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This review first appeared in the August issue of Competitor Magazine.
Written by: Mario Fraioli
Trail running's popularity is blowing up all across the country and the number of shoes built specifically for this fast-growing form of exercise is also on the rise. Many top footwear manufacturers now offer trail or all-weather versions of some of their most popular road models, while niche brands that cater to die-hard trail lovers are making products exclusively for off-road adventurers.
Competitor's in-house testing team took 12 of the most rugged all-terrain running shoes to the trails and offered feedback using our Fit, Feel and Ride shoe review system. Research by Benno Nigg, a noted biomechanist and running shoe expert at the University of Calgary, suggests that athletes are less likely to become injured when they choose running shoes based on overall comfort: how well they fit your foot, how good they feel when you stand in them and how smoothly they ride during a run.
Related Content: Light, Fast, Free: 2011 Racing Shoe Review
A variety of factors affect how comfortable running shoes will feel, and while trying on the shoes and running in them is the best way to hone in on the right pair, you can make the weeding-out process more efficient by using the feedback provided by our experienced team of testers. Happy Trails!
Salomon Speedcross 3--$125
www.salomon.com 9.9 oz Fit / Snug through the heel, the Speedcross 3 opens up in the toe box to provide a comfortable fit for a variety of foot types. "The drawstring-style laces helped create an adaptable fit," remarked one tester. Feel / "I always felt lighter on my feet in these shoes," said one tester. In fact, testers across the board were impressed with the lightweight feel when running. With a non-restrictive but protective upper, these shoes will feel good on a variety of feet. Ride / With a protective outsole, soft landing and smooth transition, these shoes tested well on diverse topography. "These shoes provided a springy ride. The plastic spikes gripped the terrain well and helped provide balance on the trail," said one tester.
Montrail Rogue Racer --$110
www.montrail.com 7.4oz Fit / The Rogue Racer wraps the foot like a glove. Most heels fit securely in the shoe, but some testers wished they had a little more room in the toe box. "These felt a little tight on the top of my foot and I needed to wear a thinner sock when running in them." Feel / "This shoe felt extremely lightweight and fast," raved one tester. Runners looking for a soft landing will need to look elsewhere, but those who like to feel the ground beneath them will enjoy this low-profile off-road racing shoe. Ride / Testers liked the shoes' flexibility and fast transition: "It's the fastest, most nimble trail race shoe I have ever worn, yet solid enough to use as a daily trainer," said one tester. However, it's lacking in forefoot protection, making this shoe inappropriate for the most technical of trails.
Brooks Ghost GTX--$120
www.brooksrunning.com 10.1oz Fit / "They felt great when I put then on—very comfortable and roomy—but I noticed my foot started to slide around when I ran at faster paces," commented one tester. While some testers enjoyed the roomy fit of the Ghost, others had a hard time adjusting to the extra volume through the midfoot of the shoe. Feel / The GTX, which features the same cushioning technology as the road version of the Ghost 4, was the softest shoe we tested for this review. One tester said, "These felt like a heavily-cushioned road shoe." A good option for heavier runners or those who prefer a very forgiving feel underfoot. Ride / Featuring a flexible midsole and not overly aggressive outsole, the Ghost rides more like a road shoe than any of the other shoes we tested. The Gore-tex upper makes this shoe a great option for inclement weather and winter road running. Not suitable for technical downhill running or challenging terrain.
Brooks Adrenaline ASR 8 --$110
www.brooksrunning.com 9.9oz Fit / Highlighted by an overall snug fit, the ASR 8 was a favorite of testers with narrow-to-average foot types, who were impressed with how well the shoe held their foot. One tester noted the shoe fit just as well at mile 70 as it did at mile one. Feel / "They felt good right out of the box," said one tester. Weather-resistant materials add some stiffness to the upper, but the shoe received high praise for its comfortable step-in feel, lightweight and balanced cushioning. Ride / It looks like a trail shoe, rides like a road shoe and performs like both. The ASR 8 offers a well-cushioned landing for heel strikers, plenty of mid-foot support and a smooth transition to toe-off—much like its award winning cousin, the Adrenaline GTS 10. With a slightly more aggressive outsole, this shoe is a solid choice for wet roads and entry-level off-road terrain.
K-Swiss Blade Max Trail--$130
www.k-swiss.com 12.2 oz Fit / Featuring a generous, but not too roomy toe box, this shoe provides a snug midfoot wrap and secure heel fit. Average to wide-footed runners will enjoy the balanced fit. Feel / Testers were impressed with the forgiving feel underfoot and how well the shoe transitioned from pavement to trail. Although it's not the lightest shoe we reviewed, testers commented on how light the shoes felt on their feet. Ride / "It rode like a road shoe with snow tires; it would also be perfect for snowy road runs in the winter," remarked one tester. With a flexible midsole and a rock-stop plate, the Blade Max Trail provides a smooth ride with enough protection for small rocks, roots and other off-road obstacles.
Asics Gel-Trabuco 14--$100
www.asicsamerica.com 10.9oz Fit / A new integrated lacing system wraps the entirety of the top of the foot from the ankles down to the toes, providing a very secure all-around fit. (A traditional lacing system only covers the middle of the foot, often feeling "sloppy" and causing heels to slip.) Testers remarked how well their heels sat in the shoe, but noted that wiggle room in the forefoot was less than optimal. Feel / A generous amount of gel in the heel softens impact, but a stiff protection plate in the forefoot led testers to rate the overall feel as firm. Built-in support in the form of medial midsole posting adds to the perceived weight of the shoe. "The shoe felt heavy, but it was one of the most supportive trail running shoes I've ever worn," said one tester. Ride / Our testers were impressed with the traction the Gel-Trabuco provided over technical terrain, but rated the overall ride as somewhat stiff. Testers noted the shoe performed better over technical trails than on groomed paths.
Mizuno Cabrakan 3--$130
www.mizunorunning.com 12.1 oz Fit / Wide-footed runners will love this shoe for its roomy fit through the midfoot and toe box. "I couldn't get the shoe tight enough," remarked one tester. A secure heel makes it suitable for the average foot, but narrow-footed trailbirds should look elsewhere. Feel / Packing a ton of stability, this shoe "feels like a bullet-proof vest" on your foot, according to one tester. It offers a lot of protection through supportive overlays, and its beefy midsole ensures that off-road obstacles won't wreak havoc on your feet. Ride / With its stiff midsole and rugged outsole, the Cabrakan is made to tackle the toughest terrain nature throws your way. It's a trail shoe in the truest sense of the word, and definitely rides like one, too. If you're a heavier runner looking for a little more control over uneven ground, the Cabrakan is worth taking for a ride.
Inov-8 Roclite 319 --$105
www.inov-8.com 11 oz Fit / The lacing system allows you to make the Roclite 319 as tight or loose as you desire and helps eliminate pressure over the top of the foot. "You can really crank them tight without the painful trapping of other lacing systems," said one tester. Midfoot and toe room is ample and testers reported no trouble with heel slippage. Feel / Protection is the name of the game with this shoe. With lateral and medial posting encasing the shoe, the Roclite 319 carries a bit of weight, but offers a lot of support for those who need it. Newer trail runners worried about unsure footing off the road will feel safe in this solid shoe. Ride / Not the nimblest of shoes according to our testing team, the Roclite is recommended for larger runners looking to tackle tough terrain. Large lugs on the outsole of the shoe provide plenty of traction for tricky trails, but the slow transition turned off a few testers. "They felt clunky," said one tester.
The North Face Double Track--$110
www.thenorthface.com 11.6 oz Fit / "Balanced" best describes the fit of this shoe from The North Face. "The roomy toe box and snugness of the midfoot really fit my foot well," said one tester." A solid heel counter provides excellent rear-foot security and squashes the possibility of slippage. Feel / With a well-cushioned midsole and soft tongue, the Double Track provides a plush feel around the entire foot. "I was pleasantly surprised by how forgiving these shoes felt over tough terrain," remarked one tester. Ride / Good front-to-back flexibility makes this shoe an excellent option for flying up and down non-technical trails and fire roads. Testers remarked that it lacked the lateral protection necessary to run on rocky terrain. "This shoe was great on soft, dry ground, but didn't do so well when it was wet outside."
La Sportiva Crosslite 2.0--$100
www.lasportiva.com 10.7 oz Fit / If you've got a skinny foot, it will fit well into the Crosslite 2.0. The shoe offers a snug fit from heel to toe and a gator that covers the laces helps gives the sensation that your foot isn't going anywhere. Feel / High-arched runners will enjoy the shapely midsole this shoe features. The cushioning is on the softer side for a trail shoe and proved to be forgiving underfoot during long runs and over more technical terrain. Ride / Grip rules in the Crosslite 2.0. Designed for mountain runners traversing rugged terrain, this shoe offers a smooth transition up and down the most technical of trails. "This shoe stuck like glue," said one tester. Testers also raved about the shoe's exceptional forefoot flexibility.
Newton Terra Momentus--$139
www.newtonrunning.com 11.2 oz Fit / "These had probably the most secure heel I've ever felt in a shoe," said one tester. The rest of the shoe fits snugly, too, but there's plenty of room for the toes to spread out. Feel / Lightweight and soft underfoot, the Terra Momentus scored big on step-in feel. Testers said the elevated forefoot felt strange when standing in the shoes, but was less of an issue while running. Ride / The raised lugs in the forefoot encourage landing with a forefoot strike and running with a faster cadence. "The shoe put me up on my toes and made me more aware of where I was planting my foot," said one tester; some reported lower-leg soreness after their first few runs in the Terra Momentus. The stickiness of the forefoot lugs on the trail was sub-par compared to other shoes we tested.
New Balance 915 --$125
www.newbalance.com 11.1 oz Fit / Consensus across the board was that this shoe ran big. Ample forefoot room and a generous midfoot fit led one tester to comment that, "these shoes felt huge, especially in the toe box." Heel slippage was also an issue. Our testers recommend sizing down half a size to avoid the feeling that your foot was swimming in the shoe. Feel / The 915 features a wedge on the medial side of the shoe that adds stability but lends to a very stiff feel underneath the foot. For weak-footed runners looking to tear down a technical trail, this might not be such a bad thing. In regard to perceived weight, one tester said, "The shoe feels a bit heavy when holding it in your hands, but feels reasonably light on the foot." Ride / Runners looking for a shoe to soften the blow will not enjoy the firm ride the 915 has to offer, but experienced trail blazers will love the forefoot protection plate and added traction the aggressive outsole brings to an off-road environment.
Fit Feel Ride


