss reality show
Kirstie Alley will join the network's neverending list of celebrity reality shows. This one will focus on her neverending battle with weight loss as she raises her kids. The network has ordered 10 episodes of the new series.
In other words, it's every other family-related reality show you've ever seen except this one will star Kirstie Alley.
The wrong person went home on last night's Biggest Loser
Many of them truly are fighting for their life, and you just know that without the motivation of laying it all out there on TV -- not to mention the grueling paces that Bob and Jillian put them through -- some of them might never gain control over their weight.
Heba from The Biggest Loser needs to shut her yapper
And no, before someone says it, she does not need to shut her yapper because of her love/hate relationship with food... although, that probably wouldn't hurt. Now before I say something else that may be construed as offensive, let me preface all of this with exactly what I said the last time I complained about someone on The Biggest Loser:
"Because what I'm about to write may come across as sounding harsh and insensitive, let me preface all of this by saying that I love The Biggest Loser and have nothing but the utmost respect for the contestants and what they go through on the show.
In a world saturated with reality shows, The Biggest Loser is one of the few that still comes across as "real." You can't script a 100lb. weight loss."
OK, the formalities are out of the way, so let's get to the point: why is Heba being such a bitch?!?
The Office: Weight Loss (season premiere)
What about you guys? Did you flurj your friends at The Office? Well, everything is a-okay now. Your fictional friends from Dunder-Mifflin are back, and your good buddy Jay (quite possibly fictional, we're working it out in therapy) is back reviewing every episode mere seconds after it's aired! So, sit back, relax, and sharpen your commenting fingers! On to the review!
Star Jones admits to gastric bypass surgery (duh!)
Jones lost 160 pounds over three years. She says she didn't announce she had gastric bypass surgery because she felt ashamed that she couldn't lose the weight on her own. I can understand that, but she went as far as to lie about it and give people false hope that they, too, could control their problem with over-eating. I'm surprised she's not writing a book about it to make money off her weight loss. Does anybody else think she's just a bad person?
So, there. The world's biggest mystery is solved.
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text:
Is anyone keeping up with it?
I'm sad I didn't get to go out and support my girls this year, especially with it being so close to home.. One of my friends won the teen first go on another friend's horse.. Chloe Gray rode Lady, Kassie Wise's black mare. SO excited and happy for her!! Chloe is also running her horse today..
I think Casey Oliver is leading right now..Hate to say it but I'm really hoping Chloe wins the go today..She hasn't ran yet so fingers crossed!!
Not sure if you can watch Chloe's run but I'll try!


text:
17th 2011
The Pulse V3
Pumping Setups
L: LBL Walkabout
M: RoeRacing Mermaid
R: Subsonic Pulse
Many will tell you "any deck can be pumped."
And while this statement is basically true, it's not complete.
What you should know is that some setups can
be pumped far more efficiently than others.
Many other factors must be taken into account
as well. You wouldn't buy a BMX bike for an interstate bicycle
race, as you wouldn't ride a park board to pump a longboard marathon.
Even a high-tech slalom board would be debateable for a marathon,
because your pumps will be far shorter and faster. You're best
off considering a board with a much longer wheelbase, and a touch
of FLEX.
With all the gimmicky new "surf-like"
trucks and gadgets that pop up on the market each year, there
is an important element of getting back to the basics, that should
always be kept in mind.
All that said, the most efficient Long Distance
Pumping setups are made up of the following elements.
1. High-rebound wheels in a durometer that suits
the terrain. 84a is fine for good surfaces, but 78a is probably
the best all-around durometer.
2. Wheel size that matches the terrain. Short ride? 66-70mm is
fine. Real distance, like 10 miles or more? Bump it up to 75/76mm.
You'll appreciate the added momentum and ability to maintain a
faster high-end clip.
3. A very turny front truck with excellent, snappy rebound back
to center. Good bushings make all the difference.
4. 10-15 degrees of wedging in the front truck (and sometimes
5. A stable rear truck with excellent rebound to center. Again,
choose bushings wisely.
6. 5-10 degrees of de-wedging in the rear truck.
7. Simply clean, oiled bearings, in the Abec 3-5-7 range. The
differences are trivial. Ceramics can be overkill for harsh trail
riding conditions in LDP.
8. A deck that is wide enough in the nose to enable the full width
of your foot, to transfer more subtle movements directly over
and down into the front truck's pivot.
9. A wheelbase in the range between 26" to 31".
10. Some degree of subtle flex in the board. Not a soft noodle,
and not stiff as a rock.
Realize that shorter setups, such as those used
in slalom, can be much easier to learn on, though it is not absolutely
necessary to do so. These have wheelbases in the 17" to 22"
range, are usually in the 8" to 9.5" widths, and are
not always of the flexy variety.
A longer board will give you both. You can ride
the nose and experiment with smaller pumps to accelerate, then
step back, widen your stance, and get into some long, deep, driving
Long Distance Pumping
2006 prototypes:
RoeRacing Mermaid LDP
An LDP with "hips", this sexy shape
helps you power pumps off the rear foot more, and adds overall
rigidity to the deck. The subtle concave option adds even more
strength and function if you like your feet to be 'cupped' into
the deck.
The design of the Mermaid was based initially
on function, and we worked the style and shape around several
important aspects of long distance riding. Gareth tested the design,
and John Stryker cut and finished the final shapes, the end result
is truly a combined effort.
Ride testing has been rigorous, literally thousands
of miles have been poured into this animal to get a shape and
flex just right for LDP excursions. During the years I've ridden
Roe's I've mixed in distance riding on all other kinds of boards
whenever possible, yet the magic of the Roe deck recipe, and the
consistency and craftsmanship, is still unsurpassed.
It does take a while for a Roe to be built and
shipped, as they're built to order, so allow several months. But
when it arrives, you'll know why.
Alan and Kimmy on the Burke
- August 2007.
Kris's description over on silverfish says it
"Looks like a chinchilla-lined waterbed for the rear foot
to complement the pure-silk rotating circular bed for the front
The Pulse Rev 2.0
With camber and a little more concave ... currently
under test!
Riding impressions on the LDP Forum here
The Subsonic PULSE.
On the subsonic
site now!
With a carbon fiber SNAP, and some influence
and ride testing that will make this one of the most versatile
LDP boards to date. Scotty truly understands the value of testing
and building boards consistently for performance. I've been blown
away how much work he does by hand and gets it perfect, the guy
is an artistic technician!
John Stryker has influenced this one in design
(helped on the nose reshape and the core construction), it's been
tested by many on the CSA crew, and Sheldon Lessard has been out
riding a proto all over the country.
