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Spider-Man 2002
After being bitten by a genetically altered spider, nerdy high school student Peter Parker is endowed with amazing powers.
After being bitten by a genetically altered spider, nerdy high school student Peter Parker is endowed with amazing powers.
Following the events of Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker, with the help of his mentor Tony Stark, tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City, with fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture, emerges.
Peter Parker and his friends go on a summer trip to Europe. However, they will hardly be able to rest - Peter will have to agree to help Nick Fury uncover the mystery of creatures that cause natural disasters and destruction throughout the continent.
The seemingly invincible Spider-Man goes up against an all-new crop of villains—including the shape-shifting Sandman. While Spider-Man's superpowers are altered by an alien organism, his alter ego, Peter Parker, deals with nemesis Eddie Brock and also gets caught up in a love triangle.
Peter Parker is an outcast high schooler abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors, his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.
Miles Morales is juggling his life between being a high school student and being a spider-man. When Wilson "Kingpin" Fisk uses a super collider, others from across the Spider-Verse are transported to this dimension.
Peter Parker is going through a major identity crisis. Burned out from being Spider-Man, he decides to shelve his superhero alter ego, which leaves the city suffering in the wake of carnage left by the evil Doc Ock. In the meantime, Parker still can't act on his feelings for Mary Jane Watson, a girl he's loved since childhood.
For Peter Parker, life is busy. Between taking out the bad guys as Spider-Man and spending time with the person he loves, Gwen Stacy, high school graduation cannot come quickly enough. Peter has not forgotten about the promise he made to Gwen's father to protect her by staying away, but that is a promise he cannot keep. Things will change for Peter when a new villain, Electro, emerges, an old friend, Harry Osborn, returns, and Peter uncovers new clues about his past.
Sony Pictures Entertainment and The Walt Disney Company jointly announced that Marvel Studios and its President Kevin Feige will produce the third film in the "Spider-Man: Homecoming" series, starring Tom Holland. The film is scheduled to release on July 16, 2021.
When an extortionist threatens to force a multi-suicide unless a huge ransom is paid, only Peter Parker can stop him with his new powers as Spider-Man.
Two episodes of the TV series "Spider Man" edited together and released as a feature.
Spider-Man and Daredevil team up to fight Kingpin.
At the New York State University, one of Peter Parker's tutors has accidentally given three students all the materials they need to create an atomic bomb. While Peter Parker tries to find out what's happened, the police suspect him of the crime, and Peter has to deal with an attractive journalist determined to get an interview with Spider-Man. Then dastardly millionaire Mr. White shows up, and will stop at nothing to get his hands on the atomic bomb. Spider-Man must defeat this scheming villain and stop him blowing up the World Trade Centre.
A space-shuttle crash-landing puts the famous web-slinger Spider-Man in contact with a living alien substance that bonds to his suit and enhances his super-powers. Unfortunately, the alien substance begins to change him and he feels the pull of evil, so discards the suit. The evil attaches itself to another host leading to an epic confrontation between good and evil.
A sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse.
Spider-man must rescue the beautiful daughter of the evil Dr. Lightning.
Vexed by Venom feature the voices of Robbie Daymond as Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Ben Pronsky as Venom, Josh Keaton as Green Goblin, Laura Bailey as Gwen Stacy/Ghost-Spider, and Tara Strong as Mary Jane. The special focuses on high-tech teft and finds Spider-Man trading wits with Green Goblin and Venom as the villains plan to destroy New York City.
Spider-Plant Man is a parody of Spider-Man, made for the Comic Relief 2005 appeal and aired on BBC One. It featured Rowan Atkinson as Peter Piper/Spider-Plant Man and Rachel Stevens as his love-interest Jane-Mary (parodying Mary-Jane Watson). Jim Broadbent also made an appearance, portraying Batman, and Tony Robinson as Robin.
The historical saga of American superheroes. Born in the period between the Great Depression and the World War II to combat the hobgoblins of the modern world, these mutant human beings with superhuman powers colonized the funny papers, radio dramas, television and films, to become a truly national industry in the United States: they gave expression to the fears and obsessions of the twentieth century and bolstered American ideals.
Spider-Man, also known as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, was an American animated television series based on the Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man. The show ran on Fox Kids from November 19, 1994, to January 31, 1998. The producer/story editor was John Semper, Jr. and the production company was Marvel Films Animation. The instrumental theme song for the series was performed by Joe Perry of Aerosmith. Reruns can currently be seen for free at Marvel.com.
An insecure but courageous and intelligent teen named Peter Parker, a new student of Midtown High, is bitten by a radioactive spider and given powers. He becomes a hero named Spider-Man after the death of his uncle and he must adapt to this new way of life.
While being trained by S.H.I.E.L.D., Spider-Man battles evil with a new team of teen colleagues.
Spider-Man is an American animated TV series based on the popular Marvel Comics character of the same name.
Spider-Man is an animated television series that ran from September 9, 1967 to June 14, 1970. It was jointly produced in Canada and the United States and was the first animated adaptation of the Spider-Man comic book series, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko. It first aired on the ABC television network in the United States but went into syndication at the start of the third season. Grantray-Lawrence Animation produced the first season. Seasons 2 and 3 were crafted by producer Ralph Bakshi in New York City. In Canada, it is currently airing on Teletoon Retro. An internet meme, commonly known as 1960s Spiderman, regarding the series has received an overwhelming amount of popularity. The meme consists of a screenshot taken at a random part of the series and adding an inappropriate and/or witty text. Since the death of Max Ferguson on March 7 2013, there are only three surviving members from the cast. Those three being Paul Soles the voice of Spider-Man, Chris Wiggins the voice of Mysterio and Carl Banas the voice of the Scorpion.
The Spectacular Spider-Man is an American animated television series based on the superhero character published by Marvel Comics and developed for television by Greg Weisman and Victor Cook. In terms of tone and style, the series is based primarily on the original stories by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, with a similar balance of action, drama, and comedy as well as a high school setting. However, it also tends to utilize material from all eras of the comic's run and other sources such as the film series and the Ultimate Spider-Man comics. The Spectacular Spider-Man premiered on March 8, 2008 during the Kids' WB programming block of The CW, and received critical acclaim. The series aired its second season on Marvel's sister network, Disney XD in the United States and ended its run on November 18, 2009, also receiving positive critical attention. Although a third season was planned, the series was cancelled before production could begin.
Spider-Man Unlimited was a short-lived American animated series featuring the Marvel comic book superhero Spider-Man. Unlimited premiered in 1999, but, although it had fair ratings, was overshadowed by Pokémon and the newly debuted Digimon, and was canceled after airing only a few episodes. Fox Kids later resumed airing the show from 2000 to 2001, airing 13 episodes, the last ending on a cliffhanger. Several scripts were written for Season 2, including the conclusion of the cliffhanger, but were never produced. Initially, the goal was to do an extremely low budget adaptation of the first 26 issues of The Amazing Spider-Man comic book, but Sony and Marvel had already engaged in a deal, and so Saban was cut from many source and couldn't use the traditional Spider-Man suit or adapt the early comics. Also, in the original idea, Spider-Man was stranded in a Counter-Earth in which Ben Parker didn't die and thus Peter Parker lacked the morale fortitude to resist becoming Venom. However Marvel Comics didn't like the idea and stated that they would not do a story with two Peter Parkers.
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends is an American animated television series produced by Marvel Productions starring established Marvel Comics characters Spider-Man and Iceman and an original character, Firestar. As a trio called the Spider-Friends, they fought against various villains.
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series is an American animated series based on the Marvel comic book superhero character Spider-Man, which ran for one season, 13 episodes, starting on July 11, 2003. It is a loose continuation of 2002's Spider-Man film directed by Sam Raimi. The show was made using computer generated imagery rendered in cel shading and was broadcast on MTV, and YTV. Eight months later after the series finale, episodes aired in reruns on ABC Family as part of the Jetix television programming block. The series featured a far more mature version of the character than typically seen on television for any animated comic book adaptation. Throughout the series, characters are clearly killed, rather than the usual ambiguous disappearance, and several characters are strongly implied to have had sex.
The Amazing Spider-Man is the first live-action TV series based on the popular comic book The Amazing Spider-Man, not counting Spider-Man's appearances on the educational The Electric Company series, and was shown in the USA between 1977-1979. It consisted of 13 episodes, which included a pilot movie in the fall of 1977; five one-hour episodes in the spring of 1978; six one hour episodes aired in the fall of 1978 and early 1979; and then a final two-hour episode in the summer of 1979. None of the episodes are available on DVD, but almost all of them have been released on VHS. Despite being set in New York City, the series was mostly filmed in Los Angeles.
Spider-Man is a Japanese live-action television series produced by Toei Company, loosely based on Marvel's Spider-Man character. The series lasted 41 episodes, which aired on the Wednesday 19:30 JST time slot of Tokyo Channel 12 from May 17, 1978, to March 14, 1979. A theatrical episode was also shown in the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival on July 22, 1978. From March 5 to December 24, 2009, Marvel uploaded English subtitled versions of all 41 episodes and the movie on their official website. While Toei's version of the character wore the same costume as his Marvel counterpart, the show's storyline and the origin of the character's powers deviated completely from the source material. In addition to fighting by himself, this incarnation of Spider-Man also piloted a giant robot known as Leopardon, which he would summon to thwart off enlarged versions of the show's monsters. Toei would adopt the giant robot concept in subsequent incarnations of their own Super Sentai franchise.