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Submission + - Linux 3.12 merge window closes with release of Linux 3.12-rc1 (paritynews.com)
hypnosec writes: Linus Torvalds has released Linux 3.12-rc1 marking the first major development in over two weeks for the forthcoming successor of Linux 3.11 kernel. Announcing the closure of Linux 3.12 merge window, Torvalds noted in the release announcement that the window was fairly normal. Dissecting the updates he noted that 73 percent of them are related to drivers, 12 percent related to architecture updates, and 6 percent updates are related to file-systems. The remaining, Torvalds notes, fall under misc category. Emphasizing on some of the merges, Torvalds notes that he liked "scalability improvements that got merged this time around." Torvalds also makes a note about tty layer locking getting resolved, and work on dentry refcount scalability.

subset: commoncrawl


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PRO CAREER: Rushed for 3,053 yards and 26 touchdowns on 746 attempts (4.1 ypc) in five seasons with the Oakland Raiders (2008-11) and Chicago Bears (2012)… Added 962 receiving yards and a touchdown on 100 receptions (9.6 ypc)… 20 rushing touchdowns over last three seasons (2010-12) are 13th most in the NFL… Has started 20-of-74 career games played, having appeared in at least 13 contests in each of his last five seasons… Spent entire 2007 rookie season rehabbing a leg injury which he suffered during his final collegiate season at Louisville.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Drafted by Oakland in the fourth round (100th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft… Signed a four-year contract with the Raiders (7/25/07)… Signed one-year deal with Oakland (8/6/11)… Signed four-year contract with Chicago
(3/22/12). SIGNED through 2015
2012 SEASON: In first season with Bears, tied for team lead with 5 rushing TDs in 13 games played with 1 start… Had 411 rushing yards on 114 carries (3.6 ypc)… Added 83 receiving yards on 9 receptions (9.2 ypc)… DNP in Week 15 vs. GB (12/16) due to ribs injury… Missed final 2 contests after being placed on Injured Reserve on Dec. 18 due to ribs injury. GAMES
PREVIOUS SEASONS: 2011 - In 16 games played for the Raiders, set career highs in rushing yards (977), attempts (256), receiving yards (418), receptions (37) and games started (9)… Seven rushing touchdowns were second most of his career and eight total touchdowns (one receiving) tied a career high… Tied for 15th in NFL in rushing touchdowns… Ranked 16th in the NFL in yards from scrimmage (1,395)… 1,158 yards from scrimmage over final 10 weeks of season were fifth most in the NFL and 839 rushing yards were eighth most… Started final nine contests of season. 2010 - Seventh in AFC and tied for 11th in NFL with 8 rushing touchdowns… Rushed for 655 yards on 158 attempts (4.1 ypc)… Added 194 receiving yards on 18 receptions (10.8 ypr)… Appeared in 14 contests with three starts. 2009 - Gathered 589 rushing yards on 123 carries (4.8 ypc) with three touchdowns… Hauled in 17 receptions for 105 yards (6.2 ypr)… Started seven of 16 games played.
2008 - Rushed for 421 yards and three touchdowns on 95 carries (4.4 ypc), adding 162 receiving yards on 19 catches (8.5 ypr)… Appeared in 15 contests. 2007 - Missed entire rookie season while recovering from leg injury suffered in final collegiate season at Louisville.
COLLEGE: Ended collegiate career ranked seventh all-time at University of Louisville in rushing yards (2,508) and rushing attempts (435)… 5.8 yards per rushing attempt ranks fourth in school history… 39 career rushing touchdowns were four shy of school record… String of nine-consecutive games with at least one rushing touchdown in 2005 is the second longest streak in Louisville history… Ran for more than 100 yards in 10 games during collegiate career… Set school singleseason records with 23 rushing touchdowns and 144 points scored in 2005… 23 rushing touchdowns rank third in Big East
Conference single-season history… His 1,143 yards rushing in 2005 rank seventh on the school's single-season record list... 246 career points rank third in Louisville history… Majored in communications.
PERSONAL: At Louisville Male High School, spent his senior season playing quarterback… Also saw action at running back, wide receiver, defensive back, linebacker and defensive end… Finished his prep career ranked fourth in the state record books in career receiving yards (3,031) on 180 catches (16.8) and 37 touchdowns… Also rushed 256 times for 1,581 yards (6.2) and 25 scores and completed 221 of 385 passes (57.4 percent) for 3,379 yards and 40 touchdowns.
In their first away game of the season, the Bears storm to a 24-3 lead en route to a 40-23 win over the Steelers, improving to 3-0 for the first time since 2010.
Just in case last season didn't provide enough evidence, Jay Cutler wasted little time Saturday night showing how much more explosive the Bears offense is when he's operating it.
Tom Thayer and Larry Mayer review how the running backs performed in a season that included a Pro Bowl nod for Matt Forte.
Vote for one of the three plays you think should be the Bear Down of the Week for the Bears-Browns game in week 15. To vote, go to www.chicagobears.com/beardownoftheweek
Highlights from the Bears 38-31 victory over the Browns in Cleveland Sunday.
Vote for one of the three plays you think should be the Bear Down of the Week for the Bears-Cowboys game in week 14. To vote, go to www.chicagobears.com/beardownoftheweek


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Bibb School Board OK's Dallemand's New Contract 5-3 | Education
Title (Max 100 Characters)
The Bibb County Board of Education Monday night voted 5-3 to approve a new three-year contract for school Supt. Romain Dallemand.
The vote came more than an hour into a called meeting at the board offices on Mulberry Street Monday night.
Under the new contract, Dallemand's base pay of $198,000 remains the same. So does the the $2,500 limit in expense reimbursement.
His car allownce would double to $800 a year, and his term life insurance policy to $1 million.
His benefits include disability insurance, payment into the teacher retirement system and 60 days of sick leave in 2014.
Susan Sipe, Lynn Farmer and Gary Bechtel voted no.
"When you look at the annual leave, and you look at the sick days, it's basically a back-door pay increase," said Bechtel.
Board vice president Susan Middleton says she voted yes because the contract is fair and gives the superintendent a chance to follow through with the strategic plan.
"It's an offer of saying, 'Are you committed to seeing this through, understanding the financial resources of the district, understanding there's been some political situations regarding your tenancy here.' So it's a way of saying, let's just continue as we were," said Middleton.
Three newly elected board members, who take office in January, did not have a role in Monday night's vote, despite requests from two of them, Jason Downey and Lester Miller.