All impressions so far concur - lightweight,
snappy and fast. Concave, straight across the middle from nose
to tail, and nice wide pockets for getting your pumping feet locked
in and cranking turns!!
I have always dug Scott's amazing woodwork and
finishing touches, and over the years he's been researching and
refining his blends of concaved fiberglass and wood. When the
first proto arrived, before I even stood on it, was once again
blown away by the craftsmanship and the very unique beveled edge
he tossed in, which these pictures just don't do justice.
Back in 2000 I bought one of his first Swerve
boards, owned a couple of his slalom boards since then, and over
the winter worked out a shape with him for LDP.
I've been splitting my rides up with some mileage
on this one and sharing it with some other local rippers.
He also threw in the tiger stripe grip tape job
as a surprise and it suits the deck perfectly!
Scott's got so many great options like colors,
wheel wells, and alternate grip designs.
The Subsonic LDP in action...
LDP Walkabout from Longboard
This board is named for
the distances it's destined to travel. Inspired by the aboriginal
rite of passage, when young men "go walkabout" on the
same paths as their ancestors -- it's also a blend of a lifelong
passion for music. It was sheer dumb luck to have attended the
UW Music school when Stuart Dempster taught, I took his didge
class to learn better breathing techniques for trumpet. Nearly
20 years later, out cruising and listening to some mp3's this
summer, there were these great tracks of techno beats mixed with
the rhythmic drone of the didge, and the Walkabout name just popped
into the uber-subconscience and that was that. Now just need some
plane tickets to the Land Down Under to make this journey complete!
Snappy flex with a slight camber, a gradual concave
throughout the length of the deck, and a smooth pocket for the
front foot for when you're moving around, switching up stances.
Most common question: "What's the kick nose
for?" I don't use the kick nose all too often, except I've
found when riding backward it's a comfy place to position the
heel. Also works great in those times when you've been riding
a while and might otherwise end up stepping off the nose of the
board-- something I've done a time or two! It's really a functional
add that was requested by many LDP'ers out there who prefer to
ride the nose more, and it works! I suspect some of the tricksters
might find they can nose manual more easily on this one, though
I find that pretty tricky with an uber-loose front truck!
Below pic: equipped with RED 81a Bennetts, a
nice balance between a sticky turny slalom wheel and something
that you can feel shred the asphalt as you commit hard sliding
I had been asking Larry for a "back to roots"
wood board on the outside but with some technical adds, like a
fiberglass and carbon fiber Oreo cookie. You can even see the
glass in some of these pics if you look closely. Larry's getting
it dialed.
The LBL Walkabout in action...
John Stryker putting the LBL Walkabout through
6-foot cyber course!
The CAMBIAR (modified pump
Eric Lowell who lit up the LDP Ultraskate scene
in Seattle in 2008, also made it over to the UK to inspire their
long-distance crew and spread the LDP love,
Just after the Ultraskate in Seattle, he began
working closely with Mark G of "G-Bomb" longboards,
to find a cool compromise between the low
efficiency of a dropped push-board, and the over-the-nose leverage
of a topmount pumper.
Details on the progression
of Mark's invention, which originally started as "G-Bomb
Longboards" is on this thread:
Here's Eric in action...
Shorter, thinner, lighter, lower CG, and FASTER!
APR 2006 37.75" Roe Pavedwave LDP board,
next to its heavier 2005 prototype:
RoeRacing LDP 2006
After several years of long distance pump testing
a wide range of setups on the trails, this formula rules them
It's lightweight and snappy, using just the
right amount of birch plys, triaxial fiberglass, and RoeRacing
carbon fiber for extra pop and an extra long life, but not so
much to weigh down the ride. The excesses from previous models
have been removed. Gareth got this board DIALED -- it makes for
effortless pump sessions!
Original template surf-shape, wide in the nose
and cutaway shape at the tail. The overall 37.75" length
of the deck is not as important as the 28.5" / 29.5"
wheelbase that works perfectly on this setup, for half- and full-
flatland pump marathons, or all-out cruise sessions along the
The wide nose enables full foot placement across
the width of the deck, making it easy to leverage power and quick
pumps over the front. Step back just behind the front truck and
the low camber returns a snap like no other.
The camber is subtle -- and it needs to be subtle
for distance rides. Boards with higher camber look cool, and do
snap nicely on short pump sprints, but the cumulative effect of
"hyper snapping" camber is a feeling of being tossed
off the nose of the board. With Roe's mellow camber, when more
power is needed its there by pumping down hard with the back foot,
but when you're in the "cruising gears", your weight
naturally presses the camber to a flatter plane and thus, far
more comfortable for many miles and miles of road ahead. This
isn't a discovery that would become obvious after just pumping
cyber sprints, or even a mile or so. Try 10 or 20+ miles at a
time -- and listen to what your feet start telling you!
The cutaway in back is just before the rear truck,
so the back foot can still be placed far toward the rear of the
deck, when you want a full width stance and a long trail cadence
pump, powering off the rear and steering with the nose.
With trucks placed nearly at the nose and tail,
and a wide platform, it practically makes for a Super GS board
-- that can also double as a nosewalker -- there's enough room
for cross-stepping and switching stance easily. But this is obviously
far from your standard surf plank.
Pictured here with 90mm Split Fire Phase III
up front, heavily wedged with Khiro wedge kit, and Khiro white
bushings. Rear is 107mm Split Fire Phase I with Tracker Stim on
bottom and Khiro cone on top.
The Carver CX front + rear combo runs sweet on
this deck as well!
Typically I'm running either 76mm Retro Gumballs,
or 75mm shaved Avilas of various duros, depending on just how
gnarly the terrain is.
The previous LDP protos had been requested several
times over (as Customs) by people who've been similarly bitten
by the long distance trail riding bug. Gareth and Michael have
been instrumental in coaching on pumping techniques and asking
the right questions at the right time, sometimes when I had even
crazier ideas about the deck's shape and how to create more leverage
where its needed. The first templates were cut out, then pressed
and shaped by Steve, and the latter models were shaped and refined
with tweaks by John Stryker. Thanks to all of them, and to those
who've recognized and contributed to this unique and steadily
growing niche.
Much energy has gone into these boards -- and
waiting to be unleashed on the trail!!
Length: 37.75"
Width: 9.75"
Low Camber
Wheelbase: 28.5 and 29.5
Med (under 160 lbs)
Stiff (160+ lbs)
Split-Fire trucks: www.asphaltplayground.com
Retro Urethane Wheels: www.abec11.com
The Landyachtz Evo-Bennett Pumper
A perfect hybrid pushing / pumping setup like
this has been elusive, but the Evo-Bennett combo is working pretty
I love Bennett Truks, and I've always liked the
intelligent wedging of the Evo. After several commutes on the
Evo-Bennett Pumper, and a lot of winter garage sessions, some
other modifications are in the works to get this thing dialed.