text: Articles and Advice from our Pet Expert How can I clean my labrador retriever's ears? Hi Kristen, Do you know of a good way to clean a Labrador Retriever's ears? Thank you, Ben Ben, You are asking the right person! My husband and I have had Labrador and Lab mixes for years! Here are the supplies you'll need: ear wash cotton balls cotton swab towel for wiping away excess liquid or to clean up afterwards First, talk to your veterinarian about what kind of ear wash is best formulated for your dog. Don't ever use undiluted peroxide because it may burn your pet's ears. Use a cotton ball and soak it with the ear wash. Then squeeze out the excess wash so it's not dripping. Gently place the cotton ball in your dog's ear and rub gently up and down. Next, soak a cotton swab with the ear wash and delicately clean the nooks and crannies of your dog's ear. During this process, it is natural for your dog to shake the excess liquid from his/her ears. This is perfectly fine. Now, "ears wishing you luck" with your pet's ear cleaning! Kristen Written by: Kristen Levine August 25, 2010

subset: commoncrawl


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Genevieve Lemon Joins UK Cast of BILLY ELLIOT As Of May 31
From 31 May 2010 Genevieve Lemon will join the London cast of the multi-award winning Billy Elliot the Musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre to play Billy's dance teacher Mrs Wilkinson. Lemon, a seasoned musicals performer in her native Australia, will make her West End debut as Mrs Wilkinson as the show enters into its sixth year in London. Twelve year old Aaron Watson from King's Lynn, Norfolk, will also join the Company to become the twenty third young boy to play the title role in the West End.Based on the Oscar nominated film, Billy Elliot the Musical is an inspirational story of one boy's dream to realise his ambitions against the odds. Set in the North East of England against the background of the historic 1984/85 miners strike, Billy pursues his passion for dance in secret to avoid disapproval of his struggling family. A funny, heart-warming and feel-good celebration of oNe Young boy's dreams, Billy Elliot the Musical features music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, is directed by Stephen Daldry with choreography by Peter Darling. The production features scenic design by Ian MacNeil, the associate director is Julian Webber, costume design is by Nicky Gillibrand, lighting design by Rick Fisher and sound design by Paul Arditti. Musical supervision and orchestrations are by Martin Koch. Multi award-winning Genevieve Lemon's extensive Australian theatre credits include, most recently, Billy Elliot the Musical at both the Capitol Theatre, Sydney, and Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne for which she won both the Sydney Theatre Award and Helpmann Award for Best Actress in a Musical as well as the Green Room Award for Female Artist in a Leading Role. For the Sydney Theatre Company she has been seen in productions including Summer Rain, Victory, The Republic of Myopia, Harbour, Hanging Man, Morning Sacrifice, The Olympic Revue, The Recruit, Merrily We Role Along, Miracle City, The Girl Who Saw Everything, Once In A Life Time, The Seagull andThe Madras House. Her other recent credits include Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical at the Regent Theatre, Broken Glass for the Ensemble Theatre, Piaf and Summer of the Seventeenth Doll for the Melbourne Theatre Company, And A Nightingale Sang and Brilliant Lies for Queensland Theatre Company and The Cosmonaut's Last Message to the Woman He Loved in the Former Soviet Union for Company B. On film her credits include Charlotte's Web, Holy Smoke and The Piano and on television she has been seen in The Flying Doctors and Neighbours. "My name is Aaron Watson and I am 12 years old. I live in King's Lynn which is a small town in Norfolk. I live with my mum Karen, my dad Nick, my brother Shaun and my sister Lisa. I have five pets - a dog called Rusty, two cats called Scampi and Molly and two guinea pigs called Scruff and Rolo. I first started gymnastics when I was five and then when I was seven I started dancing at Footlights Dance Centre, training in ballet and tap and then went on to train in modern, drama and contemporary dance. I am really excited to be playing Billy Elliot and I can't wait until my first performance. I would like to thank Bourne to Dance and all my dance, singing and acting teachers who have taught me everything I know!"As well as the current London production, Billy Elliot the Musical has been staged in Sydney and Melbourne, is currently performing at the Imperial Theater on Broadway and the Oriental Theatre, Chicago, with further productions due to open in Korea in August 2010, Toronto in February 2011 and Japan in 2011. In addition a North American tour is slated to begin in November 2010 and productions are in the works for Germany and Holland. Billy Elliot the Musical is presented in London by Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Tiger Aspect and is based on the Universal Pictures/Studio Canal film.Genevieve Lemon (Mrs Wilkinson) and Aaron Watson (Billy) join the current cast including, Dean-Charles Chapman (12 years old from Essex), Oliver Gardner (12 years old from Bath), Rhys Yeomans (12 years old from Oldham, Lancashire), who alternate the title role of Billy alongside principal cast members, Joe Caffrey (Dad), Craig Gallivan (Tony), Ann Emery (Grandma), David Nellist (George), Sean Kingsley (Mr Braithwaite), Samantha Seager (Dead Mum) and Barnaby Meredith (Older Billy). They are joined by Connor Kelly (11 years old from Scunthorpe), Jake Pratt (13 years old originally from Scarborough, now living in Middlesex) and from 26 April Joe Massey (10 years old from Cheshire), who will alternate the role of Billy's best friend Michael and Emily Smith (10 years old from County Durham), Fleur Houdijk (12 years old from Hartlepool) and Francesca Mango (10 years old from Northumberland) who alternate the role of Debbie. LISTINGS INFORMATION BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICALBooking until: currently booking until 18 December 2010
Theatre: Victoria Palace Theatre, Victoria Street, London SW1
Box Office: 0870 895 5577
Tickets: £19.50 - £65.00
Performances: Monday - Saturday at 7.30pm
Thursday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm
Website: www.billyelliotthemusical.com


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Ivanka Trump has been taken aback by how cruel her father's political critics can be, she said on Monday.
In an interview on Fox, the president's daughter and senior adviser revealed that she hadn't prepared herself for the onslaught of criticism from detractors.
"There's a level of viciousness that I was not expecting," she said. "I was not expecting the intensity of this experience."
Trump, who, like her father, does not have prior experience in Washington, said the personal attacks have been jarring. "Some of the distractions and some of the ferocity, I was a little blindsided by on a personal level."
Though dealing with critics of her father's administration is harder than she thought it would be, she conceded: "This isn't supposed to be easy."
From: Cosmopolitan US


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About Us
Saint Lucie Lanes
Saint Lucie Lanes is the Treasure Coasts Premier Family Entertainment Center positioned in the heart of Port St. Lucie, Florida with easy access from Florida's Turnpike or Interstate 95. Our facility is located 3 miles north of Port St. Lucie Boulevard right on the main thoroughfare of U.S. Highway 1.
Saint Lucie Lanes is an expansive facility with 48 state of the art bowling lanes and automatic scoring along with a video arcade, redemption center, full service food court, sports bar and billiards. Friday and Saturday nights we rock from 9 PM to Midnight with "Danc'n Bowl" where our live Emcee rules with games and prizes for strikes and special pin shots. Dance contests and spin the wheel for food, beverage and bowling perks. There are always daily specials, night and day, in all departments from bowling to food and beverage.
Saint Lucie Lanes hosts both competitive and fun adult, senior and junior leagues along with top local bowling events and tournaments. Because bowling is neither strength nor gender based and there is no expensive equipment to buy (we provide it all) so bowling is for folks of all ages and abilities. Best of all, Saint Lucie Lanes prides itself in the best customer service on the Treasure Coast!
Any great bowling center is not complete without a great pro shop. Within our center we cater to both beginner and professional bowlers looking to upgrade their performance. Dynamic Bowling is a full service pro shop carrying a large selection of bowling equipment from all major brands.
Saint Lucie Lanes is an established Family Entertainment Center serving the community it loves. We regularly host corporate parties, team building events and, of course, honor our commitment to local and national charities by offering extensive fundraising opportunities.
We constantly add more and more new and exciting changes so make sure you explore this website to see what we have to offer today and everyday day in the future. For more information call us at 772-461-5390.


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Hydrologistics Irrigation LLC was started in 2010 by Josh Proff with the vision of better landscape and irrigation for residential and commercial design and installation. We are a Bozeman irrigation landscaping company, specializing in sprinkler installation, maintenance, and repair, as well as landscaping, water feature design, and landscape lighting.
Contact Us today to schedule an appointment or to learn more about the irrigation and landscaping services we offer.


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Free Science Assemblies!
Fun Science USA offers free science assemblies to elementary, infant or junior schools located up to 30 miles from our Bath. Bristol and Killeen branches. Find out if your school is covered by entering your zipcode in the box to the right of this page. Schools can chose from 'Electricity', 'Chemical Reactions' or a combination assembly. Read on to find out why we are offering our services for free.
Why is it free?
We love getting children interested in science and provide a number of services for schools including our five week after school program. We hope that if you see how excited and engaged your students are during our assembly you will consider hosting the program (which carries no cost to the school). If, after the assembly, you decide the club is not for you – no problem! Your students will have received an experience they may otherwise have missed out on and that is enough reward for us. You can read more about the after school program and why we think we are the best company for your school here.
Are we eligible?
The assembly is free for all elementary, junior or infant schools up to 15 miles from Bath. All we ask is that you consider hosting the Fun Science USA after school program afterwards. If you decide it is not for you or your students then the assembly remains completely 100% free. If you are unsure if you fit into our radius just ask. The assembly itself lasts for 15 minutes.
We're still not sure.
If you need any more information or would like to talk to anyone about the free assemblies either email email@example.com or call 07708 214840. You can also read a great review of a fun science assembly here:
We'd like to go ahead and book a free science assembly!
Brilliant! If you would like to book an assembly please email email@example.com and let us know which school you are emailing from, the best days/times for an assembly and roughly how many children you would like the assembly to be for. If you are interested in finding out more about our after school program please let us know this in your email as well and somebody will get back to you as soon as possible.


