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THE SQL Server Blog Spot on the Web
Having a developer background I'm used to work trying to apply an Agile approach to projects. In these last years I focused my work primary on BI projects, and so I tried to apply an Agile approach also to them, since I really believe that Agile is the path to follow.
While Agile methods in the classic Object-Oriented field are quite widespread nowadays, in the BI field they are basically totally unknown to masses (at least this is my experience). Of course this means also that there is a total lack of tools and instruments to properly adopt Agile in your approach.
Unit-Testing is surely something that is absolutely necessary if you want or need to refactor a solution. Since now, to unit-test staging databases, datawarehouses and cubes was a pain. I needed a tool to automate everything. I searched on the web but I found nothing I really liked. So I started to wrote something by myself.
The first release is more a proof of concept that anything else, but I've started to use it in current BI project I'm working one with a lot of satisfaction. Now each time I change something in DWH or Cube I can automatically tests hundreds of queries. If all lights are green I can ask the customer to test the new implementation being sure that all existing reports, cubes, queries and so no will still be working perfectly. Otherwise I have some more work to do [:)].
Here's a sample screenshot:
As you can see I'm using NUnit as Unit-Testing framework. It will allow to test SQL and MDX queries stored into an XML file, so that no .NET coding is required.
I'm going to release this first release ASAP, hope you'll enjoy it as much as I am doing, and that you start to embrace Agile also in the DB field, if you're not already with it. :)
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This looks awesome! Will you be relasing a version of this on Codeplex.com?
Surely! I'm waiting for an answer from CodePlex guys for a licensing question, then I'll publish the initial source code.
I'll be leaving for vacantion by the end of this month, I hope to be able to release something before that endline, otherwise I'll surely do in September.
Hello David,
This looks excellent!!! can't wait to get my hand on it!!
Awesome! Any update on the source code?
I've released the source code of QueryUnit . As usual the project is hosted on Codeplex: http://queryunit.codeplex.com/
Nice. will try it when you release it.


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Thomasville, N.C. > The Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference All-CVAC Teams were determined by vote from each Head Coach of participating institutions. Nominations are collected and then voted upon by ballot and tallied to determine Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Coach of the Year, All-CVAC First Team, All-CVAC Second Team and Honorable Mention Team. Awards were presented at the CVAC Tennis Team Banquet at the Conference Tournament Championships co-hosted by Erskine College and the Sumter Palmetto Park Tennis Complex in Sumter, SC. This years award winners are as follows:
Player of the Year:
Philippe Magat, Anderson
Freshman of the Year:
Vivek Yadaav, Queens
Coach of the Year:
Burt Lewis, Mount Olive
All-CVAC First Team:
Felipe Castanheira, Lees-McRae
Philippe Magat, Anderson
Sid Sudhakar, Anderson
Shane Horan, Lees-McRae
Fernando Crisosto, Mount Olive
Brent Ching, Barton
All-CVAC Second Team:
Vivek Yadaav, Queens
Matt Byford, Coker
Gabriel Garcia, Mount Olive
Ewout Hinnen, Barton
Nikola Andjelic, Barton
Christian Munn, Limestone
Honorable Mention:
Robert Jenner, Barton
Guilherme Serra, Mount Olive
Marvin Jolliffe, Erskine
Duncan Grew, Coker
Ponce Padron, Erskine

subset: commoncrawl


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Feb. 26, 2009
Led by an All-American and two NCAA Regional qualifiers, the Gaucho women are looking to build on the positives from last season by continuing to strengthen the roster from bottom to top. With only two seniors on this year's roster, the team is still young and has several promising years on the horizon. Last season's newcomers have a year of collegiate-level training to work with, and another strong group of freshmen are ready to provide depth to this year's squad.
The distance squad will be deeper this season, as the program struck gold in late autumn by signing Crystal Reed. Reed competed for Orange Coast College and was a two-time state champion of California in junior college cross country. She will need some time to transition to the intensity of a Div. I training regiment, but look for Reed to advance to Regionals and make a serious effort to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the 5k.
Another welcome addition will be the return of Liza Hitchner to the squad after redshirting last season. Hitchner ran under the Regional qualifying standard for the 5k while competing unattached in open races, so look for her to score big points at Conference and advance to Regionals. She also has the ability to run a fast 10,000 meters, which opens up the possibility of qualifying for Nationals in that event.
Ashley Ramirez represents the middle distances this season, and it will be her first season competing in Div. I track after transferring from Oxnard College. She will run the 1500m and will be looking to score high at Conference. The 800 meters is wide open this year, with several returners sitting around 2:13 and a handful of freshmen sitting in the 2:14 range.
"It's going to be a season of discovery in the 800 this season," said assistant coach Avery Blackwell. "Our team is still young, but we have some good leaders that the freshmen can learn from." Head coach Pete Dolan also expressed optimism regarding the distance squad.
"We got this huge boost in the offseason, from signing Crystal Reed," Dolan remarked. "We've got an All-American in Danielle Domenichelli, and Liza Hitchner starting to emerge, and now Crystal Reed. It's already added some excitement to our training atmosphere, and I don't think there's any team in the Big West working as hard as our teams."
The Gauchos also have some top-class athletes in the high jump, with Jane Doolittle and Christina Nowak coming off seasons where they made their first appearances at the NCAA Regionals. Doolittle jumped 5-10 last year, and Nowak cleared 5-9. High jump coach Keith Baker is confident that they will improve even more this season.
"Doolittle and Nowak have both competed at Regionals," said Baker. "I know experience is talked about a lot, but don't underestimate how important it is. It has made them confident and determined to do what it takes to improve. They have the ability to open the season at high bars and to keep jumping at high bars all season long."
The throws will be another strong area in the field for the Gauchos. Kayla Smith, Jean Lightfoot and Ingrid Sutherland are all returning and looking better than ever. Smith's strongest events will be the shot and discus, Lightfoot's strongest will be the discus and hammer, and Sutherland's strongest will be the discus.
"Those three will lead the charge," explained Baker. "All three girls will be vying for top-five spots at the Conference Meet in their respective events. Kayla and Jean are also spinning in the shot now, which could help their discus marks since we're getting double the reps with a similar technique."
The horizontal jumps and pole vault should be improved this year, as Maureen Ajoku has now undergone a solid year of training. This year she will be joined by Christina Nowak, who has tremendous potential in the long and triple jumps in addition to her main event, the high jump. The pole vault will be headed by Jennifer Brown and Missy Burley, who will be joined by freshman Tess Balcomb this season. Balcomb is one of the best recruits the women have ever had in the pole vault.
The Gauchos are starting to develop a strong foundation of sprinters and hurdlers, something the team has lacked in years past. Some of the performances from last year were promising, particularly those of Sheneice Vargas and Barbara Nwaba.
Vargas scored points at the Big West Championships as a freshman, finishing sixth with a personal-best time of 56.23. Nwaba had a great start to her collegiate career in the 400m hurdles before a stress fracture at the Stanford Invitational ended her season prematurely. Both athletes will be back this season, striving to improve their times and score some points at Conference.
Also contributing in the sprints will be Dominique Augustus and Lauren Kodama, who both have the potential to run some fast 200 meter times. Sprints coach Josh Priester believes that his athletes could eventually run a formidable 4x400 meter relay as well.
"We have the beginnings of a good nucleus of women for the relays," explained Priester. "It takes a lot of numbers to have good relays, but we keep getting better. The group is looking good right now, and we're going to have some pretty exciting times ahead if we continue to have the desire to get to the next level."
The Gauchos compete this Saturday, Feb. 28, at the All-Cal Challenge at UC Irvine. The All-Cal Cup will be awarded to the winning team of the meet between UCSB, UC Irvine, UC San Diego and UC Riverside.
-- UCSBgauchos.com --


