text:
Fun Tennis Key Fob Available in Both Wristlet and Mini Sizes!!
These key fobs are the best!! Whether you choose the large 5" Wristlet or the smaller 3.50" Mini you will always be able to find your keys in a snap!!
Wristlet - 5" long not including hardware x 1 1/4" wide, $9
Mini - 3 1/2" long not including hardware x 1 1/4" wide, $7
Choose your favorite webbing color: Black, Light Pink, Navy, Medium Pink
Nickel hardware.
you may also like
Green Tennis Key Fob


text:
The eternally harassed MC, and somewhat reluctant boyfriend of Miss Piggy. Occasionally throttled by celebrity guests such as John Cleese.
Miss Piggy
The eternal icon for women everywhere who know in their heart of hearts that they are irresistible. Often found bullying female guests whom she believes are trying to hog her spotlight and steal her Kermie.
Waldorf and Statler
The sarcastic old men in the box, passing judgment on all they survey. Not even celebrity guest Milton Berle could compete with their sharp banter. My heroes.
Every small child's favourite character. A heavy-metal drummer trapped in a glam rock band, Animal needed no words other than his name – repeated, frequently – to convey his true feelings.
Swedish Chef
To this day, I find it nigh on impossible not to say "hurdy gurdy gurdy" whenever I hear anything about Sweden or, worse, meet anyone who is Swedish.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Is Annie really simple to play ?
Since I started playing this game, everybody always told me that Annie is one of the easiest if not the easiest champion in the game for obvious and numerous reasons. She doesnt require any mechanics, her abilities are all point and clicks and she is relatively strong and reliable in all metas. The famous coach LS even suggest her to climb until at least gold. Ive played her myself and had some good games, however I do not think that this champion is easy to play. At least not the easiest one. I am having way more success by playing champions like Corki or Ahri. Here is my explanation (completely based on my personal experience) Although annie is a simple champ, she has many bad match ups. You dont have any mobility and therefore you are super vulnerable to ganks, your stun is only available after hitting 4 abiltites, so the enemy has just to wait till you cs with your Q and waste your stun to engage on you. Also her AA does no dammage which makes it super hard to last hit with her, AA, so you are forced to use Q and waste your stun. Any champion with mobility or range can just shit on you. Not to mention that she has no wave clear at all, takes ages to clear a minion wave compared to other champion like velkoz xerath corki or ahri. Why should I play annie and suffer from a lee sin ward jumping killing me instantly when i can play Corki press W and get under turret safely. Moreover, you get outpushed early on by most champions, which makes it impossible to follow a fight in the river, enemy mid will always be there first. Is it just me or does anyone else have problems playiyng this champion? I think she is good in certain team comps but awful for me most of the time. Do you guys have any advice ?
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Belgian Beer Tasting at our Local Bottle Shop
This past weekend we partnered with the Craft Beer Cellar in Fort Collins to share some beer from the breweries we visit in Belgium while spreading the word on the great stuff they are doing at the CBC. I had a great time visiting with many of you who stopped in and I look forward to having you all on an adventure in the future.
What really struck me about the experience is how knowledgable Seth, Chris and Justin are about the product they sell. I knew they were good but when you get the opportunity to spend a few hours with them you see not only how much they know about beer but how well they know their customer s and help them find new things and expand what they like. It reminded me on the amazing bottle shops we visit on our tours in Belgium. I cannot recommend the CBC enough for selection and personal attention. If you are in Fort Collins or just visiting on holiday stop in and see what they have in stock.
The other part of the day that was great was all the chatting about our tours that we got to do. If you stopped in and filled out an entry to our drawing we pulled a name from the box...Dave Hoover is the lucky winner of a $250 voucher towards our multi day tours. Congrats Dave we look forward to seeing you on a trip. For the others that entered to win we want to extend to you a $100 voucher towards our Belgium tours. Check your email for a note from us and we look forward to having you along as well.
If you did not make it by stay tuned for other opportunities to win vouchers and learn about our trips. We will be hosting a touring bike and beer hour at local bike shops along the front range over the winter. stay tuned to our Facebook page for events or join our email list for updates.
Cheers- Bob
Grain to Glass 2016
Bike to Work Day
Join us on June 22nd for Fort Collins Bike to work day. We will be co Hosting and providing mechanical support at two morning stations.
At each station we will have a mechanic for quick adjustment and emergency repairs. We will also be giving away a $250 multi-day bike tour gift certificate at each booth. Stop by say hello and enter to win.
Booth locations are:
Near the power line trail on the grounds of the Platter river Power Authority on Horsetooth Ave
Trinity Lutheran Church is located at
301 E Stuart St, Fort Collins, CO 80525
The BTW station will be located due south of the Church on the Spring Creek Trail
Thanks for biking to work


text:
It wasn't me.
Friday, September 20, 2019
The Mizzerables most definitely do not suck.
Every scene has 'em: the bands that quietly put out music that's much better than lotsa stuff in the same genre that gets widespread acclaim. They clearly just enjoy creating and while they'd love some more attention, just getting their music out there seems to be enough for them.* From a distance, this is how Chicago's The Mizzerables seem to be operating.** And I couldn't respect them more for it.
On their latest, Whatever... This Sucks, the trio blasts out 14 pop-punk numbers coated in sweat and then rolled around in a fine grit to add just enough bite. The band has been refining their successful writing formula since their debut caught my (and my respected colleague's) ear in 2013, releasing one other full-length and a spate of EPs and singles since then. But Whatever... This Sucks is probably my favorite thing they've put together yet.
Yadda yadda yadda, Jim, just get to it and give us the music! O.K.! I will! Stream or download Whatever... This Sucks below. As I always say, if you like it as much as I do, consider supporting the band's efforts with a few bucks.
*I would argue this is how the majority of Chicago's really great under-the-radar bands are operating. We're a city of music lover; not glory seekers.
**It occurs to me this statement could be interpreted as the band being slackers and not caring about "professionalism" but this couldn't be further from the truth. The recordings are top notch, their visual identity beats most bands on major labels, and they take great care in how they present their work. But this seems to be more a result of their love of creation than some sort of bid for superstardom. Not that I would begrudge them a higher level of exposure—they certainly deserve it!
Posted by Tankboy at 9:25 AM 0 comments
Friday, September 13, 2019
Podcast Week: Improv musical theater that pops...
Wrapping things up for this podcast week is a crossover episode between one of my longtime favorites Switched On Pop, and another fantastic podcast unbeknownst to me until this week called Off Book.* I've been onboard with Switched On Pop since the beginning, and they're already relatively popular, so I hadn't planned on highlighting them, but this team-up changed that equation! Off Book creates musical theater pieces through improv, which sounds really difficult because it is. But holy wow are they really good at it. And the Switched On Pop crew comes in to add some color commentary from the commercial music world as it applies to the magic this musical created from scratch. It's edutainment that will have your brain cranking and your sides in stitches.
Trying to further explain what happens in the episode below is just going to take you time to read it, when you should be listening to it. So prepare to set sail on an adventure in a hospital the likes of which you've never
*And believe me, Off Book has since found a place in my regular podcast subscription queue!
Posted by Tankboy at 7:56 AM 0 comments
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Podcast Week: A slightly different view of a subject on many minds...
This week I've been primarily focusing on music podcasts, but now it's time for something a little different. And in Illinois, this topic has been all over the media, so the timing of this relatively new podcast couldn't be more perfect.
The On Something podcast is a joint effort of Colorado Radio and PRX about cannabis and the effects the spread of its legalization is having. But you don't need to live in a state where it's already, or soon-to-be, legal to appreciate how it approaches its subject from so many different directions.*
The series begins by investigating just why cannabis was made illegal in the first place—and I admit I fund many of the answers they uncovered pretty surprising—but doesn't just stick with history or jingoism. Other episodes deal with folks who used to love cannabis and now don't (Neal Pollack), pot's carbon footprint, how walking into a legal dispensary at the wrong time can destroy a relationship, and even cannabis' place in the LGBTQ community (and how those ripple effects have gone on to be felt by just about everybody).
The series debuted in June, and since then I've learned something from every episode. I think you will too. Whether you're a cannabis diehard, have a casual interest, or are opposed to its use, I think there's something here to interest everyone. Just don't pick and choose what you want to hear—no matter where you fall in your beliefs—and just take in the whole complicated quilt that covers the discussion of this subject.
Snag the first episode below, or go to the podcast's homepage (or the podcast platform of your choice) and check it out.
DOWNLOAD: Episode One—Why Was Weed Illegal Anyway?
Posted by Tankboy at 8:09 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Podcast Week: Falling deep into 'Spilt Milk'...
Let's file this one under kismet.* But first, the beginning.
I've loved Jellyfish since I first saw the video for "The King Is Half-Undressed" and then staked my record store for the cassette tape of their debut, Bellybutton. This being the pre-Internet days, I had no idea when the album would be released so I stalked my local record store(s) for weeks until it finally hit the shelves.** Then I continued to stalk stores for subsequent singles and tracked down everything I could read about the band, which wasn't much at the time. I was also lucky enough to see them play with The Black Crowes (a show that at the time felt like watching The Beatles and The Stones play together), and that was a religious experiences for l'il Tankboy—the dummer was the singer and he played standing up? What was happening?!
I continued to now very little about the band—again, aside from TV promos and scarce articles that focused more on the band's clothes than their music or background this wasn't that unusual in the early '90s. When they finally released their sophomore album, Spilt Milk, the band had grown into an ornately intricate songwriting machine that left me out of breath and a little confused. It'd actually take me a few years to truly appreciate the depth and complexity—both musical and lyrical—of that album.
Years passed, the group disbanded, and I only heard snippets of what the former members were up to. I saw Roger Manning Jr. battle with The Flaming Lips as Beck's backing band on one tour, I heard whispers Andy Sturmer was writing music for cartoons, and Jason Falkner graced the world with new solo albums at an excruciatingly slow pace. And over the years I ran into other deep fans who slowly and surely educated me about the areas of the band magazines and radio interviews never uncovered.