A lot of other guys have been riding it at our
garage bombing and cyber sessions, and really digging it!
This setup is now a candidate for the 2008 Seattle
to Portland in July, in fact I'd say it's been inspired by that
course. The first day of the STP has a lot of flat and pumpable
terrain, but the second day, the highway into Portland has tons
of rough chipseal asphalt, and more inclines to push.
I've been wanting to find a middle ground board,
knowing that the topmount is still always going to be a better
pumper overall, and that the drop-deck saves your energy when
you just have to push.
Other lowrider pumpers I've tried so far are:
- park boards converted to schlongboards and
mounted with Seismics
- Afroman 38" deck with Randal 150 front and conventional
Indy rear
- Bustin's lowered setups with Randals front and rear
- Lush Samba with Seismics
None of these really worked out the way I'd hoped,
mainly because in order to get the wheels big enough and the trucks
turny enough you'd have a lot of modding to the original deck
shape to avoid bite, and also because there are very few decks
that have natural dewedging built into the rear.
=== === === === === === === ===
Some follow up on this -
The Evo-pumper didn't enjoy a whole lot more
love, after I set up Bennetts on the dropped "Cambiar"
deck (the aluminum bracket system, a creation of Mark Groenenboom's)
which may soon become the Loaded "Fathom" system. What
that configuration added to the game which the Evo-pumper could
not, is the element of flex that's needed.
There have been some other testers spending more
time with that board, and I'm keeping a thread on it HERE.
And another related thread here.
The Evo was an interesting experiment, in that
you could maintain a "tic-tac" pump, pouring energy
from the rear of the board, and gliding the "steering"
front foot back and forth, so the front bushings needed to be
loose, yet not sloppy, and have their own return to center. What
really was lacking though was to have the entire board give back
some energy. The other downside is that you're giving up having
the ability to move forward on the deck to put more weight over
the front truck, when you want to shift around stances and use
less energy to just glide through the flat and pump up speed more
efficiently, without as much energy investment.
And of course, you don't want to assume that
just because this thing's a speedboard, you can point it down
a hill as you might with Randals... I've taken my Bennetts up
to around 40 mph on a topmount comfortably, but the drop deck
adds another level of "squirrellyness" which I wasn't
willing to test out on any real hills.
So for a mellow cruiser, with an option to pump
some distances, the Evo was fun, but I wouldn't consider it a
dedicated setup.
The UnLoaded
The Vanguard has always been one of my favorite
carvers. I've tested every flex they have and always preferred
the 1's and 2's, though at my 165 lbs I suppose that's considered
extra stiff.
So kickin around some extra boards in my garage
in the winter of 2006, I figured I'd better do something with
the Vanny since it hadn't seen much love lately. I'd gotten so
immersed in flats, distance pumping all the time and hadn't been
out recently just to carve hills on my Carveboard, my Flexdexes,
or my Loaded. I'd even sold off a couple I wanted back, so I picked
up another couple stiffer flexes in oak.
Then the idea struck. I needed a new prototype LDP to test, and
there was a Vanguard just begging for the jigsaw.
So to do the shaping right, I called John Stryker,
who doesn't ride even a brand new foamcore board unless he's taken
a saw to it first -- I'm not making that up! So John's got the
mad skills (he shaped all the 2006 RoeRacing boards) I draw out
the shape on the nose and a little off the tail, and John gets
it cut out and back to me within a couple days. Then after a bit
of riding and testing the flex and giving it the nod, my friend
tells me he'd be happy to slap a professional paint job on it.
So there you have it -- a professional shaping,
re-grip and paint job, just the right trucks and setup, and the
Loaded now takes on a new life:
These experiments were a transition between the
2006 Mermaid and the 2007 Subsonic LDP.
The Subsonic steps the platform's width up by
quite a notch, takes out the high camber, adds a bit more concave,
thins out the edges with a nice bevel, and adds a bit more rigidity
with some glass and a little carbon fiber!!
EPILOGUE: Check this out! Some guy on the German
forum longboardz.de built his own now as well, he calls it the
"Reloaded" :-)
to Pump PDF - by Dan Gesmer
There are many ways to config a deck for distance
pumping, and depending largely on preference and pump style, some
work better than others. What I'm imparting are my opinions on
what works best, and a good number of pumpers here in the Northwest,
where we've got endless miles of paved trails to ride.
First, the TRUCKS.
As the saying goes, what's old is new...and there
is some "new" magic in the reissue Bennett
-- I'm putting more time on these than anything else now.
My typical (front) Bennett Bushing
Setups for LDP
Bennetts feel a lot like
an Indy, with a fast turn on initiation, and they turn like crazy
all the way through. In slalom there seems to be a couple "schools",
those who really like the power of a Tracker turn, and those who
have been sold on the feel of an Indy since day one. A splitfire
in back combination gives rear truck stickiness at the fastest
speeds (flatland doesn't usually get much faster than 20mph) and
the Bennett in front has a nice, easy surf feel that translates
well to the trails. One thing I have to re-learn is how to footbrake
at speed on these. The first time I broke at around 25mph, I didn't
realize how much twitchier the front was than my splitfire!!
One thing I like about
asphaltplayground.com's SplitFire
in front, is that the axle is nearer the baseplate than a Randal
or Carver truck, decreasing the overall height from deck-to-ground,
which makes for easier pushing, for those unavoidable times when
you must resort to that primitive skill. ;-)
Over the past year I've come to appreciate most
the Bennett front / SplitFire rear, a perfect combination for
a pumping machine.
Here are a few shots of my rear trucks. I always
run them dewedged, and have lately moved all the SplitFires to
DH baseplates. Since the SplitFires are currently on production
hiatus, other options that I've set up are Tracker RTS and Indys
on back -- which are about a sixth of the cost, and at least in
the world of LDP, make a negligible difference.
The Carver
has obviously been a favorite in the past. We were riding these
hard way before Carver's marketing department finally woke up
and started actively promoting them. With wheels of 75mm, they
require 1-1/2" or more of risers (just flat ones, no angles),
so pushing can be challenging especially up hills, but it surfs
like crazy, so most the time you shouldn't be touching ground
For a relatively inexpensive, back-to-basics
setup I would use a reverse
kingpin truck, such as a Randal 150 or a Gullwing
Cruiser 60.
