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Feb. 20, 2007
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Wednesday, February 21, 7 p.m.
No. 3 UCSB vs. No. 2 UC Irvine
Robertson Gymnasium
Santa Barbara, Calif.
Friday, February 23, 7 p.m.
No. 3 UCSB at No. 7 UCLA
Pauley Pavilion
Los Angeles, Calif.
Last Meeting: 1/20/07 at UC Irvine
Result: UCI 3, UCSB 2 (25-30, 28-30, 30-22, 30-25, 15-10)
2007 Series: UCI leads 1-0
2006 Series: UCI led 2-1
All-Time Series Record: UCSB leads 43-12
Last UCSB Win: 1/6/06 at UCSB
Result: UCSB 3, UCI 2 (30-24, 30-27, 27-30, 28-30, 15-10)
Current Streak: UCI three wins
Last Meeting: 1/17/07 at UCLA
Result: UCSB 3, UCLA 2 (31-33, 27-30, 30-28, 30-27, 15-6)
2007 Series: Tied 1-1
2006 Series: UCLA led 4-0
All-Time Series Record: UCLA leads 110-27
Last UCLA Win: 1/5/07 at UCSB (Elephant Bar Invite)
Result: UCLA 3, UCSB 0 (30-22, 36-34, 30-26)
Current Streak: UCSB, one win
UCSB overcame large deficits in the first two games to earn a 3-0 sweep over Long Beach State Feb. 17 at Rob Gym. Scores went 30-19, 30-28, and 30-19. It was the fourth straight win for Santa Barbara, the second time it has accomplished that feat this season. The Gauchos baffled Long Beach at the net, collecting a season-high 14.0 total blocks, eight of those coming from David Kennedy. Evan Patak finished with a match co-high 13 kills and added four service aces, three of those coming in the opening game. Theo Brunner hit .714 with 11 kills, while Bryan Berman hit a career-high .727 with eight kills and no errors in 11 swings. Libero Ben Brockman amassed a match-high 13 digs and setter Bart Kowalski had 42 assists to go along with a career-best four blocks. Long Beach was led by Norm Hutton with 13 kills. Paul Lotman followed with 12 kills and Dustin Watten recorded five digs. Setter Michael Iandolo finished with 40 helpers. The Gauchos, who are hitting .373 on the season, swung at a .462 clip for the match and hit .607 in game three. The 49ers hit .220 overall. LBSU jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the opening game and led by as much as six points before UCSB tied the game at 11-11. The Gauchos then went on a 10-0 run to put the game away. In game two, the 49ers led by seven points and held a 28-22 advantage before UCSB pounded out eight-straight points to win. The third and final set was close early on, but Long Beach hit just .179 and Santa Barbara hit .607 to put away the match. It was the 498th career victory for UCSB head coach Ken Preston.
Backed by a match-high 18 kills from Evan Patak and a team hitting percentage of .465, UCSB handily defeated unranked UC San Diego, 3-0, Feb. 15 at Rob Gym. Scores of the match were 30-21, 30-19, and 30-27. Patak was not only dangerous on the attack, but also from the service line, dropping in seven of UCSB's 11 aces. The opposite hit .481 and added three digs and two blocks while amassing 26.0 points in the win. Aaron Richman totaled 11 kills, hit .444, and had four blocks. Theo Brunner also had four blocks and libero Ben Brockman recorded a match-high five digs. Bart Kowalski and Max Klineman split the setting duties and had 23 and 21 assists, respectively. UCSD hit .303 for the match. The Tritons improved as the night went on, hitting .241 in game one, .318 in the second frame, and .360 in the third. Will Ehrman led San Diego with 10 kills, but hit just .174 with six errors in 23 attempts. Jason Spangler put away nine kills with no errors in 12 swings to hit .750. Eric Leserman posted a team-high four digs and setter Brooks Dierdorff had 31 helpers.
UC Irvine, which moved up one spot to No. 2 in this week's AVCA poll, enters Wednesday's match with a 15-3 overall record. The Anteaters are third in the MPSF at 9-3. UCI has been ranked first or second in 19 of the last 20 polls since Feb. 20, 2006. It has won 36 of its last 41 matches dating back to Jan. 31, 2006 and its 15 wins this season is the third-most in program history. Irvine swept UC Santa Cruz, Stanford, and Pacific last week and its last loss was a 3-2 defeat at home vs. Pacific on Feb. 10. Middle blocker David Smith recently became the school's career block assist leader, while middle Aaron Harrell was named the Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week as well as the Molten/MPSF Player of the Week Monday. It was the second national honor of the season for the Anteaters as Jayson Jablonsky won it Jan. 22.
No. 7 UCLA enters the week with an 8-7 overall record and is in seventh place in the MPSF at 6-6. The Bruins split a pair of matches last week, losing 3-0 at Pacific and defeating Stanford 3-1 in Stanford. The loss to Pacific was UCLA's first in 26 meetings. Prior to that road trip, UCLA had won four straight matches. The Bruins host No. 10 Cal State Northridge Wednesday prior to playing UCSB Friday. Four Bruins have collected over 100 kills this season, including Paul George (180), Steve Klosterman (176), Garrett Muagututia (169), and Jamie Diefenbach (125). UCLA is hitting .281 as a team, while opponents are swinging at a .294 clip against the Bruins. Defensively, Tony Ker has a team-high 102 digs. Diefenbach leads the squad with 67 blocks, followed by Klosterman (52) and George (42).
In his 29th season as the head coach of the UCSB men's volleyball program, Ken Preston needs just two more wins for 500 in his career. Currently, Preston holds an overall record of 498-355 (.584) since taking over the reigns in 1979. Preston has 18 winning seasons under his belt, including eight campaigns with 20 or more victories. Preston would be UCSB's second active coach to eclipse the 500-win plateau at the school. Hall of Famer Kathy Gregory, who just completed her 32nd year as head coach of the women's volleyball program, picked up her 500th career win in 1995. Women's basketball coach Mark French has 500+ career wins, but not all have come at UCSB.
UCSB sits in third alone this week as UC Irvine, which was tied for third with UCSB last week, moved up one spot to second. The Gauchos have been ranked second, their highest-ever, on two occasions in the AVCA poll, most recently on Jan. 23, 2001.
Gauchos among the national statistics leaders (all matches):
Ben Brockman: 20th in digs per game (2.23)
Theo Brunner: 5th in hitting (.528)
David Kennedy: 13th in hitting (.453)
Bart Kowalski: 2nd in assists per game (13.65)
Evan Patak: 1st in aces per game (1.127); 2nd in points per game (7.44); 4th in kills per game (5.89)
UCSB: 2nd in hitting (.373)
Gauchos among the MPSF statistics leaders (MPSF matches only):
Bryan Berman: 7th in aces per game (0.28)
Ben Brockman: 5th in digs per game (2.37)
Theo Brunner: 2nd in hitting (.522)
David Kennedy: 5th in hitting (.468)
Bart Kowalski: 1st in assists per game (13.63)
Evan Patak: 1st in kills per game (6.09); 1st in aces per game (1.18); 1st in points per game (7.71)
UCSB: 1st in hitting (.372); 1st in kills per game (16.51); 1st in aces per game (2.00); 1st in assists per game (15.60); 4th in digs per game (9.33); 8th in blocks per game (2.80)
Three Gauchos have recorded double-doubles this season:
Evan Patak (2): 32 kills, 17 digs at Hawai'i (2/8); 40 kills, 13 digs at Pacific (1/12)
Aaron Richman (1): 14 kills, 10 digs vs. Cal State Northridge (1/6)
Armen Zakarian (1): 11 kills, 10 digs vs. Cal State Northridge (1/6)
For the Pepperdine match on Feb. 3, UCSB's Robertson Gymnasium hosted 1,068 fans. It was the highest attendance figure since 1,422 packed in on Jan. 27, 2001 vs. Stanford. The attendance record for a UCSB match is 4,310 against UCLA on April 22, 1983 in the Thunderdome. The Robertson Gymnasium record is 2,935 vs. UCLA on April 12, 1997.
UCSB received National Letters of Intent from four high school seniors during the NCAA's early signing period in November. Ben Douglas (Mountain View, Calif.), Jeff Menzel (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Blaine Nielsen (Corona del Mar, Calif.), and Jake Scalise (San Marcos, Calif.) committed to play for the Gauchos in 2008. Douglas is a 6'6" outside hitter from Mountain View High School. A member of the Spartans' varsity team since he was a freshman, Douglas is in his fourth year with the Bay to Bay Volleyball Club. Menzel is a local standout from San Marcos High School. The 6'5" opposite/outside hitter is a two-time All-CIF honoree and a 2006 All-Channel League First Team member. A versatile athlete, Menzel is also a first team all-league basketball player and a wide receiver on the Royals' football team. Menzel's sister, Erica, played for the Gauchos' women's squad from 2000-03 and was a two-time All-Big West First Team pick as well as an all-region selection in 2002. Nielsen is a 6'4" outside hitter out of Corona del Mar High School. A 2006 All-Pacific Coast League selection, Nielsen captained the Sea Kings to a league title and a second place finish in CIF Division II. In 2005, Corona del Mar won the CIF crown. At the club level, Nielsen captained Balboa Bay to Junior Olympics bronze medals in 2005 and 2006. Scalise is a 6'2" outside hitter from Mission Hills High School of the Division II Valley League. An all-league first team and San Diego County all-section pick, Scalise was also tabbed Mission Hills' MVP. An excellent student, he is a two-time member of the league's all-academic team.