Just last week the folks that own the rehearsal space I rent posted a long YouTube interview with Manning Jr., and just a few days later I stumbled across a podcast (that appears to be now defunct) from 2013 that spent over 3 hours on Jellyfish's history, with a primary focus on exploring the depths of what was behind Spilt Milk's creation.*** In a single chunk of content, this recording does the best job of summarizing the band's entire career and catches you up to what each member is up to now, along with the aforementioned musical deep dive. If you're a fan you will love this. If you're not, this is by far the best introduction to Jellyfish I've encountered and will probably have you digging out everything they ever recorded after you're done listening.
So, without further ado, let's get deep into it, shall we?
DOWNLOAD: The Hollywood Gauntlet - ArenA II: Still Crying Over SPILT MILK
(You can also find it on all your podcast platforms with a little search action on your part.)
* Starting in paragraph 5, I suppose. But read the whole thing, eh?
**For all I know, the album had already long been out and just wasn't a priority on the shops' ordering schedules.
**What's even crazier is that this podcast—The Hollywood Guantlet—actually usually covered film and not music, with the Jellyfish episode being an incredibly out of character outlier!
Posted by Tankboy at 11:09 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Podcast Week: Digging you out of '90 music...
O.K., I swear I didn't plan this when I decided this would be podcast week (more on the reason for that here) but the timing is perfect!
I was introduced to the Dig Me Out podcast years ago, though I can't exactly remember how it initially happened. In the early to mid aughts I wrote for the music site Donewaiting, based in Columbus, OH, so I think my connection to bands in that area probably had something to do with it since the hosts Tim Minneci and J Dziak were in The Stepford Five, a band I booked a few times and was a fan of.* They also were both active in their college radio scene in, wait for it—the '90s!
The concept is simple: the duo—with the frequent help of guests ranging from the famous to, well, me—tackle albums or trends from the '90s for re-evaluation. Most of the focus is on the "alternative" and "indie" scenes and they tackle everything from the massive megastars to the tiniest regional successes. And The tragically Hip, who I guess fall into both of those categories, depending on where you live.
They also host roundtable discussions occasionally on topic ranging from city-specific music scenes, sophomore slumps, and various other topics. Minneci and Dziak aren't afraid to wade into waters unfamiliar to them personally, but always bring a reasoned and thoughtful skill set to their evaluations of every act and topic. All of their episodes are available through all the usual platforms, so I would recommend starting off in the archives and snagging episodes on bands and topics that interest you. I guarantee that by the end you'll have ended up listening to their whole run. That's what happened to me.
This week's episode deals with the question of sophomore successes in the '90s, and features some debate over which groups actually meet the standard of outdoing their often lauded debuts. And I happen to be one of the guests on the episode, so a big bonus for you, dear reader!**
So, dig in to Dig Me Out!***
*If you're interested, the band's output is well worth a listen.
***Before you jump down my throat on the "rules" of the discussion, I realized after the fact that Nirvana's Bleach was actually released in June of 1989 so that should make them ineligible for this conversation. So yeah, I got that wrong. However, in my defense, I don't think you can have a conversation about the 1990s and sophomore albums without a nod to the band that arguably changed the decade and the way music evolved after 1991. At least that's the excuse I'm using. (But, I admit my mistake.)
***There's no external streamer / player for these podcasts so click through and start at the link. In case you didn't figure that out.
Posted by Tankboy at 10:13 AM 0 comments
Monday, September 09, 2019
Podcast week! Kicking off with a deep dive into My Chemical Romance...
As I've been searching for a new job over the last couple of weeks, I've managed to catch up with all my regular podcast subscriptions, so I started hunting for new shows to listen to while I was at the gym.* Most of them have been self-contained runs I can just binge, or one-off episodes about subjects that intrigue me. So I figured this week would be a fine time to share a few of these lesser-known treasures to help enhance your listening pleasure (and possible education).
The first podcast I'd like to highlight is the My Chemical Romance-focused My Chemical Fancast, because it is a fantastic undiscovered gem.
First, a little background about my own relationship with My Chemical Romance. I've loved the band for years and years, but my relationship with them has been strictly musical. Even though they rose to prominence during my days as an editor at Chicagoist, I never really wrote about them. I just bought their albums and enjoyed the music. In retrospect it seems odd, since I would usually instinctively do a deep dives into a band whose work I bought religiously, but their background was a blind spot to me. I'd play "Teenagers" when DJing at 4 a.m. / 5 a.m. bars and had no idea it was even a single from the band, much less a hit. And I had no idea Gerard Way had pursuits outside the band until The Umbrella Academy premiered on Netflix and I read the press around it. That is just how intellectually incurious I was about the band outside their actual musical output.
Again, I don't know why this was. Maybe since I just assumed they were part of the emo revival of the aughts, and I avoided most writing about that scene since it was mostly either blindly fawning or fiercely combative and trolling, and therefore missed learning of the band's background.**
Kat and Hallie, who have both been massive fans of the band since their teenage years (and earlier?). They go through the band's entire catalog, song by song, including a wealth of background knowledge and detail that could only be supplied by folks with a deep passion for MCR's music.
But this ain't just a podcast with fans fawning, no! They both appear to have a solid musical background so while they discuss the stories behind the music, they're also adept at picking the actual music apart, focusing your attention on the tiniest of details that really helps the band's catalog blossom with new possibilities.
And the duo is so entertaining and easy to listen to: I blew through the first 25 episodes in less than a week (which means I spent over a full day with their critical evaluations in my head) and never got bored.
My Chemical Fancast has covered all the band's original catalog, and they are currently dissecting the Conventional Weapons releases that were recorded before but released after Danger Days (right, I think? I'm still learning!), so you can binge the whole thing or dole it out as you see fit. However, if you enjoy MCR at all, this is a great way to appreciate just how deep their history and musical acumen runs.
Here's the first episode, but I really recommend just using the app of your choice to subscribe to the whole thing. And, oh yeah, I went through all the old episodes at 2X speed and it sounded just fine, just in case you're the type that likes to pack as much content into as short a period of time as possible.
*Podcasts long ago replaced music as my listening content of choice while working out. I'm not sure why, but it might have something to do with my cognizance of song length and constantly using that to track the time I'm running or doing aerobic work, while spoken podcasts allow me to get more lost in the zone. I dunno, works for me!
**Aside from the knowledge that an acquaintance of mine went to high school with Way and was MCR's first manager.
Posted by Tankboy at 11:48 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, September 04, 2019
A-ha, it seems summer ain't giving up yet!
Hahahaha, talk about speaking too soon. Today's weather was the exact opposite of yesterday's—it was sunny and beautiful and I walked miles and miles outside to take it all in.* While I was walking, a-ha's "The Sun Always Shines On T.V." popped into my head, so as soon as I got home I had to blast it as loudly as I could. Then I remembered I had the extended version of the song and blasted all 8 minutes 26 seconds of that as well. Too many only know a-ha as that one band with the insane video with groundbreaking animation, but they did write more songs than "Take On Me," and "The Sun Always Shines On T.V." is right up there with their best.
So whether this video brings back memories, or it's the first time you've realized a-ha actually wrote more than one song in their long (and still going—they're about to tour Europe and Australia!) career, dig on the above and everything'll be all right.
*I also forgot my Fitbit charging at home before going to the gym, so after I retrieved it, a few of those miles were also in service of getting my steps "officially" in despite already nailing it via treadmill. But hey, any excuse to get outside, right?
Posted by Tankboy at 8:02 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, September 03, 2019
So long, summer!
Yesterday was Labor Day and the weather was lovely. But it was also the "unofficial" end of the summer and it appears Mother Nature wanted to make that crystal clear by delivering dreary, rainy weather to Chicago starting in the wee hours of the morning today. I'm sure we'll still have stretches of lovely weather over the next few months, but the difference between yesterday and today is both amusing and oddly symbolic.
I was unemployed for about half of the summer, but even so I didn't spend that time at the beach or outside or going out at night. Nope, I hunkered down and established a regular schedule of working out, job hunting, reading, and catching up on various TV shows and movies. Oh, and I treated myself with the occasional trip to the cinema to take in a new release. It's been a positively Dionysian summer for me!
Seriously though, aside from the lack of work, it's been a good few low-key months. Just what the internal spirit ordered, if I'm being honest. I made a few major changes that have improved the quality of my inner life, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to do that.
All that said, I'm eager to get back to work—something that appears increasingly likely now that folks looking to hire are both off the extended vacation schedules that naturally occur between May and September and potential clients for those companies are entering the third quarter (a period that frequently loosens up marketing funds). So I'm feeling optimistic!
Also, Riot Fest is in a few weeks, so that means there's still some summer fun left to be had, and based on the music line-up, fun will be had!
I was unemployed for about half of the summer, but even so I didn't spend that time at the beach or outside or going out at night. Nope, I hunkered down and established a regular schedule of working out, job hunting, reading, and catching up on various TV shows and movies. Oh, and I treated myself with the occasional trip to the cinema to take in a new release. It's been a positively Dionysian summer for me!
Seriously though, aside from the lack of work, it's been a good few low-key months. Just what the internal spirit ordered, if I'm being honest. I made a few major changes that have improved the quality of my inner life, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to do that.
All that said, I'm eager to get back to work—something that appears increasingly likely now that folks looking to hire are both off the extended vacation schedules that naturally occur between May and September and potential clients for those companies are entering the third quarter (a period that frequently loosens up marketing funds). So I'm feeling optimistic!
Also, Riot Fest is in a few weeks, so that means there's still some summer fun left to be had, and based on the music line-up, fun will be had!
Posted by Tankboy at 2:32 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Brat Curse delivers a fizzy, bubbly, raucous, wild good time.
Brat Curse's sophomore full-length got a lot of play by me earlier this summer and then got displaced by the realities of currently being unemployed and a bunch of other stuff.* I had put them on the back-burner since I got the album in the spring, but it wasn't due to be released until August. So I offer my apologies for only talking about them now, because they should definitely find a place in your own regular music rotation.
