text:
Home > City Tours > Shanghai Tours > 5-day Amazing Zhangjiajie Tour from Shanghai
Amazing Zhangjiajie Tour from Shanghai
5-DayShanghai Zhangjiajie Fenghuang
Vicky Wen
Tour designer
Take a short break to Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang Ancient Town from Shanghai and you will be totally relaxed by the amazing landscape and poetic lifestyle.
- The world's highest landscape elevator
- Stay overnight and enjoy a free day in Fenghuang Ancient Town
- Late night airport pick-up in Shanghai
What's Included & Excluded
Price Inclusion
- Entrance fees.
- Meals listed in the itinerary.
- Private transfers.
- Private English-speaking guide and driver.
- Hotels listed in the itinerary.
- Service Charge & Taxes.
- China Life Tourist Accident/Casualty Insurance.
- Luggage Transfers.
Price Exclusion
- International Airfare or Train Tickets to enter or leave China.
- China Entry Visa Fees.
- Excess Baggage Charges.
- Personal Expenses.
- Any meals that are not mentioned in the tour itinerary.
- Single Room Supplement.


text:
|Thread Tools
Octane Booster Info
In the carb cleaner thread I started we started discussing octane boosters, I did some searching through the MSDS sheets for some octane boosters and I thought the subject deserved it's own thread so here we are . . .
Nitro Power Booster Fuel Treatment
1-Nitropropane 45-55%
Toluene 18-27
Methanol 13-23
Acetone 5-10
MMT+ Octane Booster Fuel Treatment (offroad)
Toluene 25-30%
Methanol 25-30
Hydrocarbon Solvent 20-30
Acetone 5-10
Octane Improver Concentrate 5-10
Hexanes <5
Wynn's Spitfire +Plus+ With Octane Booster
Petroleum Distillate 85-95%
Naptha 1- 5
Wynn's Spitfire Octane Booster
Petroleum Distillate 90-100%
Gunk Octane Performance Booster
Petroleum distillate, Aliphalic 60-100%
Hydrocarbon Solvent 1- 5
Polyether amine 1- 5
Naphthalene .1- 1
Petroleum naphtha .1- 1
Xylene .1- 1
Kerosine 86-96%
Trade Secret 1-10
Turbo Octane Boost 108
(No percentages given)
t-Butyl alcohol
STP Octane Performance Booster
Kerosine, petroleum, hydrodesulfurized 60-80
Petroleum distillates (JP5 Jet fuel) 60-80
Solvent naphtha, petroleum, medium aliphatic 60-80
Stoddard solvent 60-80
Solvent naphtha, petroleum, light aromatic 15-40
Trade secret ingredients 10-30
Naphthalene 0- 2
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene 1-10
Mesitylene (1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene) 1- 5
Xylene (mixed isomers) 1- 3
(This one doesn't seem to add up with all the 60-80% in there)
STP Octane Booster
Petroleum Distillates 90-100%
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene 1- 3
NOS Octane Booster (Street Formula)
Kerosine >60%
Proprietary Polymer <5
Petroleum distillates, hydrocarbonated light <5
2-Propanol <5
Hi again Guys,
Here's an article on using Toluene as an octane booster that I found. The author says you can copy elsewhere as long as it's done in it's entirety so here it is! The original link is at:
Here is an article on "Rocket fuel" for our cars.
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...94.2 Octane
20%...96.4 Octane
30%...98.6 Octane
Notes: Common ingredient in Octane Boosters in a can. 12-16 ounces will only raise octane 2-3 *points*, I.e. from 92 to 92.3. Often costs $3-5 for 12-16 ounces, when it can be purchased for less than $3/gal at chemical supply houses or paint stores.
Rocket fuel FAQ
Copyright ã 1999,2000 by Eliot Lim This paper may be freely distributed, provided it is distributed in its entirety
Last revised by Eliot Lim: February 8, 2000
Last augmented by Charles Smith: January 6, 2003
In late 1997 I became the lucky owner of 1 out of 150 1998 Porsche 993 Targas, the very last of the air cooled classics. As I drove it through the winter of 1997 and into the spring of 1998 I noticed that the engine lost some of its sweetness. Since this behavior was strongly related to ambient and engine temperature I suspected that the engine electronics were retarding its ignition timing due to insufficient fuel octane.
I started experimenting with octane boosting by first adding small doses of over the counter octane boosters and noticed immediate improvement. The engine ran smoother and quieter, was more willing to rev and had noticeably sharper throttle response. The octane shortage was confirmed by the sticker on the filler cap that stated that 93 octane fuel was needed. Since the highest octane rated fuel that was commonly available in Washington state is 92, I decided to investigate long term cost effective octane boosting so that I could fully enjoy the performance that this car offered.
My other car at the time, a 1990 Audi V8 quattro had an even more dramatic response to octane boosting. I managed to convince a few good friends to try it and the reaction was overwhelmingly positive. When I attempted a broader based dissemination of this exciting find, I was greeted largely by broad unyielding skepticism and plenty of FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) regarding toxicity, safety and engine damage. There arose a need to more clearly explain the details of octane boosting, hence giving rise to this article.
Q: Will my car benefit from octane boosting?
A: Consumer organizations have effectively emphasized the larger markups that oil companies charge for high octane gasoline, implying that for most vehicles higher octane fuel is a complete waste of money. It has been quite a long time since the consumer alert was issued. Since then engine technology has evolved greatly, while people's perceptions generally have not.
Modern vehicles now use computerized engine management systems that can react to engine knock and retard ignition timing if low octane fuel is being used. Consequently cars are now being manufactured with very high compression ratios that appear to give good fuel economy and at the same time good performance. This combination does assume that fuel of adequate octane is being used.
Q: Why bother to boost octane at all since my engine can run just fine on lower octane fuel?
A: For a high compression engine to run on low octane fuel, the engine management system will need to retard the ignition timing to prevent preignition or pinging. Retarding the ignition timing means that the firing of the spark plug is delayed until a later moment in the compression stroke. It does not take much to see that a later onset of combustion means that the combustion is less complete, which in turn mean less power and poorer fuel economy. It is possible that the casual driver will still come out ahead in terms of saving money by using low octane fuel, but the retarded ignition advance also means a rougher running engine and a much duller throttle response. Thus octane boosting is not necessarily of interest to all motorists but rather the enthusiasts.
For turbocharged or supercharged engines, insufficient octane will also lead the engine management system to curtail the amount of boost which in turn defeats the purpose of these engines.
Q: How did you discover using toluene?
A: Someone came across a web page that described various DIY home brew octane booster formulas. One of which used toluene as its main ingredient. As a Formula 1 racing fan of many years, I recalled that toluene was used extensively in the turbo era in the 1980s by all the Formula 1 teams. The 1.5 liter turbocharged engines ran as much as 5 bars of boost (73 psi) in qualifying and 4 bars (59 psi) in the actual race. Power output exceeded 1500bhp, which translates into 1000bhp/liter, an astronomical figure.
A motorsports journalist, Ian Bamsey, was able to obtain Honda's cooperation for his book "McLaren Honda Turbo, a Technical Appraisal". The book documents the key role that the toluene fuel played in allowing these tiny engines to run so much turbo boost without detonation. The term "rocket fuel" originated from the Formula 1 fraternity as an affectionate nickname to describe its devastating potency. Thus I concluded that I should focus my research on using toluene for my octane boosting project.
Individuals with good long term memory will recall that when unleaded gasoline was first introduced, only low octane grades were available. While it is not entirely clear that high octane super unleaded gas came about as a result of the advances in fuel technology in Formula 1, there is every reason to suspect that this is indeed the case, since many of the major oil companies were involved in the escalating race to develop increasingly potent racing fuel during this era.
Q: Why do you think toluene is better than other types of octane boosters?
A: Several reasons:
Mindful of the evil reputation of octane boosters in general, toluene is a very safe choice because it is one of the main octane boosters used by oil companies in producing ordinary gasoline of all grades. Thus if toluene is indeed harmful to your engine as feared, your engine would have disintegrated long, long ago since ordinary pump gasoline can contain as much as 50% aromatic hydrocarbons.
Toluene is a pure hydrocarbon (C7H8). i.e. it contains only hydrogen and carbon atoms. It belongs to a particular category of hydrocarbons called aromatic hydrocarbons. Complete combustion of toluene yields CO2 and H2O. This fact ensures that the entire emission control system such as the catalyst and oxygen sensor of your car is unaffected. There are no metallic compounds (lead, magnesium etc), no nitro compounds and no oxygen atoms in toluene. It is made up of exactly the same ingredients as ordinary gasoline. In fact it is one of the main ingredients of gasoline.
Toluene has a RON octane rating of 121 and a MON rating of 107, leading to a (R+M)/2 rating of 114. (R+M)/2 is how ordinary fuels are rated in the US. Note that toluene has a sensitivity rating of 121-107=14. This compares favorably with alcohols which have sensitivities in the 20-30 range. The more sensitive a fuel is the more its performance degrades under load. Toluene's low sensitivity means that it is an excellent fuel for a heavily loaded engine.
Toluene is denser than ordinary gasoline (0.87 g/mL vs. 0.72-0.74) and contains more energy per unit volume. Thus combustion of toluene leads to more energy being liberated and thus more power generated. This is in contrast to oxygenated octane boosters like ethanol or MTBE which contain less energy per unit volume compared to gasoline. The higher heating value of toluene also means that the exhaust gases contain more kinetic energy, which in turn means that there is more energy to drive turbocharger vanes. In practical terms this is experienced as a faster onset of turbo boost.
Chevron's published composition of 100 octane aviation fuel shows that toluene comprises up to 14% alone and is the predominant aromatic hydrocarbon. Unfortunately composition specifications for automotive gasoline is harder to pin down due to constantly changing requirements.
Chevron's web site also describes the problems of ethanol being used in gasoline.
MTBE was heavily touted as a clean additive several years ago, and became a key ingredient in reformulated gasoline that is sold in California. But recently new studies arose that showed that MTBE was far more toxic than previously imagined. Organizations such as oxybusters have formed around the country to eliminate the use of MTBE in gasoline and several states, including California have passed new laws to eventually outlaw MTBE.
Q: How much toluene should I use per tank of gas?
A: Octane ratings can be very easily calculated by simple averaging. For example, the tank of an Audi A4 1.8TQ is 15.6 gallons. Filling it with 14.6 gallons of 92 octane and 1 gallon of toluene (114 octane) will yield a fuel mix of:
(14.6 * 92) + (1 * 114) / 15.6 = 93.4
The Audi A4 1.8T is a good example of a car that has very high octane needs if it has been modified to produce more turbo boost. The base compression ratio of this car is a very high 9.5:1 and when an additional 1 bar (14.7 psi) of turbo boost is applied on top of it, the resulting effective compression ratio is way beyond what 92 or 93 octane fuel can ever hope to cope with. Most modified 1.8Ts running without octane enhancement are running with severely retarded ignition timing and boost.
Q: Will toluene damage my engine or other parts of my car?
A: A 5 or 10% increase in the aromatic content of gas will most likely be well within the refining specifications of gasoline defined by ASTM D4814, which specify an aromatic content of between 20% and 45%. What this means is that if the 92 octane gas that you started off with had an aromatic content of say 30% and you increased it by 10% to 40% you would still be left with a mix that meets the industry definition of gasoline. So the above question would amount to: "Will gasoline damage my engine or other parts of my car?"
Even in the unlikely event that the 92 octane gas has a aromatic content of 45% the resulting mix would still be within the bounds of gasoline sold in other countries.
Q: Isn't toluene an extremely toxic substance?
A: The common perception of toluene's toxicity far exceeds reality. Fortunately there is an ample body of information available that specifically addresses this question. Toluene is more toxic than gasoline but it is certainly not agent orange or cyanide. See the Agency for Toxic Substances link below in the reference section.
