text:
Read the events sections from this past weekend ohiodogman and look at the derby placements for yourself.
Or at the 108 Qaa dogs he has produced in the past 5 years. We should be charging much more!!
What I think is funny is listening to the Internet gossip from people who have never seen Gman run even at almost ten and half a lung he has more heart than most can ever imagine. He ran a 500 yd water blind today with three whistles and I threw about 6 walking singles while wick my 4 yr old son handled Grady on the line, launching and receiving the birds.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Let's not forget as is with ALL Rookies(& Freshman) the Test has yet to be passed.
Just like Heisman Winner Cam Newton we could name dozens of other Rookies(Freshman) who were hot as a fire cracker their first year and then...not so much thereafter.
You give teams a year's worth of tape to look at and they figure you out.
So while the Seahawks is my 2nd most favorite team in the NFL and RW has indeed had a fabulous year, just like Johnny Football, let's see what happens next year and thereafter, at least that's what I'll do before I start comparing them to the ELITE/Hall of Famers etc.
It has yet to be seen whether these guys are 'Flash in the pans' are real game changers. Takes more than one year(The First Year) to figure that out.
As for Hasselhoff, he was Holmgren's boy, we see their success since they have left the cozy confines of the Emerald city. Holmgren was an easy guy to dislike, but if he could have coached to his perceived level of his ability, he would have been good. Unfortunately for Seattle, he was just another recycled hack of a coach, overpaid & underwhelming in his ability.
Marvin S
Everyone's friend is No One's friend
Someday your life will flash before your eyes. It's your responsibility to make sure it's worth watching!
In my 12 year football career, which Included full ride offers from U Cal, and AZ state, unfortunately cut short due to knee and shoulder injuries you could see the guys that "had it" it wasn't just what they did on the field, it was their demeanor, it was the way they captivated the team, they way they carried themselves with reporters, their work ethic, their relationships with the coaches, etc. I believe RW has all that and more. I know all about career ending injuries and that's why I stated "if he can stay healthy." If he stays healthy I see no reason why he won't continue to shatter records on his way to being the best QB Seattle has ever had. Seattle is famous for being a "farm league" and trading our star payers to other teams, but with Pete at the helm I suspect we see this team mature into a west coast power house! Just my opinion and theres only one thing to do, just sit back and watch.....
I think the above quote about Holmgren is just about the wackiest thing I've read on this thread so far. He ONLY took two teams, neither of which had been in the Superbowl in years, to the big game.
Moon, he put on a Seattle uniform but, he was never a Seahawk. Hawks under Holmgren was exciting because the team was winning and went to the playoffs and the dance. Just as quickly, Holmgren allowed a team to fall apart right in front of his face. He was acting as the highest authority on the team making all the personnel decisions and contracts. Since he was the "controller", how can he be labeled a good coach/GM after allowing the team to go 4-6 years backwards due to his horrible drafts, contracts and trades? Holmgren may have taken the Hawks to the big one but, he thoroughly damaged the team at the same time.
And, Hasselback and our running back who makes me so sick I won't even mention his name were two of the most over-rated players every to dress in blue. Our offensive line and defense won us the Superbowl. Not the Candy-pants running back who would slide like a quarterback almost every play to avoid being hit.
Last edited by Paul "Happy" Gilmore; 01-07-2013 at 12:35 PM.
Russel Wilson's Rookie year stats
COMP ATT YDS TD INT ATT YDS TD 2012 Season 252 393 3118 26 10 94 489 4
Dave Kriegs BEST career season
Year TM G Comp Att PCT YD Y/A TD INT Att Yards TD
1984 Sea 16 276 480 57.5 3671 7.6 32 24 46 186 3
As I recall, the Seahawks didnt take their step forward under him until after he had had the GM responsibilites removed.


text:
By Bobby Harrison/NEMS Daily Journal
JACKSON – Funds are set aside for pre-kindergarten, the third-grade reading gate and law enforcement officers in the schools in the budget agreement that House and Senate leaders reached Saturday.
Unless there is some unforeseen issues, the House and Senate will vote on the roughly $5.6 billion state general fund budget this afternoon.
The budget agreement, which funds the fiscal year starting July 1, will mark the first time that state funds will be spent on pre-kindergarten. Mississippi currently is one of only four states not to have a pre-kindergarten program.
The money for pre-kindergarten, law enforcement officers in schools and the third-grade reading gate program, which will require students to read on grade level to advance past the third grade, is contingent on other legislation passing during the upcoming week to enact those programs into law.
The session is scheduled to end next week, though it could conclude earlier.
The budget includes an additional $50 million to pay for the increased costs to the state's retirement system. About $27 million of those costs go to pay the increased pension costs for teachers and other local school district employees.
In addition to the increased retirement costs, kindergarten through 12th grade education will receive about $23 million more than it did during the 2012 session to pay for the new programs and a handful of other programs, such as a merit teacher pay pilot program and scholarships to attract the best students to the teaching profession.
"Last year I think we realized at the end we had a couple (of state agencies) that didn't quite get where they needed to go because we just ran out of money," said Senate Appropriations Chair Buck Clarke, R-Hollandale. "This year we did a much better job moving everybody forward."
A big help is that recently the legislative leaders raised the revenue estimate by $97 million for the upcoming fiscal year, because of improved state revenue collections.
"That money went fast," Clarke said. "It didn't stay on the table long… It filled a hundred different needs."
In other budgets:
• Higher education received an additional $14 million over last year, plus retirement costs.
• The community college garnered an additional $500,000, plus retirement costs. But the community colleges also will receive an additional $8 million for workforce training through legislation that passed earlier in the session.
• Mental health is receiving an additional $15 million, plus retirement costs, with $10 million set aside for community mental health efforts to try to settle a potential lawsuit.
• Corrections is receiving an additional $46 million with half of that directed toward a deficit for the current fiscal year.
House Appropriations Chair Herb Frierson, R-Poplarville, said the budget carries almost as much money forward for reserves – about $235 million – as it spends in one-time money on recurring expenses – about $250 million.
Frierson has stated as a goal to reduce the Legislature's reliance on various pots of one-time money.
"We did the best we could considering the lack of revenue we had to deal with," he said.
Budget leaders said more precise budget numbers will be available today before members vote on the agreement.


