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Prague's astronomical clock by clockmaker Mikuláš is not only beautiful to look at, it is also one of the oldest and most detailed clocks ever manufactured. This clock on the façade of the Town Hall is one of Prague's top attractions. In addition to telling time, it also indicates the phase of the moon and the stars.
The masterpiece was installed in 1410 and reconstructed in 1490 by another clockmaker, Master Hanuš. For centuries it was believed that he was the creator of the clock until a document was found in 1961 that revealed the true story. The clock consists of 3 main components: an astronomical dial that indicates the time and the position of the sun and the moon, a dial with medallions that represents the months, and a mechanism that shows viewers the hourly procession of the Twelve Apostles.
"Legend says that Hanuš was blinded so he couldn't duplicate his clock anywhere else"

subset: commoncrawl


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To celebrate the festive month, Cosmetic Candy will be giving away a goody a day up until December the 25th! To keep things interesting, I am giving away all kinds of goodies, not just beauty!
You can enter all the giveaways and winners will be chosen in the first week of January. Use the Christmas Giveaways Tag to see all the contests.
All contests are open internationally and you can enter using the comments or via Twitter.
Good Luck & have an wonderful Christmas!
Today you can win a product suitable for mama and baby!
Earth Friendly Baby Natural Unscented Massage Oil is the perfect way to relax baby after a hard day! This ultra mild oil is suitable for babies of all ages, and the wonderful ingredient of Shea Butter is chosen for its soothing and moisturising qualities.
Ingredients: *Helianthus annuus (Sunflower), *Prunus amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond), Aleurites moluccans (Kukui), Tocopherol (vit e), Beta carotene (vit a), Calendula offinalis, (Calendula), *Anthemis Nobilis (Roman chamomile), Rosa dmascena (rose). *Total 88% certified organic agricultural ingredients.
Wanna win?
Method 1.
Answer the following question:
What is your favourite part of body to be massaged…specifically?
Not my feet, too tickly, I actually really like having my back massaged around my spine and a hand massage! It's really nice!
Method 2.
Follow me on Twitter and retweet (RT) the following message:
"RT @cosmetic_candy: Follow & RT to win a Earth Friendly Baby Massage Oil. Info: http://tinyurl.com/38gr2s7 "
*Note: if you change the tweet, it will not count as an entry.
Good Luck!


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Enjoy a true action RPG experience with Dungeon Legends.
Challenge other players in REAL TIME in the arena and become a legend of the dungeons. Go through the levels in search of incredible TREASURE or for help to overcome the challenges in CO-OPERATIVE MODE. Join a clan and fight for control of the dungeons.
Develop your skills and adapt your character to your style of play. Select your skills and become a WARRIOR, HEALER or DEFENDER before you start a game.
As a Dwarf, there comes a time when you have to leave your town in search of gold and glory. Take on the challenges of the dungeons to earn experience and gain the respect of your people.
Enter the dungeons and take part in the weekly events. In each unique journey you will get new rewards that will help you improve our skills.
Fight against other players in real-time battles where your skills will make the difference. Enter the arena alone or with friends, and prove you are the greatest warrior.
The controls are designed for touch devices. Guide your character through the passageways and find the right strategy to defeat the hordes of enemies, using a combination of your special abilities to vanquish them.
Explore the dungeons with your friends in online co-op mode. Team up with them to complete the hardest challenges and obtain powerful items.
– Fight real-time battles against other players
– Join a clan and conquer the dungeons
– Fight in PvP matches
– All game modes can be played for free
– Team up with your friends to explore the dungeons in co-op mode
– Chat with other players
– High-resolution graphics
– Sign in to Google Play Games to play on various Android devices
– Optimized for Android tablets and cell phones
Game Screenshots
Game info
Game Name : Dungeon Legends
Game Category : Role Playing Games
Last Updated On : January 20, 2017
Game Size : 80 MB
Version of The Game : 2.13
Game Size : 80 MB
Version of The Game : 2.13
Developer Firm : Codigames
File Format : Apk
Requires Android : 4.0.3 and up
Total Installs : 100,000 +
Google Play Rating : 4.4 / 5
Mod Info
Ban disabled
Lot of gold from selling items
Blacksmith time 0
Hunter time 0
Items improvement 99
Training maxed to 99999
Removed update check
Lot of gold from selling items
Blacksmith time 0
Hunter time 0
Items improvement 99
Training maxed to 99999
Removed update check
Download links
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Dungeon Legends Apk v2.140 (Mega Mod)
Dungeon Legends Apk v2.140 (Mega Mod)


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Halloween is a magical time for kids, but it's also a time of year where safety should be as much a priority as collecting candy.
Roughly 40 million costume-clad tricksters, ranging in ages from 5 to 14, take to the streets each year in search of Halloween booty. With so much volume in areas across the country on one particular day, and the naivete of this target age group, the responsibility falls on parents and other well-minded adults to ensure Halloween is a safe time for trick-or-treaters. There are measures to take whether you're manning the door or escorting the troops around town, in addition to general tips to heed. Check off each item as you complete the task.
In advance of Halloween, follow this advice.
- Help children choose costumes that will be safe. Hems should be reasonably cut so that tripping will not occur, and proper footwear should be worn.
- Masks can be hot and obscure vision. Consider water-based, hypoallergenic face paints instead. Use caution when applying around the eyes.
- Stock up on glow sticks or flash lights children can carry. This way they'll be able to illuminate the way when dusk falls. They'll also be more visible to other pedestrians and drivers. Inexpensive flash lights are often sold at home centers and supermarkets. What's more, they typically come in orange - perfect for Halloween.
- Map out an area that the children are allowed to visit, one you feel is safest. Set curfews. One safe option is to plan to take trick-or-treaters to a shopping or strip mall, where store owners often oblige candy-seeking children. It's well lit and public enough to improve the safety odds.
While a home can be decked out to fit with the Halloween theme, it should also be safe enough to welcome visitors to the door.
- Take the time to identify and remove tripping hazards leading to the doorway. These may include flower pots, decorations, garden hoses, etc.
- A spooky appeal is one thing, but your front door and walkway should be well lit enough for trick-or-treaters to make their way safely.
- Animals may be extra jumpy or weary on Halloween - they're simply not used to the added activity. Keep your pets locked safely in another room so they won't lunge for the door, or worse, get outside.
- Consider purchasing non-food fun treats for those who come a-calling. They'll be safer and more fun alternatives to sugar-laden candies. Or, healthy, individually wrapped foods can be another unique idea.
- Keep a first aid kit fully stocked and nearby in the event of accidents. It is also a good idea to learn CPR and The Heimlich Maneuver as extra precaution for children who are gobbling up treats en route to your door.
It's easier to control safety at home, but while out and about, there may be inadvertent dangers.
- Explain that children should remain on the sidewalk or illuminated paths. They should know the danger of darting out into the street or across driveways and alleys. Drivers can have a difficult time making out children in the twilight.
- Obey all local traffic and pedestrian regulations, such as crossing at crosswalks.
- Assign a chaperone, either you or perhaps an older sibling, who can accompany younger children. Don't let young kids go out alone.
- Children should not enter the homes of strangers. Be sure they are aware of this rule.
- Inform children not to indulge in their treats before they get home.
Once trick or treating is over, the safety measures continue.
- Treats need to be thoroughly checked by an adult when children get home. Tampering is rare, but proper precautions should always be taken.
- Divide up the candy so that it can be enjoyed over the course of days following Halloween, and not just gorged on the day after.
- Make sure treats are age-appropriate, and keep candy out of the reach of young children. Some may pose a choking hazard.
halloween, hijinx, kids, horror, children
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By Evan Ackerman
Remember the Airnergy WiFi power harvester that we showed you last January at CES? You know, the thing that charges your gadgets out of thin air that several commenters pointed out was (mathematically speaking) at best impractical and at worst impossible? Well, it's now called AirPower, and while RCA still won't provide details on how it actually manages to pull substantial amounts of electricity out of the air in what seems to be a violation of the first (I think) law of thermodynamics, they have designed some new cases for it.
So, yeah. Looking good. But does it actually work? RCA reiterated that the AirPower will charge itself "with around five to six hours of Wi-Fi exposure" by "regurgitating and converting the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi signal," which is the same sort of thing we heard at CES… I really want to believe that RCA wouldn't keep showing this thing off and making the same impressive claims if they didn't have a working one in a R&D bunker somewhere, but at the same time, here's a quote from a commenter on our original article:
"By my calculations, 100% efficiency and absorption at 5 feet away from a 100mW home router, (reasonable figures), it would take 34.5 years to charge that blackberry battery."
Also, the release date of the AirPower charger has been pushed from this summer to the holidays, and the pricing has gone from $40 to "has yet to be determined." C'mon RCA, laws of physics be damned, I want this to be real.


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Why Acme Sign?
Customers value the unparalleled levels of quality and dependability they get from us. That's why we've been manufacturing and installing signs all around the country for nearly 100 years.
You'll feel confident you're making the right choice when you put Acme Sign to work creating the perfect indoor and outdoor signs for your business.
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Our price quotes also include a two-year warranty for all parts, services and installation. In fact, Acme Sign is the only company in the Kansas City area that offers a two-year warranty—we're just that proud of the work we do.