US Environmental Protection Agency Chemical Summary
US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
National priority list of toxic substances
Note that the ATSDR also rates gasoline as a hazardous substance.
Mobil's spec sheet for toluene even goes as far as saying that "Based on available toxicological information, it has been determined that this product poses no significant health risk when used and handled properly."
Q: Isn't toluene an active ingredient of TNT (trinitrotoluene) and is thus deadly?
A: In the same way that cotton wool is the base ingredient of nitrocellulose (guncotton) which in turn is the main ingredient in modern smokeless gunpowder. Using this reasoning one could conclude that cotton wool is a deadly substance. This question reflects a poor understanding of basic chemistry but unfortunately it has been asked often enough.
Q: How much does toluene cost, and where can I buy some?
A: $10/gallon in a one gallon can at a hardware store, about $6/gallon in a 5 gallon can from a chemical supply or paint store, or $3/gallon in a 55 gallon drum from a chemical supply warehouse.
A2: Experience of Charlie Smith in 2002. Sherwin Williams paint stores have it for $5.00 in a gallon can. They can order it in a 5 gallon can at $4.00 / gallon. They can order 55 gallon drums for about the same cost per gallon, but you have to have a dock unloading facility to get the drum(s) off of the delivery truck.
Q: Can I just dump in 100% toluene into the tank like the F1 racers? vroom vroom vroom
A: First of all, the F1 racers did not use 100% toluene, but 84%. The other 16% in their brew is n-heptane, which has an octane rating of zero. The reason for this strange combination is because the F1 rocket fuel was limited to the rules to being of 102 RON octane. The n-heptane is "filler" to make the fuel comply with the rules.
Because toluene is such an effective anti knock fuel it also means that it is more difficult to ignite at low temperatures. The Formula 1 cars that ran on 84% toluene needed to have hot radiator air diverted to heat its fuel tank to 70C to assist its vaporization. Thus too strong a concentration of toluene will lead to poor cold start and running characteristics. I recommend that the concentration of toluene used to not exceed what the engine is capable of utilizing. i.e. Experiment with small increases in concentration until you can no longer detect an improvement.
Q: Why not simply use racing gasoline or aviation fuel?
A1: Most types of aviation fuel have very high lead content, which would rule out cars equipped with catalytic converters. Most piston engined aircraft burn leaded fuel. Also aviation fuel has a very different hydrocarbon mix to optimize volatility properties at high altitude.
A2: Racing gasoline could be a much more convenient way to run high octane fuel compared to having to constantly mix in toluene with each fill up. There are, however a few caveats:
You don't know for sure if you are really getting what is being advertised. You should find out if the fuel inspectors verify the actual octane of the racing gasoline in addition to ordinary gasoline. If you paid $3/gallon and only got 94 or 95 octane instead of 100 octane you may conclude erroneously that your car does not benefit from octane boosting.
You don't know what octane boosters are used in the racing gasoline. The worst case scenario is buying leaded racing gasoline without knowing it. Unleaded racing gasoline may still contain damaging octane boosters like MMT or methanol. A very high alcohol content will lead to fuel line erosion, accelerated fuel pump wear, very poor fuel economy and possibly lower performance, as alcohols have a less impressive MON rating than aromatics.
It takes smaller quantities of toluene to achieve the same octane boost compared to 100 octane racing gas. I have not seen unleaded racing gas for sale that exceeds the octane rating of toluene.
Since toluene is not officially sold as a fuel, gas taxes do not apply. Also racing gasoline tend to have higher markups being of interest to the performance minded enthusiast and thus is very likely to be more expensive to buy and use long term than toluene, which is typically used in more mundane applications like paint thinner.
Q: Ok, what is the catch?
A: It should be mentioned that in the US, efforts are underway to reduce the aromatic content of gasolines in general as a higher aromatic content leads to higher benzene emissions. Benzene is an extremely toxic substance. However it should also be noted that the proportions that is being discussed in this FAQ is relatively small and in the grand scheme of things is probably insignificant. Moreover, the industrial standard for defining gasoline composition allows plenty of leeway in aromatic content and the proportions present in US gas is already lower than most other countries. I therefore feel that the information provided here is useful to a performance minded car enthusiast while not being significantly detrimental to the environment.
Q: What safety measures can you recommend in handling toluene?
A: The following is a good reference guide:
Q: Do you have testimonies of others who have tried this?
A: Some samples of feedback is reprinted with the names removed below. You may contact me if you wish to contact the respondents directly.
Since I didn't have any reference point for how much to use, I dumped about a half gallon of this mix into a mostly empty tank (the GT has a 16 gallon tank) and then filled up with Chevron 92 octane.
I didn't get to drive the car until PIR the next morning, (my GF doesn't like the 200; it's too big) but the report was that there was no change for a mile or so, and then all of a sudden, the engine seemed to smooth out and became quite eager to rev and run.
Well, by that calculation, I only managed to bump the octane to just shy of 93, but it seemed to make a big difference. I ran the car hard all day, (for reference, it's got an '87 MC turbo motor, K26, 12psi boost, and currently no intercooler) and even at 12 pounds of boost, I never once felt the ECU backing the timing off. Granted, the ambient temps never got above 50, and my water and oil temps were rock solid. (Oil just pushing above 100C)
The only cars that I had to get out of the way for was an Integra Type R and a couple of race-prepped P-cars. I even managed to lap the NSX once! It was a really good day!
Okay, kids, gather round. This is important: we spend lots of money for our car, lot of money modifying and taking care of it, lots of effort and pride in owning it. So if someone comes along and proposes to give you something that would increase your enjoyment in driving by exponential measures and it would only cost you two or three bucks per tank of gas, would you be suspicious like the 100MPG carburetors? Would you listen long enough to real-life testimonies to consider this improvement for yourself?
Well, this is the case for Toluene and what it can do for your V8Q if you been using anything less than 92+ octane. Get some.Try it. No harm, no risk. Use about 24-32 ounces per 1/2 to full tank. You will not look debonair. You will have to suspend your "cool" look. You may want to try this alone. YOU WILL HAVE THE ****TEST, MOST PLASTER, GRIN ON YOUR FACE YOU HAVE EVER HAD! It won't come off. You'll tell the kids, daddy has his own "transformer". It will be like a new car...no, better than new!
I took my family out to dinner tonight and could hardly keep from dropping it into manual and showing off like some teenager (I don't think my 17 year old daughter was inpressed). I wanna see some posts here with personal experiences by you guys using this stuff - I wanna know that my car is normal and hasn't been deprived ever since I've owned it.
I did the Rocket Fuel thing tonight on my Extremely Modified 5KCSTQ that runs 24 PSI of boost... And I can tell you not only does my ears and my butt say that the Rocket fuel is doing it's job but My ECU Data logger that gives me the timing value for all 5 cyls says it's working too.
Before Rocket Fuel I was running full retard (14 Deg of timing) on boost and would still on occasion get some knock, now I'm getting timing numbers around 22 Deg's with ZERO knock ever. I'm running 2 Gallons of Toluene 7oz of ATF and 17.5 gals of 93 oct gas for a net octane of 95.15. I'm next going to try 3 Gallons of Toluene (96.23 Octane) to see what timing numbers I get.
After being convinced that my car was running below it potential - Owners manual recommends octane rating between 95 and 99, although it_will_run on octane as low as 91 - I stopped by Sherwin Williams and picked up a gallon. It was on sale for $5.85! Anyway, head to the chevron and pour a half gallon into the tank before pumping in the premium. The car took 16 gallons so there was still 4 gallons in the tank. I take off....nothing (obviously burning the fuel still in the lines). About 10 miles later, HOLY SH*****T!!!!!!!!!! It really does everything advertised by the list. It is so much more responsive from a stop and low speed, it really is impressive. I would agree with the sentiment that it feels like a totally different car.
For the non believers, you really should try to get some higher octane fuel in your tank, whether through the use of Toluene or not. The owners manual recommends 95 to 99 octane** for optimal performance. With the half gallon of Toluene I added to the 92 octane, I was only running at approximately 92.6 octane and the difference was simply amazing!
If you haven't tried it, do yourself a favor and give it a whirl - I swear you'll be impressed.
(**note: this person confused RON octane mentioned in the owners manual with R+M/2 octane that is sold in the pump. 95-99 RON is roughly equivalent to 91-94 R+M/2)
After trying rocket fuel for two weeks, I can only say I love it.
The first tank, however, was a disappointment. I think I did not add enough of rocket fuel for the first tank. So I added a little more for my second tank, it ran better but not too much improvement. Then on my 3rd tank, what a difference, the car feels like a "Rocket" now, even though it is an "Auto". I always feel there is more power available for me.
I think for my 1st and 2nd tank, I did not have enough rocket fuel in it, even though I added one gallon per tank. Then, on my 3rd tank, I had enough because of the left overs from my 1st and 2nd tank. (I fill up my tank at about the 1/4 mark). Now I only have about 2 gallons of rocket fuel left, I better get more now!!! :-)
Reference materials:
1. Gasoline FAQ
2. McLaren Honda Turbo - a technical appraisal
Ian Bamsey
ISBN 0-85429-840-1, published 1990
3. Chevron's excellent Motor Gasolines Technical Review
4. Agency for Toxic Substances FAQ on Toluene
In summary:
Use in a well ventilated area, don't drink even a little of it, and
report spills of more than 1000 pounds to the National Response Center
5. Toxic Chemicals in your Environment (Australia) FAQ on Toluene
In summary:
this "Total Environment Center" likes a totally chemical free environment,
and even at that they can't find fault about much more than acute exposure
cases, and they also say not to drink any of it.
6. Exxon Chemical Americas - Toluene, Technical Material Safety Data Sheet
7. Recicladora Temarry de Mexico - Recycling Processor
Recycling information and Material Safety Data Sheets on numerous chemicals including Toluene.
From the article above it appears that Toluene is available at paint stores. I dunno, I've never looked for it.
Klean Strip Lacquer Thinner is available at your local Walmart though (I dunno the price, haven't looked yet!) and according to it's MSDS sheet it has 70 to 80% Toluene in it.
Klean Strip Lacquer Thinner
Toluene .......................................70-80%
Isopropyl alcohol ............................10-15
Methyl ethyl ketone ........................ 5-10
Methanol ....................................... 1- 5
Acetone ........................................ 1- 5
Propylene glycol methyl ether acetate . 1- 5
I dunno what the other ingredients would do in an engine, they may wreak havoc with sensors, etc. . . . try at your own risk! (and post back what you find out!)
Homebrew Gasoline Octane Boosters
Homebrew Gasoline Octane Boosters
Editor's note: I would NOT suggest that a person use the following fuel mixtures without considering the detrimental effects on your engine, vital engine components (O2 sensor, etc), and other potential damage. That said, the information is interesting.
Original published in:
1213 Gornto Road
Valdosta, GA 31602
(912) 244-0577
Editor: Richard Lasetter, president Gran Sport Club of America (GSCA)
Formula #1 - Toluene
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.2 Octane
20%...........96.4 Octane
30%...........98.6 Octane
Notes: Common ingredient in Octane Boosters in a can. 12-16 ounces will only raise octane 2-3 *points*, i.e. from 92 to 92.3. Often costs $3-5 for 12-16 ounces, when it can be purchased for less than $3/gal at chemical supply houses or paint stores.
Formula #2 - Xylene
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.5 Octane
20%...........97.0 Octane
30%...........99.5 Octane
Notes: Similar to Toluene. 12-16 ounces will only raise octane 2-3 *points*, i.e. from 92 to 92.3. Usually mixed with Toluene and advertised as *race formula*.
