text:
Yeah, We Don't Get the Name Either
Here's something you don't see every day: Mike Demello's '90 Toyota 4Runner has been converted to right-hand drive, sits on the doors with a stock-floor body drop, and flexes a small-block Chevy engine under the hood, instead of the original anemic 22R four-banger. This is not your mom's SUV. Demello snatched this thing from behind the fence of a public storage lot in June of 2006 after he spotted it and decided it would better serve mankind as a road-reflector remover. It was owned by David Collins, who had started the build and then lost interest after doing about 60 percent of the work.
The Porn Runner, as it's come to be called, was plucked from the yard in Las Vegas and towed to Mike's Lemoore, California-based shop, Tin Roof Kustomz. Once inside the shop, the SUV was stripped bare, so the rectangular tube chassis and hydraulic suspension could be given a good once-over. Demello also assembled the vintage SBC and topped it off with an Edelbrock tunnel ram-intake manifold and twin Holley 650-cfm carburetors. An MSD 6AL box, a Pro Billet distributor, and Super Conductor wires light off the engine, which breathes through Edelbrock headers and custom straight pipes. It's a mean, loud combo that sends the ponies through a Turbo 400 automatic tranny to a Ford 9-inch rearend with disc brakes. An Optima RedTop battery powers the engine and audio equipment, whereas a pair of YellowTop batteries work the hydros.
The Porn Runner lays hard on the asphalt, thanks to the custom frame work and Mustang II front suspension clip with drop spindles and tubular control arms. CCE provided the chrome twin-pump juice setup that actuates 8-inch cylinders up front and 10s in the rear. The hydros provide plenty of lift to untuck the 17- and 20-inch Boyd Coddington Turbine wheels and Toyo tires.
The body was heavily modified by David before Mike took delivery of the truck for the paltry sum of 7,000 dollars. David shaved everything in sight, performed the body drop, grafted in a pair of '49 Chevy taillights, and made a custom sheetmetal floor, before converting the SUV to right-hand drive. He also thought the 4Runner would look a lot better with a '59 Chevy Impala dashboard between the A-pillars, and we couldn't agree more. Mike sealed up the great fabrication work in tan primer, and Paul Contreras squirted the custom graphics.
There are a ton of questions that come to mind after coming across a custom like Mike's. Mundane driving situations like fast-food drive-throughs obviously suck with the right-hand-drive steering. Mike also admits that if he was to do it over again he would ditch the hydros and install something a bit less messy like airbags. Perhaps the most important lesson Mike learned while bustin' his own knuckles was that even though credit card interest sucks, draggin' his ride does not.


text:
BP Comment Quick Links
|Strength of Schedule Report
November 12, 2012
The Week in Quotes
November 5-11
"No. 2, the day that I returned from the DL, I told him that I was not sure what percentage health-wise I was in, but that I could not be out there without trying to help. When I told him that, I put my career on the side to help him and the team. Being in an incredible amount of pain, I went out there to support them."
"No. 3, after he went on national TV to say what he said, he sent me a text message trying to tell me that it was the media trying to change things. I did not respond to the message and I said to myself, this guy must have some mental issues or needs medicine or something? I said, I am dealing with someone crazy and I am not going to drive myself crazy, so it is better if I leave it alone."
"I am a player that has the game in his blood. In the 10 years that I have (been) in Boston, I have been the soul of the organization and there has never been a second where David Ortiz being able to go on the field and do what he does has decided to stay seated."
"I have no regrets in signing with the Mets, other than that I wasn't able to play to the level that the team, the fans and I all expected and that we weren't able to win more games. I move on with nothing but an appreciation for the organization and its fans and best wishes to all my teammates there."
"I just think that those concussions take an effect on guys."
"The results weren't there and we are in a results-oriented business."
"We have some certainty that now he's moved on, and now we know what we need to do."
"He's trying to reclaim his baseball life."
"I'm glad I dodged that bullet. That would've been the kiss of death."
"People say a lot of things. You just let the year play out. If we have another good year he might want to do it again."
"I would love to give managing a shot. I would love it. … There's only 30 jobs out there and I think I would be perfect for the job, but there's a lot of other guys out there that can manage, too. I think I'd do a great job with it, but that's up to Mike and Davey. … I'm not going to do anything different. If they don't see me in that respect, then that's what they see. But I think I'm probably the best guy if Davey's not going to do it anymore."
"I was young and impressionable when I came into the league, but still to this day, a lot of how I see the game is through him. He was a really unique competitor. I learned the game from Tony. A lot of the way I see the game is through his eyes. He had a huge impact on me."
"Bobby was the best I've ever been around in the game at creating loyalty amongst the club — nobody better. You don't walk in on Day One and have that kind of impact like Bobby Cox, obviously. But there is a blueprint for me there on how to deal with players, and how to get that love and respect. And how to get players to care for each other."
"I don't know what I am going to do yet. I just need a couple of days to digest everything. I know Walt is a hard-nosed guy, and have heard nothing but great things about him. We will just kind of see where it goes from here."
"I think it was a little bit of a culture shock and it just didn't work. It was well-known that he and his manager didn't see eye to eye, but we think that a change of scenery will be good for him. He's returning to the NL West, where he has always had success."
"I'll have to get myself a Diamondbacks color. What can I say? I listen to my wife and she puts out what I am supposed to wear that day because, apparently, I can't match."
"You know what pisses me off is that I think I've made about 60 million dollars playing baseball and I want this frickin' million dollars in this game and it's not even a million bucks it's 600 grand by the time Obama takes it."
"I'm a Game 7 World Series loser. You know, I've played in the biggest games in the world and the worst games in the world. But this just sucks."
—Now, wouldn't that be something? (Ken Rosenthal, @Ken_Rosenthal, FOX Sports)
—Still no word on whether or not the Nationals will shut Solis down after 160 IP. (Adam Kilgore, @AdamKilgoreWP, The Washington Post)
"If this pitcher pitched in Japan, this would have been a much different posting fee."
"It's always nice when your peers recognize the work that you and the entire front office have done. I see this as an organizational award, not an individual award."
Jonah Birenbaum is an author of Baseball Prospectus.
2 comments have been left for this article.
BP Comment Quick Links
My research may be flawed, but I think this is the first such award Billy has ever received? Long overdue- he has made a substantial contribution to baseball, as I think every BP reader will agree?
Nov 13, 2012 13:21 PM
Not a subscriber? Sign up today!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The appearance of advertisements and product information on this site does not constitute an endorsement by Equipment World Magazine, and Equipment World Magazine has not investigated the claims made by any advertiser. Product information is based solely on material received from suppliers.
Terex hydraulic transverse cutting units feature transmissions with gear reduction technology and are designed for use with the Terex family of excavators (models ranging from 4,400 lbs to 132,000 lbs) and with Terex tractor loader backhoes for excavation, scaling and demolition work. Terex hydraulic cutting units are ideal for trenching in pipeline construction; building renovation; demolition; road construction; landscaping; tree removal; scaling, profiling; and underwater and dredging applications. The Terex cutting unit range is comprised of seven models — WS15, WS30, WS45N, WS60N, WS90N, WS120N and WS150N — all designed with heavy-duty spur gears and bearings, powered by a low-speed, high-torque hydraulic drive motor ranging from 24 hp to 190 hp and a hydraulic flow ranging from 8 gpm to 158 gpm.


text:
As I mentioned in my most recent column, in terms of being home to large numbers of stocks with an outstanding combination of earnings growth and price appreciation, the medical sector continues to outperform others.
While I have been focusing on larger-cap names, since those can often be appropriate additions to add alpha to client portfolios, I couldn't help noticing that two of Tuesday's heavy-volume price movers were small-cap healthcare stocks, AmSurg (AMSG) and Santarus (SNTS).
The former company runs outpatient surgery centers in 35 states and Washington, D.C. As of Wednesday's close, the stock was up 5% for the week. The move followed news that the company would get a $2.3 million tax incentive for consolidating its Nashville headquarters into one building. The stock closed Wednesday at $31.29. It is approaching its July 20 all-time high of $32.17.
Santarus, meanwhile, gapped up to a multi-year high of $13.09 on Tuesday. The stock closed at $12.52. This maker of treatments for gastrointestinal ailments leapt 11% Tuesday on two pieces of good news. First, the company got the FDA's OK for its ulcerative colitis drug, Uceris. Second, Santarus also said it expects to meet or beat its previous 2012 guidance, and issued a better-than-expected revenue outlook for this year.
The company is expected to report fourth-quarter and 2012 results early next month. Wall Street has pegged fourth-quarter earnings at $0.02 per share, and revenue at $61.57 million. That would be a 44% year-over-year increase on the top line, but a decrease of a penny on the bottom line.
Turning to large-cap medical names, a significant gainer in the past couple of weeks has been Ireland-based Shire (SHPG), which makes products for treating hyperactivity and gastrointestinal disorders.
In recent weeks, the company has delivered news that pushed the stock higher. Earlier this month, Shire said it would acquire privately held Lotus Tissue Repair, which develops protein replacement therapies.
A few days later, CEO Angus Russell reiterated the company's expectation for double-digit earnings growth in 2012. The company is expected to report 2012 results in mid-February.
The stock continues to consolidate beneath its February, 2012 all-time high of $108.79. It closed Wednesday at $99.79. That is extended from a reasonable buy point, as it is 10.7% above its 50-day line and 10.3% above its 200-day moving average. However, keep a close eye on those moving averages. The 50-day line is poised to cross above the 200-day, which is a potentially bullish development.
Shire is definitely sending out some mixed signals. Revenue growth rates have been decelerating over the past five quarters, from 25% to 1%. Also, for a large cap, the stock is somewhat thinly traded, moving about 298,000 shares per day. That's not unusual in overseas-based stocks, which can be off the radar of some U.S.-based hedge fund and mutual fund managers.
Other indicators look better: Free cash flow per share, a gauge of a company's ability to finance projects without taking on more debt, has increased in the past two years, and in the trailing 12 months.
So what is the best way to handle this stock? Given the bullish moving-average crossover that appears ready to happen, I would like to see a pullback to a short-term moving average, such as the 5-, 8-, 10-, or 15-day line. Support at one of these price lines could offer the next chance to grab shares.


