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Get excited about reading again with fun and interesting tips from our experts, including The M.D., our dietitians, and our fitness expert. In our health library, you will find all of the information you need to achieve your goals of making a healthy lifestyle change. So, start reading and start losing!
Healthy Eating
Here you will find tons of information about healthy eating and incorporating the principles of healthy nutrition into your daily life. Built around Dr. Cederquist's nutritional foundation for healthy weight loss, these articles place a wealth of information right at your fingertips.
Kids can certainly be picky eaters, especially when it comes to those "healthy" foods. However, healthy snacks kids can make and will actually eat does not have to be a defeat! Getting children involved with nutritious foods at an early age promotes health-sustaining practices for years to come. Get the kids in the kitchen with these homemade healthy snack ideas!
This fun little creation features celery stalks, peanut butter, and raisins! Fill the hollow area of the celery stalk with preferred peanut butter or other nut butter. Sprinkle on raisins and take a bite out of a classic, kid-friendly snack filled with protein and nutrients.
Peel and slice bananas into bite-sized pieces. Line bananas on a baking sheet with non-stick parchment paper. Drizzle melted dark chocolate onto bananas and sprinkle on nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or other desired toppings. Freeze until the chocolate is hardened and enjoy!
Dips are perfect for kids, as they offer them the chance to ditch the utensils and eat with their hands. Mix Greek yogurt, peanut butter, and a drizzle of honey together in a bowl. The dip pairs nicely with fresh strawberries, apple slices, and bananas.
Like mentioned above, dips are great for kids! Ranch and veggies are a great taste pairing. Unfortunately, store-bought ranch bottles are often loaded with hydrogenated oils, salt, and sugar. To avoid any unwanted ingredients, mix plain Greek yogurt and a dry ranch packet. The dip will not only be packed with flavor, but packed with protein. Dip cucumbers, carrots, and sliced peppers.
Popcorn can actually be a nutritious snack in absence of all the melted butter and added salt. Use seasonings found in your pantry to enhance and tailor the popcorn flavor to your liking. Try pizza seasonings such as oregano and basil or sweetened ideas to get your movie nights started!
Dip fresh blueberries into preferred yogurt and line on a non-stick baking sheet. Sprinkle on nuts, oats, coconut shavings or other tasty toppings. Freeze until the yogurt is hardened for a refreshing, antioxidant-rich treat!
Create a sliced apple station! Cut apples into slices and set out toppings kids can add themselves. Peanut butter, yogurt, raisins, nuts, seeds, and chocolate chips are just a few child-approved (and mom-approved!) ingredients.
For a mess-free picnic, alternate between meats and cheeses (chunks of chicken, sliced deli meats, and cheese cubes) on skewers. For an additional option, chop fresh fruits to have a fruit salad on a skewer. No bowls or utensils necessary, just a sweet tooth!
Simply answer a few questions so we can figure out your weight loss goals and provide solutions for a lighter, healthier you. Our weight loss meal plans are designed to help real people achieve real and lasting success.
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|It's a Cat's World
|Home Page | What's Going On.... | Karaoke Pics | Party Grrrls Pics | Random Pics | More Pics | Kitties | Tribute | Bubble Gurl | Musings | Action Page | Duh It's a Famous Quote | Favorite Links | Contact Page
The Fur-Kids! Clyde and Salem
Okay. For those of you who don't understand, I will explain this to you. My cats run our house! It's all about them. I don't have a couch in the front window ~ because it gets in their way. They have beds in every room (mine included) and more toys than 20 cats could get good use out of.
And now they have their own website! www.clydeandsalem.itgo.com
This picture was taken a few months after we got Salem in June 2002. Clyde took to him right away, and they've been brothers ever since.
How it all began
Before I even knew I liked cats ~ Clyde knew it. When I moved into my house in Elverta (two and a half years ago) Clyde decided he was living there too. I'm not sure if he was left by the old tenant or just belonged to the neighborhood. I put a collar on him with my phone number, and since no one called ~ I assumed he was mine. After getting into a fight and costing lots of time and money to repair, Clyde became an indoor cat (and he WON the fight!). After a few trials of using the litterbox (my china doll plant will never be the same) he's been with me ever since. From that house to the apartment and now in our new house, Clyde is definitely a mama's boy.
This is a pic of Clyde enjoying the buffet I picked up FOR FREE on craigslist.
Trouble Maker
Ah, little Salem Daniel. He was rescued by a friend of mine, Rikki. He and his momma and four siblings were found in the rafters of one of the buildings where she worked. I was going to help her place the animals in foster care or get them adopted ~ I went over there and ended up bringing little Tay-tay home with me. He was teenie tiny and full of mischief. No noe is allowed to leave a drink alone on the table with a straw in it now ~ Salem likes to tip them over. ::sigh:: And he loves the ice machine and hates when doors are closed. He's very indpendent, and quite a character. This pic was taken in October 2003, and it includes Penny the Potholder. Salem adopted Penny when she was found in the kitchen covered in cookie dough. She's been washed since then, but Salem just loves her.
Clyde and Salem are very comfy. They have what we like to call "comfortable arm" and well, when two are comfortable - Do Not Disturb (well, except with that darn flash from the camera!)
Another Story: Woke up last night to Clyde scratching at the comforter ~ he doesn't usually do that ~ so I had to inspect. (at 4 a.m., mind you!) I looked at the comforter...nothing...poked at it..."meow!"...lifted it up...SALEM! ::giggle::
Smack-down Anyone?
It's not always fun and games at our house, we have a "smack-down" rug. Here they entertain us for hours wrestling, fighting, clawing, screeching. They have a blast. Only two rules when it comes to smack-down. No ear biting, no going for the jugular, and if someone cries...they have to retreat to their seperate corners. :) It's all fun and games till someone loses an eye. (tell that to Mr. Feathers)
oh dear ~ already another cat story. So night before last I'm snoozing in my bed. at 5:30 a.m., the house alarm starts going off. Now, I don't know if you've heard a house alarm, but HOLY HELL it's LOUD!! So I jump from the bed ~ not really worried...but making sure the alarm goes off long enough for it to register with the alarm company...Em runs out of her room to shut it off...and I walk into the living room and see ~ NOTHING. No open windows, doors, broken glass, axe murderers, nothing but two cats with aerodynamic face (I'll have to put up a pic of that face..it's hard to explain).
Any odd...the alarm company calls to see if we're okay and I said, "well, it depends on what caused it to go off" and she said there was motion detected in the dining room. Uh, we have a centerpiece bowl filled with water and floating candles on the table...and that's what the cat's like to drink from. And from the look on Salem's face (and the fact that he wouldn't get on the table for the rest of the day) we assumed he must have jumped on the table, causing the alarm to go off. Boy was Salem upset. he was under the table and wouldn't come out. Poor little thing. lol
That's as good as when he thought the Christmas treet spits at him because we would squirt him with water everytime he went near it. He hated that tree. haha.
When It's Smokin' It's Cookin' When It's Black It's Done Well, Salem has proven himself to need a helmet ~ and apparently a fire safety suit. While I was in LA watching the Dodgers ~ Salem caught himself ON FIRE. Okay, well, technically he just smoldered a little ~ no flames...but still. He gets very focused when it comes to chasing moths...and he failed to notice the candles burning on the bar. He burned his little grey armpit hair off. :( Poor thing. You know, when you're roommate calls and says, "first, I just want to say the cat is fine..." It's never good news.
He wasn't hurt though ~ he was just startled. :)
Visit our website! www.clydeandsalem.itgo.com
1143 people wanted to see what Clyde and Salem are up to