Formula #3 - Methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether (MTBE)
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.6 Octane
20%...........97.2 Octane
30%...........99.8 Octane
Notes: Oxygenate. Very common in octane booster products. Has lower BTU content than toluene or xylene, but oxygenate effect makes the gasoline burn better and produce more energy.
Formula #4 - Methanol or Ethanol
Cost...........$0.60 - $1.75/gal
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.3 Octane (Methanol)
10%...........94.7 Octane (Ethanol)
20%...........Not Recommended
Notes: Methanol is wood alcohol. Ethanol is grain alcohol and found in Gasohol in 10% ratios. Both alcohols are mildly corrosive and will eat gas tank linings, rubber and aluminum if used in excessive ratios. Main ingredient in "Gas Dryers", combine with water.
Formula #5 - Isopropyl Alcohol and Tertiary Butyl Alcohol
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.5 Octane
20%...........Not Recommended
30%...........Not Recommended
Notes: Similar to Methanol/Ethanol. Isopropyl Alcohol is simply rubbing alcohol.
Sample Mixture
To make your own octane booster, it is easiest to make up a large batch, and then bottle it up in "dosage-size" uses.
Below is the basic formula of one of the popular octane booster products. To make eight 16 ounce bottles (128 oz = 1 gal):
100 oz of toluene for octane boost
25 oz of mineral spirits (cleaning agent)
3 oz of transmission fluid (lubricating agent)
This product is advertised as "octane booster with cleaning agent *and* lubricating agent!". Diesel fuel or kerosene can be substituted for mineral spirits and light turbine oil can be substituted for transmission fluid. Color can be added with petroleum dyes.
Here's an interesting article that compares many of the various brands of octane boosters and includes Toluene in the tests:
Another interesting read on using toluene . . . note the following excerpt:
"The toluene mix was composed of 12.5 oz of toluene and 3.125 oz of mineral spirits, treating the same 15-gal. fuel tank. As there was too little to make a difference in our 1-gal. test samples, 0.375 oz of transmission fluid (claimed to act as a lubricant) was left out. According to Tim Wusz, the mineral spirits and motor oil would only lower the octane rating if added in sufficient amounts. The results are shown in the tables below."
as mentioned in the other thread, your long article in the first post IS the one i read about toluene last year. great find SLR-i printed out that article last year and have it in a folder. my question is that strip-kleen laquer thinner is 70-80% toluene, could that be used as an octane booster??? maybe a moderator could merge these 2 threads and we could discuss the toluene, strip-kleen octane booster deal. i have built a 383 SBC for a car i am putting together and i am looking at cyl. heads, im looking at 64CC alum heads and know the compression will be kind of high, instead of going with a cam that will drop low RPM cyl. pressure i would like to know if i could go with a milder cam to gain back torque at low revs and control detonation with an octane booster???
sorry: second post, the article after "background"
Last edited by techron; 09-20-2007 at 01:01 AM.
Techron wrote:
> as mentioned in the other thread, your long article in
> the first post IS the one i read about toluene last
> year. great find SLR-i printed out that article last
> year and have it in a folder.
Hey GREAT! It is a pretty interesting article!
> my question is that strip-kleen laquer thinner is
> 70-80% toluene, could that be used as an octane
> booster???
I'll bet it could, but I'm not a chemist so I can't say for sure.
Augusto commented that for go kart racing he used to make his own fuel from gasoline, MEK, acetone, toluene and methanol. Since the lacquer thinner has MEK, acetone, toluene and mehanol in it I'm sure it would burn just fine. The lacquer thinner has a couple additional constituants though - Isopropyl alcohol and Propylene glycol methyl ether acetate. I would imagine the isopropyl alcohol wouldn't be an issue, but I dunno about the PGMEA (it's late and I'm tired of typing!), especially in a car with sensors. In an uncomputerized, carbureted engine though I'd guess it would be fine. They do mention in the article though that the straight toluene is available from Sherwin Williams and other paint stores, it might be worth poking around and seeing if you can't find a local source for the straight toluene.
> maybe a moderator could merge these 2 threads and
> we could discuss the toluene, strip-kleen octane
> booster deal.
I don't really want to see that. I think the carburetor cleaner question is one thread and octane booster discussions are another so I'd like to keep them separate. I did leave a note in the other thread though so in the future if someone reads it and wonders how it turned out they can search for this thread and see where the discussion ended up.
> i have built a 383 SBC for a car i am putting together
> and i am looking at cyl. heads, im looking at 64CC alum
> heads and know the compression will be kind of high,
> instead of going with a cam that will drop low RPM
> cyl. pressure i would like to know if i could go with a
> milder cam to gain back torque at low revs and control
> detonation with an octane booster???
I'm sure you can as long as you are content on running an engine that you will have to modify the fuel for with every tank (probably not a big deal if you don't mind the cost - just toss some in the trunk and pop container in with every fill up, not too big of a deal in my opinion . . . especially for the fun that 383 will be!)
> sorry: second post, the article after "background"
??? I'm not following this . ..
great to know whats in the different boosters....but.....octane requirements are "motor design specific" and altitude/humidity/temp/driving style/carbon build up/vehicle weight/gears ratio/timing curve/etc/etc/etc/etc specific....
the motor examples cited are "apples to oranges"....EX:an "air" cooled racing go cart motor at a very rich A/F ratio is not a airplane motor leaned to the max which is how AV octane is rated.....
if higher than normal octane is required on a street car.....as a "crutch".....it is indicating that something is wrong in the motor (such as not enough cooling).....until the CR is way high (and more important the dynamic Cr is way high)
here's some general reference material for CR's and timings.....note the only 1% "power gain" between 9.0 and 10.0 CR which is measured at the hp peak (you don't drive at 5500 rpms on the street)
using a octane booster "fix in a can" is engineering your way around a motor problem....example that comes to mind is the new vette motor....500HP and no octane boost required
Last edited by red65mustang; 09-20-2007 at 06:56 AM.
> great to know whats in the different boosters....but.....octane
> requirements are "motor design specific" and
> altitude/humidity/temp/driving style/carbon build up/vehicle
> weight/gears ratio/timing curve/etc/etc/etc/etc specific....
I agree they are, to an extent. I think that overall it's pretty easy to predict if you're building yourself into some trouble or not - 12:1 compression usually aint gonna run on today's fuel!
> the motor examples cited are "apples to oranges"....EX:an
> "air" cooled racing go cart motor at a very rich A/F ratio is
> not a airplane motor leaned to the max which is how AV
> octane is rated.....
I agree and I wouldn't run go cart gas in another vehicle, but then again most vehicles and small engines are pretty much intended for the same fuel - gasoline so if an additive runs in one I'd suspect it would run in another. Again though, I dunno if it would be a good idea or not - especially with a computer controlled vehicle and it's related sensors, the additive may have detrimental effects on them. Most of the constituants listed though were in the additives so they are "probably" safe.
> if higher than normal octane is required on a street car.....as
> a "crutch".....it is indicating that something is wrong in the
> motor (such as not enough cooling).....until the CR is way
> high (and more important the dynamic Cr is way high)
I dunno if something is "wrong" with it - it just means it's not built correctly for the fuel that's commonly available now. If I recall correctly many 11:1 or even higher compression ratio street engines were made by the auto manufacturers in the 50s and 60s -> which is where "fill her up with eythle" came from. Now that high octane eythle is no longer available those engines probably have a hard time running modern gas . . . nothing is "wrong" with them, I don't think their cooling system suddenly shot craps or anything, they were just designed to run on something that is no longer commonly available.
> using a octane booster "fix in a can" is engineering
> your way around a motor problem....
I agree, but if you're aware of that when you start then I don't see the problem. If someone has an older car that that is expecting high octane fuel to run correctly I don't think expecting them to tear the engine down and rebuild it to run on modern fuels when they could just dump in a can of "stuff" and the engine would run fine is realistic. Or if for some reason you do decide to build a high compression engine today and you know it will take an additive to make it run correctly then I figure that's your own business. It'll cost you more to fuel the vehicle, but maybe if it's one you drive only on special occasions, etc. then maybe lots of hp with little engineering (i.e. just bump up the compression ratio) and using a crutch to make it run makes some sense for you.
I'm not really advocating octane boosters . . . I was looking for a good carb cleaner! In another thread I started on carb cleaners we got to discussing how toluene was a good octane booster, one of the posters asked if I could lookup what's in octane booster when I had time. I did and I felt it deserved it's own topic, which is how we got here. I'm not really advocating anything, I'm just presenting info that I ran across.
I think for the vast majority of us that octane booster would probably be a wash - our engines were designed to run on the currently available fuel so any extra octane probably wouldn't be required by the engine. We might be able to bump up our timing a bit or something but the performance gained versus the cost of the additive probably wouldn't work out very well.
It was interesting though that in the article posted that the author did see a pretty good improvement and felt it was worth the cost. He commented that some of today's vehicles run higher compression or forced induction and that the computers adjust things to run them just on the edge of what the fuel can provide and that by including octane booster that upper ceiling is moved and a net gain is realized. It's an interesting thought, they very well may have built the engines this way but my feeling is that the manufacturers know what the upper limits of todays octane ratings are so I doubt they built an engine that can move that upper ceiling up drastically. It'd be interesting to see if it does though . . . if anyone comes across a report where they measure net gains please post a link.
> example that comes to mind is the new
> vette motor....500HP and no octane
> boost required
Yes, but they've engineered their way around that problem! I'm sure lots of R&D went into that engine and that the computer has a lot to do with keeping it happy. All very expensive. If some guy wants a fun weekend car and doesn't mind paying a little at a time (versus a LOT at once to buy a new 'vette or 'vette motor) for the octane booster then I don't see a problem with him building it "old school" and crutching the octane problem if the end result gets him what he wants (and if he understands what he's doing when he goes into it).
Interesting stuff! Especially since I was just looking for some good carb cleaner!
Hi Steve,
very nice of you starting this thread, as I mentioned before laquer thinner has the ingredients of my old race fuel mix, I'm gonna print this info and read it slowly.
BTW, did you clean the carb yet? how did it work?
Yes, it is an interesting thread! What's even more interesting is that I wasn't even concerned with octane booster, I was just looking for a good carb cleaner! It's always nice to have a lot of info on a wide variety of subjects though.
No, I haven't cleaned the carb yet. In fact I probably wont for a few days now. We're short at work so my schedule is crazy and now one of the guys injured his kneed and is off so things are even crazier. I think I may have next Tuesday off so I'll slate carb cleaning for then.
Steve This should be a wiki
For the other old geezers out there . . . a wiki is basically an information page that is editable by anyone.
|Recent Engine posts with photos
|Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|Thread Tools
|Similar Threads
|Thread Starter
|Last Post
|Annular Booster Info
|Power Booster
|Suspension - Brakes - Steering
|Need info about the th350 transmission
|Transmission - Rearend
|brake booster size
|Suspension - Brakes - Steering
|Booster Relocation Kit
|Suspension - Brakes - Steering