R180's or Holeys are okay, but those broad hangars will require
a wider, more energy-invested pump, and what I prefer is a hangar
that lets you tack the nose back and forth more effortlessly,
at a shorter 'wavelength' and higher frequency. Paris trucks look
far more elegant than the Randals, with a polished finish and
arguably more consistent machining, though functionally there
is very little difference.
Tracker RTX/RTS combos are great for slalom pumping.
I find their turn to be of a progressive nature, and not as conducive
to long distances because they require a bit more effort. Trackers
seem to turn gradually, but as you continue to turn, they turn
very deep and positive, which is probably why they work so well
on the stiff, broad-nosed AXE slalom deck. However, the energy
investment for short, wiggly acceleration costs a little more,
and over the long hauls, I tend to use this method to either maintain
momentum or sprint up long inclines.
On any truck, I basically stick with Khiro
barrel bushings, usually a barrel on both the top and
Then, there's RISERS.
How the truck is mounted on the deck will greatly
increase or decrease its turny, surfy quality. For LDP, you want
a tacking, back and forth action in the front, and a relatively
stable rear truck. For the SplitFires, Bennets, Randals, or Gullwing
Cruisers, a strong wedge in front and slight de-wedge in back
feels just right.
On the CX, I typically just ran 1-3/4" of
flat risers with 75mm wheels and stock bushings.
Exact riser and hardware measurements vary widely,
because my wheel choices generally range from 70mm to 77mm, bushings
range from super soft to medium duros, decks can have some concave
which raises the edges slightly -- so these choices have a huge
influence on whether you run into wheelbite or not.
Current favorite riser/wedge
combinations in the front (with Bennetts) are:
Config1: 15 degree angle
wedge plus ONE of the Khiro angled 'shock pads' for 75-77mm wheels
(Vents, BigZigs, Gumballs)
Config2: 10 degree angle wedge plus ONE of the Khiro angled
'shock pads' for wheels in 70mm range (Zags, HotSpots, Manx)
Config3: TWO soft angled wedges (70mm wheels)
- add a flat 1/8" riser (Avilas, Gumballs) or 1/4" riser
This may look like a lot of riser, but in fact,
these wedges are fat only on one end and very thin on the other,
so my LDPs tend to be as far off the ground as other, more standard
What I typically run on any reverse kingpin truck
or Bennets, are Khiro
angled 'shock pads' in front, which are actually a large
wedged rubber riser that is 3/16" on one end and 9/16"
on the fat end, plus if I'm using wheels that are 75mm or larger,
will add at least 1/8" flat riser and sometimes another very
thin angled riser.
Usually before fully tightening everything up,
you can just put the baseplate over the bolts, grab the wheels
and wrench the hangar side to side, to get an idea whether you've
got enough riser to keep the dreaded wheelbite from getting you.
To just take care of all your angled riser needs
once and for all (until you need more, anyway) just pick up one
of the Khiro
wedged riser kits!
As far as hardware goes these days, I rarely
buy anything shorter than 1-1/2" up to 3", just get
a collection of bolts in all lengths and you'll never
be stuck with a truck-less deck!
WHEEL preferences -- I'm usually running
one of these on distance setups:
- 75a 77mm Speed Vents - fastest top end
speed, good on poor-to-excellent trail conditions
- 72a 75mm Red or PurpleSkunk Avilas - because of
its amazing soft duro that maintains its momentum on nice surfaces,
and gets over the nastiest asphalt smoothly, this is still the
wheel of choice for tackling ALL terrain LDP!
- Pink Gumballs - amazing rebound, and cushy for nasty
trail conditions
- Lime/Lemon BigZigs - amazing rebound, best on good-to-excellent
trail conditions
Longboard Larry - Prototype "Comet"
Note: This prototype deck was on a different
custom design and testing cycle from Larry's "Sandpiper"
deck. (May 2006) It worked well at a time
when I needed to test out my shape in a plain birch deck, a more
basic wood config that neither Roe nor Insect were commercially
producing at the time. We called this board the "Comet."
In clearing out some of my collection (Fall 2009)
I felt that this board really deserved a full time owner and rider
-- not to make it a "museum piece for LDP", even though
it really is. So off it went to Jeff in New York City!
RoeRacing / Insect Hybrid Custom
44" x 10", custom template surf-shape,
wide in the nose and narrow to the tail.
Inspired by a cross between a RoeRacing Crossfire
slalom deck, and my favorite longboard shape with a wide nose.
Gareth helped spec it, and Steve built and dialed it perfectly!
Carver CX truck system, mounted 4" from
the nose and 1" off the tail. Big, fast 76mm Avilas. TWO
1/2" risers to avoid wheelbite. (Recommend FLAT risers with
RoeRacing 38" Foam Torsion Core custom!
- Carver CX, TWO 1/2" flat risers, and 75mm soft Avilas underneath.
My bro Skip owns this deck now, he was out with
me on its Maiden voyage around Green Lake and it fit him right
away. Skip used to ride a narrow G & S deck and this Roe had
a width of something like 8"--8.5" which fit his stance
perfectly. This is the lightest and snappiest LDP combination
custom Roe board yet.
Lib Tech Koi or Toxic Surfer (same
deck, different graphic) - 44" x 9.25", 24" wheelbase,
a stiff longboard deck you can also thrash in the skateparks with.
Carver C7s are one of the best surfing/carving
stoke trucks out there. Since the truck itself is so loose, it's
best kept on a stiff deck, that's why I like this combo. The C7
demands muscle to keep a long distance pump going, so I thought
the Carver setup wouldn't be the best for marathon rides -- it's
more like an excellent 1-3 mile surfing-pumping workout deck.
Now I keep the Carver C7 mounted to a
Tony Hawk park flippy deck with soft 60mm NoSkools, to get the
KIDS hooked on flatland carving...
Carver CX - The 2005 CX model was at one
point on three of my decks -- one is pictured unmounted next to
the C7 for comparison. It's a far simpler design, and with a tighter
setup, is great for much longer distances... STOKED!
More on the CX's in the Trucks page
Morning Wood 40" kicktail pumping deck
More of a hybrid board, I often pulled this one
out for friends who want to check out a surf-like longboard for
the first time or for a shorter trail ride. In the end, I actually
sold this one to a friend I'd never met in person! Its just a
perfect all-around shape.
The kicktail is great for carving around parking
lots with little banks, or just working harder cutbacks, yet its
still got 70mm Flashbacks to (almost) keep up with the other LDP
Gravity Spoon Nose LDP
I've had the spoon nose out only for a few rides,
it's been a really wet and icy Northwest winter so far. I set
it up as I would any other LDP board underneath: Pink Gummies,
Bennett 5.0 front, Tracker RTS in back, standard wedging/dewedging.