subset: commoncrawl


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'iPod' started by cv01, Sep 9, 2008.
Where is the option to turn those link arrows off in iTunes 8?
I looked, couldn't find a way.
First thing I noticed when I went back to list view (which isn't even list view anymore, not sure what the obsession with album artwork is).
They are so ugly and I don't purchase iTunes music, so I don't want to have links everywhere to the store.
*edit* Just saw that you can remove the artwork in list view in view menu
Yeah, I cannot find a way either, this must be a "feature" of the moronic genius in itunes.
Yup, I want to remove these suckers too
I have genius turned off and they still show up...
There was an option to disable them in 7.7.
Does this trick still work, at least?
Yes, that hack still works
So this works with Mac OS, but what about Windows?
Where do you see these? I don't see anything that looks like that on my iTunes.
List view looks exactly the same as it did in iTunes 7.7.1. I don't know what you're seeing.
If you tick 'Disable: iTunes Store' in the parental preferences then the arrows go away.
However you can't browse the iTunes store then obviously. Since I rarely do I can live with turning it on manually when required.
people seem to call the browser mode "list view"
it's causing a decent amount of confusion in these threads.
That's what it's called.
View > As List
but the browser, under View > Show/Hide Browser
is what we are trying to remove the genre from.
anyone know how to get rid of the genre list in the "browser" in iTunes 8, cuz before i updated i had removed it somehow now i cant find an option to do it anymore. is this Apple forcing us to use genres, cuz i dont, and its annoying having it there
open terminal, and paste - defaults write com.apple.itunes show-genre-when-browsing -bool FALSE
then restart itunes.
to remove the links to the music store put - defaults write com.apple.iTunes show-store-arrow-links -bool FALSE
sorry i mean for windows
Easy if you mean this:
We're talking about iTunes 8. That screen is from iTunes 7.7
No, it's not. Browser has got nothing to do with it. Look at the screenshot in the OP.
I think you were trying to respond to this topic http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=559456
thank you.
Yeah, thanks a ton. Can the same be applied to removing the Genius sidebar eyesore?
EDIT: for cripe's-sake, its that damn little button next to the Genius button. Gaack, iTunes is still my favorite media player, but it is becoming too much like winamp circa 2002 for me. a bit bloated and changing too often. For example, I just discovered some indecipherable "Cache" folder inside the Album Artwork folder. Previous to that I had been wondering where my 300 mg of disk space had disappeared to.
There's still a list view, that's the only view I use. Try clicking the triangle next to the top of the artwork column.
EDIT: My bad, you figured it out already.
Is there a way to get rid of genre/composer whilst in grid view?


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Once in a while, I would like to pay the farmers market outside of Hillcrest Mall's a visit. Somehow, I always thought I might get fresher, cheaper and better selection local Ontario products there. Man! Am I wrong!!
Today, whilst shopping at Michael Angelo's on Woodbine/Hwy 7, I was stunned to notice two 'in-season' Ontario products ( complete with Ontario labels ) that were WAY CHEAPER than those I bought at the aforementioned market!! For the SAME QUANTITY and QUALITY, Fresh Ontario Wild Blueberries were $5.99 a container whilst the Farmers market stalls were charging a whopping $7,50!! Same applies to Ontario grown Strawberries. MA price is $4.99 vs $5.99 sold at the market!. Thank God I did not get conned into buying Ontario peaches at the market!!
Buyer's beware!!!


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New Music: T.I. (feat Cee-Lo Green) "Hello"
T.I. releases one last preview off his upcoming album, Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head, before it hits stores next week.
Grabbing up Cee-Lo Green for the chorus & The Neptunes on production, Tip serves up a standout track for us knock our heads to.
Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head drops on December 18th.
Listen to the T.I. & Cee-Lo Green's collaboration below:
New Music: T.I. Feat. Cee-Lo Green - "Hello" (prod. by The Neptunes)


