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The Watchmakers Who Saved Glashütte
Ferdinand Adolph Lange established a horological industry in a poor German town in 1845, and his great-grandson Walter resuscitated it a century and a half later
(continued from page 3)
The town's reputation for haute horlogerie might have been permanently tarnished, but after German reunification in 1989, the founder's great-grandson Walter Lange was able to rekindle the tradition. Thanks to his inimitable spirit, Lange found a way to bring the art of mechanical watchmaking back to Glashütte, and today the town is once again home to some of the finest watchmaking in the world.
The mining areas surrounding Dresden were very poor and structurally weak in the 1800s. In the Erzgebirge mountains, silver ore had mostly run out and farmers were finding it hard to make ends meet. People learned basket weaving to keep their hands busy and keep at least a few talers coming in. While clock- and watchmaking played a role in Saxon life during this time, there was no real horology industry in the area, an element that was an intrinsic part of both London's and Paris's cultures at the time.
Upon returning from his travels, Lange was intent on initiating a new watchmaking industry in Saxon. He submitted a clever concept to the Saxon government that included concentration on one single pocket watch model, the design of which he had simplified and perfected so that it could be made with self-manufactured machinery as well as division of labor, a novel concept at the time. His concept also included an apprentice training program designed to evolve into a later supplier system.
The government agreed to provide money to purchase tools and instruments and a loan to cover other start-up costs and the 15 apprentices' costs of living for three years. It also chose to locate the watchmaking factory in Glashütte, one of a number of poor Erzgebirge communities urgently in need of help.
In 1845, Lange founded not only a factory for watchmaking that would bear his name, he established an entire industry. He patiently taught his apprentices the basics of watchmaking and even encouraged them to break off from him and start their own small supplier firms once they had thoroughly mastered the craft—thus providing the region with a new means to make a living.
Though Lange established a watchmaking dynasty with his own groundbreaking entrepreneurship, he also exhibited great community spirit by founding various clubs and societies and financing infrastructure elements such as roads, bridges and even living space for 60 families. He also served as mayor of Glashütte for 18 years in addition to developing a foundation that insured his workers and gave them a pension.
Over the course of the following century, Glashütte became the German center for fine watchmaking, highlighted by the founding, in 1878, of the German School of Watchmaking, a specialized technical school that soon earned a global reputation. The Lange family also introduced the metric system to watchmaking and invented the invar alloy for movement springs, both of which became standards in watchmaking.
Throughout the years, it was A. Lange & Söhne that waved the flag of luxury watchmaking in the Teutonic regions; the name itself was a sure sign of quality, attracting and inviting various other brands to establish their own factories in the valley created by the Müglitz River.
If a word were to be used to describe Glashütte's people, it might be tenacious. The persistent spirit that prevails in the small city has been the key to its survival, for this unfortunate region has been afflicted more than once with modern plagues. At the beginning of the 1900s, the town's industry was jeopardized by the development of the wristwatch, which was beginning to replace the pocket watch, although the latter would remain prevalent until the 1920s.
The lifting of an embargo on Swiss products in 1924 finally burst the dam, leading to a flood of comparatively cheap Swiss wristwatches on the market. A. Lange & Söhne countered this by introducing a simplified, machine-manufactured caliber sold alongside its luxury products. Shortly after the Swiss challenge was overcome, however, the world economic crisis set off by the 1929 market crash and ensuing inflation dampened Glashütte's flourishing business. A. Lange & Söhne managed to survive where others did not thanks to its quality products and enthusiasm for watchmaking.
"My parents never let on about the status of the times," remembers 84-year-old Walter Lange, Ferdinand Adolph's great-grandson, who grew up in Glashütte in relative comfort. "I was born in the Weimar era, then came the crash in 1929 and the great unemployment. I can still see it today; it was a childhood trauma for me, when I looked out the living room window and saw all the unemployed men lined up, waiting across the street. I will never forget that view, and it was one of the main reasons I started the company again [in 1990]—to bring work to Glashütte. I saw the same situation heading toward Glashütte again."
The next crisis, in the 1930s, stemmed from National Socialism and the rise of the Nazi party. This bleak period in German history did not leave an isolated region like the Erzgebirge untouched: to the contrary, it was perhaps felt even more strongly here than in a large city, with local representatives of the party not only familiar with neighboring faces and attitudes, but also installed in companies to ensure that party directives were being followed. A. Lange & Söhne was not immune to the unstable political environment which, along with continued rampant inflation, contributed to falling watch sales.
During the Nazis' rise, Walter Lange was a young watchmaker being prepped for the family business. When he was drafted into the army in 1942 at the age of 18, he was attending a watchmaking school in Karlstein, Austria. Though Glashütte's watchmaking school had the best reputation around, at the time it was only taking journeymen headed for master certification. Lange and his family felt that Walter should first get out and see some of the world. During the war, Lange was heavily injured at the Russian front before embarking on a perilous journey westward across Denmark in the midst of a retreat to find medical attention.
A. Lange & Söhne and the other Glashütte watchmakers had also been pressed into military service, ordered to develop pilot's wristwatches for the air force. These watches became legendary for their precision and reliability.
Upon returning home, Walter Lange had yet to experience the worst part of this nightmarish chapter in Saxony's history. After the war, Germany was divided into four zones, with each of the Allied forces in charge of one: Glashütte was located in the zone that belonged to the conquering Soviets, who proceeded to pillage the land.
Among other things, the Soviet Union was interested in Glashütte's wristwatch technology, and it forced A. Lange & Söhne to hand over all construction plans for Caliber 48, the reliable movement used in the pilot's watches. The Soviet forces also dismantled the factory's machinery and sent it off to Moscow, leaving Glashütte with a weakened watchmaking industry—and bombed out to boot: The town had been the victim of an air raid that took place on May 8, 1945, just hours before the war was officially declared over.
Nothing but an energy turbine was left standing, according to Walter Lange.
Lange returned to work in various departments of his family's business. After several years of rebuilding, A. Lange & Söhne was beginning to reclaim its previous global reputation when the next disaster struck: the rise of the socialist German Democratic Republic and the establishment of a planned economy.
On November 15, 1948, Lange was condemned to work in the uranium mines, which meant almost certain death, if he did not agree to join the Freier Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund, a long arm of the Communist Party. This left Lange no choice but to flee to what was now West Germany. His family's company had already been expropriated; it continued to manufacture watches under the name Lange VEB Glashütte from 1949 until 1951.
A. Lange & Söhne wasn't the only Glashütte watchmaker to be nationalized: in 1951, all of the town's seven horological companies were expropriated and combined to form one conglomerate in charge of watchmaking and microelectronics for East Germany.
This "people's company"—which by the 1980s would employ about 2,000 people—was known as VEB Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe, or GUB for short. Although mechanical watchmaking in its simplest form would continue, the next few decades would bring seemingly irreparable changes to the art form that Glashütte had once been world-famous for, including a transition to mass quartz watchmaking in later years.
Having relocated to the West, Lange resumed his watchmaking career by going to work in the Bavarian community of Memmelsdorf for Ernst Kurtz, another Glashütte native who had flown to the West, and who would later be recognized as the founder of Tutima.
By 1950, Lange had resettled in Germany's other center of watchmaking, Pforzheim, where he briefly worked in various capacities for PUW, a movement maker. He soon started a watch assembly company as well as a wholesale business representing Swiss brands. But he could never forget where he had come from and that A. Lange & Söhne was innately connected to the place of its birth and the spirit of its people.
By the late 1980s, Mikhail Gorbachev was promising an end to the Cold War and the Iron Curtain. His glasnost ideas were to have far-reaching effects, and the inherent cracks in the GDR's politics and economics eventually led to the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. The German people were reunited; East and West were no longer divided.
Western-style marketability and economics would soon return to Glashütte. So, too, would Walter Lange, who had a burning desire to reinstate his family's rich legacy there and to resurrect the town's grand watchmaking tradition.
"This was a pioneering time," recalls Lange. "It was such a wonderful time, despite all the difficulties that came along with it. This wasn't just about refounding a company, it was about rebuilding Glashütte. My partner in this venture, Günter Blümlein, would often feel he needed to say this to me: 'Mr. Lange, you are more for Glashütte than Lange.' For him, it was about the company; for me, it was both. And I take great joy in the fact that today [some one thousand] people earn their livings with watchmaking in the small city."
As Lange and Blümlein went about reestablishing the A. Lange & Söhne brand, watchmaking's mechanical renaissance was just hitting full stride in the rest of the world. This period had followed the so-called quartz crisis, a decade and a half during which inexpensive Japanese quartz watches almost entirely wiped out the mechanical watch industry in Switzerland and Germany. In Germany, the mechanical renaissance was undoubtedly accompanied by a revival of Glashütte-style watchmaking, thanks to Lange and Blümlein.
The partners faced seemingly insurmountable hurdles in achieving that return to high-quality horology. Not only did they have to wrestle with the mistrust of Glashütte's inhabitants, whose upbringing had been starkly different than Westerners', but they also had to contend with various business challenges, such as poor telephone service, a shortage of hotels and restaurants in the area and the dearth of qualified personnel.
Their most difficult obstacle in rebuilding the company was obtaining a factory location. A. Lange & Söhne has been headquartered in what was known as its historic family domain, located at the city's most prominent crossroads, a stone's throw from the German School of Watchmaking.
It would seem that Walter Lange's childhood home should by rights be given back to him, but a loophole in the German law governing the GDR's assets precluded this. (It wasn't until 2000 that Lange was able to regain ownership of the property. "We ended up having to buy the historic family domain back from the government," he says. "That still hurts today when I think about it.")
Literally having to start over from scratch, Lange registered the new company, Lange Uhren GmbH, on December 7, 1990—the anniversary of the original founding in 1845—using the address of a private residence belonging to an old school chum. Lange Uhren GmbH was a joint venture between Walter Lange and the watch group known as LMH, which was managed by Blümlein and included iconic Swiss watch brands Jaeger-LeCoultre and IWC.
Lange and Blümlein needed to find people to work in the factory, so they hung signs in the gargantuan GUB building located next door to A. Lange & Söhne's historic family domain. The behemoth conglomerate was undergoing fundamental changes as a result of German reunification, including a huge reduction in the workforce from 2,000 to 70 between 1990 and 1993, and the rundown watch factory would eventually be sold.
Lange and Blümlein's attempts to recruit GUB employees were initially met with resistance. The professional home of two generations of Glashütte watchmakers, GUB's workers generally viewed Western entrepreneurship as an enemy of the working class, and it took time to get over their mistrust.
Eventually, applications began to come in—some from watchmakers whose grandfathers and other relatives had worked for A. Lange & Söhne. The process was facilitated by the hiring of Hartmut Knothe, who as director of the GUB's educational center had known many of the watchmakers. Once a small workforce had been assembled, Blümlein and Lange had to figure out a way to retrain them, as much of the knowledge of high-end watchmaking had been lost over the past two generations. The company's new watchmakers were sent to IWC in Switzerland to learn the modern watchmaking technology necessary to create haute horlogerie.
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J.R. Smith didn't need long to decide to stay with the New York Knicks. Reports Thursday say Smith agreed to a four-year, $24.5 million contract.
Smith's decision was not a surprise, considering the team locked him up for much more than the $2.9 million he was scheduled to be paid next season.
He was the NBA Sixth Man of the Year and is happy with the Knicks. He is a longtime teammate of Carmelo Anthony so staying made even more sense.
Smith averaged 18.1 points in 80 regular-season games but his horrendous 29 percent shooting and poor decisions over the final eight postseason games could scare off potential suitors.
Among those reporting the signing was Howard Beck of the New York Times.
JR Smith agreed to terms with the Knicks this morning, his agent Leon Rose says.— Howard Beck (@HowardBeckNYT) July 4, 2013
Smith's deal won't become official until July 10.
Also on Thursday, backup point guard Pablo Prigioni re-signed, according to The Times. It was a multi-year deal.
According to The Times, Smith gets a maximum deal. His salary will begin at $5.5 million and go up 7.5 percent each season. He holds an option on the fourth year.
The Knicks retain their top five scorers from last season, and they also are bringing in Andrea Bargnani, in a deal that will send Marcus Camby and Steve Novak to the Toronto Raptors.

