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Finding Time Again
Quick now, here, now, always—
Ridiculous the waste, sad time
Stretching before and after.
– T. S. Eliot, "Burnt Norton"
Two sets of damp footprints crossed the attic floor, halting at the cabinet. They dried before the dawning of the sun, and it was as though she had never been. Lily Potter was never seen again.
I: June 1971
Stepping through the cabinet doors one final time, the woman gasped at the sudden pain in her chest. It was like a giant's hand gripping her heart, slowly squeezing the blood from its throbbing veins. She did not pause to let it pass. It never would. The end had come at last.
Many years had passed since she had last entered the cabinet, long, fleeting years of wasted moments that she would give anything to live again and again. The warmth of the sun, the smell of the air before it rained, the breath of a lover, all would be lost to her in a short time, and she was powerless to prevent it. She had pushed time too far, crossing the timelines of her own life to ensure her past at the cost of her future. Now, back in her own time–
Or was it?
Twenty-seven years in this time – his time – living out her days as though her date of birth was not in some distant future. She had lived a lie. She was outside of time, living before she was meant to be born.
And now that it was the end, the hourglass run down to its final grains, she would die before that future date, some thirty-seven years in the future.
Did that make her age a negative number? Is that what they would put on her grave, if only they knew of her secret? Forty-seven was the number engraved upon it. She remembered it twice-over, from this final journey through time, and also from those years ago. A mere child she had been, still scared and scarred, the light in her eyes dulled by the things she had seen and done and felt. The things she had felt! A mess of emotion that overwhelmed the soul and flooded the mind so that it cracked. Not shattered, not yet.
The pain came again, a crack of lightening split through her nerves, seeming to tear them from her flesh, but no wound was visible; it all came from within. Her heart at last was breaking.
She stumbled down the stairs from the attic room, her hand caressing the wall where she would one day stumble into his arms for the first, last time. Hand clutching her chest, she continued on to the next set of stairs, gasping for every breath. Her ears were deafened by the erratic beating of her heart, her eyes going dim, blinded by shadows and stars.
Still fresh in her memory was the sight of her parents. There they had slept, looking just as they had always been in her mind, frozen in time. She had sacrificed her life for that glimpse, such a selfish thing to do, but then again, everything she had done in her life was selfish, all for her own benefit, not that of others. For Alastor she had done much, she supposed, but even when she had returned to him, it had been for herself, to fill the spaces between, all those empty gaps in her existence. He had loved her. So much.
In return? Had she–?
Could she ever love him enough?
She stopped in the corridor above the final staircase, one hand upon the walnut balustrade. Below there stood a man framed by the open door, the light streaming in around him.
Death had come to call.
She watched as he rushed forward at the sight of her, exclaiming words she could not hear. All she could think was that she did not wish to die here, and so she pushed on toward the bedroom with its worn chairs and heavy bed, the open window staring down into the garden and beyond to the place where she would lie for eternity, where her footsteps would one day tread in the veil of ivy.
A pair of hands guided her on her way, their grip firm, a warm breath against her hair, all so familiar. How kind of Death to take on this shape and bring her comfort at the end.
Limbs tingling and chilled, her lips fading to blue, she shuffled into the room, past the chairs, beneath the watching portrait, to sit on the edge of the bed, blind to the face that looked down into hers, deaf to the voice that said her name once and again, her tongue unwilling to twist itself into speech.
One hand took her pulse while its twin pulled down the lower lids of her eyes so that he could see into their depths, his giant blue eye still and intent, his small dark eye flooded with emotion. His hands were shaking, his jaw could not help but quaver. He, of such ruthless courage, was afraid. What if... She had been pale for many months, her appetite decreasing day by day, her eyes bloodshot from the sleep she never had. And now... now....
He helped her to lie down, cradling her head upon his hand until it could rest on the pillow. She heard the echo of his heart and wondered how Death could be so human. He felt the faint throb of her heart as it wavered on, tremulous and erratic, until it should stop completely.
The drumming in her ears faded, and at last she heard his voice.
"Lily, are you–? Lily!"
Her eyes blinked, her vision cleared.
He loomed overhead, hand gripping hers, still wearing his overcoat, hat discarded somewhere on the floor in his haste, his eyes wild, his breath tinged with peppermint to disguise the Firewhiskey he always carried in his pocket. But he was there now. He had come for the end, driven on by fate to be there as she died, just as she had been there at his own death, those last confused minutes, time continuing on its endless cycle.
She smiled.
How could she have doubted, even for the briefest moment? To him here, now, at the end, it meant so much, far more than she could ever express.
When she did speak at last, the words were not even her own, but his, to be spoken to the youthful shade of herself that would appear in the coming days. They would hang about in his mind and, at last knowing the truth, the intertwining cycles of their lives brought to light before his eyes, he would recite them.
"Strange that it should come to this."
Yes, so strange. That all things should run in a circle as unending as her love.
His good eye widened as he comprehended the words; he felt the shadow of Death draw over them, dragging her drifting spirit from its reluctant shell. She lifted a wavering arm to caress his face and feel his rough scars – a mirror to her own – against her palm, her thumb just touching the corner of his mouth, his jaw shuddering beneath her fingers.
"Af..ter all... this... time."
A brief spasm ensued.
No matter how hard he gripped her limp form, no matter how many times he planted kisses on her lips, no matter how many often he spoke her name, she was gone, released by time's aching grasp neither to sleep nor to dream, but to die.
The hand dropped from his face, an eternity passing before it landed on the rumpled coverlet, the ring on her finger glittering in the last rays of the dying sun.
* * *
II: August 1945
I pushed open the door with a trembling hand and was blinded by the sun. It shone in through the window, but it was not the tiny attic window, nor was this the attic at all. The panelled walls and heavy mantlepiece were walnut, the draperies, roughly shoved back from the window, were a dreadful red velvet. They had been covered in dust, for it still floated in the air, catching the sunlight in a delicate array of beams.
A number of trunks filled the corner beside the cabinet, each battered, but clean, their brass corners and locks gleaming. Stickers from locations across the Mediterranean covered their leather facades in bright colours and garish designs. Some trunks were thrown open, revealing messy piles of clothing, books, and odd items, things he must have collected in exotic bazaars and those shops that lurked in darkened alleyways: a foe glass wrapped in oil cloth, a statue of Anubis, its paint chipped and faded after many centuries of wear, a sneakoscope, a miniature weather vane like those used by long-distance travellers by carpet or broom. I picked up a book on demonology and flipped through its pages, annotated by at least three hands.
The cottage itself was silent. It was outside that I heard the sounds of the passing world, the birds' gleeful melodies, the wind funnelling down from the hilltops, the distant halloos of the lumbermen at their work, soon followed by the crash of a felled tree. I did not even need to look out the window to imagine the tree-covered hills stretching out on all sides, emerald in the morning light, the fields, thick with maturing crops, dotting the landscape. On the other side of the cottage, the lake would placidly sit, reflecting the impossible blue of the sky, even darkening its shade so that it seemed of endless depth.
I scarcely wondered how such a place as this could exist. I saw each flaw, yet I wished to call it perfect, not in spite of those flaws, but because of them.
A smile drifted over my face. For all the things I had seen and done, the pain and the guilt, the constant knowledge of something always lost, fleetingly retrieved, I looked at this place and felt something I had not in a very long time, so long that it could have never been. The darkness of my past life in a distant future faded. It would always be there, the shadow rising to greet me each twilit eve, but for a time, I could ignore it. I could revel in something more. I could be something more.
My stick tapped upon the floor as I made to descend the stairs. The sitting room was dark, being on the west side, its furniture dull and forlorn, no plant in sight. That would change, soon enough.
Stepping outside, I entered the formal garden where visitors long ago would sit with tea and cakes to speak of the latest fashion and the doings of the poets who still nestled betwixt lake and trees, denying the call of the London bustle. Gravel paths were lined with overgrown hedges that had once traced decorative patterns in green and red, looping around stone flower pots, all chipped and worn with time. The whole garden sloped downward toward the lake and so was terraced with low walls that ran parallel to the length of the cottage, and it was there that I found him, sitting upon the furthest wall, staring across the lower fields.
I paused and the sunlight rose above the old watchtower from which the cottage was made, setting the fields aglow and him into shadow.
He was young, but not too young, his back straight and shoulders squared, a brimmed hat pulled down low over his hair. He could not have missed the crunching of my feet in the gravel, but he did not turn to look. There was a twitch of his arm as though it pained him, but he made no other movement.
It was too easy to question, to doubt, to wonder whether this had been the right choice.
I had acted without thought, charging through the cabinet doors, my heartbeat raging in my ears, not bothering to wonder if I was returning to the proper time or making some gruesome error. I would live with that vision of my own grave and the date carved upon it for the remainder of my life. There was his death too, but that was different. I had been there... would be there beside him as he drifts away. My own death would be the ghost that lurked just past the length of my shadow, never far enough from sight to be out of mind.
I found myself standing before him.
My legs, so often a liability, at last proving an asset, carried me to the place I most wanted to be.
He turned his face, and I knew he had been watching me all along.
A thick scar sliced across the left side of his face from his temple to just past the bridge of his nose, passing right through his one eye. Where it once had been black, it was now brilliant and blue, endlessly twisting and turning, all the world laid bare before its gaze.
We were a mirror image, his left to my right, reflections of experience inscribed upon our faces.
He frowned, expecting me to flinch, to react, perhaps in fear, to the sight of the strange eye and its accompanying scars. He could not know that the reverse was the truth, that his face, when whole, had seemed the more uncanny. Or was it my own change that affected him so? My scars were still tinged with purple, set in stark contrast to my pale skin.
Once he had said that he could look at me forever.
I needed acceptance, but why? I could call myself disfigured and many other things, but it was merely a rearrangement of features, a change in measurements. All the necessary parts were still there, still functioning as they should. The loss was all within, merely within. I could see that now. The scars of old injuries showed that I had lived, that I had accomplished something with my otherwise useless life.
"Won't you sit? The sun's just coming over the house now."
Over the field, the tower cast a shadow that receded like the changing tide.
"I've watched it everyday now, since coming here. Gives one something to look forward to, you know."
It was the sunset I had always watched, never the sunrise. I had thought that there could be nothing for me in the world, thus I saw only endings – the closing of the day, the dying of the light. And here I was – we were – here for the beginning.
I settled onto the wall beside him. "Have you been here long?"
He shrugged. "A few months. They said I needed a quiet place after... well, you saw it."
"I rather like it."
It was impossible for him to have missed my words, and when I looked toward him, I saw the slight smile twisting the corners of his lips.
"Do you need me to say it again?"
An arm curled around my waist. The air in my lungs became an impossible weight to bear.
"I wasn't sure how it'd go over. Even in Diagon Alley I was getting funny looks."
I nudged him with my elbow, all anxiety ebbing away in another turn of the tide, the need to be wanted swiftly becoming the need to close the distance between us once and for all. The banalities of conversation could hold little charm when we had been parted for so long, the waves of time crashing between us no longer. We would drown together.
"It's because you look so distinguished."
The arm tightened as he brought his lips close to my ear. "Maybe now I'll look my age."
I looked down at the shrinking shadow and the golden light that was settling upon the far edge of the field.
"As old and hideous as me." My voice shook.
"Maybe one day you'll be, but not now. Not for a long, long time."
I could not move. I could not even close my eyes against the light that shone about us while we remained in the shadow of the cottage where the cabinet stood guard over a crossroads of time, a silent sentinel to times past and times to come, all the time that he and I would have together and all the time we would not.
He will grow old alone.
A pair of lips teased the flesh behind my ear, kisses planted down my neck while my eyes filled, blurring gold with blue and green until the world was no more than an impressionist palate, my heart bleeding more than it had those months of shadow and darkness for it was here that the greatest wound was inflicted. It was here that the end began.
The shadow was lapping at our feet, the light blinding, his body warm against mine, his heat firmly beating, confident of long life and all that came before the end, when he would lie in that field and stare up into the empty sky, waiting the final grain of sand to fall.
I tilted my head to see his face and witness the sensitive motion of the numerous muscles and tendons beneath the flesh.
"Do you regret it, the thing you did to get that wound?"
He did not even need to think. "No reason to. A bit of bad luck. Happens to everyone."
After a pause, he reached up to wipe a tear from my cheek with a calloused thumb. "It's impossible to forget the feeling of it, the burn of the spell so strong that it makes you faint, but you can't stop. It's stop or die, and I couldn't die, not then. That was the feeling I held on to, the one that told me it wasn't yet my time."
I traced the lines of his scars with my eyes. The war. He was describing how it had been in the war: the clash of bodies, the screams of the dying, the flash of curses, too many green, the silence that came after, that hollow absence of noise in which one's thoughts echoed louder and louder until they drowned out all the world. He had been in the midst of it, his eye as his only sacrifice for he had not lost his strength. He had not lost his mind.
He was not yet Mad-Eye Moody. Many years would need to pass, those years that we would hold close to our hearts.
My chest rose and fell. My heart beat on. I lifted a hand to his face, the tip of an intrepid finger brushing against his cheek. Inside was all confusion, fear mixing with desire, grief subsiding into joy, guilt and sorrow flowing back into the dark corners of my mind with the hope that there they would die, that I need never feel as I have again. Here was purpose. Here was colour. Here was life.
"Will you stay this time?" His voice was little more than a breath against my eyelashes.
The gravestone was far away, locked in a future that should no longer concern me. There was so much else. The lake and the sky, the fields and trees, the world all around and the two of us in this place that was our home.
I leaned closer, and would have leaned closer still were such a thing possible.
"Good." The word tasted sweet against my lips.
We did not see when the shadow made its final retreat, nor when the sun streamed over us in a dazzling light. We felt its warmth, perhaps, but it was peripheral to a great many thoughts and feelings that swirled about us until we were lost, cast adrift, but no longer alone. Time halted its course for the briefest, most dear of moments, then flowed on, never once daring to turn back and regret its twisting path from future to past and back again.
There are no beginnings and no endings, only time streaming onward. Not forward. Not forever. Just onward.
Author's Note: It's strange to complete any story, always wondering whether things could not have somehow gone better, but even more strange to complete such a story as this. It's the story I've wanted to write for a very long time, and now that I have, I don't know what to do. Lily's story never really ends because, in each case, what is the end for one thing is the beginning for another.
One thing I can do is thank anyone who has made it all the way to the end. I hope that you have enjoyed reading this story, perhaps even as much as I've enjoyed writing it. To those who have been reading along throughout the writing process, thank you for all of your support, suggestions, and for giving me a reason to continue writing on.
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If you need some entertainment tonight or are going through football withdrawals or are punishing yourself for eating five too many wings on Sunday or are just missing the hell out of big and cheesy and conversation-inducing commercials, check this out: it's a mash up commercial that uses nearly every commercial that was used in the Super Bowl. It's all combined through a Gangnam Style soundtrack and the Samsung couple's (Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen) narration.
That one commercial (made by Jeremiah Warren) is probably better than any commercial I saw last Sunday. Next year every company should combine their advertising budgets to go all hells break loose like this. [Jeremiah Warren via Neatorama]

