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Category: 300 News Posted by: admin In 480 B.C., King Leonidas of Sparta led his army of 300 to one of the greatest battles in history, the Battle of Thermopylae. The soldiers fought to the death against Xerxes I and his colossal Persian army. Their courage and fearless altruism led to all of Greece uniting against Persia. Warner Bros.' 300, directed by Zack Snyder and adapted from Frank Miller's graphic novel, shows how King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) boldly guided the men to their ultimate sacrifice.
300 Star Gerard Butler
Article Date: March 6, 2007 | Publication: Coming Soon.Net | Author: Heather Newgen
Source: http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=19174
ComingSoon.net/Superhero Hype! recently talked to Butler about what is was like to play the central character:
CS/SHH!: How do you approach a character between history and myth?
Gerard Butler: I think that it's really trying to strike a balance between many things without getting too caught up in the different technical elements because I've never come across a character quite as powerful and intense and charismatic as this guy, and as badass. I mean, he's a fu**er. And yet, you know that you have to rise to that element that it goes past even epic and becomes comic book. But at the same time, to only do that and never give him a heart and soul, then the whole thing means nothing. It involves choosing your moments. It involves, like for me, I really focused a lot on becoming as big and as strong and as confident in those things as I could possibly be. And even doing a lot of working out just before the takes and constantly doing that. Every time I trained, it made me feel more like a Spartan, more like a king, more like I was impressing my men and more like they would be willing to follow me. And also, that fire is burning inside you and then, you can completely go the opposite way and play it as a guy. I literally walked around Montreal with my shoulders back, my chest up. It was that feeling, just that feeling of real inner confidence and yet then you can have fun with the other things because it was actually difficult to suck all that in and let out - he has a lot of things going on. There's an arrogance there, there's a confidence, there's a humor, there's a dryness, there's a compassion and there's a certain amount of humanity and then the guy is a nut job. He's crazy and there's a fearlessness that borders on insane. To try and get all those in with a man who really doesn't talk that much was a challenge. And then to do it all in front of green screen, so there's a way of doing it and a way of talking about it, and as you can see I'm really not good at talking about it. I just do it.
CS: Were those really your abs in the film?
Butler: Yeah, yeah. I tried to borrow someone else's but they wouldn't give me them. That was seven months of training. There was always a part of me going, "Okay, am I going to stop doing this?" But I was really kind of happy and surprised that I kept it up. I kind of became a bit addicted to it or perhaps addicted to the advantages that it was giving me because after a certain point, I never once felt silly or strange standing in my cape. That started to become, a couple days after putting it on, one of my biggest allies, wearing that costume and feeling so strong, excited, you know, that your body was also an intimidating factor and inspiring factor for your army, as they all were. You're surrounded by probably a few tons of muscle and when you pool that together and pull all that spirit together and have nothing but focus and belief and pure intention, the power of that, you become 1000 times stronger, that it actually makes sense that you could hold off an invading army that don't have that belief, that are in disarray, that you could hold them off quite easily.
CS: Is it harder to create a character behind a mask like Phantom?
Butler: I've had to play characters where there's a difficulty of expression. Maybe that's what I like to do though. For me, what I learned, I started acting kind of out of nowhere, started in theater and actually my biggest thing when I started acting was people were always saying, "Great, but bring it down. Bring it down." And the more I brought it down, the more I started to trust what I could genuinely feel inside and what I could say with the less that I did, the more that I could say. Then suddenly, things like, roles like The Phantom became a kind of beautiful thing to do, to try to say so many things while, one, singing and two, wearing a mask means that you have very little range. It's really in the eyes and it's the same in Leonidas in some ways because he can't be expressive in a modern way, throwing his hands around like winking. You lose all of that and you have to, to me, if there was one moment in this film, if you were to see him suddenly be weak or modern, then the audience would lose faith in that. So no matter what else you were trying to express, it always kind of had to come from a foundation of absolute power and strength and solidity and gravitas.
CS: When did you realize this movie would be incredible?
Butler: When I saw it. No, I almost want to say that I had a kind of psychic feeling about it. Before I even knew what it was about, when Greg Silverman at Warner Brothers said, "Have you heard about this movie '300'?" I don't know what it is, but just the title "300" was so simple and strong, it's like a strong guy with a shaved head. This is it. Here I am. I'm not hiding behind everything. That was the one advantage of The Phantom by the way. You can also hide behind that mask. But I kind of knew that there was just something really cool about this. Then of course they explained the story and I was like, "Wow." As you know, it's my kind of story but also it felt like a story with a twist, the way our heroes perform, their morality, their methods, between each other and against the enemy. Then I took a look at the graphic novel and saw the three minute piece that they did and I thought, "Oh my God, this is insane. If this could be even 1/10th of what I saw in that piece, in that test, with the story that already exists here, then we are onto something really cool." They had a hard time greenlighting it and sometimes that's a good thing because you know that it means what you're not making is something mainstream. You're making a vision and that vision often really has to be impressed upon people and people have to be turned in and clicked into what that vision is. Which was another great thing about the film is I feel like Warner Brothers just kind of said, "Alright, listen. Zach, you obviously get this. There's a lot of stuff we don't really get what you're trying to do but we trust that we have something here, so just go off and do it." In that respect, it often felt like an independent film. We were just doing our own thing. Zach and I, I was amazed at some of the changes, big changes that we came up with just through a conversation on set. We're about to go and it's like, "Well, why don't we cut all that? Or why don't I just not say that? David narrates that, it's probably going to be more powerful." That just went to the studio and that's what happened.
CS: How much training did you have?
Butler: I trained for about seven months pretty solidly. I was doing six hours a day. I took the film trainer but I also kept my own trainer. It was kind of a political decision. They didn't really want me having my own trainer but I knew I had to increase bulk as well, for me, just for me. So I did that and I also trained with the stunt guys two hours a day, here in the valley, 120 degrees outside, it was so hot. And then I did the same in Montreal. So I took my own trainer outside the film. But it was great. He just became my little buddy and he was so passionate about my training. I also trained with my stunt double. I mean, it�s boring. I trained with everybody I could and I kept it up and I pumped in between all the shots as well just to really feel that intensity. So I did a lot.
CS: How much was you and your stunt double, like the scene where you take out 20 guys?
Butler: All me. Never, he didn't film any of that.
CS: Was it one shot?
Butler: One shot, yeah. But you know what? We took a whole day filming that. Maybe there's a break halfway through it but we would do it the whole way through. Literally, that is me. In fact, that's why my stunt guy said because they did "The Matrix" and "Bourne Identity" and I really clung onto this fact because they said nobody in any of those films had to do a piece this long, uncut, with this many moves. So that took a lot of training and I almost didn't do it. At the last second, Zack took half a day just to set up this special rig and he said, "I think we're going to have your stunt guy do it." And I died because I knew I was ready. He hadn't seen me do it but then he said, "Well, go ahead, just rehearse it a little bit." And then I ended up doing it and it was such a blast. Then there was a problem with the rig. It came out of focus. There was some problem with the mirror. It was a new rig that had never been used before, three cameras, so we ended up having to shoot the whole f**king thing again and that was depressing, but it actually came out even better.
CS: How carefully was it choreographed?
Butler: Oh, very, I mean, very carefully. I must have done that about 500 times training. And yet, still mistakes would happen every time and to be honest, that's actually what makes it what it is. At a point, you go, "Well, you know what? If this was to look so smooth and perfect, it kind of takes away something from it." The first day I did it, there was something amazing about that. It was full of mistakes but it was so raw and hyped and the mistakes actually made it look even better. Things that went wrong, you'd go, "Oh, how cool does that look that I hit him in the balls instead of the stomach?" Honestly, sometimes, I hate to say it, but when you pick up an injury, that's the stuff that looks really good.
CS: And it's all a long stretch of blue screen?
Butler: Yeah, the whole studio was wrapped in blue screen so in actual fact, the blue screen doesn't become that much of an issue. It's not like you're constantly waiting for stuff to be moved and lasers to be pointed. You're just filming on blue screen so you just film away like you would.
CS: Any costume difficulties?
Butler: A lot of chafing in the groin area. The weird thing is, the cape, I don't want to sound like a pu**y because I trained really hard, but the cape, everything. It's like if you were to, say, hold up that tape recorder, that's fine. But if you're to say hold that up for 16 hours, it gets pretty hard. And the cape is actually very heavy. When you first put it on, you don't think about it but you naturally have to tense your shoulders to wear it. By the end of the day, you'd be just trying to lift it up just to get some relief for your neck. I had knots in my neck for months, down my left side because this is where the heavy part was. And doing the fight sequences, the cape would twirl and you've got 50 guys running towards you, and you go to stab them and sword literally is like this [stuck]. And you know that it's 45 minutes to set up a shot again if that doesn't happen. And yet, there's a guy coming at you with a spear that if you don't do that and he f**ks up, then you have a spear in your belly. A lot of the times, the sword would stick on the cape because this cape will just fly all over the place so you're trying to literally be like, "Okay, spear, spear, spear, duck." We fought twice the speed in this film. Normally, in a film you would do your bang, defense, bang, defense. This was bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. One, two, three different guys. It was kind of crazy.
CS: What are you working on now?
Butler: This. Actually, nothing at the moment. There's a few things we're talking about but I haven't... there's nothing I know I'm doing for definite.
CS: "P.S., I Love You" is finished?
Butler: Finished, done, I'm really excited about it. I think it's going to be lovely.
300 opens in conventional theaters and IMAX on March 9.
Category: 300 News
Posted by: admin
In 480 B.C., King Leonidas of Sparta led his army of 300 to one of the greatest battles in history, the Battle of Thermopylae. The soldiers fought to the death against Xerxes I and his colossal Persian army. Their courage and fearless altruism led to all of Greece uniting against Persia. Warner Bros.' 300, directed by Zack Snyder and adapted from Frank Miller's graphic novel, shows how King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) boldly guided the men to their ultimate sacrifice.


