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It's Time to Vote for Your Favorite! Here are the Submissions…
Here are the photos and stories are submitted to the I Love My Vintage ____ Contest. To those of you who submitted, thank you so much. I know everyone will enjoy your submissions as much as I have. Reading the entries has been a lot of fun; the stories behind why people love their old stuff range from funny to sweet to poignant to practical. Read on for the submissions to this year's contest, and if you're so inclined, please vote for your favorite over on Facebook. You can vote once an hour for multiple entries, so you can choose more than one favorite. The voting ends on Friday, February 22nd.
I ♥ My Vintage Stereo System
In 1974 I was a newlywed 23 year old….I went to Sun TV in Columbus, Ohio to buy a new stereo system…. I REALLY wanted these Pioneer components, but they were priced FAR beyond my modest savings. Last year it dawned on me that (thanks to ebay and craigslist) I was now able to afford a state-of-the-art 1974 Pioneer stereo system…. and here is part of it (I also bought a Pioneer reel to reel recorder and cassette deck!!)…. I tell my wife that she is lucky that my mid life crisis involved stereo equipment rather than Corvettes (or younger women!!)
— Denis, St. Paris, Ohio
I ♥ My Vintage Photo Album
I love my vintage photo album that belongs to my 88 year old mother. It has photos of her grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary – in 1934. Also, the Chicago World's Fair which took place in 1933 and 1934 – A Century of Progress. The album contains tickets and season passes to the Chicago World's Fair.
— Barbara, Gloucester, Massachusetts
I ♥ My Vintage Plate
This plate is my mom's that I took when I moved out in my 20's. Ever since I can remember, she's always had that plate in her china cupboard and it was one of the first objects I remember associating with "home". It's my piece of home that I take with me wherever I move to and it's totally one of my three items I would grab if there was a fire!
— Marjorie, Charleston, South Carolina
I ♥ My Vintage Scandinavian Cookware
I love my vintage Scandinavian cast iron cookware
— Heather, Rockport, Massachusetts
{Note from Sarah: Heather mentioned that the rectangular piece weighs over 20 pounds!}
I ♥ My Vintage Camper
I love my 1986 Toyota Camper, (which is) not being built anymore. Custom, 20 feet long, 8 feet wide. Traveled all over and met fantastic people. Bought in Maine, original owner used for hunting and fishing…once a year. 16,000 original miles on it. Interior: mint, wood closets, gas heat and stove, microwave, small bathroom in the back corner, overhead — above driver's cab — held antiques. I minimized possessions…dishes, food, clothing, blankets and towels, reading matter, CDs (CD player plugged into inverter), great speakers and wonderful curtains and matching striped upholstery. 'Gaucho' couch convertible to bed, swivel seats & console table for entertaining guests. Great gas — 16 miles to the gallon…went south, campgrounds, street parking, rest areas, woods and on the ocean: Atlantic and Pacific…Florida, cross-country to California…through mad snowstorm in 2006, Oklahoma, Texas, etc. Wish you were here! Elizabeth Enfield
— Elizabeth, Gloucester, Massachusetts
I ♥ My Vintage Painting
When I reached my teens, I could barely stand being in the same room as my father. I thought I knew it all and he didn't. In my later years before he died, I never apologized for being a nasty little so-and-so, but I tried to hang out with him in the kitchen and learn from him, hoping my current actions might speak louder than previous actions. One day in 1993 I told him how much I liked the painting hanging in the entryway of my parents' home and he took it off the wall and gave it to me, nasty little so-and-so notwithstanding. That example has taught me much about being a parent. So while I love this painting for its NE coastal subject (the artist hails from Lynn – 1864-1940 – and painted the coast up to Ogunquit), I love it more for the lessons it teaches and memories it conjures.
— Jane, Amesbury, Massachusetts
I ♥ My Vintage Oil Lamp
The Old Lamp: This lamp is a repurposed oil lamp designed to stay in use! I have had it since I started keeping my own house…a garage sale find. I can't help but picture folks lighting it in the 1900's with oil and flame whenever I turn the now electrified wick-feeder.
— Joanna, Xenia, Ohio
I ♥ My Vintage Sweater
This hand knit wool sweater was my mom's back in the 60's! It's the best- so cozy, warm, and cheerful! Mom had good taste in elementary school.
— Julia, Providence, Rhode Island
I ♥ My Vintage House
I love my vintage house on Main Street in Mechanicsburg, Ohio. When my husband and I bought this home back in 1998, we thought we'd be here for 5 years. Now 14 years later, the house is finally on the market as we anticipate moving to the family homestead in the country. Through the years, we've taken off layers upon layers of wallpaper (yes, the bottom layers were quite vintage!) and transformed every square inch of this grand 1900's bungalow to make it a wonderful home. In spite of the "old house" problems which still exist – crooked floors, cracked plaster and ancient wiring – this is our home and we love it.
— Amy, Mechanicsburg, Ohio
I ♥ My Christening Gown
This christening gown was made by my maternal grandmother back in 1953. My brother was the first one to wear it followed by my 3 other siblings and myself. Each of our children (10 grandchildren in all) have also worn it and my son was the last to wear it back in 2010. My hope is that my children's children and their children will continue the tradition.
— Lori, West Fargo
I ♥ My Vintage Toy Horse
It was tough to decide, but this little fellow always warms my heart. I discovered him on a dusty, high shelf in an Oregon antique shop, and I visited him many times before finally bringing him home. I love his beautiful, full gallop, and I'm sure his old steel & rubber wheels took some lucky children on some amazing adventures. I heart him.
— Scout, Gloucester, Massachusetts
I ♥ My Cookie Jar
It was a wedding gift to my parents in 1954 from my father's stepfather. His own father had died of tuberculosis a few months before he was born, and being extremely poor with 6 children to support, my grandmother didn't take long to remarry. I don't have a lot of memories of my step-grandfather since he died when I was about 4 years old. However, the one memory that stands out was from a short time before he passed away. He was very ill and lay on the sofa in the main room of the very small house. My parents had left us there for the day and my sisters and I were playing outside in front of the house. My grandmother had a hog she'd raised that was getting close to ready for butchering. The hog occasionally broke out of the small space where it was kept penned and was not in a friendly mood when it did so! When the hog got loose that day, my older sisters ran into the house. I stood paralyzed as I watched a large angry swine charge towards me. Then my very ill grandfather got up off the sofa, stepped out the door and pulled inside the house before the hog reached me. As for the cookie jar itself, I remember it in the kitchen in the home I grew up in. Even when cookies (usually store bought — Oreos! — occasionally homemade) weren't in it, the smell still lingered. My parents eventually divorced in 1980 and my father remained in the house, with the cookie jar still in the kitchen. When he was cleaning things out a few years later, he asked if I wanted it and I gladly jumped at the chance to take it. It has followed me to different homes, different states, through a marriage and divorce and other relationships, and now, in my Gloucester home, it is still with me, sitting on my kitchen counter.
— Diana, Gloucester
I ♥ My Father's Suitcase
My favorite vintage item is this old leather suitcase. It has obviously seen better days, having long lost its handle, covered in nicks and dents, and plastered with an old bumper sticker. However, it is what this suitcase represents, what it holds within, that I cherish. It spent many years, even decades, in my parent's bedroom, tucked hidden away under my father's side of the bed. It was a sad turn of events that finally brought this suitcase to my attention. I think that even my mother had forgotten about its existence. But my father never did, adding little things faithfully to it over the years. My father never spoke much. He was a quiet man, not apt for conversation unless it was about cars or motorcycles. But this suitcase speaks the volumes he never could, hiding away words and memories, holding the treasures of his heart. On a brisk November night in New York City, over three years ago, my father left us for heaven. It was 10 days before his 59th birthday. It was on the day that my son turned one year old. It was a day I will never forget. And now the suitcase holds even more significance for us all. Honestly, I have never seen what is inside. It was probably sometime last year when my mom called me, and I heard a small catch in her voice, a quiver. She had opened the suitcase and was pouring over its contents. Through tears and smiles she had re-read the love letters of long ago. He had saved every one. Letters from an era that no longer exists, that seems so far away now, but it was only the late 1960's. There was no such thing as texting, and mom was only allowed to call him once a week. No computers, no cell phones, no email. And I am so glad, for all of this would have been lost. They met when they were teenagers. One of their favorite places was Word of Life in upstate New York (hence the bumper sticker), and that was where my mom met the Lord. Amazingly, that was where I met my husband many years later, as God brought us together in what many would term a serendipitous meeting, but we know better. This suitcase symbolizes even more than a love story. It symbolizes a promise made that was kept. A vow that was never broken. Till death do us part. I was there with my dad on his last night here with us. I watched as my mom, who had slept in a chair next to his hospital bedside for almost 8 weeks straight, tucked him into bed one last time, prayed with him, and faced her darkest fears as she laid her head next to his and waited. Waited for a miraculous healing that was not to be this side of heaven, waited for my dad to call out her name for help so she could attend to his every need, waited as the leukemia slowly took over the life we all knew. With tenderness and love she waited by his side, a picture of faithfulness until the end.
— Paula, Louisburg, North Carolina
I ♥ My Anchor Pin
My grandmother, Doris Velma Driscoll, ( I just love her name), wore this pin during the summer months on her freshly ironed cotton blouse. She had so many pins! A pin for every occasion! My first memory of her was her bringing me to Salem Willows when I was probably 6 years old. This pin reminds me of her love for the beach—she taught me well!
— Karen, Gloucester
Voting for your favorite submission ends on Friday, February 22nd. To see the submissions not included in this page and/or place your vote, click the image below:


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It is a rare occurrence when you hear a scout describe an amateur pitcher as a future ace. The bar is set so high for such pitchers that even premium first-round pitching prospects are almost always likened to No. 2 or 3 men in a rotation. Most hurlers chosen later in the draft are written up as "back-end" starters or relievers.
True aces are few and far between.
I recently read a story of how Mark Wasinger, then scouting for the San Diego Padres, begged his club to take an Alabama high school righty by the name of Jacob Peavy in the 15th round of the 1999 draft. When asked, in retrospect, if he knew the 15th-rounder would one day win a Cy Young Award, Wasinger humbly deflected such praise, reciting his own report that predicted Peavy would become a No. 4 or 5 starter.
In other words, the very person who liked Peavy best of all as a prospect didn't see him as a No. 1, either, but that's exactly what Peavy has become.
Ace vs. True No. 1 Starter
It should be noted that there is an ongoing debate over what a "true No. 1" starter is, and it's not synonymous with "ace".
The ace of a staff is generally considered the team's best pitcher, the one who starts Opening Day and ideally gets the most innings over the course of the season. Naturally, many aces from poor clubs would only be back-end pitchers on championship teams.
A No. 1 starter, in scout speak, is someone you'd die to give the ball to for Game One and Game Seven of the World Series. Those pitchers are stoppers; their turn in the rotation technically prevents losing streaks from accumulating during the season.
It is certainly subjective as to who qualifies as a No. 1 starter, but that is the ideology behind it. Therefore the ace pitcher of a last-place team who goes 8-13 with a 5.00 ERA is excluded from the conversation while the likes of Don Drysdale, who would routinely defer the Opening-Day assignment to the Sandy Koufaxes of the world, are given their due.
Nevertheless, I do think there's something to be said for whoever gets the call on Opening Day. That pitcher has proven to his manager to be the best starter on his major-league team, and essentially every scout dreams of finding his team's ace.
It's also much simpler to identify Opening-Day starters than it is to subjectively label No. 1s. So where do the aces come from?
Before we investigate, let's begin by stating five tenets that scouts generally believe are pertinent to describing future major-league aces:
1. Premium, high-ceiling pitchers come out of high school, while lower-ceiling, polished arms come out of college.
2. Ace pitchers have to be taken early in the draft, because those kinds of arms are few and far between.
3. Ace pitchers move quickly; if they're not good enough to be in a major league rotation by a relatively young age, they're unlikely to become elite.
4. Aces are power pitchers.
5. Ace starters must have very good pitchability beyond their stuff, which is developed mostly through experience on the mound. Therefore, converted position players and short relievers are at a great disadvantage in potentially becoming aces.
I've tracked down all 30 Opening-Day starters from 2008 (see appendix below). In a nutshell, here are their demographics:
--Twelve of the 30 were first-round picks (that's 40 percent, compared to 23 percent of all big leaguers).
--Seven of the 30 were taken after the first 10 rounds. The overlooked gems, in decreasing order of draft round, are Texas' Kevin Millwood (11th round, 1993), Peavy (15th, 1999), Tampa Bay's James Shields (16th, 2000), Florida's Mark Hendrickson (20th, 1997), Houston's Roy Oswalt (23rd, 1996), Pittsburgh's Ian Snell (26th, 2000) and Chicago White Sox' Mark Buehrle (38th, 1998).
--Ten of the 30 (33 percent) signed out of high school, 11 (37 percent) out of college, three (10 percent) out of junior college and six (20 percent) as international free agents.
--Most of the aces, 22 out of 30, were 24-or-under by the time they made 30 starts in the big leagues. But eight were at least 25 before they had a full season of starts under their belt, including Cincinnati's Aaron Harang (25), Shields (25), Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie (29), Seattle's Erik Bedard (26), New York Yankees' Chien-Ming Wang (26), Hendrickson (29, now with Baltimore), Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka (27) and St. Louis' Adam Wainwright (he made 30 relief appearances by 25, 30 starts by 26).
--Only C.C. Sabathia, who started on Opening Day for Cleveland, made 30 big-league starts before turning 22.
--Only Wainwright began his major-league career as a reliever. He is the only reliever-to-starter conversion in this group (In contrast to closers; as noted in an earlier column, I determined an overwhelmingly high starter-to-reliever conversion rate). It should also be noted that Wainwright was almost exclusively a starter coming through the minors.
--No one on this list of 30 is a converted position player, either. They were all primary pitchers from Day One—during their draft years and as minor leaguers. Atlanta's Tim Hudson was a terrific two-way player for Auburn University, but he was the regular Sunday starter and drafted by Oakland for his work on the mound (This is again in contrast to closers, several of whom were position-player conversions).
--Subjectively, I would consider 18 of the 30 to be true power pitchers; those who throw 93-plus mph regularly, start-to-start, for 5-plus innings with leeway given for fastball movement.
--By the same metrics, I would consider six more to be "medium power pitchers," those who live mostly in the 88-92 mph range during their starts. This group includes former Oakland ace Joe Blanton, Shields, Guthrie, Los Angeles Angels' Jered Weaver, Millwood and Wainwright.
--I qualify the remaining six as finesse pitchers in the sense that their working velocity is generally below 88-92—though they may throw in that range at times. The "finesse" aces are Arizona's Brandon Webb, Buehrle, Minnesota's Livan Hernandez, Hendrickson, San Francisco's Barry Zito and Colorado's Jeff Francis. Incidentally, four of the six are lefthanded, but Webb is a perennial Cy Young Award candidate throwing mostly from 85-88 mph.
Revisting Conventional Scouting Wisdom
1. High School = High Ceiling
There is a higher percentage of high-school products among the aces, compared to other big leaguers, but it's only slight (33 percent versus 25-30 percent).
More revealing is to take the cream of each crop. If Webb, Detroit's Justin Verlander and Milwaukee's Ben Sheets are the top three collegians, they are outshined by the top three high school (arguably Peavy, Sabathia and Toronto's Roy Halladay), junior-college (Oswalt, Buehrle and Bedard) and international (Matsuzaka, New York Mets' Johan Santana and Chicago Cubs' Carlos Zambrano) products.
It's certainly possible to become an ace out of college and you can't ignore Webb, but the other amateur avenues have been more productive.
2. Aces are Drafted Early
It is powerful confirmation that 50 percent of the aces who were subject to the draft (12 out of 24) were taken in the first round. The bulk of these ace arms were identified and taken early.
But again, the exceptions stick out like sore thumbs. Sometimes you can get Webb in the eighth round or even a Buehrle in the 38th.
3. Ace Arms Move Quickly
This pattern can't be refuted, either. If you reasonably exclude Hendrickson (who was playing in the NBA into his mid-20s) and Matsuzaka (Japan), you have only six who hadn't logged 30 starts by age 25. But we'll take late-bloomers like Shields (25) or Bedard (26) on our staffs, too.
4. Only Power Pitchers can be Aces
While 60 percent grade out as power pitchers by my subjective scouting measures, 20 percent throw with average power and another 20 percent are finesse pitchers. Francis only touches 90 when he needs it, but he was the No. 1 pitcher for a team that went all the way to the 2007 World Series.
5. Relievers and Position Players Can't be Converted into Aces
There's really not a convincing exception among this group.
As far as converting relievers, I believe it's simply because starting pitchers can't get by on pure stuff the way a short reliever can. It takes much more pitchability to get through the batting order three times than it does to get out of a single-inning jam.
Pitchability is only developed through years of practice. It is impressive that Trevor Hoffman went from a college shortstop to become one of the greatest closers of all-time, but it would be earth-shattering to me if a Hall-of-Fame starter is ever borne out of that same mold in the modern game.
It's interesting to note that Zambrano and Hernandez, the Twins' departed Opening-Day starter, have been excellent hitting pitchers while Hudson was once a middle-of-the-order hitter for Auburn.
For the sake of argument, let's imagine if they would have favored hitting over pitching as youngsters the way closers Joe Nathan, Troy Percival, B.J. Ryan and Hoffman once did.
I would propose, in this scenario, that if they didn't work out as hitters and were put on the mound later in their careers, they would have become relievers instead of the very fine starting pitchers that they are.
In the past 30 years, only two successful position player-to-ace starter conversions come to mind. One is the old Toronto Blue Jays work horse Dave Stieb, who was primarily an outfielder at Southern Illinois. He finally heeded the Blue Jays' desire for him to pitch after a miserable pro debut at the plate. The second is former Oakland A's ace Dave Stewart, who was converted from a high-school catcher.
Despite his lack of pitching experience, Stieb remarkably managed to make his first 30 big-league starts before his 23rd birthday. Stewart's 30th start didn't come until he was 27, but once the pitchability developed he was a stalwart starter whom other clubs dreaded facing in the playoffs.
Conventional Wisdom Holds True . . . To A Point
I'm honestly surprised at how well the results follow the five tenets. In my years of baseball research, I've grown used to uncovering mistruths and flaws in our popular scouting theories and am almost disappointed when scouting truisms turn out to be close to the mark.
Nevertheless, to each of these five tenets there are exceptions and notable ones at that. It goes to show yet again that great players can fall through the cracks and that golden rules in scouting can still be broken.
The group of 30 Opening-Day starters from 2008 includes, in alphabetical order, Erik Bedard (Mariners), Joe Blanton (A's), Mark Buehrle (White Sox), Jeff Francis (Rockies), Jeremy Guthrie (Orioles), Roy Halladay (Blue Jays), Aaron Harang (Reds), Mark Hendrickson (Marlins), Livan Hernandez (Twins), Tim Hudson (Braves), Daisuke Matsuzaka (Red Sox), Gil Meche (Royals), Kevin Millwood (Rangers), Brett Myers (Phillies), Roy Oswalt (Astros), Jake Peavy (Padres), Brad Penny (Dodgers), Odalis Perez (Nationals), C.C. Sabathia (Indians), Johan Santana (Mets), Ben Sheets (Brewers), James Shields (Rays), Ian Snell (Pirates), Justin Verlander (Tigers), Adam Wainwright (Cardinals), Chien-Ming Wang (Yankees), Jered Weaver (Angels), Brandon Webb (Diamondbacks), Carlos Zambrano (Cubs) and Barry Zito (Giants).

