text:
Read the full story here Web Link posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012, 7:25 AM
Town Square
End of chapter for Kepler's Books and Magazines
Original post made on Jan 10, 2012
Read the full story here Web Link posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012, 7:25 AM
Comments (29)
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jan 10, 2012 at 9:08 am
> He thought the key might be repositioning the bookstore to do what
> Amazon and other retailers can't do, instead of trying to win an
> impossible battle against online sellers.
Kepler is wise to recognize the inevitable. The digital revolution has advanced so far that people who have grown up in brick-n-mortar settings can not conceive of how to reinvent themselves quickly enough. This happened to the mainframe companies in the late 1980s, as micro-computers on desktops replaced large, central-site, computers. Most of those 1960s/1970s mainframe companies are gone now.
We're looking at the possibility of "wearable computers" that will replace micro-computers one of these days. And with the continuing digitization of the world's extant published works, the need for book stores, and public libraries, diminishes with each passing day.
Kepler would be wise to shut his operation now .. rather than burn up a lot of other people's money .. try to stave off the onslaught of the digital future.
a resident of Mountain View
on Jan 10, 2012 at 11:21 am
the_punnisher is a registered user.
The big " K " needs a new business plan; please check into the Tattered Cover in Denver to see what type of business plan works.
Web Link
A similar situation with a successful business plan.
Evolve. The Tattered Cover did. And it is thriving.
a resident of Midtown
on Jan 10, 2012 at 11:28 am
To The-Future-Is-Digital -- I understand your point and to some extent agree with it. My job is working with technology every day at Stanford. But I think if there's anything we can say with certainly about the future, it's that there's nothing we can say with certainly. What we can do is try to keep hold of our values and find ways to let them guide us in whatever that turns out to be.
I was a student haunting Kepler's narrow aisles back in the original location in the 60's and listening to Roy Kepler talk about non-violence in Stanford dorms. The bookstore, the discussions, the controversies, all were part of the same thing -- it's that thing that (to me at least) is a value that we must not lose.
(OK, soapbox off.)
a resident of another community
on Jan 10, 2012 at 11:29 am
I've been shopping at Kepler's since 1956 when I was in 8th grade, having no idea at the time that it was controversial! It's just been a marvelous place to find books that appeared nowhere else. It started my love of books, and although I now live in San Mateo, it is still my favorite place to find a new read. It is tempting at times to buy at another cheaper place, and I was encouraged that they started to accept used books (hoping it would help it survive like Powell's in Portland), but that hasn't seem to help enough. I so admire Praveen Madan and his wife, Christin Evans for doing whatever they can to keep this treasure available to inspire more people to read. I don't think there is a magic pill that will guarantee success in this digital world, but hopefully they will keep trying to find something that will work. Just because some other industries haven't been saved, doesn't mean this one can't be made over into a success.
a resident of Menlo Park
on Jan 10, 2012 at 12:34 pm
The rental cost in that location works against a bookstore's ability to survive. Clark's business model hasn't worked very well.
I miss the intimacy from days of Roy Kepler & Ira Sandperl.
a resident of Midtown
on Jan 10, 2012 at 3:22 pm
I agree with Tom.
a resident of another community
on Jan 10, 2012 at 3:44 pm
How does Powell's Bookstore in Portland make it, and continue to get bigger? It now takes up a complete City block plus some other adjacent parcels. Its not particularly well organized, clean, well lit -- its cafe is sad to say the least. But the place is packed all hours of the day, and you can spend 3-4 hours there (without coffee or a computer) and never get bored. Menlo Park and Palo Alto should be able to support such a venture!
a resident of Green Acres
on Jan 10, 2012 at 4:41 pm
I don't know about Powell's now, but even in the past they had a thriving online used book business, an old a rare books section (with a lot of very expensive books), and they are in a place where you can't beat the foot traffic.
a resident of Embarcadero Oaks/Leland
on Jan 10, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Gone by way as the blacksmith. The times continue to change, as will traditional book store/cafes and the like. Come up with an entirely different business plan and stay ahead of the curve. Nostalgic and nice but a thing of the past.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Jan 10, 2012 at 6:15 pm
Well, obviously digitital books have a great advantage over paper books, but i still like paper books, or let's say the e-books is hardly perfect.