The quartet hails from Dayton, Ohio and—in keeping with my personal experience with Ohio-based musicians dating back to my donewaiting days—Brat Curse's members are also in a slew of other regional bands. Their new album is self-titled, which means either they've jumped the shark or have latched onto a perfect formula for their sound.**
In the case of Brat Curse, Brat Curse is firmly in the latter camp. Thank gawd.
Brat Curse speeds by with 12 songs in 30 minutes without sacrificing subtleties frequently lost by other bands attempting the same economy of songwriting. The guitars buzz and saw back and forth, holding up hooks defiantly nosing their way forward of the din. It's a collection that in a parallel universe would spawn hit after hit after hit, so let's bend our reality to a different plane and make that a reality. If you dig energy that's on the side of controlled musical spasms that expand and contract, rushing you along from one song to the other, you'll love this.
As good as the album is, I get the feeling the band is even better live, though I can't know that for certain since the majority of their "touring" is limited to the Ohio region. Their publicist does saw "the band will tour extensively in the second half of 2019" though, so that opens up hope those of us not in Ohio will have a chance to catch them in the near future.
Until then, give Brat Curse a listen below. It's currently available, along with most of their catalog, as a free download, though if you really dig it, as always, you should throw a couple bucks or more the band's way.
*Speaking of which, if you know of anyone—agency or in-house—looking for an Associate Creative Director or Sr. Copywriter in the Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles, or San Francisco areas, please feel free to send every opportunity my way!
**Think of it. Usually self-titled albums that are not a debut are meant to "define" a band, but more often display a group that is stagnant and hoping some new direction will revitalize their work. Just sayin'.
Posted by Tankboy at 5:03 AM 0 comments
Monday, August 26, 2019
Monday motivation.
|Photo via Carly Rae Jepsen's Instagram
I have a few things on the docket, writing-wise, this week. But I've been up since 4 a.m. and am champing at the bit to hit the gym. When you're unemployed, routine is really important—more about that later this week—and starting every day off with a good workout does wonders for my mood.
So for today I figured I'd just share a recent tune that seems to straddle the positives and negatives of today's weather. It's winsome but optimistic, and the chorus is one of those things that gets stuck on repeat in your head and might brighten up your day with it's drive. Plus, it features Carly Rae Jepsen, so it's obviously a win-win of a tune.
Happy Monday, and may this morning set your week up for happiness and success. No Monday blues here, only Monday motivation!
Posted by Tankboy at 6:59 AM 0 comments
Friday, August 23, 2019
Let's take a peek behind the scenes into why music festivals cost consumers so much money.
I've been marinating on a piece about music festivals—primarily Lollapalooza—and wondering where most of them go from here. I've been thinking about artistic choices made by festival booking agents, but I admit I hadn't really thought about ticket pricing since that doesn't seem to act as much of a deterrent to attendees.*
Luckily for me The Economist comes to the rescue, opening my horizons on the subject with the video above. I would've gotten around to this angle eventually, but they did some of the initial legwork for me. Hee. Check it out as I continue to work on my longer piece about mega-fests in general.
*My primary hypothesis is that line-ups are so similar amongst big fests it's growing obvious music is the secondary draw when it comes to getting people inside the gates, so ticket pricing hadn't really initially registered with me. The interviews with attendees in the video supports that notion, and kinda breaks my heart a little. And makes me thankful there are still a handful, albeit shrinking, number of festivals like Riot Fest that focus on the music as the draw, then provide an experience on the grounds to support fans having a good time. But the main focus at a festival like that is the music, not the party.
Posted by Tankboy at 10:10 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
The Lilacs prove their classic sound will never go out of style.
|The Lilacs. Still busy rocking. Still playing clubs with static, single-color stage lights.
The group's sound is exactly what you'd expect when you consider Kurson once played bass for Chicago legends Green, and Material Issue's Jim Ellison provided the band with their name and produced their debut 7" The Lilacs Love You, released way back in 1991.
I'll admit I'm new to the band, which is odd since they ran—and presumably now run again—in many of the same musical circles I do. But you can certainly count me as a fan now. My initial take on the new material, before I read any of the band's history, was that they sounded like a slightly more aggressive version of The Pooh Sticks, a Welsh band that was primarily a studio project with a rotating cast of musicians giving voice to the fictional band members a la The Archies or, well, Gorillaz. Theirs was a shaggy sort of pop that had roots in the late '70s with multiple nods to other artists, and The Lilacs share some of that musical DNA, albeit with a more focused and organic approach.
It's wickedly fun stuff.
"Monica" is the lead track off the new EP, and though the video was posted months ago I'm betting you, like me, never saw it. So check out the video below. Want more? Sadly the band seems to be avoiding my streaming player of choice (Bandcamp!) so there's a Spotify stream below, though those are always wonky once you step outside the player. No matter, it'll bring you to the EP one way or another … and you want to hear this!
The Lilacs will celebrate the release of The Lilacs Endure at Phyliss' Musical Inn on October 19 at 9 p.m. The new EP is out now.
Posted by Tankboy at 2:35 PM 4 comments
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
In the nighttime.
|Photo by Dara
Mostly I just sleep with all the windows of my apartment wide open, inviting in the soft late night breeze and oddly, the sounds of nature.
I live in the city proper, blocks away from both an expressway and an L station, yet if I close my eyes in the middle of the night all I hear is the steady buzz of nature punctuated by the occasional cricket chirps. The thrum of the cicadas is heaviest around dusk and melts away to a pleasant hum by total nightfall. But once I block out any visual stimuli I swear I could be lying in a tent in the middle of a forest in some remote location.
It's peaceful. It's soothing. At times if I really give into the aural quilt it's almost like floating in a sensory depravation tank with a new age soundtrack constructed from the fabric of the outdoors. My breathing slows. My heart rate drops. It's meditative. It balances out the uncertainty of the daylight hours and helps me recharge. So much so that I'm back to waking up at 5 a.m. every morning feeling fully refreshed and eager to make some coffee and bounce out of the door toward my gym as quickly as possible.
And I'm grateful.
Posted by Tankboy at 6:54 AM 0 comments
Thursday, June 27, 2019
Hey-o! I'm still here! I promise! Just been a busy stretch for me. But that means I have cool music piling up I need to tell you about soon, huh? I'll leave out any personal update for now, but things are going well.
Let's see, I don't want to leave you empty handed, so please enjoy the following. Everyone should be as happy as Bill Hader is at the 1:42 mark...
Let's see, I don't want to leave you empty handed, so please enjoy the following. Everyone should be as happy as Bill Hader is at the 1:42 mark...
Posted by Tankboy at 7:40 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Hollywood (Vampies) Heroes.
Yes, I am a David Bowie superfan, but that's not why I'm sharing this. It's a perfectly serviceable cover of "Heroes." Which coming from a band including all the big name musicians in Hollywood Vampires ain't all that surprising. No, I'm sharing it to ask one and only one question.
What is up with Johnny Depp's hair?
Posted by Tankboy at 7:06 AM 0 comments
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Trent's "On A Roll!"
You had to see this coming.
Ashley O (a.k.a., duh, Miley Cyrus) proves just how pop Trent Reznor really is. And I don't mean that as some snide aside. The fact Reznor writes such great hooks that they're so translatable into different musical styles is proof of his amazing songwriting abilities!
Also, check out Annie Zaleski's recent piece musing about Reznor's not-so-unlikely pop moment in 2019.
Posted by Tankboy at 5:02 PM 0 comments
Remember Google Buzz?
Check out the animated chart tracking the growth (and shrinkage) of various social networks over the since ye olde Internet days of 2003. I had kinda forgotten about Google Buzz—even though old posts and conversations from those days still pop up in searches within my Gmail.
Oh well.
[via The Next Web]
Posted by Tankboy at 5:49 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Cover me in Bliss.
I'm passing up the chance to see Charly Bliss later this week—believe me, you don't know how painful the decision was, but it's only because The Breeders are playing the same night and I agreed to cover their show a while ago.* Dagnabbit, why is it always true that when I am looking for something to do there's nothing going on, but when there IS something I want to do, there is so much other awesome stuff going on at the same time?! It ain't fair!
Anyway, Charly Bliss released a new video today so watch it along with me, fall in love with it, and then lament the fact that I'm missing them this time around.** (But not over-lamenting, I am getting a chance to see The Breeders, fer chrissakes.)
*YOU can still see Charly Bliss in Chicago though! Tickets for their Lincoln Hall show Saturday night are still available. They are SO good live!
**Speaking of Charly Bliss videos, they've been crushing it with content promotion-wise for this latest album. And in most other bands' hands this would be annoying, but they are so vibrant and creative I'm left jaw agape at the sheer output of excellent stuff instead of being agog with annoyance with so much PR. Case in point? See below.
Posted by Tankboy at 7:00 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Kerchief proves they're no 'Fluke.'
|Photo by Liesa Cole
Chattanooga's Kerchief is built around the vision of core songwriter and guitarist Britt Hill. Kerchief's debut Machines And Animals is a pleasant listen, but feels a tad faltering, as if the group is still trying to figure out what direction they wanted to go in. Smooth pop? Prog? Angular blasts of old skool indie? They were all fine explorations, but it felt less like a statement than an ongoing exploration.
On the band's sophomore effort Fluke, Hill replaced the rotating cast of touring musicians employed previously with the full-time rhythm section of siblings Tommy and Trevor Nicholson. The trio took the time to work on the new material together, so Fluke sounds like anything else other than its name might employ. The songs are musically more muscular and focused, and Hill's lyrical melodies are more effectively refined. And I'm pleased to say that the band follows the current trend of smarter artists releasing albums that are only as long as they need to be—in this case they kick out eight songs in 30 minutes, not wasting a single minute on a flawed exploration or filler material.
There's a glint glam sprinkled into Fluke, but it's primarily an exercise in honing focus to streamline the hooks and pack each tune with as potent a punch as each can carry. That is to say when it's time to pull back, Kerchief knows it. And when it's time to lean in, Kerchief really knows it.
Kerchief has no current tour dates, so you'll just have to content yourself with the new album (below) until they decide to leave Tennessee for the wide open road.
Posted by Tankboy at 6:03 AM 0 comments
Monday, June 10, 2019
Weekend report, since there is actually something to report!
