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February 6, 2006
Prospectus Q&A
Mark Newman, Part Two
Continued from Part I�
Baseball Prospectus: In looking at a database of MLB executives, your name isn't in there for 2003. There were reports that you had a falling-out with George Steinbrenner--are they accurate? What led to you leaving your position, and what did you do during that time before you came back?
Mark Newman: There wasn't a falling-out at all. I wasn't in the office for about seven months, and that's because I asked to do something else for a while. I'd spent 11 straight years working every day with no vacations. This business is demanding. This business in this environment is very demanding. As it turned out I got a chance to do something great, to see things I hadn't seen before. Around the time of the 2003 draft, I went on the road, did some scouting, spent time with scouts. It was fun, as much fun as I'd had in a long time professionally. After the 2003 season, I came back to the same role I have now. You could call it a sabbatical, while doing a little of everything: I studied the top 100 hitters in the major leagues to see where they came from, what their plate discipline was like as minor league hitters, how they produced in their first year as major leaguers. I did a lot of other basic research stuff. I got to see bunch of players, spent time on the road and in ballparks and just had a really good time.
BP: Spending that much time with scouts had to be eye-opening. You mentioned how tough it is just to evaluate the Yankees' drafting, scouting and player evaluation skills. In trying to build a draft database, do you focus only on what the Yankees have done, or do you also look at other teams' performance?
Newman: We look at players drafted by other teams too, definitely. One thing that makes it difficult to evaluate, though--whether it's our own players or others'--is that you may have nailed the pick in terms of finding a high-quality prospect, but then the player gets hit by a bus. We never intended to place our evaluation solely in the objectivity basket. But ultimately we have to attempt to be as objective as possible, because the quality and caliber of an organization is directly related to its people.
For the scouting director, the draft is his body of work, but area scouts, for instance, don't get to select players. There's nothing more significant than the people we hire for scouting. One particular type of player they might not evaluate all that well, we can have them go through training programs. And then we have to evaluate what our own training programs look like in the first place. Decisions on hiring, training and retention all grow from evaluation. Even the most basic questions are still up for debate--we're still working on what a good hit rate is, for both scouts and scouting directors.
BP: So how do you quantify scouts' contributions, then?
Newman: Just starting by taking an approach of objectivity is a big first step. For amateur scouts, we can look at their body of work over the course of a season, evaluate the list of reports they're turning in. The quality of that list isn't apparent right away. So we try to do one-year, three-year, and five-year evaluations--it takes a while to see how well these players turn out. If you get an 18 year-old high school kid from Dayton, the most important group is probably going to be the five-year look back.
Then you set a threshold for what is an acceptable evaluation, and look at whether a particular scout was below or above the acceptable level. I know people I have great respect for, who say there's no way to objectively evaluate scouts, so we should do it subjectively. But again, what's an acceptable hit rate, subjectively or objectively? If there are 50 rounds in the draft, you need to focus on a usable number of rounds, since the players in the late rounds are long shots. So you can look at the top three rounds for the cross-checker, since that's the focus of his job. Then you might look at the top five or six rounds for area scouts, where there's still a reasonable chance that prospects will emerge.
BP: We're seeing more and more people take a hard look at the demographics that lead to the best draft success. Rany Jazayerli of Baseball Prospectus did a series last year looking at how high school hitters and pitchers vs. college hitters and pitchers turned out in the draft, for one. Do the Yankees go into the draft with a specific idea of what kind of player they want, or are you just looking for talent, whatever its source might be?
Newman: We do slice the data to see where players came from, whether it's high school or college. One thing I recall my father saying to me is that "a man who has one foot in a fire and one foot in a block of ice is at average temperature." Those are the kinds of difficulties we face in drawing meaningful conclusions from data sometimes. He was not anti-data; he was simply arguing for deeper understanding and urging me not to jump to conclusions too quickly.
We have to remember that tools are important, that makeup's important. Some of the issues we've had would have been difficult to quantify. In 1997, we had a first-round pick, Tyrell Godlin, who didn't sign. We had David Walling, who had a great start to his career (8-2, 3.14 ERA, 82 K, 18 BB in 80.1 IP at Staten Island in the New York-Penn League in 1999). He gets to Triple-A, and a couple months later he quit.
BP: The Yankees had a pretty poor draft record for quite a few years. The results look more promising in the last few years. What's changed?
Newman: Three or four years ago our system wasn't good--you have to get back to the early- to mid-90s, when we were having good drafting years and had a strong system. We're seeing some promising players with Philip Hughes, Eric Duncan. We're making a conscious effort to rebuild the system now, and a big part of that to stop the outflow, not just improve the inflow. Last year we saw [Brad] Halsey pitch with some success, [Dioner] Navarro with the Dodgers looks like the starting catcher this season. In order to rebuild our base, we have to be more careful about trading. There was talk of us moving [Robinson] Cano and [Chien-mien] Wang, but we think they'll be a big part of our future. Of course the other side to this is that even when we don't sacrifice draft picks to sign free agents, we tend to draft pretty low due to our success. Last year when we took C.J. Henry it was the highest we'd picked since we got Derek Jeter.
BP: A team that relies so heavily on veterans like the Yankees is going to eventually run into the challenge of dealing with an aging core. We've seen players like Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and others come down quite a bit from where they were earlier in their careers. What was missing from the 2005 team, and what needs to be done to improve in 2006 and beyond?
Newman: The biggest thing we need to do this season is give up fewer runs--we need to pitch better and field better. I think we'll be fine on the runs scored side with the offense we have, but runs allowed needs to improve. Transitioning to the future will help, where players like Wang and Cano can contribute to run prevention by adding pitching and defense where we need it. Cano especially has to continue to grow, so we can improve our up-the-middle defense especially.
BP: You said how measuring defense gives you a "double headache." What steps are the Yankees taking to identify whether a player is a plus or minus on defense? What's your take on Derek Jeter's defense specifically, which has caused some big debates on both ends?
Newman: We're trying to find metrics that lead us to the truth. We still believe that a lot of the truth about defense is best evaluated in the traditional sense. We still haven't seen a metric that's better than traditional scouting. Looking at skills--hands, arm strength, positioning relative to the opposition--those will always be cornerstones. The statistical data about Derek suggest he's not a good defensive shortstop, but we believe he is. When you watch him, see him every day, he has the hands, the range, the arm. But at the same time, we need to--and are--working on ways to more objectively evaluate defense. The fact that it's difficult to know doesn't mean it's impossible. We've had a bunch of smart people working on it in a lot of places. We had a guy come in this summer named Victor Hu, who's graduating from Harvard, studying math and statistics. We had him work on defense, how many runs a player saves over course of season defensively. We talk to him every 10 days or so. We've got (former Manhattan actuary) Michael Fishman in New York, and a few other guys working on it too.
The whole BABIP business, how pitchers can't impact BABIP, that's an area we're trying to explore. We're doing a lot of work on who those few plus-BABIP guys are. One of the interesting things is cross-referencing statistical analysis with scouting reports--finding out which combinations of BABIP and scouting-related pitching factors yield particular results. We want to apply this analysis to the type of pitchers we select at all levels. If anything, one result of this research is that I think we have a better handle on what we don't know. That's valuable--frustrating, but valuable.
BP: How do the Yankees go about determining payroll? If a player costs, say, $10 million as a free agent, does the team think in terms of paying him 40% above sticker price due to the luxury tax--in this case $14 million?
Newman: Paying over sticker price is definitely an issue for us and one we do look at. But ultimately it's not an issue for us if we feel this player will play a big role for our ballclub. Yes, a $10 million player, given the luxury tax situation, will cost us more than $10 million. We know what the cost is, George Steinbrenner knows it too, and he gets to decide whether or not to sign the checks. The Boss has built an unbelievably valuable asset, logo, trademark, brand by aggressively reinvesting in the team.
Jonah Keri is an author of Baseball Prospectus.
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Artist Statement
This picture was taken in August of 2003 in Cootehall, County Roscommon, Ireland, on the banks of the river Shannon. As a child I spent many summers here on holiday, as my father had a river boat berthed nearby. But as a teenager I did my best to avoid family vacations, so my next visit to Cootehall was almost 20 years after the ones of my childhood. I returned in 2002 and found the village largely unchanged, much to my surprise, as there was so much change happening elsewhere throughout the country with the Celtic Tiger in full effect. I went back the next year and spent 10 days documenting the village, its people and surroundings; I took this picture on the last morning of my stay. I awoke early to find the area bathed in fog. I have to admit, I debated as to whether I should get out of bed or not. There was not a soul about and I took a few landscape shots before I came across some cows in a field. This one cow was especially curious, sticking his head over the wall, he willingly egged me on to take his portrait. Less than five minutes later the fog was gone, burned away by the rising sun.
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Why Your Actions Make You Poor
Posted on 25. Jan, 2012 by Money Cactus in Wealth Essentials
How quickly do you take action?
Do you get things done no matter what, or are you selective about the the things you do? How about difficult or boring tasks like filing bank statements and keeping the rest of your financial paperwork in order, doing jobs around the house, or getting started on your goals for the year ahead?
How quickly do you action the easy stuff, like recording your favourite TV show, accepting an invitation to drinks or taking advantage of a weekend sale?
I bet I could guess which ones you take action on first and those that may not even get done at all. I have the same aversion, I hate doing boring stuff that feels like it adds nothing to my overall wealth.
File my banks statements, or do pretty much anything else? I know which one I'd choose!
Why your actions matter
I think that everyone lets a few things slide every once in a while. That's cool, we all need to take a break, but if you do it continuously it becomes a habit. Your actions are important, not only for getting things done in the short term, but also for what happens over the long term as well.
You may not think that your lack of desire to do something with your mail has any impact whatsoever on your personal finances, but it does. By putting off the things you don't really want to do, you develop a mindset and begin to apply it to other things that are similarly uninspiring.
How your actions can make you rich
I know that it is hard to believe that filing your bank statements can make you rich, but by doing it you are taking positive action and creating the right mindset.
Filing one bank statement leads to filing an insurance bill, this results in you reviewing your outgoing costs and investigating alternatives. You realise you can save money and then divert the difference to your home loan, retirement fund or share portfolio.
Over time, these small actions can make a huge difference.
At the most basic level, financial wealth creation is about making money work for you. The more you have working, the better off you will be. Money doesn't do this by itself, it needs to be accumulated and directed to the right place, then it needs checking up on every once in a while (not that often really).
The path to financial wealth doesn't have to be labour intensive, but in order to be successful you do need to take action and develop good habits. With a little practice and some efficient systems, all those little annoying jobs become pretty easy and you still have plenty of time to do the fun stuff as well.
What are you putting off and how will you take action?
Image by Ѕolo
14 Responses to "Why Your Actions Make You Poor"
Pam at MoneyTrail
26. Jan, 2012
Downloading our credit card statements into our budget is one of my least favorite things to do. I have to make myself do it on a regular basis but it is ultimately very helpful for keeping us on track.
Definitely a taks I would hate to do too, but as you say it is also very helpful to your budget. Nice work keeping up with it Pam, it is the kind of thing that would be easy to let slip.
Doctor Stock
26. Jan, 2012
I feel for people who are interested in investing, but haven't actually invested anything yet. It seems once we begin talking, we discover they do have money they can invest… and if they can, they will make money with some wise principles to follow.
Actions and inaction can make people poor. You raise some good points too! Thanks.
I like that you point out that both action AND inaction can make people poor, because it is so true. I wrote a post a little while ago about doing nothing to grow rich, it was about not doing certain things which had negative impacts on your personal finances.
28. Jan, 2012
Inaction is a kind action, isn't it? Action is absolutely essential but what I often wonder is which one comes first: menatlity or action. A bit of 'chicken and egg' problem, I am afraid, but even in therapy different access points are used (thinking, emotions or actions).
Inaction can definitely be a kind of action. I think that many of us do before we think, often it's the reason we make mistakes, so long as we learn from them!
Name (required)
29. Jan, 2012
That is true. As an author and business man, I can relate to how you said, "I know that it is hard to believe that filing your bank statements can make you rich, but by doing it you are taking positive action and creating the right mindset.
". I hope more people discover your blog because you really know what you're talking about. Can't wait to read more from you!
Nice of you to say, I hope they do too 😉
Van Beek @ Stock Trend Investing
31. Jan, 2012
I have the bad habit that I sometimes postpone the intensive, time-taking things that just do not like to do that much. It is easy to fill your days with the small time-stealing tasks that need to be done, instead of putting some real thought into doing something new. Thus I am aware of this and just push myself continuously to prioritize the important things, not just the easy ones.
Great point of view, you can't do more than that!
Elizabeth @ Broke Professionals
01. Feb, 2012
I'm putting off doing my taxes. I have all the forms saved, I just have to mail them off to my preparer (my dad). This is my first year working as a freelance writer, and I'm terrified I'll owe Uncle Sam!
Melissa @ Fiscal Phoenix
05. Feb, 2012
I am terrible at balancing my check book. We always have enough money in there, but I hate not knowing exactly how much I have.
13. Feb, 2012
Oh man, this is a soft spot for me. I still need to work on getting my finances in order. We don't go nuts with expenses and that keeps us out of too much trouble, but I know it's affecting our long-term finances not having detailed control.
Financial Samurai
12. Apr, 2012
Small actions definitely compound over time, good and bad!
I was putting off figuring out how to take the next journey in my career life. I figured it out and am balls to the wall going for it now!


