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Posted 09 December 2010 - 07:08 AM
The e-mail came in from my friend Jim, a winter time Cabin trip on December 5th in the Mojave! Woo hoo!! (these are old friends from my college days). So how do I get there? Fly? I hate flying, 900,000 lifetime miles is enough. Drive? Not in my Tacoma, I like my fillings where they are, thank you! Well then, lets ride out!
Ive always considered myself a bit of a Walter Mitty type when it comes to the hard core IBA/LDR stuff; Ive not really considered myself in the worlds toughest riders category. I do have all the worn out gear (16 year old Stitch, hammered BMW boots, etc.), and an LDR farkled out bike with all the electronic do-dads and lights so at least I look the part. And I have done some pretty tough rides at times in the past. Well, I believe this particular ride finally qualified me for the toughest riders part.
Route planning was a real exercise for such a simple run. I originally had planned to go thru central Texas then west by way of Abilene, Hobbs, and Roswell, and then pick up I-40 at Holbrook and on to Baker with some adjustments for distance. I sent a note to FJR Remington Rider about the routing because he did a BB1500 around this time last year (January, I think). He gave me a number of things to consider such as remoteness of the roads I was planning on, critters, cold, etc (thanks RR!). I ended up deciding on the I-10 slab run (rev. 6 of the planning) as this route made the most sense safety and temperature wise. Wifey was visibly relieved too.
Planned route
Two things about riding a BB1500 this time of year,
And dark
Two nights before departure and Im running around the house all panicky about getting everything ready. I ended up doing exactly one thing at a time and completing the task so as not to fall prey to Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder AADD and not get anything done. The night before departure and everythings ready and Im actually feeling pretty relaxed. Weather report is for 30 F in the morning so I plan to delay my departure until 6:00 AM instead of 4:00 AM so as not to have to ride in the cold so much. Famous last words ..
30 degrees on departure, a sign of things to come. No issues with Houston traffic, and a breeze thru San Antonio.
Crusing thru West Texas
Some gas stop in the middle of nowhere
This guy was following me all day
80 MPH posted speed west of Kerrville, but a sustained 80+ MPH really hurts my gas mileage. I had planned out my gas stops for about 190-200 miles but that went right in the bin after San Antonio. My gas mileage dropped to about 35 MPG or less. A total of 11 gas stops, including the last one in Baker for check in.
Arrive in El Paso just in time for the evening rush hour. Struggled thru that for a while then a blast up the hill to Las Cruces for the night.
Up at 2:45 AM local time without my alarm clock going off and back on the road. The temperature was 28 in Las Cruces when I left and dipped to between 19F and 24F for the run between Las Cruces and Deming. I finally gave up in Deming and stopped at a Dennys (Always Open what a wonderful sign to see!) to warm up and scarf down some scrambled eggs and bacon. Once I had thawed out some (warmed up is way too optimistic) I headed back out towards AZ. Made it to San Simon I think at which point I couldnt feel my toes, they were more like little stones at the tip of my boots. I found a quick stop/chicken place where the food part wasnt open yet but the guy let me sit there and thaw out my toes. I got to watch an old movie for a while that stared Fred Astaire and Frank Morgan (The Wizard of Oz) do a bunch of dance numbers (Broadway Melody of 1940?). Weird ..
Once thawed out, back on I-10 heading to Tucson. Its amazing what a sunrise will do to lift your spirits. The sun started coming up and even though the temps were still down around 20F, I felt pretty good
Spotted a black FJR heading east somewhere between Benson and Wilcox. One of us?
Breezed thru Phoenix and continued on I-10 to turn off on 95.
U.S. 95. Interesting variety of road surfaces
I was pressing my time at this point but Shelia was convinced Id make Baker on time.
Uh oh, what's this?
Shit! A miles long back up for road construction. This is CA right? Can I filter around all these guys? Sigh, just sit tight for the duration
Into Baker with one hour to spare.
Got my finish witness from the lady that works at the Country Store and then treated myself to an early dinner at the Bun Boy. Job done!!
My moving average was actually closer to 44 MPH but I had to turn the GPS off for the night when I stayed in Las Cruces.
Baker Bun Boy
Bun Boy food porn to celebrate the end of the trip and a chance to eat real food for the first time in a couple of days (yum!)
Epilog to follow.....
Posted 09 December 2010 - 07:55 AM
After finishing the BB1500, I headed down into the Mojave Desert to meet up with my friends at the cabin, which was one of the points of this whole exercise.
So what does fatigue + dark approaching + poor off road riding skills + 700 pound motorcycle on street tires = ???
Ouch! Poor Miss Piggy!
It was a low speed get off, I basically just stepped off the bike when it went into the ditch. The problem was I was lined up on the wrong side of the road (the rut side) and didnt have the wherewithal to maneuver to the correct line. I called my buddy Bill, who turned out to be about a half an hour away in Ludlow. When he arrived, we tried to upright the poor gal but no luck, we were lifting uphill. Happily there was space to get his truck by without running her over so we drove up to the cabin to look for help. My friends Jim and Kail were already there so we all went back and picked her up. Jim is an accomplished off road rider so he saved my bacon and rode her back to the cabin for me.
Not too much damage! Happily Miss Piggy came out OK. The only damage was a broken left mirror and some scrapes on the left side bag. Amazing considering all that weight going into the ditch! I think the subframe is bent but not broken.
This isnt where I dumped her but a good idea of what the road is like
Miss Piggy safely parked at the cabin
The reason we all come out here
As my buddy Bill says, this is our church, we don't need a crystal cathedral
The Road Home
Jim rode Miss Piggy back out to the Kelbaker for me. I had reasoned with him that he could either ride her out for me or let me have a go of it then have to come by a little later and pick us both up from the ditch (again).
The return trip was back thru Phoenix again but this time out U.S. 60 towards Globe. U.S. 60 has really impressive scenery, it appears to be an active mining area. I stopped in Globe for a fill up, lucky I did, as dark was falling just east of Globe and civilization, such as it is out there, was rapidly thinning out. It began to be very cold and very dark east of Duncan on U.S. 70. Dark dark dark and cold cold cold. This was the original route I had planned to travel westbound on the BB1500 run. Im sure glad I didnt do it as I would have been passing thru there about 5:00 in the morning.
U.S. 70 East of Duncan
Made it to Lordsburg, Shelia routing me to the local Best Western with an open restaurant no less! 35F most of the way and almost zero traffic east of Duncan. Pretty lonely stretch of highway, I think I passed a car about every 30-45 minutes.
I left Lordsburg at 4:30 AM with the temps down to 28F or so again (the story of this trip!). Return trip was thru Las Cruces then north east to Alamogordo and White Sands.
Sunrise on I-10
Heading toward Alamagordo
White Sands, the largest gypsum dune field in the world. Got another stamp for my National Parks Tour
I wanted to stop at the Missile Museum but, when I saw the outside with all the big buildings and missiles, I knew I could spend the rest of the day there. Oh well, on the list for next time. 82 thru Cloudcroft and Mayhill was a pleasant surprise. Alpine woods and nice twisties.
On thru Artesia and Hobbs. Yeech!
I think Hobbs is even uglier than either Farmington or Buttonwillow. The local landscape around here doesnt amount to much but then heap in a bunch of pump-jacks and rusty oilfield equipment and the combination is a total eyesore. About the best way to travel these parts is at WOT.
Hammered across west Texas to Abilene then picked up I-20 to Dallas and home. Again, it was between 28 and 36 the whole way from Abilene to Dallas.
I met a road guy while getting gas in Big Springs. He was traveling from East to West for the winter. He bummed a smoke from me while I was standing there trying (again) to warm up. He said he had enough money for beer but not smokes (his comment). He gave me a weather report for Dallas, where he had just arrived from, 27F and windy. He was an interesting fellow, obviously homeless but with a very large backpack. He was never intrusive or pushy, just a short conversation and he was off to mind his own business. So there I was, standing next to my $15,000 motorcycle with $2,000 worth of farkles and gear attached. I ended up giving him a few bucks for food (or more beer as the case may be). All of his stuff he had with him and he seemed to be perfectly content with it. No conclusions here, just an observation on a different way of life.
Back on I-20 again, hammering down the road at good rate of knots. Called wifey around 8:00 PM and told her I still had five or more hours to go and I was getting cold (again sigh) and could she run some hot water into the tub so I could soak my hands and feet if I made it home tonight. She suggested either:
a) Stop at brother Bobs in Ft. Worth for the evening or
Come home and shell crank up the spa and meet me with a glass of wine
Good ideas both, I hadnt thought of either one, probably why shes in charge around here.
I arrived home about 1:00 AM. I probably could have done a reverse BB1500 but I didnt bother to get receipts and I think I was a little short of the mileage on the return trip anyway.
Random Thoughts
When traveling in remote, cold areas in case of break down, cold gear (down boots, jacket, gloves) are a good idea to have as an emergency back-up. They can be packed down to almost no space but will be there if you need them. (http://www.rei.com/product/772100) I was surprised at how fast I got cold after I turned off my vest. Un-natural fibers (Stitch) hold no heat. Running full electrics at maximum amperage increases the possibility of an electrical failure, probably at the worst possible moment.
Tunes are good. Kept me sane on the Las Cruces to San Simon stretch. Its the first time Ive run with music in my helmet (I usually just listen to the voices in my head) and they were a major bonus. They distracted me from the cold for a bit, first time Ive ever been glad to be distracted on a bike. Looks like additional farkling to come.
I could tell my earplugs were in right because it hurt when I put them in. Gotta do something about that.
The high beams on a Feej are good for 80 MPH on the Interstate as far as spotting forest rats and braking distance. I spent some time counting the Botts dots and figuring the distance between them. Go figure ..
High speed (Western States Interstate Highway Speeds) = poor gas mileage
Stopping can be a negative with cold unless you can go inside. Without the electrics turned on, my hands became colder just standing around. Im not so convinced with the FJR hand grip heaters going off when the engine revs go down. I found that below about 28F, they could never really make up for the cool down cycle, even at full power (I just re-read that and realized how absurd that sounds). I had aftermarket grips on my K75S and I could warm up my hands by stopping in a lay-by and holding on to the grips for a while.
I now think cold is more fatiguing that heat. I found I involuntarily stiffened up my grip and my shoulders the colder it got. I had to make a conscious effort to stay relaxed the colder it got.
Dance tunes are good for your feet, I was listening to 60s on 6 on XM and was tapping out the tunes all along the way. Maybe 70s on 7 next time for some dyno ABBA tunes?
I mostly ate Kellogg Special K energy bars with a Subway thrown in on one occasion. I remember when Sparky and I did our SS1k and we stopped and ate a burger. I almost fell asleep later from the food overload! Not again. Power bars are the ticket!
Stand up over bridge transitions. This exercises your thighs and helps control the motorcycle.
Long and cold in the saddle makes for poor bike handling skills. I almost dumped it in Alamogordo on a U-turn (slid out on some questionable road surface), poor handling skills going thru Cloudcroft (arms and legs were stiff from the cold).
Gerbing makes excellent vests. I may have to look into some electric socks if I do this type of nonsense again.
Most folks question the wisdom of doing this type of ride. I put it in the personal goal category, something I challenge myself to do and then achieve it. Yes, its a lot more fun to ride the twisties in northwest Arkansas or central Colorado in 75 F weather but its not the same level or kind of challenge. This is different, more of an internal goal.
All in all a good trip. Definitely had to use a great deal of focus and stamina on a number of occasions to keep on keeping on. I guess thats why the qualifier of worlds toughest riders applies.
Count me in!
Posted 09 December 2010 - 09:10 AM
Yes. Yes you can. Take it slow and easy, and no one will mind if you "share" up to the flagman.
Shit! A miles long back up for road construction. This is CA right? Can I filter around all these guys?
Brian C. - 2005 FJR1300A (PDP) | IBA #25366 | tcfjr.goption.com |
Posted 09 December 2010 - 09:21 AM
I hope you got that spa warm-up and wine at the end of the journey.
Posted 09 December 2010 - 09:46 AM
My thoughts exactly! Bike quits running, it's 18F and falling, 0200, and getting colder. Not a good situation, actually, it's then survival mode.
When traveling in remote, cold areas in case of break down, cold gear (down boots, jacket, gloves) are a good idea to have as an emergency back-up. They can be packed down to almost no space but will be there if you need them. (http://www.rei.com/product/772100) I was surprised at how fast I got cold after I turned off my vest. Un-natural fibers (Stitch) hold no heat. Running full electrics at maximum amperage increases the possibility of an electrical failure, probably at the worst possible moment.
Very good RR!
I wouldn't change a fucking thing; I've lived hard, played hard, and I ain't done yet. I've paid some severe penalties along the way, but the rewards have been so much greater; even if for just have participating in the game of life with utmost abandon. It's not who rides the furthest in a day, but rather in a lifetime. CBA member #1, IBA #31845 and very proud of both.
Posted 09 December 2010 - 11:21 AM
Truly a trip down memory lane for me as I read along; some of the familiar territories mentioned.
You are right about the landscape, There are some interesting rock formations...
Heck, I didn't know there were so many darn windmills in Texas.
First pic of Ms. Piggy sideways, scared "tha bajeebers" out of me, read on to see it worked out okay.
You said it right, after 1500 miles in the saddle, you are not the same rider.
Really didn't think it would be that cold this time of year, but I see it was just as cold.
The worse part, as you said is having to stop for gas and turning off the electrics.
Congrats on finishing and making it home safely. Hope the frame is not bent on Ms. Piggy.
Enjoyed it, thanks for sharing.
My Kando
1992 Concours-'Grace'
The simultaneous feeling of deep satisfaction and intense excitement that people experience when they encounter something of exceptional value.
Posted 09 December 2010 - 05:04 PM
Heart of Texas Rally
April 28, 2012
Posted 09 December 2010 - 05:07 PM
Heart of Texas Rally
April 28, 2012
Posted 09 December 2010 - 07:55 PM
Total agreement about cold vs. heat. I can deal with 108, 28 for any extended period of time takes it's told on me.
Paul Peloquin
IBA #333, since I'm only half evil.
Posted 09 December 2010 - 10:18 PM
I have a BB1500, in my head at the moment, that includes Nevada, Utah, Arizona and SoCal. I know I should wait till spring but might not be able to.
I went through some of the same experience in the cold, when a heated vest quit working. I piled on what other shirts I had and used my rain gear as a wind breaker. It got me through, but at one point I realized I wasn't really prepared to survive the night if I had to pull over and wait out the storm. I'll pack better next time.
It is hard to explain to people who don't "have" to do these things, why we do these things! Great story and thanks for sharing!
A Friend recently explained to me that " a good amount of air time is required to truly appreciate road rash!" I'd like to take his word for it!
Posted 10 December 2010 - 10:53 AM
Posted 12 December 2010 - 10:06 AM
It was probably me if it was late morning of Dec 3rd. I waved to most people, but didn't focus on the type of bike. Great story!
Posted 31 December 2010 - 09:39 AM
07 Suzuki DRZ400SM
06 Ducati 999-sold
88 Suzuki GSXR750-sold
90 Yamaha FZR600-sold
Posted 31 December 2010 - 09:57 AM
That rarely happens to an AE.
...Luckly you didn't break off the clutch lever that sucks when your out in the middle of nowhere...
Posted 31 December 2010 - 12:06 PM
Cold will zap energy much faster then heat. Good for you for having the good judgment to allow someone to jockey the FJR back to pavement. All and all you seem to have been thinking and making sound decisions all along the way, including the one to make the trip in the first place and the one to push on home to the SO.
We'll never be able to adequately explain it to the non-believers what the motivation for something like this is. It's just something that is done. We just need the endurance and adventure fix.
Keep Going!
Posted 31 December 2010 - 12:51 PM
THANKS for sharing.
That rarely happens to an AE.
...Luckly you didn't break off the clutch lever that sucks when your out in the middle of nowhere...
Man, you know everything!
Posted 07 January 2011 - 08:20 AM
Posted 07 January 2011 - 09:18 AM
Also found a video that pretty well depicts us trying to get Miss Piggy out of the ditch
Miss Piggy
Posted 16 March 2011 - 05:18 AM
Got the special envelope from Mike last night! Certificate for the BB1500 complete!
I had been sweating my single final witness documentation but I guess the rest of it was good enough to qualify.
What's odd is I never got an e-mail and I can't find where the check was cashed?? Oh well, job done, I'll throw some donations to the IBA later just to make sure.
Posted 16 March 2011 - 08:25 AM
Any thoughts of a BBG in your future?
Kincardine, Ontario
My personal blog - VisorViewpoint