subset: commoncrawl


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Another Trigun legend in amazing figure form...
Kaiyodo's Revoltech Yamaguchi Nicholas Wolfwood is IN-STOCK and ready to order at HobbyLinkJapan.com.
For a broad selection of import collectibles, visit HobbyLinkJapan.com.
Kaiyodos state-of-the-art, highly articulated Revoltech action figures have become a very hot commodity as of late with a vast array of new popular licenses. The innovative Revoltech technology has significantly evolved in the past year with the newly-developed Yamaguchi line. Today we take a detailed look at the new Nicholas Wolfwood action figure from the hit animated series Trigun.
PACKAGING: The Nicholas Wolfwood figure is packaged within a colorful window box that features an enormous amount of images of the figure in various different poses. The front of the package has a clear plastic window which fully exposes the figure and most of its packed in accessories. The package also features a wrap-around paper sleeve with additional images and vast gallery of poses. The side panels also include several engineering schematics of the revolutionary Revoltech articulation joints.
SCULPT: Just like the Revoltech Vash figure, the details on the Nicholas Wolfwood are amazing. The body sculpt is very impressive and while the heavily segmented design may not appeal to some, I think it looks amazingly accurate and accommodates the Revoltech joints on the buck body. Kaiyodo has truly done a remarkable job in capturing Nicholas look and feel in three-dimensional form. One thing to note is that the Yamaguchi series of figures are a lot larger than the previous Revoltech releases and blend in quite well proportionally with other 6" action figures. From the realistically flowing wrinkles on the figure's wardrobe to the detailed facial renderings of all the different head sculpts, this is one awesome looking figure.
PAINT: The color application on the Nicholas figure is precisely applied, clean and vibrant. There is absolutely no visible paint imperfections found on this figure which stands as a demonstration of the high level of quality control Kaiyodo puts into these amazing action figures. The vivid blend of the cold metallic paint of Nicholas Punisher weapon and the dark navy blue of his outfit, clash eloquently and give this great action figure a sharp and sleek overall look.
ARTICULATION: The Revoltech joint technology takes articulation to an entirely new level of versatility by allowing this figure to be posed in almost any way you can imagine. There is truly no action figure on the market today that can even come close to the versatility of Revoltech. Thanks to the innovative technology, Nicholas can be placed in the most whimsical or bad-*** looking poses you can think of.
The Nicholas figure has well over 30 points or articulation which offers endless different posing options for the figure. Simply put, the range of motion on this figure is truly a work of art on its own and pushes the boundaries of action figure articulation.
ACCESSORIES: When it comes to accesories, Kaiyodo took absolutely no shortcuts on this action figure. Nicholas Wolfwood includes a huge arsenal of accesories including interchangeable hands, heads, weapons and a nifty display base which offers the collector even more ways to display this already amazing action figure. The figure has three different faces which can be switched out by removing the frontal half of the head piece. Nicholas even includes two removable blast effects (heavy round and machine gun) that can be placed in the barrel of his trusty Punisher/cross weapon and also conveniently includes a plastic square container to store all of the figure's parts inside.
OVERALL: I have to admit that I have never reviewed any other figure that comes even close to the poseability, detail and abundance of accessories as the Trigun Revoltech Yamaguchi figures. You don't need to be a hardcore fan of the Trigun anime series to desperately want to get your hands on these amazing imported collectible figures. After playing around with the Revoltech Yamaguchi Nicholas Wolfwood and Vash figures I can't help but wonder what other awesome characters Kaiyodo may be thinking of giving the Revoltech treatment to. The Nicholas Wolfwood Yamaguchi figure is available now from HobbyLinkJapan.com and would make the ultimate stocking stuffers for Christmas so make sure you snatch up a set before they are gone.
Review and Photos by Jorge Pelaez
Review Sample Courtesy of Hobby Link Japan


text: Travis Oliphant wrote: > sci (arrlab, scicore)/ I'm +0.5 on scicore: I think it emphasizes the fact that this constitutes the necessary core functionality for scipy, without any of the current confusion problems. The following is a little experiment, to see how a blurb would read (remove the weave reference as needed). Feel free to s/scicore/your_favorite/ to see how it would read: """scicore is a package for array-based numerical computing in Python. It provides a collection of modules useful for a wide variety of numerical tasks, similar in spirit to the basic functionality of systems such as Matlab or IDL. At its center is a flexible array type which can be very useful even for non-scientific tasks that interface with arrays in C libraries. The scicore package consists of: - ndarray: a package exposing a flexible datatype to efficiently manipulate n-dimensional arrays. Such objects are implemented as C extensions and support array element-wise arithmetic and other mathematical operations. While they are conceptually similar to the arrays of languages like Fortran90, they are in fact much more capable objects, as their contents can consist of arbitrary python objects and they have very rich indexing, data access and low-level maninpulation capabilities. - f2py: ... The scicore package can be installed on any standard python distribution, and it has no other dependencies for installation than Python itself (and a C compiler for a source-based install, as there is extension code in it). At runtime, some of its components do require the presence of compilers (f2py needs a Fortran compiler, while weave needs a C++ one), but these are not needed unless you explicitly import and use f2py or weave. The scipy package builds on top of scicore, to expose a large collection of algorithms and libraries for many tasks in scientific computing. scipy wraps many well-known and field-tested Fortran and C libraries, as well as providing new routines written both in C and in Python. """ Just a little experiment in language :) > ->numpy (ndarray, narray)/ -1 on 'numpy': if at some point in the future this is considered a candidate for the stdlib, I don't think we want anything with a 'py' suffix in the package name (not a single module in the stdlib ends in 'py' today, except for 'copy'). I also don't want to have to explain to anybody "well, this isn't really the old numpy, it's the new numpy, which was written by the guy who was maintaining the old numpy, but it's a new code, and it also has features from numarray, so it's like the old numpy + numarray + better, but it's called numpy again. Easy, no?" Really, I don't. +1 on 'ndarray', because it emphasizes the fact that these are generic, very flexible (esp. with all the recent enhancements) N-dimensional data structures. In that sense, 'narray' has a stronger hint of 'n for numbers', while Travis has shown that these objects can be much more than traditional Fortran-type arrays. I also think ndarray goes well as an extension to the 'array' module in the stdlib. They are, after all, conceptually close. > **Comment: I'm thinking about moving weave over to full scipy. I > recognize it's utility, but with pyrex gaining popularity and the fact that > weave is not maintained actively by anyone, it concerns me to keep it in > the basic package. I know we talked about this before, but it's the only > sub-package I still feel timid around. Is someone willing to step up and > keep weave up-to-date? I really think that weave is great, but I also know how annoying it is to debug (each patch I've commited for it has taken me an afternoon to understand the code flow). I can volunteer to help with it, but can't really make very hard promises on my performance there (ipython is my top priority in terms of free software development time). So if you think it will help to move it over to scipy, by all means do so (unless someone else wants to play with weave: Prabhu and Robert two others who have tackled the beast in the past...). Cheers, f