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The EU General Protection Regulation (GDPR) is considered the most important change in data privacy regulation in 20 years. Tech companies routinely manage regulatory changes as part of everyday operations, but GDPR will likely have far greater impact than past mandates. Here's why:
Liability is shared
Most businesses are under-prepared
There are serious (costly) consequences
GDPR has eight primary requirements that reach across company operations and technology.
Determine your internal strategy, assess how your operations measure up and find your best approach for trusted vendors and partners.DOWNLOAD THE POV [PDF] LISTEN TO THE POV
Take our quick assessment to get a sense of the type of data impacted by GDPR and assess where you stand on the topic of Digital Trust with your data.
As an innovation advisor, you'll work on the cutting edge of the technology ecosystem while helping to transform companies across industries through digital innovation. Join us and see what your expertise and unique point of view can bring to the table.LEARN MORE


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I can't think of a car that's ever gotten more attention before anyone knows anything about it. To say the next-generation Corvette is hotly anticipated is like saying the upcoming election is mildly competitive.
Speculation regarding the C7 'Vette has run rampant for over three years. (One of the first posts about it on our blog was in September 2009, when we were convinced the split rear window would return.)
Only now are we beginning to get clues as to what will power the car, but we're still mostly in the dark about what it'll look like or what its exact specs will be.
So far we know two things for sure: The car will debut on January 13 next year, and at least one engine option will be an all-new small-block 6.2-liter V8 known as the LT1.
Entire blog posts could be devoted to the engine alone, but I'll sum up the highlights:
Preliminary numbers suggest no less than 450 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, as well as an estimated 0-60 time of less than 4 seconds when installed in the base C7. Whoa!
It should deliver impressive fuel economy, too, by making use of cylinder deactivation and direct injection. It's reasonable to assume this new mill will also show up in other applications, perhaps the Chevy/GMC trucks and SUVs and maybe the Cadillac CTS-V.
While the small-block V8 certainly isn't the engine of the future, it's proving that it's got at least a few million more units in it before being replaced with something more modern.
We'll know everything there is to know about the C7 Corvette on the evening of January 13, 2013, when it debuts in Detroit. Until then, I'm sure we'll see a steady stream of official teasers, the first of which is the newly revised Crossed Flags logo. It's not much, but for now, it'll have to do!
Based on the engine alone, do you think the C7 Corvette will live up to expectations?
Find Used Cars in Your Area at CarGurus


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Sporty Fashion Trend Summer 2012
Sportif Fever: 21 Pieces Perfect For Playing the Field
As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. POPSUGAR has affiliate and advertising partnerships so we get revenue from sharing this content and from your purchase.
Sportif Fever: 21 Pieces Perfect For Playing the Field
We spotted more than our fair share of athletic influences on Spring's runways — designers made sure to work mesh details, hoodies, anoraks, and neoprene surf pieces in with their separates — and with the Olympic Games well under way, it's even more tempting to get in on this year's ultrachic sportif trend. Sporty looks took on many different versions, from Isabel Marant's cool, colorful layers to Alexander Wang's perennial sporty-girl swagger. Narciso Rodriguez and Helmut Lang both incorporated sleek black and white color palettes into track pants and sports bras, while Phillip Lim's pretty pastel collection gave way to tailored pants, clean-cut tanks, and vinyl rain slickers. Even the normally coquettish designs of Victoria Beckham gave a nod to sophisticated activewear — her minimalist silhouettes, exposed zippers, and strong colorblocking really brought the trend home. In an effort to show off our sartorial prowess (as well as our Olympic pride), we've rounded up 21 of the chic sportif pieces that you need now — click through to shop them all.


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Os comentários de pesquisas, pesquisas originais e white papers da ForeSee abordam as melhores práticas com o cliente e examinam os impactos nos negócios da experiência com o cliente sobre a variedade de canais e indústrias. É necessário um breve cadastro para fazer todos os downloads. Para navegar rapidamente pelas nossas soluções para atendimento ao cliente, clique nos links a seguir: Pesquisas | White Papers
The ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index (Q2 2014)
DESCRIPTION: Every quarter, ForeSee's E-Government Satisfaction Index shows citizens prefer to get information from federal departments, agencies and programs through digital channels. This quarter's report provides a complete list and analysis of citizen satisfaction scores for individual federal government websites and ForeSee's latest Mobile Federal Government Benchmark.Download Now
Topics: Government, Web, Mobile
The ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index (Q1 2014)
DESCRIPTION: Are the federal government's digital initiatives keeping up with rapidly increasing citizen expectations? This report provides a comprehensive reflection of citizens' experience with the digital arm of the federal government in the first quarter of 2014 and includes citizen satisfaction scores for more than 100 federal websites, comparisons to private-sector satisfaction and details on federal mobile expectations.Download Now
TOPICS: Government, Web, Mobile
The ForeSee E-Government Satisfaction Index (Q4 2013)
DESCRIPTION: How satisfied are citizens with federal government web and mobile sites? This report is a comprehensive reflection of the citizen experience with e-government in 2013.Download Now
TOPICS: Government, Web, Mobile
The ForeSee Experience Index (FXI): 2013 U.K. Retail Mobile Edition
DESCRIPTION: Mobile has grown rapidly as a direct sales channel, but its influence extends even further. We measured the customer experience across the U.K.'s top 10 mobile retail sites and explored how shoppers are using mobile devices to browse, research and purchase goods.Download Now
TOPICS: Mobile, Retail & E-Commerce
The ForeSee Experience Index (FXI): 2013 U.K. Retail Edition
DESCRIPTION: U.K. online retailers experienced the fastest sales growth in more than a decade in 2013. Did their customer satisfaction levels keep pace? Find out why the answer matters more than ever.Download Now
TOPICS: Mobile, Retail & E-Commerce
The ForeSee Experience Index (FXI): 2013 U.S. Retail Edition
DESCRIPTION: Company-level customer satisfaction with the 100 largest online retailers by sales volume is high. But we live in a multichannel world. How do the best retailers on the planet measure up when we look at satisfaction by channel (web, mobile, store and contact center)?Download Now
TOPICS: Web, Mobile, Contact Center, Stores, Multichannel, Retail & E-Commerce
The ForeSee Experience Index: Top 100 Brands Edition
DESCRIPTION: Good customer experiences translate into loyalty, increased sales and recommendations. See how the top 100 brands rank in ForeSee's study, discover how satisfaction is likely to impact the future behaviors of their customers and learn the top drivers of satisfaction for the seven industries we studied.Download Now
TOPICS: Web, Mobile, Multichannel
The ForeSee Mobile Satisfaction Index: Media and Entertainment Edition
DESCRIPTION: Smartphones and tablets are transforming how people digest news, follow sports, and watch TV and movies. While companies must serve advertisers to deliver content, they also must provide satisfying customer experiences to grow revenue. See how 22 U.S. media and entertainment companies with a mobile presence rank.Download Now
TOPICS: Mobile, Media & Entertainment
The ForeSee Mobile Satisfaction Index: Travel Edition
DESCRIPTION: The number of mobile users researching and booking travel on their devices has grown dramatically. See how customers rated the mobile experiences (phones, tablets) of 25 of the top mobile travel sites and apps in the airline, hotel, car rental and online travel agency categories.Download Now
TOPICS: Mobile, Travel & Hospitality
The ForeSee Mobile Satisfaction Index: Financial Services Edition
DESCRIPTION: By 2017, nearly half of all U.S. bank-account holders will use mobile devices for their financial interactions. Now is the time to get the mobile customer experience right! Read how customers rank banks, credit card companies, and brokerage firms today and how financial institutions can improve.Download Now
TOPICS: Mobile, Financial Services
The ForeSee Mobile Satisfaction Index: Retail Edition
DESCRIPTION: As the mobile platform matures and its influence grows, consumer expectations are evolving. The ForeSee Mobile Satisfaction Index, Retail Edition, a scientific benchmark, features an in-depth look at how customers rate their mobile experiences with some of the top U.S. retail companies and explores why satisfaction matters.Download Now
TOPICS: Retail & E-Commerce, Mobile
White Papers
The ForeSee CXA Methodology White Paper
DESCRIPTION: The ForeSee CXA methodology links customer satisfaction directly to financial outcomes, enabling executives and managers to prioritize investments that will have the biggest impact on the customer experience and future business success. This white paper explains our proven methodology in detail.Download Now
Competing on Customer Experience in the Digital Age
DESCRIPTION: Customer experience is the new battleground for companies seeking competitive advantage. This white paper by John Lovett of Web Analytics Demystified describes how to quantify the digital customer experience and use data to move from insight to action.Download Now
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Keeping Pace with Mobile: ForeSee's Five Tips for a Better Mobile Experience
DESCRIPTION: You've created a mobile site or app. Customers are using it. But, is their experience good, or bad? Is it helping, or hindering, your business? ForeSee has measured what matters to mobile customers for years. Here, we share five tips for creating a better mobile experience.Download Now
TOPICS: Mobile
Responsive Design: Optimizing the Customer Web Experience Across Devices
DESCRIPTION: Your company needs a mobile site, but how should you implement it? Is responsive design the answer? It depends. This paper presents some of the issues you should examine carefully as you consider whether to implement responsive design on your site.Download Now
TOPICS: Web, Mobile


