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by John MacArthur
An advertising agency wrote seeking our ministry's business: "Let's face it: appearance is everything. Let us help you enhance your image."
My first thought was This agency must not realize they are dealing with a Christian organization.
But then it occurred to me that this is precisely the impression many unbelievers must get from the state of evangelical Christianity today: Appearance is everything. Truth and reality often take a back seat to image.
This sort of mentality has long been a plague on the church, but in recent years it has reached epidemic proportions. Sadly enough, Christian leaders are frequently the most image-conscious of all. And whole churches are being built on the philosophy that image is everything, while truth is something that must be downplayed or camouflaged so that the church can appear in more appealing dress.
In order to achieve a friendly, non-confrontive image, many churches forego the practice of church discipline altogether, lest the all-important image be tarnished. Sin in the body is tolerable as long as the carefully polished veneer remains in place.
Worst of all, this attitude is all too pervasive at the individual level. Many modern Christians live their lives as if a pretense of righteousness were as good as the real thing.
That is precisely the error committed by the Pharisees of Jesus' day. They had externalized the demands of the law. And many of them lived as if external obedience to the law fulfilled all the demands of divine righteousness.
Again and again Christ rebuked the Pharisees for their fastidious observance of the external, ceremonial law—married with a wanton neglect of the law's moral requirements. The Pharisees' teaching had placed so much emphasis on external appearance that it was commonly believed evil thoughts were not really sinful, as long as they did not become acts. The Pharisees and their followers became utterly preoccupied with appearing to be righteous. Yet they were all too willing to tolerate the grossest sins of the heart. That is why Jesus likened them to whitewashed tombs, spotless on the outside, but filled with corruption and defilement on the inside.
The notion that morality is merely external underlies all forms of hypocrisy. It is the very error Jesus decried in His exposition of the moral law in the Sermon on the Mount. The central lesson He underscored was this: External appearance is not what matters most. The proper focus of the moral law is the heart, not merely external behavior.
Jesus' exposition of the law is a devastating blow against the lie that image is everything. Our Lord taught repeatedly that sin bottled up on the inside, concealed from everyone else's view, carries the very same guilt as sin that manifests itself in the worst forms of ungodly behavior. Those who hate others are as guilty as those who act out their hatred; and those who indulge in private lusts are as culpable as wanton adulterers (Matthew 5:21-30).
So Christians are not to think of secret sins as somehow less serious and more respectable than the sins everyone sees. Here are three reasons secret sin is especially abhorrent:
1. The heart is open and laid bare before God.
Scripture tells us that nothing is hidden from the Lord's sight, "but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do" (Hebrews 4:13). No sin—not even a whispered curse or a fleeting evil thought—is hidden from the view of God. In fact, if we realized that God himself is the only audience for such secret sins, we might be less inclined to write them off so lightly.
The Bible declares that God will one day judge the secrets of every heart (Romans 2:16). He "will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:14).
Not only that, secret sins will not remain secret. "The Lord [will] bring to light the things hidden in the darkness" (1 Corinthians 4:5). Jesus said, "There is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops" (Luke 12:2-3). Those who think they can evade shame by sinning in secret will discover one day that open disclosure of their secrets before the very throne of God is the worst shame of all.
It is folly to think we can mitigate our sin by keeping it secret. It is double folly to tell ourselves that we are better than others because we sin in private rather than in public. And it is the very height of folly to convince ourselves that we can get away with sin by covering it up. "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper" (Proverbs 28:13).
All sin is an assault against our holy God, whether it is done in public or in secret. And God, who beholds even the innermost secrets of the heart, sees our sin clearly, no matter how well we think we have covered it.
2. The heart is the root of all sin.
When Jesus said hatred carries the same kind of guilt as murder, and lust is the very essence of adultery, He was not suggesting that there is no difference in degree between sin that takes place in the mind and sin that is acted out. Scripture does not teach that all sins are of equal enormity. That some sins are worse than others is both patently obvious and thoroughly biblical. Scripture plainly teaches this, for example, when it tells us the sin of Judas was greater than the sin of Pilate (John 19:11).
But in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus was pointing out that anger arises from the same moral defect as murder; and the one who lusts suffers from the same character flaw as the adulterer. Furthermore, those who engage in thought-sins are guilty of violating the same moral precepts as those who commit acts of murder and adultery.
In other words, secret sins of the heart are morally tantamount to the worst kind of evil deeds—even if they are sins of a lesser degree. The lustful person has no right to feel morally superior to a wanton fornicator. The fact that she indulges in lust is proof she is capable of immoral acts as well. The fact that he hates his brother shows that he has murder lurking in his heart. All sin, regardless of degree or extent, springs forth from the same wicked intentions and desires of the heart.
Christ was teaching us to view our own secret sins with the same moral revulsion we feel for wanton acts of public sin.
3. The heart is the true measure of the person.
The Lord isn't fooled by façades or disguises—He "sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). No amount of posturing or performance can conceal the true nature of a heart given over to secret sin.
In fact, those who sin secretly actually intensify their guilt, because they add the sin of hypocrisy to their offense. Hypocrisy is a grave sin in its own right. It also produces an especially debilitating kind of guilt, because by definition hypocrisy entails the concealing of sin. And the only remedy for any kind of sin involves uncovering our guilt through sincere confession.
Hypocrisy therefore permeates the soul with a predisposition against genuine repentance. That is why Jesus referred to hypocrisy as "the leaven of the Pharisees" (Luke 12:1).
Hypocrisy also works directly against the conscience. There's no way to be hypocritical without some searing of the conscience. Therefore hypocrisy inevitably makes way for the most vile, soul-coloring, character-damaging secret sins. Thus hypocrisy compounds itself, just like leaven.
Beware that sort of leaven. An ungodly culture tells us that appearances are everything. Don't buy that lie.
The truth is that our secret life is the real litmus test of our character: "As he thinks within himself, so he is" (Proverbs 23:7). Do you want to know who you really are? Take a hard look at your private life—especially your innermost thoughts. Gaze into the mirror of God's Word, and allow it to disclose and correct the real thoughts and motives of your heart.
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Oh, what a difficult topic you picked there John MacArthur!
Jesus teaches about the difference between following the rules to the letter (as the Pharisees) and acting in true love with true understanding and a true heart.
Yes, it's all about the condition of the heart. You can even (mis)use the letter to kill your brother! The Bible talks about Spirit and Truth together.
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It is such a joy seeing the work of God in our lives, primarily the on-going work of repentance as He separates us from sin. As the Holy Spirit puts to death the sin that remains in me, one tool that He uses from His Word in conforming me to the image of Christ is the example of Christ himself. Not as much His deeds unto men (although that is important and I would never intend to take anything away from that) but more importantly His self-emptying. The Lord has taught me that Christ likeness first and foremost must be seen in His perfect submission to the Father. It was His perfect love, solely coming to do the will of His Father, His only desire being the Father's glory. The Lord Jesus had no thought of Himself at all, His self image His reputation were non-existent. He emptied Himself for the will of another.
I am reminded of II Cor 5:15 "and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, BUT for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."
It is the love for Christ that must rule my life, His will and His glory; lest I be rendered useless for the proclamation of the gospel.
God bless all of you!
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That's why we must put pray and confessing our sins as well forgiving others whom sinned against us in practice daily.. like a daily chore.. Thanks for that. Amen..
It's great to know that Jesus died for us, and that it is done! The price has been paid! Cause I know that if Jesus did not die for this world, than we have not a single piece of hope! Glory goes All to Him! <3
Sometimes I think about when everybody will be standing up at the throne of the king, how great and scary it's going to be! Happy because we finally get to see our Saviors face, and scary because........Every single one of our sins are going to be laid out! Nothing will be hidden on that day!
But thank Jesus for His blood! Amen!
You know... it all comes down to whether or not people really believe that God is ultimately going to hold us accountable for even every careless word we speak (Matt. 12:36).
Luke says in 6:45 that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
If people have a real conviction of the serious holiness of God then they will have a proper view of their own depravity and realize their need for His Word. I mean, their dependence on it every single day. It takes God in us to even be able to please God at all (Philippians 2:12-13)!
Coming to this realization helps us to remember that, indeed, nothing is done in secret before God and that no matter who sees what here and now...we are responsible for everything we do and say to God.
Like almost anything, if there is no understanding and firm belief in the sovereignty and holiness of God, then we will have no firm conviction of the necessity of being obedient to Him. It seriously can be traced to that.
If God is not sovereign then he is no God at all. But He is! When we recognize His sovereignty we instantly have a right perspective of Him in relation to us, which is, consequently, indicative of a saving faith.
A saving faith is by the Holy Spirit and if the Holy Spirit is in us, then we will be convicted of even our "invisible" sins.
Great post, John! Keep up the good work, GTY team! It was such a special time for me to meet Steve, Lance and especially John in Maryland a week ago. Thank you for your precious time in coming! It is valued tremendously.
Ben Hogan
You are correct, Johnny Mac!
It baffles me when I see supposed Christians who go to church every Sunday then live like athiests for the other 6 days of the week. We are all hypocrites to some extent, but the ones who make such an effort to appear righteous when they know how truly depraved they are need to check themselves and start living morally externally AND internally.
This is one of Satan's biggest traps ,"Appearance!", once one falls to this kind of thinking your whipped....Satan loves it when people cast him as a devilish figure with a red evil looking body and horns, but yet comes in to the flock with sheep's clothing and then gets a foot hold of the loose tongues in the congregation. Yes many of the most evil people on this planet have the appearance of a sheep or dove, but inwardly can bite with the most deadliest venom. Sure it is good to have a healthy looking appearance dress nicely and speak with kindness , but that is when we need spiritual discernment in our lives to weed out the fakes from the phonies...it has been said that ...."You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear." ....and for us who are filled with Gods precious Holy Spirit lets hope and pray it is HIS song we only hear.