subset: commoncrawl


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June Branch Meeting and ROH High House tour
Start:7 June 2014
LocationROH High House Purfleet Workshop tour and Branch Meeting
Download as vCalendar (for Microsoft Outlook etc.)
Free to Equity members of the Essex Branch.
Others welcome £7 - book your place with firstname.lastname@example.com
Followed by June Branch meeting for Essex Members in the Ship hostelry nearby
Further details and contact information
Martyn Harrison
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Hey all,
We're having a lot of troubles with the drivers side automatic seatbelt on our 1990 Legacy.
When we bought the car, the seatbelt motor was unplugged, so we assumed it was broken. I grabbed a new one from pull-a-part and swapped it in there, but it didn't help it. Both motors WORK fine, when they decide to work.
What happens, is that the seatbelt will always "close" (meaning, it never fails to move back and cover the person with the belt) but it only "opens" maybe 1/3 of the time. You open the door, and the seatbelt doesn't move. Sometimes, it "shudders" as it slowly moves forward.
Also, the Seatbelt light on the dash constanly blinks. I thought at first it did this because the old motor was unplugged, but it still blinks.
Another oddity I see, is that I found a couple cut wires up in the A-pillar. The seatbelt motor works fine (when it chooses to work) so I assumed they were unrelated, but now I'm not sure.
Does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this problem?
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Guest Message by DevFuse
Automatic Seatbelt troubles
Started by syphon , Oct 30 2005 09:13 PM
4 replies to this topic
Posted 30 October 2005 - 09:13 PM
Posted 30 October 2005 - 10:28 PM
my 91 did the same think,the cable had ate into the liner that guides the cable,have yet to replace mine. i did take motor out and just fasten chest belt by hand. ed
Posted 31 October 2005 - 12:15 AM
Yeah, that's what I'm trying to avoid.
my 91 did the same think,the cable had ate into the liner that guides the cable,have yet to replace mine. i did take motor out and just fasten chest belt by hand. ed
The thing that makes me think the motor is good is that sometimes the seatbelt works flawlessly, it's just the majority of the time, it doesnt even budge (the motor doesn't even try to move).
Another odd thing it does is that sometimes it has a "delayed reaction". You'll open the door, and maybe 15-20 seconds later the seat-belt opens. It really makes me think there's some weird wiring issue.
Posted 31 October 2005 - 07:18 AM
Sounds like a cable drive problem
Posted 31 October 2005 - 09:07 AM
Might be one of the limit switches.
I have diagnostic procedures to check the computer, but my server is down now. Shoot me an email, and I can email you the scans.
I have diagnostic procedures to check the computer, but my server is down now. Shoot me an email, and I can email you the scans.
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Turn water scarcity into water abundance!
Earthworks are one of the easiest, least expensive, and most effective ways of passively harvesting and conserving multiple sources of water in the soil. Associated vegetation then pumps the harvested water back out in the form of beauty, food, shelter, wildlife habitat, and passive heating and cooling strategies, while controlling erosion, increasing soil fertility, reducing downstream flooding, and improving water and air quality.
Building on the information presented in Volume 1, this book shows you how to select, place, size, construct, and plant your chosen water-harvesting earthworks. It presents detailed how-to information and variations of a diverse array of earthworks, including chapters on mulch, vegetation, and greywater recycling so you can customize the techniques to the unique requirements of your site.
"What a wonderful, enthusiastic book. Brad Lancaster lives what he preaches—a water-careful lifestyle that is all about more life."--Ben Haggard , author, sustainable systems designer and teacher


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Bittersweet Victory: Tears Flow as Dog Life is Spared
Posted By Alison Green Date: 11/08
Hero dog wins fight for survival.
Tears of relief, joy and sadness ran freely at Highgate Magistrates court in north London as Judges agreed against the destruction of two year old Bishop, a life saving dog on Thursday 7th August; ending an exhaustive three day long legal hearing to determine the fate of Bishop who has been held for over eight months.
Pet dog Bishop was seized as a suspected illegal "pit bull type" in contravention of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (DDA) on 1st December 2007 whilst his owner was exercising him with another dog on a local green. A local police operation dubbed "Operation Cranshaw - an initiative to deal with people loitering in the streets with dogs" was underway when owner, Terrence McGirr, was approached by a police officer and a breed ID expert who, after asking a few questions, suspected Bishop may be an illegal type of dog and seized him.
The situation became heated and Mr McGirr was arrested and interviewed under caution for being in possession of a dog prohibited under the DDA, he was released on bail however Bishop was detained and sent to secret kennels to await the outcome of the case.
Prior to his seizure, Bishop had woken his owners when fire erupted in their flat, all had been forced to move out and since then, he had become known locally as 'Hero Bishop'.
The community had staged their own protest, which was reported in the local press on 24th April; children, parents and dogs had all gathered with banners pleading for Bishop to be allowed home.
As a result the owners where contacted by another dog owner who had already been through this situation with the support of the organisation Endangered Dogs Defence and Rescue. Frantic for help, Sarah Goss contacted an EDDR helpline in an effort to get things moving.
Bishop had been registered with the local RSPCA veterinary clinic who had examined him and recorded lameness in both back legs due to patella luxation, one leg had received surgery on the 9th October. During a post operative visit on 20th October, a further one months rest had been advised with a slow build up to learn to walk again. Bishop had been crying in pain and his other leg was being monitored for the same condition, but six weeks later he had been seized, separated from his owners and held in an alien kennel environment. As time progressed Terrence McGirr and partner Sarah Goss became increasingly frustrated and concerned as they felt unsure whether this information had been received by the kennels or police appointed vet and didn't know whether Bishop's legs were being monitored or if treatment was needed.
EDDR put the family in contact with DDA experienced solicitor Tina Haye and organised copies of Bishop's medical records as a priority, the solicitor then conveyed Bishops medical needs to the police who were responsive and looked into the situation, a subsequent examination brought some relief to Bishop's anxious owners.
The solicitor then organised assessment and identification of Bishop; an expert examined him and believed he was not a type of dog known as a pit bull terrier and therefore should not be covered by section one of the legislation.
On the 19th June Bishop's family attended their first full day in court. The prosecution witness's took the stand and agreed that Bishop did not fit the standard for an American Pit Bull Terrier well; however they stated "while he is not the perfect example (of a pit bull) nevertheless, he is one". As the hours passed it was clear that further court time would be needed in order to hear the experts for the defence; a heartbroken Terrance ran from the courtroom in tears when he realised his dog would spend even longer in kennels.
During the second hearing arranged on the 31st July, the defence put forward their argument that Bishop was in fact an innocent mongrel. As the defence and prosecution experts argued over the various points of conformation, time ran out again and another hearing was scheduled for the closing summaries and verdict.
On the 7th August the family gathered for the final time in their struggle to save Bishop's life. The closing speeches were given and although the anatomical measurements where argued forcefully the one thing all sides and experts agreed on was that this dog was a friendly, loving family pet. The judges retired to consider their verdict whilst Bishop's family waited with baited breath knowing that the court may order that young Bishop, who had saved his owner's life, should die. One and a half hours later the court convened and the verdict was given.
Bishop was found to be a dog that had a substantial number of characteristics of a pit bull type. The Judges went on to state that despite this they did not believe Bishop posed any danger to the public and ordered that he be registered and entered onto the Index of Exempted dogs. The owner was ordered to pay £375 in court fines and costs.
During the legal hearing the prosecution had made an allegation of "bad character" against Dr Mugford, expert witness for the defence. They claimed footage of him during an Irish documentary proved this. The full unedited footage was viewed during the trial and the Judges found Dr. Mugford to be an expert and unbiased stating that they "paid no regard" to the footage and the "bad character" application.
Bishop can come home once registration has been completed. However in line with the restrictions for a exempted dog Bishop will never again walk in public without a muzzle on and will never run off lead and play with another dog in public. He must be neutered and tattooed and his owners must ensure he is covered by third party liability insurance.
Because he is now deemed to be a pit bull type his owners are highly unlikely be able to get health insurance for him although because of the restrictions placed on him, he will be much less likely to injure himself.
Hero Bishop as he has been dubbed, is being punished for being a lovely dog that looks a certain way.
End BSL.
http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/680 ... is-spared/
Jodi Preis
Bless the Bullys


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The lights are on
I love sitcoms. The sitcom is that TV show that puts you in a good mood after a bad day. They're funny without being stupid, and they usually have really good stories. What's your favorite and why?
1 Peter 3:15 (NASB): "But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence."
My favorite sitcom is Friends. It's just got that perfect blend of comedy and heart.
Friends was really great, I also loved many others from that time. such as Seinfeld. I also really liked Wings. The generation before that gave us such classics as Growing Pains, Cheers and Golden Girls.
"You know nothing Jon Snow"
Frasier was an excellent sitcom.
This is such a hard question to answer. For now I'll have to say Golden Girls. I grew up watching it and still do.
"Iba se ori egun Ìlà arun, Ìwò arun, ariwa arun, gusuu arun, egun orun, egun ayie, ase."
The Holy Trinity of GIO:
GIO Usage Guidelines, Newcomer Cheat Sheet, Site Feedback
Yeah same here Frasier.
So many good ones. I love Friends, Home Improvement, and right now especially The Big Bang Theory.
My favorite is Burn Notice. Can't get enough of it.
Big Bang Theory
Big Bang Theory, Psych, Rules Of Engagement, 2 Broke Girls, Mike And Molly, Raising Hope, and of course the Fox Animation Domination shows The Simpsons, The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, Bob's Burgers and American Dad. I DVR ALL of them (cause I am usually at work when they air).
How I Met Your Mother. It has a great cast, and I can relate to Ted's quest for the right woman. Plus you can't go wrong with NPH.
I forgot about HIMYM in my list. That is a great show and I agree you can't go wrong with NPH (He's the best part of the Harold And Kumar movies!)
Big Bang Theory, all the way. Also, off the subject of sitcoms, anyone watch Regular Show or Adventure Time?
Does South park count? If it does, that for sure. If not, The Office. (I prefer US over British but they are both great)
I can't believe nobody has said Seinfeld yet. You all make me sad.
Even if you don't like it, you have to respect it. Every sitcom people put down here owes itself entirely to Seinfeld. 'Nuff said.