text:
Brangelina! Aniston! Miley and Liam! 2012 was an UNFORGETTABLE year in celebrity engagements.
As Access Hollywood's Top 12 Headlines of 2012 continues, we take a look back at the Hollywood stars who popped the question to their longtime loves this year.
- Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt: After seven years together (and six children!), Brad proposed to his lovely lady in April.
The power pair had initially stated they would not tie the knot until there was marriage equality across the board. However, in January, Brad admitted he and Angelina were receiving a lot of "pressure from the kids" to "get Mommy a ring."
PHOTOS: Brangelina's Family Album
The actor took his children's advice, and worked with Beverly Hills jeweler Robert Procop to design a blinding bauble for Angelina.
Get the details on Angie's ring, HERE.
No word on when Brad and Angelina will say, "I do," though multiple reports claim the ceremony will take place at their estate in France.
- Jennifer Aniston & Justin Theroux: Not to be outdone, Brad Pitt's ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston, also got engaged this year!
Justin Theroux, Jennifer's recent beau (the "Wanderlust" co-stars went public with their relationship last summer), proposed to Jen in August on his birthday.
PHOTOS: From On-Set Romance To Real-Life Love: Hollywood's Hottest Co-Star Couples!
The star couple first stepped out together in June 2011 at a post-MTV Movie Awards bash at SoHo House in West Hollywood, Calif.
Soon thereafter, Jen brought Justin along to her taping of "Inside the Actors Studio," where her new boyfriend sat beaming in the front row during her interview with James Lipton.
The pair soon took their love to a new level, adopting a puppy together. Awwwww….
Justin reveals who acts as dog-disciplinarian, HERE.
Like Brad and Angie, this couple remains tight-lipped regarding wedding details.
- Miley Cyrus & Liam Hemsworth: Young love, sigh…
This adorable pair began dating in 2009 after meeting on the set of "The Last Song," and became engaged at the end of May.
"The Hunger Games" star, 22, proposed to Miley, 19, with a 3.5-carat diamond ring.
PHOTOS: Celebrity Engagement Rings
Though tongues wagged over the young star's decision to tie the knot, Miley's dad Billy Ray Cyrus immediately gave his blessing via Tweet (of course!), writing, ""All I ever hoped for as a Daddy was to see my kids reach their dreams. To find happiness…peace of mind …and someday know… true love."
Ever the supportive fiance, Liam was proud of his soon-to-be wife's bold new haircut (she sheared her locks off, opting for an edgy platinum pixie cut in August).
Liam's reacts to Miley's 'do, HERE.
While the couple has yet to dish on a possible date for their nuptials, in November, Miley said she wants her big day to go off without a hitch and is currently focusing all of her energies into her new album, set to be released next year.
PHOTOS: Miley & Liam: Young Hollywood's Power Couple
- Avril Lavigne & Chad Kroeger: Canadian pop/rock stars unite… literally! The Nickelback frontman, 38, proposed to the 28-year-old "Complicated" singer in August.
The engagement came as a surprise to the media and fans alike, as Avril was dating former reality personality Brody Jenner earlier this year.
Sparks began to fly when Avril and Chad teamed up to pen a song for Avril's upcoming album.
This will be Chad's first marriage, and the second for Avril (who was previously married to Deryck Whibley of Sum 41).
- Halle Berry & Olivier Martinez: After weeks of speculation, a rep for Halle confirmed the Oscar-winner was engaged to her beau, French actor Olivier, in March.
PHOTOS: Hollywood's Smokin' Hot Couples
Olivier dished on the engagement ring he chose for Halle, HERE.
- Alec Baldwin & Hilaria Thomas: This charming couple got engaged in April and tied the knot just two short months later.
Among the guests at the June ceremony in New York City Alec's daughter Ireland and brothers Stephen and Billy, as well as Woody Allen, Alec's "30 Rock" co-star/friend Tina Fey, "Saturday Night Live" producer Lorne Michaels and "Law & Order: SVU" star Mariska Hargitay.
The proud groom dishes on his and Hilaria's plans for adding to their family, HERE.
- Drew Barrymore & Will Kopelman: News of this Drew and Will's engagement broke early this year, and the glowing bride-to-be soon shared an engagement photo of the smiling couple.
Click HERE to view the photo!
It was soon revealed that Drew and Will were expecting a baby and the couple tied the knot in June.
The newlyweds became parents to baby girl Olive Barrymore Kopelman in October.
More from our Top 12 Headlines of 2012: #7 – "American Idol" & "The X Factor" Judges Shakeups — Click HERE to read.
On Thursday, our countdown continues with the #5 of our Top 12 Headlines – Celebrity Wedding Mania!


text:
7 posts
Hello! This is my first post in this board here!
English is not my native language, so please keep that in mind if my style is a bit stumbling sometimes...
I have uploaded an audio file where you can hear the zapping through a cable-tv program...
You hear maximum 2-3 seconds per channel and between the soundbits a short noise.
I was already about to describe/release the file, but than I thought about the rule that you may not upload records from tv...
But as I said the bits are only about 2 or 3 seconds long, so I would say it is legally OK... What do you think?
thanks in advance.
have a listen and see if the parts are really recognisable.
if they aren't there shouldn't be a problem...
- bram
yep, you can recognise the parts well, but as I said only about 2 secs...
the truth is that's it's your risk, not mine
i'd say go ahead and upload, but I´m not a lawyer and I take no responsibility either
- bram
Couldn't a mod/Admin listen to it? I already uploaded it into my FTP-folder...
just submit it, I will listen to it in the moderation stage.
- bram
just did it.
7 posts


text:
Web CMS Training "A" Session
You may also like:
Montgomery honored by Fort Worth Business Press at CFO award event
Don't miss this week's Homecoming events
Texas Wesleyan has implemented a new content management system (CMS) that gives faculty and staff the power to shape their department's website by creating an editing content. On November 18, we will be offering part "A" of CMS training for university employees.
The session will not only teach you how to use the new system, but also how to create and manage content that allows you to get the most out of your site. You will receive a crash course in basic functions such as
The course runs from 10 a.m.-noon and will be held in the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) on the first floor of the library. CMS training sessions "A" and "B" and the Web writing crash course must be completed in order to be approved to edit and create content. Web writing crash courses will be offered on six dates during the Fall semester.
Space is limited to 8 participants for each session.
Send Me Info
Apply Now
Or Sign In to finish your application
Contact Information
Office of Marketing & Communications
Address: EJW Library, B36


text:
Show off your work with this easy-to-customize and fully featured WordPress Theme. When purchasing this theme, you will receive a detailed help file along with additional features like Unlimited Color Schemes and Responsive Layout.
Theme Features
- Unlimited Color Schemes that are easy to customize from a front-end color picker
- Retina Support: Stoken is optimized for high resolution displays like the Macbook Pro with Retina Display, iPhones and iPads
- Responsive Layout: Mobile, Tablet and Desktop optimized
- Video Documentation with a detailed written help file
- Demo Content included in an XML Import file for quick setup
- Translation Ready with a .po file
- Unlimited Portfolios can be created
- Unlimited sidebars supported
- Flickr Widget that automatically pulls in your Flickr images
- Built using HTML5 Boilerplate for a fast, robust and future-proof site!
- Photoshop Files Included
Custom Fonts used in theme
- PT Sans Caption (free download)
Theme Updates – Changelog
==v1.6 - 2 July 2016 == Added support for new required Google Maps API Key Files Updated: functions.php, page-contact.php and page-contact-full.php ==v1.5 - 20 August 2015 == =WordPress 4.3 Support Added! -Updated /widgets/ folder ==v1.4 - 14 June 2015 == -prettyPhoto Lightbox Plugin Update Files Updated: /js/plugins.js ==v1.3 - 14 June 2015 == -prettyPhoto Lightbox Plugin Update Files Updated: /js/plugins.js ==v1.2 - 8 March 2013 == -Updated style.css to fix custom font in Chrome (Change noted at bottom of style.css file) ==v1.1 - 5 November 2013 == -Updated plugins.js file for the latest version of FitVids Responsive Videos script
Signup for our e-mail newsletter
Get notified via e-mail when we release new themes! It's easy – sign up for our e-mail newsletter here
Need Support? Visit our Support Forum
We offer theme support via our support forum. Please post all support questions through our support forum. We reserve the item comments for pre-purchase questions.