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The State of the Judiciary: 2007
Thank you, Pat, for that kind introduction. First, let me recognize and applaud Pat Kelly for the outstanding job he has done over the past year as Bar president. Thank you, Pat, for all of your hard work and your leadership — and for your strong support of the judiciary's successful budget request this year at the Legislature.
I am honored to be here to present the state of the judiciary to you for judges and lawyers are partners in the delivery of justice in Minnesota. I saw Steve Rufer from Fergus Falls this morning and was reminded of this story about his father, Gerald Rufer, a legendary attorney in Minnesota. Gerald was trying a case before me in Mahnomen County and his witness was on the stand. The witness decided that he would tell the jury his version of events without a question. He began and opposing counsel immediately objected stating "there's no question before the court." I sustained the objection.Gerald rose and asked the witness, as only Gerald could, "Was there something that you wanted to say?"
I have something that I would like to say to you this morning.
I want to talk to you today about two issues; how to maintain and enhance the accountability of our judiciary to the people of Minnesota, and how to preserve our fair and impartial judicial system.
When I tell you that Minnesotans are pleased with their judiciary, it is not just wishful thinking on my part.
Judicial Accountability
Last fall, the Minnesota judiciary arranged for a professionally designed and administered public opinion survey, with lengthy interviews of 800 Minnesota households.
The typical respondent took 23 minutes to complete the survey, so you can see this was not a superficial effort. The results were gratifying.
Eighty percent of the respondents reported confidence in Minnesota's courts. Survey participants rated the state courts just below the medical profession and public schools — and far above other public institutions. Our courts also got high marks for the responsiveness and friendliness of court staff.
A very high percentage of residents, between 80 percent and 94 percent, said they consider Minnesota judges qualified, fair, dedicated to facts and law, "honest and trustworthy," and "impartial."
This is the second time we have sought public opinion about our court system, the first coming in 1999. Compared to our 1999 survey, we saw significant increases in the number of respondents who said our judges treat people with respect, are fair in deciding cases, and give enough attention to each case.
In fact, Minnesotans gave their judges far higher marks than did people in a recent national study. Eighty-one percent of those surveyed gave Minnesota judges a positive rating, compared to only 34 percent in a national poll.
Our survey also challenged us, however. Minnesotans said they believe it takes too long for cases to be resolved, and that it costs too much. About half of the respondents said that the courts favor the rich and white people over people of color, the poor and non-English speakers, a perception we are committed to changing.
But overall, we were very encouraged by the results of the citizen survey.
And this spring, we learned that a national Chamber of Commerce survey rated Minnesota courts second among all 50 states with regard to the fairness of its litigation environment, and ranked Minnesota judges third in the nation for impartiality, competence, and fairness.
These results are not just happenstance. We have been working hard the past 20 years, restructuring our court governance and funding systems, reforming court practices, and professionalizing court staff and judicial officers.
We have worked to make our court system more accessible to people without means, or who speak little English.
And we have been engaged in a major effort to improve the way we handle cases involving abused and neglected children, an initiative begun by my predecessor, Kathleen Blatz, who urged us to see each child protection case "through the eyes of the child."
Two years ago, as part of our efforts to bring the courts under one unified system, we created the Judicial Council as the new administrative policy-making body for the courts. The Council, which I chair, consists of 15 district court judges, four appellate judges and six administrators. It is broadly representative of our branch and committed to shared decision-making.
The Judicial Council has established statewide performance standards that we will use to monitor our progress toward ensuring greater accountability.
These include:
Improving access to justice;
Improving timeliness;
Ensuring integrity and accountability in our record keeping;
Ensuring excellence — by being accurate, fair, and clearly communicating our decisions;
Ensuring fairness and equity;
And finally, providing a high-quality workplace for judicial officers, court personnel, and jurors so they can excel at the important work they have been called to do.
In the next few months, we will complete work on a new statewide case records system that will be searchable from the internet. And we will soon be introducing e-filing and e-charging of cases.
We are grateful for your participation in our efforts. This work could not have been completed without your help, encouragement and support.
As a result of all our hard work focusing on performance and accountability, Minnesota's court system has developed a national reputation for professionalism, efficiency, innovation, and fairness.
Threatened Impartiality
But there are storm clouds on the horizon. Our hard-won public trust and confidence is threatened by the prospect of partisan, expensive, and harshly negative judicial campaigns.
Some may wonder if we are making a bigger deal out of this than it deserves. After all, Minnesota has had a century-old tradition of nonpartisan judicial elections and a nonpartisan judiciary. Until now, big money and negative campaigns have not entered our system of judicial selection. For the most part, we have been able to stave off the attack ads and multimillion-dollar campaigns that plague many states. But this is changing.
Our neighbor to the east, Wisconsin, recently had a record-breaking Supreme Court campaign, with approximately $6 million spent, two-thirds of it by special interest groups.
The State of Washington saw spending for Supreme Court campaigns top $5 million, much of it spent to produce and air negative TV ads.
By the way, you should know that before 2006, Washington elections were low-budget, low-key affairs, similar to Minnesota judicial elections.
Idaho Supreme Court Justice and former Chief Justice Linda Trout, the state's first woman justice, recently announced that she will step down rather than endure what she fears will be an expensive and divisive election.
In her words, "Judicial elections have turned into bitter, nasty fights, which I don't think is seemly for the judiciary."
But it was Indiana Chief Justice Randall Shepard who put his finger on why we should all be concerned about this trend coming to Minnesota.
"The more money that's poured into judicial elections," he said, "the more likely it is that the courts will become places that react to special interest groups, rather than to the concept of impartial justice."
Ohio Chief Justice Thomas Moyer focused on another consequence of highly contested judicial elections when he said recently that "There's no question it discourages many highly qualified lawyers who would make excellent judges."
States that have been dealing with this problem for awhile have learned that, try as they might, they have not been able to turn back the clock.
So what does a judicial election campaign in this new environment look like? We can't know because Minnesota is one of only two states that has not had television ads in statewide judicial races.Here's a preview of what is coming.
[At this point in Chief Justice Anderson's remarks a selection of televised judicial campaign ads from around the United States, captioned "Justice at Stake," was shown. Ed.]
In 2006, TV ads like these ran in all but one state with contested Supreme Court elections, compared to about 20 percent of comparable states six years earlier.
Last year, of the ten states that had privately financed contested Supreme Court campaigns, half set fundraising records. In Alabama, Supreme Court candidates raised $13.4 million, and along with money spent by special interest groups, bombarded state voters with 17,000 ads — mostly negative television ads that painted the targeted candidate as corrupt, unqualified, or untrustworthy.
This should cause us great concern. We judges know that we are not perfect, and we know that our decisions are not always popular. But, mostly, because we have been selecting people for the bench over the past 30 years through our merit-selection process, we know we have a highly qualified judiciary. We have a fair and impartial judiciary. In a post-White world, we have a lot to lose.
Make no mistake — unless we act — the ads, the money, and the partisanship we are likely to see threaten the public's trust and confidence in all of our courts. A recent national poll revealed 81 percent of Americans believe judges are influenced by campaign contributions. And one in four judges agrees with them!
In a state, which has highly partisan, contested elections, half of the judges — I repeat, half of the judges — believe that campaign contributions affect court decisions. How can the public trust a court system when even the judges think contributions affect decisions?
I'm reminded of the story of a judge in another jurisdiction who at the beginning of a trial noticed that the plaintiff had donated $25,000 to his last campaign, and the defendant $50,000. He called counsel into his chambers and announced "I'm going to return $25,000 of the $50,000 to the defendant and decide this case on the merits."
Minnesotans told us in our survey that there is a perception that the courts favor white people and the wealthy. We, in Minnesota, must work diligently to avoid any suggestion that the way to win your case in court is by contributing to a judge's campaign.
But is now the right time for us in Minnesota to address this issue? After all, the cost of judicial campaigns in our state is one of the lowest in the country.
It has been said that "The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining." Well, the clouds are gathering and the sun is not going to shine on us much longer.
Some argue that it will not happen here. But are we willing to take that risk where the potential consequences are so catastrophic?
Preserving Our Strengths
Under the leadership of former Governor Al Quie and the Citizens Commission for the Preservation of an Impartial Judiciary, the debate about how best to preserve judicial impartiality has already begun.
I want to take a moment to pay tribute to the commission and each of its members for their work.
This group of 30, only five of whom were judges, spent months examining judicial selection in Minnesota and around the country to determine what we can do to minimize the negative forces rampant in judicial elections elsewhere.
The majority of the commission recommended a new four-step process to choose judges. First, a merit-based selection process similar to what is used now for judicial vacancies.
Second, gubernatorial appointment. Under the system the commission proposed, a merit-selection committee would forward three well-qualified candidates for judge to the governor. The governor would have to appoint a nominee of the selection committee.
The third recommendation calls for creation of a comprehensive performance-evaluation system for all judges. A separate commission would evaluate judges mid-term — to help them continue to improve their skills — and near the end of their terms — to provide better information to the public about judges facing election.
The final recommendation calls for the renewal of judges' terms through retention elections similar to those used in many states. This allows Minnesotans to vote "yes" or "no" for a judge when his or her term is up for renewal. A "no" vote would mean that a vacancy occurs, and the judicial selection commission would begin its work again.
The Quie Commission Report also included a minority report that called for an appointed commission, rather than the voters, to make the decision on whether to retain a judge.
I am not here today to advocate for a particular solution. Instead, I want to remind each of us to remember the end goal as we take this journey together.
The bench must not be for sale. The courts are not intended to be popular, or representative of majority opinions, but rather to protect the rule of law, including the protection of individual rights as guaranteed by our Constitution. So how do we protect the rule of law and judicial impartiality?
We have already taken the first steps by recognizing that there is a problem and initiating this discussion.
No matter what constitutional solution is proposed, it will need the blessing of the Minnesota Legislature and, ultimately, the citizens. I expect a robust debate of the pros and cons before a proposal is put in front of the voters.
As members of the bar, we have a special responsibility to preserve our high-quality judicial system. Lawyers are called to seek improvement of the law and the administration of justice. We are called to be mindful of its failings, and to devote time and civic influence towards improving our justice system.
If, as a state bench and bar, we do not confront this issue, help educate the public about this threat, and actively address it, we are not being true to our mission. In my view, if we do not act, we will be shirking our responsibility as leaders.
People around the country are looking to Minnesota right now. Minnesotans are also calling us to step forward. They expect us to continue our judiciary's tradition of innovation, efficiency, effectiveness, and above all, impartiality and fairness.
When we approach the Legislature with a proposal for constitutional and statutory changes, our journey will have just begun. A divided legal community will ensure only one thing — failure. This journey will only be successful if we take it together — united.
So how do we come together and resolve differences in the solution we choose to support? I suggest we focus on three guiding principles.
1) Will it promote a fair and impartial judiciary? Minnesotans expect a fair and impartial judiciary. Like voters across the country, they recognize that judicial candidates making promises, asking for campaign money, and attacking each other undermines the claim that the court system treats all Minnesotans fairly and protects the rule of law.
As Michael Mullane, an Arkansas law professor, points out, "… the rule of law …, is probably the single greatest achievement of our society. It is our bulwark against both mob rule and the overwhelming power of the modern state. It is the rule of law that governs us, but protects each one of us when we stand alone against those who disagree with us, or fear us, or do not like us because we are different. It is the strongbox that keeps all our other values safe."
Professor Mullane is right. Protecting the rule of law and abiding by the Constitution are the foundations of our justice system.
2) Will the solution provide meaningful accountability? Citizens are concerned that judges be accountable. They expect court decisions to be timely, well-reasoned, and issued only after judges have had an opportunity to hear all parties in the case.
Minnesotans do not want judges to be beholden to the agendas of special interest groups. Instead, they expect us to be accountable to the Constitution and the law. But how can that be assured?
The Quie Commission, both majority and minority reports, strongly endorsed judicial performance evaluation as a key component to assure strong accountability and an appropriate trade-off in eliminating contested elections.
3) Will the solution maintain the public's trust and confidence in the judiciary? Our nation's founders created the judiciary as a check on the executive and legislative branches of government.
The other branches have the power of the sword and the purse. The judiciary's power comes only from the trust of the people. The rule of law is sacrificed if the public does not have confidence in the fairness of judicial decisions.
As we focus on these principles, let's be careful not to become so enamored with the debate that we forget that, ultimately, it is the people who must approve the constitutional amendment needed to change our system of selecting judges. Practical considerations must therefore play a role in determining the final proposal.
Whatever the proposed solution, it must be one which the public supports as best providing the appropriate balance between judicial impartiality and accountability.
So as we continue our discussions, we must consider the options with an open mind. Let us debate them honestly, fully, and with collegiality. And then let us come together and speak with one voice.
Together, we have built one of the best court systems in the world here in Minnesota, one of the most efficient, most professional, and most innovative. Minnesota has a lot to lose. Let it not be said that it was lost on our watch.
Thank you.
RUSSELL A. ANDERSON is Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. He delivered these remarks before the annual meeting of the Minnesota State Bar Association, June 29, 2007, at River Centre in St. Paul.