First impression is that the deck rides smooth
and a little soft, kinda like most other all-wood boards (like
my flexdex pro60.)
Shape-wise its great, with a broad nose and very
mellow concave. If you're up for some casual pump sessions it
would be a good board to start with, definately more affordable
and Daddiesboardshop shipped me one in literally 2 days!
If I kept riding this setup hard, I wouldn't
expect it to keep its 'pop' more than a few months, which is why
I like glass and carbon which add to and extend the life of the
But a birch board like this serves well for a
while as a snappy pumper and can live its 2nd life as a carver/cruiser.
Hopefully as the weather improves I'll put it through some more
commutes and see how it goes.
Flexdex Pro60 - 60" x 10", Long
Distance Pleasure cruiser. Gullwing Cruiser 60 trucks front and
back. Grippins front, Flashbacks in the back.
Incredible flex due to the length -- although
its a little on the heavy side, it maintains great momentum in
the flats. I've owned Sector9 Nosewalkers and long Gravity decks,
but no other big wooden "ironing board" type flat deck
has had this kind of perfect flex and return in the carves.
I was so sold on this deck that I bought a 40-board
pallet of these from Flexdex when they went out of business, and
sold most of them on eBay for cheap, just to share the stoke and
pay for the skate addiction. I've also donated a few in events
and school auctions.
Flexdex made only a couple wooden decks but they
somehow nailed the flex almost the same as their fiberglass boards.
Like no other...
(Experimental / Proto) - RoeRacing 43"
Foam Torsion Core
So far the longest Roe TC deck ever made. Wider
than the 38", it looks like a surfboard cruiser, but ultralight,
and built for speed! The deck design is an extremely extended
version of the Roe Crossfire shape. Wicked
responsive flex. There's times I've felt I was simply floating.
A long thin wood stringer runs the length of
the deck, adding flex and strength to the foam core. Carbon fiber
on the base for strength and flex. Unpainted foam edges give it
a surfboard look.
For now, her name is "Pinky" and she's
a Foamcore, one-off custom version of the Roe Mermaid.
Built by Bryan Blythe of NC ("dustm"
on Silverfish) he sent up all 42 ounces of her last week via Priority
Insured mail, in a neatly folded up cardboard box. From Bryan's
creative and smart use of packaging I thought me might have grown
up in a Japanese household making origami cranes all his life!
After getting over the WOW factor of the lightness
of the deck, I placed the deck on top of some books at either
end, to stand on it and get a feel for the flex.
I decided on the 2nd to max wheelbase, thinking
that maybe there was a little too much flex going max, and also
not wanting to prematurely explode this deck by pushing the limit
too far on the first time out. Prototype foamcores can be a tricky
thing to build just right, especially when you're getting out
to 30" wheelbases.
First off -- NO problems whatsoever on the durability!
My first test run was a big one. After going up and down my local
street a few times, and getting the trucks dialed, I figured might
as well jump in the deep end and take her for a real spin. So
on one of our remaining Sunny Seattle afternoons, we got out on
the trail behind my house and shot to Redmond, a 30-miler there
and back.
After a couple miles, I realized I probably could
have gone with the max wheelbase after all, being used to the
bigger strides and a little more flex from my carbon+birch Mermaid.
But I just decided to keep going and enjoy the snappier, shorter
pumps and get tuned into the "technical" feel of a carbon
+ foam flex. It definitely felt strong enough for up to 200 lbs,
on the innermost wheelbases. And the lightness was obvious, especially
after 10 miles+ and on inclines.
Just before the destination of Redmond, a huge
line of women came streaming onto the trail, and it looked like
it wasn't going to stop anyime soon. And by sheer coincidence,
they all happened to be wearing a ton of PINK!! Apparently I had
just invaded a 60-mile Breast Cancer walk, and some of them were
cheering me on as I slalomed mostly on their left (for the ones
still paying attention to trail ettiquette) and sometimes had
to slice and wend my way between them, getting some cheers along
the way -- a few of them shouting "GO PINK!" :-D
At the 15-mile turnaround point I stopped to
take a breather and stood the board up on end, pointing toward
the trail so all the cancer walkers streaming by could see the
shiny fiberglass and carbon underside with Pink Gumballs. It felt
like a really good omen, a perfect christening for the board's
first test here. I took note of my feet and legs condition, and
overall fatigue. Just as important to gauge this after an hour
or so of straight pumping, though very difficult to quantify.
But I was "feeling it" a bit more, possibly from a little
bit more vibration, but maybe because I wasn't getting as much
spring out of this board as my birch. Bryan had already noted
that he thought it might use a touch more camber, and I have to
agree a bit on that point. It could improve the 'pop' just a bit,
and that adds up as you rack up the distance.
Overall I felt that the shape was just right
for the feet -- and I was able to get some good snap out of the
deck on the smooth, straight stretches, and power up the hills
well because of the light weight. The lightness helped for the
ride back home.
Personally, the concave WORKS -- the fact that
it's just a tad bit more than mellow, is probably one good reason
why Bryan's been able to build a wheelbase this long and still
retain it's strength -- concave running from end to end adds a
significant amount of this.
The next day, still feeling pretty beat at the
usual sunrise ride time, I decided on an afternoon outing instead.
And it all came together -- Sheldon called, I called Rain, and
texted Beth. We had a crew amped for Greenlake! This time I bumped
out to the max wheelbase, and instantly dug the feel more. So
I rode Pinky for the first 2 laps, then finally back to my Mermaid
+ BlackOps to finish out the day.
I'm inspired to test with LDP foamcores again,
maybe becoming an apprentice boardbuilder of Gareth's on the weekends,
if he can ever afford that kind of time. We kicked about this
idea, making the Torsion Core LDP some years back, but it would
take a lot more long distance testing to get it just right. Vibration
dampening, and durability over the long hauls (and through really
hot temps) are just a couple more things to think about.
Bryan's work is truly great, and this is just
one of the first few experimentals he's built -- amazed how well
it rides, and is holding up. All around the seal of the edges
look solid, and the foam shaping on the bottom is nicely thought
out, leaving thin edges that act as wheelwells front and rear.
Now I plan to send this off to another distance brother for testing!
Thank you for the opportunity to check this out
Surf Session Pumping Seismic Stiks
It had to be done. Just looking at the angles
of the nose and tail on the Landyachtz EVO, then the wedging of
the Seismic Stik, it seemed to lend itself perfectly to a little
experiment in a bigger version of the homemade stik pumper setup.
What works: The feel of the Evo deck,
to start with. How both feet can be cradled in the front and back
and feel locked in.
