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Join our community of over 1 million dog lovers.
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It's dinnertime, and your little dog comes running. But when he sees his bowl, he suddenly turns around and walks away. What's the problem? It could very well be the size of his bowl. Many small dogs just don't like eating out of big bowls.
What makes a big bowl so intimidating? Think about it from your little dog's perspective. When he eats out of a big bowl, his entire head has to reach inside and he can't see what's happening beside or behind him, which could be a scary situation. If that's the case, he would rather not eat than feel vulnerable.
Keep your dog's comfort in mind
When choosing a bowl, match the size of the bowl to the size of your dog. Small dog—small bowl. Consider your dog's physical attributes, too. Short-nosed dogs such as the Pug and Shih Tzu will do best eating from a shallower bowl. With a deep bowl, these breeds may have a hard time keeping food from entering their nostrils while they eat.
If your dog is overweight or has a tendency to eat too quickly, resulting in vomiting or belching, consider a bowl with interior obstructions that force him to eat more slowly. You can find these at large pet stores or online.
Mealtime tips for small dogs
To ensure that your small dog always dines in comfort, follow these simple tips:
At PEDIGREE® Brand, everything we do is for the love of dogs, from the dog food we make to the dog adoption drive we support.
®/™ Trademarks © Mars, Incorporated 2017. US Patent D492,836. Other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
* †When fed daily. Average reduction was 47%;


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By: staci90
Location: Hawaii
July 26, 2013
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subset: commoncrawl


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By GARY ARRINGTONSports writer
The Emery High Wrestling team hosted American Leadership Academy of Spanish Fork in a dual wrestling match last Wednesday and came away with a 51-9 win.
Although ALA is a new school, they are able to get students from all over Utah Valley and will be quite a formidable school once they get some upperclassmen.
Here are the winners for the Spartans. First, here are the Spartans that pinned their opponent in the first round, Zach Walls at 119, Cade Whittle at 140, T. Wayne Hatch at 152 and Cyal Christmas at 285.
The following Spartans pinned their opponent in third round, Kessler Tanner at 140, Mike Jones at 171, Wade Bohn at 215 and Caleb Jones at 285.
McKay Allred at 125 was the only Spartan to win with a decision. His final score was 18-10. Craig Guymon at 135 was decisioned 3-2 and Drew Bohn at 189 was pinned in the second round of his match.
Kessler, Mike and Wade had all built big leads with points when they pinned their man and each were in control of their opponent and appeared to be able to do whatever it was that they wanted to do.
On the previous weekend, the team had traveled to Manti participated in a 10-team tournament. Due to injuries and lack of low weights, Emery gave up 30 points in every match and had a hard time fighting for a team title.
As a team, the Spartans finished sixth. Mike Jones had the best finish of an individual with a fourth place finish while in the JV tournament, John Staley finished second.


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Panasonic GX1 reviewThe Lumix GX1 is Panasonic's fourth 'pocketable' camera to employ the Micro Four Thirds standard it co-developed with Olympus. Like all Micro Four Thirds models, it's a mirror-less compact system camera, or CSC for short, which packs a DSLR-sized sensor into a relatively small body; in this case, the 16 Megapixel sensor of the Lumix G3. Rather than replace an existing model though, the new GX1 represents a new category in the Lumix G range aimed at enthusiasts.
In many ways the GX1 returns to the concept of the original Lumix GF1 by including both a hotshoe and mode dial. Indeed as Panasonic simplified the GF series with each generation, many owners of the earlier models grew frustrated they were being forced into the larger G or GH series if they wanted to retain lots of control and features when upgrading. Surely, they argued, there was a market for enthusiasts who wanted the maximum control and latest features, but in the smallest form factor? Well, the Lumix GX1 is that camera.
At first glance, the Lumix GX1 could be mistaken as a GF1 equipped with the sensor of the G3, but look a little deeper and you'll realise it's physically quite a different beast to the original GF model. The GX1 employs a brand new body with much higher quality build than the GF series. There's also support for the new LVF-2 electronic viewfinder, faster autofocus than any G series to date, and it's the first Panasonic camera to fully exploit the speed of UHS-I memory cards. In my full review, find out how the GX1 compares to rivals in practice and whether it's the model for you!
Panasonic GX1 design and controls
At first glance, the Lumix GX1 could be mistaken for the original Lumix GF1, an intentional decision by Panasonic as that model struck a chord with the same enthusiasts it's targeting for an upgrade here. Measuring 116x68x39.4mm, it's also similar in overall dimensions too: that's 3mm narrower, 3mm shorter and 3mm thicker than the GF1. The GX1 weighs 318g including battery but no lens, compared to 341g for the GF1. Suffice it to say when both cameras are in your hands they feel roughly the same size and weight.
For reference, the Olympus E-P3 measures 122x69x34.3mm and weighs 369g including battery but no lens; the E-P3 is therefore wider and 51g heavier, but much the same height and actually 5mm thinner, impressive given the Olympus includes built-in sensor-shift stabilisation. Sony's NEX-5N measures 111x59x38mm and weighs 269g with battery. Meanwhile, the Nikon V1 measures 113x76x43.5mm (slimming to 36mm at its thinnest point) and weighs 383g with battery but again no lens. In case you were wondering, Panasonic's smallest ILC, the Lumix GF3, measures 108x67x32.5mm and weighs 264g with battery and no lens.
When comparing these measurements and weights, it's also important to consider the impact of lenses on the overall package. Sony may have some of the smallest ILC bodies out there impressively sporting tilting screens and the biggest sensors to boot, but a big sensor needs a big lens and so far the company's resisted developing a collapsing zoom. As such the standard 18-55mm NEX kit zoom is the biggest of all the standard ILC lenses, measuring a not insignificant 62x60mm (diameter x length) and weighing 194g.
Panasonic employs the slightly smaller sensor of the Micro Four Thirds standard, but its basic Lumix G 14-42mm kit zoom is roughly the same size as the Sony and doesn't collapse either: it measures 61x64mm and weighs 165g. Olympus also employs the Micro Four Thirds standard, but has implemented collapsing lenses for some time, so its latest 14-42mm shrinks to 56.5x50mm and weighs 113g.
The standard Nikon 1 kit zoom, the 10-30mm, collapses to 58x42mm and weighs 115g, making it one third shorter than the Sony or Panasonic non-collapsing kit zooms, and 8mm shorter than the collapsing Olympus zoom. It may not be as small as you'd hope considering the smaller sensor behind it, but it's not bad.
Panasonic - and therefore the Micro Four Thirds system as a whole - does however sport a trump card to play in the form of the latest 14-42mm power zoom lens, which collapses to an amazing 61x27mm and weighs just 95g. Indeed with the 14-42mm power zoom mounted on the Lumix GX1, the entire package is impressively smaller and noticeably lighter than the standard Nikon V1 kit, but to be fair, the Panasonic power zoom adds considerably to the overall kit price.
The comparative size of the cameras and lenses is illustrated in the photo above, where it's clear the tiny Sony body isn't all that pocketable once you fit the kit zoom. In contrast, the GX1 in the middle, fitted with the 14-42mm power zoom, becomes the smallest operational ILC with a zoom lens. Although once again remember this lens does add to the overall price and it is of course also compatible with Olympus bodies.
I reviewed the GX1 with the 14-42mm power zoom and found them to be a highly compelling combination. This lens is roughly similar in size to Panasonic's 20mm pancake prime and while it won't match the bright f1.7 focal ratio of that lens, it does boast a 3x optical zoom range and the benefit of a smooth motorised adjustment for movies. It's a key selling point for the Micro Four Thirds system and finally puts to rest the tradition that the overall portability of mirror-less ILCS was ultimately compromised by large standard zooms. Here's a combination you can squeeze into a larger pocket with relative ease.
In terms of the GX1's design, build and controls, it may physically resemble the original GF1, but there are a number of important differences. The GX1 is tougher than the GF1 (albeit still not weatherproofed) and finished to a much higher standard. It has an aluminium body and a deeper textured rubber grip. Look closely and even the fine details are well thought-out with high quality coating, labelling and even a mode dial furnished from a solid block. It feels like a very classy camera in your hands.
The top surface looks superficially similar to the GF1 with a popup flash, standard hotshoe, mode dial and movie record button but again there's a few key changes. The manual popup flash has a new spring-loaded mechanism which allows it to reach higher and further forward to clear larger lenses and reduce red-eye. The Guide number is 7.6 at 160 ISO, compared to 6 at 100 ISO on the GF1 and 6.3 at 160 ISO on the GF3. The built-in flash on the Olympus E-P3 has a Guide number of 10 at 200 ISO, while the Nikon J1 is 5 at 100 ISO. Balance the ISOs and the reach of each flash is roughly similar and fairly modest - these are close-range / fill-in flashes.
The hotshoe looks the same and can accommodate the optional DMW-FL220E, DMW-FL360E and DMW-FL500E flashguns. Just below the hotshoe on the rear surface there's also still a proprietary accessory port designed to connect to an optional electronic viewfinder which slides onto the hotshoe. The port on the GX1 is however different to that on the GF1, and designed to support the new DMW-LVF2 finder, more of which later. The different connector means the LVF2 won't work on the GF1 and conversely the LVF1 won't work on the GX1. Like the older port though, the new one won't support any other accessories other than the optional viewfinder, which continues to be a missed opportunity when there's also no external microphone jack.
The absence of an external microphone jack and the inability to connect a microphone accessory to the port will infuriate movie-makers and certainly frustrated me, but some small consolation is the presence of half-decent stereo microphones in front of the hotshoe. I should also add, anyone wanting to capture high quality audio with a camera like this could always follow the route of the pros and simply use an external sound recorder like the Zoom H series, which start at the price of a good hotshoe mic anyway while having the benefit of being able to be placed close to the subject.