text:
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Warning--Publishing Can be Hazardous to Your Friendships
26 comments:
- Donnell said...
Hi, T. I don't fault anyone Indy, small press or NYT published author for trying to sell their books. It's business after all. But what I'm seeing here is that we are guilty of preaching to the proverbial choir. Our blogs have gone from topic related into a car-salesmanlike approach. I like to talk about my journey to pubication, I think like your journey, that's something we all find interesting.
I like to talk about how I wrote my story, and post excerpts if applicable, but if you're trying to reach the best seller list, you're wasting valuable time. 1) I haven't met very many wealthy writers, and 2) they're trying to hock their own wares. LOL
Thoughtful post, Theresa!
- January 5, 2012 at 9:49 AM
- Donnell said...
one addition to my comment...
but if you're trying to reach the best seller list VIA WRITER'S BLOGS, you're wasting valuable time. 1) I haven't met very many wealthy writers, and 2) they're trying to hock their own wares. LOL
- January 5, 2012 at 9:51 AM
- Theresa said...
Morning, Donnell, I guess I'm guilty of being a bit of a hermit. I have to admit, I don't read many blogs unless they come up in a search or a writer or writers group loop points me there.
Years ago blogging was a novelty, now it seems to be a requirement for all types of professions or hobbies--and what started out as fun is in danger of becoming more work.
Everybody's doing it --whether they have something to say or not, so it can be time-consuming to filter content out.
I like that we don't blog unless we have something to offer readers. We don't blog just to put content up there.
- January 5, 2012 at 10:01 AM
- Karalee Long said...
Hi, Theresa. I don't feel self-published authors are necessarily any more likely to overdo promotion of their books than e-pubbed or print pubbed authors. We writers are constantly told we need a platform, we need to get our name out there, we need to interact on social media, we need to blog. We're told that's what agents and editors expect us to do. I think it's a writer's responsibility to learn how to promote herself or himself in an effective and gracious way despite the barrage of voices yelling, "Promote. Promote. Promote." A balance must be struck in order not to alienate prospective readers, and it would work to everyone's advantage if writers paid attention to that.
- January 5, 2012 at 10:27 AM
- Karen Duvall said...
I'm still on fence with this whole Indy publishing thing as I watch from the sidelines to see how it all transpires. However, authors publishing their backlists of out-of-print books is just amazing! That's a definite plus.
I adore my Harlequin Luna editor and the fulfilling relationship I have with my wonderful agent. I really enjoy the team approach to the publishing process and love the support I get from my publisher. I think that's a huge piece that's missing from the Indy publishing model. I suppose self-published writers can create their own team with the people they hire to do their cover and editing and whatever, but it's not the same.
- January 5, 2012 at 10:37 AM
- Theresa said...
Hi Karalee,
You brought up a great point--a distinction I should have made. I'm not accusing self-pubs of being particularly aggressive promoters-- I apologize profusely if that's the way it seemed.
My point was that because there are now so many more authors getting published due to non-traditional avenues, that I've noticed this tendency of authors to become almost annoyingly aggressive promoters--all authors regardless of their mode of publication. And it saddens me.
- January 5, 2012 at 10:40 AM
- Kaki said...
Oh please, please, PLEASE tell me you're not talking about me! If you are, I'll stop. I HATE all this self-promotion anyway. Yet if the author doesn't pimp her/his books, who will? Still, I agree, it can get annoying, especially when you get a dozen fb or twitter posts a day from the same person telling you what he/she had for breakfast, etc. I see the social media as a necessary (evil) tool, but the whole thing smacks of desperation. But then, I'm a curmudgeon, so what would you expect me to think.
Here's an interesting article about publishing predictions for 2012 that might be of interest: http://bit.ly/sPhyjU.
I also heard today that a vast marjority of the books on the best seller lists out this week have ebook editions out-selling their print editions. Add that to the 9% decline in print book sales during 2011 and it's a scary place out there.
And yet, for all the ups and downs and disappointments in this tough business, the whole process has greatly enriched my life--as have all the friends I've made along the way. Wouldn't trade it for anything.
- January 5, 2012 at 10:47 AM
- Donnell said...
Kaki, you nut. They were talking about me I promise to stop too. So there LOL Which isn't hard because I'm in my cave!
- January 5, 2012 at 10:51 AM
- KL Grady said...
Kaki, don't be silly. Your posts are hilarious. We don't need to know what you're eating unless you're a food writer or unless you're trying to recreate an Old West recipe. Just tell us about snake guts in your hair and your adorable grand-sprogs, and occasionally remind us when your next release is available. You're doing it right. ;)
- January 5, 2012 at 11:00 AM
- Theresa said...
Kaki, of course I'm not talking about you--or Donnell. Any of my close friends, I would tell you when you're wearing on my limited patience--as I hope you'd remind me not to get too big for my britches --or take life too seriously.
Selfishly, I do with that blog tours were less popular because I want to support all my writing buddies and read & comment on each of their blogs when they have a book come out, but I don't have the time--and that allows that old Catholic guilt to kick in.
So if I only make it to a couple of your blogs, remember I still think the world of you guys!
- January 5, 2012 at 11:27 AM
BTW, Scribers, I love the new look of the blog. Especially the background dribbles of blood, sweat, and tears that are characteristic of the writer's journey. And I don't miss the photos. It's always disheartening to see pics of younger, prettier women. Or so I heard.
- January 5, 2012 at 11:53 AM
- February Grace said...
Wow, thank you so much for finding my post worthy of mention and discussion here, I am honored and truly humbled.
To be truthful- my post is a hail Mary pass to try to get some of the people I know to just consider that they might be overdoing it a tad. I've had so many 'friends' just drop me this past year because they only want to associate with other
published authors (however they're published) that it's heartbreaking.
Those of us who have not rushed into the fray of being published (especially self-published) yet are then set aside as only good enough to do their blog tours or promote them on FB or whatever and it just feels awful.
Watching the response to my post though it seems that the people who most need to hear the message are the least likely to get it- and the ones who say "oh my gosh, is it me? I'm sorry if it's me!"...it never is. The fact they worry about alienating their friends is enough usually in and of itself to prevent it from being them.
I loved the line you wrote about friendships and family being more enduring- that was exactly what I was (probably badly) trying to get at. That if you give up the people who really care about you trying to grasp for something as elusive as fame, it may get very lonely, however it turns out.
Thank you again, so much, for the mention. Will definitely visit this blog again!
- January 5, 2012 at 2:44 PM
- Theresa said...
Hi February,
If you knew me better, you'd know that I am brutally honest and . . . forthright. Okay, blunt. I'm blunt. I'd better admit it before one--all-- of my friends tattle on me .
And I wouldn't have mentioned your blog if you hadn't touched me and if I hadn't really thought I had something to say about the topic.
You brought to the forefront and named something that had been bothering me for a while now.
And forgive me for making the observation that I don't think your "friends" are really friends at all if they'd dropped you to hang out with published authors in their desperate quest for the holy grail of more sales.
Life is too short to expend energy on those people who don't give back to a relationship and who only keep friends that are useful to them. Not that you solicited my advice, but drop them and find new friends.
Sappy though it is, I've been very fortunate to find honest, good people who still make time for me after they published. My friends and I enjoy lifting each other up and celebrating all our achievements--both writing and hobby and familial.
That's one of the things I love most about coordinating The Sandy Writing contest and running the Crested Butte writers conference. All kinds of published authors make the time to volunteer to judge for me and come to the conference each year to give back and hang out with us. Real friendship.
What is it you write?
- January 5, 2012 at 3:19 PM
- Viola Estrella said...
Hi Theresa,
Lots to think about! I'm both annoyed and impressed by authors who try to repeatedly hit me over the head with their books. I get the occasional writer newsletter that I didn't sign up for, and I sigh and send it to the trash bin (as an example). But then I realize this person's name is now in my memory and when I see her book somewhere, I'm going to remember that I've heard of it before. It's going to draw my attention. In that sense, I think they're brilliant...and, well, ballsy. Which is something women, in general, are not known for (the ballsy part). Of course that brings up another topic--if it were a man promoting his book to death, would we see anything wrong with that? Or would we expect it? This is something I've wondered lately... I do expect authors to try to sell their books. Like Donnell said, this is a business after all. Then again, I wouldn't expect anyone to buy a book in a genre they don't read. I'm not going to sell "Uncle Bob" my spicy paranormal romance. That would be weird. Bottom line--over-promoting is something I can overlook for the most part. I guess. Just don't subscribe me to a newsletter list. Please. :-)
- January 5, 2012 at 3:25 PM
- Viola Estrella said...
PS - I very much hope all my author friends have the courage to share good news. I love to see my friends succeed, and I hope they want to see me succeed. But I think that's a lot different than promoting. Just wanted to make that clear.
- January 5, 2012 at 3:40 PM
- Kaki said...
Well, damn, Viola. Now I'll have to go back and delete your name from my newsletter list.
And Bru, I agree with Theresa. Those are rather shallow friends, and when you do publish, I doubt they'll do anything to help you promote. These ladies here are fabulous pimps. AND wonderful friends. You need people like that around you, whether you're pubbed or pre-pubbed.
- January 5, 2012 at 3:48 PM
- Theresa said...
Hi Viola, Nice to hear from you, lady! Mostly I'm tolerant of pushy people--'cause I don't like confrontation, however I reach a point where I feel bullied and then the Irish/Italian stubborn sets in and there ain't NO WAY I'm gonna buy that damn author's book even if I'm DYING to!
I feel the same way if it's a man--though it's an interesting question. To me, it's a matter of respect and good manners and that is gender and race blind in my eyes.
But I do understand that competitive fever, so I count on all your friends to keep me respectful when I stray!
- January 5, 2012 at 3:59 PM
- Donnell said...
Actually Bru, you just made me wake up and smell the coffee ;)
Viola, My Uncle Bob loves your spicy paranormal
Great topic, T.
- January 5, 2012 at 4:09 PM
- Viola Estrella said...
@Donnell - Sweet! LOL
@Theresa - I totally understand about being stubborn.
@Kaki - My inbox thanks you. I'm going to look up what you write now. ;-)
- January 5, 2012 at 4:19 PM
- Lori Corsentino said...
Wow - definitely a thoughtful post as well as comments.
BTW - I actually HAVE an Uncle Bob and I just published a spicy paranormal! Needless to say, one of the topics at Christmas this year was my story and their excitement on getting a copy to read. Yikes!!! I agree with Vi when she says it's a bit awkward thinking about my 77 year old uncle reading that rather spicy love scene I wrote!
I didn't read February's original post, but did see her response to Theresa's. It saddens me to see some of February's "friends" have gone their own way after being published. I think this is inevitable and will happen to a certain degree regardless, but those that are truly your friend, that have more of a stake in your life, will find a way to stay in contact and keep common interests. Some may also "reach back" to help you along the same path. Those that were just friends through common interests will likely continue on without you. As sad as that is, it's probably for the best to have it happen sooner rather than later, when you have more invested.
I agree that as authors we are expected to do a lot of our own promotions. I also agree that a balance must be struck on where and when you promote, and options should be given to the receiver of the promotions.
I definitely want to hear the news a chapter-mate/fellow writer has to share, and I want to know about awesome blogs, and new releases/re-releases too. What I do not want is a constant commercial, or getting something (a newsletter) I didn't request.
And Vi - I agree. If guys were pushing their wares like this, I don't think anything would be said. Funny that, huh?
For effective promotion, I'm thinking consistency is best. Blog a couple days a week and promote the blogs. That way you're allowing the readers of your posts and tweets to choose whether to visit your site/blog. Feathering the nest (bribing) a bit should help get some good readership.
I'm a new reader to Five Scribes and am enjoying it so far!
Lori Corsentino
- January 5, 2012 at 5:09 PM
- Theresa said...
Welcome to 5 scribes, Lori.
I love it when a blog post turns into an interesting discussion like this one! I'd rather my old uncle read my love scenes than my children. It's one thing to tell them I think my hubby's hot and remind them we still have a sex life (they're all over 18) to gross them out and get a reaction, but it's another thing for them to read one of my sex scenes. That is WAY more personal.
And I must disagree that it's inevitable that published authors must go their own way after publishing. I have many published author friends and most managed to not change too much other than having a little less time, but most still manage to maintain our friendship as well as before they published. Perhaps I'm just more fortunate in my friends?
I agree that consistent promotion is probably the key. Good point!
- January 5, 2012 at 7:25 PM
- Theresa said...
Lisa has computer difficulties, but this is her two cents:
Amen, Theresa, to picking and choosing amongst blogs! I feel as though that's all I've worked on this week. Anyhow, just as I thought I'd break into my publisher's office, steal and shred my contract, and forget I ever even wanted to write, let alone be published, my marketing rep eased my vertigo, brought on by promotion.
First, he said: It's not all about, as Kaki says and I chuckle every time I quote her, "pimping oneself" by pressing SALES, SALES, SALES! It's about getting out to the places where your readers hang out and simply doing readings or presentations without any mention of a sale, which will come vicariously as you build your reputation and enthusiasm for your subject.
Second, he said: Take 10-15 minutes ONLY every day to make one contact---via phone, e-mail, or even two cups strung together (yeah....some of you know what I'm talking about by the latter). By the end of 365 days, you'll have had many events, and more opportunities will arise from those (probably not from the cup and string device, unless you live in a hotel with lots of guests/tenants and holes in the walls and ceilings).
As a newbie author, I don't know if any of his advice works, but I do know that I appreciate this timely blog---puts me in my place before I make a fool of myself! Maybe I already have? YIKES! P.S. Love the new site!
Lisa P.
- January 5, 2012 at 7:31 PM
- jessicaaspen.com said...
I used to wonder why RWA made such a big deal over no promo on the loops (and I still think they go a little overboard) but now I know. I'm starting to understand those people who complain all the time about the loops being clogged. As publishers do less and less promo for authors and the Indie scene grows, you are right, it's going to get more crowded out there. But what is really appalling to me is dropping a friend due to their publishing status. That's terrible. Striking a balance between promotion and writing is tough, doing so much promo you lose the people who helped you get there in the first place is much worse. Sorry February for your loss, but all I can say is what my mom would have said in Jr. High, they likely weren't as good a friend as you thought. I've made some wonderful friends during this process and I hope all of you have too. Here's to friendship and not spoiling it by overpromoting! Cheers!
- January 6, 2012 at 6:33 AM
- Donnell said...
Jessica, what a wise comment. So is your mom!
- January 6, 2012 at 8:09 AM
- Chris Devlin said...
Awesome post, don't mind if I promo it a little on twitter!
This topic, the balance of writing to marketing and how you go about doing that interpersonally, is very much on my mind these days as I prepare to self-publish. I hope I don't become obnoxious and I really hope that people feel safe telling me if I do.
I've noticed a lot of spammy self-pimping especially on twitter, and I just quietly drop those people. How boring if they don't even try to converse or connect.
Thanks to Bru and Theresa for a great, thought-provoking convo.
(Anyone else start playing writing games with the captchas? Today's word is 'horrie' which sounds to me like a character in an Edward Gorey story.)
- January 6, 2012 at 11:05 AM
- Theresa said...
Welcome Chris. I don't tweet and won't until forced to 'cause I hear more negative things and I read more inane chatter when I follow others' twitters.
Do you guys think that the relative anonymity of this social media communication almost encourages bad manners? And are people so insecure and self-absorbed that they think everybody cares what they're doing every minute of the day and eating?
Afterall, you don't have the instant feedback of seeing facial expressions and other nonverbal cues when you bore the beegeezus out of people--or hurt their feelings with careless remarks or rudeness. You don't have that instant feedback to gently reprimand a careless or misunderstood comment.
And I don't know many selfpubbed, but do you guys think they are unintentionally greater offenders as they feel the underdog and don't have ANY marketing help from a publisher? Just wondering what others have observed.
- January 6, 2012 at 11:24 AM


