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By John Vastyan
Special to Contracting Business
| Sensible layouts and the use of high-performance hydronics products show the heating and cooling power that can be packed into a small space.
It wasn't long ago that the hydronics industry was stuck in time. Replacement business ruled the roost. Today, the hydronics industry has emerged from its extreme makeover. It's now characterized by the emergence of new equipment and market conditions that have driven manufacturers to new levels of excellence.
Without question, market forces — especially the push for higher energy efficiencies, and demand for equipment to go where no equipment has easily gone before — are driving the pace for new and innovative hydronic solutions.
The newest generation of hydronic equipment, such as condensing technology that extracts heat from condensate within the system, has pushed boiler combustion efficiency into the 95% to 99% range. Or, consider the new generation of geothermal and watersource heat pump equipment, availing 400% and 500% system efficiency. That's smart use of energy.
With efficiency performance like this, building owners are paying attention. When an installer can calculate a three- to four-year payback for new equipment, there's real incentive to install new technology. Though residential work has taken a hit, the commercial market remains relatively strong. And higher energy costs have fueled interest in all things green.
With that as the context for a forum on what's new and exciting in the hydronics industry, we asked several hydronics experts to contribute to a discussion about what's shaping the industry. What they told is that high performance hydronic heating and volume water heating depends on the interrelationship of five key facets of the hydronic heating system: system efficiency, green heat, information exchange, the system in context, and heat distribution.
System Efficiency
How effectively the heat source relates to the total system is determined by its capacity to deliver heat. The common term is "to size to the load." Also, total system performance is greatly enhanced when the equipment works at peak performance – with energy consumption happening at the highest levels of combustion efficiency – at all levels of heat demand.
According to Bill Root, vice president of sales and marketing, Laars Heating Systems Company, an important factor in system efficiency is sophisticated controls that sample changes over time and "learn" the responses of the system to changes in conditions such as heating load, outdoor air temperatures, and firing stages of the boiler or boilers).
"And, of course, there's modulation or staged firing versus on-off," says Root. "This illustrates the giant strides the industry has made during the past couple of years. Modulating and staged fired boilers reduce fuel consumption by sizing to the load so that the amount of heat produced by the system precisely matches the need."
Piping and pumping are also key factors in building an efficient system. The most efficient boiler in the world can't make an entire system efficient if the system is not piped and pumped correctly.
"Condensing boiler technology is one of the key factors for the dramatic increase we see in boiler/ water heater system efficiency," adds Root. "Condensing boilers are built to encourage the formation of condensate within the system, to extract that heat, and to withstand the corrosive nature of the liquids that form there."
However, efficiency is only one of the advantages of installing these systems. Application of the boiler can play an even more important role.
"Condensing boilers' tough resistance to thermal shock and the ability to accept low return water temperatures puts them in a category of their own and opens up many new possibilities for high-volume, cold-start systems. One example is commercial snow melt systems," says Mike Chiles, president and general manager, Watts Radiant. "A condensing boiler takes very low inlet temperatures in stride – in fact, the lower temperature of incoming water (or a water/glycol mix as is usually the case), the higher the combustion efficiency of the boiler."
Green Heat
"Green" water heating equipment is another facet to the high performance equation. "Today, when this topic is discussed at industry roundtables, we look at emissions – NOx, CO, CO2 – with the real desire see lower levels of pollutants that endanger our atmosphere and harm indoor air quality," says Root.
Ultra-efficiency is another measure of green. Commercial watersourced heat pumps and just-released, high temperature geothermal systems (with exiting temperatures of 145F) can provide coefficients of performance of 4 and 5, meaning 400% and 500% efficiency.
According to John Bailey, vice president of sales and marketing, ClimateMaster, green-minded contractors can choose from new lines of high-temperature water-to-water heat pumps that use HFC-410A zero-ozone depletion refrigerant.
"The new systems are available in a range of sizes in 50Hz and 60Hz voltages with ground loop efficiencies 25% higher than current units on the market," he says. "The systems are rated for water loop heat pump, ground loop heat pump and ground water heat pump applications."
New scroll compressors within the units make it possible to generate leaving water temperatures of up to 145F (63C) even at ground loop minimum temperatures.