text:
Walsall Pest Control – Pest Control Birmingham
Walsall Pest Control - Pest Control Birmingham
Operating since 2009, Walsall Pest Control has established a great reputation by providing its customers with the most effective treatments and in-depth knowledge of pest control available within Walsall and surrounding Birmingham and West Midlands area.
Here at Walsall Pest Control we strive to continuously improve our pest control service and to deliver the highest level of professionalism, in-depth knowledge and keep up-to date with the very latest treatments within the Walsall, Birmingham and West Midlands area. We deliver all types of pest control and are adept in ridding our customers of these problems, also offering many guaranteed treatments for specific pest species. Extremely discreet service with unmarked vehicles.
Walsall Pest Control has built an unrivalled reputation amongst customers due to providing an extremely competitively priced and professional pest control service that can offer its customer a unique and custom approach to pest control in the Walsall, Birmingham & West Midlands area. At Walsall Pest Control Service we know how to deal with all types of commercial and domestic pest infestations, which includes rats, mice, squirrels, fleas, flies, moles, cockroaches, bees, wasps, pigeons, bedbugs and many other insects and rodents.
We offer same day pest control services to all our customers, with a great starting price from as little as £35.00. We also provide our commercial and residential customers with contact pest control services if they wish for long term monitoring services.
Walsall Pest Control - domestic and commercial pest control for Walsall, West Midlands and Birmingham
We have many calls where people have thought they would be able to go to their local supermarket & buy quick fix diy products, only to find later on down the line they have only made the pest problem worse, often by the item they purchased being inadequate, they have allowed the pest to reproduce by giving them time, often leading to infestation.
Most importantly, they waste money and time, also creating more of a pest problem than in the first instance.
Walsall Pest Service
Technicians are highly trained to identify the causes of infestations and to eliminate any possible type of pest. We offer pest prevention advice and methods in order to prevent any future issues.
Walsall Pest Control understands the importance of delivering a discreet and private pest control service, this is why all our vehicles carry no signage and are completely unmarked.
At Walsall Pest Control we provide a competitive price structure, no call out charge and offer total discretion.
Contact us today: 07790 500 900.
You can also email us: email@example.com


text:
HPE 900W HOT PLUG P/S FOR G4 (337867-501)Item#: 40012575 | Model#: 337867-501
- Price:
- $63.99
- Shipping:
- Temporarily out of stock. Order today and we'll deliver when available. (Details)
900W HOT PLUG P/S FOR G4 Product Details
Recommended Items
Manufactured by: HPE
Warranty provided by: HPE
UPC No:
Mfg Part No: 337867-501
Box Size:
( Length:0, Width:0, Depth:0)
Shipping Weight: 4.0000 pound(s)
Click here for full warranty and support information
- HPE logos are registered trademarks of HPE. All others trademarks and copyrights mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.


text:
The Day Ahead: Getting Eerie Out There
A few years ago, during a typical earnings-season cram-fest at the office, midnight came along and my brain could take no more spreadsheets -- so I made a pot of coffee, did some pushups began to read Jim Cramer's Confessions of a Street Addict. The book reinforced that, yes, I was definitely in the right profession, and it shared very valuable insights into the necessary ingredients to get ahead in both good and bad markets. I've since woven them into my life, and here are a few:
1. One must have a legal edge on the trade. For example, you must consume so much research and network contacts that the outcome on the stock seems almost certain -- or certain enough for you to make a large wager....594 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
Already a Subscriber? Please login.


text:
"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple." Dr. Seuss
We are in a funk, we now have some obvious tension in the locker room and the confidence bordering on arrogance demonstrated by the local fan base has now been shaken, but not necessarily stirred.
In the Roy Hibbert thread I made my disappointment known for how Roy has chosen to handle this so I won't continue beating that drum here.
I had an Odd Thoughts in the can after the Knicks loss but decided that for my first one back in awhile that it was way to negative and so even though it was a long one (yea even for me) I just deleted it late this evening.
Today with the Bulls coming to town I want to look at what some of the root causes are and see if we can't alleviate some of our anxiety as we end the season and look to the playoffs.
First though I want to make this statement, I thought N.Y. would beat us prior to the game. In fact I'm somewhat surprised we narrowed the gap as much as we did. Also and I'm not saying this just to be an alarmist, but I believe the likelihood is that the Bulls will pummel us tonight. Their defense is fierce and it will exacerbate every single offensive flaw we have. Now I'm not guaranteeing a loss but I will actually be surprised if we pull this one off. However follow me till the end of this portion of my post and you will see why I am not going to freak out if this occurs.
I'm just going to go ahead and mess with Uncle Bucks mind here and now, I think our defense though lapsing at times and not nearly as potent as it once was is still good enough to win most games.
Even against good teams.
Our offense though is just abysmal. I don't have fancy graphs or advanced analytics to back me up but I can just tell you that since about the beginning of the New Year our offense has gone in the tank.
We have people, including our center, who place a lot of the blame at the feet of Lance because sometimes when he gets the ball he holds onto it for way to long.
We have others who will blame our lack of point guard and George Hill's aggressiveness from game to game ranging between Stannis Baratheon to Lord Varys.
Even others will point to our centers inability to hold position against players half his size or the ability to catch anything other than an entry lob pass.
Some will go after our superstar player for his inability to shoot with even the slightest decent % over the past few months and his new found role as floor Barrister in arguing with the referee's after almost every play.
If you are brave enough you might even cast a mild statement of doubt towards David West. But if his badness doesn't make you hesitate his biggest fan in the world Quinn Buckner might tackle you. If you've ever listened to Quinn you will know that David has never done anything wrong, ever.
Again going back to Dr. Seuss the answers really aren't that complicated. The solutions to the problems might be, but the simplest answer in the world is how our offense gets slowed to an absolute grinding halt on a nightly basis.
Watch teams defend us to start games. They simply pack the paint and dare us to hit any form of shot outside of 15'. You'll notice they don't really blitz our pick and rolls very often because they know our ball handlers are not going to pull up for a mid range shot and stick it. They may try but the likely hood of anyone on our team hitting a shot outside of the paint is tenuous at best.
What does this lead to? Simple this means that we have pretty much three options on a play. We either bring the ball up court swing it from side to side praying that the defense switches and draws out a defender leading to either Lance or Paul sashaying to the basket or someone on our team pulling up and shooting a three pointer that more likely than not will not go in. Or we come up court and try and make an entry pass to Roy or David and pray they catch it without the ball being turned over and then can get up a shot while being double teamed. Or we run a high pick and roll with West hopefully finding a cutter or some miracle occurs and his mid range shot falls.
Sure there are million other variations that can occur here but these are the three most common themes I've seen. I dropped mysynergy this year so I'm just going on what I have seen and remember.
Now our highest success generally is when we do move the ball around and that it never stays with one person for any real length of time. However there is not a single starter who isn't guilty of pounding the rock to much on occasion. Yes Lance is guilty of it as well and he probably is the biggest offender but let me assure you that Paul George can do it and for that matter so can Roy.
However the single biggest culprit in all of this is our inability to stick a jump shot on a consistent basis. Remember in the beginning of the year when Luis Scola took that 12-15' jumper you were certain that it would drop? Or how about when Paul George just pulled up in the mid range from anywhere, weren't you positive that this was a money shot? Do you still fill that way today? David West has even been missing wide open bunnies under the basket lately.
It's so bad that I would give a max contract right now to Kyle Korver and I hate everything about his game.
How do you fix shooting? That is an age old question that I'm not 100% sure how to do.
In some ways we are just going to have to do what I freely admit for me is one of the hardest things in the world to do. Have faith.
Paul hit those shots before so there is no reason why he can't hit them again. Luis was automatic before, I know of no physical reason why he can't be again.
We really truly need C.J. Watson back because he was the one guard who could hit a shot on a consistent basis.
So between the dog days of the NBA, a massive shooting slump and some internal finger pointing it would look like we were lottery bound all season and not the # 1 seed in the NBA for most of the year.
But fortunes can change and shift back to the positive as fast as they have fallen by the wayside.
This is why tonight I am not going to go nuclear if we lose. Now don't get me wrong if we don't even compete I'll let them have it and even if we do compete and lose I'll still point out issues that I see. But my thoughts coming into this week were as follows. We would lose to the Knicks, we would get smashed by the Bulls and we will struggle vs. the Grizzlies.
By then the coaching staff is going to have to step in and light a fire under them. This is where Frank will either earn his money or well this might be the first real chink exposed in his armor. My bet is on Frank.
The team will be up for the Heat and there the season will either turn back to what it once was or well we are looking at a collapse that will shake our fan base to the very core.
The talent is still there. The system needs tweaking but at the end of the day and this is once again the simplest answer in the world but there is no better answer. Our players have got to start hitting their shots on a more consistent basis.
Okay now that I have this portion of the thread done I am now going to move into another topic that is not basketball related however it is Digest related.
This was really not one of my better posts I've written and actually I'm okay with that because I did not want my first one back to be filled with my stinging rebukes of another loss to the Knicks or Bulls.
The reason for that is because it is my official announcement that I am back. You will notice my name is once again highlighted in blue. I want to thank everyone who sent me p.m.'s checking on my well being or encouraging me to post more often. Circumstances have changed and I intend on ending the season and hitting the playoffs with the energy of 10 Grinch's. We will be having some new announcements coming your way in the future but for now it's safe to say I'm home and in the immortal words of Lt. Comd. Tom Dodge "let's kick this pig".
Also there has not been nearly enough Van Halen in your lives since I have been gone.


text:
THREE masked offenders burst into the Burnley home of an elderly woman while she was babysitting her grandson and held them captive as they raided her house.
The resident, in her 70s, was with the 12-year-old boy in the living room of her Coleshill Avenue home when she heard a noise coming from outside of her front door and went to investigate it.
As she walked towards the front door, three burglars broke in through it.
One of the thugs grabbed the handle of a glass panelled door she was stood behind, which separated the dining room and the hallway, shutting the woman and child in the house.
The woman battled with the burglar, attempting to pull the door open, but did not have the strength to overpower him.
As she and the young boy were stuck behind the door, the other two other burglars ran upstairs, one searching the bedrooms, and the other going through the loft space.
While raiding the upper floors of the house, the burglars found a stash of money and snatched it.
They ran down the stairs and out of the front door. The other offender then released his hold over the door and followed his accomplices.
The three then got into a car and sped off down the road, turning onto Brunshaw Avenue, and then Lyndhurst Road.
All three offenders are described as white, and the burglar holding the door shut is believed to be in his late teens and around 5ft 5ins tall.
Police are now appealing for witnesses of the incident, which happened at around 8.20pm on Tuesday.
PC Phil Bewley, of Pennine Proactive Team, said: "The victim is very shaken up. This would be a horrible thing to happen to anybody, but to happen to an elderly victim like this is terrible.
"We want anybody who saw anything, or knows anything about this incident, to get in touch with us on the non-emergency number, 101."