text:
Enjoy this spiced crepe with sweet strawberry filling for dessert.
Why it Works: Add Instant Flour
Some crepe recipes call for all-purpose flour and tell you to mix your batter and let it rest for hours to allow the flour to absorb the liquid. An easier and faster way is to use instant flour. In a process similar to the manufacture of instant milk, instant flour is made by combining low-protein flour with water before being dried. This pre-wetting process allows instant flour to absorb liquid very quickly without clumping. This guarantees thin delicious crepes every time!
© 2017 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved


text:
Stabbing suspect charged in 2nd attack
Spokane Police Detectives believe they've put a stop to a three day stabbing spree that put two members of the same family in the hospital.
Cpl. Lydia Prichard with the Spokane Police Department said 21-year old Joel M. Arevalo stabbed his step-dad Tuesday night in North Spokane and then attacked his step-grandpa Thursday night at a home in West Central.Stabbing suspect charged in 2nd attack
On Tuesday, a man was stabbed 16 to 19 times in the neck and back while walking to a north Spokane Walgreens to buy a soda. The victim was taken to a local hospital.
Prichard said on Friday the victim was finally well enough to talk to detectives and tell them it was his step-son, Joel Arevalo who stabbed him.
Police didn't have to look very far to find Arevalo because he was already booked into jail after he allegedly stabbed his step-grandpa in the chest.
According to police, Arevalo slashed the tires on his step-grandpa's truck Thursday night, broke into his apartment and stabbed him in the chest while he was still in bed. Police arrested Arevalo nearby and recovered a knife.
Arevalo now faces two counts of 1st degree assault and one count of 1st degree burglary.
- North Monroe project to move forward despite lingering concerns
- Bloomsday looking for more volunteers
- Historic Ridpath hotel to be turned into affordable housing
- Problematic drug house in Spokane boarded up
- Local school district tackles '13 Reasons Why'
- Humane Society volunteer wins award for shelter


text:
I did it! I bought 17 figures from Attack of the Clones! I walked into
Walmart in my home town of Groton, Connecticut to pick up some stuff
and decided to do my normal walk through of the toy aisle even though I
knew the figures wouldnt be out until the 23rd. But to my surprise, I
noticed a few pallets of boxes in the main aisle near the toy section.
After doing a couple of double takes, I realized that in fact the boxes
did say Episode 2 on them! I looked at the first and it was a deluxe
figure assortment. I grabbed it and opened it in a different aisle. I
pulled a deluxe Jango,Mace, and Obi. I put them in my cart and went back
for more looking around with caution knowing that a Wal-Mart employee
might not want me opening the boxes, especially these! I grabbed 2 boxes
of AOTC wave 1 figures. They both had a wave 1 abbreviation on them but
one with an extra number or something so I knew it had different
figures in it. They also said, do not open until April 23rd or something!
to that effect. My memory isnt serving all that well due to my
excitement! Out of both boxes I pulled the following figs,
#01 - Anakin Skywalker (Outland Peasant Disguise)
#02 - Padmé Amidala (Arena Escape)
#03 - Obi-Wan Kenobi (Coruscant Chase)
#04 - C-3PO (Protocol Droid)
#05 - Kit Fisto (Jedi Master)
#06 - Super Battle Droid
#11 - Battle Droid (Arena Battle) (White)
#13 - Jango Fett (Kamino Escape)
#14 - R2-D2 (Coruscant Sentry)
#15 - Geonosian Warrior
#16 - Dexter Jettster (Coruscant Informant)
#20 - Saesee Tiin (Jedi Master)
#21 - Nikto (Jedi Master)
#24 - Jar Jar Binks (Gungan Senator)
I proceeded to the check out quickly but had the feeling that I wasnt
going to make it out of the store. I found an open register and set my
stuff up and then all of the figs. The girl ask if I was a fan, and I
asked her" Do you think so" She said she saw like one of the Star Wars
movies. I couldnt believe it. I asked if she ever heard of C-3PO she said
no!!!! She did say she heard of R2-D2 though. But anyway, She tried to
ring the 1st figure up but it said something like no sale or something
like that. Then she tried others and they all did the same thing. I was
getting nervous. She asked me if I got them from a box and I truthfully
said yes. I also added that they probably werent checked in yet or
scanned. She then decided to call the manager and thought for sure my dream
of getting these figs was over! The manager came over and tried the
same as the other cashier. No sale. They didnt even mention anything about
not being able to sell them until the 23rd or anything! It wa!
s like they never heard of Star Wars or something. So anyway, the
manager asked me how much they were and I was like " uhhhhh.... the deluxe
ones are like $9 and the smaller ones are like $7 or something" She then
decided to do a price check and went away from us to the toy aisle. I
was almost sweating by now! She came back a few moments later and said,
the big ones are $6.96 and the others are $5.88. I couldnt beleive the
low price she gave me! She then had to type them all in manually and
wrote STARWARS for the 14 regular figures on the register and MEDSTARWARS
on the 3 deluxefigs. I was so nervous and exited at the same time, I
tried to help the cashier put them in the bags. I paid, thanked the
cashier and manager alot for taking the time to punch them up on the
register, even though they didnt know they werent supposed to be released, and
got the heck out of there as fast as possible! There were other boxes
on the pallets of course, but I just grabbed those since I was s!
o nervous. I saw the Jedi Starfighter Box, Slave 1 Box, and some
Lightsaber Boxes also. There was other stuff there also Im sure! I just
really wanted the figures though. I know I didnt get them all but they could
be in wave 2. I am not totally sure though. I am just very happy with
what I have in my possesion right now! I dont think I will be able to
sleep! Long live Star Wars!!!!!!
P.S. I wrote this message twice to let everyone know! Sorry if I offended anyone! Go try and buy some! I did!


text:
By Sam Mamudi
The large-cap oil services companies Baker Hughes (BHI), Halliburton (HAL), Schlumberger (SLB) and Weatherford International (WFT) have had an uninspiring year so far, with only the latter outperforming the market through yesterday's close. Their performance hasn't been helped by oil's 5% year-to-date drop.
But despite the weak start, Barclays analyst James West in a recent note made a strong case for all four companies in the months ahead.
While the market tends to view these four companies as similar, we believe the opposite…SLB is a technology leader with an R&D budget that exceeds the other three combined while HAL has a relentless pursuit for efficiency and streamlined operations. WFT is a leader in well constructions and largely limits its exposure to land and only niche offshore markets, while BHI has a rich history of product development with key strengths in several product-oriented lines. The main similarity of the Big Four is that they, like all in the oil service, equipment and drilling industry, are at the mercy of E&P spending trends, and ultimately the price of hydrocarbons which drive this spending…
It is clear to us that these four have created a sustainable moat that will preclude new competition and allow for better returns and higher cash flows going forward. Though we see room for new mid-caps to rise up, we do question the ability for a fifth major to rival the dominant market positions and the technology prowess of the Big Four. (Superior Energy Services (SPN) is the most likely next diversified mid-cap, in our view). We view 2013 as the year of the large-cap diversified companies and recommend investment in all of the Big Four. Our favorites are HAL and SLB, but we think there is considerable upside in all.
It's a comprehensive report that breaks down each company starting from its founding. But (since this is a zippy blog) I'll just add that among his arguments for further growth are the fact that, on average, the four are relatively cheap by historical standards — the group is trading at 13.2 times forward earnings, about 20% less than the 10-year average.
West argues that the the shares are also cheap relative to commodity prices, illustrated by this chart:
(Click on the image for larger version.)
West has an Overweight rating on all five of the above-mentioned stocks, with a price target for Baker Hughes of $54, a target of $63 for Halliburton, $103 for Schlumberger, and $40 for Superior and $18 for Weatherford.
We had a bullish take on Halliburton in late January, with Dimitra Defotis writing (sub required):
After missteps last year, Halliburton produced an earnings surprise in the latest quarter, and the stock is up more than 9% over the past 12 months. But shares have underperformed the Standard & Poor's 500 index and can narrow their valuation discount to peers Schlumberger and Baker Hughes.
The stock has upside of at least 20%, says Ed Cowart, a portfolio manager at Eagle Asset Management, which has added to its Halliburton position in recent months.


