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Jul 31, 2012 8:15 AM
Give 'em the old razzle dazzle - razzle dazzle 'em in this sequined beauty ($298). No one will be the wiser that you've just walked away with the perfect pair of redbacks from the shoe pile at your neighbor's party. After all, how can they see with sequins in their eyes?
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Petite Bras Revisited: The Little Bra Company
1. Loose bands caused cups to shift from left to right
2. Cups that didn't taper to my chest caused gapping and "nip slips"
3. Too much thick padding (my bra criteria has certainly changed since freshman yr of college!)
Alas, I turned to the experts at The Little Bra Company (TLBC). Some of you may remember my first review here. TLBC specializes in bras for petite frames, and offers hard to find sizes (28-38A, 28-36B, and 28-34C). They sent me a few items to try on from the low to medium end of the padding-ometer.
1. Yvonne Bra in Mocha, 2/5 stars on TLBC's padding scale.
2. Mercedes Bra in Slate, 3/5 stars on TLBC's padding scale
3. Lucia Bra in Nude, 3/5 stars on TLBC's padding scale
As you can see from the photo, TLBC's padding is placed at push-up angles. Before getting dressed, it's important to bend over and scoop to get the girls situated for the day. I first learned about the scoop when a brazen saleswoman in China took the liberty to scoop for me. Here is a great video by TLBC illustrating the method. I love TLBC owner Emily Lau's voluminous hair! And oh...is that a Target juniors lace cardigan I spy?
Before I show fit pics, I wanted to stress the importance of trying on a few sizes. It took me several tries before settling into a 30A. As you move up/down band sizes, cup size will change proportionately. Thus, if you wear a 32A, you could possibly fit better in a 30B.
Continue reading for my review...
Onto the review! The bra-over-tank style is a good look to sport, no?
LEFT: My absolute favorite bra out of the 4-5 styles I tried is the Yvonne Bra in Nude/Mocha (TLBC padding level: 2 out of 5), which is perfect for everyday wear. It felt wonderful to put on a bra with a snug band, no cup gapping, and delicate push-up padding. This was an unexpected favorite because it looks rather plain online, but is just so comfortable and pretty when on. The smooth cup looks seamless under tee shirts, and the lace is stretchy and soft (I was afraid lace would be itchy).
RIGHT: For a little more "oomph," I also loved the Mercedes Bra in Slate (TLBC padding level: 3 out of 5). Notice the structure of the bra (the "U" shapes) inherently gives more support and lift to the outer corners of the breasts, and surely enough I achieved better cleavage with this bra than the Yvonne. One other thing I wanted to point out is that the Mercedes' cups have less coverage than the Yvonne, so it may not be for those who want full breast coverage.
I must point out that the lace band on the Yvonne is stretchier than regular bra bands. The Mercedes fits perfectly on the first hook (which is good because as bra bands stretch out over time, you can move onto the tighter hooks), but to achieve the same level of support, I have to use the second hook for the Yvonne. I hope the lace doesn't stretch out too much with wear.
The third bra I wanted to show is the ever-popular Lucia in Nude (TLBC padding scale: 3 out of 5). I've heard nothing but rave reviews about this bra. In-person, the lace overlay is gorgeous, and I love all the colors this comes in (especially the pink & tangerine). Unfortunately, I just couldn't find the right fit for me. Both a 30A and 32A were too narrow in the cups and left me with sideboob oozing out where my fingers are pointing, so I probably needed a size 34 band.
Amongst these three styles (all in 30A), there are some band size inconsistencies, as shown below. The Lucia has the smallest band, the Mercedes has a slightly larger band, and the Yvonne has the largest band (and stretchiest).
For other great TLBC posts by fellow petites, visit Stylepint for a thorough C-cup review, PetiteLittleGirl's review, and AlterationsNeeded's review. For video reviews, check out a bra-fitting vid from Frmheadtotoe.
Disclosure: Bras were provided courtesy of TLBC. Samples that did not fit were returned.
44 comments:
whoaa what a good deal! gonna check it out!ReplyDelete
I really want to purchase some TLBC bras since I am a 30C, but they are so darned expensive!ReplyDelete
Thanks for the heads up about Ideeli!!
Mae Lu @ thereafterish.!
Great timing Jean!! I have been wanting to get more of TLBC bras. I got two last year and I have not found anything as comfortable as them that gives you an "oomph" factor.ReplyDelete
I have to agree that there is inconsistency in sizing in different styles. I got Lucia in 32B and it fit great all around while Isis in the same size is too big. Overall, they are great and the paddings are not too thick like most push-up bras. Thanks for the sale alert..I am breaking my ban for this sale...woo-hoo!!
Thanks Jean for your timely review! I picked up the Yvonne in Mocha and may pick up something else thanks to ideeli's one-time shipping charge for the day.ReplyDelete
I am not fully qualified as petite but have always been curious about the little bra company, and more importantly all the ones I have bought (say from VS) don't really that well even I used the correct "measured" size. Do you think their sizing is different from the normal sizing? Ideeli does have my size I might just place an order of my size and see if that fits better. Thanks for the heads up :)!ReplyDelete
Yay! Thanks for the review. I've been looking for new bras so this sale will really help. I've actually had the opposite problem -I gained weight and the first to bubble up was the behind and girls. =\ I know I should be happy but I'm kind of disappointed I won't be fitting my old bras anymore.ReplyDelete
Oh, TLBC! I drove to RI, was fitted last year, and have the Yvonne in a 30B and a Lucia in a 30A.ReplyDelete
The Lucia is gorgeous, definitely va-va voom, and requires much scooping to fit everything in. The band is so tight I'm not going anywhere, but as time has passed, I wish I'd gone up a band size, as it sometimes digs into my ribs.
The Yvonne is my daily go to, and I love the lace. Unfortunately, after a year of very routine wear, the lace has stretched out. I'll be replacing it soon.
Very tempted to try the Mercedes, as my problem seems to be making sure there is no ooze!
That's such a clever way to model your bras! Eprops!ReplyDelete
*sigh* that they do not go up futher than a see. I recently found that my actual size is 28D-DD T_T Of course, sizes made in the US may run differently than in the UK...ReplyDelete
They look so pretty and I am surprised to read that the lace was not itchy. I usually go for smooth, plain bras because I don't like itchiness; nor do I like the texture that shows under your top from the lace. Do these lacier bras have that issue?
Lol...I meant C..like the cup size hehe.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousTuesday, June 21, 2011
Love that you found a conservative way to model bras. I think you are a breath of fresh air.ReplyDelete
Anyway, kind of off topic: is that your theory tank you have on?
@NelahIt sounds like the Lucia runs smaller than some of their other bras in general! Glad you can take advantage of this sale in time to restock : )ReplyDelete
@R.L. I think you'll love it! What other styles do you have...did you get anything from their 2010 Ideeli sale, lol? And I wish all sample sale sites had the one-time shipping charge.
@Winnie* They say on the site to size up from your "normal" size but I don't completely agree. I think this will differ with the styles, which does make it a bit harder to shop online without trying them on.
@Megan Smart move! I rememeber this story : ) I always just ordered 32A when shopping online and it probably wasn't right. I'm glad you love the Yvonne too, but I'm nervous to hear that it has stretched out. One year of routine wear is a lot of mileage though. Maybe I'll get a backup during this sale.
@DSK Steph @Anonymous I can't take credit : ) I was inspired by Frmheadtotoe's bra fitting video where she models these over her tank. Anon - good memory! But this is actually an H&M tank. It looks the same as those Theory ones, is tons cheaper, but not nearly as nice. Those Theory tube tanks are my staples!
@Jackie Wow, where do you order bras in that rare size? I'm not sure if the lace strap shows up under clothing - I haven't noticed that yet, but haven't exactly inspected.
Great review. Do they make wireless bras? I tried to search it on their website but nothing came up.ReplyDelete
I love the Lucia - However, I walked into the store wearing a La Senza Perfectly Me Lace Pushup in 32A (http://www.lasenza.com/eng/products/bras/pushup/lace-push-up-bra?215501-053), and I didn't find the fit or lift of it to be dramatically - So check out the La Senza one if you're on a budget. :)ReplyDelete
I'm wearing my 30A Sascha right now! :) I won it from PetiteLittleGirl's blog a while back.
I agree that there's some inconsistency with sizing - I wore the 30A Lucia on the last hook, but my Sascha is always on the tightest one.
I tried on the Sascha in-store in a 28B, but the last hook still gave me "back fat" - If I were to redo it though, I Would have gotten my Sascha in the 28B + bra extender. :/
Do any other Sascha owners feel that the band kind of "crumples" vertically?
- YvonneTuesday, June 21, 2011
Thanks for another review, Jean :)ReplyDelete
I've tried many TLBC bras at the local store, but they simply do not fit me. I'm not the traditional petite because I'm 5'8", but I have a very small band size much like yours.
TLBC bras make my girls way to centered in the middle of my chest, very awkward.
Perhaps it's my height? I think despite my small size I still have a broad frame.
Any suggestions for a TALL petite? (oxymoron? haha)
- AnonymousTuesday, June 21, 2011
You lost weight? Please don't Jean, any more can be detrimental to your health as you are so skinny already.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousWednesday, June 22, 2011
It's risky to order undergarments online and what if they don't fit right? Kind of awkward to return them. I am a 32B, a cheapskate and bought my bra via Target.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousWednesday, June 22, 2011
I wish I could buy bras from there, but I am a 30DD. It's really no way near as big as it sounds. Most would guess I'm a B cup and, if the same boobs were on a 36 band, they WOULD be B cups!ReplyDelete
Thank you for this post! I appreciate your details on how the bras fit, especially the Lucia. My chest is more wide-set, so I need to be wary of bras that have narrow cup placement. I ordered the Yvonne--it really is gorgeous--in two sizes and hopefully one of them fits. And yes, the "girls" seem to always be the first to go.ReplyDelete
I find that American Eagle/Aerie makes fantastic bras for small chested women. The wash well and last a long time. I am a 32A and always buy my bras from there. Usually with discounts, its never over $20.ReplyDelete
I just recently found your blog!ReplyDelete
Thanks so much for the review! Although I'm not that petite, my girls are and I always have trouble finding the right bra! (And your review with the bra-over-tank is ingenius)!! I'll be sure to check out these brands!
LOL! I'm just now seeing that you posted this on the exact same day at the Ideeli sample sale! Good timing indeed! Now I know what that tweet you sent me means. :)ReplyDelete
I'm loving that slate color!
great post. i am really thinking of buying a few bras from the little bra company.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousThursday, June 23, 2011
Hi Jean,ReplyDelete
Grest post for tiny chested women like me. Even a 28A from TLBC is roomy, but it's the best i cam find. Also-if your able to answer this where is Liane/petitexxs? I really enjoyed her blog, and she dropped out of the petite fashion challenges and i can no longer access her blog-the url doesn't work. I hope everything is okay with her. Great post!
Excellent review!! Sadly I still have yet to buy my first TLBC bra :( I need to get them to carry them in more stores around Toronto!!!!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousThursday, June 23, 2011
My personal experience with TLBC was a failure. I had to send the shipment back twice because they sent me the wrong color/size. It took too long to finally get the correct items back as well as a response =[ReplyDelete
Oh my goodness! Thanks so much for posting this. This is super, awesomely helpful. I hate too much padding. It's so annoying how bra companies seem to assume that all flat chested people want some fake action going on. Lovely review + photos :DReplyDelete
- AnonymousFriday, June 24, 2011
I have experience with bra fitting and all of the bras you've shown in the photos look a bit small in the cup on you. The underwire should sit further back on your ribcage. Were you able to try 30B?ReplyDeleteReplies
That's what I was thinking. It looks a lot like orange-in-a-glass to me.Delete
I agree with Anonymous. If you measure 28inches aroung your ribcage, you should probably wear 30 or 28something. Believe me, it makes great difference - but of course your bra size will go bigger, I mean I measure 26inches around my ribcage and I used to wear 32 or 34B, now I'm wearing 28E or 30D. My breast looks bigger and I feel comfortable. Believe me and try with such companies as Freya or Panache. - here's brafitting guide, I recommend other films from this youtube profile http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHZDC39ZNgw&feature=relatedReplyDelete
I purchased the Lucia in 30B in found the same problem as you. It was just too small and I had to return it. I wish these were in my area so that I could try them on. I hate paying shipping if I don't know which ones will fit.ReplyDelete
Ebay...from the UK.
i need to start wearing proper bras.ReplyDelete
@Anonymous Hi there, I miss Liane as well, but I don't think she'll be returning to the blogosphere for a while. I hope she will come back though to at least let her readers know she is okay! I know a lot of her readers care about her and are concerned.ReplyDelete
@styl-szatynki @Anonymous Thanks for the input and suggestions! I did not try 30B because I thought for sure the cup would be too big. The next time I have the opportunity to try on various cup sizes in a sz 28 or 30 band I will be sure to try up a cup size.
- AnonymousTuesday, June 28, 2011
Thanks for the second review. I have an appointment for a fitting tomorrow and can't wait to find out what my true size is, especially in TLBC bras!ReplyDelete
Jean, thank you so much for the review! I have to say I certainly do not classify as a petite. But your blog is an amazing source of information, advice and style inspiration for all shapes and sized, and not only petites.ReplyDelete
I do have a smaller size bust and this review could not have come in a better time. I ended up trying on quite a few TLBC bras and hands down they are the most comfortable bras I've ever tried and they actually fit!
Thank you so much!
Thank you, thank you for this post! I wear a size 30A - and have only managed to find one, decent bra in that size. I am so excited to have found this company!!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousTuesday, December 13, 2011
What are your measurements? Like underbust,bust, and overbust. I want to get a better idea of what the bra is like!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousThursday, February 09, 2012
You guys have to check feelroxy.com I found a great deal on seven way push up bras.Six pieces in six different colors for less than $70ReplyDelete
They are very very comfy and give a nice amount of support.definitely recommend it to everyone!!!
- AnonymousSaturday, February 11, 2012
here's the link- http://www.feelroxy.com/Seven-ways-push-up-bra-p/seven%20ways%20push%20up%20bra.htmReplyDelete
- AnonymousMonday, March 18, 2013
Thanks for the review! I'm always petite but am still unsure of my size...ReplyDelete
could you please tell me your measurements (over bust, bust, underbust), then I could compare mine and get a better idea of my true size.
- AnonymousSaturday, June 08, 2013
Just received Yvonne in 30c and its very pretty. the only thing is the band feels a little tight. I always have issues with my bands stretching out after a couple of weeks, since they really don't fit. but you think I should exchange for a 32b? every other 32b ends up stretching and being too lose. their exchange policy sounds like a pain... Advice?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFriday, June 14, 2013
I know this post is from a while ago, but I'm also curious as to your underbust/overbust measurements. as a long time reader, I know how truly petite you are, and it strikes me as a little odd that you would wear a 30 band. I'm a few sizes larger than you are, and I fit comfortably into a 28. Bras are obviously a very personal subject so I hate to pry, but you seem to be much closer to a 26 band. Most stores encourage people to add 4 inches to their underbust measurement but this method is outdated and false, causing people to buy bras much too big in the band and small in the cup, which can cause back pain. If you want more information about bras in a 26 band, you should check out http://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/ the ladies there are friendly and always willing to help. The only company that currently makes bras in a 26 band is Ewa Michalak, a polish brand of very good quality.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMonday, March 09, 2015
UGHHH-- Do NOT do business with the Little Bra Company. Warning.ReplyDelete
First, the bras that they list in standard sizes do not REMOTELY fit in the same sizes you'd find in a store. WAY too small.
The quality of the ones I ordered was AWFUL. Extremely cheap-looking colors and lace. Ewwww.
And when you return them, if you've also ordered matching panties-- they WILL NOT honor a return on them, EVEN IF THEY HAVE NOT BEEN OPENED!
I was flabbergasted. Add to that, they don't even pay the postage on a return.
So this lousy, miserable dealing with these people (or person) actually ended up COSTING ME MORE THAN A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
BUYER BEWARE. WELL aware.

