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Traditional '40s-Style Ford Model A Roadsters - Time Machines
Building '40s-Style Hot Rods-And Four Guys Who Did
The history of hot rodding, just like the definition of a hot rod, is subject to as many opinions as there are hot rodders. But we do know for a fact that the American Automobile Association was recording speed records on the desert lakebeds of Southern California in the early '20s. And although it would be a while before the type of cars setting those records would be called hot rods, that's what they were. When the SCTA was started in 1937, it wasn't to invent a new hobby, but to help organize the already-popular pastime. By the '40s, the activities taking place on the dry lakes and streets around L.A. had become nationally known.
The style of those earliest hot rods never lost its appeal, and many hot rodders are dedicated to keeping that style alive. We're not talking about rat rods, we're talking about authentic hot rods, carefully built and faithfully following the look of the cars built prior to, and just following, World War II.
Four such hot rods belong to Logan Davis, Tyrell Pennington, Timothy Cicora, and Matt Winter, members of the Reelers Car Club. The focus of the Reelers is building hot rods typical of the cars that raced at the dry lakes and Bonneville in the '40s and early '50s. Since none of the Reelers have personal memories of that period, they've studied books and magazines, and talked to older rodders who actually were there, to build their cars as close to the era as possible.
Since the oldest member of the Reelers was born in the '60s and the youngest was born in the '80s, we wondered why they felt such nostalgia for an era they'd never personally experienced. They talked about things like returning to the roots of hot rodding, the innovation and ingenuity of the pioneers of the hobby, and the challenge of building a car before the advent of the Internet and a vast automotive aftermarket. "Those are the guys we are inspired by and the guys we try to follow," Matt says.
For Logan, part of it is the passion those early hot rodders had for their cars. "I'm also passionate about my cars because I built them," he says.
The Reelers will tell you up front that theirs aren't "period-perfect" hot rods. Look hard and you'll catch a detail or two that deviates from the old days. Components like butt splice connectors, hose clamps, tie-wraps, and some fasteners would be unfamiliar to a time traveler from the '40s, but reflect the fact that these hot rods have been built in the true traditional fashion: at home, by their owners, without much money, using parts collected from swap meets, friends, and from around the garage. These aren't museum pieces, they're functioning hot rods that get driven a lot, sometimes every day and sometimes on road trips hundreds of miles long. Their perfection doesn't come from 100 percent correct parts; it comes from a 100 percent correct traditional approach to hot rodding.
The Reelers have done a lot of research to identify the styles of '40s and early '50s hot rods-styles you'd want to follow when building a period-style hot rod today.
Body: The majority of cars racing on the lakes were Ford roadsters. Any year that looks good without fenders and running boards lends itself to an authentic traditional project. That would generally include T's to '34s, with Model A's predominating. An authentic car would feature an original body with modifications kept simple. Exceptions to that rule would be lowered aftermarket headlights and custom taillights, and '32 grilles on Model A's.
Paint: wasn't flashy in that era, partly because flashy paint didn't make a car faster. Cars were running the original paint or were repainted in low-key colors. Photos show black, dark blue, and dark green paintjobs-and considering that the cars most likely to be photographed were the nicest-looking ones, that's probably about as showy as it got.
Chassis: Many Model A's ran on stock frames in the early '40s. Deuce 'rails started gaining in popularity in the late '40s and early '50s. These frames were stronger than Model A frames so they became favored when Flathead V-8s (and then OHVs) started replacing lighter four-bangers as desirable engines. Solid axles, split wishbones, reversed-eye buggy springs, tube shocks, and hydraulic brakes (or mechanical on an earlier prewar car), nail the look of this period. Most cars would've featured a closed driveline and a banjo rearend and possibly a quick-change.
Tires and wheels: For '40s-looking rolling stock, keep it skinny. Photos from before the war show a lot of wire wheels. Later, solid steel wheels were more readily available and had the advantage of being stronger. Big 'n' littles gained popularity after the war as well. Tires were hard to come by during the war so rodders used what they could get. You'll see whitewalls in photos, but a lot more blackwalls. Dirt track tires or motorcycle tires in front also fit the style.
Engines: In the '30s and early '40s, Ford Model A and B four-cylinder engines, running two- and four-port conversions, were beating V-8s on the dry lakes. They'd been around long enough for racers to get them dialed in and to generate a lot of speed equipment. By the late '40s, Flatheads had become more common, but their popularity lost ground to the OHVs by the '50s. All three types of engines are represented in the Reelers' cars. Superchargers were rare, but were seen on the lakes. A pair of Strombergs or Holley 94s are a good choice for a traditional car today.
Interior: Upholstery, like everything else, was simple. Bomber buckets are popular today, but stock seats were more common back then. Two-tone vinyl was not the look yet; natural-colored leather, canvas, or fabric was more prevalent. GI blankets were frequently used as cheap replacement seat covers. In the dash, stock or early Stewart-Warner gauges suit the look.
Sources for the '40s
We can only skim the surface of '40s styling, but there are many resources for hot rodders interested in learning more. The Reelers acknowledged several books that served as guides to the style and culture of '40s hot rods. The Birth of Hot Rodding by Robert Genat and Don Cox is one of the best. Another is Dry Lakes and Drag Strips by Dean Batchelor. Check www.motorbooks.com or other online booksellers for these. Don Montgomery's excellent series, including Hot Rods in the Forties: A Blast from the Past, Hot Rods As They Were, Hot Rod Memories: Relived Again, Authentic Hot Rods, and Old Hot Rods Scrapbook are available from www.montgomeryhotrodbooks.com.
Jeff Norwell's cutaway '28-29 Model A demonstrates many of the characteristics typical of a '40s-era hot rod. Many other variations existed on rods of this period, but this example would've fit right in at Rosamond, Muroc, or El Mirage dry lakes or on the salt at Bonneville.
Fenderless Model A roadster body
'32 Ford grille
Louvered hood top
Lowered headlights
Flathead engine
Stromberg carburetors
Side pipes
Deuce 'rails
Dropped I-beam axle
Split wishbone radius rods
Buggy springs
Banjo rearend
Solid steel rims with center caps
Piecrust bias-ply tires
Bench seat
Simple tuck 'n' roll interior
Fuel pressure hand pump
'40 Ford steering wheel
Logan Davis
Castaic, California
'28 Ford Model A roadster
Logan Davis says his passion for his cars comes from the fact that he builds them himself. "To start with a pile of parts and end up driving it on the road a year later is what inspires me as much as the era itself."
He found the' 28 body through a friend of a friend. The guy who sold Logan his rusty old '28 roadster body told him that it came from a Colorado River bed. At the '10 Grand National Roadster Show, the car won the Best Roadster awards from the Jalopy Journal and the Shifters Car Club.
No modifications were made to the original '28 sheetmetal, although Logan did add a '32 grille, vintage Arrow headlights, old trailer taillights, and the '32 Chevy hood sides that make the A stand out. Jerry Armstong did much of the bodywork and shot the custom blue paint.
The original '32 frame came from a farm near the Kern River in central California. The 'rails were modified with a Model A rear crossmember. The frontend features an I-beam axle and '39 Ford spindles. Logan uses '32 springs in front and Model A springs in the back, with tube shocks and Lincoln brakes at both ends. Big 'n' little Firestone tires-5.50s and 7.00s-are mounted on '40 Ford 16-inch solid wheels with rings and caps.
Engine Machine Services in L.A. bored the '46 Ford Flathead 0.080-over to 270 ci. Logan did the assembly work using Egge pistons, 8BA rods, a Mercury 4-inch stroke crank, and a Clay Smith cam. The engine features 24-stud Evans heads and a two-belt system (one for the water pump and generator, and one for the fan). A Weiand high-rise intake manifold and a pair of Stromberg 97 carbs provide air and fuel, lit by a crab-style distributor. Red's Headers and Speed Equipment in Thousand Palms, California, provided the headers; glass pack mufflers provide the tone. Logan built the '39 transmission, using Zephyr gears, a stock shifter, and 9-inch clutch. A shortened torque tube spins 3.54:1 gears in a safety-wired '39 rearend.
Logan installed the dash from a late-'20s-era Oldsmobile and built a custom insert for the gauges from a war-era Chevy pickup truck. The '34-35 Chevy steering wheel was mounted on a '32 column. The bench seat came out of a '47 pickup and was narrowed to fit the roadster. Vic's Upholstery in Castaic handled the black leather pleated upholstery. Period aircraft belts finish the look.
"I try to build time machines," Logan says. "I love it when I'm driving down a road with no other cars, and no indications of the time period. It's like reliving a different era, experiencing what somebody would have experienced at that period.
"I know that I have reached my goal with the car when I'm at an event or a gas station and some older guy asks me, 'Is this so-and-so's car? He drove this in high school. It's good to see it out again!' When I hear comments like that, it makes it all worth it. The fact that somebody would confuse my car with one that came from that day makes me know that I'm doing something right."
Matt Winter
Culver City, California
'28 Ford Model A roadster
Matt Winter has been hot rodding since he was 13, and credits Logan Davis with influencing him in the traditional '40s style, and in teaching him a bit about period-correct roadsters. He has also been influenced by his grandfather, "who was a Model A guy," and by his father, who helped teach him do-it-yourself skills.
Of course he's been influenced by the generation of early hot rodders whom he calls innovators and builders. Following their example, he did the bodywork and paint on the '28. The body and custom aluminum hood came from an actual race car that ran on the dry lakes in the late '40s and at Bonneville in the '50s. Even the decklid louvers date back to the '40s. The headlights are Arrows from the '30s and taillights are teardrops from a '39 Ford. The windshield was chopped and laid back. Matt's father made the leather belt straps for the hood. Matt added a '32 grille. He shot the drab green-gray paint to give the appearance of buffed-out original paint.
The Deuce 'rails were built up with motor mounts for the overhead and a rear spring saddle. Matt also runs a pair of tube shocks in the rear, and '36 side-mount friction shocks and Model A buggy springs at the front dropped axle. A '39 pedal assembly is used with '40 Ford hydraulic brakes. The steering box is from a '39. For rolling stock, Matt chose 16-inch '40 steel rims combined with 5.00x16 and 7.50x16 World War II-era motorcycle-style tires.