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Exercising Demons - Franklin
|Exercising Demons - Franklin
|Franklin Clinton
|MaryAnn Quinn
|Win a triathlon race against MaryAnn Quinn.
|Peninsula west of Paleto Bay, Blaine County
MaryAnn Quinn is assaulted
Losing the race
|Unlocked by
|Solid Gold, Baby! (can be part of)
Exercising Demons - Franklin is a mission in Grand Theft Auto V given to protagonist Franklin Clinton by MaryAnn Quinn from the peninsula west of Paleto Bay, Blaine County.
Franklin Clinton goes to the beach on a peninsula just west of Paleto Bay and finds MaryAnn Quinn exercising on the beach. She spots Franklin and tells him not to look at her ass. Franklin states he wasn't and asks her what her plans are. MaryAnn, who is uncomfortable about her appearance, asks Franklin if he thinks she only swims because 'I float easily'. She then tells Franklin she is going to do a triathlon with Franklin responding that she has too much spare time. MaryAnn questions whether Franklin only likes stay at home cheerleaders and calls him pathetic. An angry Franklin states that he will compete with her in the triathlon and that he will beat her with MaryAnn saying 'I bet you like to beat women'.
The two begin running into the Pacific Ocean and swim across the bay towards Paleto Bay. After swimming across the bay the two begin cycling around a trail and a road, which includes cycling over a broken part of the road where both land safely on the other side. The two reach an open section of land, heading toward another peninsula to the north of Paleto Bay, and begin the running part of the triathlon. Franklin arrives at the finish line first and Franklin states that it is about participating not winning, which MaryAnn disagrees with. She calls herself a 'fat, unmarried, career-driven loser!' before running to a bicycle and cycling into the distance.
Secondary objective
|Win the race without taking any shortcuts.
- A stunt jump can be completed during the mission while cycling.
- As the two run towards the raised part of the peninsula, a woman asks Franklin if he has seen a dog. This is may be a reference to the dog who helps Franklin to find Dom Beasley and later informs him of Dom's suicidal plan to jump from the Land Act Dam into the small body of water below without any safety equipment, as the dog is not seen by anybody else in either mission.
Video walkthrough
|Xbox 360 Version - GTASeriesVideos
(6 minutes and 50 seconds in)

subset: commoncrawl


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sunday linkfest on wednesday evening. what is the world coming to?
rand paul ftw, btw! (^_^)
We Aren't the World – a W.E.I.R.D. article.
African-American's Y chromosome sparks shift in evolutionary timetable – "Scientists say an African-American male's odd genetic signature suggests that the human Y chromosome's lineage goes back further in time than they thought — perhaps due to interbreeding with other populations such as Neanderthals." – see also dienekes: Extremely old (237–581 kya) root of human Y-chromosome phylogeny.
Counting blue gods – more pie(-chart)s than in a pie-eating contest! from the awesome epigone.
For every person that doesn't want kids there are 25 that do. Is that so? – from jayman.
It's not because research is cheaper there – "Perhaps among the many genes with small effects [on iq] there are a few with big effects…." – @evoandproud.
HVGIQ: Jamaica – from jason malloy. see also steve sailer: Average IQ in Jamaica.
How much mental illness is lifestyle-related? – from mangan.
Genomewide diversity in the Levant (Haber et al. 2013) – "Our results show recent genetic stratifications in the Levant are driven by the religious affiliations of the populations within the region…. Levant populations today fall into two main groups: one sharing more genetic characteristics with modern-day Europeans and Central Asians, and the other with closer genetic affinities to other Middle Easterners and Africans." – @dienekes'.
5 Disorders Share Genetic Risk Factors, Study Finds – schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, major depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Single gene might explain dramatic differences among people with schizophrenia
Is "Natural Law" Anti-Nature? – @occam's razor.
Feet on the Autism Spectrum – "Psychotherapist Cary Terra works with adults with autism spectrum disorder…. Over many years, she's noticed what she calls an 'unmistakable trend': that her patients have a tendency to sit with their feet stacked." – *hbd chick looks down* – oops!
Rape on the Reservation – "…one in three Native women is raped over her lifetime…."
Month a baby is born 'suggests what career they will have' – "The time of year a baby is born can shape what profession they will embark on in later life, a new study has suggested." – via mangan.
Lack of sleep 'switches off' genes – "One week of bad sleep can 'switch off' hundreds of genes and raise the risk of a host of illnesses including obesity and heart disease, scientists claim."
bonus: In China, 'red nobility' trumps egalitarian ideal – "Relatives of communist China's founding fathers enjoy privileged status in politics and business that runs counter to party ideology." – this one's for luke and anatoly. (^_^)
bonus bonus: China imprisons four men for 'ghost marriage' corpse bride trafficking – "Yanchuan court jails men for digging up and selling bodies in afterlife custom of matching dead women to deceased bachelors."
bonus bonus bonus: At Largest Religious Festival, Some Abandon Elderly – "At the Maha Kumbh Mela in India, families ditch older relatives in the crowds."
bonus bonus bonus bonus: Beppe Grillo: Cronyism has hurt Italian science
bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus: Why Did (or Didn't) the Meerkat Cross the Road? – hierarchy's a b*tch.
bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus: Giant ancient camel remains discovered in Canadian Arctic <<- best headline of the week!
bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus: Report: Chinese Third-Graders Falling Behind U.S. High School Students in Math, Science (~_^)
(note: comments do not require an email. but you already knew that, didn't you?)