When I read from my Kindle or iPad I do not get an intuitive feel for where I am in the book, or even the page. Depending on the type face or settings one page looks different every time it can be looked at.
Then there is the text-to-speech thing, which is a great idea, the main reason I got a Kindle, because it can read to me when I have my hands or eyes occupied, but the publisher can turn that off and on. I hate that. I think it is discriminatory to blind people, which I am not, but still!
I do not even know what chapter I am in, and the speed bar at the bottom of the page is not really a help. The page itself should have chapter and the page or whatever edition the e-book is taken from .
Also illustrations and especially diagrams are problematic. I really do not like e-books except for text-to-speech and how portable they are.
There should be some base level of book defined by law - an e-book, viewable and readable to certain standards with handicapped access like text-to-speech, all for one price - then if you want the hardcopy you pay extra for that. That way only the books people really liked would make it to hardcopy saying lots of paper, trees, ink, pollution, energy, etc.
a resident of College Terrace
on Jan 10, 2012 at 6:59 pm
Tech shmeck! There is nothing like the look, feel and smell of an independent book store. Keplers has been great. The machine will never replace paperback or hardcover just as robots will never replace man.
a resident of Embarcadero Oaks/Leland
on Jan 10, 2012 at 7:28 pm
Yeah well it won't be long before it's closed. People once said there was nothing like the look, feel, and smell of a horse drawn carriage. Independent bookstores will exist to serve a small niche of the population. It's called progress. Get used to it.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jan 10, 2012 at 7:54 pm
> The machine will never replace paperback or hardcover
> just as robots will never replace man.
Don't be so certain about that --
New Honda ASIMO World's Most Advanced Robot Leads Woman on :
Web Link
New Honda ASIMO Humanoid Robot Recognizes Peoples Voices Simultaneously:
Web Link
New Honda ASIMO Humanoid Robot News Pours Drink
Web Link
and by the way .. you're reading/writing this blog using a machine.
a resident of Midtown
on Jan 10, 2012 at 8:27 pm
Walter_E_Wallis is a registered user.
My e-book cost 99.99 and is as good as a Kindle. Full internet access.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jan 11, 2012 at 7:47 am
Major libraries around the world are making their treasures available to the world, via e-books:
Web Link
Over time, local bookshops are just not going to be able to compete with worldwide availability of books, movies, etc.
a resident of another community
on Jan 11, 2012 at 1:14 pm
Retiring at 53?? Lucky Kepler.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Jan 11, 2012 at 3:22 pm
The book sales business has been in a state of change for quite a while. The local book stores were mostly wiped out by the mega sellers like Barnes & Noble. Kepler's survived. Now the mega's retail operations are being wiped out by their own internet sales divisions and the Kindles. Kinda just desserts don't ya think.
Hopefully, Kepler's can adjust their business model to stay ahead of the game.
a resident of Menlo Park
on Jan 12, 2012 at 9:07 am
coming soon - 3-d printers - print whatever you want - print your next refrigerator -
maybe books aren't printed but everything else will be
a resident of Embarcadero Oaks/Leland
on Jan 12, 2012 at 9:19 am
It's over for Kepler's. The business models that might find some success in places like Portland and Denver would not fit the changing demographics of the Bay Area. He can get in line with the blacksmiths along with his ideas.
a resident of Menlo Park
on Jan 12, 2012 at 9:29 am
3d printers and it's over for everybody else as well. poor people who can't afford printers will be the new cavepeople
a resident of another community
on Jan 12, 2012 at 12:18 pm
All retailing has not moved to the web, and probably will not move solely to the web.
Not only was Kepler's mobbed during the holidays, but so was the Stanford Mall. Also note the daily crowds at Costco, Target, TJMaxx etc. etc. etc. -- these retailers combine store/web merchandising to meet the demands of their customers and have adjusted, and continue to adjust their sales models.
The customer base has a lot of variety.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jan 12, 2012 at 7:05 pm
This week Kodak, and Twinkies, have each filed for bankruptcy reorganization. Kodak has fallen to the Digital Revolution, Twinkies, as it were, has other, problems--such as pensions owed to labor union members ..