Moving-onto the mode dial, Panasonic has removed the Movie Mode and iAuto positions from the GF1, but rather than replacing them with anything, has simply spaced-out the remaining options - so the GX1 offers Program, Aperture and Shutter Priority, Manual, two custom modes, a SCN position to access 17 presets via an on-screen menu, and Creative Control, which offers eight special effects, again selected using the screen.
As for the Movie and iAuto modes missing from the dial, they're now present on the far right of the top surface with a dedicated button for each; actually the GF1 also had a dedicated movie button, but the iA button is a new addition and like several other Panasonic cameras, it glows a rather satisfying blue when activated. I really like having the iA button as with a single press you can jump from a highly customised manual mode to complete foolproof auto for grabbing spur-of-the-moment shots or when handing over the camera to someone else. Then you simply press it once more to return back to your previous mode and settings.
Round the GX1's mode dial is a rotary power switch, although sadly the similar switch for the drive modes on the GF1 is no longer present - you'll now be pressing a button and going through the menus for those options.
Round the back there's the usual cross-keys, which share similar functionality to the GF1. So pressing up sets the ISO, pressing right sets the White Balance and pressing left sets the AF area / tracking. The only difference in this group is the down button on the earlier GF1 was a programmable Function key, whereas on the GX1 it's now dedicated to the drive mode. The GX1 hasn't sacrificed a Function button though; on the contrary, there's now two. The first is above the cross keys on the left, and the second is below the mode dial. The latter is labelled AF/AE lock, but can be reconfigured from the menus into a function key. Both function keys have the choice of 25 different options to choose from, which the GX1 further complements with two on-screen 'soft' function keys. It all adds up to a lot of customisation which will be welcomed by enthusiasts.
Like some previous Panasonic touch-screen models, even the quick-access Q-menu is customisable. You can simply drag new functions onto it, or remove the ones you don't use.
Panasonic has also fitted the GX1 with one of its push-dials in the upper right corner, where a press can change the function of the dial itself. In Aperture and Shutter Priority, the dial naturally defaults to adjust the f-number and shutter speed respectively, but push it in and it'll subsequently adjust the exposure compensation. Push it in again and it reverts to adjusting the f-number or shutter speed. Pushing the dial in full Manual switches between adjusting the shutter speed and aperture. In Program it can be used to adjust the exposure compensation with a push, although unlike the earlier G3, I couldn't use it for Program Shift - a strange and sad omission on an enthusiast-level body. This aside though, the push dial works really well, effectively doing the job of two physical controls.
On the grip side of the body you'll find three ports behind a flap: AV / USB, Mini HDMI and a remote control jack. The latter works with the optional cabled DMW-RSL1E, but there's no IR sensor for a wireless remote control. As mentioned above, there's also no external microphone input, which in my view is a terrible missed opportunity for a camera aimed at enthusiasts which also sports a hotshoe. What makes it extra-specially infuriating is Panasonic's own FZ150 sports the same jack for the same cabled remote control, but on that model it also doubles-up as a microphone input. Why couldn't the GX1 share the same functionality?
As a brief side-note, the GX1 doesn't have interval-timer features either, although a number of third parties produce intervalometers designed for use with Panasonic cameras which are compatible with the DMW-RSL1E cabled remote (such as the Studiohut models). In theory this should also make the GX1 compatible, but I didn't have the chance to try any myself and some buyers of third party controllers have reported issues with some earlier G-series cameras.
Finally, in a single compartment under the body you'll find the battery and memory card slot. The GX1 is powered by the DMW-BLD10E 1010mAh rechargeable Lithium Ion pack which Panasonic claims is good for 310 photos or 155 minutes of video under CIPA conditions. Note the earlier GF1 was powered by a 1250mAh pack good for 350 shots. The G3 shares the same pack as the GX1, but only squeezed 270 shots out of it.
I tested the GX1 over an extended period of two months, and in general use I could go several days or longer without recharging; I certainly never had the feeling it needed charging on a nightly basis. In terms of video, I did a test where I left the fully-charged GX1 recording 1080i with a freshly-formatted 16GB card; the battery ran dry after 122 minutes with approximately 90 seconds remaining on the card. This may be half an hour shy of the quoted recording battery life, but is still sufficiently long to record many concerts, shows or lectures. Indeed I did just that by recording a couple of school shows in their entirety with the GX1. Note you can't record for more than half an hour per clip with European GX1s.
In terms of memory, the GX1 of course uses SD cards and Panasonic recommends using Class 4 or faster to support the HD movie mode. The GX1 is also Panasonic's first camera to support UHS-1 memory cards and you can see if there's any benefit in using them in the continuous shooting section.
Panasonic GX1 screen and viewfinder
The Lumix GX1 inherits the 3in touch-screen display of the G3, although unlike that model it's fixed in place and can't articulate to different angles. You might assume the lack of an articulated screen is understandable on a relatively slim body, but Sony offers vertically-tilting screens on its thinner NEX models, and Olympus has also squeezed one onto the E-PL3 in addition to sensor-shift stabilisation. As such it's a shame not to find some degree of articulation on the GX1, especially as both that and an electronic viewfinder are included as standard on the cheaper G3.
The screen itself is bright and reasonably easy to view in direct sunlight. In very stark conditions with the Sun right behind you, the image inevitably becomes harder to view and you'll also see some finger prints, but I never found myself unable to compose the shot. Those who regularly shoot in stark conditions though will appreciate the optional electronic viewfinder which I'll describe in the next section.
The size, shape and resolution of the GX1's screen match the G3 (and the GH2 before that) at 3in, 3:2 and 460k dots. When shooting photos in the native 4:3 aspect ratio, the GX1 shows thin black bars down either side of the image, with the active area measuring 2.7in on the diagonal. When shooting 16:9 content, such as HD movies, the GX1 shows thin black bars above and below the image, resulting in a 2.8in diagonal. Switch to cropped 3:2 shaped images on the GX1 and they'll fill the full 3in diagonal of its screen.
The Olympus E-P3 also shares a 3in / 3:2 shaped touch-screen, although is slightly more detailed and brighter thanks to the 610k OLED panel. Sony's NEX 5N also sports a 3in touch-screen, but it's higher resolution still at 921k and as noted above, enjoys the benefit of tilting vertically. Like Olympus and Panasonic, Sony has also opted for a screen that's wider than its native still photos. The 5N has a 3:2 shaped sensor, but the screen is 16:9 so you'll still get thin black bars down the sides when shooting 3:2 stills, although HD video will at least fill the screen.
While touch-screens are new to the latest generation of Sony and Olympus ILCs, Panasonic has been deploying them for some time and its experience shows on the GX1. You can use it to control and adjust a broad array of features, including some neat navigational options, or if you prefer you can simply ignore it and use physical controls instead; indeed if you really don't like it, you can choose to disable touch-focusing, the touch tab navigation or the entire touch-screen altogether.
When shooting stills you can tap on any part of the screen to set a new AF area, then use your finger to drag it to a different part of the image, or simply re-tap somewhere else. Dragging a slider on the right side of the screen also allows you to adjust the size of the AF area. With the AF area set to AF tracking (the default for touch-focusing in iAuto mode), you can simply tap on a subject, half-press the shutter release, then have the GX1 track it automatically. It all adds up to a quick and intuitive way to ensure the camera is focusing on (and if desired tracking) the exact thing you want and makes using buttons to position an AF area feel positively prehistoric.
The major downside is it's easy to accidentally touch the screen as you're handling the camera and inadvertently set a manual AF area when you'd prefer auto area or face detection instead. Indeed I found myself doing this frequently with the GX1, but it's a complaint which equally affects other touch-screen cameras. Panasonic's solution is to present an icon in the corner of the screen which appears during touch-focusing and simply reverts back to the previous AF setting. Tap the screen again though and the touch focusing returns. If you decide this is too annoying, you can go into a menu and switch off touch-AF or the touch-screen altogether, although it'll apply to all modes including iAuto. This feels a bit heavy-handed to me, as I wouldn't have minded disabled touch-AF in PASM, but leaving it active for iAuto.
As before, the Q Menu system is also touch-enabled, allowing you to not only tap on the desired setting to access its options, but also drag various icons in and out for a totally customised user interface.
New to the GX1 is a touch-tab which nestles on the right hand side, waiting to be tapped, after which a vertical strip pops out with touch controls for the power zoom lenses and a pair of soft function keys. Touch-zooming, like touch-screen shutter releases, don't appeal to me personally, but the soft function keys work well and it's good to see Panasonic thinking about different ways to exploit the hardware.
For me though, the highlight of a good touch-screen system remains the ability to adjust the focus between subjects while recording video. I first saw this on a previous Lumix camera and it is of course present and correct on the GX1. So while filming, simply tap on the subject you'd like it to refocus on. Better still, you can set the camera to either focus continuously and make the adjustment as soon as you've tapped the new area, or to wait until you discreetly half-press the shutter release. I found myself using the latter technique more and more, especially when filming school shows.
You can see it in action in the clip above where I tapped on the screen to 'pull-focus' between the lens on the far left, the white camera on the right, and the back of the room, before pulling back to the lens again and repeating. As you can see, the contrast-based AF system can't help but search a little as it locks-on, but it is at least reasonably swift - and the lens focusing quiet too. I should note Sony's NEX 5N also offers touch focusing during video, but the Olympus E-P3 strangely does not.
A phase-change AF system could avoid - or minimise - the searching of contrast-based AF, but so far the only two cameras which support it while filming video are the Sony SLT and Nikon 1 cameras, neither of which are equipped with touch-screens; yet.