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Witness for the Defense (1919)
Directed by George Fitzmaurice
Share on
Synopsis by Janiss Garza
Lovers Stella Derrick (Elsie Ferguson) and Dick Hazelwood (Vernon Steel) are kept apart by their financially ambitious parents. Stella's father (George Fitzgerald) sends her to India and virtually forces her to marry the wealthy Captain Ballantyne (Warner Oland). But Ballantyne turns out to be a drunken brute, and one day during a struggle in the Indian forest, Stella accidentally shoots him. She is put on trial, but the testimony of one of her former suitors gets her off. Stella returns to England, where Dick has become very successful. Still, their families are opposed to their union. But when they find out the truth about Ballantyne, they let the couple be. This film was adapted from the play by A.E.W. Mason.


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Neil Gaiman announced at the San Diego Comic-Con, California, a new series featuring Morpheus, the king of dreams.
Gaiman's seminal work for DC Vertigo, Sandman, opens with the capture of the titular character by magician Roderick Burgess. He is returning, tired but triumphant, from a far galaxy, when he gets sucked into Crowley's summoning spell. His capture spins the world into chaos for decades, as dreams run amok.
It's a powerful tale; launching into comic stores 23 years ago, it became a gateway book for many, and has since become one of the biggest classic non-superhero cult books.
"You never found out what was happening in that far galaxy and what his triumph of a kind was, and why he was tried almost beyond endurance," explained Gaiman in the announcement video.
Sandman's 25th anniversary is rolling around in November 2013 — and with it, Gaiman will be working with one of today's most accomplished comic book artists, J.H. Williams III (just look at his incredible work on Batwoman or Promethea), to tell the story of just what Morpheus had been doing in that far galaxy.
"I'm thrilled. I'm excited. This has been an incredibly long time coming," Gaiman said. "It was one of the few stories that actually felt, when I had finished Sandman, like I had failed because I had not told this story."
With two such important talents at the helm, how can it not be brilliant?


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|Parameters influencing interfacial morphology in GaAs/Ge superlattices grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition
|Publication Type
|Journal Article
|Year of Publication
|Jia, R, Fitzgerald, EA
|Journal of Crystal Growth
|50 - 55
|Date Published
We investigated the epitaxy and morphology of GaAs/Ge superlattices grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) under a range of conditions. The surfaces of Ge layers deposited on GaAs at 650 degrees C and 100 Torr are observed to be rough in cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. When either the temperature is lowered to 500 degrees C or the pressure is increased to 250 Torr, the surface of the first deposited Ge layer is observed to be smooth. This behavior suggests that Ge roughening is a thermodynamically favorable process that can be kinetically limited with appropriate growth conditions. At 500 degrees C, GaAs islands on Ge do not completely coalesce into one film. This may result from poor surface coverage; the short depositions would not be sufficient to coarsen and completely coalesce the islands. At 650 degrees C, growth on offcut substrates did not suppress antiphase boundaries, likely due to the unique conditions for GaAs/Ge superlattice growth. A wide-range of two- and three-dimensional nanostructures are formed and should allow insight in structure-property correlations in semiconducting thermoelectric materials. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.


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The Compass
By Michael R. DeCamp
Born, endless roads yet unfollowed
The paths of life still mine to travel
Pain and strife beset those before me
Threatening foggy trails of upheaval
"Love God," your words were like a compass
Pointing my heart like a needle
Parting the clouds to the horizon
For toddling feet, the trail was level
A child is too young to travel alone
A star was sent to light my way
Not my mother, she guided none the less
She enlightened the path into the fray
I walked and grew, grew and walked
Not yet a man, no longer a boy
The road had forks, enticing diversions
Compass forgotten, life to enjoy
Friends were sent to set my foot right
Words of faith, friendship, and direction
"Do you believe?" they asked "Will you keep walking?"
"Oh yes," I said, immersed in reflection
Retrieving my compass, I cast my eyes forward
The road is long, and not for the sprinter
"I see it!" I said. "I know where I'm going!"
The horizon comes on without drawing nearer
Alone on the road, I was given a heart
A heart to hold, cherish, or squander
"Will you?" I asked. "I will," she replied
"I'll hold it," I said, "and cherish it yonder"
We took up the path, walking together
United both hearts and minds
Soon, we were four and onward we traveled
Compass in mind, but forgotten sometimes
The road became dusty and hard to decipher
Sometimes it would wind, rise, and wander
Sometimes it grew lonely, dusty, and scattered.
"Am I going the right way?" I would pause and wonder
I have traveled that road from there to here
The forks still enticing as ever
But, I've still not reached my true destination
The road stretches on, and on; seems forever
I no longer claim to know its end
And still the path sometimes grows gray
But, when I'm unsure, not knowing the next step…
You stoop to my ear, whisper, and say:
"Look higher my son, and remember your compass."
Dedicated to:
Emma Ogletree, the "Star" who introduced me to church
Mike Runcie & Neil Parsons, the youth ministers who "set my foot right"
Nancy DeCamp, the "Heart" I will always "cherish"
And especially dedicated to…
Ralph R. DeCamp, my father, and the man who gave me my "Compass."
|L to R: Mike DeCamp, Ralph DeCamp, David DeCamp