I decided it was time to break out of the house for once and actually made the solo trek over to a street festival to check out a few bands. After a month of rarely venturing out I decided it was time! And it was a lovely time. It was far enough away that I got some some quality listening and reading in on the CTA. But it was also far enough away that by the time I got home I realized I was pressed for time and I'd have to Uber to The Empty Bottle to take in another band I'd been wanting to check out.
So I grabbed a bite and then walked down to the karaoke bar at the end of my block to grab smokes and wait for my ride. The bartender looked at me in slight shock and admitted they thought I had moved since it had been so long since I had been by! I guess that's a good sign that I've been picking healthier ways to spend my free time?
I arrived at The Bottle a bit later and suddenly remembered how brutal the beginning of the summer can be for club shows. During the weekend so many folks are fest-ing or BBQ-ing that but the time the evening rolls around, most are less interested in catching a few bands, even if the headliners, Acquaintances, are a bit of a supergroup made up of some pretty high profile musicians. It didn't detract from the show—all three bands on the bill did great—but I did find myself wishing more people had been there to see the show.
Sunday night was the opposite, displaying how larger touring acts can still pull 'em in on the final night of the weekend. It also didn't hurt that said band, Superchunk, is always an absolute killer live. It put a big ol' smile on my face, that's for sure. More on that show tomorrow.
And here we are on a Monday morning, work week stretching ahead, and I'm a little more tired than usual for the beginning of the week but I'm also in a great mood after so much good music (and a fair amount of sunshine). It was just what the doctor ordered.
So I grabbed a bite and then walked down to the karaoke bar at the end of my block to grab smokes and wait for my ride. The bartender looked at me in slight shock and admitted they thought I had moved since it had been so long since I had been by! I guess that's a good sign that I've been picking healthier ways to spend my free time?
I arrived at The Bottle a bit later and suddenly remembered how brutal the beginning of the summer can be for club shows. During the weekend so many folks are fest-ing or BBQ-ing that but the time the evening rolls around, most are less interested in catching a few bands, even if the headliners, Acquaintances, are a bit of a supergroup made up of some pretty high profile musicians. It didn't detract from the show—all three bands on the bill did great—but I did find myself wishing more people had been there to see the show.
Sunday night was the opposite, displaying how larger touring acts can still pull 'em in on the final night of the weekend. It also didn't hurt that said band, Superchunk, is always an absolute killer live. It put a big ol' smile on my face, that's for sure. More on that show tomorrow.
And here we are on a Monday morning, work week stretching ahead, and I'm a little more tired than usual for the beginning of the week but I'm also in a great mood after so much good music (and a fair amount of sunshine). It was just what the doctor ordered.
Posted by Tankboy at 7:14 AM 0 comments
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text: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744310788227593609.post4471099249672514288..comments2019-03-28T10:17:06.611+01:00Comments on THE TOURISTIN: 10 of the most vibrant food markets in the worldTHE TOURISTINhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744310788227593609.post-43197378471947575502015-03-05T15:16:29.135+01:002015-03-05T15:16:29.135+01:00Hi Sam, Markthalle Neun is really a great place, a...Hi Sam, Markthalle Neun is really a great place, and there is also a vegan stall which you might enjoy. The other lovely market in Berlin is Marheineke market hall (Marheinekeplatz).THE TOURISTINhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744310788227593609.post-84962037064039812015-02-27T18:15:18.682+01:002015-02-27T18:15:18.682+01:00I do like a good food market - I find them much mo...I do like a good food market - I find them much more interesting than markets selling tourist junk! Zab and I still haven't been to Markthalle 9 here in Berlin. We'll have to try it when we're back in summer.Samhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com


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By Emily Underwood Jan. 26, 2017 , 9:00 AM
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIAIn a barbed wireenclosed parking lot 100 meters downwind of the Route 110 freeway, an aluminum hose sticks out of a white trailer, its nozzle aimed at an overpass. Every minute, the hose sucks up hundreds of liters of air mixed with exhaust from the roughly 300,000 cars and diesel-burning freight trucks that rumble by each day.
Crouched inside the trailer, a young chemical engineer named Arian Saffari lifts the lid off a sooty cylinder attached to the hose, part of a sophisticated filtration system that captures and sorts pollutants by size. Inside is a scientific payload: particles of sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, black carbon, and heavy metal at least 200 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
The particles are too fine for many air pollution sensors to accurately measure, says Saffari, who works in a lab led by Constantinos Sioutas at the University of Southern California (USC) here. Typically smaller than 0.2 �m in diameter, these ultrafine particles fall within a broader class of air pollutants commonly referred to as PM2.5 because of their size, 2.5 �m or less. When it comes to toxicity, size matters: The smaller the particles that cells are exposed to, Saffari says, the higher their levels of oxidative stress, marked by the production of chemically reactive molecules such as peroxides, which can damage DNA and other cellular structures...


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You frequently bring up the Amazons being isolationist, but you always ignore the reasons why the left: they tried to interact with the rest of the world, and had their reputations slandered, their home destroyed and were enslaved and raped. Their negative attitude towards men is understandable, and the island is essentially their safe space, one which they are in no way obligated to allow men to enter. As men are generally at the top of the food chain everywhere else, and what they need to do to heal is their own business. Even then, Diana encourages them to interact with the outside world again when they are ready, it would be wrong to force rape victims to action if they don't want to. And even the Bana Amazons, who are way more isolationist and man hating, have troubling aspects but were at least given more nuance by Perez and Jimenez than Azzarello ever managed in his run. The latter just did one note caricatures and instilled more sexism in the narrative than Marston ever did, who has the excuse of being a radical weirdo in the 1940s. Modern day writing should be better than that, but it fell short overall to something from the 1940s.
False equivalency with the female characters of other franchises. Those are male driven franchises with predominantly male fans in a predominantly male driven industry. Those characters are gateways for a female audience, but they are not the majority. Wonder Woman is the one major franchise that is mostly women, it is unique. The fans who are bothered by there not being many men in it when they have a boatload of other franchises to be represented in are frankly not worth catering to. It's like demanding some male Sailor soldiers or for She-Ra to have some princes with the titular Princesses of Power. it misses the point.
That has only been an issue with the New 52/Rebirth. Prior to that Cassie was as much an Amazon as she was a demigod if not more so.Because of this, characters like Cassie, tied to the mythological elements of the Wonder Woman mythos are not very connected to the Amazons themselves.
Seeing as how no one is asking of her to be subservient to Diana and her not being subservient to Diana is one of the reasons people like her, Im not sure why youre bringing that up. And we can hardly judge if she can carry a solo when DC has never given her the chance.Donna is a mess and has been for so long that at this point, short of just embracing it, I don't know how it could be solved. And Artemis has mostly been used outside of the Wonder books since she returned and so far, her best and most defining relationships are with Rebirth Akila, Jason Todd and Bizarro, the latter two of which works so well with her that it's mind-blowing, IMHO. And while I don't doubt they can write a lot of stories with her and Diana, I don't really see her able to support a solo spin-off title. Her being "subservient" to Diana wouldn't work.
Though I do find it interesting that you say her relationship with two male characters is given more development than one with a female character who was supposedly her childhood friend. Which really is all you need to know about how DC prioritizes women, especially women in the WW franchise.
They gave us a male character from Themyscira in the previous run. He went over with the audience like a lead balloon. Those characters you listed were created because there actually was a demand for them and they have been critical and/or financial successes for DC. Jason not so much.As for a male character coming from Themyscira being not needed nor wanted, I'm pretty sure the same thing was said in reverse for characters like Batgirl, Spoiler, Orphan, Batwoman or Supergirl. They were wrong, of course.
But I see that Wonder fans and me won't ever see eye to eye. More power to you, more tranquility of mind for me. I just hope you'll finally great stories which will keep hiding away all that is sexist and isolationist in Wonder Woman but is okay because the characters supporting it are women.
Azzarello meanwhile is more sexist than any of the others. he didn't do anything other writers hadn't done better, and actively made things worse.
Isolationist doesn't equal backwards.
Staying away from men doesn't mean that all Amazons hate all men.
Wanting to be left alone doesn't mean they all want to murder anyone who makes their way to the island.
Azzarello took all of these possible aspects and cranked them up to 11.
At the same time, he took an isolationist male society (the Manazons) and turned them into artists, crafters and peace lovers as if to prove that men can do it right, but women end up sexist/isolationist/militaristic/murderous.
Not only is that not 'how they would end up in the real world,' but it's also *not* why I read comics. Superman, if he were in the real world, would have most likely accidentally killed his parents, hurt a lot of people and gone on to follow either the 'Bright Burn' path or the 'The Boys' path.
Batman? He's a physical impossibility - he is every man's fantasy; a hunky, wealthy playboy, detective, bullet-proof master-of-every-martial-art, owner of every cool toy, genius programmer and chemist and forensic pathologist. In reality? A ten year old kid whose parents are murdered in front of him would have spent a lifetime in therapy trying to recover from severe PTSD.
The point is, we don't read comics for 'the most realistic probability' but for 'the most enjoyable fantasies.' To force 'reality' upon the lead female of comicdom while continuing to write the ultimate male fantasies in 'the most powerful male with the perfect wife who can do anything' and 'the ultimate every man out thinks and out fights the world' is just wrong on so many levels.
Wonder Woman's core story is that women were abused and beaten by men and retreat from the world where they build a society that is based on peace and love. They raise a child to believe in their values (like Clark was raised to believe in the Kents values), and that child voluntarily leaves a beautiful (not perfect!) world behind in order to try to help the women *and men* of the outside world.
Azzarello took that, ground it into the mud, made Diana leave out of rebellion, made her mother an adulterer who didn't set out to create a child but instead ended up with an accidental pregnancy, made her sisters into caricatures of how men think they would have to be like if they didn't have them around and generally spat on everything that made Wonder Woman who she was.
Pass, thank you very much.