text:
It has come as a surprise to some scribes that South Africa are beating us convincingly in this test series.
Just last week Mark Reason wrote an article suggesting that the New Zealand cricket team haven't accepted responsibility for their inept batting display in the first innings of the first test at Newlands. Reason believed Black Caps' skipper Brendon McCullum needed to take complete ownership for his team's performance by saying "I'm ashamed" of being the captain of a team bowled out for 45.
The writer went on to compare the team's lack of self derision to a family's antipathy toward a drunken quad bike driver who injured a six-year-old girl recently, leaving her seriously ill in hospital. He concluded the family of the girl and the captain of the New Zealand cricket team came from the same generation - a generation apparently unwilling to own up to the consequences of their actions. Nigel Latta would be proud.
I understand as a sports fan that it's easy to get disappointed when your team under-performs.
I love nothing more than watching New Zealand compete with better, more talented cricket teams. Who doesn't enjoy watching David give Goliath a nudge in the nuts? But things are getting silly when journalists compare a quad bike accident with a batting collapse. Maybe the writer was just struggling to come up with ideas for the week.
Whatever the excuse, I'd suggest to Reason that the people most upset about being bowled out for 45 are the team who were bowled out for 45. Obviously they tried not to be bowled out for 45 but they were outclassed. No professional sportsperson sets out to be humiliated. McCullum fronted for the press conference. He owes the public nothing more.
That same week I read a tweet from a fan angered that Martin Guptill was considering taking four hours off training to swim with sharks after the team's loss. The tweeter suggested that Guptill was irresponsible ... after scoring 0 and 1 he should be in the nets all day every day, watching Jeremy Coney's cricket video at night and flogging himself with an SS Jumbo. Enjoying himself during his time off while the fans suffer? How dare he!
Maybe it's time we started burning effigies in Queen St? I've got some old pantyhose left over from knocking bats in as a kid. If we stuff that with old linseed rags, make a paper mache head and douse it in 98 octane, perhaps the team will perform better in the ODI series? How about we wait at the airport and spit on them?
Sadly, every cricket fan with half a brain knew the outcome of this tour before our team sampled the blue cheese in the Koru Lounge. Not surprisingly, the No8 team in the world (without their four best players, Daniel Vettori, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder and Tim Southee) have been completely outclassed by the No1 team in the world (at full strength).
Richard Boock wrote a great piece last week explaining the correlation between money and success in professional sport. He pointed out that the top-ranked cricket nations are also the wealthiest. South Africa, England, Australia and India each earn five times the revenue of their closest rival. Money means development. Money means resources. Money means success.
So here's my prediction for the ODI series ... we'll lose 3-0. If you want to make yourself feel better put some money on it. You may make enough to replace your mum's pantyhose.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Generators struggle to plan for the future as they cope with an unstable present.
When the acting administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Marianne Horinko, signed the EPA's "routine replacement" rule on Aug. 27, 2003, she proclaimed that the new approach to Clean Air Act regulation would "provide … power plants with the regulatory certainty they need."
Then, almost immediately, any illusion of regulatory certainty went up in smoke. A platoon of lawyers from 13 states and two dozen cities marched into federal court and filed suit against the EPA, challenging the legality of its new rule.
"The situation is just as uncertain as it ever was," says Chuck Wehland, a partner with the Jones Day law firm in Chicago. "I think it's doubtful that the routine maintenance and repair rules will survive the legal challenges."
Such uncertainty typifies the state of limbo in which power generators find themselves today, with evolving environmental regulation adding to the uncertainty over a wide range of factors. Consider:
- The U.S. economy is in flux. Third-quarter 2003 GDP growth topped 7.2 percent, yet the consumer confidence index declined in each month from May through September. The economy is on shaky ground in a jobless recovery, accompanied by the reality of war and the threat of terrorism. All these factors converge as we enter an election year.
- Investors maintain a decidedly cautious stance on all things related to power-with good reason. Write-downs, defaults, and foreclosures have become all-too-familiar occurrences. The latest: Reliant Resources announced a $1 billion charge-off on its wholesale segment, after suffering $11.5 billion in equity impairments in the previous 12 months.
- Power market restructuring momentum has slowed, but the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) continues to press its case for standard market design at the regional level. Amid ongoing wrangling, regional transmission organizations (RTOs) stumble forward in fits and starts. The Midwest ISO, for example, withdrew its energy markets tariff in mid-October so it could focus on reliability concerns. Merchant power companies, meanwhile, die on the vine.
- Companies seeking to liquidate non-core assets find themselves in a field cluttered with sellers, but scarce few buyers. Thus the bid-ask spread on power projects-particularly merchant plants-remains a yawning chasm.
Such unsteady ground makes a poor platform for planning the country's power-supply future. Nevertheless, as the Fortnightly learned in a recent series of interviews, companies are moving forward by carefully addressing the issues within their control. In preparation for new environmental regulations, for example, power companies are assessing their assets and investing in technology development. Write-downs and charge-offs, moreover, are part of a painful but ultimately healthy balance-sheet strengthening exercise. And liquidations are yielding opportunities for companies with the appetite for acquisitions. To analyze the major trends in generation strategy planning, the Fortnightly consulted utility leaders for their perspectives on the subjects of market forecasting, asset sales, environmental legislation, and energy technology and distributed generation issues.
Forecasting in Roller-Coaster Markets
The alpha and omega of power resource planning is the ability to forecast load changes. Accordingly, raging volatilities in economic and regulatory trends, plus terrorism and
Generation Roundtable: Power Flux
Generators struggle to plan for the future as they cope with an unstable present.
Generators struggle to plan for the future as they cope with an unstable present.