So as its rivals play catch-up, the Lumix GX1 delivers what feels like the broadest and most capable touch-screen experience of its peer group, and I suspect even die-hard lovers of physical controls will find some aspect to like about it.
In terms of display views, the GX1 offers a live histogram, a variety of grids and guidelines, and new to this model, a dual-axis level gauge which reformats its position depending on landscape or portrait orientations. The gauge is toggled on and off as one of the views when pressing the DISP button, but like earlier Panasonic models, the histogram and guides are enabled via a menu and subsequently appear on all DISP views.
In a fun use of the touch screen, the histogram can be repositioned anywhere on the screen by simply dragging it with your finger, while one of the guide options allows you to reposition a horizontal and vertical line, again by dragging them. It's really quick and effective.
Panasonic GX1 viewfinder
The Lumix GX1 supports the optional LVF-2 electronic viewfinder, which costs around $249 USD, slides onto the hotshoe and connects to the small proprietary port on the rear. This mounting process may be similar to the earlier LVF-1 on the Lumix GF1 and GF2, but the electronic port on the rear of the GX1 is different and incompatible with the LVF-1; conversely the GF1 and GF2 can't use the new LVF-2 either.
Once slid-onto the hotshoe, the LVF-2 locks securely into place, and cannot be removed unless you first press and hold a small button on the side. Like most optional electronic viewfinders, you can tilt the unit by up to 90 degrees, allowing you to compose at angles, although you'll still need your eye pressed against it. With the unit tilted upwards, you'll notice a wheel to adjust the dioptre setting. Finally, a button on the rear, switches between the screen and viewfinder; there's no sensors for automatic selection.
In terms of quality, the LVF-2 represents a significant upgrade over the LVF-1. The old 202k dot panel with 1.04x magnification has been swapped for the same 1440k dot / 1.4x magnification system as the Lumix G3, delivering a considerably more detailed, not to mention noticeably larger view. 1440k dots corresponds to 800x600 pixel resolution, compared to approximately 320x240 for a 202k panel. The boost in quality is reflected in the price: approximately $249 USD for the LVF-2 compared to $145 USD for the LVF-1.
The LVF-2 / G3 viewfinder panel is 4:3 in shape, which means still images composed (or played back) in the native aspect ratio of the sensor will fill the available area. When shooting or playing in 4:3, the image in the viewfinder is huge: the 1.4x magnification corresponds to 0.7x on a 35mm body with a 50mm lens, which means the LVF-2 / G3 viewfinder essentially matches the area of the viewfinder image on a full-frame DSLR. Shooting in 3:2 or 16:9 involves cropping the image vertically in the viewfinder for a smaller and less detailed view, but it's still a great deal bigger than the optical viewfinders on all but professional DSLRs.
That's one of the lesser-known benefits of an electronic viewfinder: most deliver a much larger image than the viewfinders of comparably-priced 'cropped-frame' DSLRs. Other benefits include 100% coverage and the ability to show Live View and movie composition, not to mention playback, all of which can only be achieved on the screen of a DSLR. Anything you see on the GX1's screen can be replicated in the LVF-2, including a live histogram, various alignment grids, colour graphics, magnified focusing assistance and the new levelling gauge.
There are however downsides. First, the Field Sequential technology used to generate the image can sometimes 'tear' with a rainbow effect during fast pans or when glancing across the image. This seems to affect some people more than others, and unfortunately I personally fall into the 'affected' camp, especially if my eyes are a bit tired. For static shots it's rarely if ever a problem, but when panning across fine lines, such as fences, the image can break-up in a manner I find quite distracting. But slow down or stop moving and it corrects itself immediately. It's one of those things you really have to try out for yourself.
The other major downside is the fact you're looking at an electronic image, rather than one which is simply passing reflected light straight through an optical system. As such in dimmer conditions when optical viewfinders remain quite usable, an electronic one can become noisier and suffer from reduced frame rates. It can also become a deal-breaker for action photographers, since the image between frames when shooting continuously at high speeds is not live but replayed. As such you're watching where the action was a moment ago as opposed to where it is right now, which can make following fast-moving subjects tricky. Not impossible with practice, but certainly harder than the speed-of-light immediate feedback you get from an optical viewfinder.
Die-hard fans of optical viewfinders will almost certainly remain unconvinced. When using the GX1, you're never in any doubt it's an electronic image you're looking at. It may deliver a large, high resolution image, but it has an electronic appearance and a finite amount of detail, not to mention limited dynamic range; it's easy to find bright areas saturating into pure white which contained visible tonal detail through an optical viewfinder. Then there's the tearing artefacts, battery drain and absence of live feedback when following action at top speeds which I'll discuss in the continuous shooting section below.
But the counter-arguments are a much bigger apparent image than the often tiny optical viewfinders on budget DSLRs, 100% coverage and the benefit of super-imposed graphics and information. The important thing is to understand there's pros and cons to both technologies, and as far as electronic viewfinders go, the LVF-2 is a big step-up from those on typical camcorders and super-zoom cameras.
Panasonic's rivals also offer decent electronic viewfinder options. The Olympus VF2 sports the same 1440k dot resolution, albeit with a slightly lower 1.15x magnification. Olympus does however offer a cheaper alternative: the VF3 with a lower specification of 920k dots and 1x magnification. That said at the time of writing, there was little between their street prices: $200 USD for the VF2 versus $180 USD for the VF3. Meanwhile Sony's opted for the higher ground with the optional EV1S ($349 USD) for the 5N boasting 2359k dot / 1024x768 pixel resolution; the same as the built-in viewfinders of the NEX-7 and A77.
While comparing specifications and prices, it's important to remember the Lumix G3 effectively comes with an LVF-2 built-in, which coupled with its articulated screen and lower price makes it a bargain in my view. Indeed if you intend to use the GX1 with the LVF-2 fitted most of the time, you should seriously ask yourself if the G3 would be a more sensible choice.
Panasonic GX1 focusing
Like previous G-series cameras the GX1 employs a contrast-based AF system. Most of the options are inherited from the G3, although Panasonic has added a new AFF mode and claims the AF speed is now quicker than before.
Panasonic quotes the AF speed of the GX1 as 0.09 seconds, making it the quickest Lumix G model to date, although to be fair, the G3 and GF3 aren't too far behind at 0.1 seconds. The GX1 achieves this by employing 120fps lens drive when you half-press the shutter to focus, compared to 60fps on the G3 and GF3.
Numbers aside, the GX1's AF certainly feels very responsive, generally locking-onto the subject by the time your finger feels any resistance on a half-press of the shutter release. Even when it searches, the process feels swift. Like the G3 before it, the GX1's AF is quicker than the phase-change AF on a budget DSLR, and is a world-apart from the live view focusing options on those models. So in terms of the Single AF mode, the GX1 is a triumph.
Contrast-based systems do however need to search a little to confirm the focus, so often struggle when it comes to continuous tracking. Set the GX1 to AFC and it'll have a good stab at keeping a moving subject in focus, although the hit rate for fast action is inevitably not as high as a phase-change AF system. Don't get me wrong, I grabbed some good shots of sports and action with the GX1 and a telephoto zoom, but enjoyed a greater success rate with the Nikon 1 cameras under similar conditions. The same applies to continuous AF during movies, where the phase-change AF systems of the Nikon 1 and Sony SLT cameras tracked more confidently with less visible searching.
The new AF Flexible (AFF) mode is a nice addition which acts like a Single AF mode, but will refocus if the subject moves while you have the shutter half-pressed. This can work well for portraits where the shutter is normally half-pressed anyway, but now the camera can make minor adjustments if the person moves a little. I did however find it working better with some subjects than others, so would recommend experimenting with AFS, AFC and AFF, especially when photographing kids. Sometimes good old AFS coupled with a quick shutter speed can grab the moment without complication.
If you prefer manual focus, the GX1's assist mode will present either a small movable window in the middle showing an enlarged view at 4x, or a full-screen view at 5x or 10x. These make it easy to ensure the subject is sharp.
In terms of AF areas, you can choose from the same options as the G3 before it: Face Detection, AF Tracking, 23-Area, Single Area and Pinpoint. These integrate well with the touch-screen if enabled, allowing you to tap the location in the Single Area or AF Tracking modes, or select a small group of AF areas in the 23-Area option; the latter is essentially the same as Zone AF on the Canon EOS 7D, and allows you to concentrate the auto AF areas to a specific section of the frame without committing to a single area.
Pinpoint remains a highlight, temporarily magnifying the image by five times for a really close confirmation of the tapped area, while also letting you swipe the enlarged target area around with your finger until you settle on the desired part of the subject.
As I mentioned earlier, the touch-screen is a fantastic asset for AF, but equally can prove annoying if you accidentally tap the screen and find your manual 'selection' has over-ridden face detection or auto area at a spontaneous photo opportunity. Indeed I found myself doing this quite frequently while handling the camera. Panasonic does let you disable touch AF or even the touch-screen altogether, but it seems a shame there's no cleverer way of ensuring it only works when you want it to. Perhaps being able to disable it in PASM modes, but having it always active in iAuto could be a good starting point.
As it stands though, the AF capabilities of the GX1 are excellent. the Single AF modes are very fast, there's stacks of AF area options and the touch-screen integration works brilliantly - again so long as you watch for stray fingers and thumbs. The continuous AF also works very well for a contrast-based system, but if tracking fast action is an absolute priority, you may prefer a phase-change system of the Nikon 1, Sony SLT, or a traditional DSLR.
Panasonic GX1 shooting modes
The GX1 features the same shooting modes as the G3 on its main dial: the traditional Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Manual, alongside two Custom modes, a SCN position with access to 17 presets via an on-screen menu, and Creative Control, which offers eight special effects, again selected using the screen.