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This past year has been amazing. I have thrown myself into the blogger world and love it! Everyone here are all amazing and friendly people. It's like blogger is one giant family. This year I have particpated in blog hops (MY FAVORITE THING TO DO!!), got a freelancer postition at St. Martin's which sadly is finished :( , recieved my first ever ARC's, signed books, blog tours. I have been amazed.
I also got a new tattoo, writer inspired. Tell me what you think!
HERE) Here are the rules
1. USA ONLY!! (Sorry! I will have another international soon, I promise)
2. Easy entry, just name and email
3. MUST be 13
4. Extra entry of sharing, link must work for share.
5. You do NOT have to follow my blog. Open for everyone.
6: Contest ends: July 25th at midnight! Winner will be notified on the 26th.
Thank you so much for being a part of my first year as a blogger and I hope you are all there for this next one!


text:
The Daily Mail Ideal Home Show was launched in 1908 and gave an early indication of the changing mindset that saw homemaking become a leisure activity rather than a chore. So it's hardly surprising that some of the talking points over the years have been labour-saving devices, such as the vacuum cleaner, first shown in 1920 and the automatic dishwasher (1959). This year some half a million people are expected to attend the show, which runs at Earls Court, London until 8 April and boasts an 18-metre lighthouse as its centrepiece.
Research conducted by Mintel/NOP for the show underpins the role of the home as an external indica tor of social status; accordingly, our decorating priorities lie with the room that is seen the most. Some 66 per cent of respondents said it was important for the living room to be redecorated regularly, with the kitchen coming second at 16 per cent.
Ideally, home improvements should be driven by our desire or need for them rather than just financial gain. It can make financial sense to carry out certain repairs and renovations before you sell your home, but this often has to do with saleability rather than price. A critical thing to remember is whether the level of improvement planned is right for the house.
'You can actually over-improve a house,' said Mark Hemingway at the Halifax. 'An end-of-terrace house will only ever be an end-of-terrace house. Putting in a Jacuzzi might actually make it less marketable.'
The Halifax says most improvements will add some value to a property, but this may only be a percentage of the actual cost: central heating or a garage add immediate value equal or more than equal to the cost. But a fitted kitchen, additional bedrooms, period restoration, additional bathroom/WC may only add value at a percentage of the actual cost.
Double glazing/replacement windows, a conservatory, house extension or loft conversion add value at a percentage of the cost as well as extra saleability, while garden landscaping adds saleability.
When considering home improvements, remember the following: more value is added where properties are in need of repair; space-increasing improvements tend to add the most value; properties in high-priced areas can benefit more significantly in terms of value from well-planned increases in floor space; and the value added also relates to the quality and aptness of the improvement.
According to the Halifax Home Improvements Sur vey, adding value is increasingly given as the main motivation, quoted by 40 per cent of respondents last year, against 28 per cent in 1996. Just over half used personal savings, an option preferred more by women (62 per cent) than men (46 per cent). The number of people taking out secured personal loans to fund improvements doubled between 1998 and last year. A secured personal loan was third on the list.
According to Mark Hemingway at the Halifax, the lender grants about 350,000 further mortgage advances to fund home improvements each year.
'This can cover everything from a new roof down to redecoration,' he says.
With interest rates so low, many people may well dip into their savings to finance their home improvements.
But if you shop around, and particularly if you check out internet accounts, it is possible to find homes for your savings that are paying a higher rate of interest than would be charged on a further mortgage advance.
Five points to remember...
If you do use your savings, make sure you keep some cash for emergencies.
A personal loan may seem more flexible but the interest will normally be higher than that on a further mortgage advance.
Mortgages are more flexible these days; for example, a further mortgage advance could run for a shorter period than the main mortgage.
You may think of remortgaging at the same time, but always check the terms and conditions on your loan.
If your mortgage was taken out before 1995, you enjoy increased mortgage protection under Income Support should you need to claim.