text: Pasquale Camerlengo: I try to talk the skaters out of popular tunes. I don't like to hear: "Oh no, not this again!| http://www.sports.ru/others/figure-skating/147551056.html Pasquale Camerlengo is one of the choreographers whose name became a brand in figure skating, and his coaching duo with his wife, Angelika Krylova, could compete with those of Marina Zoueva/Igor Shpilband, or Natalia Linichuk/Gennady Karponosov. In the interview to Sports.ru Pasquale Camerlengo talks about competition between French and Russian ice dancing teams and advises what to do if you want to skate to overused music. Svetlana Veklicheva (SV): First of all, I would like to ask about two of your teams - the French Nathalie Pechalat/Fabian Bourzat and the Canadians Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje. This season wasn't easy - both teams were injured. PC: We are very glad that we were able to overcome the difficulties and skate at these championships. I was especially worried about Kaitlyn, her ankle was broken, and it is very serious. But Kaitlyn is a true fighter. No one thought she would be able to recover in such short time and skate here, she was off-ice for several months. SV: Angelika Krylova even said it was a crazy decision. PC: And I agree with her. After all, we didn't know if Kaitlyn would be able to train through pain. We tried not to force anything, were afraid to make an injury worse, but she was able to cope with everything. Now we do the same with Fabian. Of course, he still feels the pain performing some elements, he has to be very careful in practices, and Nathalie and Fabian are used to always give their best, so now it is difficult for them. They have to watch every step, because one wrong step can ruin everything. SV: Fabian even fell doing a twizzle in one of the practices. Frankly, I don't even remember when was the last time I saw it PC: Yes, it is the consequences of the injury, but don't forget, that it was the first practice, our main goal was to try out the ice and the main rink. SV: Speaking about the main rink How difficult it was to adapt the program to the size of Canadian rinks? PC: It is really difficult, but we managed. The fact that the practice rink is Olympic sized makes it more difficult, because we have to do double work. But we knew the rink sizes before, and we took it into account. SV: I can't help but ask you about the Russian teams. You watched them at practices. PC: Yes, I watched them a bit, noted some moments. Actually, every team that competes at these championships is 100% ready, in theory each one can fight for medal, but you can never know. We will see what happens. SV: Can you say that Ilinykh/Katsalapov or Bobrova/Soloviev are catching up with Pechalat/Bourzat? PC: It's hard to say, because we didn't have chance to compare them in Zagreb. After the Grand-Prix Final we still had some margin in points, but there wasn't a direct competition at Euros. Personally, I think that we still have some advantage. SV: In London, you've seen many skaters whom you choreographed for. What feelings do you have when you see the development of a program throughout a season? PC: Who do we take as an example? SV: I like the program you choreographed for Michal Brezina. PC: Our ways haven't crossed during the season, but I knew in advance what he could add to the program, how he could improve it. At practices, when we work on choreography, skaters concentrate on getting the moves right, and in competition I finally see the picture that was in my mind from the beginning. Sometimes, it is an interesting feeling, when you see the result and think to yourself: "Wow, I made a great program!" SV: Do you have any favorite program or the one you are proud of the most? PC: I like Akiko Suzuki's free program very much, and, of course, Max Aaron's short, because in his program I tried something new, contemporary dance and hip-hop. I think I am most proud of his program, because I created it from a beginning to an end, it was my idea, I found the music and made the choreography. SV: Can you reveal a secret, how you create a program? PC: It depends on the level of a skater, the level of a coach. For example, with Max Aaron, his coach asked me to find something suitable. I watched videos of Max skating and thought about hip-hop. Usually I prefer to listen to the music together with a skater: we listen to a few tracks, and if something "clicks", we continue to work more thoroughly. Of course, some skaters come already with an idea, and then I try to fulfill their expectations. SV: And which way do you prefer? PC: I, of course, prefer to choose music, to invent a story, and to create the program together. But we are all rivals, and sometimes coach doesn't like our choice or doesn't understand it. Then I make a list of pro and cons, and we come to a compromise. SV: What would you say about the music that had already been used in figure skating many times? It's hard to call, for example, "Carmen" an overused music, but we hear it at competitions so often. PC: I always try to talk skaters out of popular tunes, because I don't want to hear criticisms like: "Oh no, not this again!" But you see, there are such beautiful melodies, that you just cannot say no when you are asked to make a program to it. Then we come up with completely new choreography, something that no one has ever done to this music. SV: When you hear some beautiful melody, you probably begin to "skate" to it in your head? PC: Yes. It is, so to speak, a default setting in my brain. I always see an athlete skating to the music, see an image, and I know exactly what happens on the ice at any moment of time. SV: Are there any skaters you would like to work with? PC: I will name two: Carolina Kostner and Patrick Chan. I would be very interested in working with them, and it doesn't have anything to do with the fact that they are reigning world champions. I always wanted to work with Carolina. I don't even know why we still haven't. After all, she is Italian, I am Italian, it would be logical if we did something together. Patrick came to Detroit before the World championships, I had an opportunity to watch him more closely. His skating is special, I would say, he skates more like a dancer, you can give him any choreography and be sure he does it justice. SV: Speaking of Patrick We will likely see him taking his third title in London? PC: The competition is very tight in London, I can only say one thing for sure - at these championships, we will see more quadruple jumps than ever. Some athletes are planning five quads in two programs. Anyway, if Patrick skates to his potential, he should win. We'll find out soon.