subset: commoncrawl


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PARADISE — A Paradise man was beaten, nearly shot in a struggle and then robbed at about 6:30 p.m. Monday in Bille Park.
According to Paradise police, officers got a call at 6:32 p.m. from a man saying he'd been assaulted and shot at by an unknown male on the hiking trails to the northwest of Bille Park.
The man told police he was struck on the back of the head with an unknown object and fell down. When the victim turned to engage his attacker, he found a man pointing a handgun at him.
The two men had a brief struggle and one shot was reportedly fired but did not hit the victim.
Paradise police detective Steve Rowe said they aren't sure if the assailant fired the gun at the victim or not. "He did he try to push the gun away and we don't know if the gun went off then or not."
Police say physical evidence at the scene supports the victim's statement that a gun was fired. After the struggle and the gunshot, the victim reportedly was robbed and the suspect fled. Police say they do not know which direction the man fled in and do not have a description.
"(The victim) didn't get a good look at him," Rowe said. "It was dark and he said he was a bit woozy."
Rowe said after the victim was robbed, he tried getting to the Bille Park gazebo but was unable to get there because of his injuries.
Because the victim said his attacker didn't pass him on the way to the gazebo, Rowe believes the suspect either went into the canyon or fled back up the trail.
Rowe said police do not know how the attacker got to the park, noting there were no other vehicles at the park at the time.
Paradise police with the assistance of Butte County Sheriff's deputies and a Sheriff's Office helicopter searched the area for the suspect but were unable to locate him.
The victim was transported to an area hospital where he received treatment for his injuries and was later released.
Rowe said the incident is a concern for them, given that Bille Park is not well-known for such attacks.
"As far as I know, this is the first time we've had such an incident in Bille Park," said Rowe, who also said residents need to be aware of their surroundings.
Rowe said that he still believes Bille Park is safe but advised those who do not feel safe there not to go alone.
"I think it's safe, but I'd leery of going there after dark," he said. "It's not well-lit and you have wildlife in the area, so you have to be careful."
He also said residents should avoid isolated areas after the dark, especially alone.
This incident is under investigation and the victim's name has been withheld for safety reasons. Anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious in the area during the time of the incident or who may have information regarding this incident is urged to contact Paradise police.


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With a few notable exceptions, arm warmers fall into one of two categories. You've got your skinny Lycra ones for summer mornings and evenings. And you've got your thicker, fleecy-backed thermal ones – like these ones from Sugoi – that'll keep you warm in autumn and spring conditions.
Sugoi haven't tried to reinvent the wheel here. These are simple tubes of mid-weight polyester/spandex that feel comfortable next to your skin and wick the sweat away effectively. They're made to Sugoi's usual high standards and the silicon rubber grippers hold them in place securely without being too tight.
And, to be honest, a major plus point for us is that they're a bit more interesting to look at that the usual plain design. Available in white, red, black and blue.
Well-made mid-weight warmers in an attractive design
If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website
road.cc test report
Make and model: Sugoi Icon arm warmer
Size tested: M
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes, they feel great in use
Would you consider buying the product? Yes; light enough for summer use and effective enough for winter riding too, so plenty of versatility
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
About the tester
Age: 36 Height: 184cm Weight: 74kg
I usually ride: My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,
Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now pushing 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.


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Thomas E. Craddock letter to his mother, Rosa Lee Edmondson Craddock, 16 October 1918
Thomas Easley Craddock was born in Houston, Halifax County, Virginia on 2 February 1889. He was the son of Abram Poindexter Craddock and Rosa Lee Edmondson. Craddock attended Cluster Springs Academy, and then was employed by the Craddock-Terry Shoe Company. He served in World War I as a hospital orderly with an ambulance corps in France. Following the war, he was employed by the Central Shoe Company of St. Louis. Craddock married Rubie Paxton Tyree (1907-1985) on 15 June 1930. He died at Keeley Institute in Greensboro, North Carolina on 23 March 1937, and is buried in Spring Hill Cemetery in Lynchburg.
Bibliographic Citation
Thomas Easley Craddock Papers, 1893-1937. Accession 51060. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.