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OffTrackBetting.com - Belmont Park in Elmont, New York will be the scene of the G3 Athenia Stakes on Sunday, October 23. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will be featured when they take to Belmont Park's turf track and race 1 1/16 miles for the winner's portion of the $200,000 purse.
A field of 10 plus one Main Track Only Entry will line up in the Athenia Stakes - race 8 on Belmont Park's Sunday schedule Post time is 4:46 PM. Here is a glance into the past performances of all 11 possible entries for this G3 stakes.
Athenia Stakes betting online- Open OTB Account
2016 Athenia Stakes Race Preview at Belmont Park
Strike Charmer - Mark Hennig trained mare won the G3 Cardinal Handicap in November, 2014 and has been up and down since. Last time out was a somewhat disappointing fourth in the G1 Flower Bowl Stakes here October 8 after a terrific win over Lady Eli in the G2 Ballston Spa Stakes at Saratoga August 27 at this distance with a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure, a fifth in the G1 Diana Stakes on that track July 23 and a disappointing eighth in the G1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park June 11. This year she also posted a 2 1/4 length nice win over Recepta in the G3 Beaugay Stakes May 14, a second in the minor Plenty of Grace Stakes at Aqueduct April 16 and a sixth in the G3 Marshua's River Stakes. Strike Charmer has six wins, four seconds and three third place finishes in 22 career starts and hopes for her second graded stakes score in three starts Sunday - her third at this distance. Junior Alvarado gets the call from the rail.
Stormy Victoria - Christophe Clement trained French bred filly had two wins in eight career starts at home but failed to place in her last four - all stakes races. She returned from seven months away from the track and made her North American debut April 29 and promptly won an Allowance Optional Claiming at Belmont Park. Stormy Victoria has been good since - a third last time out in the G3 Noble Damsel Stakes on this track September 24 followed a second to Lady Lara in the minor De La Rose Stakes at Saratoga August 6, an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track July 3 and a close fifth in her only other graded stakes action to date - the G2 Nassau Stakes at Woodbine May 29. She has been decent in her career and will be chasing her first stakes score on a track that she has won both career starts - from gate 10 Sunday. Joel Rosario rides.
Bet Belmont Park Horse Racing with OffTrackBetting.com
Sea Coast - Irish bred Christophe Clement trained mare won two of 12 starts at home before shipping and has been decent in seven races since. Last time out was a two length win in the minor Steve Pini Memorial at Suffolk Downs September 3 after a sixth in the G3 Matchmaker Stakes at Monmouth Park and an OK second in the G3 Eatontown Stakes on that track June 25. Before that were four Allowance Optional Claiming races - a win at Monmouth Park in May, a fifth June 30 and consecutive runner-up finishes in 2015. Sea Coast has been competitive and will be after a second straight stakes win from gate 4 with John Velazquez in the saddle.
Mexican Gold - has seven career starts for trainer Chad Brown with three wins, a second and a third place finish. She started her career in France and posted some nice results - a win in the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte in April, 2015 and a second in the minor Prix de Saint-Cyr in October, 2015 being the best results. She was out of racing for nearly a year and returned September 4 to an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Saratoga - her North American debut. Mexican Gold has participated in some pretty big races and fared well. She looks to re-establish herself from post 7 with Irad Ortiz in the reins.
Roca Rojo - Irish bred Chad Brown trained filly has won four of her five career starts. She won her first two starts at home and debuted in North America with an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track June 30. She followed that with a fourth in her only stakes action to date - in the minor Fasig-Tipton De La Rose Stakes in August and another Allowance Optional Claiming score last time out also on this track September 15. Roca Rojo has been impressive in her career so far and will be after a first stakes score from post 3. Javier Castellano has the mount.
My Sweet Girl - has four wins, a second and four third place finishes in 18 career starts for trainer Barclay Tagg. She enters off a fourth in the G3 Noble Damsel Stakes here September 24, a fifth in the minor Fasig-Tipton De La Rose Stakes at Saratoga August 6, a good win in the minor Perfect Sting Stakes here July 2, a fourth in the minor Miss Liberty Stakes at Monmouth May 29, an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track May 6 and a seventh in her only other graded stakes action to date - the G3 Orchid Stakes at Gulfstream in April. My Sweet Girl has won two of her last five starts but has failed to place in her last two overall. She will be after a first graded stakes victory from post 5 Sunday with Manuel Franco aboard.
All in Fun - has been just Ok in her 14 race career for trainer Shug McGaughey - four wins and a third place finish. Last time out was a fourth after being DQ'd from second in the G3 Violet Stakes at Monmouth Park September 10 which followed two straight Allowance Optional Claiming scores - the last coming on this track August 17. Her only other graded stakes action resulted in a fifth in the G2 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga July 24. All in Fun has been inconsistent and will be chasing her first stakes score from post 9. Jose Ortiz has the mount.
Okana - British bred Carlos Laffon-Parias trained filly makes her North American debut Sunday after six career starts produced two wins and a second place finish. Last time out was a respectable second in the Group 2 Premio Elena E Sergio Cumani in Italy September 25 which followed a fourth in the Group 3 Prix de la Porte Maillot in France and off-the-board finishes in two other stakes races in France. She won the minor Prix Ronde de Nuit before that in her second career start. Okana has been OK in her career and will be after a career-defining win from gate 2 Sunday. Luis Saez gets the call.
Means Well - has five wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 20 career starts for trainer Alan Goldberg. She enters having only placed in two of her last seven starts overall - both Allowance Optional Claiming scores with the last coming last time out at Delaware Park September 28. She has failed to hit the board in all seven stakes starts over that span. Means Well hasn't been racing well but hopes to change all of that around from gate 6 with Antonio Gallardo scheduled to ride.
Sparkle Factor - Irish bred mare has three wins, two seconds and six third place finishes in 16 career starts for trainer LeRoy Jolley. She was OK at home and has placed in four of five starts in North America including three straight third place finishes in Allowance races. Last time out was a Claiming score at Saratoga August 29 which followed a disappointing seventh in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track in June. Sparkle Factor makes her graded stakes debut in so-so form and will depart from gate 8 with Eric Cancel in the reins.
La Inesperada - Main Track Only Entry has placed in 18 of 22 career starts - six wins, six seconds and six third place finishes. She may make her graded stakes debut Sunday having placed in her last 12 starts overall - five wins, three seconds and four thirds. She has won two straight - an Allowance Optional Claiming here September 30 and a Claiming at Saratoga and before that were four straight third place finishes. She has been in every race the last 16 months.
2016 Athenia Stakes Entries & Odds
Race 8 on Belmont Park's Sunday card with a Post Time of 4:46 PM.
|ML Odds
|Strike Charmer
|Junior Alvarado
|Mark Hennig
|Okana (GB)
|Luis Saez
|Carlos Laffon-Parias
|Roca Rojo (IRE)
|Javier Castellano
|Chad Brown
|Sea Coast (IRE)
|John Velazquez
|Christophe Clement
|My Sweet Girl
|Manuel Franco
|Barclay Tagg
|Means Well
|Antonio Gallardo
|Alan Goldberg
|Mexican Gold
|Irad Ortiz, Jr.
|Chad Brown
|Sparkle Factor (IRE)
|Eric Cancel
|LeRoy Jolley
|All in Fun
|Jose Ortiz
|Claude McGaughey III
|Stormy Victoria (FR)
|Joel Rosario
|Christophe Clement
|La Inesperada
|Javier Castellano
|Rudy Rodriguez


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The Curious Case of Tecman & Tracts
According to local news reports, the married couple, both Christian, has been mailing people with Christian comic tracts published by US-based Chick Publications; at least two recipients of these tracts found them objectionable and action was taken against the married couple after a complaint was made to the authorities.
What gained my attention about this was the statement reportedly made by Mr. A. R. Madeei, the Media Development Authority (MDA)'s senior assistant director for publications, in court in response to a question by the married couple's defense lawyer.
Mr. Madeei was reported to have said that "it is not possible for the MDA to examine each and every publication sold in bookshops here as close to two million books are imported" and that the MDA allows "the industry to self-regulate and refer to us [the MDA] publications that are in doubt" (Both these quotes are extracted from "Couple on trial for anti-Islamic tracts: Booklets available in store, says lawyer", Straits Times, 29/1/2009).
Hmm… I would have thought that, in light of the strong emphasis placed by local authorities on maintaining religious harmony and the local authorities' vigilance towards political materials, the local authorities (in this case, the MDA) would be more pro-active in checking the spread of potentially religiously seditious/objectionable materials within Singapore or at least not to adopt as passive a stance as to wait for people to refer to it such materials.
[Aside: sardonically speaking, I suppose that this may be interpreted as evidence that, contrary to what its detractors have said about it, Singapore is not an omnipotent and omniscient Orwellian police state]
Also, curiously enough, it would seem that while the MDA has restricted access to the website of Chick Publications, it has not imposed a similar ban on the publications produced by it, considering how the comic tracts in question were available at Tecman, a Christian bookstore located at Bras Basah Complex. This, to me, would be akin to if the MDA banned pornographic websites but allowed for pornographic magazines to be freely imported and sold by local bookstores (of course, the MDA bans both pornographic websites and magazines). I do not know about you all but it is rather perplexing to me how although the MDA has the discretion to restrict access to the website of Chick Publications, it does not act similarly when it comes to publications produced by the same company.
And if I have interpreted correctly what Mr. Madeei has said, it would seem to me that if no complaints were made against the comic tracts in question, no action would be taken against these tracts and their circulation in Singapore would continue to be allowed or at least go undetected by the MDA. In light of this, I cannot help wondering about if there are similar materials out there in local bookstores which remain undetected because nobody has referred them to the authorities.
Moving on, it is also perplexing to me how although the authorities discovered quantities of religiously objectionable/seditious comic tracts at the residence of the abovementioned married couple on 30th January of last year, it was only on the 28th of January this year that the authorities raided Tecman (i.e. the bookstore from which the married couple acquired their comic tracts) and seized the entire display of tracts by Chick Publications at the store (and it seems that this action was taken only after it was revealed in court by the married couple's defense lawyer that such materials were available at the store).
This would thus imply that there was a time gap of almost a year from when the married couple was arrested to when action was taken against the bookstore from which they gotten the tracts that they are being charged for possessing! Why was such action only taken after so long? Surely, the authorities would have, in their course of questioning the couple, found out from the couple, or at least asked them, where they have acquired the comic tracts? I cannot help but wonder if during this time gap of almost one year whether there was any form of instruction/warning from the authorities to Tecman to cease their selling of comic tracts produced by Chick Publications. If there was no such instruction/warning, then I wonder how many copies of these tracts were being sold by the store before and during this time gap of almost one year.
Finally, I find it rather curious that it seems to me that there have been, as of this moment in time, no statement and/or comment from the local Christian community and/or their leaders regarding this case. I mean, we frequently hear calls for the moderates within the local Muslim community to disavow the ideology and tactics employed by Islamist (not Islamic) terrorists and the local Muslim community, in my opinion, has responded to these calls. Hence, in light of this, I cannot help but feel that the silence by the local Christian community with regards to this case is rather deafening. I would humbly suggest that the local Christian community and/or their leaders come out to disavow the evangelical methods employed by the married couple or at least the ideas propagated in the comic tracts, lest their silence be misinterpreted as perhaps a tacit endorsement of the couple's actions and/or of the ideas contained within the comic tracts produced by Chick Publications.
[Aside: I also find it rather curious how there have been no calls, apart from mine, for the local Christian community to make some form of statement about this case. Why the disparity? If one argues that there is no need for the local Christian community to do because the actions of the married couple and the ideas of Chick Publications are not representative of Christians/Christianity, then that begs the question of why there, on the other hand, is a need for the Muslim community to do so with regards to the ideology and tactics of Islamist terrorists?]