text:
Be the first to review this product
Availability: In stock
The Ricki Bookcase provides the perfect storage solution for the modern room. With two adjustable shelves and two spacious drawers, this bookcase can be arranged to suit any storage or presentation need. The Ricki Bookcase is made from select solid hardwoods and is custom benchmade just for you.
Width: 36" Depth: 15" Height: 52"
Please note that different types of woods may vary in terms of finishes, and each has its own inherent qualities. Color lots may vary slightly from batch to batch. Cream and Silver finishes incur a 10% paint upcharge. A 10% upcharge is added when choosing an Accent Color option.
Our lead time is 12 weeks. Once your order ships, please allow 10-15 business days transit time.
For many more custom options, such as glass knobs and appliqués, please email us at email@example.com or call us at 951-549-0590 so we can help provide you with the perfect furniture for your home!
View our return policy
Made in the USA.
* Required Fields
Check items to add to the cart or select all
Ricki Crib
Ricki Desk


text:
Naltrexone for Medication Compliance Among HIV-infected Men With Alcohol Use Disorder
This study has been completed.
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Yale University
Asociación Civil Impacta Salud y Educación, Peru
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Ann C Duerr, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: June 17, 2011
Last updated: June 14, 2017
Last verified: June 2017
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
This study will recruit 159 HIV-infected men with alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Men will be randomized to receive either oral naltrexone for the treatment of alcohol use disorder or placebo. Men with acute, recent or established HIV infection will receive antiretroviral treatment (ART) and be randomized to oral naltrexone or placebo. The purpose of this study is to see whether use of oral naltrexone improves medication compliance, and therefore HIV viral load suppression, among men with alcohol use disorder. The study will also assess the impact of oral naltrexone on alcohol use behaviors in this population.
|HIV Alcohol Use Disorder
|Drug: oral naltrexone Drug: Placebo pill
|Phase 4
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Investigator)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|Oral Naltrexone for Improved Medication Compliance Among HIV-infected Men With Alcohol Use Disorder
Resource links provided by NLM:
MedlinePlus related topics: Alcohol HIV/AIDS
Drug Information available for: Naltrexone Naltrexone hydrochlorideU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by Ann C Duerr, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- HIV Viral Load Suppression [ Time Frame: 6 months ]The primary outcome will be the proportion with a VL<400 copies/mL at 6 months.
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- ART Compliance and Alcohol Use Behavior [ Time Frame: 6 months ]Secondary HIV outcomes will include time to ART initiation, retention on ART over 6 months, and HIV sexual risk behaviors. Alcohol use outcomes include the following: 1) Time to relapse to heavy drinking (for men defined as >5 drinks/drinking day); 2) percent of days drinking (PDD) over the six-month examination period; 3) percent of days abstinent (PDA) over the six month examination period; and 4) alcohol craving using the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale where a mean change in total score will be assessed and compared between treatment groups.
|Study Start Date:
|May 2014
|Study Completion Date:
|June 2017
|Primary Completion Date:
|June 2016 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Placebo Comparator: Placebo pill
Daily oral placebo.
|Drug: Placebo pill
Active Comparator: NTX
Daily oral naltrexone.
Drug: oral naltrexone
Other Name: Nalerona
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Meets DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence or problem drinking.
- Age 18 years and older
- Confirmed HIV infection, either through positive HIV antibody or detectable HIV-1 RNA level.
- No participation in pharmacotherapy trial in the previous 30 days
- Not pregnant
Exclusion Criteria:
- Unable to provide informed consent
- Verbally or physically threatening to research staff
- Unable to communicate in Spanish
- Pending trials for a felony
- Childs-Pugh Class C Cirrhosis
- Grade 3 Hepatitis (LFTs > 5X normal)
- Receiving opioid prescription narcotics or has pain syndrome necessitating future use of opioid prescription narcotics.
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01377168
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01377168
|Asociación Civil Impacta Salud y Educación
|Lima, Peru
Sponsors and Collaborators
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Yale University
Asociación Civil Impacta Salud y Educación, Peru
|Principal Investigator:
|Ann Duerr, MD, PhD, MPH
|Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
|Study Director:
|Frederick Altice, MD
|Yale University
More Information
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017
|Responsible Party:
|Ann C Duerr, Member, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01377168 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|June 17, 2011
|Last Updated:
|June 14, 2017
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Alcohol Drinking
Pathologic Processes
Drinking Behavior
Narcotic Antagonists
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Sensory System Agents
Peripheral Nervous System Agents
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


text:
SARATOGA SPRINGS -- On Feb. 6, 2012, Conan O'Rourke was airlifted to Albany Medical Center with a traumatic brain injury, a collapsed lung, a ruptured spleen and 22 broken bones, including several spinal fractures, a broken eye socket and a broken jaw.
His car had been knocked off the road by a reckless driver on Route 29 and toppled over the embankment near the intersection with Weibel Avenue, flipping through the air and smashing through trees.
Wednesday was the anniversary of that crash, which responders at the time described as "horrific."
One year after the accident that nearly killed him, though, O'Rourke is jovial, positive and shows no outward signs of the trauma his body endured.
A haunting flashback
O'Rourke's accident occurred when his truck was hit from behind on Route 29, sending it into the air and over an embankment. A year later, there is still a visible gap in the trees.
"I remember little snapshots," O'Rourke said. A car coming up fast in his rearview mirror, his truck overturning, the EMTs helping him out of the vehicle, the helicopter landing and waking up in the Trauma Center.
His wife, Kristine, on the other hand, remembers everything. She was on her way to the YMCA when traffic was diverted because of the accident.
"I thought for a second it could have been him, then I looked at the time and convinced myself why it couldn't be," she recalled.
Then she got a call from her pastor, asking how he was doing.
O'Rourke was in a medicated coma in Albany Medical Center's Trauma Center. Kristine called a friend -- a state trooper -- to check in on her husband and to prepare herself before arriving at the hospital. After seeing him, she didn't want her now 11-year-old daughter, Emma Grace, to.
"I wanted to protect her," Kristine said. However, the doctors said it would be good for him to see his daughter.
The couple also has two sons, 2-year-old Samuel and 5-year-old Jackson.
"It was pretty scary seeing him at first," Emma Grace said. "It felt like a dream. I didn't know what to expect."
A remarkable recovery
Seeing O'Rourke now is enough to make one doubt he was in a crash at all. He has aches and pains but no visible scars. He can't sleep for more than six hours at a time, but he feels lucky to be alive.
Doctors told him to expect a three- to six-month hospital stay. He was home 17 days later.
"You can't reach for the stars if you're aiming for the clouds," he said.
O'Rourke spent the next three weeks in a wheelchair, though doctors warned him it could be much longer. But with exercise and rehabilitation, O'Rourke exercised and weaned himself out of the chair for longer and longer periods of time.
He and his family attribute his success to his positive attitude and hard work.
"I didn't dwell on it. I just kept my focus and decided I would get there as soon as I could," O'Rourke said. "I always had a positive outlook, which helped."
He didn't even harbor negative feelings toward the driver of the red Porsche SUV that hit him, who later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving and was fined $380.
"Bad things happen to good people, but you can't harbor bad feelings," O'Rourke said. "You just hurt yourself."
Extending many thanks
The O'Rourkes spent last Wednesday making rounds.
They delivered "Thank You" cards to his seven surgeons at Albany Medical Center and to the Saratoga Springs police and fire departments, which both responded to the accident scene.
"For them, it was just another day at the office," O'Rourke said. "We want them to know they impact people's lives. What they do matters. Because I was so close to not being here, you appreciate everything so much more. You want to take advantage of that to express yourself."
Kristine O'Rourke, who said she went through emotional turmoil in the hours, days and weeks following the crash, particularly thanked his doctors.
"His doctors were not just doctors that day, they were angels," she said. "When you saw him, you have to believe in miracles. You have to believe that God -- He saved him."
The O'Rourkes didn't just thank the first- responders and doctors who picked Conan up and pieced him back together, though. People the O'Rourkes hardly knew would show up, asking what they could do to help. And the family became closer to people they knew from church or work, as "everyone just rolled up their sleeves."
The O'Rourkes knew Mark Baker, president of the City Center Authority, through their church.
"I always knew him in his suit and tie," Kristine said. After the accident, "he showed up in sweatpants. He played trains with Jackson and changed diapers."
The family had three months' worth of prepared meals and no shortage of babysitters.
The O'Rourkes said they are particularly grateful to the people in the community who prayed for Conan, their family at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, all of the anonymous people who donated to the Conan O'Rourke Family Fund at Adirondack Trust Co., which raised $5,486, and dozens more.
"It's just a huge thank you," Kristine said. "It's about us showing what the community is doing, showing the good that is out there."
Letter from the family
A year ago Feb. 6, our lives changed drastically because of a tragic automobile accident that involved Conan O'Rourke.
At this time, our entire family -- Conan, Kristine, Emma Grace, Jackson and Samuel O'Rourke -- wishes to extend our deepest and most sincere gratitude and appreciation to each and every one of you who prayed for us, showed loved to our family and embraced, comforted and supported us through this very difficult time in our lives.
As we reflect and look back over this past year, we are in awe of all the goodness that has been so lovingly shared with us. God's faithful love and everlasting promises have been our greatest source of strength. This accident has shown to us the kindheartedness of people and the unselfishness to want to help those in need.
As individuals, we want to believe the world is understandable, that life is fair and that things make sense. We want to believe notions, for example, that if we are careful enough, work hard enough and even try hard enough, we can protect ourselves and our loved ones from bad things happening and keep them safe at all times.
However, sometimes things are not always fair, and because of this, we need to remember to learn, grow and forgive from these experiences in order to appreciate the gifts of life and each other. We are reminded of all these extraordinary tributes and more because of your considerate acts of giving and tenderness.
Special thanks, acknowledgements and admiration to our local community family; to the individual who stayed alongside Conan until help arrived; to each of the firefighters, emergency agencies, paramedics and volunteers who assisted with Conan's rescue; the Saratoga Springs Police Department, especially Investigator Jim Bell; the Saratoga County District Attorney's Office, especially Mr. Jim Davis and Ms. Kim Bryden; The Ronald McDonald House, especially Ms. Debbie Ross; Dr. Mark Moreau and staff; our family at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, especially the Rev. Adam Wiegand, and the Christian Childhood Center; the YMCA, especially Lisa Nichols and John Higgins; Adirondack Trust Bank for establishing the "Conan O'Rourke Family Fund" and for raising $5,486.19 through generous givers among our family, friends and community; Schuylerville Central School District Principal Mr. Greg Barthelmas and Mrs. Michelle McDougall; the United Methodist's Small Wonders Preschool; and our employers and co-workers at BMPC and JCPenney for their support while Conan recovered from his injuries.
While this past year has posed tremendous challenges for us, there are so many uncertainties about Conan's future surgeries and his prognosis of permanent injuries and limitations. However, we can reassure you that our faith in God and each other is stronger now than ever before. We will continue to overcome any of our fears with God's help and grace, remaining ever so humble from this experience and optimistic about our future.
Thank you kindly,�
The O'Rourke Family