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Imprint: Vintage
Published: 05/09/1991
Length: 352 Pages
Dimensions: 198mm x 22mm x 129mm
Weight: 246g
In the struggle for women's equality, there is one subject still shrouded in silence - women's compulsive pursuit of beauty. The myth of female beauty challenges every woman, every day of her life.
Naomi Wolf exposes the tyranny of the beauty myth through the ages and its oppressive function today, in the home and at work, in literature and the media, in relationships between men and women, between women and women. With pertinent and intelligent examples, she confronts the beauty industry and its advertising and uncovers the reasons why women are consumed by this destructive obsession.
Imprint: Vintage
Published: 05/09/1991
Length: 352 Pages
Dimensions: 198mm x 22mm x 129mm
Weight: 246g
"A smart, angry, insightful book, and a clarion call to freedom. Every woman should read it."
"Powerful... No other work has...so honestly depicted the confusion of accomplished women who feel emotionally and physically tortured by the need to look like movie stars"
"The most important feminist publication since The Female Eunuch"
"A brilliant, bracing book...The world has changed - a bit - over the past decade and a half, but not enough: this remains essential reading"
"Essential reading"


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In addition to the usual "No Smoking" and "No Alcohol"rules in Libbey Park, there is a "No Pets" rule. This is necessary because the large crowds attending the Festival create an environment that is not safe for pets. In addition, the County Environmental Health Department restricts the presence of pets in areas where food is prepared and served. We thank you for abiding by these policies.
Free Parking and free shuttle service to the festival (courtesy of HELP of Ojai) are available. Look for the purple signs as you enter Ojai, directing you to the parking lot.


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Alan Gerth
Alan Gerth (Radiological and Environmental Management): Alan went above and beyond the call of duty to find me a mouse to help relieve my carpal tunnel syndrome. He let me try about five different mice and was very generous with his advice on proper technique. I finally found a touchpad that works, and I'm so grateful. Thank you, Alan! -- Juliet Nguyen (Procurement Services)


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The History of the Industry
Marion Station, Maryland received its name because John C. Horsey donated the right-of-way in that area for the railroad and in return, the station was named for his little daughter, Marion H. Horsey (1851-1926) who was the great aunt of State's Attorney Robert D. Horsey.
Its present appearance does not indicate that this area was a thriving and rather wealthy community when Crisfield was still a tiny fishing village with much of it still under water.
Prior to the Civil War, Marion had a busy seaport at Coulbourn's Creek, with water deep enough for regular steamboat travel. In that area there was an elaborate wharf, stores, a machine shop, a shipyard, several homes, and later modern oyster packing plant. The main highway was located near this settlement After the coming of the railroad, the main businesses were relocated near the station and the highway changed for easier access to the railroad route.
Marion was the chief center of activity for all farming and general business activities for a large part of Somerset County. When the Crisfield "boom" in seafood started in the late 1860s, it outpaced Marion; and, in fact for a time it grew faster than any other community on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Nevertheless, Marion continued to be a progressive town for over another half century. For many years it was famous for being the largest shipper of strawberries in the entire world. The auction "block" at Marion was located in the center of the town. Buyers as far distant as Pittsburgh and Chicago congregated there to buy berries grown throughout Somerset County and parts of Worcester and Wicomico Counties. These berries were shipped in ice refrigerated railroad cars at the rate of several hundred cars per day during the peak of the season. It was not unusual to see trucks, wagons, and other conveyances loaded with strawberries lined up for over a mile waiting to go to through the auction block. During that period, Marion was so crowded with people that one had difficulty traveling from one end of the town to the other.
Marion, in its hey-day boasted of nearly a dozen stores, a hospital, two restaurants, three schools, a canning factory, a candy factory, a community hall, a bicycle shop, a movie theater, three or four blacksmith shops, two barber shops, a post office, two doctors, a railroad station, two very active banks, as well as a steamboat line and other business facilities.
Strawberry was the "King" which over a period of years poured millions of dollars through Marion into the hands of buyers and farmers who, like Crisfield and its seafood, "put all their eggs in one basket" and concentrated most of their efforts toward raising and marketing more and more strawberries. Most farmers depended upon the berry for practically all their cash income. They lived through the long winters on credit to be paid at the end of the next strawberry season. Land prices increased considerably because of the demand for more land upon which to grow more strawberries. Farmers used drainage systems, tide banks, and flood gates to utilize marsh areas for farming. Forests were uprooted and pasture lands destroyed to make room for the life sustaining, all important "King" Strawberry. Farming equipment, trucks, and tractors were purchased on credit to intensify and increase each year the production of the previous year.
The height of the strawberry "fever" was reached during World War I when berries sold at the auction block for as high as 30 cents per quart. That, in 1918 was a "lot" of money. Farmers and buyers could see nothing in sight except more prosperity. Local business people at Marion owned the auction block and generally restricted the buyers to local people who could financially guarantee payment to farmers. This caused buyers from other localities to purchase through local brokers on a five or ten cents per crate commission basis. These local brokers also owned or controlled most of the local household, fertilizer, farming equipment, and crate supple sources. These commodities were generally sold on credit and at top prices. Usually on credit purchases, 6 per cent interest was added to the total annual bill. This was a real money making system for the brokers because they were assured one income from brokerage, another income from profits on sales to farmers, and still another income from the top interest rates on their credit outlay. They were assured payment from the farmers because these same brokers bought the berries from the farmers and deducted for the credit before final payment was made to them. Farmers usually did not maintain books or records, and felt that in some instances the end of the season bill was greater than the commodities received; however, they had no recourse.
With the exception of the World War I period, the farmers never made much more than a normal living because the more berries they produced meant still greater income for the broker-buyers. Finally, in the early 1920s, signs began to appear which indicated trouble.
Increased acreage, improper crop rotation, plant disease, blight, insects, and other calamities spelled doom for not only the berry but for many of the farmers who grew them. The land had literally been "strawberried" to death; the crop became extremely difficult and expensive to produce. The Government "give away" programs also began to appear which made it increasingly difficult to obtain labor to harvest the crop. The industry was near collapse prior to 1929 and the depression finished the "job". The Marion farmers' exploitation, like that of the Crisfield oystermen's exploitation, evidently overbalanced nature and the "gold mine" disappeared.
During the late Twenties and early Thirties more and more families became bankrupt. Many farms were sold at auction for unpaid taxes. Many others were lost because of inability to pay interest on mortgages. In this manner farms were lost for ridiculously low amounts such as $1500 for an approximate sixty-five acre farm with a nine room home (only seventeen years old), together with outbuildings. Considering that even in those hard times the home alone in that particular case should have been worth at least $1200. The farm land, in effect, cost the buyer less than $5.00 per acre, and the buyer was the only bidder. One of the banks failed because of these conditions. Some farmers still tried to grow berries but the decreasing yield no longer made it profitable for many of the big city buyers. The remaining buyers were interested in buying only at low prices. At certain times there was only one buyer who could "name his own price". At other times the local buyers were accused of getting together on their prices and not paying over an agreed upon price. This apparently, was an effort to realize their former amount of profits in spite of the decreasing supply.
Many 32 quart crates of berries sold for $1.50 per crate, (less than 5 cents per quart), when the actual cost of the empty crate, plus the picking cost amounted to around $1.75, not taking in consideration the production and other expenses. However, the old practice of credit and annual settlement still prevailed. Many farmers, after a year's work on strawberries, did not have enough cash income to pay their creditors and therefore mortgaged their homes and farms which were eventually lost by many of them later. This same situation confronted their forefathers years ago when the Eastern Shore of Maryland was second only in the nation to Virginia in the production of tobacco.
For many years most local farmers had depended almost entirely on the strawberry. They knew no other way to make a living. Strange faces appeared as tenants and owners of farms which had previously been owned by families for well over a century. Many of the new farmers also failed. The situation is more or less still prevalent in that it is extremely difficult to maintain a modern standard of living on a small farm unless the farmer has some supplementary source of income. It is the current trend towards big business ownership for survival. The day of the small farmer who worked long hours and hard to help improve the standard of living for millions of other Americans with little regard for himself, is gone. In the late Thirties or early Forties, strawberry production dwindled so drastically that even the auction block was discontinued; and, for Marion, "King" Strawberry became just a memory. The brokers were evidently satisfied with the wealth they had achieved. After the berry was doomed, they made little or no effort to substitute other activities to provide a livelihood for those who had contributed to their success. The brokers either retired or engaged in other private businesses. None are left in the area. The strawberry farmer who, in many instances. lost his life's accumulations along with his family heritage, had nothing to fall back on, and is gone. The Marion, dream of the good old days and make the best of what is left, hoping that some day at least a portion of the past prosperity will return. Empty farmhouses, prevalent throughout the countryside, are grim and bleak reminders of former happy and prosperous times. They serve as "tombstones" for the once all important strawberry which created the very prosperity which caused its downfall. Currently, the rate of berry marketing in the entire county over a period of several years would not equal one day's marketing at Marion Station fifty years ago.
In many instances, chicken producers replaced the strawberry farmer. This industry has increased by leaps and bounds until it is no longer economically feasible for most farmers to engage independently in that activity. Could it be headed for the same destination as our former tobacco industry, our local oysters, and "King" Strawberry, and for the same cause?


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Justin Bieber Gives Impromptu Concert For Fans On Paris Balcony
Justin Bieber is so fan-friendly! He gave a free concert for his French fans! Watch the video here.
Justin Bieber isn't letting a concussion stop him from connecting with his fans. The singer invited his fans to a balcony window in Paris on Friday and created quite the scene.
Justin sang "Baby" and "One Time" into a megaphone while waving at his fans, who held messages for him saying "Thank You Justin".
The singer is on tour and has been tweeting up a storm today at his fans, announcing the happy news that his Toronto show sold out in 60 seconds! Congrats Justin!
Do you love how friendly the Biebs is to his fans? Watch the video and tell us what you think!