subset: commoncrawl


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On June 27, 2014, the Fort Myers Film Festival announced that its new year's schedule has been released. The festival, out of Fort Myers, Fla., also stated that their 5th annual event will be held March 25-29, 2015.
"Our complete schedule of 5th year dates for the 2014-15 Fort Myers Film Festival have been announced. Films can be submitted when the site goes live." - Eric Raddatz, Founder & Executive Director at Fort Myers Film Festival, Film Curator at Sidney & Berne Davis Arts Center and President/CEO at Naples International Film Production Association
According to FMff, films may be submitted online at www.fortmyersfilmfestival.com. The film categories include: Features, Documentaries, Shorts, Short Shorts, Strictly Local, and Student.
"We support local filmmakers and students and will waive all fees associated with local students and filmmakers living in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties through August 1, 2014." - FMff
In addition, the Fort Myers Film Festival's summer "Friday Film Night Series" continues. The first in the series will be the screening of "Pink Gold Rush," and it is a production of WGCU Public Media at the Alliance for the Arts on Friday, July 11 at 7:30 p.m. It will include screenings on Friday, Aug. 8 and Sept. 12.
"Pink Gold Rush," a one-hour documentary, explores the history of shrimping in Southwest Florida, and the impact the industry has had on the region's economy, development, and environment. It also explores the stories of the men and women on Ft. Myers Beach whose livelihoods are tied to this succulent crustacean.
T.G.I.M. kicks off in late summer (Aug. 4), with shows the first Monday of every month. This event will be held every first Monday through season at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, and it is located at 2301 First St. in Fort Myers.
"T.G.I.M. is the place to catch fresh indie films, indie music and indie fun. Head to the Facebook event page and join us on Facebook as well." - Eric Raddatz
For the full schedule of FMff, go to 2014-2015 FMff Schedule of Events.
Suggested Links
- Teen reporter Nickolas Wolf interviews 'stars' at film fest (Photos)
- Meet cast members at private film launch party (Photos)
- Margaret Bishop shines both on and off film sets (Photos)
- Artist Rebecca Hollifield on board with 'The 4th Letter' (Photos)
- National Asian Artists Project to present 'Oliver' (Photos)


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Engineerica Systems, Inc. is proud to present version 2016 of its award winning AccuSQL and AccuTrack software for official release.
AccuTrack Chosen by Users
We are pleased to announce that users in colleges and universities have chosen AccuTrack for the University Business' Magazine's First Annual Readers' Choice Awards for "Top Products of 2012".
Visit the press release for the details as well as the University Business website for the full list of winning products.
Update: Accudemia has been awarded the "Top Products of 2013" for the University Business' Magazine's Second Annual Readers' Choice Awards. AccuTrack and AccuSQL recived honorable mentions for it's continued efforts of offering an innovative and advantageous product.
Visit the press release for the details as well as the University Business website for the summary of the winning products.
Related News
What began as a simple way to track which students used a tutoring lab has now blossomed into a full-fledged fight against rising tuition and attrition rates.
The Engineerica team is delighted to announce the release of the 2015 version of AccuTrack/AccuSQL! This release is the result of a great deal
Hope everyone is having a productive May like you'll find Engineerica has been up to in this month's update of our newsletter!
The April Newsletter is now out and we have a great newsletter this month. It's packed full of new helpful articles.
Check out the new and improved look of the first edition of the Engineerica Newsletter in 2014! We are all set to same commitment of keeping you up-to-date on all the latest software updates, new
At this joyous time of year, we are grateful for the experiences and opportunities to work with all of the institutions using the wonderful products that make Engineerica Systems a great success.