text:
Letter to the Editor: Why I support Bill Shuster
If you regularly read these letters, you might have seen that a vocal minority are condemning our congressman, Bill Shuster. This vocal minority condemn Bill because they claim he isn't a real conservative, or because he is running a negative campaign.
As a conservative who works daily for the Republican party and the conservative agenda, let me dispel these claims against Bill and explain why I'm voting for him.
Bill Shuster is a real conservative.
Bill has received the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the NRA and the National Right to Life Organization. They represent key planks of the conservative agenda: pro-free enterprise, pro-Second Amendment, pro-life. These organizations and their membership know that Bill is a steadfast ally in Washington who fights every day to advance the conservative agenda.
Bill has introduced the Domestic Energy Production Protection Act, which will stop President Obama's war on coal by requiring congressional approval of EPA rules that affect domestic energy production. This legislation will stop President Obama's job-crushing, over-regulation of our energy industry. By this legislation Bill is helping Pennsylvania workers keep their jobs, including those right here in our community who work in the coal, gas and oil, and other energy industries.
These are just a few examples of how Bill is a real conservative, and any claim that he is not a real conservative is simply nonsense.
On the issue of negative campaigning, for better or worse, negative campaigning has always existed in our Republic. When Thomas Jefferson and John Adams ran against each other for president in 1800, the negative campaigning they unleashed on each other would cause your toes to curl.
When the false, negative campaign began against Bill (claims he isn't a real conservative), Bill had to fight back. Bill deciding to not fight back could have resulted in him being the next Bill Bradley (Al Gore's victory over Bradley in 2000 was due to Gore going super-negative and Bradley refusing to fight back). In sum, Bill's campaign has been proper at all times. Claims to the contrary are clearly wrong.
Following this primary I look forward to working with whomever the Republican voters of the 9th District select to advance the conservative agenda. For my part I hope they allow me to continue to work with Bill.
Jesse Daniel
chairman, Indiana County Republican Committee


text:
Skip to main content
California Department of Education
Navigation Menu
California Department of Education
CA Dept of Education
Search Site
Curriculum & Instruction
Curriculum & Instruction Home
Career Technical Education
Business & Marketing
Health Careers Education
Industrial & Technology Education
Standards & Framework
Work Experience Education (WEE)
Curriculum Resources
Common Core State Standards
Curriculum Frameworks & Instructional Materials
Driver Education
Multi-Tiered System of Supports
Recommended Literature
School Libraries
Specialized Media
Grade Spans
Child Development
Middle Grades
High School
Adult Education
Professional Learning
Become a Teacher
Current K-12 Teachers
Curriculum Areas
Professional Standards
Quality Schooling Framework
Subject Areas
History-Social Science
Physical Education
English Language Arts
Visual & Performing Arts
World Language
Testing & Accountability
Testing & Accountability Home
Academic Performance Index (API)
Accountability Progress Reporting (APR)
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
Alternative Schools Accountability Model (ASAM)
California Accountability Model & School Dashboard
Local Educational Agency Accountability Report Card
Parent Empowerment
Persistently Lowest-Achieving Schools
School Accountability Report Card (SARC)
State Accountability Report Card
Title I, Part A-Accountability
Title III Accountability
Compliance Monitoring
District & School Interventions
Program Improvement
California School Recognition Program
Academic Achievement Awards
California Distinguished Schools Program
California Teachers of the Year
Classified School Employees of the Year
California Gold Ribbon Schools
Assessment Information
CA Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP)
CA English Language Development Test (CELDT)
CA High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE)
CA High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE)
English Language Proficiency Assessments for CA (ELPAC)
Grade Two Diagnostic Assessment
High School Equivalency Tests (HSET)
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
Physical Fitness Testing (PFT)
Smarter Balanced Assessment System
Finance & Grants
Finance & Grants Home
Definitions, Instructions, & Procedures
Indirect Cost Rates (ICR)
Standardized Account Code Structure (SACS)
Allocations & Apportionments
Categorical Programs
Child Development
Consolidated Application
Federal Cash Management
Local Control Funding Formula
Principal Apportionment
Available Funding
Funding Results
Projected Funding
Search CDE Funding
Outside Funding
Funding Tools & Materials
Finance & Grants Other Topics
Fiscal Oversight
Software & Forms
Data & Statistics
Data & Statistics Home
Data Collections
California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS)
California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS)
California School Information Services (CSIS)
Longitudinal Education Data Systems
Annual Financial Data
Certificated Salaries & Benefits
Current Expense of Education & Per-pupil Spending
Indirect Cost Rates (ICR)
Staff Data Files (Downloadable)
Staff Data Reports
Student & School Data Files (Downloadable)
Student & School Data Reports
Student Health & Support
Free and Reduced Price Meal Eligibility Data
Food Programs
Downloadable Data Files
Data Requests
School Identification
Charter School Locator
Private Schools
Regional Occupational Centers & Programs
Schools & Districts
School Performance
Academic Performance Index (API)
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
Postsecondary Preparation
Specialized Programs
Specialized Programs Home
Adult Education
Directory of Schools
Federal Grants Administration
Charter Schools
Administration & Support
Laws, Regulations, & Policies
Child Development
Contractor Information
Laws, Regulations, & Requirements
Program Overview
Educational Options
Independent Study
Open Enrollment
English Learners
Title III
Special Education
Administration & Support
Announcements & Current Issues
Data Collection & Reporting
Family Involvement & Partnerships
Laws, Regulations, & Requirements
Quality Assurance Process
Services & Resources
Title I
Improving Academic Achievement
Schoolwide Programs
Statewide System of School Support (S4)
Specialized Programs Other Topics
American Indian
Gifted & Talented Education
Homeless Education
Private Schools
State Special Schools
Learning Support
Learning Support Home
Attendance Improvement
School Attendance Review Boards
Before & After School
21st Century Community Learning Centers
After School Education & Safety Program
Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Child Nutrition Information & Payment System (CNIPS)
Rates, Eligibility Scales, & Funding
School Nutrition
Parents/Family & Community
Clearinghouse for Multilingual Documents
Learning Support Other Topics
Class Size Reduction
Counseling/Student Support
Education Technology
Safe Schools
Youth Development
Professional Learning
Professional Learning Home
Become a Teacher
Current K-12 Teachers
Curriculum Areas
Professional Standards
Quality Schooling Framework
Learning Support
Child Nutrition Information & Payment System (CNIPS)
Adjusted Site-Level Claims
Return to
SNP CNIPS Training
Questions: Help Desk |
Last Reviewed: Wednesday, March 15, 2017
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.
Share this Page
Share via E-mail
Share with Facebook
Share with Twitter
Share with Google Plus
Share with Linked-In
Trending in Nutrition
Temperature Controls of Potentially Hazardous Food
AASC Form Requirements
Direct Certification
School Nutrition
School Nutrition Programs Eligibility
Rates, Eligibility Scales, & Funding
Proper Storage Temperatures for USDA Commodities
Summer Food Service Program Information
Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
National School Lunch Program
More Trending Items
Recently Posted in Nutrition
SNP AR Workload 2017–18
(added 23-Jun-2017)
This is a listing of School Nutrition Program operators scheduled for an annual review in 2017–18.
AASC Form Requirements
(added 19-Jun-2017)
Management Bulletin CNP-04-2017: Annual Audit Status Certification Form Requirements for Organizations Participating in the California Department of Education Nutrition Programs.
CACFP Administrative Manual Section 5.1
(added 19-Jun-2017)
Child and Adult Care Food Program Administrative Manual Section 5.1: Claims for Reimbursement.
CACFP Administrative Manual Section 4.1
(added 06-Jun-2017)
Child and Adult Care Food Program Administrative Manual Section 4.1: Steps for Determining Tiering Rate.
CACFP Administrative Manual Section 4.2
(added 06-Jun-2017)
Child and Adult Care Food Program Administrative Manual Section 4.2 Determining Area Eligibility.
CACFP Administrative Manual Section 4.3
(added 06-Jun-2017)
Child and Adult Care Food Program Administrative Manual Section 4.3: Meal Benefit Form for Providers.
CACFP Administrative Manual Section 4.4
(added 06-Jun-2017)
Child and Adult Care Food Program Administrative Manual Section 4.3: Meal Benefit Form for Parents (Tier II Homes).
2017–18 Annual Income Eligibility Guidelines
(added 31-May-2017)
Management Bulletin CNP-05-2017: 2017–18 Annual Income Eligibility Guidelines.
California Turnip the Beet Award Recipients
(added 22-May-2017)
An annual listing of the California Turnip the Beet Award winners.
Q&A: Purchasing Using Cooperative Agreements
(added 10-May-2017)
Management Bulletin CNP-01-2017: Questions and Answers: Purchasing Goods and Services Using Cooperative Agreements, Agents, and Third-party Services.
More Recently Posted Items


text:
Date: 1434/35
Culture: Armenian
Medium: Tempera and gold on paper; stamped leather binding
Dimensions: Overall: 11 1/16 x 7 5/8 x 3 3/8 in. (28.1 x 19.4 x 8.5 cm)
Classification: Manuscripts and Illuminations
Credit Line: Purchase, Fletcher Fund, Hagop Kevorkian Fund Gift, in memory of Hagop Kevorkian, Tianaderrah Foundation, B.H. Breslauer Foundation, Aso O. Tavitian, Karen Bedrosian Richardson, Elizabeth Mugar Eveillard and Arax Simsarian Gifts and funds from various donors, 2010
Accession Number: 2010.108
Illuminated manuscripts are among the finest works of Armenian art, for the "Word" as recorded in the Bible has been the focus of veneration in the Armenian Church since its founding in the early fourth century. During the fifteenth century, in the region of Khizan, near Lake Van, Armenian artists developed a dramatic style to illuminate the narrative of the gospels. Among the greatest of those artists was Khach'atur of Khizan, the probable illuminator of this gospel. Following the Armenian tradition, eleven surviving narrative images of these gospels are grouped as a unit before the canon tables at the beginning of the text. The initial images of the Nativity of Christ and the Presentation in the Temple are vividly colored, while those that follow display dramatically posed figures against the plain ground of the paper. In the Nativity scene, Christ's future death is evoked by his shroudlike dress and the manger's rectangular red form, which suggests the porphyry slab on which, according to tradition, he was anointed for burial. Of the Evangelist portraits that marked the opening of the four gospels, those of Matthew and Luke survive.
In modern times, Arshile Gorky would identify the Khizan style as an influence on his development as an artist.