text: once spring hits I get tide up with bee's so I have brewed every Sat. for the last 3 weekends. Today I made a milk stout. One of my favorite styles. Last Sat I made a dark english mild. 2.8 ABV lt is my wifes favorite. 2 Sat ago I made a Scottish Strong ale. 9.5ABV. This one is about done and will be going into a burbon barrel to age for the next 6 months


text:
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text:
Alleana Goldeneyes
Aurore, I know you get an automatic buy in because you put up with me for so long but can you please do something about the frames you use? I know you like that format, you use it in almost every application to play. But it skooshes your personality and goal paragraphs. Whatever you did for Background puts it in a separate frame or whatever so it isn't skooshed.


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WinterFest festivities go on despite chill
Chilly weather didn't stop residents and visitors from enjoying old-fashioned winter fun in celebration of the 10th annual Crosslake WinterFest on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 1-2.
The Crosslake office of the Brainerd Lakes Chamber hosted the weekend activities that included fireworks, SoupFest, dogsled and wagon rides, the Crosslake firefighters' pancake breakfast, helicopter rides, a snowmobile rally and radar runs, ice car races, a vendor extravaganza and more.
The search for the lost 2013 WinterFest Medallion ended after only two clues. Jill Gibbs, Crystal Schmidt and China Held braved 18-below-zero temps to find the medallion early Friday morning at Daggett Pine Road near the Crosslake Lutheran Church outdoor worship site.
Friday evening's Crosslake Community Center activities brought hundreds into town to enjoy the kid's carnival, ice skating, a roaring bonfire and the first-ever fireworks display during WinterFest.
Plus, the town was abuzz with the addition of WCCO TV's Frank Vascellaro and Chris Shaffer's appearances in Crosslake as they broadcast the 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts live from Crosslake. Crosslake was one of several stops the WCCO team made in the Brainerd lakes area as a part of a Going to the Lake promotional blitz coordinated with support of the Brainerd Lakes Chamber.
Saturday's SoupFest had more than 250 votes cast, with the chamber awarding the Golden Ladle in the amateur division to the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway Association and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Campground for its tasty batch of Paul Bunyan's Camp Stew — a crowd favorite that was cooked in an iron cauldron over an open fire by Paul Bunyan himself.
The culinary division winner was Riverside Inn serving its Loaded Baked Potato Soup.


text: Had my first state inspection today. The inspector looked for mites and mite damage, etc.. The only thing he saw was one bee with a partial wing missing. Said it was deformed wing syndrome. The bee had been dead on top of the inner cover of one of my hives since last week and was disintegrating. He said our treatment regime was very good...continue on. Hated to tell him that means continue doing nothing and letting the bees take care of themselves. Lots less mites than there used to be! All hives passed with flying (pun intended) colors. He also seemed amazed how much nectar that they were bringing in---it was dripping off the frames as he was inspecting. My bees are so much better without chemicals and feeding. Love them more every day!!!


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Discussion in 'NFL Zone' started by Joshmil53, Oct 25, 2012.
Only 39% of the passes his way have been caught so far.
He has maybe been the best CB in the league so far this year.
Got a lot of kids to feed. He needs to play well.
Was thinking the same thing.
Where did this stat come from? Would be interested in seeing the stats for our CBs
...it also has Mo's info in there (as a rookie) but not Carr
How has Mo given 3 TDs? Smith/Hester is all I remember.
Hester, Smith, LaFell?
That article is proof that some people (such as the author) have absolutely no idea how to judge a cornerback's performance.
Right, thanks.
I love how he's only been targeted 4 times a game. Amazing.
Yep. Judging a cornerback ONLY on the plays when he's targeted is an extremely flawed way to judge his performance. If you're in coverage for 40 passes and get targeted twice, allowing two completions for 18 yards, you played an outstanding game -- but those who judge by per-pass "metrics" or passer rating would claim that you stunk.
Claiborne hasn't been great (yet), but he has played almost every snap and has allowed 2.8 catches and 33.3 yards per game (going by PFF's numbers, which might not be accurate).
By the way, in the comments below the article, the author does credit Claiborne with doing well in "yards per coverage snap," which is a much better way of measuring performance. It's too bad the article wasn't based on that.
Cromartie stats look good.
Surprising to see a rookie CB, Casey Hayward, #1 on whole CB ranking list with a opposing QB rating of 23.7 -- mainly based on 0 TDs allowed and 4 Interceptions.
Forgive my ignorance, what is PFF?
Could be ProFootballFocus.com
They're a decent site in that they provide numbers I haven't seen elsewhere.
But that's about it.
How they track numbers is kind of a "best guess" method.
And they use formulas that are pretty awful to come up with a ranking for "signature stats" such as "Pass Rushing Productivity"
I like the site because they have numbers you don't find elsewhere and because as flawed as they might be, they tally the same for all players so any sort of flaw they do have in tracking numbers is gonna equal out over the course of the season.
Cool, thanks!
Keep in mind you have to pay for the premium stats.
Pro Football Focus. Lots of stats and game analysis and stuff. Some people really love them (Hi Clarence Hill), some don't. I love reading their analysis but don't swear by them. Take with a grain of salt, but it is one way to view things, not that it is the end all or be all. That doesn't exist I don't think.
Yeah, that is why I couldn't produce their numbers for Carr the other day...I only access their free stuff


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A word used by someone with poor English skills for any item that tangles itself around you such as an anaconda might.
"Trying to fold that windshield shade up... man, it was like wrestling one of those, uh, it was a chacondra!"
by flamingo13 April 07, 2009
The vengeful act of crapping on a lover's chest while they sleep.Buy the plush


text:
Town Square
Anna Luskin's accident - can we learn from it?
Original post made by Paly Parent, Palo Alto High School, on Jun 30, 2007
I am sorry for starting a new thread, but I wanted to keep this separate from the tributes and I have already posted mine there.
As the very sensible young woman Anna was, I think she would feel the same. If there is any good to come out of her seemingly senseless death, it would be a warning to young drivers. We do not know exactly the cause of her accident but we do know it was a solo accident, not late at night. She was on a long drive, so fatigue probably played a part.
We do not know if she fell asleep at the wheel, was distracted by a cell phone, or music, or radio. Knowing Anna, I feel sure there were no drugs or alcohol involved.
So, to young drivers out there. You are not invulnerable. Accidents do happen to young drivers. The consequences can be devastating.
When we as parents say to you "be careful when you drive", don't use the phone, don't use your ipod, don't get distracted changing cds or radio stations, this is what we are afraid of. We do trust you, but it is not a matter of trust, it is that we want you to be safe.
Please, to all young drivers. Drive safely and take heed of Anna's accident as a warning to us all.
a resident of Evergreen Park
on Jul 1, 2007 at 5:45 am
Remembering what it was like when I was first driving, I think lack of experience can play a role. I don't know what the state is of driver's ed these days, or how good it ever was (it started after my time), but I think safety training should be a big part of it, not just teaching people how to parallel park. When we took water safety classes as kids, they drummed into us over and over about what to do and what to beware of, so it just became second nature.
Seeing the adults driving arund with cell phones and the cases of road rage, I have to think there is a lot of this needed. Not that for a minute I think the latter played a role in this fine young woman's situation.
a resident of Professorville
on Jul 1, 2007 at 3:10 pm
I just wanted to mention a couple of things.
First, at the time she was driving, maybe the sunset, or twilight contributed to the accident. I have driven that stretch of freeway many times in the evening and the sunset can be an issue.
Then there can be sooo many things, including an animal crossing the roadway and that she tried to avoid.
The bottom line, is that no matter how attentive a driver is, there can be so many problems driving. Unfortunately road dangers combined with freeway speeds are very unforgiving.
We cannot jump to conclusions on what happened to Anna.
This said I second the above opinions: Don't drive tired, don't use your cell phone while driving, avoid all possible distractions, and don't go to fast... (and of course don't drive under the influence, I am sure Anna wasn't, knowing who she was).
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Jul 1, 2007 at 11:48 pm
She was going to be a sophmore in college....thats a possible 5 years of experience for her. The adults aren't invulnerable either. Anna was a very intelligent and caring person, and she will be missed nonetheless.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Jul 2, 2007 at 7:16 am
I have no idea what happened in that car, or what kind of driver Anna was, but I know there's a huge majority of drivers out there that have no idea what to do when a car gets out of control.
My daughter was taught how to recover from a slide, panic stop on wet roads (without ABS) and control a car at high speeds before she ever got her license. We wouldn't let her drive without those skills, and neither will our soon to be driving son.
As far as I'm concerned, it's FAR too easy to get a license, EVERYONE should have to successfully complete a defensive driving course of some sort before getting a license.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Jul 2, 2007 at 12:17 pm
Unfortunately, good driving takes experience and the only way to get that is lots of practice.
I once had a job where I went out to traffic accidents. Though you don't hear much about it, trees are bad news. Light poles, fences, even buildings will give way and lessen the impact. A tree of any size, just stays right there.
So, light poles and utility poles, yes, trees, no.
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 6, 2007 at 10:24 am
Need to have skills,
Where do I go to teach my kids such skills? In fact, I'd like to take such a course myself.
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Jul 14, 2007 at 11:44 pm
...it would be cool to have students go to a nearby racetrack and practice driving under hazardous conditions.
And as tragic as this accident was, it is still unclear as to what caused it. Unfortunately this message posted here does not reach many people, but if it was message emphasized in school perhaps that would be more helpful. I encourage "Paly Parent" to bring this issue up to our school board members, all of which welcome such suggestions.
We also must realize that students have heard this message before, and repeating it may fall on deaf ears, but the approach in which this message is carried out needs to be fine tuned to let students understand it is their responsibility to exercise common sense for their safety and the safety of others.
Along with proposing such messages in our educational system, perhaps we can teach students the dangers posed by lighting a match on the hottest day of summer in a dry hillside...
a resident of another community
on Nov 18, 2007 at 3:15 pm
First of all... anna would never ever be drunk, under the influence, or tired while taking her BROTHER back home. I know this for a fact.. and yes, you can pretty much turn any tragedy into a "lesson". But does it really need to be? Any single car accident could be turned into a "lesson" There is no lesson because anna was a safe driver. I drove with her on many occasions, and she always drove with the utmost carfullness. Trying to probe this tradgedy into something it's not is a disgrace to Anna and her memory. No one will ever know what happened.. not even danny who was asleep at the time! so "paly parent" no.. this isn't a lesson. And of course she wasn't asleep at the wheel, or driving drunk.. you may not know this.. but us who are close to Jan and fred do. Just because you don't know the full story don't make assumptions about what she was or was not doing.