Information Exchange
How well does the heating unit act as part of a system in terms of both accepting and responding to external sources of information? "Information exchange" refers to the heating system's ability to both receive external information (such as outdoor air temperature, instructions from a building automation system, and system zone information) and to send information back to the building automation system (such as inlet and outlet water temperatures, operating cycles, fuel consumed, pump operation, etc.).
This communication ensures the system is operating not only properly, but optimally.
The Heating System In Context
Of course, what exists beyond the heating system's jacket and piping will affect overall system performance. Consider circulation, control solutions and heat distribution. New technology and intelligent system design are the key players here.
One of the most important facets to optimal circulation for hydronic systems is for installing contractors to match a pump's performance, or flow characteristics, to the specific job that it needs to perform within the system.
Tony Radcliff, product technology manager, Grundfos Pumps Corporation, explains that a single-speed pump has one performance curve – a measurement of head (in feet) and flow (in gallons per minute) – and operates at that level only for a particular condition. Multi-speed circulators offer a much broader range of performance. With the flick of a switch, various speeds can be chosen, easily changing head and flow to meet the specific needs of the system.
For more sophisticated needs, there's variable flow. New variable flow circulators on the market offer a broad performance range with flows from 10 to 170 gpm, and can automatically adjust their performance to meet demand and save energy. These circulators "learn" what works best for the system, and continually change their settings to provide the temperature and comfort required. This translates to substantial savings on running costs.
"Three-speed and variable-speed circulators offer us great control and versatility," says Tim Rosen, P.E., a partner in the plumbing and mechanical contracting firm, Concept Mechanical, based in Avon, CO. Rosen says that he always does the math, calculating heat loss, flow rate, and pressure drop for each pump.
"I use this information and the stated pump curve to select the proper pump for each load," he explains. "In the past, we might have three or four different pump models on one job, all selected to match the exact needs that we've determined. With multispeed or variable speed pumps, one pump does it all."
Heat Distribution
The hydronic industry's renaissance is, in part, due to the reemergence of the radiant heat industry. In the commercial sector, large radiant heat systems place unique demands on a heating system. According to Chiles, these systems were historically characterized by cold starts with long boiler run times, high water volume, high mass, cooler required supply water temperatures, and short boiler cycle-times when the mass was at temperature. In other words, all the ingredients for a boiler's worst nightmare.
Of course, large radiant systems require a boiler or boilers with high output. A key advantage today, however, is that when the thermal mass of a floor or heated surface has reached temperature, shorter and less frequent boiler cycle-times are required. Better yet, a boiler system with modulation permits the heating, and later heat-maintenance of the heated surface. Either a fully modulating burner or the lead-lag staging of boilers, allows a system to meet ever-changing load requirements for optimal system efficiency. Another option is to add mass to the piping system to increase boiler run times during periods of low demand. For this, water tanks can easily add mass to a piping system.
"Snowmelting systems pose a different challenge: high demand and high mass with extremely cold water/glycol temperatures," adds Chiles. "Here, the challenge is not short-cycling of the boiler. Thermal shock happens when freezing return-water temperatures come crashing into the heat exchanger in a long, hard, cold start."
Fortunately, the new generation of condensing boilers takes this brutal jab in stride. Many modern boilers are not susceptible to thermal shock, due to the materials of their waterways and heat exchangers. Others can be easily protected from thermal shock with the use of a boiler bypass, which mixes hot fluid with the cold system return. This allows the user to meet the manufacturer's minimum return temperature requirements. The bypass can be built to operate automatically, with the addition of a control system, or can be a manual, fixed-temperature type.
Any way you look at it, this is an exciting time for contractors and manufacturers to be involved in the hydronics industry. And as good as it is now, the technology will only continue to improve, so stay tuned.
John Vastyan is a freelance writer based in Manheim, PA.


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New thriller from new author with a long line of credits to do with screenplays and the like.
From the Blurb:
Darian Richards promised one too many victims' families he's find the answers they needed. After sixteen years as the head of Victoria's Homicide Squad he'd had enough. Retiring to Noosa he hoped paradise would drive the nightmares away. He should have realised, no place is safe.

subset: commoncrawl


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This product is currently sold out.