OHV V-8s got the attention of hot rodders in the late '40s and early '50s. This '49 Olds Rocket 88 is the only OHV engine of the four Reelers roadsters. Machine work was originally done at Iskenderian's in Culver City, California, and the mostly stock engine runs an Isky cam. Matt runs Stromberg 97s on an Edmunds 2x2 intake manifold-and no mufflers on the custom-built exhaust. The Olds is backed by a '39 Ford top loader and cut-down torque tube driveline with a 3.78:1 '39 Ford rear at the other end.
He replaced the original dash with a '33 Pontiac dash with a '36 Packard insert and gauges, behind a '40 steering wheel. Manuel's Body Shop helped him cover the homebuilt bench seat with tuck 'n' roll leather. The lap belts are from a World War II fighter plane.
Matt says the roadster has provided him with a lot of experiences he wouldn't have had otherwise. "One of the most memorable was driving the car through the desert in the middle of the night on my way to the dry lakes for the first time. There are too many to think about, but one in particular was being able to show my father my car displayed at the Grand National Roadster Show before he passed. Seeing his eyes light up when he looked at this piece of art I'd built with my own hands using the tools he taught me how to work with was great. I'd like to pass this roadster onto my own kids when I have some-after they've built a car of their own, of course."
Tyrell Pennington
Travis Air Force Base, California
'30 Ford Model A roadster
Tyrell Pennington got into the hot rodding hobby through his dad, Don. Both are members of the Pasadena Roadster Club. "My dad, who was a teenager in the late '50s, would tell me stories about drag racing on Van Nuys Boulevard. He didn't have a lot of money, but he had a car. He built it himself and it was fast enough for him. Something about that made sense to me. Those guys were innovative and imaginative in creating ways to go faster. I'm trying to do the same thing they were doing. I'll run a part for a while and if I think I could do something better, I'll take it off and find something new to try to improve it somehow."
He started planning for this roadster when he was 14 and started building when he was 18. He was driving the car in patina'd finish when he met Matt Winter at the Pasadena Reliability Run several years ago. They discovered their mutual interest in World War II memorabilia and early hot rods, and Tyrell was soon a member of the Reelers. After blowing up the first motor, a '41 Merc, he rebuilt the whole car and painted it.
Tyrell runs the roadster without a windshield, emulating the look from the dry lakes when racers would've removed all extra street equipment, including fenders and running boards and headlights to eliminate weight. Tyrell keeps the BLC headlights in place; taillights came from a '47 Kaiser. The '32 grille shell is filled with an N.O.S. insert. The shiniest of the Reelers' cars was painted by Don and Tyrell, using PPG single-stage black paint.
The stock Model A 'rails were strengthened with the K-member from a '32. Period suspension parts include a '32 front axle, '40 spindles, split 'bones, and Model A springs with reversed eyes. Rear leafs were de-arched. Brakes come from a '40 Ford.
A set of 16x4 '40 Ford rims roll on bias-ply Firestone rubber. The rear tires measure 7.00x16 and the front dirt track tires are 5.00x5.50s.
The 24-stud Cyclone head Flathead is a '46 59L. Jim Grubbs in Valencia, California, did the machining. It's been bored and stroked, balanced, and blueprinted, and displaces 276 ci. Internals include a '49 Merc crank and rods with 11.0:1 Ross pistons. The cam is an original Howard M-12. The ignition is a Lincoln V-12 converted Harmon Collins with braided cloth covered wires. The dual Stromberg 48s with chrome scoops feed an original Evans intake. Tyrell built his own headers from 2-inch flex tubing and left off the mufflers. A '39 swan shifter shifts the gears in a '39 Ford, with an 11-inch Ford truck clutch. Torque is delivered through a shortened Model A driveshaft to a Halibrand Culver City quick-change with 3.62:1 gears.
The only roadster in the club without a bench seat, the '30 has buckets from a '29 New Standard barnstormer biplane, created from steam-formed wood, using bomber lap belts. Stewart-Warner curved glass instruments were added in the stock dash and in a lower panel. The steering wheel is from a '32.
Although the roadster is primarily owner-built, Tyrell gives credit to his dad, his brother Sean, and to Jerry Armstrong for their contributions to the car.
Timothy Cicora
Culver City, California
'28 Ford Model A roadster
Timothy Cicora's four-banger '28 Model A is the earliest-styled of the Reelers' cars, and built with "a lot of stuff I had hanging around the garage." Timothy is an East Coast transplant who, thanks to his father, grew up around cars. After moving to the Los Angeles area, it didn't take him long to get involved in the traditional hot rod scene.
"I was at a restaurant with my chopped '34 coupe. Matt saw it and stuck a business card on my coupe, with a note complimenting the car. I called him and we started hanging out. I met Tyrell and Logan through Matt and we started talking about a car club."
Not long ago, Timothy was driving a full-fendered '29 phaeton, but was looking for a prewar-style dry lakes roadster. His friend, builder Steve Beck, had a roadster but was looking for a tub, so they swapped bodies. A few body panels were in need of repairs but changes were kept to a minimum. The windshield was chopped 2 inches and the posts leaned back 5 degrees. The grille is the original '28 Ford piece. Manuel's Body Shop in Culver City performed some pre-paint bodywork and shot the gray primer sealer.
Timothy had done much of the chassis work when the car was still a phaeton. He added subrails to the original frame. It has a T spring in the rear to lower it approximately 4 inches. The front is lowered with a de-arched Model A buggy spring with reversed eyes, and a 2-inch dropped Model A axle. The frontend has stock spindles and a draglink steering setup, and rides on '39 shocks with aircraft-style tubular shocks in back.
The '32 Ford 18-inch wire wheels also contribute to the roadster's earlier, prewar style. He put 6.50-18 Firestone piecrusts on the rear and 5.50-18 Excelsiors up front. Brakes are '39 Ford.
The powerplant is what earns the roadster the most attention, and what provided the biggest challenge to Timothy. He built up the 0.060-over '32 four-banger was with an early cast-iron Winfield head with crow's foot chambers and a Winfield "R" cam. The Rajo-type manifold was machined to fit a pair of Winfield S-AA-D carburetors and Model B ports. Setting up the dual Winfield carbs was a lot of work, but a success. A Hallock exhaust manifold feeds into the unmufflered exhaust pipe. A '32 trans with a Model A clutch replaces the model A gearbox, and the Ford Model A rearend is geared 3.54:1.
The inside door panels were finished with the same brown vinyl as the modified Model A bench. Timothy made the steering wheel from a stock Model A wheel and a 15-inch swap meet donor. The leather cover was stained and laced by Reeler Matt Winter. The instruments are a mix of stock and Stewart-Warner.
Timothy told us about an experience he had driving the roadster with his father that captures the passion he has for his car. "My father was visiting from the East Coast and we were out in the roadster. The sun was coming up just as we began heading over the top of the hills into Pomona [California] and I said to my dad, 'What we're doing right now is what everyone wants to do. '"
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15 Ways Your 'Healthy' Restaurant Order Isn't Healthy
15 DIY Dishes That Are Way Better Than Anything You'll Find In A Restaurant
So this past January you've resolved to adopt a healthy nutrition plan. As such, when you sit down at a restaurant, you scan the menu picking out what appears to be the healthiest dish available. But are you really making a wise decision? Sometimes, these seemingly "healthy" items are really just calorie bombs in disguise.
We've sleuthed out the options that may trick you into committing a diet felony, so steer clear of these and prepare your own healthier option at home.
Lettuce Wraps
If it's wrapped in lettuce, it must be healthy right?
Wrong. While the high carb soft tortilla shell is gone, making it lower carb in nature, the problem is heavy sauces are typically added, not to mention add-ins like candied nuts, cheese, or even crushed taco shells.
Translation? Far more calories than you bargained for.
The Healthy Makeover
6 oz. ground chicken breast meat
½ tbsp. olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot sauce (optional)
2 large carrots, shredded
½ diced onion
2 minced green onions
10 sliced mushrooms
¼ finely diced red pepper
8-10 large iceberg lettuce leafs
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, ground turkey, carrots, onion, pepper, and mushroom. Sauté for 5-6 minutes or until no longer pink inside.
Next, add the Worcestershire sauce and stir through. Transfer to serving bowls and top with minced green onions.
Spoon into lettuce leaves and then wrap up before serving. Makes two servings.
Classic Burger
You may think that a restaurant version of the beef burger is far healthier than the typical fast food option because it's grilled, not fried, and surely their ground beef must be leaner, right? While they may use slightly leaner ground beef, they use no shortage of it. The average restaurant burger can easily come in over 600-800 calories once you include the bun and all the toppings.
Try this slimmed-down turkey burger recipe instead. With the calorie savings, you can even afford to add a slice of cheese.
The Healthy Makeover
8 oz. ground turkey breast meat
1 egg white
1 tbsp. freshly chopped fresh dill
1 clove minced garlic
¼ onion, finely diced
2 mushrooms, finely diced
1 tsp. olive oil
2 slices reduced fat cheddar cheese
Mustard (to taste)
Low sugar ketchup (to taste)
2 whole wheat English Muffins
Combine together the ground turkey breast meat, egg white, half the clove of garlic and freshly chopped dill. Form into two patties.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add remaining garlic along with onion and mushroom. Sauté until tender. Place on a non-stick grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side or until turkey is cooked through.
During the last minute of cooking, add the sliced cheese on top and continue to cook until melted. Add mustard and ketchup to the English muffin, top with burger and then spoon on mushroom mixture.
Makes two servings.
Bean Burrito
While bean burritos may seem healthy thanks to the fact they're loaded with high-fiber beans, they often also come packed with calorie-dense cheese, sour cream, and a thick wrap.
Try this lightened version for a protein and carb packed meal that will support any intense workout you have on the agenda.
The Healthy Makeover
2 cups pre-made brown rice
½ diced red bell pepper
¼ diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
6 whole wheat small tortillas
1 cup spicy salsa
½ cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
1 peeled, avocado, sliced
2 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and red bell pepper. Sauté for five minutes. To the skillet, add the black beans, brown rice, and salsa. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.
Add in the cheese and let stand for a minute until just melted. Spoon the mixture into the center of the soft tortilla and then top with sliced avocado.
Wrap up and serve. Makes three servings.
Sub Sandwich