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Free personalized radio that
plays the music you love
Ron Carter Sextet
Carter began playing cello at ten. But when his family moved from Ferndale, MI, to Detroit, Carter ran into problems with racial stereotypes regarding the cello and switched to bass. He played in the Eastman School's Philharmonic Orchestra, and gained his degree in 1959. He moved to New York and played in Chico Hamilton's quintet with Eric Dolphy, while also enrolling at the Manhattan School of Music. Carter earned his master's degree in 1961. After Hamilton returned to the West Coast in 1960, Carter stayed in New York and played with Dolphy and Don Ellis, cutting his first records with them. He worked with Randy Weston and Thelonious Monk, while playing and recording with Jaki Byard in the early '60s. Carter also toured and recorded with Bobby Timmons' trio, and played with Cannonball Adderley. He joined Art Farmer's group for a short time in 1963, before he was tapped to become a member of Miles Davis' band.
Carter remained with Davis until 1968, appearing on every crucial mid-'60s recording and teaming with Herbie Hancock and Tony Williams to craft a new, freer rhythm section sound. The high-profile job led to the reputation that's seen Carter become possibly the most recorded bassist in jazz history. He's been heard on an unprecedented number of recordings; some sources claim 500, others have estimated it to be as many as 1,000. The list of people he's played with is simply too great to be accurately and completely cited. Carter's been a member of New York Jazz Sextet and New York Jazz Quartet, V.S.O.P. Tour, and Milestone Jazzstars, and was in one of the groups featured in the film Round Midnight in 1986.
He's led his own bands at various intervals since 1972, using a second bassist to keep time and establish harmony so he's free to provide solos. Carter even invented his own instrument, a piccolo bass. Carter's also contributed many arrangements and compositions to both his groups and other bands. He's done duo recordings with either Cedar Walton or Jim Hall. Carter's recorded for Embryo/Atlantic, CTI, Milestone, Timeless, EmArcy, Galaxy, Elektra, and Concord, eventually landing at Blue Note for LPs including 1997's The Bass and I, 1998's So What, and 1999's Orfeu. When Skies Are Grey surfaced in early 2001, followed a year later by Stardust, Carter's tribute to the late bassist Oscar Pettiford. In 2006 another tribute album was released, Dear Miles, dedicated to Miles Davis, also on Blue Note. ~ Ron Wynn, Rovi
Selected Discography
Track List: Orfeu
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AFG Daphne and Kimberly Changing Pad
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The Daphne and Kimberly Changing Pad custom changing pad fits the Daphne and Kimberly cribs with the attached changer. Featuring a water resistant vinyl cover, it's an excellent lining to fill the changer top area while you change your baby in early years.
- Fits changing tables of Daphne and Kimberly cribs
- Featuring a water resistant vinyl cover
- Excellent lining to fill the changer top area
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Stay connected with us to get the latest health and fitness news, innovative workouts, healthy recipes and wellness tips.
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This assertive panzanella has the most flavor when made with mature arugula, but baby arugula also works well. Serve with grilled steak or turkey sausage.
Nutrition Profile:
Diabetes Appropriate
Healthy Weight
Heart Healthy
High Calcium
Low Calorie
Low Carb
Low Cholesterol
Low Sat Fat
Low Sodium
Serves 4
Prep Time 20 min
Total Time 20 min.
Step 1
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in bread; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and starting to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add tomatoes and arugula; cook, stirring, until arugula just wilts, about 1 minute. Push the mixture to one side. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the empty side and cook garlic, stirring constantly, until fragrant and sizzling, 15 seconds. Stir into the bread mixture. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with vinegar and toss to combine. Serve warm, topped with Parmesan.
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text: Here is my list ! : Takes off some steam !!! F jones ( fat n lazy ) Ogletree ( stupid n lazy) Phillips ( too slow ) Free ( weak and sucks) Spears ( slow and done) Conner( sucks and slow) Sims( small and sucks) Jenkins (can't tackle) Sensabaugh (can't tackle no plays)


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when blender makes the normals in tangent space it has to use 3 direction vectors, one is the normal of a face, the other is vector "b" and the other is the cross between this two vectors.
What is vector "b"?
Edited by lomateron, 04 May 2013 - 08:56 PM.


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Feb 14, 2004
Decision Time - Polls Open in 60 Hours
Well, after a leisurely sleep (people on my bus were given three hours to be back for breakfast and work assignments), volunteers were deployed to knock on doors, do lit drops, talk to voters, and shuttle people around town in a small armada of buses and vans. (Alright, the bus drivers are professionals, but as for the rest…). Some people were sent to volunteer phone banks that had been set up near staging centers around town. I'm actually writing …Read More »
Feb 14, 2004
They came from across America. From nearby states like Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee and Illinois—to places further away like California, Montana, Michigan and Puerto Rico � and many locations in between. Differentiated by their ages, interests and hues, they were united by their understanding that the pivotal elections of November 2004 would really begin on Tuesday, February 17. And voters in Kentucky's 6th Congressional District have the privilege of casting the first votes. It appears an easy choice. On the …Read More »
Feb 13, 2004
NRCC "Telling it Like it Ain't"
So our good friends at the NRCC struck another blow for "Fair and Balanced" coverage of the Kentucky race yesterday at their "Blog Across the Nation". They quote the Lexington Herald-Leader and say: "'...a Korean War veteran, also presented Principi with 6,500 petition signatures urging him to invest more resources at the Leestown hospital.' Although the same veteran was used in an ad by Chandler, 'he declined to throw his support' towards the failed gubernatorial candidate. (Lexington Herald-Leader, 2/12/04)" …Read More »
Feb 12, 2004
Kentuckians Reject Blackmail
The Jessamine Journal's Randy Patrick had this to say: At a $50-a-head fund-raiser, Hastert told farmers that if Kerr were elected, he would work with her to push a tobacco-buyout bill through the House Agriculture Committee and bring it to the floor of the House for a vote… Now the Republicans are holding a gun to the farmer's head and saying they won't even do that unless Kentuckians vote for their candidate. (read the full article here) Also, new …Read More »
Feb 11, 2004
Chandler Endorsed by the Lex Herald-Leader
Chandler won the endorsement of the Lexington Herald-Leader this morning. They said: The waves of attacks and distortions, most fueled by out-of-state Republican money, are coming by TV, mail and phone. This multimillion-dollar mudslide is so repulsive that voters could hardly be blamed for ignoring Tuesday's special election, which has the added disincentive of falling on the day after a federal holiday for some workers…. By wading through the muck and examining the candidates' credentials, they will see that …Read More »
Feb 10, 2004
The first showdown between Democrats-Republicans in the 2004 elections takes place in the upcoming special election in Kentucky. Here's why it's so important. 1. AUDIENCE: From Karl Rove burning the midnight oil at 1600, to those monitoring the results from �undisclosed locations," Republicans will be reading the electoral tea leaves to see if the public's buying what they're selling. Political reporters will be watching closely. Yesterday influential election analyst Stu Rothernberg, wrote in Roll Call (registration required) that a …Read More »