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Yeah - IMO there are only 2 things the league itself has to do - set up matchups and calculate game scores. We can use this board as our trash talk page (be nice if we could get a special dispensation for 4-letter words but that's OK - I'll be nice to Scott if I HAVE to).This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
The KL is a different breed of cat - I can't tell you how impressed I am with the owners. The ABA's very good but the KL owners go a step above.
I don't think owners will be terribly upset if there isn't a player stats page - sports.ws didn't have one for a year or two. I think we're all able to calculate stats when considering trade deals/waiver pickups.
I do think we should have 3-4 people willing to enter trades and even manually update standings if we have to. Simple fact of from time to time I'll need to be gone for a few days at a time, particularly around Thanksgiving and this coming spring looks like several days in March. We'll have to figure out a schedule for who is "on duty" and a time for owners to expect those updates to be put in.
Unfortunately, I'm for crap when it comes to database management and scripting/coding. I can do simple html so if standings was a matter of updating and uploading a page I'm good - same for trade and roster pages. And teaching others, or putting together a template page for those wouldn't be a big deal.
I'm sure we'll talk details down the road but I am psyched - we can make this work.


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Almost any parent will tell you that their child doesn't eat ___. It's a rare child who will eat everything, but Stacey Antine, MS, RD's new book Appetite for Life proclaims to deliver a solution to the picky eater. I was a little skeptical, but having spent some time reading the articles and checking out the recipes, I have to admit, this book does look promising. As the founder of HealthBarn USA, an organization dedicated to introducing kids and their families to healthy eating habits and real food, Stacey knows what she's talking about.
Appetite for Life begins with tips for introducing new foods to your kids, such as avoiding words like "yuck" in favor of a thumb up, thumb sideways and thumb down system for rating new foods. There is a great section for how to get your kids involved in cooking and growing their own food. This book has an excellent pantry list section, weekly meal planners and even educational activities for kids. Recipes are kid-approved and range from breakfast dishes like Sweet Potato Pancakes to more exotic fare for dinner like Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Herb Dipping Sauce. Appetite for Life has a wonderful selection of healthy snacks for those after-school munchies and a healthy, but delicious array of dessert choices.
The kind folks at Harper Collins have provided three copies of this lovely book for us to giveaway. We're pairing these books with a package of our Flaxseed Meal, Buckwheat Flour and Cornmeal so you can try this delicious recipe (one of the author's favorites) for Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes right away.
To enter, tell us what your least favorite food was as a kid. Me? I loathed lima beans and would pick them out of every dish my poor mom prepared with them. I'm not sure why exactly, but they were my nemesis in the food world. We'll pick three winners randomly from all who enter by 11:59 pm on 09/09.
Congratulations to Charlene, Crystal and Georgia!
Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes
- 2/3 cup Buckwheat Flour
- 1/3 cup Cornmeal
- 3 Tbsp packed Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbsp ground Flaxseeds
- 1-1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Sea Salt
- 1 large Egg
- 2 large Egg Whites
- 1-1/2 cups Low-Fat (1%) milk
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Blueberries
- Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar
1. In a large bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, ground flaxseeds, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
2. Add egg, egg whites, milk, and vanilla to flour mixture, and stir until moistened. Add blueberries and stir until blended.
3. Heat a nonstick griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Pour batter by ¼ cup onto the hot griddle or skillet. Cook pancakes until bubbles form on top, about 4 minutes. Turn over and cook a few minutes longer, until underside is golden. Transfer pancakes to a plate; keep warm. Repeat until all batter is used.
4. Serve with pure maple syrup or agave nectar.
Makes 6 servings (2 pancakes per serving)


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PG in a blender. WWEs marketing lie.
by, 02-01-2013 at 07:55 PM (6158 Views)
EDIT(Since comments keep coming to me in one way or another not understanding my article, I must point out, this article is not AGAINST "EDGY" WWE content, it is only trying to prove the point that those who say we need a new Attitude Era need to realize we are already in a non PG era. Please take that into consideration before PM'ing me that I am against new edgy content. Thank you.
I non stop read these blogs daily where people are talking about the PG era pro and con, and if its changing, and I wanted to point out some things that I don't see people addressing.
Here's a slightly different perspective. As a Canadian, I get WWE on a non American network, and I can tell you that most often the rating is changed on the Canadian feed to 14A. I have watched episodes that start with a PG rating, and after the first hour, the rating is changed to 14A due to things that have happened on the show.
WWE is not very "PG"
My biggest point to all these articles saying that WWE is PG and staying PG is the fact that they already are NOT. I don't understand how they get away with some of the things they do if the American, or feeds across the world are saying PG. Some of the extremely over the top sexual references they make, or AJ sleeping around and all out making out on Camera with every superstar in the WWE, the constant bullying, the blood.
The WWE censored blood with the camera going black and white for quite awhile on the odd chance it accidentally happened, and suddenly now there's an angle months ago were Vince was busted open, and it has happened several times before and after, and no longer (at least on my feed) is the black and white happening.
There are skits that cater to an age group that wouldn't understand them. References to things from the 70s and 80s, that are pop culture references not known to the younger crowd. I understand the need to appeal to more than one age group, but they do it with sex and swearing; and not innocent references, but all out discussion about a wrestlers sex life.
The Rocks return
After The Rock returned to TV even Mr.PG, John Cena went away from his kid friendly antics. His raps went back to his old school character,and references and words he used were not PG (I had some videos but they were pulled). The Rock using the word "Pussy", using words like "Bitch" on raw (when this happened for Canada, the first word got through, where as the remaining 2 (from The Rock and CM Punk) were edited out. Not to mention that The Rocks character is one of the biggest bullies in the WWE.
WWEhas a large campaign against bullying, yet every week in and out, they promote it with calling Vickie fat, or ugly, having wrestlers remark about how AJ is a slut. JBL on a skit with the Great Khali ""That's an example of an inter-species relationship". The rock calling someone "Twinkie Tits". How many overweight kids got called that after they hear The Great One say it? I know that bullying is not something that would be classified as non PG, but in a world where it leads to suicide and shootings, it has become a very tough subject for a lot of people.
JBL is another example, he doesn't know when to stop. When he's addressing Michael Cole, he often says things that make me stop and think, did he really just say that?
Lawler heart attack angle
The angle mocking Jerry Lawlers heart attack has been talked about over and over again, so I won't go into it deep, but that blew me away. When something reaches a level of distasteful nature like that, its not PG TV.
These are all just a few examples of the over the top non PG, or VERY borderline things WWE does every week.
My conclusion is simply that the WWE is already not PG compared to other PG shows, they have been pushing the limits of it more and more. Vince has allowed for this, but he WON'T officially change the rating because of their marketing program. They have deals with big name companies (Like Cena being on the Fruity pebbles box) and the childrens market is really important.
Unless they are forced to change it by the network because of their content, it will stay PG, while not being a PG show.
I am not against these non PG things at all, I think its good for the show, but to try and pretend it's wholesome entertainment for the whole family is a joke. And for those who say PG is bad for WWE, or that we need to change the rating, simply I will say PG is not the problem, Writing is the problem, but that's another story for another day.
Is the WWE going to stop having a "PG" rating? No.
Is the WWE "PG?"...No.