You think that sub sandwich you're purchasing is the healthy choice because it's not deep fried and it's made with a protein source other than beef. Plus, those veggies make it legit, right? Before you mark this one down as a healthy option, consider the calorie level of that sub sandwich. Many come in at well over 600 calories or more, much of which comes strictly from carbs in the bread.
Try a lower carb, lightened version prepared on Ezekiel bread for a healthier dose of carbs.
The Healthy Makeover
2 slices Ezekiel bread
1 tbsp. mustard
¼ sliced avocado
3 oz. turkey or chicken breast meat
spinach leaves
sliced tomato
sliced cucumber
½ tbsp. Italian dressing
Smear the mustard over the bread and then top with avocado. Add the protein source plus diced vegetables. Top with spinach leaves and then drizzle on a little dressing, prior to covering with the other slice of bread.
Put together and serve. Makes one serving.
Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are one of the worst side dishes you can order, despite the fact they may look healthier than their fried counterpart. While French fries are deep fried and high in calories, mashed potatoes are typically prepared with loads of butter and possibly even some cream.
Lighten up with a mashed sweet potato version instead.
The Healthy Makeover
1 large sweet potato (about 1 pound)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
½ cup skim milk (or almond milk if you prefer)
3 tbsp. plain low fat Greek yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
Boil the sweet potatoes in a pot of water until tender. Drain. In a saucepan over low heat, heat the garlic and oil for a minute or two. Add the potatoes and then stir in the skim milk and Greek yogurt.
Begin to mash the potatoes until desired consistency is reached (or use an electric beater).
Add salt and pepper to taste preference and then serve. Makes two to three servings.
Chicken Strips
Here's a menu item that proves chicken isn't always your best bet. Chicken strips are loaded with carbs from the breading, and have more fat than any one person should eat in a meal thanks to the fact they're typically fried. The only good thing about this dish is the chicken it's made from.
Fortunately, you can create your own. Try this lightened up version of the classic chicken strip recipe.
The Healthy Makeover
6 oz. chicken breast cut into strips
1 egg white
2 tbsp. oat bran or rolled oats
1 tbsp. light Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. oregano
Whisk the egg whites in a bowl. Combine the oat bran, parmesan cheese, and oregano in a bowl. Dip the chicken egg whites and then into the oat mixture and then place on a non-stick skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Flip over and cook on the other side.
Makes one serving.
Eggs And Hash Browns
When you see the words "hash browns" on a restaurant menu, you might as well substitute the words "french fries" because they're pretty much the same. Don't let this morning menu option fool you. They're still loaded with fat, calories, and won't do anything to help your healthy diet plan. If you couple that with the fact that eggs prepared in a restaurant are typically loaded with butter, you have quite the diet problem on your hands.
This lightened up version will still taste great while offering solid nutrition to get your day started on the right foot.
The Healthy Makeover
2 cups cubed uncooked sweet potatoes
1 ½ tbsps. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
paprika to taste
1 cup sliced onion, peppers, and mushrooms
1-2 tbsp. milk
2 egg and 6 egg whites
½ clove minced garlic
Begin by heating the garlic and 1 tbsp. olive oil in a skillet. Whisk together the egg whites, eggs and milk until mixed. Sauté the vegetables in the skillet until slightly tender and then add in the egg mixture. Salt and pepper to taste.
Cook for 3-4 minutes, scrambling as you cook. Remove from skillet and cover to stay warm. Heat second tbsp. of olive oil. Once heated, add the sweet potatoes and sauté for 6-8 minutes or until soft, adding salt and pepper along with a little paprika.
Serve alongside eggs. Makes two servings.
Grilled Steak
Steak is a classic choice for many men, but if you aren't careful about the cut and the size when you order, you could end up with a 600+ calorie source of protein on your plate.
Lighten up at home. Choosing a smarter cut, keeping your portion size under control, and make sure that you grill it rather than fry it — this will help save you loads of calories.
The Healthy Makeover
12 oz. sirloin steak
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. ground pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp. low sugar ketchup
2 tbsp. white vinegar
2 tbsp. Stevia (or honey if preferred)
½ tsp. onion soup powder mix
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, and stevia along with the onion soup powder mix. Tenderize and flatten the steak to about ½ inch thickness. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet on high heat. Add the steak to the skillet and sear each side on high heat for 1-2 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium heat and then add about ¼ cup water and cover, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
Drizzle sauce on top and then serve. Makes two servings.
Fruit Smoothie
At your local smoothie bar? Don't be too quick to order that fruit smoothie you've be salivating for. Most are made using high fat yogurts, fruit juice, and can easily pack 500 or more calories per serving.
Smoothies can be a very healthy and viable option, if they are prepared right. Try this protein packed recipe below.
The Healthy Makeover
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 frozen banana
½ cup low fat, low sugar Greek yogurt
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp. almond butter
½ tsp. xanthan gum (optional)
2-3 ice cubes
Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse blend until desired consistency is reached.
Serve immediately. Makes one serving.
Chicken Caesar Salad
Many people order salads in restaurants thinking it's a healthy choice. Sadly, it's oftentimes far from it. It's not abnormal to find a restaurant salad coming in over 700 calories once the dressing and any toppings are factored in. Furthermore, creamy salads like Caesar are about as bad as it gets.
Try this lightened up version of a chicken salad that will offer just as much taste with a whole lot more nutrition.
The Healthy Makeover
12 oz. grilled chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 cups spinach leaves
½ cup mandarin orange slices
½ cup finely chopped broccoli
2 tbsp. dried cranberries
2 tbsp. slivered almonds
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup fat free mayonnaise
2 tbsp. honey
Combine the vinegar, mayonnaise, and honey to form dressing. Next, toss together the remaining ingredients before drizzling with dressing.
Toss one more time and then serve immediately. Makes two servings.
Loaded Baked Potato
While the baked potato on its own isn't a terribly bad option, the problem when ordering it in a restaurant is that it comes with far too much fat and calories added to it. You can thank the sour cream, bacon bits, and possibly even cheese melted on top.
Try this lighter version that can actually make for a balanced meal, or snack on its own.
The Healthy Makeover
2 small sweet potatoes
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
¼ cup reduced fat cheddar cheese
2 green onions, sliced
¼ cup salsa
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until done. Slice in half and separate slightly. Spoon the cottage cheese into the center of the potato, dividing between the two.
Sprinkle cheese on top and then cover with green onions. Place under the broiler for 30-60 seconds or until cheddar cheese melts.
Top with salsa and serve. Makes two servings.
Frozen Yogurt
Frozen yogurt may seem like the healthy alternative to ice cream, but usually it's just as high in sugar and often nearly as high in calories. What's more is that despite it being classified as a 'yogurt', it often offers very little protein at all.
You can change that in a hurry with this homemade frozen yogurt recipe.
The Healthy Makeover
½ cup frozen raspberries
¼ cup frozen blueberries
4 ice cubes
1 ½ cups skim milk
1 tbsp. stevia powder
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
¼ tsp. xanthan gum
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until thick ice cream consistency is reached.
Serve immediately. Makes one serving.
Chicken Pad Thai
`A delicious spicy dish that most people enjoy, chicken pad Thai is unfortunately another example of something that tastes so good that it can't possibly be good for you. Well you're right. Containing high fat and calorie ingredients and often served over a giant serving of white pasta, this dish will set you up for some serious weight gain.
In order to satisfy your Pad Thai cravings, try this lower calorie version below. By creating it yourself, you can ensure you get solid nutrition into your day.
The Healthy Makeover
8 oz. shirataki noodles
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
2 large eggs, beaten
12 oz. chicken breast
3 cups mung bean sprouts
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 green pepper, julienned
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp. reduced sodium fish sauce
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. peanut butter
¼ cup peanuts, halved
1 lime
Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, eggs, and chicken and cook until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from skillet and set aside. Heat remaining 1 tbsp. of olive oil and add the bean sprouts, green pepper, and mushrooms.
Sauté until slightly tender. In a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, fish sauce, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Stir together and then add to the skillet along with the chicken. Cook for 1-2 minutes longer.
Serve on top of yam noodles and then top with peanuts. Makes two servings.
Tuna Salad Pita
While tuna is definitely a great protein source to include in your diet, when it's mixed with high fat mayonnaise like it is when you get it at your local pita place, you can bank on more fat than you bargained for.
Try a homemade tuna salad recipe that offers good fats that will help keep your hormones in check and assist with the lean muscle building process.
The Healthy Makeover
1 can tuna, drained
¼ avocado, mashed
2 tbsp. Greek yogurt
½ tbsp. fresh dill
½ clove minced garlic
½ tbsp. dried onion flakes
1 whole wheat pita
1 cup spinach leaves
¼ cup finely diced cucumber
¼ finely diced red pepper
Mix together the tuna, avocado, Greek yogurt, dill, garlic, and onion flakes. Place in the center of a pita and then fill with spinach, cucumber, and pepper.
Serve immediately. Makes one serving.
Grilled Chicken Salad
Just like with Caesar salad, don't think you'll get off much better if you choose a regular salad just because it's, well, a salad. When looking at salads in a restaurant setting, always consider the ingredients being added. Whether it's dried noodles, bacon bits, cheese, candied nuts, or otherwise, chances are, you're taking in far more than you need.
This delicious grilled salad recipe livens up the dish with some fruit — a perfect option.
The Healthy Makeover
12 oz. chicken breasts, grilled and cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup fresh pineapple cubes
½ cup sliced red seedless grapes
1/8 cup slivered almonds
1 ½ tbsp. lemon juice
½ tbsp. olive oil
4 cups spinach leaves
Combine the olive oil and lemon juice. Set aside. Toss together the spinach, chicken, pineapple, and grapes. Drizzle with dressing and then top with slivered almonds before serving.
Makes two servings.
Healthy Diet