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San-Diego-based Oberon Fuels has developed a process to convert biogas or natural gas into a clean burning fuel called dimethyl-ether or DME.
DME is sulfur-free and generates no harmful particulate matter.
Oberon will test DME's performance in heavy-duty commercial Volvo trucks driven by Safeway for operations in the San Joaquin Valley.
It's received a 500-thousand dollar grant from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to do the testing.
Governor Jerry Brown's Senior Energy Advisor Cliff Rechtschaffen says its promising technology for California.
"This fuel will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it will reduce particulate emission, carbon monoxide emissions and other harmful air pollutants," says Rechtshaffen. "It helps create consumer choice and fuel diversity in California and also creates jobs."
Oberon will open a plant in Brawley to produce fuel grade DME this month.


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International Kombucha Market analysis 2018 confers the thorough estimation of Kombucha market inclusive of a rival study of high market competitors, Kombucha Business development, depletion volume, Kombucha market drivers and restraints, future route for the new comer in planning their Kombucha business policies. what is more, Kombucha Report includes scrutiny of market highs and lows of previous years and anticipates Kombucha sales speculation data from 2018 to 2027
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Leading Players Of Kombucha Market Are:
Whole Foods Market IP. L.P., Townshend's tea company, NessAlla Kombucha, Humm kombucha, Millennium Products, Reed's, Inc., Hain Celestial, Revive kombucha, Kosmic Kombucha, Buchi Kombucha
Global Kombucha Market Segmentation:
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- This event has passed.
Argentine Tango Classes
November 12 @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, repeating indefinitely
Learn Argentine Tango! Weekly classes on Tuesday evening.
7:00 Beginner
8:00 Intermediate
9:00 Guided Practica
$65 monthly one class
$100 monthly two classes
Guided Practica $8(included with class)
Join a group of dancers interested in developing community and artistic expression through Argentine Tango.


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MICHELIN Wild Rock'R2 Advanced Reinforced Tubeless Ready
Choose a tire that's as extreme as your ride. The Wild Rock'R2 benefits from reinforced technology, which in turn lends itself to smooth braking, superb grip, and a tough, puncture-resistant skin. Massive rubber blocks create a meaty tread pattern that handles stress better than Zoloft, and a bold, claw-shaped shoulder pattern snags traction on loose slopes and otherwise treacherous conditions. A central groove gives this tire all the directional stability you'll need to stay on track.
For optimum performance, MICHELIN recommends using their GUM-X compound on the rear tire, and their MAGI-X compound on the front.
Tubeless tires are compatible with tubeless and standard rims. When used with tubeless rims, the tire and rim form an airtight chamber, allowing the tire to be inflated without a tube. This lets you run lower pressure for optimum comfort and control without fear of pinch flats. When used with standard rims, the tire can be mounted and inflated with a tube.


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With quite small and minimal room, decorating small studio apartment can be so complicated. You need to consider numerous factors in order to create a balance inside it. Not only the layout, however other things such as area company, products selection, its color, and its positioning ought to be well-planned to develop a practical and also neat area, which is much from the overloading impression. So, all variables here are so essential and also associated per various other in creating a bigger area illusion. With this illusion, it will make us able to settle even more stuff without shedding our spacious room.
Even if we just have a little room, it does not indicate that we can not make it practical. As well as this is where the obstacle of decorating small studio apartment starts. With this tiny dimension, we are forced to handle a good space plan so that this type of space can offer us so many features. Below, you can divide this area right into numerous practical edges. There's ought to be a resting area, a living zone, as well as the entertaining area. These are three crucial edge that serve our standard needs, so if it possible, make a strong limit between them specifically for the resting location. If you do not have a proper-sized space it is alright for the living as well as entertaining area to share spaces.
Decorating small studio apartment could be so very easy even when you don't have a big-sized room to include your concept. With the optimal furniture selection, you still could reveal on your own inside this area by playing on the positioning, color, and also form of it. As well as one point that should be remembered is make sure all of the furniture has a several objectives.
Lastly, there is a trick in producing a larger space illusion. Making color gradation on the wall, you could mount some mirrors. Leave a mirror in some spot such as in living location, sleeping area, amusing location, shower room location, and also others. These mirrors will bring a wonderful illusion by showing the lights, so your space will certainly look bigger compared to it actually is. Furthermore, they can be used as room devices as well. On the whole, yes it is so complicated in decorating small apartment. Once we did it, the result will be so much worth.
Not just the design, yet some various other points such as space organization, items selection, its shade, as well as likewise its positioning needs to be tactical to produce a functional as well as tidy space, which is far from the overwhelming impact. Even if we just have a little room, it does not suggest that we can't make it practical. With this little dimension, we are required to deal with an excellent room setup so that this kind of area could offer us so several functions. If you do not have a proper-sized space it is all right for the living and also amusing area to share areas.
Decorating small studio apartment could be so easy even when you do not have a big-sized area to contain your idea.


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The pioneers of the science of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson, are the subjects of a stunning, adult Showtime series, "Masters of Sex," with Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan in the key roles. Their research starting in the late 1950s altered perceptions of the nature and physiology of sex. Judging by the first two hours, some will find the series titillating, most will be impressed by the thoughtful, mature aspects of the piece.
The topic is a perfect fit for cable TV; it would never be broadcast on advertiser-supported TV. The first season, 12 episodes, premieres Sept. 29.
The producers stuck to the facts as presented in Thomas Maier's book of the same title. Unlike Alfred Kinsey's interview-based work at the time, Master and Johnson brought subjects into a lab and measured sexual response. She was the adventurous one, he was very buttoned down.
"He's sort of a mystery to himself," Sheen said of his character, Masters. It's more a "locked down desire to keep control" than prudishness, he said.
The same problems of intimacy persist today no matter how much we know about sex, Sheen said, "which is what the series is ultimately about."
Read more…


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Institute for the Study of Gambling & Commercial Gaming
Stay Tuned: the annual Executive Development Program will take place in Lake Tahoe
View Conference information
About the Institute
Established in 1989 as the first academically oriented program of its kind, the Institute has increased awareness about gambling and gaming issues through a comprehensive program that offers academic research and practical experience.
Suggested Literature
The Institute has created a list of suggested literature that discuss various gambling and gaming topics including mathematical applications, casino management and administration, casino marketing and gambling addiction.
The Institute offers students a number of opportunities to learn about the gaming and gambling industry. Programs include an undergraduate minor, MBA in Gaming Management and professional certification.
Conferences and Institutes
International, national and regional expert-driven fora about gaming and gambling issues, as well as links to other research institutes.
Gaming Faculty & Staff
The Institute is led by experts with decades of cumulative experience in the gaming industry and with backgrounds in accounting, economics and business.
Executive Development Program
To help gaming executives build connections and foster growth: at Harvey's Lake Tahoe Casino and Resort.
Contact Us
Contact Institute for the Study of Gambling & Commercial Gaming (0025)
1664 N. Virginia Street
Reno, NV 89557
Phone (775) 784-6850
Fax (775) 784-1057


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Pistachio Pesto Pasta
I bought some Sicilian pistachios that are to die for. We all almost finished the whole package, but I had about a half a cup remaining so I figured it was the perfect opportunity to make a Mediterranean-inspired pesto sauce. I love experimenting with new flavors. Pestos are so versatile. You can pick any nut, herb or dry fruit, oil and cheese; add salt and pepper and you're done. You can keep the extra pesto in an ice-cube tray in your freezer for up to 6 months or for 2 weeks in your refrigerator.
I always keep some pesto on hand for when I need to quickly throw a meal together. It brings so much flavor to pastas, sandwiches, all sort of dips, mashed potatoes, lasagna sauce, chicken. There are a plethora of possibilities.
Yields: 61/2 bunch sweet basil
1/2 bunch curley parsley
1 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 cup Sicilian pistachio kernel, unsalted, roasted
1/2 Tbs gray salt
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 dash vegetable broth, optional, if texture is too thick
1 tsp green peppercorns, freshly ground
18 oz fresh cheese-filled ravioli, 2 store-bought packages
2 Tbs olive oil
1 whole shallot, finely chopped
2 Tbs garlic, coarsely chopped
1 Tbs unsalted butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan, freshly grated
Blanch (dip for 15 seconds in boiling water then transfer in an ice bath) the basil and parsley, drain, then dry thoroughly of all water, then pat dry on a paper towel. Roughly chop - you'll get approximatively 1 cup of greens.
Meanwhile, in a mortar and pestle, I grind the dry ingredients and then transfer and mix everything using a mini food processor. It should turn into a spreadable smooth creamy paste. Add oil or vegetable broth if necessary.
Boil ravioli as directed in package. In a skillet, add olive oil, the chopped shallot and garlic and also drop some butter to bring a nutty flavor. Stir until slightly golden. Saute the ravioli in the skillet containing the garlic and shallot until golden. Add 3 tablespoons of the pesto, pour the cream (or pasta water if you're health-conscious) into the pasta. Remove from the heat.
Sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan. Serve immediately.
Blanching the herbs will help maintain that very appetizing green color, compared to the blackish green color of store-bought pesto.
I always like to grind all my dry ingredients in a mortar and pestle first to get a nice ground result, then transfer to a mini prep.
I always make extra that I store in my freezer. If you make an extra batch of pesto, you can store the rest in an ice-cube tray then freeze them. I transfer the ice-cubes 3 by 3 into bags that I vacuum-seal and place back in the freezer. I think it's the best way to keep the same flavor without getting freezer burn. I keep them exactly the same way I would do with my extra papaya seeds for cooking meat. You can store the pesto in your freezer for up to 6 months or for 2 weeks in your refrigerator.
I've used 3 mini-food preps so far and the mini Cuisinart is definitely my favorite one. Don't get tempted into buying the slightly bigger size. I made the mistake of buying one of these larger processors because it was about the same price but ended up returning it. The problem is that the ingredients won't grind as finely as the mini. I would advise you to get the mini-prep for your sauces and the 14-cup one for your bigger jobs. There is no need to get the models in between. It'll just clutter your kitchen.
Using a good quality salt will bring so much more flavor to your dish. There are so many kinds that you should try: Red Hawaiian salt, Himalayan sea salt, Fleur de sel from Madagascar, Fine Salt from Bayonne, Sel de Guerande, and of course the Fleur de Sel from the Island of Noirmoutier. For this recipe, I used the Fleur de Sel de l'Ile de Re, which I got on my trip to Paris last June. It's hand-picked, not treated and not washed. All the minerals are still there. It's very flavorful and surprisingly not as salty as the regular table salt. I like testing and making my own seasoning salt. I'll post the recipe for some of these concoctions later.Published By: on January 6, 2009.