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Believe it or not historian, author Glen Boyer does not believe Soapy Smith had children.
In the process of researching and editing Alias Soapy Smith, I had the opportunity to contact historian Glen G. Boyer, author of I Married Wyatt Earp, about several accounts in the book that indicate Soapy Smith and Wyatt Earp knew one another. Mr. Boyer did not footnote the information so I could only hope he might have more about the accounts in his files.
Mr. Boyer is a hard man to contact. A number of years ago he was caught intentionally forging historical information and since then is not willing to communicate with people he does not know personally. Needless to say this places the information in his book about Soapy under suspicion which is why I wanted so badly to talk with him.
Not too long ago a friend of mine mentioned Boyer's name and that they often emailed one another. My friend offered to forward an email to Mr. Boyer. Finally I had found a way to communicate with Mr. Boyer. I wrote a polite letter with my email address and gave it to my friend to forward. I did not know what to expect but I was hoping for the best.
I may never forget the first message Mr. Boyer sent to my friend. It reads that Mr. Boyer does not believe I am a descendant of Soapy Smith. And why does he believe this? Mr. Boyer claims Soapy and his wife never had any children!
It's no joke. The man believes my family is lost as far as genealogy goes. Further more he refuses to talk to me unless I can prove my heritage. Understand that we are talking about a well known old west historian and author here. He wrote about Soapy Smith so one would figure that he must have researched a little on Soapy. I do not recall this claim of "no children" from any other source.
Although our family has plenty of proof in the way of original letters, documents and birth records Mr. Boyer is obviously not worth talking to. It may be surmised that he guessed what questions I was prepared to ask him, namely where he obtained his information. It may be safe to assume he had made up the accounts in his book and went on the defensive with me in order to keep from being exposed for yet another fraud.
Jeff Smith


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Makes about 40
Chiara Bistro owner Steve LaCount likes the versatility of these pork meatballs. "You can change the herbs and spices and have a totally different version," says the Westwood chef.
|tablespoon canola oil
|medium red onion, chopped
|cup light brown sugar
|cup apple cider vinegar
|cups apple cider
1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes or until it softens.
2. Stir in the sugar and when it dissolves, stir in the vinegar and apple cider. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by about half.
3. Place a sieve over a bowl. Strain the mixture, pressing down on the onions to release the juices. You should have about 1¼ cups glaze.
|Oil (for the pans)
|tablespoon canola oil
|small onion, finely chopped
|clove garlic, finely chopped
|cup panko breadcrumbs
|cup regular or low-fat milk
|pounds ground pork
|eggs, lightly beaten
|tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
|tablespoon chopped fresh sage
|Salt and pepper, to taste
1. Set the oven at 400 degrees. Lightly oil 2 large rimmed baking sheets.
2. In a small skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until they soften. Remove from the heat; cool.
3. In a bowl, mix the panko and milk. Let them sit for at least 5 minutes to soften the crumbs. With a fork, mix in the pork, eggs, rosemary, sage, onion mixture, salt, and pepper until thoroughly blended.
4. With wet hands, shape the mixture into 1½-to 1¾-inch balls. Place on the baking sheets.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through and golden.
6. Working in batches, add meatballs to the bowl of glaze and toss gently to coat them all over. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a serving dish. Sprinkle extra glaze on top. Serve with toothpicks.
Adapted from Chiara Bistro