Steve and other men like him who end up on the island are healed and escorted home. They have homes to go back to. The Amazons are not obligated to do more than that, yet many versions still gradually decide to reach back out to the outside world. It is a relative temporary reprieve, from a narrative perspective, just stretched out for their extremely long lifespans. Diana's Amazons have not historically victimized men until Azzarello wrote them that way, and he didn't even delve into the reasons for their attitude, yet showed the isolationist all male society as being more gentle and creative. He also wrote the Amazons as being cartoonish caricatures who threatened a man's penis every time they saw one. In no way is that an improvement, nuance or realistic. The WW comic has also rarely, if ever, said it's ok to victimize men over women. Wonder Woman protects everyone, including men threatened by her female villains.
And Zeus is many things, some of them positive for a God, but he is also a raging misogynist. I don't know how anyone can even have a casual grasp on the myths and not see that.
When I said "rock the boat" I was calling back to Christopher Priest's essay on his time writing Wonder Woman, and I believe that statement is true, but from a specific viewpoint: that of marketing, and then most especially of merchandising.
You can switch around the Amazons any which way you like, but that won't change who Diana is. The mod era was essentially a failed experiment, but it was also 50 years ago, before the rise of the merchandising beast.
What is missing is however the type of stories that dig into Diana's character and ideology: how does she view this world, what are her values deep-down, how do those interact with the world around her? How does a person who most definitely is free from our views of sexuality and gender, and most probably also on class, perceive and act in Man's World? The only story that I think really took that at its core is The Hiketeia.
And guess what, if Diana's ideology is taken seriously, then you no longer need to pile on the gravitas for her as a person. Because the original Diana was sassy, earthy, and very aware of the pop culture of her time, arguably the opposite of how she usually is written today.
«Speaking generally, it is because of the desire of the tragic poets for the marvellous that so varied and inconsistent an account of Medea has been given out» (Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History [4.56.1])
I think some of the people writing the comics may have been trying too hard to have DC's Amazons imitate the mythical Amazons. They were... not nice. Most of the bad cultural traits ascribed to Amazons in the comics were derived from mythology.
I really think DC had been too careful with the character. She needs to show her "beautiful woman" side(which had attracted ppl in the first place) and they need to open up with the villain writing. Adding more members to the JL major team is going to make her easier to write rather than stay as the token member.
Also I think a love-hate relationship with a powerful charming villain would have helped a lot.


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The Welsh 3000's, Snowdonia
Walking the Welsh 3000's.
A rough walking guide, starting at Foel Fras.
Running the Welsh 3000's.
A shorter long day out!
Overview of the Welsh 3000's
This is perhaps one of the classic mountain adventures in Wales. The route is well established and very popular in midsummer. The standard route goes from Snowdon to Foel Fras and the following peaks are included:
Snowdon, Garnedd Ugain, Crib Goch, Elidir Fawr, Y Garn, Glyder Fawr, Glyder Fach, Tryfan, Pen Y Ole Wen, Carnedd Dafydd, Carnedd Llewellyn, Yr Elen, Foel Grach, Garnedd Uchaf (recently added), and Foel Fras.
It is canonical to start at Snowdon but I think the other way is better if you want to include the scrambles. It is usually done within 24 hours as a walk from peak to peak, (typical times are 13-16 hours) and typically in the 4-8 hour region as a run, with the record set recently at some time under 4 hours! It is heard of that Tryfan was once descended in 7 minutes dead (although not known whether it was 7 minutes "alive"). I've made various attempts at this route. My first attempt was in June 2000 where I only got as far as Elidir Fawr, it being around 30C in the mid-afternoon. We started at 11pm on Foel Fras the previous night, after first walking up from Llanfairfechan. At 6am on the ascent of Tryfan the ambient temperature was already in the 20's and rising. The hot Glyder boulder landscape making you think you were in a desert.
Walking the Welsh 3000's (with route outline)
The second attempt was on a mid-week June in 2003 when I set off from Llanfairfechan around 5pm. It is usual to start by putting one foot in the sea to make the first climb to Foel Fras a genunine 3000ft. Out of Llanfairfechan the route slowly climbs up the Drum path to Foel Fras, and is a good idea to do this bit slowly. The walk proper then started at around 9pm as I traversed the various smaller 3000 peaks, which all passed in quick succession. The weather was clear and the navigation was fine - which was fortunate at this stage. Garnedd Uchaf is characterised by a boulder strewn top (like a miniature Glyder Fach), and Foel Grach has a large cairn on top. In this direction it is best to take in Carnedd Llewellyn first before doing Yr Elen. After Yr Elen you then contour around to gain the path to Carnedd Llewellyn. At this point darkness fell and I'm sure there was a 1000ft drop somewhere nearby to where I was walking. I got to Pen y Ole Wen at 1am (to find people sleeping on the top in bivvy bags). The descent off this mountain was certainly a more adventurous part of the trip. It took me two hours to get down the nose in the dark, navigating through various bluffs, outcrops and vegetated cliffs. The outcrops are not too bad provided you keep to the Ogwen side of the nose. I was glad that I brought a bright torch for this, in addition to the usual head torch. If I had got to a dead end (so to speak) I would have waited an hour or two until it was light enough to continue. It is also possible to descend the east ridge, but again this has a few rocky steps which migh be awkward in the dark. It is certainly worth doing a thorough recce of this route beforehand. Tryfan was reached in daylight, and the sun rose while at the top, where in fact an annular eclipse taking place at that time. There are many routes up Tryfan but I chose the easiest, which is to follow the path that starts from Ogwen cottage, and goes up via a stream (useful water source) to Llyn Bocklywd. There are various routes up Tryfan from here, either directly up a steep gully (usual descent route), or continue to the col between Glyder Fach and Tryfan and ascend from there. Ascending Tryfan by the classic north face scramble is the best in my mind, but this takes time (add on another hour). I chose not to hop from Adam to Eve on this occasion, and continued to Glyder Fach via steep scree path, which lies to the left of Bristly Ridge. Bristley ridge direct is another worth while scrambling alternative, and I'm sure you won't have to queue very much at 5am. On the North-South version this is one of the more testing parts of the walk, and provided you still feel in good condition the chances of finishing are good. Certainly on my walk in 2000 this was the place I noticed it being awkward to keep going, although the hot weather played a significant role on that occasion (Bangor recorded 30C temperatures). On the 2003 walk, Y Garn and Elidir Fawr summits where quickly achieved fortunately, and I arrived back to civilization (Nant Peris) around 10am. On the way down I chatted to a walker coming up Elidir Fawr who was vaguely curious that I'd been up so early. There is a tendency to be vague with the truth when someone asks about these things, especially when you're out for these long mountain walks. Typically you might get a curious response, although I think this walk is quite a popular one to do now. Anyhow, he went on to chat about his trip round the 15 peaks in his younger days, so it was safe for me to then admit that I'd just been around 12 so far. The road walk to Pen-y-pass is never a pleasant one, and in later attempts I realised this can be avoided (at least most of it). To do this: after about 1 mile up the road after leaving Nant Peris take a right turn up Cwm Glas Mawr. There is a faint path up the side of the stream. At about the 400m contour the ground levels slightly. Bear left (south-east) up another stream and over slippery rocks and steep grass, but keep south-west of Dinas Mott. Essentially you want to head towards Llyn Glas (a tarn with a tree topped island in it). Then head up a steep scree path to the 858m spot height on the Crib-Goch - Crib-y-Ddysgl ridge. Alternatively ascend Crib Goch's north ridge (which is of similar difficulty to that of the north-east ridge). It took me just over an hour to walk the road, and I stopped at the car park cafe for a cup of tea and portion of cheese and chips. I think I would have ate almost anything at that stage. Beer (of some nature) was also being served but I thought not just yet. I had plenty of time in hand, and surprisingly a resurgence of energy came over me on the ascent Crib Goch. I am told this is quite common, especially if you've paced it correclty and you're in sight of the carrot at the end of the tunnel (as the mixed metaphor goes). A brisk wind had picked up on Crib Goch, and the pinnacles had misted over. This makes the traverse more hairy especially as I'd forgotten the best way over the pinnacles. Fortunately Snowdon was reached (around 3pm) with the presence of the usual crowds. I'm not one for spending much time at the summit, and actually it was just as well I didn't linger since I made it back to Llanberis just in time for the last bus to Bangor (taking 24 hours exactly from Llanfairfechan). I think it took me 18hours 45min from peak to peak, a lot of that time was used up in the Ogwen vicinity. I also carried much more than is required for a day walk - it being a solo attempt over night.