You can obtain status and/or reserve this item by contacting us. We can also be reached by calling toll free 1-866-326-9377 (Dialing from outside the US +01 314 772 3566) between 10AM and 6PM CST (-6 GMT).
The Parke & Ronen Rib Knit Henley is where style and quality meet. The stylish, fitted henley features a deep button-down vee neckline with contrast trim around it. The henley is made from soft, breathable and absorbent 100% cotton for ultimate comfort. This long-sleeve henley looks great paired with jeans for a cool, casual look or with lounge pants for a more relaxed feel.
100% Cotton.
Machine wash cold with similar colors. Only use non-chlorine bleach, when needed. Tumble dry low, use cool iron.
|26 in 66 cm
|29-31 in 74-79 cm
|26 in 66 cm
|31-33 in 79-84 cm
|26 in 66 cm
|33-35 in 84-89 cm
|Extra Large
|26 in 66 cm
|35-37 in 89-94 cm


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Lombard songwriter's group gives old hymns new life
It was probably an old hymn, but it was new to singer-songwriter Jay Mathes of Lombard.
"My God Is So Big" caught Mathes' ear when his 4-year-old son, Seth, sang it for him one evening after Sunday school.
Mathes, 30, is part of a hymn-writing collective that updates Christian worship songs from past generations with new melodies and a fresh, modern-folk sound. So when he heard a traditional Sunday-school hymn like "My God Is So Big" for the first time, the idea for Restoration Project's next endeavor started forming.
"It was a pretty immediate reaction to learning from (Seth) that he knew songs I didn't know from his Sunday school class," Mathes said about "Firm Foundation," a series of two 5-track EPs Restoration Project is seeking to fund through a $10,000 Kickstarter.com campaign that lasts until about 2 a.m. Sept. 8. "The 'Firm Foundation' series is a reaction to some of the songs that I never had a chance to learn growing up."
If the all-volunteer group's campaign reaches $10,000 by Sept. 8, the money will pay for recording, mixing, mastering and manufacturing of the EPs. Mathes, who runs a micro record label called Swiftly Running Records, said that amount isn't much for professional-quality work.
Mathes said the series adds new lyrics and melodies to bring greater theological depth and clarity to original Sunday-school songs like "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" and "This Little Light of Mine."
"The majority of songs we decide to work with are published in dusty, raggedy, old, smelly books," said Mathes, who performs under his first and middle names to avoid the last name Mkrtschjan. "Literally we will crack it open to the table of contents, scan for interesting titles, or we'll just flip through a hymnal and look for something that catches our eye."
Mathes and Daniel Hautamaki, a founding member of Restoration Project, said the group wants "Firm Foundation" to bring high-quality recordings to churches across the country so more listeners can experience dated hymns in a new way.
"We believe (hymns are) a very valuable addition to the church, and it's a very valuable resource for the church as we live out our daily lives of faith," Hautamaki said. "We just don't want to see some of this poetry and some of these resources fall by the wayside."
Along with reviving old church songs for children, Hautamaki said the group is seeking to increase its reach with "Firm Foundation."
"We didn't start out to expand and go all over the country or the world at the time," he said, looking back at the group's founding in 2007 at College Church in Wheaton. "It does seem to be broadening."
While several of them were studying at Wheaton College, a group of friends started updating hymns as a hobby, tying several to sermons preached at College Church, Mathes said. Hautamaki, founding member David Jordan and others all had experience singing and playing instruments, while Mathes brought recording expertise to a musical endeavor members knew was relatively uncommon.
As members graduated and moved across the Chicago area and the country, Restoration Project built roots in several suburbs as well as in California, Florida, North Dakota, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. Churches in those states have used songs from Restoration Project's 2008 self-titled album and follow-up release, the 2011 "Hail the Cross, Our Only Hope."
New Covenant Church in Naperville also may consider singing Restoration Project tunes at its Friday night service, which is more upbeat than traditional Sunday services, said Andrew Fulton, pastor of student ministries, missions and outreach. Fulton has been involved in Restoration Project since its start and said singing freshly recreated hymns in a church community is an uplifting experience.
"Some old hymns have melodies that still speak to people today," like "Amazing Grace," Fulton said. "Others have rich lyrics but a very dated sound."
