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Counterfeit Automotive ProductsWritten by Marlan Davis on September 20, 2013 Contributors: Auto Meter, Comp Cams, MSD Ignition, Rick Head/ARP, Aeromotive, Flowmaster Mufflers Don't Get Ripped Off
"It started with products that just looked like ours. Now there are products actually marketed and sold with our logo. They've even copied our instructions!"—Jesse Powell, Aeromotive
If you pay any attention to the "outside world," you may have occasionally seen mainstream media reports of counterfeit or knock-off fashions, watches, and purses; bootleg movie DVDs and music CDs; and nonauthentic brand-name software and computer programs. No big deal, right? But on a macro scale, it does add up. And the products aren't just limited to Timex lookalikes, either. Intellectual property theft, counterfeit parts, and poor-quality knockoffs have spread to the point that in some instances public safety and even national security are endangered.
People have been sickened by phony brand-name prescription and over-the-counter drugs. They have been harmed by ersatz brand-name replacement auto parts that look exactly like the real thing—but aren't. The rot has spread into the aerospace industry, endangering flight safety and even delaying NASA's space programs.
Although no break-out figures are currently available for just the hot rod and racing industry, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says counterfeit auto parts cost the general global automotive parts industry $12 billion a year in lost sales; $3 billion of that total is in the U.S. The FTC also estimated that the U.S. auto parts industry lost sales to counterfeit parts correlates to potentially 200,000–250,000 fewer manufacturing jobs.
One thing we do know for sure is that there's an increasing number of blatantly counterfeit, knock-off, and copycat hot rod and racing parts flooding into North America, nearly always of inferior quality. Although they seem like a bargain, these failure-prone phonies usually end up costing the consumer money in the long run—and that's just the tip of the iceberg in terms of their long-term detrimental affects. In these pages, we'll take a look at the scope of the problem, examine some textbook cases of counterfeiting, offer some tips on how to avoid becoming victimized in the first place, and show you how to fight back if you do get scammed.
Case Study: MSD 6AL
This article's opening photos depict what appear to be two identical MSD 6AL ignition boxes. But the one on the right is a fake, one of the most elaborate counterfeit performance product rips so far. "We found it first in the repair department," reports MSD President Russell Stephens. "It looked so authentic at first glance! But close inspection revealed it wasn't ours. We ended up giving the customer a real product so they'd tell us where the phony came from. It turned out everything came off the Internet."
Working with the FBI and its attorneys to ID the bad guys, MSD made buys of the phony products. Still an ongoing investigation, so far one Malaysian national was caught, tried, and convicted here in the U.S. But the chain ultimately leads back to Asia. Stephens admits that "so far we've never got to the original overseas source in a convictable manner." Ultimately, MSD redesigned the packaging, then revised the entire product design and appearance, replacing the original MSD 6AL (PN 6420) with the current MSD Digital 6AL (PN 6425) box with a new cast-in logo. There still may be some legitimate original-type MSD 6AL inventory left in the retail pipeline, so these photos show some of the differences between the real product and the fake. If you are unfortunate enough to be stuck with the latter, MSD and the FBI want to know.
"All the MSD counterfeits came off the Internet. We haven't had any problems from authorized distributors. Don't buy from an unknown fly-by-night operator." — Russell Stephens, MSD
Counterfeit, Knock-off, Copycat: What's the Difference?
The cheapie product invasion ranges from generic lookalikes to full-on counterfeits, from technically legal items to out-and-out deceptive frauds. Counterfeits are just what you'd think: A true counterfeit mimics the look, the dimensions, the color, and the appearance of a genuine product, right down to the manufacturer's logo and even packaging. As SEMA's Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs Stuart Gosswein explains, "A counterfeit is an unauthorized exact copy with a logo." Counterfeits are advertised as the real product, and sold as the real product. Although full-on, total counterfeits have been relatively rare in the U.S. performance world, they are increasing in both volume and sophistication. Among the most notable known counterfeits are the MSD 6AL ignition box and Auto Meter's Monster and Pro Comp tachometers. Other publicly revealed counterfeits include MSD Blaster HVC coils and Aeromotive fuel pressure regulators, fuel pumps, and filters. There probably are even more rips floating around out there, but some manufacturers are unwilling to discuss the extent of the problem or provide details to the general public, feeling it would only provide miscreants a road-map for improving the quality of their fakes going forward. After all, some of the publicly disclosed counterfeits appear so real visually that average consumers can't distinguish the fake from the real item.
At the other end of the spectrum—and fully legal—are generic standard replacement parts. For example, anyone can make a water pump, alternator, or starter for a small-block Chevy, they just can't claim it's "genuine GM."
In between a blatant counterfeit and a generic part are what the industry calls "knock-offs" or "copycats," a broad no man's land, the gray area of our industry, and ultimately the province of lawyers and endless legal wrangling. Traditionally, knock-offs have caused the most grief in our industry, because there's lots of legally amorphous areas, even in the U.S., let alone in the far overseas pavilions. Basically, a knock-off is a product that has features that resemble, or appear similar to, a popular, well-known product, yet is still technically distinguishable from the product it resembles. No specific claim is made that they are the same product or are made by the well-known manufacturer of the popular product. If the packaging and product logo don't resemble the "real" product's, the copycat is probably legally OK—but it still may cause consumer confusion. In some cases, even if the knock-off manufacturer legally distinguishes the copycat product from the well-known product, unscrupulous point-of-sale vendors at the retail level or on the Web may muddy the waters, leaving an impression that it's an equivalent product.
So, hi-ho and off to court we go. Attorneys will do battle over whether the product is a rip-off or what's known as a "legitimate variation." A product may be deemed legitimate, Gosswein says, "if there is enough variation, despite the fact that someone else came up with the original idea. The issue hinges on whether there is a significant enough difference in design or other elements protected by a patent, trademark, or other intellectual property rights."
Lack of vigilance in locking up their design and trademarks, or lack of funds to defend them, has come back to bite some manufacturers. For example, if a copycat wasn't sufficiently distinguishable from the real product (which normally is actionable), but the original maker never applied for a patent or a trademark, or ever registered the design as is required some places overseas, it's a lot harder (but not necessarily impossible) to protect the original design.
A typical example would be the wheel industry. "Wheel designs change fairly quickly," explains Gosswein, "so some companies don't register their design patents. They're already moving on to something else." Meanwhile, inferior foreign knock-offs that resemble the original design come in and flood the market.
In yet another twist, Gosswein explains there have even been cases where the company that originated the product contracted with a third party to manufacture it, and then the outside factory starts knocking off the product and selling it to other sources. "Companies need to nail down their offshore supply chain and ensure proper supervision and an ironclad contract. U.S. manufacturers have become much more sophisticated about the problem in recent years."
Then there are some products which may have originated with one company, but have become —even if a company has dotted all its I's and crossed its T's—a generic term (at least in the public lexicon). In the real world, that's pretty hard to stop. Think "escalator," "zipper," "posi" (as in limited-slip differential), or even "billet distributor."
Why Should We Even Care?
The obvious reason is that the imitation product doesn't perform nearly as well as the real McCoy. At a minimum, this can significantly decrease performance. Worse, the part may fail early and even catastrophically. That in turn could result in a significant financial loss when that first-order failure causes other parts to fail in succession. If major parts fail, public safety can be endangered: a brake pad disintegrates, a connecting rod goes though the oil pan, a seatbelt breaks under high-g loads. Get the picture?
When the cheap, inferior copy fails, usually there's no warranty protection. Obviously, the maker of the real part is also a victim and under no obligation to back-up a counterfeit, knock-off, or copycat. And good luck getting any satisfaction from that amorphous online seller.
But there's also more subtle damage "behind the screen": Problems with counterfeits and knock-offs ultimately erode confidence in the real product. For example, suppose sneaky Wile E. Coyote Industries cloned a legitimate, well-respected Acme Industries' part. To the consumer, the real and phony parts looked the same, but the cheap copy wasn't reliable and—even when it worked—didn't perform as it should. This hurt the sales of Acme, the company making the genuine product, undermining its reputation and good name, and adversely impacting its financial viability.
In severe cases, phony (yet indistinguishable) parts have started to contaminate the legitimate warehouse, jobber, and retail parts chain. This has been well documented in the aerospace and standard replacement auto parts industries. While this isn't yet a major problem in the performance industry, the result would breed general distrust of even legitimate parts vendors and retailers.
There's also the "crap rises to the surface" effect: Cheap, inferior, foreign copycat parts, even when technically legal under the law, will ultimately crowd-out legitimate U.S.-made products. That costs jobs. When everyone's thrown out of work, who's left to buy the products? You have now entered a downward spiral toward oblivion.
Cheap foreign parts aren't just cheap because of labor cost differences and inferior materials. Because they are copies of a product someone else has already designed, the rip-off parts don't have to amortize into their price structure the research-and-development (R&D) costs borne by the original, legitimate manufacturer when it designed, tested, and figured out how to make the product in the first place.
Some of the high-end performance products took years of real-world testing to perfect. Aeromotive President Steve Matusek explains, "We write our own specs, design our own products. We are problem-solvers, hands-on guys. Everyone here races. Our R&D is done by us on the racetrack. We test on our own cars. It may take three-to-four years to perfect a new product until we're satisfied. Then someone comes along and just copies it and sells it for one-third the price."
After a new product has been introduced, Auto Meter's attorney Merritt Blakeslee says there are costly ongoing marketing and product support costs. Legitimate performance-industry manufacturers "have multimillion-dollar budgets for building and maintaining their market identity and providing superior after-sale support to their customers; and the rip-offs are parasites that reap the benefit of those expenditures while sucking the blood of the host organism."
At some point all this could discourage innovation and creativity: Manufacturers may become reluctant to invest money in pushing the envelope if there's no real payoff at the end of the road. That's why our Founding Fathers authorized granting exclusive patents to new, innovative designs and products. Have no doubt, stealing someone's idea—aka their "intellectual property"—is legally and morally the same as stealing a physical item. Controlling the product of one's own mind is a fundamental human right in a free society.
Case Study: Auto Meter Tachs
There are cheap, low-priced, poorly constructed and performing Chinese counterfeits of popular Auto Meter gauges and tachometers floating around. Popular rips include the Sport-Comp II tach (PN 3699), the Carbon Fiber tach (PN 4899), and the Sport-Comp Silver tach (PN 3911). Auto Meter attorney Merritt Blakeslee warns that "different Internet sellers use different marketing techniques. Some use an image of the counterfeit, which often contains details revealing the product to be a fake. Other sellers market their fakes by using an image of a genuine Auto Meter product. The only foolproof way for to determine whether the product is counterfeit is price and the reputation of the person whom they are buying from.
"The counterfeit tachs sell for 40–80 percent of the retail price of a genuine product. If the product is being sold as new, in-the-box; if the seller has more than a few for sale; and if the product is priced significantly lower than the price quoted by large Internet sellers like Summit Racing and Jegs, it's virtually certain it's counterfeit. Some sellers of counterfeits tell their customers they can offer these low prices because they 'buy in volume.' This is pure baloney. Auto Meter has consistent pricing throughout the industry.
"These counterfeits are low-cost, poor-quality products that typically malfunction in short order. Indeed, Auto Meter first became aware of them when its customer service department began receiving an unusual number of requests for warranty service from customers who reported either no function, slow or inaccurate response, or other hardware issues you simply don't experience with real Auto Meter products."
How is the Industry Fighting Back?
Teaming up with SEMA and various government agencies including the FBI and Customs, companies like ARP, MSD, Aeromotive, Flowmaster, and Auto Meter have aggressively gone after the rip-off artists, fighting to preserve the integrity of their brand and product. But legal action can take years. "In the meantime, the problem is harming our industry," laments Auto Meter President Jeff King. "If people buy a product that they think is ours, and it fails, our reputation suffers. They think we made junk."
Even if legal action ultimately succeeds here in the U.S., it's hard to reach, prosecute, and put out of business companies and individuals operating out of Asia or the old Eastern Bloc. "Just about everything we've seen comes out of China or Hong Kong," maintains Auto Meter's Blakeslee. Foreign governments often turn a blind eye to these shadowy factories, seeing it as a source of revenue to grow their local economies. Shutting down the foreign sellers and U.S. resellers of these products is doable by working with the intellectual property protection programs maintained by Internet sites like eBay, Amazon, and Alibaba, but it's time-consuming and requires continuous monitoring. Like a game of Whac-a-Mol, if one site is shut down, the perps often set up a new outlet using a different name.
Alternatives to lengthy and often frustrating legal action include redesigning the product packaging with a new look that's also harder to duplicate. Attempting to stay one step ahead of the counterfeiters, some companies also change the outward appearance of the product itself.
Going further yet, Aeromotive, Comp Cams, and others say the best solution is just to keep innovating, coming up with new ideas and better products to offer the consumer a value-added item that's clearly superior to any cheap foreign rip-off. By the time an existing product's been ripped, the original product's makers will have gone on to something even better. As Comp Cams' Brian Reese puts it, "Knock-offs are a form of competition, evil as it is, but in the end it makes us come out with even better parts."
On the other hand, staying one step ahead of the competition or changing product design isn't always practical for companies marketing mature technology with long-established trademarks and brand identity, who, Blakeslee maintains, "have achieved their market share through years of building a reputation for quality and for creating and maintaining the trademarks that identify them in the marketplace. Changing the brand-name or trademark is the equivalent of committing commercial suicide, of walking away from the market identity and good will that, in the case of Auto Meter, has been more than half a century in the making. What Auto Meter is selling is, for the most part, not new technology but products that are more reliable, more accurate, and more durable than others in the market. Auto Meter achieves these characteristics not by cutting corners in their manufacturing but by providing superior product support."
Whether its lawyers and legal action, product redesign, or stepping up the pace of innovation, it all costs money. Someone has to pick up the tab. "Patenting a product costs about $10,000–$15,000 initially," Reese explains. "But it takes about $200,000 to enforce a patent. It's impractical to patent everything when you have, like Comp does, over 40,000 different parts." And patents eventually expire.
Case Study: Comp Cams Hi-Tech Rockers
As far as Comp Cams can tell, no retail seller has actually made a full-on counterfeit of its Hi-Tech Stainless Steel roller rocker arm, but there are some copies and knock-offs that look identical, except for Comp's specific logo on the part. Manufactured offshore and sold domestically by a number of sources, these products are technically legal because they don't claim to be the real Comp Cams product or feature the Comp Cams logo. However, the cheap copies use inferior materials and poor manufacturing techniques, so they often fail under severe use. Because they resemble Comp's well-known design, this negatively impacts confidence in the original part. Comp's solution, says Brian Reese, is to "improve and develop products faster than people can make copies. The day we finish, we will start working on the next version, only even better." Comp has recently replaced its often-copied Hi-Tech Stainless Steel roller rockers with the even better Ultra Pro-Magnum XD rocker. These photos show just a few of the many defects Comp found when it analyzed off-the-shelf knock-off rockers.
Case Study: ARP Bolts
Automotive Racing Products (ARP) has been hit by misleading copycats, but not outright counterfeiting. Still, it fought back and won. "We've never seen 'ARP' stamped on a copycat fastener," explains ARP's Chris Raschke. "But we have trademarked 'ARP 2000' and the mark '2000' as applied to a fastener. The knock-off products were stamping their bolts just '2000.' The online seller of the Chinese-made product claimed the foreign foundry made the same bolt for us; that we just 'paid extra' for getting it stamped 'ARP.'
"In truth, anything stamped 'ARP' is made by us in the U.S. Most products will also show the alloy, as in 'ARP 8740' or 'ARP 2000.' The quality of the copycat was nowhere near our quality. Although sometimes offshore bolts nearly match the tensile strength and Rockwell hardness of our product, they have nowhere near the fatigue strength. They don't have Mil-Spec style 'J-threads' rolled after heat treating like we do. They have trouble properly forming the under-head radius. Both of these processes are critical for fatigue resistance.
"Ultimately, we sued the company marketing the generic '2000' bolts and made them stop. They're a customer of ours now!" Some of ARP's competitors have also copied the look and size of its packaging. ARP's stopped that, too—at least for the moment.
How Can We Avoid Being Scammed?
It really all boils down to that old human emotion, probably embedded into our DNA: Selfishness and greed. Greed among rip-off artists, for sure; but also, greed among consumers. We have met the enemy, and he is us. Be honest with yourself: Is that rock-bottom price from some niche vendor on eBay.com or Alibaba.com really legit? "If the pricing is 20–80-percent cheaper than the going rate for a particular product, it's most likely counterfeit," claims Auto Meter President Jeff King.
Why is an item coming all the way from China or Hong Kong? "If the product is claimed to be the product of an American manufacturer, and it's shipping from China, it's almost certainly 100 percent counterfeit," maintains King.
Use some common sense. Buy from authorized brick-and-mortar retailers or legitimate, known online retailers. Be very careful at swap-meets and flea markets; be suspicious of "open-box" sellers. If you do buy from niche sites, at least check the product reviews and customer satisfaction indices.
Comparing photos from the niche site with actual product photos from the real manufacturer's website may be helpful. "We have safeguards and regs on the color-match for all our products," explains Aeromotive's Matusek. "If a product appears in a different shade or color on a website, chances are good it's a knock-off or counterfeit."
What is the niche site's return policy? Do they list a physical address? Do they have a real customer-service phone number? If in doubt, check with the legitimate product manufacturer's sales or tech support department before making a big-ticket purchase.
Case Study: Flowmaster Mufflers
Flowmaster has seen both knockoffs and crude counterfeits. The most duplicated, according to President Nate Shelton, is "our 40-series mufflers when the patent ran out. Some actually say 'Flowmaster;' some have a slightly distorted name like 'Flow Monster.' They've copied our internal chambers and tuning characteristics. Usually the products are white-boxed with the same basic part number as ours. A lot of this stuff showed up in 'legitimate' muffler shops. We went after them—and got it stopped."
What Should We Do if We Were Scammed?
Let's face it: Despite our best intentions, any of us can get bit. If you think you may have been taken in by a phony product, contact the real manufacturer for that type of product. As a K&N Filters spokesperson puts it, "In many instances K&N has been contacted directly by distributors and by consumers reporting such counterfeit items for sale. This reporting aids us in identifying the major players marketing the counterfeit products at the retail level. We then try to establish who is involved at the wholesale level, with the ultimate goal being to identify the actual counterfeiting operation, and the country where the counterfeiter is producing the counterfeits."
Most companies will first want to see a photo of the possible fake, and ultimately, have you send in the actual product for analysis. Although under no legal obligation to offer redress for a product that is not theirs, some may have an informal policy of keeping their potential customer base happy.
Industry trade groups like SEMA have also teamed up with federal government agencies to investigate spurious product allegations. Many states' attorneys general also have a complaint procedure. Reputable consumer marketplace sites will accept complaints and may permanently ban repeat offenders.
All this may sound like a pain when you'd rather be just slamming the pedal to the metal, but we have to start somewhere: Bringing counterfeit and knock-off parts to heel requires all of us—government agencies, industry trade groups, the companies themselves, jobbers, shops, retailers, and the end-user—to step up and take responsibility for their actions and band together to fight this scourge. As Auto Meter's Jeff King bluntly puts it: "People need to have personal responsibility for the actions they take. Knowingly buying a counterfeit product hurts American products and jobs." Not to mention yourself.
Case Study: Aeromotive Regulator
Aeromotive's popular fuel pressure regulator (PN 13109) is said to be the most common knock-off in its product line. Some even have a laser-etched Aeromotive logo. Placed side by side, the two products are hard to tell apart externally. The genuine item has stainless steel screws and vacuum port barb fittings, with a brass gauge-port fitting (test with a magnet). The poorly machined O-ring bosses on the phony are leak-prone. Other clues are a poor finish, including machine-marks, imperfections, and other inconsistencies.
Where to Report Suspected Phony Products
Tech support department of the legitimate manufacturer of the product
U.S. Customs and Border Protection: Accepts online reporting of illegal import and export activity: Apps.CBP.gov/eallegations
U.S. Postal Inspection Service, for crimes committed using the U.S. mail: PostalInspectors.USPIS.gov
Complaint department of large online marketplace sites
U.S. Department of Commerce: StopFakes.gov/consumer-tools/report-fake-goods
National Association of Attorneys General has contact information for the Attorney General of your state: NAAG.org/current-attorneys-general.php
Local FBI field office: FBI.gov/contact-us/field/field-offices
National Crime Prevention Council has an extensive list of external links to the many agencies and organizations fighting intellectual property theft: NCPC.org/topics/intellectual-property-theft/where-to-report-intellectual-property-theft
Canadian intellectual property crime reporting: contact the Royal Canadian Mounted Police: RCMP-grc.gc.ca/fep-pelf/ipr-dpi/guide-eng.htm
National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) is the U.S. government's multiagency task-force clearinghouse chaired by the Department of Homeland Security for investigations into counterfeiting and piracy—crimes that threaten the public's health and safety, the U.S. economy, and our war fighters: ICE.gov/iprcenter/iprreferral.htm
Global Intellectual Property Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is a large group of companies and trade associations (including SEMA) that have banded together to fight counterfeiting: TheGlobalIpCenter.com/get-involved/cacp/
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center, accepts online Internet crime complaints from either the actual victim or from a third party for the complainant: IC3.gov/default.aspx
More Photos From This Article View Slideshow
Real Compared to the phony, the original MSD case has narrower fins: 0.179 inch (real) versus 0.181 (fake) for the bottom fin only (shown); 0.136 (real) versus 0.154 (fake) for the other fins. That means the distance between each fin is also greater on the real product: 0.147 on the original, 0.139 for the fake. Also note the difference in the wiring harness.Fake Compared to the phony, the original MSD case has narrower fins: 0.179 inch (real) versus 0.181 (fake) for the bottom fin only (shown); 0.136 (real) versus 0.154 (fake) for the other fins. That means the distance between each fin is also greater on the real product: 0.147 on the original, 0.139 for the fake. Also note the difference in the wiring harness.MSD's all-new Digital MSD 6AL looks significantly different externally than the analog 6AL it replaces. No one has tried to copy it so far.Real On the real MSD box, the rpm module connector flange is retained by Torx-head screws. The fake box uses Phillips-head screws.Fake On the real MSD box, the rpm module connector flange is retained by Torx-head screws. The fake box uses Phillips-head screws.Real When oriented as shown, on the real MSD box, the tach output terminal is on the right and the magnetic input trigger input is on the left. On the fake, the connector positions are reversed.Tach Output Fake When oriented as shown, on the real MSD box, the tach output terminal is on the right and the magnetic input trigger input is on the left. On the fake, the connector positions are reversed.Real Although the real MSD box's internals have slightly evolved over the last decade, you can still easily differentiate the physical internal layout between the real items and the counterfeit. MSD uses a neatly laid-out green circuit board; the fake is blue and is marked "BK." Some of the fakes are potted to try to hide the details.Fake Although the real MSD box's internals have slightly evolved over the last decade, you can still easily differentiate the physical internal layout between the real items and the counterfeit. MSD uses a neatly laid-out green circuit board; the fake is blue and is marked "BK." Some of the fakes are potted to try to hide the details.
Auto Meter's packaging has also been copied—but not very well, as shown here by the shoddy packaging (left) for an equally phony Auto Meter 5-inch tach. The counterfeit fails miserably to reproduce the subtle shadow effect of the lettering on the genuine packaging, instead producing nearly unreadable text. This is typical of phony foreign packaging.Real Auto Meter shift lights (right) have an amber lens. The phony's lens is red, so they're almost always sold with the yellow shift light cover in place to conceal the fact the lens is the wrong color. Real Auto Meter tachs come with a yellow cover, but it's never mounted on the shift light in its packaging. If a product packaging photo shows an in-place cover, it's counterfeit.The lack of sophistication of the Pro-Comp II counterfeit is obvious when the phony (left) and real circuit boards are compared. The phony has a cheap stepper motor. Auto Meter's patented micro-air core movement is more responsive (it will go from zero to 10,000 rpm in 333 milliseconds), more accurate, and more durable. Which would you trust for monitoring your engine?You can easily see the difference from the legitimate Comp product (right) versus the inferior workmanship and surface-pitting typical of a knock-off (left). Pitting indicates porosity that creates a potential breakage concern. It also reduces the design's stiffness, which can result in less net lift from excessive part flex.The metal in the knock-off rocker was cooling in the casting mold before the mold cavity had completely filled. This is a highly stressed area of the part and will be extremely weak (arrow).Here a machining chip got stuck in pushrod seat (arrow); it's waiting to fall out and cause engine damage or part failure. This obviously shows a poor machining process and even worse quality control. Is it worth risking an entire engine to save a few hundred bucks?A rusty casting sinkhole (arrow) indicates some inferior material was mixed into the casting brew—stainless steel shouldn't rust.Pay a little more initially…or lots more later. This cheap knock-off couldn't take the strain under load testing. It nearly broke in two. The trunnion is also cracked and deformed.ARP checks bolt tensile strength on this Saytek machine that literally measures the force it takes to pull a bolt apart. Many copies aren't as strong as the real ARP bolt. Even those that have similar tensile strength and Rockwell hardness still won't survive long in the Zwick/Roell bolt cycling machine compared to the genuine article.
These copycat rod bolts failed after just 25,000 cycles due to an improperly rolled under-head radius. ARP's performance-series 8740-alloy rod-bolts typically surpass 1,000,000 cycles on the rod test machine. In other words, the bolts may look the same, but the genuine, U.S.-made, ARP rod-bolt has over 40 times the fatigue life of the offshore copy.Real A genuine Flowmaster muffler has the signature Flowmaster logo plus patent numbers and information on it. The fake will have sloppy, non-uniform welds versus the uniform, primarily robotic, welds on the genuine article.Fake A genuine Flowmaster muffler has the signature Flowmaster logo plus patent numbers and information on it. The fake will have sloppy, non-uniform welds versus the uniform, primarily robotic, welds on the genuine article.Real Two telltales on the "fake" fuel pressure regulator: a machined "ring" around the side-port O-ring ports plus blue fittings. Aeromotive doesn't include fittings with its regulator. The fittings sold in its separate fitting kit are black, not blue.