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I was having a trawl through the Google Images this morning and found this ebay page advertising another tubular framed, canvas covered load trailer. The details were a bit scant but the trailer folds for storage and has a load box capacity of 140 Litres (2 good rucsacs full) and internal dimensions of (Cms) 70Lx56Wx36H.. The payload weight is max 100kg and the good bit is the price tag of £57.99 plus £9.90 UK mainland delivery.
Friday, March 19, 2010
I was having a trawl through the Google Images this morning and found this ebay page advertising another tubular framed, canvas covered load trailer. The details were a bit scant but the trailer folds for storage and has a load box capacity of 140 Litres (2 good rucsacs full) and internal dimensions of (Cms) 70Lx56Wx36H.. The payload weight is max 100kg and the good bit is the price tag of £57.99 plus £9.90 UK mainland delivery.
Posted by Mike Reeves at 8:12 AM 1 comments
Saturday, March 13, 2010
A bit on the side.
Posted by Mike Reeves at 2:21 PM 0 comments
Monday, March 8, 2010
French Freight
I posted about this trailer under the heading "Budget baggage" on 29th June last year. It was on ebay at £49.99. Recently I discovered the identical trailer from French trailer maker Erde. Possibly a bit of Taiwanese engineering with badges added in France. Not uncommon in the cycling world.
Wheels are 20" steel QR and the out-rigger bars are also quick release to allow easy wheel changing.
The top cover is included in the price and the trailer is fitted with reflectors. It folds flat for storage with the tow-arm underneath.Wilstow claim that this is the only bike trailer to have the German TUV quality cerificate.
This seems to be a good trailer for the money.
If you have one let me know how you get on with it.
Posted by Mike Reeves at 11:09 AM 1 comments
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Getting hitched
I wanted to have a look at the varoius ways in which a trailer can be connected to a bike or trike. methods at the bike end of things include couplings to the left chain stay (or both), the rear axle bolt (or both), the seat stay or the rear luggage rack. Here's what I've found. As ever, novel solutions from your own projects are always welcome by comment or email.. Also instructables.com is a great source of pictures and videos to give you help and inspiration for your home-built.
Chain Stay.
Axle Bolt.
This blue trailer found at Zedomax is made of wood. It clips onto a custom wooden box on the back rack. Seems a bit lightweight to me though. An advance on this idea is to use horticultural grade hosepipe between the bike and trailer as a universal joint then put a brass quick release hose coupling in the middle. Simples!
This idea is illustrated here complete with .PDF plans to download.
Let me know about your homebuilts soon.
Posted by Mike Reeves at 3:02 PM 0 comments
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The best laid plans ...
In this third instalment on self build trailers I'll be simply listing all the links I can find with some thumbnail pictures thrown in to make it look pretty. Most plans seem to be for flatbeds so you'll have to use your imagination if you want something like a box trailer or a vending trailer.
The charity Practical Action raise funds to build trailers for Nepalese villagers to carry produce to market and have more recently built bicycle towed ambulance trailers to take the sick to hospitals which are remote from the villages. The plans for the trailers and some pictures are here. Please donate to this charity. An ambulance bike & trailer costs just £150.
http://www.instructables.com/id/bicycle-trailer./ is a great place to find plans and video's to help you DIY, but this boat trailer (pictured) is about the most whacky (and I thought a canoe trailer was nut's!).
Carry Freedom who build and sell the excellent Y frame trailers pictured in my previous post also have available free plans for the "Bamboo trailer". Once again this design was originally meant to fill a need in Nepal but the remit went further, the trailer had to be buildable and repairable by locals using locally understood tools and materials. Though you could make one in PVC pipe or even aluminium tube.
Talking of Ally-Tube,
http://www.appropedia.org/Backpack_frame_bike_trailer is a page that does exactly what the name suggests. The site is a US one so the costings aren't really valid in the UK but it provides some good ideas for a lightweight trailer.
The International Bicycle Fund Cargo Trailer is designed for Africa and written instructions are on the site. To get the photos and plans you'll have to send a donation (suggested $5) to the IBF.
I hope you've enjoyed the penultimate part of my self-build mini-series. In the final instalment I'll be looking at connections from bikes to trailers. I'd particularly like your solutions to the vexed question of strength, stability security and light-weight . The perfect solution does not seem to exist. Your comments and emails please.
My final offering for this post is the electric push trailer, a monowheel trailer which powers your bike along at up to 30MPH or 20 miles range, though probably not both. Plans for this one are here and I've embedded the YouTube video below.
Posted by Mike Reeves at 11:02 AM 1 comments
Saturday, February 20, 2010
...Do it yourself
Bicycle R Evolution in the States. Stub axles and a hitch to fit to the rear axle of your bike are included as are the (rather small and rather plastic) wheels.
In my opinion the best axles for bike-trailers are wheel chair stub axles as these are durable and are designed to be mounted outboard of the vehicles frame for a stable, wide track, (track= measurement between wheels). A variation on this arrangement is used on the Carry Freedom Y frame trailer which uses wheelchair wheels but Carry freedom machine their own axle ends to fit.
Posted by Mike Reeves at 2:00 PM 1 comments
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
If you want something doing...
So you have, of course, been avidly following OLV posts since 2007 but you you haven't seen just what you need for the task that you have in mind. Seek no further.
Home-building trailers for bikes is fairly straightforward and you can use bought in components to make the job easier or the finished product more professional looking.
In my next post I'll be looking at trailer / chassis styles and readily available plans for them. Wheels tyres and tow-hitches will also come under scrutiny. While OLV doesn't usually dwell on kit not readily available in the UK, as it is very expensive to import whole trailers from the USA or Australia, these countries have a very developed self build culture and excellent small components can be mail ordered.
If you've already constructed your own trailer then I'd love you to email or comment with any advice and or pictures.
To wet your appetite, and until next time, I've included here some images of home-built trailers. Clicking an image will take you to it's home webpage.
Posted by Mike Reeves at 9:57 PM 0 comments
Mission, Kentex & Cycles UK
Shopping in Norwich with my wife yesterday I photographed this trike chained to a sign post in London Street. (The trike was chained up, not me!). It seems a waste that such a great advertising medium is not touring the city, but instead being kept in captivity.
It's advertising the location of the Norwich branch of CyclesUK which is inside the Pilch sports shop a few yards down the Street and is a joint enterprise between Pilch and the nearby Jarrold's department store.
I noticed a Kentex.com.tw transfer on the the frame but all that I gleaned from this site was a Taiwan email address and a picture which struck me as identical to a trike sold by Mission which I wrote up in a piece entitled "Dog On A Mission" on 18th December '08. Sadly Mission no longer have this on their website but at the time I found it carried 45KG and had Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub gears. A search through The CyclesUK website revealed that they do not sell this make of trike. If any OLV reader knows of a current Kentex dealer in the UK then I would be very grateful to hear about it.
As this is my first post in 2010 I wish a happy and prosperous year to all OLV readers and contributors. My new Year's resolution was to not make any new year's resolutions but I promise to be a bit more productive in postings than during the last six months!
Posted by Mike Reeves at 5:16 PM 0 comments
Labels: cargo trike
Monday, July 6, 2009
Croozer News
Croozer Designs of Koln, Germany have an addition to their range in the form of the Croozer Travel which is available from their many UK dealers,
one of whom SJS Cycles in Somerset who have it on their website at £200.
The Travel is a lightweight flatbed much in the manner of the Burley Flatbed. It weighs in at just 8Kg and has a payload capacity of 45Kg. Interestingly, Croozer Design's documentation even includes a recommended nose-weight such as you might find in a caravan manual. In the Travel's case it's between 1Kg and 6Kg. This is a serious point, I've had a badly loaded trailers "snake" behind me on steep hills and taint funny. You don't know if your about to end up in a ditch or under an oncoming car! And braking is the worst thing you can do. Anyway, the wooden cargo deck measures 76 x87x44cm and rolls on 16 inch wheels of the side fixing "wheelchair" type. The Croozer Travel folds flat for storage.