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Olivenhain Bob
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 1,114
"In theory", you should get better performance with the wet mount. I am not aware of anyone actually doing before and after tests but it makes sense if you can get rid of the bubbles that commonly form in Goop installations, things should work better.
As for how your existing transducer is currently mounted, if your transducer is glued in place with some clear silicon, it is probably a Goop installation. You can remove the transducer by carefully sliding a knife or other sharp tool under the unit until it eventually breaks away from the hull. You will then have to shave away all the Goop, eliminating any bubbles that may have formed.
As for where the transducer should be mounted, I doubt that it makes much of a difference in a kayak but I prefer having it mounted near the bow so the fish finder will display what I am approaching rather than what I have already passed.
If you have more questions about the wet transducer installation, visit this thread where it is discussed is more detail.
Guerro Grande
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 629
FF transducer wet mount
Bob's (DSAFETY) very slick transducer mount really got my attention: http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...ead.php?t=6508
Even though I had pretty good results with Gooped transducers, I've been thinking about doing a wet mount for quite some time. Seeing Bob's elegant and simple mount made me want to give it a try. As luck would have it, I had just recently purchased a Stealth 14 and it gave me a chance to try out a wet mount. There were only two problems: 1) I have a Lowrance FF and the transducer is absolutely ginourmous, 2) I don't have the engineering/fabrication skills of Bob. With these two handicaps I launched headlong into my project.
I wish that Lowrance would make a smaller dual frequency transducer. The skimmer transducer that came with my Lowrance 527 FF/GPS is about the size and shape of an ironing board. It won't fit in a 3" PVC pipe. It won't even fit in the 4" ABS coupler that I ran out and bought before measuring the transducer. I had to use a little of my smarts and innovative thinking to come up with a solution. Unfortunately, I was a little short of smarts and innovation this week, so this is what I came up with.
I figured that it would be really cool to be able to see the water in the transducer well. After all, you have to know how much water is in there and if it's turning green. My solution; Lexan. That's right; Lexan. Why use a box that you find in your parts bin when you can spend two days building the damn thing.
Its a little bit on the clunky side. Not very elegant or clean looking, but it has transparent sides (until the algae turns it a murky green). Kinda looks like my old erector set that I had when I was 9.
Like a vintage Soviet tank, this thing is ugly, but strong. Aluminum angle on the corners, plenty of Goop and bolts-bolts everywhere.
It actually looks pretty badass in that photo. Kind of like the Enterprise in the space dock. Trust me; Scotty didn't build this monstrosity.....more like one of the dorks in the red shirt who gets whacked when he beams down to the planet surface.
I couldn't trust this install to Goop. I used 3M 5200 to attach it to the hull (CJ recommended this). I roughed up the hull with coarse-grit sandpaper first, to get better adhesion.
We'll see if it is still attached when I open it up in the morning.
BTW: That is a fill plug on the forward end. I will be sealing the cable pass-through with a rubber bung and Gooping it into place.
Douglas Gaxiola
Team No Fish- Amateur Staff
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 17
pretty cool, but it looks like to much work.
I have the same wet mount transducer bob has works fine
yours is cool to, I like translucent container you used for your project. Allows you to if the transducer is paralell with the bottom of the hull.
Olivenhain Bob
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 1,114
I like the idea of the well being clear so you can check the water level. The last time I went out, my Humminbird Matrix 12 started acting up. I ended up having to shimmy up to the bow, pull out my trusty Swiss Army Knife and pop the top off of my unit made of ABS to make sure that it was still full of water. (It was.) Having a well made of some clear material would have made that step unnecessary. I wonder if there is a source for clear plastic pipe in 3 or 4 inch diameters?
A couple observations. It has been a while since I worked with Lexan but if memory serves, this material can be easily welded using acetone. Assuming the weld works, (you could goop the corners as well), that would eliminate the need for all the metal braces. Of course then the thing would not look as cool.
Also, I like the portability that being able to detach the transducer from the well using a rubber cap provides. Does your design offer a way to do this?
Finally, I do believe that the Lowrance transducer can be made to fit into a 4" piece of ABS pipe. The 3" one that works for Humminbird is too small. Cali Hookup and I collaborated on a version of my design to fit his Lowrance unit. We got it to work although it just barely fit.
Nice work Doug.
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 698
I use a factory wet mount from Garmin. It recommends using mineral oil in the well but I use fresh water and it works fine. I've considered putting saltwater in to see if I get better readings but never got around to it. I get good readings to about 700 ft. I remove the heavy transducer when transporting the yak upside down. This model allows you to install on a surface not level to the bottom and then adjust the transducer so that it is level.
Garmin - Garmin 200/50KHz, 12/45deg, Plastic, Adj. In-hull Mount Transducer 010-10327-00
Installed 2006, still no leaks.
I was sloppy with the 3M 5200, but the bottom of the well is clean so that it is only shooting through water and the yak's plastic.
Guerro Grande
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 629
Quickly detach the transducer......no. This baby is about as permanent as the top three floors of the Sunroad building in Kearny Mesa. If I have to move it I'm going to need a pry bar and some explosives.
I think I might have been able to get the transducer in the 4" coupler if I had really tried. I gave up on it because I thought it would be too much work. Instead, I spent two days working on this. THINKING.....now there's my problem.
I'm going to scrap this thing if it doesn't give me perfect performance the first time out. I'll just go back to the tried and true Goop. I would love to get one of those through-hull transducers, but all of the ones that work with my FF are ungodly expensive. If they didn't cost $800, I would just get a bronze thru-hull with a fairing.
Douglas Gaxiola
Team No Fish- Amateur Staff
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Rancho Cucamonga
Posts: 753
Fahq me, you guys need to quit coming up with this McGyver sheeeet. Now, I want to rip out my "NEW" wet mount trans (haven't even put mine in the water yet!) and install a transparent giz-mo out of plexiglass. All and all, way too cool of a set up.
BTW I have the same ginormous Lowrance transducer as you and it did fit well into the 4 in ABS adapter. I'll post some pic's of mine shortly. The only GOAT &^%$ about the 4in adapter vs the 3in adapter is the stiffness of the cap in 4in. I am concerned that after time, from checking the level of water and having to shimmy the cap off for inspection, the adapter seal may come loose from the hull.
Bad decisions make great stories!
Olivenhain Bob
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 1,114
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 1
Hello...first time post here. Was sent from another forum to check out this very post. Here is a great resource for all kinds of parts and I did find Clear pipe and fittings.
The PVC pipe is expensive but if you have enough people who wanted it maybe you could split it up... http://www.mcmaster.com/#plastic-pip...d-pipe/=5ouetf
Just click the picture of the pipe to see the sizes available...1/4 - 6"
Here is another one, but acrylic. This is cheaper...
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Rancho Cucamonga
Posts: 753
Okay, I think I uploaded my pic's correctly for the 4in wet transducer. My only regret in the overall install was the fact that the adapter is as large the Javelin Anti-Armour round and would not fit under the useless rear hatch. I think that would be the perfect spot for P2050051.JPGP2050052.JPGP2050053.JPGP2050055.JPG the transducer.
Bad decisions make great stories!
Last edited by WahooUSMA; 02-05-2010 at 01:11 PM. Reason: screwed it up
Guerro Grande
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 629
Very nice. Now I see where I went wrong. The coupler I had was too long. If the MacGyver fish tank doesn't work I'll have a backup. Thanks
Go Navy - Beat Army
Douglas Gaxiola
Team No Fish- Amateur Staff
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Rancho Cucamonga
Posts: 753
Bad decisions make great stories!
Olivenhain Bob
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 1,114
Rodholder Mod
About two years ago, I bought a Hobie Revolution and joined the yakfisher community. The Revo is a very well designed kayak but it is not without its flaws. One of the biggest issues I had with my boat from the beginning was the placement of the molded rod holders. They are too far to the stern to be very useful to me. My solution to this problem at the time was to build a "trolling bar" which gave me the ability to place two rods in a more accessible location and at an angle that is more suitable for trolling than the stock setup. You can see this device below.
This trolling bar served me well until I picked up a Hobie Livewell a few months ago. While I could use the trolling bar with this bait tank, the supporting cross bar got in the way of the tank lid so it could not be opened all the way. I had wanted to update the trolling bar design for some time so this gave me the incentive to head to the shop and get to work.
The goal was to design something that could be inserted into the molded rod holders and create a readily accessible, sturdy rod storage/trolling apparatus. The device would have to be easily installed and removed. The most important design objective was to move the rod holder positioning forward so that the rods could be easily reached without having to twist sideways while seated in the yak. A bonus goal was to make the angle of the rod holder adjustable from straight up for storage to about 60 degrees out for trolling.
I think I nailed it!
Below you will see the various pieces of PVC and ABS components prior to assembly. The total cost of the parts needed to build one of these is less than $10.
Because my 2008 Revo has the rudder raising and lowering lever mounted on the starboard side next to the seat, I had to make two versions of this device which I call the inboard and outboard versions. The inboard design is well braced against the kayak so it may be a little sturdier. On the other hand this design takes up some space in the bait tank well, so on some narrow kayaks the outboard design may be a better choice. The newer Hobies no longer use a rudder lever so both versions will work on either side of the latest Hobie yaks. The photo below shows both versions installed with the rod holders in the trolling position.
Assembly is easy. Start by cutting a piece of 1.25" PVC pipe just long enough to fit into the molded rod holder. Wrap this pipe with duct tape until the pipe fits snugly into the rod holder, (I use Gorilla Tape because it is very tough). Place a 1.25" to 1.5" slip adapter over the end of the pipe. (DO NOT GLUE ANYTHING YET!)
Next fit a 1.5" sink trap assembly over the adapter. There are two versions of sink traps. One you glue together, the other has an integrated tightening collar that holds the two pieces together. Both will work for this project. I used the glue together version because it was cheaper.
The next piece to go on is a 60 degree elbow. This will be attached to the sink trap on one end, and to a 1.5" slip/thread adapter on the other with short pieces of 1.5" ABS pipe. The length of these pieces of pipe will be determined by the type of kayak you have and where you want the rod holder to be. The longer these pieces are the further forward the rod holder will end up. After some experimenting, I found that the best place for the rod holder to be, for my usage, is an inch or two behind the back of the kayak seat. This is about a foot forward of the stock rod holder position but still far enough back so it will not interfere with paddling. One of the reasons for not gluing anything right away is that there are many adjustments you can make in terms of length and angles. If you want the rod holder to end up further forward that what I did, just use a longer piece of connecting pipe.
If you want to always have your rod holder in the same angle position, you will not need to use the male and female threaded adapters that go on next. Just attach a 90 degree elbow to the 60 degree elbow from the last step. For the adjustable version, mate a male and female threaded adapter to the two elbows. Tighten these adapters so they are almost all the way in but still have enough travel to allow you to tighten or loosen in order to position the rod holder where you want it to be.
Finally, cut a 10" to 12" piece of 1.5" ABS pipe and fit it in the 90 degree elbow. I cut the top at an angle to make it easier to insert the rod butt but this is optional. When all the pieces are attached together, insert the PVC pipe into the kayak's rod holder. Twist and turn the various components until you are happy with the positioning of all the pieces. You want the device to fit easily into the molded rod holder and at some point near the other end, make contact with the kayak. This will be the anchor point where you will eventually strap the device to the kayak.
My instructions may sound a little complicated but they will all make perfect sense when you have the pieces in your hands and start putting things together. When you are happy with the way everything fits, put some alignment marks on all the connecting pieces so you can reproduce the angles and connections. Double check everything again and then glue the pieces together.
The last steps are done after all the pieces have been glued together. You will need to find a way strap the installed device to your kayak at the point that it touches the deck near the new rod holder end. I first used a Velcro strap that had been threaded through a nylon eyelet that I riveted to the kayak in a suitable place. This works but I am looking for a stronger strap that can be tightened more than the Velcro will allow. One of those ratchet buckles from a ski boot or snowboard binding would be perfect. When I find one, I will give this a try. You can also use a belt, a piece of rope or even a zip tie which would have to be cut off when you want to remove this device.
The last step is to set the angles of the rod holder. With the unit installed, twist the rod holder end to a vertical position. Drill a small hole through both pieces of the threaded adapter and insert a pin in the hole to lock the rod holder in this position. Remove the pin; reposition the rod holder at the angle or angles that you would like to use for trolling and drill additional holes, using the first hole as a pilot hole. Make sure the pin fits in these positions and you are done.
Although I designed this device to be used on a Revo, this design can easily be adapted to work on just about any kayak with molded rod holders located behind the seat. I have tested this setup on the water and it works great. I have much better access to my bait tank than with the trolling bar and can easily monitor the rod tips while trolling without having to twist and contort myself from side to side. I also gain two handy storage locations for rods or a gaff. After the maiden voyage, I added a couple of eyelets to each of these units to serve as attachment points for gear leashes.
The first one of these things that I built took hours of trial and error. The second one took less than ten minutes to build. I think that this thing may be one of the most useful mods I have come up with so far. What do you think?
Last edited by dsafety; 02-20-2010 at 06:50 AM.
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 50
How did it work? I am working on the contour for my wet mount tonight. Did the contour of the bottom allow for a good reading with your unit?
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Whittier
Posts: 126
FF Battery box
Heres something I recently put together to keep my battery box from sliding around.
I gooped some of that stuff you line your drawers with to the bottom of the box for grip.
After I figured out where I wanted the box to sit, I roughed up the bottom of 2 pad eye's and the inside of the hull. I gooped a pad eye on each side of where the box will be situated........Yes, gooped. It's actually quite strong.
I sized up a piece of 1/4" bungee cord and put a open hook on each end. I tried the other type of hook with the locking tab and they are damn near impossible to unhook.
Tadaaaa, it sits in there nice and tight.
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: San Diego
Posts: 2,385
I'm loving all these ideas. So far they have saved me a lot of money. I am making my own leashes for rods, paddle, and anything else that needs to be lashed to the Yak.
Rum Pirate
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Wilds of Mira Mesa
Posts: 388
Has anyone tried putting grease in the wet mount like they have for the hummingbird 385 kayak setup?
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: San Diego
Posts: 2,385
not yet, but it makes sense
Olivenhain Bob
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 1,114
I have never played with the grease. I would have two concerns. Does the grease transmit as well as water? More importantly, does the grease flow when it gets warm?
I store my kayak upside down so if the well were partially filled with grease and flowed to the lid while in storage there could be some issues when the yak is flipped over if all the grease is stuck to the lid of the well.
I suppose you could completely fill the well with grease but why do that if water works?
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 50
never used grease.....i vote water. i made a version of bob's wet mount and love it. it has worked very well and you never will have to worry about the mess you could have. i have the 2010 570 hummingbird. i have been out on 3 full day trips and love my readings.
water = no bubbles......grease i am not sure about.
plus++++++ water is free!
|kayak fishing inovations, kayak rigging ideas
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Derek Jeter's Farewell Tour Begins
New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is making his farewell tour in Major League Baseball.
Jeter received his first gift on Wednesday from the Houston Astros. The Astros gave him a custom designed Yankee pinstripe cowboy boots with his 'No. 2,' a Stetson cowboy hat, and golf clubs.
Last year, Yankees closer Mariano Rivera played his final season, and teams gave him gifts throughout the season. Perhaps the best gift Rivera received was from the Minnesota Twins: a chair of broken dreams.
Jeter is 40, and has played for the Yankees for 20 seasons since 1995. He's collected 3,317 hits, and has a .312 career batting average while winning five World Series titles in his career in New York.