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LXer Weekly Roundup for 19-Sept-2010
TinyCore Linux 3.0: Graphical Linux distribution under 11 Megabyte: If you thought Damn Small Linux or Puppy Linux is small, hold your breath. Tiny Core Linux is a minimalistic GNU/Linux distribution based on Linux kernel 2.6, it comes with graphical environment and provides facility to download and install applications from the Internet and it fits into 10MB of ISO file.
Here is the New Open Source: A recent column in The H Open posed a question: 'The "best open source software for business" list contains almost exclusively well-known contributors. Is there no more new open source?' It's an important issue, because it picks up on a persistent line of criticism that goes all the way back to the famous 1998 Halloween Document, an internal Microsoft strategy report that offered perhaps the first deep glimpse into the company's thinking about open source..
Court Upholds End-User License Agreements: The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently ruled that End-User License Agreements (EULAs) are absolutely binding, thereby making resale, redistribution, modifications and any other terms forbidden within the agreement illegal.
Why is Linux Email Stuck in the 90s?: Email, love it or loathe it, there's no getting away from it. On an average day I process hundreds of emails, but haven't yet found an open source mail user agent (MUA) that I really like. Ten years ago this wasn't surprising, but today? Why aren't open source mailers keeping up with the rest of the Linux desktop, and being blown away by Gmail?
The Bully In The Linux Schoolyard: There are plenty of people who have offered explanations for why Linux thrives anonymously on servers and as Android on smartphones but lags behind on the desktop. Though reasons abound, at least one significant one is a self-inflicted wound: the Terminal Bully.
First impressions of Linux Mint Debian — I'm more than a little intrigued: Linux Mint, long known as a multimedia-ready spin on Ubuntu, has gone deeper and released a Mint distro based not on Ubuntu but on Debian Testing, and my first impressions running the system from the live DVD is that this is a game-changer in the Linux world.
Novell Sale: VMware Among the Bidders?: It sounds like Novell is nearing a deal to sell itself. Newspaper and wire report rumors suggest VMware is bidding to buy Novell's SUSE Linux business, with another buyer to potentially acquire Novell's other businesses. Here's the speculation plus insights from The VAR Guy.
Red Hat in the market for Novell?: Red Hat, Inc. was named by the Wall Street Journal yesterday to be one of the potential purchasers of Novell, which the New York Post announced would sell itself in two parts; Linux will go to a strategic buyer and the remainder will be sold to private equity, Jefferies reports. The other companies mentioned were VMware, Oracle, and EMC.
Linux Applications With Peculiar Names: I'm sure most of us were put before in the situation of discovering a new great application, but had to stop and try to figure out how to actually read and spell its name letter by letter.
Linux and Too Many Choices: A perennial whinge is "Linux and FOSS have too many choices! It's confusing and scary!" So what's the answer, a single global dictator?
Microsoft says patent-infringing Android isn't really free: Google's open source Android operating system is not as free as it seems, Microsoft argues, because it infringes a number of patents. When asked whether open source models created problems for vendors with licensed software, the software giant went on the offensive. "It does infringe on a bunch of patents, and there's a cost associated with that," Tivanka Ellawala, Microsoft financial officer told MarketWatch. "So there's a... cost associated with Android that doesn't make it free."
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Do you remember?
Recreating Beatles History.
The Times-Picayune will be delivered five days a week, at least from September to after the Superbowl.
Errol Laborde holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of New Orleans and is the editor-in-chief of Renaissance Publishing. In that capacity he serves as editor/associate publisher of New Orleans Magazine and editor/publisher of Louisiana Life magazine.
Errol is also a producer and a regular panelist on Informed Sources, a weekly news discussion program broadcast on public television station WYES-TV, Channel 12. Errol is a three-time winner of the Alex Waller Award, the highest award given in print journalism by the Press Club of New Orleans. He also received the National and City Regional Magazine Association Award for Best Column for his New Orleans Magazine column, beating out 76 city magazines across the country. In 2013, Errol received the award for the "Best News Affiliated Blog," awarded by the Press Club of New Orleans.
Errol's most recent books are Krewe: The Early Carnival from Comus to Zulu and Marched the Day God: A History of the Rex Organization. In his free time he enjoys playing tennis and traveling with his wife, Peggy, to anywhere they can get away to, but some of his favorite spots are the Caribbean and historic locations around Louisiana. You can reach Errol at (504) 830-7235 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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|View Poll Results: Spice and Wolf II - Episode 12 Rating
|Perfect 10
|9 out of 10 : Excellent
|8 out of 10 : Very Good
|7 out of 10 : Good
|6 out of 10 : Average
|5 out of 10 : Below Average
|4 out of 10 : Poor
|3 out of 10 : Bad
|2 out of 10 : Very Bad
|1 out of 10 : Painful
|Voters: 162. You may not vote on this poll
|Thread Tools
|2009-09-26, 12:57
|Link #61
Komrades of Kitamura Kou
Join Date: Jul 2004
Age: 33
|2009-09-26, 13:17
|Link #62
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
But yeah, he didn't have much trouble with Abe at first until he worked out all his frustration and nearly choked her.. then he turned into lame-o Lawrence again and got lucky that Abe felt as sorry for him as he felt for her.
|2009-09-26, 15:01
|Link #63
I disagree with you all.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Abe got lucky too. I don't think Horo would have been willing to let it go if she'd killed him. And if she'd left him with nothing, well, who knows what he'd have done? Or Horo?
As it is, everyone gets what he or she wants. Abe gets the money to buy the furs. Lawrence gets out of that mess without losing Horo and without giving the Church a reason to go after him. He may not have gained anything, but he hasn't lost anything either.
|2009-09-26, 15:13
|Link #65
I disagree with you all.
Join Date: Dec 2005
The money was what he got by borrowing using Horo as a collateral. The inn wasn't his to start with. And he got Horo back. So he's pretty much back where he started.
You could say he missed out on a big opportunity to have a shop and good amount of capital to stock it... But what he really lost is the opportunity to get killed by the local Church - assuming they come out on top after the rebellion. I mean, after messing with their scheme, he'd be opening a shop right in their center of power. He'd die.
And if they lost - well, the rest of the Church couldn't let it go, so they'd come and take the city back. A full scale invasion wouldn't make it a great place to do business in.
|2009-09-26, 15:26
|Link #66
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
I also think that Lawrence got off easy this time, and Horo is really going too far by forcing an injured Lawrence to track Abe down. I wonder though.. was the inn really all he had to trade to get Horo back, or was he hiding the extent to which he really had to pay? I'm guessing the former, but knowing Lawrence he'd probably trade everything he made in Kumerson (or more) to get Horo back.
|2009-09-26, 20:14
|Link #68
an idler
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Suzuka
A rumor is not heard yet. Realization of a third season will be dependent on the sales of DVD/Blu-ray.
But if a third season doesn't start within half a year, and Lawrence whose face is injured suddenly appears, I will feel it strange. They may put a flashback on the beginning.
My speculation is like this.
If they release novel Vol.4 by OVA, a third season may be after one year or more.
The release of DVD/Blu-ray of a second season continues till January, 2010.
If they release one episode by OVA every month, time will be required for it till July, 2010.
Even if it assumes that they release two episode by OVA every month, time is required for it till April, 2010.
After all, if there is no OVA, the April, 2010 start for a third season will be the fastest.
If OVA exists, a third season will be started in July, 2010 or October, 2010.
Last edited by Kaguya; 2009-09-26 at 20:45.
|2009-09-26, 21:05
|Link #69
I'm on a boat!!!
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: California
finally finished.. hmm actually i wasn't that thrilled with this last episode. Im not sure if Mazui's translation was off or what but there was quite a bit that was kinda confusing. The gist of its pretty clear. People were saying it was good because lawrence realized what he really wanted, but honestly that happened last episode. The scene with the green house and the nun was his real revelation where he realized what he really wanted. This episode just had him SAY it.
The other thing is this kiss everyones talking about. As someone pointed out, it wasn't a kiss. At least not a human one. They rubbed noses, so i guess in wolf language thats a kiss, but there was certainly no passionate human kiss or anything. Horos tail when he walked in defiantly was awesome though.
the major conversation that i found horribly confusing was the one near the beginning when they head to the dock. I'll have to wait for frostiis subs to see if mazui was just way off or something but as it stands im very confused what the meaning of it was. Hopefully someone can clarify this for me heres the transcription
L: if the deal goes well and i become a successful merchant, you'll congratulate me then bid me farewell. And if the deal goes bad, you wouldn't stand being sold, so you'd transform into a wolf and abandon your useless companion so you could return home.
In other words, the only way i can continue traveling with you is to throw away this chance. Im sure your going to tell me, "Dont throw it all away--
H: "--just to gamble on a single thread of hope"
L:"Thats why i didn't want to say"
H:is that what you really think?
L: yes
H: that id be happy with that?
*Horo slaps lawrence starts trembling*
H: I wont say im happy. But i definitely wont say im sorry
L: With this, our chances of traveling together any farther have completely vanished. This is what you wished for, right?
*Horo looks very hurt/sad opens mouth to say something*
H: I will remember you as a c alculating, cool-headed merchant
L: shall we go?
*they get to the place they will sell her for colateral horo is crying*
H: if there is an all powerfull god like they say, why does he let us suffer so much?
ok.. now to me the conversation at the start seems to be him pointing out that any way the deal goes he will lose horo, so he really would rather just not go through with the deal. He wants to throw it all away to still travel with her. i THINK thats what he means by throw it all away to gamble on a string of hope. Is that right?
the part that confuses the hell outa me is when she gets pissed and slaps him and basically says its not what she wants. His reply confuse me, he basically says that he will go with the deal and they will soon say goodbye, which is in direct conflict with what he was saying near the start (unless i misunderstood it) Did her slap change his mind? what was she really thinking? this scene seriously confused me, i dont get the intent at all
what am i missing here? Maybe some of you understood that better than i did, or the frostii translation may clear it up a bit
anyway, overall i wasn't all that pleased with the episode, Eve's position was conviluded and not that clear to me. Was she planning on betraying Lawrence the whole time? If not whyd she sudenly chose to do so then? I dont understand what the hell she meant when she wispered "im hoping' to lawrence at the end. Could it have been more vague? Hoping for what? great fortunes? hoping to find what she wants when she gets that fortune? what? Her dialog before she turns the tables is confusing too. She mentions that after watching that aristocrat that bought her she started to wonder what the point of making money was. While she ruminates over having to just keep making more and more money, and what sad people they are theres scenes of the innkeeper. Why? whats she talking about? If she saw how foolish that path was WHY THE HELL IS SHE FOLLOWING IT!!! I cant understand it and it cripples her character. She started to be quite interesting to me, but really fell apart this episode in my opinion. Did anyone understand this? Maybe the novels explain it better because it makes no sense to me as it stands now. Oh, lol at the guy who comented on the scene with her mounting him. I grinned at that too ;P
Another thing, what the hell happend to the old man? No one mentinoed that. Did Eve kill him? did he go with her?
and a less important question. Why was Lawrence staring at his cart. It looked odd, was it stripped down? Did Eve do that, or was it just robbed? or was that not even his cart? lol. That ones not very important but i jsut found it strange.
I DID like the scene near the end with Horo though, and that really saves the episode/season in my eyes. Lawrence finally voiced what was important to him after realizing it last episode; Horo and his journey with her is his real dream now. The line from episode 11 was great "i believe its very fortunate if you're able to pursue modest dreams" I really enjoyed his confession of love to her at the end here and her subdued stuned reaction followed by the tears were great.
I'm glad there are a few other people here like bash that agree lawrence really came into his own here. Theres a lot of haters out there who complain about him but honestly Horos the one that was being dense and childish here. Lawrence pretty much layed it all bare, and yet shes the one dragging her feet and still refusing to really reciprocate. Shes the one still playing games
the very end with them walking to the docks has me wondering though.. were they just heading out to continue their journey, or were they actually going there to find Eve? If they were just leaving id think it would end with them getting the cart and leaving.
episode rating 7/10, overall season 2 rating 9/10
*phew* long post but this was a really great series. Most of the stuff ive been watching since i got back into anime recently after a long hiatus has been kinda the same garbage that made me abandon it in the first place several years back. This show was a nice breath of fresh air and i really hope for a season 3. Unfortunatly though it seems to me the way they ended this seems kinda like a 'off int he sunset' thing you see a lot of people wrap stuff up on. Im not holding my breath for a season 3 but id really hope for one. Im definatly going to start reading the novel translations now
|2009-09-26, 21:43
|Link #70
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
I think that whole scene was just him pointing out to her that she's put him in a position he doesn't want to be in, and giving her one last chance. He honestly thinks she doesn't really want him to do it, and it takes a pretty hard slap in the face to convince him to do it. He seems very upset that she's willing to go this far to reject him, when she obviously doesn't want to. So he goes along with it, possibly to give her time to think about how stupidly she's acting.
It makes their next scene much more memorable, because in the end she's pissed off not because he's in love with her, but because he DEFIED her so openly and daringly. He's willing to openly take the plunge and declare that he loves her. Even if she never reciprocates. What he declares is almost purely unconditional love, in fact, he just wants to be with her until they get to Yoitsu. When she realizes that there is nothing she can do to convince him otherwise, she breaks down and cries (I liked the attention to detail there, when she was shaking out of what I presume was a mixture of rage and utter terror at his kindness).
What remains to be seen is what Horo is REALLY afraid of. She clearly isn't afraid of his love, or any of her other lame excuses (like being worried that their relationship will become "less fun"). She's clearly scared of some hidden consequence of their love, but she's so cowardly or proud (or both) she can't even tell him that much. Thankfully, he's now in a position to stand up to her and eventually crack the case, because it seems she'll never tell him on her own. Hopefully that will be the least we get out of season 3
Edit: Another interesting thing is that she mentioned TWICE that she expected him to "take responsibility for what happens from now on". This is one of the signs I'm using to guess that she's worried about the consequences of them falling in love. Is she a praying mantis or black widow or something?
Last edited by BashZeStampeedo; 2009-09-26 at 21:55.
|2009-09-27, 10:09
|Link #71
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: .nl
She's thinking that she may as well end it now, with nothing but happy memories between them, while she has the opportunity to help Lawrence realize his dream. She may also have been insecure about Lawrence's feelings at the time, since he said that it may be better if she finds her own way once they get to that town. (I still don't understand why he said this, it's part of the "means to an end" convoluted set-up of some of the dialogue.)
This is exactly the responsibility she's laying on Lawrence now: she's in effect "passing the buck" on her immortality and telling him that, even if I stand at your grave, it was a choice you will have made.
|2009-09-27, 11:26
|Link #72
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
The way she asks him if he will take responsibility implies that there is something he doesn't know yet (also note her reaction when he tells her he loves her is to angrily ask "What do you know about me?"). The fact that she then reiterates that he's going to take responsibility from now on shows how important it is to her that he understands this. To me it felt like she wanted to make sure that:
- he realized that he'd probably gotten himself into a lose-lose situation.
- he was *truly* willing to do this, and not just acting out of momentary passion he would later regret.
Of course I agree that she's also crushed that he's put her into such a "troublesome" situation, but the fact is that he just gave her a free pass. She can use him as an emotional crutch to deal with her problems, if she chooses to. He isn't even asking for reciprocation, he's merely "hoping for it". I don't think that fact escaped her.
|2009-09-27, 21:26
|Link #73
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: United Kingdom
Glad someone else noticed this
About Mazui's group names there, I didn't see anything wrong with it personally, they're by no means distracting at all from the actual scenes. I saw two in total the first time watching but it didn't bother me really.
Glad they used Tabi No Tochuu at the end there, I love that song and it was such a fitting end to the season.
Overall I give season two a 9.5/10.
|2009-09-27, 23:24
|Link #74
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Canada
Last edited by Attoney; 2009-09-27 at 23:29. Reason: Found a mistake
|2009-09-27, 23:39
|Link #75
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
However, you might be onto something when you mention her pack. It's possible she doesn't know how her pack could accept her falling in love with a mortal. But who knows, at this point he's going to have to keep pressuring her into telling him what the fuss is about.
|2009-09-27, 23:55
|Link #76
Pedites Extraordinarii
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Maryland
Now that I've finished S&W2, I feel dazed and confused...
Since the 3rd season won't be along till at least next year, can anyone recommend me a similar series to watch?
I've just finished watching Bakemono...similar but not the same.
|2009-09-28, 00:20
|Link #77
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Canada
Also, since there is a rebellion happening in the town, they will want to get out the as soon as possible. Resting in an area where people are fighting, and destorying stuff isn't a good idea. Futhermore, things will get messy and complicated once the church brings an armed force to quell the rebellion. And since Abe double crossed them and injured Lawerence in the process, Horo with all her pride, would probably want to hunt Abe and smash her head through multiple brick walls.
|2009-09-28, 10:06
|Link #78
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
Besides, Lawrence himself confirmed that he would have been willing to part with her if it really was on good terms: "This isn't an endless journey. When the time comes for us to part, a *smiling* farewell is all I'll ask for". She couldn't have made it any more obvious that she was miserable, and she knew he was as well.
I still think this was just her being selfishly desperate. I think her last statement may have been honest; that she is worried about completely falling in love with HIM (not the other way around). She could run off without warning anytime she wants, she's already earned her keep several times over. Clearly she still wants him around, or she could have left long ago. This was a ploy to try to make HIM the one responsible for leaving HER. Why? I don't know.. pride?
As for chasing down Abe, that seemed to be "Action Horo" reasserting herself. To hell with what he wants, to hell with the fact that he's clearly injured -- our pride is at stake! Time to kick ass and chew bubblegum, etc etc. Horo at her finest.
As an aside, I honestly can't wait for her to use the whole "don't you love me anymore?" excuse to get what she wants now He may have won the battle, but he probably just lost the war.
|2009-09-28, 11:55
|Link #79
ショ ン (^^)
IT Support
Interesting end it ended pretty much how i expected it too. The risk was just too great and Lawrence is lucky he just ended up back at square one it could have been much worse. Abe is playing a dangerous game and depending on the outcome of the rebellion i guess will determine her fate. Horo sure did use Lawrence as punching bag this time around she even kicked him lol at least she helped him get back up. But he was able to say those 3 words and as Horo said he was able to fight her foolishness to the bitter end.
I guess we all go into waiting mode now for S3.
|2009-09-28, 13:46
|Link #80
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Germany
Age: 29
wow only good things happened this episode^^
2) Lawrence ruled and kicked abe´s ass, he is just 2 kind so he had 2 feel some kicks and punches^^
3) i think there definately will be a 3rd season after watching the end (so i think i am not as depressed as i thought i would be)
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In the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R, on the way to VW's test facility near Arjeplog. Click image to enlarge
Article and photos by Paul Williams
Photo Gallery:
2012 Volkswagen Golf R
Arjeplog, Sweden – From Canada it takes considerable planning and about 24 hours to get to Arjeplog, Sweden, situated 50 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle. First you travel to Stockholm, and then take another flight to Arvidsjaur followed by a two-hour bus ride. Many visitors stay at the Silverhatten hotel with its panoramic view of the lakes, surrounding hills and the town with its signature church steeple.
There are 2,000 permanent residents in Arjeplog, which is larger than you might expect for a community this far north. At night, the northern lights are a common sight, and local fauna include bear, reindeer, moose, trout and salmon, although in my experience, evidence of these creatures was limited to gourmet versions prepared by local chefs for dinner.
What has all this to do with cars? Arjeplog is a cold weather testing and winter driver training location for just about every major automaker in the world, and many automotive engineers and technical staff live there year-round. Each company has "their" lake, upon whose frozen surface all manner of automotive shenanigans take place for a good third of the year. Additionally, there are many private driving schools.
Northern Lights over Arjeplog; photo by Roman Bilz. Click image to enlarge
Residents regularly see camouflaged versions of upcoming vehicles stealthily driven along local roads, although unlike journalists, they likely don't pay much attention to them. At a recent Volkswagen press event, we saw the new Kia K9 and the new BMW X5, although Fiat, Ferrari, Audi, Porsche, General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Land Rover and a range of other companies had signage in the area, and also bring pre-production examples of their latest vehicles.
Photographing these vehicles is a challenge, as they wear black and white camouflage that fools cameras (they can't focus), and car companies do their best to keep them out of sight unless absolutely necessary. However, we were told by a practical-minded VW engineer that the best time and place to see them is early in the morning at one of the town's gas stations: makes sense.
The reason for our visit was to get a taste of the "Schweden Ice Drive," a Volkswagen Driving Experience program that comprises several events held throughout the world. What's the draw? Getting to drive an all-wheel drive Volkswagen Golf R sideways at very high speed is a good start.
Arjeplog Church, at night; photo by MAF. Click image to enlarge
The Golf R in European specification has a couple of additional features compared with the Canadian version (which we're finally getting), due this April. The Euro R runs the 270 horsepower engine, has an electronically adjustable suspension, is fitted with hardshell racing seats (that accept a four-point harness) and can (almost) fully defeat its electronic stability control system, enabling the Haldex all-wheel drive system (Volkswagen's "4Motion") to really earn its keep.
And in comparison to the American Golf R, our Canadian car is equipped with a full leather interior, navigation system, sunroof and sundry other creature comforts, rendering it pretty much "option proof." Total cost, plus tax and fees, is $39,650.
The Arjeplog facilities are much like other winter driving centres, only bigger. Basically, Volkswagen has carved long, twisting tracks in the surface of a frozen lake with a view to teaching Driving Experience participants how to drift through the corners, get maximum acceleration on the straights, and respond to the icy terrain in a way that gets maximum performance from the car.