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Public Service Board takes Yankee testimony in Vernon
VERNON -- Supporters of the continued operation of Vermont Yankee outnumbered opponents by a margin of three-to-one at Wednesday night's Public Service Board hearing in Vernon.
While many of the supporters work at the nuclear power plant, some of them came from as far away as the Northeast Kingdom and Chittenden County, and most of them declared their support by wearing a large green sticker on their chests that read "Support Vermont Yankee, provides $100 million annually to the regional economy."
The Vermont PSB was in Vernon to take public comments on why it should or should not allow the power plant's continued operation. Though the Nuclear Regulatory Commission recently granted a renewed 20-year operating license to the plant, Yankee also needs a certificate of public good from the state. The plant is owned and operated by Entergy.
Prior to the meeting, 80 of the more than 250 people in the Vernon Elementary School gymnasium had signed up to offer their opinions to the board. They were each given two minutes to speak, a time limit the board strictly enforced and speakers respected.
The members of the board are James Volz, chairman, David Coen and John Burke.
Burke told those in attendance that the board was taking public comments to determine what issues should be explored during its deliberations over whether Yankee should receive a state-issued certificate of public good for continued operation for up to the next 20 years.
"We will structure for ourselves the questions that need to be explored and the issues that need to be explained," he said.
The first three speakers, Gary Sachs, Chad Simmons and William Wood, spoke in opposition to the issuance of a CPG.
"Entergy has proven it's not to be trusted," Sachs said about Yankee's Louisiana-based corporate parent.
He raised a number of issues to back up his claim, including the failure to monitor the temperature of the dry casks containing nuclear waste, the failure to reveal the presence of underground pipes containing radiological materials and the fact that the company had been sanctioned twice by the PSB -- once for bullying behavior and once for showing disdain for the board.
"Why didn't this board not haul Entergy in and pull the CPG prior to federal court involvement?" Sachs asked.
Simmons told the board it should deny a CPG to Yankee for environmental, economic and reliability issues. Especially in light of weather catastrophes in the past 12 months or so, he said it's important for the board to consider Yankee's reliability during a weather emergency.
"The plant is a burden on Vermont emergency planners," said Simmons, insisting the board should consider how severe weather might affect the plant's back-up systems.
Simmons also said the board should consider the "flawed evacuation plans" related to Yankee, which don't include contingencies for things such as the bridge work being conducted on Interstate 91.
Wood said drawing attention to the more-than-600 jobs at Yankee is "a spurious argument."
"It's not the role of Entergy to provide good jobs," he said. "Their role is to make a profit."
Wood insisted there are far better jobs in promoting energy efficiency and the "so-called" economic benefits of Yankee don't outweigh costs to the state, including how the plant's presence affects the state's "branding" and the costs of cleaning up following a potential accident.
After the three spoke, the majority of those who took the microphone spoke in favor of the plant's continued operation.
Mike Hebert, who represents Vernon and Guilford in the Vermont House of Representatives, said it's no secret which side he falls on.
Yankee and its employees have "a symbiotic relationship" with the town of Vernon, he said, praising the employees' commitment to safety at the plant and participation in the community.
He also told the board that much of the testimony it has heard from opponents of the plant is "hyperbole and few facts."
Meredith Angwin, who lives in Hartford and blogs at yesvy.blogspot.com, said the choice for Vermont was either Yankee or a gas-fired power plant because renewables are intermittent and can't supply baseload power. Gas-fired power plants affect the environment because they emit greenhouse gases, she said.
Philip Steckler, a commercial property broker in Brattleboro, reminded the board of the many economic benefits Yankee's operation contributes to Windham County and the state, including income and property taxes and the purchase of materials and services from local businesses.
"Vermont Yankee is a responsible economic engine that provides immediate benefits to the community, the state and the region," Steckler said.
He also reminded the board of the charitable donations Entergy makes to nonprofits in Windham County and the volunteer services offered by Yankee employees.
"This is a talented and generous workforce and they are important role models," said Steckler.
Several Yankee employees spoke about the opportunities that have been presented to themselves and their families as a result of their employment at the plant.
"Vermont Yankee provides high wages, stable careers for more than 600 people and millions of tax dollars," said Kenyon Webber, an electrical design engineer at the plant. "These are good community people."
Yankee offers a good wage and, if the board allows it, long-term employment, said Webber.
"Those of us who moved here to work for this facility would like to continue to work here," he said.
Other supporters came from Cambridge, Norwich, Rockingham, Addison County, Burlington and Keene, N.H.
They spoke about affordable power from the plant, its contribution to Vermont's second-in-the-nation lowest carbon footprint and the number of contract employees the plant hires during refueling outages.
Opponents of the plant's continued operation came from towns in the 10-mile emergency preparedness zone around Yankee and from towns just outside the circle.
A man from Buddhist Peace Pagoda in Leverett, Mass., who called himself Brother Toby said the board needs to consider the nuclear waste being produced by the power plant.
"It's poison for countless generations," he said, adding nuclear power is "a destroyer of worlds."
Other opponents spoke about the plant's negative impact on property values, the fact that it is "old and aging," its effect on the Connecticut River and the cost of recovering from a nuclear accident.
But Peter Ross, of Hartford, insisted there was no rational reason why the plant should be shut down.
"The fear of nuclear power is a phobia," he said. "There can be no rational argument to dissuade people from a phobia. However, do not allow the fears of others to impact the lives of those who are more rational."
Patty O'Donnell, chairwoman of the Vernon Selectboard and former legislator, said Yankee is "a high-quality nuclear power plant ... one of the best in the country."
"This isn't Entergy Louisiana," said O'Donnell. "It's Entergy Vermont Yankee. Look around this room you'll see the faces of the people who run this plant. That's Vermont Yankee."
Bob Audette can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com, or at 802-254-2311, ext. 160. Follow Bob on Twitter @audette.reformer.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


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Business & Real Estate
Old Town Elk Grove sees resurgence as shoppers, diners, seek something different
It would be hard to find someone who knows more than Tal Crump does about Elk Grove's Old Town, the original city blocks on the eastern end of Elk Grove Boulevard.
Crump's family has lived in Elk Grove since 1898; his family still runs the lumber mill behind Elk Grove Boulevard near the Union Pacific railroad tracks. The business group he leads meets in the former home of the state's first free county branch library, in a part of the city established just two years after the discovery of gold.
So when Crump says business is starting to heat up in the Old Town – the strip of Elk Grove Boulevard bookended by Elk Grove-Florin and Waterman roads – chances are he's onto something.
People are drawn to "the uniqueness of Old Town, the quaintness of it and the affordability," said Crump, president of the Old Town Foundation, the band of merchants, businesspeople and residents who work and live in the city's original neighborhoods.
Old Town Elk Grove is positioning itself as something different in a suburb where franchises and national chain restaurants dominate the wide commercial thoroughfares.
"It's not just going to big franchise restaurants. ... It's a diverse area with retail, restaurants – we hope to get more of that – and small businesses," Crump said. "Something's going on, and people in general are attracted to that."
Restaurants are the main draw for now. Old Town backers draw inspiration from midtown Sacramento, which organically grew into a dining and entertainment hub that draws people from throughout the region.
"Food is a driver – doing what you can to leverage food and the old neighborhood is a good thing," said Randy Starbuck, Elk Grove's economic development director.
Starbuck calls the progress made in Old Town over the last two years "slow but steady."
The restaurant scene in Old Town Elk Grove has seen some recent additions. An entity called Lola's Lounge Tapas & Latin Cuisine recently applied for a license to serve alcohol in the historic general store building on Elk Grove Boulevard, which once housed the Elk Grove Brewery & Restaurant.
A new addition to the local La Favorita Taqueria family of restaurants is close to opening on the boulevard, while The Italian Delicatessen & Fine Foods, a spinoff of Old Town's popular Brickhouse restaurant that opened last fall, has quickly developed a following. A short walk away is another mainstay, the highly regarded Boulevard Bistro. In addition to the restaurants, a collection of antique stores, salons and clothing shops has filled empty storefronts.
All appear to be helping to change Old Town's once-sleepy reputation, one that some business owners here once thought was irreversible.
"It's good for us. Old Town is hopefully becoming a shopping area," said Julie Cassella, whom Old Towners call "Mama" and whose sons Geno and Franco own the deli and the Brickhouse restaurant across the street. "I thought that opportunity might have gone away for Old Town, that that time may have passed. There were some who didn't even know Old Town existed."
Lindsey Youdan picked up a lunchtime sandwich at The Italian Delicatessen on a recent Thursday. Here, chubs of salami hang from the ceiling, the deli case is stuffed with hot coppa and sopressata, mortadella and prosciutto.
The Old Town resident lives a few blocks away and she enjoys "the old town atmosphere, the antique shops. I like the restaurants and the night life. It seems like it's growing up and more people are drawn to it."
Old Town Elk Grove has gotten help and renewed attention from the city in recent years, including a $6.3 million streetscape and facade improvement project in 2005 and updated architectural, design and sign standards. Planters, brick inlaid crosswalks and historic streetlights are part of the scenery now. The city purchased a 5-acre plot at Elk Grove Boulevard and Railroad Avenue in 2012 for what is now Old Town Plaza, a space for festivals and other events.
"It's been a huge improvement," said Angela Perry, president and CEO of the city's chamber of commerce. "It was rundown, and now it's a place to be. It's a jewel of the city and people are finally starting to see it."
John Lowry has seen Old Town in down times and its recent resurgence as longtime owner of Lowry Music on Elk Grove Boulevard. He remembers what the Old Town renovation promised and says it has mostly delivered, but it's still a work in progress. The challenge, he said, is drawing customers to his individual business.
"Hope springs eternal with new businesses popping up all the time. Anything that draws traffic to Old Town is a good thing" he said, a bass guitar ready for repair sitting on the counter. "With all the traffic, I thought I'd be inundated with customers," he mused in his soft Louisiana drawl. "Problem is, they didn't stop."
Boosters have started staging events aimed at getting more people to give Old Elk Grove a try. A chili festival in mid-May drew 12,000 people, and food truck operators hold monthly gatherings. These join long-term events such as the winter Dickens Faire.
Late last year, Elk Grove joined cities across the country that have teamed with Portland State University, whose urban experts help cities map out planning, redevelopment, transportation and other solutions. The Oregon school has been working with Elk Grove and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments on ways to attract new business and development to Old Town.
Rancho Cordova and Sacramento County are also among entities across the country working with Portland State, a group that also includes El Paso, Texas; Louisville, Ky.; Portland, Maine; Wichita, Kan.; and Waco, Texas. Portland State is helping El Paso develop a more walkable downtown. Louisville wants to better manage its stormwater. In Rancho Cordova, city planners are teaming with the Oregon campus to create transit-oriented development along Folsom Boulevard.
"They want to have an identity," Robert Liberty, director of the Portland State program, said of Old Town Elk Grove. He says Old Town has a foundation in place: a collection of historic buildings; walkable streets; frequent transit service, the city's streetscape spending; and, Liberty said, "people's interest generally in having a more urban experience."
Finding ways to capitalize on the corridor's history and draw business and visitors to Old Town is the next step, Liberty said, in a trend developing nationwide.
"It's happening all over the country. There's a big demand for things different," Liberty said. People want authenticity and character."
Or, as salon owner Sharon Breault put it: "What are you going to say? 'I met my husband 50 years ago at a strip mall in Laguna?' "
The 100-year-old buildings and turn-of-the-last-century architecture are what drew Breault to Old Town, which she saw as an alternative to the Laguna-area subdivisions that transformed Elk Grove during the past quarter century from a small town to a sprawling suburb of about 160,000 people.
Breault converted what was a city fire station in the heart of Old Town into a salon and spa space. Her True Salon and Spa celebrates its fifth anniversary this month. Today, her stylists work on the same floor where hulking fire engines once docked.
"The historical buildings add a lot," Breault said during an impromptu tour of her spa. "I couldn't imagine opening a salon anywhere else. In Laguna, every corner looked the same."