Shutter speeds range from 1/4000 to 60 seconds, and there's a Bulb option in Manual which can keep the shutter open for up to 120 seconds. Long exposure fans will be happy they can dial-in 60 second exposures without the need for a release accessory, but many will be disappointed by the two minute maximum in Bulb; it seems serious astro-photography continues to elude most mirror-less ILCs.
It's also a little disappointing to find another enthusiast-level camera without built-in interval shooting facilities. I'd understand if Panasonic was protecting sales of an optional timer accessory, but as it stands there's no standard timelapse facilities for the GX1. As mentioned earlier, there is a cabled remote socket which might support third-party interval timers, but it'd be so much nicer to have the facility built-in. To be fair, few cameras support this facility, but it'd be a nice addition for the Lumix range; I should note that interval timer facilities are built-into the Nikon 1 cameras, making them very appealing for timelapse photographers.
One thing Panasonic has got absolutely right on the GX1 though is exposure bracketing. Many companies are satisfied to offer nothing more than three-frame exposure bracketing on their non-pro products, or even none at all in the unforgiveable cases of Nikon's 1 series or its entry-level DSLRs. Not so for the GX1 though which sensibly inherits the 3, 5 or 7 frame bracketing of the G3 in 0.3, 0.6 or 1EV increments. This makes the GX1 one of the most appealing ILCs for HDR fanatics who were previously forced to buy pricier DSLRs or special timer accessories to access more than three-frame bracketing.
Each of the Creative Control modes can be applied to stills or video as you capture them. Like most miniature modes, the impact of processing each frame means the GX1 doesn't record in real-time, but the pleasant side-effect is accelerated playback, in this case by about eight times. So if you record for four minutes, you'll end up with 30 seconds of accelerated footage. The GX1 also supports miniature movies in Full HD 1080i. Here's an example:
Turn the dial to SCN and you can choose from 17 on-screen presets, including the usual portrait, scenery, sports, macro and night options. Like earlier Panasonic models, there's two Baby presets, which work in conjunction with the Face Recognition option to automatically identify one or two different children and imprint their name and or age on the photo if desired.
While it is possible to manually select a scene preset for the desired effect, many owners will instead reach for the fully automatic Intelligent Auto, or iA mode. Again like other recent Lumix cameras, this is no longer selected from the mode dial, but activated with a dedicated button. I like this approach as the iA button feels almost as if it should be labelled 'Don't Panic!'. If you're ever in doubt what settings to use, are handing the camera to someone to take a picture of you, or simply spot a quick photo opportunity, you just press the button and relax in the knowledge the camera will do a pretty good job at capturing it. You can then press the button again afterwards to return to whatever obscure mode you may have been tinkering in. It's like a temporary reset to Auto.
When taking still photos, iA can automatically choose from the portrait, scenery, macro, night portrait, night scenery, baby or sunset presets, and if you're shooting video in iA mode, it can switch between portrait, scenery, low light and macro. With the GX1 set to iA, the tab on the right of the screen can be tapped out to present an additional 'defocus' control which lets you adjust the depth-of-field by dragging a slider on-screen. Set the GX1 to iA+ mode from the menu and you can additionally unlock touch-sliders for brightness (exposure compensation) and white balance. It's a fun and easy way for beginners - or even experts - to explore options without worrying about the technicalities. I preferred using iA+ as sometimes the auto white balance was a little off for my liking on interior portraits, so the slider allowed me to adjust as required.
In use iA worked pretty well and coped admirably with most conditions I threw at it. It's not shy at selecting high ISOs for portraits under dimmer conditions when it believes motion could otherwise blur them, and while that could mean noisier images than you were expecting, it's better than having blur. This was a problem with the Nikon 1 cameras which are fairly noise averse and frequently attempted to use shutter speeds that were too slow for many portraits just to keep the ISO down. The GX1 does allow you to set the maximum ISO it can use, but this only applies when shooting in the PAS or Custom modes. In iA, you have to accept what it chooses.
The iA mode also liberally applies Panasonic's iResolution and iDynamic as it sees fit, along with what I'm assuming is fairly enthusiastic noise reduction, and while some may appreciate their impact, I often found them resulting in images which looked a little smeared when viewed at 100%. Indeed over time, I ended up using Program for my 'auto' shots, where I could disable unwanted processing, set an ISO limit and lower the noise reduction. Luckily the GX1 gives you a wide range of shooting options and the ability to customise as much or as little as you like.
Panasonic GX1 sensor and processing
The Lumix GX1 inherits the same 16 Megapixel sensor as the G3 before it, making it the joint-highest resolution Micro Four Thirds camera to date. It's actually a three-way tie with the GH2, although that model employs a different sensor to the GX1 / G3 with a neat trick where spare pixels around the edges are used to maintain the angle of view when shooting in different aspect ratios.
The GH2 achieves this by actually having an 18 Megapixel sensor with a fractionally larger surface area behind the scenes. This means the GH2 can not only maintain its angle of view as the aspect ratio is changed, but also minimise any loss of resolution. In contrast, the GX1, like most cameras, will crop its images when shooting at anything wider than its native aspect ratio - which in this case is 4:3 - and those crops will also gradually reduce the angle of view.
So set the GX1 to its maximum 16 Megapixel resolution and it'll deliver images with 4592x3448 pixels, while 3:2, 16:9 and 1:1 images measure 4576x3056 (14 Megapixels), 4576x2576 (11.5 Megapixels) and 3424x3423 (again 11.5 Megapixels) respectively, each becoming increasingly cropped and slightly reducing the field of view. To be fair to the GX1, its cropping at wider aspect ratios is no different to most cameras, it's just that the flagship GH series are cleverer in this regard.
Each aspect ratio on the GX1 is available in the choice of three resolutions and with either Standard or Fine JPEG compression; you can also record RAW data at the maximum resolution of each aspect ratio either by itself or accompanied by a Standard or Fine JPEG.
The sensor may match the G3, but Panasonic describes the image processing as being different, and while the GX1's base sensitivity remains 160 ISO, the maximum setting has been doubled from 6400 to 12800 ISO. There's no composite noise reduction options though. You can see how the quality looks in my Panasonic GX1 noise results.
The GX1 lets you choose whether the sensitivity is manually set with 1/3 or 1EV increments, and offers two automatic ISO options along with the chance to set a limit between 200 and 3200 ISO if desired. Within the Photo Styles you can adjust the noise reduction from -2 to +2, and over time I preferred to dial this right down to minimise the slightly soft-looking output from the camera by default.
The Lumix GX1 also sports the same Intelligent Resolution options as the G3 and GH2. It's applied automatically in iA mode, but disabled by default in the PASM modes, where you can manually choose between Off, Low, Standard, High and Extended. To see it in action, I shot my standard test scene again with each of the settings and have presented 100% crops from the same area below for comparison.
In the example above, Intelligent Resolution has done a good job of applying fairly significant sharpening while minimising the usual artefacts. It's certainly delivered a punchier result than the somewhat laid-back style of the default JPEG processing, although you may prefer the result from RAW files, as seen in the results section.Like the G3, the GX1 also features I.Dynamic, or Intelligent Dynamic Range control, which automatically adjusts the contrast when there's a big difference between light and dark areas on the image. Again it's applied automatically in iA, but off by default in the PASM modes, where you can choose between Off, Low, Standard and High. I didn't find it making a huge impact on my test shots, but you may enjoy more mileage depending on the subject.
Contrast, Sharpness, Saturation and Noise reduction are all applied with a selection of customisable Photo Style presets: Standard, Vivid, Natural, Monochrome, Scenery, Portrait and Custom. The four settings can be adjusted on a scale of +/-2 steps, although there's no filter effects for the Monochrome style.
As discussed elsewhere, I was fairly happy with the output from the Standard Photo Style, although I personally found it suffered from a little softness due to noise reduction; turning this down to -2 made the output look much better to my eyes.
Panasonic GX1 movie mode
With the same sensor as the G3, it's not surprising to find the GX1 inheriting similar movie options, although there's a couple of small but important differences. But first the basics: like the G3 before it, the GX1 can capture Full HD 1080i video with continuous autofocus and stereo audio recorded from built-in mics, although again like the G3, Panasonic has been careful to limit the feature-set on the new model so as not to tread on the toes of the video flagship, the GH2.
As such the GX1, like the G3, is lacking the external microphone input of the GH2, along with the ability to output a clean - or indeed any - signal over its HDMI port while filming, preventing the use of external monitors. There's also no formal manual control over movie exposures on the GX1, nor the choice of adjustable frame rates, and while the GX1 does offer the tele-converter crop function of the GH2, it only does so at 720p (like the G3), not 1080. In addition, the sensor outputs 25p or 30p depending on region, which is then converted into 50p / 50i or 60p / 60i for 720 and 1080 AVCHD options, whereas the GH2's sensor actually output 50 or 60p, giving it an encoding and AF advantage over the G3. So there's still no 1080p AVCHD.
The features which are most important vary with each person, but of the above, I really missed an external microphone input on the GX1. I understand Panasonic's decision to leave it out of the G3 to protect the similarly-styled but higher-end GH2, but the GX1 is a new model in the range aimed at enthusiasts. When questioned about it, Panasonic was keen to stress the GX1 was primarily about taking still photos, but for me a successful modern camera should excel at both photos and video, so by not equipping the GX1 with any means to connect an external microphone is a missed opportunity.