Thank you again pastor John!
I was finally able to come to faith and repent when I understood what it meant to have serious hatred for sin. But when I realized that my repentance itself was so fickle, I was baffled... until I heard your explanation of the passage Matthew 5:8. The passage totally nailed it for me. Purity in devotion, purity in motivation, purity in effort that bears much discipline.. are all directed by the truths as described in the Bible. The more I learned, the more constant "I need to repent of my repentance" became my prayer. Oh, it's a constant struggle. But I thank God for teachers that show me the way of sanctification from the Word.
By the way, I used to pray that the length of my life would be deducted and given to you. Now I realize that that kind of prayer is foolish, because God already has numbered our days - and also given me responsibilities. Then I prayed that I would be a man like you. But after more learning, I want to be like Jesus Christ... as taught and shown by godly men (like pastor John). When I listen to pastor John's sermons, I don't see or hear pastor John, but God's word. Thank you for hiding behind God's word and allowing the church to see God's word and His glory for ourselves. Thank you Grace to You for making these great resources available. Thank you all the supporters of GTY. I hope to have fellowship with you all when we all get to heaven someday.
The beauty is when people see the outward appearance through the inward heart. I'm thankful for GTY & John - because my perception is solely based on the core of the material.
John, I appreciate you letting your "yes be yes" and you don't pull any punches. That's the kind of expository preaching we all need!
Change comes through convictions
#7 Darrel Robertson
Good point.
We are sinners saved by grace. And we can all identify ourselves with Peter, the apostle with a foot-shaped mouth and a long record of getting to really know what true love is by the dynamic work of God, testing, reproving, encouraging, rebuking, shaping...
Speaking of appearances, I saw a TV broadcast of Dudley Rutherford, who wrote a book titled "God has an App for that". Now, I understand the art of pithy sayings, but I still object.
Am I being too harsh? Isn't it important to have a holy dread of God and keep the rhetoric under control?
Is this a cultural issue, or a Biblical one, cuz I see it as a Biblical one.
I'm not getting this one.
John, thank you for such a heart searching blog.
What a statement.....God is the only audience of our secret sins.
Thank you John for your great expositiory preaching and teaching.
Does this mean that we should not focus on the building, but the people? I'm asking because I see lots of churches taking care of their million dollar plus facilities, but meanwhile, I wonder how many of their congregation has to rely on some sort of government assistance (i.e.- WIC, Food Stamps, Government Bill Assistance Programs, etc.) to pay their bills. Should the Church be more focused on feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and doing good works more than the appearance of their fancy meeting halls and campuses? I understand a lot of churches don't focus on church discipline, but how many of the churches that are doing church discipline, are focusing to much on unnecessary (and I do mean unnecessary) things instead of on ministering to those who are in need? I'm not trying to be contentious, but I would like to know what you all think about this. Please respond with some feedback on this. Thank you and God bless the Grace to You ministry team. Thank you so much for helping me out through the preaching you offer on the web and radio. I have grown so much since I started listening and reading to John MacArthur's sermons on the radio, and reading the blog post posted on here as well.
Deals with the heart motives.. no sugercoating the sermons.. Amen to blog note.. Amen..
Thank you for this blog,it's very convicting. I struggle so much with my thought life that sometimes I want to run my head through a brick wall. I don't feel like a hypocrite but I suppose that doesn't mean I'm not? What a worn out wretch of a man I am,I fail every test of character that comes my way and I'm ashamed to even ask God for forgivness but I do, after mustering up the faith that He still loves me because of Christ.
I've thought about talking to someone but my own pastor,as nice as he is,has a completely incorrect view of being born again. so it's hard to get deep when the guy in charge thinks that if you believe you're going to heaven you are. Just fill out the decision card! You're born again! I do pray for him,but I feel like my sin cancels out my prayers sometimes. Thank God so much for GTY and guys like DR MacArthur and DR Piper at Desiring God,if it wasn't for these 2 websites this sheep would be starved to death. God Bless you guys.
Not real big on blogs, but I think this is one I'm about to enjoy!
I appreciate the statement, "Take a hard look at your private life—especially your innermost thoughts." That's really when I knew I was in trouble, always someone (God) was watching me!!! Pay close attention to the websites you visit, might be revealing. Was to me, sometime back!
The "secret place" is the devils playhouse!!! Thanks be to the Holy Spirit and it's convicting power!!!
Thanks so much to John MacArthur and the staff for all the great stuff!!!
I would like to see some comments on Seth Elders comments.
Thank you so much John for that 'secret' Life changing commentary.
It has truely made me ashamed of my inner most thoughts that seem to make me feel better/exalted about myself when in fact they are fithy rags before my Lord.
Ignorance is bliss as we feel so self assured that our 'secret' sins have gone unnoticed by our Lord, when in fact He taking account of ii all...
We are so blessed to have this ministry at our finger tips each and every day...you do not sugar coat anything...so that the Word of God pierces right to our very soul.
Praying for the Lord to guide me each and every day until I'm home...
I am grateful that you don't compromise the message but will this company cause you to make a change in appearance - should we expect a white suit and aviator glasses and maybe facial hair like Phil Johnson?
I think one of the best compliments I ever got was when I worked at a large furniture store years ago and one of the female employees came up to me and asked if I was a Christian because I seemed so different than the other guys who worked there. Staying in God's Word helps me in my walk and in how people can perceive me.....
First, I'd like to say THANK YOU teacher Mac Arthur for being a humble and willing vessel in the hand of God. God has so richly nourished my soul by way of God's teachings through you. You are truly deserving of God's blessings for being a good shepherd. Tragically, there are so few in this world.
The quality that most exemplifies godliness and righteousness is unpretentiousness. There isn't one account in the bible when Jesus appeared or desired to appear pretentious. To the contrary, Jesus clearly didn't care who took offense to God's truth. Anytime someone hides who they are, or behaves in a self-righteous manner, they're being deceptive (untruthful). Being untruthful to God, self, others, goes against all that God is. Hiding from the truth is what alienates us from God and others, and is the source of loneliness and inner turmoil. The first account of hiding from the truth is found in Genesis 3:10, when Adam and Eve tried to hide their disobedience and shame from God, and as we all know, that didn't go over real big with God. Jonah is another example of the consequences of hiding from God. Jonah 1:1-17. Hiding the truth about ourselves from God and others is truly the root of all evil, and God's greatest heartache, since God has no choice but to turn His back on those who run and hide from Him. Loving and embracing the truth is loving and embracing God, and is the test that determines our true paternity. Anyone who's offended by or tries to hide the truth is the enemy of God, as Matthew 7:20 says, "Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
Oh my, I love how Pastor John spoke to how hypocrisy intensifies our guilt. And this little gem of a statement, " The truth is that our secret life is the real litmus test of our character", I just might want to use on a bumper sticker! Maybe I'll settle for writing it on my bathroom mirror?
I am so thankful that Pastor John reveals the ugly like he does. I haven't come this far in my Christian walk to be content with a fake anything.
Actually, that is what I love about this blog being under the leadership of John MacArthur. I hate my sin. I crave the truth and it is so comforting to be anywhere that truth abounds. Truth is normal here. I can relax here. Elsewhere, not so much.
Oh, Lord, check my heart. Psalm 26:2
I 've been reading Romans, and we will be judged for everything. I agree Churches spend money on new parking lot when they had a good one to start with like concrete when the asphalt was fine just to let you know there is no judgment from myself, it is that where I live the people need help, food and help with bills are more important than keeping up with the Jones's. If I could I would fill a truck with food and give it away to those that needed it. I've been there and now how it feels, so God looks on the heart as you say he does. My Husband & I have always told our children "what goes in your eyes and ears will go down into your heart and come out of your mouth". The heart is the the true window to our soul I believe,
I try to be a good example to those around me but I tell everyone that man will fail you the only one that does not fail you is Jesus so please don't look no me because I fall down and make mistakes but look To God Because he NEVER fails us.
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The 'Twinkie Defense': the relationship between carbonated non-diet soft drinks and violence perpetration among Boston high school students
- 1Department of Economics, University of Vermont, University Place, Burlington, Vermont, USA
- 2Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Correspondence to Sara J Solnick, Department of Economics, University of Vermont, 237 Old Mill, 94 University Place, Burlington, VT 05405, USA; sara.solnick{at}uvm.edu
Contributors DH was largely responsible for conception and design and acquisition of data. SS was not involved in that phase of the project. SS conducted the statistical analyses. Both authors participated in analysis and interpretation of data, drafting and revising the article for important intellectual content and both shared final approval of the version to be published.
- Accepted 15 September 2011
- Published Online First 24 October 2011
Objectives To investigate the association of carbonated non-diet soft drink consumption and violence perpetration in a sample of Boston adolescents.
Methods In a survey of Boston public high schools, respondents were asked how often they drank non-diet soft drinks and whether they had carried a weapon or engaged in physical violence with a peer. Regression analysis was used to determine the role of soft drink consumption in these behaviours.
Results Adolescents who drank more than five cans of soft drinks per week (nearly 30% of the sample) were significantly more likely to have carried a weapon and to have been violent with peers, family members and dates (p<0.01 for carrying a weapon and p<0.001 for the three violence measures). Frequent soft drink consumption was associated with a 9–15% point increase in the probability of engaging in aggressive actions, even after controlling for gender, age, race, body mass index, typical sleep patterns, tobacco use, alcohol use and having family dinners.
Conclusions There was a significant and strong association between soft drinks and violence. There may be a direct cause-and-effect relationship, perhaps due to the sugar or caffeine content of soft drinks, or there may be other factors, unaccounted for in our analyses, that cause both high soft drink consumption and aggression.
- Adolescent
- aggression
- soda
- soft drinks
- risk/determinants
- alcohol
- behaviour
- attitudes
- policy
- suicide
- homicide
- violence
- firearm
- concussion
- behaviour change
- public health
- pedestrian
- implementation/translation
Funding This work was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, grant number 5U49 CE00-740. CDC supplied the funds to create, conduct and analyse the survey.
Competing interests None.
Ethics approval Harvard School of Public Health Office of Human Research Administration.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