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People across Illinois will participate in a National Day of Service as President Barack Obama's inauguration activities kick off this weekend.
In Chicago, volunteers will gather at Navy Pier on Saturday to write letters and put together care packages for service members overseas. Other events are scheduled at food banks, homeless shelters and churches statewide.
The president and first lady Michelle Obama started the tradition of a National Day of Service the weekend before his 2009 swearing-in ceremony.
People in all 50 states are signed up to participate this year.
Steve Kerrigan is president and CEO of the Presidential Inaugural Committee. He says the day of service makes the inauguration "truly a national celebration."
Obama will be sworn in for his second term during a ceremony Monday in Washington, D.C.


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By: Melinda Finn
McNair completes Elder Law Certification
The National Elder Law Foundation (NELF) - the only organization approved by the American Bar Association to offer certification in the area of elder law - has announced that John McNair, senior attorney with Underwood Perkins, P.C., has successfully completed it's examination leading to such certification. John is Dallas' only Certified Elder Law Attorney. He has practiced elder law for 20 years and focuses his practice on Medicaid Eligibility Planning, VA Benefits Planning, Estate Planning, ... Read More


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The British car industry has bred a fair few Freds In Sheds over the years. Starry-eyed dreamers regularly come and go, and a few cars may even dribble out before the bailiffs come calling. But neither of the prime movers behind the BAC Mono is called Fred, and their fledgling car company is on the cusp of expansion. At TopGear we are confirmed Monomaniacs.
We also like a challenge, so when we said to Neill and Ian Briggs that we fancied taking this most elemental - with the emphasis on mental - sports car to one of the most hostile environments we could think of, they didn't run away and hide. Instead, they put the kettle on and had a think.
Words: Jason Barlow
Pics: Webb Bland
This feature first appeared in Top Gear magazine


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Winklevii Finally Realize That Appealing To The Supreme Court Is A Lost Cause; Will Have To Live With 'Just' $160 Million
from the poor-winklevii deptWhen the Winklevoss twins lost at the appeals court for the second time, I had hoped that someone would sit them down and explain to them that there was simply no freaking way the Supreme Court would bother to hear an appeal on their case, in which they complain about how they settled for "only" $160 million for building a company that wasn't Facebook and wasn't very popular. And yet, they still insisted that they would appeal. I'm not sure who did it, but it appears that someone finally sat them down and explained to them how the Supreme Court works, what kinds of cases it takes, and how it would almost certainly react to a petition to hear their case... and it's finally dawned on them that this would be a good time to take the money (which is probably worth even more now thanks to Facebook's continued growth) and say, "thank you." Yes, it's true, the Winklevii have finally realized what the rest of the world realized a while ago: the case is done and there will be no appeal to the Supreme Court. I guess that storyline is now out of the running for the sequel movie to The Social Network. Thankfully, we've still got Paul Ceglia running around, and his story is a lot more entertaining anyway.
Filed Under: appeal, ideas, supreme court, winklevoss
Companies: facebook


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The trend toward cooler weather is welcomed by most of us, but some unwelcome insect visitors can accompany it.
Polistes, or paper wasp colonies, are beginning to die out and some of the remaining workers (who will croak eventually), along with next year's crop of queens, are likely to start bailing out of nests. The surviving queens will seek out some place to pass the winter and all too often our houses become the location of choice. There are several species of paper wasps, but the common ones are mostly brown in color with yellow stripes on their abdomens.
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Monday, September 8, 2014
The Deportation of Wopper Barraza
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in LOS ANGELES
Malibu Pool Pros are commercial pool cleaners with full service plans for your property in Los Angeles. Whether you own or manage an apartment building, hotel or condominium the pool is a valuable investment to the property. Your pool enhances the property value and tenant experience. A poorly maintained pool can impact your customer's enjoyment and potential for new clients. Malibu Pool Pros will keep your pool (investment) clean, maintained to code and giving the users safety and peace of mind.
- Keep your residents and guests comfortable and happy with hassle-free maintenance of the pool.
- Get the support you need, when you need it, from commercial pool cleaners that can respond to any demand of minor repairs to completing full renovation or restoration projects.
- Commercial properties generally demand more attention and work than residential pools. Allow our knowledgeable and skilled staff to keep your commercial pool clean and clear.
- Our professional uniformed technicians will respond once, twice or as many days desired to service your commercial property.
Give us a call for a quote or with any questions and let's make the pool fun again!
Malibu Pool Pros are not only commercial pool cleaners in Los Angeles . We have over 10 years' experience in pool equipment installation and repair. We are experts in all major brands, and our techs have been factory trained.
Leaks, malfunction, frequent issues? Let us diagnose and fix it. If you are interested in optimizing your commercial pool's energy efficiency, we can suggest alternate equipment that may save you money every month while keeping your pool cleaner and more comfortable.
If you are not happy with the location of your equipment of you just want to replace that old system, give us a call, we can move or install any system in your hotel, resort, condominium or spa in Los Angeles .


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Society of Petroleum Engineers
Mission: to providing professional, educational and cultural support in the community and promotes educational development programs that support the advancement of its members.
The Society of Petroleum Engineers is "the largest individual-member organization serving managers, engineers, scientists and other professionals worldwide in the upstream segment of the oil and gas industry." The oil and gas industry is vital to the world in which we live. Over 50% of the energy consumed in the foreseeable future will be oil & natural gas. This presents huge problems that will need to be tackled by the engineers of the future.
That is where our student chapter comes in. The purpose of the SPE student chapter is to provide an opportunity for students to learn about the oil & gas industry as well as for them to explore possible career choices for life after college. It is an exciting time in the industry as many changes are taking place. Plus with a lot of people retiring, there is a great opportunity for young engineers to start a career in a cutting-edge, high tech field where they will be helping to provide the energy needed for the future of our planet.
All engineering (and other) majors are welcome to learn about oil & gas, the industry is vast and all engineering disciplines are present, from mechanical, civil, chemical, even aerospace engineering! Computer science and software are becoming increasingly utilized by companies so those majors are important to the industry as well.


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ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) -- Conan O'Brien brought his humor to the announcing booth on Friday at Santa Anita, calling a race that likely left fans wondering exactly which horse had won.
The late night comic took over from veteran caller Trevor Denman for the second race. O'Brien didn't have to pronounce any tongue twisters among the six horses running a mile on the dirt. He even smoothly handled the favorite's name, Sarangani.
That was the easy part.
Squinting through binoculars to describe what was unfolding proved much tougher in a sport that has its own unique lingo.
"I'm seeing a bunch of horses following Blue Collar Boy," O'Brien shouted. "All horses look alike when you're not around horses a lot."
He described the starting gate as "the white thing."
Later, he breathlessly told the crowd, "I'm not seeing too well because my eyelashes are up against the binoculars and it's blocking my view."
O'Brien admitted that he was thoroughly confused trying to identify the horses by the color of the jockeys' silks or "costumes," as he called them.
"If you're going to have idiot celebrities come in and call a race, you can't have two guys in all blue and two guys in all white," he said. "It's not fair."
O'Brien said he had prepared by memorizing the numbers on the horses' saddle cloths. Denman told him minutes before the race that isn't how it's done.
"I had to completely forget everything," he said. "It's like being told seconds before the SAT that it's going to be in German. I was horrified."
O'Brien also got thrown for a loop when he was informed that his call would be broadcast overseas to tracks that carry Santa Anita's races, including Britain.
"We've angered them again," he joked. "They're already mad about the NSA (National Security Agency) and now they're mad about this."
During the race he told the crowd, "The jockeys' bottoms are in the air, which is the way that jockeys ride horses. Bottoms high, that's the way to go, boys."
He taped the bit to air later on his TBS show, "Conan."
Denman had his small booth overtaken by O'Brien's camera crew, and after they departed, he straightened a picture on the wall that had been knocked askew.
"It's unique," he said of O'Brien's performance. "You will never, ever get any race call like that in the history of horse racing."
It was an exciting two-horse race to the finish line, with Knucklebuster beating Blue Collar Boy by a half-length. He paid $18 for a $2 win bet.
A member of O'Brien's crew said he held two winning tickets on the race, and figured they were worth about $280.