text:
after seeing all the new pics at the Wizard con, who do we thank at Hasbro for finally getting them to make consistently awsome figures?
I'm seriously wondering...
after seeing all the new pics at the Wizard con, who do we thank at Hasbro for finally getting them to make consistently awsome figures?
I'm seriously wondering...
Who ever it was deserves high fives all around. Great work Habro, KEEP it up.
"It can't rain all the time."
"Quote the Raven, Nevermore."
Someone must have gotten drunk and then lost a bet. That's the only plausible explanation.
Lets all hope it keeps up! I even like the new lightsaber blade sculpt. It represents the bright spot at the emitter
My wife treats me like an ATM machine. She pushes my buttons until I give her money.
I'm sure that Hasbro does listen to it's fanbase quite a bit. The see which way the wind is blowing with better sculps and more articulation from other companies and they had to figure out a way to maintain interest in the line and get hardcore collectors to buy all the same characters over again so...
Who are you?
Why are you?
What do you want?
Even though they look great, they are still a few evolutionary steps behind.
They must be getting ready for Episode 2s line so they are testing some things out
''You fool, my reach is far greater than the Jedi.Only a Sith can wield the force over such a great distance.'' - Darth Sidious
I have a feeling that this sudden upswing in fan support will decrease in the future. 2006 maybe? I don't know.
It's a blacked-out blur but I'm pretty sure it ruled.
The answer was Galoob division.
Darth Vader is becoming the Mickey Mouse of Star Wars.
Kylo Ren - came from Space Brooklyn, although he moved to Space Williamsburg before it was trendy.
The use of a lightsaber does not make one a Jedi, it is the ability to not use it.
They should put them back in charge, all the Droids from AOTC and ROTS wilt after 6 seconds, my Security Droid hasn't wilted even after 6 years. Yet, Hasbro is still trying to "perfect" a Battle Droid.
Really, how hard would it be to use the same plastic formula and just take away the lever? It's the perfect mix of sturdiness and flexibility as well as just an awesome sculpt with awesome paint detail. It's only flaw is the "quick draw" lever.
"Hokey packaging and ancient gimmicks are no match for good detail on your figure, kid."
"I am a Klingot from Oklahoma in human boy form."
"We came, we saw, we conquered... We, woke up!"


text:
Many of CU-Boulder's most popular and sought-after courses are offered during Summer Session. You can earn credit, keep up with major requirements, improve your GPA, and still enjoy summer.
Summer Session offers a wide range of courses throughout a series of terms. Enrollment begins March 6. For more information, visit the Summer Session website or request a catalog.


text: Well, I filed a claim with them recently when my dog suddenly started vomiting every 30 minutes and became partially paralyzed a couple of hours later. After a barrage of tests, the vet found nothing. He had no fever, his blood cell count was fine, everything was negative in the cytology, etc. My dog had immune mediated arthropathy over a year and a half ago (before the insurance) as a result of a Lyme infection. There's the magic word: arthropathy. Petplan focused on that word and now, despite what the actual clinical symptoms and test results were, they have denied the claim for the vet calling any type of lameness by the clinical term. There is absolutely nothing to indicate the second incident is linked to the first. Despite all of the previous records being provided indicating the symptoms, definitive diagnosis, and treatment, I'm getting royally screwed over by Petplan. I've had to go back to my vet and have him spend his valuable time to further explain what the records already show just because Petplan decided that if the same general symptom ever showed up again, it was automatically a pre-existing condition. They couldn't be bothered with details like actual clinical documentation.


text:
GREGORY ROSE was in the loft putting it neat. Outside the rain poured; a six months' drought had broken, and the thirsty plain was drenched with water. What it could not swallow ran off in mad rivulets to the great "sloot," that now foamed like an angry river across the flat. Even the little furrow between the farmhouse and the kraals was now a stream, knee-deep, which almost bore away the Kaffir-women who crossed it. It had rained for twenty-four hours, and still the rain poured on. The fowls had collected—a melancholy crowd—in and about the waggon-house, and the page: 174 solitary gander, who alone had survived the six months' want of water, walked hither and thither, printing his webbed foot-marks on the mud, to have them washed out the next instant by the pelting rain, which at eleven o'clock still beat on the walls and roofs with unabated ardour.
- "And take me away,
- And take me away,
- And take me away,
- To the Blue Water"—
And Gregory did not thank her. What difference did it make to him, paying rent or not, living there or not; it was all one. But yet he came. Em wished that he would still sometimes talk of the strength of the master-right of man; but Gregory was as one smitten on the cheek-bone. She might do what she pleased, he would find no fault, had no word to say. He had forgotten that it is man's right to rule. On that page: 176 rainy morning he had lighted his pipe at the kitchen fire, and when breakfast was over stood in the front door watching the water rush down the road till the pipe died out in his mouth. Em saw she must do something for him, and found him a large calico duster. He had sometimes talked of putting the loft neat, and to-day she could find nothing else for him to do. So she had the ladder put to the trap-door that he need not go out in the wet, and Gregory with the broom and duster mounted to the loft. Once at work he worked hard. He dusted down the very rafters, and cleaned the broken candle moulds and bent forks that had stuck in the thatch for twenty years. He placed the black bottles neatly in rows on an old box in the corner, and piled the skins on one another, and sorted the rubbish in all the boxes; and at eleven o'clock his work was almost done. He seated himself on the packing-case which had page: 177 once held Waldo's books, and proceeded to examine the contents of another which he had not yet looked at. It was carelessly nailed down. He loosened one plank, and began to lift out various articles of female attire—old-fashioned caps, aprons, dresses with long pointed bodies such as he remembered to have seen his mother wear when he was a little child. He shook them out carefully to see there were no moths, and then sat down to fold them up again one by one. They had belonged to Em's mother, and the box, as packed at her death, had stood untouched and forgotten these long years. She must have been a tall woman, that mother of Em's, for when he stood up to shake out a dress the neck was on a level with his, and the skirt touched the ground. Gregory laid a night-cap out on his knee, and began rolling up the strings; but presently his fingers moved slower and slower, then his chin rested on his breast, and page: 178 finally the imploring blue eyes were fixed on the frill abstractedly. When Em's voice called to him from the foot of the ladder he started, and threw the nightcap behind him.
She was only come to tell him that his cup of soup was ready; and, when he could hear that she was gone, he picked up the night-cap again, and a great brown sun-"kapje"—just such a "kapje" and such a dress as one of those he remembered to have seen a sister-of-mercy wear. Gregory's mind was very full of thought. He took down a fragment of an old looking-glass from behind a beam, and put the "kapje" on. His beard looked somewhat grotesque under it; he put up his hand to hide it—that was better. The blue eyes looked out with the mild gentleness that became eyes looking out from under a "kapje." Next he took the brown dress, and, looking round furtively, slipped it over his head. He had just got his arms in the sleeves, and was page: 179 trying to hook up the back, when an increase in the patter of the rain at the window made him drag it off hastily. When he perceived there was no one coming he tumbled the things back into the box, and, covering it carefully, went down the ladder.
Em was still at her work, trying to adjust a new needle in the machine. Gregory drank his soup, and then sat before her, an awful and mysterious look in his eyes.
"I am going to town to-morrow," he said.
"I'm almost afraid you won't be able to go," said Em, who was intent on her needle; "I don't think it is going to leave off to-day."
"I am going," said Gregory.
Em looked up.
"But the 'sloots' are as full as rivers; you cannot go. We can wait for the post," she said.
"I am not going for the post," said Gregory, impressively.page: 180
Em looked for explanation; none came.
"When will you be back?"
"I am not coming back."
"Are you going to your friends?"
Gregory waited, then caught her by the wrist.
"Look here, Em," he said between his teeth, "I can't stand it any more. I am going to her."
Since that day, when he had come home and found Lyndall gone, he had never talked of her; but Em knew who it was who needed to be spoken of by no name.
She said, when he had released her hand,
"But you do not know where she is?"
"Yes, I do. She was in Bloemfontein when I heard last. I will go there, and I will find out where she went then, and then, and then! I will have her."page: 181
Em turned the wheel quickly, and the ill-adjusted needle sprung into twenty fragments.
"Gregory," she said, "she does not want us; she told us so clearly in the letter she wrote." A flush rose on her face as she spoke. "It will only be pain to you, Gregory. Will she like to have you near her?"
There was an answer he might have made, but it was his secret, and he did not choose to share it. He said only,
"I am going."
"Will you be gone long, Gregory?"
"I do not know; perhaps I shall never come back. Do what you please with my things. I cannot stay here!"
He rose from his seat.
"People say, forget, forget!" he cried, pacing the room. "They are mad! they are fools! Do they say so to men who are dying of thirst—forget, forget? Why is it only to us they say page: 182 so? It is a lie to say that time makes it easy; it is afterward, afterward that it eats in at your heart!
"All these months," he cried bitterly, "I have lived here quietly, day after day, as if I cared for what I ate, and what I drank, and what I did! I care for nothing! I cannot bear it! I will not! Forget! forget!" ejaculated Gregory. "You can forget all the world, but you cannot forget yourself. When one thing is more to you than yourself, how are you to forget it?
"I read," he said—"yes; and then I come to a word she used, and it is all back with me again! I go to count my sheep, and I see her face before me, and I stand and let the sheep run by. I look at you, and in your smile, a something at the corner of your lips, I see her. How can I forget her when, whenever I turn, she is there, and not there? I cannot, I will not, live where I do not see her.page: 183
"I know what you think," he said, turning upon her. "You think I am mad; you think I am going to see whether she will not like me! I am not so foolish. I should have known at first she never could suffer me. Who am I, what am I, that she should look at me? It was right that she left me; right that she should not look at me. If any one says it is not, it is a lie! I am not going to speak to her," he added—"only to see her; only to stand sometimes in a place where she has stood before."


text:
Forgot to add that I've unofficially started a little web-app for controlling my mp3's. Currently called 'mp3pad', it serves up a php-scripted page that shows all my mp3's and allows for playlist functionality (rudimentary currently). My setup is a server upstairs, 100' of speaker wire to downstairs stereo (ugh!) and mp3pad calling madplay for low cpu usage (and fidelity!).
Originally created it as 5 files with frames but went frameless (and 1 file, gotta love php) for dillo/iPAQ functionality (nought like walking around wireless and playing mp3's on stereo with ipaq as the interface).
Pondering allowing access to others (maybe allow a sub-playlist for external choices) so my stereo can be another 'internet device' for ppl to globally toy with... would be interesting.