Also, drop decks are far more efficient for pushing,
and I've been trying for a dropped pumping deck that would make
those impossible to pump hills a lot easier to fly over.
The SpeedVents - YUM YUM. Very good grip and
roll speed.
The cut-out hand-hold was just icing on the cake.
This is a Good Karma board from Mark, the guy that makes G-bomb
longboards, and he cut that, as well as affixing urethane strips
along the bottom for occasional high-centering. Well, I busted
one of the strips off on a ride so decided to sand the whole thing
down and repaint jet black.
Whats needed: It could definately use
a stiffer back spring, I sold all my reds and greens. I like the
springless Seismic in front, but it wouldn't be practical for
speeds past 15mph, and since this deck is so stiff, there isn't
as much pump return as with the smaller schlongboard / seismic
stik. It's fun to tool around on and always amazes people that
they can keep it moving on flats -- but after the novelty wears,
and there's 11 more miles to go, it really needs some more return
to center.
Will there ever be silver Seismic springs again?
That would be the perfect compromise...
Feast your eyes on the Seismic Stik -
bastard child of the CarveStik.
It's the ultimate way to save that flippy board
from the fireplace.
I don't know if Gesmer would approve of my running
the trucks without springs (an idea borrowed from Dave Forsythe
this summer), there might be kingpin breaking issues, and there's
definately speed wobble issues! -- but this thing carves like
you wouldn't believe. Turns any parking lot into a little beachfront
property with perfect waves...
45 deg Seismic 105mm
No springs!
Flat + angle riser
62mm Cambrias
30 deg Seismic 105mm
Yellow springs
No riser
Quiver Development, April 2008
It's pretty silly how many decks I have at the
moment that aren't set up, but the fact is currently I spend most
of my time on about six boards total. I'll only be selling a few
of these in the near future (a redundant LY Evo, a chopped down
slalom board from a Loaded Vanguard, and a LBL Walkabout proto)
other than that it's hard to let any go because of "future
Missing from the pic: the yellow rollsrolls,
and the gravity spoonnose on loan. Probably missing some other
decks too that I loaned out and forgot about. :-D
Also notable, the Cambiar, in dead center against
the wall with the cool bracket-like trucks, is a tester board
from Mark Groenenboom, who invented the trucks. Been riding that
one off and on the commutes, and Gareth is testing another G-bomb
setup using a chopped down Roe blank for the deck. Great stuff!
Quiver Development, circa 2002
2 Carve Boards, 7-ply and 8-ply, Tierney T-board
with Indy rubber wheels, Sector9 flexy deck with kicktail, Flexdex
28" Classic, a homemade Birch cut-out purely for experimenting,
Seattle's Faction kicky flipper deck, Heelside 155 Snowboard,
Subsonic (then Curve) Drop-deck with 101 Flywheels, one of my
first snowboards -- a Sims 165 Freestyle from 1989 with Exkate
trucks and Green Kryptonic wheels, and finally a garage-built
balance board somewhat like the Indo board.
My head was heavily into downhill carving at
the time, though the best pumping deck out of this group was the
Sector9, then the Sims Snowboard. That big platform on the Sims
was crazy, pretty easy to get out too far on the tail or nose
and pearl it into the asphalt! The pic below it is me (with hair)
on the same Sims, out at Mt. Hood around 1991.
© 2004-2011 pavedwave. All rights reserved.


text:
WASHINGTON — A new book claims that President Obama's response to the economic crisis was hampered by a White House economic staff plagued by internal rivalries, a domineering chief adviser and a Treasury secretary who dragged his feet on enforcing decisions with which he disagreed.
The book, by Ron Suskind, a former Wall Street Journal reporter, quotes White House documents that say Mr. Obama's decisions were routinely "re-litigated" by the chairman of the National Economic Council, Lawrence H. Summers. Some decisions, including one to overhaul the debt-ridden Citibank, were carried out sluggishly or not at all by a resistant Treasury secretary, Timothy F. Geithner, according to the book.


text:
Of Blood and Anguish
Complete the Ring of Blood quests in Nagrand and the Ampitheater of Anguish quests in Zul'Drak.
|Quick Facts
The Wowhead Client is a little application we use to keep our database up to date, and to provide you with some nifty extra functionality on the website!
It serves 2 main purposes:
You can also use it to keep track of your completed quests, recipes, mounts, companion pets, and titles!
So, what are you waiting for? Download the client and get started.


text:
Neoganda Offices
If you've traveled around on the internet for more than 30 minutes, chances are you ran across something Neoganda has created. Neoganda is one of the country's leading digital advertising agencies and has done ad campaigns for companies such as Nissan, Toyota, VW, Tylenol. They have also done both ad work and website design for a number of movies and dvd releases.
The office is located in West Hollywood and looks pretty spacious. One of the nice things is that all the employees have great workstations with plenty of mactastic power. I also think that this is the first office we've featured that has stacks of car wheels. Overall, I'd say that being one of Neoganda's 15 employees would be a pretty slick job, especially with the big screen video game breaks.
Looking for a job at a place like Neoganda? See the latest salaries and jobs: Creative Director Salary, Interaction Designer Salary, Web Developer Salary, Online Marketing Manager Jobs, Vice President Jobs, Producer Jobs


text:
****...I lost everything I wrote thanks to this piece of poop computer!!!
Anywhoo... I've been reading some of the journals here and decided to have one about my weekly riding lessons :)
I've never had a journal or anything , so I'm sorry if it's boring/bad/etc.
My riding lessons started yesterday after not having them for the WHOLE summer holiday (2.5 months).
The horse I rode was Sal�s Surprise. It was my first time riding her and had a lot of fun.
At the beginning of the lesson my instructor told me that she needs to be woke up and that she needs strong aids/signals but she listened to me quit well :) She was really forward going and listened to very light signals and to my seat, so I was very happy! I only tapped her lightly with my crop at the beginning of the lesson so that she knew I had it. She is also hard to get on the bit but I managed it towards the end of the lesson. The only thing I didn't like was that she had a very bouncy trot which was hard to sit to with jumping stirrups.
We didn't jump but worked a lot on our 2-point and did some pole work.
First we trotted over 6 poles with long stirrups. First a set of three, a little gap, and another set of three like this:
(The brown lines are the poles and the orange dots are cones)
And then we did the same thing except that we had to slow down to a walk after the first set of poles and before the cones, and the go back into a trot before the next set of poles.
Next the instructor changed the poles while we had to shorten our stirrups into jumping stirrups. She divided us into 2 circles and had the poles like this:
We first trotted them, while getting used to the shorter stirrups and then cantered them in 2-point.