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A History of Dolce
The history of Dolce is closely connected to the history of women at Lehigh. The first female undergraduates were admitted to Lehigh in 1971, and with that, a new women's chorus formed. The Chamber Singers, or "Bidlack's Brigade," as they were eventually known, became an active force on campus as well as off, regularly joining with men's glee clubs from other universities. In 1979, the group was disbanded in order to join with the Lehigh University Glee Club to form what is today known as the University Choir.
After an almost 30-year absence, Dolce has revived the women's chorus tradition in the Lehigh Choral Arts program. Founded in 2007 by the women of the University Choir and first director Deborah Field, Dolce has already established itself through its charming and excellent performances. In its short history, Dolce has begun to amass repertoire ranging from Medieval/Renaissance to contemporary choral works. Dolce has performed in most Lehigh Choral Arts concerts including the annual Christmas Vespers and various campus-wide events. Within the past few years, Dolce was featured at the 40th anniversary of Women at Lehigh dinner, the event "Take Back the Night", the Gender Equity banquet, and the Scholarship Dinner. Performing a wide variety of repertoire from a cappella songs to extended works with orchestra, Dolce made its debut with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, joining forces with the Moravian College Women's Choir to sing Fauré's Messe des pêcheurs de Villerville.
Dolce is looking forward to more opportunities to share the beauty of choral arts with the Lehigh Community. Dolce is currently directed by Sun Min Lee with Susan Frickert as accompanist.
Listen to our recent performance of Dr. Steven Sametz's Entreat Me Not To Leave You – one of three pieces featured in Sametz's Three Biblical Love Songs


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12 Perfect Pumpkin Books for Kids
Visit us on Facebook or Pinterest for all our latest freebies & activities!
It's Fall! And in addition to the beautiful leaves and cool weather, that also means PUMPKINS!
The pumpkin patches in our area open this week and like many families, my kids are excited to hunt down the perfect orange orb.
And today's Discover & Explore linky will feature all kinds of pumpkin fun!
12 Perfect Pumpkin Books for Kids
In honor of the season, here's a fun list of books that that can be read as you enjoy all the pumpkin festivities this season. Enjoy this round-up of great reads which include affiliate links so you can check out all the details for each book.
Before Heading to a Pumpkin Patch
Do the kids have questions about how those gorgeous pumpkins grow so big? These books will help them to learn about the life cycle of a pumpkin as it grows from seed to squash.
It's Pumpkin Time! is wonderful for younger children. Beautiful illustrations introduce children to the idea of planting & harvesting from a pumpkin patch.
From Seed to Pumpkin (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science) does an excellent job of introducing the science behind how seeds grow. Kids will learn about pollination, what's important in growing a pumpkin along with a few fun activities.
Pumpkin Pumpkin is the wonderful story of a young boy who plants a pumpkin seed in spring, cares for it all summer and then carves the pumpkin for Halloween (but not before saving a few seeds for next year).
The Pumpkin Book is a great book for kids of all ages. A favorite children's author, Gail Gibbons introduces all the details about the growth of pumkins along with some new terms for kids to learn.
Just for Fun
Enjoy some laughs with these funny seasonal reads!
In The Very Best Pumpkin, Peter lives at a pumpkin farm and finds a tiny pumpkin in a field all by itself. He cares for all summer long and it grows into a nice large pumpkin. But then a visitor to the farm wants to buy it -- can Peter sell his pumpkin?
Pumpkin Town! is an entertaining story about a family that grows too many pumpkins -- what should you do with a mountain of pumpkins? Find out in this funny round-about read that keeps kids asking 'what will happen next?'
Readers will love all the bumping, thumping fun in The Runaway Pumpkin -- three siblings find a giant pumpin and try to roll it down the hill to show everyone, and away it goes!
When You're Ready to Carve your Jack-o-lantern
Not sure what type of face to carve on that pumpkin? These books introduce lots of ideas for how to turn that pretty pumpkin into something funny, spooky or down-right cute!
It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse! brings back our favorite mouse who is trying to decide what type of face to put on his pumpkin.
What happens when too many pumpkins break loose and roll down the hill into town? The residents of Pumpkin Hill will show you when the mayor declares that each person must carve a pumpkin!
Great Read with Pumpkin Seeds
What do you do with all those seeds? Do you love to toast them, count them, plant them?
Which size pumpkin has the most seeds -- a big one or small one? Or does it matter? Follow along with the class activities and they try to find the answers in How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?
Baking Something Pumpkin
Pumpkins aren't just for carving -- they also make some wonderful treats!
Cat, Duck & Squirrel are making pumpkin soup again, as they do every year. But this time, Duck wants to stir the soup instead of putting in the salt. Will his friends cooperate too? Find out in Pumpkin Soup.
Have you ever attended The Pumpkin Fair? You find pumpkin bowling, pumpkin games and tons of pumpkin food to enjoy!
Looking for more great activities to do this Fall?
Halloween Countdown: Ghost Number Activity
Lots More Pumpkin Fun
Our co-hosts have some amazing pumpkin ideas this week!! And we want you to link up all your great pumpkin activities, crafts and seasonal fun too!
Make sure to visit all our co-hosts for more fun ideas this week:
Fantastic Fun & Learning *** Buggy & Buddy
Please read the following guidelines for sharing:
- Share family-friendly posts related to the weekly topic -- kids activities, crafts, recipes, nature outings, printables, etc.
- By linking up, you are giving me permission to share your post including one photo in our weekly feature post and on social media channels.
- Visit 2-3 other posts that have linked up, find some new ideas & meet new friends!
- If you'd like, grab a button for your post -- we love to share and want to find lots of great activities to highlight for you!
- Each of the host blogs will feature some of the outstanding posts the week following the linky!
If you aren't already, please remember to follow us on Pinterest so you're sure not to miss those feature posts. You can also find us on Facebook and g+ too!
October 05
Great list! We just got Pumpkin Town in the Scholastic order yesterday. It's super cute! Thanks for linking up to Mom's Library! I featured this post on my 10 best Oct. activities. http://www.ready-set-read.com/2013/10/10-kids-activities-for-october-moms.html
October 07
Thanks for sharing in the After School Linky Party! What a fun roundup of pumpkin books and ideas! You've been featured this week in a Roundup of Halloween Activities! Here's the link http://theeducatorsspinonit.blogspot.com/2013/10/halloween-activities-for-kids-after.html


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Thinking About a Better Graphics API
AMD's Public Southern Islands Instruction Set Architecture
src/gallium/drivers/radeonsi (Linux Open Source Driver Source)
At home I've been tempted to take a Linux box with and AMD GCN GPU, and just go direct to the hardware since AMD has opened up a bunch of required documentation (ISA and driver source). The ultimate in graphics API is virtually no API, and no CPU work to draw anything. The engine would simply leverage the 64-bit virtual address space of the GPU, give all possible resources a unique virtual address, then for any given GPU target, pre-compile (meaning at author time) not just the shaders, but the command buffer chunks required to draw a resource in any of the render targets in the game's pipeline. For each render target in the rendering pipeline, the engine would maintain a GPU side array of 64-bit pointers to resources to test for visibility. Then for GPU side command buffer generation, for the GPU sorted array of visible resources, copy the command buffer chunk required to render the resource (or just copy a pointer to the chunk if the GPU supported hierarchical command buffers). Command and uniform buffers could be compiled double buffered if required for easy constant updates. Loading and rendering a resource is as easy as streaming into physical pages, updating page tables on the GPU and/or CPU (collected and done once per frame), then adding 64-bit pointer(s) to the buffer(s) for visibility testing.
Constants in the virtual address space would be mapped to write-combined memory on the CPU, so either the GPU or the CPU could update constants at run time. All the CPU overhead for generating command buffers (and resource constants for GCN) goes away. This removes the power and work done by typically 2 or more CPU threads and greatly increases the maximum amount of draw calls possible per frame.
This same concept can easily be extended to things CPU side also. Why allocate memory at runtime? Just setup large enough resources in virtual memory space to cover the worst case, and use physical memory backing at runtime to switch between common backed pages of "non-resident resources" and resident physically backed pages. Lay everything in the data flow network out into linear streams which are trivial pre-fetched by the CPU. Duplicate data if required, use compression on the packed source data sitting on disk, network, or solid state.
6 comments:
"pre-compile (meaning at author time) not just the shaders, but the command buffer chunks"ReplyDelete
But something like this requires binary compatibility of the GPUs on the shader side as well as on the command processor side. The more low-level the API gets, the more restricted the GPU design will be. This kind of API works well on consoles where the hardware is constant for a couple of years but desktop hardware is a moving target.
I agree that we could get a more flexible and faster direct API compared to e.g. OpenGL but we have to find a tradeoff between the current state of APIs and this ideal direct access to a fixed hardware design. More direct state access, exposing the 64bit GPU resource pointers, complete shader controlled sampling etc. would be a great start. Also: a shader intermediate format for OpenGL and fetching and replaying command streams at runtime (similar to the idea of display lists)...Replies
If the aim was portability, could build a translator which would translate the cooked data from the original target GPU chipset to another. In the age of digital download of content, given user's platform just stream the cooked data matching the GPU chipset. Think of this as just a cook time emulator for different platforms.Delete
As a long time console developer and current mobile developer I support 100% any effort towards a lean driver/shim layer on top of HW, instead of the slow and heavy drivers right now that consume unnecessary CPU and bus resources for no real reason. Please let me know if you need contributors :)ReplyDelete
Although HW compatibility is always what's behind this layering process, I believe there are concepts that are universal that somehow didn't make it (or were removed) from the API, and that could make for a light CPU processing: command buffers (with execution logic for complex calls and loops and similar), GPU-only synchronization and fences that DO NOT use CPU interrupts, precompiled command buffers and binaries (pre-swizzled textures, pre-built shaders, etc), as well as device caps (which at least can help developers switch to generic APIs for unsupported HW).
Good luck!
Having worked on drivers in the past with the mantra "Get out of the application's way", I would find it useful to read about specific examples of "slow and heavy" drivers today.ReplyDelete
What were conditions under which you saw high overhead?
How were you measuring the driver's overhead?
What GPUs were being used?
Appreciate any details folks can share!
As I see it, the overhead comes from the need to pass everything back and forth between the GPU and CPU, and kernel mode and user mode within the OS. These issues are not derived from poorly written drivers, but from the driver model, API designs, and OS architecture.ReplyDelete
I think, ultimately we need to design an entire new system architecture (OS, driver model, API) that takes modern use cases and hardware capabilities into account from the kernel level up. Some abstraction is necessary unless you want to rewrite code for every new piece of hardware or stick with what you have till it dies, but the real issue is that people keep adding new abstraction layers, new virtual machine layers, new API layers, etc. That is what needs fixing: the belief that another layer won't hurt because computers are fast enough to handle it.