subset: commoncrawl


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8-year-old Alaysha Carradine was at a sleepover with two other children and their grandmother in the Dimond District neighborhood when gunfire struck the apartment's front security screen door killing Carradine and wounding everyone else in the room. The shooting happened in the 3400 block of Wilson Avenue, between Montana Street and MacArthur Boulevard. Khamel Hardin, 22, a relative who lives in the apartment, said he was in the living room with the children when he heard gunshots and saw a shot pierce the door. No suspects have been arrested and police don't have a motive for the attack. Carradine's death is Oakland's 54th homicide of the year.
Oakland 8-year-old Slain During Sleepover
Filed under: Articles, Crime, News, Oakland
Tagged: Alaysha Carradine, Diamond District, home invasion, homicide, Oakland, Oakland Police Department, OPD, violence


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a place for zinesters - writers and readers
So during my daily EGL stalk I come across this. This blog post will basically be my two cents based off what I've read (on the link previously mentioned).
I am thoroughly annoyed by the Lolita community's intolerance towards…Continue
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Works on wavy, straight or mildly curly hair, and requires soft layers. It can be worn with or without bangs (fringe) both straight-across or side bangs can look good. Hair must be longer than shoulder length (extensions can be used). It probably works on wigs, but I haven't tried it.…Continue
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I want to become a lolita, you say.…
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(For my own reference, mostly. This interview originally ran in Gothic & Lolita Bible volume II, and the translation is from Monologue Sanctuary ).
Special Conversation 1
Mana (MALICE…
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Lolita is a fashion that originated in Japan, specifically in the Harajuku area of Tokyo, which is often heavily populated by teenagers of all styles on the weekends. Lolita is often cited as being influenced by the Victorian and Rococo eras, however, it is a modernised, very loose take on either period. It was first recognised as a subculture in the late 1980s, and has evolved much since then. It is…Continue
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"We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jim McKay, an icon in the Olympic Movement who set a standard for sports journalism to which many aspire still today.
"Jim is synonymous with the Olympic Games. As host of ABC's Olympic coverage, he brought into our homes the triumphs and struggles of athletes from around the world. Jim told those stories with great skill and care, and did so by taking the time to understand not only the athlete, but the compelling journey that brought them to the Games. He had great respect for his subject matter and his profession, and that was always evident in his work.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jim's family members and his many friends worldwide."


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I cut and serve from the pan, just like all restaurants do. I think I've only seen 'em removed from the pan for takeout, but it's been a while...
Are there any Chicago residents out there who can tell me authoritatively if this is what they do? I admit to being a bit of an obsessive perfectionist who wants to get as close as possible to replicating the Chicago experience. I know it's crazy... but it brings back all sorts of great memories of life in Wrigleyville!
I use a deep-dish pan gripper and a cake decorating spatula with a narrow bendable blade. I first grab the pan with the gripper, then run the spatula blade around the pan to make sure the crust is fully released from the pan, then slide the spatula blade down the side of the crust and with a slight flip of the wrist I slide the spatula blade under the pizza to help guide it out of the pan onto a cooling rack.


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Release date: 6/23/2004
Raleigh: Attorney General Roy Cooper took legal action today to stop a Florida-based company from pitching phony credit cards and loans to North Carolina consumers.
"Consumers thought they were paying for a package that would include a credit card or a guaranteed loan," said Cooper. "But this company gave its customers nothing but worthless paperwork in exchange for their hard-earned money."
On Wednesday, Wake County Superior Court Judge Donald Stephens granted Cooper's request for a preliminary injunction to stop Network Services, Inc., doing business as Maxi Finance, and its president Theodore E. Bartek of Gainesville, Florida from contacting or taking money from North Carolina consumers while the suit against them goes forward. Cooper is also asking that Maxi Finance pay refunds to consumers and fines to the state for deceptive practices and illegal telemarketing calls. In future hearings he will ask the court to stop Maxi Finance from doing business in North Carolina permanently.
Cooper contends that Maxi Finance deceived consumers across North Carolina with its marketing of credit cards and loans. The company also failed to register with the Secretary of State as telemarketers or loan brokers in violation of state law. The suit was brought by Cooper's Telemarketing Fraud Prevention Project, which is funded by the US Department of Justice - Bureau of Justice Assistance.
As alleged in the complaint, Maxi Finance contacted consumers through mailings and telemarketing calls to offer pre-approved loans, credit cards with $5,000 lines of credit, mortgages, grants and debt consolidation. Consumers who received post cards from Maxi Finance were told to call a toll-free number that played a recorded message offering to send them a package of credit services in exchange for $49.99 to $59.99 paid cash on delivery. Other consumers got unsolicited telemarketing calls from Maxi Finance encouraging them to send money to get the credit package, or informing them that the package was on its way and they would have to pay C.O.D. to receive it.
According to consumers who complained to Cooper's office, the packages that arrived did not contain credit cards, or forms for getting pre-approved credit card or guaranteed loans or grants. Instead, consumers who paid Maxi Finance opened the packages to find paper credit card replicas and information on companies they could apply to for credit. When consumers requested a refund from the company, Maxi Finance regularly refused.
A total of 6 consumers filed complaints about Maxi Finance, but Cooper's office expects that there are many more victims across the state. Consumers who wish to file a complaint about the company are encouraged to do so by calling (877)-5-NO-SCAM toll-free within North Carolina.
"Companies that pitch products here in North Carolina should live up to their promises," said Cooper. "If they don't, they should expect to hear from my office."


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I need your help identifying the right approach to music in our stores and finding the right musicians to work with.
Read more about what I'm looking for here http://www.tearetailer.com/article_68.html and let me know your thoughts.
geeber1 wrote:The other day I was at the hair salon and Led Zeppelin was playing in the background.


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From the Manufacturer's Label:
From Utah's ancient inland sea, the Great Salt Lake*
A rapidly absorbed topical spray
All Natural and Concentrated
*The Great Salt Lake in Utah is a mineral-rich inland sea and is a remnant of the ancient Lake Bonneville, the largest lake of the last Ice Age. Its waters are 11 times more concentrated than seawater and contain over 72 naturally occurring ionic trace minerals.
Manufactured by White Egret.


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The Creators Project: You're so punk rock. Your new graphic book is about the Chinese punk scene you came up in during the 1970's. While we're waiting for the book to be translated, can you tell us a little about what it was like?
Peng Lei: The first time I came in contact with punk rock was in high school. At that time, young people in China were all getting turned on to it. Everyone was going crazy for it; there was so much energy. Besides, lots of girls in high school liked punk rock a lot. So I formed my first band primarily to get their attention.
When did visual art also sneak into your life?
In college my major was film, so after graduation I started to do animation, from big projects to small ones. My band released our first LP in high school, and it got popular pretty fast. So from very earlier on, the worlds of music and visual art overlapped in exciting ways for me. From 2004 to 2006, I made my first short film, which was called Peking Monster; and it was the first science fiction film in China. Then I made another movie called The Panda Candy, which was part documentary, part romance.
Part of the allure of your films, music, and visual art is that they seem to come from a place that is at once familiar, freakish, cute, and challenging for the viewer think about. Is that intentional, or just what you're naturally drawn to?
Let's talk about The Panda Candy first. I made it in 2006. The main idea was that during that time, there were lots of girls in relationships with girls in China. It suddenly became trendy to be bisexual, and I thought they were all influenced by a TV show called "Super Girls." I was curious whether these girls were really into girls or just in it for the trend. So I decided to investigate and made the answers to my questions into The Panda Candy. Actually this one was kind of a semi-documentary film. We tried to find women who would openly answer questions about their sexual orientation. When their answers seemed genuine, we would ask them for permission to record their lives.
Peking Monster seems to almost exist within its own genre. How did you arrive at the unique technologies you used to make it?
During that time in China most filmmakers were known for making very high tech movies, and that was the trend. But I've always been really rebellious, so I decided to make this film using stop motion animation. We made all these clay and rubber models by ourselves, then took pictures of them, moved them, and combined them in the end as a whole film.
You're constantly reinventing yourself. Why does your style change so significantly from project to project?
Well, the first three albums were punk, but later when we were doing the fourth one, we lost our drummer, so we started making beats on the computer. So now we're more electronic or dance music. I like to go with the flow when it comes to making art and not be constrained by old ideas.
What do you think about the future of art in China?
The Chinese government recently realized that investing in creative industries is much cheaper than subsidizing oil and coal. So they started to give money to young people to encourage them do the creative projects that might turn profitable. However, in China, the government still puts limitations on those of us who are "too" creative. For example we had some music performances that were shut down by the government because we were doing punk music, which those politicians thought was evil or something. So I would say there is still a long way to go before I can say that China is a country that supports its artists.
The same weird toothy cartoon characters reappear in your paintings and graphic books. Where do they come from?
Most of these ideas are from my childhood. When I was a child, I used to watch Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Then I started to imagine what they would be like if they grew up in China. Then I used those characters as models, and created new Chinese stories based on those characters, like with them playing Mahjong and drinking…stuff I watched the adults around me do while I was growing up.
How do you imagine the future?
When I was a child, I always imagined that in the future there would be lots of robbers, but it turned out that that factor has not changed significantly at all. But I can't overstate what a strong influence the science fiction about the future from my childhood has had on my music, movies, and art.
If you could have access to any new technology in your work, what would it be?