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For the price the 32 lashed is the boot that every manufacturer should be striving to match. Having ridden dozen's of boots from various manufacturers over 20 years my first pair of Thirty Two's are the lashed. Honestly I cannot find anything bad to say about how they feel, and perform when riding! I got a great deal on a colorway that I DO NOT LIKE yet I still refuse to give them up! I considered getting a new pair of Lashed this year (because I hate the colorway) and when I put my boots on for opening day I decided against it. They are like slippers now and I will ride them until they die. Only complaint is I would like to see more durable toe top materials for riding the lift as mine are torn up but otherwise they are the boot by which other's should be measured!
Great boot
I got these for my birthday 2.5 years back, and they are still working perfect. The condition of the boot is superb. Designed for maximum comfort and it delivers. I couldn't be any happier. ALl of my friends on the hill are still unhappy with their boots and change every year or take them back, and I keep recommending the Lashed boot. There is a reason why it has been rated the best boot for years and years.
i have those bindings :o i love them
Very worth it
These boots are great! They are very comfortable and of course, famously light. The inner liners are great and they tighten up really well. I was going to go with the much more expensive ThirtyTwo Focus boots (and I am sure they are great as well), but I am very glad I saved 80 bucks and went with these. When you put them on, you can see how they are flexible enough for park riding, yet def. stiff enough for all-mountain riding. Bottom line is this: They are comfortable, warm, fit true to size, and lace up really well. I would recommend these for just about anybody! Much like the Union Force bindings, you can't beat this quality for the price tag.
dude i couldnt agree more i just picked up both of those and a signal flat park today u are a wisa man
Nice color!
Only for riding
Great choice! Love it! BUT! I can't walk when I'm wearing this boots. I want to cut my legs because of so uncomfortable feelings..but only when I'm walking. When I'm riding they are perfect! Warm, confortable, light! And yes, I've got the right size, may be after some time I'll change my mind about walking xD
good review but hey they are comfy walking!, you prolly arent used to them lol i have had them for a year and a half and i feel like they are just a normal pair of sneakers
i just demoed thes boot from one of the reps in vail co at one track mind and holy cow i see the light. also we compared other boot for the same price range your getting such a deal for two hundered it a steal.
Try ski boots
really, after two years they are super comfy for everything, even runnig) now i know!) and!
after 3 seasons these boots still feels like new, and looks like new! 32 is just GODS!
I like
great boots, super light
Official AGGIE
What's the weight?
What's the weight?
Hey guys, How wide are these in comparison...
Hey guys,
How wide are these in comparison to other ThirtyTwo boots? I have a pair of 2010 Prions (they're a size 13 and I'm a size 12 so they're too big / don't ask me why I got them) and they refuse to fit in the Rome SDS 390 bindings I just got (a buddy works at a local ski shop and got them for me for $100 / the bindings are a size L/XL).
I'm a little annoyed about the boots not fitting right, because they fit fine into my old Forum Faction bindings that were previously on the board. I know that I need a smaller boot (size 12); I just would like to know if I should even bother looking at getting a pair of these and knowing that they're small enough to fit into the Romes
hi i live in australia and unfortunately...
hi i live in australia and unfortunately have a very small foot so when buying boots have to get girls bots :(.... My question is I have 32 lashed size 7.5 womens lace up .... would the mens size 6 be the equivalent to these and would the mens 6 be wider than the womens 7.5... chhers
I believe it would have to be 5.5 to match up for mens. As for the difference in width I'm sorry to say I wouldn't know, I'd try usin the live chat here. People at Dogfunk are super helpful.
Do they come with some j-bars if I order...
Do they come with some j-bars if I order them? And is returning the boots if they dont fit difficult?
they do not come with j-bars, and well returning stuff to dogfunk is usually pretty good