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We got an email overnight from a reader, and the subject line was "Real life Zelda?". I feared the worst. Some bad fan art, perhaps, or even worse, an awful fan film project. How wrong I was.
If you're just a regular human, you'll probably laugh. Wonder why the kid doesn't just drop the food. Or why the guy with the camera runs away from the screaming child instead of helping him, just so he can capture the comedy on camera.
If you're a veteran of the Zelda series, though, where antagonising chickens can mean pursuit and certain death, well. Your heart goes out to him.
[thanks Rafael!]

subset: commoncrawl


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text:
Monsoon has announced two new boxes, Volkano Flow and Volkano Blast along with apps to let you transport ("sling") your home TV to your iPhone or iPad.
Flow is $99 and is barebones slinging. Blast is $199 and added DVR, schedule recordings, web video like YouTube, and mobile video recording (you pick your mobile device and it will record a TV show specifically for that format). The iPad and iPhone apps are $9.99 and the Windows and Mac apps are free.
We got the live demo at CES 2011 so watch along and let us know if you're interested in the new, cheap Volkanos.


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"Absolutely incredible book. Highly recommended." —Circle of Light
"An indispensable reference manual for anyone interested in Tibetan art." —Parabola
"At last this wonderful 1984–86 'how to' book has been reprinted. Every possible aspect is covered, firstly the history of Tibetan art, its place in Tibetan culture, the teachers and the artists, before we get to the basics, from preparing the painting surface to the measurements, the symbols, the borders—and the conservation. So much in one book that every aspiring artist will want." —Mandala Magazine
"This book contains a wealth of fascinating information about thangkas and the artistic culture of Tibet and affords a rare glimpse into the way of life of the artists themselves. . . . It comes as close as is reasonably possible to providing art students with accurate guidelines to gain at least some skill in the techniques. A work as well researched, clearly presented, and fascinating as this will certainly be enjoyed not only by artists but also by anyone with an interest in Tibetan cultural traditions." —The Tibet Journal


text:
Accurately identifying snakes found in the wild is an important task. "What's that Snake" from the Ohio Public Library Information Network makes snake identification much easier.
It is a great site for students learning about snakes, as well as people who spend time in the outdoors.
Interesting fact: of the some 30 species and subspecies of snakes in Ohio, only three are poisonous.


text:
Way back in the elder days of iPhone 3.0 Beta 5, there was some discussion on Twitter about how apps would have an incorrect icon, or would be missing an icon altogether. Since the iPhone 3.0 betas were private and not public, TiPb didn't post about it as that's just not how we play cricket. Private betas will have bugs, get those bugs reported, and hopefully have those bugs fixed by the time the software goes into general availability.
However, TUAW highlights that this particular bug is still biting iPhone 3.0, even in the release version. Now, as then, if you have an app that's missing an icon or has the incorrect icon, you can try to reboot your iPhone, delete the app and download or sync it back on, or wait for Apple to fix it in a 3.0.x update.
Meanwhile, you can let us know the funniest app mishaps iPhone 3.0 is giving you in the comments below.
(Mine is the little AIM dude swiping my 1Passwords Pro!)


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- For other uses, see IKS Chong'pogh.
The IKS Chong'pogh was a Klingon starship, a Stalker-class starship of the Klingon Empire's Defense Force in active service in the 23rd century. (ST video game: Legacy)
- No history or fate is established for this vessel as its designation was randomly selected for a Stalker class ship by the game software.


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10:00 pm
Pioneers of Television "Funny Ladies" This episode features the first standup comediennes to appear on television - legends such as Phyllis Diller and Joan Rivers. It also looks at Lucille Ball's breakthrough on "I Love Lucy" and the sitcom stars who followed, including Mary Tyler Moore, Betty White and Marla Gibbs. The episode covers television's most enduring variety star, Carol Burnett, and features interviews with contemporary actresses including Tina Fey and Margaret Cho. D
11:00 pm
Chatsworth House At the country estate of the 12th Duke of Devonshire, the south facade is under scaffolding for a $14 million renovation. An events manager arranges for digital retouching for photos of couples using the area for weddings. It is also the 48th Chatsworth Horticultural and Produce show when members of the 700-person staff compete with each other for trophies. Part 3 of 3G


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Gamecock Nation:
Growing up in Duncan, South Carolina, I never really cared too much about football teams in South Carolina. I never understood the pride of our state and why Clemson and South Carolina football was so big. I was always a fan of players, never the school, but for some reason when I got the offer letter from South Carolina at the end of my 11th-grade year, I was excited, not knowing what would unfold the next four years of my life.
Brad Lawing and Jay Graham came into my living room a couple weeks before my senior season in high school began to wind down. We talked for about an hour and honestly, I don't remember a thing except when coach Lawing asked me if I had any concerns. I told him what was in my heart, that I felt a lot of pressure to go there and contribute to be somewhat the face of Carolina football and turn the program around.
Coach Lawing said three words that really stuck with me forever -- "Just be yourself." I knew after that where I would be attending school.
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Did my three years at Carolina turn out the way I wanted? No. Did it turn out the way that God wanted it? Yes, and now I'm here in San Francisco and I realize that's all that matters, and I wouldn't change a thing that happened.
The purpose of this letter is to tell all of you, thank you. Thank you for all of the memories, thank you for accepting me not knowing what you would get my freshman year. Everybody says they have the best fans no matter what school it is, but I know for sure we have the most loyal fans from hearing stories of when we didn't win a game and the stands would still be packed. Thank you for giving me something to represent at the highest level for the rest of my life. Thank you for giving me a sense of pride for the state of South Carolina. I have never been so proud to say I'm from this great state with the most genuine people in the world.
You sent love to me while I was in my darkest days and I got every card, letter, e-mail and text. No, I have not read them all, but when my playing days are over, I definitely will. You all showed me that life is short and not to take anything for granted. But most of all, you guys helped me grown in my walk with Jesus Christ. Thank you, Dylan Thompson. The adversity I was dealt with molded me into a man.
South Carolina is a part of my life forever and I will be back to help this university and community in any way I can, because that is what God called me to do. You accepted me, a scared young man, with open arms and let him grow. I love you all and thank you and know that you are all appreciated. Remember, when things don't make sense and all seems to be going wrong, trust in God because he does not make mistakes.
Now let's get Mike Davis that trophy next December!
Love, Marcus
Merry Christmas!


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CauseSpring brauchte ein neues Logo Design und hat einen Wettbewerb auf 99designs gestartet.
Aus 236 Designs von 53 Designern wurde eine Gewinner gewählt.
Design logo for online software company building next gen event management and fundraising tools for charities/causes, and sponsorship services for corporate marketing campaigns.
We're looking for something fresh, professional, creative and charitably themed. The logo will set the mood of the company, laying groundwork for all our branding, including website, business cards, brochures, etc
In terms of process, we will try to add feedback at least once or twice a day, and rate each design. The ratings system we'll use is:
1 star - Please try something new.
2 star - Your design needs some work.
3 star - Your on the right track.
4 star - Great! Your really close.
5 star - Excellent! Your very likely to win!
Good luck!!
- minimalist, clean and strong theme, professional but cool, works for both charities and corporations
- reads left to right
- taglines are awesome
- creative design makes distinctions made between "Cause" and "Spring" (ie, so no confusion on "causes"/"pring" etc)
- feel free to play with capitalizations, lowercase/uppercase, etc
- don't want the logo to look like "causes" and "pring"
Finden Sie heraus, wie ein Designwettbewerb funktioniert, oder lernen Sie mehr über unsere Logo-Design-Angebote.


text: It is important to read the label carefully when choosing grass-fed beef. Many consumers have the mistaken idea that grass-fed indicates that the beef is also organic, but the label would clearly state whether or not the beef is organic. The pasture where the cattle grazed may have been treated with pesticides in which case the beef cannot be labeled organic.