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Insanity, institutions and society : the case of the Robben Island Lunatic Asylum, 1846-1910 / Harriet Deacon -- The confinement of the insane in Switzerland, 1900-1970 : Cery (Vaud) and Bel-Air (Geneva) asylums / Jacques Gasser and Genevi?ve Heller -- Family strategies and medical power : 'voluntar...
Broken families. Gender, family, and mutual assistance in New France: widows, widowers, and orphans in eighteenth-century Quebec / Josette Brun ; A 'painful dependence': female begging letters and the familial economy of obligation / Nancy Christie ; Itineraries of marriage and widowhood in nineteen...
"The online DCB/DBC presents biographies of significant figures in Canadian history written by leading authorities. It spans the years from 1000 to 1920 in 14 volumes. Biographies selected from a 15th volume for the period 1921 to 1930 will go online in 2005."


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Read the books. It's an amazing book series about a boy, Arthur Penhaligon, who is the heir to the Architect who owns the House, which is the epicentre of the universe.
But first, he has to find all 7 keys, which are at the moment a magic clock hand, a magic gauntlet, a resizable trident, a morphable sword and a special mirror. There are the Morrow Days, who own the keys. They are Mister Monday, Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday, Sir Thursday, Lady Friday, Superior Saturday and Lord Sunday. Each with one of the seven deadly sins and 1 realm of the house.
The realms are The Lower House, Far Reaches, Border Sea, Great Maze, Middle House, Upper House and Incomparable gardens. Arthur has now defeated the first 5 Morrow Days and is in control of the first 5 realms. The enemies are called Nithlings. They are made from Nothing, which is a substance that creates everything. The Piper is one of the sons of the Architect, who has children who are human but live in the house. They are called Pipers Children. If they get washed behind the ears they lose their memories. He also controls an army of Nithlings that are organized and are called Newniths who wish to take control of the House because it is actually owned by the Piper. Read the books. They are really good. (First book is Mister Monday)


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The inevitable is quickly approaching. School supplies, fall décor, and even Halloween items now in stores declare the arrival of fall to one and all. While the summer heat continues, the carefree days of summer quickly come to an end, and that means shifting into high gear once again. Back-to-school brings disappointment as well as relief that the fall routine will get the kids back on track. Some quick and easy organization strategies will help tame the back-to-school stress and create a smooth transition for the entire family, so everyone can savor a few more precious moments of rest and relaxation.
A Frugal Fall Budget: Take 15 minutes to review the account balances, assess summer spending, and set up a realistic back-to-school budget. Use coupons, find sales, or even shop at thrift stores for frugal back to school finds. Many thrift stores carry brand new overstock items from stores like Target.
Quick Closet Clean-up to Make Room for Back-to-School Clothing: Set a kitchen timer for 30 minutes and have the kids clean out their closets and dresser drawers to make room for back-to-school clothing. Put on lively music and use this activity as an incentive. When there is room in the closet and drawers for new clothes, the family can go shopping. Prior to shopping, assess clothing items that are still in good shape versus those that are actually needed.
Smart School Supplies: Take an inventory of school supplies before buying more and making unnecessary purchases. Label bins or clear drawers with new school supplies for easy access during stressful homework sessions.
A Tidy Place to Study: Organize the desk or study area by tossing out last year's school paperwork and setting up a tray or folder where the kids can place papers from school that need your attention and signature. Hang a bulletin board near the desk or study area to post important school flyers or announcements for easy visual access.
Easy Breakfast and Lunch Options: Stock up on easy breakfast options to make mornings flow more smoothly by either cooking and freezing meals ahead of time or buying healthy frozen breakfasts. Likewise, cut out pictures of lunch and snack ideas from magazines to add some variety to brown bag lunches this year. Tack clip outs on a kitchen bulletin board or post them on the fridge for quick reference.
Better Planning for this School Year: Take 15 minutes to schedule all important school dates and extracurricular activities in a smart phone calendar or organizer in order to avoid last minute surprises in the schedule that cause undue chaos.
An Organized Home Base: In the next few weeks or perhaps over Labor Day weekend, set aside a morning or afternoon to fix broken items around the house, replace light bulbs, do a quick clean-up, and organize misplaced items so the home front is tidy as the school and sport activities take over.
While kids and parents alike mourn the rest and relaxation of simple summer days and transition into a busier season filled with homework and school activities, fall brings good things to look forward to like pumpkin lattes, football, apple pies, jack-o-lanterns, and cooler days. Staying organized and focusing on the positive can help single parents and their kids weather the change this season brings to make way for the pleasures of fall.


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It's that time again. The Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center and televised live on the ABC Television Network. Television superstar Ellen DeGeneres will be returning to host the glitz and glamour of the Oscars for a second time.
Oscar producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron just announced the complete line-up of stars who will present Oscars at the ceremony.
The presenters, including several past Oscar winners and nominees, will be:
- Amy Adams
- Kristen Bell
- Jessica Biel
- Jim Carrey
- Glenn Close
- Bradley Cooper
- Penélope Cruz
- Benedict Cumberbatch
- Viola Davis
- Daniel Day-Lewis
- Robert De Niro
- Zac Efron
- Sally Field
- Harrison Ford
- Jamie Foxx
- Andrew Garfield
- Jennifer Garner
- Whoopi Goldberg
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt
- Anne Hathaway
- Goldie Hawn
- Chris Hemsworth
- Kate Hudson
The producers commented on a recent Academy press release: "We are very excited that the Hollywood community will be turning out in force for Sunday's Oscar ceremony," said Zadan and Meron. "We sought to include a tremendous diversity of stars to represent not only this year's nominees, but the legacy of the motion picture business as well."


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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I get college credit units by taking a community college course?
No, there is no credit available through community college courses, but there are some classes where a certificate would be granted upon their completion.
2. How can I register for the community education courses?
a. For Community Ed Enrichment classes, there are 4 ways to register:
1. Register by phone: 408-855-5106
2. Register in person: Come to the Community Education office:
Main Building, Room S1-202
(next to Welcome Center, off Main Lobby)
3000 Mission College Blvd
Santa Clara, CA 95054-1897
3. Register by Mail: Complete this form and mail with payment to:
Community Education, MS-13
Mission College
3000 Mission College Blvd
Santa Clara, CA 95054-1897
(Money Order or Cashier's Check Only. Do not send cash.)
4. Register online:
Search, Register and Pay for Mission College Community Ed Enrichment Classes
Click here for Selection and Registration for Ed2Go ONLINE classes
b. For registration for other individual programs such as Pharmacy Technician, Traffic School, Motorcycle Training and Career Training, please click on the program links located on the upper left of this page for specific instructions.
3. When do I pay for my classes?
Upon registration.
4. Where do I park?
Daily parking permits are $3.00 per day. Daily parking permit dispensers (yellow boxes) are located in Parking Lots B, C, and D. All dispensers will accept one dollar bills, dimes, nickels and quarters. Once purchased, daily permits may be used in any student parking stall on campus. Daily permits must be displayed on the driver's side of the front dashboard and the expiration date must be visible from the outside of the vehicle.
5. What about refunds?
Please be advised no refunds will be issued for missing your schedule class. No refunds will be issued for failing to cancel 48 hours prior to the start date of the class.
6. What about rescheduling for court mandated class?
For court mandated classes, if student needs to reschedule their class, they must do so no later than 48 hours prior to the class date.