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CAMPTON HILLS – When Mark Christensen first moved to his St. Charles home 30 years ago, he could see the Milky Way – albeit faintly – from his backyard.
"You can't do that anymore," the Fox Valley Astronomical Society member said.
Christensen chalks the disappearing night sky up to too much development but said the situation isn't hopeless in Kane County with some effort.
Nearby Campton Hills is making that effort.
Five years after voters said they wanted the village to consider adopting a dark sky light ordinance, Campton Hills leaders have drafted a responsible outdoor lighting ordinance for new construction.
The Plan Commission recommended approval of the ordinance in January, but the Village Board has yet to act on the document. Village President Patsy Smith said last week that trustees are waiting for it to be reviewed by a professional.
Although the proposed ordinance is 18 pages, it can be summed up in three sentences:
• Shine the light where you need it.
• Don't use any more light than you need.
• Turn off the lights when you don't need them.
Trustee Sue George, who worked on the ordinance with Christine Brauer of the Plan Commission, said they wanted to keep it simple.
"It's just common-sense principles that I think we could all benefit from, both economically as well as environmentally," George said.
Researching and writing the ordinance took about four years, George said. They reached out to the Illinois Coalition for Responsible Outdoor Lighting, she said, and they went to Homer Glen, which became an International Dark Sky Community in 2011.
The International Dark-Sky Association awards such designations to towns, cities and municipalities that have – according to its website – "shown exceptional dedication to the preservation of the night sky through the implementation and enforcement of quality lighting codes, dark sky education and citizen support of dark skies."
George said their research taught them that the dark-sky concept is extensive and goes beyond the ability to see more stars.
"Lighting is multi-faceted in terms of outdoor lighting," she said.
The International Dark-Sky Association – which was founded in 1988 and the first organization to bring attention to the hazards of light pollution – summarizes the effects of light pollution on its website.
"Human-produced light pollution not only mars our view of the stars," the site states. "Poor lighting threatens astronomy, disrupts ecosystems, affects human circadian rhythms, and wastes energy to the tune of $2.2 billion per year in the U.S. alone."
Christensen said such a waste is ridiculous and a "horrible inconvenience" for anyone wanting to see different objects in the sky.
"The night sky is beautiful," he said, noting the Green River State Wildlife Area near Harmon offers the best view within a reasonable distance from the Tri-Cities. If approved, Campton Hills' proposed ordinance would help reduce light pollution by, among other mandates, requiring the use of full-cutoff light fixtures – fixtures that limit amount of light shining upward.
George said Campton Hills isn't entirely unique in its efforts to preserve the dark sky.
"Communities are already doing it," she said, explaining dark-sky lighting is used in such places as St. Charles Park District properties and the Cadence Fitness & Health Center in Geneva.
"It's being applied everywhere. Until you know what you're looking for, you don't pay attention to it."
Know more
The International Dark-Sky Association – the recognized authority on light pollution – has designated these communities as International Dark Sky Communities:
• Dripping Springs, Texas
• Isle of Coll, Scotland
• Homer Glen, Ill.
• Isle of Sark, Channel Islands
• Borrego Springs, Calif.
• Flagstaff, Ariz.
Source: www.darksky.org


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Game 1 heading to second overtime
Chicago, IL – Neither side scored in the first overtime as Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals between Chicago and Boston is heading to a second extra session with the score locked at 3-3.
The best chance of the first overtime came around the eight-minute mark as Rich Peverley fired a shot from the left circle that Corey Crawford stopped, and the goaltender then made a beautiful save on Tyler Seguin's backhand on the rebound.
Chicago was whistled for too many men with 7:52 to play in the overtime, and the team caught a break during the shorthanded situation as a Nathan Horton rebound chance went off the post.
With just over four minutes to play, Boston rushed down the other end and a shot from the slot by Seguin was stopped. David Krejci tried to follow up with the rebound, but it was just out of his reach.
Michael Frolik had a pair of shots late in the overtime, but Tuukka Rask turned away both to force a second overtime.
Rask made eight stops in the extra period, while Crawford turned away 12.
With Boston holding a 2-1 lead in the third period, Chicago took its first penalty of the game at 5:51 when Frolik was called for a trip on Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, and the Boston power play went to work.
The Blackhawks had killed off 55-of-58 shorthanded situations in the playoffs coming into the game, but failed to stop this one as Patrice Bergeron gave the Bruins a 3-1 lead.
Milan Lucic held the puck along the right boards and sent a pass to the slot that got deflected, but it made its way to Seguin, who quickly fired it over to the left circle where Bergeron one-timed it home with a clink of iron at 6:09.
Chicago refused to give an inch from there, potting the next two goals.
The first one came off a Boston mistake as rookie defenseman Torey Krug tried to clear the puck out of his end through the middle and it was picked off by Andrew Shaw, who skated it in down the right wing. From the boards, he fired it over to the left side and Dave Bolland one-timed it home for his first of the playoffs at the eight-minute mark.
Crawford kept it a one-goal game with around 10 1/2 minutes left as he stopped Lucic off a 2-on-1 and the Blackhawks rewarded his efforts.
Holding the puck at the right point, Johnny Oduya blasted a shot on net that was going wide, but it his off the back of the left skate of Andrew Ference and trickled past Rask to tie the game at 12:14.
Both sides had their chances to finish the game in regulation, but the goaltenders held their ground to force overtime.
Boston broke through at the 13:11 mark of the opening period. Krejci went for the puck behind the net and shrugged off a hit from Niklas Hjalmarsson. Krejci then dished the disc to the left circle where Horton one-touched it to the slot, and Lucic one-timed the puck home for his fourth of the playoffs.
Rask stopped eight shots in the first period and made a stop just 30 seconds into the second period as Marian Hossa got a shot on net from the slot that saw Rask make a left pad save on and the play went the other way.
Lucic won a battle in the neutral zone along the left boards and got the puck to Krejci, who took the disc in down the left wing. From the top of the circle, Krejci fed it to the slot and Lucic one-timed it in off Crawford for his second of the game 51 seconds in.
Chicago got on the board just over two minutes later. Hossa stole the puck behind the net and skated to the left boards, before sending it to the circle where Brandon Saad one-timed it high into the net for his first career playoff goal.
The strike energized Chicago as the team took the play to Boston over the next several minutes, generating pressure in the visitors' end and sending several shots on Rask.
Jonathan Toews had an excellent chance with just over 13 minutes to play when he sent a shot on net from the slot, but Rask came up with the stop.
The first power play of the game went to Chicago when Horton was called for interference on Michal Handzus in front of the Chicago net at 12:23.
Just 43 seconds later, Boston was called for too many men on the ice to give Chicago 1:17 worth of a 5-on-3, but the Bruins penalty killers did their job and limited the Blackhawks to just one shot, a one-timer from Patrick Sharp at the left circle that Rask easily stopped.
Chicago was awarded another power play when Chara was called for high sticking with 7:07 to play, but again limited to the hosts to just one shot to maintain a one-goal lead.