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Did you read today's front page stories & breaking news?
From the Wires
Inuvo Announces Revenue Increases for alOt During Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday Revenue Increases 18%; Black Friday Revenue Increases 11%
By: Marketwired .
Nov. 28, 2012 07:07 AM
NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 11/28/12 -- Inuvo, Inc. (NYSE MKT: INUV) (the "Company" or "Inuvo"), an Internet marketing and technology company that manages a network of websites and builds and markets browser based consumer applications, today announced that search revenue from the company's alOt products significantly increased during "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday." "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" are the names given to the first Friday and Monday following Thanksgiving, and mark the unofficial beginning of the holiday shopping season.
Cyber Monday estimated search revenue from Inuvo's alOt products increased 18% over average search revenue from the three prior Mondays. This represents an even greater improvement over last year when the increase for the same measurement period for Cyber Monday was 11%. Additionally, the Company experienced a 10% increase in estimated search revenue from alOt products for Black Friday compared to average revenue from the three prior Fridays. This is in contrast to prior years when Black Friday had not represented a significant increase to revenue. This data appears to be in line with a wider market trend of Black Friday spending moving from physical stores to online.
"Management is extremely pleased with the growth of our alOt products revenue during the launch of the holiday shopping season," stated Peter Corrao, Chief Executive Officer of Inuvo. "We believe that shoppers will maintain their holiday shopping online and that our software search division will continue to expand and support this increase in online traffic."
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Not your ordinary technology toolkit
By Womens Council of REALTORS
Hints and tips to grow your business
TRI-CITIES, Calif.
-- Join the Womens Council of REALTORS (WCR) Tri-Cities Chapter for their monthly luncheon at the Hilton Hotel, Newark, on January 16, 2013. Networking at 11:30 a.m.; program and lunch from noon until 1:30 p.m. The Chapter serves REALTORS in Fremont, Newark, Union City, Hayward and surrounds.
Best-selling author Shashank Shekhar will speak about online tools and techniques to dramatically grow your business. He will impart the same tips and tricks that helped his mortgage business grow from zero to $65M in just four years. These are field-tested ideas and most are easy to implement. Come get a peek into what the future holds for technology and how you can leverage it to create exponential growth in your business in 2013 and beyond.
Shekhar, widely regarded as America's Premier Mortgage Expert, is the author of widely acclaimed books - "First Time Home Buying 101" and "Real Estate Unleashed. He has trained thousands of industry professionals on the topics of lending, real estate and social media, has been featured on Yahoo! News, ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX and was interviewed by Emmy Award-winning director Nick Nanton for his TV show "America's Premier Experts." Shekhar has been named Top 40 under 40 most influential mortgage professionals in the country for two consecutive years by National Mortgage Professional Magazine.
He holds an MBA in Marketing. Shekhar has more than 11 years experience of the lending business which includes working for GE Money in mid-level management and working for a start-up mortgage origination company as Director of Product Management. He is currently the CEO of Arcus Lending, a mortgage broker and direct lender in San Jose and CEO of Take2 Consulting, an Internet marketing, training and consulting company for small businesses.
All, including members of the public, are welcome to attend the luncheon. $20 online in advance, $25 at the door (Chapter members); $30 online in advance, $35 at the door (non-members).
For more information about the Womens Council of REALTORS (WCR) Tri-Cities Chapter and to register for this event, visit www.WCRTriCities.com or call (510) 886-2662. For 2013 sponsorship opportunities, contact Greg Jones at (510) 881-1234 ext. 105 or email firstname.lastname@example.com
Womens Council of REALTORS
Tri-Cities Chapter Luncheon
Wednesday, January 16
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Newark Hilton
39900 Balentine Drive, Newark
(510) 886-2662
Tri-City Voice Newspaper
Sugar Bowl Bakery
Bay East Association of REALTORS
WIN Tri-Cities Home Inspection
Property ID
Keller Williams Benchmark Props
Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate
Realty World Neighbors
MLS Listings, Inc.
Old Republic Home Warranty
Best-selling author Shashank Shekhar will address the WCR Tri-Cities Chapter, January 16, 2013.


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Despite their early-season struggles, Rockies' games remain the place to be in Denver.
And Peyton Manning is a near-regular part of the crowd. The Broncos' new quarterback was at the Rockies' Sunday game in April against the Mets.
Manning, too, was at Sunday's Rockies-Dodgers matchup at Coors Field — the rubber game in their three-game series. Manning sat with Rockies vice president Jim Kellogg.


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News Release
Please note: As of January 20, 2017, information in some news releases may be out of date or not reflect current policies.
MSHA News Release: [07/16/2012]
Contact Name: Amy Louviere
Phone Number: (202) 693-9423
Release Number: 12-1447-NAT
MSHA Assistant Secretary Main addresses concerns of aggregate associations
FLORENCE, Ky. In remarks today in Florence before representatives of several Midwest state aggregate associations, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health Joseph A. Main outlined a number of important initiatives and reforms his agency has undertaken over the last two years.
Since his appointment in October 2009, Main has placed the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration on an aggressive path to improve overall conditions for miners. The disaster that killed 29 miners at the Upper Big Branch Mine in April 2010, however, changed everything. "It unquestionably shook the very foundation of mine safety and health, and caused all of us to take a deeper look at the weaknesses in the safety net expected to protect the nation's miners," said Main. "There has been an intense examination of that tragedy, and MSHA and the industry have undergone significant change as we have sought to find and fix deficiencies in mine safety and health."
Actions by MSHA and some in the mining industry have resulted in positive change, and Main pointed to a number of specific improvements. For example, in 2011 MSHA inspected approximately 14,170 mines and issued 157,613 citations and orders an 8 percent decline in issuances from 2010, during which MSHA issued 170,909 citations and orders. The number of significant and substantial, known as S&S, citations and orders (those contributing to a safety or health hazard that is likely to result in a reasonably serious injury or illness), dropped 12 percent from 2010 to 2011.
In 2011, 37 miners died on the job, the second-lowest number since statistics first were recorded in 1900. With a cautionary note, Main added, "We all know that one death is one too many, and mining deaths are preventable."
MSHA also has increased its emphasis on health issues, noted Main, including the need for mine operators to monitor their employees' exposure to harmful air contaminants by conducting dust, gas, mist and fume surveys to determine the adequacy of control measures. "Effective exposure monitoring can identify unhealthful levels of contaminants and assist in preventing disease," said Main.
He discussed changes and improvements in MSHA's Small Mine Consultation Program to make it more efficient and able to work more closely with state aggregate associations. "An important goal is to locate needed resources and help small mine operators understand and comply with the law," Main said.
Finally, he outlined several initiatives in which MSHA, aggregate associations and other stakeholders have collaborated to advance the health and safety of miners related to guarding, fall protection, and improvements in enforcement consistency and compliance.
The following initiatives are among those Main discussed:
- Enhanced enforcement: Following the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster, MSHA initiated its impact inspection program targeting mines that merit increased attention and enforcement due to poor compliance records. From April 2010 through May 2012, MSHA conducted 452 impact inspections at mines, resulting in 8,106 citations, 811 orders and 32 safeguards for a total of 8,949 issuances. Compliance has improved at mines receiving impact inspections: Since September 2010, violations per inspection hour are down 13 percent S&S violation rates are down 21 percent, 104(d) orders are down 43 percent and the total lost-time injury rate is down 13 percent.
- Under MSHA's Pattern of Violations program, mines are screened to determine if they have met the potential POV criteria. If they do, they are required to make compliance improvements to avoid POV closure orders when S&S violations are found. MSHA has strengthened the criteria for POV and, since November 2010, has placed two mines on a POV, marking the first time in the history of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act that mines successfully have been subject to a POV closure order. In 2011, eight mines were issued potential POV notices, down from 17 in 2010. A review of 14 mines that received potential POV notices in 2010 indicated that the total violation rate is down 23 percent, the S&S violation rate is down 42 percent, the rate of 104(d) withdrawal orders is down 64 percent and the lost-time injury rate down is 44 percent. MHSA also has created a new online tool that can track whether a specific mine meets potential POV criteria.
- "Rules to Live By": This multiphase initiative, which includes education and training, focuses on the most common causes of mining deaths and the standards cited most often in mining death investigations.
- Guarding: In 2010, MSHA published the guide "Guarding Conveyor Belts at Metal and Nonmetal Mines" on its website to help eliminate violations. Guarding-related citations and orders are down 39 percent from 2010. A sequel to this guide, which will provide detailed compliance information on all types of equipment guarding other than conveyor belts, will be released soon.
- Fall protection: In June, MSHA published a program policy letter clarifying compliance with the fall protection standard. The policy recognizes that, in many cases, OSHA's standard on unprotected sides and edges would satisfy MSHA's standard. However, the policy also provides that MSHA will evaluate (on a case-by-case basis) "all work area hazards to ensure appropriate fall protection provisions are in place to protect miners from fall hazards."
- Pre-assessment conferencing: This process was implemented in MSHA districts where resources permit and allows disputes to be resolved before they are contested and added to the backlog of contested cases.
- Mine emergency preparedness: MSHA, working with its stakeholders, has made significant progress in developing technologies to aid in mine rescue, improving command and control capabilities, and increasing mine emergency response.
- Consistency in mine inspections: MSHA has improved oversight of the inspection program and consistency in the enforcement of the Mine Act with a new training program for all field office supervisors. All supervisors have received the training to date and will receive re-training every two years. A half-day course on professionalism and consistency has been added to the two-week refresher training for each metal and nonmetal mine inspector.
- Corrective actions for improving MSHA's effectiveness: An internal review of MSHA's actions in the months leading up to the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster has resulted in the initiation of several corrective actions, including a comprehensive review of agency directives and guidance, a complete overhaul of policy directives, increased oversight of MSHA programs and further training of MSHA personnel.
"Improving mine safety and instilling a culture of prevention in the industry is of great importance to President Obama, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and me," said Main. "The secretary has articulated a forward-looking vision of ensuring good jobs for every worker in the United States, which includes safe and healthy workplaces particularly in high-risk industries and a voice in the workplace for all workers."