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A fun reuse/recycle idea for your plastic bags
So you have a lot of plastic bags (that you're no longer going to be accepting at the grocery store because you're now using reusable bags), and you might be concerned about what actually happens to those bags when you take them to be recycled by turning them back into the stores. Here's something fun that you can do at home to reuse and recycle those bags, and possibly create a simplified holiday gift from the heart.
(Granted, we don't recommend that you buy a backpack from a thrift store just for the parts--that kind of defeats the reuse/recycle theme here. See what you can find around your house, through freecycle, craigslist, and other such venues. You'd be amazed what's out there!)
Update: I tried it over the weekend and it really was fun and easy! I made a small little pouch that seems to be quite durable.


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Chicago has an excellent public transportation system, despite constant talk of fare hikes and service cuts. Within the city there is the elevated "el" train and an extensive bus system. For traveling to the suburbs, there is the cushy Metra train. Chicago's public transportation system makes living car-free easy. Although we almost always ride our bikes, having other options is helpful.
During my first year in Chicago, I took the El train everyday. We bought a condo close to an El stop. I was happy to be free from driving: I could read during my commute or stare out the window aimlessly while listening to music. Most of the routes are above-ground and provide a great view of the city and its neighborhoods. Eventually the routine grew tiresome and I decided to look into bicycling – the rest is history. But sometimes I still take the El (and so does Oma).


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- DATE: April 10, 2014 PIO Number: 14-4-12
The Broward Sheriff's Office will hold a Shred-A-Thon and Operation Medicine Cabinet prescription drug "take back" event Saturday at its Cooper City district office.
10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Saturday, April 12, 2014
BSO Cooper City District Office
10580 Stirling Road, Cooper City
The prescription drug take back program, operating under the name Operation Medicine Cabinet, allows participants to turn in unused or expired prescription medication to receive a $5.00 gift card (while supplies last, limit one per family).
The Shred-A-Thon provides residents with a safe way to dispose of their personal documents, check stubs, credit card offers, receipts and any other paperwork that contains sensitive information. The service is free of charge. There's a limit of five boxes per person.
The Shred-A-Thon events began in Broward County in May 2008, as a joint initiative by the Broward Sheriff's Office and the Florida Attorney General's Office, with the assistance of UNISHRED and The National Association of TRIADS.
For more information on the Shred-A-Thon, please call (954) 321-4100. For more information about the prescription drug "take back" event or prescription drug prevention presentations, contact Jonathon Fishman at 954.831.8902.
This report by:
Dani Moschella/PIO
Posted At: 04/10/2014 03:28 PM
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text:
Topic: Clean scan
It's been a while since I posted an update on my wife.
This past week has been packed with special dates. We celebrated Marina's birthday on Sunday. She turned 46. On Monday she got to do her 6 months CT scan. A nurse called us on Thursday and said that everything looked normal!!
We reached another milestone on Wednesday. Two years to the day when Marina first felt her CC symptoms. We are so blessed and fortunate to be here two years later with a clean scan.
My best wishes to everyone who is fighting this awful monster.


text:
Revision Information
- Reviewer: Marcin Chwistek, MD
- Review Date: 09/2016 -
- Update Date: 11/24/2015 -
The content below is part of the "Health Library" and is not indicative of services available at the facility.
120 South Riverside Plaza
Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
1120 Connecticut Avenue NW
Suite 460
Washington, DC 20036
1-800-877-1600 (Chicago)
1-800-877-0877 (Washington)
AAND provides information, support, and referrals on a variety of nutrition topics, including a link to "Find a Nutrition Professional."
PO Box 675
Taylors, SC 29687
This agency provides information, support, and referrals for people with iron-deficiency anemias and their families.
P.O. Box 30105
Bethesda, MD 20824-0105
This division of the National Institutes of Health provides brochures and handouts, news and press releases, and information about clinical trials.


text:
Category: top boy girl names
Popular baby names go through cycles: They rise to the top, but then in a year or a decade, most fall away to be replaced by….
Well, by new names that are often pretty darn similar to the old ones. In the 80s, Jennifer was number one, until it was replaced by Jessica. Emily held the top spot for several years, and then was supplanted by Emma.
The reason for this same-but-different pattern is so simple and logical it hardly bears stating — but we'll do so anyway. Popular baby names, by definition, are those that are favored by a wide range of people. Except once they become too popular for too long, parents don't want to choose them, no matter how much they may still like them.
So they look for names that are the same, but different. That have some twist that makes them new, while retaining the appeal of the originals.
Many of the most popular baby names today have close cousins waiting in the wings, ready to move up and replace the well-liked but overused favorites of today.


text:
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text: Creedence split up in 1972. Fogerty at first confused his considerable following by releasing an album of covers, on which he played all the instruments, under the name the Blue Ridge Rangers in 1973. This was followed by a formal solo album, John Fogerty, in 1975, and then silence for more than nine years while the artist worked out business problems with Creedence's old label. But Fogerty returned at the end of 1984 with a Top Ten single, "The Old Man Down the Road," and a number one album, Centerfield. Eye of the Zombie was a less successful follow-up in 1986. Following the failure of Eye of the Zombie, Fogerty went into seclusion. For the next 11 years he remained quiet, finally resurfacing in 1997 with Blue Moon Swamp; the live Premonition appeared just a year later. In 2005 he released the Long Road Home: The Ultimate John Fogerty/Creedence Collection and its accompanying DVD Long Road Home: In Concert, the first compilation of its kind to feature both CCR classics and Fogerty's solo work. After a number of concert appearances, Fogerty released Revival in 2007. Revival was warmly received, debuting at 14 on Billboard and earning a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album, and Fogerty followed it in 2009 with The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again, a loose sequel to his bluegrass-flavored 1973 pseudo-solo debut. Over the next few years, Fogerty toured with regularity and then he launched the ambitious Wrote a Song for Everyone project in 2011, an album where he paired up with other singers to perform songs from his catalog. The record -- featuring such stars as Bob Seger, Alan Jackson, Foo Fighters, Miranda Lambert, and Brad Paisley -- was released in May of 2013. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi


text:
Lawrence Block is a best-selling author of popular mystery fiction. With over 30 of his works in print, he is as prolific as he is skilled. This collection of essays and articlesfrom his Writer's Digest columns has been in print for over 20 years. Here he provides invaluable advice to the aspiring writer and the established author. Featuring a witty and honest narration from the author himself, Block presents an illuminating look into the world of the professional writer.
©1981 Lawrence Block (P)2002 Recorded Books, LLC
It's a pretty cute, entertaining audio-book. While it does contains seeds of practical advice, it seemed to be more inspirational and encouraging to me than anything else. A nice listen for when you are tired of writing and want to know you are not alone.
"Entertaining, Informative, And Fun To Listen To"
Lawrence Block shares information he's gained over his years as a successful writer in a way that makes you feel like you're listening to an old friend. I love his sense of humor. Take his advice, find your own voice, and you can become a successful writer.
I've listened to Telling Lies For Fun And Profit several times. It encourages me, gets me excited about writing, and reminds me that every writer has moments of struggle. We all doubt ourselves at times. The only way to improve and get your work out there is to read other works of fiction, learn your craft, and keep writing no matter what. Telling Lies For Fun And Profit is one audiobook that can help you put the pieces together.
"it's like having a writing master as a best friend"
What makes this different than other writing audiobooks is that it is like a casual conversation with a writing master if that person were your best friend. It's not step by step. It's more like random tips you get from Writers Digest.
"Enormously Entertaining and Enriching..."
Enlightening, eye-opening, and very certainly entertaining.
There are many books for aspiring writers but I would hazard to advance that very few of them are similar to Block's books for aspiring writers.
I believer that Block is really opening up about his life as a writer and put that on the page. Many successful writers give the "party line" about what it takes to be a writer, but I believe that Block is giving us the true soul of a writer of his generation. He is a brilliant man who decided young that he would be a writer and did so...not always to a glorious end, but he is one of my heroes for sticking to his guns, writing junk to survive and genre classics to entertain.
The true existence of a successful modern writer.
If you aspire to entertain others with the written word...listen to this over and over. It is brilliant and entertaining.
Report Inappropriate Content
If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.