subset: commoncrawl


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Editor's Note: The following guest post is published with the permission of its author, Edward J. Schloss, MD, (Twitter ID @EJSMD) the medical director of cardiac electrophysiology at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, OH. Dr. Schloss was an investigator in the BLOCK HF trial.
In what has been described as a "game changer" for the field of cardiac pacing, the BLOCK HF trial was reported at today's AHA Scientific Sessions showing benefit of biventricular pacing over conventional RV pacing in patients with AV block and LV dysfunction.
Since the development of pacemakers over 50 years ago, doctors have treated patients with AV block with right ventricular pacing. Until about 10 years ago, this was felt to be harmless and potentially beneficial. Pacing algorithms were designed to force right ventricular pacing and create what was termed a "physiologic AV delay" in the hopes that controlling the timing of atrial and ventricular contraction would improve hemodynamics.
The DAVID trial, reported in 2003, turned the conventional wisdom upside-down, and first clearly showed the hazards of unnecessary RV pacing. DAVID was designed with the hypothesis that dual chamber pacing in patients receiving ICDs without bradycardia indications would result in improved hemodynamics and therefore improved outcomes as compared to conventional backup ventricular pacing. To the surprise of the investigators, the opposite proved true. The group receiving dual chamber pacing had about a 40% increase in mortality and heart failure hospitalization as compared to the minimal pacing group over one year. As this data was confirmed with additional trials, doctors moved to minimize right ventricular pacing in their patients and new minimal pacing algorithms were developed by industry.
Paralleling the movement to minimize right ventricular pacing, the technique of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for treatment of heart failure took off. Here the benefit of pacing right and left ventricles together was established for patients with heart failure and evidence of dyssnchronous ventricular contraction.
The BLOCK HF trial was planned to test the hypothesis that biventricular pacing would be superior to right ventricular pacing in patients with left ventricular dysfunction and heart block requiring pacing. Enrollment began in December 2003.
BLOCK HF enrolled patients indicated for ventricular pacing due to AV block who had at least mild LV dysfunction (LVEF <50% on optimal HF medical therapy) and NYHA functional class I-III. All patients then received biventricular devices (pacer or ICD depending on clinical indication) and then were randomized in blinded fashion to conventional dual chamber (RA-RV) pacing vs. biventricular (RA-RV&LV) pacing. Primary endpoint was the time to first event: total mortality, heart failure exacerbation requiring acute care or >= 15% increase in echocardiographic left ventricular end-systolic volume.
Enrollment and follow up continued with serial echoes and clinical assessments for over seven years with mean follow up just over three years. The sample size was determined by a pre-specified adaptive statistical analysis that took into account the results of repeated interim analyses. The study would complete for success, hazard or futility. A total of 691 patients completed randomization and were included in the final analysis (with 102 exited or lost to follow up). The study population was predominantly male with average age in 70s, and NYHA class II predominated. LVEF was average 43% in the pacemaker group and 33% in the ICD group.
In the final analysis, biventricular pacing led to a 26% reduction in the combined endpoint of death, heart failure exacerbation or LV enlargement. Excluding the echo endpoint, the clinical parameters remained favorable, with a 27% reduction in death or heart failure exacerbation. The heart failure curves diverge early and remain parallel and the mortality curves diverge at about four years and continue to separate.
In last night's investigator meeting, Dr. Anne Curtis, the study PI, called BLOCK HF a "game changer" that could lead to a new indication for biventricular pacing in patients with heart block and LV dysfunction. She acknowledged the limitations of the trial including a high crossover rate (predominantly RV to BiV) and some missing echo data. The very long follow up, however, could be interpreted as an advantage for the trial.
As an investigator in the trial, I was very eager to see this data and encouraged by the results. The trial was slow to enroll with very long follow up and we were just happy to see it reach fruition. Over the years, I've seen numerous patients develop heart failure after initiation of conventional pacing and it's good to know that we may be able to prevent this if a new indication arises from the BLOCK HF data.
As in all trials, we will need to be cautious in the application of the data. BLOCK HF should not spell the end for right ventricular pacing. For those patients with normal LV function or those who get minimal ventricular pacing (such as sick sinus patients), conventional RV pacing is still appropriate and avoids the additional cost complexity and hazard of adding an LV lead.


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New Haven, Conn. — Throughout the animal kingdom brilliant colors or elaborate behavioral displays serve as "advertisements" for attracting mates. But, what do the ads promise, and is there truth in advertizing? Researchers at Yale theorize that when males must provide care for the survival of their offspring, the males' signals will consistently be honest — and they may devote more of their energy to caring for their offspring than to being attractive.
The idea that males showcase their best qualities to attract females for mating isn't a new one, nor is the idea that they might be deceptive in what they are promoting. Instead, the new findings better predict the requirement for honesty in advertising as a function of the male's suitability for parenting, according to Natasha Kelly, a graduate student in ecology and evolutionary biology at Yale and lead author of the study.
The peacock's ornate fanned tail — or the primping and posturing of a guy in a bar ? are "advertisements" or mating displays that take substantial energy to maintain. When a male's energy is heavily focused on keeping up his appearance, he may have little energy to devote to caring for offspring. But that may be okay, say the researchers ? in species where he does not really need to tend to the kids.
Previous research suggested that, under certain circumstances, males could be dishonest about their parenting skills and still have high reproductive success. This new model, now appearing in the online version of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, examines the reliability of males' mating signals when they must care for offspring ? an aspect that was missing in earlier studies.
There are many species in which males could, but do not have to, provide parental care ? because females will pick up the slack. The Yale researchers focused on those species, like stickleback fish, where females cannot pick up the slack and males who do not provide care risk the survival of their offspring.
"This new work shows that when males can not escape the cost of failing to provide care, their advertisements will tend to tend to reliably indicate how much care they will provide," said senior author Suzanne Alonzo, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Yale.
"The qualifier in this case is where males are obligated to provide care," said Kelly. "In that case, the quiet guy in the corner might be giving the more reliable advertisement for fatherhood."
The National Science Foundation and Yale University funded this research.
Citation: Proceedings of the Royal Society B, online before print June 11, 2009,
doi: 10.1098/rspb.2009.0599
Suzanne Alonzo http://www.eeb.yale.edu/alonzo/index.htm
ecology and evolutionary biology http://www.eeb.yale.edu/
Natasha Kelly http://www.eeb.yale.edu/people/fourth.htm