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Catch up: Christopher Dorner manhunt coverage
RIVERSIDE -- A fugitive ex-Los Angeles police officer was charged Monday with murdering a Riverside police officer and special circumstances that could bring the death penalty.
Christopher Dorner was also charged with the attempted murder of another Riverside officer and two Los Angeles Police Department officers, Riverside County District Attorney Paul Zellerbach said.
A no bail warrant was also obtained which means Dorner can be arrested anywhere in the country and once captured will not be freed .
"It is our opportunity as citizens to assist law enforcement in the apprehension of this individual." said Zellerbach.
The charges filed today are one charge of murder & 3 counts of attempted murder in the fatal shooting of Riverside Police Officer Michael Crain and the wounding of Crain's partner.
The 2 officers started their shift at 10 p.m. last Wednesday when they first received information about Dorner and were allegedly gunned down by the now fugitive around 2 a.m. while sitting at a stoplight at the intersection of Magnolia and Arlington Avenues in Riverside.
Shortly before the two Riverside officers were ambushed, a Los Angeles Police officer was shot in Corona while protecting an individual that was named in Dorner's manifesto.
Law enforcement says they need community help because "there's a lot more of you than us.
"There is no reason to withhold filing charges; Dorner is a felon-at-large." Zellerbach at the press conference.
Authorities will not release information about other targeted law enforcement officials living in the Inland Empire for their safety.
The search for Dorner continues in the mountain community of Big Bear.
Today, the search includes more patrols in the Big Bear Valley, where authorities are searching vacation homes and government-lease cabins in more remote areas, San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Jodi Miller said.
Miller said thirty additional law enforcement personnel are continuing to search for Dorner and provide additional patrol to the residents of the Big Bear Valley.
The Los Angeles Police Department this morning ended its tactical alert status that was brought on by the search for fugitive Christopher Dorner.
The status has been in effect in the city off and on since Thursday when Dorner, a former LAPD officer who is the subject of a statewide manhunt, allegedly shot and killed a Riverside police officer.
Police have been focused on checking out tips regarding Dorner's whereabouts, so have not been focusing as heavily on non-emergency calls.
"We're back to normal patrol service and answering our basic calls for service said Los Angeles police Officer Alex Martinez.
"Dorner's words and conduct have made it very clear that every law enforcement official in California is in danger of being shot and killed." Zellerbach said.
More updates to come.
Staff writers Melissa Pinion-Whitt, Joe Nelson, Christina Villacorte, Michel Nolan, Rick Orlov and Doug Saunders contributed to this report.


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|Audrey, Emma, Mary
Her mother, Emma (Bickerstaff) Meinzen, died in 1973.
Audrey was 58 when her mother died.
Emma was born in 1893.
Her mother, Mary (Thompson) Bickerstaff, died in 1940.
Emma was 53 when her mother died.
Audrey was 25 when her grandmother died.
Mary was born in 1872.
Her mother, Lydia (Bell) Thompson, died in 1930.
Mary was 58 when her mother died.
Emma was 37 when her grandmother died.
Audrey was 15 when her great-grandmother died. Again, she didn't have much contact because this grandmother lived a day's drive away.
|Beulah, Elvira
Her mother, Elvira (Bartley) Gerner, died in 1943.
Unfortunately Beulah died in 1913. They had only 25 years together.
Elvira was born in 1854.
Her mother, Rebecca (Smith) Bartley died in 1899.
Elvira was 45 when her mother died.
Tressa (Froman) Doyle, my father's paternal grandmother, was born in 1867.
Her mother, Catherine (Saylor) Froman died in 1928.
Tressa was 61 when her mother died.
. . . . .
I been thinking, too, about what skills and values the older generation taught their daughters and granddaughters. I know some things my grandmother taught my mother, and can imagine some things my great-grandmothers taught my grandmothers, but I need to do a little more research before writing that post. The times in which they lived, especially two generations apart, would have changed some of the details of their lives. A post for another time.


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Arrival Time Announced for U.K. World Premiere, Trio and J.K. Rowling Confirmed to Attend
Jul 01, 2011
DH Film
As a follow-up to our news about the public viewing areas for the U.K. world premiere of "Deathly Hallows: Part 2," Warner Bros. have also announced a start time for cast and crew arrivals on July 7.
Cast and crew will begin arriving at London's Trafalgar Square at 4 p.m. Those confirmed to be in attendance include Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), director David Yates, producers David Heyman and David Barron, and author J.K. Rowling herself. More cast will be announced closer to the date.
The premiere screenings for "Part 2″ will be taking place in the three cinemas at Leicester Square: 7 p.m. at the Empire, 7:15 p.m. at the Odeon, and the third screening time at the Odeon West End is TBA.


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After the departure of Steve Sarkisian from Washington to go on and join USC, the Huskies have hired quarter-back coach Marques Tuiasosopo as their new interim coach.
The Huskies won eight of their 12 games in the season, but had a bad spell losing three games in a row against Stanford, Oregon and Arizona State.
But with coach Sarkisian leaving to go to USC, athletic director Scott Woodward has decided to hire Tuiasosopo as the new interim coach ahead of their bowl game on Sunday.
The 34-year-old quoted to ESPN, stating how happy and privileged he was on taking up this new role at the University.
"I am humbled and so honoured. We still have a lot to play for this season, and I am excited to go out and get a ninth win for the Huskies."
Tuiasosopo went to Washington College before playing his professional career at Oakland Raiders and New York Jets.
After retiring from the sport, the Californian born quarter-back went to Washington for a year followed by two years at UCL, then decided to head back to the Huskies to become their quarter back coach.
However, there was speculation that defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox would have been the ideal replacement for Steve Sarkisian. But Washington quarter-back Keith Price recently stated that his team are still going to put in quality performances, whoever gets the job.
"Whatever decision is made we are going to roll with it. We're going to perform to the best of our abilities."
The Huskies last game was against USC which they won 27-17, with the Huskies scoring a massive 17 points in the 3rd quarter to put the tie in their favour.
Their next game is on Sunday in The Alma Mater bowl, to which their opponents haven't been named yet.
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September 11, 2012, 5:44 pm
This old house: GOP occupies former Democratic Party HQ in Montrose
Rep. Mark Waller chuckled when he learned that the Montrose County Republican Party now occupies the same historic house the county Democratic Party used as its headquarters four years ago.
"I think that's symbolic," the Colorado Springs lawmaker said, noting that four years ago Democrat Barack Obama won the presidential race and this time around he believes it will be Republican Mitt Romney's victory.
Not so fast, said Jayne Bilberry, chairwoman of the Colorado Democratic Party, who just returned from Charlotte where she was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.
"I don't think the bounce after the Democratic convention is going to go away," she said. "We're off and running."