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I recently had bumped into a young lady who had went to high school with my son. She has been graduated now for about 6 or 7 years. After catching me up on what she had been doing with her life since graduating she told me that she used to be an alcoholic and had a drug addiction.
I told her that I was sorry that this had happened to her and told her that if she ever needed help or just wanted somebody to talk to; that my wife and I are always available for her. Then she told me that thanks to god she is now clean and has been for about 18 months. I just smiled and said good for you and said this; "Don't short change yourself or the people who helped you during this very difficult time!" And she said; "What do you mean?" And, I told her that, "The people and family who were there during your troubled times are the real people that deserve the thanks and praise; and most importantly...thank yourself!"
Anyway, I was just wanting to hear from other like-minded ladies and gentlemen on what they would or have said to someone in a similiar situation. And, please feel free to critic my response to this young lady!
Thanks, Peace out!
Jeff Dempsey
Views: 488
I love this site too. Rational discourse is wonderful... and a stark contrast to the emotion thought that runs rampant everywhere else!.
Join loc. NORML (facebook's nice)
and have lawyers' # handy
decrim in many cities lately btw fck the mainstream hype
There's a group here at the Nexus (it's plugged regularly on ShockNet Radio's American Heathen and other shows) called Sober WithOut Gods. It's an Atheist alternative to AA and similar organizations.
Kind of small here, but worth checking out. Here's the link to the group: http://www.atheistnexus.org/group/soberwithoutgods
Hope this helps!!!
Here! Here! Your preaching to the choir here, brother! Lol!
AA (NA etc) work for me. Sure it was written from a Christian context but this is the 21st century. I relied on Living Sober in the early years. It's a secular look at AA life published by AA in the 1970s.
There is a lot of great literature by atheists for atheist about the AA model. Some reject the Steps completely and others re-write the same principles in secular terms. Google AA atheist or agnostic and you can find some if you're interested.
AA et al are hardly the be all and end all, but anyone who talks from their own experience with AA or NA are talking about a particular experience with particular groups. Some are more liberal, some conservative, some very ritualistic, some not, some with prayer, some without.
John L has a 2014 book, AN ATHEIST IN ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS. He's sober 46 years and relies on the one-day-at-a-time approach and leaning on his fellows. He rejects the Twelve Steps almost entirely. He's AA and he's hardly religious.
There are agnostic and atheist groups (200 of them) http://www.agnosticaanyc.org/worldwide.html
Facebook, google and Yahoo all have 12 Step chats, groups etc for atheist, freethinkers, agnostics.
Looks like an old post now, but it popped up so I'm replying.
Your advice was true and valid. It was all her and the people who helped her. No invisible friend had anything to do with it. She says "what do you mean?" It means she thought all the power and glory here goes to god because she has stopped drugs and alcohol. Used to be an alcoholic. I'm sorry. You are always an alcoholic but the thing is are you a practicing alcoholic? If you believe "god did it" in stopping your habits you are likely again to go back into them once you change your mind on god. This is what the term "backslider" means in christianity today. You have stopped attending church and went back into your old ways. Does that mean "the power of god" didn't work or just that you changed your mind?
You can be sober without god and also sober without the "higher power" idea. The program depends on the people, -- and you.
On another website, I started a thread about how I'd love to become an atheist preacher of sorts. We had a mother-and-daughter Jehovah's Witness team come by the house, and the idea of a woman bringing her teenage daughter into the insanity really got me going.
"WE should be preaching to THEM!" I said to my husband. "We need to save them from themselves! If something happens to them, and they need surgery or a blood transfusion, they'd DIE before allowing that!"
So I started a thread about it, how I love the concept of saving people from religion, starting with the JWs who stop by. Of course I'm not serious about knocking on doors and such, but I couldn't help but fantasize about having the same cojones as religious freaks.
Another poster said that she had survived a traumatic upbringing thanks to God. I thought to myself, she stepped into an "atheist preacher" thread and is telling us about how God saved her.
So I told her nicely that it was in fact her choice of survival method- turning to a religion instead of, say, drugs or self-destructive behavior, that saved her. Told her that SHE deserved all the credit, and that she alone had the power and strength to find the right resources.
She got very defensive, and contacted the moderators, who removed the entire thread. I was pretty angry- I had made some very good points, and wasn't the least bit rude. She came into that thread with God talk and should not have expected to have the last word in that case. I gave HER the credit that she always attributes to this god of hers, and she gets offended?! I was incredulous.
But I'm not surprised of course. Religious people always shut down an argument and play the "offended" card when they can't effectively make any good points.
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This garden gnome or manó
Happy Sunday to all and Happy Easter !
i would rather call it "törpe".:) I guess its more popular in Germany where is a cult of "kobold"s. I like in yout photo that it looks like you were peeping the MANÓ and he didnt recognise you:) Cuteee
Good title! I like to spend some time on the words as well and once in a while they seem to come out in the right order.
Awww, he's very cute!
hahaha, cute title. cheers. just got back in.
Better watch out for these guys
Garde Gnome Liberation Front
I like the groups that steal gnomes and send photographs of them residing in freedom, somewhere far away
haha, i was indeed peeping. The owner saw my suspicious behaviour and offered to turn the törpe to face the cam. So kind of her ;)
got the title somewhere online :p
yes, I read about it. Just kind of bizarre for me! :)
Thanks all again for your feedback !
Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting on the hummer.
I like your gnome in the picture. They are just like that on television commercials here.
we call them "gnomos". i remeber when i was a little girl there were on TV a cartoon serie called David el Gnomo.. and he was just like your statue... but smaller i'm sure
There must be one living in my garden - my rakes keep disappearing ;-)
Happy Easter!
I have seen garden gnomes before however I never had an opportunity to photograph one before. Normally I see gnomes as decorations on a shelf.
oh my gosh, its the garden gnome - like the one in that french movie Amelie - we dont have one in our garden but we have alot of other things =P
some are crafted so delicately they definitely deserve to be on the shelves
it is waiting for you to look for him ;)
i dont know that cartoon. Ah, they do resembles the character smurf! i love smurfs
Thank you all for your feedback!
cute shot Kris.


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Welcome to the CRG Discussion Forum!Forum registration problems: Make sure you enter your email correctly and you check your spam box first. *Then* email KurtS2@gmail for help.Classified ads are not allowed on the forum.
Trunk emblem. Not sure what this is but guess it may be the importer? Another terrible quality photo but you get the idea!


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But dear Internet: I made you this valentine. It's a red heart, see? I cut it out myself! With some bits of a paper doily all around the edges! It's a little sticky from all the glue and sparkles. I pasted on some googly eyes, but they fell off. Oh, wait, here they are, on my shoe.
Why did I bother making this when you're just going to throw it out? Because I love you. I love you, Internet. I want to date you. I want to invite you over, and bake you a casserole. I will gaze at you in misty-eyed adoration, and warble love songs at you as you eat. Sweet Jesus, you'll think, does she have to look at me like that? What am I eating? And why is she singing Anne Murray songs, of all things? and then you'll make up an excuse about having to leave early. I'll call you as soon as you run out the door and I'll make kissy noises into your voice mail.
And then I'll FedEx you the rest of the casserole.
You will be scared.
But it will all be out of love, Internet. You are my one and only. Don't ever forget that. And never leave me. Ever.
Okay, okay. Seriously, now. Wow. I don't even know what to say about the response I received to my last post. I am overwhelmed. Thank you.
The amazing Leah interviewed me, and you can read it here. Go see! Embarrassing secrets--revealed! And there's a picture of me trying to look pretentious, and succeeding.
Did I say thank you? Thank you. It doesn't seem like enough, but it's what I've got.