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Socialist landmarks: four addresses
New York Labor News Co., 1952 - Political Science - 237 pages
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Preface to Reform or Revolution
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Preface to The Burning Question of Trades Union
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American anti-unionist Bedford mills capitalism capitalist class capitalist system cent central directing authority Chicago cialist class struggle classconscious clause contract convention craft unionism Daniel De Leon Democratic economic organization emancipation employers fact figures Gompers hand head industrial organization Karl Marx keep Labor Alliance labor faker labor lieutenants labor movement Leon's lines living look Loud applause machine Marx Means This Strike ment mission National Civic Federation ownership Paris green political movement political party poster preamble present principles pro-unionist profits proletariat Prolonged applause pure and simple Question of Trades raise Republican revolutionary revolutionist S. T. and L. A. Samuel Gompers scab simple unionism slavery social system Socialist Industrial Unions Socialist Labor Party Socialist party Socialist Trade society stand take and hold thing tion trades union votes wage slaves wages paid wealth produced workingman worth of wealth York


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Miura debuts its first forged and milled mallet
Miura Golf, one of Japan's leading clubmakers, has added a fourth design to its KM collection of quality forged putters.
The KM-007, (KM stands for company founder and chief designer Katsuhiro Miura) begins as all Miura putters do, with a billet of fine low-carbon steel. Once forged into the proper raw shape, the KM-007 mallet is CNC (computer-numeric controlled) milled into an elegant form.
"Mr. Miura was looking at our putters, and felt we needed to take care of mallet players too," said Miura Golf President Adam Barr. "He came up with this design as a way to fit their eye while offering a soft, authoritative feel in a non-glare, milled finish. Miura-san understands that putting is very personal, and that a handsome look is as important as a solid feel. He didn't release this design until he was sure he had met both high standards."
The KM-007 offers a more face-balanced option within the Miura KM putter line. The KM-350, a heel-shafted model that is relatively short heel-to-toe, appeals to players with more of a fan-shaped putting stroke. The KM-005 (350g head weight) and KM-006 (370g), whose shaft intersection point is closer to the center of the putter face, are "quarter-hang" models balanced mostly for back-and-through swingers.
The suggested retail price of the KM-007 is $450.
For more information, visit www.miuragolf.com


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Here's a point that can't be stressed enough: outside Appalachia and the South, Romney did not do very well with white voters either. Nate Cohn in The New Republic:
He ran behind Bush's tallies in most of the northern half of the United States. While some believed that Obama's weakness among white voters would translate into opportunities for Romney in overwhelmingly white states like Iowa, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin, Obama ultimately won these three states by 5.6 to 6.9 points, even though Bush never lost any by more than 1.3 points. More broadly, you can quickly consider changes in Democratic support among white voters between '04 and '12 in the nine states where whites represent at least 85 percent of the population. These states aren't exactly representative of white voters elsewhere, but the big picture is about right: outside of the South, Romney ran behind Bush among white voters, but he made up for it in Appalachia and the rest of the South. …
Republicans won Jefferson, CO, Chester, PA, Loudon, VA, Wake, NC, and Somerset, NJ, in every presidential election from 1968 through 2004, but Obama carried all of them with the exception of Chester County, where Obama's performance was still better than any other Democrat since Johnson. Obama also performed near '08 levels in moderate Democratic-leaning suburbs like Fairfax, Polk, Franklin, Hennepin, or Oakland Counties.
It's important to remember that the nation's best-educated counties are increasingly among its most diverse (whites were just 72 percent of the population in 37 counties without a major university where 40 percent or more of adults hold a Bachelor's degree), but it's clear from the results in relatively white counties (80 percent or more) like Jefferson and Larimier, CO, or Delaware, OH, that Obama's big gains over Kerry's performance in well-educated areas aren't just a product of demographic changes.


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Book Your Trip
Boat-In Camping
Boat-In Campsites Offer Seclusion
Santa Catalina Island's Boat-In Campsites allow you to enjoy true seclusion along the amazing Pacific coast. There are 17 sites at nine locations around the leeside shore of the island. These campsites can only be reached by boat or kayak, and you must pack in your own equipment and supplies. A ranger checks each campground every day.
Each Boat-In Campsite is unique in location and regulations. The sites are all primitive, with no running water, shade structures, moorings or sanitation stations. Campers are required to bring their own portable restroom and pack out any trash or waste. Because fires are not allowed, cooking must be done in a self-contained BBQ or camp stove.
Boat-in Campsites
- Rippers - 8.6 miles from Avalon / 4 miles from Two Harbors
- Paradise Cove - 8.4 miles from Avalon / 4.25 miles from Two Harbors
- Lava Wall - 8.1 miles from Avalon / 4.5 miles from Two Harbors
- Gibraltar - 7.1 miles from Avalon / 5.5 miles from Two Harbors
- Cabrillo - 7 miles from Avalon/ 5.75 miles from Two Harbors
- Goat Harbor - 6.2 miles from Avalon / 6.4 miles from Two Harbors
- Italian Gardens - 5.25 miles from Avalon / 7.4 miles from Two Harbors
- Long Point Beach - 4.875 miles from Avalon / 7.75 from Two Harbors
- Willow Cove - 2.75 miles from Avalon / 9.9 miles from Two Harbors
Map of Catalina Boat-in Campsites.
Directions to Campgrounds
Boat-In Campsites are accessible only by boat or kayak. Each of the nine locations are on the leeside of Santa Catalina Island (same side as Avalon). A ranger will check you in to your Boat-In Campsite.
Equipment Rental
Kayak rentals are available at Descanso Beach Ocean Sports, Joe's Rent-A-Boat and Wet Spot Rentals. Selected camping equipment is available for rent from Two Harbors Visitor Services. For more information, please call: 310-510-4205.
Groceries are available at Two Harbors General Store. You can now also pre-order groceries for your groups from the General Store.
WARNING: If Catalina Island is experiencing adverse weather there is a possibility of trail, road, and campground closures. High winds could result in possible express boat cancellations. Please watch the weather. You can call the Two Harbors Visitor Service Center for updates on closures, 310.510.4205.
Rates & Fees
Nightly camping fee with prior reservation are $21 for adults; $11 for children (age 2-11). *Weekends have a 2 night minimum, holidays have a 3 night minimum. For groups of 20 or more group rates apply, please call: 310.510.2000 ext. 4242.
Los Angeles County fire rules and Catalina Island Conservancy rules are strictly enforced. There is a coastal ranger who will make daily visits to each boat-in site. It is strongly suggested that campers come equipped with a VHF radio for medical emergency calls.


text: This book provides a detailed account of the activities of Pakistani scientist, A. Q. Khan, the infamous international nuclear proliferator. The author, a security correspondent for British Broadcasting Company news, traces the complex story of Khan's career and his global network for proliferation of nuclear technology. The first half of the book presents the development of that network, which enabled Pakistan to detonate nuclear weapons in 1998 and also to export technology to Iran, North Korea (DPRK), and Libya. The book analyzes Khan's motivations, the global environment that allowed his network to flourish, and Khan's relationship with the Pakistani government. The second half describes how the network was destroyed through intelligence and diplomacy. The author shows the difficulties of obtaining valid information and of using it to halt proliferation, problems that continue after the breakup of Khan's operations. He concludes that while the Khan network was dismembered, it provides a model for future proliferation activities.


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A collection of personal thoughts and experiences - mostly centered around running.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Shoe Overload
Well . . . it's actually not entirely my fault (spoken like a true addict). My feet grew a full size over the past year and (cue feminine lisp) nothing in my closet would fit me.
For the past few years I have run trails in the Mizuno Wave Ascend with much success at distances from 50K to 100 Miles. After a couple of updates that I wasn't crazy about, the shoe slowly fell out of my best graces. As as was gearing up for the AT last year, I tried to get used to something a bit more substantial to handle the stresses of long days on a rugged trail -- a "tank" per se -- quite contrary to the minimalist trend. I found that in the Montrail Sabino Trail and happily destroyed nearly six pair of them last summer. Even though most folks didn't like the Sabino (evidenced by Montrail discontinuing the shoe), the shoe worked great for my needs on the AT. Once I got back home and back to normal training, it was obvious that the Sabino was far too stiff and bulky for the kind of running I was accustomed to (read: actually trying to run fast again). So it was back to the drawing board. Here are my cursory impressions of some of the shoes I've recently purchased and tried.
Shoe #1: Montrail Mountain Masochist (original model):
My first impression was pretty good, but something just didn't feel "right". Regardless, I put in quite a bit of mileage on two different pairs. I have pretty high arches with a slight supinating foot-strike and this shoe didn't feel like it gave me the support that I needed for longer runs. I can always tell when a shoe is insufficient in this support when my right arch starts giving me grief during a long run. To fix this, I got a pair of the Montrail Enduro Insoles. This helped immensely, but I ended up getting some pretty bad blisters in the last 20-miles of the 50-mile day at 3 Days of Syllamo. My philosophy is that if a shoe causes you any problems at shorter distances, that it is a definite "no-go" for 100-milers. Impression: Good shoe -- just not THE shoe for me. The Masochist certainly has a place in my arsenal though. Very light-weight and versatile.
Shoe #2: Montrail Bajada:
I was super excited to try this shoe after I read the preliminary review at IRF.com. Montrail is certainly on to something here -- a minimal/mesh upper on a neutral base with a substantial rock plate. Even though the Bajada is still a very good shoe, there are a few things that Montrail got very wrong. My biggest problem is that they did not gusset the tongue. I knew this was going to be a problem for me on the first run. For some reason on my left shoe, the tongue slides way over and exposes the sock, leaving plenty of room for debris to get in. This problem is exacerbated by the placing of the second lace eyelet being too far back, leaving yet another gap for debris. Oddly enough, with all the issues getting stuff in, I found the shoe to drain very poorly -- go figure? I partially fixed this problem by sewing a loop to attach the tongue through one of the upper eyelets. This has helped, but the shoes are far too pricey to justify the need to augment them at home. Hopefully when Montrail updates this shoe they'll wise-up and gusset the tongue.
Shoe #3: Montrail Badrock:
Sticking with the Montrail line -- which I believe to be one of the best they have ever offered -- I next tried the Badrock. On paper, the Badrock looked like it might be perfect for 100-mile shoe for me. Mesh upper, minimal toe-bumper, ample protection, medially posted (which I prefer in a shoe for 100-miles), and a wide toe box. The Badrock is all these things, but something wasn't "right" for me in the heel. I've been dealing with a nagging achilles issue on my left heel for the last year (probably secondary to a mild Haglund's deformity) and the heel just didn't fit me well. All things considered, a good shoe but just not for me. The Badrock is a great shoe to tackle the gnarliest of courses.
Shoe #4: Mizuno Wave Cabrakan 3:
Finally, this was the shoe I had been looking for -- right back to my first love (actually second love after the Montrail Leona Divide). The Cabrakan sports ample underfoot protection (great for a rugged race like the upcoming MMT 100), yet is flexible with a fairly minimally overlaid upper. It's far more shoe than the Wave Ascend that I was accustomed to. The arch is probably a little higher than normal and thus well-suited to me. In the past, I've worn after-market insoles to give myself enough support in shoes lacking a solid arch, but I really want to get away from this since it's just one more avenue of encouraging blisters. I seem to be able to get by without the insoles in these. One negative is that this shoe is a bit heavier than I would like and retains water a bit much, but hey, MMT is in 2-weeks and I better get my stuff together right? I really like the gusseted elasticity of the tongue, the soft toe-bumper, and how the shoe eats up technical trail. The shoe is by no means "perfect, no shoe is, but hopefully I've found at least a temporary winner.
So there you have it. I hope someone finds this info helpful in their own search. I've got to work extra hard now to make money to cover my habit!
7 comments:
Hey Adam, nice review of the 4 shoes. Very helpful as I would like to try Montrail's offerings again at some point - was thinking the Bajada. The last Montrail shoe I tried was the Masochist. I liked it but I had to tie them VERY tight, because my mid-foot tended to slide around. This ended up causing problems on the bottom of my foot. Hope your training is going well. Psyched to follow all of you MMT-Rocker's in 2 weeks!ReplyDelete
I'll be running MMT in the Bajadas. I like them but have not tested them on rocks. I have the same 'tongue' issue that you have. I spoke to a Montrail rep at a local race and at least they are well aware of it. I will also have to do some sewing on my shoe tongues before the race to anchor it. I haven't noticed the draining issue.ReplyDelete
I may look into the Mizuno that you mention and test it on some rocks at Laurel Highlands (too close to MMT now) and see how that goes.
See you in two weeks!!!Replies
Kim- the Bajadas are "decent" on rocks. They're no Vitesse. They're a little dainty for me for MMT's rocks. RE: Mizunos -- Mongold and the WonderBoy both like them too. Pretty good shoe, but pricey. Luckily, I found a couple pair for $65; opposed to the $130 sticker price.Delete
Hey Adam,ReplyDelete
As a fellow ashamed hoarder of shoes, I enjoyed the post! I think we have the internet to blame for supporting our addiction...who can pass up buying a 75% off pair of some random Puma trail shoe no one has ever heard of? Certainly not me!
Looking forward to seeing out at MMT in a couple weeks. I'll be pacing Nick P, so with any luck we'll all share a few miles together out there!Replies
Dan - Awesome, I'm glad that I'll see you at MMT. It's been way too long. I think the last time I saw you was at Cheat Mtn in '09 (?). Congrats on the new edition -- we've got one of our own on the way this August.Delete
I am definitely the bargain shopper. You knock 20% off an inflated price and I just can't say no!
Good to know, although I am sticking with the Masochist for now, except for fell races (not nearly enough grip on mud and wet grass).ReplyDelete