text:
Nominees announced Wednesday for the 18th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards:
Actor: Demian Bichir, "A Better Life"; George Clooney, "The Descendants"; Leonardo DiCaprio, "J. Edgar"; Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"; Brad Pitt, "Moneyball."
Actress: Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"; Viola Davis, "The Help"; MerylStreep, "The Iron Lady"; Tilda Swinton, "We Need to Talk About Kevin"; Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn."
Supporting actor: Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"; Armie Hammer, "J. Edgar"; Jonah Hill, "Moneyball": Nick Nolte, "Warrior"; Christopher Plummer, "Beginners."
Supporting actress: Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"; Jessica Chastain, "The Help"; Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"; Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"; Octavia Spencer, "The Help."
Cast: "The Artist," ''Bridesmaids," ''The Descendants," ''The Help," ''Midnight in Paris."
Stunt ensemble: "The Adjustment Bureau," ''Cowboys&Aliens," ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon," ''X-Men: First Class."
Actor in a movie or miniseries: Laurence Fishburne, "Thurgood"; Paul Giamatti, "Too Big to Fail"; Greg Kinnear, "The Kennedys"; Guy Pearce, "Mildred Pierce"; James Woods, "Too Big to Fail."
Actress in a movie or miniseries: Diane Lane, "Cinema Verite"; Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"; Emily Watson, "Appropriate Adult"; Betty White, "Hallmark Hall of Fame: The Lost Valentine"; Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce."
Actor in a drama series: Patrick J. Adams, "Suits"; Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"; Kyle Chandler, "Friday Night Lights"; Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"; Michael C. Hall, "Dexter."
Actress in a drama series: Kathy Bates, "Harry's Law"; Glenn Close, "Damages"; Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"; Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"; Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer."
Actor in a comedy series: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"; Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"; Steve Carell, "The Office"; Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"; Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family."
Actress in a comedy series: Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"; Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"; Tina Fey, "30 Rock"; Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"; Betty White, "Hot in Cleveland."
Cast in a drama series: "Boardwalk Empire," ''Breaking Bad," ''Dexter," ''Game of Thrones," ''The Good Wife."
Cast in a comedy series: "30 Rock," ''The Big Bang Theory," ''Glee," ''Modern Family," ''The Office."
Stunt ensemble: "Dexter," ''Game of Thrones," ''Southland," ''Spartacus: Gods of the Arena," ''True Blood."


text:
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - A South Florida woman convicted in an identity theft and tax fraud ring faces a potential maximum prison sentence of 351 years behind bars.
Trial testimony showed that 36-year-old Alci Bonannee of Fort Lauderdale was the leader of a ring that filed some 2,000 fraudulent tax returns over a two-year period. Those fake returns sought about $11 million tax refunds, some of which was paid.
Prosecutors said Tuesday that Bonannee obtained much of the personal information used in the returns from a nurse at a local hospital.
A jury convicted Bonannee of 33 separate counts including identity theft, wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the government. B
Two others pleaded guilty and face maximum prison sentences of 10 and 12 years, respectively. Bonannee will likely get less than 351 years.
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
I Bought a Zoo
Good feel good film.
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I Bought a Zoo
Good feel good film.
You aren't. His movies still, incredibly, do fairly well at the box office. He clearly doesn't give a **** what the critics have to say.
I liked his stuff from the 90s for the most part, but his last several films have been absolutely brutal. I haven't even watched most of them but really the trailers tell you everything you need to know about them.
I'll be honest, I was real hesitant to watch this as it's not my usual movie style I go see. But I thought it was a terrific movie, great acting and great humor. And I was definitely on the edge of my seat towards the end
Don't ask Marvin Harrison what he did during the bye week. "Batman never told where the Bat Cave is," he explained.
Cabin in the Woods.
I liked it. I thought the ending fell a little flat though, but it was otherwise pretty good. Wife didn't like it....
First time in a long time, I've been happy with the team that was constructed, and now they struggle. I blame the coach.
Paranormal Activity 4.
Terrible. Couple of good scares. But overall, terrible. I'm not sure why I pay money (although it was a $5 showing) for this crap. But, it is Halloween, and I wanted to see a scary movie. Should have watched Sinister instead.
Cloud Atlas
Really very impressive. I can certainly see people not liking it, however. It's long, disjointed, and can be very confusing. I found some of the sequences boring at first. But I got wrapped up in each one and by the end just wished there'd been more of all of them.
Oh, btw...
[edit] Also, the film is at times surprisingly, graphically violent, with some nudity and simulated sex thrown in for good measure. That's not a tease, it's really a miniscule amount of a three hour movie. Just wanted to warn the squeamish that it earns its R rating.
Last edited by Kegboy; 10-27-2012 at 09:05 PM.
Come to the Dark Side -- There's cookies!
Magic Mike
And no, I didn't watch the entire thing. I was on the computer and my wife rented it. You do get to see Olivia Mund's boobs in it, so that was nice, and it was at the beginning of the movie. She is so hot. hahaha Other than that, the parts I saw weren't that interesting.
Started to watch Horrible Bosses, but haven't finished just yet. Didn't think I was gonna like it, but it was pretty good from what I saw.
First time in a long time, I've been happy with the team that was constructed, and now they struggle. I blame the coach.
Seed of Chucky
I like cheesy horror films as much as the next guy, but this movie was waaaaay over the top, non-sensical, and just plain stupid.
I also saw Cloud Atlas. There is a lot of good and a lot of bad in this movie. There was a point about an hour and 15 minutes in when I had almost given up on the movie, it was getting tiresome and annoying. Then all of a sudden it picks up speed and draws you in, but I feel you have to wade through a lot of the movie to start to enjoy it. I know if I had watched this at home on Blu-Ray, I never would have finished it unless I was forced too.
The biggest problem was 6 separate and disconnected storylines that for about 2 hours don't seem to be leading anywhere. In many ways it was a jumbled mess. If you are someone who needs to know what is going on at every moment, if you need to know who is who and if you need to feel like the movie is moving towards something - then this movie will drive you crazy. But if you are able to just enjoy the movie as it goes along, because even for the first 2 hours each plotline is interesting, and if you can just sort of let the movie wash over you - you might love this movie.
Overall for me it was a mixed bag, there were times when I was sitting there that I wished it would just end, but I must admit that the last 45 minutes or so are excellent - it turns into an emotional story to a degree that is worth seeing.
I do give the movie makers a ton of credit as it feels completely original (even though it is based upon on a book) , the acting is good, the look of the film is amazing. And I think you will enjoy it if you are patient as you are watching.
Seeing it this weekend.
First time in a long time, I've been happy with the team that was constructed, and now they struggle. I blame the coach.
That's my Boy
anyone seen Skyfall or Taken 2 yet?
Just kind of a heads up for those who like to purchase blu-rays.... Best Buy has some decent deals at $5 bucks for 'Silence of the Lambs, Jeepers Creepers, Return of the Living Dead, Child's Play, and other Horror flicks right now. Shoot at those prices you're close to a rental.
Sorry for the intrusion.... back to the reviews,
You know how hippos are made out to be sweet and silly, like big cows, but are actually extremely dangerous and can kill you with stunning brutality? The Pacers are the NBA's hippos....Matt Moore CBS Sports....
I don't know if I've gone soft or what, but I'm a 28 year old single man with no offspring and I legitimately liked We Bought A Zoo. Sucker for animals I guess. And Scarlett Johannsen.
going soft and Scarlett Johannsen in the same post?
I'm intending to watch it expecting to be pretty dissatisfied with wanting to see a coherent film but being impressed by the general scope. Internet folks seem to be of the opinion that it's an impossible book to adapt, but I'll probably approach it the same way I did with The Fountain. Meaning I won't know what I just watched, but it was gorgeous.
This is the darkest timeline.
Don't ask me about the plot though.
Going to see Skyfall tonight. So, so excited.
Don't ask Marvin Harrison what he did during the bye week. "Batman never told where the Bat Cave is," he explained.
Wreck it Ralph was surprisingly a very good film.
Very entertaining & it's one of those films that while made for kids it has tons of old school ref. in that adults can enjoy more than they can.
Skyfall was excellent, everything I was hoping for. Bardem and Craig were both terrific.
Don't ask Marvin Harrison what he did during the bye week. "Batman never told where the Bat Cave is," he explained.
I also really liked Skyfall.
Team America.
"America, ***** yeah!" The sex scene always makes me laugh so hard.
First time in a long time, I've been happy with the team that was constructed, and now they struggle. I blame the coach.