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This team made some great strides this off-season. I like the coach, I love Tannehill. I'll be going to a whole lot of Fins games this year! GO FINS!
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UTSA hosts World AIDS Day events Dec. 1
By Tim Brownlee
Assistant Director of Public Affairs
(Nov. 25, 2008)--UTSA Student Health Services will host World AIDS Day events Monday, Dec. 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the 1604 Campus and 6:30-9 p.m. at the Downtown Campus. Activities will include a scavenger hunt, free HIV testing, awareness expo, candlelight vigil, live performances by local musicians and the debut of the HIV Red Balloon Release.
Today's headlines
- La Prensa Foundation is newest member of UTSA Lone Star Society
- UTSA alumna Jordan Kaufmann wins $50K for new stent-graft start-up
- UTSA begins new way-finding sign installation this summer at Main Campus
- USA Today: UTSA long jumper Tyler Williamson rescues three-year-old boy
Article tools
"There are a number of ways the UTSA community can support HIV/AIDS awareness," said Howaida Werfelli, UTSA health education coordinator. "Wear a red ribbon to raise HIV/AIDS awareness, protect yourself and your partners -- the best way to stop the spread of HIV -- and if you are worried, get tested."
On World AIDS Day, individuals and organizations around the world come together to bring attention to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day.
For more information, contact Howaida Werfelli at (210) 458-6810.
World AIDS Day at UTSA is sponsored by the student organization SHADES (Sexual Health, Alcohol and Drug Education for Students), Student Health Services, Circles of San Antonio Community Coalition, San Antonio Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (SACADA), San Antonio Fighting Back, Planned Parenthood, Beat AIDS, Center for Health Care Services, San Antonio AIDS Foundation, Invisible Children UTSA, Equal Rights Awareness and Project FATE.
UTSA World AIDS Day activities, Monday, Dec. 1
1604 Campus
- World AIDS Day Awareness Expo, Photo Exhibit and concert
-- includes free refreshments, gift card drawings
University Center paseo
10:00 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Scavenger Hunt
University Center first floor
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Free HIV testing, Student Health Services
10 a.m.-3 p.m. -- call (210) 458-6810 to make an appointment
- Red Balloon Release: Patchwork of Support and Pledge
Convocation Center east lawn
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
- World AIDS Day Candlelight Vigil, Awareness Expo and Concert
Bill Miller Plaza
6:30-9 p.m.
Entertainment will include UTSA Gospel Choir, Atlee aka The Anthem and The Nostalgic Effect, free refreshments and gift card drawings
- Free HIV testing
Downtown Campus
University Communications
Contact Us


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Move Review: This is 40
Weighing in at a lumpy 134 minutes, writer-director Judd Apatow's This Is 40 teeters perilously close to vanity movie territory.
Director: Judd Apatow
MPAA Rating: ®
Studio: Apatow Pictures
Weighing in at a lumpy 134 minutes, writer-director Judd Apatow's This Is 40 teeters perilously close to vanity movie territory. Not only does it star Apatow's wife Leslie Mann as well as their daughters Maude and Iris, but Apatow also recently admitted that he purposely never strayed more than several blocks when filming it. No wonder the movie feels like it cuts very close to home. That's fine, but the "world" of the movie is a bubble populated by whiny, self-absorbed, upper middle class, stylishly dressed, biking, jogging, Sprinkles cupcake–guzzling L.A. west siders.
Paul Rudd plays a record executive who isn't certain he likes turning 40 any more than his wife (Mann) does. Their insufferable kids are spoiled, Rudd's music business is crapping out, an employee is siphoning cash from Mann's posh clothing boutique, Rudd's father (Albert Brooks) has been mooching a small fortune from his son and the couple might have to sell their posh, sprawling house. Oh, and occasionally, Rudd and Mann hate each other and plot each other's deaths.
And so it goes in a series of repetitive scenes from a marriage, some of them involving hemorrhoids, mammograms, Viagra, bodily functions and no longer perky breasts, most of them feeling like a sometimes excruciatingly personal reality TV show, Meet the Apatows. But the great stuff in the movie—and there is plenty of it—is served up by the quicksilver, funny and touching performances from Rudd and Mann, who go for broke in every scene. There are also dead-on, sometimes painful comic bits from the Apatows' smart, likable, talented friends like Chris O'Dowd, Annie Mumolo, Charlyne Li and Melissa McCarthy. There's fun stuff from Megan Fox, too, as Mann's hottest employee, one with a secret life. Meanwhile, Brooks, untethered and probably improvisatory, delivers a brilliantly funny, possibly career-best turn.
Even when it refuses to end, even when its characters are so busy navel-gazing that you want to scream at them, "Go do something unselfish for a poor, needy animal or human, for Chrissake!" This Is 40 is almost consistently funny, wise and relatable.


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forum: Food & Drink
#1 Fri 25 May 07 12:34am
- Member Occupation cia
- From la
- Member since Thu 24 May 07
can anyone tell me how to ace a risotto without standing over the pot for 45min. i'm talking about once you begin adding the stock. most every recipe says it sould take about fifteen minutes. i labor for ages and my arm gets cramped. what's the secret?
#2 Fri 25 May 07 1:48am
- Forum champ Occupation Retired Clergy & Computer Consultant
- From Bradford, West Yorks
- Member since Mon 03 Jul 06
Re: Risotto....wtf?
Which rice variety are you using?
#3 Fri 25 May 07 2:30am
- Forum champ Occupation Why is the Rum always gone???!
- From out to lunch
- Member since Sat 07 Jan 06
Re: Risotto....wtf?
sounds like long grain brown ... i tried it once just to see if it could be done... takes forever and a day but it still tasted good
Only a fool argues with a skunk, a mule or a cook. { cowboy saying}
#4 Fri 25 May 07 2:58am
- Member Occupation IT Programmer
- From Newcastle, Australia
- Member since Tue 22 May 07
Re: Risotto....wtf?
Sounds like theres a market for an automated slow stirrer for hot foods
Cement mixer with a flame underneath?
#5 Fri 25 May 07 5:18am
- Member Occupation cia
- From la
- Member since Thu 24 May 07
Re: Risotto....wtf?
GeoffP wrote:
Which rice variety are you using?
store bought arborio. Trader Joe's(I live in los angeles)
#6 Fri 25 May 07 9:42am
- Forum champ Occupation Registered Nurse
- From Adelaide, OZ
- Member since Tue 03 Aug 04
Re: Risotto....wtf?
Is your stock boiling hot?
FWIW there is another method of making risotto which doesn't reqire stirring. A friend of mines mother doesn't stir as she says stirring breaks up the rice or something.
Regardless of this, it should only take 15-20 minutes. Maybe it is the rice you are using. Some places say a rice is arborio when it isn't. Go to an Italian Deli and get the stuff that has been imported from Italy.
#7 Fri 25 May 07 11:51am
- Forum champ
- From Switzerland
- Member since Fri 15 Apr 05
Re: Risotto....wtf?
Yeah, I was also going to ask whether your stock is simmering when you add it. If you keep cooling the rice down every time you add more liquid, you'll just keep lengthening the cooking process.
#8 Fri 25 May 07 12:30pm
- Forum super champ Occupation Mother of 2 working more than full time
- From Wallerawang, Oz
- Member since Wed 29 Jun 05
Re: Risotto....wtf?
There are baked risotto recipes, I havent tried them myself, but apparently you just give it a good stir at the end while adding butter, cheese, cream whatever...
Ashen, I lived with a family of people who couldnt eat any highly processed stuff & I used to make a brown rice dish with tomato, garlic olive oil & chicken stock with herbs & cheese added at the end... basically a risotto, although at the time I had never heard the term, it was quite good.
Thanks for reminding me. I want to get my kids eating more whole grains & fibre.
#9 Fri 25 May 07 2:11pm
- Member Occupation student chef, food and beverage attendant caterer
- From Australia
- Member since Thu 03 May 07
Re: Risotto....wtf?
the constant stirring isn't entirely neccessary. it will break up the rice and make the end product more stodgy than creamy. i would as mentioned earlier check the quality of the rice and also the temp of the stock, but also the pan you are using. a sautese pan is ideal for risotto i find. needs to be a heavy copper based pan. these are expensive, but will last a lifetime and make the world of difference to your cooking.
hope that helps
#10 Fri 25 May 07 2:20pm
- Forum super champ Occupation Mother of 2 working more than full time
- From Wallerawang, Oz
- Member since Wed 29 Jun 05
Re: Risotto....wtf?
here are some links to baked risotto recipes
http://forums.vogue.com.au/archive/inde … -4228.html
This one is a bit "1950's housewifey" not exactly gourmet
http://www.sanitarium.com.au/recipe/rec … rec-id=223
http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes … .asp?id=25
That should be enough to give you the basic idea... its just as adaptable as the traditional stand & stir method.