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Tuesday, 25 December 2012
The taboo, gay hero's and a little game called football
Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United goalkeeper) recently wrote a blog about football needing a "gay hero". He also said that "homosexuality in football is a taboo subject".
I agree with him that it is a taboo. Football is, like many other sports, seen by some as a sport that is to be played by 'real men' who are into swigging beer, hanging out with the lads and shagging girls. Yet sport is hobby or profession that knows no bounds of gender, age, race, religion or sexual orientation.
The examples set by those in the professional game often filter down to grass roots football. Bad language; abuse between players and towards match officials; diving and simulation. Children and adults see this week in, week out on TV and it's soon replicated on parks and playgrounds up and down the country.
I'm not suggesting for one second that if a high profile professional footballer were to come out as gay it would solve all our problems. To date I'm only aware of two openly gay professional footballers (Justin Fashanu and Anton Hysen). Instead, maybe we should look to those who are openly gay and participate in grass roots football all over the UK and the world, and reverse the trend of professional football setting the example.
In August 2011 I moved from Birmingham to London. This was by far the biggest decision of my life and one that came with a great degree of nervousness. It's certainly not easy to make friends in a new city but luckily I had a few good people around me to make my life enjoyable.
After a year I decided to go and train with the London Titans, a gay friendly football team in South West London. I'd known about them for a while but I got in touch and went training a week later. Hand on heart it's one of the best decisions I've ever made.
Now for those who think that homosexuality in football is a taboo, they'd probably expect that I turned up to find a group of mincy, camp queens kicking a ball around whilst taking due care not to mess up their hair and drinking a Starbucks latte or a pina colada. How wrong they'd be! I played football as a kid from a young age, right through my teens and into adulthood. I knew what a 'straight' team was like - how they trained and the banter they had. This was no different. The lads were lads. They could run, they could play, and my god could they have banter! They welcomed me with open arms and 5 months on I feel like I've been a part of them for years.
Last season the Titans played in the GFSN League of which we've been champions for the last two years. This season we decided to continue in this league and also enter into the Sportsmans League (to most this would be classed as a 'straight' league). A bold move some would say, but not to us. As I pointed out, sport is something that knows no bounds of sexuality, so why should we restrict ourselves to only playing in a gay friendly league?
We got a few games and wins under our belts and our confidence was growing. We were competing against other teams, scoring goals and getting results, all without the aid of handbags, high heels and limp wrists. It was going so well. Then one week we came up against it.
Our opposition had clearly done a little research, found out we were a gay friendly team and decided to use this against us. From the first to the last whistle homophobic abuse was endured. One of our players was spat at and another punched in the face (although these actions can't be attributed purely to the fact that they were gay). That aside, the team came back from being 0-2 down to win
3-2. The teams maturity, determination and professionalism shone through and proved that our reason for being in this league is to play football and win games, as well as hoping to remove peoples ignorant, bigoted views around gay men not being able to play, or be a part of, football.
To the Titans, the social aspect of being a team is just as important as the football. We form friendships, relationships, and a comradery that's so strong it'll rarely be broken. This was demonstrated by the match described above. These players are now my friends as well as being my hero's. They've accepted me for who I am, befriended me and given me a reason for staying in London that was previously dwindling.
We're not the only gay friendly team in the UK. There are many more up and down the UK and across the world, each with their own hero's who have the courage and confidence to be open about their sexuality and partake in a sport which they love and enjoy. After all, is that not what sport is about?
The Titans regularly work with charities, supporting them in raising awareness of gay life and helping those less fortunate. Some of our players also play an active role in the fight against homophobia in football. It's a shame we have to use the word 'fight', but it is deemed as such.
Whilst I don't expect others to see our players as hero's, I'd encourage any man or woman who wants to be a part of sport to get involved with teams like the Titans and raise awareness of us. I'd also challenge those who believe in the taboo to come along and try to prove that all I have written here is a pile of crap! Strength in numbers will only help bolster our voice, and until we remove the taboo of homophobia in football, we'll continue to get up every Sunday morning, standing up for what we believe in and finding the back of the net.
As for me, I'll be with my hero's every step of the journey, and I know they'll be with me too!
Website: http://www.londontitans.com/en/
Twitter: @londontitansfc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/London-Titans-FC/242767742409733?fref=ts
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After losing their quarterfinal match against Korea, Pakistan slumped to another defeat, this time at the hands of hosts Malaysia and in the process were also ousted from the race for a fifth place finish in the World Hockey League (WHL) in Johor Bahru.
The 3-1 loss meant that Pakistan would now take on South Africa for the 7-8 playoff game while hosts Malaysia will battle Japan in the 5-6 placement match.
Pakistan, who have always been guilty of being inconsistent, had been surprisingly solid in the WHL but the quarterfinal loss to Korea seemed to have taken the wind out of their sails and it was quite evident against Malaysia today.
They never looked in control of the match and conceded a goal in the 14th minute off a Muhammad Razie Adbul Rahim drag-flick. Even though the Greenshirts hit back just two minutes later through a stunning buildup and finish by Shafqat Rasool, they were chasing the game once again after an own-goal from goalkeeper Imran Butt in the 19th minute.
Tengku Ahmad Tajudin extended the lead for Malaysia just three minutes into the second half and effectively shut the door for Pakistan.
It was once again a case of lackadaisical defending and poor finishing for Muhammad Imran's men who now face the daunting task of winning the upcoming Asia Cup to qualify for the World Cup.


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The logo should be professional enough to appeal to students wishing to pursue a career in the performing arts, while also appealing to the raw beginner who wants to have fun and build confidence.
The school caters for all ages but predominantly 3-18 year olds.
- Could include the color scheme of cherry red, black and white. Highlight colors could be light pink and light grey.- Would like to include some art / silhouettes / pictures involved with performing arts
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Another Survivor Series is officially in the books, and while it certainly wasn't the worst pay-per-view ever, it also didn't do much to make anyone forget the 1997 and 1998 editions. The days of "You screwed Bret" and The Rock going corporate are way in the past, replaced this year by show versus show, or as the WWE prefers, brand versus brand.
Covering the show for the site Sunday night convinced me of one thing: the brand split's time has come and gone. Many people were skeptical of its worth from the start, but I felt like it was a fairly noble experiment; a way to manufacture some feeling of competition in a post-WCW, pre-TNA time when none was on the horizon. And everyone who's been following wrestling over the past decade knows that "the WWE does better when it has competition" is one of the most prevalent schools
of thought out there.