text:
"Mr. Putin will not see more flexibility. He will see more backbone."
Printable View
"Mr. Putin will not see more flexibility. He will see more backbone."
Debate scorecard, each candidate is 1 - 1 - 1
Slightly different than your take.Quote:
Romney won the presidential debate by looking presidential. Obama had a painful case of Biden's smile
By Tim Stanley US politics Last updated: October 23rd, 2012
The third presidential debate covered foreign policy
Romney won the third presidential debate and how he did it was encapsulated in a single exchange. The candidates were discussing military spending and Romney had just accused Obama of making harmful cutbacks. The President wheeled out what must have seemed like a great, pre-planned zinger: I think Governor Romney maybe hasn't spent enough time looking at how our military works. You mentioned the navy, for example, and that we have fewer ships than we did in 1916. Well, governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets because the nature of our military's changed. The audience laughed, Obama laughed, I laughed. It was funny.
But heres why it was also a vote loser. For a start, Twitter immediately lit up with examples of how the US Army does still use horses and bayonets (horses were used during the invasion of Afghanistan). More importantly, this was one example of many in which the President insulted, patronised and mocked his opponent rather than put across a constructive argument. His performance was rude and unpresidential. Obama seemed to have a touch of the Bidens, wriggling about in his chair, waving his hands dismissively and always always smirking in Romneys direction. By contrast, Romney sucked up the abuse and retained a rigid poker face all night. He looked like a Commander in Chief; Obama looked like a lawyer. Who would you rather vote for?
Aside from the horses and bayonets moment, this was essentially a debate without incident. Part of the fault was the format. Its interesting to note that Romney won the first debate while standing up and Obama did better in the second when walking around. But when both men were forced to sit for 90 minutes, the energy was inevitably reduced and neither broke through the fourth wall convincingly. Romney had a slight edge because he didnt use his hands so much: Obama blew his closing statements by developing ultra-energetic conjurers hands (Look at the hands, not at the cards, look at the hands )
But the bigger problem was that they agreed on the essentials, which were all about foreign policy. Romney refused to tackle Obama directly on Libya (I shouted at the TV that he should, but he just wouldnt listen) and Fast and Furious seems to have been forgotten by the GOP. In everything else, Obama has become so homicidally neoconservative and Romney so desperately peaceful that theyve met in the middle on most issues. Both would defend Israel in the event of an attack, both want out of Afghanistan in 2014 and neither would let Iran get the bomb. If you want a real debate on foreign policy, youre just going to have to wait until Rand Paul gets the nomination in 2020. At times this felt almost as boring as that Gingrich v Huntsman debate that I and about 4 other people watched during the primaries. Romney tried his darnedest to bring everything back to the economy and Obama seemed to say in every answer, So what we need to do in the Middle East is talk more about how rubbish my opponent is. Its almost lucky that Obama isnt running unopposed in this election because then hed have nothing to run on at all.
Where a disagreement did exist was on the question of leadership; Romney wants to be proactive and Obama pledges to remain reactive. Nevertheless, both seem committed to nation building overseas with Obama throwing in the caveat that hed like to do some nation building at home, too. The real difference was in style. In his closing statement after Obama was done making the Ace of Spades disappear Romney channelled Reagan by looking straight into the camera and asserting his faith in America. It was empty, sugary stuff that will make liberals sick. But it was infinitely preferable to Obamas constant, nasty attacks. Sometimes in life, the nice guys do win.
We also have to judge this debate as part of the narrative arc of this season. Romney won the first debate by a mile. Because Romneys win was so decisive, it sparked an image change: Americans started to think of him as presidential material. Thats why Obama winning the second debate by an inch made little impact people were watching Romney not to see him land punches but to see how well he could take them. He won the third debate because, by the end of the night, his and Obamas positions in the narrative arc had switched. Romney now looks like the President and Obama looks like the challenger.
"Romney won the presidential debate by looking presidential."
So that is the criteria now. Just look the part, no worries about competence...
This is Romney's approach to the debates and the last few weeks of the campaign...


text:
Full Credits
DC Pierson
- Actor
Ryan Perez
- Writer/Director
Funny Or Die
- Uploader
BoTown Sound
- Sound
Alex Richanbach
- Producer
Funny Or Die Politics
- Channel
Additional Credits
Featuring - DC Pierson
Writer/Director - Ryan Perez
DP - Luca Del Puppo
Wardrobe - Natasha Kutrovacz
Sound - BoTown Sound
Producer - Alex Richanbach
Stats & Data
(theme music)
Jesus: I'm not ashamed to
admit that I'm Jesus Christ.
But you don't have to be
in the pews every Sunday
to know that there's something
wrong in this country
when Rick Perry is openly
running for President.
Rick Perry using my name
to promote as agenda
against gays in the
military is just pathetic.
What have gays in the military
ever done to Rick Perry
besides keeping him safe while he
executed the mentally retarded.
I just wish he'd leave me out of
this sad, sad presidential campaign.
Look I get it, I'm popular
so people like to claim they
know me when scoring a touch down
or running for President.
But let's say you were
friends with Brad Pitt,
would you really go around parties
bragging that you know
Brad Pitt all the time?
A guy that would do that probably
just washes Brad Pitt's car.
Another thing, there's not a
moment in the New Testament
where I even remotely hint that
it's okay to put people to death
or start a war or give
tax breaks to the rich.
Anyone that would do
that and claim to know me
is probably the devil.
Or just a real A hole.
Also children are allowed to
celebrate Christmas publicly
I would know, it's my birthday.
Follow me, Jesus Christ.
And Rick Perry's campaign eventually.
Faith made America strong but it
made Rick Perry a complete imbecile.
I'm Jesus Christ and I
approve this message.
Kids what are you doing?
I forgive you.
(theme music)


text:
Family: Muridae, Mice and Rats view all from this family
Description Has sooty-colored hairs on the top of hind feet. Medium-sized woodrat with brownish-gray back, pale to white belly, and a faintly bicolored tail. Pelage darker near coast.
Dimensions 335-470mm, 160-240mm, 205-360g
Endangered Status The Riparian Woodrat, a subspecies of the Dusky-footed Woodrat, is on the U.S. Endangered Species List. It is classified as endangered in California. This rat requires densely brushy riverside habitat, and once found sufficient habitat throughout the Central Valley. Water diversion practices throughout the 20th century modified this habitat to such an extent that today there is only one known population of this woodrat remaining, at Caswell Memorial State Park, on the Stanislaus River.
Habitat Scrub, shrub & brushlands, Forests & woodlands, Alpine & subalpine habitats
Range California, Northwest
Discussion Constructs fairly elaborate stick nests on the ground, in the vegetation, and on rocky slopes. Found mainly in scrub and woodland communities..


text:
By Ben Levisohn
Investing, you'll often hear, is an art, not a science. But like science, it often relies on developing a thesis and testing it out. But unlike science, a thesis could have a short lifespan.
Take the airlines. Their stocks had been benefiting this year from a thesis that said industry consolidation would make them more profitable. The Justice Department's decision to block the merger between AMR Corp. (AMR) and U.S. Airways (LCC), has called that thesis into question, causing airline stocks to plunge.
The damage continues today, as most airline stocks are dropping. Delta Air Lines (DAL) has fallen 2.4% to $19.36, Southwest Airlines (LUV) has fallen 1.7%, and U.S. Airways is off 1.2% at $15.82. The one exception: American airlines, which has gained 4% to $2.85. Then again, it has lost 40% of its value this month.
Cowen's Helane Becker and Conor Cunningham, however, believe the selling is overdone. They write:
The market has ignored the strong results the airlines reported in July. The majority of the airlines reported better-than-expected July PRASM results, as close in bookings were stronger than expectations. Jet fuel costs have also come down. We believe 3Q13 results will be strong and believe there could be upward revisions in estimates if August continues to book up strong.
Their top pick: Spirit Airlines (SAVE). Becker and Cunningham write:
Spirit Airlines was down significantly last week despite not really benefiting from industry consolidation. Spirit will not look to grow their base fare if capacity comes out of the system and will not see any revenue boosts as a direct offshoot from US Airways and AMR Corp. combining or not. Spirit does have ~60% of its network overlap with AMR and will likely benefit if AMR combines with US Airways or emerges as a standalone entity as their cost structure allows them to undercut fares.
Spirit has dropped 2.9% to $30.35 today.