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Shuttle buses can range from mid size to small "mini buses". They are not typically considered a large bus. Typically when looking for sale buses the person is looking for a passenger number under 25. If you're shopping for a used bus and need to carry a higher passenger count you might consider looking at coaches in stead of used shuttle buses. Many churches choose the shuttle bus when looking for a bus for sale because of the manageable size, fuel usage and ease of repair.
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- After parsing the text - which may take some time - all results will be available in a popup window.
Just to try, you may use the links below to some Japanese news sites.Translations are based on JMDict Japanese multilingual dictionary and on specialized dictionaries.
Submit full paragraphs or short textsWhen convenient, users are invited to submit full paragraphs rather that looking at each single word or sentence.
How to adjust Japanese fonts...
Most Chinese characters consist of a radical (dictionary key) and a phonetic element. The table here shows the 858 phonetic elements identified by Wieger for traditional characters. Click on any graphic component in the table to find the related characters. Phonetic series refer to both the English and French editions of Wieger's book, users can switch as needed.
To find a kanji from its radical, go to the 214 radicals.
CHINESE CHARACTERS - Their origin, etymology, history, classification and signification by Dr. L. Wieger, S.J. was first published in 1899 (French) and 1915 (English). It has eversince been republished. It does not include the 20th century discoveries and therefore is technically wrong in many respects. However, based on the 2nd century Shuowen Jiezi, it reflects the Chinese tradition and culture. It is what many Chinese know about their writing.
While reading the book is nice, finding the lesson related to a given character is more tedious: one has to go through several indexes, starting with the traditional variant (there were no simplified characters when the book was written). The site does all this search for you with just a mouse click (please refer to the book for the content of the lessons).


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Charles Hamilton Dissing Eminem On This Unreleased Freestyle! "This Mixtape Should Be Called Fxck Eminem. I Crushed Eminem" [Audio]
Charles Hamilton taking shots at Eminem
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- 3 Beds
- 2 Full, 1 Half
- 2,081 +/- Sqft
Property TypeResidential – Duplex
SubdivisionBerry Creek Ranch Filing #2
Listing Date06/12/18
Year Built1991
Lot Size0.20 Acres (8,712 SqFt)
Parking2 Car Garage
Property Description
Located on the Sonnenalp Golf Course, this beautiful home faces the south and has spectacular views of the Arrowhead Ski Slopes. Features include large deck off living room and a second deck with hot tub off the spacious master bedroom on the main. Complete with wood floor and new shake roof, windows, hot water heater and much more. Call me!
Presented By
- Golf Course
- Golf Course
- Mountains
- Ski Slopes
- South Facing
- Community Center
- Fitness Center
- Golf-Public
- Golf Membership Option
- Health Club Membership
- Pool
- Tennis Courts
- Cable Available
- Deck
- Fireplace - Gas
- Hot Tub / Spa
- Jetted Bathtub
- Patio
- Vaulted Ceilings
- Wired for Cable
- Club Membership Avai
- Fitness Center
- Cable TV
- District Sewer
- District Water
- Electricity
- Gas
- Phone
- Trash Pickup
- Forced Air
- Natural Gas
- Ceiling Fan
- Dryer - Gas
- Washer
Financial Information
About Singletree
Singletree is the perfect example of a community that embraces its natural surroundings. With a landscape of sage brush, on the sun-soaked northern side of Interstate 70, Singletree has large home sites, duplexes and single-family homes, many of which feature a Southwestern style of architecture that fits in with the surroundings. The 18-hole Sonnenalp Golf Club is one of the valley's most challenging and scenic courses, with a clubhouse that features a pool and restaurant. As you drive up the hill from the Edwards exit, it's hard to find a Singletree home without a view of something beautiful, be it the Sawatch Range, the valley below or ski runs in the distance. This community truly has something for everyone, all within a short distance to everything the entire Vail Valley has to offer.
Area Market Data
5 Beds 4.5 Baths
We get asked this question a lot. Below is a tool that gives you the ability to see what the market is like in your community. Find out what homes like your own are selling for right in your back yard. Simply enter in your address, choose the proximity of the search and find out market data for other homes that are selling near you.
While we'll provide you with plenty of information, this is a snapshot of your market data and there are real people behind the high-tech and automated tools. If you would like more detailed information or help in understanding the results we are here to help.
Until then, enjoy the tools!
The data relating to the real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of the Vail Multi-List Service, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Vail Multi List, Inc. (VMLS). The information displayed herein was derived from sources believed to be accurate, but has not been verified by VMLS. Buyers are cautioned to verify all information to their own satisfaction. This information is exclusively for viewers' personal, non- commercial use. Any republication or reproduction of the information herein without the express permission of the VMLS is strictly prohibited.
Listing courtesy of Keller Williams Mountain Properties


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32Entry by n00d3l5
31Entry by JonChacon
The only time movies mix and match characters from different universes, two invincible monsters are doing battle with each other ... and the audience's ability to care who wins. We asked you to show us what it might look like if Hollywood realized how awesome certain characters could be if they got to try on different movies.
The winner is below, but first the runners up ...


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Your sketches and notes will carry a lot more weight if they're created with this squat mechanical pencil that's made from actual hand-poured concrete. You'll just want to make sure you're not the type who likes chewing on the end.
The pencil has an equally thick 5.5mm 2B lead making it slightly more better suited for sketching and drawing than taking notes, but there's nothing stopping you from using it however you like. Whether that's jotting reminders on a post-it note, marking term papers, or smashing windows--it's useful on so many levels.
You'll need to be a little careful with it, after all, it's made from concrete, not titanium. An unfortunate drop could result in £32 worth of shattered concrete pieces all over your floor, and you having to resort back to using an uncouth wooden writing instrument. [22 Design Studio via designboom]


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This embedded controller is designed to meet the most common requirements of Internet or Ethernet applications. An on-board 10base-T port is equipped with RJ45 connector for connecting to a network. It is powered by an 80188-40 processor with 256 kBytes of static RAM and 512 kBytes of Flash memory.
Five RS232/RS485 ports are provided. The EX9188E can be treated as an RS232-to-Ethernet converter. The central computers can control all the RS232 ports through Ethernet with the help of the EX9188E.
Lead time: 4 business days


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Want to reach an audience of art teachers across the state? Advertise in the NYSATA News or on our website!
Visit the Sponsors Page
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NYSATA News has done it again!
Click on the Image below to access the Winter 2020 NYSATA News.
News and Events NOW!
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The New York State Art Teachers Association (NYSATA) is a non-profit professional organization founded in 1948 for the purpose of advancing the cause of art education;
The New York State Art Teachers Association is made up of 10 Regions. Representatives from these regions, along with the elected officers, form the Board of Trustees which is the governing body of NYSATA.
Members of NYSATA include representatives from pre-school through university level art educators, art administrators, museum educators, school administrators, school districts, commercial representatives, and friends and benefactors.
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Need to update your contact information? Use the blue tab at the top of this page to log in with your User ID and Password. Use the MY PROFILE link in the right column on the Member Welcome page to view and/or update your information.
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Items where Department is "Faculty of Health and Medicine" and Year is 1998
|Up a level
Abercrombie, N. and Gatrell, A. and Thomas, Carol (1998) Universities and health in the twenty-first century. In: Health promoting universities : concept, experience and framework for action. World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, pp. 29-34. ISBN 9289012854
Bennett, S. and Bostock, L. and Gatrell, A. and Popay, J. and Thomas, Carol and Williams, G. (1998) Understanding health inequalities:Mapping health and 'risk' within and between differing localities. In: Society for Social Medicine Annual Conference, 1998-09-01.
Bostock, L. and Bennett, S. and Gatrell, A. and Popay, J. and Thomas, Carol and Williams, G. (1998) Placing the people's health in the context of social and geographical spaces. In: BSA Medical Sociology Conference, 1998-09-251998-09-27.
Hunt, Amelia P. and Parry, Jacqueline D. (1998) The effect of substratum roughness and river flow rate on the development of a freshwater biofilm community. Biofouling, 12 (4). pp. 287-303. ISSN 0892-7014
Malone, N. and Rycroft-Malone, J. (1998) Equity and rationing in the NHS:past to present. Journal of Nursing Management, 6 (6). pp. 325-332. ISSN 0966-0429
Milan, Stephen James and Lodge, Mark (1998) The Editorial Subgroup of the Cochrane Collaboration's Steering Group. In: UNSPECIFIED.
Mitchell, J. D. and Gatrell, Anthony C. and Al-Hamad, A. and Davies, R. B. and Batterby, G. (1998) The geographical epidemiology of residence of motor neurone disease patients in Lancashire and South Cumbria. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 65. pp. 842-847. ISSN 0022-3050
Popay, Jennie and Williams, Gareth and Thomas, Carol and Gatrell, A. (1998) Theorising inequalities in health: the place of lay knowledge. In: The sociology of health inequalities. Sociology of health and illness monograph series . Blackwell, Oxford, pp. 59-83. ISBN 0631209298
Popay, Jennie and Williams, Gareth and Thomas, Carol and Gatrell, Tony (1998) Theorising Inequalities in Health:The Place of Lay Knowledge. Sociology of Health and Illness, 20 (5). pp. 619-644. ISSN 1467-9566
Stamp, Ron and Churchill, Rachel and Jones, Paul and Littlejohns, Peter and Lord, Joanne and Milan, Stephen James (1998) Cochrane Airways reviews: can they make a difference? In: UNSPECIFIED.