subset: commoncrawl


text:
VMI Keydet Club
304 Letcher Avenue
P.O. Box 932
Lexington, VA 24450
email@example.com: 1-800-444-1839
Fax: 1-540-463-2695
1. Every alumnus who contributes at least $100 "Above and Beyond" what they contributed last fiscal year to the Keydet Club will count as a donor in
the "Class Funding Challenge". Gifts must be made before the June 30 fiscal year '12 books close. Gifts cannot be made in behalf of another Brother Rat.
2. Donors who already contributed their FY '12 gifts will automatically be included if their total is $100 "above and beyond" what they
gave last fiscal year. All qualifying gifts must be directed to the Keydet Club Scholarship Fund, any of the Athletic Operating Funds or to an endowed
scholarship within the Keydet Club. For non-members, a gift of ONLY $100 will qualify you!
3. The VMI class with highest number of participants will win a "Need Based" VMI Athletic Scholarship
within the Keydet Club bearing the class's name. This scholarship will remain in perpetuity (forever) and the class will designate a "Fund Representative" who will be
invited to attend the Annual Scholarship Awards Banquet. The Class will also be recognized on the Football video board next fall and in the Alumni Review!
See the Class Standings
1. Every alumnus who participates will have their name added to the drawing to win being
named "Keydet Club Member of the Year"!
2. The winner will receive:
Note: Tax deductible gifts to the Keydet Club may be made by cash, check, credit cards or appreciated securities.
Mailing to: VMI Keydet Club, PO Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450