text:
Dan Sayles
Sports Editor
There are many movies that try to depict the life of a man going into shambles with dysfunctional family members, work problems and the unfortunate process of seeking guidance that ultimately leads to disappointment, or even further confusion.
Even fewer movies are able to go about such heart-rending events with a thick, syrupy black humor that the Coen brothers have. With "A Serious Man" they deliver a picture that is both funny and sad about a man who knows himself, his morals, and his intellect, and yet suffers setback after setback.
Larry Gopnik, a Jewish professor at a university in a mid-western town, is that man.
In the period of a few weeks, he finds everything that he once thought of as a simple and straightforward life crumples up and falls over.
Gopnik, played by the exceptional Michael Stuhlbarg, has a genuine charm as he is confronted with one disastrous event after another with a kind of utmost shock, surprise and believable outrage at God.
For example, his wife, Judith, drops a divorce wish early on in the film as he is grading his students absentmindedly, kick starting a domino effect in Gopnik's life.
His reaction only worsens when it is discovered that his wife desires to be with Sy Ableman, played with the disingenuous charm of Fred Melamed.
Sy seeks to ease the breaking up process by embracing Larry and giving him a bottle of wine as a peace offering, making the generally awkward process of separating, even more awkward.
Cornered by his uncaring wife and her newfound love, Gopnik is manipulated into leaving his house into a motel called, "The Jolly Roger."
Compounding Larry's problems is his brilliant, but emotionally stunted brother, Albert, whose intellectual genius resulted in a method to give him an unfair advantage in card games through the use of mathematics, not unlike counting cards.
Albert often attracts the attention of law enforcement and even hogs the bathroom more often than not, draining his cyst on the back of his neck with a tube and a machine, which made the audience squirm with every disgusting noise.
Albert's time spent in the household's only bathroom is a thorn in the side of Gopnik's daughter, Sarah, who pilfers money from his wallet when he leaves it unattended.
There is no honor among thieves, as Larry's other child, a young red-headed boy named Danny soon proves, stealing the same amount of money from his sister.
Danny is a bit of a delinquent, skipping school and smoking marijuana, while running away from a much larger kid whom he owed money to, not to mention using Colombia House to get records through a subscription, which bites into Larry's already strained budget, and generally shows complete obliviousness to his fathers problems.
The local marijuana dealer, Mrs. Samsky, frequently sunbathes in the nude in her supposedly safe-from-view backyard, and on a chance visit to his roof to fix the television antenna, Gopkin catches sight of her and stares until he passes out from the heat getting to him in hilarious fashion.
Even his work isn't safe from the cruelties of life, as a tenure board committee member 'tries' to alleviate his stress on his pending tenure, only to exacerbate it even more as he tells him that the committee was receiving anonymous letters condemning Larry.
Furthermore, he wages a heroic battle of morals against a student who tries to bribe him, weighing his morals against $3,000 for a simple grade change from an F to a passing grade. When he tries to take the high road, he soon has the student's father on his case, threatening him with a defamation lawsuit.
This movie is rife with dark humor, which some people might not get or appreciate. The trials that Larry Gopkin goes through would break some men, and most certainly would not be humorous to a lot of people, and shows insight to the banal life small towns have.
But thanks to the Cohen brothers, and superb acting by Stuhlbarg, who plays Gopkin as a bewildered man watching his entire world begin to catch fire and burn around him, finds little to no solace in the rabbi's he desperately seeks guidance from.
This movie takes humor and elevates it. There are no huge, boisterous laughs, and sometimes things would begin to seem weird and disorienting.
But make no mistake, "A Serious Man" delivers chuckles, intelligent thought, and is rife with metaphors without it being saturated in them, all at the expense of a serious man.
Dan Sayles can be reached at email@example.com.