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Friday February 26, 2010
First Lady Michelle Obama has been putting her heart and soul into a new campaign to encourage healthy eating among youngsters.
And while America's First Lady has always demonstrated an interest in vegetables and fitness, the mum-of-two has revealed the real motivation behind her schemes comes from her father.
"If I'm more reflective, because my father had multiple sclerosis and physical movement wasn't a given for him, as I talk to my brother now, neither one of us took our physical fitness for granted," she tells the Washington Post.
"We knew our father was a jock when he grew up - he boxed - and to see him go from that so quickly, without any warning, to someone who couldn't walk without crutches, you don't take that for granted. I don't think my father ever did."
"He did his best to always get out there with us. When he'd come home from work, if he was on a shift that would allow him to, we'd be boxing or throwing the ball or playing dodge ball. There was always some game involved."
Michelle's Let's Move initiative has received a presidential nod of support and will be backed up with up to $1 billion a year in federal funds.


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Slavery Prevention
Search Site
Slavery has been identified as a horrific problem in many villages experiencing cyclical poverty. Hopelessness and desperation often lead to extreme vulnerability for villagers to succumb to slavery.
Read the Slavery Prevention Blog.
What is Slavery?
Slavery occurs when one person completely controls another person, using violence or the threat of violence to maintain that control, exploits them economically, pays them little or nothing and they cannot walk away.
The realities of slavery are astounding:
- There are 21 million people in forced labor (June, 2012, The CNN Freedom Project)
- The total number of people estimated to be in slavery today ranges from 21-30 million (freetheslaves.net)
- Slavery is not legal anywhere but happens in every country in the world!
- 55% of victims today are women and girls; 45% are men and boys (freetheslaves.net)
- Slavery is a $32 billion annual industry; almost half is generated from western countries (The CNN Freedom Project)
- 78% of slavery victims today are in labor slavery, 22% are in the sex trade. (freetheslaves.net)
Teaching villagers about slavery prevention is part of the solution. The true solution is to end extreme poverty through TCD, thus removing the vulnerability. Ending poverty ends slavery.


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|Weeds and seeds.
|This is how I imagine many a garden starts.
With a shovel and some determination.
|This is after a days work of "tilling" with my shovel. Eva and Kait helped a lot their their shovels.
|Red beets, lemon basil, red basil, strawberry bush and onions.
|Fresh picked for dinner!
|From the bushel to the table.