It doesn't make sense either as one of the new video features over the G3 is the option to superimpose small but usable stereo level meters in the lower left corner of the screen. Surely this is something for people who take audio seriously, right? And the GX1's standard hotshoe is just crying out for a Mic to be mounted. The absence of a mic input - or even a proprietary mic accessory - is a frustrating and risky decision which could drive video enthusiasts to rival models: Olympus offers a microphone socket adapter, Sony's NEX 5N has a proprietary microphone accessory and Nikon's V1 sports a standard 3.5mm jack. What makes it really daft is the fact Panasonic's own FZ150 super-zoom has a hotshoe and mic input, making it a better choice for audio capture. To be fair, this won't bother some buyers, while those who are really into movie audio will simply capture it with an external sound recorder, like those from Zoom, but for me the absence of a mic jack ultimately made the GX1 less useful than it could have been.
Moving on, the GX1, like earlier Panasonic cameras, offers the choice of two recording formats. The first is AVCHD, but in a departure from previous models, the alternative 'editing-friendly' option now becomes MP4 rather than Motion JPEG.
With the GX1 set to AVCHD you can choose from FSH (1080i encoded at 50i or 60i from 25 or 30fps sensor output depending on region), and SH (720p encoded at 50p or 60p again from 25 or 30fps sensor output). Both modes consume around 17Mbit/s. Panasonic recommends a Class 4 card or faster for AVCHD recording in either mode. Once again there's no 1080p option in AVCHD, which marks it down a little compared to the Sony NEX 5N.
With the GX1 set to MP4, you can choose between FHD (1080p encoded at 20Mbit/s), HD (720p encoded at 10Mbit/s) and VGA (640x480 encoded at 4Mbit/s); each of the MP4 modes is encoded in a progressive format at 25p or 30p depending on region and matching the output from the sensor. These options are preferable to the previous Motion JPEG mode with topped-out at 720p and was limited to short clips.
You can start recording video in any shooting mode by simply pressing the dedicated record button to the right of the shutter release. A custom menu option lets you choose whether the screen shows the normal photo aspect ratio or 16:9 prior to filming, the latter allowing you to compose accurately for video before starting to film; although once you do start recording, the screen switches to 16:9 anyway and you can always trim unwanted padding during playback. Another custom menu switches the remaining memory between still photos and video time. It seems a bit convoluted to enter custom menus to view these options though when they could simply be included when cycling through the screen display options. For example, one of the screen options could show 16:9 framing and time remaining for video, or another view could show faint marks indicating the 16:9 frame and squeeze the remaining video time elsewhere on-screen.
The GX1 inherits the G3's two options for capturing still photos while recording video: Motion Picture Priority mode lets you capture up to 30 still photos at 2 Megapixel resolution without interrupting the video, while Still Picture Priority mode lets you capture up to eight images at the maximum resolution, although each will interrupt the video with a frozen image for about a second or so. Note all photos captured while filming video are in the 16:9 format, so the best quality Still Picture Priority mode will actually capture 11.68 Megapixel shots. If you want to capture high resolution still photos without interrupting HD video recording, you'll need to go for a Nikon V1 or J1 camera instead.
Returning to the GX1, you're looking at about 2 Megabytes per second using its best-quality AVCHD 1080i mode, and Panasonic quotes around one hour of video in this format can be stored on an 8GB card. The maximum recording time depends on where your GX1 originated: as always, models destined for the European market are limited to AVCHD clips lasting no more than 29 minutes and 59 seconds each, although you can of course start recording another clip almost immediately afterwards, or strategically stop it at an opportune break a little earlier before starting a new clip.
If your GX1 came from outside of Europe though, prepare for a treat as in the AVCHD mode it'll keep recording uninterrupted until you run out of memory or battery life. I put this to the test by filming a school play lasting one hour with numerous adjustments to the power-zoom and focus. How long can it go on for? I recharged the battery, fitted a freshly-formatted 16GB card and started recording: 2 hours and 2 minutes later the battery died, coincidentally with about 90 seconds remaining on the memory card. The file was actually split into multiple 4GB files, but they ran together seamlessly. At the end of the recording the GX1 was warm to the touch, but the video quality wasn't perceptibly noisier at the end than the start.
Maximum recording time is a key advantage the GX1 along with other Panasonic cameras have over the competition. Canon's DSLRs will record 1080p for a maximum of 12 to 17 minutes depending on the model. Nikon's D5100 and V1 / J1 will manage 20 minutes. Many others simply adopt the 29:59 limit even if they're not destined for Europe. Not Panasonic though: get yourself a non-European GX1 and it'll keep recording for up to two hours on a single charge if you minimise zooming and refocusing. This makes it ideal for recording longer, single events such as school shows, concerts, talks or lectures. Indeed I did just that filming several school events in their entirety while enjoying superior low light performance to those alongside with traditional camcorders.
Like the G3 before it, the GX1's movie exposures are automatic. The camera chooses the ISO and shutter speed automatically, and also the aperture when the mode dial is set to Program or if iA is enabled. Under dimmer conditions, the GX1 will unsurprisingly open its aperture, allowing you to achieve shallow depth-of-field effects, but if you want complete control of the aperture under any conditions, you'll need to use an older third-party lens with a manual aperture ring via an adapter, such as a Nikkor model.
The typical buyer of the GX1 will however be much more interested in its continuous autofocusing capabilities, which like the G3 and GH2 before it, are very impressive. The Lumix GX1 delivers continuous AF while filming which is both quiet and fairly quick. Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect: as a contrast-based system, the GX1 can't help but search back and forth in order to confirm focus, something the phase-change AF systems on Sony's SLT and Nikon's 1 series models mostly avoid in good light. But on the whole the Lumix GX1 locks-on fairly quickly, quietly and without fuss. In these respects it remains far superior to movie AF from traditional DSLRs like the Canon EOS T3i / 600D or Nikon D5100.
As described and demonstrated in the AF section above, the GX1 also inherits a neat option from recent Lumix models which allows you to simply tap on the subject you'd like the camera to refocus on, while you're filming. This is great for pulling-focus between subjects without recomposing the shot. You can also have the camera attempt to refocus the instant you've tapped, or tap to fix a point before performing the refocusing later with a half-press of the shutter. I found the latter useful when waiting for a potential edit-gap in a performance. Either way, as seen in the sample video earlier on this page, there can still be some visible searching, but it remains a useful and enjoyable feature for those who don't want to manually pull-focus.
If you do prefer though, you can put the GX1 into manual focus mode and make the adjustment yourself. There's no magnified assistance as you do so, but it's possible to get the focusing pretty close, while avoiding the over-reaching searching in AF. This can work particularly well with the 14-42mm power zoom which has a lever to adjust the motorised focusing.
Now for a selection of clips which demonstrate the GX1's video capabilities.
This first clip, above, was filmed handheld using the GX1 and the 14-42mm Power Zoom lens. I've started, as always, on the bright reflections in the water, which as you'd expect posed no issues for the (C)MOS sensor. I then panned the camera up and around by 180 degrees. The optical stabilisation on the lens has done a good job at ironing-out any wobbles and you can see an example of its motorised zoom at the end. Any issues to report? Well my first attempt was marred a little by the AF system hunting from time to time, so for this sample I disabled Continuous AF for movies. The most obvious problem though is with the wind noise. To be fair the GX1 is no more susceptible to this than any other camera I've tested, but sadly you cannot connect an external microphone with a wind muffler to improve the quality and cut the noise.
For the second clip, above, I mounted the camera on a tripod with a fluid head and smoothly panned from left to right. As you can see there's a lot of detail in the footage, although I should note that again this was my second attempt after the first had suffered from some unnecessary focus hunting. The moral as I discovered is to always disable continuous AF unless you know you need it - and in a situation like this with a distant subject and bright conditions allowing a large depth-of-field, it's not required.
In the third clip, above, I still have the GX1 mounted to a tripod and this time I'm testing the motorised zoom of the 14-42mm Power Zoom lens. Since the focus changes with focal length, I had continuous AF enabled for this video. Viewed full-screen you can see a number of times when the camera searches for focus, but while this is a little distracting, the GX1 does at least perform the process quickly. Listen carefully and you'll hear the faint, but audible hiss of the zoom motor in operation, although the bigger issue is the slapping sound when you let go of the spring-loaded zoom lever; for critical work, let go of the lever very gently!
For my fifth clip, above, I moved into the dimmer surroundings of a bar for a handheld pan. There's no control over ISO on the GX1's movie mode, so the camera automatically selected 1600 ISO here with the 14-42mm power zoom. There's no obvious noise to worry about, although the image is a little less crisp than the earlier samples, implying the application of noise reduction. But the bottom line is it's still a clean, detailed image in lower light. Note I disabled continuous AF for this clip to avoid unnecessary searching.
My sixth clip, above, tested the continuous AF capabilities of the GX1's movie mode. One again there's no way to manually set the aperture in the GX1's movie mode, but by filming in a dimmer environment and keeping subjects close, it's possible to achieve a relatively shallow depth of field which will reveal the AF process. As I panned around the room and settled on various objects, the GX1 did a good job at refocusing without too much searching or fuss. It works pretty well, although over time I preferred to disable continuous AF and instead use the touch-screen to select the desired subject to refocus-on before gently half-pressing the shutter release. You can see an example of the touch-screen focusing in the AF section above.
Sadly the GX1 inherits the G3's limitation of not supporting the teleconverter for 1080 video, but it's there for 720 if you're interested, again delivering roughly 3.9x magnification with an area cropped from the middle of the frame. While it's a shame the 1080 option is not available, it remains a useful facility. I should however note the Canon EOS T3i / 600D offers a similar movie crop feature for Full HD 1080 video.