text:
Passive solar design uses sunshine to heat and light homes and other buildings without mechanical or electrical devices. It is usually part of the design of the building itself, using certain materials and placement of windows or skylights. A successful passive solar building needs to be very well insulated in order to make best use of the sun's energy. The result is a quiet and comfortable space, free of drafts and cold spots. Passive solar design can also achieve summer cooling and ventilating by making use of convective air currents which are created by the natural tendency of hot air to rise.
In the winter when heating is required, the sun is low in the sky, which allows the heat to penetrate into windows on the south face of a structure. In the summer, south-facing windows can be shaded by an overhanging roof or awning to keep out the high hot summer sun. Because much of a building's heat is lost through its windows, the majority of windows in a passive solar building are located on the south wall.
Depending on the climate and the design, as much as 100 percent of a building's heating needs can be provided by the sun. In a climate such as Albuquerque, meeting 80 percent of a building's heating needs through sunlight is a realistic goal given a balanced design. Even if 50 percent or 30 percent is sun-generated, conventional heating bills are cut by that amount. Albuquerque's cold but sunny climate is a very favorable location for passive solar heating. Additionally, summer comfort can often be achieved without the need for air conditioning by employing shading and natural cooling techniques.
South facing glass, also called glazing, is a key component of any passive solar system in the northern hemisphere. The system must include enough solar glazing for good performance in winter, but not so much that cooling performance in summer will be compromised. When the solar glazing is tilted, its winter effectiveness as a solar collector increases. However, tilted glazing can cause serious overheating in the summer if it is not shaded very carefully. Ordinary vertical glazing is easier to shade, less likely to overheat, less susceptible to damage and leaking, and so is almost always a better year-round solution. Even in the winter, with the sun low in the sky and reflecting off snow cover, vertical glazing can often offer energy performance just as effective as tilted.
Almost all passive solar systems work in conjunction with thermal mass, or materials with a high capacity for absorbing and storing heat (e.g., brick, concrete masonry, concrete slab, tile, adobe, water). Thermal mass can be incorporated into a building design as floors, interior walls, fireplaces, or bancos. The sun does not need to hit these surfaces directly to store the heat, nor do these surfaces necessarily need to be a dark color. The thermal storage capabilities of a given material depend on the material's thermal conductivity, specific heat and density. Conductivity tends to increase with increasing density; generally, the higher the density of the material, the better. Effective materials for floors include painted, colored or acid-etched concrete, brick, quarry tile, and dark ceramic tile. When more mass is required, interior walls or interior masonry fireplaces can be incorporated into the design. Mass walls serve the dual functions of serving as structural elements or fire protection as well as for thermal storage. From an energy standpoint, it would be difficult to add too much thermal mass in a house. But thermal mass has a cost, and so adding too much mass just for thermal storage purposes can be unnecessarily expensive.As with all aspects of solar design planning, it is necessary to achieve a workable balance.
In order for passive solar systems to work effectively, care must be take to ensure that the building is oriented to take advantage of year-round energy savings. The ideal orientation for solar glazing is within 5 degrees of true south. This orientation will provide maximum performance. Glazing oriented to within 15 degrees of true south will perform almost as well, and orientations up to 30 degrees off--although less effective--will still provide a substantial level of solar contribution. In Albuquerque, magnetic north as indicated on the compass is actually 13 degrees east of true north, and this declination should be corrected for when planning for orientation of south glazing. When glazing is oriented more than 15 degrees off true south, not only is winter solar performance reduced, but summer air conditioning loads also significantly increase, especially as the orientation goes west. The warmer the climate, the more east and west-facing glass will tend to cause overheating problems. In general, southeast orientations present less of a problem than southwest. In the ideal situation, the house should be oriented east-west and so have its longest wall facing south. But as a practical matter, if the house's short side has good southern exposure it will usually accommodate sufficient glazing for an effective passive solar system, provided that the heat can be transferred to the northern zones of the house.
Suntempering is the most basic of passive solar techniques, it is simply increasing the number of windows on the south side, without adding additional thermal mass apart from the framing, gypsum board, etc, that is normally part of a conventional house. In a conventional house, about 25 percent of the windows face south which amounts to about 3 percent of the house's total floor space. In a suntempered house, the percentage is increased to a maximum of about 7 percent. Energy savings are modest with this system, but suntempering is very low cost.
The most common passive solar system is called direct gain. Direct gain refers to the sunlight that enters a building through windows, warming the interior space. During the sunlight hours, this heat can be stored in thermal mass incorporated into floors or interior walls made of adobe, brick, concrete, stone, or water. The heat held by the thermal mass will continue to radiate into the space after the sun goes down. Designing a direct gain system includes calculating how much window area and how much thermal mass are required to provide the desired quantity of heat for the space. In general, total direct gain glass area should be at least 7 percent, but not exceed 12 percent of the house's floor area. Double glazing is recommended for direct gain windows in Albuquerque. Night insulation, such as window shades, quilts or insulating drapes, improves energy efficiency dramatically.
A trombe wall is a technique used to capture solar heat that was developed by French engineer Felix Trombe (Trombe rhymes with prom).
A portion of the south wall is constructed of thermal mass material such as adobe or poured concrete, then covered and sealed by a pane of glass positioned about two inches from its surface. Sunlight enters and the heat is then trapped by the glass, allowing it to be absorbed by the thermal mass wall. The heat then radiates into the interior of the room in the evening and nightime hours. Trombe walls do not require ventilation, because the idea is not to circulate warm air, but to allow the wall itself to radiate heat. The masonry thermal storage wall should be solid, and there should be no openings or vents either to the outside or to the living space. Trombe walls perform better in summer (about 84 percent less heat gain) than a comparable area of direct glazing. Trombe walls can be combined with direct gain windows in the same wall, and furniture can be placed up against a trombe wall without changing its effectiveness. Trombe walls are particularly useful in a design where less window area in a room is desired, and nightime comfort is sought, i.e., bedrooms and bathrooms. Double glazing is recommended for thermal storage walls, and the space between the glazing and the thermal mass should be 1-3 inches. In general, the effectiveness of the thermal storage wall will increase as the density of the material increases.
In water walls, water is held in light, rigid containers. Water provides about twice the heat storage per unit volume as masonry, so a smaller volume of mass can be used. Containers are shipped from manufacturers empty and are easily installed. At least 30 pounds (3.5 gallons) of water should be provided for each square foot of glazing. An indoor hot tub or a pool can also be used as a heat storing mass.
When built onto the south wall of a structure, a solar greenhouse or sunspace provides an insulating air cushion between the outside and inside of the building, lowering heating bills in the winter. Sunspaces are referred to as "isolated gain" passive solar systems because the sunlight is collected in an area which can be closed off from the rest of the house. During the day, the doors or windows between the sunspace and the house can be opened to circulate collected heat, and then closed at night, and the temperature in the sunspace allowed to drop. Thermal mass in the greenhouse/sunspace will also generate heat which can be moved into the building either mechanically or by designing the structure to encourage a convective air current.
Greenhouses generally have glass or plastic panels in the roof to allow light and heat for growing plants and early seed-starting. They are difficult to insulate in areas with very cold winters because often much heat is lost through the roof, but the tradeoff is an extended growing season. Sunspaces usually have an insulated roof and full length windows on the south side. They are often more practical than greenhouses as living spaces, but will still provide an excellent environment for plants, and a more even temperature level throughout the year. Climate and desired use will dictate how a greenhouse or sunspace is designed for a particular application. Ventilation, roof glass, and thermal mass are important design features that make either structure a valuable money-saving and comfort-enhancing addition to a home or design.
A rule of thumb for sunspaces is to incorporate 3 square feet of 4-inch thick thermal mass for each square foot of sunspace glazing. A good place for thermal mass in the sunspace is the flooring. The lower edge of the south-facing windows should be no more than 6 inches from the floor or the planter bed to make sure the mass in the floor receives sufficient direct sunlight. If the thermal mass is instead located in the commonwall, it should be solid masonry approximately 4 to 8 inches thick, or a frame wall with masonry veneer. Windows on the east and west walls are useful for cross-ventilation but should be kept small (no more than 10 percent of the total sunspace area). Double glazing is recommended for sunspaces.
Adding insulation to walls, floors, ceilings, roof and foundations improves their thermal resistance (R-value), or resistance to heat flowing out of the house. Ensuring that the insulation is properly installed is very important to the house's overall energy performance. Sealing the house carefully to reduce air infiltration (air leakage) is also essential. Air will flow rapidly through cracks and crevices in the wall in the same way that water flows through the drain in a bathtub, so even a small opening can allow heat to bypass the insulation and lead to big energy losses. The tightness of a house is generally measured in the number of air exchanges per hour (ACH). A good, comfortable, energy efficient house will have approximately 0.35 to 0.50 air exchanges per hour under normal winter conditions. Increasing the tightness of the house beyond that may improve energy performance, but it may also create problems with indoor air quality, moisture build-up, and inadequately vented fireplaces and furnaces. Some kind of additional mechanical ventilation--for example, small fans, heat pump heat exchangers, integrated ventilation systems or air-to-air heat exchangers--is usually necessary to avoid such problems in houses with less than 0.35 ACH.
Windows that are not south facing are considered non-solar glazing. Windows on the north side of a house in almost every climate lose significant heat energy and gain very little useful sunlight in the winter. East and west windows are likely to increase air conditioning needs unless heat gain is minimized with careful attention to shading. Of course, people want windows for reasons other than energy gain, so a good design will be a balance between efficiency and other benefits, such as views and bright living spaces. Some rules of thumb for non-solar glazing: triple-glazing (meaning three panes of glass) or low-e ("e" stands for emissivity) coating will reduce heat loss while allowing for light to enter; north facing windows should be small and have high insulation or R-value; east windows catch the morning sun and can cause potential overheating, therefore shading should be planned with care; west windows also have a high potential for overheating, tinted glass or low-e glass may be effective; and lastly, as many windows as possible should be kept operable for easy natural ventilation in summer.
The passive solar features in a house and the mechanical heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems (HVAC) will interact all year round so the most effective approach is to design the system as an integrated whole.
Mechanical systems are often oversized for the relatively low heating loads in well-insulated passive solar houses. Oversized systems will cost more in the first place, and will cycle on and off more often, wasting energy. The back-up systems in passive solar houses should be sized to provide 100 percent of the heating or cooling load on the design day, but no larger.
Clock thermostats for automatic night shutoff are usually very effective, but in passive solar systems with large amounts of thermal mass releasing heat during the night, night setback of the thermostat may not save very much energy.
Both the supply and return ducts should be located within insulated areas, or be well-insulated if they run in cold areas of the house, and they should be well sealed at the joints.
Planning room layout by considering how the rooms will be used in different seasons, and at different times of the day, can save energy and increase comfort. In houses with passive solar features, the lay out of rooms and interior zones is particularly important. A longer East-West axis will allow more rooms to face south. In general, living areas and other high-activity rooms should be located on the south side to benefit from the solar heat. The closets, storage areas, garage and other less-used rooms can act as buffers along the north side, but entryways should be located away from the wind. Clustering baths, kitchens and laundry rooms near the water heater will save the heat that would be lost from longer water lines. Another general principle is that an open floor plan will allow the collected solar heat to circulate freely through natural convection.
Other ideas include:
The main objective of site planning for passive solar homes is to allow the south side asmuch unshaded exposure as possible during the winter months. A good design balances energy performance with other important factors such as, the slope of the site, the individual house plan, the direction of prevailing breezes for summer cooling, the views, the street lay out and so on. Ideally, the glazing on the house should be exposed to sunlight with no obstructions within an arc of 60 degrees on either side of true south, but reasonably good solar access will still be guaranteed if the glazing is unshaded within an arc of 45 degrees. Buildings, trees, or other obstructions should not be located so as to shade the south wall of solar buildings. At this latitude, no structures should be allowed within 10 feet of the south wall of a solar building; fences should be located beyond 10 feet; one story buildings should be located beyond 17 feet; and two story buildings should be located beyond 40 feet.
"Natural cooling" refers to techniques which help a house stay cool in the summer but which require little to no energy. Such techniques help to reduce air conditioning, not replace it. Shading is particularly important in passive solar houses, because the same features that collect sunlight in winter will go right on collecting it in summer unless they are shaded and the house itself is designed to help cool itself. Thermal mass performs well year round, masonry materials can be effective in staying cool as well as storing heat in winter. If mass surfaces are exposed to cool night time temperatures, they will help the house stay cooler the next day. The additional insulation that increases winter performance will also work to improve summer performance by conserving the conditioned air inside the house. Some low-e windows and other glazes with high R-values can help shield against unwanted heat gain in summer.
Trees and other landscaping features may be effectively used to shade east and west windows from summer solar gains. Trees on the southside, however, can all but eliminate passive solar performance, unless they are very close to the house and the lower branches can be removed to allow the winter sun to penetrate under the tree canopy. If a careful study of shading patterns is done before construction, it should be possible to accomodate the south-facing glazing while leaving in as many trees as possible. Other landscaping ideas for summer shade include: trellises on the east and west covered with vines; shrubbery or other plantings to shade paved areas; use of ground cover to prevent glare and heat absorption; trees, fences, or shrubbery planted so as to "channel" breezes into the house; and deciduous trees on the east and west sides of the house, to balance solar gains in all seasons.
Fixed overhangs are an inexpensive feature and require no operation by the homeowner. They must be carefully designed, however. Otherwise, an overhang that blocks the summer sun may also block sun in the spring, when solar heating is desired. Likewise, an overhang sized for maximum solar gain in winter will allow solar gain in the fall on hot days. A combination of carefully sized overhangs on south windows and shading devices on the other windows usually allows for an effective solution. The following figure may be used to determine the optimum overhang size. In Santa Fe, an ideal overhang projection for a 4 foot high window would be 18 inches if the bottom of the overhang is13 inches above the top of the window. For Albuquerque, strive to shade the window fully when the sun has a noon altitude angle of 65 degrees.
External devices stop solar gain before the sun hits the building. These include awnings, solar screens, roll-down blinds, shutters and vertical louvers. They are adjustable and perform well, but require action by the homeowner to operate. Interior shading elements also require homeowner operation, and also permit the sun to enter the house and be trapped between the window and the shade. Reflective interior blinds and curtains are relatively low cost and are easy to operate. Another option in shading is a porch or carport, preferably located on the east or west sides.
When possible, the house should be positioned on the site to take advantage of prevailing winds. The prevailing winds direction is from the south during the summer. The free vent area (unobstructed openings like open windows) should be between 6 to 7.5 percent of total floor area, half located on the leeward and half on the windward side of the building. Ceiling fans will probably save more energy than any other single cooling strategy, since air movement can make people feel comfortable at higher temperatures. A whole house fan can also assist with ventilation, but is not very effective at cooling when the temperature is higher than 76 degrees F.
Using a combination of the above cooling techniques will substantially reduce the need for air conditioning.
SOURCES: This primer was adapted from Passive Solar Design Strategies: Guidelines for Builders, published by the Passive Solar Industries Council (PSIC), used by permission. Additional material was adapted from Residential Passive Solar Energy Seminars 1993, by Mark Chalom, Quentin Wilson and Bill Yanda (sponsored by the NM Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department and NM State University Cooperative Extension), the NM Energy Conservation and Management Division website, and the National Renewable Energy Lab website. Graphics by Mark Chalom and PSIC used by permission. Prepared by New Mexico Solar Energy Association, 1998.