text: Don't want the police or your local government to know where you are? Then put your cell phone in airplane mode or turn it off. Location tracking is inherent in how cell networks function; otherwise nobody's cell phone would ring. But new evidence from the American Civil Liberties Union shows that phone location tracking has also become a surprisingly common tool of law-enforcement investigations – with, but often without, a warrant. The ACLU recently obtained records from over 200 police departments and other law enforcement agencies around the U.S. They found that "virtually all" of these agencies track the location of cell phones with data supplied by wireless carriers. (For information on police in your state, check the ACLU's interactive map, which shows details from responding agencies. Not all states or agencies responded to ACLU's public-records requests.) But don't the police need a warrant for that? It varies by state, but carriers generally say they require a court order to release this data. Regardless of these requirements, however, "Only a tiny minority reported consistently obtaining a warrant and demonstrating probable cause to do so," said the ACLU. Not surprisingly, the ACLU disapproves of this practice. "The government should have to obtain a warrant based upon probable cause before tracking cell phones. That is what is necessary to protect Americans' privacy, and it is also what is required under the Constitution," states the ACLU on its site. Why would police want to track the current location of a cell phone or the history of where it's been? According to the ACLU's records, investigating crimes was a common and obvious reason cited. Some agencies reported that they track a cell phone's location only in emergencies, such as to find a missing person – but others have done this for nonemergency cases. Sometimes police requested data about all phones accessing a certain cell tower, rather than from a specific phone. Fewer than 5% of agencies reported never tracking a cell phone's location at all. Depending on where you live, this kind of surveillance may happen a lot. According to the ACLU, "Many law enforcement agencies track cell phones quite frequently. For example, based on invoices from cell phone companies, it appears that Raleigh, N.C., tracks hundreds of cell phones a year. The practice is so common that cell phone companies have manuals for police explaining what data the companies store, how much they charge police to access that data, and what officers need to do to get it." According to these manuals, most carriers require a court order to implement cell phone surveillance – which can range from data about inbound and outbound calls and text messages, to a detailed report of location history based on cell phone tower data. Costs can range up to several hundred dollars for each request. Of course, that data might point back to the dead end of a "disposable" prepaid cell phone which can be bought and activated with cash and without identification – a common strategy for activists, criminals, people in hiding and others with concerns about surveillance. So tracing cell phone data isn't a guarantee that police will find the person or information they're seeking. As with searching data stored on cell phones taken from people under arrest (something which requires a warrant in some states but not others, like California), law enforcement officials often contend that obtaining a warrant to track a phone's location can delay solving a crime or finding a person in danger. But the ACLU found that some police departments – notably in the county of Hawaii; Wichita, Kansas; and Lexington, Kentucky – appear to have no problem regularly obtaining a warrant when needed to track a phone's location. This indicates that "a warrant requirement is a completely reasonable and workable policy," the ACLU said. "The government's location tracking policies should be clear, uniform, and protective of privacy, but instead are in a state of chaos, with agencies in different towns following different rules – or in some cases, having no rules at all," the ACLU said. "It is time for Americans to take back their privacy." The ACLU's records request only applied to police requests for user and tower data from carriers. However, there are other ways to track a cell phone's location which almost anyone can use if you're willing to pay for it – and if you can get access to the phone you want to track for long enough to install a bit of software. Several commercially available mobile "spyware" apps can be surreptitiously installed on a smartphone to track not only its location, but all messages sent and received by any app on the phone (e-mail, instant messaging, etc.). They record every character you type, and more. These apps disguise their presence and remotely report back to a website where the person who's doing the spying can log in to see everywhere the phone has been, and everything it's done. Typically, spyware apps are marketed in a fairly creepy way – to snoop on spouses or children. But spyware can also help stalkers and other criminals close in on their victims. Spyware is generally legal to sell, but it may not be legal to use. That doesn't stop people from using it, of course. It's unknown whether U.S. state and local law enforcement agencies ever use mobile spyware, but clearly they're not the only ones who might want to know where you are and what you're doing. Your best line of defense from mobile spyware is to always protect your phone with a passcode or swipe pattern, even at your office or home. If people can't easily access your phone, they can't easily install spyware. Requiring warrants for all instances of cell phone tracking and surveillance based on carrier data is one step that the ACLU advocates. This would at least increase transparency and accountability for the practice. But if the police decide they want to know where you've been, it's likely that your carrier will tell them, for the right price. And right now, there's no way to prevent that. The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of Amy Gahran.


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Talented young winger Rui Fonte showed promise during his spell at Arsenal before moving on to further his career.
The Portuguese youngster joined the youth ranks at London Colney from Sporting CP in 2006 before becoming a regular in Neil Banfield's reserves.
Despite impressing for the second string he only played once for the first team, replacing Carlos Vela as a late substitute in Arsenal's 3-0 Carling Cup win over Wigan in November 2008.
The Portugal youth international gained vital first-team experience on loan at Crystal Palace later that season and played 10 times.
The forward was released at the end of his contract in summer 2009 and re-joined Sporting before loan spells with Vitoria Setubal and Espanyol. He made the move to Espanyol permanent in 2011.
Fonte is the younger brother of José, who won promotion to the Premier League with Southampton in 2011/12 after a spell with Crystal Palace.


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Hell Girl: Two MirrorsSynopsisAi Enma (Hell Girl) continues her job of banisher-to-Hell-for-hire, with a couple of new developments: a mysterious terrible tot named Kikuri joins her entourage, and Ai suddenly finds her services way overbooked when banishment to Hell becomes the "in" thing in the ironically-named community of Lovely Hills. ReviewHell Girl has always been a kind of lesser Tales From the Crypt. In Tales and its ilk, there were always awful people who would always meet their comeuppance in some gruesome and usually ironic manner. Hell Girl has the awful people, and the comeuppances, but the comeuppances usually aren't particularly gruesome; and while Ai and her entourage do like to "play" with the victims a bit, ultimately the banishments aren't usually particularly ironic for the bad guy- in Hell Girl, they're usually much more ironic for the banisher than for the banishee. The first season of this show started with this formula, but then started working on some interesting perturbations of it, and before too long segued into a kind of philosophical consideration of revenge versus forgiveness. This time, unfortunately, the formula rules (with one exception) until the final three or four episodes There's some new stuff here, but it seems mainly there to leaven the deadening effect of the formula. Kikuri is somewhat interesting, in an annoying way- a younger child than Ai, with enormous blue eyes instead of Ai's enormous red ones, she is the "bratty kid sister" stereotype with more sinister overtones than usual, and while I WAS surprised at what she actually turned out to be, I shouldn't have been. Second Season also provides backstories for the three members of Ai's "posse"- Khimokuren (the young one with the "Eye"), Wanyuudou (the old one, whose "wheel" connection is explained here), and Hone Onna (the lady who, except when interacting with humans, usually appears in traditional Japanese dress). Hone Onna is the "star" of the one bright spot before the last few episodes. In "Anna Sone's Intimate Holiday", we're introduced to Tetsuro, a ne'r-do'-well's ne'r-do-well, the kind of guy who, when he's literally handed everything he needs to make his dream come true, still can't (or more precisely, WON'T) make it happen. Despite his loser status as far as careers go, Tetsuro nevertheless has a certain charm with the ladies, and eventually accumulates an unlikely entourage that includes his abandoned wife; one of his later mistresses; and- of all people- Hone Onna, here taking the name "Anna Sone". Of course this is a Hell Girl episode, so ultimately it can't escape its pedigree, but until near the end it plays more like a French comedy than like Tales From the Crypt, and is a welcome bit of lightness in a mostly dark and dreary sea. The other bright spot is the last few episodes, where one typical revenge tale actually becomes a springboard for something at least different: a kid named Tamura gets unjustly accused of causing a disappearance (as well as the murder of his mom and the near-murder of his dad), and since he's already become a scapegoat, other folks with "grievances" rush to take advantage of that fact. People start vanishing in public, chaos ensues, and Tamura's universally blamed, though why nobody tries to banish him right away is unexplained (except as a plot convenience, of course). Late in the story, someone who'd actually sworn to protect Tamura is driven over the edge (figuratively AND literally), and does try to banish him- and the outcome of this sets up the ending of the season. Of the ending I'll only say that it seemed to me that it made the 400 years of Ai's post-life a kind of detour from her destiny, and it would have been a good ending for the series, if it had BEEN the actual end of the series. (Cue Season Three) Another problem with the show is its inconsistencies. For example, Ai makes a great deal of saying, late in the show, that she never turns down a request- when we've SEEN her do this at times during the season. Ai's entourage is not supposed to try to influence a "customer's" decision on whether to banish- but they occasionally do that, too. I have to admit I did kind of like the closing song this time (a melancholy thing called Dyeing Indigo). Like most Sentai Filmworks releases, this one has no dub track. I REALLY wanted to go three stars on this one, but the math wouldn't work out; too many 2-star episodes, only about 4 4-star ones. A blatant case of too little, too late. — Allen Moody Recommended Audience: There's some technically "underage" nudity late in the show, as well as a character with some unhealthy designs on his own sister. Cruelty to animals is still present also. Older teens and adults only. Version(s) Viewed: R1 DVD Review Status: Full (26/26) Hell Girl: Two Mirrors © 2006 Studio DEEN |
© 1996-2015 THEM Anime Reviews. All rights reserved. |