text:
Java EE development and enterprise Java platforms
Java Enterprise Edition (Java EE) is a platform for developing server applications in the Java programming language. Java EE development is considered the de facto standard. In this section you will discover Java EE development utilities, find out what it means to be Java EE compliant, and learn about enterprise Java strategies for application developers and architects.
Guide to Agile Development: Culture & Tools
This exclusive report contains vendor reviews and ratings on agile project management platforms such as CA Agile Central, JIRA, and TeamForge.
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Java EE development and enterprise Java platforms News
February 17, 2017
How deep learning and AI techniques accelerate domain-driven design
Is the codebase aligned with the enterprise model? Deep learning and other AI technologies are helping to align domain-driven design with the organization's business objectives.
September 21, 2016
Just like last year, JavaOne 2016 showcases Java 9 enhancements
With no particularly new announcements surrounding the Java platform, JavaOne 2016 has a more subdued feel than conferences in years past.
September 21, 2016
The future of Java promises a cleaner, more readable syntax
Java has always been derided as being too verbose, especially when compared with languages like Groovy or Scala. But, according to Brian Goetz, that's all about to change after Java 9.
September 20, 2016
Docker soon to have the Java platform contained
While Java and the JDK are all 'steady as she goes' at JavaOne, Docker and container talk generate excitement.
Java EE development and enterprise Java platforms Get Started
Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content
Connecting the 'DevOps, Agile and Java cloud native applications' dots
A concise definition of both DevOps and cloud native computing is elusive, but Cisco's Ken Owens presents a unified theory that pulls together the Java cloud, Agile, microservices and containers. Continue Reading
Java string
Strings, in Java, are immutable sequences of Unicode characters. Strings are objects in Java and the string class enables their creation and manipulation. Continue Reading
Five tips to improve an offshore team
Using an offshore team can save time and money, but if used ineffectively, they can cost more than they save. Here are five tips on how to use offshore development teams effectively. Continue Reading
Evaluate Java EE development and enterprise Java platforms Vendors & Products
Weigh the pros and cons of technologies, products and projects you are considering.
Stop adding web UI frameworks like JSR-371 to the Java EE spec
Java EE's Servlet and JSP API provide a fine foundation for handling a web-based request-response cycle. Adding UI frameworks like JSR-371 to the spec only causes problems. Continue Reading
Java evolution into a functional programming language reflects demand
Many changes have come to the Java languages over the years, with Project Coin and lambda support making it more of a functional programming language. Continue Reading
How elegant code can hurt HTML5 performance
Elegant code can lead to cleaner, precise steps. But it can also lead to application performance bottlenecks, argues Mozilla's Andreas Gal. Continue Reading
Manage Java EE development and enterprise Java platforms
Learn to apply best practices and optimize your operations.
JShell: The new Java 9 REPL
Don't miss an opportunity to take JShell, the new Java 9 REPL, for a test drive. An expert shares his experience. Continue Reading
Java platform: Invigorating robustness and simplicity
Java platform architects reminisce about the design of Java and how the platform is being pushed forward. Continue Reading
Is Lambda affecting your Java performance?
Java champion Adam Bien discusses how Project Lambda is impacting Java performance. Continue Reading
Problem Solve Java EE development and enterprise Java platforms Issues
We've gathered up expert advice and tips from professionals like you so that the answers you need are always available.
Static code analysis with Klocwork
Klocwork engineer Larry Edelstein discusses how to bring the most value to your static code analysis. Continue Reading
Is your data persistence problem really a problem with the network?
Speakers and vendors gather at the AWS 2013 conference to discuss data persistence. Continue Reading


text:
On May 22 a tornado hit Joplin, Mo., causing immeasurable damage to homes and businesses. Residents had a mere 20-minute warning to find shelter before the storms hit. At time of publication, the death toll sits at 122 as citizens of Joplin sort through the wreckage.
There is a shred of light in all of the darkness, which is how quickly communities across the Ozarks have banded together to help. Wondering what you can do? This list is an excellent place to start.
Remember to check Facebook and other social media frequently, as businesses are generally able to update those sites much quicker than their personal websites.
Currently, volunteer efforts are strictly search and rescue, so only those licensed to assist in those areas should volunteer. If you are licensed in these areas, you can register to volunteer.
Volunteers for clean-up efforts will be needed soon but are still being organized at this time. Those wanting to volunteer should wait three to five days and then call either 211 or 800-427-4626.
Find this article at


text:
The Spurs and Kings forums I go to do this, and I think it will work here too. It's just like the NFL picks on The Pub btown/shade did this season.
Only in this case instead of picking by week we'll be picking by day.
Here it goes:
This is the thread for picking the winners of the NBA games to be played on Friday, January 23, 2004.
Please copy the schedule below and highlite who you think will win in bold.
Picks must be in no later than 7:00PM EST Friday.
Orlando @ Philadelphia
Washington @ Boston
New Jersey @ Miami
New York @ Atlanta
Denver @ New Orleans
Houston @ Indiana
Detroit @ Minnesota
Sacramento @ Memphis
Dallas @ Chicago
Toronto @ Milwaukee
San Antonio @ Phoenix
Utah @ L.A. Clippers
Tie Breaker: Guess the Score of the Pacers' game.


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Twenty-four hours a day and five days a week or more, the General Motors Aero Lab bustles with the business of aerodynamics testing, cooling optimization, and wind-noise reduction for current and future models. "The Aero Lab wind tunnel simulates a vehicle moving through the air by moving air past a stationary, instrumented vehicle," GM North America Lead Design Engineer Thomas Froling tells VETTE. "It is used most often to measure and optimize aerodynamic forces (especially drag), wind noise, and the airflow through the radiator and condenser (for engine cooling and air conditioning). Construction began in 1977, and the first tests were in August 1980."
"The GM Aero Lab is an amazing place," GM Performance Parts Manager Dr. Jamie Meyer says. "Tom's group is critical in the successful development of all of our production cars, but they really like to turn on the speed when they deal with high-performance cars like the Corvette. You have to remember that the work this team does has an immediate, positive impact on how a new vehicle performs. You are talking about decreasing drag to the point that it's equal to horsepowerùa lot of horsepower. Fuel efficiency obviously follows."
The Aero Lab is more than the General's in-house, high-tech playground for staff aerodynamics engineers. It's also the place where Bow Tie-loyal private race teams have the chance to gain a competitive edge over their opponents. "NASCAR and other teams have been conducting tests in GMAL for over 30 years," Froling explains. "If we charge an outside entity, the cost would be almost $2,000 per hour."
That's great news for Corvette race car teams like Late Model Racecraft, a Corvette- and LS-engine speed specialist in Houston, Texas, that campaigns an '08 "Voodoo Blue" Z06 in the Texas Mile. The car has earned the reputation as the World's Fastest Corvette, thanks to major deviations from stock, including a 440ci aftermarket block; modified LS7 cylinder heads; a custom, turbo-spec solid- roller camshaft; an LMR rear-mount twin- turbo; a TR-6060 six-speed manual trans with GForce 1-6 gearset; a custom quad- disc clutch; and a stock rearend from an '08 automatic-equipped base Corvette with a factory 2.56 gearset. It has aerodynamic upgrades, too, including a ZR1 front splitter and side skirts, and a custom carbon-fiber rear spoiler. It dynos at 1,600 rwhp and 1,480 rwtq.
"This was the first time we brought back a customer's production C6 into GMAL," Froling says.
Vehicle-aerodynamics testing is typically a two-day process. On July 21, 2011, GMAL technicians thoroughly cleaned the Corvette's exterior with a high-pressure car wash. "We don't do this to make [it] prettier," Froling smiles. "Our goal is to keep the lab's test section as clean as possible. Even small contaminants on a vehicle's exterior can affect its aero performance. Worse, they could cause wear to the testing equipment."
Then GMAL techs drove the Corvette onto a balance and weighed the vehicle at all four corners. Next, they meticulously measured the car's exterior dimensions and fed the data into GMAL's computer software.
The following day, the car was transferred to the lab's test section and put through a series of runs. "The equipment recorded a 0.373 drag coefficient and a +.023 CL lift baseline," Steven Fereday, the owner of LMR Racecraft, recalls.
After eight hours of testing and modifications, LMR had decreased the Corvette's drag coefficient to 0.307, and improved lift to CL = -0.030. According to Froling, the horsepower required to overcome the aero load, based on the car traveling at 150 mph, was reduced from 192.4 to 158.3.
LMR's hope was to increase the car's terminal velocity from 231 mph to 250 mph. GM's aerodynamics engineers concluded that their ministrations will speed LMR Racecraft's Corvette toward its goals.
Take a look at the accompanying photos from test day and see how it was done.
Based upon the data collected during its test session at the GM Aero Lab, Late Model Racecraft is now working on fiberglass and carbon-fiber production versions of a front splitter, side skirts, and rear spoiler, which it will offer to the public.
"To get these improvements with such minor changes to the vehicle is astounding," Fereday says. "With GM Performance Parts and GM Aero Lab's help, we'll be able to make the world's fastest Corvette even faster. Our goal now is to achieve 250 mph at our next speed run."
That will occur at the semi-annual Texas Mile, to be held at Chase Field Industrial Complex in Beeville, Texas, on October 21-23. For updates on LMR's Texas Mile C6 and its most-current speed-run results, visit the company's official website at www.latemodelracecraft.com.