text:
[Student Records and General Academic Policies]
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITYThorough knowledge of the academic regulations and policies of the University and its academic divisions is essential for all students. Each student is expected to become familiar with the University of Alabama undergraduate catalog and to consult with the academic advisers provided by the student's division. Each student is responsible for selecting and registering for the courses that (a) are needed to maintain reasonable progress toward the desired degree; (b) will satisfy all requirements for the desired degree by the time the student expects to graduate; and (c) conform to University regulations. Students are expected to pursue successful completion of the courses for which they register. Students are also responsible for the following:
- The student must maintain on file in the Office of Academic Records and University Registrar a current mailing address and a current local residence address.
- The student must inform the Office of Academic Records and University Registrar and the appropriate dean's office of any address change.
- The student must respond promptly to all communications received from The University of Alabama.


text:
Kendrick Lamar recently spoke about the various responses to his oft-discussed verse on Big Sean's "Control."
"They gotta try harder," Lamar said to TMZ when asked about the responses to "Control."
Several rappers have made responses to Lamar's verse on "Control." Cassidy, Papoose and Meek Mill have been among those who have responded to Lamar's verse on the song, which featured Kendrick mentioning the names of several rappers in his verse.
"I'm usually homeboys with the same niggas I'm rhymin' with," Kendrick Lamar says on the song. "But this is Hip Hop and them niggas should know what time it is. That goes for Jermaine Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Wale, Pusha T, Meek Mill, A$AP Rocky, Drake, Big Sean, Jay Electron[ica], Tyler[, the Creator], Mac Miller. I got love for you all but I'm tryin' to murder you niggas. Trying to make sure your core fans never heard of you niggas [and that] they don't want to hear not one more noun or verb from you niggas. What is competition? I'm trying to raise the bar high."
Lamar's TMZ video can be seen below.
This is not the first time that Lamar has spoken about these responses. In August, Kendrick Lamar addressed the matter by naming the rapper who he felt had the best response.
"I liked the [King] Los verse," Kendrick Lamar said. "Joe Budden did this thing, Joell [Ortiz], a lot of people with different approaches…Joey had the facts in his verse, a few things that he felt. Papoose had the comical joint. Los was flipping his words and putting that spunk on it. I think he had the killer thing though. Yeah, Los killed it out of everybody."
Diddy made a post on Instagram regarding the statement about King Los, who is a member of his Bad Boy imprint.
Kendrick Lamar Addresses Diddy's Image About "Control"
Lamar was also asked about Diddy, who posted a response in a picture following Kendrick Lamar's "Control" verse being leaked. In his image, Diddy appears to make a comical jab about Lamar's "King of New York" claims.
Diddy's caption to the image was as follows:
Kendrick got y'all niggas takin y'all time now! This is good ! What y'all gonna do now? Haaaaa lol lets go!
When asked about this image, Lamar addressed Diddy.
"He's the big homie," Lamar said. "Everybody else gotta try harder, though."
RELATED: Kendrick Lamar Says King Los Had The Best "Control" Response


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Chevy 3100 Total Cost Involved Rear Leaf Spring Kit Upgrade - Leaves That Keep The Green In Your PocketWritten by on January 1, 2009 TCI's '47-53 Chevy Bolt-In Rear Leaf Spring Kit
We always have our feelers out for new products, builds, features, and what have you, but we just can't be everywhere at once! While shooting some other stuff recently at Total Cost Involved (TCI) in Ontario, California, we noticed a '47-53 Chevy truck chassis with some of TCI's new parts on it and asked what the deal was. Well, as it turns out they have a kit that is a direct bolt-in replacement for the stock rear leaf spring suspension on the 3100-series trucks. Cool! The only problem was that they had already installed the kit, but we're not one to hold anything like this from you the reader, especially when it's a cost-conscious and ride-quality upgrade like this, so we thought we'd give you a quick walk through the procedure.
Even though it is a bolt-in kit, there are variances in factory GM frames that might require adjusting a hole here and there, but the brunt of the install is getting your old riveted-on parts off. From there on out it is pretty straightforward using TCI's instructions. The task will be even easier if you can remove your bed to access the rear suspension, but not totally necessary.
One of the big benefits of the kit is that you'll get new leaf springs and shackles that are refined and designed to ride smoother than the more utilitarian stock pieces that have little to no finesse to them by design, unless they're weighed down with a load of turnips. Plus, this would be a great time to relocate your rearend to the top of the leaf springs should you want to lower the aft of your truck about 4 inches. If you need a new rearend, TCI can supply that, too. So save your money, welding, fabrication, and four-links for another time and project, and keep it simple and smooth with TCI's kit!
To locate where the new tubular shock crossmember goes, measure 28 1/8 inches from the rear bed mounting hole forward and mark a line across the frame (do this on both 'rails). Now, mark the center of the 'rail on the line, center-punch the mark, and start drilling, working your way up to 7/16 inch. Once the holes are drilled in the top of the 'rails, install the crossmember and transfer-punch the hole to the topside of the bottom 'rail and drill it out. You can get a transfer punch set at a discount tool store like Harbor Freight that will work just fine.
|Total Cost Involved
More Photos From This Article View Slideshow
The stock leaf spring shackle mounts are cast pieces riveted to the underside of the frame, which means only one thing-we gotta get those puppies off first.Removing rivets can be a "fun" job, if you know what I mean, but first, try grinding or cutting off the heads of the rivets and then grinding what's left flush to the bracket. Center-punch the rivet and start with a small drill bit, working your way up to 5/16 inch. Try to drive them out with a big hammer and punch. If you have an air hammer for this job, go for it-just remember your eye and ear protection!Presto chango! The new rear leaf spring mount lies in place and is securely bolted to the chassis with the provided hardware. Notice the notch to clear a remaining crossmember rivet to the right. Now would be a good time to touch up your frame and/or paint the TCI brackets to match.Now that you have boned up on rivet removal, you can keep practicing your methods on the front leaf spring and E-brake mounts. There are seven or eight rivets per side.The new front leaf spring bracket will fit over and onto the bottom of the frame like so and slide right back into place where the stock mount was-just match up the holes.Once in place, you can start bolting it down. Occasionally, there will need to be a hole opened up with a 3/8-inch drill bit that doesn't quite line up due to variances in GM's factories and production. One new hole does need to be drilled in the frame on the front mount (arrow), but it is easy to do since the TCI bracket already has the hole in it where it needs to be.In your kit will be enough hardware provided by TCI to cinch down all the new parts, including Nylock nuts and flat washers, like these used on the front leaf spring mount. This means no unplanned trips to the hardware store, which is priceless!On some factory frames, the running board bracket by the front leaf mount needs to be persuaded with a hammer and a wide chisel to make it possible for the spring mount to tuck in between the frame and the running board bracket ever so much.Another benefit of the TCI kit is that you'll now have modern, readily available suspension pieces like the leaf spring shackles. These types of shackles are not only durable, but also widely used in the aftermarket, which helps keep costs down and makes it easier to find than N.O.S. GM parts-especially in, say, 20 years!
You can see from here how simple yet effective TCI's shock crossmember is. Just remember to install it with the shock spacers pointing forward.From the side, we see the finished install with the rearend housing mounted on top of the leaves, which lowers the back of the truck about 4 inches. The kit can also be used to mount the rearend on the bottom of the spring pack like a stock setup. If you want to go real low, you'll need to C-notch the frame and throw in some lowering blocks.And that about wraps it up! Your rearend choice may vary, or you can just keep your existing unit and flip the leaf spring pads to mount it on top of the leaf springs. This chassis was set up with a Currie 9-inch, and of course, TCI can get you going with any number of parts, upgrades, and as always, knowledgeable tech help!


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Hello all, I have been away for a while and been working on other things like life, family and wasting time on the computer
So I thought I would come back into the fold and ask for some critique and over all impressions on this map. I made this a few months ago for a Scenario I put together for the Axis & Allies Miniature line, fanboy stuff and all. It is based on the 1942 Bruneval Raid to destroy and/or extract pieces of Würzburg radar. This map is posted and people are able to download it for free. This map was built with Vue and finished in Photoshop. These are 8 standard size AAM maps, which measure 21x30 inches. These maps can be used with the existing maps.
Thanks for your time.