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Breast Health
Mammography Pluses Top Any Harms
For older women, the benefits of getting a mammogram every two years outweigh potential harms, researchers say.
A new study found that for every 1,000 women ages 50 to 69 who were screened every two years, an estimated seven to nine lives were saved.
"Breast screening in this age group confers a large reduction in risk of dying of breast cancer," says study leader Stephen Duffy, a professor at Queen Mary University of London.
Continuing debate
Questions about when to start and how often to get mammography screenings are topics of ongoing discussion. In 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) ignited a firestorm of criticism when it recommended against routine screening for women 40 to 49. Instead, it suggested that women discuss screenings with their doctor and decide on an individual basis.
Currently, the task force advises women ages 50 to 74 to have a mammogram every two years, which agrees with the new study, published in the Journal of Medical Screening.
Other U.S.-based organizations, including the American Cancer Society, continue to recommend that women begin routine annual mammography screening at age 40.
Overdiagnosed cancers
Besides the lives saved, Duffy's team also looked at the downsides of screening. For every 1,000 women, they found that four were overdiagnosed. Overdiagnosed cancers are those found during screening that would never have given rise to symptoms during a woman's lifetime and would not have been found without the mammogram.
The estimates about overdiagnosis can vary widely, says Virginia Moyer, M.D., chair of the USPSTF, because the data gathered by the European researchers are from observational rather than experimental studies.
About 230,000 women in the U.S. were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011.
Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.
Online Resources
(Our Organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.)
American Cancer Society - Breast Cancer
National Cancer Institute - Mammograms
National Women's Health Information Center - Screening and Diagnosis
November 2012
What to Expect at Your Mammogram
A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. It can find changes in the breast when a lump is too small for you or your doctor to feel. Some women put off getting a mammogram because they think it will be painful, harmful, or costly. But this screening is safe, quick, and effective. And it could save your life.
The benefits and limitations of mammography depend on factors like age and personal risk. Experts have different recommendations for mammography. Talk with your doctor about any risk factors you have before making a decision about when to start getting mammograms or how often you should get them.
How does the screening work?
Ask the technician or nurse to explain what will happen before you have your mammogram. In order to get a clear X-ray picture, each breast is pressed between two plates. Two different X-rays will be done.
You will feel some pressure and perhaps some discomfort during the mammogram, but it takes less than one minute to take each picture. If you are still having periods, schedule your mammogram a few days after your period ends. Your breasts are less sensitive at this time.
What happens if they find a lump?
If a mammogram shows a lump or other breast change, you will need more tests to find out if it is cancer. Like most tests, mammograms are not perfect. In some cases, the mammogram may find something that's not cancer. But, mammograms can find cancer at an early stage, when the cancer is small and has not spread, and when treatment is more effective.
Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.