Posted by Mike Reeves at 6:09 PM 8 comments
Labels: Cargo Bike, trailers
Monday, June 29, 2009
Budget baggage
I was having a look on ebay for something completely unrelated to OLV when I digressed, as is my wont, into looking at the bike trailers.
This one from http://shop.ebay.co.uk/merchant/mimitoyshop caught my eye as I love anything that's cheap, sorry, inexpensive.
It apparently has 20 inch wheels, an axle hitch and.carries 100Kg It's on buy it now for £59.99 plus £9.95 delivery. The seller has 10 available so don't hang about now it's appeared here!
Posted by Mike Reeves at 8:29 PM 1 comments
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Posted by Mike Reeves at 10:36 AM 1 comments
Monday, February 2, 2009
The Fifth Wheel
Posted by Mike Reeves at 11:23 PM 1 comments
Labels: trailer, tricycle, work bikes, work bikes trikes
Friday, January 30, 2009
8 and Outspoken!
Posted by Mike Reeves at 8:13 PM 3 comments
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Trailer Trash
Posted by Mike Reeves at 7:51 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The best in the west?
Posted by Mike Reeves at 7:22 AM 0 comments
Sunday, January 18, 2009
A Beaut' Ute
Posted by Mike Reeves at 9:43 PM 0 comments
Sunday, January 11, 2009
To the BatBike...
Posted by Mike Reeves at 11:47 AM 0 comments
Labels: Cargo Bike, work bikes
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Bullitt point
Posted by Mike Reeves at 12:42 AM 0 comments
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Powacyle Salisbury...It's Electric!
The Powacycle Salisbury is powered from a Lithium polymer (Li Pol) battery and 200W hub motor which gives it a range of up to 37 miles.
Gearing is a 6 speed Shimano derailleur and the wheels are 26 inch mountain bike. The bike comes complete with front suspension, a stand and rear rack for about £700.
The battery (at £250 for a spare) is good for 500 recharge-discharge cycles and therefore represents quite and annual cost compared with plain pedalling.
As illustrated the bike weighs 22KG (including the 2.6KG battery) which sounded really good to me, I've owned 19KG pedal only cycles before now.
Looking closely at the pictures it appears that the rear end should take most trailers and the front end most racks so this could be a really solid base for a work bike project especially considering powacycles 2 year guarantee.
The Salisbury can be pedalled, pedalled with motor assistance, or used just with electric power.
Posted by Mike Reeves at 12:53 PM 2 comments
Labels: Cargo Bike, work bikes
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Big Black Rack Attack
Most front racks available in the UK are, lets face it, a bit naff.
They attach to the bars and provide a shopping basket with barely enough room for a week's Merlot and then you add two front pannier racks for the less important shopping, presuming you don't have suspension forks.
David Henbrow of Assen, Netherlands, has been in touch to let me know that his "Sturdy Front Rack" is now available to customers in the UK. The rack fits to the frame of the bike rather than the handlebars so that the steering isn't badly affected by the load and the rack, it appears to me, will fit bikes with front suspension.
To the frame you can add one of David's elegant baskets (I featured his basket for the Yak trailer in December of last year) or any other sort of bag or box. David's Website has a really snappy video to illustrate this.
The rack costs €70 plus €20 postage to the UK.
Posted by Mike Reeves at 11:49 AM 0 comments
Friday, October 3, 2008
Jakob Nordin wrote to me on 19th September and only now do I get around to mentioning his email. Sorry Jakob. The text of his email was thus:
"Hi and thanks for a great homepage. You´ve sadly forgot the mother of all transport-bikes, the Long John! http://www.longjohn.org/ will fill you in on all the details. WBR Jakob Ps. I´m in the process of creating a Transport-Hybrid by crossing a bike trailer and a Long John. Ds."
Well, below is the Long John with it's load between the saddle and the front wheel. This next bit is from the long john .org website (except that I've omitted the german & Danish language sites).
"The manufacturer of the "original" Long John, Everton Smith in Denmark (owner of the brand S.C.O.), perished in 1997. Long John production shifted to Monark Exercise in Sweden, who stopped building these bikes in 2003, then restarted in 2007. The current Monark model is quite similar to Long Johns built by Everton Smith in the mid-nineties. In Germany, Monark Long Johns are currently being sold by USED, Quakenbrück. See their website for more information:used-hq.com (English)Velorbis in Copenhagen imports Monark Long Johns to Denmark and other countries under their own label:velorbis.co.uk (English)velorbis.com (English) ".
I couldn't find much detail on the used-hq site saving three pictures but the Velorbis site led me to Chopperdrome in the Netherlands who quote €1999. and mention that the bike has three speeds. The "100kg, 120 cm" stencilling in the photo seems to refer to payload and load length. Other than that they are equipped with a british Brookes saddle and Sturmey Archer hub gear there is little more I can tell you.
So here's a thousand words...
Posted by Mike Reeves at 7:31 PM 1 comments
Labels: Cargo Bike
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The pickup style trike which I mentioned a while ago under the "Ppp pickup" heading seems to have been deleted from the Triycleweb catalogue. They still have a range of two and three wheeled bakfiatsen though. They've also added a nice little bakfietsen video to the site.
The trailer pictured above is another monowheel this time from Ridgeback and available from Evans Cycles stores around the country and on the web at £159.99.
The following are the details directly from their web site:
"Expedition capability and day-to-day practicality make this a really useful addition to any bike - Folding box-section steel frame for easy storage - Frame and wheel can be carried or stored within its own bag - Waterproof fabric bag has huge storage capacity - Low-profile treaded tyre works on or off-road - Reflector and flag included for added visibility - Simple fitting system works with any bike - Weight approx 8kgs complete."
Again this monowheel is aimed at the adventure camping market but at OLV we see it more as a towable tool bag. From a thread on velovision I gather that this trailer is sold under other trade names and is identical to Mission's offering apart from the bag though I can't find a monowheel on mission's site.
Posted by Mike Reeves at 10:12 AM 0 comments
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Pret a manger en remorque.
Posted by Mike Reeves at 7:40 PM 1 comments
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Q: Where's ya bin?
A: I haven't bin anywhere!
I don't normally cover panniers but they're still the most common way of loading a bike and these are tough. BikeBins are made in the UK from 2.5mm thick, hard polypropylene which should protect your books, laptop, tools or WHY. The panniers have lockable lids and can be secured to the bike with a chain or steel wire lock.
BikeBins are available from the manufacturer's website in various colours , you can even specify differing lid and body colours or have your firm's details emblazoned on the sides.
When your off the bike you can carry the BikeBins by their handles or on shoulder straps (included). A pair of these panniers in black delivered in the UK will cost you a mere £62. Each BikeBin Carries 17 litres of stuff. All the dimensions are on the web site.
Posted by Mike Reeves at 3:26 PM 0 comments
Labels: bicycle, Cargo Bike, luggage, work bikes
Ppp Pickup a ...
This pedal powered pickup is available from tricycleweb in Holland. Delivery to UK addresses is a rather hefty €405 on top of the not unreasonable €299.95 asking price. The pickup or rather " model 060" has a huge (1000x630x290mm) load box which can carry 150Kg and has an unladen weight of 55Kg. The 060 doesn't appear to have derailleur or hub for gear changing so your stuck with one speed. In my case I suspect this would be stopped!
Indeed stopping might be interesting in itself. The 060 has two brake levers acting on two ordinary looking brake blocks on the 24" front wheel via a rod connector. Additionally there is a parking brake acting on the 26" rear wheels. The frame of the pickup is fully galvanised and you can have it in any colour you like so long as it's black. Coming flat-packed means that you'll have a fair amount of assembley work to do but there are many detailed photos on the web site to guide you through it. Though the 060 doesn't seem to have a load cover and is lacking in the braking and gearing departments it still makes an inexpensive alternative to the "Cargo Trike" from Cycles maximus (pictured bottom) which has a 258Kg payload capacity with 3x8 gears and a £2795 price tag. In fairness though, the CM offering is a much better thought out and engineered vehicle.
Posted by Mike Reeves at 9:49 AM 0 comments
Labels: tricycle, trikes, work bikes trikes