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When did the constructions of Reals take place? What is the latest construction the one due to Cantor (by Cauchy Sequences) or the Dedekind? I ask because the trustful reference (baby Rudin) that I looked, tells they were published in the same year 1872.
That seems to me, Cantor's idea was more fruitful (however was quite similar) because it was used to complete any Metric space. Nevertheless the Dedekind construction may rest as an Historical thing when the Cantor idea should be the one taught obligatorily in the Analysis courses.
Personal commentary: I don't think the Dedekind's idea can be used in any other construction.


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PSU announces 2013 Honors College selections
Friday, March 29, 2013 2:00 AM
Pittsburg, KS
Pittsburg State University has announced the selection of 35 students for the 2013 Fall Honors College freshman class.
"We are pleased and excited about the 2013 Honors College freshman class," said Dr. Craig Fuchs, director of the Honors College. "These outstanding young women and men are exceptional not just because of their considerable academic achievements, but also because of their character. We are eager to welcome them to the campus and into the Pittsburg State University family."
The PSU Honors College was established to attract and retain high-achieving students to the campus and to provide them with an educationally enriched university experience. Application to the Honors College is open to incoming freshmen with an ACT composite score of 28 or higher.
They must have completed a pre-college curriculum and have a high-school GPA of 3.5 or higher.
Students selected for the Honors College are eligible to receive scholarship assistance ranging from $2,200 a year for Crimson and Gold members to $9,500 a year for the Presidential Award. Presidential and University Award recipients are also eligible to receive a one-time, $2,000 study-abroad stipend.
The 2013 Honors College freshmen are:
Chase Mallorquin, The American School of Asuncion, Paraguay
Karsten Creech, Baxter Springs High School
Emma Hogan, Bishop Miege High School (Shawnee, Kan.)
Carson Letchworth, Blue Springs (Mo.) High School
Gavin Houser, Columbus Unified High School
Kristen Dennis, Eudora High School
Faith Davolt, Fort Scott Christian Heights
Hadyn Herlocker, Girard High School
Marcus Platt, Horton High School
Sarah Flowers, Joplin High School
Kristen Hennen, Labette County High School
Heather Glenn, Liberty (Mo.) High School
Phillip Foster, Maize South High School
Katheryn MacGill, Mill Valley High School (Shawnee, Kan.)
Hannah Pio, North Kansas City High School
Stephen Llewellyn, Oakley High School
Sara Murphy, Olathe Northwest High School
Kylie Proctor, Olathe Northwest High School
Hannah Thomas, Ottawa High School
Spencer Bernhardt, Pittsburg High School
Andie Casper, Pittsburg High School
Logan Rink, Pittsburg High School
Mary Spencer, Pittsburg High School
Elizabeth Willis, Pittsburg High School
Elizabeth Beardsley, Riley County High School
Christina Metzger, Saint Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.)
Carly Newberry, St. Paul High School
Katelyn Flood, St. Mary's Colgan High School (Pittsburg, Kan.)
Jordyn Showers, Spring Hill High School
Marina Stricklin, Southeast High School
Paige Stainbrook, Uniontown High School
Megan Shumny, Webb City (Mo.) High School
Carlin Greene, Wichita High School East
Hannah Whitesell, Eisenhower High School (Wichita, Kan.)
Steven Tran, Chandler (Ariz.) High School


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*** in Agnieres en Devoluy max. 4 Persons
Holiday Rentals for rent
per week from 1,892.85RON (398.00 EUR)
fr- Agnières-en-Dévoluy
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Available according to agreement
|Firma Bungalow.Net BV
NL 8011 Zwolle
|All offers of the estate supplier
per week:
from 1,892.85
La Joue du Loup is located between Grenoble and Gap and is directly connected to Super Dévoluy. It is a traditional place which offers large open spaces and the opportunity to discover the richness of the Dévoluy region. The residence is stylishly built and fits exactly in the natural environment, nestled between the pine trees and larches at the edge of the heart of this family place. The various wooden chalets that make up the residence are comfortably furnished and are a few minutes walk from the center. The residence consists of 78 apartments spread over 8 chalets spread over 2 floors, without a lift.
La Joue du Loup is a charming place located in the beautiful region of Dévoly in the French Alps. It is located near the city of Gap. This is a beautiful place in chalet style where you can find everything for a perfect holiday: cafes, piano bars and discotheque and various supermarkets. In summer you can participate in various activities such as: climbing, canyoning, parasailing, via ferrata, cave research, wild water sports, 220 km of cycle paths and many paths to discover the heritage and traditions of this fantastic region. For a sporting or relaxed holiday you can both go here! Whatever you want, this pleasant holiday destination offers you all the necessary ingredients to enjoy the most spectacular holiday of your life!
Surface area: 28-35
This two-room apartment is suitable for 4 persons and has an area of approximately 28-35m2. In the living room there is a double bed and in the bedroom two single beds and sometimes a double bed. The accommodation also has a fully equipped kitchen corner with fridge, ceramic hob, combi microwave, dishwasher and coffee machine. There is a bathroom and a toilet. You have a terrace or balcony of 10m2 with a beautiful view over the surroundings. The following facilities are also at your disposal: a sauna for a fee during opening hours of the reception, internet connection in the apartment against payment, free parking outside, etc. Payments for any additional services ordered must be made on site. Please note that the interior of the accommodation may differ from the photos.
2 rooms 4 people (about 28 and 35 m²)
Living room with pull-out bed (2 persons)
2 single beds in the room (sometimes duplex)
Equipped kitchenette (ceramic hob, microwave, fridge, dishwasher, coffee maker and electric kettle)
Bathroom or shower cubicle and WC
Terrace of 10 m² or balcony
2 rooms 4 people are arranged for the people with reduced mobility (stay with bed trundle, room with a double bed and single bed, specially equipped bathroom)
The deposit of 300 euros you pay on the day of arrival and on the day of departure after inspection you will receive it back or sent with a week. Pay attention; Bed linen is only included in the price in winter, television is included in the price only in summer. Pets are allowed for an additional fee, always on a leash.
Please note that any additional services that are payable locally may be changed without prior notice. All information provided is intended to be informative and general. We are not liable if such changes occur unexpectedly.