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Re: Windows 95 Problems
Check your mouse driver. If its the Logitech driver then ask tech
support about getting a special version of this driver.
Charles Morgan <cmorgan at efn.org> wrote:
>I have a problem running Mathematica 2.2.3 under Windows 95 that the Wolfram
>technical gurus haven't been able to help me with. If I start Windows in
>safe mode, then Mathematica runs fine. If I start Windows normally,
>however, Mathematica crashes and usually takes Windows with it. The crashes
>occur whenever the insertion cursor goes past the right side of the screen
>and scrolling would normally begin. Sometimes the screen will just freeze
>and sometimes Windows will issue an illegal operation message (usually
>"Frontend has caused an invalid page fault in module Kernel32.dll") followed
>by a fatal exception message.
>To isolate the cause, I've tried emulating safe mode by renaming my
>Autoexec.bat, Config.sys, and Win.ini files, using a very spartan
>Config.sys, turning protected mode drivers off (by unchecking in Device
>Manager), removing all programs from the startup folder, using only standard
>Microsoft drivers for video, mouse, and keyboard, changing video
>acceleration to zero, and starting Windows in Step-By-Step confirmation mode
>and bypassing the Registry. The problem, however, persists. If anyone has
>any ideas, I'd really aprreciate hearing them.


text:
Posted by JP Gownder on November 26, 2011
Ah, Black Friday: What would the post-Thanksgiving shopping bonanza be without a visit to the local mall? This year, I was keen to perform some gumshoe research on a theme I've been talking about all year long: mass customization, a product strategy that's ready for prime time across multiple industries.
A trip to the Natick Mall (yes, "Mall," no longer "Collection," New Englanders) reveals that mass customization isn't just the future; it's the present. In fact, it's hiding in plain sight. Build-a-Bear Workshop, Hallmark, Lego, and LensCrafters are all stores in the Natick Mall that offer significant customization for consumer products. Burberry is the latest Natick Mall vendor to offer mass customization; I am quoted in Time magazine this week (here, but subscription required to view the link; page 82 in the December 5 paper edition) discussing how luxury clothing and customization fit together well. As I've written before, one of the benefits of employing mass customization is that it empowers consumers to create products that express their personalities -- a particularly relevant feature for clothing and apparel products.


text:
The Retirement Net is the best site to find Reform Alabama Nursing Homes Retirement Communities for active adults considering relocation to Reform Alabama. Your search results for Reform Alabama Nursing Homes Retirement Living and Nursing Homes, Retirement Homes includes web sites of active adult and senior citizen new home communities throughout Reform Alabama - single family homes, condominiums, villas, manufactured homes and more.
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Alabama is a state filled with Southern charm and Sun-kissed beaches. Bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west, it is known as the "Heart of Dixie." Alabama hosts some of the best and least expensive golf courses in the nation. Combined with the pleasant climate and Gulf Coast beaches, Alabama is an excellent place to retire.
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Nursing homes were created to provide your loved one with the best of both worlds- a place that's both safe haven and a place that is meant to feel like home. In some cases, nursing homes may be the best scenario for your loved one because of medical or o Read more...
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text:
Enterprise Rent-A-Car is an extended family of more than 2,800 employees in Canada and more than 65,000 worldwide; a world-class company with homegrown roots. From humble beginnings – our first Canadian car rental branch opened in 1993 in Windsor, Ontario – Enterprise has quickly become Canada's largest provider of rental cars. Through tremendous leadership and the entrepreneurial spirit of our employees, we've built the largest rental car company in North America and, arguably, the world – customer by customer, car by car from the ground up. Our goal has never been to be the biggest; we simply work hard to be the best.
Advertise with us, send us Suggestions and find more about WinnipegKiosk.ca


text:
Kingsport man charged with hammer attack
KINGSPORT, Tenn. - A Kingsport man is in jail and accused of attempted first degree murder after officers say he attacked another man with a hammer.
Police say 21-year-old Matthew Dalton Johnson attacked the victim after an argument lasting several days.
Johnson reportedly invited the victim to talk and put the argument behind them. Police say that's when the victim arrived Johnson attacked him with a hammer, then took the victim's wallet and cell phone.
Johnson is charged with attempted first degree murder, aggravated robbery, and felony vandalism.
The Kingsport Police Department released the following information about the incident:
"A suspect has been arrested for Attempted First-Degree Murder after assaulting his victim with a ball-peen hammer.
On November 21, 2013 at approximately 9:35 PM, Kingsport Police Patrol Officers responded to the area of "The Birches" in Kingsport in reference to a disturbance.
While en route, Officer Bobby Lawson was flagged down about a block away from the residence by an individual driving a white 2011 Hyundai Sonata. This individual, a 50-year-old white male, appeared to be the victim of an assault, having various abrasions and bruises to his head and blood visible on his face and nose. The individual told Officer Lawson that he had been attacked by Matthew Johnson.
The subsequent investigation revealed that Mr. Johnson and the victim are acquaintances and had been quarreling for several days. Mr. Johnson called the victim and invited him to the residence under the pretense of putting the argument behind them and making up.
Immediately upon arriving inside the residence, the victim was suddenly and violently attacked by Mr. Johnson. Johnson struck the victim numerous times in the head with a ball-peen hammer and forcibly took his wallet and cell phone from his person.
The victim ran to his car and began sounding the vehicle's horn for help. He then got in the vehicle and attempted to leave. The Birches is a gated community, so the victim had to wait a moment for the gate to open. Before the victim could exit the gate, Mr. Johnson charged out and struck the vehicle with a large rock.
Officers responded to the scene and located Mr. Johnson's mother and grandmother, who advised that Mr. Johnson had already left on foot. However, while officers were still in the immediate area, Mr. Johnson circled back to the residence. Officers returned to the scene and found Mr. Johnson inside the residence cleaning up blood left on the floor from the earlier assault."


text: God visited Abraham and Sarah when she was almost 100 and gave them a son, Issac. Usova's baby must be a special gift from God. Wait a minute, that means Usova's child is a MIRACLE !!! OMG, that means USOVA IS A SAINT. Dear God, please help esta look through the smoke and see the special light within Saint Usova


text:
ChicagoCon 2007 Evening Presentation Files Released
Whew... Not only is running an event time consuming but so is everything else that needs to be done before and after it. But here we are, a week and a half after our first ChicagoCon, and I'm happy to be able to share with you some of the experiences of this unique event. We are also going to keep with the philosophy that made EH-Net what it is today, and all files are free to everyone!!
And, to be honest, I want to show you what you missed!!
Enjoy and spread the word,
And, to be honest, I want to show you what you missed!!
MP3s of All Presentations are Available NOW!!
The evening presentations are what makes the ChicagoCon experience different from the rest. This is where you get to see top professionals in their fields do what they do live and in person. From career advice to hacking PDAs, E-Voting Systems to malware deconstruction, live demos of hacking tools such as Metasploit and Cain & Abel... It's all here as yet another way for you to expand your knowledge. And while you're at it, why not have a little fun with some hacking contests. Let's call it your practical exam! And, as with most things in life, you will be rewarded with gifts from our Publishing Sponsors.
Enjoy and spread the word,
Last edited by don on Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
CISSP, MCSE, CSTA, Security+ SME


text:
By Rick Maloney
A friend with more than 30 years of school board service tells a story from his first year on the board. Eager to learn, he attended an annual school board conference. At one of the luncheons, he asked others around the table to describe an effective school board. A businessman and urban board member responded: "The ideal school board meets once a year. At this meeting the board considers a single agenda item, a motion to fire the superintendent. If the motion passes, the board begins a search for a new superintendent. If the motion fails, the annual evaluation is declared satisfactory, the meeting adjourns, and the board goes home for the year."
My friend tells this story when discussing the board's accountability role, and it never fails to get a laugh. He often follows by telling of another board member he met a few years later who had a different approach to supervising the superintendent. This board president routinely visited the district office on Monday mornings to review the superintendent's personal calendar and approve or disapprove each meeting or appointment planned for the week.
Accountability in the form of superintendent evaluation is arguably the board's most important function. The superintendent is hired by the board to run the district, and the board is elected by the community to see that the district runs well. More than just another district employee, the superintendent represents to the board the sum total of the organization, so system accountability comes with the title.
The school board, for its part, is positioned between the community and its schools to provide that accountability function. Nevertheless, boards struggle with carrying out this responsibility. We try to do the job conscientiously, but many of us still fall short, either by not doing enough (like the urban board member in my friend's story) or by doing too much (like the schedule-approving board member my friend encountered).
My board has had challenges figuring out how to evaluate our superintendent. Although we knew we didn't have the expertise to run a district by ourselves, we also knew that our community held us responsible for appropriate oversight. We weren't happy with the status quo, which was to give the superintendent a free hand, then complain and criticize, mostly about our relationship with the superintendent.
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© National School Boards Association