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The novelty of summer is wearing thin. For two glorious weeks my children frolicked in the freedom they had to sleep in, lounge around the inflatable pool, and cruise bikes back and forth across our sidewalk. But then suddenly, and without warning, I felt eight, glazed-over eyeballs peering into my back as I cleared the kitchen table of breakfast dishes. "Can I help you?" I asked, squeezing myself between the wall of kids blocking access to the sink.
"May we watch T.V.?" they begged.
"No, it's a beautiful day. Why don't you play outside?" I suggested.
"There's nothing to do!" they whined. And then I cringed, knowing exactly what was coming up next. "We're bored!"
Already? I couldn't believe it. There was an attic full of toys, a garage packed out with scooters, wagons, and sidewalk chalk, there were baskets of crayons, glitter glue, and construction paper all at their disposal. Interestingly, however, my gut reaction was to speedily "fix" the horrific situation of my family not feeling entertained. I offered all kinds of warm weather solutions, from a sprinkler run to inviting over friends that lived nearby.
"Everybody is out of town," Elijah argued, "and it stinks playing all by ourselves." Halfway through wondering what fantastic vacation our entire neighborhood had ventured on without us, I finally came to my senses. Looking down at the jean shorts and t-shirt I hurriedly threw on that morning, rather than a crisp white uniform with anchor patches on the sleeves, I remembered that I was not, in fact, a cruise director. And that planning round-the-clock, fun filled activities was, thankfully, not part of my job description. Instinctively, my own mother's voice cleared this cluttered head with rationality before exiting out my lips with the famous,
"If you really need something to do, just let me know! I'll go grab you a broom."
Why is it that boredom is frightening to a caregiver? Why is it so easy to get caught up in the fast paced, spoon-fed methods used to educate, and lure our children into begging us for more stuff and stimulation? It's tempting, for this adoring and anxious mother, to buy into the commonly held belief that down time, unscheduled time, will ultimately put my child at a disadvantage. This paranoia, I admit, has managed to leak into the very Orthodox Liturgy that I find so fulfilling, but that my children … well, let's just say, view as an acquired taste. Growing up, I learned about God through flannel graph Bible stories and catchy choruses while my parents, sitting without me in the sanctuary, took bullet pointed notes on the sermon. I think of that often as my kids squirm and fidget their way through an hour-and-a-half of Scripture reading, litanies, and hymns. I think of it as an acquaintance tells me about her own church with a rock band and puppet theatre just for the kids, leaving adults free to listen to the pastor uninterrupted. But just as I'm ready to wish this Christian tinted, youth focused, extravaganza upon my own antsy children, I recall how in early adulthood, I was floored to discover that hyped up, feel good," me" centered convictions, can fall to pieces when rubber hits the road.
At eight-years-old, few things were as delectable to me as a pink and airy cloud of cotton candy. Pulling off thick, sticky handfuls with delight, I would stuff them into my mouth letting my tongue dissolve the sugar into nothing. The energy boost hit quickly and satisfaction was immediate, but when my belly began to rumble, the cotton candy with its complete lack of nutritive substance was unable to relieve the pangs of hunger. For that, I needed something solid and savory I could sink my young teeth into. In college, I experienced what could best be described as a "let down." Sugar driven highs can drop as suddenly as the downward slope of a roller coaster. In the same way, emotionally driven, spiritual highs can plummet when the pangs of real life, unsweetened life, begin to rumble in one's gut. Without sacraments in which to sink my restless spirit, I worked constantly on conjuring up consistant warm fuzzys that would validate my God was love. I confessed my sins in private, but they continued to weigh me down; I was never quite convinced that forgiveness had been granted. I wandered from denomination to denomination, dismayed and discontented with services I would stuff into my heart only to have them dissolve hours later, leaving me starving for something more concrete, less informal, and beyond the banality of my everyday existence.
What I pray for Elijah, Priscilla, Benjamin, and Mary is that they would pace themselves steadily throughout the natural ups and downs of life. I desire for them a faith deeply rooted in Traditions uninfluenced by the trends of modern culture. Dissatisfaction will find these kids soon enough despite the efforts of this generation's moms and dads led to believe that bigger, louder, and more amusing is better, and that immediate gratification is most certainly in their children's best interest. By candy coating the reality that sin and death are enemies to be fought with vigilant prayer, endurance, and self-sacrifice, I send unequipped soldiers, my sweet sons and daughters, into a battle they will be ill prepared for. By fearing their boredom, I unwittingly take sides with an adversary intent on distracting them from the soul demanding, comfort resistant, and uncompromising Truth. It might sound cruel to deny them a jazzier version of worship; it may seem excessive to make my kids stand with respect for the Gospel and the Lord's Prayer. But to raise them with an understanding of how losing yourself, and how submitting yourself to the same Church passed down from the apostles, can bring peace that transcends all logical understanding, and can transform a worn out, worn thin, human being into a unconquerable warrior for Christ, well…let's just say, that would be a gift worth the effort put forth throughout a few hectic years of Sunday mornings.
Remind me of this, when I'm biting my cheek while restraining our youngest son from impromptu karate kicks before communion. And I will smile encouragingly back at you, as you swoop up your screaming toddler with strong and loving arms, whispering into her tiny ear teachings on the icons, candles, and incense - guiding her, from infancy, toward salvation.
Click HERE to visit my podcast site. This is a service of Ancient Faith Radio.


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Stratfor has an interesting dual analysis of the administration's foreign policy at a crossroads vis-a-vis both Iran and Afghanistan. It's worth reading in its entirety; here are some excerpts:
Obama has three choices in this regard [i.e., to respond to the revelation of Iran's secret nuclear facility].
First, he can impose crippling sanctions against Iran. But that is possible only if the Russians cooperate. Moscow has the rolling stock and reserves to supply all of Iran's fuel needs if it so chooses, and Beijing can also remedy any Iranian fuel shortages. Both Russia and China have said they don't want sanctions; without them on board, sanctions are meaningless.
Second, Obama can take military action against Iran, something easier politically and diplomatically for the United States to do itself rather than rely on Israel. By itself, Israel cannot achieve air superiority, suppress air defenses, attack the necessary number of sites and attempt to neutralize Iranian mine-laying and anti-ship capability all along the Persian Gulf. Moreover, if Israel struck on its own and Iran responded by mining the Strait of Hormuz, the United States would be drawn into at least a naval war with Iran — and probably would have to complete the Israeli airstrikes, too.
And third, Obama could choose to do nothing (or engage in sanctions that would be the equivalent of doing nothing). Washington could see future Iranian nuclear weapons as an acceptable risk. But the Israelis don't, meaning they would likely trigger the second scenario. It is possible that the United States could try to compel Israel not to strike — though it's not clear whether Israel would comply — something that would leave Obama publicly accepting Iran's nuclear program.
And this, of course, would jeopardize Obama's credibility. It is possible for the French or Germans to waffle on this issue; no one is looking to them for leadership. But for Obama simply to acquiesce to Iranian nuclear weapons, especially at this point, would have significant diplomatic and domestic political ramifications. Simply put, Obama would look weak — and that, of course, is why the Iranians announced the second nuclear site. They read Obama as weak, and they want to demonstrate their own resolve. That way, if the Russians were thinking of cooperating with the United States on sanctions, Moscow would be seen as backing the weak player against the strong one. The third option, doing nothing, therefore actually represents a significant action.
In a way, the same issue is at stake in Afghanistan. Having labeled Afghanistan as critical — indeed, having campaigned on the platform that the Bush administration was fighting the wrong war — it would be difficult for Obama to back down in Afghanistan. At the same time, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, has reported that without a new strategy and a substantial increase in troop numbers, failure in Afghanistan is likely. …
The new strategy being advocated would be one in which the focus would not be on the defeat of the Taliban by force of arms, but the creation of havens for the Afghan people and protecting those havens from the Taliban.
A move to the defensive when time is on your side is not an unreasonable strategy. But it is not clear that time is on Western forces' side. Increased offensives are not weakening the Taliban. But halting attacks and assuming that the Taliban will oblige the West by moving to the offensive, thereby opening itself to air and artillery strikes, probably is not going to happen. And while assuming that the country will effectively rise against the Taliban out of the protected zones the United States has created is interesting, it does not strike us as likely. …
The two crises intermingle in this way: Every president is tested in foreign policy, sometimes by design and sometimes by circumstance. Frequently, this happens at the beginning of his term as a result of some problem left by his predecessor, a strategy adopted in the campaign or a deliberate action by an antagonist. How this happens isn't important. What is important is that Obama's test is here. Obama at least publicly approached the presidency as if many of the problems the United States faced were due to misunderstandings about or the thoughtlessness of the United States. Whether this was correct is less important than that it left Obama appearing eager to accommodate his adversaries rather than confront them.
No one has a clear idea of Obama's threshold for action. …
On pure logic, history or politics aside, the best course is to strike Iran and withdraw from Afghanistan.
The idea that America's foreign policy problems are mostly our fault is wishful thinking. If it were true, we could make them go away with a few meetings, handshakes and mea culpas. Unfortunately, the dangers we face are much more intractable than that. We should soon know not only whether Obama understands this, but whether he is willing to admit it.