Be that as it may, last night's main event (and to a lesser extent, the nearly unwatchable GM versus GM match) did very little to convince me that the experiment hasn't failed. Smackdown is no competition for Raw, and there's no doubt that the WWE feels like its Monday night showcase is its flagship program. Thanks to a gradual process of slimming down the roster, even the once large number of performers under contract isn't a reason to keep the split going.
There's a lot more I could say on the subject, but I figured I could get my point across even better by using one of the most time-honored traditions of columnists everywhere: the open letter. Yes, there's very little chance Vince McMahon or anyone in power will actually read it, but just the fact that it will be out there in the digital ether means one thing: you never know.
Without further ado...
Dear Vince and other WWE honchos:
Long time fan, first time writer. I caught Survivor Series on Sunday night, though for purposes of disclosure I should tell you that I was being paid to watch and write about it. The assignment was for an internet site, so I hope that's okay. I know you're not too crazy about any sites besides WWE.com.
Anyway, the brand versus brand angle you've been working on for the past few months came to a head last night, and I, for one, wasn't too impressed. It felt like a last ditch effort to make Smackdown mean something. At least I hope that's what it was. You see, I'm writing to ask you -- maybe beg you would be more like it -- to end the brand split.
I'm pretty sure a lot of other fans feel the same way I do. For starters, internal competition has never really been your strong suit. You had a much better chance to do something similar a few
years ago when you purchased WCW, and even though you did the Invasion angle, it felt like your heart wasn't really in it. Maybe part of the problem was that we knew from the start that WCW wasn't going to "win," so it sucked a lot of the drama out of it right from the get-go.
Last night had some of the same feel. There wasn't anything at stake, so the build up to the confrontation between shows seemed kind of flat. If, say, the Smackdown stars could have taken over Monday nights for a month, there would have at least been something hinging on the outcome. Instead, it really just seemed like a vehicle to let the announcers argue and bring back the Undertaker, and you could have done that any time.
I know what you're thinking, and yes, the angle did give us a chance to see some match-ups we normally wouldn't, but it should be obvious to you that if you ended the split, you could mix up feuds to your hearts' content.
You've tried to do that using the draft lottery, but since we now have John Cena and Kurt Angle facing off on Mondays when they used to do it on Thursdays, that doesn't quite cut it. Your roster isn't as big as it once was, so I don't think people would get tired of seeing some of the same faces twice a week.
You've got another problem lurking out there that I know you're already contemplating, and that's Smackdown's uncertain TV future. UPN sure doesn't seem to be in love with it any more, and call me crazy, but I think it would be an easier sell to wherever it would end up if Cena, Angle, Shawn Michaels and Triple H were going to be there instead of the crew you have on Smackdown right now. Sure, the Friday night guys won last night, but you had to water down Team Raw to do it, and even then I'm not sure I swallowed it.
Speaking of swallowing, that brings me to my final point. We wrestling fans have to gulp down a lot
of our disbelief when we watch, and we're willing to do it because we enjoy what you call sports entertainment. But the split brings up situations that test even our willingness to suspend disbelief, because they just flat out don't make sense. Why would Carlito and Chris Masters -- two of Raw's biggest heels -- team up with Michaels when all that's at stake is bragging rights? Why would Randy Orton follow Batista's lead when he could use it as an opportunity to scheme on the big man's world title? Watching faces and heels team up for simple pride in their show is ridiculous, and it's even more so when the same guys go back to feuding with each other as soon as one event is over. Bag the split and you won't have to worry about this any more. Or more precisely, we fans won't have to worry about it.
Let me say that I don't expect you to drop the brand split tonight on Raw or anything like that. I know it might take some time to build up to something as big
as combining the shows back together, and it makes perfect sense to wait until right after WrestleMania to get the ball rolling. It could unfold over the summer, perhaps culminating at SummerSlam, and you'd head into the new fall television season with something exciting to promote. It's just a thought.
I know your hearts were in the right place when you started this forced separation, but sometimes we have to admit when something's not working the way you'd hoped and learn to let go. You're actually pretty good at it if you think about it -- you didn't fight NBC when they pulled the plug on the XFL, and you bailed on The World restaurant when it started taking on too much water. It's time to do the same thing with the brand split. You'll have the thanks of at least one longtime fan.
Nick Tylwalk
Nick Tylwalk has been a SLAM! Wrestling contributor since 1998,
and his weekly column, Walkin' That Aisle with Nick Tylwalk, appears every Monday. Comments, compliments and complaints can be sent to firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Grateful goodbye to a temperamental old friend, and "hello again" to a friendly poison
Interesting week. At times far too much like, variously, a play by Alan Ayckbourne, a novel by Trollope, or bits of an autiobiography of a certain well known professor of psychiatry.
Suffice it to say for now that I decided to take the week off work, and also to keep myself away from a keyboard as much as possible, to get some sleep and to ponder the general direction of life. All this made somewhat easier by going back on the lithium, and slowly coming down off a manic high which a mere two days after my previous diary entry had me convinced that sleep was an entirely optional luxury. Fortunately various friends noticed in time (it's often difficult to get a word in when I'm talking - if it's entirely impossible, ask me whether I've been taking the pills ;-)).
So, the experiment (conducted with knowledge and support of my GP, and initiated a few weeks ago) with coming off lithium after four years on it, is brought to a close, and I add it again to my list of vices. I shall miss the highs (there's some pleasant irony in an illness which allows you to go and dance amongst the stars anytime you want purely by /not/ taking any drugs). Not that I'd recommend it - this time I was fortunate to catch it early, thanks to those alert friends - if I'd carried on climbing for only a few days longer it might have taken weeks to recover. Whether there will be a price to pay (depression often follows episodes of mania) over the next few weeks remains to be seen - at the moment, I'm comfortable that there won't.
For now then, if you've emailed me, and I've not got back to you yet, I will be doing so over the next week.
Natalie Imbruglia CD
God clearly has a sense of humour. On Friday last week, whilst quite pleasantly high, waiting to pick up the lithium from Tesco's pharmacy, I bought a copy of Natalie Imbruglia's new CD "White Lilies Island", partially out of professional interest (it's the first copy-protected CD from a mainstream artist to be released in the UK), and partially because I'd enjoyed her last album. Drove down to London with it playing on the car CD player (at least one device on which it works), only to discover that Natalie seems to be 'one of us' - at least half the songs on the album describe aspects of both mania and depression too well to be accidental. "Beauty on the Fire", "Goodbye", "Hurricane", "Sunlight", "Butterflies" and "Come September" stand out in particular, though the threads of MD find their way into the other songs too.
So, if you want to know what this strange illness is like, buy "White Lilies Island", and stick it on your CD player while reading Kay Redfield Jamison's "Unquiet Mind". Fortunately, the experience won't be anywhere near as intense as the real thing, but if you're blessed not to be blessed with manic depression, it might make understanding those of us who are just that little bit easier.