Musically, Restoration Project changes instrumentation and arrangements of hymns that often progress straight from verse to verse.
"We want to give people enough time in between sections of a song to really contemplate the words that they sang," Mathes said.
With acoustic guitars, light percussion, and various lead singers, the roughly 50 people who have been involved with Restoration Project create what Mathes calls a new "beautiful painting" out of the canvas of old hymns.
"It's tough to put a label on our style, but we're more modern folk than anything else," Hautamaki said. "We add new instruments they wouldn't play 150 years ago."
"Firm Foundation" contributors -- including Mathes' brother Michael Mkrtschjan of Lombard and his wife, Megan Mkrtschjan -- are praying that donors will pledge enough financial support to allow the project to move forward. They're marketing the Kickstarter campaign in ways new and old: on social media profiles, in church bulletins and at nights of song called hymn-sings at churches and homes. As of Sunday, the group had raised $1,653 with 20 days left in the campaign.
"We are taking beautiful writings and recovering them," Hautamaki said, "and trying to make sure the church doesn't forget."


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Newscaster Reports NBA Finals Game Ends in a Tie
Just in case you were wondering, there is no such thing as a tie-game in the NBA playoffs.
In fact, the only tie game that happens in the game of basketball are those played by punks and orphans in random schoolyards across the country. Even then, those wicked little creeps always seem to find some way to draw a line in the sand. Even though the world of professional sports is a lot different than playing for each other's lunch money at recess, the concept is still the same – someone has to win!
Apparently, this television reporter in Portland, Maine has a little trouble grasping this concept.
Just don't let her announce the results of an election.


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Currently running Adopter build 6.3.9840.8df1ddd.20180107.0710 on my Synology.
I am having endless problems getting Madsonic to recognise my files, a mixture of MP3, ALAC and M4A.
It worked, once, but now whatever I do I see one of a combination of errors.
If I enter the full path to where they are located in the 'Media Folders' section, I see 'folder not found'. This is path as simple as '/volume2/music/Artists'. If I enter the next level up, such as '/volume2/music', it accepts it OK, but then doesn't manage to find any files at all. I know it is a valid path, it is copied and pasted fro a terminal window.
I often see similar to this in the logs:
WARN FileUtil - Failed to list children for /volume2/music
If I point it to one level higher still ' /volume2', it finds all the files, but also finds every file hanging off of that mount point, containing about 10 other sub folders. It appears that Madsonic is almost expecting a certain folder structure, and if it doesn't find it, it just sits there giving errors. I'm yet to figure out what the magic is though.
I've tried removing the database and letting it recreate it. I've tried moving directories around, I've tried changing all the permissions so everybody in the world can read everything, but still it is so unpredictable. I've seen other posts on here going back a few years, with similar problems. Surely there is a solution by now?
It did work once. Stupidly, I wanted to reorganise my music and deleted the folder and moved it somewhere else. It has never worked since.
I really, really want to like Madsonic, but I'm finding it so difficult when things like this are so difficult. I tried it once before, a year or two ago, and hit similar issues and gave up. I was really hoping they were resolved.


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Ribbon Clearance
Wrap everything this holiday season with our colorful selection of satin ribbons! For this special holiday event, we are offering these ribbons at 50% off their original prices by the 50 yard or 100 yard roll. Hurry, supplies are limited, so don't miss this event!
There are no products matching the selection.


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Jim Jones Interview In The Dark With Jenny Boom Boom: Shouts Out Kanye West, Responds To Jae Hood & Says "F*ck You Obamas. Niccas Is Out. Obamas Is In"! "J-Hood? Who? .. At The Bottom Of My Sneaker"
Jenny Boom Boom Interviews Jim Jones
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Used Truck - 2001 Dodge Dakota in Belair, Md
Please Call For Price
About This 2001 Dodge Dakota
Vehicle Location:
Belair, Md
Call For Price
V6 Cylinder Engine
Fuel Type:
Three Door
Fuel Economy Estimates
City MPG
Highway MPG
Combined MPG: 22
Estimated Monthly Fuel Cost: $101.14*
*Based on $1.78 per gallon and 15k miles per year.
Actual costs may vary.
Actual costs may vary.