American Airlines is in bankruptcy, with Delta circling as a possible suitor:
Web Link
And the Post Office would file for Bankruptcy, if it could--also finding people using the Internet to replace paper mail.
The times--they are a changin' ..
a resident of Menlo Park
on Jan 12, 2012 at 9:05 pm
It's just a bookstore - nothing more. Yes people gathered there in the 60's to exchange ideas. People gathered in a lot of places. I just don't understand why Kepler's is held on some pedestal. We all have places from our past that make us feel young and where we have great memories. Most of them are gone. This too will pass.
a resident of Embarcadero Oaks/Leland
on Jan 12, 2012 at 10:24 pm
Exactly, it's just a bookstore. Maybe they can downscale and become a used or antique bookstore that caters to the minority of people that are still interested. They can carve out a small niche. Aging hippies can gather and think of days gone by. Bookstores of this type will be about as rare as a pay phone, and soon to follow, newspapers.
a resident of Menlo Park
on Jan 13, 2012 at 6:59 am
can't help noticing the glee with which people are rubbing their hands, thrilled to bits that life is starting to bite those poor people who would not embrace change.
just remember-- you don't know the real cost of onlinery. It had to be, remember, subsidized, in order to get off the ground. It won't be as much fun when it starts costing what it should've cost from the beginning, and by the time that happens, you might be one of the ones who has to choose between dinner and facebook.
a resident of another community
on Jan 13, 2012 at 11:58 am
Such nasty comments with stunning age-ism -- today's fashionable prejudice? With any luck, you might get older and get this hostile treatment too.
re: BOOKS:
Note that Amazon sells both Kindle and traditional books and does well at both, Costco's traditional book section does great. The book is not dead and people of all ages read them and shop at on-the-ground stores. Have you really not seen people of all ages at Keplers (hords of kids), and at other local stores?
There are many different book-buying habits and many folks use different modes at different times --- just as they make other purchases in different ways at different times.
Should we eliminate the University Ave/Santa Cruz shops or the Stanford Shopping Center because you can get the same stuff online? Should we eliminate grocery stores because people can go marketing online?
Kepler's provides unique local/small retailer services...e.g. Service, recommendations, and because it is in this unique intellectual community their events with literary superstars are very well attended.
A SIMPLE IDEA: Perhaps a new Kepler's business model for Kepler's would include more choices --- both electronic and traditional books, and perhaps they would expand their unique events and other live programs.
a resident of Charleston Gardens
on Jan 13, 2012 at 2:38 pm
"Perhaps a new Kepler's business model for Kepler's would include more choices"
A good model would be to get rid of Clark Kepler---he has run the business into the ground twice now. Instead of constantly whining about competition and how everyone should just shop locally (i.e. overpay to fatten his wallet) maybe he should concentrate on following the above advice.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jan 13, 2012 at 3:17 pm
I don't see the point of the nasty comments. I shop via a variety of methods.
I do worry about consolidation of information in online form, over time, only made available by certain behemoth gatekeepers, for a price. Er, a monopoly. One in particular is cozying up to the Obama Administration (and I imagine has made massive donations to his coffers) and will be awarded the management of ALL of U.S. citizen's medical information. Things like this are why I support (attempting to keep) a variety of local news media, public libraries, and so on. Mock me if you like.
a resident of Menlo Park
on Jan 17, 2012 at 6:44 am
Neighbor, excellent comments. See also Monday's (16th) NYT about these concerns over consolidation.
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Giving 10% of your income to effective charities can make an incredible difference to some of the most deprived people in the world. But what effect will giving have on you? You may be concerned that it will damage your quality of life and make you less happy. This is a perfectly reasonable concern, and there is no shame in wanting to live a full and happy life.
The good news is that giving can often make you happier. It is no secret that altruism can help us to feel good about ourselves, and this is now backed up by MRI scans which show this "warm-glow effect" in the reward centres of the brain.