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I have a line formed by 2 lat/lon pairs, and the lat/lon of a point. I would like to find out the perpendicular distance between the line and the point on the Earth surface (can assume Earth as great sphere), and the minimum perpendicular vector (i.e. the projected "cross point" on the line).
I am trying to use Geotools 8.0 and JTS for this. Below captured my testing code:
//Coordinates in lon, lat
Coordinate linePt1 = new Coordinate(-5.71472, 50.06639);
Coordinate linePt2 = new Coordinate(-3.07000, 58.64389);
//Multiply all longitudes by the cosine of latitude.
linePt1.x = linePt1.x * Math.cos(linePt1.y);
linePt2.x = linePt2.x * Math.cos(linePt2.y);
LineString line = createLine(new Coordinate[]{linePt1, linePt2});
Coordinate pt1 = new Coordinate(-6, 54);
pt1.x = pt1.x * Math.cos(pt1.y);
Point point = createPoint(pt1.x, pt1.y);
double distanceOp = DistanceOp.distance(line, point);
System.out.println("Distance = " + distanceOp);
//Find the minimum perpendicular vector using "closestPoints()"
for (Coordinate c : DistanceOp.closestPoints(line, point)) {
System.out.println("=== " + c);
//verify if the point is on the line
System.out.println(CGAlgorithms.isOnLine(c, new Coordinate[]{linePt1, linePt2}));
the createPoint() and createLine() methods:
public static LineString createLine(Coordinate[] coordinates){
GeometryFactory factory = new GeometryFactory(new PrecisionModel(
PrecisionModel.FLOATING), WGS84_SRID);
LineString line = (LineString) factory.createLineString(coordinates);
return line;
public static Point createPoint(double longitude, double latitude) {
if (longitude < -180 || longitude > 180) {
throw new IllegalArgumentException(
"Longitude should be between -180 and 180");
if (latitude < -90 || latitude > 90) {
throw new IllegalArgumentException(
"latitude should be between -90 and 90");
GeometryFactory factory = new GeometryFactory(new PrecisionModel(
PrecisionModel.FLOATING), WGS84_SRID);
Point point = (Point) factory.createPoint(new Coordinate(longitude,
return point;
However, the result of "isOnLine()" return false. I was wondering if there is anything wrong.
Is there something wrong with my verification method, or actually the way I used to find out the perpendicular distance and the "cross point" on the Earth surface is not correct?


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This is another high ISO comparison between the Nikon D700 and a pre-production D800 (see also this related post). Here are details from the reader who shot the images (click on samples for larger view):
Here are some noise comparisons I have made in all ISO levels between D700 & D800 from ISO1600 to ISO 25600 with Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 lens at f/4. The crop area is in the almost extreme left of the frame and does not include the focus point, so it is not for resolution comparison, only for noise. The D800 files are downsized at 57% in PS to the D700 size, then cropped to 1:1 for comparison as same size pictures. I used RAWTherapee because ViewNX uses the noise reduction settings of the cameras. As ICC profile for D800 I have selected D7000 profile.
Another set of Nikon D800 samples at different ISO can be found on flickr.


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Sunny's Kitchen by Sunny Anderson
Stepping inside someone else's kitchen and getting to see the kind of food they cook ranks right up there among "my most favorite things." This is exactly the kind of feeling I get from paging through Sunny Anderson's book. I'm not familiar with her Food Network show, but I feel like everything she's about — from telling stories while food cooks slowly and making anyone feel welcome at her table to serving good southern fare with the occasional surprise from her travels abroad — is front and center on the pages of this cookbook.
Quick Facts
• Who wrote it: Sunny Anderson
• Who published it: Clarkson Potter
• The angle: Don't worry about the details; just cook the food you love.
• Recipes for right now: San Antonio Migas, Chicken and Chorizo Hash, Maple Bacon and Chicken Quesadillas, Brooklyn Beef Patties, Spinach and Artichoke-Stuffed Baguette Slices, Beefy Butternut Squash Chili, Shrimp and Garlic Fusilli, Fried Sweet Tea Chicken, Lemon-Thyme Spaetzle, Creamy Collard Pesto
• Other highlights:
The recipes here are mostly of the Southern Tex-Mex variety — lots of cheese and steak and smoky chili seasoning — but there are some surprises. Korean fried dumplings? Spaetzle? Spicy noodle bowl?! Although her family roots are in the Carolinas, Sunny's travels have taken her all over the world, first as an army kid and later during her own military career. I love how she shares not only her family's culinary history but also her own, very personal culinary history in this cookbook.
There's such a sense of enthusiasm throughout this book. Some of that is the Food Network's signature mega-watt smile that's always amped up to 11, but some of it is definitely Sunny's own charismatic personality. In both the photos of Sunny in her kitchen and in the stories she tells with each recipe, I feel genuine warmth and an honest desire to share the recipes she loves.
• Who would enjoy this book? Fans of Sunny, bored cooked questing for new ways to spark up their weeknight meal routine, anyone who loves a good party
Find the book at your local library, independent bookstore, or Amazon: Sunny's Kitchen by Sunny Anderson
• Visit the author's website: Sunny Anderson
Apartment Therapy Media makes every effort to test and review products fairly and transparently. The views expressed in this review are the personal views of the reviewer and this particular product review was not sponsored or paid for in any way by the manufacturer or an agent working on their behalf. However, the manufacturer did give us the product for testing and review purposes.


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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – John L. Smith stood at the podium, pouncing with a smile on every question he was asked about his surprise hire as the coach at Arkansas.
The guy asked to pick up the pieces following the scandal-tainted ouster of Bobby Petrino handled everything thrown his way and was adamant Tuesday about keeping Arkansas in the thick in the Southeastern Conference and national championship races.
"I want to say that our expectations are the same," Smith said at his introductory news conference with a handful of players watching nearby. "Nothing is going to slow down. In fact, we're going to speed up. Our expectations are that we're going to battle and fight for a national title."
Those unfamiliar with Smith's ebullient personality, and those used to Petrino's low-key ways, quickly discovered that times have definitely changed in Fayetteville.
The 63-year-old Smith, who was an assistant for Arkansas the last three seasons under Petrino, is back after leaving the school in December to become the head coach at Weber State. He returns to a program that finished No. 5 last season and has even higher goals in the fall.
It's a program now led by the sometimes quirky and outgoing Smith, known as much for his adrenaline-seeking ways as for head coaching stints at Michigan State and Louisville, among others over 18 years. He's run with the bulls in Spain, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and loves to skydive.
Smith, who signed a 10-month, $850,000 contract that will allow athletic director Jeff Long to reassess Arkansas' coaching situation after next season, said he hasn't been skydiving in a couple of years. He said the decision to leave his alma mater after five months without coaching a game required a similar leap of faith, one made easier by his familiarity with the Razorbacks' coaching staff and players.
"I guess I've always kind of been that way, to a degree," Smith said. "If there's a door open, walk through it. If there's a window, jump out of it. It's like my wife (Diana) said, 'This is just another one of your adventures.'"
Smith replaces Petrino, who once replaced Smith at Louisville after the 2002 season. The two have worked together on four different coaching staffs in their careers, but Smith said he hasn't talked with the former Arkansas coach since he was fired April 10 for not disclosing his affair with a woman, Jessica Dorrell, he later hired as his assistant. Dorrell has resigned.
Smith has a 132-86 record as a head coach, including stops at Michigan State, Louisville, Idaho and Utah State. Long said he hadn't considered bringing Smith back as head coach until assistant athletic director Jon Fagg told him Smith had contacted the school with interest.
Smith said leaving Weber State was "one of the toughest decisions of my life." After nearly two weeks of searching for a solution, Long finally made up his mind to go with Smith Sunday night.
"I obviously said, 'Wow. I should be thinking about John L.," Long said. "This was the best decision for this team for the 2012 season."
One of the primary concerns for the players following Petrino's departure was keeping the current coaching staff in place. Petrino had been at the school since December 2007, and players such as rising senior quarterback Tyler Wilson had never played in any system other than Petrino's.
Bringing Smith back allows the staff to remain intact for at least the upcoming season, and it reunites the group with a familiar face. Smith said he will allow offensive coordinator Paul Petrino and defensive coordinator Paul Haynes to run their systems, but he made it clear he is the head coach and has final say on play calling.
Running backs coach Tim Horton said the uncertainty of the past few weeks has worn on the coaches. He was relieved to have a head coach in place.
"I think we were just focused and concerned for the players," Horton said. "You want what's best for the players, and I don't think that there's any doubt our players wanted to keep our staff intact."
Smith wasted little time in reminding everyone just how different his personality is from Bobby Petrino's. His hands rose and dropped with the pitch of his voice, his eyes widened, he joked with reporters. He was clearly a welcome sight for many.
Wilson said he texted Smith as soon as he heard of his return.
"It's a fulfilling moment," Wilson said. "I know he's a guy that is going to come in and help run things but not change things up. He's a great personality, a great leader, and I'm glad to play for him."
Smith was once thought of as an up-and-comer in the coaching ranks after leading Louisville to a 41-21 record over five seasons, including five straight bowl appearances. His star never shined brighter than in 2003 when he was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year for leading Michigan State to an 8-5 record in his first season. The win total was most by a first-year coach in the Spartans' history, but things went quickly downhill.
Michigan State was 14-21 in Smith's next three seasons, leaving him with a 22-26 overall record.
He made it clear Tuesday that he was eager for a shot a redemption at Arkansas, whether the job lasts 10 months or beyond. Long said Smith, along with the other assistants, would be evaluated and considered for the job following next season.
Long also said he would consider other candidates between now and then, noting that few coaches were willing to leave their programs during spring practice and prime recruiting time, even for a team that looks loaded.
"I will wait until after the season to take action, but certainly I'll be evaluating and I'll be talking to people," Long said. This really gives me extended time period to both evaluate this current staff and other coaches. So, it's really a luxury."
Either way, Smith said he was up for the challenge with a team that finished 11-2 last year, with its only losses to national champion Alabama and runner-up LSU. The Hogs were 21-5 over the last two seasons under Petrino and returns Heisman Trophy hopefuls at quarterback (Wilson) and running back (Knile Davis).
Petrino was known for leading Arkansas with a heavy hand. Razorbacks kicker Zach Hocker, who was offered an Arkansas scholarship by Smith and then coached by him for two seasons, called him "a players' coach."
It's just the first of what is likely to be many changes to come with the Razorbacks.
"We're going to be friendly, we're going to be accessible and we're going to take ourselves to the people as much as we can," Smith said. "We have a short period of time to do it, but you have to do it.
"We can't sit here in our little ivory tower, right?" We've got to get out there and motivate and get going, and we're going to do that."