text: New remake for King's Quest IV Posted on 28/05/2012 by Graham Hello there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic.Powered by WP Greet Box WordPress PluginA new remake to that excellent gme is on the go. Check it out. King's Quest IV – Perils of Rosella Remake in 3d! Related Blogs Incoming search terms:Kings Quest IV remakeyhs-fh_lsonsw Related posts: King's Quest Remake


text:
The State of America's Children 2011
In this analysis of national and state-by-state data on population, poverty, family structure, family income, health, nutrition, early childhood development, education, child welfare, juvenile justice, and gun violence the Children's Defense Fund reports that the recession and slow recovery has taken its toll on children. The downward spiral shows alarming numbers of children in poverty and more than 60 percent of fourth, eighth and 12th grade public school students are reading or doing math below grade level. Find the interactive online report below.
Thanks for the article from Childrens Defense. I am astounded to see the amount of children in poverty. I'm appreciative to see the state-by-state data on health and nutrition. I was surprised to see California's numbers be so low. I live in San Fransisco and wonder if San Francisco doctors ever give their time to these children in poverty for free. I think it would be great for doctors to help out any way that they could.
Vote up!
August 23 at 12:19pm


text:
I am getting ready to repaint some old decoys as bluebills and redheads. These decoys will be in a cluster on a net rig so they will have net plus other decoys rubbing on them. I need paint that will hold up. So far I am planning on the following:
Bluebill: black on head and tailend. white in the middle. black brushed light over the back for splattered look. What color should I use for the bill?
Redhead: same as above except for rust for the head.
Can anyone add any suggestions such as other colors, brands, etc. The base coat will be spray on bed liner. Thanks in advance.


text:
Kara Davies Photographer
ModlenModel Female Aberystwyth, Wales, United Kingdom
My Website: PurestormMy MM URL: http://www.modelmayhem.com/m0dz
Mayhem # 1319545
About MeMy name is Modlen, a great deal of people that contact me for a shoot tend to think its my âstage nameâ but it is in fact my real name. Let me tell you a little about myselfâ¦.. I've been modeling since December 2008 and have worked with a wide range of photographers all over Wales, each shoot has taught me something new, which, the experience I gain, I apply to my all my shoots. Iâm a very hard worker and a perfectionist, I put in a great deal of effort to ensure you get the perfect shot that you are after, and I wont stop until we get it.
I'm very experienced in fashion and headshots, you will see these are always the best results on camera.
I am a bubbly, friendly character with plenty of enthusiasm and humor. I can pretty much turn my hand to anything that is thrown at me. I enjoy a good challenge and can rise to it well. I work well under pressure! I like my shoots to be fun and full of creative and original ideas - something someone has not got in other words!
I would say that every photographer I have worked with say I have so many facial expressions, that nearly every picture is different on their âreelâ â this is most definitely my best feature as a model. I can change my look easily to suit your ideas with my big wardrobe, wigs, makeup and face paints.
I have done may TFP/TFCD in my time but will consider them now for projects, publications and advertisements.
I am seeking more for paid work, my rates usually depend on the job and the reputation of the photographer, however I charge £50 a day plus expenses (my normal day of modeling is 11am â 4pm. If doing TFP/TFCD I will want expenses paid or email me to negotiate.
I own my own car so travelling is not a problem.
Photographers i have worked with (in order):
Keith Morris
Andy Chittock
Don V Johnson
Darren House
Mike Durrant
Joe Purches
Ian O Neil
Ian Andrew
Desmond Daughton
Adrian Lincoln
Carl Ryan
Mari Owen
Ken Price
John Kavanagh
Malcolm Murgatroyd
Nick Strong
Ron Kyte
Models I have Worked with:
Morwen Sian
Emma Mahon
Robert Marsh
Elizabeth Real
Samantha Mason
Grace Acres
Ruby Heys
Shona Oldrid
Pets i have worked with:
My cat Roxy!! She loves the camera just as much as me!!!
If i have forgotten anyone - Apologies... please email me to let me know
Thank you for visiting my profile!!
Have you worked with Modlen? Add Credits for Modlen! >>
Kara Davies Photographer
Digital Reflns Photographer
Russ Freeman Photographer
lensworx Photographer
Dan Sanderson Model
Ritter Von Zalewski Photographer
Loading Content


text:
Contact us 24/7: +1 877 678 9627
View product details
Zoom In
- - True to size
- - Semi-fitted style
- - Model is 177cm/ 5'10" and is wearing a size XSmall
Inspired by street photographer Garry Winogrand's pictures of New Yorkers in the 1960s, Chloé's checked merino wool and cashmere-blend sweater captures the effortless sophistication of the era. Give yours a contemporary spin by teaming it with a leather skirt and cutout heels.
Shown here with: Eddie Borgo bracelet and bracelet, Pamela Love ring, McQ Alexander McQueen skirt, Pierre Hardy shoes, Valentino bag.
- - Multicolored checked merino wool and cashmere-blend sweater
- - Ribbed trims
- - Slips on
- - 77% merino wool, 23% cashmere
- - Dry clean
Product Code: 314215
Shop more:
For alternative suggestions, contact our Fashion Consultants
Help & Advice
Product Code: 314215


text:
When selecting your host, you should look for certain main features. Take in consideration disk space and bandwidth first. Look at safety and backups as well as up-time. If you want to use more advanced features, look into email accounts or CGI scripts for instance. Add more features if you believe you will need them for your project.
Consider setting up your own web server. If you are only running a small website, you should be award of the fact that just about any computer can be turned into a web server. Obviously you need to leave the computer running the web server switched on all the time. However, if electricity is cheap in your country, running your own web server could be cheaper than paying for a web hosting provider.
It is important to understand the refund policy of your potential web host prior to making a commitment. A lot of web hosting packages will require you to sign up for a year at a time, or will offer significant discounts for making a long term commitment. You should make certain that you will be able to obtain a refund if the service is less than satisfactory. Certain packages may not allow refunds, or might have cancellation fees.
Manage your spam settings on your host site. With a website, you can end up spending a good deal of your time dealing with junk and spam email. Business spam can be exponentially worse than your personal email account. Most hosting providers have a way to manage your account setting to screen out junk. Take advantage of it, dealing with spam can be a real time waster.
Good customer support is essential to any web host. If something goes wrong or your website is not working, it's important that you have someone to contact who can help you with the problems immediately and get them taken care of. Inquire about the host's company support options before shelling out any money.
Switch web hosts if an outage lasts for more than a day. Even if the host explains why the server is down, the most likely reason is that the host did not invest enough into back up plans as far as outages are concerned. Any truly professional web hosts will have ensured that outages will be short and infrequent.
If you want to add different features to your site such as a chat room, a bulletin board or a contact form, you should look for a web hosting service that supports CGI scripts. If you don't know how to create these scripts, some web hosts can provide you with templates.
Save yourself some money by upgrading your account with your web host to an annual plan. Most of the yearly web hosting plans cost less on a monthly basis than a pay as you go arrangement. If you are pleased with your web host, there is no reason not to upgrade to take advantage of these savings.
Aside from selecting web hosting companies based on fewest outages, you should also make sure the web hosting company you choose automates your payments as well. If a company does not offer this, then that company is not worth using. Make sure you know what you are getting into, and choose wisely.
The information you have just read will make it easier to make your website and content available to your target audience. The right web hosting provider can make a world of difference in the speed, quality and efficiency of your website.
Keep these tips in mind as you explore your different options.
If you liked this article, have a look at more beneficial details about cloud computing, which gives dependable and highly performance about WordPress Hosting technologies, please consider visiting this Cloud Hosting page.