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Mickey Mouse Green Bay Packers "Quarterback Hero" Figurine
Disney's Mickey Mouse salutes the Pack in a licensed handcrafted figurine. Team uniform and logo. Edition limited to only 95 casting days.
Measures 4" H
- Each issue shipped automatically
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- No obligation — cancel any time
One of the most beloved Disney characters of all time is taking the field for the NFL in a winning salute to the Green Bay Packers - the Super Bowl XLV Champions! The Hamilton Collection is very proud to introduce Quarterback Hero - their first-ever Mickey Mouse figurine honoring the Green Bay Packers! Created with Disney artists, and licensed by NFL Properties LLC and Disney, this exciting collectible figurine is an ideal expression of your Packers pride and love for Disney.
Meticulously handcrafted to capture all the thrill and excitement of Green Bay Packers football, this Mickey Mouse figurine is sure to score big. From his authentic-looking Packers uniform, to his pigskin with the NFL logo, every detail shows off a passion for your favorite NFL team - the Green Bay Packers. Strong demand is expected for this collectible figurine, so don't wait to score yours. Makes a great Green Bay Packers fan gift too! Edition is limited to only 95 castings days - order now!
A fine adult collectible, not intended for children.
- A first-ever Disney Mickey Mouse figurine saluting the NFL's legendary Green Bay Packers - the Super Bowl XLV Champions, available from The Hamilton Collection
- Licensed by NFL Properties LLC and Disney
- Meticulously handcrafted of artist's resin to capture realistic details, from the official Green Bay Packers logo on Mickey's helmet and his team uniform, to his pigskin with the NFL logo and Mickey's Quarterback Hero stance
- Makes a thrilling collectible tribute for Packers fans and Disney lovers, and a great Green Bay Packers fan gift too
- Premiere issue in the Football Fun-atics Green Bay Packers Figurine Collection
- Edition limited to 95 casting days, so order now!
- Hand-numbered with a matching Certificate authenticating your figurine is an original from The Hamilton Collection
- Measures 4" H; 10.2 cm H
©2012 NFL Properties, LLC. Team names, logos and indicia are trademarks of the teams indicated. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Visit NFL.COM
©2012 The Hamilton Collection. All Rights Reserved.


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- Laser toner powder
- Copier Toner Powder
- Color Toner Powder
- Printers Toner Cartridge
- Copiers TonerCartridge
ASC is a professional manufacturer, supplier of 76a-toner, we provide 76a-toner OEM & ODM wholesale, 76a-toner price and more questions, please contact us and follow our Facebook , We will respond in a timely manner, we are not the lowest price of 76a-toner, but we will provide you with better service.
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Min. Order: 500 kilogram
Panasonic 85a etc.
Min. Order: 500 kilogram
Panasonic 76a etc.
Contact Person
- Alva Li
- Address:
- 508Room Huayuan office Buliding,Cangzhou city,Hebei province,China


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FineMark has completed the final stages of our Mobile Banking App. With this app, you can check balances, transfer funds between your accounts and pay bills right from the palm of your hand. It is a fast, free and secure way to access your accounts. The app is available for iPhone, Blackberry and Android devices.
To use the Mobile Banking Service, you must be an online banking client and have an online banking login.
- To sign up for Personal Online Banking today click here
- To sign up for Business Online Banking click here
You can also call your local office and we will walk you through the process of setting up an online banking login. Once the app comes out, you will be ready to download and bank on the go!


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How to Use the Images
Photos 1 & 2
Photos 1 & 2
Photo 3: Ryan Visitor Center at Floyd Bennett Field, Stylized Globe, 2002.
Questions for Photos 3 and 4
1. Why do you think the administration building for Floyd Bennett Field featured a globe in 1931? Why do you think the VRF-1 Squadron Insignia featured a globe in 1943?
2. How are the two emblems different? Why do you think the insignia has a close-up view of North America?
3. What does the stork traditionally represent? Why is it shown carrying an airplane rather than a baby?
4. Why do you think a ferry squadron would have used this emblem? Why do you think the stork is flying from East to West (rather than the reverse)?
* The photos on this screen have a resolution of 72 dots per inch (dpi), and therefore will print poorly. You can obtain a larger version of Photo 3 and Photo 4, but be aware that each file will take as much as 30 seconds to load with a 28.8K modem.


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Bialetti Pizza Chopper
- Only at Williams Sonoma
- Free Fast Shipping
- Exclusive
Easy, hassle-free returns online and in-store for eligible items.Learn More
Earn 5% Back in rewards4 plus free standard shipping3every day when you shop with your Williams Sonoma credit card at Williams Sonoma.Apply Now Learn More
- Summary
This impressive tool cuts thin or deep-dish pizza into uniform sections. Simply grasp the handle at opposite ends and rock the blade back and forth to create portions in the desired size.
- Stainless-steel blade quickly cuts even, uniform slices.
- Integral rolled handle runs the blade's length.
- Easy two-handed rocking motion slices the pizza into portions.
- Dishwasher safe.
- Dimensions & More Info
- 14" long.
- Made in China.
- Use & Care
- Dishwasher safe.
- Shipping
Shipping Information
UPS can deliver most in-stock items within 3–5 business days. UPS is unable to deliver to P.O. boxes.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Next Day Delivery
For an additional charge of $26 per address, we can expedite delivery to most destinations. This service is not available for some oversize items, items shipped directly from the supplier (including perishable and custom-manufactured items), out-of-stock items and items to be shipped outside the contiguous 48 states.
Orders received by 9:00 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday will arrive the next business day; orders placed Friday through Sunday will arrive on the following Tuesday.
Return Policy
At Williams Sonoma, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction are our priority. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage; we will arrange for a prompt replacement.
If within 30 days, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value. An original receipt or gift receipt is required for all returns and exchanges. Returns with a gift receipt will be refunded in the form of a Merchandise Credit for the amount indicated on the gift receipt. Returns with original receipt will be refunded in the original form of payment, cash and check refunds over $100 will be issued as a company check (may take 14 business days from time of request).
For all cutlery returns (knife sets, single knives, cutting boards, knife sharpeners and knife storage), please contact us at 888.922.4108 to initiate the return.
We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, custom upholstery, food, items shipped direct from the vendor or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. Final sale items ending in .97 or .99 cannot be returned.
Made to Order and Final Sale Furniture items are non-returnable and cannot be cancelled once the order is placed.
For returns of items purchased from your Williams Sonoma Gift Registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later. View Full Returns Policy.
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Rated 5 out of 5 by launa from just buy it... If you eat pizza at home, whether your own creation or just frozen it is far and away The Best pizza cutter out there. * It cuts a straight line the entire length of the pizza. * It cuts all the way through the crust, even super deep dish styles (just rock it one more time if you're unsure) * It cuts from the top down, so you're not dragging cheese and toppings along your cut. * It's the easiest type to clean. Seriously, if you've ever tried to get tiny bits of food out from the space between the cutting wheel and the handle of the typical style cutter you know what a pain that is. This type has no small crevices for food to get into, and the rolled edge allows it to dry really quickly. *hint* Use a loop of twine through the rolled edge and hang it with your pizza peel for the easiest storage.Date published: 2016-06-10Rated 5 out of 5 by SunandFun from Indispensable for Artisan Pizzas! I acquired a baking stone not long ago, and started making my own pizzas from scratch with yeast dough, generous amounts of cheese, and toppings. If I had known how great these crusts, and hence the pizzas, would turn out, I'd have gotten one sooner! But then, to cut my masterpieces, I was dragging my old wheel type pizza cutter. This would then drag the cheese and toppings and turn it messy. Ugh! When I saw this Bialetti Pizza Chopper, and measured out how long it was, I knew I had to have it; and I was right, it is the perfect thing to cut a thick, gorgeous pizza, leaving it as lovely looking as it first appeared. And, it cuts so well; it does not require brute force like my old pizza wheel. It is also substantial and well made; no flexing. Good looking, also. I recommend it highly to all those who have taken home pizza making to the next level.Date published: 2015-10-05Rated 5 out of 5 by DenniD from Best type of pizza cutter I love this chopper for all kinds of chopping...especially large batches. It's the best for pizza because, unlike the rotary cutters, it does not drag the toppings and produces a nice clean cut. A word of advice: do not clean it in the dishwasher if you want to keep it sharp...the detergent loves to eat up the honed edges of good cutting knives!Date published: 2015-03-13Rated 5 out of 5 by ginohigg from Better than the wheel Makes quick clean cuts and clean up is easy as it is dishwasher safe.Date published: 2014-07-22Rated 5 out of 5 by Debra2 from Works like a charm I use this chopper all the time, from dicing up toppings to slicing the cooked pizza. This device does an excellent job.Date published: 2014-01-02Rated 5 out of 5 by RETTSKITCHEN from WORKS GREAT LOVE THIS CHOPPER. WORKS WONDERFUL FOR PIZZA AND OTHER VEGGIES. RECOMMEND.Date published: 2013-06-28Rated 5 out of 5 by junejewel from Great pizza tool! I've always used rotary pizza cutters and they ALWAYS wobble. This chopper is fantastic and cleans so easily. LOVE IT and the price was good, too.Date published: 2013-06-21Rated 5 out of 5 by DrABH from Great Pizza Slicing Product I frequently make pizzas at home and this devuce us perfect for quickly slicing the pies. It is quick and easy to use, and easily cleaned up at the end of use. It saves wear and tear on my expensive knives. I am pleased with the product and would recommend it to others.Date published: 2013-02-05
Does this item include a blade cover for storage?Hi danaeber, Unfortunately, the pizza choper does not include a cover for storage.Date published: 2019-06-27