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US Government Shutdown Hits Free Trade Pact Talks With EU
Negotiations for a major free-trade agreement between the European Union and the U.S. have been postponed after Washington expressed its inability to continue them because of the partial government shutdown. Officials from EU member-states and the U.S. were scheduled to meet in Brussels next week to discuss the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP, which upon its successful conclusion would be the world's largest free-trade pact.
However, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman informed EU officials Friday that the federal government shutdown has made it impossible to send a negotiating team to Brussels as scheduled, BBC News reported. Froman said deal talks can continue after the shutdown ends, albeit with an alternate schedule.
The partial government shutdown that began Tuesday has led to a severe staff crunch, as more than 800,000 government employees are temporarily out of work and out of pay. The government was forced to call a halt to all so-called nonessential operations after Congress failed to OK federal spending on either short-term or long-term bases.
Reacting to the U.S. announcement about the negotiations, European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said in a statement that the delay was unfortunate, but the talks would continue once the deadlock ended. "But let me underline that it in no way distracts us from our overall aim of achieving an ambitious trade and investment deal," he said.
The U.S. and the EU trade representatives were set to meet for the second time to negotiate the provisions of an agreement that is expected to boost bilateral trade and possibly improve employment opportunities in both the U.S. and Europe.
The first round of negotiations on the deal was announced by U.S. President Barack Obama at the Group of 8 Summit in June. The pact could eliminate all trade tariffs, while bolstering investments and market access between the U.S. and EU member-states, which would be covered by the proposed treaty.
Obama was also forced to cancel his trip to Southeast Asian countries this week due to the government shutdown. He was set to visit Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines during a weeklong tour to boost economic and defense ties, and to participate in two economic summits in the region.


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The federal government has agreed to pay $354 million to New York City to help it launch an ambitious plan to reduce traffic by charging tolls for driving into the busiest parts of Manhattan.
WASHINGTON -- The federal government has agreed to pay $354 million to New York City to help it launch an ambitious plan to reduce traffic by charging tolls for driving into the busiest parts of Manhattan.
New York's effort, called congestion pricing, would be the first such toll program in the U.S., although similar programs already exist in London and Singapore.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has touted the toll plan to reduce gridlock and pollution, but federal support was jeopardized by weeks of haggling among New York state leaders, who finally struck a compromise agreement on congestion pricing.
The U.S. Department of Transportation planned to announce other cities receiving funds later Tuesday. They had been considering which five out of nine cities would receive a major infusion of cash for local traffic reduction plans.
Also competing for federal aid was Minneapolis, where divers are still trying to find the remains of four missing motorists after a catastrophic bridge collapse. Nine people are already confirmed dead in the Aug. 1 collapse.
The other cities seeking funding were Atlanta, Denver, San Francisco, San Diego, Miami, Seattle and Chicago.
DOT Secretary Mary Peters said the New York money is contingent on the state Legislature approving congestion pricing within 90 days after it reconvenes.
"I share the mayor's confidence that the support will be there," said Peters. "Drivers are paying today in time delays and unreliability."
Bloomberg's plan would charge cars $8 and trucks $21 to enter Manhattan south of 86th Street on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
New York opponents of congestion pricing argue that it won't affect driver behavior enough to improve air quality or overall traffic patterns. They also say it amounts to a tax on middle-class New Yorkers who live outside Manhattan.
The federal decision does not guarantee funding, and it is still unclear whether the deal struck weeks ago by New York state leaders will hold.Under that agreement, a commission will be formed to examine the overall concept of reducing traffic. After hearings and reviews, the group is to make a recommendation by the end of January.
On the Net:
Dept of Transportation: http://www.dot.gov/
Source: Associated Press
Contact Info:


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By Avi Salzman
Pershing Square Capital's Bill Ackman touted a familiar stock at the Value Investing Congress in New York on Monday.
General Growth Properties (GGP), the stock he discussed, has been in Pershing Square's portfolio for at last four years. He called it "one of the best businesses in the world, a regional mall business," touting its stable cash flow and high barriers to entry.
But his case has to do with more than just the company's basic attributes. Ackman has a long, complicated history with the mall owner. He recently urged GGP's board to put the company up for sale by auction to avoid a takeover by Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) that he says won't value the company at a high enough price.
"We usually don't push for sales of companies," he said at the conference. "The problem is Brookfield is working very hard to get control of the company without paying a premium…If we don't do a transaction the shareholders will forever lose the possibility to earn a premium."
Brookfield has said it isn't trying to take the company over.
Ackman thinks the best path for GGP is to merge with Simon Property Group (SPG), which has had success at consolidating properties in the past. "They're a better operator, they're a lower-cost operator." GGP should be worth $24 per share in a deal (it now trades at about $19), he argues.
"Simon's stock will rise on the transaction," Ackman predicted. By the end of the year, GGP shareholders would be holding stock of the merged company worth $29 per share, about 50% upside.
GGP shares rose 1.7% during the presentation.
In response to a question about JC Penney (JCP), another Ackman holding, he said "we like JC Penney. it's the General Growth of the retail industry. There's enormous skepticism. The CEO is doing the right thing on a 5 or 10 year basis for the company."
JCP has 20% less real estate than GGP and yet is trading at one-sixth the price of GGP, he noted.
In the past, "there was no reason to go to this mall unless you wanted to buy something cheap."
"What is Ron Johnson doing? He's building a mall within a mall…leasing up the mall with higher-quality tenants."
The problem is that the parts of the store that aren't part of the new model are lagging.
"The [new] shops kind of make the rest of the shop look bad."
Ackman's average cost for the stock was $25, he said. It's a good investment "If you can think more than three months ahead. And the sales comps, he joked, will be a lot easier to hurdle next year.
"The bad news is we lost 20% of the customers in the first half of the year. The good news is we kept 80%."


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We still have a lot of show news to cover, so refill the coffee cup and take a look at these details. Sunday, at day two of the Fort Bend KC in Rosenberg TC, Judge Robert Shreve, chose the Weimaraner, CH Harline Win'Weim It's My 2nd Martini, from a final seven that included the Saluki, Issibaa's Goinforthegold, the Mastiff, CH Quietwood Chances R, the Lakeland Terrier, Hi-Kel Terrydale Soldier Of Fortune, the Miniature Pinscher, Windwalkers Call In The Clowns, the Cinese Shar-Pei, CH Chaoyang's Chick Magnet At Asia, and the previous day's BIS winner, the Old English Sheepdog, CH Bugaboo's Georgie Girl.
On day two of the Greenville MS KC, Judge Joe Gregory, also chose a Sporting Dog, the ASCOB Cocker Spaniel, CH Lydgate's Rise 'N' Shine, as his BIS. Also vying for the top prize were the Irish Wolfhound, CH Highgates Andrew Of The Ridge, the Bernese Mountain Dog, CH Adesas And The Beat Goes On, the Miniature Bull Terrier, CH Diers Gabrielle Of Brownstone, the Pomeranian, CH Velocitys Shake Ur Bon Bon, the Boston Terrier, CH Gumbo-Keans Cosmic Stargazer, and the Puli, CH Cordmaker Field Of Dreams.
CH Cileine Masquerade
CH Sanherpinc Paisa
For warm weather fans, there was the Ventura County KC show Sunday in southern California, where Judge Anella Cooper gave the Welsh Terrier, CH Sanherpinc Paisa, her first BIS. Also on had were the English Setter, CH Artizoe High Caliber, the Afghan Hound, CH Thaon's Mowgli, the Samoyed, CH Rossia's Texas Rocket O'Cedar Ridge, the Havanese, CH Bellatak My Funny Valentine, the Players Protocol, and the Australian Shepherd, CH Mill Creek's Medal Of Honor.
Check back with us later today for reports from Maryland and Oregon.