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Inherit Scam Blogs
1. Inherit Scam
Inherit Scam victims never receive this money but are tricked into sending money to the criminals,.. who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and postal.. addresses, free email accounts and mobile phones.
Owner: muffieshannen
Listed in: Law
Other Tags: inheritance, online scam, internet scam, email scam


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Where is it mentioned that he and Iris are related?--ようこそ地獄へ - "Yōkoso jigoku e." ("Enter the Hell of Darknesslover") 03:50, March 9, 2011 (UTC)
Better art
I wonder if there will be another pic of Drayden, one without his hand cut off.
Signed, Winxfan1. I am the ultimate fan of Winx Club 04:10, March 9, 2011 (UTC)
answerme -- ようこそ地獄へ - "Yōkoso jigoku e." ("Enter the Hell of Darknesslover") 03:50, March 10, 2011 (UTC)
didn't he use a druddigen when fighting iris in the anime?, so shouldn't we add it into his anime pokemon profile alongside his haxorous?? Caseather (talk) 05:04, December 19, 2012 (UTC)
Gym leader battle
Never played BW game, but I don't think there is a difficulty for the player character at easy, is it? Energy X ∞ 16:48, June 9, 2013 (UTC)


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Type of Document Master's Thesis Author West, Aaron William Author's Email Address email@example.com URN etd-11082000-19470005 Title An Exploration of the Natural Ventilation Strategies At the World Trade Center, Amsterdam Degree Master of Science Department Architecture Advisory Committee
Advisor Name Title Jones, James R. Committee Chair Beliveau, Yvan J. Committee Member Schubert, Robert P. Committee Member Keywords
- natural ventilation
Date of Defense 2000-10-24 Availability unrestricted Abstract(Abstract)
The push to design environmentally conscious and sustainable buildings has surged over the past twenty year, thus leading to the development of new methods for harnessing the natural elements of the earth. In recent years the international firm of Kohn, Pederson and Fox has been a champion of the sustainability movement. In fact many of the newer passive ventilation strategies under development can be seen in Kohn, Pedersen Fox International (KPFI) current commission for the World Trade Center (WTC) currently under construction in Amsterdam, Netherlands. This multi-million square foot complex has been designed to service the growing needs of Europe's free market economy and the fledgling European Union (EU). The complex is a series of five towers with connecting multi-storied atriums in the interstitial spaces. While the towers are actively heated and cooled using modern energy efficient systems the atrium areas are ventilated using an innovative passive system. This passive system relies on turbulence and negative pressure along the roof system to draw air through the space and positive pressure (due to wind driven forces) at the inlets located above the ground level doors to bring air into the atrium. The primary concept behind this strategy is that the difference between the positive and negative pressure zones will induce a convective current within the atrium space and there by create a continuous air-change system. The intent of this thesis is to analyze and report on the findings of the wind tunnel tests done on scale models of the complex and, propose alternative ideas to strengthen the current design.
Filename Size Approximate Download Time (Hours:Minutes:Seconds)
28.8 Modem 56K Modem ISDN (64 Kb) ISDN (128 Kb) Higher-speed Access West-thesis.PDF 5.11 Mb 00:23:40 00:12:10 00:10:39 00:05:19 00:00:27
If you have questions or technical problems, please Contact DLA.


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Sibell by Rachel Coopey
Welcome! You are browsing as a guestWould you like to see 15 projects made from this pattern and much more? create a free account What am I missing?
This pattern is available for £3.50 GBP buy it now
Pretty, lace socks with a twisted rib cuff and a lace and rib pattern. The left and right socks are mirrored.
Sizes: Foot circumference: Small - Small - Foot circumference 8 inches (Medium - 9 inches, Large - 10 inches)
You can find the Coop Knits group here.


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WASHINGTON/ABBOTTABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) - The United States vowed on Tuesday to "get to the bottom" of whether Pakistan helped Osama bin Laden elude a long manhunt before he was killed in a U.S. raid, even as Islamabad denied it gave shelter to the al Qaeda leader.
The White House also released more details about the killing of the world's most-wanted man, including that bin Laden was unarmed when he was shot at least once in the head by a U.S. commando.
President Barack Obama's press secretary, Jay Carney, insisted the al Qaeda leader resisted -- although he would not say how -- when U.S. forces stormed his compound north of Islamabad and engaged in a firefight there. Officials were still debating whether to release a "gruesome" picture of his body.
Washington kept Pakistani officials in the dark about the special forces assault carried out on Monday, fearing they might "alert the targets" and jeopardize the mission, which ended with bin Laden's death, CIA Director Leon Panetta told Time magazine.
The revelation that bin Laden had holed up in a fortified compound in the military garrison town of Abbottabad, possibly for five to six years, prompted many U.S. lawmakers to demand a review of the billions of dollars in aid Washington gives to nuclear-armed Pakistan.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, issuing his first response to questions about how bin Laden was able to live undetected for so long near the capital Islamabad, did little to dispel suspicions.
"Some in the U.S. press have suggested that Pakistan lacked vitality in its pursuit of terrorism, or worse yet that we were disingenuous and actually protected the terrorists we claimed to be pursuing," Zardari wrote in the Washington Post. "Such baseless speculation ... doesn't reflect fact."
It was the first substantive public comment by any Pakistani leader on the airborne raid that killed the al Qaeda leader, who had become the face of Islamist militancy since masterminding the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
Pakistan has come under intense international scrutiny since bin Laden's death, with questions on whether its security agencies were too incompetent to catch him or knew all along where he was hiding, and even whether they were complicit.
"It would be premature to rule out the possibility that there were some individuals inside of Pakistan, including within the official Pakistani establishment, who might have been aware of this," White House counterterrorism chief John Brennan told National Public Radio.
"We're not accusing anybody at this point, but we want to make sure we get to the bottom of this," he said.
Reflecting a U.S.-Pakistani alliance strained by years of mistrust, Islamabad was not told about the raid until after all U.S. aircraft were out of Pakistani airspace.
At the same time, killing bin Laden -- who became the epitome of evil for many Americans as architect of the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington -- has given Obama a popularity boost at home where his standing had been eroded by economic woes and high gasoline prices.
About four in 10 Americans say their opinion of Obama improved after he ordered the bin Laden raid. But the bump in his ratings could be short-lived as voters focus again on domestic concerns crucial to his 2012 re-election prospects.
Obama may face more pressure to speed the planned withdrawal this July of some U.S. forces from the unpopular war in Afghanistan.
The White House was also wrestling with releasing what it called a "gruesome" image of bin Laden's corpse -- a move that could quell any doubts in the Muslim world on whether he was dead and also give closure to Americans nearly a decade after the 2001 attacks. But critics say such photos could also offend Muslim sensibilities and be exploited by extremists.
White House Press secretary Carney, cautioned: "There are sensitivities here in terms of the appropriateness of releasing photographs of Osama bin Laden."
The Afghan Taliban challenged the truth of bin Laden's death, saying Washington had not provided "acceptable evidence to back up their claim" that he had been killed.
No photos or video of bin Laden's swift burial at sea have been released.
While Islamabad hailed the killing of bin Laden as an important milestone in the fight against terrorism, Pakistan's foreign ministry expressed "deep concerns" that the operation was carried out without informing it in advance.
Pakistan, which for years has said it did not know bin Laden's whereabouts, said it had been sharing information about the targeted compound with the CIA since 2009.
"He was not anywhere we had anticipated he would be but now he is gone," Zardari said, crediting a "decade of cooperation and partnership between the United States and Pakistan."
Irate U.S. lawmakers, already doubtful of Pakistan's cooperation against al Qaeda, demanded to know how it was possible for bin Laden to live near a military training academy without anyone in authority knowing about it.
They said it was time to review aid to Pakistan. The U.S. Congress has approved $20 billion for Pakistan in direct aid and military reimbursements partly to help Islamabad fight militancy since al Qaeda's strikes on the United States.
"Our government is in fiscal distress. To make contributions to a country that isn't going to be fully supportive is a problem for many," said Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein.
Prime Minister David Cameron told BBC radio Britain would keep working with Pakistan to combat militancy, but insisted bin Laden "must have had a support network in Pakistan" and that Islamabad must answer questions on the subject.
Even as the White House and Congress stepped up pressure on Pakistan for a full accounting, there was a sense in Washington that the U.S.-Pakistani counterterrorism partnership -- already badly frayed -- was too vital to fail altogether.
And some lawmakers urged caution, warning that an aid cutoff would be counterproductive.
In Islamabad, there was mostly a sense of embarrassment or indifference that bin Laden had managed to lie low for so long. "The failure of Pakistan to detect the presence of the world's most-wanted man here is shocking," the daily News said in an editorial, reflecting the general tone in the media.
Pakistan, where anti-U.S. sentiment runs high, has a long history of nurturing Islamist militants in the interests of its strategic objectives, primarily facing up to what it sees as its biggest threat -- India.
In the first sign militants were attempting to strike back, Afghan forces killed and wounded 25 foreign fighters after they crossed the border from Pakistan, a government official said.
Bin Laden's death had initially boosted the dollar and shares in belief his killing reduced global security risks. But shares dipped on Tuesday and the dollar struggled to pull away from a three-year low as markets refocused on a fragile global economy and corporate earnings prospects. Still, the threat of revenge attacks could support oil prices, analysts said.
Additional reporting by Mark Hosenball, Susan Cornwell, Jeremy Pelofsky, David Morgan, Phil Stewart, Tabassum Zakaria, James Vicini, John Whitesides, Steve Holand in Washington and Reuters bureaux worldwide; Editing by Jackie Frank and Alex Richardson