text:
" Brand: Seeds of Change / Type: Dark "
I have only recently come to like figs, despite growing up with several fig trees in my back garden. So I was intrigued to see a dark chocolate bar from Seeds Of Change that is flavoured with fig and orange.
It isn't a newly launched product, just one I hadn't noticed before. I bought a bar when it was on a special offer in Sainsburys for £1.05 for a 100g block, the usual price being £2.05.
Like all products from Seeds Of Change, this chocolate is organic. The company donate 1% of their the sales for the purpose of research into sustainable organic growing, so I feel that they are a company I am happy to support even though their proucts are not the cheapest. I think they compare favorably price wise with other specialist chocolate producers though.
The chocolate wrapper certainly makes the chocolate sound delightful, with mentions of sun ripened fragrant figs from the Aegan, rich dark chocolate, and zesty oranges. On tearing open the wrapper, I was immediately greeted with a lovely smell combining all of the ingredients. It reminded me of Christmas, and immediately made me think it would be a good seasonal chocolate to have at that time. It looks smooth, with small pieces of fig just visible when you break it into squares. The orange flavour seems to come from orange oil, mixed in with the chocolate, rather than any actual pieces of the fruit.
I do not usually like dark chocolate as much as mint, but this bar could really change my mind!. It isn't as bitter as some of the darker chocolates can be, but it isn't too sweet either. It combines beautifully with the fig pieces, which while small, are bursting with fllavour. They are slightly chewy, which gives the bar a more interesting texture than it would otherwise have. Their flavour is so strong, that the orange comes a far second. I would have liked a bit more orange flavouring myself, to balance out the fig. What is there tastes fresh and natural though. I found that the taste of chocolate and fig lingered in my mouth for some time after I had finished eating, which was pleasant rather than otherwise. I think this is a bar to savour on it's own.
Being made of chocolate, I do not expect this to be a health food, so it is no surprise to read that 3 squares contain 28% of your RDA of saturated fat, and 14.4& of your recommended maximum sugar intake. Given that the flavour is intense, I could easily be happy to treat myself to just one piece though. Wrapped up well, the rest of the chocolate is still in good condition the next day.
I would recommend this bar if you like the taste of fig, as it is good quality. If the fruit is one you are not especially keen on, then I wouldn't recommend you give it a try, as there is no escaping the flavour. I would prefer it to have more of the citrus element myself, but I enjoy it as it is too.
My mate gave me this bar of chocolate after she had it sent to her in the post, she doesn't like chocolate (mad, I know!!!) so she always hands any she gets her hands on to me because she knows I love the stuff!
This is dark chocolate and is yummy, the chocolate has been flavoured with orange oil and I think the orange flavour is delish because it tastes like fresh oranges and not fake. The dark chocolate is brill, it's got a bitter taste but is also mega sweet and a lot of that sweetness is thanks to the orange flavour I reckon.
There are pieces of fig inside the bar and I wasn't that keen on that because I thought they were a bit hard and tough to chew. They have got a nice fruity flavour though and I think people who like the taste and texture of figs would deffo enjoy them in this bar.
I'm not sure if the orange and fig flavours go well together because the orange is so deep into the chocolate that I couldn't seperate it enough in my head to be able to compare it to the fig. I love how chewy the figs made the bar feel but I have got to say I got a bit bored of this chocolate after 3 or 4 squares and that's unusual for me because I'll normally eat a bar of chocolate this size with no worries!
I think the chocolate is brill quality, it's smooth and creamier than I thought it would be for dark chocolate. It doesn't melt very quick in my mouth but when it does I noticed how creamy and sweet the chocolate is underneath the orange flavour.
I'll deffo buy a bar of Seeds Of Change again, I don't think it will be this particular flavour because I wasn't mad keen on the figs but there are loads of others to choose from this company so I'll have to have a look on the shelf next time I'm in Sainsburys.
This is one of those upmarket chocolate brands and clearly Seeds of Change are aiming to compete in the same market segment as Green and Black as a 100g bar will set you back around the £2 mark which is almost double the prive of a standard Cadbury bar of the same size.
I must say that I liked this chocolate, there is nothing wrong with the quality or the taste it is just the fact that I do not think it really justifies the extra cost that you have to pay. This is a dark chocolate and combining this with an orange flavour certainly makees for an enjoyable treat, however I could not detect the flavour of the figs and I do wonder if these are not just added into the product to make it distinctive and justify the extra price that they charge.
This is an organic product and certainly the dark chocolate itself was very nice with a strong rich cocoa flavour The orange flavouring comes from small crystalised bits and the figs do give it a slightly chewy texture even if they do not add much in the way of flavour.
I did not find it very moorish and unlike a bar of milk chocolate it was not hard to resist the temptation of wolfing it down in one go, I would only buy this again if I came across it on special offer.
As my wife is an agent for BZZZ, recently we were sent two Seeds Of Change chocolate bars to taste and report back on along with several money-off vouchers. The first variety, Milk chocolate with cashew and apricot, I have already discussed but now I have decided to take time out and share with you my thoughts on the other bar, Dark chocolate with orange and fig.
My first impression is that this company are attempting to offer something substantially different from anything else available on the market by producing what some might consider slightly strange flavour combinations. Obviously their nearest competitor in this field are Green And Blacks and, since their chocolate has been around for some time now, that is obviously tough opposition to try and beat. But by supplying the public with alternative taste sensations, Seeds Of Change certainly deserve points for trying!
The fact that they are an ethical company also ways heavy in their favour as does the fact that they use all natural and organic ingredients to make not just their chocolate but also their wide range of pasta, sauces and cereal bars.
But there is really something about putting fig in a chocolate bar that didn't immediately appeal to me ~ my previous experiences of fig are limited to fig rolls which I haven't enjoyed since I was a kid! That being said, tasting this bar for the first time I will admit I was pleasantly surprised and it actually works better than it sounds ~ no doubt because the sharp, citrusy orange present here, combined with the rich bitterness of the dark chocolate, all but overpowers any taste of the fig. And this is some of the best quality dark chocolate you are ever going to get ~ much nicer than my previous favourite which has always been Bournville; as dark chocolate goes, this has always been a winner in my house but Seeds Of Change here supply a bar that excels even that!
If you are not a fan of dark chocolate then you are so not going to like this; my wife had a couple of mouthfuls and declared it far too bitter for her liking, but then that is what makes dark chocolate so much my favourite ~ there is nothing for me quite like the bitterness of the cocoa mixed with the heady sweetness of the choclate. As far as this bar is concerned, my wife compared it very much to what she would expect a dark chocolate orange would taste ike though the quality of the chocolate is beyond compare in my mind with Terry's inferior offering. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with Terry's Chocolate Orange (the heresy of even suggesting such a thing!!!!), but this is the difference between a BK whopper and a prime fillet steak. This chocolate really is in a different league and though I am still not sure about the fig, it is pleasant enough that I would purchase this chocolate in the future, though the price tag does put me of a little- more on that in a mo, and it is certainly a much nicer bar than the milk with apricot and cashew that I previously reviewed. This then, is the better of the two bars...
But at around £1.94 for a 100g bar, the price of an ethical conscience does not come cheap! The chocolate bar felt very thin to me and whilst there is no debating the quality, this is not an everyday bar but something bought as a treat and in these hard times, just how often can you afford to treat yourself at the minute? I find myself asking what else I could buy with the money and honestly, just short of £2 makes something of a difference to my weekly shop!
For nutritional information, please refer to my review on the milk chocolate with apricot and cashew review; suppliers of these bars include Sainsburys, Waitrose and all good health stores. Though they claim to be stocked in Tesco and Morrisons on the Seeds Of Change website, I have not seen them and our local Tesco is a much bigger than normal Extra store as well. Doing my research yesterday however, I did see that Tesco stock the Seeds Of Change range of pasta sauces.
Expensive but then how much are you actually willing to pay for your beliefs in natural and organic produce that is ethically and morally sound? If the answer is to pay through the nose, then you probably won't snub this price-tag....
Like most people who have reviewed this product recently I am a Bzz agent and have been sent two bars of chocolate for me to try and tell the world about. The two chocolate bars I received were Seeds of Change Dark chocolate Orange and Fig and a second bar of Milk chocolate Apricot and Cashew.
I had never heard of the Seeds of Change company and after checking them out on the internet, it turns out they are an Organic food company who make organic soups, sauces and pasta and have recently gone into the chocolate field, trying to be competition to Green and Blacks.
I admit I am not a lover of plain chocolate, I find it far too bitter but I do quite like Green and Blacks Plain Chocolate, and I would never turn down a free bar or two of chocolate.
So the first bar I am going to review is the Dark Chocolate Orange and Fig.
The 100g chocolate bar is encased in foil and wrapped in a dark pink and dark brown (the colour of the chocolate bar) paper wrapper with a drawing of a palm tree, orange tree, grass, a stork and various frogs, dragon flies and butterflies, all the wrappings are of course recyclable. On the front of the wrapper it states "Grown for pleasure" and "Fragrant figs ripened in the Aegean sun, paired with zesty oranges, enveloped in our rich dark chocolate heaven". On the back it gives you directions of how to open and eat the chocolate, "Open this wrapper and summoning all the willpower you can, hold back for just a moment. First, breath in this chocolates aroma: Trinitario cocoa giving the chocolate its rich complexity. The delicate orange zest with tangerine overtones. All imbued with fragrant figs, ripened under the hot sun of the Aegean. Now Taste. By the way, we only use figs from female fig trees (the males being inferior, are discarded) Sexist? Fruitist? Unashamedly yes". So now I know how to open a bar of chocolate, as if I didn't know! What a waste to discard the male fig, surely they could be used in something, not very fig friendly in my opinion. Its a good job I am writing this review otherwise I would have just ripped open the wrapper and rammed a chunk in my gob and not held back to enjoy the moment of the chocolates aroma!
So I've opened the wrapper and have the bar in front of me. The dark chocolate bar is moulded into 10 cubes of around an inch square, 5 cubes are stamped with 'Seeds of change organic' and the other 5 are stamped with something that looks a bit like an orange. The smell of cocoa is strong and at 59% it should be, but the smell of orange is undetectable. I snap off a piece of chocolate and place gently in my gob and chew and chew and chew. The taste of the plain chocolate overpowers the delicate flavour of orange so overpowering that I can't actually taste the delicate orange, the tiny figs are crunchy with the seeds, 5 minutes later I've still got the seeds hanging around in my mouth. The chocolate is quite firm and certainly not melt in the mouth and the figs taste of nothing really. Three pieces later and I have had enough, even just smelling the chocolate is making me feel sick and that is totally not like me, I am a rather overweight chocoholic and can easily clear a full bar but not this. This is certainly not a bar of chocolate that I would want to pig out on, in fact I could put it down and never pick it up again.
The bar contains 17% of fig pieces and 0.01% of orange oil (that will be why I can't taste the orange then!). Oh those 3 pieces I've just eaten contain 149 calories and 9.4 grams of fat which on checking out a bar of Green and Blacks Cherry chocolate is reasonable.
The chocolate contains traces of hazelnut, almond and other nuts, so is not suitable for people with nut allergies, also I can't find anywhere on the wrapper if this chocolate where it states it is suitable for vegetarians. The chocolate meets the soil association's standard for organic food and farming and has organic certification IT-QCI.
1% of all their sales goes back into research and promotion of biodiversity and sustainable organic practices, so that's 2p accounted for, it probably costs around 92p to make and pay the workers, so could the other £1.00 be profit!
This chocolate is available in Sainsbury's for £1.94 or Waitrose for £1.99 and has four different flavours, Plain Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate Orange and Fig, Dark Chocolate Hazelnut and Walnut and Milk Chocolate Apricot and Cashew, or from health food shops.
I would love to say how long the best before date is but the bar I was sent was actually out of date!
Seeds of Change Freeby Lane, Waltham on the Wolds, Leicestershire, LE14 4RS, www.seedsofchange.co.uk, telephone 0800 9520000
This is not something I will ever buy again, the chocolate was just to sickly for me and the figs were far too seedy, lets hope the milk chocolate fairs better. For me I will be sticking with Green and Blacks, there is a lot more selection and it's cheaper.
I gave the rest of my bar to my mum who likes dark chocolate, when I rung her to ask what she thought, she said she had a couple of chunks and it made her fill sick as well!
Many thanks for reading. Anna
Seeds of Change are clearly aiming to compete in the same market segment as Green and Black in the upmarket niche market of those people prepared to spend a little extra for a better quality and more unique chocolate experience.
This is a dark chocolate and combining this with an orange flavour is a definate winner, the contribution of the figs is a little harder to detect and I reckon its inclusion is to make the product sound different rather than actually taste any different.
This is an organic product and certainly the dark chocolate itself was very nice with a strong rich cocoa flavour which was not at all harsh. Within the chocolate there aretiny bits of cystalised orange bts and these give it the orange flavour which is just about right as it does not dominate the chocolate however it does give it a citrusy sweet flavour. The bits of fg give it a chewy texture in places but no real impact on the taste front.
A 100g bar will set you back £1.90 so it is a bit pricey however it will also last as I find a couple of bits with a coffee is more than enough for me as it is not a bar of chocolate I would eat all in one go. Overall as an occasional treat it is a nice option but not something I would buy on a regular basis.
As a Bzz Agent I was sent two large bars of Seeds of Change chocolate last week, I have already enjoyed (and reviewed!) their sumptuous Apricot and Cashew Milk Chocolate and now am enjoying (and reviewing!) the Orange and Fig Organic Dark Chocolate.
Dark chocolate is really my preference, from the humble Bournville to the delicious Green & Blacks Maya Gold and beyond - I just prefer it to milk chocolate as it's so much more flavoursome and luxurious. I also adore orange chocolate so couldn't wait to tuck into this wonderful sounding bar from Seeds of Change, although I must admit the addition of fig filled me with some trepidation as it seemed an odd choice and I've never really been over enamoured with this particular fruit in any of its guises.
I needn't have worried though as the flavours in this bar are absolutely delightful. I had been expecting pieces of orange in the bar but the flavouring actually comes from orange oil instead which gives it a delicious natural orange flavour, compared to the synthetic taste of Terry's Chocolate Orange (which I also love incidentally) it's absolutely excellent quality and lends the dark chocolate an intense and heady citrus flavour.
The dark chocolate is very smooth, I love how easily and creamily it melts in my mouth although for once this is not my preferred way of eating it. Because the fig pieces are quite large I didn't like the chocolate to melt all the way to nothing as I really didn't want to be left with lots of figs on my tongue, however plump and flavoursome they might be. To be fair to the figs (!) they are very tasty indeed, a little too chewy and tough for my personal tastes but when I passed a few squares of chocolate around when I had visitors the other day everyone else commented on how perfect they are - so yes, it's my aversion to figs coming through I think!
The chocolate clings well to the fruit so that when I am chewing I find the chocolate so moreish that I physically had to put the bar away after a couple of pieces as I would have otherwise no doubt carried on eating it until it was all gone. The figs make this a nice chewy bar of chocolate and because they are so sweet they do compliment the rich chocolate beautifully, a piece of this chocolate will last much longer than less adorned bars as they do take much more munching than usual!
Although I greatly preferred the Apricot and Cashew bar, I must say this was a delicious change from the usual bars I buy. To be honest I wouldn't have tried it if I hadn't had this sample, but I will buy it again despite my general dislike of figs. I think the richness of the chocolate masks the flavour of the fruit just enough to make it palatable (for me anyway, if you like figs then this may not be such a good thing) but the delightful texture they add to the otherwise smooth chocolate is interesting and more fun than if Seeds of Change had added your run of the mill raisins or currants.
Seeds of Change, incidentally, are a very ethical company. They donate 1% of their sales to projects worldwide which promote sustainable organic agriculture and biodiversity. Their ingredients are 100% organically grown and certified by the Soil Association, plus the company has recently made a large donation to the Kew Millennium Seed Bank which is attempting to safeguard over 24,000 worldwide species of plants. Their cocoa is ethically sourced from the Dominican Republic where Seeds of Change work with Conacado (National Confederation of Dominican Cocoa Growers) which help farmers to protect against pets and generally train them the make the very best income possible.
Environmentally friendly, ethical AND delicious - what more can you ask for?
'Seeds of Change' are a company that ought to be better known and respected in the UK. Why? Well, the company promote and produce foods with organic farming methods, striving to protect nature and the future generations of farmers from the problems caused by industrial agriculture. They are a company who build bridges with the people who are growing the seeds and plants used to manufacture their food products. They invest in education programmes for the farmers - a win/win situation. In addition to this the brand also contribute, financially, to various conservation projects and even donate 1% of all revenue to research into organic farming and the protection of biodiversity. Much of this information and more is printed in the inside of wrapper of the brand's chocolate bars as a sort of badge of honour. Now, when was the last time I opened up a Cadburys bar and felt as much respect?
The brand's chocolate range includes four flavours of chocolate. Unfortunately their availability is a stumbling block - the chocolate can only be found in 'larger' Waitrose and Sainsbury supermarkets as well as selected health food stores. I've actually only been able to find it in one shop near me and I have never seen the brand advertised anywhere. At the minute they seem hard to find but hopefully they will soon become as well-known as their closest rival 'Green and Blacks'.
The 'orange and fig' organic dark chocolate sounds very exotic and is not a flavour I could ever have dreamt up. The chocolate is foil wrapped for freshness and has a paper wrapper too. Ingredients and nutritional information can be found on this. Each 100g bar contains 149 calories and 9.4 grams of fat. The chocolate contains a minimum of 59% cocoa solids. There is also contact information and lots of details about where the company get their ingredients from: they travel worldwide for the very best figs, cocoa and vanilla pods.
The chocolate comes as a thin flat bar moulded into large inch by inch sqaures. The chocolate is mixed with an orange oil and fig pieces so there is a faint orange flavour over the intensely rich cocoa. The cocoa flavour is very bitter and powerful, it almost reminds me of coffee as it's so musky and rich. The aroma is also very strong - a smokey, earthy smell that is very mouth-watering. The orange flavour is almost overpowered but not entirely - although the hint of fruitiness is definately more noticable in the aftertaste. It is also more noticable in the fig segments - as though they have been soaked in the orange oil.
The fig pieces are abundant and one square inch of chocolate contains several pieces. They are a corn-yellow colour and are comprised of moist flesh and tiny little round seeds. They are quite chewy and tough, almost like a toffee substance, and the minute seeds will crack and crunch in your teeth - it makes the texture very interesting and challenging. They don't have a fig-like taste but tend to have that orange oil kick. I think their major benefit is not their flavour but what they contribute to the texture of the chocolate.
The flavour combination definately works and it is a novelty. I certainly haven't tasted anything like this before - it's very different to other chocolate flavours on he market. The actual chocolate is similar to 'Green and Blacks'. This is possibly due to the fact that both companies blend a vanilla extract with their chocolate recipies for that underlying dreamy nectar flavour.
I would definately champion this chocolate bar and tell you all to go out and try and find a bar as it's worth tasting!
See the website for more information about the brand:
As a BzzAgent, I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to test products for free in return for spreading the word about them to others. (It's not a paid job, unfortunately, but a nice way to try stuff for free. Anybody interested can sign up online at http://bzzagent.co.uk/) My latest products to try are premium quality organic chocolate bars. So, here I am, doing my bit for you all by stuffing myself silly with free chocolate! Aren't I kind?!
The chocolate in question is no ordinary bar but 100% organic dark chocolate containing at least 59% cocoa solids and (according to the packaging) 'fragrant figs' and 'zesty oranges.' The chocolate is made by Seeds of Change, a brand that I more readily associate with savoury organic produce. I've previously tried some of their organic pasta and pasta sauces but didn't realise that they also produce a range of organic chocolate.
Anybody who has read my recent review on another brand of dark chocolate (Willie's Delectable) may well remember that I am more of a milk chocolate Cadbury's girl and something of a philistine when it comes to premium quality dark chocolate. Nonetheless, I tried to put my prejudice aside and set about enjoying my free bar. The first thing that struck me about the chocolate was the lovely smooth texture. This was quickly followed by a pleasant orange flavour. I do feel that dark chocolate can be a little too bitter for my palate but the orange oil helped to soften some of the bitterness. The taste of orange was far more prominent than the figs that the chocolate contains. If I was tasting this without looking at the packaging first, I would have just assumed that the pieces of figs were actually orange pieces as the taste is predominantly orange. Mixed in with the figs are crispier bits which taste like crystallised orange pieces (almost as though a boiled sweet has been crushed up inside the chocolate.) These add an interesting depth to the chocolate and again detract my attention from the bitterness. Thankfully, the chocolate doesn't leave any unpleasant aftertaste in my mouth after eating, although there are a few bits of fig left in my teeth!
The reality for me is that I would prefer this chocolate if it was made from milk rather than dark chocolate. I'm sure that the orange and fig flavours would work just as well with milk chocolate and it would be more palatable for me! The positive is that I couldn't possibly wolf the whole of this bar down in one single sitting so I do get to savour the chocolate over a longer period of time.
At £1.99 per 100g bar, from stockists such as Waitrose, it doesn't seem particularly expensive in comparison to similar premium brands of dark chocolate. I probably wouldn't purchase this particular variety for myself but would recommend it to any dark chocolate and orange fans out there.
I received this chocolate as part of a trial kit from Bzzz, a market research company. Basically, being a Bzzz Agent means I have to test products and then spread the word about them.
When I saw they were having a Seeds of Change campaign I signed up - and was then sent two bars of organic chocolate and some money off coupons.
I have already reviewed the first bar I tested, which was milk chocolate with apricot and cashew nuts.
The second bar was dark chocolate - and I am not invariably a fan of dark chocolate - with orange and fig. I must admit this one languished in the fridge for longer as to be honest I didn't really fancy it!
Well, needs must and the bar came out to be sampled. Seeds of Change are clearly trying to aim for the more discerning chocolate buyer and these 100 gram bars are packaged to look classier than your bog standard Cadbury's, using foil and thick paper wrappers, similar in style to Green & Black's.
I must admit I was also unsure about the combination of orange and figs in this bar, but much to my amazement, this is a far more successful combination than the apricot and cashew.
The dark chocolate is made from trinitario cocoa and this gives a it a very rich flavour. This isn't the sort of chocolate you should eat in a hurry - it is worth taking your time over to enable you to experience the rich cocoa taste on offer.
The orange flavour comes from orange oil and tiny fragments of crystellised orange pieces. I am sure this is what made me enjoy this dark chocolate - had there been no orange I think I would have found the cocoa flavour too strong but the orange offsets it perfectly.
The figs are rather bland but add a nice blend of textures to the chocolate - the orange fragments give the bar a crispy texture whilst the figs are chewy. When these two textures are combined with the chocolate in your mouth you get a very good match indeed.
Unlike the milk chocolate Seeds of Change bar I sampled, this isn't as moreish either - the rich taste of the dark chocolate means you can eat a few squares and put this away for later. I am ashamed to say I never feel able to do this after having milk chocolate!
I have to say, however, that much as I enjoyed this, I doubt I would actually buy it. It comes in around £2 per bar, which is frankly more than I am willing to pay for chocolate really, except for the occasional very indulgent purchase of a bar of Lindt.
Seeds of Change Dark Chocolate with Orange and Fig comes in at 498 calories per 100 gram bar, so this is also expensive if you are dieting, even although it's quite easy to stop eating this after just a couple of squares.
I am also unsure about the benefits of organic chocolate - I cannot detect a noticeable difference in taste or quality, unlike when I purchase organic meat or vegetables. Perhaps something gets lost in the production process.
Overall this is a very pleasant treat which I must stress was more than I had been expecting, but the price is just a bit too high for me and the chocolate not good enough to convert me to organic dark chocolate on a permanent basis.
My girlfriend is a bzz- agent and has recently got a trail pack of two bars of Seeds of Change organic Chocolates. Now as usual I am the guinea-pig number one whenever it comes to trying one of her sample product, I had to take a piece. I am not a big fan of dark chocolates but again I can't refuse a piece of chocolate when offered either . I think I should have let my girl friend review this product as she would have done it more justice as she appreciates organic products and bitter chocolates too.
The bar itself is quite girly and has this lovely pink and dark brown paper packaging (it doesn't have the usual foil wrapping of chocolates, more environmentally friendly I suppose ), with the picture of a palm tree of all things... hmmm the chocolate itself has orange peel and figs ... and why pink?... do women like dark chocolates more..I need to do a research or is it for the figs ..not really sure..never mind now I am rambling.
The pack was of 100gms .Once opened the bar smells very strongly of cocoa.
Now I nearly washed my mouth after the first bite... the chocolate does have 70% cocoa content but still I have had dark chocolate in the past but this was bitter ...and then the really bitter orange peel bits were overpowereing. I had to eat a slice of cake and wash it down with water to get out the after taste... the fig bit was mild and crunchy .My girlfriend kept sighing blissfully and saying 'isn't the taste absolutely divine ?'
Our three year old and my nine years old neice behaved just like me and this really shows that its really ideal for people who love dark chocolate and not meant for everyone out there. Just wanted to warn the innocent folks out there and believe me I like jaffa cake and this is nothing in comparison.
It has 498Kcal per 100g and 31.4g per 100g of fat ,which is what a chocolate should have in my opinion unless it has the label 'good for you/healthy eating ' and then it wouldn't be chocolate would it ?
Its priced at £1.99 in shops like sainsbury's and sommerfield a wee bit pricey in my opinion but not that much for a speciality chocolate and then it is organic too. In future I am staying clear of anything that has orange peels and dark chocolate in it even if it is free.
I have recently subscribed to be a Bzzzz agent and today my first package arrived! Two bars of chocolate, one of which was Orange and Fig Dark Chocolate. So I sat down with a cup of tea and decided to give it a go....
***What's it like?***
It comes in a pink and brown packet and I have to say that at the first glance, the packaging looks a bit old fashioned and dated. It does not look trendy and enticing I have to say. Inside wrapped in silver foil is a bar of chocolate divided up into squares. The fig park is not visible and is within the chocolate itself as you would expect.
On the inside of the wrapper itself there is plenty of information detailing just what this company is about. I had not heard of them at all, nor seen the chocolate before being sent this product.
They set aside 1% of their budget (doesn't seem like much!) to help sustain organic agriculture. They stress that they source only the best ingredients, for example vanilla pods from Madagascar, or apricots from Turkey. This does give the impression that the product is one of quality and that it comes from ethical origins.
There is a small soil association logo on the bottom left hand side of the bar.
A 3 piece serving contains 149 calories, 9.4g of fat (5.6g of which are saturates), but I have to say I found it very difficult to stop at 3!
The bar is 100g in size.
It contains cocoa solids at 59%, which is always something that I look out for when buying quality chocolate, as usually I like there to be at least 70%.
I have to say that when I opened my package I wasn't overly impressed. I have never tasted figs in my life and had no inclination to do so.
On opening the packet the smell of chocolate was strong but pleasant. I could definitely detect the orange smell straight away.
I bit into the chocolate and the chocolate itself was quite chunky, it was not flimsy or delicate; it tasted substantial.
Immediately I loved the taste, the fragrant orange oil was mixed in with a dark cocoa taste, and the bits of figs were both chewy and crispy at the same time. I could not detect the taste of figs, it seemed as if I was eating pieces of dried orange. This didn't matter to me, all I know is it tasted really nice, and really different to anything that I have tasted before.
Today I am embarrassed to say that I have eaten half the packet with no trouble at all. The chocolate is bitter and rich and to be honest, seems more like the 70% content that I usually buy.
Although it is expensive, it would be nice as a treat once a month or so for something a bit different. When I look at the overall list of ingredients, there is nothing that would put me off and it is nice to read a list that contains no e numbers or nasty additives.
Again the packaging states that they only use figs from female trees, whats that all about? Poor male trees!!! I feel a bit sorry for them!
I must admit that even though it is full of fat, I felt just a little bit virtuous eating 'organic' chocolate, as if that fact alone cancelled out some of the bad bits. I would recommend giving this version a try to see what you think. Just think your earnings from your review could even pay for it!!!
I of course haven't bought it myself yet, but have found out that it retails at around the £1.99 mark, which I don't think is too bad considering it is organic. My usual bars I pay around £1.70-£1.80 and these are not organic. At the moment it is available from Sainsbury's, Waitrose and selected health food shops. It is a pity that it is not yet in Tesco, Asda, etc. Perhaps this is something for the future.
I will be buying this again and I will look out for the other flavours/versions. I would particularly like to sample the 70% dark chocolate and I think there is a walnut version. I think that the cashew and apricot milk chocolate version was poor in comparison, but that is a review for another day...
I have had the chance to try out this new chocolate bar as a bzz agent. Basically I signed up to bzz.co.uk and agreed that I would try out new products and discuss the good and bad with my friends and report back to them on how I found the new products and how my friends found the products too, I though you dooyooers would like to know about the new chocolate bar too...so here goes.
The chocolate bar I am going to describe is the new Seeds of Change Organic Dark Chocolate, Orange and Fig bar.
How does it look?
The bar comes in a pink and brown paper wrapper, inside of this wrapper is lots of information about the company such as how they choose their ingredients. Inside of this paper wrapper is a silver foil wrapper that completely seals the chocolate inside.
The paper wrapper has a picture in pink and brown of a palm tree and a stork/flamingo. It looks very sophisticated and grown up, certainly not the sort of chocolate bar that a child would choose.
The bar is 100g and measures about 25cm by 7cm and the bar is marked out into 10 squares about 1cm thick.
How does it taste?
First off the smell really hits you, it's a mixture of dark cocoa and biter orange. There is no denying from the scent that this is a dark chocolate bar.
The taste of the bar is very strong and bitter, both the chocolate and the orange are very bitter. I often find that orange chocolate is too sweet for me and usually avoid it, however this was not the case this time. The fig pieces are quite big and a mixture of chewy and crunchy, too crunchy in my opinion! The fig is buried within the bar so you can't actually see it until you bite into a square. There is plenty of fig though out the bar.
The nutritional bit!
498Kcal per 100g and 31.4g per 100g of fat, I know that is quite high, but after all it is a chocolate bar! Eaten in moderation this high calorie/fat content would not be a problem.
Currently a 100g bar will cost around £1.99, which for an organic luxury chocolate is not too bad, however it is currently only available in Waitrose or Sainsburys.
Having tried another bar in this range I can confirm that for some reason the chocolate does not melt very quickly, I was holding onto a square whilst doing other things (don't ask why, I was multi tasking), and it didn't melt in my hand very much at all, this one slightly less than the milk chocolate one I tried, maybe it's the high cocoa content?
Would I recommend it?
I would only recommend this particular flavour if you are a fan of fig, particularly the texture of fig. I would not personally buy this flavour again as I found the pieces of fig too much of a mixture of crunchy, almost gritty and chewy and wasn't that keen on it. However I would imagine my mother who is a fan of figs in general would really enjoy this.
*Interesting fact - Seeds of Change donate 1% of sales to the research and promotion of biodiversity and sustainable organic practices.