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America as a Christian nation
American Christians often claim that America is a Christian nation as a way of justifying overt government support of Christianity. This claim is in opposition to the separation of church and state which is clearly laid out in the United States Constitution.
Apologists claim that America is Christian for the following reasons:
- Many of the founding fathers were Christians.
- The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, asserts that men are endowed with inalienable rights "by their Creator".
- The Puritans, who came here seeking the freedom to practice their religion, founded biblical law settlements that established a Christian colonial culture.
- The first official act of the First Continental Congress was a call to prayer.
- The Pledge of Allegiance contains the words "under God".
- America's national motto is In God We Trust, which also appears on the currency.
- The majority of people who live in America are Christians.
Founding fathers
Many of the founding fathers were Christians, but many were Deists.
Regardless of their personal religious affiliations, they deliberately set up a Constitution that was a secular document.
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence did not establish US law. The Constitution, a deliberately secular document, did.
Puritans wanted a Christian nation
The Puritans did not found America. They preceded the founding of the nation by more than 100 years.
First Continental Congress
The Continental Congress convened in 1774, two years before the Declaration of Independence and fifteen years before the Constitution. Obviously they were not bound by the First Amendment, which had not been written yet.
Pledge of Allegiance
The original pledge was written by Francis Bellamy on September 7, 1892. It is not a founding document. Nevertheless, when the pledge was written it did not contain the words "under God". This was added in 1954.
In God We Trust
"In God We Trust" is not America's national motto. "E pluribus unum" is.
The phrase was added to currency long after the country was founded.
Majority of Americans are Christian
The majority of Americans are also white. Are we a "white nation"?
Separation of church and state
The actions of the Constitution's authors at the 1787 Convention best reveal their thoughts and intent regarding religion. They avoided attempts to insert worship into their deliberations, keeping religious activities separate from the process of creating our government. If no religion at the Constitutional Convention was good enough for our founders, it should be good enough for all public officials in the execution of their duties.
Our founders created a secular government based on freethinking political philosophies. Our founders' Constitution is a stunning rejection of government under god. Only the Constitution establishes our government, not any other document with pious words, such as the Declaration of Independence, Mayflower Act etc. The Constitution ignores god, except for the date, "in the year of our Lord." "We the People," not god, is the authority for our government. The Constitution prohibits any religious test for national office. The Constitution's first amendment prohibits Congress from passing any laws even "respecting an establishment of religion." During many Constitution ratification sessions in the states, Christians tried to add references to God and Jesus into the Preamble and to remove the "no religious test for office" provision. Their failure demonstrates that even though the Constitution was a heated public issue, it was ratified as written. Our founders and the public knowingly chose a godless Constitution.
Conservative Christians argue that the First Amendment language, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion," means our founders only meant to prohibit one denomination from becoming the official national religion. The evidence refutes this narrowest of interpretations, aside from the fact that the Constitution must give government such a power, and there is no power to do anything religious in the Constitution. In his letter to the Danbury Baptist Association (1/01/1802), Thomas Jefferson cited "a wall of separation between Church and State" as his reason for denying their request for a national day of fasting. Jefferson's metaphor came from London school master James Burgh, one of England's leading enlightenment political writers. Burgh's Crito (1767) had the phrase, "build an impenetrable wall of separation between things sacred and civil." Along with numerous other documents, Jefferson's message clarifies the intention of the amendment.
The Constitution and amendments only mention religion three times, and only as prohibitions against government doing things religious. One cannot pervert express prohibitions against government doing religious things into powers for government to do religious things. Many public officials have a long history of violating their oath of office by mixing religion into government or by supporting religious groups. A tradition of violating the Constitution does not, however, change the Constitution.


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The Brizo RP63701 is a Hot Valve Assembly From Brizo's Siderna Design Suite Which Mimics The Soft Flowing Curves Of Waterfalls While The Crisp Lines Shout The Complexity Of Modern Design.
|Bathroom Part & Accessories
|Faucet Part Feature:
|Rough in Valve
|Product Collection:
|Bathroom Faucet Type:
|Bathroom Sink Faucet
|Mpn #
|Shipping Dimensions
|5.3" x 1.5" x 1.0"
|0.31 lbs.
4.5 out of 5 rating is our rating for PlumbersStock, we got that rating because we have lots of experience and great people with expertise in plumbing. BUT WE WANT YOUR HELP. This product doesn't have any reviews yet, and we don't want to write our own reviews. It is more valuable to us that the customers get to share their experience with our products. Please, if you have any experience with this product, take a moment to share and help someone else who is trying to make a decision. Thank you!


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If you are thinking about selling through them, don't. Customer service and communication is HORRIBLE.
Sold two lots - got paid for the second lot immediately, and have been trying to follow-up on the first lot for many moons - without success.
I hate to hear that. On a positive note, I think they finally got rid of the random '05 Bordeaux future pages that were filling their weekly consignment auction pages. I hope they make it right for you soon.
I've generally had zero success with reaching anyone at winecommune. If you buy through a private client on the retail side of JJ Buckley, I would get them involved. It's the only way I've ever gotten anything done there.
That's too bad. I haven't bought through them in awhile, but still check in from time to time. I bought most of my 2005 futures from them and still got a tingle when I saw the 2005 futures show up at the end pages of their current auctions. Those looked like screaming deals relative to 2005 itself as well as 2009's & 2010's. Alas, time waits for no man or bottle of wine.
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return."
So I (apparently) got a hold of someone with the ability to communicate on Friday. Apparentky, they sold the lot I submitted twice; but are sending me a check for the second sale, which will net me about 20% more money.
Do not know how they are going to deliver one flight of bottles to 2 successful bidders.
+1, my guy usually responds to me within the hour.
I cant tell you how many bottles I have "won" and had held for shipping, at the end of the year I have everything shipped and a good number of botttles just arent there. No communication from them about why not. They just arent there. Auction problems is the usual reply I got after contacting them and asking wtf. On the other end of the deal, a couple years ago when I was selling a few bottles to help with a house down payment I got a check for almost $2K for a bottle that had already sold and I had already been paid for. That operation is a $hit show. I stopped buying from WC a while ago.
I, too, have had "won" bottles go missing at shipping. No note, nothing. You really have to be careful and know exactly what you should be getting.
I rarely buy there anymore, and when I do, I try to buy from other users. They're actually more reliable.
"People in Seattle are always so polite, which makes me feel like I always have to be polite, as well. That's so rude."
Got my check for the higher amount. Case closed.
Will not sell through them again.
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UH Manoa Law School to hold 5K Fun Run for Justice
Proceeds to fund grants by Advocates in Public Interest Law Student OrganizationUniversity of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Director of Communications
The William S. Richardson School of Law's Advocates for Public Interest Law student organization is hosting the Run for Justice, a 5k run/walk family event, on Sunday, April 5, at 8 a.m. The starting line begins at the corner of University Avenue and Dole Street, and circles back through the UH-Manoa upper campus. All proceeds will go to fund grants to law students and alumni to work at public interest organizations.
Advocates for Public Interest Law (APIL) student organization was established by the William S. Richardson School of Law (WSRSL) Class of 1985. APIL's purpose is to support and promote the commitment of the students and alumni of WSRSL and the legal community "to serve the public interest and to encourage the practice of public interest law." APIL accomplishes its mission "by educating students and the legal community about opportunities in public interest law and providing monetary grants to students and alumni to further justice by serving underrepresented persons" and "by addressing issues that affect the public interest." For each of the 23 years since its inception, APIL has raised funds for the student grant program, providing grants totaling nearly $300,000 to 107 students and benefiting 21 host organizations.
This year, APIL launches a new alumni grant program. This program will realize the commitment of the Class of 1985 to provide grant support to alumni as well as students. APIL relies on financial support from a wide variety of sources in order to ensure that funds are available to support both the student grant program and the new alumni grant program.
APIL invites any and all to participate in the Run for Justice to show support for law students and attorneys interested in public interest work. Go to the UH Law School Web site to register.
For more information, visit: http://www.hawaii.edu/law