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About the Authors: Stephanie Dos Santos and Paul Patin serves in the Public Affairs Section at U.S. Embassy Paris.
This week marked the re-opening of the George C. Marshall Center following 10 years of restoration. Dedicated artisans, craftsmen, and designers on both sides of the Atlantic labored to make the restoration of this tribute to Franco-American friendship a reality. The project was entirely funded by private donations. French historians, American and French architects and artisans, guided by an international Steering Committee made up of former U.S. ambassadors and French opinion leaders, collaborated on this vast project -- a model of cooperation between our two countries. Thanks to the restoration, the George C. Marshall Center can continue its legacy of hosting diplomatic events and meetings for international scholars, artists, and leaders of government and business. It will also serve as an educational resource for future generations.
The Hotel de Talleyrand, which houses the George C. Marshall Center, is a national treasure and one of the landmark buildings of Paris, a monument to 20th century Euro-American relations. The Hotel was built in the 18th century by the celebrated French architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel, who also designed the Place de la Concorde, on whose northwest corner the building sits. It takes its name from its most famous long-term resident, Napoleon's Foreign Minister Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord, known to most Americans as the shadowy French diplomat behind the "XYZ Affair." (Restorers of the building noted that certain mysterious changes to their work, that tended to occur when the building was unoccupied overnight, can only be explained by the workings of the ghost of the man who betrayed at least three different French governments.)
The hotel was purchased and enlarged by the Rothschild family in the 19th century. Upon the liberation of France, the U.S. military used the Hotel de Talleyrand as its administrative center. Subsequently, the building was the European headquarters of the Marshall Plan. As such, it is a monument to our common political, economic, and social history. Today, the Hotel de Talleyrand and the George C. Marshall Center feature a permanent exhibit that celebrates the extraordinary cooperation of European and American individuals under the Marshall Plan to establish both the economic recovery of Europe and a lasting spirit of international collaboration after World War II.
Between 1952 and 2008, the building housed the Consulate of the American Embassy in Paris, the offices of Public and Cultural Affairs, the Benjamin Franklin Documentation Center, and the George C. Marshall Center. Today, the George C. Marshall Center, the Paris offices of the law firm Jones Day, and the World Monuments Fund Europe and France together offer a new vitality for the building.


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Me bad!!! I was re-reading my post and I meant to say 650 degrees, not 750. Must have been that adult beverage I consumed before I went to the UFC fight. It was a good night, a belly full pie and time spent with wonderful friends.
Walter, the PS in your post is exactly why I began making pizza at home. The pies I had been buying were bad, and getting worse. The chains are the worst, and the independents are not great in this area. Now, if I could just fit one of those 1000s in my kitchen Wayne
I would like to purchase an old 1000 and I must say I am not seeing them sold a dime a dozen. Not even close man! Also, why does it take years to learn to make a good NY pie?Bob
I only carried a gun in my waistband walking the streets of Newark NJ and NYC and I wasn't hunting no rabbits
The important thing is, you liked the pizza. Sometimes, the prettiest girls are not the most fun on a date! Wayne


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Catalina Cottage Twin-Over-Full Bunk Bed
- Overview
Classic details like turned legs and beadboard panels give our Catalina Cottage Bunk Bed timeless appeal. Crafted for lasting comfort, it features a full-sized bed on the bottom, making this a bedroom piece that will be enjoyed for years to come.
- 67.5" wide x 80" long x 70" high
- Minimum recommended ceiling height: 8'
- Expertly crafted from solid mahogany, mahogany veneers and MDF (medium density fibreboard), an engineered wood that lends exceptional strength and ensures that the bed will endure over time.
- Slat-roll foundation is designed for use without a box spring.
- Wood swatches, below, are available for $20 each. We will provide a merchandise refund for swatches if they're returned within 30 days.
- Shop our Lullaby Mattress Collection. Bunk mattress fits upper bunk, standard full-sized mattress fits lower bunk; mattresses are sold separately.
- This bunk bed can be converted into two separate beds.
- The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that top bunks not be used for children under 6 years of age.
- Get tips on how to measure for furniture.
- Dimensions & Care
Bunk Bed
- Overall (with ladder): 67.5" wide x 80" long x 70" high
- Overall (without ladder): 56.5" wide x 80" long x 70" high
- Ladder: 14" wide x 58.5" high x 2.5" thick
- Rungs:4
- Ladder projection from bed: 10.5"
- Weight: 102.5 pounds
Upper Bed (Twin)
- 42" wide x 80" long x 33.5" high
- Headboard and Footboard: 42" wide x 33.5" high x 2.5" thick
- Clearance under side rails: 47"
- Slats:16
Lower Bed (Full)
- 57" wide x 80" long x 36.5" high
- Headboard and Footboard: 57" wide x 36.5" high x 2.5" thick
- Clearance under side rails: 10.5"
- Slats:16
- Get tips on how to measure for furniture.
- Rigorously tested to meet or exceed the highest industry safety standards.
- Masterfully crafted with a kiln-dried solid mahogany frame, frame-and-panel construction, and tenon-and-groove joinery for structural integrity.
- All wood is kiln dried for added strength and lasting beauty.
- The use of veneers results in high-quality furniture with flawless surfaces and consistent color tones.
- Our Rustic Sun Valley finish was developed exclusively for Pottery Barn Kids. Using a dry brush, artisans mottle the finish while it's still wet to reveal the wood's textural grain. Once dry, the surface is subtly distressed for the special warmth and rich patina of a treasured heirloom. A final coat of lacquer seals the finish and adds extra durability.
- A bunk mattress must be used on the upper bunk; do not use a box spring on bunk or full bed.
- Dust often using a soft, dry cloth.
- Protect from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures.
- Blot spills immediately with a clean, damp cloth.
- We do not recommend the use of chemical cleansers, abrasives, furniture polish or wax.
- Shipping & Return Info
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View Our Shipping Information
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At Pottery Barn Kids, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction is our priority. We carefully inspect your order prior to shipment; upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage. We will arrange for a prompt replacement. If, within 7 days for Quick Ship upholstery and 30 days for all other products, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value.
If your return for Merchandise Credit Cards is greater than $10,000, we will issue $10,000 in Merchandise Credit Cards to you that day, and then mail additional Merchandise Credit Card(s) for the amount in excess of $10,000 to you.
We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. We also cannot accept returns of final-sale items, which are identified by a price that ends in $0.99.
For returns of items purchased from your Pottery Barn Kids registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later.
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$ 175.00
Flat cut lenses encased in a thin acetate frame with fine metal inlays at the temple edge. The tapered temples are laser-etched with the product number.
Modern interpretations of classic eyewear, G-Star sunglasses feature straight cut lenses and frames from acetate and steel. Oversized screws are used to reference the industrial inspirations of the brand, and earpieces with loops mirror the shape of zip-pullers used in G-Star denims.
All sunglasses are delivered with a G-Star RAW eyewear case.
Fit: Try it on with an interactive fitting
Individual Lens Width: 55 mm
Nose Bridge Width: 16 mm
Temple Length Including Ear Piece: 145 mm
Materials: Cellulose acetate.
Colour: Havana.
Art nr: 53.132.605S.909.E214


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I have not seen this for years and it made me laugh out loud and brought back memories of how the Ambulance Service was once perceived.
Having said that I have been reliably informed that
most some new Doctors still regard us in this light!
That's awesome! I've never seen it before, thank you for sharing it 😉
Love Jasper Carrott he is so funny, when you have a minute King I have tagged you over at mine..xx
Help. It's gone away and I haven't seen it? Can anyone retrieve it for me. You tube say it isn't available any more?? Sigh.
I think if I remember rightly I took ages searching through all the Jasper Carrot sketches.


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State Bank of Gibbon to merge with Minnwest Bank
GIBBON – Minnwest Bank and State Bank of Gibbon announced today the signing of an agreement to merge. Completion of the transaction, which is currently expected to occur in the third quarter of 2014, is contingent upon regulatory approval.
State Bank of Gibbon had consolidated assets of $26.5 million and $24.2 million in deposits, as of December 31, 2013.
John Tester, president of State Bank of Gibbon, said, "The Tester family is honored to have served the citizens and community of Gibbon and the surrounding area for four generations, beginning with the founding of the bank by Robert Tester in 1894. I am grateful to our loyal customers and friends, and wish to extend my heartfelt appreciation for their many years with us. The Tester family is excited about the newly merged bank and the role it will play in Gibbon's future."
Douglas Karsky, president of Minnwest Bank, said, "Minnwest Bank is dedicated to helping build the Gibbon community and we look forward to serving our new customers with more financial products and services including Online Banking, Mobile Banking, Online Bill Pay, mortgage and other loans. We strive to offer personal one-on-one service along with the expertise and convenient technology customers are looking for."
"Minnwest Bank and State Bank of Gibbon have similar community banking models that will help ensure a smooth transition. We will strive to make the merger as uncomplicated and transparent to customers as possible," said Karsky.
Minnwest Bank is a family owned bank with 24 branches in 19 communities throughout Minnesota and Sioux Falls, SD with $1.5 billion in assets. Minnwest Bank is a preferred SBA lender and participates in State and Federal loan programs such as SBA, FSA, Rural Finance Authority and South Dakota Dept. of Agriculture. Minnwest Bank is currently Minnesota's second largest agricultural bank in farm lending. Visit Minnwest Bank at: www.minnwestbank.com.