text:
Top 5 Most Damaging Invasive Species in the U.S.
Insect collectors and beetle-wing jewelry artisans prize the glittery, iridescent critters in the family Buprestidae, commonly known as jewel beetles. In the future, carmakers and minters may come to appreciate these beetles as well. A paper published in the journal Science last year described how a species of jewel beetle generates its shiny green color via a lattice of five-, six- and seven-sided cell structures. These cells reflect light like a liquid crystal, making them attractive from a design perspective for optical engineering applications. Potential applications include car paints that change color based on viewing angle and shiny seals for use as currency security measures.
The males in subfamily Dynastinae have protruding, gnarly horns, hence their name, and can grow up to six and a half inches long. In many parts of the world, gamblers pit these beetles in fights, and in Japan people can buy them as pets from roadside vending machines. Rhinoceros beetles also have received popular acclaim as perhaps the proportionally strongest creatures on Earth, with some species said to be able to lift over 800 times their weight. The key to their strength, as well as that of other insects, is their bodily construction. "Unlike vertebrates with a skeleton on the inside and muscles on the outside, invertebrates have their muscles on the inside and an exoskeleton on the outside, so these beetles are almost built like a robot, in a way," University of Nebraska entomologist Brett Ratcliffe says. Research funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) aims to make them downright cyborgs. Scientists at UC Berkeley have implanted electrodes and fitted radio receivers on large scarab beetles—the family that includes rhinoceros beetles—enabling them to be remote-controlled while in flight. These biomechanical beasties could someday aid in surveillance or search-and-rescue missions.
Discover Brazil's Most Spectacular Wildlife