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Feedity.com is an online tool for building RSS feeds from web pages. Users simply type the URL of a web page into the Feedity feed creator and the site will turn the web page into an RSS feed. The feed creator recognizes the structure of the website, and the user has the option of adding other sections of the website to the feed. The user can also assign a category to the feed, such as Business and Finance, Consumer Technology, etc. In addition, the feed can be further refined by searching the title blocks for certain keywords.
The tool can be used by individuals to create feeds from websites that do not furnish one, as well as by webmasters to create a feed for their site. The site offers a bookmarklet which allows the user to create a feed directly from any web page they are visiting. In addition, they offer a widget which can be placed on the user's website to show their Feedity feeds. Paid versions of the service provide even more features, including feed analytics, date refinement and feed cleanup. In addition, paid versions include the ability to track broken feeds, extract a description for the feed and merge RSS feeds.Show more screenshots »
Melbourne, Australia-based Feedity.com was launched in 2005.
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The site will generate an RSS feed for an average-size page in under 10 seconds. The tools provided for building the feed are quite responsive as well. There is a convenient top menu bar shown on all pages on the site. There are no ads displayed on the site, however the RSS feeds generated by users with a free membership do contain advertising.
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THREE empty homes should be demolished in Burnley to safeguard the rest of a terrace street, senior councillors have been told.
Council housing bosses say they have made every effort to try to encourage the owners of 34 to 38 Athol Street North properties to redevelop their interests.
But now with the homes facing 'serious structural' problems, the authority wants to buy up the houses and pull three down – to secure the long-term future of the remaining seven houses.
Housing officials have drawn up proposals which would see £143,000 invested in the Trinity ward street, where private landlords are already launching renovation projects.
Engineers would undertake 'tying' works, to strengthen the front, rear and cavity walls of 20 to 32 Athol Street North, and paint the doors, windows and frontages of the homes, and a new gable end.
Housing manager Clare Jackson said in an executive report: "Officers have considered the acquisition and renovation of 34 to 38 Athol Street North, however due to the serious disrepair and significant structural problems it would not be cost effective."
Two of three houses have been empty since April 2001 and June 2002, with the third only becoming vacant last January.
Each would be made the subject of compulsory purchase orders, ahead of their demolition.
Several surrounding streets were given a facelift under the former housing market renewal programme but the block – between Howard Street and Colin Street – was not covered.
Work has already taken place to overhaul one 26 Athol Street North and loans provided under the borough's empty homes initiatives is being used to improve 22 and 24 along the row.
Councillors sitting on the borough's executive are being asked to rubber-stamp the plans when they meet at the town hall next Tuesday.


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Lou's Books
The Zen of Max
Lou's Art
Lou's Etsy Shop
Tag Archives: blog
Creating a writer's website or blog.
If you are a writer and thinking of creating a website or blog, there are certain components that are important to include. Here are some tips on creating a writer's website/blog. 1. When creating a writer's website, find inspiration for … Continue reading
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On Friday morning, a half-dozen of us had just put up a tent.
Not a pup tent, mind you, but a heavy-duty canvas deal on a wooden platform that, when we stepped back to view its squared-away profile and taut supporting lines, looked almost as sturdy as a cabin.
I thought about how it will help shelter the thousands of Girl Scouts from Hernando, Pasco and other counties who regularly visit Camp Indian Echo in Hudson. I considered how snug it looked and remembered how many wonderful nights I'd spent in similar tents, at similar camps, when I was a kid.
So, I took a moment to feel impressed with myself. You know, I thought, you really helped out.
On further reflection, though, I was a lot more impressed with the rest of the crew.
All are Publix employees in their teens or early 20s — an age when I would have no more volunteered my time than write an extra research paper for the fun of it. While my employer paid me for my time, theirs didn't.
Best of all, none of them thought it was a big deal.
"If we can't give money, we can contribute this way,'' said Ryan Taylor, 18, a student at Pasco-Hernando Community College.
I don't want to make this sound like a huge sacrifice. The workers who set up tents and cleared trails at Indian Echo were part of the United Way's Day of Caring, which annually recruits volunteers for community projects here and throughout the country.
For about two hours of labor, we were rewarded with a lunch at Carrabba's Italian Grill on State Road 50, and I figured I broke even about halfway through the second helping of chicken marsala.
But I also considered that nobody had to be there and how easy it would have been for the kids from Publix to sleep in or go to the beach.
And if I detected an extra spirit of generosity in the air, I wasn't all wrong, said Kathy Jones, executive director of the Hernando County United Way.
Because of the faltering economy, the agency had scaled back its fundraising goal by $40,000 this year. It has been pleasantly surprised that contributions have nearly held at last year's rate.
Those who can't contribute money are volunteering more time, she said. Friday's Day of Caring, for example, drew 270 workers, 40 more than the year before.
Why? We know people really need help, Jones said. So do the agencies that provide this assistance.
The trip to Carrabba's reminded me of Thanksgiving five years ago, when the economy was humming. A group of homeless residents in Tampa boycotted a traditional turkey dinner because they said they had been promised meals from Carrabba's. They called it a "bait-and-switch,'' and left the impression that we lived in such prosperity that nobody was truly in need.
Now, Hernando's unemployment and home foreclosure rates are the highest in the Tampa Bay area. We all know people who have lost jobs or homes, or live in fear that they will.
That means it's harder for agencies such as the Girl Scouts to raise money, and Indian Echo ranger Debbie D'Elia estimated the Day of Caring had saved it more than $1,000.
Now, of course, putting up those tents really wasn't much of anything.
But it sure felt good to do something.