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Sunday, February 12, 2012
JB's Surprise 30th || A Beer Tasting Party
38 comments:
SO SWEET! Looks like a lovely party =)ReplyDelete
oh how fun! you two are seriously the cutest. ever.ReplyDelete
such a special celebration! our husbands would get along so good, Matt is always on the search for new beers (right now he is on a banana bread beer kick, which we found it in Sarasota.) looks so fun!ReplyDelete
How cool! I'm yet to plan a surprise party... I am not good with surprises!ReplyDelete
JB looks SO happy! It looks like it was a lovely party :)
Thats so sweet!! My boyfriend would LOVE to have a party like that. He loves his beer haha :)ReplyDelete
What fun!! Looks like a success! :)ReplyDelete
Happy birthday to JB!
Great work, Sarah!
looks fabulous girl :) i love all the pictures!ReplyDelete
you are one sneaky, crafty, and amazing wife! I love love love all these photos, pretty lady :) these memories are ones you'll have for a lifetime! happy 30th to your man! xoxo {av}ReplyDelete
Looks fantastic! I love all the time and details that went into this!ReplyDelete
What a great idea for a man party! My husband hates dwelling on himself and all the attention of birthdays makes him a little uncomfortable but I am all about celebrating! Maybe he'd be more gung-ho if I did something like this!ReplyDelete
Fun! Luke's 30th is coming up next month - We're going to Vegas, but maybe I can sneak in a birthday surprise sometime!ReplyDelete
Looks like a great party! Happy Birthday JB!ReplyDelete
that is so sweet! what a great surprise!ReplyDelete
This looks like it was such a fun party! I love the idea for everyone to bring a different six pack.ReplyDelete
LOVE this party idea! You did a great job!!ReplyDelete
How exciting and what a FABULOUS party you threw for him...love all the details, especially the pictured clipped up on string! Happy, Happy Birthday to him!ReplyDelete
Liesl :)
Awesome!!! What a fun idea for a party. I love it, may have to steal :)ReplyDelete
Awesome and AMAZING!!! I hope to use your idea for my daughter's 3oth BD. She is 26 and expecting quadruplets by her 27th birthday on June 6th! I think this would be a perfect party for her. She would SO appreciate it by the time the babies are 3 years old and she hits 30!ReplyDelete
SO enjoyed this post and your pics!
Looks like you organised an amazing party!! JB is a lucky man! And belated happy birthday to JB!ReplyDelete
Happy birthday to JB!!! And fantastic job you sneaky amazing wife!!!!ReplyDelete
me, you, and jenni from STOML are all december babies..
and all of our men are february babes..
match made in heaven? i think so.
Wow, what an amazing 30th birthday - looks like it turned out perfectly :)ReplyDelete
Love all the photos and decorations, such a cool idea for a theme!
What a great idea for a birthday party! So fun and your shirt is mega cute.ReplyDelete
Wow this party has my boyfriends name written ALL over it. Brilliant!! I'm keeping it in mind for future reference :)ReplyDelete
ps happy thirtieth to your boy!
this makes me SO happy! such a great idea and the balloons! oh the balloons! definitely something i can see myself doing for austin's 30th. in 5 years. hey, if i want it to look half as good as JB's i need to start planning now :) xoxoooooooooo you are pretty btw.ReplyDelete
I loooove this!!! So so fun!! <3ReplyDelete
Love this party idea - may have to borrow it in April! :)ReplyDelete
You are such an amazing hostess! and wife! :)ReplyDelete
A beer tasting party? Best guy party idea ever! Happy 30th to JB!ReplyDelete
This was so much fun! The different beers were such a cool detail and conversation piece of the party. Amazing Time! Happy 30th JB!ReplyDelete
so awesome! we just celebrated hubs 30 last week too. so much fun.ReplyDelete
Love this! What a creative and totally guy-oriented theme :)ReplyDelete
You're setting the bar pretty high...haha!
This has to be the cutest party idea I've ever seen. My dad loves trying new beers and I may need to borrow this idea for his big 50.ReplyDelete
i think HE hit the jackpot too! Loved the details - loved the 30...that idea always comes out well! You are adorable and so is he!!!ReplyDelete
xoxo from Trinidad
will you come throw a party for me?! this looks amazing!ReplyDelete
Such a fantastic idea! You're a fabulous wife - JB is super lucky too ;-)ReplyDelete
this is so amazing! i am stealing this someday for a party idea haha. JB Is lucky to have you!ReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.ReplyDelete


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Victoria Coburn, listed under "Psychotherapists" category, is located at 5924 Royal Ln B Dallas TX, 75230 and can be reached by 2146969333 phone number. Victoria Coburn has currently 0 reviews.This business profile is not yet claimed, and if you are the owner, claim your business profile for free. If you are not the owner you can invite this business to join by email or by phone.Browse all Psychotherapists in Dallas TX. If you would like to see census data for this geographical location click here.
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text:
Import your photos into Photo Gallery from your camera, phone, or other device so you can edit and share them.
Learn more
With Photo Gallery you can edit your photos one at a time or in a batch to make each shot the best it can be.
Capture a mountain range by stitching together a panorama. Create a collage of your family vacation. Or use Photo Fuse to get that perfect group photo.
Once your photos are just the way you want them, you can share them in email or publish them on the web for your friends and family to enjoy.
Add themes to your slide shows in Photo Gallery to give them a unique look. Select the photos you'd like to use in your slide show. On the Home tab, click Slide show, and then select a theme.


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San Antonio, TX (Sports Network) - Tony Parker was among eight San Antonio
players in double figures with 13 points, but the All-Star guard sprained his
left ankle in the third quarter of the Spurs' 130-102 blowout of the
Sacramento Kings.
DeJuan Blair had 16 points, while Danny Green scored 15. Manu Ginobili had
nine points and a career-high 15 assists, as the Spurs bounced back from a
105-101 overtime loss at home against Phoenix on Wednesday. That defeat
snapped an 18-game home winning streak.
Tiago Splitter ended with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Tim Duncan
contributed 13 points and 10 boards.
Parker drove the lane for a layup with under five minutes left in the period,
but he landed awkwardly as the ankle buckled upon hitting the floor. Parker
was helped off the court.
Prior to leaving, Parker also had seven assists. He sat out a game at Phoenix
on Sunday due to a right triceps contusion.
Marcus Thornton scored 25 and Isaiah Thomas had 18 points for the Kings, who
lost for the 17th time in the last 18 meetings with the Spurs. Tyreke Evans
scored 10, but the Kings fell for the seventh time in their last eight games.
The Sports Network


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Steve Wozniak the next scheduled speaker in Celebrity Forum Speaker Series
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 04 December 2013 00:08
- Written by Los Altos Town Crier Staff - Town Crier Report
The 46th annual Foothill College Celebrity Forum Speakers Series runs through May at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts on the De Anza College campus, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino.
Sponsored by the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, the series presents speakers from various fields who appear for three consecutive nights.
Dick Henning serves as moderator.
The lineup includes:
• Steve Wozniak, Jan. 22, 23 and 24. Wozniak co-founded Apple Inc.
• Leon Panetta, Feb. 19, 20 and 21. Panetta, former Secretary of Defense, served under President Barack Obama during the capture of Osama bin Laden.
• Doris Kearns Goodwin, March 26, 27 and 28. Goodwin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer and world-renowned historian.
• Jacques Pépin, April 23, 24 and 25. Pepin, an internationally recognized French chef and television personality, will appear with his daughter, Claudine.
• Lara Logan and Bob Simon, May 14, 15 and 16. Logan and Simon are foreign correspondents for the CBS news program "60 Minutes." Their areas of expertise include the Middle East, Afghanistan and North Korea.
For tickets and more information, visit celebrityforum.net.


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St. Louis (KSDK) - The vision the Rams have for the Edward Jones Dome looks nothing like the current dome.
And it's this proposed transformation that's at the center of documents NewsChannel 5 had to sue to get.
It took a lawsuit by us and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to get the final documents from the Convention and Visitors Commission.
Response from the Rams 1/27/2012
Rams response to the CVC 2/28/2012
CVC response to the Rams 5/31/2012
Term sheet for CVC's alternative proposal
The CVC and the Rams are locked in a fight over how to make the Dome a first tier stadium.
A week ago the CVC rejected the Rams estimated $700 million plan.
In a strongly worded letter turned over today, we learned exactly why.
The CVC tells the Rams that their proposal, "guts and demolishes most of the current facility, eliminates significant improvements made with public money, and proposes virtually a new facility."
The letter urges the Rams to reconsider the CVC's $170 million renovation plan.
If the two sides can't make a deal, the dispute goes to arbitration on June 15th.