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With a Canadian Brigade at Ypres
The Film
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Running Time
01 min 09 s
Canadian rear areas during the Third Battle of Ypres, Western Front, late 1917. Isolated Canadian soldiers walking over very muddy ground at Ypres between water-filled craters. The cameraman's comments are on the shotsheet: 'Took a few pieces of wounded and prisoners coming back over bad ground. I do not think the film will be very good. Conditions were all against any good results. Could get no help — runners being killed or wounded almost every time they went out. I was at advanced Brigade General Headquarter'.
II. The visit of Cardinal Bourne to an Australian unit on the Western Front, late 1917. The Cardinal arrives by car and walks past a military unit to a hut marked "Catholic Club — open to all", followed by the soldiers.
Pieces of History
The Horror of the Trenches
J.L. Granatstein
Historian and Author
Fraser found the front line trenches squalid. The dugouts, cut into the trench walls, "were small, damp and cold and overrun with rats." Men slept in their clothes for the entire tour in the trenches, and sentries changed every two hours "so the chances are you get wakened up between the shifts…." Then there was a "stand-to…which means you have to hold yourself in readiness for eventualities, in other words you have to be wide awake with equipment on…." Add to this the cold and wet, the dirt and vermin, the constant enemy rifle and artillery fire, the patrols, and the possibility of major fighting, and the soldier's life in the trenches was misery compounded by fear.
For almost four years, trench life was the Canadian infantrymen's lot. Units took their turn in the line and fended off attacks or launched their own, almost always very costly. It was an unwavering routine of horror and filth, compounded by the ever-present fear of death or, perhaps even more terrible, of being trapped, unready, in a gas attack or of grievous, disfiguring wounds. No one could get accustomed to the trenches but, short of desertion or a "blighty"— an uncomplicated wound that led to some easy recovery time in a British military hospital—there was no escape. The Allies lived in perpetual mud, presumably because some generals believed that if the soldiers were too comfortable, they would not want to fight.
Most Canadian commanders, however, wanted to fight. If a sector was quiet, they tried to stir it up. The favoured tactic was the trench raid, a technique developed by the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, a battalion initially attached to a British division. The PPCLI had invented trench raiding in February 1915, and their fellow Canadians soon raised it to an art form. Raids sought to establish dominance over no man's land, keep enemy soldiers on edge, take prisoners, secure intelligence and do damage. Above all, raiding aimed to oblige the enemy to move more men to the front so a carefully planned artillery bombardment could inflict heavy casualties. Usually, a platoon or a company might be involved in a raid, though some could use a complete battalion. Raiders rehearsed their roles, carried wire-cutters, bombs and rifles and all worked together in a carefully orchestrated manner. Such raids could be useful.
But there was a price to pay for raids. The attackers usually suffered casualties, and by poking a stick into what had hitherto been a quiet sector, the Canadians stirred up the enemy, guaranteeing that heavy shelling would fall on their lines, as well as increasing sniper activity and more casualties. Those soldiers who preferred a "live and let live" policy at the front were not amused.
Still, raids seemed better than utter boredom. Life at the front featured brief stretches of intense activity followed by endless waiting or make-work projects devised by officers and sergeants. When troops went out of the line, it was to training courses, parades and "chickenshit"—polishing brass and painting rocks. When they were in the trenches, even in quiet sectors, there was a steady drain of casualties from enemy artillery and sniper fire. Between January and April 1916, a time in which the Canadian Corps was not engaged in any major actions, its divisions suffered more than 2700 casualties from all causes, including self-inflicted wounds. Still, most casualties occurred in attacks—10,000 at Vimy Ridge, almost 16,000 at Passchendaele, and, horrifyingly, when the troops finally left their trenches to engage the enemy in open warfare, 46,000 in the last hundred days of the war. The battles from August 8 to November 11, 1918 cost Canada's army twenty percent of its casualties in the Great War.
Just surviving in the trenches was difficult enough, even without the presence of the enemy. Standing in mud and sleeping on a groundsheet or on the dirt were not good for one's health. The cold and wet permeated boots and socks, causing trench foot. This disease was not fatal, but it incapacitated a soldier as much as a battle wound, and officers conducted daily foot inspections, whenever conditions permitted, to ensure their soldiers kept their feet in good condition.
Other diseases, usually lumped together as trench fever, sprang from poor drainage, human waste and the ever-present lice. Soldiers were prone to rheumatism from wearing wet clothes for long periods; others contracted tuberculosis, meningitis, influenza or a host of other ailments. The real terror for front-line troops, nonetheless, was of their trench being hit by artillery fire. Then, the trenches could be smashed and men buried under the mud of collapsed dugouts. They knew their comrades would dig them out—if they could.
The wounded, as these film clips amply demonstrate, received prompt, effective treatment. First aid came at the Regimental Aid Post set up in the support trenches. Stretcher bearers brought in those who could not walk, and a system of triage let the medical officer treat first those who might live. Then casualties began a rearward journey to an Advanced Dressing Station where morphine might be administered and then by train or ambulance to a Casualty Clearing Station where surgeons operated. The final stage came when the wounded went to general hospitals in France or England, where further surgery might take place. There were specialized convalescent hospitals in England and, for those with terrible wounds, in Canada. The standard of care was impressive, and nine of ten wounded survived, a high figure considering the mud and septic filth in which soldiers lived and fought.
But always for the survivors and the new men, there were the trenches. A trench ideally was wide enough to allow two or three men to pass by and deep enough so that none need stoop to avoid falling prey to enemy snipers. Sometimes corrugated iron provided overhead shelter in dugouts or for revetments on the trench sides, essential to stop the walls from collapsing in the wet of Flanders. Firing steps, carved into the front of the trench, let men shoot at the enemy. Officers' dugouts were frequently furnished with beds and desks and sometimes verged on the comfortable; unless they were lucky enough to take over a captured and well-built enemy position, the men's dugouts were always crude and foul-smelling with the combination of body odour, tobacco, cooking smells, damp, and excrement creating a memorable reek.
To the front of the trench line were belts of barbed wire. Concertina wire, curling in rolls, was favoured, and every unit kept its protective wire in good shape, sending work parties out each night to ensure that the enemy had not cut paths through it. The day was full for the Canadian soldier, first because there was always work to be done, but primarily because the army instinctively believed that idleness was bad.
Soldiers wanted to live, but many lost their fear of death as they saw it all around them. One officer wrote his father to say that death "has no horrors for anyone here, at least for those who have been here a few weeks or more." In the horror of the Great War, this was a widespread view. Men had no choice but to carry on.
Selected Bibliography
Granatstein, J.L. Hell's Corner: An Illustrated History of Canada's Great War, 1914-1918. Toronto: Douglas and McIntyre, 2004.
Morton, Desmond and J.L. Granatstein. Marching to Armageddon: Canadians and the Great War, 1914- 1919. Toronto: Lester & Orpen, Dennys, 1989.
Gas Warfare
Tim Cook
Historian, Canadian War Museum
Desperate to find a solution to the deadlock of the trenches on the Western Front, the Germans turned to poison gas despite its banning at the 1899 and 1907 Hague Conventions. Tear gas had proven useless in several battlefield experiments in 1914 and early 1915. But when lethal chlorine gas was unleashed on April 22, 1915, its first victims, French and Algerian troops, were sent reeling in panic. A second gas cloud attack on April 24 against the Canadian Division was not so successful. Gagging and choking, the Canadians continued to fire into the cloud, effectively stopping the German advancing troops behind it. Nonetheless, the first two chlorine attacks had been stunning, and they forced Entente scientists to frantically prepare their own chemical retaliation. They did so while their propagandists proclaimed loudly the barbarity of the Hun, who had sunk to new levels in using chemicals to poison men.
While the Germans had initial success with gas cloud attacks on the Western Front in 1915 and continued success against the poorly equipped Russian troops in the east throughout the war, these gas clouds were never dependable. The chlorine was transported in metal canisters, opened and sent across no man's land with the aid of a strong breeze. Too often, however, operations had to be postponed due to poor weather, leaving commanders and soldiers mistrusting chemical warfare.
The first British gas cloud attack occurred at Loos on September 25, 1915, and although it was effective in incapacitating German defenders, it was remembered primarily for having turned on British troops when the wind reversed, resulting in 2,000 casualties. Thus, while poison gas had initially been offered as a solution to the deadlock of the trenches, the rapid introduction of respirators and the unstable nature of the delivery system ensured that poison gas would not be a war-winning weapon.
Yet scientists continued to experiment with new and deadlier gases. With their advanced prewar chemical and dye industry, the Germans, under the leadership of future Noble Prize winner Fritz Haber, proved to be the leaders throughout the war. In December 1915, the Germans introduced phosgene gas, which was eight times more lethal than chlorine. Although the British had been forewarned and were thus able to equip their soldiers with proper respirators – a chemically treated bag that fit over the head and tucked into the battle jerkin – phosgene was another lethal addition to the battlefield. Invisible and nearly impossible to smell, phosgene (and later diphosgene) inhibited the transfer of water in the lungs. Victims could be gassed without even knowing it; within hours, a seemingly healthy man would begin to choke and vomit up fluid. It was a painful and grisly way to die.
During the 1916 Battle of Verdun, the French introduced chemical artillery shells filled with lethal gas and the Germans perfected their use. This increased reliability also meant that fireplans could include a combination of high explosive, shrapnel and gas bombardments. Poison gas supported a number of tactical missions: to harass soldiers, to strangle the supply of logistics and to blanket opposing artillery-men beneath a gas cloud, thereby forcing the wearing of respirators that inhibited the rate of fire.
To respond to these chemical advancements, respirators were continually improved, and by mid 1916, most armies had developed an effective gas mask for their troops. However, equipping terrified soldiers with a flimsy respirator did not end casualties or suppress the fear. Soldiers had to be taught how to get their respirators on quickly, how to identify gases, how to establish efficient warning systems, and how to fight while wearing them.
With respirators and better anti-gas discipline saving most soldiers from chemical attacks, the Germans again changed the nature of the gas war by introducing mustard gas in July 1917. Mustard gas burned the lungs like conventional chemical agents, but also the skin. Even low doses of the vapour were enough to cause suppurating blisters and temporary blindness. Here was a terror weapon that seemed to negate all that soldiers had been told up to this point in the war: with a respirator you would be safe.
Unlike chlorine and phosgene that dissipated within minutes or hours depending on the weather conditions, mustard gas remained active, lying dormant in the mud and water of the battlefield. Days or weeks later, a soldier passing through the area, especially after the sun had warmed the ground and released the still-potent vapour, could fall victim, going blind, suffering burns or developing hacking coughs and subsequent bronchial infections. This chemical plague was particularly insidious against soldiers as they huddled together for warmth in their dugouts.
By 1918, all armies were employing gas with greater frequency. The German March Offensive was unleashed behind a thunderous barrage of high explosives and chemicals. Employing their refined infiltration tactics of moving around areas of resistance, the German infantry pushed deep into Entente territory. In the process, gas bombardments, with heavy concentrations of mustard gas, were employed to protect vulnerable flanks. When the Entente armies responded with their own multi-army offensive in the last half of 1918, all of the operations relied heavily on poison gas to lower the frontsoldatens' morale, sow confusion in the enemy's rear areas and disrupt gunners with chemical counter-battery fire. The Germans, in turn, employed gas bombardments to slow the Entente advance and reduce the fighting efficiency of the attacking troops. If the war had extended into 1919, as many expected, poison gas would have been employed even more frequently, further rendering the Western Front a chemical wasteland.
Soldiers had to be trained to survive in the chemical environment of the Great War. For the poor Russian infantry, who received desultory instruction at best, they were gassed to death in the tens of thousands; for the brash, inexperienced Americans, a full one-fourth of all their battlefield casualties came from poison gas. Although it is notoriously difficult to gauge gas casualties, as they were often lumped in with other wounds, the German, French and British armies suffered approximately 200,000 gas casualties each, while Canada's forces had 11,572 recorded cases. However, the death-rate was very low: about 3% in comparison to the 25% from more conventional weapons.
The steady trickle of gas-induced casualties aside, the wearing of a respirator – even under ideal conditions – was always debilitating. Respirators did not allow enough oxygen into the lungs so that men became exhausted from even minor exercise. Poison gas became an essential weapon against soldiers in a war that was based on a policy of attrition. Furthermore, poison gas was terrifying: men could at least understand the effects of bullets and shells, no matter how terrible they were, but a chemical agent that poisoned the very air that soldiers breathed, that blinded eyes or burned genitalia, and that damaged the lungs, was seen collectively as beyond the pale of civilized warfare.
Most soldiers did survive the scars and inhalations of poison gas. But the Great War soldier, wearing his respirator while going in for the attack or while huddled in his trench under a chemical deluge, well understood the terror of gas warfare.
Selected Bibliography
Cook, Tim. No Place to Run: The Canadian Corps and Gas Warfare in the First World War. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 1999.
Dancocks, Daniel G. Welcome to Flanders Fields. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1988.
Haber, Ludwig Fritz. The Poisonous Cloud. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1986.
Richter, Donald. Chemical Soldiers: British Gas Warfare in World War I. Kansas: University Press of Kansas, 1992.
Palazzo, Albert. Seeking Victory on the Western Front: The British Army and Chemical Warfare in World War. Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 2000).
Other Materials
In Flanders Fields
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch, be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields
"In Flanders Fields" was first published in England's Punch magazine in December, 1915. Within months, this poem came to symbolize the sacrifices of all who were fighting in the First World War. Today, the poem continues to be a part of Remembrance Day ceremonies in Canada and other countries.
Reproduced with permission from Veterans Affairs Canada.
From a Stretcher Handle:
June, 1916 — Third Battle of Ypres
June 7 Advanced Dressing Station, "Railway Dug-Outs."
We arrived here — three stretcher squads of us — this afternoon. Along the Ypres road were scattered the debris of War — rifles, pieces of equipment, ammunition limbers, ration wagons, and dead horses. Guns of all calibre are massed hereabouts. The small guns are firing continuously. The Dressing Station is built into the Railway Embankment, and is practically shell-proof.
June 14
For forty-eight hours we have been working without a stop, and still the fighting is going on, and the wounded are falling faster than we can pick them up. It has rained all week. The trenches are knee-deep, — in some places waist-deep, with mud and water. The dead and wounded lie everywhere: in trenches, and shell pits, and along the sodden roads. Two thousand wounded have passed through our hands since the attack. Hundreds more are dying of exposure a mile away, and we cannot reach them. The wounded who are already here must lie outside the Dressing Station, in the open, under the rain, until their turn comes.
We shall be relieved tonight, for twelve blessed hours, by the 3rd Field Ambulance. We are all in.
September, 1916 — The Somme — An Air Battle
The aeroplane activity alone, every day, would be quite enough to make life interesting out here. No grander tournaments were ever staged in the old days of Chivalry, than what these 20th-century knights pull off so nonchalantly in the blue sky. This morning saw a grand duel between a British and a German squadron of planes. They battled up there in the clouds for some thirty minutes, to the immense satisfaction of the scattered audience below which, to the number of some quarter-million, cheering lustily from every corner of the Line. The fight centred around two machines, which were manoeuvring about each other like hostile eagles. Backwards and forwards, over the breathless trench-lines they soared, each seeking to swoop upon the other from higher ground. Finally, "our man" got the advantage, opened his deadly machine-gun fire, and sent his opponent blazing to the ground, where he landed with the sickening thud of a thunderbolt –like Milton's angel— "Hurled headlong flaming from the ethereal sky."
During the fight, all traffic had halted and the whole activity of War seemed to have stopped like a piece of clock-work. Now the wheels automatically started again—teams trudged over the roads as before; men picked up their discarded rifles, or fell into step, or went back to dinners and card-games; and the Colonels climbed back into their dug-outs.
Extracted and used with permission from: From a Stretcher Handle: The World War I Journal & Poems of Pte. Frank Walker. Mary F. Gaudet, ed. Charlottetown, PEI: Institute of Island Studies, 2000.