Running the Welsh 3000's
Recent 3000's attempts have been post 2005, where on these occasions I've sought after quicker traverse times (a day trip rather than a night trip!). Certainly good luck is required, and also route knowledge and familiarity helps a lot too. A suitable pace to aim for is that of the first running record, set by Thomas Firbank in 1938. His time was 8 hours 25 minutes. Of course today the record is down to under 4 hours so I beleive (although I've not yet seen this fact published). The record of 4 hours 19 minutes, set in 1988, is the one that is most cited. On the third attempt in June 2005 (running with a friend who took part in our 2000 attempt) we had the opposite kind of weather. Our June worries of it being too hot where certainly dispelled with on our 6am ascent of the Pyg Track. It was driving rain with gusting winds. My main worry was being blown away on Crib Goch but it was Elidir Fawr that lead to the test piece. Horizontal rain and strong gusts made the tea shop in Nant Peris the sensible alternative. The people we shared the hostel with heard about our previous worries, and jokingly hoped the day wasn't being too hot for us! (as they saw us running through Nant Peris earlier on in the day). The highlight of the day though was the discovery of the Llyn Glas variant off Crib Goch - certainly a fast and pleasant way off. More recent attempts have been in favourable conditions: no direct sun, light breeze, and high cloud are the best (perhaps with very light rain on warm occasions). On each occasion I have stayed at the Rucksack Club hut in Nant Peris. In September 2005 I opted for the Snowdon to Foel Fras route, while in August 2008 I instead opted for the reverse direction. It is debatable which is the easier. I tend to go for the ad-hoc and/or "alpine style" (unsupported) approach as little planning/logistics are needed - you can just wait for a day of good weather, but you have to carry all your gear. However I have to admit on the recent attempt I took the offer of some Eccles cakes from a friend who was waiting for me at Nant Peris (which counteracts the unsupported bit!). For the September 2005 attempt I was up at 5am, with a 6.15am start out of Nant Peris. I walked "very slowly" up the road and Pyg Track to the summit of Snowdon for a 9am start. It is essential to do this bit slowly, since 3000ft of quick initial ascent will come back to haunt you at Ogwen! Running peak to peak is 10000ft, 21 miles, but add in the extra walking bits and you are onto 13500ft, 32 miles to the finish - hopefully there is someone to pick you up! On the initial climb it is also the best time to eat as much as possible before starting the run (I opted for honey and banana barm cakes). It was fairly busy at Pen-y-pass, including a large party of walkers - who I eventually met again on Crib Goch. Snowdon was almost quiet, except for one or two people sleeping on the summit (perhaps they missed the last train). Also, one minute before I left somebody in a yellow wind cheater appeared from nowhere, touched the trig point and ran off into the mist, never to be seen again. At 9am, I touched the trig point of Snowdon summit, and set off to Carnedd Ugain, then ran (attempted to run is more accurate) down to the ridge off Crib y Ddysgl. There is also a scrambly tower to descend on this bit. I then went up over the Crib Goch pinnacles, and passed a party of walkers forming a large queue and clinging to Crib Goch's ridge (these I saw initially at Pen-y-pass). I touched the Crib Goch summit and backtracked over the pinnacles, passing again the line of walkers, some of them making jokes to each other about whether I'd left something behind on Snowdon! From then on I descended to Nant Peris via the Llyn Glas route. It is the fastest way off I am told since it keeps the rough rocky bits minimal. It was a case of getting on with things on the Glyder range, and again it is useful not to go too fast up Elidir Fawr (allow about 1 hour from Nant Peris). If you are not tired by the time you reach Glyder Fach or Tryfan then chances of completion are good. It's also important at this stage to keep eating and drinking (while on the move) - even if you don't feel like it. I don't carry much water (about 0.5-1 litre) but do tend to use water sources on route, for which there are plenty. Tryfan was crowded with walkers when I reached the summit (with the usual Adam and Eve hopping extravaganza), and I descended the recommended "gully" to Ogwen, taking much longer than 7 minutes (more like 20-25 min). Fortunately Pen Y Ole Wen wasn't too bad and there where some entertaining scrambly bits. I was ahead in the schedule, but the Carneddau range was now completely misted over. Careful navigation is certainly required, and more so when running, since any mistakes get amplified in a matter of seconds (especially going downhill). At one point I went off the side of Carnedd Llewellyn on steep grass (slightly in the incorrect direction) and was probably not far away from running over a cliff when I later looked at the map. Steps had to be then retraced. I also had to be careful in ensuring that I reached all the remaining summits correctly. I'd say I lost about 20-30mins on this bit relative to a clear day. Foel Fras trig point was reached at 5.20, just 5 mins within the schedule (corresponding to the first running record set in 1938 of 8 hours 25). Luckily I still had some energy left to walk back to Llanfairfechan where I was picked up around 7pm. Lots of eating and sleeping followed - well into the week after.
From Llanfairfechan to Snowdon
For August 2008, I opted for the reverse route. Personally I found this direction easier. In this case I was dropped off at Llanfairfechan village around 8:30am and arrived Snowdon 17:15 (after departing Foel Fras at 10:00am), and then straight down to the hut in Nant Peris. Running time (Foel Fras to Snowdon) was 7 hours, 15 mins. Teachnically speaking, the Foel Fras-Snowdon direction adds in roughly 500ft of extra ascent, but the descents are overall easier (except for perhaps a steep one to Ogwen). Being fresh at the start allows a fast traverse of the Carneddau, but the ascent to Crib Goch's Pinnacles via Cwm Glas Mawr can be testing in the final stages. However this adequately compensates the plods up Elidir Fawr and Pen Y Ole Wen for the Snowdon - Foel Fras direction. There are also options to take on Tryfan North Face, Bristly Ridge and Crib Goch North Ridge scrambles (but these add on much more time).
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Last updated on 2019-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


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Christian Vision vs. Naturalistic Vision: What is at Stake? and A Call for Gracious Discourse Among Brothers and Sisters in Christ
Speaker: Andy Crouch
Christianity and science are like neighbors who share a long, contested border. At stake in the way we relate to our scientific "neighbors" are matters of ultimate concern, including the credibility of Christianity and the flourishing of human beings as the image bearers of the world's Creator and Lord. Yet, precisely because of our faith, we are able to engage these significant issues with grace instead of legalism, hope instead of fear, and love for our neighbors, both in the secular world and within the diversity of the Christian community.


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Late last week, I got an assignment from my boss. This assignment meant that I was probably going to have to work over the weekend, which, in my line of work, isn't too far out of the ordinary. It was … [Read more...]
New Mom Essentials Kit: My Favorite Products for New Moms!
Bumps and babies, babies and bumps. We're in another season where text messages come flying at any and all hours of the day with progress reports and stats. And fortunately, I'm in the season of my … [Read more...]
7 Things to Do When You Feel Like Quitting Motherhood
We're coming up on another solo parenting busy season - my husband will be out of town a lot! - and I don't know about you, but there are days when I feel like quitting motherhood. Handing it in, just … [Read more...]
A Working Parent's Nightly Routine… Plus a Checklist!
I sat down earlier today to work on my much-neglected bullet journal. I hadn't really visited it for a couple of weeks because Hurricane Harvey kind of threw our schedules for a loop. Kids were out of … [Read more...]
My Husband Travels for Work! 5 Parenting Tips to Help
My husband's travel schedule from work can either be really low-key or all out. Right now, we're coming up on an all-out season, and my husband travels a lot right now... so he's out of the house. A … [Read more...]
My Top 10 Empowering Halloween Costumes for Young Girls
Thanks to a play date with some great friends, my daughter is hooked on Harry Potter, and I don't think I have ever been happier. Since reading the books, I have been eagerly awaiting the chance to … [Read more...]
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Thursday, June 27th 2019, 7–9 p.m. @ Zoku, 105 Weesperstraat 1018 VN, Amsterdam
Thursday, June 27th 2019, 7–9 p.m. @ Zoku, 105 Weesperstraat 1018 VN, Amsterdam
With rental prices going through the roof and bank loans being easily accessible due to low interest rates, now is a great time to consider buying your new home. With this is mind, what else would you need to consider when buying your own home?
At the 'Buying Your Own Home' event we will share with you all you need to know about the process of purchasing a home. We will be discussing all aspects of the process, from the initial search and what to look out for when inspecting your property, through to acquiring a mortgage and finalizing the purchase.
The following speakers will share their knowledge and insights with you, allowing you to take this information into account when considering buying a home.
Doors open at 19:00 and the event lasts until 21:00.
The evening program is:
Get your tickets now for there's limited seating.
Official partners of Buying your own home:


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'Fire and Ice,' brings engaging characters to life
By Lezlie Patterson
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
"Fire And Ice," by Julie Garwood; Ballantine Books (2008, $26 hardcover)
The strengths of Julie Garwood's books are the engaging characters she brings to life, and the chemistry she brews between the hero and heroine.
"Fire and Ice" fits rather nicely into her well-honed formula.
Sophie was peripherally introduced in "The Murder List." Don't remember? No wonder -- it was written four years ago.
So to save yourself the frustration of not being able to remember Sophie -- or other characters -- from that book, you might want to read it again before you start "Fire and Ice." Or, you can read this brief synopsis:
Regan and her friends Cordie (perhaps within the next decade we'll read about her romance with Regan's brother Aidan ... or maybe not) and Sophie go to hear this quack self-help guru to help Sophie (a reporter) expose him as a fraud. He tells everyone to write a "Murder List," names of people they'd rather not exist.
Regan scribbles down a few names so he doesn't suspect her of being a spy.
The next thing she knows, people on her list start getting killed. And she receives threats. She's assigned a bodyguard -- Alex Buchanan -- who is a few weeks away from leaving Chicago and returning to Boston to work for the FBI.
They fall in love.
So in "Fire and Ice," Regan and Alec are back, and so are some of Alec's police buddies. But the new guy is Jack -- Alec's partner, and the hero of this piece.
Jack loses a bet and consents to a favor, which results in him sticking close to Sophie. Of course, eventually he sticks real close.
Sophie is a strong heroine and Jack makes a good match for her. Their chemistry is good and it's obvious to everyone that they're head-over-heels -- everyone except for Sophie and Jack. And that just makes it fun to watch.
The suspense is intriguing and will keep you guessing in some aspects. The trip to Alaska is rather fun to read about -- but keep a blanket handy. You'll get cold when you read it.
Overall rating: 4 of 5 hearts. Garwood doesn't release books very often, but when she does it's a must read. This book has ties to the Buchanans (the modern day ones), which gives it additional appeal for fans of that series. But it's also well-written, with engaging characters and a suspenseful storyline -- which will appeal to all romance fans, and perhaps even to some mystery readers as well.
Hunk appeal: 10. Jack isn't the flowers and candy romantic type. Thank goodness. His toughness, eventual protectiveness and capability give him a gruff appeal. His reluctance to accept his love for Sophie is endearing as well. It's just fun watching him fall.
Steamy scene grade: XXXX. And fall hard.
Happily-Ever-After: Good. Garwood has a knack for fun endings (who will ever forget Laurant's and Nick's finale in "Heartbreaker") and while this one doesn't match that one, it's still a good one. Maybe a bit predictable, but that's OK, too.
--"When the Duke Returns," by Eloisa James (2008 paperback) 4 of 5. This fourth book in the "Desperate Duchesses" series is just fun. Isidore, who we've watched not so patiently wait for her husband to return from Africa, finally gets to meet the man who made her a duchess when she was just a child. Their families arranged the marriage, and they were married by proxy when Isidore was quite young. Simeon returns looking to start a life with his docile, biddable wife. He was in for quite a surprise when he discovered his beautiful Isidore was a lot of things -- intelligent, quick-witted, opinionated and stubborn -- and most definitely not docile and biddable. While they struggle to decide whether to stay married or not, they can't ignore the passion that sparks whenever they're together -- even though at times, both would like to. Then again, at times they both rather enjoy that passion.