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Battery for Dell Inspiron 1100-5100 Series-Li-Ion 14.8v-6450mAH NEW [OEM]
Dell Inspiron 1100/5100 Series Laptop BatteryBattery Specs:Condition: Brand New. Dell Original OEM. Made in Japan.Warranty: 12 Months Type: Lithium IonNumber of Cells: 12Color: GreyDimensions: 5.8"" x 4.8"" x 0.76""Capacity: 14.8v/6450mAh/96 WHrHighest quality Japan SANYO battery cellsDell.com retail price: $159.00500 charge/discharge cyclesAverage Run Time: More than 3 hours [Actual run time may vary depending on the type of usage]Always on the go? No more worries for running out of battery power! You can back yourself up with a Lithium-Ion battery for your Dell Inspiron notebook. This 12-cell battery has capacity of 94 WHr. Lithium-Ion batteries are longer lived than conventional batteries and do not require replacement as often. There is no battery memory effect with a lithium-ion battery you can charge the battery whenever you like without fear of reducing its charge capacity. Moreover you do not need to drain a lithium-ion battery completely before recharging it. This product has been tested and validated on Dell systems to ensure it will work with your computer and is compatible with Dell Inspiron 1100 / 5100 notebooks. It is supported by Dell Technical Support when used with a Dell system. Dell Battery Part Numbers: BATDWOOL 312-0079. Manufacturer Part# 6T473 6T475 6Y912 7T670 [This battery is NOT compatible with Dell Part#312-0296 Manufacturer Part# 9T686]Fits Dell Laptop Models:Dell Inspiron 1100/5100 Series [For use with Dell Notebook PC type PP07L]
All-Battery > Laptop BatteriesDELL Laptop Batteries
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07875574 is referenced by 1 patents and cites 79 patents.
A substance and method for treating a subterranean formation using hydraulic fracturing. A non-metallic, substantially deformable, proppant particle is "elastically flexible" or "plastically compressible" and adapted for use at concentrations which will substantially create a partial monolayer. The method for treating a formation with a non-metallic deformable proppant, includes the steps of injecting a carrier fluid into the formation, the carrier fluid carrying an amount of the deformable proppant, wherein the carrier fluid is injected at a pressure and a flow rate sufficient to create or open an existing fracture or fracture network in the formation, and placing at least a portion of the deformable proppant in the fracture, the deformable proppant forming substantially a partial monolayer in the fracture, and reducing the pressure and/or the flow rate sufficient to allow the fracture in the formation to at least partially close, wherein at least a portion of the deformable proppant remains in the fracture to prop open at least a portion of the fracture.


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When it comes to partner marketing, 'finance' and 'innovation' are not typically two words you'd expect to see in the same sentence. Since the differentiation between financial services products like credit cards tends to be more subtle than between travel offerings like flights or retail merchandise like apparel, they seem to lend themselves more towards static CPA-style commission structures which are more difficult to customise. Additionally, a smaller number of highly-specialised partners dominate the industry, which can sometimes restrict innovation.
Recent Posts
Topics: Business Considerations, Technology, Training & Education
Our own VP Revenue, EMEA Sean Sewell sharing his insights in the sponsors panel session
As brands embrace "digital transformation" in 2017, the evolution of the performance marketing landscape continues to accelerate. This was a key focus at the inaugural Internet Advertising Bureau's (IAB) Performance Affiliate Marketing Conference last week in London.
Topics: Technology, Events