Experiments have been conducted in which a group of people are given money, and half of them are required to spend it on themselves while half are required to spend it on other people. Contrary to their own expectations, the half who spent the money on others consistently get more pleasure out of the experience than their non-altruistic colleagues.
On a wider level, a 2010 study considered survey data from 136 countries to see whether people who answered yes to the question "Have you donated money to charity in the last month?" were happier overall. A clear correlation was found In 122 of the countries; in fact, on average it was found that donating to charity had a similar impact on happiness to household income doubling!
And this evidence is borne out in the testimony of Giving What We Can members. Giving 10% to effective charities is generally an extremely positive experience, giving you the satisfaction of knowing that you are making a genuine difference in the world.
If you're ready to get started, you can join us today. If you're not ready for that, sign up with us to Try Giving, which allows you to choose how much of your income to give, and for how long. Or, for other ways to help, see our page on Getting Involved.
You can learn more about these issues by viewing the following TED presentation, in which Michael Norton of Harvard Business School discusses surveys and experiments which suggest that spending money on others makes people happier than spending it on themselves.|
Try giving and see for yourself
- Aknin, Lara et al (2010). "Prosocial Spending and Well-Being: Cross-Cultural Evidence for a Psychological Universal", Harvard Business School Working Paper 11-038.
- Dunn, Elizabeth et al (2008). "Spending Money on Others Promotes Happiness", Science 319.
- Harbaugh, William et al (2007). "Neural responses to taxation and voluntary giving reveal motives for charitable donations", Science, 316

subset: commoncrawl


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Mayor's Office
Lincoln and Lancaster County residents are encouraged to recycle their scrap metal during the month of November to benefit the Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) recycling program. The recycling drive is being conducted as part of Lincoln Recycles Day (LRD) Saturday, November 17.
The two companies participating are Alter Scrap Processing, 6100 N. 70th St., and Sadoff Iron and Metal Company, 5020 N.W. 39th St. All types of scrap metal including aluminum and tin cans, pots and pans, appliances, wiring, sinks, bathtubs, electric motors can be recycled. All or part of the proceeds from the scrap metal can be donated to the LPS program. At the end of the drive, the two companies will match the amount of the public donation.
Funds raised for the LPS recycling program will be used to replace aging, worn out steel recycling containers. They will be recycled as scrap metal and be replaced with containers manufactured from recycled steel. The LPS recycling program provides recycling education and opportunities in all LPS school classrooms, offices and support buildings. Currently, LPS recycles about 1.2 million pounds of material annually, or 24 percent of its refuse.
LRD is observed in conjunction with America Recycles Day (ARD), recognized annually on November 15. Celebrating its 15th year, ARD has grown to include millions of Americans and is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products.
City Recycling Coordinator Gene Hanlon reminds residents of the difference they can make by recycling. "By recycling, we conserve resources and valuable landfill space," said Hanlon. "There is a network of 35 recycling drop-off sites in Lincoln and Lancaster County. There are also many private businesses that offer curbside recycling services as well as recycling services for other household items such as electronics, batteries, tires and fluorescent bulbs."
Several other local events are planned in November in conjunction with LRD:
During the month of November, residents are urged to sign a pledge for recycling by visiting recycle.lincoln.ne.gov. More information about LRD and other local recycling opportunities can be found at recycle.lincoln.ne.gov or by calling the recycling hotline at 402-441-8215.


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Chinese search engine Baidu.com is not only the biggest search engine in China, but the third largest search engine globally. According to comScore metrics for December 2007, Baidu.com handled 3.4 billion queries that month to Microsoft's 1.9 billion.
Part of Baidu's popularity, at least according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, stems from its disregard for intellectual property. The IFPI announced today that legal proceedings have been started against Baidu and a handful of other Chinese companies for their role in supporting privacy. The crime? Baidu provides links to file-sharing sites and, in many instances, direct links to pirated songs hosted on servers throughout the country. Separate legal action has been brought against web portal Sohu as well as Yahoo China, the latter of which is "refusing to comply" with a December ruling regarding such "deep linking."
"The music industry in China wants partnership with the technology companies—but you cannot build partnership on the basis of systemic theft of copyrighted music and that is why we have been forced to take further actions," said John Kennedy, chairman and chief executive of IFPI, in a statement.