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CANBERRA rookie Gracie Elvin has come to the rescue of Orica-AIS, winning the national road cycling championship for the powerful Australian women's team.
Just 12 days into Elvin's professional career, the 24-year-old Oceania road champion answered the call when it appeared the race was slipping from her new team's grasp.
She won the 106.6-kilometre race at Buninyong, near Ballarat, by half a wheel length from Victorian Joanne Hogan.
Those are career-best results for Elvin and Hogan.
Former winner Carla Ryan was third, ahead of Miranda Griffiths.
There was some pain for Elvin along with the immense pleasure of the win as she slipped and fell heavily as she left the victory podium, bruising her left wrist.
''I'm not really living up to my name - I'm not very graceful on the podium,'' she later joked.
While it was a great win for Orica-AIS, team director Dave McPartland admits it was not a great day for the women's section of the GreenEDGE monolith.
GreenEDGE has now won four of the five senior titles at these nationals and is favourite to win the men's elite road race on Sunday.
''I'm not going to lie about it - there were a couple of times during the race where I wasn't comfortable,'' McPartland said.
''It wasn't our best race and that's why Gracie's win is even more impressive.
''She took a big weight on her shoulders. She is heading to the top really quickly, a lot quicker than what a lot of the other girls do.''
The race had opened with Elvin's teammate Jessie MacLean joining Lisa Jacobs, Lucy Coldwell and Rebecca Werner in a break that lasted for well over half the race.
Soon after they were caught, Ryan, Hogan and Griffiths broke clear.
It was at that point McPartland yelled from the side of the road to his riders in the peloton for someone - anyone - to join the leaders.
''I just screamed we had to have presence in that group … we let our guard down a little bit,'' McPartland said. ''Gracie was the one who reacted straight away.''
Elvin took several kilometres to bridge the 30-second gap to the leaders and then played her cards perfectly on the last 10-kilometre lap.
She used as little energy as possible, knowing she had the best sprint of the four title contenders.
But Elvin only just won the sprint, with Hogan pressing hard at the finish.
''Halfway through the race, I was getting a little bit down on myself,'' she said.
''I wasn't feeling that great. Then with two laps to go on the hill I just went 'oh well, here we go, see how far I can get it'.''
Emily Roper won the women's under-23 title while fellow Queenslander Jordan Kerby won the 137-kilometre men's under-23 road race. AAP


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TRESemme 24 Hour Body Weightless Creme
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TRESemme 24 Hour Body Weightless Creme Reviews
This is amazing!I have very fine hair and it is difficult to maintain body and style. I use a little of this and it lasts all day! It adds body and keeps the style without fly aways. — 7 years, 1 month agorrothamel2 | 1 reviews
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okafter i straighten my hair it usually doesnt stay straight but if i put this in my hair it keeps it straight all day it smells a little bit like grapeswhich is good. i also use this on my part because it tames fly aways this is basicly the same thing as the John frieda secret weapon cream — 7 years, 3 months agodrugstore_lady | 61 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 5 of 5 people said helpful
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Shandong, China: Former Chinese political heavyweight Bo Xilai piled the pressure on his accusers in day one of his trial for accepting bribes.
In a spirited exchange, Mr Bo turned prosecutor, casting doubt on key evidence against him during a series of probing questions fired at the star witness at the trial, billionaire entrepreneur Xu Ming.
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Bo Xilai comes out swinging
Bo Xilai comes out swinging
A combative Bo Xilai has surprised everyone with a defiant appearance in China's ''trial of the century'' where he denied the charges against him, reports China correspondent Philip Wen.
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Bo Xilai comes out swinging
A combative Bo Xilai has surprised everyone with a defiant appearance in China's ''trial of the century'' where he denied the charges against him, reports China correspondent Philip Wen.
Mr Xu said he had contributed $US3.23 million toward Gu Kailai's acquisition of a villa in France. He also said he paid for a trip to Africa for Bo's son, Bo Guagua, and paid for his credit card expenses of 300,000 yuan ($54,275), at a time when the younger Bo would have been just 13.
But backed into a corner, Mr Xu had to repeatedly concede Mr Bo may not have been aware of his generosity, even though it was intended to win his favour to help his business interests.
"Did you say anything to me privately to indicate that if I helped you with your projects you would reward me?" Mr Bo asked.
"No," Mr Xu replied.
"Did you say anything to me about your support of Bo Guagua and that you reimbursed his flights, credit card and bought him an electric bike? Did you tell me about Africa? Did you say you would pay for them? Have you ever told me about the [French] property? Have I ever mentioned it to you?"
The answer on each count was "no", prompting Mr Bo to end with a flourish his lawyer wife might have been proud of.
"Thank you for seeking truth from the facts," he said.
Defying expectations that the trial would be a limp formality, focused on discrediting the former rising star of Chinese politics, Mr Bo has decided to go down swinging, even if it does not alter a likely guilty verdict.
The former Chongqing party secretary said he was coaxed into a confession by investigators preying on his moment of ''weakness'' and that he would now fight to clear his name in court.
"It was written under circumstances when I was suffering some improper pressure," he said. "I thought the direction my case was heading toward was irreversible."
Mr Bo was similarly aggressive with another key witness, Tang Xiaolin, saying his testimony was "blasphemous" and intended just to get a lighter sentence for himself.
''He is like a mad dog biting all over the place,'' Mr Bo said. ''The evidence and witnesses that the prosecutors produced are all peripheral, and have little to do with the case and can't prove I'm guilty.''
Mr Bo also laughed off testimony from his wife, Gu Kailai, in a combative performance that has turned China's ''trial of the century'' on its head.
His stirring fightback also put paid to any theories that Mr Bo would co-operate with authorities in exchange for a lighter sentence or guarantees for the safety of his family, including his son, Bo Guagua.
Gu, herself jailed for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood, said in recorded and written testimony that the couple shared a large safe in which Mr Bo would deposit large amounts of money, including tens of thousands of US dollars, which she would then collect and mostly spend overseas.
''I find her testimony very comical, extremely laughable,'' Mr Bo said in court in Jinan on Thursday.
Prosecutors said Mr Bo received 21.8 million yuan ($3.95million) in bribes from Xu and Tang.
But Mr Bo said he had not accepted any bribes and that a previous confession to the Communist Party's Central Discipline Inspection Committee was made against his will.
''Back then I was totally unaware of the details, my mind was blank,'' Mr Bo said, according to a transcript provided by Jinan People's Intermediate Court, in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong.
In the first images of Mr Bo since he vanished from public view after being sacked as Chongqing party secretary in March last year, he appeared considerably thinner, but was made to look even smaller and more feeble by the two hulking policemen who stood by his side in court. He looked tired but his face retained a hint of his trademark smirk.
Authorities have restricted access to the ''open trial'' to just 110 carefully vetted observers – including five members of Mr Bo's family.
The court's official microblog has been providing an account of proceedings to the public.
Prosecutors who laid out charges of bribery, abuse of power and corruption against Mr Bo also named his son as a potential recipient of bribes.
Mr Bo is the most senior politician in years to be expelled from the Communist Party, after revelations that his wife had murdered Heywood.
Prosecutors said the abuse of power charge related to the cover-up of his wife's crime. The scandal burst into view when Mr Bo's police chief, Wang Lijun, fled to a US consulate armed with information on Heywood's murder in February last year.
Earlier on Thursday, dozens of Bo Xilai supporters congregated in protest outside the courthouse in Jinan.
Mr Bo entered the courthouse under police escort, court officials said, with the area immediately surrounding the court cordoned off by red and yellow barriers and police tape.
A heavy police presence patrolled the courthouse and kept watch as groups of supporters steadily built on both sides of the court precinct, snarling city traffic.
One group of supporters unfurled a banner and chanted slogans praising Bo Xilai before being swiftly removed by police.
One man, who gave his name as Shao, held up a portrait of Chairman Mao, the political leader whom Mr Bo often evoked through his populist policies and singing of revolutionary red songs.
"We support Bo Xilai, he is a good man," Shao said.
But the public demonstrations also drew angry rebuttals from other onlookers, who said Mr Bo was a corrupt tyrant who stole from Chongqing people.
"I don't agree with what the protesters are saying," university student Gao Qinfei said.
"I'm just an ordinary Chinese [person], and I support Xi Jinping."


text:
|Science Fiction . Family . Comedy . Action
Just as Hank reminds the children about their "no non-supes" (non-superheroes) in the house, Max plans to sabotage dinner when Phoebe has to invite her crush, Cole Campbell (guest star Logan Shroyer), and his rich family over. But just as Max's plans are in play, his crush, Tara Campbell (guest star Katherine McNamara) also arrives with the family, forcing Phoebe and Max to work together to keep the night for turning into a complete disaster; while also dealing with their family who is embarrassing them, trying not to be themselves.
|Episode Title:
|Dinner Party
|2013-11-9 at urday
The Thundermans doesn't do much heavy lifting, but it waves its cape proudly.Boston Herald Full Review
Parents of kiddoes, tweens and young teens can be assured that all of this is quite harmless.Uncle Barky Full Review
It's not funny.New York Post Full Review
This lifeless effort makes virtually no pretense of original thought, other than perhaps the audacity to harbor absolutely no fear of copyright attorneys.Variety Full Review