To show the 720p teleconverter option in action, here are two clips of rare yellow-eyed penguins on a beach near Moeraki in New Zealand, filmed with the GX1 and 45-175mm Power Zoom from the same location just moments apart. The first shows 720p downsampled from the full sensor frame as usual, while the second shows the 720p teleconverter option which takes a 1:1 crop from the middle of the sensor and thereby also avoids any scaling / downsampling issues.
Panasonic GX1 continuous shooting
With the same sensor and similar processing to the G3, it's not surprising to find the GX1 sharing similar continuous shooting specifications, although Panasonic claims a small boost in speed.
As such, the Lumix GX1 offers four continuous shooting speeds: Low speed shoots at 2fps, Middle speed at 3fps and High speed now at 4.2fps (up from 4fps on the G3), all at the full 16 Megapixel resolution, while the Super High speed mode drops the resolution to 4 Megapixels, allowing it to fire-off bursts at 20fps.
As always I tested all the continuous shooting modes under real-life action conditions, photographing Queenstown's famous Shotover Jet boats zooming past and performing 360 degree spins. You can see a sequence below taken at the 4.2fps High Speed mode.
Before discussing speeds in detail, it's important to mention the difference between composing with a 100% live view system like the GX1 for action shots compared to a traditional DSLR: depending on the shooting mode, you may not see a live image between continuous frames. Instead the image you see between frames may simply be the last shot you took.
This causes a problem when the action requires panning, as you have no feedback as to where the subject is going, and therefore where to point or how fast to move the camera. Unfortunately by playing a series of images in place of a genuine live view, you're effectively looking at what's just happened, not what's happening right now. So if your subject changes speed or direction, you won't notice until it's too late.
As such, panning during fast continuous bursts on live view systems involves a certain degree of blind anticipation and adjusting the camera further than the image you're viewing might suggest. It's something you do get used to, but it's nowhere as intuitive or easy as the optical viewfinder in a traditional DSLR which thanks to the speed of light gives a brief but valuable glimpse of what's happening between frames, allowing you to recompose as required.
If the GX1 is set to High or Super High Speed, the image between frames is the previous one played back, thereby suffering from the problems described above. Interestingly though, the Super High Speed mode is so fast that the gaps between frames is very small, giving you quicker feedback on any changes that need to be made. But in the High mode you will be guessing a lot of the time. Reduce the speed to the 3 or 2fps modes though and the camera has sufficient processing muscle to display a live image between frames.
Another important difference regards continuous autofocusing while shooting. The GX1 can do it, but even its quick contrast-based system isn't as confident as a phase-change system when it comes to tracking fast action. Switch the GX1 to continuous AF and you'll also find it slowing down if the subject is moving quickly.
Okay, now for the speeds and I started-off by fitting a freshly formatted 16GB SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-1 card rated at 45MB/s. Set to Large JPEG, 1/500 shutter speed, AFS focusing, 400 ISO and High Speed mode, the GX1 fired-off 22 frames in 5.26 seconds, corresponding to a rate of 4.18fps. Under ideal conditions, the GX1 could keep shooting at this speed while memory remained, but at other times it would slow down a little after around 20 shots. Set to RAW, the GX1 captured ten frames in 2.25 seconds, corresponding to a rate of 4.4fps, but then slowed to about one frame every two seconds.
Set to Medium speed where you gain Live View between frames, the GX1 captured 60 Large Fine JPEGs in 21.42 seconds, corresponding to a rate of 2.8fps. The GX1 seemed happy to keep shooting at this speed as long as I held my finger on the shutter release.
Set to Super High Speed, where the resolution drops to 4 Megapixels, the GX1 captured 38 frames in 1.83 seconds, corresponding to a rate of 20.8fps.
In terms of flushing the buffer, the GX1 took around 20 seconds to complete writing a burst of ten RAW files in the High speed mode using a UHS-1 card. During the writing process, you could still use the camera and fire-off more - albeit smaller - bursts, but resulting in a delay of the total writing time. Switching to a Class 6 SD card saw the burst reduce from ten to nine frames and the total flushing time extend to 23 seconds; this may not seem much longer than the 20 seconds with the UHS-1 card, but remember to factor-in an additional frame recorded for the quicker card. The different cards didn't affect the actual speed of the initial bursts.
So it would appear the GX1 can exploit the additional speed of UHS-1 cards when it comes to flushing the buffer, but in the test above you're only looking at a speed of around two seconds per image (after the burst) versus 2.5 seconds.
In terms of the actual burst speeds themselves, the GX1 performed pretty much as quoted, essentially delivering its top speed of 4.2fps in my tests, and confirming the speeds in the other modes too. By achieving 4.18fps in practice, the GX1 is also fractionally quicker than the G3, which in my tests delivered 3.9fps.
Interestingly, the least usable mode for me personally though was the top speed with the maximum resolution. Without Live View it proved tricky to follow fast panning or unpredictable action. Switching to the lower speed with Live View, or even the super high speed (which may not have had live view but gave quicker feedback with its faster frame rates) ultimately proved easier to use.
I like that Panasonic has given you the choice of continuous shooting modes, allowing you to decide where the compromise should lie, whether in feedback, resolution or frame rate. In this respect the GX1 is quite satisfying to use, but if you're really into fast action, the quicker burst rates at the full resolution and more confident phase change AF of the Nikon 1 and Sony SLT systems remain those to beat in the non-DSLR market.


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Terminator Super Stainless Double Willow Spinnerbait
A great choice for clear water fishing, the Terminator Super Stainless Double Willow Spinnerbaits offer a more realistic baitfish look and even more flash in the water than standard spinnerbaits thanks to their exclusive beveled edge blades. They also provide 47% more vibration than other spinnerbaits, and 30% better bend resistance than traditional stainless steel frames thanks to their high quality materials and construction.
Their durable, lifelike heads are designed to rip through vegetation and roll through wood without getting snagged, and QuickSkirt changeable premium silicone skirts complete the winning presentation. Available in a range of colors and sizes, the Terminator Super Stainless Colorado Willow Spinnerbaits offer premium performance and functioning.
9 Colors
More From Terminator Spinnerbaits
Customer Reviews
Comments: Not a fan of the quick skirts on these spinnerbaits. They're cut from a solid piece of silicone and tear very easily. If you're looking to pick up some of these I would change out the skirts, or get the power pulse skirted colors instead.
From: AL: Chicago, IL 1/17/16
Comments: Good spinnerbait for the price, but I don't recommend the 'quick skirts' some these come with. They tear very easily & feel very cheap. If you're looking to get this spinnerbait I'd recommend replacing the skirt, or opting for the silicone skirted colors instead. (bluegill/hot shad/pumpkinseed/silver shiner colors)
From: AL: Chicago, IL 1/16/16
Comments: Had the rear blade come off of two different ones while fishing a fish. First one I thought was just bad luck. The next day it happened again. I won't be buying any more Terminators. These are cheaply made. price should be $1.
From: Matt: Saratoga Springs, NY 8/7/14
Comments: i never have had a dissapointment with terminator spinnerbaits.the vibration these spinners give out is awesome.always a strong hook set and skirts rarely ever get ripped up..this is the only brand of spinners i will ever buy.waiting for tw to restock on some so i can order more..
From: Bassin Mike: Fremont , CA USA
Comments: Reporting from the last week of December 2012. The water was cooling down quickly, but the bass were still biting. The water was also slightly murky from rains so I used the Chartreuse White Shad and tipped it with a Chartreuse Yamamoto double tail grub (color not available on TW). This bait just called the bass over. In a span of 2 separate fishing days, I caught two identical size (7.6 lb) bass from different areas of the lake and caught a few smaller fish in the 2-4 lb range as well. All fish had fat bellies and may have been gorging on bait in preparation for the cooler months ahead. Even after catching 7 bass, including the two large ones, the bait still swam true. The cons: The hook needs sharpening.
From: Rudy: Fresno Area
Comments: these things are incredible! the vibration is amazing. the rod feels like its gunna shake out of your hand! to bad i lost my last one on a stump... getting more soon.
From: Reid: NC
Comments: BUY THIS!!!!!!! went fishing and fish werent biting at all!!! i tied on a chart. and white dbl willow booyah. my dad had a chart.and white terminator double willow, both in 3/8 oz. he caught 9 fish, 6 bass, 3 crappie all bass over a pound. all crappie at least one pound. i caught 3 bass maybe a pound. so... do the math
From: Connor: AR
Comments: got mine today and the hook was round not sharpend at all you couldnt catch anything on it i must have got a bad one because i have other terminators and there great but the one i got in this model isnt even fishable
Comments: Out performs all others of a similar price. Reasonable priced, thin blade, tough skirt, beautiful painted heads. All around top notch. Love these spinnerbaits
From: TJM: Minisoda, MN
Comments: The best blade out there, IMO. Super thin but strong blade, great hook and da skirts wont rot off and turn into confetti when you cast one. Terminator is out of the spot light since they threw Skeet in the trash can but it doesnt mean they stopped making good ish!
From: Meatwad: Terminating. come with me if you want to live


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In addition to NETS Basketball, most suite buyers will receive access to other Barclays Center events, anticipated to include world-class concerts, college sports, the circus, ice shows, and much more. Overall, the arena will host over 200 events annually.(Emphases added throughout)
That number represents a small but steady decline in Forest City Ratner's official projections and an implicit acknowledgment of a competing arena in Newark.
It also suggests that the economic projections by both Forest City Ratner consultant Andrew Zimbalist and the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) were overstated, since they based sales tax assumptions on about 225 events.
And, even though the projection of 200 events obviously can't be confirmed, that number backs up the more conservative estimates made by the New York City Independent Budget Office (IBO).