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Pistachio And Full Team Ahead
series: Barney & Friends
air date: 2/27/13 11:30 AM
Pistachio: Barney is snacking on pistachios...and just can't seem to stop! His young friends try to help by hiding them from Barney. When that doesn't work, they tell him a story to help him stop eating pistachios. An unexpected avalanche of pistachios convinces Barney that the others may be right. Sometimes, even Barney can learn a lesson from his caring friends! Educational theme: To learn about self discipline. Music curriculum: Rhyming word play. Full Team Ahead: BJ is looking everywhere to find players for his baseball team. But when his baseball-impaired cousin Riff asks to play, BJ is faced with a difficult choice. BJ postpones his decision, but not before he has hurt Riff's feelings. Barney helps BJ explore the deeper meaning of team sports, friendships, and winning. This helps the cousins realize that their friendship puts them on the same team...now and forever! Educational theme: To learn about friendship, empathy and loyalty. Music curriculum: Labeling and demonstrating of a dulcimer.
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Gov.-elect Mark Dayton wants the state to borrow $1 billion for public works construction projects around the state.
He should not get his heart set on it.
"We are so diametrically opposed," said Rep. Larry Howes, House chairman of the committee that would send projects to Democrat Dayton. "Someone has to give."
And the Walker Republican, not always in lockstep with his party leaders, indicated that he is not ready to give.
"We will say, obviously, we are not going to have a bonding bill," Howes said of a public works bill financed by the state selling bonds. But that could change in negotiations with Dayton, he added.
Even while opposing a bonding bill, Howes said that he will have an idea about potential public works projects. "You always want to have something ready to go," he said.
Republican leaders, including Howes, have been adamant in their opposition to borrowing money in 2011 for projects other than disaster recovery.
The man who was ousted as Senate bonding chairman when Republicans took control of the Legislature does not sound hopeful a bonding bill is forthcoming.
"That party spent the whole campaign belittling everything we did in the boding bill, so I suppose it is a little hard for them to turn around and say they need a bonding bill," Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon, said.
But, he added, with low interest rates and plenty of workers looking for jobs, this is a good time to launch construction projects.
Langseth said he hopes newly empowered Republicans do like GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty did when he took office in 2003. He said at first Pawlenty would not accept a bonding bill, but a week before the legislative session ended Republicans went into Langseth's office and said they wanted one.
Howes and Langseth agree that if a bonding bill does come about, it is likely an agreement will not surface until near the session's May end.
Langseth predicted that Dayton will propose a bill of about $700 million.
Howes said he has not heard from areas that may want disaster funds, such as Wadena. During a fall special legislative session, lawmakers sent $6.6 million to the tornado-ravaged community. But Wadena officials had wanted more than $20 million to rebuild several community facilities a June tornado destroyed.
Howes said he also has not heard from communities affected by 2010 flooding asking for more aid.
The 12-year House veteran poked a hole in the hopes of communities around Minnesota that might count on state money to build hockey arenas, civic center and the like.
"If (House) leadership allows me, I am not going to do anything local," Howes said.
Just what is "local" may not be clear cut.
One trouble with funding local projects, he said, is balancing funds for various communities.
When Minneapolis' Guthrie Theater got millions of dollars, he said, "I have the Woodtick Theater. Why doesn't it get $400,000?"
One local project Howes could accept is the plan to put a Mayo Clinic facility at Mall of America in Bloomington. Some street and utility work would be needed and Howes could see some state funding for that because a $220 million building project would add to state taxes.
Even on state projects, Howes said he will take a critical look at each proposal.
For instance, some communities want funds to build veterans' homes. "Is there money to operate a vets' home?" he said will be his first question.
Howes said it is doubtful a new veterans' home will be built soon, given the state's $6.2 billion budget deficit.
Even with opposition to local projects and being down on a 2011 bonding bill, Howes said that projects such as theaters, trails and a Mall of America expansion have merit.
"It makes people feel good," he said. "You draw people into the state. There is a mental health benefit."


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Matthews helps Blazers top Timberwolves 103-95
- Associated Press
- November 23, 2012 - 11:44 PM
PORTLAND, Ore. - Wesley Matthews scored 30 points, rookie Damian Lillard had a career-high 28 points and eight assists and the Portland Trail Blazers beat Minnesota 103-95 on Friday night to send the Timberwolves to their fourth straight loss.
J.J. Hickson returned from a shoulder injury and had 14 points and 13 rebounds for Portland, which has won four of its last five games. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 13 despite missing stretches of the game due to foul trouble. Matthews made five of the Blazers' 11 3s.
Kevin Love had 24 points and 13 rebounds in his second game back for Minnesota, which is 1-5 after winning three of its first four this season. Nikola Pekovic had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Luke Ridnour added 14 points.
Portland put together a 13-0 run that started at the end of the third quarter and carried over into the fourth, resulting in an 88-78 lead. Matthews' 3-pointer with 6:16 remaining extended the advantage to 95-84.
The first matchup of the season between the teams was highly anticipated on several fronts.
It was supposed to mark a Portland homecoming for former Blazers star Brandon Roy, who came out of retirement to join the Wolves this season but is out after having knee surgery Monday.
Love is still popular in Portland, where he grew up and attended high school. And Minnesota general manager David Kahn, coach Rick Adelman and much of Adelman's staff have strong ties to the city.
Kahn signed Portland's Nicolas Batum to an offer sheet in the offseason, forcing the Blazers to match the four-year, $44 million contract to keep the fifth-year Frenchman. Batum finished with nine points and five assists, shooting just 3 of 10 from the field.
Love made his season debut in a 101-94 loss against Denver on Wednesday, coming back early after breaking his right hand doing pushups Oct. 18. He had 34 points and 14 rebounds against the Nuggets.
Portland had won three straight before it lost 114-87 at Phoenix on Wednesday night. The Blazers committed 22 turnovers in what was arguably the team's worst performance of the season. They had just 12 turnovers on Friday.
Minnesota led 41-28 after starting off the second quarter with an 8-0 run and carried a 55-50 advantage into the break. But Portland pulled ahead 71-69 late in the third quarter.
NOTES: Former NBA star Gary Payton and professional wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper were in attendance. . Minnesota had lost 16 in a row to the Blazers before taking two of three in the series last season. . Love is averaging 30.3 points in his last four games against Portland. . The Blazers won't be back at the Rose Garden for 15 days. Portland plays its next seven games on the road, all against Eastern Conference teams.
© 2018 Star Tribune


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DANNY GREEN is in full stride running around Melbourne's Gosch's Paddock, but in his mind he's already in his final fight and trading bell-ringers with powerful New Zealander Shane Cameron.
After a career spanning two decades, representing his country at the Sydney Olympics, 37 professional fights - 32 wins (28KO), five losses - three world titles and a stint in retirement, Green may hang up the gloves for good after the November 21 bout at Melbourne's Hisense Arena.
In 39-year-old Green's mind's eye his punches sink deeper into Cameron's body and he pictures each blow cracking his highly ranked opponent's will. From brutal experience Green knows which points to pressure to ensure the Kiwi eventually crumbles like a giant chimney stack under the relentless force of a wrecking ball.
Green, who'll become a four-time world champion should he defeat Cameron, throws an involuntary volley of punches when the battle raging inside his head reaches its zenith. Green's air swings - even when he runs - are loaded with intent, as the mother pushing a pram and a few joggers confirm by their double-takes.
''Scud missiles, mate,'' Green panted in between breaths when he's asked to describe the scenes he visualises. ''I see deadly accurate guided Scud missiles detonating on Cameron's chin; see 'em rattling his eye sockets. With each punch I can feel his will ebbing from him.
''There's no malicious intent at all. I'm just a professional pugilist maximising what I call damage output with my shots. I have to hurt him; need to hurt him. When I picture a fight it goes the way I want it to go … the power in my punches, the way I evade his. It sets how I want the fight to go."
Green, who had his first fight 20 years ago at Perth's Midland Town Hall when he battered Milos Radovich - an older amateur with a KO-merchant's reputation, scary tattoos and an intimidating goatie-beard - into submission, is as much a realist as he is gladiator.
He concedes Cameron is younger, is a natural-born heavyweight blessed with a big man's punch and even admitted the ''Mountain Warrior'' from New Zealand's high country had the goods to knock him cold, the result Cameron had promised loudly and proudly to the Kiwi media when he agreed to fight for the vacant IBO world cruiserweight crown. But Green said Cameron was cursed with something that'd weigh on him until the final second of their bout like an anchor around a drowning man's neck because New Zealand had not had a world champion since Maselino Masoe won the WBA middleweight belt in 2004, Bob Fitzsimmons in 1891 and Billy Murphy in 1890.
''I think the pressure is starting to mount on Shane Cameron,'' he says. ''The closer the fight gets, the more it'll grow. He's carrying the hope of his nation. It's a huge load because they're desperate for a world champion and while he's promised so much in the past he has come up short. He has a lot of things in his favour: youth, size, power, strength but he also has the pressure - and it's all-consuming. However, he's a serious threat. Cameron could knock me unconscious. It's daunting. He's a big and powerful guy. His last KO [against American Monte Barrett] was spectacular. I'm backing myself but I know my never-say-die attitude will be needed.''
Throughout his career, Green made it a point to never speak beyond his next battle. However, with the end near he had no trouble describing his legacy. ''I see the legacy, already,'' he said. ''It's humbling when a car load of young blokes pull up to wish me well, like some guys did this morning. I feel great when I see a Green Machine sticker on a tradie's ute. My body is banged up, I reckon I'll be falling out of bed in five years because of the things I've had to do to compete against younger blokes, yet I'm in great shape.''
Green hoped fighters would learn from his gamble to promote himself, although he warned it had resulted in unwelcome grey hair. ''I certainly put a lot of pressure on myself as a fighter,'' he said. ''I look back on some of my losses with regret … some of the pressure, like mortgaging my family's home to bankroll the Roy Jones jnr fight [in 2009] was incredible. I did it to ensure I fought calibre fighters and even though there was stress I'm glad I steered my own ship.''
Green's trainer Angelo Hyder said he'd cursed the boxing gods on numerous occasions because he's frustrated Green at 39 was a far better warrior than at 28, the age in which he turned professional after he competed at the Sydney Olympics. He's more angry to think Green, who'd fought such greats as Jones and disgraced steroid cheat Antonio Tarver, hadn't received the accolades he deserved. ''He brought the best out here,'' Hyder said. ''Jones and Tarver are Hall of Fame bound; Krzysztof Wlodarczyk - the Pole who beat Dan - is [one of] the world's best cruiserweights. B.J.Flores couldn't get anyone to fight him but Dan did and while Flores will be a world champion one day, [Green] beat him. He brought Stipe Drews to Australia when the Croatian was the WBA champion and took his crown.
''It's a great career, and it frustrates me. Danny destroyed Roy Jones jr in the opening round … nailed him … but that wasn't enough for some critics. Amazingly, Danny was the 5-1 underdog that night. It meant most people didn't give him a chance, but he stopped Jones; ferocious. Had it been a blood bath that went the distance they'd have called it a great win, and it was. But, the public want blood.''
As Green started his run, to resume his battle with Cameron in his head, he vowed to enter the ring as determined as that night in '92 when the referee had to physically pry him from Radovich at the old Midlands Town Hall. ''It's the same as my first world title fight, any fight,'' he said. ''But I want to go out on a massive high against a guy I consider a great opponent. I'm making no predictions except to say 'it's on'."