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Design By: Maggie Weldon
Skill Level: Easy
Sizes: Violet Flowers:About 1" across x 4" long
Daffodil: About 4 ½" across x 15" long
Daisy: 3 ½" in diameter
Carnation:Flower about 1-1/2" across
Leaf about 1-3/4" long
Materials: Yarn Needle;
For Each Flower:
Violets:Size 10 Crochet Cotton Thread:
Purple (P) - 2 yards,
Green (G) - 2 yards.
Vase: White (W) - 80 yards
Gold Beads,
22 gauge Stem Wire - 18" length,
Florist Tape,
1/8" wide Purple Ribbon - 18" long.
Small Baby Food Jar,
Floral Foam,
Daffodils:Worsted Weight Yarn:
Yellow (Y) - 16 yards;
Green (G) - 10 yards.
White Stamens,
18 & 22 gauge Stem Wire - 18" length,
Florist Tape
Daisies:Size 10 Crochet Cotton Thread:
White – 20 yds,
Green – 3 ½ yds,
Yellow – 3 ½ yds.
Floral Tape,
Floral Wire,
Calyxes – one per daisy,
5/8" buttons – one per daisy.
Carnations:Size 10 Crochet Cotton Thread:
Pink Variegated - 16 yds,
Green - 2 yds.
18 gauge wire - 18" long,
1 roll of Stem Wrap Tape.
Crochet Hooks:
Violets: Steel Hook # 7 (1.65 mm)
Daffodils: Aluminum Hook Size G-6 (4mm)
Daisies: Steel Hook #0 (3.25 mm) and #7 (1.65 mm)
Carnations: Steel Size: 0 and Size 7
Gauge is not important.
Thread Flower Crochet Patterns
Flowers placed in a room will brighten the space and create a calming affect. Decorative crochet flowers from these crochet patterns make for a pretty centerpiece that lasts longer than the real thing. Thread Flower Patterns is a set of four floral designs to give your space a fresh look, without the maintenance found with real flowers. The pattern includes instructions for the delicate yellow daffodils, pretty purple violets, clean white daisies and variegated pink carnations. From a distance, the Thread Flower Patterns look real. You only discover they are crochet flowers when you take a close peak. What you find is a delicate crochet flower that makes an beautiful home decor item.
Crochet home decorations are a pretty way to add accents that you won't find in any store. Thread Flower Patterns create gorgeous flowers using crochet cotton thread in size 10. The easy to follow pattern helps you quickly make the first set of flowers. Then you can crochet each of the other patterns to have plenty off flower decorations for any room of your house. Make a bouquet of crochet flowers for a housewarming gift or as a hostess gift for a party you are attending. No one will turn down flowers that require no water and are easy to care for. You can even get creative and make flowers using a variety of colors or make several of each type for a mixed bouquet. There are so many options for home decorating with the Thread Flower crochet flower pattern set.
Other popular crochet patterns include:
Vintage Florals Potholders Crochet Pattern
Floral Bouquet of Dishcloths Set 1 Crochet Pattern
Floral Bouquet of Dishcloths Set 2 Crochet Pattern
Flower Shop Crochet Pattern
Pansy Kitchen Set Crochet Pattern
Christmas TP Toppers Crochet Pattern
Enjoy your crochet time with these crochet patterns!
Shipping Policy
Orders are generally shipped within 1-3 business days of the order being submitted to us. We ship orders Monday, Wednesday and Thursday each week with the exception of any major US holidays. Our shipping and handling charges include the costs for Customer Service, processing and postage. Shipping and handling is non-refundable. We accept payment through PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover Card. We do not accept Cash, Checks or Money Orders; please do not send these to us!
Return Policy
Our policy lasts for 60 days. If 60 days have passed since your purchase was made, unfortunately we can not offer you a refund. To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging. To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase be sent with your return. Please do not send your purchase back to the product manufacturer. There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted: Books with obvious signs of use Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error. There are certain situations where no refund will be granted: CD or DVD that has been opened Clearance/Bargain Items - Only regular priced items may be refunded, unfortunately Clearance/Bargain items cannot be refunded.
Download Policy
Maggie's Crochet Brand offers download versions of most of our products. Adobe Reader is required when opening the patterns. If you do not have Adobe Reader installed on your computer or device, you can download it here: http://get.adobe.com/reader/. Please note: Using other programs such as Preview or PDF Complete will cause printing errors and more. Due to the nature of downloadable products, we cannot and will not refund the cost of the item. If the item is a Maggie's Crochet Brand pattern, we can generally mail the pattern to you if you are having trouble downloading. Shipping and handling charges will have to be charged using a credit card by phone. Some downloads are not available to ship out - these are noted and all sales are final on those products. If you are not sure, please contact customer service.
Copyright Policy
Any person in violation of our copyright will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. This site is owned and operated by Maggie Weldon Designs. All the content on this site, including but not limited to photographs, pattern designs, logos and text is owned by Maggie Weldon Designs. All materials contained on this site are protected by both United States and International copyright laws and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Maggie Weldon Designs. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. A copy of downloaded patterns may be printed by the purchaser, for personal use only and are not to be distributed. Items made from Maggie's Crochet patterns may be sold, however a notice must be attached to each item giving credit to both Maggie's Crochet and the pattern designer.


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With "Million Dollar Arm" opening this week, take a look at our picks for the top 25 sports movies of all time.
No. 17: You might not immediately think of 1984's "The Karate Kid" as a sports movie, but who could forget the movie's climatic scenes at the All Valley Karate Tournament?


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The anti-globalization and anti-trade rhetoric of the U.S. presidential election has become a primary economic threat to emerging countries, according to Bloomberg's Mohamed A. El-Erian .
United States GDP grew slightly more than initially expected in the first quarter of 2016, and durable goods orders ticked up in April, according to the most recent data from the Department of Commerce.
Meanwhile, the struggling South Korean ocean carrier said in a statement Sunday it expects to reach an agreement with ship owners regarding charter rate renegotiations "soon."
Registration takes less than 1 minute.
The U.S. Coast Guard bulletin regarding compliance with the International Maritime Organization's verified gross mass requirement "seems to allow for more flexibility," says Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Mario Cordero.
Annual costs at container lines have increased a combined $500 million due to new sulfur emissions rules requiring vessels to use more expensive fuel, according to a report released last week by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Norwegian shipping company DSD Shipping has been sentenced to pay a $2.5 million fine resulting from convictions in Mobile, Ala., for dumping oily waste and garbage into the sea, according to the U.S. Justice Department.


text:
Maryland Heights, Mo (KSDK) -- A former Saint Louis University basketball star surprised a Billikens fan.
Brian Conklin dropped by Ranken Jordan Pediatric Rehabilitation Friday morning to visit with Mikey Tekeser.
Conklin showed Mikey some tricks on a basketball court and gave him a basketball.
Conklin graduated from SLU and hopes to play professional basketball overseas.


text:
Miami, FL (Sports Network) - David Oku ran for three touchdowns as Arkansas
State rolled to a 34-20 victory over Florida International in the Sun Belt
Conference play.
Ryan Aplin threw for 224 yards and a touchdown on 15-of-23 passes and also ran
for a score for Arkansas State (3-3, 1-1 Sun Belt), which lost its conference
opener to Western Kentucky last Saturday.
J.D. McKissic caught five passes for 124 yards and a touchdown, while the Red
Wolves' running game totaled 210 yards to come away victorious.
E.J. Hilliard completed 18-of-27 throws for 133 yards with a touchdown and an
interception for the Panthers (1-5, 0-2), who have dropped four straight.
The only score in the first quarter came on Jack Griffin's 28-yard field goal,
but Arkansas State responded when McKissic got behind the secondary and hauled
in a 74-yard touchdown pass less than four minutes into the second.
FIU regained the lead with a 7-play, 62-yard drive that was extended with a
successful fake punt and ended in Jacob Younger's 19-yard TD grab along the
right sideline.
But a Hilliard interception led to Oku's 1-yard plunge, giving the Red Wolves
a 14-10 lead just before halftime.
Arkansas State took control with two touchdowns in the third quarter. The
first was a 10-yard jaunt by Aplin that culminated an 11-play, 87-yard march.
The second, a 2-yard run by Oku, came with 6:11 remaining after another
turnover gave the Red Wolves a short field.
Griffin booted a 31-yard field goal in the final minute of the frame, but
Rocky Hayes' 73-yard run on the first play of the fourth set up Oku's 4-yard
Darian Mallary cut into the deficit with a 5-yard TD run with 6 1/2 minutes
left, but that's as close as it got.
The Sports Network


text:
- 1220Promote
Phone Cases
Werewolfby Freeminds
Protect your iPhone with a one-piece, impact resistant, flexible plastic hard case featuring an extremely slim profile. Simply snap the case onto your iPhone for solid protection and direct access to all device features.
cute, little, girl, shadow...
Thanks ^_^
This is totally spot on!
super thumbs up! :) freeminds!
Love this one!
I LOVE THIS! I have been drawing things like this but a guy character(me) and the wolf the same(like my dog{a black German Shepard}). LOVE your style on this!
Thanks guys c:
me encantan tus trabajos son excelentes!
Such an awesome body of artwork! Great piece!
it makes me remind of japanese movies!
Wow! This is super cool
Stop amazing!
thanks :>
Love thy colors.!
This. Is. SICK. Incredible work!
love it!
Thanks :3
Such wonderful work:) Great style!
WOW! this is superb i love your style!
gorgeous. love it.
Thank you ^_^
very cool :)
Very nice image. Good work.
これが大好き ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ 👍
Wondrful. Loved it!
I love this, it's great.
Amazing style and use of colors.
thanks :>
Hell Yeah
So lovely!
Great art!
This looks like a girl version of "Kiel" in RO, cute
not usually a fan of anime and similar styles, but really like this. love how simple it is in parts, especially the face. reminds me of some of my older work, especially the lack of pupils. can't wait to see more.
Thanks ^-^
Wow, awesome skills !
so cool!
your illustrations are great.
This one's specially awesome. WOW!
thanks ^^
Do you have a website?
I've posted some of the websites in "about" section
Done well. Nice one.
waouw this is awesome :D
all your works are... the best. keep them coming. forever.
Thank you :>
This is very good, i like all your works they are so easy to read and yet leave so much for the imagination!
Thanks! :>
Really awesome!
cool, good, inspiring, flashy stuff here! while checking out your art, I need more Miyazaki NOW!
keep on doing the good stuff
keep on doing the good stuff
Thanks ;)
Nice work!
This is really great! It's adorable in a unique way.
genius shapes/ characters +
great artwork!
Really Awesome! / Love it!
sick! I love it :)
Outstanding piece!
Thanks! :)
this is awesome!
Great work!
Very cool!
Love it! :)
Beautiful design!
You make monsters look brilliantly cute!
nice work
Super awesome art :D !
Thanks :)
Love this!
Great design! I like the idea of it! Have a look of mine and see if you like it! http://society6.com/product/break-is-...
This made me smile and say "Well done" out loud. Audrey
dark and lovely!
love the idea behind and such a amazing execution!
Wow ! J'adore !!!
best. piece. ever.
Really awesome design. promoted
really neat :)
Very cool. Dig the style
nice! you're very talented :)
The only way to describe all of your artwork is magical! So good...
So surreal!
Really nice design :)
See More Comments


text:
Found a UT land owner tag for the low cost of $15,900
Landowner tags in UT are way expensive.
My father wants a moose, so I've looked into this a bit and came to the same conclusions Zim offered up - we will either go east to Newfoundland or north to Alberta or Ontario. Guided hunts run $4k-$6k.
There is a good amount of literature on DIY float hunts for moose in AK also. You and 2 or 3 guys get a float plane to drop you off, then you float out for a week, there are outfitters set up to supply all the gear, kind of like a floating drop camp.
Unless you have done a DIY float hunt for moose, there is no way to properly describe the amount of work involved. You will spend nearly half of each day breaking camp, packing rafts, setting up camp, etc. And very little hunting is actually done while you are floating. It is rare to even see over the bank of the river from the raft.
It is a grand adventure, but not the most productive moose hunting technique, and very labor intensive.