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Solved! Go to Solution.
08-05-2009 07:40 PM - edited 08-05-2009 07:45 PM
The major con of DIY Windows Vista Media Center PC versus a TiVoHD is that CableLabs has intentionally made it virtually impossible to build one, and impossible to do so legally. As you seem to understand, you need to get your hands on the ATI TV Wonder CableCARD-ready digital cable tuner (DCT) card, which is primarily being made available by ATI as an OEM part to computer manufacturers large enough and willing to pay CableLabs' fee to certify specific PC configurations as a "OpenCable Unidirectional Receiver" (OCUR). This includes Dell, HP, and Sony, as well as some smaller manufacturers like Cannon PC. Some of these manufacturers (like Sony) are selling the external ATI TV Wonder separately for use with their own PCs, but the only one I've seen selling the internal card by itself is Cannon PC:
Otherwise, eBay is pretty much your option here, since the most common way one obtains this card is to pull it out of an existing OCUR-certified PC. Then, you would need a Windows Vista Home Premium Product ID key (PID) that is in CableLabs' database of Vista PIDs assigned for use with OCUR PCs, and you need to install Vista using this PID. Again, the only practical way to get one of these PIDs would be to get it from the guy you buy the ATI card from, because it will be on a sticker glued to the side of the PC he pulled the card from. Then, you would need to install Vista with this key (using OEM media, BTW, because an OEM key can't be used with retail media), and at that point, you would have violated Microsoft's end-user license agreement and thus their copyright, thereby breaking the law.
Next, you would need to modify the BIOS on your motherboard to load the ACPI "OSFR" table with data that makes the BIOS "OCUR-compliant." Note that in doing so, you would probably be breaking the law again.
Finally, once you'd done all that, you might have a CableCARD-ready do-it-yourself Windows Vista Media Center PC. That is until the PID you used shows up on the stolen list because the guy you bought it from sold it to a thousand other people and it showed up all over the Internet, and Microsoft publishes a Windows Update that invalidates your key when your computer's Automatic Updates service helpfully downloads it from microsoft.com and installs it in the middle of recording the season finale of your favorite TV show.
This assumes that you can get to the point of recording at all, because Verizon's customer service department will give you a hard time about ordering it, threaten to charge you $80 to send a technician who has never seen a CableCARD in his life to install it in the back of your computer, which he'll probably refuse to do anyway because it's not something that looks like a VCR.
My advice? Go with the TiVoHD or, if you must have a Media Center PC, buy one from Dell or HP (or anyone else that makes an OCUR-certified PC). You'll still get the CableCARD runaround from Verizon, but you'll be much better rested for it. Then write a letter to the FCC, your Senators, and your Congressperson telling them what a joke it is that you're not allowed to build your own Media Center PC.
Oh, and make sure you ask for an M-Card when you order the CableCARD from Verizon; the "M" stands for "multistream" and it can decode up to six channels simultaneously. Most devices you'd install a CableCARD into only have two, maybe three tuners, but the card itself supports up to six. The ATI card, incidentally, only has one tuner, so it wouldn't matter if you had an M-Card or an S-Card if you buy a Media Center PC. But for the TiVoHD, which has two tuners, it does matter, so get the M-Card for that.
08-06-2009 12:58 AM - edited 08-06-2009 01:56 AM
@ccuser wrote:
1 - What are main cons and pro of going with verizon with Windows Media Center or TIVO? has anyone tried both setup? liked one over another?
Vista Media Center requires more effort and maintenance to maintain. Driver faults and other hiccups often occur several times per month, and a reboot is necessary to restore the tuners. A TiVo is like a toaster; there is no maintenance.
Windows Media Center offers a high-resolution, graphics-intensive UI that is visually impressive. Windows Media Center is far superior in the way it handles photos, music, and compatible computer videos. Vista has a superior guide interface and it is wicked fast, putting even the Dish Network DVRs to shame. Vista Media Center can be customized in many ways that TiVo cannot. Vista Media Center can also be extended with third-party software to add commercial detection and automatic commercial skipping (this is not 100% reliable, of course) on recordings, a killer feature. Aside from that, actual DVR functionality is comparable, although Vista Media Center can't match the advanced record functionality of TiVo's wishlists.
The TiVo interface is simple / mundane. Compared to Vista Media Center's high-resolution graphics and animations, it looks outdated. It won't "wow" you or your friends. Its program guide interface is lackluster by comparison (actual information is as good or better on TIVo). That said, I find day-to-day usability of the TiVo --- as a DVR -- is better than Vista Media Center. I like Tivo's ability to one-click delete (with Deleted Items folder) recordings and other tasks without annoying confirmations. I like that TiVo always remembers my place in the menus. I like TiVo's skip-to-tick (i.e. 15min skip), which Vista doesn't have. I like the option to list series by recorded date (screenshot), which Vista doesn't have. I like that the TiVo is 3-4 seconds faster to display liveTV and start recordings than the extender.
I do watch mostly recorded programming, so some of Vista's advantages -- such as superior guide navigation -- are lost on me. That said, if both were equally reliable, I would opt for Vista Media Center with a third-party extender (not the Xbox360, because its HD output is not as good as TiVo), primarily because of the ability to automatically skip commercials with a third-party add-on. Unfortunately, they are not equally reliable. I consider any missed recordings to be unacceptable; having several missed recordings per month due to a CableCard driver fault and other hiccups in Windows Vista was not acceptable to me. Windows 7 is said to significantly improve stability in Media Center, so I will take another look at that when it is released.
If you watch mostly recorded programming, I do think you'd be satisfied with the TiVo. For recording and watching recorded programming, TiVo is at least as good as the Dish Network DVR, imo. If you watch a lot of live TV, or heavily rely on the program guide, then I think you may be disappointed. Dish Network DVRs have the best / fastest EPG interface currently available on a standalone DVR, with a 16:9 grid and 2.5 hours of program information. TiVo's EPG is significantly less responsive, and like most cable (and DirecTV) DVRs, their grid guide only shows 90 minutes worth of information. You can see screenshots and videos of the TiVo in action in the AVS TivoHD thread.
@ccuser wrote:
2 - Are there any known MAJOR bug issues with cableCARD that I should be aware of before I jump ship?
FiOS users with the ATI OCUR tuner often have problems with pixelization, which are usually -- but not always -- fixed with attenuation. This issue is related to high numbers of signal errors, caused by a FiOS signal spec that differs slightly from other cable companies.
TiVo exhibited the same problem until the 11.0d software, which included new tuner firmware/drivers to eliminate the issue.
@ccuser wrote:
3 - Where can I buy ATI Digital Cable Tuner? besides eBay and also do I have to have PID in order to make it work?
JerseyJoe has researched this topic, as is obvious from his post. I'd note that you can avoid the need to modify your bios with the purchase of a new motherboard that features the necessary "OSFR" table. Very few motherboards offer this feature, but there are some, including retail Asus P45 motherboards like the P5Q. So it is possible to build a new computer that meets the hardware requirements of the OCUR spec. Meeting the software requirements is very difficult without a hack.
Microsoft doesn't sell Windows Vista with the PID key necessary to enable OCUR (CableCard support) --- shown below -- and it is very difficult to obtain such a license. The number of people who purchased these OCUR tuners far exceeds the number of Vista OEM licenses with PID keys (only sold with CableCard PCs from the likes of Dell), so demand is ridiculous. If you found one for sale, chances are it'd cost you a few hundred dollars.
It is still possible to use CableCard tuners on your computer without a Windows license and PID key, but it requires one to use the hack with the leaked PID key. Many people are doing this, but Microsoft could disable it at any time. So you run a risk by investing $$$ in CableCard tuners and relying on this method. If you are serious about Vista Media Center, I would buy a dedicated PC for that purpose.
@ccuser wrote:
5 - How many ATI tuner I need to have dual tuner setup ? 2? is it comaptible with M card?
For a dual-tuner setup, you would need two. Each ATI OCUR tuner would require a separate CableCard.
The ATI OCUR will work with M-CARDs, but it treats them just like the older S-CARDs.
ccuser wrote:
6 - I read somewhere that M- cablecard is dual tuner card. Is it solution for #5 with Verizon FIOS in DFW, TX market?
The CableCard (M-CARD is a type of Cablecard) is not a tuner. It's an access card that authorizes the channels you pay for.
On a multi-tuner device, a M-CARD can authorize multiple tuners with a single card. One M-CARD authorizes both tuners on the TivoHD. The ATI OCUR tuners are single-tuner devices, so they require one CableCard each.
ccuser wrote:
P.S. I hope someone can provide some input. I realize most of conversation here are on advance issues. If I am asking in wrong area please let me know where to go....Thanks
One issue I didn't address above was cost. Cost was not a major concern in my case, but it is for many.
A TivoHD costs $250 at Amazon. The supported 1TB external drive is $169, but it is cheaper to upgrade the internal drive to 1TB for $90. You don't need to pay any STB or DVR fees to Verizon, but you do need a TiVo@ subscription at a cost of $12.99/mo, $129/yr, or $399 lifetime ($330 lifetime on ebay). If you don't want any monthly or yearly fees, then you're up to about $670 for a 1TB upgraded TivoHD with no future fees. You'll also need Verizon M-CARD (access card) @ $3.99/mo to support both tuners. In Texas, running the TiVo 24/7 costs about $3/mo in electricity.
With a pre-built CableCard PC with a valid Windows license and two ATI OCUR tuners, you're looking at around $1200 plus the cost of any extenders you need. Let's assume you are willing to take the risk and use your existing computer with the hack. In that case, you could buy d two ATI OCUR tuners on ebay for $400 ($200 each). For dedicated DVR storage, you'll probably want to add a 1TB drive for $90. With the two OCUR tuners and 1TB drive, you're up to $490. You don't need a subscription, since Microsoft includes that with the Vista license, but you do need one one CableCard for each ATI OCUR tuner (i.e. $7.98/mo for two tuners). In Texas, running the PC you've described with the OCUR tuners, would cost about $20/mo in electricity to run 24/7.