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2013 Thruster Wave Boards vs Quads & Singles
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Joined: 30 May 2007
Posts: 967
Location: Formerly Cape Hatteras, now Burlington, VT!
Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:11 am
Post subject:
Hey guys and gals-
I just thought that I would add my 2 cents from personal experience with the Tabou DaCurve. The DaCurve is a convertible board. there are 5 fin boxes, so you can set it up as a quad or thruster. I think this helps to distinguish between the feel of the fin setups, rather than the different boards, since it's the same board... Obviously, not all quads are the same, neither are all thrusters or single fins... But this may help people figure out why they like a certain board in certain conditions.
In the past I've always ridden it as a quad, because it worked really really really well, so... Why mess with it? The other day, in windy side on and small-medium wind swell, I decided to run it as a thruster to see how it felt. After all, the thruster configuration is marketed as optimal in those conditions, so...why not at least try...
Here's what I noticed, some of it you'd expect, some maybe not so much:
Planing up:
Took more juice to get flow over the fins in thruster mode. Basically, you had to be going faster and have more sustained sail power before you could push on the fins. The board felt squirrely getting up to speed. Pumping to plane was NOT as effective as in quad setup.
Just sailing along:
The board felt lighter and livelier under foot in thruster mode. It was tougher on my ankles at first, but I got used to that pretty quickly. It was not as good upwind, especially underpowered, but it still made it there... Just had to lengthen the reaches a bit. Well powered, it was about the same upwind as quad is underpowered. I think the nose was riding higher, but that might just be my imagination. Quad is easier to just plug along, totally in control at any speed. Thruster was a bit more all over the place.
Clearly better in thruster. Mostly due to the amount of wind and speed required to just plane. In quad, a lot times I'll feel like I have a ton of sail power, but once I get in the air it all just falls out of the sky since I wasn't actually that juiced or going that fast.
Feel from the sail:
Due to less fin drag, the sails felt like they had less pumpable low end power. As in, if there was a little gust, in quad mode you could feel more grunt from the sail and use that to eek the board onto a slower but very trustworthy plane with plenty of push coming from the fins. In thruster, you would almost pull yourself out of the gust with quick acceleration, sail power would then diminish, and with less fin area, there wasn't quite enough grunt from under the board to continue onto a real plane... I'd recommend sailing with a bigger sail in thruster than in quad mode.
My sails also felt like they had better overpowered stability, most likely due to lower board drag, higher top speeds and quicker acceleration, and therefore less sail distortion in gusts and lulls.
On the wave:
There was less "board pump able wave face acceleration" in thruster. Basically, you really had to rely on sail power to generate speed down the line, whereas in quad, you can use the wave itself much much more. Bottom turns felt less like surfing and more like windsurfing... If that makes sense...
There was a noticeable diffence in the top turns. In thruster mode, the rail would hook a lot more and the board really liked to do a full carving very aggressive direction change. On rails. Very cool feeling. In quad, on the other hand, I think there's a lot more load on your back foot and the top turn is much more powerful and more of a water displacing spray throwing grunt filled tail push with a higher nose and less rail hook. I think you tend to kill your speed and stay higher on the face in a quad top turn, while in thruster mode, you use much more real estate with more speed and more constant motion, and less grunt filled tail push.
I think that just about covers it. Sorry for writing a book! I'll add a few pictures in a day or two to highlight the setup differences. I do think that it's super awesome to be able get such a different feel out of the same board, and I plan on switching things up much more in the future, depending on the conditions. For example:
Windy and small? Thruster for top turn mobility and high jumps. Not so windy? Probably quad, since you rely on the wave face much more. Side off? Dunno yet, need to experiment...
Hope that helps!
formerly known as hodad.andy
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Joined: 22 Apr 2005
Posts: 83
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 7:30 am
Post subject: 2013 Thruster Wave Boards vs Quads & Singles
Great write up on the Tabou Da Curve in thruster configuration and interesting observations on how much the performance differs between the two options.
Were you using the same fins for thrusters that you use for quad sailing and what size? How about the center fin? I am wondering if perhaps a slightly larger center fin than what you rode would help improve upwind capability in thruster mode?
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Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 4881
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:25 am
Post subject:
Andy being fully capable of answering
so my POV
the size of the center on the tri fin, is going to be the defining fin, so larger will make it act more like a single, but not so much so.
it is less of a pivot point when all 3 are the same or nearly the same size
Andys review does not say the DC size, a guess is 85 ish Liters, point : changes in size will vary dependent on volume.
the center fin size would have some effect on upwind , and if that were a more desirableness trait, over ie loose snappy skateboard feel that you get with fins the same or near same size, then a larger fin might be better,
probably a fine line on how large, so it doesn't detract from the other wanted multi fin character, also the option of not so much longer, but more area...... so fin selection
K4 fins
4Boards....May the fours be with you
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Joined: 16 Jun 2008
Posts: 131
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 12:15 pm
Post subject:
hodad.andy wrote:
I think that just about covers it. Sorry for writing a book! [...] For example:
Windy and small? Thruster for top turn mobility and high jumps. Not so windy? Probably quad, since you rely on the wave face much more. Side off? Dunno yet, need to experiment...
Great writeup! Thanks for taking the time to do it.
My experience with single fin, thrusters and quads in Baja in side-off conditions with "doable" waves is this: if you like that drawn-out top turn, single or thruster; if you like the skateboard feel and massive grip on the top and front of the wave, quad. On flat water (or going out), the quads felt slower, but coming in on a wave face, they felt much faster to me.
My preference is single fin for side-on (jumping) conditions and quad for side- or side-off (DTL conditions), but that is purely a personal preference.
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Joined: 30 May 2007
Posts: 967
Location: Formerly Cape Hatteras, now Burlington, VT!
Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 1:35 pm
Post subject: Re: 2013 Thruster Wave Boards vs Quads & Singles
Windnc wrote:
Were you using the same fins for thrusters that you use for quad sailing and what size? How about the center fin? I am wondering if perhaps a slightly larger center fin than what you rode would help improve upwind capability in thruster mode?
Don't get me wrong, it was still fine upwind. On par with any single fin wave board. Just not quite up to the quad's performance.
For setup, I kept the same little thrusters (9 cm) pretty much as far back as they go. And then I removed the 2x 16cm fins and put in the single 18cm fin. These are all the stock fins that come with the board. See photo.
Obviously, there is a ton of fin area in the water while in quad setup, which adds a bit of drag, but provides a ton of lift even at slower speeds. And since they're all out on the rails, there's very little torque on your ankles and the board remains settled and controlled.
Turning it into a thruster setup adds that more torquey, lively single fin feel. But, the fin setup isn't creating quite as much lift, so you have to sail more powered up and go faster to get the fins to lock in.
Yes, using a different center fin may add to the upwind and early planing capability while in thruster mode, but at the expense of overpowered control and rail to rail performance while on the wave. Moving the center fin further back may accomplish the same benefits without as much of the negatives... maybe.
Oh, U2- yes, this is the Tabou DaCurve 85.
swmckay- Yes, the quads feel faster on the wave face. Especially if you can give the board a little wiggle pump. Crazy acceleration. It is exactly the same if you surf a traditional thruster surf board and then jump onto a quad fin setup- the quad will rocket right out from underneath you if you aren't careful!! That tighter fin configuration squeezes a lot of water... and creates quite a bit of drive!
Fun! Let's all go sailing!!!
2013 Tabou DaCurve 85 fin setup
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formerly known as hodad.andy
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Joined: 21 Dec 2008
Posts: 5471
Location: The eye of the universe, Cen. Cal. coast
Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:26 pm
Post subject:
Just a bit of definition, a thruster setup is with all 3 fins being the same size.
When the center fin is bigger that the side bites, then it is a 2+1 setup, as shown in that pic, that's a 2+1, not a thruster.
Carry on.
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Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 4881
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado
Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 6:48 pm
Post subject:
I agree. A lot of the terms /definitions in surfing are transposed to windsurfing , somewhere in the translation.........
I would probably call a board that has a center length 15cm and the sides 13cm , a thruster, as well noone is going to measure them to be the same or different.
I said I agree
I have a HYBRID Thruster as well
K4 fins
4Boards....May the fours be with you
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Joined: 30 May 2007
Posts: 967
Location: Formerly Cape Hatteras, now Burlington, VT!
Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 8:38 pm
Post subject:
nw30 wrote:
Just a bit of definition, a thruster setup is with all 3 fins being the same size.
When the center fin is bigger that the side bites, then it is a 2+1 setup, as shown in that pic, that's a 2+1, not a thruster.
Carry on.
True. And as long as we're defining:
Quad = 4 fins with the larger set in front and the smaller set closer to the tail.
Twinzer = 4 fins with the smaller set in front and the larger set closer to the tail.
Twin fin = 2 fins side by side
Trailing tri fin = 2 larger fins forward with a smaller fin on the center line closer to the tail
2 + 1...
Single fin...
So... my earlier posts are totally misleading if you are into using the correct nomenclature.
Question- Has anyone actually seen or sailed a true thruster configuration? U2U2?
formerly known as hodad.andy
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Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 4881
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 12:36 am
Post subject:
I tried 13cm sidebites and 16.5cm center on my Angulo 80L, so about 1 1/8" from being the same, to be brief , it felt good, loose, much like a twin but more firmly planted, up wind was good, with a longer center 20cm AND shorter sidebites 11cm for my preference it was ideal.
My trailer tri fin I have used the closest to the same size, 15cm rear and 16.5cm front pair, Naish 96L, have yet to find the ideal fin combo on this,
the above was among the best, think with the position of the front set (more inboard than a 3 fined, more outboard than a twin) that large fronts and smaller rear, should work best.
Lots call the side fins on a 2+1 or small forwards on a 4 fin board, thrusters, also side bites, canards.
which is different to the reference of a 3 fined board being a THRUSTER
K4 fins
4Boards....May the fours be with you
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Posts: 9276
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:03 pm
Post subject:
Rather than 2 + 1, why not just tri-fin. My second Open Ocean that I bought in early 1996 was a called a "tri-fin" by the designer/builder, Brian Hinde, and it included canted glassed-on side fins. I'm still riding that board. It's a bit old school in its overall design, but it was a precursor of sorts to today's multi-fin boards.
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Live Music at The Toro Bar and Grill!
September 10, 2010
Hello All! Just a reminder that the Inn at Rio Rancho's on-site restaurant features live music every weekend! From classic rock to cutting edge groups, we present a variety of great bands to listen to while you enjoy your favorite tequila (mine's Aha Toro!) in a margarita or one of our famous dishes (see previous posts for some of the delicious entrees). This Saturday, September 11th, The Toro Bar and Grill is proud to present "Hustlers," a local band that promises "heavy energy" and "Bottomless, propelling rhythm." They recently won the Battle of the Bands at the Hard Rock Cafe and Casino and are set to blow the doors off the Inn! Stop by and check out their musical stylings and find out who our next big act will be! Remember, it's always exciting at the Toro Bar and Grill, a distinguishing benefit of a stay at the Inn at Rio Rancho! (And if you enjoy our tequila a little too much, you can always spend the night...)
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My console of 5 years went kaput a couple weeks back and at the time I just checked the cost of RMA, $150!, and said screw it. But then I saw that news post on here today about the Xbox 360 fan from thermalright. I googled that and amazon has a sales link for $50, but they also have a dozen cheaper "RROD repair kits" selling from $5 -$20.
I think I am capable of doing it after several PC builds and even installing zalman aftermarket gpu coolers way back in the Nvidia 8000 series era.
Has anyone done a home repair? I'd just like to know if you used a kit and any problems you ran into, like specialty tools needed or tricky glue removal?
Has anyone repaired a RROD Xbox 360?
This is the place to hang out and talk about consoles. From game thoughts to hardcore mods feel free to talk about the Microsoft xbox 360 and PS2/PS3 here all you like!
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Has anyone repaired a RROD Xbox 360?
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"I think sharing is overrated...and helping others. And what's all this crap I've been hearing about tolerance?"
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Re: Has anyone repaired a RROD Xbox 360?
your best bet is to take the xcrack out and shoot it. there are so many causes for rrod it is not even funny, while some can be fixed (ie over heating) others are pointless. the thermal right heatsink I think is geard for the slim version, if you have pc experience I suggest you tear the xbox apart, remove the heatsinks, lap them and then replace the thermal paste, also may wanna throw on a fan on top of the heatsinks to help aide in cooling.
Mini ME
Is in a state of flux....
Is in a state of flux....
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You already know it's all about Mikey Taylor this month: Cover, Pro Spotlight, new shoe, new part—this dude is killing it. But our September issue doesn't stop there—Brixton's first road trip (following Blues music through the South) with the tour video hitting the site August 31, Keelan Dadd's Roll Call, Dave Chami's amazing infrared film article, analyzing Street League's impact on the streets, and so much more.
Subscribe now and get the mag straight to your mailbox! Check a sneak preview of the madness below!