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HARMONY — Registrations are being accepted for the 3 p.m. 5K race and 3:45 p.m. 1 Mile fun run during Harmony's 6th Silvester New Year's Eve celebration on Dec. 31.
The historic community and thousands of visitors gather annually for afternoon Silvester activities that conclude with a ball drop and fireworks to welcome the new year at 6 p.m. — midnight in Germany.
The runs begin and end in the center of Harmony's National Historic Landmark District and are sponsored by Media Frogg Marketing & Communications, with additional support from Tom Mahler, Armstrong Cable, Billco Motors, Butler Health System, Harmony Warehouse, MoJo Running & Multisport, The Murray Agency and Up-N-Running.
Registration also is open for the Connoquenessing Creek Polar Plunge, a noontime New Year's Day fundraiser at Harmony's canoe launch park at the west end of Jackson Street.
Runs and Plunge registrations can be completed online at www.active.com. Mail-in registration forms are available at several Harmony shops and at www.harmony-pa.us.
Entry fees are $20 for the 5K and $7 for the 1 Mile until Dec. 15, then rise to $25 and $10, respectively. Proceeds benefit Harmony's parks.
For those brave enough to jump into the creek on Jan. 1, Polar Plunge registration is $18 online or $20 by mail through Dec. 20, then $23 online until Dec. 28 and $25 at the event. Sponsoring someone else to plunge while you stay dry and warm is $20. Proceeds benefit Harmony parks and the Harmony Volunteer Fire Company.
The Silvester celebration begins at 2 p.m. Dec. 31, organized by the borough, Harmony Museum and local businesses. In addition to the races, activities include tours, a German dinner, the German tradition of guessing what the new year might bring from the shapes of melted bits of lead, and a short comedic film (in English) that's become a popular part of New Year's Eve in Germany, all at the Harmony Museum. Entertainment and refreshments also will be available in the town square and year-end sales will be offered in Harmony's numerous specialty shops.


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November brings "Power" as the season of pianos continues for the Monterey symphony. Each concert program delivers a specific quality or mood, expressed by selections from the piano repertoire amplified by classical masterworks of like tone.
Music director and conductor Max Bragado-Darman shifts into a dramatic intensity this month opening his
program with the overture from Verdi's opera "The Force of Destiny."
Pianist Tanya Gabrielian of San Francisco joins the ensemble for Aram Khachaturian's virtuoso "Piano Concerto in D-flat Major."
You may have seen her perform at Sunset Center two years ago as the winner of the 2010 Carmel Music Society Competition. Also on this program will be Sibelius magnificent "Symphony No. 1," full of mighty brass and symphonic thrills.
The concert takes place Friday, Nov. 16, at 7:30p.m. at the Steinbeck Institute for Arts and Culture in Salinas,
Saturday, Nov. 17, at 8p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 18, at 3p.m. at Carmel's Sunset Center.
For tickets and information call 646-8511. Single tickets are $20-$78. Visit the website at www.montereysymphony.org.
Brasil Guitar Duo
The highly acclaimed Brasil Guitar Duo will perform on Friday at 8p.m. as the season-opener of Music at All Saints Church in Carmel.
The duo is known for its innovative programming, a seamless blend of classical and Brazilian works.
Classical Guitar magazine says of Brasil Guitar Duo, "The maturity of musicianship and technical virtuosity is simply outstanding."
Guitarists Jo o Luiz and Douglas Lora met in S o Paulo as teens and have been performing together for more than 12 years.
As a world-class guitar duo they have a busy international touring schedule and their appearance in Carmel is a coup for the All Saints series.
Tickets for the concert are $30 and $45 and $10 for students. A showing of original artwork by the Salon des Artistes (a group of local artists) will be on display from 6:30-7:30p.m. in the Grant Gardens. Free. Select pieces will be available for sale. For tickets and information call 624-3883.
Across the bay you can enjoy classics of the Romantic era as conductor Anthony Quartuccio Jr. appears as the second candidate in the Santa Cruz Symphony's conductor search season.
He will lead the orchestra and violinist Mayumi Kanagawa in Jean Sibelius' beautiful violin concerto. This "ravishing romantics" program also includes Beethoven's titanic Seventh Symphony and Wagner's "Overture to the Flying Dutchman."
The program will be performed Saturday at 8p.m. in the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and Sunday at 2p.m. at the
Mello Center for the Performing Arts in Watsonville.
Tickets are $20-$60. For information call 420-5260 or visit the web at www.santacruzsymphony.org.


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Friday, October 20, 2006
21 Years Ago Today
The game started in the late afternoon, meaning I was able to watch only about two-plus quarters before joining my buddy Joe to pick up our dates (for you youngins out there, in those dark days before DVRs, a person had few options if he wanted or needed to do something during an important game.) So with a clenched jaw, I went to pick up my date--a lovely young lady named Becky--and more importantly catch a few minutes of the game, which her dad graciously invited me to see after I pinned a corsage on his daughter.
"The HAHK-EYEZ" (as then-CBS announcer Brent Musberger referred to them) were just beginning a final drive in the late-fall drizzle, trailing Michigan 10-9. With 1985 Heisman Trophy runner-up and future Detroit Lions bust Chuck Long at the helm, Iowa moved efficiently down the field. However, not wanting to make too bad of an impression on my date, I did not protest when it was suggested we get going in order to be on time for our dinner reservation. I also wisely decided to not listen to the final minutes in the car, as I knew that win or lose, I would have made a complete ass of myself.
Eventually Iowa moved to the Michigan 12-yard line before calling their final timeout with only two seconds remaining. Two timeouts were called by Bo in an effort to ice the Hawkeyes kicker, Rob Houghtlin. Then, as described by young and not-yet-annoying Sports Illustrated writer Rick Reilly:
"Rob Houghtlin hunched over his kicking tee, hands on his knees, as though losing a bout with indigestion. His moment awaited…. Two seconds loomed on the clock. Rain dripped off his helmet. And here he was, a junior walk-on place-kicker whose sore leg had kept him out of practice for three weeks, standing 29 yards from never having to buy another beer in the state of Iowa.
"Watching him…, the largest crowd to ever see a sporting event in Iowa, took one last glug and forgot to swallow. Outside, tuned in on TV and radio, an entire state sucked in its stomachs…."
Houghtlin struck the ball solidly and his accuracy was perfect. Iowa defeated Michigan 12-10--the second Hawkeyes win over Michigan without the aid of a touchdown in the past five years--and maintained their number one ranking. Watch Brent's and listen to the Iowa radio team's call of the winning kick (note the Uferish screw-up of the score by the play-by-play guy.)
I learned the outcome of the game from a radio report in the parking lot of the Olive Garden-like restaurant, as my date and others waited to be seated. As for me and Becky? Like the Wolverines my evening could be described as, "close, but ultimately disappointing." Alright, not so close. But definitely disappointing.
17 comments:
Didn't Iowa lose to tOSU that year?
- October 19, 2006 12:32 AM
You are correct, m'owb. tOSU dashed Iowa's dreams for a perfect season with a win in Columbus on November 2, 1985.
According to iowalum.com: "Noise in Ohio Stadium made it impossible for Long to audibilize and Iowa lost the only game of the year, 22-13."
- October 19, 2006 1:46 AM
I was going to rub salt in that wound, but I see others have beaten me to the punch. I was at that Iowa-Ohio State game, in a for-real downpour. My word, what a day that was. I was 16.
- October 19, 2006 1:53 AM
For what it's worth, I remember watching Michigan beat Iowa the following year in Ann Arbor with a last seconds field goal.
- October 19, 2006 8:05 AM
That was a memorable game - like a lot of Iowa/Michigan games over the years. I have always enjoyed this series and have a lot of respect for both programs.
And I believe Iowa will put up a good fight again this year. Iowa got caught in a classic trap game situation last week vs. Indiana. They were physically on the field with the Hoosiers, but their minds were in Ann Arbor.
The Michigan offense has one hand tied behind its back with Manningham out. The defense - along with Jake Long & Mike Hart - will have to win this one for the Wolverines.
- October 19, 2006 9:14 AM
- surrounded in columbus said...
in a way, this is the penultimate michigan fan post- we're 7-0 & rolling, so let's dig up a painful memory! and i, of course, can't help but jump on the band wagon and pick at this old wound (you'd think it would have healed or scarred over by now).
my most painful memory is the dropped pick on Iowa's last scoring driving. Long thru into coverage and hit (i think) ivan hicks right in the chest w/ his pass. the ball was so on target that hicks was too startled to catch it- and a few plays later iowa kicked the game winning field goal.
and yes, tosu beat iowa that season, but lost their last game to michigan setting up a three way tie amongst us. iowa went to the rose bowl and michigan played nebraska in the fiesta. probably one of the better years for big ten football during the decade.
- October 19, 2006 9:25 AM
- Benny Friedman said...
SiC, I believe it was All-American cornerback Brad Cochran who dropped that easy interception from Long. I always felt Cochran was hugely overrated, and his dropping of that INT made him one of my most disliked Wolverines ever.
- October 19, 2006 10:27 AM
- harry hasselhoff said...
Ah, classic Schembechler football - get a small lead and sit on it the rest of the game only to lose at the end. It still pains me to think about all the close losses.
Whatever the case, I really find it hard to believe Rick Reilly was ever not annoying.
I'd like to see Reilly in a fight-to-the-death cage match with Drew Sharp. Winner fights one of those annoying, inferiority complex-possessing Sparty slappies - Valenti, Foster, or that other guy. You know who I mean, the man who's always standing and walking.
- October 19, 2006 10:35 AM
- Andy said...
Remember it like it was yesterday. I was a sophomore. We watched at Title IX's apartment with a bunch of friends. Many many beers at Rick's afterward did not dull the searing hatred of Chuck Long.
The win (on a Mike Gillette FG) the following year in A2 was a lot more fun.
- October 19, 2006 11:54 AM
I know this is totally off the subject, but I just heard from one of my OSU friends (a VERY nice buckeye might I add) that he read on a OSU blog that Mario told one of his Ohio friends that Mike Hart has a broken foot. And, supposedly this Ohio guys that wrote this about Mike Hart is the fist guy to break the news about Mario's knee. Any Mike Hart sightings on campus? If this is true then I am going to shoot myself right now! Please.... I need info!!!!!
- October 19, 2006 11:57 AM
list of popular but unlikely fairy tale characters:
a VERY nice buckeye
- October 19, 2006 1:38 PM
- Yost said...
I hope you got laid by Becky. Otherwise, your choice that evening 20+ years ago saddens me.
- October 19, 2006 1:46 PM
I believe his last paragraph answers your question.
- October 19, 2006 2:55 PM
- IC said...
Anon is right, Yost. The last paragraph of the original post sums up my date with Becky. On that dark and sad night 21 years ago, she played better defense than Larry Station.
- October 19, 2006 3:50 PM
- TitleIX said...
yeah, and then adding insult to injury, the Lions drafted Chuck Long #12 in 1986.
Two kickers I still hate....
Loehmiller and Houghtlin
and, if my memory serves me well Andy, you had your own 'Becky' that you brought with you to watch the game...
- October 19, 2006 3:52 PM
The Iowa play-by-play guy in the radio clip was Jim Zabel. I guess I'd forgive him on the score of the game in the midst of all of the excitement since he'd been on WHO Radio since May 18, 1944. In an interview, he said ""I know all the Big Ten songs," he said. "I love the Big Ten songs. I know the words and can sing all of them. In fact, I've got a CD of the Michigan band playing symphonic arrangements of the Big Ten songs, and I just love it." Gotta have a soft spot for a guy like that.
- October 19, 2006 8:41 PM
- Andy said...
and, if my memory serves me well Andy, you had your own 'Becky' that you brought with you to watch the game...
Now that part of the night was very forgettable...
- October 19, 2006 11:20 PM