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squirrelnest wrote:Here is a stat for you:
I've prepped balanced dagger on well over half of my runs since I got the darn thing. I'm thinking of getting a tatoo of one. I'd love to see the "official data" on what items have been prepped the most, you know that its setting in the Dev's office somewhere.
Lujo wrote:If we're talking post run stats here's a few:
- Preps used
- Items bought
- CP gained
- Piety used
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests


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Luis Alvarez Shoots for 100 in Kona
Told he wouldn't be able to compete for two years, this Mexican triathlete has one more mountain between him and 100 IRONMAN finishes—Kona.
by Barry Siff
Here's a typical scene during an IRONMAN marathon when Luis Alvarez is around: The 51-year-old from Mexico City is known for stopping when he sees an athlete bent over and struggling. He stops, encourage the athlete to start moving again, and walks along with them until they're walking or running along the course. It's this type of leadership and inspiration that has helped make the 4,000-member "IronMex" organization that Alvarez founded one of the largest organized IRONMAN groups in the world.
A busy CEO (read his time saving training tips), Alvarez did his first IRONMAN in Hawaii in 1991. Since then he has finished at least one a year. In December 2010, he set his ultimate goal: Complete his 100th IRONMAN at the 35th anniversary of the IRONMAN World Championship. To reach that goal he would need to do 10 to 12 full-distance races in each of the ensuing years. Both 2011 and 2012 ... check, no problem. However, 2013 was to be quite a different story as Alvarez's grit and boundless optimism was put to the test.
Following a successful finish at IRONMAN Los Cabos in March (number 92), Alvarez was ready to embark on a business trip to Germany. Just before leaving, an awkward twist sent pain through his back, which worsened during the flight. Upon arrival he immediately went to a hospital and learned that he'd ruptured a disc. Told he would need surgery and wouldn't be able to compete for two years, Alvarez left the hospital and returned to work.
Once back in Mexico, Alvarez confirmed the diagnosis and had surgery on May 1. This time, though, he was told to take it easy for 50 days and not run for five months.
In early July, Alvarez completed the IRONMAN European Championship in Frankfurt, IRONMAN Lake Placid a few weeks later, then completed four races in four weeks across three continents: Sweden, Canada (Whistler), Japan, and the U.S. (Wisconsin). IRONMAN Lake Tahoe got him to number 99, which leaves the run down Ali'i Drive next week as the final piece in the puzzle. He'll complete that race, wearing his customary red and white Timex Multisport Team kit, with his 18-year-old son at his side. (Stay tuned for our profile of Jose Manuel, the event's youngest competitor, next week.)
What will Alvarez shoot for after he accomplishes this goal? "One hundred is certainly enough," he says, "but, of course, I will continue this passion which is the IRONMAN. I will spend more time on my next goal: To climb the highest mountains of each continent."
First things first, though—there's a race in Hawaii to get done.
Barry Siff is one of Luis Alvarez's Timex Multisport Team teammates. He lives in Boulder and Tucson with his wife, Jodee.


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"Amerigo Vespucci" airport WebsiteDistance from the city centre: 4km from Florence city centreHow to reach the city centre:
Bus servicesTo and from the airport: Ataf-Sita, "Vola in Bus" serviceInformation
Taxi servicesRadio taxi phone number (055.4242/4390/4499/4798).Information
Rent-a-car services
Air Italy recommends Europcar to rent a car.
Book now!
The Air Italy Group does not assume responsibilty for material or contents that may be present in third party web sites which are reachable through links present on this web page.