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The Boulder County Coroner on Friday ruled that the Sept. 6 fatal shooting of an 18-year-old Longmont woman that police believe was a prank gone wrong is a homicide.
Premila Lal died at Longmont United Hospital on Sept. 6 after she was shot in the chest at one of her family's homes.
According to police, Premila Lal and her 12-year-old cousin sneaked into a family home on the 2500 block of Cambridge Drive to scare Nerrek Galley and Lal's 15-year-old brother. Galley and the teen were in the home to secure it after the Lal family moved into another family home in Niwot.
When Galley and Lal's brother heard noises in the home, police reported, Galley armed himself and provided a gun to Lal's brother while they searched.
Lal's father, Praveen Lal, told the Times-Call in September that Galley fired when Premila Lal jumped out of a closet to scare him.
Galley, Lal's brother and cousin took her to Longmont United Hospital, where she died about an hour after she arrived, police reported.
The Boulder County Coroner's Office investigated the death and determined that the cause was a gunshot wound to the chest and the manner was a homicide. Coroner investigators have five choices on manner, including homicide, suicide, accidental, natural or undetermined.
Boulder District Attorney's Office prosecutors filed a felony count of providing or permitting a juvenile to possess a handgun, misdemeanor reckless endangerment, and misdemeanor child abuse charges against Galley. He is due in Boulder County Court on Jan. 17 for arraignment.
Pierrette J. Shields can be reached at 303-684-5273 or at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Jackie Wilson threw a 6-yard pass to Jordan Murphy in the fourth quarter for the only touchdown and Bethune-Cookman beat Tennessee State 12-9 on Sunday.
Kicker Jamin Godfrey had already scored all of Tennessee State's points in the game. With one second left on the clock, the Tigers needed Godfrey to boot one more field goal to send the game to overtime.
But the senior's kick was wide right on a 49-yard attempt and Bethune-Cookman hung on for a 12-9 victory in a defensive battle Sunday night in the John Merritt Classic at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn.
"I'm proud of this football team and this coaching staff,'' B-CU coach Brian Jenkins said. "To fight a juggernaut like Tennessee State and come out with a victory is tremendous for us.''
Tight end Jordan Murphy caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Jackie Wilson with 5:01 left to put the Wildcats up 12-9. It was the only touchdown of the game. Antonio Harper blocked B-CU's extra-point attempt.
Freshman quarterback Ronald Butler kept TSU's final drive alive with a 25-yard pass to Lavatiae Kelly to the B-CU 35 on third and 24. The Wildcats thought Butler fumbled on the next play, but he was ruled down with about five seconds left.
The Wildcats (1-0) alternated Brock Waters and Wilson at quarterback throughout the game. Quentin Williams, who started the last eight games for B-CU last season, did not play Sunday night.
TSU (0-1) ate up 11:26 of the third quarter with an 18-play, 86-yard drive that ended with Godfrey's 26-yard field goal, his third of the game, to give the Tigers a 9-6 lead.
The defense dominated the first half as each team could manage just two field goals. B-CU's new kicker/punter, Jonathan Cagle, booted field goals of 21 and 30 yards on consecutive drives in the first quarter to give the Wildcats a 6-0 lead.
But Tennessee State's Harold Watson blocked a Cagle punt early in the second quarter, giving the ball to the Tigers at the B-CU 7-yard line. The Wildcats' defense kept the Tigers out of the end zone, forcing TSU to settle for Godfrey's 21-yard field goal.
Godfrey added a 44-yard field goal with 1:48 left in the second quarter to tie the score at 6-6.
B-CU had 260 yards of offense, including 162 on the ground, and held TSU to 248 yards. B-CU's Isidore Jackson, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season, was held to 1 yard on three carries in the first half but finished the game with a team-high 56 yards rushing on 12 carries.
New Smyrna Beach's Telvin Hooks rushed for 47 yards on 13 carries for Tennessee State, while defensive end Marquaveus Jackson of Seabreeze had four tackles for the Tigers.
DeLand's De'Ante "Pop'' Saunders did not play for TSU. Saunders had an issue relating to his transfer from Florida, TSU coach Rod Reed said last week.
Wilson passed for 54 yards, while Waters passed for 44 yards, including a 33-yard pass to Preston Cleckley in the first half. Murphy led the receivers with three catches for 35 yards.
Eddie Poole caught three passes for 16 yards in the second half to increase his streak to 36 games with a catch. Poole has had at least one reception in every game he's played in at B-CU.
The Wildcats play Virginia Union at 4 p.m. Saturday in their home opener.


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-40°C to 18°C
150 to 250 mm of rain per year
Almost no trees due to short growing season and permafrost; lichens, mosses, grasses, sedges, shrubs
Regions south of the ice caps of the Arctic and extending across North America, Europe, and Siberia (high mountain tops)
Tundra comes from the Finnish word tunturia, meaning "treeless plain"; it is the coldest of the biomes
Example: Yakutsk, Russia
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
The tundra is the coldest of the biomes. It also receives low amounts of precipitation, making the tundra similar to a desert. Tundra is found in the regions just below the ice caps of the Arctic, extending across North America, to Europe, and Siberia in Asia. Much of Alaska and about half of Canada are in the tundra biome. Tundra is also found at the tops of very high mountains elsewhere in the world. Temperatures are frequently extremely cold, but can get warm in the summers.
Tundra winters are long, dark, and cold, with mean temperatures below 0°C for six to 10 months of the year. The temperatures are so cold that there is a layer of permanently frozen ground below the surface, called permafrost. This permafrost is a defining characteristic of the tundra biome. In the tundra summers, the top layer of soil thaws only a few inches down, providing a growing surface for the roots of vegetation.
Precipitation in the tundra totals 150 to 250 mm a year, including melted snow. That's less than most of the world's greatest deserts! Still, the tundra is usually a wet place because the low temperatures cause evaporation of water to be slow. Much of the arctic has rain and fog in the summers, and water gathers in bogs and ponds.
Vegetation in the tundra has adapted to the cold and the short growing season. Mosses, sedges, and lichens are common, while few trees grow in the tundra. The trees that do manage to grow stay close to the ground so they are insulated by snow during the cold winters.
- Links
- Tundra Biome
- Biome Descriptions (Thurston High School, Springfield, OR)
- Tundra Description (via UC Berkeley)
- Cladina stellaris picture


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Injecting molecules from a sea slug that received tail shocks into one that didn't made the recipient animal behave more cautiously.
Microbial Ice-Makers
April 26, 2016|
How one bacterium turns water into ice at nonfreezing temperatures
April 26, 2016|
How one bacterium turns water into ice at nonfreezing temperatures
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Housing laboratory mice with those reared in a pet store makes the lab rodents' immune systems more similar to those of people.
April 18, 2016|
The genomics pioneer shares the sessions she most looks forward to at this year's American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting.
April 11, 2016|
Researchers create a new tree of life, largely composed of mystery bacteria.
April 7, 2016|
The immune cells—known for clearing dead cells—also chew up live progenitors in neurogenic regions of mouse brains.
April 5, 2016|
Certain immune cells surrounding the organ appear to block viral entry.
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An open mind and collaborative spirit have taken Hans Clevers on a journey from medicine to developmental biology, gastroenterology, cancer, and stem cells.
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After surgery to remove a tumor, neutrophils recruited to the site spit out sticky webs of DNA that aid cancer recurrence.
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In recent years, research has demonstrated that microbes living in and on the mammalian body can affect cancer risk, as well as responses to cancer treatment.
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Understanding cancer's relationship with the human microbiome could transform immune-modulating therapies.