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The Manor Arms
A perfectly circular dining area at one end of this whopper of a gastropub makes a distinguished feature, a curved banquette snaking round the perimeter and large tiled columns offering support. The bar dispenses the likes of Doom Bar, Wandle Ale and Adnams Broadside.
An open kitchen next to the bar smacks of confidence, and while the glorious Sunday roasts are a sight to behold, other dishes are not such hard hitters. Roasted slip sole and seafood salad, a garden of mussels, whelks and prawns, looked impressive but didn't entirely work, owing to the hot/cold temperature combination. The signature lancashire macaroni cheese, golden and bubbling, was served with only a perfunctory herb salad.
Service was spirited but slightly distracted, seemingly owing to the volume of children vying for attention, straddling leather sofas and playing ball. For a parent, the family-friendly attitude is a welcome change from the public froideur so often accorded under-tens in the UK. For a non-parent, it can feel a little like being hurled into an episode of Outnumbered. Activities across the week include storytime, Punch and Judy, and pop-up children's clothing shops. There's a kids' menu, naturally. No wonder it's won an award from Mumsnet.
|Venue name:
|The Manor Arms
13 Mitcham Lane
|Opening hours:
|Open 11am-11pm Mon-Fri; 10am-midnight Sat; noon-midnight Sun. Lunch served noon-3pm Mon-Fri; 11am-4pm Sat. Dinner served 6-10pm Mon-Sat. Meals served noon-9pm Sun
|Tube: Streatham rail or bus 249
|Main courses £9-£15. Set lunch (Mon-Fri) £10 2 courses, £14 3 courses. Set dinner (Mon-Fri) £12.50 2 courses, £15.50 3 courses
|View Menu
|Do you own this business?
You may be interested in:
Average User Rating
4.3 / 5
Rating Breakdown
- 5 star:16
- 4 star:8
- 3 star:2
- 2 star:1
- 1 star:1
Great value food, super family friendly. Possibly the nicest staff I've ever met in a pub. Really accommodating of proms. Beautiful dining rooms.
One of the friendliest and most relaxing pubs I've been in. Love it day or night.
They have amazing gluten free pizzat
Well placed pub in the religious centre of Streatham, straight out of St Leonard's, English Martyrs, the South London Islamic Centre or the Liberal Synagogue and you're at the bar. Must be on a lay-line as the food is heavenly too.
Great pub with excellent food. Service always warm and friendly, good range of wines and beers, and Sunday roasts to die for. Our favourite Streatham haunt
I love the feeling when entering through the lobby and into the wide open bar. The dining room is amazing and the food is always on form
Really good pub until recently, we have spent a fortune in there and brought large groups friends from clapham and balham for afternoon lunch. We recently went in for a drink only on a Sunday afternoon and were initially told it was fine by two members of staff but we were abruptly told by the same staff a table with no indication that it is reserved. I know it is a gastro pub but it is a pub not a restaurant!
Loved it! Great place with great food. Will be going back!
Thank you for putting this oasis in the middle of Streatham! I've lived here for 16 years and never thought I'd find a place like it. Delicious meal and friendly service. Great atmosphere.
First time here and it was everything we had heard about. Service was very friendly and efficient, food was delicious and it was a very relaxing time. Will definitely be back! Thank you!
I have eaten here twice now and both times I could not fault the quality of food and the service. Great job! Well done to all your staff. Will definitely be back. "
"Thank you for our delicious meal - great food and service. My mother and I will come again. "
Fabulous food and friendly service as always. Thanks guys!
Friendly staff, well presented food but disappointingly tasteless and overpriced. Although the complaint was handled fairly well we won't be going back there to eat.
exciting food at a reasonable price - lovely.
Its simply amazing. The food is exciting, very fresh and full of taste, the service is perfect, friendly but extremely professional and the environment is clean, casual but unique. I can highly recommend it. Its just what Streatham has been waiting for.
Having just bought a house in Streatham I would love to thank the owners of The Manor Arms for opening such a wonderful gastro pub on my doorstep. Gorgeous pub, huge with loads of table seating, lots of nice comfy leather sofa's and a big garden. The staff are incredibly friendly and helpful, going out of their way to get my dog water and treats. The food is of a very high standard and the £11 set menu is very reasonable. There are lots of other lovely touches including a fabulous and thoughtfully selected wine list. Proud to call it my local :-)
Been there twice now, and superb food on both occasions. Had the Guinea Fowl with mash, and my wife had the fish with cauliflower mash, both superb ! Well done Manor Arms......we certainly wont miss the old establishment that was here before ! A breath of fresh air in Streatham !
Just can't believe the change in this place. Friendly, welcoming, comfortable, great food (I've been several times now). Traditional Sunday lunch is highly recommended. At last Streatham is on the gastronomic map!
great pub, fab wine list and the food is amazing. Try the home made pork scratchings if you go...over I highly recommended a visit...I live very nearby and the smell coming out of the place makes it very difficult to not eat all my meals there!
Garden looking fabulous. Just in time for this ridiculously hot April. Thank you The Manor
The Manor Arms is a great addition to Streatham in general. Seriously, the pre-transformation Manor Arms was actually a great laugh, if you were prepared to chat with local nutters, the occasional junkie and a few hookers with your bottle of Newcastle Brown over a few rounds of pool. Seriously the transformation of the place is nothing short of divine intervention. Gorgeous, fresh food served from the new open plan kitchen, a healthy wine list and a good smattering of ales and beers, in a newly refurbished and tastefully decorated pub. What more do you want? Good service perhaps, okay you got me there, the service was a little shaky, we had to ask for a few minor changes and the lack of gluten free options meant the my father-in-law was stuck with little to choose from. But in their defence they tried hard to accommodate us, nothing was a problem and the food was really tasty. So I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on this, but we'll see when we next visit. Overall this is a really really good local London pub, certainly one of the best in the area and I'll defiantly be back. I'm telling anyone who'll listen as well as dragging my mates down as this is one of the few burgeoning highlights in Streatham and that alone means it gets my support. Local and lovely, I'll defiantly be back, this Saturday perhaps...
Have been in a few times since the refurb and have been very impressed. Excellent beer and wine selection, delicious Sunday lunch and the recent addition of a brunch menu has been a welcome option for a weekend morning. Very friendly staff too, just need a garden refurb in time for summer and I'll be an even happier camper.
Excellent food and friendly staff! Loved it!
food arrived late. Wrong courses. Table next to us complained. Had high hopes. won't go back. Shame
Just had Sunday lunch at the Manor Arms. Food and service was excellent, and the house Malbec was delicious. But, there were so many children running amok, screaming and climbing all over the furniture and tables, that it was hardly a relaxing meal. At our table we were yelling at each other to be heard over the noise. The staff did attempt to contain the children, but as the parents didn't seem to care it was difficult for the staff to lower the noise level and try to create a nice environment for the non-parents in the restaurant. I would recommend the Manor Arms for evening meals as the food was really good and it is such a nice haven in Streatham.
Stunning transformation from its previous incarnation as a old fasioned non-descipt boozer. Delicious food served from the open plan kitchen, great value fixed price menu during the week and fine selection of ales, beers and wines. All in all a fantastic pub with friendly staff that will surely draw in the Spring crowds as word of this gem spreads to the neighbourhoods.
Very fair review. I thought it was really nice on my visit, food was superb, service was great, maybe a little on the expensive side for drinks - £420 for pint of Estrella Damm and £450 for Birra Moretti - for the area, but food prices were pitched just right as the quality was high. Overall i'm delighted to see such a pub in Streatham as SW16 is so poorly served by pubs right now (The Earl Ferrers is the only other decent one within reach)