The IFPI says it unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate a resolution to this matter with all parties, even after a December ruling against Yahoo China by the Beijing Higher People's Court which the IFPI says clearly forbids deep linking to copyrighted music. Yahoo China lost that case in the spring of last year, and lost its appeal last December. The court upheld a judgment against Yahoo China for 210,000 Yuan.
The new legal proceedings against Baidu represent a second go at it. Just as the IFPI had won its case against Yahoo China in December, that same month a suit against Baidu was thrown out. The IFPI says it is confident that this new case will be judged according to the same copyright laws that granted victory against Yahoo China.
The new proceedings against Baidu were initiated by Universal Music Ltd, Sony BMG Music Entertainment (Hong Kong) Ltd and Warner Music Hong Kong Ltd. The same three labels were joined by Gold Label Entertainment Limited in a separate suit against Sohu and its associate business, Sogou. Coincidentally, Sohu is an official sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
According to the IFPI, piracy is so rampant in China that legitimate sales of music total less than $80 million per annum and constitute less than 1 percent of the global music market.


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We had acorn squash from our farm share. We had risotto. We wanted to marry the two. Therein lies the rub: My trusty The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook includes a delicious-sounding recipe titled "Almost Hands-Free Risotto," which requires only about five minutes, total, of stirring—nearly unheard of for such a high-maintenance dish. The same cookbook also includes a recipe for butternut squash risotto that requires more than 30 minutes of stirring.
Who are we kidding? Of course we went for the easier version, tailoring it to include the squash. By taking a shortcut, we may have missed out on fully infusing some of that earthy squash flavor into the rice, but danged if I could tell the difference. I chose to enjoy the extra time I would have spent stirring eating a second helping instead. Our adapted recipe is below, with a couple of notable tweaks (ahem, pumpkin beer).
Serves six
» 1 acorn squash
» 5 c low-sodium chicken or veggie broth
» 1 ½ c water
» 5 T unsalted butter
» 1 large onion, minced
» 1 large garlic clove, minced or pressed
» 2 c Arborio rice
» 1 c pumpkin beer (the recipe called for white wine, but we had CBC's Great Pumpkin Ale in the fridge—yes, I'd do it again)
» 2 oz Parmesan cheese (I used goat, which enhanced the mellow/creamy factor, but I bet Parm would add a nice sharpness)
» 1 t lemon juice
» 4 T chopped herbs (the recipe called for parsley, but I used cilantro from my farm share, plus rosemary and garlic chives from the backyard)
» Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Bring the broth and water to boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Reduce to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer.
Meanwhile, slice the acorn squash in half lengthwise, gut the seeds and fibers, then peel the outside with a vegetable peeler. (First peel the ridges you can access easily, then slice the squash into long pieces, cutting lengthwise along the valleys, so that you can reach those trickier bits that still need peeling.) Chop the squash into half-inch chunks and sauté it with 1 T of the butter over medium heat in a small pan for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender. Remove from pan and set aside.
Heat 2 T of the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. (The Dutch oven is crucial to the minimal stirring.) When the butter has melted, add the onion and ¾ t salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 second. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the grains are translucent around the edges, about 3 minutes.
Add the beer and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir your squash and 5 cups of the warm broth mixture into the rice, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed, 16 to 19 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.
Add ¾ c more of the broth mixture and stir gently until the risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cheese. Remove the pot from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 T butter, the lemon juice, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. If desired, add up to ½ c remaining broth mixture to loosen the texture of the risotto. (We reserved the broth to stir into our leftovers before putting them in the fridge.) Inhale immediately. Rich, creamy, and comforting—like mac and cheese for grownups.
STILL HUNGRY? For more HOMEGROWN recipes, browse the CSA Cookoff file.
Views: 149
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Crucially, the discovery, published today in the journal Nature Communications, shows that women who are overweight have a faulty switch. The finding may explain why overweight women have a higher likelihood of irregular contractions and are more likely to require a caesarean section than other women.
It's well known that strong rhythmic contractions of the uterus are needed to allow the baby's head to dilate the cervix. However little was known about what controls these contractions until now.