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Samsung has launched its "Soul" mobile phone to the European market. To be released by major mobile phone operators in France, UK and Germany, the Soul boasts of powerful features making it worthy of being called Samsung's flagship product for 2008.
The Soul's got a 5-megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom, face detection technology, image stabilizer and Wide Dynamic Range. If you are into digital cameras, you'd know that these are features common to most point-and-shoot cameras available in the market today. But these digital imaging features are just teasers to what our dear European friends are going to get from the Samsung Soul.
The Soul's main selling point is its 7.2mbps HSDPA data access for a fast 3.5G internet experience. In addition, the Soul also boasts of what it calls as a "magical touch interface." Don't worry, the phone doesn't do a disappearing act when you are using it. The "magical touch interface" refers to the Soul's touch navigation keypad that changes icons depending on the applications that you are currently using. For example, if you are listening to music, the main icons changes to something related to music.
With those innovative features plus the usual high-end mobile phone features of the Samsung Soul, don't we all have a reason to envy our friends from Europe for getting the privilege of laying their hands on the sleek looking and stylish Samsung Soul phone ahead of us?
Via[Electronista] Via [Akihabara News]


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Does the term "graduate applicant" mean "a person who applies to get graduated" or "a graduate who applies for something"? If it is the second one, what can we call a person who applies for a graduation program?
Sign up
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As Kosmonaut said, the phrase is probably ambiguous as it stands, though the context will probably determine which is meant. To avoid confusion, I would suggest using the following:
Someone who is in the process of graduating is known as a "graduand". That's what you are referred to as on your graduation day.
Someone applying to a graduate programme could be a "graduate school applicant"
And perhaps "graduate job applicant" to refer to a graduate, applying for something else...
My initial assumption on hearing the phrase was equivalent "graduate school applicant."
I would call someone currently matriculated who is applying for their degree a "bachelor's degree candidate" or "PhD candidate," etc.
I would find it confusing as "a graduate who applies for something" unless it was in a very specific context. What did this applicant graduate from? With what degree? It's too vague to be useful unless the context provides more information.
But this is admittedly based solely on my own usage (Northeastern United States).
By rights the phrase "graduate applicant" ought to mean an applicant [for anything] who is a graduate, that is, who holds at least a bachelor's degree. This is very different from an applicant for graduation, but would include grad school applicant as a subset.


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Dec. 18, 2011
Western Oregon at Washington State- Dec. 18, 2011 - Beasley Coliseum (Pullman, Washington)
Final Score: WSU 66, WOU 42
Washington State Notes:
- Marcus Capers scored a season high nine points...he led the team in scoring for the first time in his career.
- Charlie Enquist has made his last 11 field goals...he also has made 10 straight free throws.
- Enquist now has two games this season where he has shot 1.000 from the field.
- DaVonté Lacy snapped his streak of 12-straight free throws made.
- WSU's nine three-pointers tie a season high.
- The Cougars shot above .500 from the field for the fifth time this season.
- WSU has won four of its last five games by more than 20 points.
- The Cougars allowed only 12 made field goals by Western Oregon, which is a season low.
- WSU's nine three-pointers tie a season high.
- Washington State did not have a double digit scorer for the first time since March 29th, 2011 when the Cougars lost to Wichita State 75-44.
- Western Oregon shot a WSU opponent season low .174 from the field in the second half.
- Abe Lodwick made his first appearance this season.
- Mike Ladd (Last game: New Mexico) and Faisal Aden (Grambling State) made their first appearances since coming back from injuries.


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Click the button below or email email@example.com to contribute your experiences with this product. Although not necessary, it's interesting to have a first name, city, state and country (no email addresses will be used). Any information submitted becomes the property of Tennis Warehouse.
Please include any relevant information such as skill level and style of play.
Comments: Used this as a cross string for Weiss Cannon Mosquito Bite mains. I strung it myself and it broke on the
final tie-off knot. So I backed up one cross string and tied off again. It broke again and I don't usually break when tying knots. I used
the other half, but I wasn't happy with the outcome of the string job. There are a couple of adjustments I could make, but I've
decided that Mosquito Bite/Pearl is just too crisp of a setup for my tastes.
From: Kevin, 1/14


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Welcome to the new site
Welcome to the new GoogleEarthing.com site.
All the old puzzles are here, but changes had to be made to make the site manageable.
If you use RSS feeds to stay current, the feed addresses are way down at the bottom left corner of the page.
More puzzles coming soon.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


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Feb. 14, 2003
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Despite the heavy rains that saw as much as 2-inches fall in some areas of the Valley last night, the two games to open the inaugural Coca-Cola College Baseball Classic in Surprise are planned to start at their normal times. Oklahoma State (1-1) will battle Oregon State (1-2) at 3 p.m. and No. 5 Arizona State (14-1) will take on Gonzaga (0-0) at 7p.m. All games are played at Surprise Stadium, the new spring training home of the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals.
As of 8 a.m. this morning there was no standing water in the outfield due to a state-of-the-art 18-inch rooted drainage system. A full grounds crew will work on the warning track and the infield (which has been tarped since early yesterday) throughout the day. The weather forecast for the West Valley calls for overcast skies, but no rain is in sight. Fans wishing for a field update can call a special weekend weather hotline that will be updated as events change. The phone number is 480-727-7253.


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10.5.10 | Football
Chumley named HAAC Special Teams Player of the Week
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Baker University's Garrett Chumley, a junior from Tonganoxie, Kan., was named Heart of America Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday for his performance in the Wildcats' 63-10 victory over Culver-Stockton on Saturday.
Chumley averaged 46 yards on four punts, including a 70-yarder.
The Wildcats will be back in action Saturday when they play host to No. 6 Lindenwood at 1 p.m. at Liston Stadium.


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Thirty students graduated today from Faith Heritage School in Syracuse.
This year's class had two valedictorians - Laura Ballard, of Syracuse and Bethany Eagan, of Manlius - in addition to a salutatorian, Jordan Sadowitz, of Camillus. Timothy Hostletter, principal of Tabernacle Christian Academy in Poughkeepsie, was the keynote speaker.
At Bishop Grimes, the graduates continued a 15-year tradition: Every one of the school's graduating seniors has gone on to college. It was the same for this year's 80 seniors, who graduated today at the East Syracuse school. Bishop Robert J. Cunningham celebrated the baccalaureate Mass and the Rev. John Canorro, of St. St. Anne, Mother of Mary Church in Mexico, was the main speaker.


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Kid Cudi, Childish Gambino and Raury have been added to Outkast's homecoming show at Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park on Sept. 27. Entitled #ATLast, the concert is being headlined by the reunited duo.
The duo confirmed in January plans for an international headlining festival tour that began at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Fest and included more than 40 dates throughout the summer. Outkast's tour came close to home when the pair played the CounterPoint Music & Arts Festival in April, a three-day event in Kingston Downs, Ga., about 60 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta.
Tickets and more information can be found on outkastatlast.com


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Simon Says
One child is chosen to play Simon. They call out orders to the other children such as: Simon says hop on one foot, Simon says clap your hands, Simon says touch your toes. The children are told to obey each order prefaced with 'Simon says' and not to respond to any other orders.
At random points 'Simon' barks out orders without saying Simon says first and any children who respond are out. They may then help Simon spot those who are out subsequently.


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YOU HAVE to give Jermaine Marshall credit, he transferred away from cold dreary Penn State and headed to warm sunny Arizona State and now he's in the NCAA tournament.
I'D RATHER be a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament than a No. 1 seed. Because the No. 1 seeds are in everyone's crosshairs.
CAN YOU explain why in the NCAA men's basketball tournament some 12 and 13 seeds have to have a play-in game?
I HOPE Doug Yingst has enough sense to get rid of the coach when the season is over.
WHERE DOES it say that the Fan Line should have comments about malcontent jealous Penn State bashers but never print anything about the sad state of most Philadelphia teams?


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July 26, 2013
A new bike-sharing program launched by the school's Sustainability Committee is giving the dental school community a new way to have fun, stay healthy and get around the city in an environmentally friendly way.
Free bicycle rentals are now available to students, faculty or staff members on a first-come, first-served basis for up to five days at a time. The rental includes a bike, helmet and lock to secure the bike while it is not being used.
Requests may be made online by visiting the Bicycle Rental section of the Sustainability Committee's web page. Failure to return the bike on time, or to return the bike in its received condition, may result in a fee assessed to the renter. Bicycles are kept in the bike rack cage on B-Level.
The Sustainability Committee is a volunteer group of faculty, staff and students with a commitment to making the Dugoni School an environmentally-friendly organization. Since its founding in 2010, the committee has been responsible for numerous campus events including an e-waste recycling event, reusable bag design contest, sustainability-themed film festival, bike tune-up day and many others.
The committee also works closely with its sustainability counterparts on the Stockton and McGeorge campuses. In 2011, University of the Pacific was issued a B+ College Sustainability Report Card by GreenReportCard.org.
To learn more about Pacific's sustainability efforts visit Sustaining Our Pacific. More information about the dental school's Sustainability Committee is available on the committee's web page.
Category Type: General
Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications, 415.929.6434, email@example.com