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I know that our own Sir Steve is a huge GPK fan from way back...
And still collects the new cards that have been coming out. But I haven't seen him on AIM lately.
But I figured that these might be of interest to more than just him. Cause they are awesome sauce.
In the same vein as Star Wars Fighter Pods, Squinkies, and other mini-figures like this... GPK MiniKins!
Series 1 is 26 Different Mini-Figures with Stickers reproducing their original cards.
Each Single Blind Pack will include 2 Mystery Figures and 2 Stickers.
There will also be Jumbo Blind Packs with 3 Mystery Figures, 1 Visible Figure, and 4 Stickers.
There will also be Chases included in those packs to sorta evoke the original "Cheap Toys" GPK Figures.
Chases: Neon Blue & Neon Red (1:3 packs), Neon Green (1:4 packs), Neon Yellow (1:12 packs).
Blowout Cards has images from Topps's press release on the upcoming MiniKins. Can't wait. Nostalgia Ho!


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Starwarsshop.com is now selling the Star Corps Trooper Helmet! Limited edition of 600. For hyperspace members only until Aug 1st.
Starwarsshop.com is now selling the Star Corps Trooper Helmet! Limited edition of 600. For hyperspace members only until Aug 1st.
I would love to buy this Helmet along with the 501st and Shocktrooper but 400 bucks is just too much money. I will buy the standard white clone helmet and it they ever made it a Commander Gree helmet but thats it for the normal clone helmets from ROTS.
Impressive, and a really good exclusive! I actually plan on making my own Clone helmet, so I'll pass for now.
"Maybe I can help you. I am Boba Fett. The ship you seek is nearby." -Boba Fett
I'm disappointed that it is not weathered like the image on their site. That is the reason I passed on the 501st and Shock Trooper helmets. They should at least do clean and weathered variants. Seeing as how MR has access to Lucasfilm's digital models they could create a 100% accurate replica on the weathering. Looks like if I want it weathered I'm going to have to use it as a football helmet.
What from pvc?Originally Posted by Jayspawn
I feel the same way decadentdave, maybe in the future they will do signature editions or elite editions with weathering.
Well think about it, alot of people who are going to buy these are going to be people from the 501st and many of them like to keep the clean, neat appearance as if they were being inspected by the emperor
That's my whole point, Teeska. When you watch Episode III, there is nothing clean or neat about them. In every scene, the Clone Troopers have weathered helmets and armor. When the 501st marches behind Anakin during the siege on the Jedi Temple, every last one of them is weathered. I don't have the skill to do a precise custom weathering job myself and make it look movie authentic although there are some who post here that can and will. I'm sure if they do a Commander Gree helmet it will look too clean and that just bugs me, especially considering Gree's helmet is heavily camoflauged and soiled from the Kashyyyk jungles. I'm all about authentic movie replicas not a fan of these "idealized" versions. These are more like pristine "As First Built By" which would have been great for the Clone Trooper helmets from Attack of the Clones but after 3 years of battles during the Clone Wars, they are gonna be scuffed up quite a bit. Now the white EIII Clone Trooper I don't have a problem with so much because it is pretty generic, but the "Special Forces" are screaming for weathering and that's why I passed on all of them, regardless of the limited production run. I'm not collecting them for investment, I just want something that people remember down to the finest detail. If MR makes a Jango or Boba Fett helmet, they too will probably be "clean" and omit the big dent in favor of an idealized pristine version. If it is flawed and it is a detail from the film, then I want it. I don't see why they just can't do both and make everyone happy. Besides, it just means even more money for MR especially from completists who will definitely want both versions in their collections.
I'm not trying to start a fight or anything but A. I'm pretty shure they'd include the dent (on Boba only because Jango doesn't have one) considering that it's a very distiguishable part of the character. and B. You may not think so but if you try one can do some very nice weathering on their own. I know I didn't think that I did but when I got into costuming instead of collecting I found out that with a smidget of practice anyone can make something that looks decent. With a little trial and error you could replicate any of the on screen clonetroopers and/or you own unique design. Plus most ways of weathering are able to be removed so if you're not feeling it you can change anyway you like. I'm guessing they're fiberglass so it should be extremely simple.
Uh, Jango HAS a dent. It's the same helmet that Boba uses. Watch the Geonosis arena battle again.
I just don't have the skill to do an exceptional weathering job that a lot of skilled customizers do, that's why I'd prefer to pay Master Replicas to do it for me.


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Generation Y, Generation We, The Me Me Me Generation, Echo Boomers. This is what they call us-anyone born between the 1980's to the early 2000's. I prefer Millennials, it just sounds too cool for school.
Millennials have been called narcissistic, arrogant, disrespectful, and entitled. I agree and disagree. Some of us are disrespectful. I've seen kids use their skateboards to Ollie over the body of a dead cat just for "fun". I know, adorable, right?
We are narcissistic, but so was every generation when they were young. We are still discovering who we are, but I'm sure we'll get over ourselves eventually.
One day we'll all stop caring every time someone posts something like, "I just worked out", on Facebook. And someday we won't feel the need to put a new selfie up on instagram every 10 minutes.
I admire my generation's willingness to put it all out there though. It demonstrates some courage, it's just that we don't need to hear it or see it every second of every day. We could show a little restraint and be more selective in what we share with the world.
Communication is our biggest issue. It's easy to be brave while hiding behind our computers, tablets, and smartphones, but our generation has difficulty with real communication. We are the internet generation. We have never been more connected in any other point in history and yet we are the most disconnected.
It's interesting that we call it "social media" when it encourages anything but being social. We can have entire online conversations without ever knowing someone. We can text and tweet, we can insta this and snap that, but when it comes to just sitting down and making real face to face conversation with real people we are at a loss for words. Maybe we should call ourselves Generation Hashtag since nothing really exists to us anymore unless there's a # in front of it.
Don't get me wrong, there are numerous advantages of living in this internet age, especially from a business sense. But I've starved myself of facebook for the past 4 days and I feel so much better about myself. I've gone on a job interview, I've been reading actual books, I even set up a date with an actual guy. The bastard ended up standing me up, but the point is I now have the time to put myself out there and work on me. I can start going for the things I want and focus on myself in a positive way rather than focusing on what other people are doing with their lives every 10 minutes or what they think of me.
That's what facebook and Instagram have turned into for me lately. It's easy to get wrapped up in what others are doing or wearing or dating until you start asking yourself why you aren't doing those same things. Why aren't I engaged? Why don't I have those shoes? Why didn't I get that job? It's easy to start thinking negatively when all you do is compare yourself to others. So stop it already and go play outside with the real boys and girls.
As for being entitled, well the internet plays a part in that as well. Everything is available to us. You can order a movie online and watch it instantly, you can type in a term on google and find out everything there is to know about it instantly. We want everything instantly, now.
This stems from our parents as well. They wanted to give us everything they didn't have growing up so many of them gave us way too much or gave it to us just so they did the opposite of what their parents did.
Some say the result is that we all evolved into little spoiled ingrates. In some ways we did, but in other ways we are better for it. We realize the positive aspects of entitlement. We realize that we are entitled to be happy and we are entitled to go after our dreams instead of the futures our parents or anyone else has planned for us.
Books and movies of our time like The Hunger Games and Divergent are an indication that our generation is simply not willing to put up with shit. We will not be told what to do or who we can do it with. We are a generation of rebels and insurgents. We know about the man behind the curtain and we refuse to buy into his lies or his rules. We want to make up our own rules.
But in order to do that we have to find our voice, our true voice. We have to stop living off our parents, stop hiding behind our iPhones, stop being distracted by the pretty new technology, and start communicating, for real. We need to come out from behind the hashtag so we can start living for real.