We also worked a lot on walk,halt,walk,halt and halt,trot,halt,trot using our seats and legs and with as little reins as possible.
There were only 5 riders which was awesome and I had a great time.
Some pics:
Sal's Surprise:
Too bad I didn't get any side shots of her, because she has ADORABLE white spots all over her body ( Can be seen in the last stall pic on her neck) I also got a few video clips but my camera sucks and they aren't too good.
+ My shirt kept rising xD
Next week we are going to start jumping!


text:
TVW Player
Thursday November 14th 2013, 9:00AM
Washington Forest Protection Association
WFPA 2013 Annual Meeting: Remarks by Thomas DeLuca, Director, University of Washington School of Environmental and Forest Sciences.
Purchase DVD
PRICES: DVDs are $25.00 for the first DVD and $10.00 for every additional DVD per order.
Note: DVDs not currently available for purchase via the website. Please call (360) 529-5323 to order over the phone.


text:
About this blogEducation reporter Angie Mason looks at York County school happenings, education trends and other issues from the classroom to the cafeteria.
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Monthly Archives: April 2011
Could fracking find its way onto Pa. college campuses?
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett suggested Thursday that some of the commonwealth's universities should drill for natural gas in order to help overcome their financial problems, according to a story by the Associated Press. The governor said six campuses in the … Continue reading
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Legislators propose repealing law banning teachers' religious clothing
State Reps. Will Tallman and Eugene DePasquale plan to introduce legislation that would repeal state law that prohibits teachers from wearing any religious garb, according to a news release. State law prohibits teachers from wearing any "garb, mark, emblem or … Continue reading
Book fair to benefit York Catholic
Barnes and Noble at the Red Rose Commons Shopping Center in Lancaster will hold a book fair to benefit York Catholic High School on May 14. The fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. A percentage of … Continue reading
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Flip cameras in the classroom
Last week, Cisco announced it would stop making Flip video cameras. A story from GOOD asked what teachers would do without the tech tool. Teachers were using them to let kids film class projects or to film themselves teaching, the … Continue reading
Posted in Angie Mason 1 Comment
Local student in Facebook headshot contest
Peyton Kohler, a 13-year-old student at West York Middle School wants local students to "like" his headshot on Facebook. Kohler has entered a headshot contest on Facebook hosted by THE Events. To vote for him, click here. First like the … Continue reading
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Meet the York City superintendent candidates April 27
The three final candidates for superintendent of the York City School District will be introduced to the public April 27. City residents are invited to a meeting at 7 p.m. in the William Penn Senior High School cafeteria. The names … Continue reading
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Students attend construction career day
More than 440 York County students attended the Pennsylvania Construction Career Day on Wednesday in Harrisburg, according to a news release. The students had the opportunity to explore careers in highway design, construction and maintenance, the release says. About 90 … Continue reading
Groundbreaking held for new charter school
Groundbreaking was held Thursday for York Academy Regional Charter School, according to a news release. The school is scheduled to open in the fall at 32 W. North St., in the former Smyser-Royer building. The charter school will have grades … Continue reading
Celebrating unity at Penn State York
It's Unity Week at Penn State York through April 20. The 13th annual Unity Day is Thursday. Events to celebrate diversity are planned to be held in and around the Joe and Rosie Ruhl Student Community Center from noon-1:00 p.m. … Continue reading
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Is it York High or William Penn?
The formal name of the high school in the York City School District is William Penn Senior High School. That said, it's called York High all the time. I've heard it from board members and school officials as well as … Continue reading
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Gary Bomar: Much of wildlife making comeback after 2011 drought
Just add water. That's the key to improvement in wildlife, says Kathy McGinty.
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Some economists have disagreed over predictions of economic growth in Nigeria in 2013.
While some predict that the country's economy will grow considerably in the coming year, others insist that the reality on ground suggests otherwise.
Political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, said the country was likely to be at the heart of the economic spring in Africa.
Utomi said, "The Nigerian economy is about to take off. Nigeria is going to do remarkably well. However, there is a possibility that, if we are not careful, we may snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. We could destroy the boom that is coming.
"Today, in Europe, business leaders want to get into Africa. If you look at the numbers, half of the 10 fastest growing economies are in Africa. The frustrations in Western Europe, in particular, are making people who are looking for better returns to look towards Africa. And Nigeria would be at the heart of Africa rising. In the next few years, Nigeria's economy will be growing at two digits."
He added that the country would experience economic growth in spite of corruption in government, noting that privatisation was helping reduce the looting of government treasury.
In contrast, another economist, Prof. Sheriffdeen Tella, who was Vice Chancellor of Crescent University, said economic growth was beclouded with uncertainty, due to vagueness of the global demand for petroleum.
He said, "I don't see Nigeria's economy growing at the seven per cent that they have predicted. Even if there is growth, it would be in the oil sector, because there is likely to be higher demand for oil next year, if the economies of Europe and US improve. But then we have to also recognise that some countries have recently found oil and others are seeking alternatives.
"To me, that is not real growth, because it is not in the real sector. The growth is not coming from agriculture, which is where we should be seeking growth. It is good to aspire for economic growth, but we must redirect our economic focus."
A senior lecturer, Department of Economics, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Dr. Usman Muttaka, also said economic growth was useless if it did not translate to better living condition for Nigerians.
He said, "What is the use of having 13 per cent or even 15 per cent growth without jobs and without improvement in people's standard of living? In Nigeria, the figures do not match reality on ground. So, we are not looking at the figures.
"As an economist, I'm interested in how economic policies affect the living standard of Nigerians. Why don't they predict and give us figures for reduction of poverty level in the country in the coming year?"
The Economist Intelligence Unit had in October released its country report on Nigeria, forecasting the country's real GDP to grow by 6.7 per cent by 2013.
The figure goes below the average GDP growth of 7 per cent, which the country had recorded in the past decade.


text:
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Inspired by the energy, passion and creativity of art and sport, B&O PLAY and Pepsi® introduce a special collection that will incite fans around the world to LIVE FOR NOW™ in 2014. A celebration of the LIVE FOR NOW ethos, Ricardo Akn's artwork brings the excitement of the moment to life with a unique vibrancy and spirit.
PEPSI and the PEPSI Globe are trademarks of PEPSICO, Inc.
Ricardo AKN – A Brazilian illustrator, photographer and street artist from São Paulo, inserting new concepts into urban art. AKN is a plastic artist, illustrator and muralist.
If one were to imagine the perfect pair of headphones, a product that embraces both form and function, the resultant image would look something like the Bang and Olufsen BeoPlay H6 Headphones. B&O takes the philosophy they've become famous for—that product design and product engineering are intimately connected and each affects the user experience—and runs with it. The B&O H6 Headphones end up being one of the best over ear headphones available today.