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Jwt4412 wrote:Steezo,
I won those GDS Spirits in Discraft Z plastic tonight...
I can't wait to get my hands on them. I hope they are in a lighter weight... The weight wasn't listed.
I doubt I will throw them, I just thought they were too cool to pass up.
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Tom's Hardware and Anandtech have become known in recent years of magically acquiring and benchmarking early engineering sample of the upcoming processors and it appears that trend continues as Tom's Hardware has posted up a 'preview' of the Intel Core i7-4960X processor.
Tom's Hardware shows that the Intel Core i7-4960X pretty much ties the Sandy Bridge-E-based -3970X in their Photoshop benchmarks.
MWhen it comes to video transcoding Tom's Hardware used the well-threaded TotalCode Studio (formerly MainConcept) app and showed that the Intel Core i7-4960X Ivy Bridge-E processors was in the lead, but was only 5% faster than the Intel Core i7-3970X Sandy Bridge-E CPU. The 4960X was found to be 18% faster than the quad-core Intel Core i7-4770K Haswell processor.
When it comes to power consumption things look very good as it uses far less than Sandy Bridge-E, so guess what? We have a new processor that is coming out that is slightly faster than what it replaces and is much more efficient! Sounds like the same old song that we are all used to! If you start saving now, you might be able to shell out $1000 for when the processor is due to be released (September 11th, 2013 is the rumored date).
"Does Intel's Core i7-4960X, specifically, get me all revved up about upgrading? Well, no. Not really. But then again, those thousand-dollar CPUs rarely do. What about a hypothetical Core i7-4930K replacing the -3930K under $600? That'd be a tough sell for all of the same reasons. Mainly, it doesn't push performance high enough to warrant a big price tag. Any interest in a Core i7-4820K? I'd be more inclined to bet on a -4770K/Z87 platform, if only for the newer chipset's extra functionality." – Chris Angelini
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UncleBrother2001 wrote:BentElbow11 wrote:Sorry to hear you hurt your finger, I PM'd you.
Sounds like the Patriot/Rival combo is working out really well. One thing I never liked about pairing the Leopard with a Teebird, is the Leopard is considerably shorter. Leopard/Eagle makes more sense to me. But then one's glidey and the other's pretty glideless.
Innova's fairway lineup could use some help, and Discraft's is really weak. They keep trying to bump up these hybrid midranges into fairway drivers(Stalker, Zombee, Glide) instead of designing a new FW driver...well, maybe the Mantis finally.
Yes the Patriot Rival is combo is perfect man. Both will go pretty much the same distance which is what you need for a good Fairway combo.
Yeah I've tried both Discraft's and Innova's. And really Discraft just barely has a better lineup(combo wise)in that one with the Tracker/Express combo. I always thought those 2 were pretty good compliments to each other.
Tracker/Express is a decent combo, but they're both ancient designs and also only available in limited plastic.