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Thread: Angelfish and Severum?
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05-22-2013, 01:43 PM #1Junior Member Guppy
- Join Date
- May 2013
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- Ohio
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Angelfish and Severum?
I know this could be a potentially dangerous combination, but I believe I can make it work. Will angelfish and severum be compatible in a 40g? Any advice would be excellent. What I want to know is which should I purchase smaller, and who will bully who, If I purchase the severum at all.
I'm in the process of cycling my 40g hex, and the plan is to stock it with a mating pair of angels, some sort of bottom feeder, and potentially severum, depending on the feedback I recieve here.
No, To all of the above. Not together, Not separate, Not at all.
IMO a 40 HEX tank is not appropriate for an adult sev at all [Even solo]
Also I wouldn't risk having a pair [even mated] of angels in a tank with such a tiny footprint.
[This is mentioned on here all the time wrt angels-->] If One of them decides to claim a 'territory' there will be nowhere for the other to get out of the first ones 'space'.
That scenario ends with one dead angel.
Last edited by Goes to 11!; 05-22-2013 at 01:54 PM.Gas mileage isn't everything OIIIIIIIO
Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.
Why pretend there are no stupid questions? Actually, There are many stupid questions: "Should I drink this bleach?" Is just one example.
Having said that, Just because it's a stupid question doesn't mean that it shouldn't be asked. It's better to know.
A warm beer is better than a cold beer. Because nothing is better than a cold beer, and a warm beer is better than nothing.
A mated pair of angels could just maybe work. Throw in a severum and you're looking at guaranteed carnage. Believe what you want, I don't see this ending well.My 33 gallon/125 liter tank. My photography on flickr.
05-22-2013, 10:28 PM #5Banned CoryCat
- Join Date
- May 2013
- Location
- S. Heaven
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Not a good idea. I don't think a 40 hex would be OK for a single angel. I'm sure it would not be OK for a single severum. It may work for a pair of angels. But I would keep it bare bottom with nothing but a breeding cone in there with them. Definitely not any other fish,
I would look into dwarf cichlids, small schooling fish, or possibly small African cichlids.


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|Ocean Flyfishing for Salmon Perhaps the most under-rated fishery in the world
|Topic Review (Newest First)
My Arsenal for the beach-
9wt RPLXi with SA windmaster floating or the Airflo intermediate cold saltwater.
Sage 5120 with Airflo Multi-head running line in the 20 lb. Trout with 26 ft Auqualux heads, 200 gr. and 300 gr. if its windy. If I were to add a head it would be the Airflo floating 28 ft head, but Tim Rajeff says theyre back ordered as the factory is very busy. So for a floating I use a mid spey middle section and tip off my 7/8 wt line. This is the Cutt system.
Loop 12 ft 8/9 with the Airflo multi-head running line in the 30 lb. with heads in the 300 and 400 gr. Area. I might use the 300 and 400 gr. 24 ft. Big Boys to dredge a little deeper if Im off point no point. This is my Silver system.
If I ever get my boat up and running, I might try the 500 or 600 gr. heads to fish deeper with intermediate running line. I'd really like to know about fishing for blackmouth off the beach with Leland. Always thought they were deeper and farther out.
I like a multi-tip, and will take the time to change the tip as the situation demands. Second spool has the intermediate Cortland camo line. I
Jim W
|Greg Pavlov
|Last fall I fished primarily with an 8 wt that I would say should have been rated as an 8/9 or perhaps even a 9. I switched back and forth between a clear Cortland 9 wt intermediate and a 9 wt floater and a shooting head setup, one head cut from a 10 wt SA clear intermediate and another from a 10 wt Cortland 333 floater. Basically I was experimenting with shooting heads since I'd never used them before.
|I fish a slime line for everything. It is probably the best choice for beach fishing in Puget Sound. IMO
My two cents follow other comments... Right now, I like SA's clear intermediate for most beach work. However, line choice depends upon the depth of the water.
My game plan now is to work out the kinks in a sink tip presentation or spend the time and bucks to work on a shooting head rig with everything from floating to leadcore heads. That kind of a setup would also work from a boat. I think some of the new gel-spun lines in heavy break strengths would make good running lines. I've got some Spiderwire in a couple of versions in 50 and 100-pound break strengths that might stand up to the rigors of cutthroat and coho fishing.
Barring a shooting head system, I would think three lines would be necessary: floating, clear intermediate, and a fast sink tip.
Clear intermediate lines are the prefered for most off the beach fishing. Pick any brand they all have their following. In some situations in really shallow water I like the cortland clear tip . With only 15' of clear intermediate it hangs that little bit higher in the water column. If fishing a deep beach with alot of currant I usually go with my sink tips , heavy as needed to get to the fish but they still allow me to mend as you would in a river situation.
I've been meaning to try the shooting head thing as I think it may be the most versatile option but alas I just never have the time . I think a clear head on a five or six weght would be just the ticket for cutts and small salmon early in the year and on a seven or eight in the fall.
|Leland Miyawaki
The last time I used a sinking line off the beach was last July when I used an SA stillwater line with a chartreuse clouser (gawd forbid!) to catch blackmouth at a zipperlip beach. I found the fish a few years ago with Lencho while doing the popper thing. I rose them (read chummed 'em up) and switched to the slimeline to get them to hit and stick.
Otherwise, I use Juro's sinking line when we're in the same boat and he hands me his rod to hold while he's steering the boat.
I use a cortland clear camo line. I feel when fishing beaches you really do not need to get deep quick and when fishing under the suface a clear intermediate is all I feel is necessary. Not really messed around with shooting heads yet...
Now if you are fishing the rips at Seiku the a quick sinking line is a good choice.
Preferred lines for salters...
I did most of my coho chasin' from a boat but want to do some beach hoppin' next time I get the chance. In fact there has been talk of a beach clave in 2003.
Anyway, I prefer to use a Rio deep sea or Cortland QD 325 grain line from the boat to cut through riplines and waves with herring, candlefish, squid, and other coho tidbits. The only exception is the use of a floating line for Leland's crazy poppers, man do those fish go nuts for surface action.
What do most guys use on the beaches when not using poppers, where the obvious choice is floating line? Does anyone use looped tips for instance? Shooting heads with clear intermediate heads maybe?
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By Loren Pritchett, ChildFund staff writer
In the 30 seconds it took him to watch the ChildFund commercial, Pete Olson, Formula car racer, knew he wanted to sponsor a child. The decision was quick, but he was no stranger to speed.
Fast forward more than a decade later and, today, Olson is supporting his third sponsored child and racing in the name of children in need. Behind the wheel, he is in control but admits that compassion is really what drives him.
"It's an incredibly rewarding experience," he says. "You can change a child's life and give them opportunities that many of us take for granted."
Opportunities like getting a quality education and receiving proper nutrition are among those Olson knew as a small child, adopted into a loving family. He credits his own success to his adopted parents' support and saw sponsorship as a way to share his good fortune. He began sponsoring as a student at Boston University.
"I felt that many of us there were privileged and lucky to have the opportunities that we did," he says. "It was a point in my life where I started to feel it was important to give something back for all that I have been so grateful to have in my life."
Olson maintained child sponsorships while earning two degrees, a regional racing license and pursuing his passion for speed. He excelled from motorcycles to professional karting and eventually found himself racing in China – thousands of miles from U.S. tracks but only a few hundred from his sponsored child, Trang.
"She writes a lot about her schooling, which she really seems to enjoy," he says. "That makes me very happy as I think education is something that we tend to take for granted back home. In many other countries, children don't have the same opportunities for education."
Trang, 11, lives in Vietnam. In some rural areas of the country, children are discouraged from attending school because their classrooms are too far away. Other areas of the region lack clean drinking water and have inadequate sanitation facilities. With Olson's support, Trang is able to attend school regularly and benefits from the various ChildFund health and nutrition programs in her community.
With a desire to help more children like Trang, Olson now races in the Asia Formula Renault Series and does so for children in extreme poverty. The ChildFund logo that shines from the side of his red Formula car is an invitation to all of his fans – sponsor a child. And although he aspires to be the first American to win the series this year, he knows this is much bigger than winning.
"I've stopped keeping track of the wins," he says. "No matter what's going on in my own life, I know without a doubt that in another part of the world I am bringing joy and happiness to a child in need, enriching their life and providing them with opportunities they wouldn't otherwise have."
Olson plans to visit Trang soon to learn more about her family, community and where she goes to school. In the meantime, he continues his race for children.
Are you a racing fan? Catch Pete Olson September 15-16, October 20-21 and December 8-9. Check your local listings to find out how you can watch the races. Or stay updated on Facebook or www.peteolson.com. To learn more about sponsoring a child, speed over to the ChildFund website.
Thanks for the wonderful work of helping needy child neglected child and disadvantaged!
Thanks for posting. We, too, are grateful for other organizations that are involved in helping children and their families achieve a better life.