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|Westfield, Ind.
|High School:
|Club Team:
|Team Indiana
Kranda's Stats
Career | 2011 | 2012
2012 - Sophomore Season: Started three matches and appeared in 50 sets...averaged 1.04 kills and 0.56 digs per set...totaled a season-high nine kills at IUPUI (Sept. 4)...has six kills on 11 swings at Xavier (Sept. 22)...made season-high seven blocks vs. George Washington (Sept. 28)...had season-best seven digs against Duquesne (Sept. 29)...totaled six kills on nine swings in league tourney vs. VCU (Nov. 16).
2011 - Freshman Season: Played multiple positions in 23 matches...started 11 times and saw
action in 53 sets...averaged 1.06 kills, 1.13 digs and 0.70 blocks per set...made first career start at Nevada, totaling nine kills and nine digs (Sept. 2)...posted seven digs and two blocks against Austin Peay (Sept. 9)...made eight blocks and five digs vs. Cleveland State (Sept. 16)...totaled nine kills and four digs vs. North Dakota State (Sept. 26)...smacked five kills with five blocks vs. Wright State (Oct. 4)...totaled six kills and seven digs vs. Loyola (Oct. 8).
High School: Four-year letterwinner and three-time all-conference selection at Westfield High School...led her team with a school-record 444 kills and 318 digs as a senior, leading the team to a 25-8 record and earning Indianapolis Metro All-North Player of the Year honors...named second team all-state, academic all-state and team MVP as a senior...selected to the Hamilton County Honor Team and Indianapolis Star Super Team...played club volleyball for Indy Juniors and IVA during her younger years and recently played for Team Indiana.
Personal: Born November 14, 1992...daughter of Mary Beth Kranda...has one brother and one sister...biology major.


text:
JOCKEY AMADEO PEREZ, HERBIE D, WINNER (THROUGH VALET INTERPRETER): "I listened to the trainer's instructions and he told me that the plan was to go to the front. I went to the front and never looked back. I could hear horses coming from the back, but all I was thinking was, 'where is the wire?' This is the best race I've ever won. I am very happy right now."
JOCKEY DEBBIE HOONAN, STRYKER PHD, SECOND: "He settled really nicely for me. He got right into his groove. I really didn't have to do too much. He was really focused. He never would let (Golden Itiz) go by him. I could hear him grunting. He was trying so hard. When I ask him, he just goes. When we got into the clear, I thought I had a good shot at the win. I new the leader would be pretty tough to catch. I was thinking that third would be good, but it was even better when we got second."
JOCKEY GERRY OLGUIN, GOLDEN ITIZ, THIRD: "It was first time for him on dirt and just wasn't handling it very well. I wanted him closer to the pace, but he just couldn't handle the track. It took me until the final quarter-mile before he really got a hold of it, and then he really started moving. Considering everything, I thought he ran a really good race."
JOCKEY ISAIAS ENRIQUEZ, JEBRICA, FOURTH: "It was a very good trip. There was a lot of speed in the race, so I just angled him to the inside and tried to save ground. I had to use him a little earlier than I wanted to save my position because horses started attacking from my outside. I waited for the three-eighths pole to ask him, and he just started passing horses; zigging and zagging. I am very happy to be on this horse. I thought he ran great."
JOCKEY ANNE SANGUINETTI, WHY NOT BE PERFECT, SIXTH: "He ran a fantastic race. We knew this race would be tough, but we thought he deserved the chance. I started to move at the same time as two other horses, so I got pinched back to last. After that, he really started to move and was able to split the field in half."
JOCKEY RUSSELL BAZE, POLITICALLYCORRECT, NINTH: "My horse got hit from behind before we got into the first turn and he just dropped the bit. I tried to get him involved on the backside, but he just wasn't having any of it. He didn't give me anything. It's great to be here for another Mile. It would have been a lot better if I had won it."
JOCKEY WINNING MACHINE, JAVIER MATIAS, 10TH: "I had the perfect trip. I went right into the first turn with no problems. He was in the race the whole way, but he just didn't have anything left. I thought he'd run better, but the winner was pretty tough."
JOCKEY AARON GRYDER, MR. BOWLING, 11TH: "It was a little awkward, but I went a little bit wide going into the first turn, but that's expected when you have a short run to the turn. Once I got to the backside, I was happy with where we were. I was following Gladding, who was laying third, and then he started to advance and I was like 'good I got a live horse I can follow around third.' And then when I got to the quarter-pole, and he wasn't matching strides with him."
JOCKEY MARIO GUTIERREZ, HOIST, 12TH: "Before the break, he hit the gate really hard. I lost all my chances at the gate. I tried to put him up in the race, but he wasn't really running."
NOTES: Herbie D (13-10-1-1-$337,928)…Herbie D is the second straight British Columbia-bred to win the Longacres Mile…Jockey Amadeo Perez has two stakes wins at Emerald Downs, both on Herbie D. He won the 2012 Hastings Racecourse riding title with 95 wins and ranks No. 1 in 2013 with 42 wins (through Saturday)…Hastings Racecourse-based trainer Robert Gilker has two stakes wins at Emerald Downs, both with Herbie D (Mt. Rainier Handicap, Longacres Mile)…Herbie D owners: George Robbins, Cobble Hill, B.C. and Darcia Dohman, Cowichan Bay, B.C…Washington-bred Stryker Phd (10-1-4-4-$99,466) finished second in all four older handicap stakes races this season at Emerald Downs—second at 40-to-1 in the Governors Hcp, second at 19-to-1 in the Budweiser Hcp, second at 4-to-1 in the Mt. Rainier Hcp, and second at 15-to-1 in the Longacres Mile. He is eligible to run in the $50,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic on Sunday, September 8…Northwest horses finished in three of the top four positions with BC-bred Herbie D first, and Washington-breds Stryker Phd and Jebrica second and fourth…Jockey Anne Sanguinetti on Why Not Be Perfect claimed foul against Stryker Phd and third-place finisher Golden Itiz, alleging interference into the stretch, but the stewards disallowed the claim…89-year-old trainer/owner/breeder Don Munger served as honorary steward for the 78th Longacres Mile.


text:
Oakley Bring To Light Jacket - Women'sView Larger Image
- Detail Images
Lofty down insulation provides massive warmth so you and your Oakley Women's Bring to Light Jacket can face the coldest winter weather without a worry. Plus this jacket features a waterproof breathable construction that keeps you dry when soggy snow falls on the resort so you don't have to worry about the down getting all clumpy and cold. A little fashion never hurts either, so Oakley designers kept the lines of this jacket simple and clean, so it looks great in the wild or in more civilized situations like the city.
- 15K-rated weatherproof membrane allows the shell to breathe away excess moisture from the inside while keeping you dry from external moisture and precipitation
- Fully taped seams keep wetness out even at all the fabric joints
- Down insulation provides ultimate warmth without adding bulkiness or an uncomfortable amount of weight
- Removable hood features a magnetic hold-down system that keeps the hood out of your face when you're not wearing it over your head
- Underarm vents allow you to control your temperature by venting away excess heat when needed
- Internal storm skirt closes securely around you waist to keep snow out
- Pockets keep your hands warm, hold your goggles, and keep your media player secure
- Front closure features a full storm flap with magnetic closure
- RECCO avalanche safety reflector makes you easier to locate by RECCO-equipped safety personnel in the event of an emergency
- Reviews
What do you think about this product?
Have questions about this product?
Will the hood to the Oakley Bring to Light...
Will the hood to the Oakley Bring to Light women's down jacket fit over a helmet?
Are they machine washable ?
Are they machine washable ?


text:
Your browser does not support iframes.
All other transportation and automotive adscan be found on:
All other employment adscan be found on:
All other legal notices can be found on:
All other real estate adscan be found on:
Post any job, hire and pay online at:
LOST TORTOISE, on 5/23 near Kings Ave. & Las Tunas. 9 yrs. old, about 7". Reward. Call Jill 415-786-8229
Need a job?Need to hire some help?


text:
Since 1793, when The Old Farmer's Almanac began tracking heavenly events and seasonal changes, the Moon has been full on the winter solstice just ten times. The next occurrence will be in 2094.
The rarity of a solstitial full Moon—the average interval is about 19 years—reinforces the Moon's role as a beacon playing on human history. Although our research could not find a correlation between these lunar events and significant historical happenings on similar dates in the past*, the combination of astronomical forces certainly affect the tides.
As astronomer Bob Berman explains, during this time of proxigean tides [unusually high tides due to the Moon's phase and proximity to Earth], coastal flooding could occur if there is one more little extra effect, such as a storm at sea, on-shore winds, or low barometric pressure.
If the solstice night is calm and cloudless, with the full Moon beaming down on a blanket of snow, it will be irresistibly attractive, and electrical illumination—even your car's headlights—may seem superfluous.
* We did find that on the night of December 21, 1866, the Lakota Sioux staged a devastating retaliatory ambush of soldiers in the Wyoming Territory—perhaps planning the attack for that bright night.