2004 projections
Zimbalist, in his 5/1/04 report, wrote:
FCRC projects that the arena will not host an NHL team and that it will host 224 events during the year (assuming the eventual closing of CAA [Continental Airlines Arena, now the Izod Center], no new arena in Newark, no NHL and no minor league hockey events at the Atlantic Yards arena.) FCRC projects out three scenarios over time based on aggressive, moderate and conservative assumptions. I use the estimates from their moderate scenario.As Gustav Peebles and Jung Kim pointed out in their 6/21/04 critical analysis of Zimbalist's report, the number of events, and thus sales taxes, was likely overstated:
The problem with this scenario is that it allows no place for the New Jersey Devils to play ice hockey... His analysis also fails to account for inter-arena competition for non-sports events.Indeed, the Prudential Center is now open in Newark, and looking to coexist with the Izod Center in the Meadowlands.
2005 projections
From the May 2005 Forest City Ratner bid to the MTA:
The arena is expected to host approximately 250 events a year. The Arena will also be made available for local schools and universities for athletic events, and per the CBA, ten days will be set aside for "community uses" to be programmed with CBA partners.I read that as indicating that the arena would host 250 events plus local school athletic events and "community uses."
From the 5/26/05 FCR presentation (right) to City Council:
Approximately 235 events per year in the arena.From Zimbalist's June 2005 report:
Many of the numbers used in this report concerning Nets attendance, ticket prices, construction costs and other items come from projections done by or for the Nets. I have discussed these estimates with the Nets and they seem reasonable to me. The Nets project that the arena will not host an NHL team and that it will host 226 events during the year (assuming the eventual closing of CAA, no new arena in Newark, no NHL and no minor league hockey events at the Atlantic Yards arena.) The Nets project out three scenarios over time based on aggressive, moderate and conservative assumptions. I use the estimates from their moderate scenario.The IBO report
The September 2005 Independent Budget Office Fiscal Brief was a bit more cautious:
In addition to the Nets' 41 regular season games, preseason games and potential playoff games, FCRC expects that more than 150 other general admission events would be held at the new arena, including 40 concerts, 35 other sports events such as high school basketball games, and about 80 family-style entertainment shows.That actually adds up to less than 200 events.
Comments to ESDC in 2006
As the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) considered the project in 2006 (as I wrote 12/5/06), Brooklyn resident Kate Galassi commented:
The economic benefits from the arena are based on the assumption that the arena will be hosting events 224 days a year. [Economist Andrew] Zimbalist's report estimates this number assuming the closing of the Continental Airlines Arena and no new arena in Newark. If these assumptions do not hold true, then the estimated benefits of the arena will be substantially reduced.The ESDC responded:
The analysis reflects the expected programming of the arena. If there were fewer events and lower attendance at the arena, fiscal benefits associated with the arena (sales tax on tickets, parking, and concessions) would be lower than those reported in the EIS. If the number of events and attendees were higher, the fiscal benefits would be higher... Andrew Zimbalist's report on the economic benefits of the proposed project was not prepared for ESDC and is not included, relied upon, or referenced in the DEIS.Though the ESDC didn't rely on Zimbalist's conclusions, it surely seemed to project the same number events, almost surely from the same source: Forest City Ratner.
A 12/8/06 ESDC press release announced approval of Atlantic Yards:
The project build out will occur in two phases. The first phase, anticipated to be completed by 2010, will include the new rail yard and the arena and developments on the western portion of the site. At least 30 percent of the housing developed on the arena block in the first phase will be affordable housing. The arena is expected to be in use for approximately 225 events per year (inclusive of 41 home games for the Nets.)And in 2009
The 6/23/09 ESDC 2009 Modified General Project Project Plan maintained the same numbers:
Based on the current schedule, the Arena would open during the 2011 – 2012 NBA season and is expected to be in use for approximately 225 events per year, including 41 regular season home games for the Nets.However, less than three months later, and one day before the ESDC approved the plan, the developer said there would be 200-plus events, as noted at top. Maybe that's why the ESDC's 9/17/09 press release did promise any specific number of events.
But it certainly calls into question ESDC Senior Counsel Steve Matlin's assertion in July that the agency's economic analysis was "constantly" being updated.
The IBO, in its September 2009 report, did not specify a number of events, but that number had not changed from 2005. The IBO's George Sweeting explained:
For our 2009 analysis of ticket, food, and concession sales at the arena we did not develop specific estimates of the number of events (Nets or other). Instead, we started from FCRC's estimates of revenues for those items shown in their 2006 Atlantic Yards Financial Projections, adjusted for inflation. The estimates for non-Nets events were already aggregates which is what we needed for the analysis. Therefore, there was no need to take a step back and calculate the number of events underlying the reported amounts.


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TripAdvisor ratingRead reviews
The property is situated in the centre of the shopping, dining and entertainment area of Karon. It is only 300 metres from the beautiful sandy beach of Karon, where guests can enjoy the peaceful sea, sun and sand. Phuket Town is approximately a 20-minute drive from the hotel, while the Phuket International Airport is a 45-minute drive away.
Catering to the individual tastes and budgets of its guests, this design hotel offers a total of 60 rooms and was built in 2011. With a philosophy of simplicity and attention to detail, the hotel is an ideal retreat for all in search of relaxation and comfort. The hotel offers a lobby with a 24-hour reception as well as lift access, a restaurant and free wireless Internet access. 24-hour security and a convenience store are also available and the hotel offers a reading room as well as room and laundry service and a car park.
All of the en suite guestrooms have an impressively spacious layout and offer a private balcony with either a lively city view or a peaceful mountain view. The interior decoration features minimalist design and provides the guest with the ultimate in living comforts including a shower, a hairdryer and a direct dial telephone as well as a satellite/cable TV, free wireless Internet access and a safe. All of the rooms feature a mini fridge and tea and coffee making facilities as well as individually regulated air conditioning.
The hotel offers its guests the use of its gym.
Guests can start the day with delicious breakfast served at the hotel restaurant and refuel during the day with a full combination of Thai and European cuisines for lunch and dinner.
Accommodation details
Address:470/4 PATAK RD. T. KARON, A. MUANG
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Guest rooms include the following facilities: Bathroom, Shower, Hairdryer, Direct dial telephone, TV, Internet access, Mini fridge, Tea and coffee making facilities, Individually adjustable air conditioning –, Safe and Balcony.
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When the going gets tough, the tough get going…that's the case with Shoreline Community College Criminal Justice student, Nancy Bidondo, who was recently rewarded for her hard work and perseverance with a WAVE Award from the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board.
Bidondo is one of only 128 students in the state to earn the award which recognizes outstanding career and technical education students at community and technical colleges and high schools. On her way to completing her transfer degree in Criminal Justice, her plans include a bachelor's degree in sociology or the like.
The 41 year-old honors student is serious about her education and what she will do with it. The victim of domestic violence in an earlier marriage, Bidondo is committed to helping others who live in those conditions. The strength of her character is evident when she talks about making something good out of the years of abuse she suffered.
"If I can turn evil into something good to help somebody else…," she says with conviction, referring to her long-term goal of working with juveniles or victims of domestic abuse or both. She believes that her education along with her experiences will provide the tools to educate victims on how to help themselves and to advocate for legislation that provides support to victims of domestic violence and for effective rehabilitation of juvenile offenders.
Criminal Justice instructor Linda Forst nominated Bidondo. "She really deserves this recognition. Nancy is very devoted to learning and growing as a person," she wrote in the nomination form, emphasizing that Bidondo's work was always exemplary and "would serve as a model for other students to emulate." Bidondo earned a 4.0 in every class she took from Forst. "I wish I had more students like her. She puts her all into everything."
Bidondo equally appreciates Forst and other instructors at Shoreline.
"The instructors are so willing to take extra time in helping. They challenge students by setting a high standard which I appreciate. It allows the student to be stretched and obtain a valuable education," Bidondo said.
Bidondo's short term plans include volunteering for the Diversion Partnership for Youth Justice program through King County. The educational program, designed for first or second time offenders who commit minor offenses provides troubled youth with a diversion from a formal court proceeding and may include restitution such as community service, a monetary fine, counseling, or informational or educational classes.
Her volunteer work does not stop there. At Shoreline, she takes notes in her Spanish and math classes which she provides for physically challenged students enrolled in the Community Integration Program and participated in a MLK Day Food Drive last year. In 2007, Bidondo and her husband took their children to San Luis, Mexico on a mission with their church. She taught crafts classes at a vacation Bible school while her husband and children helped with the construction of a bathroom at the school. Formerly a hairdresser, Bidondo also provided free haircuts to women, men and children, some of whom were homeless. Her commitment to helping others continues at home where she cares for a friend's two year-old child so the mother can take evening classes – in criminal justice.
2011 WAVE SCHOLARS ANNOUNCEDThe Workforce Board has announced this year's Washington Award for Vocational Excellence (WAVE) scholars. While the WAVE program did not receive funding for scholarships this year, the current operating budget directs the program to recognize scholars for their achievements. The WAVE program is suspended for 2012 and 2013


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There's no easing into the Big 12 schedule for the Kansas volleyball team.
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A bit disappointing.
Seams to conflict with this:
A bit disappointing.