text:
(AP) AKRON, Ohio - Anthony Hayne, who was the first man to plead guilty in a failed plot to bomb a highway bridge in Ohio, was sentenced Friday to six years in prison.
Hayne, of Cleveland, apologized in court for his actions. He took a plea deal to avoid a possible life sentence.
Three other defendants who pleaded guilty after Hayne but without cutting a deal were each sentenced previously to 8-to-11 years in prison.
A fifth defendant is undergoing a psychiatric exam.
The five men were arrested in an FBI sting operation focused on a highway bridge over the Cuyahoga Valley National Park between Cleveland and Akron. The FBI has said the public was never in danger and the device " bomb" was a dud provided by an informant.
The suspects were described by the government as self-proclaimed anarchists who acted out of anger against corporate America and the government. The defense has called the investigation a case of entrapment, with the informant guiding the way.


text:
If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website
Tifosi optics, an American company, prides itself in making top quality eyewear at a non-brand-name price. The Altar is another addition to their wide range, coming with 3 lenses, a hard and soft case for just £49.99.
The first thing you'll notice about the Altars is their chunky design. The frames are made out of strong Grilamid TR90, which is a highly flexible, yet tough plastic. The arms of the Altars can be adjusted, or bent, to any shape allowing the wearer to get the perfect fit for whatever activity they are going to be used for. The Altars also feature a half rim design; this means that the frames are open at the bottom increasing your field of view.
One key to any pair of riding glasses, other than the aesthetics of course, is the lens clarity. The Altars do not disappoint. The three tinted polycarbonate lenses that come with the Altar give you clear and undistorted vision. Coming with a smoke lens for sunny days, clear for low light and all-conditions red for everything in between, the Altar has all bases covered.
Riding, you soon forget that you are wearing them. Only weighing 34 grams and fitting my larger head well I was pleased with how these value-for-money glasses performed. Even when riding hard the hydrophilic nose and ear pieces stopped the glasses from shifting as I sweated. The lenses are ventilated to decrease the chance of them steaming up, but I did find that when riding hard on a chilly morning I did occasionally get some fogging of the lenses. Maybe an additional vent hole closer to the middle of the lenses would increase the airflow enough to reduce this.
Another feature I liked was the dipped ear pieces. This reduced the chances of them snagging on my rear helmet strap.
Changing the lenses on the Altars is a very simple affair. The flexibility of the frame and lens gives you the confidence that they are snapped into place, and are not going to snap as you try to remove or fit them. I'll be interested to see long term how the lenses hold up to many changes because their tangs do look rather small.
Overall the Altars are a pair of glasses that offer a lot for your money. Three lenses, a sturdy design to fit all head shapes, and you'll soon forget you are wearing.
The design is not super aggressive so they can be worn off the bike without the risk of you looking like a sports freak. Just a shame on the misting up.
Great optics for a good price.
road.cc test report
Make and model: Tifosi Altar sunglasses
Size tested: Matte black
Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Top optics for a good price. A design which works for many sports other than cycling.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Grilamid TR90 frame, highly durable.
Hydrophilic nose and ear pieces
3 lens shades
34 grams
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Performed well. Clear optic, light weight. Had some misting issues on a cooler morning.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Clear optics. Great value for money. Ability to use for more sports.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Issues with the glasses misting up.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.
Would you consider buying the product? No.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.
Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?
Great value for money optics.
About the tester
Age: 0 Height: Weight:
I usually ride: My best bike is:
I've been riding for: I ride: I would class myself as:
I regularly do the following types of riding:


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Whether your rearend has 10 or 12 bolts holding it together, Strange Engineering has piles of axles, gears, and differentials waiting on standby in case something goes kaput. For the heretics among us, it even has premium Dana 60 and 9-inch hardware to lure you to the dark side. Through decades of success in the highest ranks of drag racing, Strange has established itself as one of the premier manufacturers of driveline components in the industry. What sometimes gets lost in that hoopla of driveline success is that the company builds some serious drag brakes and shock packages as well. In fact, Strange was one of the first companies to offer carbon brakes in Funny Car and Top Fuel, and countless Pro Stock teams rely on Strange shocks every weekend. Naturally, this technology trickles down into the company's street/strip product line, which means that the big winner is your average weekend warrior. To get an inside scoop on all of Strange's state-of-the-art brake and shock technology, we had an eye-opening chat with Jeff Stange. We even bugged him for some helpful suspension tuning tips.
Drag Brakes
The needs of a commuter car that endures the grind of stop-and-go driving are far different from a drag car that decelerates only in short bursts. Since the brakes in a drag car require far less heat capacity than in a commuter car, it's possible to greatly increase braking performance while also reducing weight. For example, the front rotors and calipers on an LS1-powered fourth-gen Camaro weigh about 70 pounds, while Strange Pro steel drag brakes weigh just 37 pounds. "To reduce weight, our Pro steel brakes have an optimized thin rotor web with lightening windows, heat distribution slots in the rotors, and aluminum calipers and caliper brackets. We even fully machine the billet aluminum hubcap to save weight," Jeff says. "For maximum stopping power, Strange Pro steel brakes feature 11.25-inch rotors and large four-piston calipers. Our calipers have a unique directional design where both 1.750- and 1.625-inch bore pistons are used. The directional design allows for more even pad loading, wear, and heat distribution. The result is maximum braking force, consistent pad wear, and outstanding pedal feel."
Weight of a Different Kind
Everyone knows that drag brakes reduce static weight, but they also reduce unsprung weight and rotating weight. "Reducing unsprung weight should always be the first priority in weight reduction, as it will provide the most bang for the buck. Reduction of unsprung mass allows for better tire contact over rough surfaces because as the wheel has to accelerate up and down, there is less inertia or momentum that must change directions," Jeff explains. "Reducing rotating mass has a similar effect, but this time we are talking about rotational acceleration and deceleration. The response time is improved in both cases, and when properly tuned, it allows for improved tire contact over rough surfaces, and less energy consumed in the acceleration and deceleration of the wheel and tire. Depending on the class, most people try to get a car as far below the legal weight as possible. This allows the driver and crew to strategically place the weight where it might be more beneficial for performance and vice versa."
One- vs. Two-piece rotors
Strange utilizes both one- and two-piece rotors in its brake kits, and Jeff says that there are definite pros and cons of each design. "One-piece rotors usually run truer than two-piece rotors that bolt together at the hub. There is no hardware that can come loose or fail with a one-piece design, and it eliminates the potential of the hub cracking due to the difference in growth rates between a steel rotor and an aluminum hub," he explains. Furthermore, Strange one-piece rotors incorporate a slotted design, which weakens the rotors radially to create a path for heat distortion. When a rotor heats up and distorts, the gaps in the slots close up, helping a rotor maintain its flatness. On the other hand, two-piece rotors also have their advantages, which is why they are used in Strange's Pro Series 2 brake kits. Since these rotors use aluminum hats, they are 0.7-pound lighter per rotor than their steel counterparts. "The floating rotor construction of a two-piece design allows the rotor to expand with temperature without being rigidly connected to the hat," Jeff says. "This results in increased heat capacity, significantly reducing the chance of the rotor warping. Also, using a flat disc allows us to process and manufacture two-piece rotors differently than a one-piece rotor. Our choice of materials and our manufacturing process results in a rotor that is far less prone to deformation over long-term usage."
Carbon Brakes
Carbon brakes have been popular in Pro Stock, Funny Car, F1, and exotic supercars for quite some time, and now Strange offers them for drag cars as well. According to Strange, the main advantage of carbon brakes is that they do not fade with increased temperature like cast-iron or steel brakes. Instead, carbon's coefficient of friction increases as rotor temperature increases. In other words, the hotter the brakes get, the harder they bite. Likewise, carbon is far more stable when subjected to multiple heat cycles. "In drag racing, brakes go from cold to extremely hot very quickly. The majority of OEM brakes use cast-iron rotors, but in drag racing applications cast iron is extremely prone to thermal shock, which can lead to a complete failure where the rotors can actually explode," Jeff explains. "Steel rotors are far more durable than cast iron in this regard, but after a lot of heat cycles, steel can begin to warp. However, none of this is an issue with carbon brakes. Strange introduced carbon to Top Fuel cars in the late 1980s, primarily for safety. Teams soon recognized that carbon brakes are significantly lighter than steel brakes as well. A complete Strange carbon brake kit weighs just 8.5 pounds."
Carbon Caveats
Despite the advantages in stopping power, durability, and weight of carbon brakes, steel brakes still have their benefits. "There are certain applications where carbon is not as effective. For instance, most Super Comp racers like brakes that bite immediately before the finish line, and steel rotors are a better fit for this application," Jeff says. Likewise, carbon brakes require more maintenance as well. "Carbon brakes will become less effective over time if they are contaminated with oil or brake cleaner, which is why nothing should ever be used to clean carbon rotors. Once a rotor gets contaminated, the offending contaminants must be baked out of the rotor to restore it to nearly new condition. Strange currently offers carbon brakes for Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Mod, and Pro Stock applications."
Shock Line
With a rich history in the highest ranks of NHRA drag racing, it's only natural for Strange to apply its track-proven shock technology to street applications as well. The company offers a variety of different models of shocks for both high-end tube chassis drag cars as well as bolt-in shocks for stock chassis applications. At the entry-level end of the spectrum are Strange's single-adjustable steel body shocks and struts valved for street/strip driving. The next step up is Strange's double-adjustable steel body shocks for late-model Camaros that are valved for drag setups. The company offers a multitude of aluminum-body shocks as well. "We have both single- and double-adjustable bolt-in shocks for most American muscle cars. They are offered as direct replacements and as coilovers," Jeff says. Likewise, these shocks can be mounted with either polyurethane bushings or Heim bearings. "For all-out racing applications, like Pro Stock, Pro Mod, and Super Gas, Strange has single- and double-adjustable struts with integrated spindles and optional lower control arms. These strut packages include the strut body, spindle, springs, aluminum steering arm, tie rods, bearings, and seals."
Single or Double Adjustable?
When shopping for a shock, one of the first choices that must be made is whether to go with single- or double-adjustable shocks. While single-adjustable shocks definitely have their limitations, novices can easily get in over their heads with a double-adjustable shock. "Strange's single-adjustable shocks adjust both the compression and rebound at the same time in a predetermined ratio of compression to rebound. These settings have been refined over the years to our customer's needs," Jeff says. "Our double-adjustable shocks allow independent tuning of the compression and rebound force curves. This allows tuning for a wider variety of conditions. Low-grip surfaces due to temperature, or an early season green track, require as much suspension tuning flexibility as possible. With both types of shocks, you are trying to minimize the extra motions of suspension oscillations. In low grip conditions, less rebound and more compression can produce better grip and still minimize oscillations. In general terms, the least amount of damping will produce the best grip, but the trade-off is vehicle stability. Double-adjustable shocks allow a finer line to be drawn."
Clickety Click
All clicks are not created equal. Jeff says turning the adjustment knob one click on one brand of shocks is very different than turning the knob one click on a different brand of shocks. "With high-end shocks, you're looking for a wide adjustability range in addition to durability and nice fit and finish. A lot of companies market the number of adjustment clicks that their shocks offer, but after conducting extensive dyno testing we have found that having a lot of clicks doesn't always mean that a shock offers a wide range of adjustments," Jeff explains. "At Strange, we focus on the change in valving that results from each click. We still have 10 external clicks on our shocks for rebound, which is much less than many competitor's shocks. However, there is a very noticeable difference in valving between completely soft and completely stiff. This maximizes the range and the effectiveness of the shock as a chassis tuning component."
Due to the compact size and ease of ride height adjustability, coilovers have become very popular in street/strip applications. For those on a tight budget, Jeff says that a non-coilover suspension can still perform extremely well. Even so, coilovers offer several important advantages. "A coilover system allows you to adjust the corner weights. There are a variety of spring rates and load heights available with a coilover arrangement, and the height adjustment allows fine-tuning for the correct corner weights," he explains. "Likewise, coilover systems are easy to adjust and compact by design. On the flip side, the disadvantage of a coilover is that if the spring ends are not parallel, the spring can start rubbing against the shock body. This changes the spring rate and damages the shock. That's why we exclusively use Hyperco springs. A lot of people think that springs are just springs, but they are a very important part of the suspension. Ruining an expensive set of shocks with some cheap springs is never a good idea."
Reality Check
As one of the easiest sets of components to access and adjust, it's not surprising that the shocks are one of the first places racers turn their attention to when dialing in their cars at the track. Granted that shock adjustment can be an extremely effective suspension tuning tool, it can't cure an inherently flawed suspension setup. "Remember that the suspension system needs to be tuned as a whole, and shocks are just one part of the total system," Jeff explains. "Spring rates, instant centers, weight bias, suspension friction, and tire pressure are all part of the system. Sometimes a better solution to a specific traction problem might arise from adjusting other parts of the suspension system. If you really need to adjust the instant center, but you're changing the shock valving instead, the results will be less than ideal."
Tuning Tips
Racers often get overwhelmed when trying to figure out how to adjust their shocks based on how their car is driving. Some suspension maladies are so common that experts like Jeff have entire notebooks filled with tips on how fix them. Perhaps the most universal of problems is a car that blows off the tires coming out of the hole. "Softer front shock rebound will provide quicker weight transfer, and in the rear shocks, less rebound and more compression will help. That said, the ideal approach would be changing the spring rates and adjusting the instant centers," Jeff advises. "It is all about making the tire produce grip, and if you load it too fast it will bounce and unload the suspension. If you load a tire too slow it will not achieve maximum grip. Every tire likes to be loaded at a specific rate, and 1 pound of air pressure can have a greater effect than one click of the shock."
Tire shake is another common issue, and one that's much easier to address. "What's happening during tire shake is that the tire is running over itself," Jeff says. "The car is planting so hard that it stretches the tire too far, and the rotating tire then tries to plant on the stretched section of tire. To correct this condition, you have to slow down how quickly the chassis reacts to power input to get the car up on the tire. More damping is the answer, and increasing the compression and rebound valving on the shocks will help."
One of the most frustrating problems a drag racer might experience is a car that consistently pulls to the right or to the left. The first step in diagnosing this problem is checking shock adjustments to confirm that they are adjusted the same from side to side. "If the shocks are adjusted the same, remove the rear shocks from the vehicle, pull the springs off, and hand-stroke each shock to confirm that they compress and release similarly. If not, contact Strange Engineering so we can test and inspect the shocks on the dyno," Jeff advises. "Adjusting the spring height on the shock may be the best solution at the track. Putting more preload on the tire with the least grip will help equalize the tire loads during launch. Check rear suspension alignment to make sure everything is square."