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Metallic Pink Circles 16th Birthday Balloons - Pack Of 6
Celebrate a milestone!
Despatched within 5 working days when you order before 5pm
Please note: our in store products are delivered with price labels.
Product Description
Decorate for their 16th birthday party with our pack of 6 pink latex balloons. The balloons come in two shades of metallic pink with a white number 13 pattern across them. They can be blown up with either air or helium, allowing you to create different types of balloon displays for their 16th birthday.
Key Features:
- Pack of 6 latex balloons
- 3x Metallic light pink balloons
- 3x Metallic dark pink balloons
- "16" and circle design in white
- Suitable for helium
- Suitable for air-inflation
- Delivered deflated
- Delivered with price on packaging
Dimensions (approximately):
Balloons: 11 inches/27.5cm
Pack: H 19cm x W 11cm x D 2cm
Made of natural rubber latex
Can You Inflate My Latex Balloons?
We will deliver your pack of balloons deflated, but latex balloon inflation is available in our stores at a cost of 75p per balloon. We use HI-FLOAT, which gives latex balloons extended float times. This means latex balloons can last between 18 and 24 hours after inflation. We recommend inflating your balloons as close to your event as possible to ensure maximum float time.
Inflation time will be shorter if using standard helium or our helium canister.
If you'd like us to inflate your latex balloons, simply take your order confirmation email and balloons to your nearest Card Factory store and we'll inflate them for you. Please remember to take your confirmation email as you'll need to show this to a member of our team as proof of purchase.
Please note that to avoid disappointment, and to ensure we deliver a quality service, our stores require a notice period of 24 hours to prepare balloon displays.
Need more information on the balloons we sell online? Please take a look at our Balloon FAQs Page.
Please note:
Children under the age of eight can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons. Adult supervision is required at all times. Keep uninflated balloons away from children. Discard broken balloons at once. Keep balloons at a safe distance from eyes. Always use a balloon pump for inflation.
Customer Reviews
Customer Reviews
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CHICAGO – January 9, 2014 – With the New Year just underway, many U.S. workers are already resolving to find a new employer, according to a CareerBuilder survey. Twenty-one percent of full-time employees plan to change jobs in 2014, the largest amount in the post-recession era and up from 17 percent in 2013.
The national survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive© from November 6 to December 2, 2013, and included a representative sample of 3,008 full-time, private sector employees across industries and company sizes.
Job Satisfaction Falling
A drop in job satisfaction may account for the expected rise in turnover. Fifty-nine percent of workers are satisfied with their jobs, down from 66 percent in 2013; 18 percent are dissatisfied, up from 15 percent last year. Those who are dissatisfied cite concerns over salary (66 percent) and not feeling valued (65 percent) most often as reasons for their dissatisfaction.
"Offering frequent recognition, merit bonuses, training programs and clearly defined career paths are important ways to show workers what they mean to the company," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. "In general, however, when more workers change jobs it's usually a sign the labor market is warming up. During the recession and in its aftermath fewer people voluntarily left jobs because the chances of finding a new or better one were low compared to a healthier economic cycle."
Who is most likely to change jobs in 2014?
Certain factors appear to make workers significantly more likely to change jobs than others:
· Workers who are dissatisfied with their job: 58 percent plan to change jobs in the New Year
· Workers who are dissatisfied with advancement opportunities at current company: 45 percent
· Workers who are dissatisfied with their work/life balance: 39 percent
· Workers who feel underemployed: 39 percent
· Workers who are highly stressed: 39 percent
· Workers who have a poor opinion of their boss's performance: 37 percent
· Workers who feel they were overlooked for a promotion: 36 percent
· Workers who have been with their company two years or less: 35 percent(compared to 13 percent of workers who've been with company for 5 or more years.)
· Worker who didn't receive a pay increase in 2013: 28 percent
Top Reasons for Staying in Jobs
For the 8 in 10 (79 percent) workers who have no intention of leaving their current job in 2014, a variety of factors weigh into their decision, with relationships with co-workers, work/life balance and benefits topping the list:
1. "I like the people I work with." – 54 percent
2. "I have a good work/life balance." – 50 percent
3. "I have good benefits." – 49 percent
4. "I make a good salary." – 43 percent
5. "There still is a lot of uncertainty in the job market." – 35 percent
6. "I have a quick commute." – 35 percent
7. "I have a good boss who watches out for me." – 32 percent
8. "I feel valued and my accomplishments are recognized." – 29 percent
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder among 3,008 workers (employed full-time, not self-employed, non-government) ages 18 and over between November 6 and December 2, 2013 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 3,008, one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.79 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.
About CareerBuilder®
CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract great talent. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com®, is the largest in the United States with more than 24 million unique visitors and 1 million jobs. CareerBuilder works with the world's top employers, providing everything from labor market intelligence to talent management software and other recruitment solutions. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI), Tribune Company and The McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI), CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, South America, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.
Media Contact
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According to the Division of Responsibility theory of child feeding, it's the parent's responsibility to provide a reliable family meal time and a balanced meal with foods from all the food groups. It's the child's responsibility to decide what, and how much, to eat.
Today's busy families don't have the time to make different entrees for each family member, so meal planning should focus on providing a range of food options that include foods both kids and adults can enjoy.
Remember, you might have to introduce a food up to 15-20 times before a young child will decide they like it. These kid-friendly recipes will help you prepare meals that the entire family – including the pickiest eater – will enjoy.
By cooking your children's meals at home, you can guarantee that they are eating nutritious, wholesome meals. Preparing and eating these healthy meals together as a family sets a good example for kids to follow. Children learn how to make healthy food choices and how to prepare food themselves.
By cooking balanced family meals now, you set the stage for your children to develop healthful habits in the future!
HealthyEating.org, brought to you by Dairy Council of California, is committed to elevating the health of children and families through the pursuit of lifelong healthy eating habits.
This site is best viewed in Firefox v.18, Chrome v.24, Safari v.5, Internet Explorer v.10 and mobile devices. Some features on this site require popups to be enabled.


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I had written about a study quantifying the number of fathers who aren't really fathers of their children, even though they think they are. The study has now appeared in the latest issue of Current Anthropology
CURRENT ANTHROPOLOGY Volume 47, Number 3, June 2006
How Well Does Paternity Confidence Match Actual Paternity?
Evidence from Worldwide Nonpaternity Rates
Kermyt G. Anderson
Evolutionary theory predicts that males will provide less parental investment for putative offspring who are unlikely to be their actual offspring. Cross-culturally, paternity confidence (a man's assessment of the likelihood that he is the father of a putative child) is positively associated with men's involvement with children and with investment or inheritance from paternal kin. A survey of 67 studies reporting nonpaternity suggests that for men with high paternity confidence rates of nonpaternity are(excluding studies of unknown methodology) typically 1.9%, substantially less than the typical rates of 10% or higher cited by many researchers. Further cross-cultural investigation of the relationship between paternity and paternity confidence is warranted.


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- Home
- Instructional Practice
- Resources
- Forums
- Assessment
Oral language: How we communicate with others and interact with the world around us sets the stage for all of our subsequent learning. Structured teaching for oral language development has powerful outcomes for student learning across all content areas.
The intent of this website is to help you explore ways to think deeply and specifically about oral language in your classroom, across grade levels and the school curriculum. You can examine explicit strategies and structures to support oral language development, download tools and resources to support your own instruction, assess students using our observation protocol, and join the conversation about these strategies and resources with other teachers. We hope that everything on this site will contribute powerfully to the refinement and transformation of your teaching practice.


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Designed by Bennetts Associates Architects, the Mint Hotel Tower of London is a modern boutique hotel located right in the heart of the city. Topped with a lush green roof and padded with Europe's largest living wall, the hotel adds an elegant touch of greenery to the city's historic streets. Both of the living elements are self-sustaining and introduce plant biodiversity, which attracts birds and bees into the city. All materials for the hotel were strictly sourced from northern Europe, including cladding from Germany, UK and Belgium; casegoods from Ireland; public area furniture from the UK as well as a green wall was grown right in the UK.
As for energy efficiency, the 583-bedroom hotel uses 40% less energy per bedroom than hotel standards and overall carbon emissions were reduced by 30%. Strategies include the use of a high performing envelope, low-e glazing, deep reveals for the glazing to provide shade, operable windows, infrared sensors for lighting, ground source heat pump, a combined heat and power unit, and high efficiency mechanical systems. Additionally 165 photovoltaic panels on the roof generate renewable energy for the hotel. Bennetts Associates and Mint Hotel worked closely with the Greater London Authority, the City of London and AECOM to achieve a BREEAM 'Very Good' rating.
+ Bennetts Associates Architects
Images ©Edmund Sumner courtesy of Bennetts Associates


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Print Process: Handmade
Frame: Polystyrene
Swirl Art Piece
Please email all return requests to firstname.lastname@example.com. Please inspect all goods immediately upon receipt and refuse delivery if any defects are observed. In the event that the manufacturer accepts returns, all restocking fees and shipping costs will be paid by the customer. In the event that the manufacturer does not accept returns, the sale will be considered final.
Shipping length may vary depending on location.


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Finding information about government-funded aged care services can be complex. Dementia Australia has a new way to identify and access dementia services.
The Dementia Care Navigator is a service that aims to make it simpler for Australian to learn about government-supported aged care services and how to access them.
Services you can access include:
- Tailored information about dementia and local services
- Individual and group support services
- Seminars to help you navigate living with dementia at all stages, including connecting you with other service providers.
Suitable for: persons living with dementia and family members/primary carers/support persons of a person living with dementia and people who may be concerned and what to learn more about dementia.
Participation is free.
To book online click here.
Call the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 or email firstname.lastname@example.com to secure your place.