text:
POSTAL RETURNING HOME Spring flowers & Animals due 2/28
View Single Post
Hardware Hotshot
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,534
POSTAL RETURNING HOME Spring flowers & Animals due 2/28
This is another round of the animals & floral/garden like we finished earlier this year with success and lots of talent and fun!! This is theme of Spring or Easter! It is a 3+1 (the one being hostess) you will get back 3 items.
***Each animal or floral piece can be different They do not have to all 4 be the same!!! Use up those scrap pieces laying around! all 4 animals or floral pieces can be different paper/color/design/etc.
This is Card Candy *** each main piece needs a corresponding element also like a flower will need a basket/pot/green leaves etc Each animal needs a corresponding element piece like baby rabbit with maybe a mommy rabbit or with a small flower or on a tree log or add a 6 inch border of grass! SOMETHING NEEDS TO GO WITH THE MAIN PIECE. Example I'm thinking of a bunny I'll add a green spring plant to go with him. (I could add simply a carrot) If I thinking tulips or lilac's add a vase as accessory piece or a garden pot for the tulips. or a butterfly????? My floral piece will have a bow but my accessory piece will be a vase. Questions? Card Candy is a homemade embellishment
Remenber spring is NEW babies in animal world and in our gardens Spring is new shoots of green's and little flowers every where! Little daffadils, crocus, tulips, lilac's and all those beautiful easter flowers! Baby bunnies little deer and those cute baby chick's!
Quantity: 3+1 - The one is for the hostess (me
You will not get one of your own back, so make an extra one for yourself!
We also have a choice to make a
cute standard size
greeting card
using a either a floral spring theme or one of the spring animals!!!! This also is a 3 +1 (some beautiful spring stamps out there with spring/easter theme!!! again these cards can also each be different! They do not have to be 4 of the same!
Whatever you do it needs at least one (1) embellishment and more is always better! Add sparkle, ribbon, buttons, bling of any kind, be creative!
Vendor Products: Any stamp from any company, Cricuit and
paper piecing
ok also but PLEASE use very good quality cardstock. No vendor restriction on embellishments - use as many embellishments as you like and at least 1. Designer papers are encouraged, but not required.
Due Date: February 28th 2013. I will mail them as soon as I receive all swaps! If your cards are received after the due date, I may have to return them to you. Please post in the thread or send me a PM when your cards are postal.
Mailing instructions: Place swap cards in a large baggie for waterproof purposes. Write your real name, SCS name and swap name on a piece of paper or the baggie for
Swap Return: Please include self-addressed stamped envelope. The amount of postage on your SASE should be the same amount used to mail to hostess. Please include 2 additional stamps to insure enough postage to return swaps. Additional postage will be returned if not used. PLEASE SEND ONLY
, NO DATED STAMPS OR METERED MAIL--My Post Office will not take them. If you would rather use Priority mail, please include one $5.15 priority stamp and a self-addressed priority label. I will provide priority envelope. If you are mailing from outside the US, please include $5 US cash (or more for additional spots) to cover return postage, and I will return whatever is left to you.
Before 3/5 *** Mailing address: Linda Carter
8302-2 Vermissa Ct
Louisville, Ky 40222
linda carter
11402 S Tazwell Drive #1
Louisville ky 40241
I have a forward in for everything arriving after 3/1 so don't worry the majority of our next 3 swaps are already here just couple out there and I expect them to be fine I'm checking mail in both places!
Let's get ready over the long winter and Christmas
holidays to
look ahead to spring and Easter (which is March 31, 2013) so these will be back to you in plenty of time to use for Easter!
Animals (card candy) 3+1
1 Stamp wizard recv'd
2 2kidsonly2arms recv'd
Animals created as a card 3+1
Queenofinkland (withdraw)
2 Stamp wizard recv'd
3 Quilling queen recv'd
Flowers/Garden (card candy pieces) 3+1
1 Venus@home recv'd
2 stamp wizard recv'd
3 2kidsonly2arms recv'd
Flowers/gardens in a greeting card 3+1
1 Venus@home recv'd
2 Stamp wizard recv'd
Last edited by lindac007; 03-02-2013 at
View Public Profile
Send a private message to lindac007
Visit lindac007's Gallery
Find More Posts by lindac007


text:
Block wall construction, exterior questions.
Hi, I'm new to the forum, and have several questions about a 'tumbled' block wall I am going to construct outside. I bought 75 (plenty) of 12X8X4 'tumbled' blocks to build a mostly non retaining freestanding wall at the edge of my back patio. It will be 24" high, 9'-6" long, 8" (block width) wide. This is 6 courses high. The following are my questions, and your expert advice is much appreciated:
My idea to do this started when I saw a 'kit' from a home improvement store for a tumbled block seatwall. It was overpriced but came with all the blocks precut, plans, masonry grade adhesive, gloves, etc... So I just bought the individual blocks and I'll figure out the rest... So, question #1,
1. The kit is 5 courses high and the blocks are masonry adhesived together, no mortar. I understand that this is probably fine for 5 courses, but I'm going six, and my wall is longer than the 'kit' wall (which was 6'). I plan on mortaring (type S) the first course to the patio for sure, and then masonry adhesive the rest of the courses. Will this have a bad appearance, and should I only mortar the bottom of the blocks and not between the blocks, since the upper courses won't have mortar between them? Or should I mortar the entire wall?
2. The blocks have a 'dry stacked' look, so I'm afraid mortaring the entire wall would give it an undesirable appearance. Am I correct in this opinion? This kinda goes along with question #1, and is another point for mortaring only the first course.
3. The patio is sloped 2" from the house to the edge, for drainage purposes, along what is going to be the length of the wall, therefore the wall will also be 'out of level' across its 9'-6" length as well. I don't think there is any real way of remedying this, and I don't think its a big problem. Any suggestions here?
4. What is the most effective way to split the block? I will need to split/cut several blocks into 1/3's and 2/3's, to create the desired appearance of the wall. I have a concrete saw (stihl chainsaw looking type with concrete blade). Do these blocks need to be cut all the way through with this saw, or do you score them and split them with a chisel, or something else?
5. Will slicing them all the way through with the saw give them too much of a flat straight edge on the cut side to look poorly when incorporated into the wall of blocks whose edges have a rougher and softer appearance?
Thats all the questions I can think of for now. Thanks for reading all of this and I look forward to your expert correspondence.
Anyone have any answers for maybe one of the questions?
Sounds like you are using concrete masonry unit (CMU) blocks dry stacked. Most of those walls do not require adhesive, I am not quite sure why you are using it, maybe a picture would help. I built a similar type retaining wall in my backyard, stacked four high, no adhesive, but if you are building a freestanding wall perhaps the manufacturer recommends adhesive to keep the blocks from shifting. My blocks have keys that prevent shifting.
As for cutting block, you can score them about 1/4 through using a diamond blade and a circular saw, then tap them with a small sledge, and they cut pretty clean. You can also saw all the way through, but not necessary. I cut several of my blocks that way, couple of things to consider. Make sure you use a NIOSH dust mask, concrete dust is VERY bad for your lungs. Use eye protection. Use a diamond blade, the carbide blades do not last long and are not worth it, diamond is cheap and very effective.
As for the use of mortar, if you have CMU retaining wall blocks, you should not need mortar. If you do not have retaining wall blocks, the manufacturer should include construction guidelines with the block, and perhaps you need adhesive or mortar.
As for the out of level question, I don't understand your plan. Walls are generally built level and plumb, unless there is some overwhelming reason to deviate. In your case, if you building the wall level, then perhaps you need to vary the total number of blocks from one end to the other, but of course if the bottom is level the top will be level if you use a consistent number of blocks. Or maybe I do not understand your plan.
Thanks for your reply.
I am not using CMU blocks. These blocks are more like retaining wall blocks. Here is a picture:
I think your method of block splitting will work. I will try that.
The wall would be out of level along the length because the patio is out of level by about 1 1/2", because it is sloped, from the house to the patios edge. This is for water runoff.
So I guess I'm still wondering about mortaring it all together, or masonry adhesiving it all (except the first course which I plan to mortar).
Thanks again.
Unless I'm completely off on my calculations your 2 ft. wall will only be off vertical from bottom to top by 0.2" if the patio slope drainage is 2" and the patio wall is 20 feet from the house.
If this is too much is there any reason the first course can't be made level by adjusting the mortar bed?
I must not be explaining the slope very well, for that I apologise. The wall starts at the house and goes to the end of the patio. Hence it will slope exactly as the patio slopes, which is about 1 1/2". The patio slopes 1 1/2" from the house to the edge of the patio, so the wall will too, unless I try and remedy this.
So my question then would be: If I slope a bed of mortar on the patio to bring the wall to level along it's 10' length, and I have a 2" mortar line at the bottom of the first course that gets narrower the closer I get to the house; and at the house that mortar line being reduced to just a 1/2", will that
A. work?, and B. look stupid?
And THEN, should I mortar the ENTIRE wall, rather than use masonry adhesive on the next 5 courses?
And if I mortar just the bottom course, should I then refrain from mortaring BETWEEN the blocks, and do only the bed/bottom, so as to not look different from the courses above, which would have no mortar between them because they would be adhesived?
I would recommend making the wall just outside of the patio, bearing on solid ground, and then making it level. Your idea of using mortar is less than ideal, and it's going to be harder to achieve than it sounds.......
Yes, thank you for the reply.
I realize that leveling the wall in a bed of mortar wouldn't be easy, but I'm willing to give it a shot. I think I will make a small form for the mortar bed to sit in before I place the blocks. Putting the wall outside of the patio isn't really an option. The patio at that side is also a footer for this wall, which I planned in advance of the patio being poured.
So, for the sake of argument, I COULD mortar a bed for the bottom course, and also make the bottom course level with said mortar bed, then my question is: Would the mortar bed hold the weight of the wall fully constructed?
That might be a dumb question, but I don't know if a 2"-2 1/2" bed of mortar would 'crush' beneath the weight of the wall or not. (wall is 6 courses high, about 2'.)
|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:30 AM.
vBulletin Security provided by vBSecurity v2.2.2 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.