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What you need to know about renting
Today's rental climate means that there is a higher demand for rental properties, however, there is also an increasing shortage of available properties for rent.
This means that if you're looking to rent, you have to be diligent in filling out your application, provide as much information as possible with your application and be prepared to sign a long term lease immediately upon acceptance of your application.
Quality tenants are snapped up by investors, both in the private, and managed rental sectors. References are a great tool in providing character and professional profiles, as well as rental history from previous landlords or Property Managers.
Here are a few of the things that you should consider when looking for a property to rent:
- Is the property suitable for your needs (do you have pets or small children that require fenced yards? Do you need to be close to public transport?)
- Are you readily available to inspect or move into a property?
- Have you provided as much information as possible with your application for the Landlord's consideration?
- Do you have current references for the Landlord's consideration?
The market is tight and rental accommodation is becoming more and more scarce.
Contact your local Professionals Office on 07 5545 5000 to find out more about renting through Professionals.


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Kia Rondo
The Kia Rondo is a truly innovative family car with room for five or seven. It features distinctive European styling, versatility and ample space.
The Kia Rondo is a stylish, versatile solution for those looking for seven seats. It provides ample room and comfort for all passengers and proves that you don't have to sacrifice style and excitement to have space and practicality.
Versatility is the hallmark of the Kia Rondo. Its cavernous interior, flexible seating configurations and clever storage compartments ensure that you'll fit in everything you need to in just one trip.
The Kia Rondo's ergonomically designed cockpit focuses on both driver control and driver comfort, with rear view camera and parking guidelines provided as standard.
Rondo Si shown.
A full colour touchscreen features on both S and Si models, complimenting a low windscreen base and wide sweeping dashboard which allows for excellent forward visibility.
Rondo S shown.
A powerful yet frugal 2.0 GDI engine is featured across the Kia Rondo range.
This completely new gearbox features a trigger-type 'R' gear release button for effortless operation while short shift strokes promote faster and more accurate shifting.
Driver, passenger, front side and curtain airbags help keep occupants safe.
Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC) ensures that the vehicle does not roll backward when taking off from an incline.
Protect your loved ones on the road with the assurance of an ANCAP safety rating of 5-stars.
Kia Rondo Grades
- Rear view camera with in-audio screen display & parking guidelines
- Reverse parking sensors
- Front & rear fog lights
- 5 Seats with split fold flat 2nd row seats (35:30:35)
- Child restraint anchorage points (3 anchors + 2 ISOFIX positions)
- Cruise control with speed limiter
- 2nd row air vents
- Satellite navigation multimedia system with traffic information SUNA™
- 7" full touch colour LCD screen
- 7 Seats with split fold flat 3rd row seats (50:50)
- 2nd row walk-in device (sliding)
- Premium steering wheel & shift knob
- 16" Alloy wheels
- Electric folding outside door mirrors with automatic folding function
All information and illustrations are based on data available at the time of publication and subject to change without notice. Contact us for current information.
Kia's Unlimited KM 7 Year Warranty. Note: 7 year/150,000km warranty for vehicles used for the following: rental vehicles, hire cars, taxis, courier vehicles, driving school vehicles, security vehicles, bus and tour vehicles. Capped Price Servicing: Maximum payable for specified number of manufacturer's standard scheduled maintenance services up to 7 years or 105,000kms, whichever occurs first. Complimentary Roadside Assistance for the first year. Renewed yearly by completing scheduled maintenance services at Kia Dealerships (up to maximum 7 years).Terms and conditions for Warranty, Capped Price Servicing and Roadside Assistance can be found at www.kia.com/au


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environment_information 1.0.136
The project EnvironmentInformation will give you information about the environment that you are presently working with - or, more accurately, the environment that ruby can find (that is, the one ruby is running and working at). You can also save this information into a standalone .html file if you so desire to. The main class of this project, class EnvironmentInformation, will store, and if requested, also output Environment information. Environment information may: - The GCC Version in use. - The Kernel in use. - Which Ruby Version is used. - Which Rubygem version is used. - The path to the rubygem directory. - What the Host CPU Model is (on Linux at the least). - What is the the GTK, GLIB and gdk-pixbuf version, respectively. - What Xorg components are available. And so on and so forth. Sometimes this class will try to query .pc files via pkg-config, sometimes it will try to infer the version from the .so file, and sometimes it will try to run the system command with a -V or -v flag. The reason as to why different ways have to be supported is because different software is installed in different ways. For example, not every software comes with a .pc file, so we can not use .pc files uniformly. The class EnvironmentInformation will store the gathered information in the instance_variable @dataset. This is normally an Array. If you need a String instead, you can use the method .string? or .stringified, which will give you a String instead (of course you can also convert the Array on your own, the .stringified method exists primarily out of convenience alone). Additional helper methods exist, such as the a reader-method such as .main_string? or .string (all are equivalent there) and used in other scripts. You can also display some additional information, such as GTK, Glib, Atk and Pango Versions, by passing in "f" or "full" or "--full" on the commandline, without the quotation marks. See the help section of this script, which you can invoke by passing "help" or "--help" as argument to it. In the past, I have at this point given a short changelog, but I believe that people are more interested in the options that are supported NOW, rather than the changes that were done, so the changelog is no longer detailed here. There are, essentially, two basic and recommended ways how to use this class: (1) From the commandline, just call it directly and pass it specific commands (optionally). For instance, invoke the script with the argument "ALL" and we will show all information. This is personally my favourite way how to invoke this class. (2) Embedded somewhere else, i.e. for use in a .cgi page. An example for the latter follows: _ = EnvironmentInformation.new(false) _.set_n_tokens 58 _.disable_colours _.be_silent _.dont_show_ruby_stuff _.run Do note that the following API also works: EnvironmentInformation[] The executable version is is called envi. So you can invoke the script by typing "envi" from the commandline, without the quotes; if you installed it as a gem into a prefix other than /usr, it may be that the bin/ directory resides only in that gem, though. An alias may help in this case. The usage is as follows: envi ALL REALLY_ALL Since this is hard to type, I suggest to alias it. See the menu.rb file for more aliases to that. If you have specific suggestions to make this gem more useful for others, please drop me an email at: email@example.com. Thank you.


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- Snapchat
- YouTube
- Medium
- Foursquare
- Google Plus
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- Flickr
Facebook Tips & Guidelines
Format for Facebook
Facebook pages for departments, colleges and other university entities should be updated at least weekly. Content can take shape in a variety of formats: text, video and imagery.
Text content may include status updates and links to Marquette websites. Links do need to be official Marquette materials and can be produced by community members as long as they are relevant and appropriate for the audience.
Beyond informing, text content may seek to generate interaction through questions, requests for opinions or regular features such as quizzes and contests.
Photo and video content may come from a variety of sources with varying degrees of quality and professionalism. Formats may include professional productions, short segments from small crews, user-generated video, animated presentations and video created with Flip cams at the direct request of an online community.
Technical resources
- Going beyond the basics may take more resources but may also mean you gain more interaction with users.
- Your audience is more likely to click on an item if if has a picture. And the better the picture, the more likely it will be to generate a click.
- Align your resources with the size of your audience and anticipated return on investment. For example, an expensive video shoot may not be worth the cost if it generates a small amount of views.
- Also align resources with timeliness. If you need something in a short time frame, a low-cost production (a photo or mobile video) may be the most effective.
Comment guidelines
Marquette welcomes interaction and dialogue on our Facebook page. In the event that an individual has a question or complaint raised on our public forum, the community manager will do his or her best to address the person's issue, as appropriate.
However, Marquette reserves the right to remove any posts on our page that are obscene, defamatory or harassing. In the rare event that a post needs to be removed, the community manager may follow up privately with the individual to notify him or her why the post was removed.
Comments that are not specific to the content on our page or advertise for third-party organizations are considered spam and should be removed. However, Marquette has no control over comments posted to personal profiles or social media pages.
Did you know?
The Huffington Post named Marquette one of the "most collaborative" universities thanks to the use of social media.