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Personalise your news, save articles to read later and customise settings
Imagine how strong the Wallabies would be if it was a real national team and wasnt just a combined NSW/QLD team
The Wallabies for decades have often lost games due to inadequate test level goalkicking. O'Connor was our designated kicker, and again failed to deliver, as sadly did our replacement kicker.
Why can British teams and NZ and Sth Africa so consistently beat us at goal kicking? Rugby League kickers are so much better than Aust Union kickers who are also now prfossionals....why????
The James O'Connor "experiment" went well.
John eales
could handle the pressure off the all blacks;
pure and simply beale failed,and always will there is a reason find it.
Kurtly was fantastic when he came on. Move O'Connor to the Centres. I hope those injured players are okay.The bright side on the injuries is Dopey Deans did not get the opportunity to stuff up the replacements again.
Shoulda woulda coulda. I think we can take huge positives out of this game! Lets hope the injuries aren't too bad. Get a specialist 10 in there at 10 and a freaking full back playing at full back!
Got to be the first with this lame one!? What a great game of real rugby. Falou brilliant, Curtley inspired, Wallabies unlucky, great rugby - bring on 2 and 3!!
Yes rule brittania should have been played as the visitors national anthem :)
Deans must take responsibility for not playing the best available team. His ego once again got in the way of a victory. Memo to ARU, throw the cheque book
At folau.
Saddest performance I've seen yet by the wallabies. Why the **** isn't there a goalkicker in the side yet? This is unbelievable. I WILL NOT follow the wallabies anymore. They suck. Learn the rules wallabies. Learn to ****ing kick the ball
Dear Robbie, this is your old house in Christchurch calling. I hear you will be coming home soon. Heard you did nothing for the Wallabies, come home and we will watch old Crusaders videos together.
Great game coulda gone either way well done both teams. Can't wait 2nd game
It all came down to goalkicking, and Australia yet again suboptimal....Groundhog day for 50 years!
Quade Cooper would have kicked at least half of those attempts, and actually showed up on the field. How invisible was baby KJOC?
World class rugby and not a decent goal kicker in site for the wallabies. What a joke. Same old story for the past decade. How can we ever expect to win such a big game missing 5 goal kicks?
the pitch was a disgrace...! loose under foot...
You can always blame Julia Gillard of course!
Aust were pretty good given it was their first test in since I can't remember how long. The only difference between the teams was kicking game. Lions good, wallabies woeful.
Wallabies gave away the game to lions, when they threw away 14 points. Plus no public support to Wallabies, more then half of Aussies were in red shirts. If this was Auckland, it wouldn't be allowed. But what about Folau!! = superstar!!
This game has shown that O'Connor is not up to scratch at 10. Poor defense, poor kicking, and was MIA for 90% of the game. Poor choice Deans.
JC flopped! the kid couldnt hold his own, all the forward arent keeping up. Cooper i am smiling with you on this......
yes dean gotta go and i hope the wooblies can redeem themselves: Melbourne the redemption!!!!
Bring back COOPer!!!!!
Flattering score line for the lions. If wallabies had a kicker it wouldn't have been close. Wallabies kicking in general play awful
Folau is a star!!
Wallabies are a joke
Great to hear Gordon Bray commentating on Channel 10. Pity the teamed him up with 2 motor mouths in the box( drop them for the enxt games, not needed) and a nervous nelly on the sideline.Stirling should improve form the run, Gordon Bray a class above the rest.
PS...Kutley Beale...wrong choice of boots for the night. No wonder you slipped, the boots were full of grass. Not a night for moulded studs!!
Why? Why? Why?Do we give not one but two clutch penalty kicks to Beale? Where was James O'Connor? We should have won that. It is a bloody disgrace we didn't.
Check Beale's bank account for any irregular large deposits by electronic transfer in the last few minutes...
Joking, but how about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory...
How many games lost by the Wallabies on bad goal kicking?
Lions- be on notice.... You escaped when you should have lost. Aussies need an answer for North, otherwise they will win the series.
Stop kicking the ball back to them !! Run the bastard!
Nice work wagon, great to see a lions home game! John Oneil still giving away free hats!
4 countries versus Australia. How is that FAIR ?? Ridiculous that it is allowed.
why don't we team up with NZ and call ourselves the ANZAC's !!
Hahahahaha! I can't believe your comment was allowed!
To answer your last question, there is a 'best of Aus and NZ', they're called the All Blacks!
In reply to the ANZAC team comment, you might want to consider that no Aussies will make the team. Seriously!
Considering in over 100 years of the All Blacks, they have never conceded more than 21 points. Our boys will be lucky to make the reserves....
agree not fair, 4 country v wallabies and yes where is cooper, and Robbie
dean yeah*&#@+%
Welcome back Kurtley Beale, never mind son, I'm sure you'll be able to kick a team mate on the bus back!!!!
1 - nil
LOL actually make that 4 nations v 4 Ioane (NZ) Genia (PNG) Lealiifano (Samoa) Moore (Saudi - Irish) all Australian????
C'mon, Piri Weepu is definitely weaker than Will Genia... if Genia hadn't been born in PNG he'd definitely be an All Black ;)
It's really only two countries - England and Ireland - until the Scots and the Welsh have the guts to kick the English out, they're just English themselves.
Genia and thats it
I'm only reading from Bali but is the deans experiment over yet?
Can't believe the Wallabies have played the entire half with no forward pack. Where are they? Destroyed in the scrum, not even contesting the line outs, smashed at the breakdown and unable to handle the maul. No wonder they fast tracked the League player. He's the only one that can play.
All that aside, hope Barnes and the poor kid on debut are both ok. Hate to see players injured. Hope they can both feature in the next games.
Go you mighty Lions!!!!!!
21 - 23 is hardly a slaughter.
Please! Did you watch the game? Aus the better team missing a soccer player to kick goals. Next game - Barnes and OConner should be dropped for Beale and Cooper.
Our forwards are still the weak link, body height to high, backs have shed more claret than the pigs those peas for hearts better get bigger.
where's Cooper?
If Cooper was there it would have been by 20. A loss by 20 that is. Hows the weather north of the tweed?
Why wasn't the visitor's national anthem played?
because they are 4 countries ganging up !
C, step away from your mobile device/laptop. You're not doing yourself any favours.
Ioane (NZ) Genia (PNG) Lealiifano (Samoa) Moore (Saudi - Irish) all Australian really???
Btw BSkyB commentary is so much better. Shame Roy & HG not available ...
Yeah agree....coverage was appalling
Raced home from day train trip to Bathurst to collect daughter number 2 forgotten passport as flying out to LA tomorrow, to cook dinner and watch the game.... My late husband and I would go to all the games, so I'm continuing our passion, only to find daughter Nbr 2 (20 years old) just has to watch schrek. I'm reading on SMH updates and enjoying as much as I can, with my glass of 2007 Grant Burge Shiraz!.. Go Wallabies.
Why wasn't the visitor's national anthem played?????????
I am surprised Australia's Anthem was played seeing as Ioane (NZ) Genia (PNG) Lealiifano (Samoa) Moore (Saudi - Irish) all Australian????
The British and Irish Lions are a composite team. They are represented by players from Britain , (you may have heard of some of them, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and the country of Ireland, (otherwise known as Eire).
The Wallabies are also a composite team, made up of players from New Zealand, Australia, Zimbabwe and several south sea islands. If all the national anthems were played, there would be no time for the game.
You either don't watch Rugby, or you are very, very simple.
Haha - which one would you like?? I'm sure the Welsh / Scottish / Irish boys would love to sing "God save the queen"
So are we playing 5 anthemS?
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A federal judge gave a defendant in a major marijuana trafficking case a lighter sentence, explaining that pot distribution crimes are "not regarded with the same seriousness" as they were previously.
Federal judge James K. Bredar sentenced Scott Russell Segal to less than five years in federal prison for trafficking hundreds of kilograms of weed, notably less than the eight-to-eleven years recommended by sentencing guidelines.
"It's indisputable that the offense is not regarded with the same seriousness it was 20 or 30 years ago when the sentencing guidelines … which are still in use, were promulgated," Bredar said.
The sentence comes after Judge Bredar hinted at a pre-sentencing hearing last week that he was open to issuing lighter than average sentences in this case.
Judge Bredar referenced the US Department of Justice's August 29 announcement that the feds would not prosecute marijuana businesses in compliance with state law. He also said that enforcing marijuana-related cases differently based on different state's laws raised concerns of "equal justice."
Segal was one of 22 individuals convicted of trafficking pot from California and New Jersey to Maryland and laundering money through an eBay business. Judge Bredar did deny Segal attorney David Fischer's request that his client be sentenced to home detention.
Former assistant US Attorney Kwame Manley told the Baltimore Sun: "I think you're going to see, going forward, a lot of federal judges saying that if the Department of Justice is having a different view of how to enforce marijuana laws, then the judges should also think differently about their discretion in imposing sentences for marijuana."


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How to Calculate the Value of a Stock With the Dividend Payout Ratio
Original post by Susan Reynolds of Demand Media
A dividend payout ratio is used by investors to see how much value a share of stock holds. The equation is expressed as stock dividends divided by the net income. A stock with a low ratio means that its value is lower than one with a higher ratio. Very high payout ratios seem desirable in a short-term setting, but the company is not investing much of the money back into the business, so growth may be slow.
Step 1
Look through a company's stock report and find the earnings per share and dividend per share. Write down these two numbers.
Step 2
Divide the dividend per share by its earnings per share - this is the dividend payout ratio. For example, if the dividend per share is $0.50 and its earnings per share is $2, you would divide $0.50 by $2.00 to get 0.25.
Step 3
Convert the figure into a percentage. In the example from the previous step, 0.25 turns into 25 percent. This means the fictional company paid 25 percent of its earnings per stock share as dividends that year. If a dividend payout ratio is between 40 to 60 percent, many investors consider the stock a healthy investment because it gives out a good profit to shareholders, while sustaining company growth.
Tips & Warnings
- A few companies only offer stock buybacks, not dividends, so the payout ratio would be less important.
Things Needed
- Calculator
- Company stock report
About the Author
Since completing her English degree in 2006 from the University of South Florida, Susan Reynolds has worked in real estate and higher education. She published her first article online in 2008. She now writes articles for many different websites and also writes marketing articles for various businesses in her hometown.
Photo Credits
- Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images


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Permanent URL to this publication: http://dx.doi.org/10.5167/uzh-64381
Knechtle, B; Mrazek, C; Wirth, A; Knechtle, P; Rüst, C A; Senn, O; Rosemann, T; Imoberdorf, R; Ballmer, P (2012). Branched-chain amino acid supplementation during a 100-km ultra-marathon - A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, 58(1):36-44.
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Ultra-marathon running is supposed to increase the parameters of skeletal muscle damage and impair renal function. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of branched-chain amino acid supplementation on skeletal muscle damage and renal function during a 100-km ultra-marathon. Twenty-eight athletes were randomly divided into two groups, one group using branched-chain amino acid supplementation (BCAA) and a control group (CON). The athletes in the BCAA group were supplemented with a total of 50 g of an amino acid concentrate including 20 g of BCAA. The intake of energy, antioxidants and parameters of both skeletal muscle damage and renal function were determined. Race time was not different between BCAA and CON when controlled for the personal best time in a 100-km ultra-marathon. Neither the intake of energy and antioxidants nor the parameters of skeletal muscle damage and renal function were different between BCAA and CON. We concluded that BCAA-supplementation before and during a 100-km ultra-marathon had no effect on performance, skeletal muscle damage or renal function.
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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An elderly Portland man called firefighters for help when his dog disappeared in a sinkhole in his back yard.
Portland Fire and Rescue says firefighters found the dog Sunday at the bottom of a 6-foot hole. They carefully widened the hole until the dog could be lifted out and reunited with its owner.
The hole may have been an old cistern that suddenly gave way.