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Submission + - The Limits of Big Data for Social Engineering
An anonymous reader writes: In his new book, Social Physics, MIT data scientist Alex "Sandy" Pentland argues that by analyzing data from smartphones, social media, and credit-card systems, we'll soon be able to have a mathematical understanding of "the basic mechanisms of social interactions." Social scientists will be able to understand and predict the interactions of people the way physicists understand and predict the interactions of objects. That will, in turn, enable governments and businesses to create incentive systems to "tune" people's behavior, making society more productive and creative. In a review of Pentland's book in Technology Review, Nicholas Carr argues that such data-based social engineering "will tend to perpetuate existing social structures and dynamics" and "encourage us to optimize the status quo rather than challenge it." Carr writes, "Defining social relations as a pattern of stimulus and response makes the math easier, but it ignores the deep, structural sources of social ills. Pentland may be right that our behavior is determined largely by social norms and the influences of our peers, but what he fails to see is that those norms and influences are themselves shaped by history, politics, and economics, not to mention power and prejudice."


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Lennox Hearth Products Recalls Fireplaces Due to Risk of Gas Leak and Fire Hazard
Hazard: Defective fireplace gas connectors can leak, posing a fire hazard.
Consumer Contact: Lennox Hearth Products at (800) 655-2008 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or online at www.lennoxhearthproducts.com and click on Recall Info at the bottom of the page for more information.
Description: This recall involves natural gas or propane Lennox and Superior brand fireplaces with the following model and serial numbers. Lennox model numbers include ELDV, LDV, MLBV-40, MLDVT, MPB, MPD, MPDP, RHAP54, and SYM. Superior model numbers include SDV, SLDVT and SLBV. Serial number have 10 digits starting with 6412D4, 6412E4, 6412F4, 6412G4, 6412H4, 6412D7, 6412E7, 6412F7, 6412G7 or 6412H7. The model, serial number and the Lennox or Superior brand names are printed on the rating plate located in the control box area of the fireplace.
Incidents/Injuries: Lennox Hearth Products has received eight reports of gas connectors leaking in fireplaces. No injuries have been reported.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled gas fireplaces, turn off the gas to the fireplace and contact Lennox Hearth Products for a free inspection and replacement of the leaking gas connector. Lennox Hearth Products is contacting purchasers directly.
Sold at: Fireplace stores and by HVAC retailers and installers nationwide from April 2012 through December 2012 for between $1,200 and $9,000.
Manufacturer: Lennox Hearth Products, of Nashville, Tenn


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Chairished Blooms and Gifts has moved to 325 Main St., in the south side of the Fort Morgan Times building.
This is a much better location for the shop, since it now sits where people pass by, said co-owner Jo Jean Eberly.
Chairished had been several blocks north on Main Street, but that location had no foot traffic, she said.
The biggest draw for people is the Chairished flower shop, which offers all the kinds of flowers that any other floral shop does — from live, green plants and fresh cut flowers to candy bouquets and permanent silk flowers.
The focus with flowers is to have them as fresh as possible, Jo Jean Eberly said, and to offer bouquets and arrangements that are a little different, not always the same old thing.
That means getting flowers three times a week, and if special flowers are needed they can be brought in within a day. Jo Jean Eberly, and her mother, co-owner Wava Jean Eberly, pick up the flowers the same day they arrive at the supplier.
Most of the time, they can make up floral arrangement the same day.
As a flower shop, there are quiet times and busy times, such as Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, Jo Jean Eberly said.
"Right now, we're doing all sorts of prom stuff," she said.
That includes traditional items like orchid corsages, but the shop also includes some unique prom items, too.
Bling jewelry make up part of the prom offerings, with plenty of glittery items that would fit in with the occasion.
Other gift items include purses, scarves, plush toy animals and other jewelry — and Chairished plans to have a new line of fragrances, candles and lotions in May.
"We like to have things that are different," Jo Jean Eberly said.
There are also specialized gifts for people like teachers, or the staff can make up something to a customer's specifications, she said.
With prices ranging from $5, the shop has something for every customer, Jo Jean Eberly said.
Running a floral shop is nothing new for Wava Jean Eberly. She had a shop in Oklahoma that she ran for seven years, and she had more experience with retail sales at her own Western wear and tack shop in Nebraska.
Nonetheless, she goes to trainings to see the new ideas, styles and products coming on the market, she said.
She moved to Morgan County about three years ago, at the same time that Jo Jean Eberly did.
Jo Jean Eberly had lived in Morgan County on and off for about 16 years, and "it seemed like time to come home."
People can come into the shop or they can order flowers through Teleflora or BloomNet online.
Store hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
To order by telephone, call 970-867-2416.
For those wondering about the unusual spelling of the shop name, it was meant to say that the shop also offered furniture, but that became too hard to handle.
Contact Times News Editor Dan Barker at 970-867-5651 ext 231 or firstname.lastname@example.com or follow twitter.com/DanBarkerFMTime


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Forum Rules


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Foresters started controlled burns in the Croatan National Forest Tuesday. A similar effort last summer resulted in an out of control fire that scorched more than 21,000 acres.
The U.S. Forest Service plans to burn 1,261 acres today off Hunter Creek Road, which is approximately a mile east of Highway 58.
Last Father's Day, a prescribed burn got out of control and took several weeks to contain. Catfish Lake Road was closed down because of the fire.
Foresters say no roads or trails were closed by Tuesday's burn, but say visitors should be aware of smoke and fire trucks in the area.
James Cherry, District Fire Manager, says, "What were trying to do is reduce the layer on the forest floor which consist of twigs grass and that type of underbrush."
All 1,200 acres were not burned Tuesday. The weather Wednesday will dictate if the burn will continue then.


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Friday, December 18, 2009
Another update on the new sites
Still waiting on the new blogs. My designer does some nice work, IMO, but he is not always the quickest in terms of turnaround time. Which is too bad, because I was considering him for another project, one with which time will be of the essence, if I decide to pursue it.
Re the new blogs, I mentioned in the last update
that I'd be offering prizes for commenters. I picked up the prizes for the first contest already. First prize will be a $50 gift certificate to McCormick & Schmick's. Second prize will be a pair of movie tickets. Third prize will be a McCormick & Schmick's cookbook1.
As far as the new subscription-based site, that one's coming along. A static site is up for it now, and the developers are putting the finishing touches on the functionality based on a proprietary algorithm I had commissioned for the site. The logo for this site was done by the same designer who did the Short Screen logo and who is currently working on the new blogs. His final logo for the second subscription-based site was great too, but it got off to a rough start. My initial idea was a piggy bank wearing a medieval knight's suit of armor, but after playing around with that, the logo designer said that didn't scale down. His next stab at the concept was the preliminary sketches above. Those got a chilly reception from my developers (who have done site design work for Showtime, CNN, Mercedes, and some other well-known corporate clients). One of the developers said that Figure 1, which I thought was the best of that bunch2, looked like "an S&M pig".
Incidentally -- I mentioned this a few days ago to a reader who contacted me looking for a financial adviser -- the new site will offer individual investors the ability to search for and contact financial advisers who are members of the site (financial advisers will not be able to search for individual investors though). It will also have a link to FINRA's BrokerCheck, so individual investors can check the backgrounds of FAs. Financial Advisers will be able to upload profiles including summaries of their backgrounds, professional designations, a thumbnail photo, and a link to their own site.
1There may be multiple third prizes, as I have a trunk full of those, since you used to have to buy the cookbook to get the gift certificates at Costco (as part of its current cost-cutting campaign, McCormick & Schmick's no longer includes the cookbooks in that deal).
2Though I thought the Philips head screws the pig had for eyes had an awful connotation: they reminded me of the X's used to denote a dead or passed out comic strip character.
7 comments:
- therivers said...
I rather liked the armor-plated pig. You could always use flathead screws to give a more eye-like appearance, but it wouldn't do much for the S&M flavor.
Since you've mentioned the education bubble, here is an interesting article on the coming decline in MBAs. Best line: "The decline of the MBA will cut off the supply of bullshit at source." Perhaps overstating it a big but worth a chuckle.
- December 18, 2009 at 7:59 PM
- DaveinHackensack said...
A subsequent iteration of that pig had hexagonal bolts for eyes, which was an improvement.
"There has been a bear market in management bullshit since the credit crunch began". Like Homer said, "it's funny because it's true!". Speaking of management bullshit, you might find this post from last year of interest, "The Management Myth".
- December 18, 2009 at 8:29 PM
why not include that maggianos gift certificate you pilfered as one of the gifts ???
- December 19, 2009 at 9:42 AM
- DaveinHackensack said...
I'll ignore the trollery and just note that in order to win anything, Anon, you'll have to come up with a pseudonym and register for Disqus.
- December 21, 2009 at 5:27 AM
I would think that a pig wearing armor would have to be an animated character of some sort (whether 3d or regular 2d cartoon). These seem like some kind of medieval contraption. I do not like any of them.
- December 21, 2009 at 11:10 AM
- Homer315 said...
Many images of piggy banks have dollar signs on it. Maybe you could put one on there to ensure people know it's a bank, and not just an angry bacon prequel.
- December 21, 2009 at 2:43 PM
- DaveinHackensack said...
I'll be interested to see what you think of the final logo. I'd post a pic of it here now, but it includes the site name, and for technical reasons I want to hold off on mentioning that here.
That's a good point. The final logo didn't go with a dollar sign, but did use another visual cue to make it clear that it was a piggy bank and not just a pig.
- December 21, 2009 at 6:49 PM