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Antonio Pierce and Tim Hasselbeck kill him publicly (despite the gd boys club they usually seem to reside in
"I didn't get a chance to get to know who Tiki Barber was the person," Pierce said. "I know him as a player and the guy was great and we always congratulate each other, the way we played."
"But what he did in that locker room my two years with him, he didn't do anything but deteriorate that team," Pierce added. "And he didn't help us out. I don't see this guy as a leader or somebody that can help you out. And that's my problem with him. That is why I believe they [the Giants] will release him because he is going to cause nothing but problems for that team."
Hasselbeck said the Giants should bring him back, give him the Haynesworth treatment during camp abd then cut him after other teams had already solidified their rosters.
Said the guy is not a veteran leader and is 35 and hasn't played in four years at a position where you can always find help. Said that makes it clear that him losing his TV gig and going through an ugly divorce means money is all this is about.
This guy must be flat-out hated. If he was a dick in the locker room there's a good chance he was a dick at work and a dick at home.


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Total Market from Idea to Execution
November 5, 2013
ANA multicultural marketing and diversity committee chair Gilbert Dávila moderated a discussion featuring client-side marketers from Coca-Cola, Walmart, and General Mills about the key elements to success with a total market strategy.
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You may already be a member. Find out if your company is already an ANA member.


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LONDON - Over the last four days para-equestrian dressage athletes have had their opportunity to place their best foot forward in the Greenwich Park arena, the venue for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. The first two days of the 2012 Paralympic equestrian competition consisted of the team test where Great Britain dominated four of the five grade levels. Over the last two days during the para-dressage individual test competition however, individual powerhouses overthrew Great Britain's reign. One of those athletes working towards capturing a medal was Jonathan Wentz and NTEC Richter Scale, owned by Kai Handt.
Wentz has traveled around the country gaining experience for himself and his horses before qualifying for London and heading to the Paralympics. In 2010 at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ Wentz came close to winning a medal with NTEC Richter Scale at his first World Equestrian Games. With his hunger for more, Wentz, his trainer Kai and his support team set off to prepare for the 2012 London Games. As they prepped Richter and multiple back-up horses Wentz began winning the Grade Ib championships at many international competitions. These wins placed him in the top ten of the FEI World Rankings where he maintained his position throughout the 2012 show season. Nothing could stand in Wentz's way as he armed himself with a stellar horse and the support of the United States Equestrian Federation's Para-Dressage team.
For the Individual Test at the London Paralympics, Wentz drew an early spot in the order just in front of Lee Pearson of Great Britain. As the horse and rider combination of Richter and Wentz executed each technical requirement the judge's scores began to increase. Although Wentz had a test that was respectable, moments of imperfection would earn him a score of 70.348%. Jonathan's position would first be moved by Lee Pearson and horse Gentleman with a 75.391%. Then Australian athlete Joann Formosa and Worldwide PB would perform a 75.826% knocking the nine-time Gold Medal athlete Lee Pearson from his podium. With only two horses to go Pepo Puch of Austria and horse Fine Feeling would push Wentz into fourth place.
"We are proud of Jonathan," noted horse owner and trainer Kai Handt. Out of the United States Equestrian Federation's Eventing, Show Jumping, able-bodied Dressage, and Para-Dressage placing thus far Wentz has the highest placing of any of the United States Equestrian Team members.
"There's still way more to come," smiled Wentz. "During the Team Test we got hit for being too conservative but today we went too much the other way and hit too hard on the accelerator. We got way too wobbly in the trot-work and the walk-work. We finally scored the way we were hoping in other parts of the test but the trot work hurt us. I was happy with the turn on the haunches and my walk work since it was a place we improved upon within our test."
Although Wentz did not stand on the podium for the Individual Test it gave him that much more desire to be there next time. The question will remain as the 2012 London Paralympics comes to an end if we will see the handsome eighteen year-old at the World Equestrian Games in Rio, or if a retirement is in his future.


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University of Arizona Helps Sustain Nogales Wheelchair Shop
Across the border, the UA is impacting others, like here at the All-Terrain Wheelchair Shop.
Across the border, the UA is impacting others, like here at the All-Terrain Wheelchair Shop.
UA Alumna and former member of the women's swimming and diving team stopped by the UA Bookstore to sign copies of her new memoir.
Dr. Linda Restifo is testing fruit fly brain cells to find a drug to treat the core problems of autism.
The UA College of Nursing created an exercise class for cancer survivors through their online resource center.
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[Health & Medicine] [UA+]
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Maintenance of Ruby 2.0.0 ended on February 24, 2016. Read more
The Singleton module implements the Singleton pattern.
To use Singleton, include the module in your class.
class Klass include Singleton # ... end
This ensures that only one instance of Klass can be created.
a,b = Klass.instance, Klass.instance a == b # => true Klass.new # => NoMethodError - new is private ...
The instance is created at upon the first call of Klass.instance().
class OtherKlass include Singleton # ... end ObjectSpace.each_object(OtherKlass){} # => 0 OtherKlass.instance ObjectSpace.each_object(OtherKlass){} # => 1
This behavior is preserved under inheritance and cloning.
This above is achieved by:
Making Klass.new and Klass.allocate private.
Overriding Klass.inherited(sub_klass) and Klass.clone() to ensure that the Singleton properties are kept when inherited and cloned.
Providing the Klass.instance() method that returns the same object each time it is called.
Overriding Klass._load(str) to call Klass.instance().
Overriding Klass#clone and Klass#dup to raise TypeErrors to prevent cloning or duping.
By default Singleton's #_dump(depth) returns the empty string. Marshalling by default will strip state information, e.g. instance variables and taint state, from the instance. Classes using Singleton can provide custom _load(str) and _dump(depth) methods to retain some of the previous state of the instance.
require 'singleton' class Example include Singleton attr_accessor :keep, :strip def _dump(depth) # this strips the @strip information from the instance Marshal.dump(@keep, depth) end def self._load(str) instance.keep = Marshal.load(str) instance end end a = Example.instance a.keep = "keep this" a.strip = "get rid of this" a.taint stored_state = Marshal.dump(a) a.keep = nil a.strip = nil b = Marshal.load(stored_state) p a == b # => true p a.keep # => "keep this" p a.strip # => nil
By default, do not retain any state when marshalling.
# File singleton.rb, line 108 def _dump(depth = -1) '' end
Raises a TypeError to prevent cloning.
# File singleton.rb, line 98 def clone raise TypeError, "can't clone instance of singleton #{self.class}" end
Commenting is here to help enhance the documentation. For example, code samples, or clarification of the documentation.
If you have questions about Ruby or the documentation, please post to one of the Ruby mailing lists. You will get better, faster, help that way.
If you wish to post a correction of the docs, please do so, but also file bug report so that it can be corrected for the next release. Thank you.
If you want to help improve the Ruby documentation, please visit Documenting-ruby.org.


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Dress up your gams with these essential black thigh highs. Mega stretch fabric.
*100% Nylon
*Length: 29"
If you're not utterly obsessed with your recent purchase, it's now so easy to send it back! All US returns can be completed online using our fast, hassle-free system. Check out the links below for more details.
Opened makeup, earrings, ear cuffs and panties cannot be returned.