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This past weekend, millions of Americans celebrated July 4th, one of the most important holidays to our country.
Despite the fact that this holiday has primarily become associated with backyard barbecues and sales at the mall, it is still important to remember what the holiday represents. The holiday represents the many men and women who have fought for our freedoms, and the safety of out country.
Freedom has never been free, and millions around the world continue to fight for the individual freedoms we have enjoyed for over two hundred years. Many countries and citizens of those countries are still fighting for the freedoms we may have come to take for granted, including many countries in the middle east. It is also extremely important to keep in mind that our nation has always been built based on the efforts of immigrants, and this country continues to welcome of millions of new citizens each year.
This country would be nowhere if not for immigrants coming into the country, and so much of our culture has been influenced by what others have brought to the country. It's extremely difficult to imagine a country without the many freedoms and cultural icons that we now enjoy. Of course, those freedoms did not come without struggles, including several wars and battles along the way. While many of us will undoubtedly be busy with cookouts, beach visits, and shopping trips, it is still important to keep in mind the overall meaning of this holiday and what it should mean to all of us.
The 4th of July represents freedom, and the struggles that we as a nation have overcome to maintain that joy.


text: Jan 8, 2013 17:49 Video: Living Interracial project: John and Carol Zippert, Part 1 Video: Living Interracial project: John and Carol Zippert, Part 1 Advocate staff photo by Heather McClelland -- John and Carol Zippert, married on Aug. 13, 1967, were the first interracial couple to wed in Louisiana. Among their civil rights and other activist work, the Zipperts run a newspaper, the Greene County Democrat, in Eutaw, Ala. Advocate story Aug. 29, 2012; 0:49 p.m. Comments The Living Interracial Project examines what it means to be in an interracial relationship in south Louisiana. This video focuses on John and Carol Zippert, the first interracial couple to be married in Louisiana. Their fight to get anti-miscegenation laws removed from Louisiana books opened the door for others to marry a person of another race. The Living Interracial project consists of 13 videos, four stories and two photo galleries. www.theadvocate.com/livinginterracial Get The Advocate in your inbox Subscribe


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I think second hand sales do more damage to the games industry than piracy. At least with piracy, you aren't competing for the same space in stores that the copies that will make you money occupy.
Stores like Gamestop make the vast majority of their profit from reselling games that the developer receives not a single penny for. They do this because they can buy second hand games for pennies and re-sell them in their store alongside the brand new stock but make them $1 or two cheaper.
Pirates have already made the decision to download the game for free, so they were never likely to give you any money, but the people in the game store were there to spend money but end up giving all their money to the retailer and none of it goes to the developer.


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STARKVILLE, Miss. – The "Minister of Mayhem" and the "Secretary of Defense" come together Thursday as Mississippi State defensive coordinator Geoff Collins will be the guest speaker for head coach Vic Schaefer's first Hail State Hoops luncheon of 2014.
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Fans are encouraged to RSVP by contacting the MSU women's basketball office at (662) 325-0198 or by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Collins' Bulldog defense held Rice to 145 total yards, 61 on the ground, in helping State cap the 2013 season with a 44-7 win in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.
Schaefer's squad returns to action Sunday with a 2 p.m. tip at Arkansas. The game will be broadcast on WKBB-FM 100.9 and WXWX-FM 96.3 in Tupelo.
Mississippi State returns home Jan. 16, hosting No. 8 Tennessee in an 8 p.m. tip on Comcast SportsSouth.After Thursday, State will host three more luncheons Jan. 21, Feb. 11 and Feb. 25.


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The feud between Max from The Wanted and Zayn from One Direction has been escalating for a minute now (two words: "Chlamydia boy"), though until now, we could only guess as to what the beef was actually over. Now, we might have an idea: Zayn's current girlfriend, and fellow X Factor alum Perrie George of UK girl group Little Mix. British teen gossip site Sugarscape reports a source claiming that Max "met Perrie on The Xtra Factor last December and was pretty flirty," and that an ex-girlfriend of his had told Perrie that he though she was "hot." "Zayn doesn't really like him. He thinks he can be a bit arrogant," explains the source.
Wow. BSB and 'N Sync might have had a friendly rivalry back in the day, but as far as we know, Kevin Richardson never macked on Britney Spears while she and JT were an item. This could be the start of something pretty legendary—or it could just be an exaggerated rumor reported by a site not particularly known for its journalistic prowess. Worth monitoring, in any event.