Like all B&O products, the dedication to quality craftsmanship is evident in the H6 Headphones before you even listen to them. Materials used throughout are chosen for visual appeal, user comfort and durability. These materials are utilized in a way that the B&O H6, though lightweight at only 230 grams total, are imbued with a feeling of luxury and professional quality. Large circumaural cups are backed by anodized aluminum plates and finished with lambskin ear pads for supreme comfort and noise isolation. The cups rotate and swivel on multiple axes, ensuring a snug fit. A smoothly-dampened, adjustable headband is finished on the inside with a soft, textured fabric pad for a comfortable yet secure fit. Durable, stately cowhide secured with contrast-stitching covers the headband's exterior for a classic appearance that will only improve with wear.
Of course, a comfortable design is only half of the equation in the quest to construct the best headphones available. If they don't sound great, it doesn't matter how comfortable they are. The B&O BeoPlay H6 Headphones leverage Bang and Olufsen's considerable audio expertise into a pair of over ear headphones that will bring joy to the audiophile's ear. B&O designed the H6 Headphones to produce a natural, flat-response audio signal. The antidote to today's bass-heavy cans, music from B&O headphones will sound as close to the master recording as is technically possible. This authentic performance will emphasize a clear, well-supported midrange, while balancing bass and treble to natural levels. Carefully engineered bass ports give the low end some heart, without overwhelming the senses. And the powerful 40mm neodymium-magnet drivers let you turn up the volume without encountering harmful distortion.
Bang & Olufsen complete the package with a few clever details that will win the hearts of tech-savvy listeners who take their music on the go and love to share. The inline remote and mic make the H6 Headphones perfect for use with a smartphone, putting music and call control at your fingertips even when the phone is in your pocket. And every mobile user knows the pain of a pair of great headphones ruined by a broken cord. Bang and Olufsen made the H6 cord not only removable (for easy replacement if it breaks), but also provided ambidextrous cable attachment points. Both right and left headphone cups have an audio-in port, so you can customize the H6 Headphones as you see fit. This redundancy also provides a very neat trick, letting you daisy-chain a second pair of headphones by plugging into the open audio port. It's never been easier to share music with friends than with the B&O BeoPlay H6 Headphones.
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text:
Nancy Wilson[1, 2]1843 - 1877
Born 6 Feb 1843 Lauderdale, Lauderdale, Mississippi Gender Female Died 25 Mar 1877 Near LaVerkin, Utah Notes
- Utah Historical Society Database shows her burial in Pine Valley, Utah, but the map of Pine Valley cemetary does not include her. Family tradition says that she was buried in a riverbank near LaVerkin, Utah. Additional Endowment date: 18 April 1868
Person ID I4709 Whitney Last Modified 9 Oct 2004
Family ID F1787 Group Sheet
Family William Edwin Nay, b. 31 Aug 1838, Antrim, Hillsborough, New Hampshire , d. 25 Jan 1895, Monroe, Sevier, Utah Married 9 Jun 1861 Salt Lake City, Sl, Ut Family ID F1322 Group Sheet
This site powered by The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding ©, v. 9.0.4, written by Darrin Lythgoe 2001-2015.


text:
The Training Contract & Pupillage Handbook features over 1,000 firms offering training contracts - the only comprehensive list available to students. The handbook also details all sets of chambers offering pupillages, making it your essential guide to the legal profession.
The Training Contract & Pupillage Handbook 2016 will be published at the end of October 2015. It will be available free through university careers centres and law faculties. Alternatively, you will be able to purchase a copy using the online order form on this website.


text:
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Upload photos, chat with photographers, win prizes and much more for free!
I realise that it isn't normal to convert pictures of owls to Monotone but I am beginning to like black and White or Sepia type images. I am not sure if it works in this instance and would value your opinion.
|Canon EOS 5D MkII
|Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS
|Recording media:
|JPEG (digital)
|Date Taken:
|11 Jan 2014 - 12:48 PM
|Focal Length:
|Lens Max Aperture:
|Shutter Speed:
|Exposure Comp:
|Exposure Mode:
|Aperture-priority AE
|Metering Mode:
|No Flash
|White Balance:
|A Long Eared Owl
|8 Feb 2014 - 7:40 AM
|Birds, Black and white, Long eared owl, Nature and wildlife, Owls, Wildlife / nature
|VS Mode Rating
These stats show the percentage of wins and the rating score that your photo has achieved. You can go to the VS Mode by clicking on this icon.
Signup to PlusBecome a plus member to see which photo this has won or lost against in the vs mode
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Like it Robert, it would be nice to see both versions,
Nominating Constructive Critique
Nominating Constructive Critique
Works well in mono.....should that be Eared..........
Nominating Constructive Critique
A very nice shot Robert, but for me it doesn't work in general to convert wildlife images to mono. I feel that such a large part of the owls appeal is in the colour, especially the eyes for instance. I would love to see the colour version of this image.
Conversions that may work (IMO), given the right image, might be... say....Zebras or other creatures with strong patterns or perhaps an animal with strong shadows or caught in strong contrasty light. Just my opinion, but you did ask
Nominating Constructive Critique
Quote: Works well in mono.....should that be Eared..........
Yes - I just put it down to my age.
Nominating Constructive Critique
Nominating Constructive Critique
Like this a lot. It's very satisfyingly composed, with the bird sitting in the fork of branches and a good angle on the face.
I'm not into feathery photography, but I enjoy the way b&w makes us see differently. It's more about lines, and underlying structures. The hard, cool sepia works for me (done in Siver Efex I think).
But remember that adding toning to a b&w reduces the dynamic range slightly, mutes your lightest and darkest tones in the image. It's important to check for any light adjustments that may be needed after conversion to b&w, because a perfectly balanced colour image will not convert automatically to perfect b&w; it's also important to check again after adding toning. Here I suspect that a slight Levels adjustment would bring the owl much more to life.
Nominating Constructive Critique
Nominating Constructive Critique
Nominating Constructive Critique
I downloaded this and converted it to b&w.
The original image is likely underexposed. I dont know if you still have it, - would be nice to see it. The original has to be really good before you can get away with this.
When I work on the exposure with the converted b&w, its looks very good indeed, - sharp and good contrast.
So I wonder how you got it to this from the original? Toning is something to be careful about, - especially how you do it, as you want to retain the vibrancy of the original without killing contrast.
I think this doesnt work well as it is, but it could, with a well exposed original and careful toning techniques.
I can email you the conversion of you like, just send me a PM with your address.
Nominating Constructive Critique
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