Seams to conflict with this:
CPU:Intel I5 2500K 5GHZ |CPU Cooler:Noctua NH D14|RAM:16GB Corsair Vengeance White LP|MB:ASUS P8P67 Pro Rev 3.1|GPU:Asus GTX 570 Direct CU II 860MHZ|PSU: Corsair AX 750|HDD: Corsair 120GB Force GT|WD 750GB Black, 2X WD 2TB Green 1X WD 3TB Green|Optical Drive: LG CH10LS20|Monitor: BenQ G2222HDL|OS: Windows 7 Pro 64bit|Sound Card:Asus Xonar D2X|Speakers:Logitech Z5500/G35|Logi G510/Logi G9X|Sony MDR-EX510LPB|Case:Corsair 500R|
I remember that when I read that last year thinking that the author needed more skill with his PC. Antispam aside, functionality that I don't use, his biggest complaint was of confusing popups and bad leak test behavior. Well, my thought was that if he doesn't understand the popups then he should have left it on auto-learn and allow OSS to make the decisions for him and he would never have seen the popups. We all know that this product is exceptionally highly rated in third party leak testing. There's no doubt that in the Wizard mode that the firewall and the behavior-based detection demands more from the user. It's like driving one of the those Indy 500 cars down the track. It can be done easily but if you want to be in front of the pack it takes some skill.
I agree with you that the review is a bit disappointing as is the Editor Choice picks. None of those products will ever grace any machine I own.
Manny Carvalho
MS-MVP Windows 2002-2015
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Bring Back The Electric Norseman!
Jonathan Willis
February 07 2011 01:29PM
Once again, Patrick Thoresen wants to return to the NHL. He tried to land an NHL job last year and was unsuccessful after a spectacular KHL season, so this year he went out and had a more spectacular KHL season. This is a guy who deserves another crack at an NHL job.
Normally, for a player like this who was a defensive specialist the last time he played in the NHL, I'd be busting out the advanced statistics. For Thoresen, I don't need to (although his are superb); I watched nearly every game he played as a member of the Edmonton Oilers. Defensively, his positioning was as good as any player on the team. He never backed down from a physical battle, he forechecked like a demon, and there could never be any doubt about his work ethic or intensity. Aside from his size, he was the kind of fourth-liner every coach dreams of.
Thoresen's problem at the NHL level was producing offence. At 17, he came over to the QMJHL and spent two seasons playing major junior hockey in Canada, scoring 73 points in 60 games as a rookie and following that up with 108 points in 71 games the year after. Along the way he was stellar for Norway's U-18 and U-20 international teams. He went over to Sweden, starting in the Allsvenskan before moving up to the Swedish Elite League for two seasons. In his second year he scored 36 points in 50 games, which was enough to convince the Edmonton Oilers to bring him over and give him a shot at an NHL job.
Thoresen produced relatively well at the AHL level, but managed only six goals and 24 points in a little over 100 games in the NHL. After two seasons, he couldn't get another NHL job and was forced over to the KHL.
Thoresen's been a revelation in the KHL. In 107 points in the world's second-best league, he's scored 51 times (remarkably, 42 of those goals came at even-strength) and added 66 helpers for a total of 117 points. Along the way, he went plus-63. He's turned into a faceoff-winning machine over there; with a 55.2% success rate on 754 face-offs. He's playing in all situations, and finished with a little under 18:00 per game this last season. He's also been a staple for international Norwegian teams, managing a point per game at last year's World Championships and five assists in four Olympic games in 2010.
Despite all the success Thoresen has had in the KHL, that's not where he wants to be. In May of last season, Thoresen explained why he'd be willing to take a massive pay-cut to return to the NHL:
"I know I can score 20-25 goals in the NHL. If so, I'm going to earn the lost money and play in the NHL for many years. I have faith in myself and know what kind of potential I have."
At 27 years of age, Thoresen's been a bit of a late-bloomer offensively but he's still a young man. He's shown drive, grit and defensive responsibility at the NHL level before. His scoring has shot off the charts since his jump to the KHL, and could represent a major step forward from his last stint in North America. He's added faceoff ability to his repertoire. Beyond that, all it will take to get him over here is a one-way deal near the league minimum.
This seems to me like a no-brainer. It's time for someone to take a chance and bring back the Electric Norseman.
And all this time I thought we remembered Thoreson with some fondness... Let's be reasonable though, if he were to find a spot on the Oilers, it would not be at the cost of an Omark or Paajarvi, but of a Jacques or Fraser. I see little reason to doubt that Thoreson is a better player than those two.
Any guy that proves himself to be better than Jacques, Fraser, SMac and (dare I say) Reddox deserves a shot at those positions. Doesn't matter where he's currently playing.
And this idea that once you're "banished" to the KHL, you'll never, ever be able to redeem yourself by simply putting in the time and effort to improve is beyond simplistic. All athletes mature at different rates. The idea that improvement and redemption is impossible is ludicrous. Tell that to Dan Cleary and see how far you get.
Guys like Thoreson get walk-ons into camp. You play them for a few exhibition games and let the chips fall where they may. What have you got to lose?
February 07 2011, 11:23PM
I got sick of reading all the bs comments on this, so I just decided to skip it and add my .02.
First of all I don't think Thoresen would be outing any of our top rookies for a spot. If he did then he better be showing something special.
Second why would you tell someone not to get defensive and then say they should defend their opinion? Makes no sence.
Third point is that I am ABSOLUTLY sick of hearing people compare this rookie or that player to the Sedins.... Just in case you morons didn't notice there are TWO of them. Claiming that Gagner needs more time to develop because those 6'3" swedish twins were late developers is pathetic to say the least!! There are no comparables to the Sedins unless you can find me to more 6'+ twins that have played together their ENTIRE lives!!
Fourth all the "so called" experts were saying that Magnus may be the most well rounded and ready of the three to step in to the league before the season started. All I heard is how this guy played with men for the last 3 years. Saying now that he should be held back or making any other excuse for him is a joke. The guy can play, we know that. He will come around in his abilities and will fit in nicely in the NHL.
February 07 2011, 11:43PM
You're right, he could have spent another year playing the European game rather than getting used to the NHL. THAT WAY we could have watched him struggle with the same things as a 20 year old rather than as a 19 year old. Oh those would have been good times there.
On next week's episode of Willis-watch 2011, why Marc Pouliot's AHL numbers should land him back with the Oilers.
Hey baggedmilk, can you find a shred of evidence to support your theory that Magnus would have ran in place regarding development by spending another year in an inferior league?
Because it sure didn't seem to hurt Lindros, anyone drafted by the red Wings, or the entire 2003 draft class.
There's arguments on both sides of the table as to whether Magnus should have been kept in the AHL, and both sides have their points. However we all know the reality is that the Oilers had every intent of keeping him up here to sell the
tank job "rebuild". So isn't this back and forth rather pointless?
February 08 2011, 12:57AM
Wow people are retarded. Quit jumping to conclusions already! Willis can write about Barney if he wants to.
With that being said....lol....Willis views Thoresen (spelt SEN at the end so many retards spelt it SON) as being worthy to make another comeback to the NHL, not Edmonton in particular.
It's hilarious, the first three comments to this blog all referenced the Oilers having enough small forwards and 3rd & 4th liners. Do you people even read the material?
Thoresen is a capable winger that may earn a spot with a team like the Penguins, who lack top 6 quality wingers with the exception of Kunitz.
February 08 2011, 02:49AM
What do the Oil have to lose? The Norseman has a decent faceoff percentage too?? Do it! Put him in between Omark and Magnus and watch the ice melt with the speed.
February 08 2011, 08:25AM
My pants have two tubes made of pant that my legs go into!
February 08 2011, 09:42AM
The only league where Thoresen's offence hasn't translated is the NHL and that's unfortunate because it's clouded a lot of people's opinions on him.
The fact of the matter is he's at worst a decent bottom 6 NHL player. On a terrible Oilers team in 06-07 (and playing a regular shift during "the stretch"), he managed to not get murdered on the ice when everyone was bleeding goals against.
He was a low event player. His offense wasn't there but his defense was.
It would be a no lose situation for the Oilers to bring Thoresen into the NHL next year. At worst he's an upgrade on Smac/JFJ/Fraser and can contribute on the PK.
February 08 2011, 10:08AM
Wow!!! Testy bunch! We must be in the Dog days of another 30th place run for this to be such a bitter place. Did we not ask for ELPH? Careful what you wish for fellas. Granted there have been points where the E in ELPH has been lacking but hey, we have another 1,2,or,3 pick comin our way! With a Sean Couturier in our lineup who needs Thoresen anyways. Does he deserve a shoot in the NHL? Hey Omark did. And I think hey's doing fine. Just not here. Give the new kids the ice time.
And stop bitching, it's not like we cheer for Toronto. We actually have an upside.
February 08 2011, 10:54AM
I am sorry, John. If you can't figure out what the author's opinion is in the piece, then it's a failure of comprehension not writing.
Offering advice like adding prepositions like "It is my opinion" or "My conclusion is thus" is rediculous and only demonstrates your lack of knowledge. In any university class they would NEVER tell you add such nonsense. Succinctness is the hallmark of good writing, we know what the author's opinion is because HE'S WRITING THE PIECE, we do not need him to make that explicit.
JW clearly stated the 'facts' in the piece; Thor is a scoring well in a good league, he's scoring at EVs, he's defensively responsible etc etc.
His opinion is also VERY clearly stated; someone should think about giving him another chance in the NHL.
You are the one that cannot distinguish between the two, so please keep your tips to yourself as it's clear that you don't know what you're talking about.
Guy states an opinion on ON.
ON blows up because they have issues with something he said 2 weeks ago, and not with anything he just said.
ON then goes on to protest how wonderful a site it is for discussion and ideas. And how it is not simply a frat-boy waste of time.
For the record - any team in the NHL would improve with Thoresen on its roster.
Any. Team.
what a garbage post by JW.
I don't think the Oilers brass needs to be looking outside of North America for players that might be able to help them win.
what a garbage post by JW.
I don't think the Oilers brass needs to be looking outside of North America for players that might be able to help them win.
You forgot your tildes. I hope.
Hold on a minute!
This site isn't a frat-boy waste of time?
DAMMIT! Now you tell me.