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One of the University of South Carolina's biggest embarrassments of recent years is currently hiding another.
Editor's note: Ray Craig, a Republican from Lake Wylie running in the June 14 primary against incumbent U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney of Indian Land, spoke to the Hickory Grove Volunteer Fire Department on Monday. Here are some excerpts.
OK, Bernie and Hillary supporters. Consider this.
Why do you want a free or no-debt college degree? To get a better job. Why do you want a better job? To make a better wage. But why have a better job and higher wage in the Bernie and Hillary economy, where if you do succeed you don't get to keep that higher wage? You become a cash cow for those who want things for free.
After a while people will figure out that the more they work, the more they pay, and soon they will stop working and just settle for the free stuff.
Etc are three little letters we run across most every day. We hardly notice them. But when it comes to South Carolina and our future, 'etc' can be a real disaster or it can be our great hope.
Confused? Let me explain.
Etc (usually written with a period at the end as etc.) is short for et cetera, a Latin phrase that the Cambridge Dictionary defines as "and other similar things." Another way of thinking about etc is "more of the same."
South Carolina during April will mount a coordinated effort to eliminate access to alcohol by young people under age 21, striving to ensure a safe prom season and end to the school year.
The program will involve law enforcement, alcohol-abuse prevention specialists and other community members throughout the state, joining to increase enforcement of the state's laws and to launch a public education blitz.
Christopher Sardelli reported for The Lancaster News from 2008 until last week, when he left for a communications job in Charlotte. In March he was named the S.C. Press Association's weekly journalist of the year.
I can remember it like it was yesterday.
I was standing in the living room of the Stroud family home with piles of photographs spread in front of me.
Health care is always changing, brought on by scientific breakthroughs, technological advancements, government regulation and reform. But there is one constant: physicians still shoulder the ultimate responsibility for a patient's care, whether it be in the emergency room, on the operating table or in a clinic.
From the days of Hippocrates, doctors have held the fate of their fellow human beings in their hands – and certainly in their hearts.
An outrageous bill is moving through the S.C. legislature, proposing to give the Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC) power to collect the business license tax and even to assign the tax rates.
MASC is a lobbying entity comprised of city officials who pay dues from the city coffers, but it isn't a government agency and has no accountability to the public. In a nutshell, taxpayers have no choice about funding MASC activities and no control over them.
I stood in the county building last Tuesday night, watching voting results come in, watching precinct after precinct say, "Yes! We want to make our schools better for our students and teachers."
I stood there, thinking, "I'm so lucky to be in a county with people who support our schools, who value our teachers, who believe in the power of education, not just for their children, but for every child in our county."
Easter. Resurrection Sunday. The culmination of Passion Week. In my opinion, we're celebrating the most significant day in human history.
There have been numerous days of momentous importance in the scope of human existence. Days that altered national, international, even world history. But in comparison with this one day – resurrection Sunday – all other days of significance fade into blips on the timeline of humanity.
Copyright © 2018
The Lancaster News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Lancaster County and Lancaster, South Carolina, and the surrounding area..


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Even though the current run of high tides has slowed the coastal fishing action, there were fish caught. We received only one on the salt.
Not much keeps David Wood from fishing, including spring tides. He has been regular with reports for most weekends this year, and this past was not an exception.
"What a nasty weekend we had, but it wasn't enough to keep me out of the water," he wrote, adding that he and Sarah Zuchuwicz went after both sheepshead and spotted sea trout.
It was, he said, Sarah's first sheepshead, landing her first on the first fiddler crab presented and hooking several more including one that straightened a hook.
The straightened hook apparently sent a message and the sheepshead bite ended.
They left the drop and headed for some trout action in a creek protected from the wind.
Fishing conditions there, he said, were perfect with the bite starting when the first baits hit the bottom.
The count and more
"We caught our limit plus, keeping 20 fish with the smallest measuring 17 inches and the largest 22 1/2 inches," he wrote, adding that they released several keepers in the 14- to 16-inch range.
"Most of the fish, we caught on artificial baits, dragging the bottom super slow," he wrote in closing.
As waters clear and currents slow, look for the action to pick again, possibly as strong as it did two weeks ago when the spotted sea trout bite exploded along the entire coast.
I overlooked one report during that time. I came from Capt. Mark Covington, who through two and a half days of fishing, boated a total of 41 trout and a 5.5-pound sheepshead.
"My grandson Jamie Miller is one happy 12-year-old. He even pulls the anchor for his granddad," he wrote proudly.


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Parasound Amp brand newOut of box 2250Photos have not been loading. Please email firstname.lastname@example.com for photos "You Can't Go Wrong with the Model 2250" Looking for a powerhouse two-channel power amp that's near-perfect and affo...785.00
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