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View all images from the London College of Fashion Paper Patterns Collection
The London College of Fashion's Paper Patterns collection has accumulated over the years until it numbers some 800 dating from the 1920s to the present day. In an effort to preserve the collection and to make it more accessible, the collection has been catalogued and digitised. The ephemeral nature of the original materials means that collections are at risk and their volume and lack of bibliographic details means that they are difficult to organise. The information they can provide though about the history of fashion, the cascade of couture down to everyday wear and the culturally significant phenomena of home dressmaking in Europe and America makes them worthy of preservation and promotion.
The collection can be searched by date or decade (where the date of publication is unknown); the name of the pattern publishers e.g. Vogue, Simplicity, McCall etc.; the type of garment e.g. dress, skirt etc or the name of the designer where this is specified. Most patterns are undated so guesses are preceded by a question mark but acknowledgement is made to the invaluable resource of the University of Rhode Island Commercial Pattern Archive http://www.uri.edu/library/special_collections/COPA/index.html.
The images and metadata presented in the Paper Patterns collection are copyright of the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London. They may be used for private research and study purposes only. They must not be copied or amended in any way without first gaining the permission of the copyright holder. Enquires regarding reproduction should be sent to the address below. Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders to gain permission for use of the images held within the collection. We will withdraw the images immediately on copyright holder's request, if appropriate. The patterns are not for loan.
|The Archives
London College of Fashion
20 John Princes Street
London WIG OBJ


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Makeover Pick-Me-Up Cream Cheese Brownies
Total TimePrep: 30 min. Bake: 35 min. + cooling
Makes2-1/2 dozen
- 1/4 cup reduced-fat butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg whites
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate baking chips
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate baking chips
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate and extract. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture. Fold in baking chips; set aside.
- In a small bowl, dissolve espresso powder in water; cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour, extract and espresso mixture. Add egg; beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in baking chips.
- Spread half of chocolate mixture into a 13x9-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray; top with cream cheese mixture. Spoon remaining chocolate batter over top; cut through batter with a knife to swirl.
- Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars.
Editor's NoteThis recipe was tested with Land O'Lakes light stick butter.
Nutrition Facts1 piece: 159 calories, 8g fat (4g saturated fat), 27mg cholesterol, 101mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (16g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 fat, 1 starch.
Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Recommended Video
Apr 11, 2012
Forget doing this recipe "lo-fat." You save nothing with lo-fat butter or cream cheese; they both have more hidden fat and carbs that substantially raise the calories. As for the 1 1/4 cups of sugar, you definitely take this recipe out of the running for being healthy! I would also substitute vanilla extract for rum extract; that leaves an awkard flavor in both the base and the cheesecake layer. Also, unless you're into bittersweet chocolate fan, you could also substitute semi-sweet.As the sole previous rater suggested, this recipe needs to be made quickly. I'd like to put to rest that it is a simple recipe and that you need not move quickly. I would suggest making the cheesecake layer first and set it aside. Proceed next with the base layer and then continue on with the cheesecake layer, then the swirl portion. Lastly, baking the brownies at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes is too low a temp for this recipe. Try 350 instead and bake for 30 minutes, checking to see if the brownies are done by inserting a wooden skewer in the middle. If it's still slightly chocolately, bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, but no more. Otherwise the edges will harden like rock and the entire brownie will be baked unevenly.
May 18, 2011
I have made these brownies three times now, twice for office pot lucks, and they are a big hit. ****BIG FYI read through this recipe at least 2-3 times before you get started, the flow of the directions leaves allot to be desired. You will need to have all your ingredients prepared and ready to go before you start mixing this recipe together, some ingredients need to be cooked and mixed separately before mixing into the main recipe. You cannot work this recipe on the fly and it will come together very fast. You might need a shot or two of espresso before you start this recipe as this is a very fast paced recipe and you will need to multitask.


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Archive for the 'North-East' Category
More flash flooding problems in South Shields
Ocean Road suffers again.
The brief but intense thunderstorm which hit the north east of England this afternoon was not in any way an exceptional summer weather event, the storm lasted less than an hour and the volume of rain was far less than the last storm to hit us in South Tyneside. Yet once again a familiar story unfolded as parts of South Shields were dealt a miserable hand due mainly to inadequate drainage solutions. Ocean Road once more bore the brunt of the weather as shopkeepers and guest house owners reached for the sand bags and plastic sheeting in a hurried attempt to prevent damage to their flooring. A similar picture was emerging at Tyne Dock at its junction with Eldon Street.
After scores of promises of action, millions of pounds worth of investment from Northumbrian Water, a similar level of activity from South Tyneside Council, we still see scenes such as these in South Shields and other parts of the borough. People that I spoke to this afternoon were almost distraught and bitterly frustrated that their businesses could be put at risk by a simple summer rainstorm and the apparent inability of local officialdom and utility players to keep a few drains running clear. The residents know exactly which drains will block, how quickly, and can almost accurately count the minutes before the waters will subside, yet they still have to suffer.
We can count ourselves lucky that South Tyneside Council were only having three free concerts in the Bents Park as part of the Summer Festival this year, otherwise the usual final concert would have been an ordeal to say the least.
Mayor in new "cuts agenda"
The Mayor of South Tyneside to cut her weight
The Mayor of South Tyneside Cllr. Eileen Leask told me today that she is on a mission to make serious cuts! No, not more public finances under threat but her waistline!
Eileen is determined to lose a few pounds and will be asking people to sponsor her to raise funds for some of the Mayoress's charities this year. Having lost a few myself over the past two years I'll be only too happy to help her out, and a little publicity to start her campaign cannot cause it any damage. More details when I get them – best of luck Eileen 🙂
Cardle disappoints at South Tyneside Summer Festival
Short set from former X Factor winner
Heard quite a few moans and groans in the Bents Park, South Shields this afternoon as Matt Cardle fans seemed a little cheesed off at his late arrival at the venue and the late start to his performance. The former X Factor winner was also heard moaning about his audio and asking technicians to make adjustments to his vocals in between songs. Most disappointing was the shortness of his set at around thirty minutes, but I guess at a free gig beggars can't be choosers. The concert attracted a very decent sized crowd, although not as large as last week's even though the weather was ten times better. The park was bathed in warm sunshine with just a few clouds floating by as we all filled the place with deck chairs and aluminium tables for a decidedly family afternoon of music and entertainment. Unfortunately it was left to local performers to pad out the schedule but they took it in their stride, and despite nervousness gave a good account of themselves. For me the real star of the show was former Britain's Got Talent contestant Ryan O'Shaughnessy, he finished in fifth place in the sixth series of the popular TV talent show in May this year. Like Cardle, O'Shaughnessy just appeared with a guitar to warm the crowd with some very mature songs, the Irish lad really was a breath of fresh air.
I guess it's a bit of a shame that he eclipsed Cardle, but he had the audience in his hands whereas Cardle seemed to be totally unaware of where South Shields was!
Oh well, with a choice of a free concert in South Shields or an almighty struggle with crowds down the road making for the Sunderland International Air Show I think I made the right choice (anybody else notice the apparent lack of planes over South Shields this weekend?)
Visit South Tyneside
The advertising campaign
OK we must have seen this a fair bit now, and apart from one desperately upset reader in the Shields Gazette it appears to have hit the right notes, if it didn't it hit people who are not bothered about complaining too much. Personally I think it is a very good edit squeezing as much content as possible into 45 seconds, I'd prefer to see a little less "branding" and a little more of the sea front parks and beaches but perhaps I'm nitpicking. I've seen it on television, online, and at public events, I assume that it has also been distributed to cinemas.
I'd be interested in knowing how much has been spent on the campaign and how South Tyneside Council plan to measure its success. I'd also like to know if any of our local businesses were asked to contribute to the cost in return for a second or two of fame.
It is good to see that our council is now reaching out more openly to wider markets by allowing content to be freely shared on YouTube and Facebook, there are still some who won't.
Scouting for Girls, and Jenny too.
South Tyneside Festival now in full swing
I found it difficult to hide a little disappointment that South Shields would not see any of The Mouth of the Tyne Festival this year, the Saturday night parade has become a luminary and pyrotechnic spectacle that we all much looked forward to, and the varied entertainment on the Sunday was also a great "crowd magnet". However, times are hard, cash is tight, wee have to cut our cloth, yet still we can manage to bring thousands of smiles to faces in South Tyneside as our Summer Festival adapts to the changes as today's free concert in South Shields' Bents Park provided some attractive and stirring competition to the street walkabout acts in Tynemouth. I missed last Saturday's opening parade because of work commitments but there was no way that I would be missing today's event as local girl Jenny Stevens and her band The Hiccups stepped up another notch to play to probably the largest crowd they've ever played to.
The South Shields based four piece now have a more rounded sound and style with some heavier riffs and beats to accompany the melody created in Jen's self penned songs, Jenny has been a member of the Curly's Corner Shop Message Board and a Twitter user for some time now, so many of us were delighted to be able to enjoy her warm up act which was a very decent set played to a demographic which perhaps was not her usual "market" (lets be fair most buyers of the band's CDs are a little bit older than the average Scouting for Girls fan), she has also done a great deal of self marketing and promotion through the use of social networking sites so there really were no excuses for local music lovers NOT to know that she'd be playing today. The set included a great selection from the first album Meg's Hill and the new album Better Frame of Mind. If you don't know the music of Jen Stevens and the Hiccups watch this video for a taster:
Thankfully the weather stayed dry, a mixture of cool clouds and breezes interspersed with some warm sunshine, it certainly helped in getting the crowds out and I'd not be far wrong in guessing that perhaps 18000 packed the Bents Park, almost as many as attended the Joe McCelderry coming home concert last year. The giant screen first introduced at the Bents Park last year was in use again and very much appreciated by those families at the back, whilst at the front of the stage thousands of young boys and girls recreated a version of a "mosh pit" revelling in seeing their faces caught by the cameras. Unfortunately it made my job of taking pictures that much more difficult with a camera rostrum erected right in front of the centre of the stage, shooting over the heads of thousands of youngsters is difficult enough without other obstructions, I think I'll take along my own step ladders next time 🙂
Next up were the headline act Scouting for Girls whose debut self titled album went to No. 1 in the charts in 2007, the next album Everybody Wants t be on TV reached No. 2 in the charts and gave them a No. 1 hit single in 2010. They are a three piece band from London with a huge fan base in the mid to late teens group who were very vocal today. Not exactly my taste in music, but hey if they draw a crowd into South Shields for the right reasons then that's fine by me, they sound a bit too much like the Gary Barlow Take That genre. Anyway here's the one that had them all jumping!
All in all a great afternoon, pretty busy, lots of cash being spent and lots of visitors in town. South Shields and South Tyneside can be happy that the Summer Festival is definitely in full swing, next Sunday we have former X Factor winner Matt Cardle in the Bents Park, sure to be another big draw!
"Chillaxing" with David Miliband
Former Foreign Secretary takes the sea air in South Shields
A lot of people were rather bemused that Prime Minister "call me Dave" Cameron carved out "chillaxing" time at the weekends by losing his daughter at the pub or playing games on his iPad, or even fitting in a game of tennis, but really it must do an MP (or a PM) a world of good to get away from the Westminster village and make time for more important matters, especially if he/she has a young family. So it was good to see our constituency MP David Miliband along with his wife Louise and the two boys "enjoying" yesterday's horrendous rain on the sea front in South Shields. Sheltered beneath his NASUWT umbrella, the former Foreign Secretary was in very anonymous mood dressed down in denim jeans, and a sporty looking waterproof zippered jacket that could easily have come from one of Mike Ashley's outlets (let's hope not), matched to a very expensive looking pair of brown suede boots. He and his family were making the most of this trip to the constituency as the parade for Armed Services Day was about to make its way down from Gypsies Green Stadium to the Bents Park, yet despite the weather they all seemed to be enjoying themselves quite unperturbed by the lack of apparent interest in them, they could easily have been Mr. and Mrs. Thompson from Tynemouth on a day trip – Joe Public was none the wiser!
Oddly I didn't see David Miliband in the Bents Park for the commemorative service for our armed personnel (that is not to say that he wasn't in there for a time) but I did see him and one of his sons making his way along Bents Park Road homeward bound as the service was in progress. The talk was of things that young boys find so important of course, like building some sort of "transformers" type machine big enough to hide inside of a van and ready to gobble up marauders, and as most fathers know only too well thoughts quickly turn to the empty stomach and move towards lunch if the lads have had some exercise.
Now Colemans fish and chips are very nice, but on a Sunday?
Well, why not? However, it has to be said that there are other fish and chip shops worth a try in town, but when it comes down to ice cream the lads are totally correct, there is no other ice cream in the world after you have tasted Minchellas!
Armed Forces Day 2012 in South Shields
The Badlanders ride into town
I don't know why, but every time we hold a special commemoration for Armed Forces Day in South Shields we end up with heavy skies and rain, and so it was on this damp Sunday morning as the Badlanders MCC rode into town along the Coast Road to the Bents Park. A cavalcade of hundreds of big noisy brash and expensive motorbikes preceded the parade of local armed services personnel and youth groups led a pipe band marching from Gypsies Green Stadium watched by a very encouraging crowd which grew massively as they approached the entrance to the Bents Park. The parade took the salute from the Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear Nigel Sherlock O.B.E. alongside the Mayor and Mayoress of South Tyneside Cllrs. Eilleen Leask and Olive Puncheon at a dais erected next to the clean and modern looking caravan park of Sea Road. Considering the inclement weather (no we have had our fair share of rain this summer too) it was encouraging to see so many youngsters and families coming along to pay homage to the courage, bravery, and steadfastness of our armed services in the service of our country.
In past years the parade and salute has taken place at the Town Hall on the same day as the rest of the country, at times the parade was so short that it almost went unnoticed, so the decision to combine it with the excellent and well organised fun day provided by these motorbike enthusiasts appears to be the right one. Many of the Badlanders are former members of the armed services and will often be seen visiting South Shields for the annual Service of Remembrance each November at Westoe, they spend months and months planning and organising this huge event which grows and grows each year – they are to be heartily congratulated for the sterling work that they do raising thousands of pounds for service charities each year.
As the parade entered the Bents Park the groups lined up in front of the main stage for an inspection by the Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear and the Mayor of South Tyneside, this was followed by a special religious service conducted by vicar of St. Michael and All the Angels, Westoe, the Revd. Paul Kennedy, himself a former decorated serviceman. His exhortation included the ode from the moving poem by Lawrence Binyon "For the Fallen":
They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
The National Anthem was played by the Durham Army Cadet band.The rest of the day was spent in showing off the magnificent machines, sports and games for the children, demonstrations, and live music from local rock bands. If you would like to see pictures form the "fun" part of the day, you will need to tune in to South Shields Daily Picturesover the next few weeks. No amount of thunder or lightening was going to stop them!