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The Liberal High School golf team competed in the Great Bend Invitational Monday. The Skins' finished third as a team. Sophomores Slader McVey and Justin Andrade finished tied with an 82. McVey won the playoff hole to lock up the seventh spot. Liberal as a team finished behind Hays and Garden City.
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Only a few years ago, achieving the right setup with a four-link suspension was no easy task on a dirt Late Model, and one reserved only for the elite tuners and racers. But over the past three to four years, four-link suspension tuning has undergone some radical changes and today offers almost limitless setup possibilities for all types of race conditions. We have more ways to tune the four-link, and thats good. But that means there are now more ways to mess it up. Theres certainly more to learn for a proper four-link setup, which makes it more difficult for a typical Saturday-night racer to master. However, if a race team can maximize the performance of todays four-link suspensions, theyll find themselves in victory lane on a consistent basis.
To help explain some of the four-link tuning tips top-level race teams and chassis builders use to win races, we turned to Joe Garrison of GRT Race Cars, who co-authored Dirt Track Stock Car Fabrica-tion & Preparation with Steve Smith Autosports. We also got the expert opinion of Rocket Chassis Mark Richards, whos helped fuel the success of racer Steve Francis. Randy Jordan of Dave Poskes Performance Parts told us some tips he and driver Steve Shaver have learned over the years, and Matt Long of Clewell Racing revealed how the Ohio-based team has used four-link tuning to help them get to victory lane in more than 248 feature wins behind veteran driver Tye Long (who has 245 of those wins) and young Cortney Clewell.
With the help of these professionals, well explain the different tuning components of a four-link suspension and how each change affects a dirt Late Model race car. For the purposes of this article, well assume most racers know the basics of the four-link suspension. Our primary focus is how to tune the suspension for specific conditions. If you would like to refresh your understanding of the four-links basic principles, and dirt race car setup in general, we recommend picking up a book such as Stock Car Dirt Track Technology, available through Steve Smith Autosports, before reading this article. The four-link suspension is a complex system that the average racer has a tough time totally comprehending.
I think where most racers miss the boat on any rear-suspension setup, especially four-link suspensions now that chassis builders place all these adjustments into it, is they overadjust and make the car tighter, says Mark Richards. That happens 90 percent of the time for most local racers. They are under this big misconception that they can drive the push out of the car, but you cant because these cars simply have way too much traction available.
Traction is important in dirt Late Model racing, and thats one of the primary functions of the four-link suspension, but the answer to every tuning problem is not always more traction. If the race car is too tight, the driver may actually have to break traction just to get the car to turn. That results in no traction or control through the turn, and the driver is then forced to find some trick to regain traction to exit the turn. All this serves to slow down the car rather than speed it up.
The key word is momentum, says Richards. When you have momentum, you dont need nearly as much traction.
Racers run into the same problem of lost momentum when they attempt to give the car too much induced roll in hopes of gaining more bite.
I have found that on this four-bar stuff, Friday- and Saturday-night racers have a real bad conception of what a four-bar should do to a race car, says Randy Jordan of Dave Poskes. They think its traction. They think theres magic in them bars to give them traction. And theres not. Instead of looking for magic, Jordan suggests racers find a neutral setup that works, then start moving the four-link suspensions tunable components one hole at a time until they understand what works and what doesnt on the race car. He also suggests not trying to tune too much on race night, or racers might end up chasing their tails and missing the setup entirely.
With some of these guys, the racetrack will be heavy when they arrive. Their car is pushing because they had it set up for slick conditions last week. Theyll want to come in and change bars and everything, he explains. Well, the tracks going to be back the way it was last week, or close to it, later in the evening. If they know they had the bars the way they liked last week, they should be tuning the wheel offsets, stagger, air pressure, and stuff like thatand leave the bars alone!
Four-Link Bar Angles Its the heart of the four-link suspension, so we might as well start with the four links them-selves. Racers have a variety of ways to tune the bars, but there are basically two main items being adjusted: the rod angle and the rod length. And within those adjustments, the upper bars are usually concerned with corner exit, while the bottom bars mostly affect the entry.
The more upward angle you have, top or bottom, the more weight is going to be induced through the trailing rods to the rear axle, making more traction, says Richards. But at the same time, you have a factor of roll steer that has to be considered. Too much upward angle will cause too much roll steer.
During a roll-steer condition caused by top links that are sharply angled, the right-rear tire actually moves rearward and the left-rear tire forward, causing the rear axle to steer toward the outside of the track. If this roll steer is too excessive, handling the car will be too difficult and actually negate any advantage gained by increasing the bite. However, some roll steer can actually help the race car through the turn. The trick when tuning the angles of the upper bars on a four-link suspension is finding a happy medium between traction and loose roll steer on different track conditions.
On the bigger tracks, says Richards, where you have to carry more momentum in the turns, less upward angle is needed. Conversely, for a short heavy track, where racers need to get lots of bite to exit the turn quickly, the upper links need to be angled more sharplybetween 15 and 20 degrees.
The angles we try to run on the upper bars are anywhere from 15 to 18 degrees for a normal track, but if it gets slick we can set the angles anywhere from 20 to 24 degrees, says Long.
As stated, the steep angle also creates more loose roll steer, but there is another concern with severely angled bars: out-tuning the shocks. The higher you adjust the left-side upper link, as the car goes into the corner and rolls over, it lets the rear end roll forward and shove up on the car, says Jordan. If that happens, the shock and spring arent doing a whole lot, and youre using mechanical rods to apply traction to your race car. You have to be careful with both links on the left side. Dont get them at such an angle that it tops the shock out. When it tops the shock out, itll actually jerk the left rear tire up off the ground.
To control entry into a turn, racers will look to tune the bottom links instead of the top. Lets say youre loose going into a turn; on the right, you can lower the bottom angle and shorten the bottom bar length, says Long. On a slick, short track, limiting the roll steer by angling the lower bar either level or negative up to five degrees will help the race car get through the corners faster.
But even finding the right balance between traction and loose roll steer over a certain track is sometimes not enough. Racers also have to consider high and low lines around the course and factor how each plays into the four-link setup. Imagine youve found a nice groove around the track, the setup is perfect, and youre flying high on the outsidebut you run into traffic. To pass, you might have to forsake your high line and dive to the bottom. If you have the suspension set up only to run wide, you might not be able to drive under a car and pass coming out of the turn. Thats why its best when tuning the four-link suspension to have a setup that is adaptable for the driver. Often, that means a setup that is more neutral so the driver has a better chance of manipulating the race car through different lines around the racetrack.
Four-Link Bar Lengths In conjunction with altering the bar angles, racers have the option of tuning the length of the bars as well. Some racers we talked to never change the length of their bars once they find their ideal setup; they choose only to adjust the angles and other factors from week to week. On the other hand, some of our experts admit they may change the length of the bars at the track to adjust for conditions.
In general, if the right-bottom bar is shortened and/or the left-bottom bar lengthened, the car will tighten up on entrysimilar to the effect lowering the right-bottom bar angle has. In contrast, if the right-bottom bar is lengthened, the car will become looser on entry.
Our normal bottom right bar is around 14 to 15 inches, and we might go as short as nine or 10 inches to tighten the car up, says Long.
If we get to a track that is wet and heavy for qualifying a speed race, and our hot laps are real tight, he continues, well just throw our standard long bar on the bottom right, which is about 15 inches long. Then if the racetrack slicks up for the feature, well put a shorter bar back on the bottom right.
As for the top bars, those lengths are usually left between 17.5 and 18.5 inches but can be different lengths on the right versus the left. Joe Garrison of GRT Race Cars actually runs longer bars on the left and slightly shorter ones on the right to prevent the car from becoming too tight. He says this bar lead should be anywhere from a quarter to a half inch difference in the length of the bars.
On a track with sweeping corners, you probably want just a little more lead in the bars, versus a track that is real tight and stop-and-go, says Garrison. Trailing rods that are too equal in length can cause too excessive roll steer. What youll find on most dirt Late Model setups these days is a long upper link and a shorter bottom link. This setup induces traction but helps limit roll steer. Figuring Saturday-night racers already have enough to worry about with tuning the bar lengths, this may be a feature most choose to setup once then never touch again.
Shock and Spring Setup When you talk shock and spring setup on a dirt Late Model, the possibility for tuning with double-adjustable race shocks and a variety of spring rates is a monumental task, and one that probably deserves an entire article unto itself. But there is a recent development in the position of the shock that warrants attention, enough so that Mark Richards credits it with saving the four-link race car. Were talking about moving the left-rear shock behind the axle. Developed about three years ago, this setup actually places the shock and spring behind the axle, instead of its traditional location in the front.
In general, the left rear behind shock has a similar effect increasing traction as another tuning setup racers have used for a long time: clamped-up. If there is traction available on the racetrack surface, the left-rear clamped setup provides lots of forward traction, says Richards. But when theres no traction available, the left-rear shock-behind setup is body-roll controlled, where the left-rear clamp is throttle controlled. So you dont have to have quite as much traction on the race surface for the shock behind to work. All you have to do is cause the car to have some sort of roll. Thats why you see a lot of the cars today rolled onto the right side through the corners, with the left side almost airborne.
What racers mean by clamped up is instead of attaching the shocks in the standard position on the birdcages, leaving them floating with the axle, the shocks are clamped straight to a fixed position on the axle.
As Long describes it, clamped up is instant traction. Or you can run double-clamped, says Richards, in which both shocks and springs are mounted to the axle. That allows both rear wheels to be loaded when the torque is applied to the rearend. Now one of the downfalls to that setup is, there has to be some traction there for the tires to make adhesion for that setup to work.
Essentially, forcing more traction into the rear tires will only work when there is traction to be had. Otherwise, running double-clamped on a slick track might leave racers spinning their wheels, literally.
We find on a double-clamped setup that it works best in extremely heavy, short-track conditions where you need the right-rear wheel to drive equally with the left rear, says Richards. But with a large number of racetracks, the high cost of digging them up these days seems have influenced operators to leave their tracks slick, even at the beginning of the night. Therefore, a double-clamped setup is rarer than in years past.
We still run left-rear clamp setups quite regularly. And where we find that a left-rear side clamp setup works well is on a tacky, usually short racetrack, Richards continues. The reason why is because a clamped bracket setup is controlled by the throttle. So it makes a real drivable setup on a short, tacky racetrack. We use the unclamped setup mostly on high-speed momentum racetracks, where we dont need quite as much bite.
If it gets really slick, the problem with clamped up is theres a lot of roll steer, says Long. When you hit the throttle, it pushes the left rear clear out from the car. Thats why many of those guys have just switched to the left-rear shock-behind setup.
Although a left side clamped is still effective and widely used, a left-rear shock-behind setup puts a lot of diagonal weight force in the car, which allows the driver to steer off the left rear and right front. It also helps increase traction, which is why this setup has become so popular. But a racer cant just decide to throw the shock behind the axle and expect the car to be fastertheres more to it than that.
With your shock behind, the biggest problem you have is usually being too tight coming off the corner, but you also have a lot of bite, says Long. That can be a dangerous combination. To combat that, racers can adjust the spring rate on the left rear, taking wedge out of the car.
Richards says, With the shock and spring behind, a high-wedge setup seems to work well most of the time on a high-speed racetrack. On a high-wedge setup, the springs need to have more split between them. Lets say you ran a 300-psi left rear and a 200 rightthat might be a good split for a high-wedge setup. However, on a low-wedge setup, the springs need to be more equal, like 250 and 225 psi.
You can also adjust the shocks to help stiffen the right or left rearand its all quite simple if you have a double-adjustable racing shock. With those advanced shocks, you can easily tune rebound and com-pression between heat races or practice laps.
What happens is when you put the shock behind, continues Long, you want maximum torque but also the least resistance so that the spring pushes the shock out. Everybody started off running whats called a dummy shock on the front of the axle.
While the shock behind has a spring around it, the shock in front serves as the control shock, limiting the distance that the rearend can fall down, and therefore does not need a spring. Basically, what we use that shock in front for is to control suspension travel, says Richards. We can help control the body roll, how much the car raises or drops, with the left-rear shock in front on a shock-behind setup. Sometimes youll even see guys use a zero, dead shock on the backside and use the shock in front as the control shock. The control shock in front actually moves at a little bit greater speed than when its used with the spring.
Panhard Bar or J-Bar In a dirt Late Model race car, this bar controls the cars roll center. While it has the same function, its name depends on its shape, which depends on where the bar is mounted to the pinion. A short, straight bar mounted to the left side of the driveshaft is a Panhard bar. A J-bar extends over to the right side of the pinion and is bent down in a J shape to mount lower on the bracket and maintain the desired angle depending on track conditions. Basically, all J-bars also are Panhard bars, but not all Panhard bars are J-bars. However, for dirt Late Models, J-bars are used in just about every situation except a slick, big, slow corner racetrack.
By raising the J-bar up on the frame to create more of an angle, it makes it easier for the car to roll over onto the right side, says Long. If youre drifting across the track going into the turn, then raise the chassis mount for the J-bar, and it will help the weight transfer to the right side.
We use a 19 to 20 inch, and it has probably anywhere from seven to nine inches of angle in it for our standard setup, says Garrison. By angle, I mean the mounting point on the pinion versus the mounting point on the chassis. If the track is extremely slick, you need a lot of angle in the J-bar to help induce roll in the car and create side bite and drive. On a bigger track where you can carry more speed, you dont need as much angle in the J-bar. You might even use a longer bar, say as much as 25 inches. On a real tight, stop-and-go racetrack, we might even use a short, straight Panhard bar if we have to get the car to turn quickly.
Garrison continues, Actually, on our standard J-bar setup, with it mounted on the right side of the pinion, I think it helps tighten the car on entry but allows it to turn through the middle and coming off. In contrast, the straight bar that mounts on the left side of the pinion makes the race car more loose on entry and gives the drive coming offperfect for a short, stop-and-go racetrack.
Again, you can see that while the basic principles behind the suspension are rather simple, a lot of variables are involved when it comes to tuning the four-link. Each adjustment on one end affects several factors on the other side. Unless you understand what how each change affects the rest of the race car, you might end up counteracting a change you just made.
If theres one theme most of these experts tried to espouse in our interviews, it was to make sure you understand its best to take things slowly when tuning the four link. Remember, its momentumnot tractionthat wins races.