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From the Creaux's Nest
There is a lot going on the rest of the week. Bridge City and West Orange-Stark both play their homecoming games. At B.C., the 1965 Cinderella team will be honored on the 50th anniversary of playing in the state championship game. They lost but were the first Orange County team to play for the state championship. The following year, they became the first Orange County team to win a state championship. In his "Down Life's Highway" column, Roy writes about that time and how it affected a small Texas town. Since then WO-S has appeared in and won several state championship games. Bridge City however, was the first.*****Also going on this weekend is a big Cajun dance at the V.F.W. Hall to be held Saturday. A lot of music, food, fun and dancing with a Cajun girl. Come pass a good time.*****Bridge City's Matt Bryant and the 5-0 Atlanta Falcons come to the Superdome. It looks like another loss for the Saints.*****I've about gave up on all my college and pro football teams. I have a very long way to go. Hop on board and come along. I promise it won't do you no harm.
The debate in Las Vegas Tuesday night will occur after my deadline so all I can do is speculate. The two-hour live debate, on CNN, hosted by Anderson Cooper, features former first lady and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Vermont U.S. senator Bernie Sanders, her closest rival in the polls, former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley, former Virginia senator Jim Webb and former Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee. All of these candidates are very knowledgeable, with vast experience in government, a far cry from the front runners in the Republican Primary. Hillary walks a tight rope as she moves herself to the left in order to appeal to undecideds that are not firmly in Sander's camp. She must be careful not to swing too far from the center because that is where she will need to be in the General Election. She will also try to distance herself from the Obama Administration to give herself room to take on V.P. Joe Biden if he enters the race. Sanders has the most to gain. He's not a nationally know candidate and is an admitted Socialist who would have a hard time in the General Election but he comes across as very likable. Clinton and Sanders won't stray into personal attacks, however O'Malley, Webb and Chafee will have to get personal to draw contrasts with Clinton. This is the last big chance for O'Malley to come up in the polls. I suspect nothing will change much Tuesday evening. When the smoke clears, Hillary will still poll 70 percent among Democrats and Sanders won't have hurt himself. The other three contenders will make little headway. O'Malley maybe. All they wait for is to see if Biden enters the race. I believe it would be a mistake. I just don't believe he can win despite being very qualified. He comes off as the uncle who is the clown at the family gatherings. As far the debate, it tends to favor interaction and candidates quick on their toes, who can give precise responses. The pundits will say who they think won but voters may see it differently. If you happen to be for a certain candidate, you will see them as winning and the game goes on.
State Senator Robert Nichols, from Jacksonville, who represents Orange County, has been touring the district pushing his bill, SJR Proposition 7, on the Nov. 3 ballot. The bill proposes an amendment to the state constitution to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from the state sales and use tax and the tax imposed on the rental of a motor vehicle to the state highway fund. Under current law, those funds are deposited to the general revenue fund. The amendment would dedicate $2.5 billion from the sales and use tax annually to the state highway fund starting Sept. 1, 2017 and expire Sept. 1, 2032. Beginning Sept. 2019, 3.5 percent of revenue from the sales and use tax on motor vehicles exceeding $5 billion would be dedicated to the highway fund annually. The new revenue according to Sen. Nichols would be used only to construct, maintain or acquire right of way for public roadways. Not toll roadways. The population of Texas is growing at almost 1,000 new Texans per day. All These people need safe roads and bridges to drive on. Proposition 7, would present a politically viable means to secure a portion of the funding Texas needs. Sen. Nichols, who introduced the bill, says "Proposition 7 is a sustainable funding solution to our highway infrastructure need that does not increase taxes and dedicates existing tax revenue towards transportation projects." Nichol's and his side-kick, administration assistant J.D. Hale will continue to travel the district and should be back in Orange County again before the Nov. 3 election in order to push a good turnout for his bill. The Senator said, "If passed by voters, this legislation will be the largest single increase in transportation funding in Texas history without issuing debt."
10 Years Ago-2005
Three weeks have gone by since hurricane Rita hit Orange County. Hurricane Rita has fooled nature, it believes its spring. The fig trees that should be bare of leaves are loaded with small figs. Spring flowers are starting to bud. The 'Hurricane Lilies' are in full bloom. Orange County is way ahead of the other eight counties in the clean up effort. County Judge Carl Thibodeaux used money from the six-million dollar reserves and immediately started the restoration. Some of the other counties, without the money reserves, have had to wait on government money. Roads in the county have been cleared and are all passable. The county still has a burn ban in effect as debris is still everywhere. In Bridge City, near Roundbunch Rd., at Texas Ave., everywhere you look, in every direction, is destruction and rubbish. Dr. Mark Messer's place and the building that once was the old post office lost all roofing. At the end of the cleaned road, Bland Extension is a foot high pile of tin rubbish. The Bridge City-Orangefield game scheduled for Oct. 18, will be played in Bridge City at 4 p.m. Since no stadiums have lights most games for the next few weeks will be played in daylight hours.***In the City of Pinehurst, city hall is operating on generators. A full staff, including police, fire and utilities have been at city hall since Rita. Mayor Jerry Hussey reported all roads passable. Water and sewer are also being powered by generators. Orange County Sheriff Mike White, just prior to the landing of Rita, released minor, non-violent prisoners with instructions to contact authorities to settle their cases. The move helped save some of the cost of housing and feeding. The jail suffered significant damage in the storm, including damage to the roof and air conditioning units. Orange County has piles of logs, tree limbs, shingles, garbage and corrugated steel. Life has changed since Rita. Some people are homeless but thankfully schools and some businesses are opening. Electricity, as of Oct. 14, is almost all restored. The courthouse is set to open next week. Chuck Frazier, the Emergency Management coordinator says he has made arrangements with the Newton County judge to allow North Orange County residents to get ice and water from a Deweyville POD site. The annual Orange Lions Carnival, due to open the weekend Rita came, sustained significant damage to its rides and Lion members are working to clean the area and remove and repair rides. Mathews Jewelry suffered a total loss. Owner Stan Mathews has reported that he has begun rebuilding on Strickland Drive, next to Crazy Jose's. Betty and Corky Harmon reported three large pine trees fell through their home. That was typical of many homes in the area that were destroyed. Nearly four weeks after Rita destruction is still everywhere. Chain saws and hammers can be heard from all directions during daylight hours.
The Astros and Rangers blew a chance to wrap it up in four games. Now we have to hope at least one team will move on. I would like for it to be the Astros. Collin Gros, of Bridge City, was at the Astro-Kansas City game Sunday that Houston won. He got to see a first. A ball hit the roof and came down fair. Biggio said that had never happened before. He should know. I wonder when the ball came down if it had been caught would it have been an out.*****Boss Day is Friday. Like Columbus Day I wonder why? At least on Boss Day some good could come from it.*****We were sorry to hear about our friend Donald Wayne Cole,who has been diagnosed with melanoma cancer. The Bridge City Fire Department will have a fund raiser at Bridge City Wal-Mart Saturday. Our prayers are with this good man.***** Our buddy at Dupuis, Earl Duhon, has been given the green light. He is now cancer free. Just a couple more procedures and he's done. He said all the prayers did it and for that he is very thankful.*****Anheuser Busch and Miller reach a tentative agreement on merger. A cash deal of $64 million that will bring some of the world's most popular beers under one roof.*****A few folks we know celebrating their special day: On Oct. 14, our good friend since 1965, Harry Stephens, who opened Harry's Appliance over 50 years ago and still in operation, celebrates his birthday. Also celebrating are Kim and Lon Hubbard's lovely daughter Olivia. They are joined by R&B singer Usher, 36, fashion designer Ralph Lauren, 75 and James Bond actor Roger Moore, 87.*****On Oct. 15, Orange County's longest serving county judge, Carl Thibodeaux, reaches a milestone. Also celebrating are Sonny Childs, Becky LaFleur, Jennifer Peveto, Kory Freeman, Derek Borel and Allison LeBlanc. They join celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, 55, Michael's brother, Tito Jackson, 61, and royalty Sarah Ferguson, 55.*****Oct. 16, finds Barbara Harmon, Tommy's longtime bride, celebrating. Also Wayne Mulhollan, Barbara's longtime husband, Channing Larkin and Brad Brown. Celebrities joining them on this day are actresses Angela Lansbury, 89 and Suzanne Somers, 68.*****On Oct. 17, Judge Jimmy Scales, who has the pleasure or the burden of being married to Donna for many years, celebrates. He is joined by a bunch of other great folks. John's lovely wife Linda Heard and our longtime friend Sue Collins, Dr. Wesley Palmer, Coach Bob Puntes and BCISD employee Cheryl Royal, Bobby and Sherry's lovely daughter Rachel Tisdale and Johnny Dubose. They join country singer Alan Jackson, 56 and actress Margot Kidder, 66.*****On Oct. 18, Penny Becker, Tom Taliaferro, Bill Andes and Emily Hughes all celebrate. Also celebrating on this day are singer Chuck Berry, 88 and NFL coach Mike Ditka, 75.*****On Oct. 19, Phillip Todora, who is fortunate enough to be married to Janice has another birthday. Also our friend John and Joyce's daughter Judge Joy Dubose Simonton celebrates. They are joined by boxers Floyd Mayweather, Sr. 62, and Evander Holyfield, 52.*****On Oct. 20, Jason Yeamon, Kim Ezell, Jeanne Mullins and Jenne Mullins all celebrate. Celebrities joining them are rapper Snoop Dogg, 43, singer Tom Petty, 64. Happy Birthday to all.*****Playboy will drop naked women from their magazine. Hugh Hefner, 89, still editor-in-chief, said it's okay by him. The internet fills the demand. Now you're just one click away from every sex act imaginable for free so it's just pass' today All us guys only read Playboy for its good stories anyway. Sure!!!!*****Ten years ago, after Rita, everyone was uplifted when the Houston Astros beat the St. Louis Cards 5-1 and were headed to the World Series to be played against the Chicago White Sox. Margie Stepens still remembers that night. She woke Harry up to tell him the news. Can history repeat itself?*****The Wednesday Lunch Bunch will dine at Robert's this week and at Luigi's next week. Everyone always welcome.
John Heyduck, Eloise Stewart, Martha Kile, Ronny Arnold, Stacy Rhodes, Trey Miller, Dillon Crabtree, Eunice Barrett, Jerry Evans, Olivia Hubbard, Shirley Hudson, Becky Lafleur, Jennifer Peveto, C.J. Benoit, Sonny Childs, Sue Freeman, Kory Freeman, Suzanne Miller, Allison LeBlanc, Derek Borel, Eleanor Dahl, Morgan Lamb, Nancy Newton, Wayne Mulhollan, Barbara Harmon, Brad Brown, Christopher Brown, Edneshia Johnson, Channing Larkin, Gene McKinley, Linda Heard, Glinda Gomez, Pam Bowman, David Sargent, Harry Stephens, James Brown, Jeff Braus, Johnny Dubose, Linda Nicks, Rachel Tisdale, Sue Collins, Wesley Palmer, Bebe Ricks, Bob Puntes, Cheryl Royal, Evelyn Nobles, Lynn Bates, Mary Everett, Mary Kendrick, Penny Becker, Tom Taliaferro, Bill Andes, Dina Defrates, Emily Hughes, Frank Fraccastoro, Griffin Lemley, Julie Prosperie, Phillip Todora, Kristin Bertles, Madeline Kirby, Blake Hunt, Joy Simonton, Kyle Johnston, Leona Simmons, Mozelle Francois, Mary Nixon, Beth Baas, Rodney Cartwright, Ashley Sanchez, Jason Yeaman, Jeanne Mullins, Jenne Mullins and Kim Ezell.
Tree couples, an elderly couple, Joe and Clotile Broussard, a middle-age couple, Paul and Inez Comeaux and a young, newlywed couple, John and Marie Badeaux all wanted to join da new church dat was a little different. Da pastor, Rev. Calvin Gaspard, said, "We have special requirements us for new parishioners. You must first abstain from having sex for two whole weeks."
All da couples, dem, said. "We can do dat us."
In a couple of weeks da couples come back to see Rev. Gaspard. Da Rev. him, he ask da Broussards bout no sex. Old man Broussard replies, "No problem at all pastor."
Brother Gaspard say, "Congratulations, welcome to da church."
Den he ask da middle-age couple. Paul Comeaux answer, "Da first week was not too bad. I had to sleep on da couch da second week but we made it."
Brother Gaspard welcome dem into da church.
Da pastor axe da newlywed couple if dey had abstained. Badeaux him, fumbled around awhile and said, "No pastor, we did not us."
"What happened?" axe da pastor.
"Well, it's like dis," replied Badeaux. "Marie her, was reaching for a can of paint on da top shelf and dropped it. Wen she bent over to pick it up, I was overcome wit lust me and took advantage of her rat dere."
Pastor Gaspard say, "Paul, you and Marie understand, because you didn't abstain you will not be welcomed in our church."
"We know," said Badeaux. "Me and Marie are not welcome at Home Depot anymore eater.."
Congress should disband the Benghazi inquest. The congress has spent $4.6 million so far, on seven different hearing, on Benghazi and Sec. Hillary Clinton has been exonerated in each one. Now another hearing is scheduled for Oct. 22 . In May, 2014, Republicans set up a full blown house select committee on Benghazi with the partisan goal of going after the other party's leading presidential candidate. That was underscored when House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy boasted on Hannity's Fox News show that the inquest had driven down Clinton's poll numbers. He was telling the truth, and he couldn't run away from his remarks that drove him away from seeking the speaker-ship position, to replace John Boehner. Now a whistle blower has confirmed the planned witch hunt to destroy Hillary. The congress will try to save face. They will come up with some claims, even if they are not significant, they will make them sound serious. The Talking Heads will jump on the band wagon and repeat the talking points over and over What the congress should do is fold the Benghazi committee, claim they won, declare victory, because they accomplished what they set out to do, destroy Hillary's image in the eyes of many voters. She came from one of the world's most respected women to now having only 38 percent of voters believing she is truthful. That is only three points ahead of Donald Trump. Seven committees have debunked conspiracy theories. It's time to wrap this injustice up. They have done all the damage to Hillary that can be done. Now that we know the investigation is a sham, it is as likely to reflect poorly on the accusers. What's more. such an obviously partisan use of congress' role as overseer is sure to undermine future investigations. Three weeks ago, I said the Republican Party was unraveling. The week after Speaker Boehner walked out of Dodge saying enough already. They are so in disarray that they can't elect a speaker. The national polls show the Republican congress, with a 16 percent approval rating. Disapproval is 84 percent. It's time for them to quit playing political games and start governing.*****Thanks for your time. Take care and God bless.