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The 6 Best Inflatable Tents Of 2019
Everyone has been in a situation where everything is prepared and ready for the long-planned camping trip, but a single pole from the tent is missing. The trouble is, sometimes, we find this out in the last minute, during tent set-up. For this reason, Vango company has invented a "poleless" tent that uses inflatable air beams that are stable enough to keep your tent erect in normal weather conditions. Even though there are cases where the inflatable tents are not applicable, in most cases, an inflatable tent is a real life saver. Carrying the poles around for miles can be a bit exhausting because of the additional weight. An inflatable tent weighs much less than a pole tent and it is the perfect solution for your next backpacking trip.
After Vango bringing to the market this weightless invention, camping brands follower and joined the game with inflatable tents with similar features. Even though you don't have to recount the poles before each camping trip you take, it is of great essence that you remember to take the pump. The good news is that it weighs much less than the combined weight of all poles and it fits everywhere. Inflatable tents are also easier to erect than your traditional pole tent and the whole process takes a less time and effort. In fact, the whole tent for 4 persons could be erected by only one person. However, there are downsides to this construction which would also be revealed in this article, so it is up to you to decide if it is fitted for your next adventure!
Our Top 3 Picks
- Vango Odyssey
Our rating
- Spacious and sturdy
- Price: See Here
- Kelty Mach AirPitch Inflatable
Our rating
- Great for warm climates
- Price: See Here
- Coleman Valdes
Our rating
- Great value
- Price: See Here
6 Best Inflatable Tents
Vango Odyssey
This Vango AirBeam Odyssey tunnel inflatable tent has a strong structure resistant to winds and any other harsh conditions. The structure is supported with replaceable inflatable poles that are placed on the outside of the tent. The material is waterproof which makes it suitable for 3 seasons. However, it does not have any insulation which makes it a poor choice for winter temperatures. The material used for its construction is protex polyester 70 denier with fire retardant flysheet of 4000 mm HH.
This is one of the most reliable inflatable tents on the market supported with the tension band system which offers the tent an extra stability and durability. This means that if put under any kind of pressure, such as a branch falling over the tent, instead of breaking such as many traditional tents, it is constructed to bend and then come back to its original shape.
The tent allows you to have a spacious living while you are outside your home. You will feel as though you are at home because you also have sleeping areas that are visually separated and you have the feeling of privacy which is impossible to get when camping. There is a front as well as a mesh front door that increases the airflow if both doors are left open. The storage pockets will save you some money as you won't have the need to buy extra storages unless you are packing heavily when camping.
Additional features
The Vango Odyssey is designed for a good night sleep and being a comfortable hang out zone. It provides this feature with its Airzone technology which allows the user to regulate heat. The tent also has inner liners that are keeping the light out and they are ensuring you a good day nap as well.
The pitching time of the entire tent is only 8 minutes. It is done by using a hand pump which is included in the package. However, if you have an electric pump, the erecting process would much quicker. If you choose to do so, make sure you get a pump that shows you the exact pressure, so that you know when to stop. Otherwise you might burst the inflatable poles and the repair kit might help you with this problem. The weight of the entire tent is around 17 kg which makes it unsuitable for backpacking, but perfect for camping. The packing size is 70 x 37 x 36 cm and it is easily packed into a bag that comes with straps you could wear on your shoulder. The bag is a bit transparent and large for the tent, and it is a bit bulky, but at least you won't have any issues compressing it inside the bag.
- Extremely spacious design
- Sturdy construction quality
- Waterproof
- No insulation, not ideal for colder environs
Kelty Mach
The Kelty Mach Air Pitch inflatable tent is able to accommodate up to four people and it is available in one color only. Even though Kelty promotes it as a tent for 3 seasons, the material is much thinner from competitive models, which makes it unsuitable for mildly colder weather conditions.
This Kelty tent uses air pitch technology which is placed inside the tent. With the air beams placed on the inside, they are less subject to damage due to outdoor influences such as branches or sharp object scratches and puncture risks. There are a total of two air beams which decreases the risk of puncture, but it also increases the erecting time of the tent itself.
The tent is made from 68 denier polyester with a material quality of 1800 mm. Comparing to other competitive models, this is pretty thin which makes it unsuitable for colder weather, but extremely convenient for warm temperatures. The thinness of the material allows greater breathability of the tent, therefore avoiding the oven feeling. Even though you don't leave any door open, a comfortable environment will be created inside.
The area of vestibule is around 4,60 m2 which means that it is pretty spacious inside and quite comfortable for four people to be accommodated. The length if it is 3 meters and the width 2,7 meters. Even though it looks like a square, it is fact rectangular shape. The height is 1,9 meters which is high enough for a tall person to stand inside without having to dock his head. However, this is the height of the highest part of the tent, the center. The entire tent is not this height which means that you shouldn't count that you will move through the tent with your head held high. This is simply impractical in any kind of tent. The weight of the tent is 9,11 kg which is making it suitable for camping as well as backpacking on small distances.
Additional features
The tent does not come with a sewn in ground sheet, but a detached one. It also comes with a manual pump which is convenient if you are backpacking with it since you won't be needing electricity. Since there are only 2 air beams, Kelty has integrated an insurance in their pump which is a smart move beneficial for both sides. The pump comes with a pressure reading gauge that tells you when the pressure in the beams is high enough so that you stop pumping. There is also a relief valve that allows you to relief the pressure is such thing is required. The pump makes the erecting process faster than any other competitive model from this price range. You would be done in only 2 minutes and you could continue with your other camping activities.
- Thin material is fantastic for warm climates
- Quick inflation time, even with a hand pump
- Not suitable for colder temperatures
- Only one color option
Coleman Valdes FastPitch
This Coleman Fast Pitch inflatable tent is intended for 6 persons, although Coleman offers smaller inflatable tents as well. The construction in tunneled in order for the tent to get a firmer structure that is not easily collapsible if there are strong winds in the area. However, this only goes if you place it with the pitched end is turned toward the wind. Otherwise, it is much less stable. The shape also ensures greater interior space usage and increases privacy.
The tent has a stable structure with replaceable air beams that is more convenient than an open airflow structure. However, the biggest advantage it has is the groundsheet which is usually missing in tents from this price range. The groundsheet included in this package is welded and very well integrated in the whole structure. It is completely waterproof and it will ease your packing a great deal. Most campers assume that if you have a waterproof tent, you don't need a groundsheet. Although this is somewhat true, a groundsheet will help you have a perfect peach every time you are erecting your tent. It banishes almost every pitching problem that might occur. This is the main reason why this tent classifies for a fast pitch one as its name suggests. The taking down of the tent is just as easy and you will have plenty of time to focus on other camping activities. An 8 person tent could be easily pitched by only one person.
The inflatable poles are wider than usual tent constructions and they are enclosed well in the PE shell. The poles are made from TPU material which is strong enough to hold the entire construction and stand stable in windy and rainy weather conditions.
The tent has a water column of 4000 mm which is actually the hydrostatic head indication. This means that the tent can hold up to 4 m column of water before any leaks occur. This only applies for the surface material. However, this Coleman tent includes more waterproof features. It is manufactured with water resistant material with flysheet seams that are completely leak free. The water resistance comes from the treatment which is being done on the material in order for it to be able to protect you and your equipment from moisture.
This Coleman inflatable tent is specifically designed in order to maximize the space and your comfort while camping. It is high enough so that you move around freely and without any head bending. It is the perfect getaway equipment for a weekend with your friends or extended family. The rooms are designed so that resemble your home bedroom. They are spacious enough for double beds to be accommodated and you are now able to sleep until noon with the blackout feature.
The blackout feature is able to block most of the daylight that would otherwise come inside your bedroom and wake you up. It is a revolutionary feature if you really want to get rested on your camping trip, even if you are a light sensitive sleeper. Even though the blackout feature is self sufficient, it is causing other positive effects. The blocking of the sunlight causes your bedroom to be 5 degrees cooler comparing to outside temperatures. However, the high quality material is also not allowing fast cooling inside, so the night temperature inside would be 1 degree warmer. This is done by the thick fabric which is storing sunlight energy in its surface, therefore, keeping you a bit warmer during the night.
Additional features
The tent packs to a size of 78 x 58 x 41 which is pretty compact comparing to other tent models on the market and the size of the tent. Its weight is only 26,6 kg which is also pretty low considering the number of people that it can accommodate inside. A carry bag is included in the package, as well as a pump and a manometer that will show you the optimal pressure of the air beams, therefore increase their durability. All things considered, this is a great inflatable tent choice for a larger group of people. It is also currently on sale, so you would save some money if you are a relatively quick decision maker.
- Solid construction will hold up to the elements
- Innovative blackout feature blocks out light
- Packs down compactly
- A bit on the expensive side
Heimplanet - The Cave
The design of the Heimplanet Cave inflatable Geodesic tent resembles a spider or an igloo to some people. Truth is, the design is suggesting some of its features. It is warm enough to keep the temperature comfortable even during the winter and it is stable enough to endure strong winds. Most parts of the tent are replaceable, including the air beams which are completely exposed and placed outside the tent shell.
The structure of the tent is a dome and can be erected in less than a minute which is exceptionally impressive. The structure of the tent is so well designed that it is safe to claim that it is weatherproof. It is designed and able to endure low winter temperatures which makes it a four season tent.
The tent structure is adding to the stability of the entire construction. The geodesic construction of this tent also means that collapsing it is a bit more difficult because of its material and volume ratio which is perfectly balanced. The superior stability is due to the double layered air beams that are also harder to damage or puncture. This increases the lifespan of the air beams, therefore, of the whole tent.
The multi chamber safety system is allowing the user to inflate it with only one step. In most cases, this means that an airflow is allowed between chambers and if one air beam punctures, this results with deflation of the others as well. However, this is not the case with Heimplanet Cave. Once the tent is inflated and erected, the air frame should be separated into chambers that will protect the other chambers if one gets punctured. Since the air is divided into many chambers, the detection of the punctured beam would be very easy and the replacement as well. This emergency multi chamber system is patented and is unique to Heimplanet Cave inflatable tent only.
The valve system is also outstanding. It has integrated 2 in 1 valve and each one of them has two closures. One valve is for easier inflation process which is the main reason why the inflation time is shortened. And the other one is for faster deflation.
Inside the tent there is space for three people to comfortably sleep inside. Although this is an bizarre number, it is the perfect accommodation for a one child family. It is cozy, safe and stable home away from home. The height inside the tent is 40 inches which is not high enough for an adult to stand inside. The size of tent when packed is 40 x 32 x 23 cm which is smaller than similar competitive models. The weight is only 10,6 lbs and this makes it suitable for camping and backpacking as well.
Additional features
Regardless of how much you take care for your tent, or the quality of the materials, products get damaged. For this reason, the company offers replacement for each and every one of the parts the tent is constructed with. You could simply change the tent parts instead of buy a new tent after many years and it will be as good as new.
In the package, you have included a repair kit, pegs, a packing bag, gear loft, guy lines and a pump adapter.
The tent is available in two different color options, the classic one and cairo camo which is a bit pricier than the classic one. In general, the Cave is a great inflatable tent that indeed offers the protection and stability of a cave!