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ND grads help
I need some help with exposure settings for soft nd grads... I am new to this and a little confused.
As I understand it a 0.3 nd grad equals one stop under, 0.6 two stops, 0.9 three stops etc...
So I set up my camera without filter at f5.6 1/60 sec... In aperture priority mode. I slide 0.6 2 stop filter into position and the camera stops down to 1/30 sec ( which is only one stop) I take a shot and compare with image without filter and yes the clouds have darkened slightly. However, this is a two stop filter so I switch to manual mode and stop down to 1/15 sec keeping aperture at f 5.6, two stops down from the original reading of 1/60 sec @ f 5.6. But this time the sky doesn't darken it actually gets lighter and the histogram shows the exposure is too far to the right with highlights off the chart so to speak.
What am I doing wrong and why is a two stop filter showing a better image when only stopped down by one stop?
Any help welcome.
Hi Mike,
I'm not a great "technician" myself, but it must be because you kept the F-amount but lowered the speed and the amount of light that got thru is higher.
A tip, if available in your camera, switch the live view on and like this you are able to preview live, what the results should be.
If you want to use longer exposures you might consider increasing the f-stop so that in combination with the lower speed the images doesn't get over exposed.
Or, buying those filters that allow "monster exposures" even in broad daylight, it all depends on what you want to achieve with those filters.
Hope this helps in some way.
Hi Paulo
Thanks for the information. It is another way of achieving the same results that makes sense to me so I will have a little play around - I do have live view...
Its all trial and error at the moment! More error than anything!
I had some other tips from another site that may also shed light on the matter so I'll post it below for general consumption until one of the obviously talented photographers on Trek Earth decides to chip in and enlighten us...
One guy said:
"ND Grads still allow for normal exposure for at least half of the scene, and the camera meters the entire scene (in matrix mode) so that half that is not covered by the ND Grad is still giving normal exposure and the camera is averaging between the two.
Also, exposure settings are not fixed. If 1/30s gives you a better image than 1/15 use it, just as long as you realize what you see in the small lcd screen at the back of your camera is not always the best representation of what you see on a larger computer screen. Same for ND filters, they are not exact either, they are created within tolerances. Therefore a 2stop ND filter could actually be 1.8 or 2.2 stop instead."
This makes sense to some extent but how do I trust my calculations when using an ND filter for say three stops if they are not exact... ultimately it all becomes guess work and I can't really trust the accepted "theory" of how to use these things... that's something they don't tell u in the instructions or the "how to" section!
I also realised that another complicating factor may have been the fact that I had Active D lighting set to Auto - this is a feature on Nikon cameras (I use a D7000) - may have lightened the darkened areas when I stopped it down further... I'll try it on a normal setting...
I'll just keep going until I get there!
Thanks for taking the time to reply.
Hello Mike
I'm late to see this, so you've probably figured it out by now, but I thought I would add my twopenn'orth.
I've been using ND grads for a while now and find that I get the best results by using manual exposure mode and spot metering.
Manual exposure because you control the aperture and the speed. With aperture priority the speed will automatically change as soon as you add the grad.
Spot metering because you can metre on the foreground choosing something you think is 18% grey....grass usually. If no grass, the palm of your hand is said to be roughly 18% grey. Only add the grad after you fix the settings.
Using the spot metre also lets you check out the reading for the sky and figure out which grad you're likely to need, although it still requires a bit of guesswork. When using matrix metering the meter takes an average of the entire scene including the sky, but to use grads successfully you're accepting that the sky and the ground require different exposures.
Hope this helps.
Last edited by feather; 10-12-2012 at 12:02 PM. Reason: missed word
Hi Mike...
And Kath, so nice to see you here and thank you for your advice on the filter, I always learn something new from you. Also good that you made it back from Italy in one piece, so sorry to have missed you.
Sorry I've only just noticed this post in the Forum. Kath has said just about everything I wanted to say, but she said it better.
ND Grads are so interesting; no two ever seem to be the same, and each make seems to have a different caste to them (Cokin seems to go a bit purple etc). My 0.6 Cokin and my 0.6 Lee require completely different light values. Out of interest, what type are you using? There is always going to be a variance in stops, between brands, between cameras and of course depending on what type of metering you use(spot, centreweight, average etc). So half the fun is muddling about with them.
I can't say that there is one successful recipe for using them. All I can tell you is what I do:
1. Like Kath, I always use Manual mode;
2. Will usually use Spot Metering;
3. Sturdy tripod;
4. Mirror lock;
5. Will usually compose the scene, meter the shot and then put on the grad filter (although lately I've been getting lazy and composing/metering with the filter already on
6. Also like Kath, I'd never use an aperture of f/5.6 for a landscape/seascape and will always use between f/11 and f/20 - the sharpness of my lens tends to fall off after about f/18;
7. I use Lee hard edged filters (0.3, 0.6 and 0.9), but am coming round to the idea that I should have bought the soft-edged versions.
I've spoken with André (Inasiajones) about the use of filters. He doesn't use them at all and so will meter for the foreground, take a shot, then meter for the sky, take a shot and merge the two in Photoshop. This is beyond my skills, but is certainly helpful when there are things which break the line of the grad filter, such as cliffs, lighthouses etc.
I've just recently bought a B+W Big Stopper something like 15-30 stops so you can use it during the day. This definitely requires composing the scene, metering and then putting on the filter. I'm still playing around with it but having alot of fun.
So I wish you lots of fun and lots of interesting photos.
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After School Tea Time
- You may be looking for Child Pornography and not even know it!
After School Tea Time, also known as 放課後ティータイム by Japanese people, and as Hōkago Tī Taimu by people who wish they were Japanese but aren't, are one of the most popular pop/rock bands in the world today and the subject of the award winning documentary TV series, K-On! or けいおん! in Japanese. Originating in Japan, the band is made up of five Japanese teenage girls. Their extraordinary popularity stems from the curious fact that everyone over the world wishes to rape them.
The Band[edit]
Old Band Members[edit]
- Yui Hirasawa: Yui provides lead vocals, lead guitar and lead castanets for After School Tea Time. Before she was accepted into the band, Yui was in a British metal band where she played the castanets. One year into the band's national tour they realized that castanets were not "brutal" enough so they left her to die in Japan. Yui ex-band then changed their name from Yui, and the crusaders to Iron Maiden shortly after her departure . After being marooned in Japan she she decided to steal a Les Paul guitar and join After School Tea Time. She is moe as all hell.
- Ritsu Tainaka: Ritsu plays drums for After School Tea Time. Despite only being the drummer, and thus fairly expendable, she is considered the de facto leader of the band. She is a devout Haruhiist and Mio Akiyama's lesbian lover. Although Ritsu is an original member of the band, she was forced to leave the band after getting the band banned from the Vans Warped Tour by engaging in a brawl with a crowd member who demanded her to reveal her breast. This took place on June 23rd, 2003. After School Tea Time acquired a new band leader/drummer shortly after. Their replacement drummer's true name was never revealed due to legal issues but he was shortly dropped after his arrival due to his obsession with raping Yui when she wasn't looking. Ritsu was accepted back into the band on February 1st, 2004 due to popular demand by her loyal fans. She is full of energy and has a tendency to forget important things. This makes certain people want to rape her.
- Mio Akiyama: Mio is bassist and vocalist for After School Tea Time as well as primary songwriter. She is currently in a lesbian relationship with drummer, Ritsu Tainaka. Mio constantly appears in hentai doujinshi and is a well known masochist. She is a common rape victim, and is constantly cheating on Ritsu. She is really shy and has a lot of talent. This makes her an exceptionally popular target for would be rapists. She is peculiarly popular with fat otakus and chronic masturbators.
- Tsumugi Kotobuki: Tsumugi, called Mugi by everybody to the point where her real name has been rendered irrelevant, is the keyboardist of After School Tea Time. Mugi seems to be a very happy and carefree person but that is due to the overwhelming amount of medication she has been prescribed due to her medical condition that causes her to randomly abuse, stab, fondle, and or consume her bandmates. During performances she will just stop playing, set fire to her keyboard and proceed to beat the nearest band member, which usually happens to be Ritsu. On December 22, 2005 she was taken into custody after she violently beat Yui with Mio's bass guitar during the middle of a performance. after her arrest she was placed in a mental hospital for the criminally insane/sexy. This is when she was prescribed multiple medications to stop her random acts of violence, arson, and illegally downloading music. A side effect to the medication causes her to constantly feed anyone she sees. Her family is stupidly rich, to the point where they likely own everything that you think you own. She likes cake and is very bisexual. Though perhaps the least popular for rape, there are still about one hundred times as many people who want to rape her then there are variants of the word "rape" in this article. She bears the eyebrows of Chuck Norris, their mere presence causing men to cower in fear.
New rapeable band mambers[edit]
- Azu-nyan: Azu-nyan is a magical spirit that has taken the form of a very young catgirl and has decided to lend After School Tea Time her amazing power by acting as their rhythm guitarist, wielding a weapon used by a loser who kicked the bucket. Generally considered to be one of the most dangerously adorable forces in the known world, there is literally no one who does not want to rape her. Who wants to rape her most you ask? You, <insert name here>. Azu-nya laster betraed the band only helping them because she wanted to be more moe. Azu-nya sends the girls to hell which end's After school tea time. luckily Azu-nya was smart enough to create a new band With Ui, Jun, Sumire and Nao. She later starts to date Ui the new guitarist.
- Ui Hirasawa: Ui is the end result of a partly successful experiment conducted by the Japanese government to mass produce something as rapeable as After School Tea Time by cloning Yui Hirasawa. Something went wrong in the experiment, and Ui ended up being completely the opposite of Yui in terms of capability, and intelligence, despite them being physically almost identical. This causes some to question why the band doesn't replace Yui with Ui. The answer is that stupidity makes Yui more rapeable and thus more vital to the group image. Not that Ui isn't rapeable. She totally, totally is. Later when she helps Azu-nya to kill the girls Ui becomes the new Yui stealing her les paul guitar and is the most popular girl to get raped in the band. She Later starts to date Azu-nya.
- Jun Suzuki: Jun is a After School Tea Time groupie with a fetish for being raped. She started following the band around when she realized how many people get raped there. She spends lots of time with Azusa, so she can learn how best to get raped. However, so far not that many people have wanted to rape her. She has lesbian crushes on both Ui and Azusa and dreams about them both raping her at the same time. When she fails to get raped, Jun just reads rape hentai manga instead. After she finds out Azu-nya and Ui killed after school tea time the force her to become the basses. In 2008 Jun had a strange out burst beating up Her fellow band mates instrumnets. She was sent to a mental hospital later one and when she came back she randomly got raped by Azu-nya and Ui.
- Sumire Saitō: Sumire was Mugi's ex sex slave that she smuggled from Austria. After Sumire found out the Azun-nya and Ui Killed After school tea time she threantend to call the cops. Azun-nya and Ui kidnapped Sumire and forced her to become the new drummer. It's said that Sumire is seeing Ui secretly, and one night Sumire was attacked by Azu-nya putting Sumire in the hospital. Sumire came back In Janurary 2010, but found out that The band got a new drummer that was the ex-drummer of after school tea time and mistakes Ui for Yui. They fired him for rapeing Ui.
- Nao Okuda: Nao use to be a punk rocker hat always listened to After school tea time music. While driving on her motercycle one day she stupidly falls of a cliff. She bang her head on a rock and was found by Azu-nya. Azu-nya said That nao use to be able to play every instrument in existence but because she banged her head she can't play anything anymore. Show Sawako decideds to make her the Bands producer.
People Who Aren't Part of the Band, but Hang Around Them Anyway So That They Can Get Raped[edit]
- Sawako Yamanaka: Sawako is the manager of After School Tea Time and formerly their teacher. Once a heavy metal artist of some notoriety, she has helped guide the girls of After School Tea Time on their path to super-stardom. She is best known for having given the band it's ridiculous name. A fan of raping the members of After School Tea Time herself, her association with the band has led to a growing number of people who wish to rape her.
- Nodoka Manabe: Nodoka is some random girl with short hair and glasses who hangs around After School Tea Time occasionally for some reason. She has a known history with Yui that may or may not include lots and lots of sex. She is also rumored to be close to Mio, something that is known to cause jealousy in Ritsu. In other words, she is a lesbian. People also probably want to rape her or something.
- Satoshi Tainaka: Satoshi is Ritsu's shota younger brother. He very much enjoys it when Mio sleeps over, because he rapes her in her sleep. He also sniffs her panties when she isn't looking. Speaking of panties, he is the one who picked out her striped panties which she wore at the first live concert. He is also quite rapeable himself, for certain people.
People Who Don't Want to Rape After School Tea Time[edit]
Now, you may be saying, but what about homosexual men and women without tendencies toward lesbianism? Surely they don't want to rape these girls, right? WRONG! I direct your attention to the picture at the right. Look, it's our rapable After School Tea Time girls drawn as yaoi pretty boys. The existence of this image is scientific evidence that the urge to rape After School Tea Time exists somewhere in the depths of the soul for even those not interested in girls.
So, simply put, it's universal. Anyone who says they do not want to rape After School Tea Time is going to Hell for lying.
Though famous for being raped, After School Tea Time is also a band. They make music and stuff.
See also[edit]
|This article is part of the Wonderful Japan series
|Culture: Bushido | Engrish | Manga | Cosplay | Domo-kun | Samurai | Japanese High Schools | Japan Self-Defense Forces | Ninja Gaijin | No Gaijin allowed | Domo-kun | PlayStation Portable | Nintendo Eightfold Path | Wii | Mario | Pikachu | Death Note | Usopedia | Yaoi | Hello Kitty | Naruto | Yu-Gi-Oh!
Companies: Toyota | Nintendo | Honda | Mazda | Mitsubishi | Konami | Sony
People: Chikan | Godzilla | Junichiro Koizumi | Shinzo Abe | Shigeru Miyamoto | Hikaru Utada | Oda Nobunaga | Toshiro Mifune | Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Places: Tokyo | Osaka | Hiroshima | Nagasaki | Fukushima Nuclear Plant