text:
English to French Translator for Travelers
By Odyssey Translator
Open iTunes to buy and download apps.
"Of the apps I tested in the low-price category, I liked the Odyssey Translator iPhone series features the most." - The New York Times
Odyssey Translator is an offline audio phrasebook designed for smart travelers. Let your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad speak complete phrases, or build your own sentences with a few taps! Sentences sound natural because we use professionally recorded audio by native speakers. Begin conversations confidently and find out why Budget Travel named Odyssey Translator the "Best Overall" translator for your iPhone.
Odyssey Translator Pro contains more than 1000 words and phrases, divided into categories like Conversation, Dining, Sightseeing, Tickets, Transportation, Hotel, Shopping, Airport, Medical, and more. You'll find more than 150 common travel situations in these categories, and, with this app in hand, you'll be able to deal with them all.
• No internet connection required — and no expensive roaming charges!
• Speak whole phrases, or build smart sentences with proper grammar
• Comprehensive phrasebook covers common situations you'll encounter traveling
• Organize your Favorite phrases in any order to plan conversations
• Hear phrases spoken clearly at a pace the New York Times says is ideal for language learners
• All audio has been recorded by native speakers
• Ad-free environment lets you focus on language learning
"The Odyssey apps cover all the usual travel categories, but in far greater detail than the competition." - Budget Travel
"When you're done, it actually speaks the phrase for you, so there's no fear of asking for glue, when what you really want is gum." - Cool Mom Tech
Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com, or follow us on social networks for promo codes and updates:
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French • Spanish • Italian • Dutch • German • Brazilian Portuguese • Mandarin Chinese • Korean • Russian • English • English (UK)
Is your language missing? Tell us what you'd like to see next at: email@example.com
What's New in Version 7.0
Hello fellow travelers! Here's what's new:
• iOS 10 integration
• Favorite phrases highlight when pressed
• Minor sound file updates
• Minor search updates
We hope this app is helpful for your trip! Please rate the app or share your feedback at firstname.lastname@example.com.
iPhone Screenshots
- $4.99
- Category: Travel
- Updated: Nov 08, 2016
- Version: 7.0
- Size: 46.3 MB
- Language: English
- Seller: Odyssey Translator
- © Odyssey Translator
Compatibility: Requires iOS 8.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPad Air, iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air 2, iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini 4, iPad mini 4 Wi-Fi + Cellular, 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 12.9-inch iPad Pro Wi-Fi + Cellular, 9.7-inch iPad Pro, 9.7-inch iPad Pro Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (5th generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (5th generation), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation), 12.9-inch iPad Pro Wi‑Fi + Cellular (2nd generation), 10.5-inch iPad Pro, 10.5-inch iPad Pro Wi‑Fi + Cellular, and iPod touch (6th generation).


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The Scottish National party will face its first electoral test after its landslide victory in the Holyrood elections after Labour set a byelection date for the Westminster seat of Inverclyde.
The byelection was called after the death of the Labour MP and former minister David Cairns from acute pancreatitis, five days after Alex Salmond and the SNP swept back into power in the Scottish parliament with an overall majority. It will take place on 30 June.
Cairns held Inverclyde with a 14,416 majority, taking 56% of the votes, and Labour has held the seat, and its predecessor constituencies, for decades.
The party should be favourite, but holds the Holyrood sister seat of Greenock and Inverclyde by a much more slender margin of 511 votes.
Scottish voters generally behave differently at Westminster elections, favouring Labour more than the SNP for the UK parliament.
At the general election, Scottish Labour secured 41 of Scotland's 59 Westminster seats, winning back two seats lost to the SNP and the Liberal Democrats at byelections and reducing the SNP to six MPs.
But after winning a swath of previously rock solid first-past-the-post Labour seats in the Labour heartlands of Glasgow and the west of Scotland in May's devolved elections, the SNP is hoping to pull off a byelection coup.
Iain McKenzie, the Inverclyde council leader who is standing for Labour, focused the opening statement of his campaign on the Tory-Lib Dem coalition in London and ignored the SNP – an early effort to shift attention to the UK government.
He challenged David Cameron and the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, to visit the constituency, defend their economic policies and "look people in the eye", and highlighted the closure of the Clyde coastguard centre and cuts in tax credits and benefits.
McKenzie said: "I have been out knocking on doors, speaking to people, and the biggest issue is jobs. So my first priority is to bang heads together to bring new employers and high-quality jobs to this area.
"But the government is threatening the economic recovery, threatening jobs, and hurting families who are working hard."
The SNP has selected its former MSP Anne McLaughlin, a party activist and byelection specialist who was born in Greenock and raised in Port Glasgow, two of the constituency's towns.
McLaughlin, who lost her Glasgow regional list seat at Holyrood in May because of the SNP's success in winning constituency places in the city, focused in part on the SNP's record at Holyrood, freezing council tax, protecting NHS services and putting more police on the beat.
"As Inverclyde's MP, I will work hard for local communities on the issues that matter, like soaring fuel and energy bills and the threat to the local coastguard service," she said.
"And I will work with Alex Salmond and the SNP government to protect and create jobs and deliver new opportunities for Inverclyde."
McKenzie, she said, was in coalition with the Tories running the local authority. "It is only by sending an SNP representative to Westminster that Inverclyde can build on the progress of the last four years and win a more powerful voice for people across the constituency," she added.
The Tories have selected councillor David Wilson, the depute provost of Inverclyde – equivalent to deputy mayor – to fight for the seat.


text:
Did anyone notice the Mount Pleasant score?
That's a program with all of the ingredients needed to be successful in this game – strong demographics and proximity to youth hockey. It's logical to assume they are going to win consistently at some point. Maybe that time is now. The Ice Cats opened the season with a 4-3 overtime loss against North Rockland, which is another quality opponent.
I'm at home with the boys for a couple more days, so keep us posted if you're out watching. I'll be retweeting any scores I see later on.
Sunday's games
Yorktown vs. Somers, 4:30 p.m. at BIA
Pawling vs. Hen Hud, 6:20 p.m. at BIA
Fox Lane vs. Byram Hills, 8 p.m. at BIA
Lakeland/Panas vs. John Jay 8:20 p.m. at BIA
Saturday's scores
Suffern 5, Massena 1
Mount Pleasant 4, Rye 4 OT
Shenendehowa 5, Mamaroneck 0
Chaminade 8, Iona Prep 5
North Rockland 2, Clarkstown 1
Carmel 9, Yorktown 7
Nyack/Tappan Zee 6, Sleepy Hollow/Irvington/Dobbs Ferry 5
Monsignor Farrell 2, Fordham Prep 0
Malvern Prep 6, RCDS 3
Justin Tiso had two goals and an assist to lead Suffern to a 5-1 win over Massena. … Iona Prep got two more goals from Glenn Puppa in an 8-5 loss to Chaminade. … Brian Carducci faced 22 shots in 36 minutes during Mamaroneck's 5-0 loss to Shenendehowa. … Nyack/Tappan Zee got four goals from Brian Bermingham in a 6-5 win over the Legends. … Mark McElroy scored twice and Anthony DePinto made 33 saves for North Rockland in a 2-1 win against Clarkstown.


text:
As previously reported, the boys of Big Bang are doing it big for their 5th mini album by promoting six tracks at once.
Big Bang's 5th mini-album, 'Alive', is scheduled to hit shelves on February 29th, but the boys will release previews from each track every day prior to the release date.
Fans were treated "Blue" first, "Love Dust" next, and "Bad Boy" third, "Ain't No Fun" fourth, "Fantastic Baby" fifth, now the final teaser, "Wings (Daesung Solo)" is here!
The lyrics were written by G-Dragon and Daesung. The track was produced by G-Dragon, and Choi Pil Kang.
Check out the preview for "Wings (Daesung Solo)" below:
Trainee in T.O.P's marijuana case says she didn't offer it to him
15 hours ago 36,326 4,168 200


text:
Was it a good, bad, or average day at work for members of the V.F. 100?
Good Day
• Steve Jobs (No. 2): Apple announced that more than two billion apps had been downloaded from its App Store.
• Wang Chuanfu (No. 76): BYD's C.E.O. skyrocketed to the top of the Hurun Rich List thanks to Warren Buffett's investment in the Chinese automaker, which helped propel the company's stock to dizzying new heights and increase Chuanfu's personal wealth from $880 million to $5.1 billion.Bad Day
• Jeff Zucker (No. 61): With NBC already contending with being the fourth-place network, Zucker spent Monday dealing with the fallout from S.N.L. newcomer Jenny Slate's four-letter-word slip-up, as well as fears that Conan's concussion might sideline him from his Monday night show.
• Evan Williams and Biz Stone (No. 25): Twitter has become a huge bone of contention for sports teams. Yesterday, the N.B.A.'s Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks both announced that players would be banned from "tweeting" during working hours. Football teams are having similar issues, with New York Jets coach Rex Ryan benching David Clowney for posting complaints about playing time. Meanwhile, the U.S. Open tennis tournament issued a tweet alert earlier this summer, which Andy Roddick promptly criticized, via Twitter.
Jury's Out
• Harvey Weinstein and Bob Weinstein (No. 91): In the wake of yesterday's W.S.J. piece detailing the debt woes of the Weinstein Company and a recent ruling against it in the battle with Lionsgate for rights to the highly anticipated film Precious, we hear reports that Summit Entertainment has hired Morgan Stanley to explore the option of making a deal with Weinstein.
• Jeff Bewkes (No. 46): Rumors suggest that the beleaguered Bewkes might seek to save his sinking ship by spinning off both the Internet and magazine divisions of the business, leaving the AOL Time Warner C.E.O. with just Warner.
Follow to get the latest news and analysis about the players in your inbox.See All Players