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Maybe I have seen you, friend, but you will not have seen me. Incorporeal, my body is invisible to you. If you were to try to touch my body, your hand would pass right through, as if through thin air. But I am here in this cursed ghostly realm, tormented by endless hunger and thirst, forever seeking what you take for granted and enjoy every day, food and drink. Oh for a drink of water, oh to be able to taste again!
This is a strange realm, close to yours but yet so agonizingly far for us. Sometimes I can smell the aromas that issue from food being prepared, and my mind goes wild with hunger. But when I reach the place, there is nothing but dust for me to eat. Sometimes I see a river of fresh, clear water in the distance, and joyfully I run towards it. But when I reach it, there is nothing but a dry river bed, and I weep bitterly. I am so so thirsty, it consumes my heart and mind constantly.
Sometimes I watch you, human beings, I see you in your happiness and sadness, passing the days and nights in work and leisure as though they will never end. Every time the sun rises and sets, there ends yet another day for you, but mostly you do not notice, you do not pay attention. How few of you realize how precious is this gift you now possess, this precious human birth you enjoy! Most of you waste your lives seeking pleasure, arguing, bickering over trivialities, trying hard to lord it over this life. You do not see what is approaching, you think the days will just roll on and on, that you have plenty of time. I used to think like that too. In my thirst to acquire material possessions, I did not consider that I would be leaving them all behind one day, every single one of them. I did not share what I had even with my family members, I did not cultivate the virtue of giving, of generosity, for which I now suffer what feels like endless torment of hunger and thirst. Oh for just one day in the human realm! Just one day as a human being! How I would strive to improve myself, how much good I could do in that one day! Yet most of you waste these precious days as though they were inconsequential.
A monk saw me once. He looked upon me with compassion in his eyes, then went on his way. I followed him until I reached the gate of his monastery, but I could go no further. As I wept tears, which seemed to form a bitter pool at my feet, I prayed for just one day in the human realm...just one precious day to make the causes for future happiness. If you have such a day, my friend, do not waste it!
A Ghost's Tale
Post sayings and stories you find interesting or useful.
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Re: A Ghost's Tale
nice post manas.
thank you for the kind reminder.
may i ask where is the origination of this text?
thank you for the kind reminder.
may i ask where is the origination of this text?
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Giving Programs & Facilities
Wabash welcomes gifts from alumni, parents, and friends for programs and facilities. Gifts to these areas include expendable funds (non-endowed) for the people, programs, and places that are at heart of the Wabash liberal arts living and learning experience.
Current needs for programs and facilities include the following areas:
Immersion Learning
Immersion Learning Courses involve groups of students and faculty on trips that combine travel with on-site activities that hone critical thinking skills and build competence in operating in new, unfamiliar settings. Because these immersion trips grow out of coursework – and are subsequently made an integral part of classroom learning back on campus – they are of lasting impact and value.
Students and faculty in Immersion Learning Courses have traveled to Paris, Brussels, and London, to Ecuador and Ireland, and even to the Galapagos, where advanced biology students retraced the footsteps (and the discoveries) of Charles Darwin. Immersion Learning Courses are thoroughly interdisciplinary, involving students and faculty from the sciences, foreign languages, history, political science, literature, art, economics, and even religion. Wabash seeks expendable support to continue and expand Immersion Learning opportunities. A typical Immersion Learning Course trip costs about $3,000 per student or about $30,000 for a class of 10 students and a professor.
An internship is a substantive work and learning experience related to a student's major or career goal that involves working under the direct supervision and monitoring of practicing professionals. Some internships are paid, some are not. Pay depends on the industry, the organization, and often the popularity of the internship. The purpose behind an internship is to provide an experiential opportunity—the reward comes from that experience for the student. The need to provide immediate dollars for internships is especially pressing as the College desires to provide stipends for students who complete internship experiences. An internship stipend can range from $2,500 to $3,500 per student depending on the length and location of the internship.
Athletic Facilities
Wabash made significant enhancements to its outdoor athletic facilities in 2011. Funding and naming opportunities still exist for Mud Hollow Stadium and Goodrich Ballpark. Contact Steve Hoffman in the Wabash Advancement Office at (765) 361-6236 for additional information.
Intercollegiate Lacrosse
In May 2013 Wabash announced that it will become the ninth school in the North Coast Athletic Conference to add intercollegiate Lacrosse as a varsity sport beginning with the spring 2015 season. The College seeks start-up funding for things like recruiting, facilities enhancements, equipment, and budget needs. Contact Steve Hoffman in the Wabash Advancement Office at (765) 361-6236 for additional information on how you can be part of supporting the exciting addition of varsity Lacrosse at Wabash.


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Software testing services company Orasi has repositioned its cloud-based application performance testing solution in smaller increments to address the needs of small software development teams. Orasi CloudPerform provides access to the HPLoadRunner bottleneck detection, virtual user generator, and correlation studio service in the Skytap Cloud.
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The firm points to the limited resources common to smaller web or mobile application development companies and says that this scenario impedes access to the type of cloud testing services that are needed. With this new offering, Orasi says that small development teams are now served that only require application performance testing solution access for a few hours to a day.
CloudPerform scripts are compatible with HP LoadRunner versions 9.5, 11, and 11.5 and the performance testing service is available to users in hourly (or daily) licensed increments in the cloud. The firm also offers a support function, which is recognized by HP's official "Support Partner" function.
"Orasi CloudPerform is addressing a market challenged by resources (including budget and personnel) with the same application quality demands as enterprises," said Nick Kavadellas, president and CEO, Orasi. "By offering Orasi CloudPerform in easy-to-use hourly or daily increments, Orasi is empowering smaller web and mobile application developers with increased flexibility in their access to market-leading software."


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Swimming Pool Blog
by Rob Cox July 16, 2013
Fixing Swimming Pool Cracks
Cracks in your inground pool? Scary, I know. Cracks in a gunite or concrete pool can conjure up all sorts of fears of worse things. In most cases, pool cracks can be easily and permanently repaired.
Let's make a distinction between surface crazing, or check cracks in the plaster, and cracks that run through the pool shell. It's not uncommon for plastered pools to develop small, hairline cracks in the surface of the plaster, especially close to the surface, on the top step for instance.
Cracks that run deeper can be seen in the corners, or where a spa wall joins the pool wall, or may develop behind the tile line, in the bond beam of the pool.
Here's how to repair cracks in an inground pool, in 3 ways - the easy way, moderately difficult, and extreme crack repair. The level of difficulty for pool crack repair also tends to match the level of permanence. The more work you put into repairing a pool crack tends to correspond to the longevity and permanence of the repair.
Easy Pool Crack Repair
For small cracks, the easiest repair you can do is to jump in the pool with a mask and a flathead screwdriver. Scrape the screwdriver down the crack to remove any loose material, and widen the crack a little bit.
Next, mix up some Pool Putty in equal parts and roll it into a 'snake'. Push the putty into the crack and smooth it out with your hand. You're done!
Moderate Pool Crack Repair
For a moderately difficult crack repair, but one with more permanence and more likely to match the plaster color better, start by draining the pool.
Avoid draining the pool after heavy rains, and be sure to pump the pool to a far away location, to be sure the water doesn't run underneath the pool. In pools that are located in a topographical depression, or with a high water table, hydrostatic pressure could possibly pop the pool out of the ground.
Once the pool is drained, find your hydrostatic relief plugs plastered into the floor. Chip away the plaster inside of the plug, so you can grab it with straight pliers and unthread the hydrostat plug. Most pools have 4-6 of these plugs. Open up at least 2 of them - just in case.
Next, widen the crack using a 4 inch grinder. If the crack is small enough, you can also use a drill with a masonry drill bit. You can rent these at any rental shop. Wear eye and ear protection, heavy gloves, boots and long pants. It will get dusty, so a dust mask is also a good idea. Use care if you use a grinder, they are very dangerous and can easily lop off a finger, or cut a deep gash in your leg if it gets away from you.
As you widen the crack, use the grinder or drill to 'dovetail' the crack, which means to cut it at an angle, to create a reverse 'V' in the plaster, and into the concrete beneath.
A dovetail cut will improve the success of the repair, as it will hold in your patching material much better than a simple 'V' cut.
After you have made your cuts, clean out the crack with a garden hose, to remove any loose material and dust.
Now you can mix up a small batch of pool plaster mix - EZ Patch #1, to fill in the crack. If your crack is over 1" deep, or for replacing large chunks of the pool wall, first use a hydraulic cement, from any hardware store, to fill in most of the area, but leave the top 1/2 inch or so, to cover over with plaster mix.
Be sure that the crack is moist before you fill the crack. For the best bond, 'paint' the crack with a bonding additive, such as Acryl 60, just before laying in the cement or plaster mix. For vertical crack repair, use a slightly drier mix, to avoid slump, and check on it every few minutes - it may need a 'trowel-up' with a wet trowel.
After the crack has been filled with plaster, it's important to keep the area moist, to prevent the mix from drying out too rapidly. Lay a wet towel or burlap over the area to keep moisture in. You can also tape plastic over the area, with a few small air holes every few inches.
Plaster repair mix is meant to cure underwater, so you can begin to fill the pool immediately after you exit the pool.
Extreme Pool Crack Repair
There was a pool that I managed in McLean, Va that was built on a hillside, overlooking a scenic stream. Years of creep on the hillside beyond had cracked the pool right across the floor, and it was visibly tilted - this pool was literally cracked in half.
For cracks in the pool that run down the wall and across the floor of the pool, a more agressive approach to crack repair is necessary, using 'staples'.
In this crack repair, all of the 'moderate' crack repair steps above are performed with one unique difference. Every foot or so, a horizontal cut is made perpendicular to the crack, holes are drilled on either side, and a steel or carbon fiber 'staple' is epoxied in place.
This method locks the pool wall together on both sides of the crack, like a frankenstein stitch. Several companies produce these staples, with the main supplier being TorqueLock. The staples used on pool cracks are generally about 6 inches wide. After the staples are set in place, the holes are covered up with plaster, or the entire pool can be re-plastered or painted.
This approach is not needed for most pool cracks, which are not structural, and those for which future movement is not a concern. However, it will provide the best and most permanent repair to large, widespread pool cracking.