text:
Morel, relievers stand out in Pirates' 'B' game
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Left-hander Justin Wilson and Bryan Morris, two big elements of the Pirates' 2013 bullpen who had gotten off to rocky starts this spring, got back on track during Friday morning's "B" game against the Twins at Pirate City.
The nine-inning unofficial game ended in a 3-3 tie, with the Bucs' runs coming on a three-run homer by Brent Morel in the fourth.
Wilson, who gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning on Monday against Boston, and Morris, touched for three runs in a third of an inning in the same game, each tossed a scoreless frame with both manager Clint Hurdle and pitching coach Ray Searage in attendance. Between them, they struck out five of the seven men they faced, with Morris striking out the side while allowing an infield single.
"They both looked like they picked some things up," Hurdle said. "They were more efficient with their pitches. Their command -- everything -- was better for them."
Gerrit Cole allowed two runs while fanning four in three innings in his start for the Pirates, who were blanked across the first three innings on one hit by former teammate Kevin Correia.
Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Custom calendars are one of the most popular tools for cost effective brand impressions. They feature large imprint areas and their daily use makes sure your organization's brand and logo are seen frequently. They make perfect direct mail pieces as standalone or extra inserted items. Calendars, planners, and datebooks are the type of items recipients will find habitual and expect to received year after year. Choose from large selection of materials and price points, for wall, desk or purse, and take advantage of this unique opportunity for a full year of advertising at an extremely reasonable price.
Large Tucson Custom Weekly Planner with extensive reference section, perforated page corners, removable address book and ribbon marker.
Keep track of your weekly meetings and dates with this Weekly Tucson Custom Pocket Planner featuring a horizontal format.
Mid Size Tucson Custom Weekly Planner with brilliant white paper printed in blue and gray ink, accented with gray ribbon page marker.
Gray ribbon page marker helps them keep track of their weekly meetings and dates with this upright Weekly Tucson Custom Pocket Planner.