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Legal notice
David Edwards, General Secretary Education International, 15 Boulevard Bischoffsheim, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium, Telephone: +32-2 224 06 11, Fax: +32-2 224 06 06, E-mail: [email protected]
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Education International reserves the right not to be responsible for the topicality, correctness, completeness or quality of the information provided. Liability claims regarding damage caused by the use of any information provided, including any kind of information which is incomplete or incorrect, will therefore be rejected. All offers are not-binding and without obligation. Parts of the pages or the complete publication including all offers and information might be extended, changed or partly or completely deleted by the author without separate announcement.
2. Referrals and links
Education International is not responsible for any contents linked or referred to from its pages. If any damage occurs by the use of information presented there, only the author of the respective pages might be liable, not the one who has linked to these pages. Furthermore Education International is not liable for any postings or messages published by users of discussion boards, guestbooks or mailinglists provided on his page.
3. Copyright
The authors and editors intended not to use any copyrighted material for the publication or, if not possible, to indicate the copyright of the respective object. The copyright for any material created by Education International is reserved. However, we do allow to copy, distribute and adapt the work under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license. For any purposes exceeding this license, e.g. any duplication or use of objects such as images, diagrams, sounds or texts for use in commercial electronic or printed publications, please contact the webmaster ( [email protected]).
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Please click here to view our current data protection policy. This policy is intended to inform individuals and organisations about the information we collect about visitors to our website, subscribers to our newsletters, our event attendees, our affiliates, and our partner organisations or subsidiaries. By collecting this information, we are acting as a data controller and, by law, we are required to provide individuals with the information Education International (EI) has about them, how EI uses individuals' data, and the rights individuals have to the data in our possession. To read more about the specific rules of data protection, collection, control, and processing with regard to the European Union's (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), please visit the EU GDPR Portal: Click here to visit the EU GDPR Portal. Our policy applies to any website, software, or service owned, operated, or utilised by EI, as well as to any subsidiary. This statement specifically regards any personal information collected, distributed, or shared by EI, through its web platforms. We may update this data protection policy to reflect changes to our information practices. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices.While our data protection policy will be periodically updated, the policy will remain permanently accessible through the following link: http://go.ei-ie.org/DataProtectionPolicy
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Community -- the community around GNU Hurd.
Trackers -- for reporting issues.
Mailing Lists -- preferred for general discussions, questions, bug reports, etc.
IRC -- for interactive discussions with a smaller audience.
Non-public mail contact to the maintainers.
If you have a concern you want to send to the Hurd maintainers without writing to a public mailing list, then please send email to email@example.com. Please don't send general support requests or questions there, but instead use the mailing lists.


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All official European Union website addresses are in the europa.eu domain.
See all EU institutions and bodiesDo something for our planet, print this page only if needed. Even a small action can make an enormous difference when millions of people do it!
In July 2011 intense rains left parts of Copenhagen flooded. The urban drainage systems could not handle the amount of water that came down in intensities up to 135 mm in two hours. Copenhagen's water problems did not end there. Shortly after the floods, large parts of the city were affected for weeks by contaminants in the drinking water in connection with water main repairs. Similar types of water-related problems occur in other cities.
More than three quarters of European citizens live in urban areas and rely on clean water in cities. Approximately one fifth of the total freshwater abstracted in Europe supplies public water systems – water that is directed to households, small businesses, hotels, offices, hospitals, schools and some industries.
Ensuring a steady supply of clean water to the public is not a simple task. The water system needs to consider many factors including population and household size, changes in the physical characteristics of land surfaces, consumer behaviour, economic sector demands (such as tourist activities), the water's chemical composition and the logistics of water storage and transport. It also has to factor in the challenges from climate change that can include unexpected flooding, heat waves and periods of water scarcity.
To prevent urban water crises, we need to manage water resources effectively at every stage: from the supply of clean water to its different uses by the consumers. This could involve reducing consumption as well as finding new ways of collecting and using water. Water management should also be better integrated within wider urban management while taking into account characteristics of the local environment.
Advances in technology and new pricing systems alone have already been proven to significantly reduce the amount of water used by households, which is typically 60-80 % of the public water supply across Europe. Technological improvements to domestic appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers, for example, have helped reduce water use without requiring a change in behaviour or an awareness of water issues.
More significant improvements are also possible with changes to the use of water for personal hygiene, which currently accounts for 60% of water use in households. Cistern replacement devices in toilets, for example, provide a cheap and simple way to reduce the water used by one litre per flush. Minor adjustments to shower systems, such as by aerating the water flow, can also result in water savings.
As set out in the EU Water Framework Directive, linking the price of water to the volume of water consumed can provide an incentive for a more sustainable use of water. In England and Wales, people living in metered properties use on average 13 % less water than those in unmetered homes.
Only 20 % of water used by the sectors receiving a public water supply is actually consumed. The other 80 % is returned to the environment, primarily as treated wastewater. Concreted and sealed surfaces in cities typically direct the rainfall to the sewer networks where it is merged with wastewater. This prevents the rainfall from infiltrating the soil and forming part of our groundwater storage that can benefit us at a later date. Rain runoff and wastewater often pass through water treatment plants before being returned to rivers, usually far away from the cities. With some changes to urban water systems, both rain water and less polluted wastewater could be returned to the city's water users.
One of these changes is the reuse of greywater. Greywater refers to all household wastewater that is not from toilets, such as wastewater from baths, showers, washbasins and the kitchen. This water can be treated directly on site or left untreated for use with less than drinking water quality for e.g. flushing toilets.
Cities could also harvest rainwater by collecting rainwater flowing from a roof or driveway in a receiving container and this water could be used for non-potable activities such as toilet flushing, washing cars or gardening. It could also be led directly to a ground water recharge. Such systems can be installed in households or businesses and will not require changes in consumption habits from the water users. There are, however, more steps that can be taken to improve the supply of water before it reaches domestic premises.
Keeping the water in the city by allowing the water to infiltrate the soil and accumulate in water bodies provides many benefits, including offering recreational space to local residents and creating a cooling effect during heat waves.
(c) ABC Open Wide Bay | flickr.com
The loss of water through leakages can be considerable; in Croatia nearly 40 % of the total water supply is lost in the water transportation network. Leakages can be prevented through maintenance and water network renewal, and also through the use of new technologies. Such technologies may involve sensors that recognise and locate the noise from a leak or devices that use radio signals to detect the presence of flowing water. With the application of these technologies, public water systems no longer need to face the extra burden of water loss through leakages when fulfilling water demands with limited supplies. Renewing the water networks, however, could require significant infrastructure investments.
Achieving a more sustainable use of urban public water supplies requires not only the implementation of measures such as those outlined above, but also raising public awareness on water conservation issues.
Various means are available to inform domestic, business and tourist water consumers, including websites, school education programmes, local authority leaflets and mass media. The eco-labelling of appliances and eco-certification of hotels, for example, can also play an important role in raising awareness by helping consumers make informed choices about water efficiency and conservation.
A truly sustainable use of our fresh water resources cannot be achieved without additional improvements to the sustainability of urban water use.
For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/articles/water-in-the-city or scan the QR code.
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Today's phrase: "search engines that do not collect personal information."
We Googled it this morning (with the quotation marks) and got one measly hit — a 2012 forum in LinuxQuestions, a message board that explores the open-source operating system.
When the challenge was posed in the forum, nine people responded. Seven made search engine recommendations. Four of those were for the lesser-known , a search engine that states it "does not collect or share personal information."
In light of recent revelations that telecommunications companies, search engines, Web browsers and sites frequently collect and share personal information about their customers with the National Security Agency and other entities, DuckDuckGo tells CNBC that it has seen a 33 percent increase in traffic in the past week.
We contacted Gabriel Weinberg, founder of the Pennsylvania-based DuckDuckGo, and asked him what he thinks about the idea that the NSA and others are purposefully watching the Web activity of individuals.
"Large Web companies generally track people a considerable amount for their own purposes," Weinberg tells NPR. "There is nothing new there. Additionally, they've been compelled to hand over data upon valid court orders for a long time.
"The new piece is that the scope of these court orders may be significantly larger than we thought. To a lot of these companies' credit, they are pushing back on these orders and the constitutionality of them as best they can.
"However, the reality is if it is deemed valid, they have to comply. That's the key difference with DuckDuckGo — we made the choice to just not track people so there is nothing to turn over.
"We think that people generally do not want to be tracked, and if they have choices to switch to private alternatives where they can get both a great experience and great privacy, then they will make the switch."
Other recommendations from the Linux forum: and (nee Clusty).
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Home | Products | Teensy | Blog | Forum |
You are here: 8051 Tools Main Page |
Paul's 8051 Tools, Projects and Free CodeMailing ListIf you'd like to receive announcements of new additions to this site, updates and changes, and new versions of the various pieces of code; just fill in this very simple form. I rarely send announcements out, so you won't get flooded with messages. AS31 Assembler & SDCC C CompilerAS31 is a free 8051 assembler originally written by Ken Stauffer. Versions of AS31 found here include important bug fixes and added features, such as standard intel-hex output format for use with PAULMON2 and EPROM programmers. AS31 is a good tool for building small 8051-based projects that are written in 100% 8051 assembly language.SDCC is a free C compiler written by Sandeep Dutta, Micheal Hope, Alan Baldwin, John Hartman, Dmitry S. Obukhov, Jans J Boehm, Alan J Demers, Jean Loius-VERN, Daniel Drotos, Kevin Vigor, Johan Knol, Scott Dattalo, Karl Bongers, and others. More details are available at the official SDCC web site. The SDCC available here, with "-pj#" added to the version number, is a modified version that includes some additions to better support the 8051 developement boards available at this site. GNU Make is written by Richard Stallman and Roland McGrath, as part of the Free Software Foundation's GNU's Not Unix project.
SDCC and GNU Make are Free Software provided under the GNU General Public License (GPL). AS31 is also Free Software, provided under the BSD license. The standard C libraries provided with SDCC are covered by the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL). SDCC, AS31, and Gnu Make are distributed in the hope that they will be useful, but without any warranty; without even the implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. A copy of the old as31 page is still available. PAULMON 8051 Family Monitor/Debugger
PAULMON is a user-friendly 8051 family monitor, intended for use in a single board computer like the development board below. By placing PAULMON in the board's EPROM, the board will "boot-up" to a friendly menu-driven monitor which allows you to download your programs to RAM and run them, which is much faster and easier than reprogramming the EPROM. PAULMON also provides several features to help you debug your programs, including a disassembler and single-step program execution. It is very easy to use and together with an 8051 family assembler, such as the one above, it provides a very low-cost 8051 development system. PAULMON is in the public domain. You may use pieces of the code in your own programs and even incorporate the code into your own commercial products, if you wish. Download PAULMON2 Source or Object Code. Nearly everything is improved and several new features have been added... generally much better than version 1, even in the beta versions. Documentation for PAULMON2 is available on-line. PAULMON1 was originally developed in the Fall of 1991 in about four weeks. The code has remained fixed, but my own needs have changed from project to project over the years. These changes, additional features, plus a major overhaul of the existing code is finally available as PAULMON2. Low-Cost 8051 Development Board DesignThis 8051 development board provides an easy and low-cost way to develop projects based on the 8051 microcontroller, without the need to purchase any other equipment, such as EPROM programmers or emulators.
Important Features:
The older versions are still on line: Rev 3 (2001) Rev 2 (1997), and Rev 1 (1992). Parts for these boards are no longer available.
8051 Code LibraryI've written quite a lot of 8051 code in the last few years. Here are some free bits and pieces of code that may be useful, along with some minimal documentation.
These 8051 code examples are distributed in the hope that they will
be useful, but without any warranty; without even the implied
warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular
Paul's Code LibraryAll of these are in the public domain.
Contributed WorksRefer to the author's comments for license details, if any.
Atmel 89C2051 in-circuit programmerThe Atmel 89C2051 is a 20 pin version of the popular 8051 microcontroller. It's got only 2k of built-in program memory, but it's Flash ROM, so you can easily reprogram the chip without the UV erasure step. This really cool Atmel version has all of the normal 128 bytes of ram (unlike some other low-cost 20 pin 8051 family members) and they even left the built-in UART built-in. It's got some other features, but best of all, it costs only about $5(US) from Marshall in single piece quantities. Please keep in mind that neither I nor Oregon State University represent Atmel or Marshall.I have designed and built a simple programmer for this cool part which can reprogram it in-circuit. You place the 89C2051 in this board, and connect the board to your project's 20 pin socket with a ribbon cable. You can download code to the programmer, reprogram the Atmel chip, and then place the chip back into the circuit. Since it's Flash ROM, no UV erase step is required. You can reprogram and test your code without moving the chip between sockets. As well, the programmer supports an "echo-thru" mode, where the 89C2051's UART output is echoed to the terminal controlling the 89C2051 in-circuit programmer, but only while the 89C2051 is running in-circuit. To get started now, the design is quite similar to the development board example above, with the addition of the following chips: 74HC00, CD4007, and four CD4066. The three unused AND gates in that example are used here. Two NPN and one PNP small-signal transistors are needed, as well as a 12 volt power supply for the programming voltage and 4000 series logic. Only one of the 82C55's is used, but one 82C55 is required. BETA Version 0.004 is now available, also in ZIP format. As well, BETA Version 0.003 is still available, but 0.004 is much easier to use. Someday more reasonable documentation and a schematic of the required hardware will appear. For now, this beta release schematic is available for those who want to try to add the hardware support to an existing development board. Other Resources |