The groundbreaking research from Monash University, the Royal Women's Hospital and the Hunter Medical Research Institute, show that a potassium ion channel called hERG in the uterus is responsible.
Acting as a powerful electrical brake, hERG works during pregnancy to suppress contractions and prevent premature labour. However, at the onset of labour a protein acts as a switch to turn hERG off, removing the brake and ensuring that labour can take place.
The team, led by Professor Helena Parkington from the School of Biomedical Sciences at Monash University, found that in overweight women the switch doesn't work, failing to turn hERG off.
"We've known for years that women who are overweight are much more likely to experience complications during pregnancy and labour - but we didn't know why," Professor Parkington said.
"Pinpointing the mechanism is a major breakthrough, not only does it ensure a smooth pregnancy, but knowing when contractions kick in at more or less the right time, is crucial to our understanding of the labour process."
Figures from the Royal Women's Hospital show that over 50 per cent of Australian women are overweight or obese; including thirty five per cent of women aged 25-35. As a result, clinicians are seeing more pregnant women who are overweight. These women are far more likely to experience complications during labour and delivery and require medical intervention.
By analysing uterine muscle biopsies from 70 pregnant women, the team found striking differences between overweight women and those of a healthy weight.
Testing the electrical signals in small amounts of uterine tissue taken from women who had an elective caesarean before labour started and women who needed an emergency caesarean during their labour, proved that hERG was dysregulated in overweight women.
Professor Parkington said this is the first time that the brake and the protein controlling it have been identified in uterine muscle. The insight could help to reduce complications during pregnancy and labour in overweight women.
"Now we know what is responsible for malfunctioning labour in overweight women, we can look to develop treatments to correct the 'faulty' switch and ensure both safer pregnancies and labour for women and their babies," she said.
The next phase of the research will look at developing a safe, effective and specific treatment, for example a new drug that turns off the switch to allow labour to start and progress.


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Charles and Charlotte Rix of Fayette will celebrate 60 years of marriage this month. The couple was united in marriage Oct. 29, 1948, in Hilton, N.Y., by the bride's father, Rev. J. Morgan Reese.
Both Charles and Charlotte are retired educators who spent more than 20 years in the education field in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. They are the parents of Cherie, Cheryl (and Kerwin) Kaufman, and have three grandsons.
Family members invite friends to join them in honoring their parents by sending cards and letters of greeting to P.O. Box 282, Fayette, OH 43521.


text:
Now in its fourth year, the Cotswold Spring Classic sportive has a new sponsor and a new route – with extra hills added early in the day that proved a severe test for some riders, and a severe shock for others.
The weather was shocking too, with April showers in the morning turning to April downpours in the afternoon. But that didn't stop just over 500 riders (from a fully booked-out field of 750) setting off from the start.
After the early climbs up Hyde Hill and Cherrington Hill, respite came with 25 miles of fairly flat riding through the Cotswold Water Park, before the route aimed north to reach Bibury. But then the climbing returned, with increasingly steep hills made even harder as the weather worsened and the route aimed dead into the wind.
At about 60 miles, the routes split, and riders on the 105km option were almost home and dry. Unsurprisingly, many on the long option headed home too, leaving just 98 hardy souls to complete the 105-mile course.
At the finish, everyone agreed that the new route was much harder than last year. "But much more interesting" said one rider, "and definitely a challenge – whatever the weather!"
Website: www.cotswoldspringclassic.co.uk
Total ascent: 105km -1,220m / 100-mile – 2,241m
Terrain: Hills to start, flat in the middle, more hills to finish (especially on the long course)
Best: Small field, so no big queues at the start.
Worse: The final part of the long route, including killer climbs Catswood Hill and Old Neighbourhood Hill (both one-in-four)
Starters = 516
Finishers (105km) = 396
Finisher (105 miles) = 98
Male/Female split = 89%/11%
Oldest rider = David Watson from Manchester Velo, aged 71. Did the short route in 4-56-31
Missed it? Try this…
The team behind the Santini Cotswold Spring Classic have added a new event to their programme: The Santini Cotswold Autumn Classic is on Sunday 7 October 2012.