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Read the article online here:
J.D. Power cites fall of satisfaction levels among on new-car buyers
Car buyers in the Philippine ranked Mazda as being the best car manufacturer to provide after sales customer service, beating perennial winners Honda and Toyota. This is according to the JD Power 2016 Philippines Customer Service Index (CSI) Study released last July 29, 2016.
Mazda Philippines president and Chief Executive Officer Steven Tan gladly welcomed the ranking for the brand citing that all their hard work in Mazda has come to fruition stating that, "the winners here the customers!"
Tan attributed the feat to the team effort between Mazda PH and dealerships. "We provide the processes and support. It's the dealers and their staff who takes care of the customers."
"We also have a unique program in the market, called YoJin 3. That's three-year free maintenance, three-year roadside assistance and three-year warranty," he added.
All new Mazda vehicles come fully loaded with the with YoJin3 total care package, which is aimed at enhancing the Mazda ownership experience at no added cost.
Mazda car buyers are given free three-year periodic maintenance service; free parts and labor for every scheduled service for three years or 60,000 kilometers, whichever comes first; free three-Year Roadside Assistance (nationwide); emergency towing assistance; minor on-site vehicle repair assistance; alternative travel assistance; arrangement of hotel accommodation assistance; vehicle removal; free three-year concierge service; dinning referral and reservation assistance; hotel referral and reservation assistance; golf course referral and reservation assistance; car rental and limousine referral and reservation assistance business services; flower and gift delivery assistance; and courier service assistance. Mazda purchases also come with free bumper-to-bumper coverage for three years or 100,000 kilometers, whichever comes first.
"All of these contribute to help us to be number one. But it doesn't mean that we stop trying. It only means that it encourages us to try even harder," Tan added.
Satisfaction levels fall
On the other hand, the study also revealed that customer satisfaction levels have dropped to the lowest market – booming car sales and fast-changing consumer profiles.
The study, which is now in its 16th year, measures new-vehicle owner satisfaction with the after-sales service process at an authorized service center by examining dealership performance in five factors: service quality (29 percent); service initiation (26 percent); vehicle pick-up (17 percent); service facility (14 percent); and service advisor (14 percent). Brand service performance is measured on a 1,000-point scale, with a higher score indicating higher customer satisfaction.
The overall service satisfaction averages at 822 points this year, down from 2015's 837 points with declines recorded across all customer service factors. In particular, satisfaction with service facility suffered the greatest drop of 24 points year-on-year, indicating that the large influx of customers into the service centers is straining capacity.
"Despite more service reminders being sent to customers for routine maintenance, customers are not reciprocating by making appointments for their service visit," said Loïc Pean, senior manager at JD Power. "We still see six in 10 walk-in customers and this exacerbates the capacity crunch at the dealerships. Dealerships have to be resolute to educate their customers to get into the habit of making appointments else it will be a formidable task for dealers to manage unscheduled workload and maximize throughput."
Adding to the complexity of the business environment are the dramatic shifts in customer demographics. Nearly three-fourths (72 percent) of customers are first-time new vehicle owners, up from 49 percent in 2015. The percentage of younger car owners (under 40 years) has also increased to 62 percent in 2016, compared with 52 percent in 2015. In addition, women constitute a larger proportion of new vehicle owners this year at 43 percent, up from 31 percent last year.
"As these changes happen in a fairly short span of time, dealers need to continually stay a step ahead to anticipate the changes so as to effectively address the multi-faceted needs of the younger generation. Those who are successful in meeting customers' expectations will reap the rewards of higher advocacy and loyalty," said Sigfred Doloroso, country manager at JD Power.
Among customers who are highly satisfied with their dealer service (overall satisfaction scores of 870 and above), 59 percent say they "definitely would" return to their dealer for post-warranty service and 62 percent "definitely would" recommend their dealer to friends and family. In contrast, among customers who are less satisfied (scores of 774 and lower), only 44 percent say they "definitely would" return to the dealer for post-warranty service, and only 48 percent say they "definitely would" recommend the dealer to others.
Study rankings
Among the 11 mass-market brands ranked, Mazda performed highest for the first time since the study's inception, with a CSI score of 845. Mazda performed particularly well in all five CSI factors. Honda ranked second (831) followed by Nissan in third (827).
The study also showed customers are waiting longer at every service juncture: The vehicle handover process time has increased by five minutes from 2015. Nearly half (49 percent) of customers say it took four hours or more to get their car serviced, up from 39 percent in 2015. Even the time taken to finish the paperwork and pick up the vehicle after service has increased, as 63-percent of customers say this process took more than 10 minutes, up from 49-percent in 2015.
Service initiation gains in importance in the study and accounts for 26 percent of overall satisfaction, yet it is the lowest-scoring factor in the study. Trying to arrange a service visit with ease is the main pain point for customers.
Only one third (34 percent) of customers are contacted after service to check if the work was performed up to their satisfaction. The incidence rate of this follow-up work has come down significantly from last year (45 percent).
The 2016 Philippines Customer Service Index Study is based on responses from 1,838 new vehicle owners who purchased their vehicle between February 2014 and May 2015, and took their vehicle for service to an authorized dealer or service center between August 2015 and May 2016. The study was fielded between February and May 2016.


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The problems contributing to the decline were examined in AHDB Horticulture project CP 025 in 2004. The main factor identified was that costs of production were outstripping income and the main recommendations were that growers should improve the collection of comparative data, collaborate to reduce costs and consider vertical integration into three tiers comprising composting, growing and marketing. More recently the dramatic fluctuations in energy costs have further eroded business viability. Optimising energy use and minimising costs are thus of major importance.
The problems of the availability and cost of skilled and semi-skilled labour are common to most sectors in horticulture and are recognised by Defra amongst others. The target of reducing labour costs per unit of production is a major challenge involving improved business management, increased capital investment and staff training.
The increasing concerns of the general public over the environmental impacts of production are reflected in the strategic and applied research and development addressing the issue of odours from mushroom compost production and the introduction of the revised Waste Regulations. The impact of the latter on the disposal of spent mushroom compost could add significant cost and further reduce viability.
Defra launched a public consultation in December 2010 on proposals to reduce and phase out the use of peat in horticulture by 2030. The impact of this consultation may significantly affect the industry which is keen to investigate any cost-effective sustainable alternative products.
The main R&D strategy, downloadable below, covers the main issues for the mushroom sector but the panel further encourages innovation and concepts on any topic which may benefit the industry. Please contact the relevant Research and Knowledge Exchange Manager to discuss any ideas.
Resource Management Team Leader


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Looking for a way to add a little more fun to your Fourth of July Festivites? Why not invite your favorite all-American mouse? My kids love Mickey (particularly my six-year-old) and we love to work the mouse into party decor. We thought we'd come up with some Mickey Independence day treats and decor to show our Disney Side this year.
I used a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter to make this festive Mickey Mouse fruit salad. It's pretty easy to whip up with watermelon, honeydew (or any other white/light fleshed melon) and blueberries.
If you are entertaining at home, this Mickey Mouse balloon arch is a fantastic way to dress up a table or create a dramatic entry. It's relatively easy to make but uses almost 100 balloons so I suggest you pick up a balloon pump!
We also enjoyed making these red, white and blue Rice Krispie "Firecracker" treats for our own celebration. They were simple to make. Instructions below!
1. Prepare your favorite recipe of Rice Krispie treats. Scrape onto wax paper until cool enough to handle.
2. Use an ice cream scoop or other small container to mold half circles.
3. Dip half circles into melted red chocolate. I used melting discs – I like to melt them in a mini crock pot. Be sure to set some discs aside for the ears. I used a fork to hold the half circle while dipping.
4. Press reserved discs into the dipped treats before the chocolate is hardened. Add sprinkles if desired.
5. When cool, thread a marshmallow or two onto a striped paper straw, top with Rice Krispie Mickey.
6. Bag treats in cellophane and tie with red/white/blue ribbon.
Optional: decorate marshmallow with candy.
Happy Fourth of July to you!More On


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There is something weird going on when changing the material of an iPart after it has been consumed in an assembly.
I have seen some heated discussions recently on this subject in the newsgroup and this triggered my attention.
You can argue that it is a defect and I entered it as such in our defect database. But in the meantime let's explain the behavior and what to pay attention to.
Here is the symptom of the problem: you will get a wrong assembly BOM after changing material properties in an iPart.
For discussion sake let's assume you changed the density from an erroneous value of 10 g/cm^3 to a more plausible value of 5 g/cm^3.
You will see the following (correct) iProperties of the individual iPart member
But on the other hand, the assembly BOM continuous to report the erroneous (double) mass value for the iPart:
How come? Here is the detailed workflow that can get you into this situation.
1. Create an iPart with some members
2. Save the iPart
3. Start a new assembly
4. Insert an iPart member in the assembly
5. Save and close the assembly
6. Open the iPart factory and make another material active (or change one of the properties of the active material e.g. change the density)
7. Save and close the iPart
When you reopen the assembly, it is not being flagged as being dirty and the original material or the origin material properties continue being used at the assembly level.
The key trick to avoid this situation is to do something extra in step 7 when you save your modified iPart.
If you include a Manage > Rebuild All step before saving the iPart, your assembly will be flagged as being dirty on open and the new or modified material is correctly used in the assembly.
To play it entirely safe , I would even suggest to do a "Rebuild All " , followed by an "Update mass properties" and finally shift select all iPart members and use the "Generate files" context menu to regenerate the iPart members on disk.
Too late for me personally but hopefully this will save the younger generation from some undesirable premature grey hairs.