text:
Dake, Penn State headline NCAA ChampionshipsBy LUKE MEREDITH , Associated Press
Mar. 20, 2013 6:04 PM ET
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Cornell's Kyle Dake will seek to take his place among the greatest college wrestlers of all time.
Cornell's Kyle Dake, left, flips assistant coach Jeremy Spates while practicing for the NCAA division I wrestling championships that begin Thursday, Wednesday, March 20, 2013, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Cornell's Kyle Dake, left, flips assistant coach Jeremy Spates while practicing for the NCAA division I wrestling championships that begin Thursday, Wednesday, March 20, 2013, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
1 of 4
Penn State coach Cael Sanderson watches as wrestlers practice for the NCAA division I wrestling championships, Wednesday, March 20, 2013, in Des Moines, Iowa. The event begins on Thursday. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
2 of 4
Wrestlers practice on the mats while preparing for the NCAA division I wrestling championships Wednesday, March 20, 2013, in Des Moines, Iowa. The event begins on Thursday. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
3 of 4
Cornell's Kyle Dake sits on the mat while practicing for the NCAA division I wrestling championships, Wednesday, March 20, 2013, in Des Moines, Iowa. The event begins on Thursday. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
4 of 4
Penn State will attempt to solidify its status as the nation's pre-eminent program — in the backyard of its biggest rival, Iowa — when the NCAA championships start Thursday in Des Moines. The team race figures to be a competition between the Big Ten's best, led by the Nittany Lions, Hawkeyes and Ohio State and Minnesota, along with Oklahoma State.
But Dake will be the main draw.
The three-time NCAA champion is just three days away from possibly becoming the first wrestler to win four national titles in four different weight classes.
"I think the most important thing for me to recognize is that I've got to get there before I can make history," Dake said.
Dake has bumped up a weight class every season, progressing from 141 pounds to 149 to 157 and, as a senior, 165 pounds.
The constant movement hasn't stopped him yet.
The Ithaca, N.Y., native became the first collegiate wrestler to win national titles in three different weight classes when he beat Iowa's Derek St. John to cap a 35-0 season in 2012.
Dake's decision to finish his career at 165 pounds put him in line to face defending NCAA champion David Taylor of Penn State, last year's Hodge Trophy winner as the top overall wrestler in the country.
Dake has beaten Taylor in an exhibition and in an NCAA-sanctioned match already this season. A third meeting would be perhaps the most highly anticipated collegiate match in recent memory — and a victory by Dake would make him the third wrestler with four NCAA titles, joining Pat Smith and current Penn State coach Cael Sanderson.
"I've been working really hard this season, putting in the time both physically and mentally and really pushing myself to the limits and hopefully pushing myself over the edge to get that fourth national title," Dake said.
The team title chase could end up looking very similar to the recent Big Ten championships, which were won by Penn State.
The Nittany Lions have won the last two national titles and appear to be in strong position to do it again. Penn State outlasted Minnesota and Iowa to win the Big Ten, and four Nittany Lions claimed league crowns ahead of the national meet.
Top-seeded Ed Ruth will be the favorite at 184 pounds, and 197-pounder Quentin Wright is seeded second. Sophomore Matt Brown beat favored Mike Evans of Iowa to win his first Big Ten title, and Taylor is likely to rack up points even if he can't beat Dake.
Perhaps the only team outside of the Big Ten with a true shot at the national title is Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys, ranked second behind Penn State, will have a qualifier in all 10 weight classes. Eight of Oklahoma State's starters are Big 12 champions, and Jordan Oliver at 149 pounds is among four All-Americans for the Cowboys. Oliver, a 2011 national champion who worked as a training partner with the U.S. wrestling team for the London Games last summer, is 32-0 this season.
"For us to be successful, we're going to have to earn some tough, tough wins," Oklahoma State coach John Smith said.
The Gophers won the National Duals over Oklahoma State and also have 10 wrestlers in the field. Logan Storley (174) and heavyweight Tony Nelson will be among the favorites in their weight classes.
Iowa should have the crowd behind it, and that helped when the Hawkeyes beat the Nittany Lions 22-16 in Iowa City back on Feb. 1.
Iowa has a shot to do it again, with four wrestlers seeded second or third in their classes. Two-time NCAA champion Matt McDonough (125) will wrap up his career at the same venue where he shined in high school, and 157-pounder St. John is also among the favorites in his weight class.
"I don't know how much of an advantage that is unless you wrestle hard," Iowa coach Tom Brands said of competing in Des Moines. "We know that we have to do some damage along the way, and it has to be damage in our favor."
This year's meet will be held against the backdrop of the IOC's recent decision to remove wrestling from the Olympics starting in 2020. But the popularity of the sport isn't up for debate in Des Moines, which has sold every ticket for all three days of the NCAAs. Such positive buzz can only help the international wrestling community in its fight to keep the sport on the Olympic program.
"The NCAA tournament has the greatest fan support, just from sheer numbers and TV exposure, than any other wrestling event in the world," Sanderson said. "Anyone that comes to national tournament, they're coming back. That's just the way it works."
Follow Luke Meredith on Twitter: www.twitter.com/LukeMeredithAP
© The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.


text:
Men's Lacrosse Showcase Camp
Camp Brochure/Registration Form
Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013
Registration Begins at Noon
Showcase runs from 1 to 5:30 p.m.
Demske Sports Complex
Cost: $100
Directed by the head coach of Canisius College and the Canadian National Team Randy Mearns, the first Griffin Lacrosse Showcase would like to welcome you to our campus for one of the most unique recruiting experiences in the NCAA.
On Saturday, October 19, all sophomores and juniors (Class of 2015 and 2016) will have the opportunity to play in front of the Canisius lacrosse coaching staff at the Demske Sports Complex. This experience will maximize exposure and contact between player and coach. YOU will have the opportunity to be coached by premiere Division I coaches and gain the full experience of a Canisius lacrosse student-athlete.
This is a one-of-a-kind event catered toward maximum exposure for all in attendance!
E-mail Brendan Murphy (firstname.lastname@example.com) if you'd like to attend the showcase.


text:
- Stylist:
- Jennifer Kenny 'The Curl Girl'
Jan 25, 2011 - If i could do higher than a five I would... maybe more like 152 in my book! I absolutely love this woman, she makes your hair cutting experience a party for sure! Your whole visit is very relaxing and fun, there is always laughter going on. You will not want to leave once you sit in her chair. I would recommend ANYONE with curly hair that can make it to tampa to definitely go see Jennifer. I promise that you will not regret it at all. My hair has never felt or looked as good as it has since I started going to her almost a year ago. And she gives you at home applications to do for your hair, not things that you will see done at the salon but cant do at home. Hands down, YOU WILL LOVE HER TOO!!!!


text:
If your idea of fun this Friday is to sit around and watch a man previously wearing a wizard outfit and now completely naked getting into a drunken argument at Coachella and then getting tased, then this is your day. Oh, and to make things even more interesting, he has quite possibly an even smaller peen than Danny Bonaduce. In fact you will be wondering if you are in fact, looking at a man. It runs about five minutes although he doesn't get tased by the police until towards the end. Remember it is NSFW, although considering how small his peen is, you might actually get away with watching it at work.
Naked Wizard Tased By Reality from Tracy Anderson on Vimeo.


text:
|@SaucyGeoff I don't want to go back to the days of 20 cars. It's good to have more cars. If they aren't quick next year they will go bust or get bought out so no need to worry.
#9163456, By RobTheBuilder Motorsport
RobTheBuilder 6,799 posts
Seen 19 minutes ago
Registered 13 years ago


text:
Virtually indestructible, even your hardest pitches can't dent it or tip it over. Will provide many years of use, indoors and out. Inside Pitch Attachment gives a target to practice "jamming" pitches. Flat surface and beveled edges virtually eliminate pitch deflections.
"The DH looks just like a real hitter and we use it in all of our pens. Our pitchers have really enjoyed throwing to it. They can come inside with an aggressive pitch and blow it up. If they hit the DH, nobody cares. That is the type of aggressivenes and mentality that I work very hard at developing in our pitchers. Every bullpen in America should have one."
- Scott Jackson, UNC Wilmington Pitching Coach
"The DH is the best product of its kind on the market
realistic, sturdy, easy to move, and in one piece."
- Geoff Zahn, former Major League Pitcher
"The DH has been a tremendous addition to our program. It has allowed our pitchers to simulate game situations in the bullpen, improved the quality of our side work and, specifically, our ability to locate fastballs on the inner half of the plate. I wholeheartedly recommend this product."- Jim Schlossnagle, Head Coach, TCU
"The DH lives in our bullpen and I won't let a pitcher throw without him standing in. Our pitchers are now having more success throwing strikes to the inner half and are developing the confidence to pitch in and win."
- Eric Degre, Head Coach, North County Union High School
"The DH displays all of the hitter's key landmarks, giving pitchers a complete image of the strike zone. This helps pitchers develop more consistency in the accuracy and trajectory of their pitches."
- Jim Haller, First round draft pick (1970), Los Angeles Dodgers
"The DH is a great alternative for live hitters. It allows our pitchers to visualize throwing to spots, and build confidence to throw the ball inside."- David Pierce, Pitching Coach, Rice University


text:
If you want to be with someone who is mighty lovable, imaginative, and easy to be with; I think I fit the bill.
I'm also trying to make changes to my diet to eat healthier, but I hate all the work (and the washing up!) that comes with making complex meals, so I'm trying to keep it simple - if I can fit an entire meal in a rice cooker, that's ideal.
Also pretty good with directions - Google Maps is a nice-to-have, but I won't get utterly, hopelessly lost without it.
Books Prefer humorous / satirical Fantasy - e.g. Pratchett. Also a fan of Urban Fantasy, such as the Dresden Files. Other authors I like are Mike Carey (Felix Castor series), Robin Hobb, George R. R. Martin, Philip Pullman, Simon R. Green, Terry Brooks.
I don't dislike Sci-Fi, but for some reason I don't read too much of it. Maybe it's because we're already living in the future?
Crime / Mystery / Thrillers are generally not my thing. Romance is really not my thing.
Movies / T.V. Action / Comdey / Dramas. e.g. The Avengers, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Supernatural, Carnivale, 300, Buffy: the Vampire Slayer, Rome, Hustle, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Boston Legal, Blade, Monsters Inc., etc.
Not a big fan of horror - find I get too twitchy afterwards. And no Rom-Coms. Just No.
Music Trance, Rock, Metal - pretty much anything that's fast. Slow / relaxing music is good occasionally, if I really need to relax.
Other Stuff Enjoy RPGs (both computer and table-top), and computer gaming in general.
* Internet
* Good Company
* Humor
* Sleep
* Entertainment
A) Female.
B) Not a zombie.
C) Not going to use txt-speak (1337-speak might be OK).
D) Wanting to have an awesome game night.
A - C are mandatory, D is optional.