text:
The term "Transportation" can mean many things to many people. Most businesses, including IBM, who sell goods or services to transportation type companies refer to a Transportation Industry, at least for product, sales and marketing purposes. In IBM in particular we use a term that others use as well called Travel & Transportation. In reality, which companies or organizations that fall into these categories depends on how they see themselves.
My own experience is that transportation relates to the movement of passengers and goods, while travel is generally the services that support the movement of passengers or support them at their destination. The "Travel & Transportation industry" is not in fact an industry, but rather a grouping of industry "segments" that are industries themselves. These segments include Airports, Aviation, Public Transit, Rail, Shipping and Trucking. Travel includes segments such as Hotels, Casinos and travel related services such as Travel Agencies. At a high level this is an appropriate grouping of Travel and Transportation industry segments.
That said, federal, state and municipal agencies called Departments of Transportation (DOT) would see themselves as in the "Transportation Industry". While they are in most cases public agencies, they do manage and maintain the roads, bridges, tunnels and other structures needed for most ground transportation. And, it must be noted that DOTs have the word "Transportation" in their name.
These would seem to be a good assembly of industry segments who see themselves in the transportation industry or industries. Yet, I am reminded of a user group meeting I attended several years ago when I learned to keep an open mind on the subject. The company I was working for at the time was sponsoring the user group and to create an atmosphere of interaction between users with like interests they had designated tables in the group lunch area with industry signs. So, amongst the signs that said Utilities, Oil & Gas, Life Sciences, Government and others was a sign for the Transportation table. As I went to join my fellow "Transportation" interested people I introduced myself as the company's transportation leader, only to learn my table mates were all from General Motors. While my company would consider GM as in the Automotive or Industrial category, there were no tables marked Automotive so the GM group, who had a large number of attendees, saw themselves best fitting the Transportation industry. Who was I to argue as they are certainly a supplier of the assets that support transportation.
As I move forward with this blog on the topic of Asset Management in Transportation I thought it would be wise to first establish which industry segments will be addressed and share a bit of the company view on the subject. While my comments do not represent all of IBM and others may have different opinions, I think it is necessary to have some boundaries to set expectations. Feel free to share your opinions.


text:
Family of murdered teen Kasey Gordon tell of pain at knife killing
13:06 16 May 2012
The family of a London teenager killed by a mentally ill knifeman have spoken of their pain.
Kasey Gordon, 15, died after being stabbed in the heart by Serif Aslan, 34, in January last year.
It happened in Tottenham, near to the school where Kasey was a pupil.
Aslan launched the attack after being censured for comments he made about a female pupil.
Kasey was killed after he went to aid another pupil.
Kasey's mother Verona said today the family would never get over his death: "Kasey was the soul of my family. He was a born leader," she said.
Revenge was not wanted by the family, she added: "Nor do I have hatred in my heart for the man who took my son's life if he is truly mad."
Other schoolboys were injured during the incident in West Green Road. Their identities were protected in court.
After fatally injuring Kasey, Aslan calmly walked away from what was labelled "a scene of carnage."
The court heard he had failed to take his medication in the preceeding period.
Today Aslan was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Richard Horwell QC, prosecuting, said: "This main part of the incident lasted about 30 seconds and, when it was over, the defendant calmly walked away.
"He left behind a scene of considerable carnage. The knife that he had carried - the knife he had been told not to carry - was used by him to devastating effect."


text:
Richard Wolf and Brad Heath, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court struck down a key section of a landmark voting rights law on Tuesday, saying Congress failed to take account of changing circumstances in the South when it decided which states would be subjected to additional scrutiny under the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
The court's 5-4 ruling in the case from Alabama frees states and municipalities with a history of racial discrimination from having to clear changes in voting procedures with the federal government -- at least for now. That restriction, part of the Voting Rights Act, has applied to nine states and parts of six others, mostly in the South.
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the 5-4 decision in Shelby County v. Holder for the court's conservative majority. The four more liberal justices dissented.
The decision came in one of two major cases involving race to come before the high court this term. In the other, decided Monday, the court reaffirmed that affirmative action is constitutional but instructed lower-court judges to look far more critically at whether schools can prove their use of racial preferences is the only way to achieve a diverse student body.
Tuesday's opinion did not invalidate the Voting Rights Act's "preclearance" requirement outright. Instead, Roberts said Congress failed to update the formula it used to determine which states and counties would be covered by that requirement to take account of changing circumstances in the South. That failure, Roberts wrote, left the court "with no choice" but to declare Congress' formula unconstitutional.
Still, Roberts wrote, "our decision in no way affects the permanent, nationwide ban on racial discrimination in voting." He said "Congress may draft another formula based on current conditions."
The Voting Rights Act was passed by Congress and signed by President Lyndon Johnson -- with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. standing near -- in the wake of the violence and bloodshed that marked the 1950s and 1960s throughout the South.
It outlawed the types of voting practices that were common in many states, such as poll taxes and literacy tests, and set up legal and regulatory processes to overturn them.
The steel spine of the law was Section 5, which required certain states and municipalities to get federal permission before making changes in voting practices.
Under a formula devised to capture those states, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia, along with Arizona and Alaska, emerged with what they now consider a scarlet letter. The law was reauthorized in 1970, 1975, 1982 and 2006 with only minor changes.
But the Supreme Court's majority finally lost patience with lawmakers who had refused to update the list of states and municipalities deemed discriminatory, despite wholesale gains in the South by blacks and other minority voters and elected officials.
The ruling tosses the ball back to Congress, which could try to update a coverage formula based on 1972 data. Few observers, however, expect lawmakers to pick and choose among states and municipalities, even if they could overcome political inertia.
The court's conservatives, led by Roberts, had signaled their intentions during oral arguments in February. They expressed disdain for a geographic formula last updated in 1972 that forces most of the Deep South -- but also certain municipalities from Florida to Alaska -- to check even the relocation of polling places with the Department of Justice.
Justice Anthony Kennedy, the court's perennial swing vote, likened the states' plight to being "under the trusteeship of the United States government." Justice Antonin Scalia drew gasps inside the courtroom when he referred disdainfully to "racial entitlements."
And Roberts had long ago signaled his impatience with laws that give minorities a leg up on whites. In a 2007 decision on public school integration, he famously declared: "The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race."
Roberts and the court had punted on the issue four years ago, ruling that a Texas water district - and any municipality, for that matter - could get out from under Section 5 by demonstrating 10 years of good behavior. More than 200 municipalities have done so since the law's inception.
Even then, however, Roberts had warned that "things have changed in the South" and the pre-clearance requirements and coverage formula "raise serious constitutional questions."
The new case came to the court with two lower court strikes against Shelby County's challenge. In the most recent decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled last year that the coverage formula "is not perfect, but the fit was hardly perfect in 1965."
The Obama administration warned the court not to mess with Congress' legislative authority. "Invidious racial discrimination is the most pernicious form of governmental discrimination prohibited by the Constitution," the government's brief said. That puts Congress "at the zenith of its constitutional authority."
Civil rights advocates and the court's left-leaning justices noted that the provision was used as recently as last year to beat back photo ID laws, redistricting plans and restrictions on early voting. Without it, they said, states could resume discriminatory practices.
But opponents of the law argued that the types of state and local election laws that continue to draw fire today "exist to a greater degree outside those covered jurisdictions than they do inside the jurisdictions," said Edward Blum, director of the Project on Fair Representation, who helped initiate Shelby County's lawsuit.
Both sides agree that progress has been made: Black voter turnout topped white turnout in last year's presidential election and was strongest in some of the Southern states subjected to the strictest oversight under the Voting Rights Act.
Minorities also have been elected to local offices in record numbers, thanks to the creation of so-called "majority-minority" districts. In 1965, the 11 states of the Old Confederacy, stretching from Virginia to Texas, had a total of three black state legislators. By 2009, the number had grown to 321, or 18% of the total, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
But over the same period, Southern legislatures that were overwhelmingly Democratic in 1965 have turned Republican. Today, the GOP controls both houses of the legislatures in all 11 states.
In recent years, the number of objections by the Justice Department to states' voting changes has declined dramatically. In 1976, there were 64 objections, including 30 in Texas alone. In recent years, the number dropped to five or less. While there were 10 objections last year, this year has produced only one.
Meanwhile, the number of municipalities that have "bailed out" of Section 5 by maintaining a clean record on voting rights for 10 years has risen. From 1998 to 2008, only Virginia municipalities were excused from federal oversight. In the last three years, they were joined by several in California, Texas, Alabama, and the entire state of New Hampshire.
The law's defenders say Section 5 prevented Texas, Florida and South Carolina from enacting new voting restrictions in 2012. This year, they say, it stands as a bulwark against similar discrimination. In Beaumont, Texas, a school board election was canceled to prevent white candidates from running unopposed in three majority-black districts. In North Carolina, lawmakers have proposed new restrictions on voter identification, registration and early voting.
The remainder of the Voting Rights Act wasn't challenged in the case. The law still will provide for legal challenges to voting changes deemed discriminatory in any state. But those after-the-fact challenges can be costly and time-consuming.


text:
- New z114 designed to consolidate workloads from hundreds of x86 servers
- Costs 25% less and offers significant improvements over IBM z10 BC Servers
- High-end mainframe features now available at entry level price of $75,000
- Ability to manage workloads on select System x blades now available
- Designed to deliver Smarter Computing capabilities
The z114 is powered by up to 14 of the industry's most sophisticated microprocessors of which up to 10 can be configured as specialty engines. These specialty engines, the System z Application Assist Processor (zAAP), the System z Integrated Information Processor (zIIP), and the Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL), are designed to integrate new Java, XML, and Linux applications and technologies with existing workloads, as well to optimize system resources and reduce costs on the mainframe. For example, using a fully configured machine running Linux for System z, clients can create and maintain a Linux virtual server in the z114 for as little as $500 per year.(4)
The z114 offers up to an 18%(5) performance improvement for processing traditional System z workloads over its predecessor the z10 BC, and up to an additional 25%(6) improvement for microprocessor intensive workloads using compiler enhancements.
|August 11, 2011
|Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
|Register soon
|August 16, 2011
|August 16, 2011
|Zurich / Küsnacht, Switzerland
|August 17, 2011
|Hanoi, Vietnam
|August 23, 2011
|Hamburg, Germany
|August 23, 2011
|Hursley, UK
|August 23, 2011
|Bangkok, Thailand
|September 1, 2011
|Warwick, UK
|September 6, 2011
|London, UK
|September 13, 2011
|Manchester, UK
|September 15, 2011
|Edinburgh, UK


text:
About !!~*STARS*~!!
well lets start with this people call me mannie!!!!
hmmm.... me i dont like to talk about me.... but here goes... i like to make a joke out of every situation especially if they are supposed to be serious... laughter makes the world go round. Being to serious causes un-necessary heart damage :)
i like to go to alot of concerts, well atleast i try!
i listen to every type of music!!!!! so let me know if there is a band/ artist i should check out im always looking for new music...
I haven't added this to my profile yet