text:
Hello guys and gals!
I am developing a story that I conceptualized long ago, and am looking for any and all criticism or ideas that would help strengthen the plot, characters, etc. It is essentially, Mass Effect meets I Am Legend meets Singularity meets Life After People.
This is merely a synopsis and not a fleshed out story (Which I am working on in the form of a screenplay/game script), but it conveys the main characters, their struggles, their goals, and the main story line.
Thanks ahead of time for all constructive criticism and pointers/ideas.
Here is the synopsis of WAKE: Evolution Through Extinction:
You are awakened from a hyper-stasis chamber by an alien expedition team. Your chamber is among the debris of a severely degraded structure. A power source, not unlike a battery, has kept the stasis operational for five hundred years and likely would have for another five hundred.
The aliens pull you from the chamber. It appears, oddly enough, that they are speaking your language. They have a translation device that scanned your mind and is altering and translating your perception of their sounds into English, as long as you are in range of the signal.
The prolonged slumber in stasis has degraded several memories. You remember your first name (Entered by the user) and you remember a reasonable amount about humanity at the time, but most of your personal memories that are attached to emotions seem to have been lost. The aliens confirm this through neural scans, but they suggest that the effects are not necessarily permanent.
The aliens are extremely excited over their discovery of you. When you ask why, they say that all appearances suggest that humanity went extinct around five hundred years ago, when you likely entered stasis. We are the only intelligent life they have found in the Milky Way.
"Ziggy", an emotional alien, seems to grow an instant attachment and fondness for you. "Duffy" (Ziggy's partner in life, and an associate on this small expedition team), is a dry and blunt, but helpful, alien. In anticipation of answering their own questions and empathy towards offering closure for you, they decide to discover the cause of humanity's end.
You find snippets of vague information – preserved newspapers and recordings - in the ruins of the nearby city.
These details start off vague but eventually indicate a spreading disaster; something one would expect from a high-level extinction event. But the details of the extinction still elude you, and one thing is clear; the extinction event was not over in an instant. People suffered.
Without warning, you come under attack from a mutated creature. You are knocked unconscious, but your friends save you. They inform you that they have examined the creature they have killed. They show you an image of what you remember is a raccoon. They explain that the creature mutated from this, and is entirely made up of cancerous tissue. A contagion is isolated. The results indicate that a rogue nanite is the culprit behind the mutations and you now have them replicating in your blood stream.
Time is limited as you continue exploration, with finding more answers about this plague being your only hope at finding a cure. You discover that the nanites, created by "Ashland Nanotech", were originally created to cure cancer, which would alter DNA to remove or repair "onco genes" (genes that lead to or cause cancer). They were soon used as an augmentation to our immune systems.
Somehow they changed – maybe evolved.
Normal EMP's and chemicals would have no effect of the nanites without killing the host. In your search for answers, you learn that the only way to destroy the nanites is to activate a special nanite control/purge core built at the Ashland Nanotech Facility.
Ziggy and Duffy decide that the only way this disease can be eliminated is to prevent its creation via a time portal. But these portals are highly illegal among their species. The penalty of trying to use one, without legal authority, is death. The aliens believe there is limited proof that going back in time can change the present. Some speculate that your destination is an alternate universe. Despite the uncertainty, no unapproved experimentation is permitted.
Ziggy and Duffy are part of a larger scientific expedition that carries the technology necessary to create a portal. Risking their lives for you, they obtain the device. This is all they can do for you, and finding out how to get to the purge core and activate it is your responsibility. But if you succeed, the nanites in your body, and all the nanites in the world at the time you have returned to, will be destroyed before the disease can form or spread.
Sensing importance in the location in which you were discovered, Ziggy and Duffy send you back in time from the stasis chamber. Conveniently, you find that the chambers were in the Ashland Nanotech facility.
You stumble through the building, regaining several memories that lead you to the nanites control/purge core. Employees look on in near horror at your mutating form. Security attempts to stop you, but their commander orders a retreat for some reason.
You muse out loud to yourself that your proximity to the purge when it goes off will fry the corrupted nanites in your body. Without the nanites in your body, the cancerous tissue will probably spread out of control, killing you very quickly. The purge will then kill/deactivte the remaining nanites across the globe.
After the purge, you black out.
You wake up in a medical facility. The doctor has "Ashland Nanotech" written on his coat. He thanks you for likely saving the species – calling you, "Mr. Ashland".
After the credits, audio is played of a news report.
"The massive global nanites failure has been traced to the Ashland Nanotech facility in New York. The company's owner, Mr. NAME Ashland is suspected to have activated an emergency purge of all nanites technology. Reports suggest that he wasdelirious, claiming to be from the future, coming back to save the world."
"In related news, reports indicate that not all nanites were eliminated by the purging event. Meant to fry the nanites, the purge may have merely damaged a few, which remained functional. There have been two cases of victims developing cancerous growths. These are suspected to be caused by the damaged nanites. The government assures us that the corrupted nanites will
easily be dealt with."
**END (seemingly)**
But this is not actually the end. After this, the player is prompted to start a second playthrough of the campaign that is entirely different, where you correct the incidental mistakes. You survived the nanite purge and the cancer did not kill you, but you are still partially mutated. You go into stasis again at the Ashland Nanotech Facility, while the other "you" has already entered stasis to survive the coming catastrophe.
This incident has been looping forever, and each outcome is slightly different, but the original "you" has died in the future every time, allowing the healthy Mr. Ashland that is also ignorant to his coming mistakes, to survive. This time is different. You are playing the one loop in this tragic event where, if you do things right, you can finally stop the plague and this cycle.
A cave-in disables your stasis pod, but you somehow survive. You realize that you must replace yourself with the "clueless" Mr. Ashland which allows you to survive and be awoken again by Ziggy and Duffy - but this time you have a way to win this. You are cured of the nanite infection because of the purge event in the first play through. This time, you can stop the purge from being set, which will prevent the nanites from evolving.
But there's a problem, and it's internal. The whole future looks a little different than you left it. Was it something that you did? Or was it something that the nanites did to you?
Game Type: Narrative and atmosphere told and shown through series of hidden object and puzzle screens.
Edited by AspireAN, 12 February 2013 - 04:32 PM.


text:
Excerpt: "The last time the Giants saw the Saints, the number 80 left an indelible mark on the Big Blue defense as in the jersey number worn by New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham.
More specifically, the number on Grahams back, which the Giants were forced to view on each of his two touchdown catches in the Saints 49-24 rout a little more than a year ago, on Nov. 28, 2011.
The 26-year-old Graham is perhaps the NFLs best tight end, probably the Saints best offensive threat and almost certainly the most athletic tight end in the NFL.
Hes probably your new-age Tony Gonzalez, new-age Antonio Gates, Giants safety Stevie Brown said.
Graham also may be the biggest weapon the Giants need to contain in tomorrows pivotal game against the Saints at MetLife Stadium. Drew Brees has thrown for 77 touchdown passes over the last two seasons 19 of them to Graham, including eight this year.So how do the Giants contain the 6-foot-7, 265-pound Graham, who had terrific success against them last season and who often lines up in the slot?Its just more so youve got to play games with him, just like youve got to play games with the quarterback and everything like that, Brown said. Youve got to show him a different coverage.Youve got to play him like youre going to put your hands on him. You actually do have to sometimes get up there and put your hands on him. Youve just got to keep it switched up so you can keep him guessing.
The Giants will almost certainly attempt to do so without safety Kenny Phillips, listed as doubtful with a knee injury (he was doubtful last week but played in the loss to the Redskins). But they should be getting some help with athletic linebacker Jacquian Williams back in the fold.Williams has missed the last six games with a knee injury but is listed as probable.Thats a huge boost for this team, linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said. Hes a special talent. Read more...


text:
Could someone please provide a description on the uses of the Double Screen Board which is listed in PLANS section?
Could someone please provide a description on the uses of the Double Screen Board which is listed in PLANS section?
A double screen allows you to keep a weaker colony alive and growing by placing it over one that is strong. The space between the screens prohibits the queens from coming close enough to kill each other. Usually, the entrance for the top colony is rotated 180 degrees from the entrance in the colony below.
Double screens are especially handy for overwintering weak colonies without sacfificing a good queen from a small, yet otherwise healthy colony.
Also good for re-queening. Make a divide above the screen so that the new queen is introduced to young bee, the old bees have returned to the bottom hive. Later remove the old queen below and merge the two together.
Thanks for the info. I had read somewhere that by putting brood frames & bees above the double screen board you can get these bees to rear a new queen. Will this work? Aren't the bees still exposed to the old queen's scent through the screen?
Is this forum working correctly?
Sorry for the above post, I didn't realize user names were case sensitive.....hope everyone's bees are doing great...mine sure are!


text: Hi,I'm a new beekeeper collecting equipment over the winter to startup next Spring. I'm currently living in NM but moving to OR as soon as my house sells. This forum has been very helpful to me in making equipment decisions. However, I'm still unsure of the best top feeder to use and where to get it. Does anyone have an opinion on this?