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If there was a technique improvement that would enable you to run at the same heart rate but faster, would you want to know about it? Running economy, improving your technique, might help you improve your times. This might be it. It's not new but you might not have heard about it. Here are some videos (a video playlist) that will inform you.
Category Archives: run technique
Three Endurance Technique Development Exercises for Runners
This excerpt is from the book, Developing Endurance. It's published with permission of Human Kinetics. Purchase this book from Human Kinetics and help keep MyTriathlonTraining.com in online!
The athlete sits on the floor with the legs extended straight in front of the body; the arms are bent at 90 degrees at the sides. The athlete begins swinging the arms forward and back slowly. She gradually increases the pace, focusing on pushing the elbows back and keeping the movement in the sagittal plane (forward and back). When the arms swing very quickly, the entire body may bounce up and down. If this happens, the athlete should focus on using core strength to maintain posture and limit any twisting or cross-body swinging.
Focus points: Developing a smooth arm swing forward and back with elbows bent and hands relaxed
Butt Kicks
This is a traditional track and field drill that emphasizes the rapid hamstring pull. The athlete should allow the hips and knees to flex in order to maintain the range of motion specific to the running stride. While running slowly forward, the athlete alternately lifts the ankle vertically by quickly pulling upward with the hamstring. He begins slowly at first. The athlete can gradually increase foot speed so that he is pulling the heels up very quickly and taking a greater number of steps while moving forward very slowly (fast feet, slow body). The arms must be coordinated with the legs during this drill. The drill can also be done stationary.
Focus points: Mid-foot striking, awareness of using the hamstring to pull the heel upward, maintenance of a high stride rate, practicing the arm swing
The athlete begins by walking, running, or simply taking one or two running steps to build momentum. He pushes explosively off the ground with the back leg, driving the opposite knee up and forward to gain height and distance. The athlete keeps the heel of the driving knee under the hip, ready to land on the ball of the Continue reading
Triathlon Training Plan
Here's what a lot of you are looking for, a basis from which you can build your own triathlon training plan. You probably have questions like; How long do I base train?, At what point do I start to taper before a race?, When should I add speed work? You'll find many answers in Triathlon 101-2nd Edition, reprinted here by permission of Human Kenetics.
"Setting up your triathlon training calendar and log can be the two most important actions you take, perhaps more important than any swim intervals, long rides, or morning runs you do.
Your Triathlon Training Calendar
Your training calendar can be a preprinted calendar, a poster board, an appointment book, or a calendar software program that prints out customized monthly grids. Just make sure that you have enough room to write down your daily workouts. Your training calendar should also be on paper, as opposed to just on a computer screen. Although a software program is great for creating customized calendars, make sure it can print out monthly grids. You want your training calendar to be within plain sight, not hidden away somewhere on a computer hard drive. Dedicate a space for your calendar—someplace that you know you'll see every day. Once you've chosen your calendar and picked a place to put it, it's time to make the commitment and put pen to calendar (scary, huh?).
Work Your Way Back From Race Day
First, write your race goal on your training calendar. How much time does that give you to train properly? Again, take into account your current fitness level and skills. If you need to reassess your race goal and set your target on something more realistic, now is the time to do it.
Divide Your Calendar Into Phases
Although part II covers training in much more detail, you'll need to know a little bit about what experts consider to be the optimal way to train. Training in phases or cycles has long been considered the best way to condition the body to the rigors of endurance exercise. Each phase has a specific objective, and the workouts fulfill that objective.
Coaches and fitness experts don't always agree on the exact number of phases and objectives (largely because training differs among sports and elite athletes require more complex training plans). However, if you are a multisport novice or future triathlete looking for your first finish-line crossing, you should integrate some basic phases into your training calendar. Following is a brief description of each of these phases.
If you think you have a good handle on how much time you need to devote to each phase after reading this section, plan your training calendar accordingly. If you're super organized, you might even want to use color highlighters to block off phases, using a different color for each one. Don't worry about writing down specific workouts; that comes later. For now, just get familiar with the phases, objectives, and estimated time frames.
Initiation Phase (Beginners Only)
Objective: Learn a new activity never or rarely performed before.
Estimated time: Depends on level of inexperience. If you are learning to swim the front crawl, this phase can take three months or more.
Base Phase
Objective: Create a foundation of training with gradual, safe adaptation to a physical activity.
Estimated time: Three to six months, depending on current conditioning, skills, and the distance for which you are training.
Speed and Technique Phase
Objective: Increase both the pace you can maintain and the efficiency of your exercise.
Estimated time: Three weeks to several months, depending on current conditioning and performance goals.
Race Simulation Phase
Objective: Boost race day confidence by completing workouts similar to what you will be doing in the event.
Estimated time: One to two months, depending on current conditioning and race goals.
Tapering Phase
Objective: Feel mentally and physically fresh for a race.
Estimated time: One to four weeks before your event, depending on the distance. Sprint-distance races usually only require a week of tapering.
Your Training Log
When you think of a journal or log, the first thought that might occur is sentimentality about the past. Part of the value of keeping such records is to remind you of your accomplishments, but keeping a record of your triathlon training and racing has more practical applications as well.
Training logs can help you avoid injuries and improve your performance. Maintaining an accurate log of your daily and weekly workouts is one of the best ways to keep on track. A log that chronicles the variables that affect your energy level and performance can help you achieve your triathlon goal.
You can purchase preprinted training logs. Some have motivating quotes and pictures and space for many variables. If you're a computer geek, several workout log programs are available.
There's no one way to keep a training log. Whatever you think are the most applicable variables are fine. Consider these variables for your own log:
• Hours slept. Current research suggests moderate sleep deprivation has little effect on performance during the adrenaline high of competition. Still, that ragged feeling during a three mile training jog might be the result of too little snooze time.
• Waking pulse. Record your beats per minute when you awake, preferably while you're still in bed. An increase of more than three or four beats can signal overtraining.
• Distances and times. Tracking correct distances and workout times can keep you honest. It is also your most reliable measuring stick to check your progress.
• Time of day. Studies show that our energy levels fluctuate during the day. As long as all other variables remain the same, you can pinpoint your peak time of day for a workout.
• Intensity. Use descriptive terms or a scale of 1 to 10 (1 is very easy and 10 is extremely difficult). Monitoring intensity levels is a key in avoiding too many back-to-back killer workouts (or in avoiding that crippling disease couchus potatoeus).
• Feelings. Though many things can affect your mood, a change in mood is sometimes a precursor to sickness and an indication of overtraining. For example, irritability can be an early sign that you're pushing yourself too hard.
• Injury flags. Pay close attention to any unusual pain, especially around the joints where most injuries occur. Note any such aches and pains in your log.
• Weight. Get on the scale in the morning, after you've relieved yourself. A 3 percent or more loss of body weight might mean you've lost too much fluid. Take an easy day or, better yet, a day off.
• Weather. If you are easily affected by heat, cold, humidity, or other weather variables, keep track of these conditions.
• Notes. Perhaps the best part about keeping a training log is flipping back to read about that special swim, ride, run, or race."
Designing Your Own Training Week
With one sport, you can understand how which days to train hard. The following is an excerpt printed with permission from Human Kinetics book, Run Strong, by Kevin Beck. It covers running only but the concepts cross sport lines. Understanding training rules of thumb will put you on the path to designing your own training patterns.
Based on my experience as an athlete and a coach, I believe that the most valuable tool for any self-coached runner is an outline to guide decisions regarding which workouts are appropriate. The various types of training, …
With one sport, you can understand how which days to train hard. The following is an excerpt printed with permission from Human Kinetics book, Run Strong, by Kevin Beck. It covers running only but the concepts cross sport lines. Understanding training rules of thumb will put you on the path to designing your own training patterns.
Based on my experience as an athlete and a coach, I believe that the most valuable tool for any self-coached runner is an outline to guide decisions regarding which workouts are appropriate. The various types of training, such as long runs, interval work, tempo runs, and so on, are all important and necessary for helping you improve as a runner. The key is classifying the various workouts and then scheduling them into your training consistently. Following a map–one that successful runners have used time and again–can ease the uncertainty and doubts that creep into every athlete's mind. Following an outline that has led to success allows runners to train with greater focus and purpose, knowing their work will achieve long-term results. A workable training schedule brings workouts together to form a routine that addresses every relevant energy system necessary for top racing performance and continued improvement over time.
I cannot name one individual heroic workout that will take someone to the next level, but there are a few workouts that, when done consistently and repetitively as part of a training schedule, can lead to substantial progress for the majority of runners. The surprising thing for many runners is realizing that the training principles are the same for any distance you want to race. It doesn't matter if the event is the mile, 5K, 10K, marathon, steeplechase, or cross country; the same training elements and concepts apply. As a coach, if I base an athlete's training on the key elements, the athlete invariably maintains his or her health throughout the season, improves his or her race performances throughout the year, and competes well at specific goal races. It's basic, it's fairly brainless to follow, and most important, it works.
The following suggestions will help you fit each of the six elements into your training consistently within your standard training cycles. Some advanced athletes who recover quickly can address all six within a single week. Athletes who require more time between hard efforts to recover fully should consider fitting these within a two- or three-week cycle. You can also try a 10-day cycle if one week doesn't work for you, but given that most people have schedules that revolve around a standard 7-day week, we tend to stick with 7, 14, or 21 days as the standard options.
For my athletes, I generally schedule two harder workouts every week, cycling through anaerobic-conditioning, aerobic-capacity, and anaerobic-capacity training. Once we've addressed each of these individually, we start the sequence of workouts over again; this allows us to elevate the athlete's fitness level by concurrently working all of the energy systems necessary for distance running success. For athletes who recover especially quickly, I schedule a separate anaerobic-conditioning, aerobic-capacity, or anaerobic-capacity session each week, thereby allowing the athlete to address all energy systems within a single training week. For those who require additional recovery, a single session each week of one of these types of training is sufficient, allowing the athlete to address all relevant energy systems within a three-week period. Here's the most effective route to incorporating the six elements in your program:
Step 1. Designate Your Recovery Day
Because most of the athletes I work with have families and careers, a recovery day is usually one on which they'd like to complete additional chores around the house, spend time with their families, or socialize. It may be a day to do little or nothing except read a book and relax. Others travel frequently for business and have a floating schedule; these runners need a day on which they can miss a run without feeling guilty. View the recovery day as a day to let your body and mind unwind and allow modern life to take priority over training. As an added benefit, it'll keep you healthy, allow you to improve, and help keep you motivated.
Step 2. Determine Your Long-Run Day
This is pretty simple because most athletes do their weekly long run on either Saturday or Sunday. Whatever works for you is fine, as long as you do it consistently. I don't have a hard and fast rule regarding spacing recovery days around the long run. In most cases, my athletes run a harder effort on Saturday, run long on Sunday, and run an easier day on Monday. This allows Saturday to be fairly hard and Sunday moderate while providing a recovery day following these back-to-back harder run days.
Step 3. Determine Your Primary Workout Days