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McPherson just tweeted the following: "Thank you DOOL fans. U r the best and we love you! NBC never let us tell our stories. They kept stopping us and changing our direction. Sad."
Gary Tomlin acted on SEARCH FOR TOMORROW and ANOTHER WORLD before moving into writing, directing and producing daytime soaps. Whitesell has written for at least eight daytime soaps in the past.
Lorraine Broderick, most recently the final writer for ALL MY CHILDREN, has also joined the DAYS writing staff as a breakdown writer.
What do you think of this move? Share your thoughts in our Comments sections.


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Why? Because you can! And pickle, and jam, or otherwise celebrate the resurgence of the domestic arts our forebears held so dear. Put on your best apron and step into our kitchen, won't you?
Got a plan for watering your plants this Summer? Always wondered about drip irrigation? Plants love drip irrigation because they get watered evenly at the roots. Add a timer to your drip irrigation and you don't even have to remember to water!


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For 2003, breakthrough suspension technology is the Chevy Corvette's Magnetic Selective Ride Control. It's not just our Bow-Tie bias that provokes that statement. We've driven several '03 Vettes with that system and it's effect on ride and handling is revolutionary.
We are not alone in this belief. Popular Science magazine announced Magnetic Selective Ride Control winner of its prestigious "Best of What's New in Automotive Technology" award for 2002. The Society of Automotive Engineers magazine, Automotive Engineering International, named it one of its "Top 10 Technologies" for 2002.
Magnetic Selective Ride Control (some call it "MagneRide" or just "MR") is a computer-controlled shock absorber system but that's not really news. Corvette has had computerized ride control systems since 1989 and some Chevy trucks have had them since the late '90s.
Previous systems used conventional hydraulic shocks. A servo-operated bypass or pressure control altered their valving, but the damping was still done by a piston forcing shock oil through small orifices.
MagneRide's breakthrough is that not only is the damping varied electrically, but some of the shock absorber hardware is replaced by electronics, too. Also, there's no oil in a MR shock. And, GM does this for 1,700 bucks-a hell of a bargain.
Secret SauceThe shock oil is replaced by magnetorheological (say "mag-knee-toe-ree-oh-lodge-i-kul") fluid. Manufactured by the Lord Corporation, "MRF" is a staggeringly complex, synthetic-hydrocarbon-based liquid having 20 to 40 percent "carbonyl iron" particles (CIP) in suspension.
CIP are microscopic, iron spheres of very high purity and have excellent electromagnetic properties. BASF is the only manufacturer of CIP we found selling a product intended for MRFs. BASF told us that one grade, "...'Carbonyl Iron Powder CR' is designed to meet the requirements of the magnetorheological fluid in shock absorbers."
When asked for more information on CR, BASF was not accommodating, however, it hinted it was similar to another product, "CM" which varies in diameter from four to 22 microns with at least 50 percent of it being about 7 microns in diameter. A micron is 39 millionths of an inch (.000039) so, we're talking way small particles. Lord Corporation also declined to provide specifics about its MRF citing proprietary concerns. Whatever the source of Lord's CIP, we believe it's similar to BASF CM.
Before the particles are added to the fluid carrier, they look and feel like black flour. Once MRF is formulated, it looks and feels like dirty engine oil. The key property of this high-tech witch's brew is its flow characteristics, or "rheology" changes, when subjected to a direct-current, magnetic field. CIP are attracted to each other and the magnet's poles forming a sort of fibrous matrix that changes the fluid's yield stress. The magnitude of this effect is proportional to the field strength. A little magnetism and MRF is like thick oil. A little more, it's like heavy gear lube. When the field is strongest, the fluid is like grease.
MRF reacts to changes in field strength in a couple of milliseconds. MagneRide's overall system response is slower but, still quicker than any other production, electronic ride control system. Other systems may have a potentially wide range of damping but, in practice, can't switch rapidly or accurately enough to make such a range effective.
Magnetorheological fluid was discovered more than a half-century ago but it wasn't until about 1990, once digital processors became fast enough and cheap enough, that MRF in automotive suspension dampers became practical. It took Lord and Delphi Corporation, which manufactures the shocks and controls for GM, over a decade to take MRF from a product around which scientists would stand and speculate, "Uh yeah, dude, this stuff is sweet. It could work in, like...a shock absorber on a car," to where they could put it in a production Chevrolet.
The three most significant challenges in getting it there were making: 1) its rheological properties consistent over time, 2) its CIP not abrasive, and 3) its CIP not settle out of the fluid when the car was at rest. How Lord solved these problems, particularly the first, is a bit unclear. When asked specifics, Lord Corporation continued the company's policy of not commenting, then referred SUPER CHEVY to some public domain information.
The oil refining industry uses additives to make abrasive substances suspended in liquids nonabrasive. We believe similar additives are introduced into MRF which either coat or lubricate, or both, such that CIP becomes nonabrasive. The settling problem is also addressed with additives. Though we're not sure whether they form a buoyant coating on the CIP or whether the additive is a "thixotropic agent," which thickens the fluid while it's at rest so that it resists settling, but liquifies as soon as the fluid moves.
Changes in the fluid's rheology and abrasion are virtually nonexistent. MRF is resistant, but not totally immune, to the CIP settling. If a MR shock is at rest for six months or longer, there can be some settling, however, it takes only a few strokes of the shock for it to work as intended.
MR Shock HardwareThere are no valves in a Delphi MagneRide shock absorber. All are replaced by an electromagnet inside the piston assembly resulting in a 40 percent reduction in each shock's part count.
The rest of MR shock architecture is similar to that of a traditional, gas-charged, mono-tube unit. The shock tube bolts to the suspension. The piston rod bolts to the chassis. The rod ends in a piston, which moves in the tube. A piston seal prevents MRF from bypassing the piston and a piston rod seal keeps fluid from leaking out. At the bottom of the tube, a divider piston and seal separate the magnetorheological fluid from a gas chamber, which pressurizes the fluid to prevent foaming.
Each piston/electromagnet assembly has four annular channels. As the piston moves in the shock tube, magnetorheological fluid flows through these channels. When the magnetic field is weak, it flows freely. As the magnetic field gets stronger the yield stress of the fluid is altered.
This change in yield stress is localized inside the piston channels. As MRF flows into the channels, the CIP align in matrices and as the fluid exits, the matrices dissipate. The altered rheology fluid inside the channels restricts flow and dissipates the kinetic energy of the piston's motion thus absorbing the "shock" of suspension movement.
Control and the "Sky Hook" AlgorithmIt took scores of people, hundreds of millions of dollars and a decade of work to perfect Magnetic Selective Ride Control. The lion's share of that went into the last word: "control."
The heart of MR is a powerful, dual-processor controller capable of making 1,000 adjustments per second in each of the four shocks. At highway speeds that's a damping change about every inch the car moves.
MR's position sensors measure wheel movement. With that data, the controller determines three types of body motion: pitch, roll and heave. Pitch (front end moves up or down) and roll (the car leans), are terms we've heard before, but heave might be a new one. When the car heaves, both ends move the same way. If you drive over a rise, the body heaves up, then down. MR's controller also uses brake, throttle, steering angle, lateral acceleration, vehicle speed, and air temperature data in making its decisions
The controller processes sensor data with various software algorithms. When SUPER CHEVY talked with Mike Neal, Corvette's lead ride-and-handling engineer, we heard about "sky hook," an algorithm focused on isolation and body control. It gets its name from the idea that, if the car could be hooked to the sky, it would ride nice regardless of how nasty the road gets. Sky hook is not a literal term. As good as MR is, it cannot isolate the car completely.
"Sky Hook," Mike Neal told us, "is one of MR's main algorithms. Based on it, MR commands some force level at each shock, separate at each corner and specific to compression or rebound. This is done in an attempt to make the car not heave, pitch, nor roll. Sky hook is a body control algorithm. We have others for wheel control which give us different damping forces.
"Separate from those fundamental algorithms, we have a bunch of others. If you're getting to the end of the travel, we have algorithms which recognize that then do something to reduce impact on the bump stop. We have algorithms that compensate for temperature...algorithms which condition the signal to smooth transient spikes and things like that."
Once MagneRide's sensors gather data and its controller processes it with the proper algorithms, four electrical drivers adjust current flow to the electromagnets in the shocks, which vary the magnetorheological effect to provide the correct damping. This could be damping to improve ride, to improve handling, or to limit frontend lift during acceleration or dive during braking.
The driver has some input to the controller via a two-position switch. In the "tour" position, the MR controller emphasizes the sky hook algorithm when setting shocks and when switched to "sport", it emphasizes wheel control.
What's it Like Out There?"If you're on a smooth road," Mike Neal told us, "while you'll notice better isolation, MR's advantages to handling are minimal. It's on roads which cause large ride events and body motion where it has huge benefits.
"Go to a place like the Nrburgring (a famous race track) in Germany, where the track has lots of dips and undulations and you're takin' every turn at 100 mph or faster. At that speed, it doesn't take much of a ride event to really heave the car, pitch it and roll it around. In a place like that, MR is a huge advantage."