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Striding Edge And Helvellyn
Sharpe Edge, Helvellyn is a mountain in the English Lake District, the highest point of the Helvellyn range, a north-south line of mountains to the north of Ambleside, between the lakes of Thirlmere and Ullswater.
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Target: Stealing Sheep
Location: Liverpool
Personnel: Emily Lansley (guitar and vocals), Rebecca Hawley (keyboards and vocals) and Lucy Mercer (drums and vocals)
Intelligence: "I'm just going off to get all these materials to make a Papier-mâché creature," says Stealing Sheep guitarist Emily Lansley when Musicradar catch up with her. "It's called the Diamond Eater, and it's a big mad creature that absorbs diamonds. It's for the video for our next single."
It's a pretty spot-on introduction to the world of Stealing Sheep, a three-piece girl group from Liverpool whose psychedelic folk has been bewitching a growing number new devotees since the release of debut album Into The Diamond Sun in August. The best bands create their own universe, and Stealing Sheep do exactly that, inviting you into a surreal dreamscape sound-tracked by three-part harmonies, beautifully wonky guitar lines and handclaps.
"We don't share a lot of similar tastes to tell you the truth," says Emily. "I've always been into Captain Beefheart, Can. Becky was always into electronic sounding music, she's quite experimental with that side of it. And Lucy's into gypsy Balkan music, so I guess it's a bit of a combination."
It's a combination that's put them in high demand: "It's been completely manic, really busy but it's exciting," says Emily. "We're going on tour with Alt-J in November, and that's a nine-date tour, then we go on our own headline tour."
Hardware: Strats played clean with plenty of whammy bar, cannibalised drumkits (heavy on the toms, played standing up), psychedelic synths.
Further action: Check out the official Stealing Sheep website, Facebook and Twitter.


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A huge art glass complex in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture is not the most likely spot to find a craft brewery and restaurant. Yet when one considers the two most famous features of the Czech republic–beer and fine crystal glass—the rationale becomes clearer.
This also explains why the restaurant is named Dobry Den ("konnichiwa"), though the similarity to things Czech ends there, apart from the commendable version of a Czech-style Pilsner on tap. The beer, named Yuhi-no-Tsukiyo, is crisp and dry, with a creamy texture that slowly unfolds while bitterness lingers in the finish.
Also brewed here is the Mizu-to-Midori Ale; an English-style amber ale that is rather dry and not very fruity for an ale. Rounding out the beer roster are two German styles: the Hotaru-no-Sato, a Munich-style dark lager with a roasty and slightly sweet flavor, and the Roman-no-Sato, a Weizen cloudy wheat beer with a much more subdued aroma compared to other Weizens.
All are about five percent alcohol, and are ¥600 (M), ¥900 (L) and ¥1,800 (pitcher). There is also a three-beer taster to help you decide; three 130-ml. glasses each of the Pilsner, Ale and Dark for ¥900.
To go with the beer is a small selection of beer food, such as edamame (green soy beans), fried potatoes, a sausage assortment and more. There are also a number of curries, donburi and special set lunches, but these are more on a par with highway rest-stop food. If it's something tastier you want, go for the handmade soba, though buckwheat noodles are admittedly not an ideal match for beer.
The beer, nonetheless, is the best reason to stop by on the way back from skiing, rafting, canyoning, hiking or "onsen-ing" in the Minakami area. A stroll through the adjoining emporium of artistic glass items will prove a relaxing distraction as well.
Tsukiyono Beer is in the Vidro Park complex, about a 10-minute walk from Gokan Station on the JR Joetsu Line, and about five minutes by taxi from Jomo Kogen Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen.
Tsukiyono Craft Beer (Dobry Den Restaurant)
Vidro Park, 761-1 Gokan, Minakami-cho, Tone-gun, Gunma-ken
Tel: (0278) 20-2033
Web: (beer): www.vidro-park.jp/en/
Web (restaurant): www.vidro-park.jp/eat/restaurant.html / http://r.gnavi.co.jp/b261500/


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The CodeIgniter blog has a a new update today with some changes that are happening in the project and it's community.
If you are following CICON 2011 today, then you no doubt already heard from the Reactor team: CodeIgniter is now using Git for source control, and has moved its home to GitHub. Also, CodeIgniter "Core" is not longer being publicly maintained. CodeIgniter "Reactor" is CodeIgniter, so we are dropping that suffix. In short: CodeIgniter is the framework, and Reactor is our community driven development program.
As a part of the move they also released a new version of the formerly-Reactor codebase. The EllisLab blog has more information about the git switch including their reasons and some of the immediate effects they see from the change.