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" While it may be tempting to use broad generalizations about the way business aircraft are most often used in America today, let's not neglect the importance of business aviation as a crucial competitive asset to companies, an economic driver and lifeline to communities large and small. "
Piaggio America's John Bingham
"When I was telling people that I joined Piaggio," said John Bingham, "they would say, 'I didn't realize that you had gone to work in motor scooters.' I quickly understood that we needed to do something about the name of the company. So that is why we branded it 'Piaggio Aero.'"
Bingham, an auto-industry veteran who started at the Italian company last year, was named president and CEO of the Piaggio America division in February. The firm completes, delivers and supports the P.180 Avanti and Avanti II turboprop aircraft in the North American and Latin American markets.
The Avanti II is the world's fastest business turboprop, cruising at 402 knots, and is a staple of U.S.-based fractional provider Avantair, which operates more than 50 of the airplanes. The model is the sole survivor of a trio of fast pusher turboprops developed in response to the energy crisis of the 1970s.
Over the last several years, Piaggio has been buoyed by major international investments and production has increased at stable rates. The manufacturer, which first delivered the Avanti to customers in 1990, updated it in 2005 as the Avanti II with glass-panel avionics and slightly more powerful Pratt & Whitney engines. The aircraft has speed comparable to that of a light jet, interior dimensions nearly equal to those of a midsize Hawker jet and better fuel efficiency than a King Air 350 turboprop.
Piaggio manufactures the Avanti II at its venerable Finale Ligouri plant in Genoa, Italy, and then flies it to the U.S., where updated executive interiors are installed. The company-which is also developing a new jet-sells 70 percent of its Avantis in North America.
Bingham talked to BJT about the latest developments at Piaggio Aero and his take on the overall business jet market.
You spent a lot of time last year rebranding the company. How important is branding to sustaining sales over time?
You've got to gain an identity. I think the image we have now is far more modern and we are hearing from people that we've never heard from before. The reason is that we're actively pursuing print, digital and social media to make sure that the brand is understood and that we show our aircraft in as many places as possible.
What lessons did you learn at Bentley and Rolls-Royce that you can apply to the corporate aircraft market?
Before I worked there, I worked at Renault, the French car company, where I gained a volume perspective on cars, and then I went to high luxury and Rolls-Royce, and there is a clear differentiation.
Then I went to work for Cirrus and now Piaggio and there again we are talking volume against more of a luxury product.
People understand the touch and feel of quality. At Piaggio we understand the human factors beyond the basics of how an aircraft works and its ability to go from Point A to Point B. We appreciate the customer's desires and motivation.
How do you get around the perception in some quarters-especially with customers who have owned exotic Italian sports cars-that while Italians build beautiful vehicles, they are difficult to maintain?
[Laughs] You know, the Avanti is called the Ferrari of the skies. And I think Ferraris are very reliable. [The Ferrari family owns a stake in Piaggio Aero.--Ed.] But in all seriousness, we try to be competitive in every aspect of customer support. Our plane is remarkably well put together but it is a mechanical object and things will break. When they do, our aim is to support it properly. Our engines are Pratt & Whitneys that are fantastically supported throughout the world.
You have greatly expanded your number of service centers recently. How many do you have in North America now?
We started last year with only five service centers and we ended with 11, and we have another three or four we are working with for appointment. Our objective is clear: None of our owners will have to fly more than about an hour to get to a service center. The 11 centers are in Scottsdale [Ariz.], Sacramento [Calif.], Boise [Idaho], Denver, Denton [Texas], St. Louis, Moline [Ill.], Groton [Conn.], Greensboro [N.C.], Fort Lauderdale [Fla.] and Calgary [Canada].
We are looking to improve our customer support. It's an area where we had to catch up and we have caught up well. We are available through the customer-service line at the factory in Italy and directly through the service centers all the time. We can get customers parts seven days a week.
How do you sell a turboprop that costs nearly $8 million when buyers can purchase a faster jet that costs less?
When we show the Avanti to people they are amazed. Look at Avantair and why they are the only fractional operator to have grown throughout the recession. It comes down to the equipment they use-our airplane. It is 33 percent more economical than a midsize jet. The cabin is the biggest in its class-way bigger than any midsize jet. It's a full stand-up cabin. It is much quieter [inside] than a midsize jet because the wings and engines are behind the passenger compartment. It has lower operating costs and is fast-468 miles per hour. It has a range just under 1,500 nautical miles.
Your main customer in the U.S. is Avantair. Given that it can be dangerous for manufacturers to rely heavily on fractional companies for sales in a down market, what is Piaggio Aero doing to diversify its client base?
We are looking for new markets such as Brazil and other countries in South America. We just got the aircraft certified for Brazil and we are starting to open our businesses down there and choose our partner there. Brazil is a massive aviation market. As for our domestic market, we've doubled the size of our sales force in the U.S. so we are talking to a lot more people than we have in the past. We are confident that we will be increasing the level of private deals we do versus fractional so that ratio will change as we go forward into 2011.
Other than Avantair, who is the typical Avanti II customer in the U.S.?
There are two types-private individuals and small companies that are not located near commercial hub airports. The plane works well for them. One key feature of the Avanti II is the narrow track of the wheels. They're less than 10 feet apart, while a King Air's are 17 feet. So the Avanti can go on much narrower taxiways. It also has great short-runway performance, so it can access a lot of places that other airplanes can't.
What kind of year did Piaggio Aero have in 2009?
We suffered like everyone else. We are fortunate that we have a solid backlog of orders and were able to build on that as well, but it wasn't a brilliant year. We think 2010 will get progressively better. Certainly there are already a lot more [sales] conversations occurring.
How is the Piaggio Jet progressing?
As the market slowed it would have been folly for us to be charging full speed ahead, so we slowed the pace of that. Development of that [aircraft] is in line for when we want to bring the plane to market. While a lot of people have shut down their new developments, we are in the fortunate position where we didn't have to.
Résumé: John Bingham
Position: President and CEO, Piaggio America (since February 2010)
Previous Positions: Joined Piaggio America in 2009 as executive vice president and chief marketing officer. Previously vice president, Rolls-Royce & Bentley Motor Cars; executive vice president, Cirrus Design; and managing director, Cirrus International.
Personal: Passionate soccer and Rugby Union fan. Loves high-performance British cars and rides a Harley-Davidson.
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Two girls walk through the market in the Abushouk Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, home to nearly 55,000 people, near the North Darfur capital El Fasher. (photo: Ian Timberlake/AFP/Getty Images)
I wasn't always a fan of Nicholas Kristof's columns in The New York Times. I'd found them at times simplistic — seeming to reduce the dramas of entire nations to individual stories of despair and/or hope. But I've discovered that there is an art and science to this approach. It was fascinating — and quite inspiring — to sit down and get inside his head on all of this.


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Dear AKHO
Thanks for your comments
Bulk planer device has shallow implant combined with retrograde
deep implant to prevent punchthrough regard less Vg is on or off.
What do you mean by top 10~20nm is depleted? Intel FinFETs
also have PT implants. Here we are talking about un-doped
Sang kim
Handel Jones says 28nm FD-SOI is an alternate option
for low leakage, high yields and high performance superior
to 28nm bulk technology. Consequently, Samsung
can support low leakage products with its 28nm FD-SOI.
look at the real issues with FD-SOI. My first question is why
28nm FD-SOI is still not manufactured today by major
semiconductor companies because 28nm bulk is manufactured
for several years by major semiconductor companies today
such as Intel, TSMC, Samsung and others.
In un-doped FD-SOI channel here, it is possible for drain depletion to extend with large Vdd(1V) to source without inversion. I call this effect punch-through. Therefore, punch-through failure can occur in un-doped FD-SOI. On the other hand, the drain induced barrier lowering or DIBL leakage current most likely occurs also in un-doped FD-SOI. In order to prevent such DIBL leakage current it is imperative to have an ultra thin SOI channel layer between source and drain so that the drain field can't easily penetrate the ultra thin SOI channel. How thin the ultra thin SOI thickness has to be in order to stop DIBL leakage current? It depends on the channel or gate length, Lg. For shorter Lg, a thinner SOI channel is required. This is the most critical issue for FD-SOI.
For 28nm FD-SOI a 7nm thin SOI channel thickness is required to stop DIBL leakage current. However, the transistor performance becomes significantly degraded due to the transistor mobility degradation because of scattering of charge carriers at the top gate oxide surface and at the bottom SOI surface in the 7nm thin SOI channel. As a result, even if 28nm FD-SOI were manufactured today, it wouldn't be superior to 28nm bulk in terms of transistor performance and manufacturing costs due to significantly higher SOI wafer costs. These are the major reasons why the 28nm FD-SOI is not manufactured today.
The other major issue with FD-SOI is its scalerbility. For
20/22nm FD-SOI a 4~5nm SOI channel thickness is required
to stop DIBL leakage current thus further degrading transistor
mobility. Furthermore, it is extremely difficult to control 4~5nm
SOI channel thickness uniformly and reliably across 12 inch
wafers in the manufacturing line. How thin SOI channel
thickness is required for 14nm FD-SOI technology? 3nm! It
appears that FD-SOI is not scalerble.