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I'm planning a ride from Ft. Worth to Alaska on June 15th, 2013. I'm planning on 3 weeks and will primarily camp along the way.
I'm looking for 1 or 2 more riders to join me on the trip. I'm a 53 year old Financial Planner, 35 years experience on the bike and have wanted to make this trip for several years.
If anyone is interested, or knows of someone who might be interested, please contact me.
Kevin Nichols


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Here's my latest Clean Break column in the Toronto Star:
By Tyler Hamilton
Ontario's new Energy Minister Chris Bentley has much to learn over the coming weeks about the province's complex energy file, and hopefully with that learning will come some genuine listening.
It's tempting to think that the Liberal win earlier this month was a vote of confidence in the government's green energy strategy, warts and all.
But one could just as easily argue that the outcome of the election would have been very different if PC party leader Tim Hudak hadn't taken such an extremely negative position against the Green Energy Act, the feed-in tariff (FIT) program and associated initiatives.
Voters, by and large, are supportive – and many quite proud – of Ontario's green energy vision. They see that it's the direction we must take. They also see economic opportunity by heading in that direction, if done properly. For this reason, it appears most voters weren't prepared to let Hudak hit stop and press the rewind button.
At the same time, the fact that the Liberals only squeaked ahead in the popular vote seems a clear message that the approach behind the vision needs some fixing – and fast.
For one, the ball has been dropped on energy conservation. We know that the cost of programs that help us reduce energy consumption is much less than building new power supply. We know that investment in energy efficiency has a much faster payback, represents a permanent reduction in carbon emissions, and is a significant job creator.
We also know that widespread support for energy conservation is the best way to help ratepayers cope with rising electricity rates. After all, who cares if the rate goes up if the monthly bill stays the same?
Yes, the smart grid will help us take control of our energy use, and smart meters can encourage us to shift when we use electricity. All of this helps, but it doesn't encourage us to use less electricity. It's not true conservation. And trust me, we waste a lot of energy. There's much to conserve.
The Liberals have also paid a lot of lip-service to helping seniors and those on fixed-income cope with rising energy bills, but what's lacking is meaningful action. The Clean Energy Benefit temporarily slapped on everyone's bills is not an answer, nor is an end-of-year tax credit on a bill that's paid monthly.
Another fix is needed with the FIT program itself. The rate structure is terribly out of date, and the Ontario Power Authority is already late in launching its two-year review of rates paid out for solar, wind, small hydro and biomass projects.
The rates under the FIT program were first announced in early 2009 and designed to assure a "reasonable" return on investment – about 11 or 12 per cent—for developers. The problem is that technology costs shift over time, sometimes dramatically. Solar is a case in point.
A recent report from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory concluded that the average pre-incentive cost of residential and commercial solar PV systems fell 17 per cent last year and a further 11 per cent in the first half of 2011.
"Solar cell prices around the world have gone down significantly," Paco Caudet, general manager of solar module maker Siliken Canada, told me this summer. "We have brought down costs over the last five months alone by almost 30 per cent."
You hear the same story over at Celestica, which is manufacturing solar panels and inverters in Ontario for other companies looking to comply with local content rules.
Mike Andrade, the company's senior vice-president, echoed Caudet's view. He said the original solar FIT rates were based on a price for panels and inverters that is now 30 to 40 per cent lower. "Developers can make a fine return on investment at a much lower FIT rate than we have now," he said.
Yet we continue to wait for rate adjustments. In retrospect, the two-year review was a mistake. Rate structure reviews should be done annually so the program can more quickly adapt to a changing marketplace.
We might also want to ask: should developers of multi-megawatt solar projects and large wind farms be booted out of the FIT program entirely?
After all, the program was created so community cooperatives, small businesses, farmers and homeowners could participate more easily in an electricity system previously dominated by the big developers, who were the only ones with the resources to take part in a competitive bidding process.
The level of community participation hoped for just hasn't happened under the FIT, and this may explain why the McGuinty government had such a poor showing in rural Ontario ridings. People in many of these ridings are feeling like big projects are being imposed on them and that they have little say in the process.
European studies show that there is less resistance to projects when those in the community feel they have part ownership and a voice that will be heard. The FIT needs to move in that direction.
Not to say we still won't need the big projects. But developers of these should be required to bid against each other so that Ontario ratepayers are assured the best deal.
And that, in a nutshell, is the problem we have so far: a great green vision, but not necessarily the best deal.
There's much room for improvement, but first the government has to recognize the need.
Tyler Hamilton, author of Mad Like Tesla, writes weekly about green energy and clean technologies.