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Hello there, i'm intended to build a CouchDb ActiveRecord solution for Yii framework, since there is many people using it, and i haven't found anything like this, just DAL's , wrappers for sending REST transactions, but these libraries are built with CouchDb perspective and not with ActiveRecord perspective.
I'll be appreciate any help on this, will post in github my code soon.
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Couchdb Orm To build an Active Record of CouchDb for Yii
Posted 15 October 2012 - 10:32 PM
Posted 16 October 2012 - 08:19 PM
why not take a look at mongodb solution for yii mongodbExtension4yii
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Have We Lost the Art of Medicine?
Experienced Caregiver Shares 3 Tips for Injecting Humanity
into an Often Cold & Arbitrary Heath-Care System
As a well-traveled, well-educated couple who spent most of their lives in New York City, Philip and Ruth Barash had witnessed and experienced much as they approached their golden years. A savvy New York couple, they'd learned to anticipate challenges.
Philip was a U.S. Army veteran who'd served in the Korean War and later became an attorney; Ruth's education and experience includes philosophy, art, real estate, public relations and executive-level civic work. But one problem they didn't foresee was navigating their own country's health-care system. In the most prominent city of the wealthiest nation on the planet, how bad could it be?
"Philip's health problems began in 1988 and steadily continued until his death in 2012," says Barash, who shares her health-care experiences in a new book, "For Better or Worse: Lurching from Crisis to Crisis in America's Medical Morass," (http://forbetterorworsebook.com/).
"We were in and out of doctors' offices, hospitals and emergency rooms a lot, and I was shocked by the lack of compassion we frequently encountered, as well as the number of health-care professionals who simply are not good diagnosticians."
Barash's cautionary tale traces her husband's long death through a medical journey fraught with mismanagement and excess, useless interventions and a sometimes complete disregard for pain – even when there was no hope of healing.
"The art of intuitive, compassionate health care is dying as doctors rely more on technology and are guided through an arbitrary template established by insurance company policies," she says.
Barash discusses some of the lessons she has learned while navigating overcrowded and dingy emergency room lobbies, callous staff and tech-absorbed doctors.
• Have an advocate! Through the years of Philip's health problems, we encountered extreme kindness, thoughtfulness and high intelligence; we were also confronted with arrogance, indifference and self-serving staff during some of the worst moments. As hard as it was for both of us, we always knew we had each other. If and when you find yourself requiring medical assistance, avoid going it alone; it will be exponentially more difficult, and your chance for survival will exponentially decrease.
• Ask what benefits a proposed treatment will have. We all like to think we have good doctors, and that if we're hospitalized, we'll be competently cared for. We also like to think Santa will bring us nice presents if we've been good children. Realize that invasive and expensive tests are often not necessary; in fact, they often make things worse. Be as skeptical about a procedure proposed by a doctor as you would by any salesman.
• Don't get sick! While this may seem like a facetious bit of advice, since we all succumb to illness at some point – it's actually a sincere sentiment. Do not take your health for granted; do not think "they" will invent a quick fix between now and the time you find yourself in need of serious medical attention. Unnecessary health risks such as smoking; illegal drug use; excessive alcohol intake; and a diet filled with sugar, salt and fat will take you sooner rather than later to the hellish journey known as the U.S. health-care system.
About Ruth Fenner Barash
Ruth Fenner Barash studied philosophy at City College of New York and did graduate work at the University of Chicago. In 1958, she met and married Philip Barash, a private practice attorney. She went on to work in public relations and real estate, served education and civic organizations at the executive level, and taught art in various media. Her long marriage was a "harmonious adventure" despite the couple's treacherous journey through the health-care system. Her husband died in 2012.


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SPRINGFIELD -- Hundreds of state workers are helping as Illinois recovers from flooding.
Gov. Pat Quinn's office on Monday detailed work that eight state agencies are doing after last week's flooding. Among the efforts the governor says more than 240 Illinois Department of Transportation workers are delivering sandbags and other necessities.
The Illinois Department of Corrections has inmates helping with sandbagging. Authorities say more than 660 inmates have filled more than 80,000 sandbags since Friday.
The Illinois National Guard has sent a Blackhawk helicopter to survey flood control systems on the Des Plaines and Little Calumet rivers. And Department of Natural Resources workers have helped with evacuations, river rescues and missing person searches.


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Enough of the fumble controversy (for now) because the call will not be overturned or somehow repaired. The Miami Dolphins' 23-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers cannot be erased so no need to continue reliving it.
But what seemingly we continually relive with these Dolphins is the curious if not outright inexplicable play-calling on offense that leaves fans in a frenzy and state of frustration.
Sorry, Dr. Dan Henning, oh sherpa of all things NFL offense. But count me among the folks left scratching their heads following Sunday's game.
I don't understand the strategy on the first two possessions, both inside the Pittsburgh 22-yard line. I didn't understand the strategy of starting a potential game-winning drive in the final two minutes of the game with a running play -- against the NFL's No. 1 rush defense.
Let's take the first two series first. The Dolphins kicked off and got a gift possession when the Steelers fumbled the kickoff and Reshad Jones recovered, giving Miami a first down on the Pittsburgh 22 yard line. Most offensive coordinators today view this as an opportunity to go for the opponent's throat. The Steelers were on the field in an emergency situation and so what do the Dolphins do?
They run an off-tackle play to the right side with Ronnie Brown carrying the ball. It gained 2 yards. Two yards! The Dolphins have the Steelers in a tough spot, in a momentum-capturing moment and they run a routine off-tackle play against the No. 1 rush defense in the NFL.
The next two plays were Chad Henne incompletions. I get the concept of throwing then. No problem. But here's my deal: Neither play went into the end zone. And neither play targetted Brandon Marshall.
The Dolphins, in their wisdom, didn't deem a call for their best receiver as a good option. And the team that has been kicking too many field goals and not scoring enough TDs didn't attack the end zone.
The team still got a field goal and a 3-0 and then got another gift the very next series when Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger fumbled and Koa Misi recovered for Miami at the 13 yard line.
Time to go into the end zone, right? Time to get the ball to Marshall, right?
Henning called a Ricky Williams run to the left. It gained zero.
Then Henning called a Ricky Williams run to the right. It gained 8 yards.
Then on third-and-2 from the 5 yard line, Henning called on Williams again, once again testing the right side of the Pittsburgh defense. No gain. Field goal.
Not good enough, Salguero says.
Then there was the aborted attempt to win the game with the two-minute drive at the end. Let me just say that the execution, which is Henning's pet peeve, was bad. Anthony Fasano dropped a pass on second down. Henne threw to the wrong receiver (Lousaka Polite) on third down and that gained only 2 yards. And the fourth down play was a total breakdown of the protection and the communication between the QB and his receivers.
But ...
Why did that drive open with a running play? The Dolphins had taken a timeout, their final timeout, with 2:30 to play before Pittsburgh kicked the game-winning field goal. The idea at the time was to keep the Steelers from letting the clock run down to two minutes.
But then Miami made that timeout of no effect by opening their drive with a run. Either you need the time and you take the time out and then throw the ball. Or you don't need to save time and you don't need the to take the time out. You cannot have it both ways.
But with 2:19 to play, facing the best run defense in the NFL, using a running back that had gained 12 yards on 10 carries, the Dolphins handed the ball off to Brown. The play gained 2 yards.
I'm not playing the results here. I'm saying the Dolphins needed to throw in the end zone to their best receiver when they're inside the other team's 25 yard line after a turnover every single time they find themselves in that situation. I simply believe it's a good idea to get the ball in your best offensive weapon's hands as a philosophy.
And as for the final drive, if you're going to run the ball on first down, don't waste a time out before that. And if you are going to call the time out, which was the right call, then follow that up with another good call and pass the ball to open your two-minute drive.
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HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania's jobless rate dropped in December to its lowest point in five years as more people left the workforce, and payrolls fell even though a higher proportion of people remaining in the workforce reported being employed, according to figures released Friday.
The state Department of Labor and Industry said that Pennsylvania's unemployment rate fell four-tenths of a percentage point to 6.9 percent in December, the fourth straight monthly drop since the rate was 7.7 percent in August.
The national rate was 6.7 percent in December.
Pennsylvania's labor force, or the number of people working or searching for work, shrank in December by 15,000 to just over 6.44 million, more than 100,000 below the record reached a year ago.
The number of employed people rose by 12,000 to 6 million, about 40,000 below June's record. Unemployment fell by 27,000 to 443,000, the lowest tally in five years.
In a separate survey of employers, the department estimated that payrolls fell by 11,400 nonfarm jobs in December to 5.76 million, driven by losses in construction and education and health services. The trade, transportation and utilities sector, however, jumped by 8,000 in December.
Payrolls hit a record of 5.82 million in 2008, but shrank to below 5.6 million amid effects of the recession.


text: Ed Burke RI's energy future needs Canadian hydro power By Scott MacKay • Jul 26, 2013 Our air conditioners have been working overtime in this steamy summer. Our wallets will be lighter when the electricity bills arrive. RIPR political analyst Scott MacKay says to stabilize power costs, Rhode Island needs to look north to Canada. Flick the wall switch and the lights go on. Turn the knob; the stove heats up. Push a button; the air conditioner hums.