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[December 28, 2012]
Sasha Johnson bridging the gap between Russia, Silicon Valley [San Jose Mercury News]
(San Jose Mercury News (CA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Dec. 28--In the past few years, Russian investors have shaken up Silicon Valley, putting eye-popping amounts into companies like Facebook and making bold plans for a rival technology hub on the outskirts of Moscow.
Sasha Johnson is at the tip of the spear. The 20-year veteran of the valley is managing director of DFJ VTB Aurora, a venture partnership between Russia and Silicon Valley that raised its second $100 million fund last year. Johnson also is the local point person for the Skolkovo Foundation, the group responsible for the planned Russian tech hub.
Born in Vladivostok as Alexandra Denisova, she came to the Bay Area for business school -- becoming, she says, the first Russian to earn an MBA from the UC Berkeley. Though her father, a proud Communist, denounced her move, Johnson saw the potential for bridge-building between the Cold War rivals. An investment group founded by superglue magnate Robert Krieble to scout opportunities in Eastern Europe provided her start, and she's been consulting, matchmaking and placing multimillion-dollar bets ever since.
The Piedmont resident recently sat with this newspaper for an interview; here is an edited transcript.
Q: Tell us more about your early career.
A: What I do well is transcontinental, multilingual transactions. So when I realized Silicon Valley is really about startups, I thought, "How does one make oneself useful " Well, startups need help with marketing, business plans, negotiations, fundraising.
During the dot-com bust, I found one in Oakland -- a telecom company called Libritas, which was doing VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol, a technology later made famous by Skype). The board eventually asked me to take over as CEO. We were way too early, and the company ended up being acquired by NextWeb. But I learned I could manage engineers, and I liked being a CEO. I started talking to some VCs, and they said, "Why don't you do something in Russia " This was 2002, and the country that I'd left in the early '90s didn't exist anymore. But I went back to see what was happening, and the first thing I saw was everybody was on a cellphone. Everybody was texting. And that wasn't happening here in the U.S. -- telecom was a collapsing industry. So I came home and said, "I think we can start a small fund." We called it Landbridge Capital (after the isthmus that once connected Russia to North America).
Q: How did that go A: There were no law firms in Russia that understood what intellectual property was. The entrepreneurs were constantly lying. Just to give you an example, there was a green laser company that had been part of the Russian space industry. This guy's green lasers were as efficient as any mass-industry production lasers in the U.S. But as soon as the investment was made, it turned out he'd already sold the IP four times. Other companies were doing the same thing. So after three years, my partners said, "We're out." Then I was at a Christmas party and I ran into (venture capitalist) Tim Draper, who said, "Let's do a Russian fund." Draper Fisher Jurvetson has this network of funds all over the world; they'd tried Russia a couple of times. I said, "Tim, it can't be done -- the country that sent up Sputnik for some reason can't do it any more." If you've ever met Tim, though, you know you can't tell him that he can't have something.
So I joined DFJ to build the Russian fund, together with VTB Capital, the second-biggest bank in Russia. It's been a challenge, but a lot of fun, and we're in our second fund now.
Q: What kinds of companies have you invested in A: The first fund invested in a whole range -- LEDs, enterprise software, a biodegradable detergent. The beauty of the Russian market is that they've created all these local versions of top technologies; Yandex is the Russian Google (GOOG), there's a Russian Zappos, a Russian Pinterest. But we didn't want to be part of the crowd.
The amount of capital that was put into scientific development during the Soviet Union was remarkable. They had remarkable breakthroughs in military and space technology, and we're betting you can take some of those developments and apply them to industry. We've invested in a company than uses nanolithography to make coatings for glass, including ones that prevent fog and icing. Another company is making rare earth semiconductors.
Why go where everyone else is The next big thing won't be Facebook.
Q: Let's talk about the Skolkovo Foundation, which is trying to build a Silicon Valley near Moscow. How did you get involved A: In Russia, the innovation ecosystem is just being developed. Skolkovo is a platform where, theoretically, all the elements will get together: entrepreneurs and investors and corporations and law firms. Intel (INTC) is there, and IBM, and Cisco (CSCO), and Microsoft and Samsung.
But one weak element they had was attracting venture firms from Silicon Valley, so they approached me to help. I said, "As long as you've got a platform that welcomes everyone, and not just the fat cats, I'll work with you." Contact Peter Delevett at 408-271-3638. Follow him at Twitter.com/mercwiretap.
Alexandra "Sasha" Johnson Current job: Managing director of DFJ VTB Aurora in Menlo Park; founder and president of the Global Technology Symposium, which takes place in March Previous jobs: Founder and managing director of Landbridge Capital; CEO of Libritas Education: MBA, UC Berkeley; Ph.D. in philology, University of St. Petersburg, Russia; master's degree, Far Eastern State University, Vladivostok, Russia.
Family: Divorced; two teenage sons.
Residence: Piedmont FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT SASHA JOHNSON 1. Can cook anything from scratch -- from cabbage pies to beef bourguignon.
2. Likes deep-sea and lake fishing.
3. Enjoys music (especially classical) and plays piano.
4. Fan of HBO.
5. Other hobbies include watching basketball and playing pingpong.
___ (c)2012 the San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) Visit the San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) at www.mercurynews.com Distributed by MCT Information Services
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you all forget we are a bunch of pizza geeks. in our area there is a pizzeria called wood and wine. they make America style and Neapolitan using caputo and the same oven using low enough temperature to cook traditional and Neapolitan . so we eat the pizza and we taste a margherita that is dry,overly crispy, also white in color. we would not like it because we know what caputo baked at high temperature tastes like.most of the public doesn't. so they are loving the product.
Pizzeria Paradiso in DC comes to mind. I was not at all impressed with the pizza, but the place was packed. I think the reasons JT noted hit the nail on the head. Also, if you're told the pizza is good and you don't know any better, (unless it is really bad) you will probably think it is good in blissful ignorance, and then tell others who don't know any better. It's sad.
In Baltimore, Brick Oven Pizza (BOP) comes immediately to mind.http://www.boppizza.com/There is a running joke among the more hardcore Baltimore pizza peeps......What do Guy Fieri, Kevin Bacon, George Carlin and Luciano Pavarotti have in common? They don't know s#&t about pizza.Crust is often super floppy, under cooked, long bake times, heavy gum lines, bland and often not noticeably better than a bake done in a conveyor oven. "Darker" tasting, tired marinara like sauce, mediocre cheese....you get the picture. And yet the joint is always packed. Go figure--K
You see, the locals were not used to that type of pizza so it was perceived to be burnt, and they were sent back to the kitchen with the admonishment "this pizza is burnt!"]You see, the locals were not used to that type of pizza so it was perceived to be burnt, and they were sent back to the kitchen with the admonishment "this pizza is burnt!"
It's akin to a pizza made on nan bread and warmed up in the microwave.
is it just most Americans really still don't know good food?
Please. Go to Italy and try some BBQ.
Quote from: David Deas on Today at 07:14:49 PMPlease. Go to Italy and try some BBQ.what do you mean?
Far be it from me to put words in Mr. Deas' mouth, but I think he means, and I agree, that all parts of the world have their own exceptional foods........
Buca di Beppo. This is more about their entire menu than just their crappy pizza, I guess, but that place sucks. I don't know how they've managed to trick tons of people into thinking they're some kind of "authentic" Italian restaurant.


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This Sims Hosoi Deck is one that your going to want to hang on your wall. They are signed by the Rocket Air man himself Christian Hosoi. They are very limited so get yours quick.
These Sims decks will be sent WITHOUT applied griptape (you're still getting grip, just not applied). If you'd like you deck gripped please place your order by phone, at 1.800.GO.SKATE.


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Athlete of the Week
Times Observer photo by Eric Zavinski
Warren Area High School senior Tanner Rosenberg wasn't feeling well on Wednesday, but he was well enough to win the 400, 800 and be part of the winning 3,200-meter relay in a track meet at Franklin. That culminated a week in which he also win the 400 and 800, and was part of the winning 1,600 and 3,200 relays, in an upset of the Prep boys track team. Rosenberg, being pushed by senior teammate Luke Wortman, also won the 400 at the 24-team Harbor Creek Invitational on Saturday, and joined Wortman, Ryan Shattuck and Kyle Kulka to set a meet record in the 1,600 relay to help Warren to a second-place team finish. A sight to see would have been the 1-2 finish by Rosenberg in 51.65 seconds and Wortman 51.68 in the 400. Rosenberg edged Wortman in the race, and is the Times Observer Male Athlete of the Week, sponsored by McDonald's.


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Incentive program has made difference locally
A review by a Twin Cities newspaper has found that of the more than 10,000 metro educators who participate in the Q-Comp system, 99 percent received bonuses last year. Those bonuses averaged $1,864.
Statewide, about a third of districts, including Fairmont Area, are involved in the voluntary program, on which Minnesota spends $76 million annually.
Does it make sense that nearly every teacher gets a bonus? Not in the context of what Q-Comp was supposed to do, namely reward excellence and even tie student performance to teacher pay.
However, Q-Comp also involves teacher mentoring, peer observation and professional development, all of which teachers take on of their own accord. If teachers do these things, they will learn and improve. They will be better in the classroom, and better at using what they know to help peers and newcomers. All of that does merit reward. We know participants in Fairmont have praised the program for helping them become better at what they do.
We believe critics of Q-Comp really have something else in mind. They want to tackle problem test scores at problem schools. There is probably a tie to the quality of teachers involved, but attracting quality teachers to those schools likely involves more than pay. And that tie has little to do with what is happening in places like Fairmont.
Some will say that teachers should simply work hard and do their jobs. But it is not unheard of for employees in various professions to get ongoing training and even receive incentive pay.


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I've put access from this board to MACCA-Chat via jpilot which is an unlicensed java applet and it costs $50 US to get a license for it get rid of the 2 line message.
If anyone is willing to donate $50 then I'll get the license and you will be able to chat on my MACCA-Chat server right from MACCA-Forums. It automatically takes your login for MACCA-Forums and uses it for MACCA-Chat.
Oh yeah, the link is at the bottom on the main MACCA-Forum page under the WHO's ONLINE bar.


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Thursday, November 13, 2008
Terrell's Album Shoot
A few months ago, I participated in a shoot for an up and coming R&B artist Terrell. He wanted pics for his album cover and promotions. Nothing too fancy makeup wise...I just cleaned up his complexion and filled in his mustache a bit.
The only thing is that he came to the shoot with makeup on. I think there was a misunderstanding so he had his sister apply some foundation before hand. I could definitely tell he had some on because she applied foundation to him the way that girls do and he was starting to oil up. When applying foundation to a man, you have to keep it light and natural. I ended up doing some corrective work by sheering down his coverage, covering up his oilies, and concealing some blemishes that were missed. Terrell also has small eyes, so I worked on his brows a bit to open up his eye space.
Here's What I Used:
-cinema secrets foundation
-invisible set pro powder
-Covergirl clear mascara
-spiked eyebrow pencil
I like the way the pictures were photoshopped with the neon effects.
Till next time, Ciao Bellas!
Coming soon... http://www.urbanpretty.com/ !
12 comments:
- Askmewhats said...
hey congrats because you are able to do make up on both male and female! you definitely rocks! :)
- November 13, 2008 at 9:34 AM
- yummy411 said...
omg!!! i can't believe he came WITH makeup on! wowzers! that was too funny!
- November 13, 2008 at 10:30 AM
- Amina said...
he's fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine!!!
girl, you are so talented: you do make up for man and woman,all ages, all ethnicities
*bows at you*
great job!!
and i laughed when you wrote he came with make-up on...lol...that's funny
- November 13, 2008 at 11:34 AM
- MakeupByRenRen said...
askmewhats: aww thanks chica, fyi, guys are sooo much easier, he he, as long as you can convince them to put makeup on
yummy411: lol yah i saw it as soon as he walked in the door...hmmmm
amina: i laughed too, but on the inside, he he, i didn't want to hurt his feelings
- November 13, 2008 at 12:01 PM
- BeautyJunkie said...
Daymm youre good :))))
- November 13, 2008 at 12:40 PM
- Couture Carrie said...
He's cute! The second pic is my fave, RR :)
- November 13, 2008 at 1:16 PM
- EbeautyBlog.com said...
I like all the photo. The effects are nice!
Can't wait for urbanpretty! That's such a nice name. Why didn't I ever think of that!! LOL.
- November 13, 2008 at 2:56 PM
- ko0ty said...
Wow nice save!! And your so lucky you get to do this kinda stuff!
- November 13, 2008 at 4:24 PM
- Emeka Amakeze said...
Good job!
- November 13, 2008 at 6:44 PM
- Coffee said...
Ren Ren can you PLEASE, Pleeease, Puhlease (LOL) do a post on opening up your lid space for us bellas lacking in large lid space...such as myself :(
Thanks :)
- November 13, 2008 at 8:23 PM
- Luxe Tips said...
Girl you have skills! He looks amazing and natural! Work it! Thanks for continually visiting my blog. We look forward to your visits!
- November 14, 2008 at 3:42 AM
- alien man?! said...
Ren, you are AMAZING. He looks great and I'm just BURSTING at the seams with pride for you :)
- November 15, 2008 at 10:39 PM