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"The additives business for Shamrock fared well in 2013," said Craig Baudendistel, director of sales at Shamrock Technologies. "We had a number of new product developments that were introduced in late 2012 and early 2013 that gained traction throughout the year."
"Micro Powders' domestic industrial wax additive sales started off a bit soft in early 2013, but we have seen a marked recovery into the second half of the year," said Gary Strauss, president and COO of Micro Powders. "We anticipate that our domestic sales will surpass 2012 based on current sales projections. On the international side, we continue to encounter pricing pressures, especially in less developed markets. Nonetheless, we expect our international sales to be positive for 2013."
"As far as the additives industry goes, 2013 was another challenging year with minimal growth, and even negligible growth in some sectors of the inks market," said Shauna McAuliffe, marketing specialist, for Air Products. "The ink industry continues to be impacted by underlying market weakness and an ongoing shift to digital media."
"Wax raw material availability was stable, albeit with some increases in raw materials for 2013," said Alan Kalmikoff, president of Keim Additec Surface USA, LLC.
Jerry Trauth, product manager ink applications at Kustom Group, said that for the second year in a row, Kustom Group has seen increased sales in the additives market.
"We attribute this to our product mix and ability to offer products and technical service in three distinct chemistries, including UV/EB, aqueous and oil-base," Mr. Trauth noted. "This has been a valuable asset in helping our customers with their additives needs.
"At Kustom Group, we define an additive as something used at a level of approximately 5% or less," Mr. Trauth added. "An additive, when used correctly and at the proper percentage, can be the last part of the puzzle that helps push an ink to perform in a specific way that the printer requires without having to completely reformulate. No ink type is immune from a need for an additive regardless of chemistry (oil-based, aqueous or energy cure) or press configuration (flexo, offset, screen, gravure, spindle, pad or inkjet)."
"In 2013, we have increased volume year-over-year with growth exceeding market growth rate and expectations," said Julie Vaughn, vice president marketing, Emerald Performance Materials. "Defoamers, silicones and coalescents have experienced better-than-market growth rates benefiting from market need for low VOCs and higher performance products."
"With the economy in a 'recovery' but customers and end-users still being very cautious, we have seen marginal improvement," said Patrick J. Heraty Jr., key account manager, coating additives, Evonik TEGO. "A bright spot has been the interest in new technologies, processes and products. Our customers are responding better and faster to their customers' needs and coming to us for assistance in meeting these new requirements."
"It was a good year for water-based waxes and additives," said David Towell, marketing manager - chemical specialties at Michelman, Inc. "There were a number of new product introductions, and a renewed focus on quality. Our Michelman water-based solutions did well."
Latest Trends
Printing ink manufacturers have diverse requirements for waxes and additives, whether it be for more environmentally friendly products, stricter mandates for packaging or meeting regulatory mandates.
"Most of new development will be regulatory and compliance driven, not only for packaging, but for all consumer goods that need graphic print or visual impact," said Alex Radu of Shamrock Technologies' Product Marketing Center. "Suppliers have to become service oriented and offer a high level of technical assistance to customers, not just sell products. The actual sale is not the end of the supply chain of events, but a new beginning. Protection of existing business will increase to secure customer loyalty and confidence."
"International ink customers are concerned about availability of green initiative raw materials for inks produced in the U.S. but headed for European consumption," Mr. Kalmikoff noted.
"We see many new challenges and trends in the ink market, such as the continued move towards 'green' products which have lower VOCs, less odor and less objectionable chemicals in them," Mr. Trauth said. "The packaging ink market remains the strongest area of growth but requires additional compliance consideration and challenges. Raw materials for food packaging inks must deal with migration issues, Swiss ordinance and Nestle compliance along with the principles of 'Good Manufacturing Practices.'
"This all adds up to a trend toward products with greater utility for multiple uses in different applications," Mr. Trauth added. "To meet these new challenges, Kustom Group has worked hard to develop new products that offer similar performance while following these new rules. We have also tried to partner with our suppliers and customers in an even greater way to jointly understand today's different markets and the challenges they present. "
"One clear trend is a greater emphasis on health and safety with regards to our products," said Rich Czarnecki, technical director for Micro Powders. "The level of scrutiny that ink formulators are placing on all ingredients has never been higher. Fortunately, our wax additives have broad EH&S compliance. The majority of our products have broad FDA food contact compliance, as well as compliance with the Swiss Ordinance and Nestle Guidance Note.
"We continue to work with ink and coating accounts who are investing in energy curable technologies, especially in Europe," Mr. Czarnecki added. "We also are growing our business more and more into the inkjet market, where the opportunities are much better than with conventional printing processes."
"The trends are very similar to those we have seen in the last several years," Mr. Heraty said. "Environmental regulations like REACh, Swiss A List compliance and lower VOC rules continue to force new and dynamic changes.
The 'globalization' of ink continues to accelerate as well. We see more sharing of technologies across borders (or oceans) resulting in the need to have more products compliant with the regulations from different regions of the world.
"Evonik has devoted a great deal of time and resources to supplying our customers with products that meet all key global regulations and listings," Mr. Heraty added. "Our developmental platforms are based on our key global customers needing to use our products everywhere in the world. Our regulatory team works closely with our customers to provide the documentation necessary to use our products throughout their formulation toolboxes in all their key markets."
Ms. McAuliffe noted that overall industry consolidation and focus on cost containment and reduction continue to be resounding themes in the industry.
"Although raw material costs have stabilized, rising costs and the overall health of the economy going forward remain a primary concern," Ms. McAuliffe said. "In order to help customers meet these ongoing challenges, Air Products offers many products that are versatile in terms of use and that work across a variety of different pigments and resins, such as the Surfynol 400 Series of surfactants and the ZetaSperse dispersant line. In addition, we offer the Airase SSDL defoamers, a line of formulated, siloxane defoamers designed to have predictable performance relative to each other, which allows formulators to select the proper defoamer for their formulation with pin-point accuracy.
"Increasingly stringent global food contact regulations are another major trend affecting the industry," Ms. McAuliffe added. "Finding suitable products that are compliant with the ever growing and often complex mix of regional and national food contact regulations is challenging but extremely important, particularly in global formulations. Air Products offers a variety of products that are compliant with a range of U.S. FDA and European regulations, including the Swiss Ordinance, German Draft Ordinance and the German BfR regulations, in addition to other global guidelines."
"We continue to see growing demand in non-traditional printing segments," Ms. Vaughn said. "Emerald Performance Materials has positioned itself to supply new value-added products in the energy cure and inkjet markets. Our new Lucida Colors product line offers greater performance than what is typically seen from products previously on the market. Our additives have also been designed to deliver more than just low or no VOCs. Customers continue to focus on solutions that maximize their production efficiency, improve their print quality and deliver numerous functional performance benefits, while also offering lower VOCs. We have launched several new products, including defoamers, silicones and coalescents to meet that need."
"Globally, we see calls for water-based surface modifiers with improved rub resistance, without a reduction in gloss. We offer a solution called Michem Guard 1350 that achieves those goals," Mr. Towell noted. "We are also seeing more requests for APEO-free wax emulsions and dispersions. Initially, the push was from our European customers, but we are now seeing this trend around the world."
Challenges for Waxes and Additives Manufacturers
Waxes and additives manufacturers noted that there are challenges to be overcome for their industries.
"Keim Additec Surface GmbH continues to expand its internal capabilities in producing waxes to enhance its overall capabilities and to mitigate higher costs from major international producers of wax," Mr. Kalmikoff said.
"Overall raw material availability has improved this year vs. 2012," Mr. Czarnecki said. "As a result, we have been able to commit to some larger volume opportunities with confidence that we can meet these increased demands."
Raw materials are one area of concern, and while there was some price and supply stability, manufacturers of waxes and additives remain wary.
"Availability of most raw materials is good," said Melanie McCarroll, director of business operations for Shamrock Technologies. "This has changed from the recent past where we experienced tightness with a number of wax products. Our challenge is to maintain the proper inventory levels of our products so they are available when and where our customers require them. Not only are innovative, high performance, cost effective and consistent products important but a high service level is needed to maintain and grow our business. Shamrock has a number of warehousing locations throughout the world to meet the high service level expectations required by our customers."
"Raw materials were relatively stable in terms of cost and availability during the course of 2013," said Ms. McAuliffe. "However, underlying market conditions and continued focus on cost containment and reduction continue to make rising material costs and raw material availability a concern and challenge for the industry. With this in mind, Air Products continues to work with key raw materials suppliers and to put in place measures to optimize manufacturing and supply chain efficiencies, which allows us to continue to mitigate pricing actions and avoid supply issues."
"We encountered no significant availability issues in 2013, although we did see an increase in costs for natural gas and petroleum based products early in the year," Mr. Towell reported. "While we do not foresee any major changes in 2014, we continually evaluate the raw materials we use in our formulations, as well as explore and test new materials so that we can continue to offer our customers products that meet their performance and cost requirements."
"Overall, market supply and availability of raw materials is not an issue," Mr. Erbeck said.
Mr. Trauth said that 2013 has been a year of improved raw material stability although availability with some raw materials has been unpredictable.
"Prices seem stable but slightly higher versus previous years," Mr. Trauth added. "Reduced capacity and suppliers simple carrying less inventory is a frequent occurrence that has to be dealt with on a regular basis. Again to cope, Kustom has tried to partner with our suppliers and customers to help with these issues."
New Technologies
To meet the needs of the ink industry, suppliers are developing innovative new products for their customers.
"Shamrock has developed a number of new products designed for both paste and liquid inks," said Mr. Baudendistel. "These products range from improved dispersibility, slip, scratch, mar and scuff resistance performance to texturing agents. FluoroSLIP 533 PTFE/oxidized Polyethylene powder is specifically designed for waterborne flexo and gravure printing inks to provide excellent scratch, mar and scuff resistance. As part of the new powder-in-powder technology of Shamrock, the new FluoroSLIP 533 offers immediate and easy dispersibility, leading to uniform, consistent and stable dispersion in liquid inks formulations. FluoroSLIP 533 has a generous portion of high performance Shamrock PTFE, to enhance temperature resistance and relative slip, key performance targets for packaging.
SST-4P high performance PTFE powder provides the ideal combination of economics and performance for paste inks. SST-4P promotes excellent slip, rub and abrasion resistance in all types of offset inks: lithographic, UV and hybrids," Mr. Baudendistel added. "As part of Shamrock's premier line of SST PTFE powders, SST-4P has a tightly controlled particle size distribution, to allow uniform performance on high speed press. SST-4P versatility is recommended for a large array of applications: publication, commercial, packaging."
"We expect to launch several new products in the coming months in advance of the American Coatings Show," Mr. Czarnecki said. "We recently launched our new Microspersion 1406, an aqueous dispersion of submicron PTFE particles that provides excellent lubricity, gloss retention, abrasion resistance, and temperature resistance. The smaller PTFE particle size gives a greater available surface area, and as a result allows for a lower dosage compared to larger particle size PTFE additives. Microspersion 1406 is an ideal product for thin film coatings and inkjet formulations, where small particle size is essential."
Mr. Kalmikoff noted that Keim Additec Surface USA launched three new water-based products during the past year. Ultralube D-277 is a dispersion based on modified PE wax, providing high slip and scratch resistance for coatings. Ultralube E-7080 is an FDA 175.300 approved emulsion fully based on renewable active ingredients. Ultralube E-12020781 is an FDA 175.300 approved paraffin wax emulsion.
"Evonik has introduced with the brand TEGO some interesting products for the printing ink industry during the last year," said Jennifer Turner, marketing manager, Coating Additives/TEGO. "TEGO Dispers 761 W is our new dispersant for waterborne containing pigment dispersions. It is suitable for organic and inorganic pigments. TEGO Airex 921 is a silicone and solvent free deaerator for UV curable printing inks. Both products are Swiss A list compliant."
Ms. McAuliffe said that Air Products offers a number of new products to help our customers effectively and efficiently select the right additive to meet their formulation needs.
"These include our newly launched premium siloxane superwetting surfactants - Dynol 960 and 980 surfactants, which are designed to have a superior balance of properties, including equilibrium and dynamic wetting, system compatibility and low foam, compared to traditional siloxane surfactants," Ms. McAuliffe noted. "Our new Airase SSDLTM defoamers, a line of formulated, siloxane-based defoamers designed to have predictable performance relative to each other and to take some of the guess work out of defoamer selection. As well as, our recently introduced Airase 4500, which is a non-mineral oil, organic oil-based defoamer which provides effective defoaming and compatibility in a wide range of applications including pigment grinds and inks. Airase 4500 defoamer also meets a wide variety of FDA and EU indirect food contact compliances. In addition, Air Products offers an enhanced version of the Formulators Assistant ZetaSperse Tool (FAZT, www.fazt.com), which allows formulators to quickly find the proper dispersant product recommendation and dispersion starting point formulation."
Mr. Erbeck said that with the introduction of several new products this past year, Emerald has sought to bring features that offer valuable benefits to the end user.
"For example, we have developed a new technology platform of modified organosilicones, which has been the basis for several new products in the defoamer and silicone product lines," Mr. Erbeck said. "We are launching our new SILMERA brand of performance additives based on the new platform late in 2013. The first product in the SILMERA line is an additive that provides exceptional slip and mar properties and defect-free coatings.
"The FOAM BLAST line is adding two new products in November 2013, FOAM BLAST 4213 and FOAM BLAST 4149," Mr. Erbeck noted. "These APE-free, ultra-low VOC defoamers are effective in both waterborne and energy curable systems, offering excellent foam control and compatibility. Additionally, we have reformulated our FOAM BLAST 1051, providing superior foam control in graphic arts applications and offering broad regulatory clearances.
"We continue to expand our Kalama K-FLEX line of coalescents, launching several new products this year: K-FLEX PG, K-FLEX 500P and K-FLEX 850P," Mr. Erbeck continued. "These low-VOC coalescents deliver excellent performance characteristics in a range of polymer systems and applications and offer an excellent alternative to TMBDMIB, phthalates and glycol ethers. Certain grades are particularly effective in harder polymer systems, such as those used in graphic arts applications, offering superior water resistance, without adversely impacting dry time or hardness development.
Kustom Group has a wide variety of new products. For oil-based products, Kustom Group offers KB-750 and KB-756 for non-piling and reduced linting; KB-767, KB-791, KB-724 and KB-780 anti-misting bodying compounds; KB-144 and KB-145 driers; and KB-746 and KB-783 gelled oils.
For energy-cured products, Kustom Group has KS-279 polymerization inhibitor; KS-349 anti misting additive; KS-357 film hardness; and KS-384 dispersant additive. Kustom's liquid photoinitiator compounds include KS-233 HUV liquid photoinitiator; KS-210 photoinitiator for white inks; KS-308 high potency photoinitiator; and KS-203 gelled photoinitiator compound. Kustom Group's Gelled Monomers include KS-207 Gelled TRPGDA; KS-237 Gelled EOTMPTA; KS-239 Gelled HDODA; and KS- 294 Gelled TMPTA.
Kustom Group's new aqueous products include KF-5024 aqueous tackifier; KF-6001 and KF-6002 aqueous defoamer; KF-6002 aqueous optical brightener; and KF-6010 mudcracking preventer.
`"Michem Guard 1350 is an emulsion that provides excellent rub resistance while maintaining good gloss levels. Michem Guard 1351 is a high solids, lower gloss product that gives rub resistance values of > 2500 cycles in selected OPVs," Mr. Towell said. "Our Michem Emulsion 98635 is a good general purpose, rub resistant, high gloss OPV additive. All three of these are APEO-free."
Expectations for the Coming Year
Overall, suppliers of waxes and additives anticipate growth during the coming year.
"We expect to continue to grow our business in 2014 as we accelerate the development of new products that will broaden our portfolio and give our customers new tools to enhance the performance of their products," Mr. Strauss said.
Ms. McAuliffe said that there are positive indicators for marginal growth in 2014 in the ink segment.
"We expect continued growth in packaging and other non-traditional inks such as energy curable, metallic and digital inks, but continued challenges in the areas of publications due to ongoing shift from inks to digital media," Ms. McAuliffe said. "We also anticipate more moderate growth in emerging markets, in particular Latin America and Asia along with a somewhat constrained growth in more established regions."
Mr. Trauth said that Kustom Group expects 2014 to be a good year in the additives business.
"We offer many unique additive materials that are finding homes in more and more formulations," Mr. Trauth said. "Export has the most potential for growth, and through our web site and the use of social media and various internet communications, we hope to continue to increase export sales for all Kustom products including additives."
"We see moderate growth in the industry," Mr. Towell said. "While activity has not yet reached pre-recession levels, we expect graphic arts and packaging in general to trend upward."
"We expect to see the 'recovery' become a 'Recovery,'" Mr. Heraty said. "The significant pent-up consumer demand and brighter economic prospects should drive business forward. We also expect to see a continued push for innovative solutions from our key customer partners. They come to us to help them develop their next generation technology so they can meet their customers' future demands."
Environmentally friendly products are a good growth segment for waxes and additives.
"Keim Additec Surface expects positive results from its 'green' initiative on waxes," said Mr. Kalmikoff.
"Growth expectations for 2014 look exceptional based on very favorable response to newly released products and new product concepts on the horizon," Ms. Vaughn said. "These expectations are also driven by continued reformulation toward low and no-VOC systems."
"Shamrock is looking forward to continued growth in 2013," Mr. Baudendistel concluded. "We continue to focus on customer needs in order to help support their business. Our new products recently introduced are taking traction, service levels are continuing at a high level and other innovative initiatives will help our customers and Shamrock to achieve our goals."
For more information on waxes and additives, including challenges faced by suppliers, raw materials and new technologies, see the online version at www.inkworldmagazine.com.