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Where the wild things were
On the weekend of the 'super' full moon, escape artists, mind readers and ghoul gurus from far and wide were in Beaumont for the Texas Ghost Show on Saturday, March 19. The event is one of the largest paranormal conventions in the nation after only it's second year.
Big names in both paranormal investigation and entertainment at TGS were David Rountree, Brad and Barry Klinge of Discovery Channel's Ghost Lab, and Christopher Saint Booth of SyFy channel's Spooked TV.
As promotion for the show, escape artist Aron Houdini performed several escapes in various locations around town; beginning Thursday, March 17, Aron performed his signature regulation straight jacket escape while hanging upside down from a crane on Crockett Street—twice. While he is the great grand-nephew of Harry Houdini, Aron's execution of this stunt in particular sets him apart from every other performing illusionist in the world. All well-known performing magicians, including Aron's former mentor Lance Burton, escape from a specially tailored magician's straightjacket. Aron's straight jacket is the real deal.
Before his arrival, Aron threw a few challenges around town—one of which was accepted by the Beaumont Police Department. As promised, officers appeared at the TGS wrap party at the MGM Elegante Hotel Saturday night with the restraint device of their choice—two different sets of handcuffs. Aron promptly escaped both, keeping himself from being jailed for 24 hours (his end of the deal) and walking away with the restraints, which he plans to sell for charity.
Those who came out to see the young Houdini should plan to stay tuned on his career, as he said he is currently in negotiations for developing his own television show for a major network.
Whether you were impressed by his daredevil antics or not, Aron Houdini is currently traveling to his next show in Gettysburg, Penn., with two mementos from his visit in Beaumont:
BPD handcuffs.