North of Los Angeles are the San Gabriel Mountains. About 8 miles into the San Gabriels on State Route 2, hang a left on LA County N3. After about 30 miles, you're in the desert town of Palmdale and you'll have been over some of the better roads for high-speed touring west of Nrburgring.
I drove an MR-equipped '03 Convertible, a perfect choice to see how MR works in the real world. N3 had lots of heaves and undulations of different depths, heights and lengths. There were a few Nrburgring-style, bumpy 100-mph turns, too.
It was easy to feel Magnetic Selective Ride Control doing its thing. Compared to a base Corvette, it was like night and day. Compared to the '97-02, Real Time Damping system, MR has improved wheel control over the higher frequency (10-15 Hz) ride movements because it can bring more damping authority to bear and it can switch damping levels more quickly. The system effectively damps the big heaves, pitches, and rolls that come from bumps and dips or low spots on the edge of the road. Thirty miles, running hard over N3 sold me on MagneRide.
Does MR have shortcomings? Really high frequency (17-20 Hz or more) stuff, little ripples on concrete highways or washboard/chatter-bump surfaces, are a slight problem. In a straight line, the ride is a little harsh over sufaces like that. At high speed and at high lateral acceleration over chatter bumps, the car wants to skate sideways.
MR seems to be less effective in damping this kind of harshness presumably because, even with a 10 millisecond response time, with the car moving fast, it can't react quickly enough to bring the most ideal damping to bear. While this harshness is a shortcoming, the types of surfaces that cause it are rare and it might not be entirely an MR issue. The stiff sidewalls of C5's run-flat tires amplify harshness to the suspension. C6 will arrive in 2005 with a new, Goodyear EMT having improved harshness qualities, which might solve this problem.
On relatively smooth roads near the car's limits in abrupt transitions and turns at high lateral acceleration, a MR car's small stabilizer bars show their limited roll stiffness. GM sources tell us DIY tuners can trade a little isolation to gain more roll stiffness by adding Z51 stabilizer bars to MR cars which, in the hands of a talented drivers, react well to the change.
Hard core racers, autocrossers, and very aggressive street drivers will still want either Z51s or Z06es, both of which have the bigger "stab" bars along with stiffer springs and fixed-valve shocks tuned specifically for motorsports.
MR on other Chevrolets?At this writing in early 2003, the only Chevrolets with MagneRide are the Corvette Coupe and Convertible. As time goes on, will MR be on other Chevys?
It's a possibility, but apparently, not a probability. Jeff Holland, communications representative for GM's Performance Division, the folks responsible for taking proof-of-concept vehicles, such as a straight-cab, six-speed version of the Silverado SS, a TrailBlazer SS, and a Tahoe SS shown at the 2002 SEMA Show, to production told Super Chevy, "MagneRide is certainly on the table for consideration in some of those products, but it's an expensive system. Its cost is not consistent with what many believe a Chevrolet SS-branded product should be."
Dave Caldwell, spokesperson for GM performance car engineering issues told us, "Currently slated to get MR [other than the Corvette & Cadillac STS, which already have it] are the Cadillac XLR [a luxury roadster] and SRX [launching this summer], which is notable as the first SUV to get this technology. It's body control benefits are particularly useful for an SUV. At this time, it's not slated for other trucks. Expect this technology to remain in up-market vehicles in the foreseeable future due to cost.
"As you know from your visit to the Milford Proving Ground, there's a ton of development work in putting this system on a production vehicle. There's no compelling case right now for replacing suspensions in other vehicles-TrailBlazers or Suburbans, which perform pretty darn well as is-with MR."
Those interesting comments seem to indicate MR's body control benefits are useful on SUVs but Chevy's current top selling utes, Tahoe and Suburban, are not going to benefit from the technology in the near future.
Frankly, if there's to be a Tahoe SS, we'd like to skip On-Star and other dumb telematics options to spend our money on MagneRide shocks...oh yeah, 6L, six-speed, too.
How cool would that be?
MR Retrofit?Interesting intel we developed in preparing this article is that it is possible to retrofit Magnetic Selective Ride Control to older C5 Corvettes originally optioned with RTD. Remove the RTD shocks and the RTD controller and replace those items with MR shocks and an MR controller. The wheel sensors are the same and RTD selector switch can be retained. The existing wiring harness can be used; however, jumpers or adapters must be fabricated to connect the RTD harness to the MR shocks and controller. This would be a time-consuming but not impossible task for a DIY experienced with electrical system modification and armed with the proper wiring diagrams. We also heard scuttlebutt that Delphi might consider developing these jumper/adapter units as an aftermarket product but, as yet, has no plans to do so.
Our search for ways to put MR on other Chevys led us to Carrera Racing Shocks, an Atlanta, Georgia, manufacturer of high-end racing and performance street shock absorbers. In the mid-'90s, Carrera chairman, Dick Anderson, after learning of the MRF technology Lord Corporation was developing for dampers used in heavy, on- and off-highway vehicle seat assemblies, decided the motorsports shock absorber industry would eventually incorporate electronics into its high-end products.
"I figured I'd better start lookin'." Anderson told SUPER CHEVY. "Everybody else was doing stuff where electronics controlled the valving in a hydraulic shock. They'd never be able to make that fast enough to do what a reactive suspension needed to do. The fastest we'd ever heard of was about 50-millisecond response time. We needed a couple of milliseconds. It was highly unlikely anyone could build something using mechanical servos that could respond that fast.
"When I saw the research being done on MR fluid, I decided we better get involved because that technology could make a shock that could respond quick enough. That led me to Lord. They have done more [with MRF for motion dampers] than the rest of the world put together."
In late 1999, Carrera introduced "MagnaShock 1", an oval-track shock absorber and the first commercially-viable application of MRF to an automotive suspension damper. The system has no computer controls and the shocks are "50/50", offering the same damping authority on both compression and rebound. That authority was varied by a control box that could operate one, two, or four shocks. The adjustment is accomplished by rotary switches. The shocks' range of authority is seven of the damping "units" on the scale that is industry standard in oval track racing. The controller can be programmed to use any five of those seven ranges.
A popular application of MagnaShock 1 in late model oval-track cars is a single pair on the right side. This is a cost effective because shocks on the outside of the turn are the most critical from a chassis set-up perspective. The advantage of MagnaShock is in quick shock-tuning changes, which significantly reduced test time and offered the driver the ability to change the car's chassis tuning during a race.
In late 2002, Carrera introduced a second, more refined and sophisticated "MagnaShock 2," which is adjustable on both compression and rebound. Each shock contains a sensor that sends piston position and velocity data to the MagnaShock 2 controller. With that information, a processor using Carrera's own software algorithms sends a signal to four shock drivers, which command the level of damping the user has selected.
MagnaShock 2 has developed a following in the road racing community because it can be programmed with different damping authority for both compression and rebound. Like MagnaShock 1, the shocks have a damping range of seven. A MagnaShock 2 controller is designed to run four shocks and can store up to five different set-ups each having five steps. A common use of this memory feature is a tiny switch on the steering wheel allowing the driver to select two or three different set-ups during a race or even on a per-lap basis.
"Almost every track has one turn-usually a real sharp one-which the person doing the set-up has to give away," Carrera's Dick Anderson said. "If you set-up to go fast there, you'll be terrible everywhere else. Usually, they give that one up in favor of having a better set-up for the rest of the track. If you were really fast in that turn, too, you could gain a half or even a full second per lap. With MagnaShock 2, you can change all four shocks just for that turn. Flip the switch and you're in that set-up. You'll come off that turn like a rocket."
The MRF Lord makes for Carrera is similar to what Delphi uses in production Corvette shocks. The Carrera hardware is also similar to Delphi's in that both are mono-tube, gas-filled dampers. Materials are where there are some differences. Carrera shock tubes are billet aluminum whereas Delphis are steel. Delphi uses a segmented, annular MRF passage whereas Carrera uses a full annulus. The pistons on both are composed of a magnetic coil and annular passages though which the MRF flows; however the Delpi passage is segmented but the Carrera is continous. Another difference is there is a Carrera piston has only one area where MRF forms fibrous matrices. In a Delphi MagneRide shock piston there are two.
MagnaShock 1 costs about $800 per wheel and MagnaShock 2 is $1500 a wheel. While that's in an acceptable price range for late model stock cars and SCCA GT-class road racers and is actually less expensive than some of the high-end, hydraulic shocks on the market; it's a bit pricey for a street application. Nevertheless, Anderson told us that, the week before we interviewed him, Carrera shipped a MagnaShock system to a customer in California who is building a street-driven, road-race-style, Fourth-Gen Camaro. Obviously, the advantage in MagnaShock to a car like that is the quick adjustability from damping for a nice ride to damping with aggressive wheel control. For more information on MagnaShock contact, Carrera Racing Shocks, 5412 New Peachtree Rd., Dept. SC, Atlanta, GA 30341, (770)451-8813, www.carrerashocks.com
Looking for more examples of potential street applications, we asked Anderson if it would be possible to install a MagnaShock system on the author's '65 Malibu. He said it could be done with some modification to the front, upper shock mounts. Adapting a MagnaShock system for street use on a musclecar-era Chevrolet is an interesting idea and perhaps something we'll pursue in the future.