text:
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text:
THE office of the departing Lincoln Center president, Nathan Leventhal, is in disarray, which is not surprising after 17 years, and Mr. Leventhal, in I-should-care-about-image-I'm-outta-here-anyway jeans, is packing and making decisions: What goes to his country house in Connecticut? What to the apartment two blocks from Lincoln Center? What to the place he is renting in Florida?
For Wednesday, if all goes as planned, will find Mr. Leventhal on a two-month vacation in Boca Raton, in an apartment he has never seen except on a virtual tour on the Internet.
Why Boca Raton? one asks, making conversation.
''Looking in south Florida, this was the best Web site in terms of getting a real look at the apartment. There's very little available far in advance, and as part of my obsessive personality I wanted to be settled. Also to escape the winter. I'm not big on cold.''
How far in advance did Mr. Leventhal book his apartment?
''Oh boy, I did it, I'd say, June or July.''
The complicated, brainy Mr. Leventhal: he could never be accused of not planning ahead. While his tenure has not been without controversy, he has been instrumental in expanding Lincoln Center's programming.
When Mr. Leventhal arrived in 1984, after serving as deputy mayor for operations under Edward I. Koch, the theaters were dark in summer. Now there are programs year round, from dancing in the plaza on summer nights to television specials to Mr. Leventhal's favorite new program, Jazz at Lincoln Center. Mr. Leventhal, 57, whose salary has been $525,000, says he has also been pleased to see Lincoln Center ''develop as a risk-taking, impresario-like, progressive organization.''Continue reading the main story
Personally, he can be charming, prickly, open, private, playful, annoyed -- changing with a speed the stagehands at the Metropolitan Opera could only dream to emulate.
Where did he get the toy beagle next to his desk?
''It was a gift,'' Mr. Leventhal says. ''My ex-wife had to give our ex-dog up for adoption when she moved to California. Our dog trainer took her. We go to visit Sylvie whenever Gretchen is in town.'' Gretchen would be Gretchen Dykstra, a former president of the Times Square Business Improvement District.
Mr. Leventhal and his wife remained good friends after their divorce?
The voice has a sudden bite.
''Oh, are we going in the Page Six direction? She's one of my best friends. Gretchen was at my going-away party.''
Later, Mr. Leventhal says it does take a toll: attending events in the evening three times a week, all the while -- this said wryly -- being one's ''usual gracious and cheerful self.''
So Mr. Leventhal is not usually sunny and cheerful?
''There was a lot of discussion at my going-away party, by Koch and Dinkins, about my moroseness and moodiness,'' Mr. Leventhal says, playfully enough. ''Two of my best features.''
MR. LEVENTHAL grew up in Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, then, at 10, moved to Forest Hills, Queens. His father was a salesman, then an executive, at the Master Trouser Company, ''an exceedingly hard worker.'' Mr. Leventhal's mother, a homemaker, died of cancer when he was a high school senior. She was sick for a few years, so for those years, Mr. Leventhal says, he had to get along without a mother.
Encouraged, in the age of Sputnik, to pursue the sciences, Mr. Leventhal went to Cornell, flunking out at the end of his first year. He returned to New York, graduated from Queens College, then received a law degree from Columbia University. Then he went into political life.
Mr. Leventhal once said that music was the most important part of his adult life. He plays piano and guitar. Why didn't he become a musician?
''I think it was something that's common among kids,'' Mr. Leventhal says. ''I liked playing the piano, but I hated taking lessons. It's one of my big regrets in life, although I don't believe I would have been successful. I don't think I have the talent. I used to get tense before a lesson, like it was an exam.''
One figures, as it is Lincoln Center, there must be a piano around somewhere. Will Mr. Leventhal play for the reporter, as a special treat?
No, he will not. He played publicly once, for a 40th anniversary gala, with Beverly Sills. The number was ''Happy Birthday.'' His hands were shaking like a leaf. Try sitting down at the piano with the New York Philharmonic behind you and you have to start the piece with an arpeggio, Mr. Leventhal says, though he was quite flattered, afterward, when he was asked if he was really playing or it was a recording.
Otherwise, he plays for himself. He bought himself a special Yamaha piano a few years ago, but he's so self-conscious about his neighbors hearing him play, he keeps it quiet by using headphones.
There is talk of the future: Mr. Leventhal serves on the board of 16 Dreyfus mutual funds and will continue to do so; he will also be teaching at the Yale School of Management in the fall.
Then comes a call from his ex-wife.
No, Mr. Leventhal tells Ms. Dykstra in an affectionate conversation, he hasn't received her gift yet.
Then, after hanging up.
''I timed that. I arranged to have her call.''Continue reading the main story


text:
Islamic schools are the fastest growing school sector in the state, with some expanding so quickly they have had to freeze waiting lists or consider limiting new enrolments to siblings.
The number of Islamic schools in NSW has tripled over the past 15 years to 22. And, while the number of students in the state's public schools dropped slightly over the past decade, the student population of Islamic schools has doubled to more than 10,000.
Al-Faisal College at Auburn has almost doubled in size over the past five years to 1600 students.
Last week, it bought a four-hectare property at Austral in Sydney's west where it plans to build a campus for a further 600 students. It may soon be the biggest independent school in the state.
Deputy principal Peter Rompies said the school has ''huge waiting lists'' of between 200 and 300 students and will probably have to reject at least half of next year's kindergarten applications.
The state's largest Islamic school is Malek Fahd Islamic School, which has almost 2500 students across three campuses and has stopped adding names to its waiting list.
Al Noori Muslim School at Greenacre has grown by more than 70 per cent since 2008. Unity Grammar College at Austral had 741 students in 2012, up from 196 in 2008.
Rissalah College at Lakemba is at capacity with about 480 primary students, also has waiting lists.
''Even looking at kindergarten next year, it's going to be hard to take anybody who's not a sibling of someone already at the school,'' the principal Bill McKeith said.
Last year, more than 10,000 of the state's students were enrolled in Islamic schools, four times the number enrolled in 1998. The growth was not surprising given the number of Muslim children between the ages of five and 14 in NSW increased by more than 20 per cent between 2006 and 2011, according to census data.
Peter Jones, who spent seven years researching Australia's Islamic schools for his PhD, said only 15 to 20 per cent of Muslim students attended Islamic schools. ''The demand is there, they just don't have the room,'' he said.
The executive director of the Association of Independent Schools of NSW, Geoff Newcombe, said there was no doubt the schools would continue to grow.
Many of the schools were achieving strong academic results. About half of the teachers at most of the schools were not Muslim and all the schools approached said they would happily enrol non-Muslim students.
While some of Sydney's elite private schools charged up to $30,000 a year for senior students, fees at most Islamic schools were between $1000 and $4000 a year.
Islamic schools are among those set to benefit from the Gonski funding reforms, given they have a high proportion of students from poor backgrounds and language backgrounds other than English.
Some have been plagued by controversies involving financial mismanagement, with four having their state funding frozen in recent years.
"Funding to Malek Fahd Islamic School was stopped by the state government because it was found to be operating for profit. Risallah College's funding has been frozen pending the school providing evidence it is complying with NSW government funding requirements," a Department of Education and Communities spokesman said.


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Barack Obama is both right and wrong. He is right in saying that "the credible threat of US military action" pushed Syria to give up its chemical weapons. He is wrong in believing that a "limited military strike" would have made the Syrian situation better. If indeed the US president had ordered a bombing of Syria, it would have made him and some Americans feel good. But it would have done no good. The people of Syria would not be better off. It would only have made a messy situation messier. This is obvious.
It is good that Mr Obama has decided to pursue the diplomatic path. Yet the bad news here is that America has over time lost its skills in diplomacy. If anyone doubts this, just look at Washington's failure to even persuade its fellow Group of 20 countries to join its statement on Syria. Read more


text:
Thank you for your interest in the S.A.F.E.
Program of Activation for School Emergencies.
This program covers a variety of threats, and enables you to put procedures
in place with a minimum of research and committee time. Just use our templates
and customize the procedures and phone numbers to your own needs, and
we do the rest!
The product you receive will be a completed kit, as shown. All
you have to do is distribute (and provide any staff training you consider
For larger quantities, we can print your district or school logo on the
front cover, print 15 standard tabs, or print tab copy to suit your particular
needs; and print the instruction pages as you have fine-tuned them. To enable
smaller schools and districts to participate in the program at a reasonable
cost, we can make the S.A.F.E. Program available with our standard S.A.F.E.
logo on the front cover and standard index tab headings, along with the
procedure pages printed as you have finalized them. We assemble it here
and ship it to you. Either way, in less than 4 weeks, you have your personalized
safety program ready to put in place. You will also receive a proof copy
of the cover and contents before the printing begins.
Since you will want to order the entire quantity you need at one time,
please go over the following checklist to be sure you haven't forgotten
any person or place that would need a S.A.F.E. kit:


text:
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Valve Size: 1-1/2" pipe thread.
Operating Pressure: 20 to 1000 kPA, 3 to 150 psi
Minimum Pressure Differential: 20 kPa (3 psi)
Pipe Size (mm,inch): 40, 1-1/2
Orfice Size (mm,inch): 38.1, 1.50
Flow Factor (Cv,Kv): 24.0, 20.64
Construction: For use with DC coils only
Features: No special features.
Body Material: Brass
Seal Material: Nitrile
Port thread: NPT Thread
For valve dimensions and construction Click Here
For coil information Click Here
For complete coil information Click Here
Spare Parts Kits
Kits consist of plunger, spring, seals and diaphragm.
KM2423 - Nitrile Kit (Click to View)
KM2424 - Viton Kit (Click to View)
KM2425 - EPDM Kit (Click to View)