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Professional Training
Professional Training is an integral part of life at the University of Surrey and is a fantastic opportunity for all Surrey students allowing them to experience life after university. The experience, maturity and confidence our students gain whilst out on placement either in the UK or abroad sets them a cut above the rest when they graduate, which shows in our consistently low unemployment rate after graduation, another reason to choose Professional Training at the University of Surrey.
Our pioneering Professional Training placement programme has over 2,300 partner organisations in the UK and overseas. These organisations provide opportunities for students to put their skills into practice and to experience a real professional environment.
The Careers Service, International Relations Office and Student's Union all contribute to the success of Professional Training at the University of Surrey.
Student Exchanges (International Relations Office)
Professional Training describes a period of work integrated into an academic programme and around the world, many different terms are used to describe this. You may be familiar with one of the alternatives:
- Work-based learning (WBL)
- Work intergrated learning (WIL)
- Co-operative Education (COOP)
- Industry-based learning (IBL)
- Collaborative learning (CoLab)
"I chose Surrey University to participate in placement year and do not regret it"
Hannah Tugwell
Applied Psychology and Sociology
"I now have much clearer ideas about what I want to do in the future, and am much more focused and determined to get where I want to be"
Laura Wallis
Maths and Statistics
"I feel a lot more confident in my practical skills and enthusiastic about the future of my career"
Toby Shannon


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SEARCH FOR CURE!!December 6th 2012 6:11 pm
[ View A Comments (4) ]
i am sooo sad to announce that most of my family (teddy, Abe, Rosa, gizmo, Beijing, and spike) are all EXTREMELY sick! flicka and may just passed away in the last couple of days :( their symptoms are: EXTREME AND VIOLENT/CHRONIC DIARRHEA, thin yet bloated, gunky eyes, stringy fur (teddy and Beijing) and like a said rlly rlly bad diarhea. before flicka died hers was so bad the acid removed some of the skin from her back legs and tail. they cannot control their bowel movements so therefore poop all over their houses. i am extremely afraid for Jessie cc charlie and ossie because they have not yet contracted the symptoms. if you know of any disease that may be this please let me know!!!!
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Case Study: IBM and Watson
October 3, 2012
Ann Rubin, vice president, IBM Brand Expression and Global Advertising, IBM Corporation, Cecilia Correa, mid-market advertising manager, IBM Corporation, and Kim Duffy, senior partner, executive group director, Ogilvy & Mather, discussed the appearance of IBM's Watson on Jeopardy! in 2011.
Members Only Content
This content is available to ANA Members only. Please login below or create an account.
You may already be a member. Find out if your company is already an ANA member.


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RetireNetCare.com featuring retirement communities and retirement homes in planned active developments. Worldwide resource for active retirement senior communities, and assisted living facilities. RetireNetCare.com is the most comprehensive resource of retirement communities throughout the world featuring assisted living facilities, planned retirement communities and various retirement properties worldwide. See also: senior housing, retirement communities, retirement living, elder care network.
The High Rockies is a term for a region of the U.S. state of Colorado. It commonly includes Larimer County, Jackson County, Routt County, Grand County, Summit County, Eagle County, Lake County, and Pitkin County. Some notable towns there include Estes Park, Walden, Steamboat Springs, Grand Lake, Winter Park, Breckenridge, Dillon, Vail, Leadville, and Aspen. The geography of the High Rockies has some of the most rugged parts of the Rocky Mountains and consists of the Front Range and mountainous topography to the west, much of which is on or near the Continental Divide. Known for pine forests and winding roads, the former mining towns there have been reinvented by wilderness tourism such as hiking, cycling, fishing, and most especially both cross-country and alpine skiing. Notable ski resorts include Copper Mountain, Keystone Resort, Steamboat Ski Resort, Beaver Creek Resort, Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass, and Aspen Mountain. The High Rockies are also the location of Rocky Mountain National Park and Arapaho National Forest.
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I came across this movie through Netflix as it suggested it would be a movie I would enjoy. It was a limited release in September, 2009 and was directed by Jamin Winans. It's basically your good vs evil, sould stealing through dreams type of movie.
Figured I'd post about this movie to see if anyone has seen it. It's not your typical movie as it's not big budget and it defnitely has an indy look to it. I'm not even really sure what to post about at the moment, and I'll add my thoughts to it later.......but I figured I'd get the topic out there and hope someone has seen it, as I love seeing the differing opinions on this board.
One last thought.....it's a movie that had me turning to my wife 10 mins into the movie and saying, are you sure you want to keep watching this? And then at the end of the movie I turned to her and said, am I insane for having enjoyed that so much? Any thoughts?
Link http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1071804/


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>Runner's World - My Event Ratings>
In short: Great laugh, tough event.In full: Loads of hills, mud, hills, water , mud, sand, hills, mud, water, mud hills (think I forgot to mention that it's a hilly course).First time down South, I've been Up North for 5 Hellrunners and In The Middle for 1. Matches up to the rest.Really enjoy the whole series and look forward to picking which to do next year!Date of review: November 14, 2012
In short: A Tough Race.In full: I did the 24km version which was tough, especially knowing what was to come after completing the first lap.Felt the entry was a little steep for a race, but it was very well marshalled with supplies of gels and water around the course.One thing that does need improvement for future years are the directions - I found them very poor and difficult to follow, glad that I set out deliberately early.Date of review: July 9, 2012
In short: Well done BrightonIn full: Very enjoyable marathon. Organisation was very good ensuring that there were enough of all facilities, water, gels and energy blocks.Downside was the dog-leg 14-18 miles and the Road to Hell 20-23 miles.Great support at most parts of the course.Date of review: April 16, 2012
In short: If Carlsberg did races...............In full: ..........they would do the Grizzly.This is one of my must do events of the year.Date of review: March 22, 2012
In short: Great start to the year.In full: This race is worth the 196 mile round trip. I have to make to take part. The race organisers strive to make improvements and are well rewarded with a sell out event. Date of review: January 16, 2012
In short: For swamp lovers!In full: An excellent race that combines 4 or 5 different types of mud, a loose sand covered hill. The parking is ideal right next to start/finish and registration.Perhaps there wasn't enough toilets as the queue did get quite long.I do dislike having to register on the day (pick up timing chip) - quite sure that this could be made easier (like sending the chip out with the number) again there were some long queues for this.The front runnners were directed the wrong way quite early in the race - this really shouldn't happen and does need to addressed in the future.Date of review: November 21, 2011
In short: Top event In full: Well done for taking on board criticism from last year adn improving the event.Great way of handing out spot prizes, although does suit faster runners.Date of review: September 12, 2011
In short: Glad I did it.In full: Yes it was expensive, but early entry iaded this. When you consider the cost of constructing the obstacles maybe it wasn't over-priced. When a goody bag is promised then that's what people expect - need to get a range of freebies in the bags rather than localised leaflets. Charging for car-parking at races is a bug-bear of mine if parking is going to cost add it to the entry fee - that eases marchalls duties on the day.Overall I'm glad that I did it I feel that I conquered the course as it was on the day - will I be back - yet to be decided as it does need a long weekend to make it worthwhile.Date of review: August 15, 2011
In short: Hit the spot againIn full: Well organised, fast course, safe with mad mile being closed to traffic. Good quality technical T-shirt. And they ban portable music players for the race!Date of review: July 31, 2011
In short: Tough as hell.In full: A really tough race, quirky and great scenery. I would recommend that anyone who takes on this race has done some of the extreme XC races that are on offer first.Date of review: June 16, 2011
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Greetings TeaFriends! Please stop in and share what is in your cup throughout this day! Also discuss the topic of the day!
Yesterday we discussed, "unlimited wealth, would you still drink the teas you drink currently?"
Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. Drax wondered, I'm curious what tea name people like to say. For example, I like to say "Da Hong Pao!" Sort of similar to Seinfeld's "salsa" schtick.
The poll is simply do you have a tea or teaware name you like to say, often? Please see the topic and share.
We are looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with ... everyone. Bottoms up.


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Cosmopolitan Pergola - 10' x 10'
About this item
Create the outdoor space of your dreams with a beautiful maintenance free Pergola. New England Arbors products are made from vinyl amd will never need paiting, sanding, or staining!
Add classic charm to your outdoor living space with The Cosmopolitan 10' x 10' Pergola. A sanctuary for you, your family and your friends, The Venetian Pergola offers shade from the summer heat or makes a great hot tub enclosure. Best of all, you can do more entertaining and less maintaining because the Cosmopolitan Pergola is crafted with premium vinyl and is maintenance free. If you also want your pergola to offer some privacy, you can purchase our optional privacy panel.
We manufacture all of our products by molding premium, hi-grade polymers around traditional structural elements to create the classic look of wood without the traditional maintenance. In other words, you get the classic look of wood without the headaches. Just the occasional rinse with a garden hose is all you'll need to do to keep your pergola looking great year after year. We back this up with a 20 year warranty.
The Cosmopolitan Pergola requires a drill, level, ladder, measuring tape and two people to assemble. For installation on a wood deck or concrete patio, use our hassle-free Bolt Down Bracket System (purchase separately). For an in-ground installation, you can extend the posts with pressure treated lumber wood inserts purchased from your local hardware store. Our detailed instructions give you all the information you need to install and mount your pergola.
- 5 x 5 posts
- No painting, no staining
- All hardware included
- 20 year warranty
- 110 inches from post to post
- 145.37 " - 145.37" filter tip to filter tip
- Height - 107.5"
- UV inhibitors
For questions or concerns regarding this product, please contact the Manufacturer's Customer Service Department at 1.800.282.9346
Assembled Country
Assembled Size
- Assembled Dimensions: 110"L x 92"H
- Assembled Outside Dimensions: 150.25"W x 107.5"H x 150.25"D
- Post Size: 5" x 5"
- 110" x 110" post to post
Component Country