On primary workout days you run scheduled harder workouts. My athletes schedule primary workouts every Tuesday and Friday in the fall. In the spring, the longer-distance athletes maintain this schedule, while the middle-distance runners adopt a Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday schedule. Depending on the length of your workout cycle, combinations of hard days vary. A 7-day cycle might include primary workouts on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Runners on a 14-day cycle might designate Monday and Thursday as primary hard-workout days. On the other hand, some runners can only tolerate a single hard workout each week and are therefore on a 21-day cycle. Based on your particular goal event, rotate workouts in this order:
1. 200s, 300s, or 400s at faster than 5K race pace (anaerobic capacity)
2. 800- to 2,400-meter intervals at 5K to 10K race pace (aerobic capacity)
3. Tempo run of approximately 30 minutes at threshold pace (anaerobic conditioning)
On the fourth hard-effort day, start over again with the 200s, 300s, or 400s at faster than 5K pace and work your way through the lineup again. In this manner, you address all the relevant energy systems needed for top-level performance. The 800- to 2,400-meter intervals at 5K to 10K pace handle aerobic capacity, the tempo runs address anaerobic conditioning, and the 200s, 300s, or 400s at faster than 5K race pace develop anaerobic capacity (economy).
Most runners use a 14-day schedule of two primary, harder workouts each week during the two-week period. The question arises: There are four harder workout days and three primary workouts to do, so should I adjust the schedule? Rather than starting again with workout one on the fourth workout day, would there be a benefit to focusing on one area of fitness more than the other? I allow for the following slight variations based on the fact that most athletes see the greatest improvement in race times by giving increased focus to aerobic-capacity development.
Week 1: Aerobic-capacity workout, anaerobic-conditioning workout
Week 2: Aerobic-capacity workout, anaerobic-capacity workout
During the final four to eight weeks of the training year before the championship racing season, I make the following adjustments based on event focus:
1,500 meters. Each week perform an aerobic-capacity workout on one day and an anaerobic-capacity workout on another.
5K to 10K. During week one, perform an aerobic-capacity workout one day and an anaerobic conditioning workout the second harder day of that week. During week two perform an aerobic-capacity workout one day and an anaerobic-capacity workout the second harder day.
Marathon. Each week perform an aerobic-capacity workout on one day and an anaerobic-conditioning workout on another.
Step 4. Schedule Your Double Days
I generally schedule double days on the primary harder workout days of the week because I want the athlete's hard days to be hard. Without exception, my top athletes do a minimum of two double days per week on Tuesdays and Fridays, the same days we schedule either the 200s, 300s, and 400s, the 800- to 2,400-meter intervals, or the tempo run. The more experienced athletes add double days on an additional two to four days per week as they see fit.
Step 5. Fill In Rest With Aerobic-Conditioning Runs
The remaining days should consist of runs varying in distance from 45 to 90 minutes. Whether you choose to do two-a-days and whether you keep to the shorter end of the 45- to 90-minute range or the longer end is as much a matter of preference and "recoverability" as it is a function of your chosen race distance.
To help illustrate the previous concepts in detail, tables 3.1 through 3.3 provide some sample training weeks using this program. These are not set in stone, but rather are intended to illustrate how to apply the training principles to the everyday training of fast competitive athletes who also happen to have careers and family obligations.
So that's it. Designing a training plan is important yet simple. I've described the elements it should include and provided examples of runners across the race-distance spectrum who have used these elements to form training plans that have taken them to the top of their game. Now, it's your turn. Reread this chapter along with the other information in this book, set clear goals, grab a pen and paper (or a mouse and computer), and go to it.
Five training phases for triathlon success
It's not often I can do this but the following is an excerpt from an upcoming book (currently only available as a pre-order), Triathlon 101 (Human Kinetics, due out March, 2009). In this updated edition reprinted with permission from Human Kinetics, Triathlon 101, you'll learn the five training phases for triathlon success.
"Training in phases, or cycles, has long been considered the best way to condition the body to the rigors of endurance exercise safely and effectively," says Mora. "Each phase has a very specific objective, and the workouts are thoughtfully designed to fulfill that objective." Mora suggests beginners approach training in five phases:
Initiation phase.
Specifically for beginners, the initiation phase allows the body to learn a new activity never or rarely performed before. Depending on the level of experience, this phase could take up to three months. "This phase may try your patience because you'll be learning at least one activity that you've never attempted before," Mora notes. "It is a time for your body to adapt gradually to new activity and to overcome the inevitable discomforts that go with triathlon training."
Base phase.
This phase creates a foundation of training with gradual, safe adaptation to a physical activity and consists mainly of long workouts done at a slow pace. According to Mora, the focus of this phase should be on gradual increases of the length of workouts of no more than 10 percent per week, a rule that is especially crucial for running and helps in avoiding common overtraining injuries. This phase can last from three to six months, depending on current conditioning, skills, and the distance being trained for.
Speed and technique phase.
This phase increases the pace you can maintain and the efficiency of your exercise. According to Mora, the speed and technique phase is for those who have already run a few races and would like to hone their skills. However, for those running a triathlon for the first time, Mora recommends dismissing any expectations of finishing in a certain time and instead focusing on simply finishing the race.
Race simulation phase.
This phase helps boost race-day confidence through completing workouts similar to those done on the day of the event. According to Mora, many first-time triathletes have questions about transitioning from one sport to the other and the transition's effects on the body. Race training improves performance on race day and provides the confidence needed for race day. "Workouts known as bricks combine two sports in a single session and are instrumental to any racing success," Mora explains. "If you complete workouts that simulate what you will be experiencing during a race, the shroud of mystery surrounding your upcoming first triathlon will soon begin to evaporate."
Tapering phase.
Tapering involves a period of decreased activity in the days or weeks before an athletic event. According to Mora, tapering allows the body ample time to recover from the previous months of training and refresh the muscles in order to be primed for racing. "Although there is much debate about the 'perfect' tapering schedule, it really depends on how fast your body recovers from training, how long you've been training, and what you are training for," Mora says. "And although there may be some disagreement about how to taper, experts do concur that you need to taper in order to perform your best."
"Hailed as a must-read for triathlon rookies, Triathlon 101 covers all the steps necessary for triathlon training. The updated edition also offers new chapters on what to expect on race day, information on off-road triathlons, and information on recovering to compete again"
Running technique
Kevin M. Beck has been a runner since 1984 and is currently a senior writer for Running Times magazine.
Beck has served as a distance running coach at various levels and is coached by two-time U.S. Olympic marathoner Pete Pfitzinger. He also helped coordinate a research study on exercise and diabetes at the University of California at San Francisco, where he was a diabetes researcher and exercise technician for the Mount Zion Medical Center.
He has written a book called, "Run Strong". In part of it he talks about Perfecting Running Form. With permission of Human Kinetics, I quote part of it here.
"As a physical therapist, I am often asked how the body should look while running. There are many biomechanical interpretations of proper running form. Most physical therapists' stand is that an athlete's individual flexibility, strength, and joint mobility define his or her form, so there is no one correct answer; however, a runner's knowledge of what constitutes basic proper form is important.
As detailed in chapter 1, running is broken into phases based on the positioning and movement of the foot:
- Footstrike. The initial contact between the ground and the foot
- Midstance. Composed of two subcomponents:
- Foot-flat. Body completely over the stable foot contacting the ground
- Heel rise. Beginning of the propulsion forward as the heel begins to leave the ground
- Toe-off. Final propulsion and last contact between the foot and the ground
- Swing-through phase. The leg swinging under the body getting into position for the next footstrike
To get a feel for optimal running form, try going through the following movements in slow motion while standing in front of a mirror. Balance on one leg and strike the ground approximately six inches (15 centimeters) in front of the body with the other foot, either at the heel or the midsole. Be sure to flex the knee of the moving leg 10 to 20 degrees and the hip 20 to 25 degrees and lean forward slightly at the trunk. As the body weight completely transfers to this foot, keep the knee bent, letting it cushion the joints at the foot-flat phase. The body continues to move forward, and the hip extends (straightens), the knee extends, and the heel lifts. This is followed by the toe-off phase. As the foot leaves the ground, the thigh swings backward maximally. The direction of the leg changes as the thigh drives forward, with the knee bending in the swing-through phase. Try this with each leg; a few rehearsals should give you a feel for the optimal relative positioning of each part of your body during an actual run.
That takes care of proper lower-body mechanics, but what should the rest of the body do during this movement? The following list describes upper-body movements and how they coordinate with lower-body movements.
- Maintain an upright body position while relaxing the shoulders and face. Less tension in these areas helps promote more relaxed, free-flowing movement throughout the body as a whole.
- Hold the sternum high. This allows the chest to expand and increases lung ventilation.
- Swing the arms from the shoulder joint forward and backward, maintaining a relatively fixed elbow bend at 90 degrees. The shoulder is a pendulum; allowing the arms to passively swing as a result of momentum imparted by gravity rather than actively "flailing" or pumping them minimizes energy wasted through excessive body movements.
- Synchronize the arms with the legs, mimicking the same rhythm. The arms are used for balance, momentum, and to assist with forward propulsion.
- Engage the trunk muscles with a slight lean forward to help support the upper body over a moving lower body. Think of a long spine and visualize space between each lumbar vertebra.
- Rotate the pelvis slightly forward. If you put your hands on your hips, under your fingers is the portion of the iliac crest called the ASIS (anterior superior iliac spine). These points of the hip move slightly forward as the leg swings through and prepares for the footstrike. This hip drive provides propulsion and forward momentum while wasting little energy.
- Let the knee drive the leg forward with the footstrike about six inches (15 centimeters) in front of the body. The feet stay under the hips and the hips under the trunk, which helps maintain the body's center of balance.
- Transfer your body weight evenly from one foot to another, making sure only one foot is on the ground at a time. If both feet are on the ground at the same time, you may not be propelling yourself forward efficiently during the toe-off phase.
- During toe-off and in the beginning of the swing-through phase, the leg must go past the front-to-back midline and behind the opposite leg. This creates propulsion.
Strong supporting muscles help you maintain efficient running form. When these muscles fatigue, your form deteriorates. Being aware of your running form and consciously trying to maintain form during the latter stages of a run are important means of preventing injuries. Of course, conditioning can help you avoid muscle fatigue and the muscles' failure to function. However, muscles will fatigue, especially in long events such as the half-marathon and marathon, so it's important to think about maintaining proper form. Although it is difficult to think of your form for the duration of a long race, reminding yourself of the basics when you start to fatigue centers your focus on the running motion and helps you optimize your performance. The visualization exercise at the end of the chapter emphasizes conscious awareness of proper head-to-toe form. Conditioning and form drills, detailed in chapters 1, 4, 5, and 6 will strengthen your body and enable you to put this visualization process into practice."
Remember to check out the running videos also.
Core training for triathlon: Part 1
In the last 3 years in particular, I have been working on my core strength and stretching. It helped my back problems, rehab after back surgery, swimming and stability. The core is the connector between your upper and lower body and should be thought of as a vital link for triathlon.
When you run, you swing your arms to counter to your leg movement. In the middle is the core. If you get out of your saddle while cycling, your hands grasp the handlebars while feet are in the pedals. The middle link is the core. The link between your stroke and your kick while swimming is your core.
As I increased my core strength, I noticed simple functional things in daily life also got easier like bending over, getting up and good posture. These make so much more of a difference now than when I was 18 years old.
Hopefully, you can see that core strength can be important to daily life as well as triathlon.
I used little else besides a physio ball,my body weight and the occasional medicine ball. There are a number of books available but from the ones I have read, I recommend these two:
1: Complete Book of Core Training
2: The Core Performance
"The Core Performance" has many exercises I do and it has training regimens for several different levels of athletes. I view the "Complete Book of Core Training" as successfully trying to be just that. It has many many pages of different core exercises with different variations to try.
Don't forget to check out the short videos on Resources/Core page as well.