This article was first published in the May 3 issue of Cycling Weekly. You can also read our magazines on Zinio and download from the Apple store.


text:
motionettes santa
ernest saves christmas or elf
motionettes santa
ernest saves christmas or elf
ribbon or tinsel
Santa Hat or Elf Slippers?
"Christmas: it's not the giving, it's not the getting, it's the loving." - Garfield
I'm Admin of AllThingsChristmas Forum - Click Here to Message Me with questions or if you need help!
Santa hat
Home Alone 1 or Home Alone 2
Never saw Home Alone 1
licorice or peppermint
[QUOTE=Merry Christmas Darling;129195]Never saw Home Alone 1
licorice or peppermint[/QUOTE
peppermint, I hate licorice
toffee or peppermint
real tree or fake tree
either...they smell the same to me
Christmas in Maine or Florida
Snowman or Gingerbread man


text:
Luke Gallows Shoot Interview DVD-R
Luke Gallows AKA as Festus or the imposter Kane sat down with RF VIDEO for his first ever shoot interview and it was a blast. RF VIDEO always hits home runs wether it be a 20 year veteran or a young and upcoming superstar because we know what questions to ask. Luke was just released from the WWE a few months ago and he has a lot to say about his time in the company and especially his run with CM Punk and the straight edge society.
You will hear exclusive stories about his start in the business down in VA, MD and PA working small indy shows before he got his first big break. He talks a lot about his time in Deep South and what it was like to work with Bill Demott. We tackle the obvious questions about Bills techniques and if they were really out of line. What about his time working as the Freaking Deacon, don't worry we talk about that too.
How did Luke like to be called up to the big time to work his first program with Kane and why did it end so quickly. Was he shocked he had to go back down to the developmental territories after his brief stint. You will hear all the behind the scene stories on what it was like teaming up with Terry Gordys son Ray and how he liked working as a tag team wrestler. There are a ton of stories on some of the teams they worked with and some major backstage stories as well from around this time in the WWE.
One of his most memorable gimmicks was Festus. Did he like playing the that role and you will hear how Vince approached him for the gimmick in a hilarious story that has to be seen. Lukes big break was when he was paired with CM Punk and he was apart of the straight edge society. You will hear all the behind the scenes stories on CM Punk and what he was like to work with in the WWE. How much heat did he have and was it justified. How hard was it to live the gimmick and how much heat did they have towards Serena when she got released and the stable broke up.
Why did the police talk to him after the Benoit murder? What was Randy Orton like outside the ring? Is HHH easy to get along with? Is John Cena nice outside the ring to the younger guys? How does he feel about Johnny Ace?
We of course talk about all of his major matches in the WWE and you will hear tons of WWE backstage stories from the Undertaker, MVP, Matt Hardy, Miz, Morrison and so many other of the top WWE superstars. If you like locker room stories this will be one of those shoots you will clearly enjoy!!
How did you get started in the business
Were you a fan growing up
What was training like
Who was your biggest influence
Did you ever want to quit during your training
What are your memories down in West Virginia with Mason Dixon Wrestling
Memories of World Star Wrestling Federation
Memories of Summit Wrestling Association of PA
Memories working as Dorian Deville down in MD
Who was running Deep South when you got your WWE contract and how did you find out you got signed.
What was it like for you to get signed
Were you given any promises at all
Take us thru a typical day of training in Deep South
Memories of teaming up with Palmer Cannon
Did you like the Freaking Deacon name
Memories attacking kane as the IMposter Kane
Memories of the angles leading up to Vengeance PPV where you worked Kane
How was Kane to work with
After the blow off match you got your mask removed and the storyline ended and you went back to deep south why was that..Did the office feel the gimmick was not over?
You started to work Smackdown House shows was the Freaking Deacon and teamed with G Rilla
In May 200 teamed with Ray Gordy as part as A Southern Gimmick as the Dalton Boys
What was Ray Gordy like outside the ring
DO you feel he had pressure to be like his father
Who called the matches you or Ray and who was your agent
Who are some of the teams you guys got to work with
You were then
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