- Suitable for most weather types, even in the winter
- Unique and sturdy design
- Can be erected in 1 minute
- Available in two color options
- Might be too warm for hot climates
- Quite expensive
Coleman Pop-Up Tent
This tent is suitable for four people. It comes with pre-assembled poles for 10 second setup. And the taped floor seams work to keep you dry. This tent is well-built, quality, and will do well to keep your camping trip convenient while sleeping in a pretty sturdy and reliable tent.
This Coleman is 9 ft. 2 in. x 6 ft. 6 inches and 3 ft. 4 in. center height. There is a similar Coleman tent that also comes in a two-person size just in case you wanted a more snug abode.
Additional features
Coleman claims this tent will setup in ten minutes due to the pre-assembled poles, but according to testers, this tent does do what it advertises. Furthermore, it comes with two storage pockets. It also packs up flat for optimal packing. This tent comes with a rain fly that is adjustable for ventilation and protection.
- 10 second set up
- Packs flat
- Room for four peoople
- Can handle light rain
- Some feel the zipper on the door is a bi flimsy
G4Free Pop Up Tent
This tent has two large windows and a 'D' shaped door for all around easy access. The G4 comes with strong fiberglass poles that make the process of setting up super simple. And it is staked to the ground with Hogan hooks.
This pop up tent is 95 x 71 x 39 inches, and it will fit a queen sized mattress. It is suggested as 3-4 person tent.
Additional features
While this tent is not designed to be water-proof, it is ideal for a beach day or good weather conditions for camping. It also comes with a cover for light rain and can be removed for extra air ventilation.
The highlight feature of the G4 is the Quick Release that claims to work in one second. You simply toss the tent into the air and what it inflate.
- Easy to setup
- Great open design
- Quite affordable
- Not suitable for rainy weather conditions
Criteria for Evaluation
An inflatable tent would be perfect if you are a solo adventurist who prefers traveling alone. Pole tents require a handy person, or minimum of two people in order to properly erect a tent. However, erecting an inflatable tent could be literary done with your eyes closed. So, if you are not a fan of the whole setting up process, you should seriously consider some of the inflatable tent suggestions bellow.
An inflatable tent is also a good solution if you are traveling with your children since you will be able to set it up by yourself in a matter of minutes. You could get a family 6 person tent which would weigh significantly less than a pole tent.
The biggest advantage of this kind of tent is its inflatable construction. This makes them ideal for backpackers who are walking great distances in order to get to their campsite. However, if your campsite is out on the open, unprotected from trees around you, a traditional tent might be more suitable for you. Sites with strong winds are not to be matched with inflatable tents which brings us to our next point.
Inflatable tents are perceived as very unstable to winds and many people have the misperception that floating off in strong winds is a real possibility. The reality is that they are perfectly stable if you secure them with ropes, which is the case with any other tent. However, compared to pole tents, if you are to be located in windy area, you will need to secure your tent better. If you manage to do so, an inflatable tent's construction might be even stronger in harsh weather conditions than traditional tents. However, this is not easily done and it is definitely not a few minutes job. Even though the simple erection of the tent would take only few minutes, securing it could take up to an hour depending on the size of the tent and the weather conditions you are preparing for.
The popular belief about the inflatable tents is that it is the cheaper alternative to traditional tents. However, this is not picturing the reality right. Inflatable tents are high-quality tents with superior features to traditional tents. It is interesting to mention that the first tent in space is an inflatable tent. As you might already assume, this requires that the tent is of great quality and with great features. Nevertheless, even a high-quality product might get damaged if it is not used according to the instructions and if it is not cared for.
This means that before setting up the tent you should carefully observe the surface. All sharp objects and rocks should be removed and cleared from the area. The tent should be placed on a flat surface and all the instructions should be followed in order to avoid punctures. Inflatable tents come with a puncture kit that will help you take care of the issue. It might be surprising to know, but puncture in inflatable tents is not more common than the traditional poles tent punctures. Nevertheless, if this happens and you prefer not using your repair kit, there are inflatable poles for a replacement that you can purchase from the same company as your tent.
On the other hand, the reliability of your inflatable tent will depend on the airflow in the air beams. There are two types of construction with different constructions. One with continuous airflow through the entire structure of the tent and others who have inflatable poles that are completely separate and replaceable. If an inflatable tent with continuous airflow gets a puncture while you are not around, there is a possibility that it collapses. However, a puncture is less likely to happen when no one is in the tent. If you notice a puncture though, you could close that section of the tent in order to save it from collapse. Closing off each tent section is a possibility in almost all inflatable tents. Even so, separate inflatable poles is the better alternative.
Common Issues
Even though inflatable tents are less heavy than conventional tents with poles, they are bulkier. So, when it comes to packing them, you will be wearing a big bag on your back or shoulder. They are not compressible, so you will simply need to pack it and stuff it inside the bag.
The most common significant issue with inflatable tents is their puncture. However, this only occurs if you are not aware of its characteristics. All inflatable products, tents included, tend to blow out when the temperatures increase. This is due to the fact that colder air takes less space than hot air. When this happens, if your air beams are fully blown, they might not have other choice but to burst and destroy your trip. In order to avoid this issue, it is important to anticipate this natural phenomenon and consider the part of the day that you are setting up your tent. If you are erecting it around noon, when the temperatures are high, it is safe to assume that the tent will bend a little during the night. The opposite also applies. If you are blowing it out at night when the temperatures are lower, keep in mind that by noon you might end up with collapsed tent if you blow it too much. In this case, make sure you release some pressure by releasing the valves a bit. Releasing the valves causes that excess pressure comes out of them if the weather gets too hot and the pressure too much for the air beams to take. However, this also means that once the temperatures drop, you might need to blow the tubes up again to the pressure that is recommended by the manufacturer.
At the end, it all depends on the type of camping you are planning, how will you be traveling to your destination and your personal tendencies when it comes to camping.
Broken Air Pole?
Before buying an inflatable tent, it is important to also consider repairing it. The breaking of the tent can be rather annoying, but luckily, there is a remedy if you have a repair kit. And the best thing is that they are very easy to use. In fact, the hardest part is locating the puncture. If the hole is too small and you cannot locate the puncture, try removing the air beam from the tent first. After that, put it under water. The puncture will reveal itself by forming bubbles where the hole is. After this, it is the same ways as fixing a bike tire puncture. Simply patch up the puncture and then replace the punctured tube.
Understanding The Construction Of Inflatable Tents
Inflatable tents with the highest quality have air beams that are constructed with an inner tube, so called TPU that has a similar design like a bike's tire. For those of you who haven't had a flat bike tire before, it is constructed with a thinner smaller tire which is placed inside a wider, more sturdier sheath, in this case, made from polyester. The polyester shell is there in order to protect the air beam itself from damages but it also adds to the stability of the entire structure.
Valves are needed on the ends of the air beam in order to keep them in place. It is not rare that the air beams are blown through holes on the valves. However, this entire construction means that a pump is not a luxury that makes the inflation process easier, but a necessity. A pressure of minimum 6 psi is needed in order to inflate one air beam. The human lungs could not produce a pressure higher than 2,5 psi. However, many people prefer wearing a pump instead of several carbon or aluminum tent poles.
Guy lines and stakes are also part of the essential gear if you decide on purchasing an inflatable tent. However, in order to use them, which is necessary for a stable construction, you must have somewhere to attach them to. Luckily, there are trees in the woods, so unless you are going to an urbanized campsite, this shouldn't be an issue.
Q: Which companies make the best inflatable tents?
A: Inflatable tents are a relatively new invention that not every outdoor gear manufacturer could produce. In fact, there aren't many inflatable tents manufacturers on the market. The revolutionary design is specific and most companies are refusing to take the risk of manufacturing a product that has relatively low demand on the market. However, there are few who have managed to gather a community willing to try them and unsurprisingly, they loved it.
A while after Vango company launched its first inflatable tent design, several companies has followed the lead. Nowadays, these companies are the leading manufacturers of the best inflatable tents. It is interesting to mention that most of them are European which suggests that inflatable camping is more popular in that part of the world.
Kelty, a USA located company is also one of the top brands in the inflatable industry. Besides producing high-quality products, they are also part of the Conservation Alliance which is supporting the environment by supporting such organizations.
Coleman is a UK company that specializes in the production of camping gear. In their manufacturing process, they are focusing on the quality of the materials they are using, more than the design of their product. For this reason, they are among the best inflatable tents producers.
Easy Camp is a Danish company that is family run and it is part of the Oase Outdoors group. Outwell and Robens are the other parts of the group. Easy Camp are leaders in price. Considering the features they have to offer, they have the lowest possible price on the market.
Q: Are inflatable tents a better choice than a conventional tent?
A: The advantage in inflatable tents is that you simply need to pump them up and you have a strong construction that is as good as one made with traditional poles. However, there are disadvantages to this construction as well. When it comes to comparing the quality of both types of tents the biggest doubt campers have is stability. However, since the Heimplanet has announced that their tent could resist to winds of 120 mph, this has no longer been an issue. Although both types of tents have their advantages, we have concluded that inflatable tents are the more logical option between the given choices.
- They are much easier to erect,
- Have a great stability and construction strength,
- Pack small in size,
- Have the ability to bend without being broken
- They are easily repaired on the field.
However, in order to give you the chance to decide for yourself, we are also presenting the downsides to the inflatable tents:
- They tend to be heavier than the conventional tents
- Their price is higher
Q: How does an inflatable lawn tent work?
A: If you are wondering about an inflatable lawn tent, it is important to know that the features explained in the article apply to lawn inflatable tents as well. However, inflatable lawn tents have an entirely different purpose from the other types of inflatable tents. They are mostly used for events or as a shady area in your backyard. However, there are campsites that use lawn tents as an additional coverage of the outdoor gear that has no place inside the tent. Even though this is not practical for a weekend, if you are going camping for a month on one location, you will find the lawn tent more than useful.
An inflatable lawn tent is made from PVC material which is water resistant. This is the most important feature of lawn tents which is mainly why they are being used. Inflatable lawn tents are also placed on the beach for creating a shadow for a larger group of people, although, considering the price, this is an arguable feature. Nevertheless, in order to stabilize them, you don't need trees nearby, but simply guy ropes, stakes, and a relatively soft surface.
Final Thoughts
There are various types of tents available on the market; one for every group, situation, and type of camping. Inflatable tents, although relatively new, are a common choice for campers whose final destination includes traveling with a vehicle. Even though inflatable tents could be ideal for certain people, it might not be exactly what you are looking for. For this reason, it is important that when choosing a tent, you start from your own camping preferences and habits. If you decide for an inflatable tent, make sure you choose the system that fits you better. The inflatable tent suggestions above are carefully selected from the various choices on the market and they are the best air tents out there. They are reviewed and rated and they are safe choices that are durable, comfortable and safe.
If you have doubts about any of the suggestions above or inflatable tents in general, simply pop us a question in the comment section. Our experts will get back to you as soon as possible. If you found this guide helpful, spread the word and share it on your social media!