Dear KenAF, thank you for your detail response: Your reply is definitely helpful.
1 - Again very helpful response. From that, I have come to conclusion that TIVO is for simplicity with very useful features, on other hand Media Center is good for flexibilty and advance featured UI packed with WOW factors, but it comes with flaws such as missing recordings and other technical huddles
2 - One thing I would like ask you to clearify ,
is picture quality downgraded/pixelated in Media Center VS FIOS STB ? is it because of CableCARD? if so how degraded is i, lets say scale 1-10; 10 would be best quality offered by FIOS. It is kinda concerned to me because Dish compresses and pixelate their HD feed to HD-lite....and some channels look pretty treble.
3 - It may sound cheap but one reason I am leaning toward MCE is because of subcription fee + $400-500 hardware cost.
of TIVO. I have already made some improvement in DELL desktop PC (insparion NOT XPS) over time, i.e ATSC tuner, Microsoft MCE remote with IR blaster, RAM, HDMI video card, Vista Ultimate, Xbox + HD etc.THe only thing I am missing is ATI DCT for additional $200. am I right about it ?
Can you tell me if PC is storng enough to be used as HTPC; following are specs:
With your and JJ's input regarding limitation and future obstacle in regards to Media center OCUR/ DCT setup, I want to try it with available hack from TGB and engadget of OCUR fix for now. If I find final product much superior to dish VIP722 (whichis as mentioned very equalent to TIVO), I may make further investment by getting DELL XPS line up
May I ask one more question
Is Dell XPS 410 OCUR certified with DCT liscensed windows or is it only XPS 420 that fits this description?
5 - thanks again for clearifying it ; after further reseach it looks like we all have to wait for Ceton Corp to release to OEM. Hopefully it becomes available soon since we are already in Q3 of 2009.
ccuser wrote:
2 - One thing I would like ask you to clearify ,
is picture quality downgraded/pixelated in Media Center VS FIOS STB ? is it because of CableCARD? if so how degraded is i, lets say scale 1-10; 10 would be best quality offered by FIOS. It is kinda concerned to me because Dish compresses and pixelate their HD feed to HD-lite....and some channels look pretty treble.
There's two potential issues here.
The first is pixelization due to signal errors that occur when the ATI tuner cannot handle a FiOS signal that confirms to a slightly different spec. Some people experience this issue and others do not. If you experience this issue, some channels are unwatchable with constant breakup and sound dropouts. I would try to buy your ATI tuner from a vendor with a return policy (Dell?), if possible, in case you experience this problem.
ATI CableCard tuner for $209 @ Dell.com
The second issue is the output quality on the Xbox360. The Xbox360 is a gaming console and its graphics processor was designed to handle RGB. Processing YPrPb content like high-definition video [from cable] in RGB results in quality loss. This quality loss is minor, but it's still quality loss. Other [now discontinued] Vista Media Center extenders do not exhibit this problem; this issue is specific to the Xbox360.
Even with the quality loss on the Xbox360's output, I suspect the FiOS output will still look significantly better than what you got with Dish Network. This assumes you are not one of the FiOS users that experiences the signal compatibility issue mentioned above.
ccuser wrote:
3 - It may sound cheap but one reason I am leaning toward MCE is because of subcription fee + $400-500 hardware cost.
of TIVO. I have already made some improvement in DELL desktop PC (insparion NOT XPS) over time, i.e ATSC tuner, Microsoft MCE remote with IR blaster, RAM, HDMI video card, Vista Ultimate, Xbox + HD etc.THe only thing I am missing is ATI DCT for additional $200. am I right about it ?
I updated my previous post to address costs (see bottom of previous post).
Provided you use the "hack," all you need is the ATI OCUR tuner plus one CableCard at $3.99/mo.
ccuser wrote:
Can you tell me if PC is storng enough to be used as HTPC; following are specs:
- Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4000+
- ATI HD3450 with 512MB RAM
- Xbox 360 Hardwired with CAT5
- WEI rating of 4.1
- 32 bit Vista Ultimate
Your PC configuration will do just fine.
ccuser wrote:
5 - thanks again for clearifying it ; after further reseach it looks like we all have to wait for Ceton Corp to release to OEM. Hopefully it becomes available soon since we are already in Q3 of 2009.
Ceton is now saying late 2009, although they haven't updated their web site.
Many expect this product to slip into early 2010. CableCard certification takes time.
This is followup message on my adventure to have Media center working with FIOS cablecard for HD integration.
First I want to personally thank engadget, KenAF & JerseyJoe for their support which enabled me to manuover through obstacles with process.
I purchased ATI internal card using provided link. FYI I previosly recieved 10% off coupon on accesories from dell. Altough coupoon was not working with this item. But by using Callback feature Dell rep tooks care of it.
when Installer showed up, I asked if he doesn't mind sharing his experience of installing Cable Card. Bascially he said he has installed it in TIVO but not in PCs and as far as he knows only high end media PC works with cablecard. which I replied, "I took care of it". He was skeptical of this to work.
Using information from article, I completed pre-installtion setup. I walked him through activating process and respectfully recommended what he needs to do. At that time mr. jacob (installer) thanked and started inqurying how I knew all the info...
Later he started sharing his knowledge and mentioned that he himself has home automation and running MEDIAPORTAL with direct TV.
After having card activated on verizon end, We tried to enable CableCard in VMC. However we got stuck in VMC with following message:
""The upgrade of your security components was incomplete. Youwill not be able to watch or record premium or high definition content until upgrade is succesful. Do you want to try again..."
He mentioned that in ATI setting tab, he was not getting "carriar lock". which might have been contributing to issue.
However after googling this message, some were complaining norton as root of problem, so I completely removed Mcafee from system. guess what?....cablecard started working with Media center after restart...
after that I attempted to have it working on Xbox. Since router was replaced by installer, it had to be re-configured again.
In meantime installer started getting calls from dispatch asking what's taking him so long, He told em that he is "learning calbecard verizon TV installation on xbox and PC. He ended up staying for extra hour and half just to see what I am doing and he was curious to see it working. I kinda felt proud of teaching sharing something new. Before he left I gave copy of article , PID and dell URL for ordering DCT. He said he is going to set it up on his place too, I hope he is not gonna rat me out. He sounded sincere and was very helpful with other stuff and shared alot info with on how FIOS works on backend
while we were monkeying around with media center and xbox he mentioned that VERIZON HD STB has HOT firewire port and since video content are IP delivered, it can be captured using firewire and also by captureing IP feed to STB and save it in computer....
does anyone knows what is he talking about. It sounds interesting.
I hope my followup will be helpful to those who are looking to have similar setup.
@ccuser wrote:
while we were monkeying around with media center and xbox he mentioned that VERIZON HD STB has HOT firewire port and since video content are IP delivered, it can be captured using firewire and also by captureing IP feed to STB and save it in computer....
does anyone knows what is he talking about. It sounds interesting.
It is possible to record unencrypted local channels via Firewire with a computer. Verizon encrypts Firewire output for all SD and HD cable channels, so those cannot be recorded with a PC. Most people are not satisfied with locals, so that isn't a practical setup.
@KenAF wrote:
"FiOS users with the ATI OCUR tuner often have problems with pixelization, which are usually -- but not always -- fixed with attenuation. This issue is related to high numbers of signal errors, caused by a FiOS signal spec that differs slightly from other cable companies.
TiVo exhibited the same problem until the 11.0d software, which included new tuner firmware/drivers to eliminate the issue."
Do you know of any tuners that don't have this issue with Fios just for recording clearqam channels? I have the Tivo HD for encrypted channels but I had been using the Win 7 HTPC for recording local channels. I am currently using the Avermedia Duet but I am getting pixelated recordings along with recordings that are only 20 minutes long when they should be a hour. The signal is 100% and Fios showed everything was fine when they installed another cable card in another Tivo HD.


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A Roman gold solidus of Constantine I (AD 306-337), dating to the period c.AD 313-315 (Reece period 15). VIRTVS AVGVSTI N reverse type depicting the Emperor galloping right, spearing enemy, second enemy with shield below horse. Mint of Trier. As RIC VII, p. 167, no. 36. This coin type is not listed in Bland and Loriot's corpus of Roman gold coins found in Britain (Bland and Loriot, 2010) and is only the fourth gold coin on the PAS dating to the Tetrarchic period.
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Episode 33: Take Your Business to the Next Level with Florist Brenna Reppert - LIVE Coaching Session
We're back recording after TWO WHOLE MONTHS with a really awesome live coaching session with Brenna Reppert, the florist behind Thistle & Lace Florals. Of course we talk about non-sensical things like butt sweat and overalls for pregnancy but really this episode cover SO MUCH for side hustle entrepreneurs or even entrepreneurs in their first few years of business. As always, Erin and Casey provide different but equally helpful perspectives and advice for the newly self employed and those who want to be self employed. HIT US UP with an iTunes review if you loved this episode and send us an EMAIL if you want to be our next coaching session!


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Episode IV: A New Home
Apologies for the terrible geek pun, but it just seemed too good an opportunity to pass up.
After four moderately successful months based at the Paringdon Social club, I have spend most of the holiday weekend here in the UK setting up in what will be our new, permanent home. It took some negotiation and some waiting on others to get their lives sorted out, but finally it all came together on Tuesday!
Which meant that I've been painting, cleaning, framing and hefting a jong around.
For me and my students, this is fantastic news. We have what is essentially our own, dedicated space. We have a jong, all bags and (shortly) a shrine to set the atmosphere off and create the correct mindset.
Also, this means that I can offer more classes during the week (Mondays and Wednesdays from May 9th and we have a great space for private tuition.
As we continue to strengthen and grow the school we will be able to offer weekend classes>
Next steps will be to repaint the final purple wall (the first one took six coats!) and hopefully towards the end of the year, cover the rubber floor with engineered wood.
Why not come down, Monday and Wednesday evenings and try a free taster session. Wing Chun may be just what you need in your life!