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It's Vegas, baby! (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
By Mike Mulhern
Okay, so what do you think about these 2013s now?
No, not the drivers, not the crew chiefs, not NASCAR executives -- but you, the fans.
After all this is your sport. You pay the bills. You pay for the big jets and lavish salaries these men enjoy.
What do you think now about these new 2013s?
That is the big question, and NASCAR officials certainly want to hear your vote, yea or nay.
We can't trust the drivers to give honest answers on this, now that NASCAR has trashed their credibility. And we can't trust NASCAR officials to offer anything other than rosy stats and press releases.
No, it's up to you, and your own eyes, to make the call.
After two rather boring Sprint Cup races to open the season, and that stunning $25,000 fine on Denny Hamlin for some relatively innocuous comments about the new stockers needing some tweaking, NASCAR's new race cars were the center of attention here Sunday afternoon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway...much more so than even drivers and teams.
Throw in precious little practice time leading up to the race, and precious little practice time on any of the 1-1/2-mile tracks like this one that are the predominant field of battle for this series, and consider that this track is wicked fast even on the best of days, and you can see where much of the worry came from.
It may have taken NASCAR execs too long to realize their car-of-tomorrow (which ran from 2007-2012) needed a major facelift, with the body especially but also under the chassis. But they finally have, and the new cars look rather neat, or at least cooler than the COT with its common template styling.
But will these 2013s perform? Will they really make the racing better?
Remember all those boring, caution-free, gas-mileage races the last two seasons. And the drooping TV ratings. And the dwindling crowds.
This sport clearly needs a big shot in the arm to get back on track.
Will the 2013s provide that?
Well, three races don't make a verdict, and the jury should withhold decision for at least a few more weeks.
And Sunday's Las Vegas 400 may not have been as wild and crazy as everyone would have liked. In fact, it was rather staid....not unusual for this track.
But there were a number of bright spots in Sunday's race.
These cars are definitely fast, very, very fast. And this is a fast track, and dangerous. And yet drivers handled all that quite well, it would seem.
They drove fast. They didn't lay back off the throttle. And yet they didn't crash either.
Now the action itself wasn't like, say, classic old-school Bristol. And there wasn't a pass for the lead and the win in the closing laps. But Kasey Kahne, who dominated, did make some moves on leader Matt Kenseth in the final miles, and there was a clear edge of doubt over the final 12 laps about who might win.
And Kyle Busch made a nice charge from the rear of the pack up through the field to the lead, showing passing is possible -- well, he is Kyle Busch, remember, probably the best pure racer in the sport.
The race was pretty tight a battle between Joe Gibbs' Toyota guys (and yes Hamlin was right in there too, until a late yellow foiled him) and Rick Hendrick's Chevy guys.
Fords showed little, surprisingly. And the Richard Childress and Chip Ganassi Chevy camps didn't have much for Gibbs and Hendrick either.
So we could give the 2013s in this race maybe a C-plus, you think? Even possibly a B-minus, considering all the potential negatives.
Not great, not bad.
And certainly better than the Daytona 500 (a D-minus, at best) and the Phoenix 500K (maybe a liberal D-plus).
And maybe Phoenix wouldn't have looked as weak as it did if the tires had done a better job. Even Goodyear concedes the tires weren't spot on (of course NASCAR changed the 2013 car rules considerably after the Phoenix tire test).
Now it's on to Bristol....which a year ago had its own set of problems, and a curious 'grind-down-the-high-groove' change-up repair job by owner Bruton Smith.
What are drivers saying, following Round Three of Project 2013?
Kahne and Keselowski, side by side post-race, only laughed when asked for comment.
Kahne: "My car drove good. I felt like I could pass. I could race underneath a car, do things that maybe I wouldn't have been able to do in the past."
Kahne pointed to the tires, last year's tires this week, new tires last week. At least the old tires here were a known quantity.
And his 2013? "I had a lot of fun driving it, and I thought it was a heck of a race. I got to race through cars, traffic, and battle for the lead four, five, six times. I felt really confident."
Kenseth got a good pit road call from new crew chief Jason Ratcliff, gas only late. That helped give him better track position.
"I knew we had to pit, and I was 'Try to keep me up front if you can,'" Kenseth said of the call. "When he said that we only needed fuel....then I heard him counting under his breath.
"So when I left pit road I was grinning. When you come to a new team, you're hoping to work with somebody who doesn't only prepare race cars to win races but who calls races to win races...and be aggressive.
"The last two weeks Jason has been really aggressive on both counts. We got the cars good enough to go up there and win races if all the stars aligned."
Ratcliff liked hearing that confidence in his calls: "We're going to pick up about a little over a second if we don't take tires, or we can take right side tires if there's going to be some more cautions later in the race. When Matt came on the radio and said 'Man, just keep me up front,' I said 'Okay, game on!"
Kahne was surprised he couldn't get around Kenseth, and surprised that traffic didn't slow him up much:
"I really thought I was going to catch him. And I felt I could turn down (under Kenseth) in the center of the corner and carry a ton of speed doing it.
"I felt really confident when I got to him I'd be able to do that.... like I had raced with Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson earlier.
"But when I got to Matt I couldn't do it.
"So I was trying to brake in, and mess with anything I could -- lift early, lift late. Tried it all, and just couldn't find a way past him.
"He did a really good job of keeping his momentum up, keeping his speed.
"He was cutting across me off the corner. He just put up a great battle... and pulled it off on old tires."
Where did all that emotion come from, that Kenseth displayed in victory? He's usually Mr. Cool, unflappable.
"There were a lot of reasons for that," Kenseth said. "I was pretty comfortable where I was at (with Roush). We had cars that could win. We had an organization that could win. Pretty comfortable.
"And this -- although I knew it's not really that much of a risk, and I'm 100 percent sure it was the right thing and all that -- still there's some pressure, some unknowns.
"I know they're expecting me to perform.
"Before this year I can't remember the last time I've ever been nervous at all inside of a race car, and every week it gets a little bit better. But you're always a little bit nervous, and you want to meet their expectations or exceed them.
"I'm pretty fired up to win with these guys. I hope there's a lot more in front of us.
"They've made me feel so welcome. Just glad I was able to do my job today."
I don't think it's the Gen6 cars themselves, but the rising speeds at the tracks that's really killing the racing. Sure you had a record number of passes for the lead at Vegas, but considering how boring the racing usually is at this track that's not saying a lot. The corner approach speeds are too fast, and the cars can't hold a steady line when trying to pass (and I mean really pass). Kahne was much faster at the end, but couldn't get enough control of his car to make a clean pass. Just no way to do it right at those speeds. I hope the rumoured horsepower cuts will come soon. Now, on to a race to look forward to.
Personally I love the look of the 2013 cars. I'm excited NASCAR knocked some weight off and put some more downforce in them. I think those are good changes to make. What I can't understand is why they haven't made drastic changes to reduce horsepower. You could add another 500 counts of downforce to these cars and they still wouldn't be able to race side by side. Bottom line is the cars are WAY too fast and we will never have side by side racing and frequent passing for the lead with the current engine configuration.
We saw yesterday in Vegas, the lead car still has a major advantage. On old tires, Kenseth was able to hold off Kahne. A faster car with newer tires could not pass the car in the lead, same old story. And I would agree with others that the tires are not where they need to be right now, and I agree with Jimmy Johnson about the asphalt on the tracks. It\'s too smooth and there is no rocks or anything mixed to wear the tires out. Softer tires will help, but softer tires create marbles and lessen the size of the racing groove. Some wider tires would be good IMO. I still think at this point its too early to pass judgement that the excitement for the new car is a waste. We need some other developments from NASCAR and Goodyear to make it be all it can.
While NASCAR continues to try to improve these new cars, we don't get a discount on our tickets or hotel rooms. If NASCAR gets it right some day, maybe then I will start buying tickets again
The cars are just to fast.They have been to fast for 15 yrs and nascar seems to not get it and they want good year to fix it
Goodyear can make the tires softer easily so they go away quicker but you risk blown tires.Why should goodyear solve nascar's problem?
nascar will have to do two things to get the cars slower.Take away half the spoiler and limit the efi.
In 1972 cars where running 180 mph with a 1.5 inch spoiler. Now they run 195 with a plate and 6 or 7 inches of spoiler. The '72 cars were bricks yet didn't need 7 inches of spoiler or a spoiler across the entire deck lid. The spoiler shouldn't be any wider then the trunk lid.Look at the front spoiler on petty's 76 charger. That's all that should be allowed and do away with those stupid bump stops sealing the cars to the ground.
racing has always been about who spends the most money.Having a laser scanning system to monitor the cars is a joke at best.It's not saving teams money; they are spending more and costing little teams even more.
Why does nascar need to certify every car built.Tech them at the track like you use too.
if nascar wants goodyear to solve there problems for them make the tires smaller.Less width equals less grip.Of course goodyear would have to retool for that and cost them millions.If nascar wants goodyear to solve there problems then let nascar pay it.
nascar should have had smaller engines 15 yrs ago and woulden\\\'t be in this mess now.You can\\\'t tell the difference from 160 to 190 just by looking at them go by so there is no excuse for the blinding speed they race now.
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imagine20 needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 32 designs submitted by 21 freelance designers.
SASH & Associates is an up and coming real estate firm and looking for a graphic designer to assist us with creating a new logo for our promotional and in-house materials.
SASH & Associates
Desired Color Scheme:
blue, dark blue & other colors
Desired Style:
Professional, Modern, Elegant
Accepted File Formats:
psd., gif, jpeg, etc.
-Concept: A lot of small dots that progress into a solid door or house. We would like to experiment with placing a sash across the door or door on the house.
-The dots should progress from left to right.
-Our name should be placed directly under or to the right of the logo and consists of 2 lines.
-If under, then the length of our name should be the same length of the logo.
-If located to the right, then the width of our name should be the same width of the logo.
-"SASH" must be capitalized and placed on the 1st line.
-"& Associates" must be in regular caps and placed on the 2nd line.
-We need a font that's elegant (i.e. Garamond, Sans Serif, etc.)
-The color for our name must be dark blue.
-Use various shades and tints of blue for dots on the logo.
- You may choose a solid color solid portion of the door/house, but it must compliment the design.
Any questions, please contact SASH & Associates via email at firstname.lastname@example.com or post directly on the contest forum.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Update: (Wednesday, 25 January, 14:30) It appears as if O2 has now tweaked its system to prevent your phone numbers being transmitted to websites you are visiting. We have checked with phones on the O2 network on both test sites listed below and both suggest the problem has been remedied.
O2 itself has yet to make an official statement on the problem, saying it is still looking into the matter.
(Originally Published Wednesday, 25 January, 11:00)
It appears as if O2 mobile phone users who use their handsets to visit websites are inadvertently giving their mobile phone numbers to the websites.
Lewis Peckover, an O2 customer and web systems administrator, noticed the problem when he was investigating ways to verify a user is on a mobile device/network. He has set up a website, here, to show all the headers (information) which is collected by websites about their visitors. You can also check what information is being sent out here.
It appears that unlike Vodafone, T-Mobile, Three and Orange, customers using O2 (as well as affiliates GiffGaff and Tesco Mobile) are unknowingly sending their mobile numbers to these websites.
Using both an O2 and GiffGaff SIM in the office this morning, we visited the site and it clearly showed the x-up-calling-line-id header which requests the visitors mobile phone number. While a person's mobile phone number on its own may not be seen as a breach of the Data Protection Act as it doesn't automatically identify the person, it is not an ideal situation.
According to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), phone numbers can be said to be personally identifying information (PII) but only in certain circumstances. Whether or not this circumstance is one of those is yet to be determines. There is more information on what can be thought of as PII on the ICO website.
While a website may not be able to identify you by an 11-digit phone number, more malicious sites may be able to use the information to send out spam messages to the phones which have visited their sites.
Angry O2 customers have taken to Twitter this morning to complain about the situation and O2 has responded, to almost every customer, saying its internal team is investigating the situation and will update everyone as soon as possible.
The phone numbers will only show up if you are browsing using 3G and not on Wi-Fi and while it seems that nearly all models and OSes are affected, O2 customers using BlackBerry devices don't' seem to be affected, probably because of how their traffic is handled.
We'll be updating this story as it develops, but for now let us know in the comments how serious you think sending your phone number without your permission to all websites is?
Source: Lewis Peckover (Twitter)