Send This Vehicle To Your Smartphone
Seller's Description and Comments:
Located at D&D Motors in Belair, Md. Call D&D Motors today at 301-729-3700 for more information about this vehicle.
Vehicle Options:
- 5-speed Manual Transmission W/od
- Rear Wheel Drive
- 600-amp Maintenance-free Battery
- 117-amp Alternator
- High Strength 30
- 000 Psi Carbon Steel Frame
- 6.5' Pickup Box-inc: Double Wall Construction
- 2-tier Loading
- 1275# Payload Pkg-inc: 5450# Gvwr (3100 Front/3850 Rear)
- Springs (3100 Front/3850 Rear)
- Axles (3100 Front/3850 Rear)
- Independent Front Suspension
- Hd Front/rear Shock Absorbers
- Front Stabilizer Bar
- Conventional Spare Tire & Wheel W/winch-type Carrier
- Pwr Rack & Pinion Steering
- Pwr Front Disc/hd Rear Drum Brakes-inc: Rear Anti-lock
- 22 Gallon Fuel Tank
- Black 5" X 7" Exterior Mirrors
- Tinted Glass
- Sunscreen Glass On Rear Windows
- Variable Intermittent Windshield Wipers
- Cloth 40/20/40 Split Bench Seat W/center Armrest
- 60/40 Rear Bench Flip-up Seats W/rear Under Seat Storage
- Floor Carpeting
- Analog Instrument Cluster W/tachometer
- 120 Mph Primary Speedometer
- Electronic Am/fm Stereo Radio W/cassette
- (4) Speakers
- Cigar Lighter
- Dual Cloth Covered Sun Visors W/rh Mirror
- Driver/passenger Assist Handles
- Driver & Front Passenger Airbags W/passenger On/off Switch
- Rear Anti-lock Brakes
- 3-point Outboard Seating Position Seatbelts W/front Height Adjusters
- Center Lap Belts
- Dual Note Electric Horn
- Driver Air Bag
- Passenger Air Bag
- Passenger Air Bag On/off Switch
- Am/fm Stereo
- Cassette
- Abs
- Front Disc/rear Drum Brakes
- Rear Wheel Drive
- V6 Cylinder Engine
- Gasoline Fuel
- Pass-through Rear Seat
- Cloth Seats
- Split Bench Seat
- Power Steering
- Tires - Front All-season
- Tires - Rear All-season
- Conventional Spare Tire
- 5-speed M/t
- Intermittent Wipers
- M/t
- Privacy Glass
- Variable Speed Intermittent Wipers
- Rear Bench Seat
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2001 Dodge Dakota ReviewThis car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale.
The Baby Bear would love this one.
Dodge Dakota takes the middle ground in terms of size. Some people find full-size pickups too big, and smaller, compact trucks too small. For them, the Dakota seems just right. The Dakota is larger than the Ford Ranger, Chevy S-10, GMC Sonoma, Toyota Tacoma and other so-called compact pickups, but it's not quite as big as a Ford F-150 or Chevy Silverado.
For 2001, the biggest news is a redesigned interior with a more car-like feel.
Dodge Dakota is available in three cab configurations: Regular Cab, Club Cab, and Quad Cab. Club Cabs are only available with two doors.
Choose from three trim levels: base, Sport and SLT. Base Regular Cab 2WD retails for $13,910; Sport Regular Cab 2WD goes for $14,695; and SLT Regular Cab sells for $16,810. Sport trim adds better seats and interior trim and upgrades to the exterior. SLT offers more luxuries, bright bumpers and grille, and more options.
Four engines are available: a 120-horsepower 2.5-liter inline-4, a 175-horsepower 3.9-liter V6, a 230-horsepower 4.7-liter V8, and a 250-horsepower 5.9-liter V8. The 4.7-liter was new to the Dakota line last year. Manual and automatic transmissions are available, with the 4.7-liter offering a sophisticated five-ratio four-speed automatic as an option.
Two types of four-wheel drive are available: One is a part-time system with shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive that works well for off-road use. The other is a fulltime four-wheel-drive system designed to provide all-weather traction capability.
Limited-production R/T models come with a high-performance version of the 5.9-liter V8. Less restrictive exhaust increases horsepower and torque and offers a more aggressive exhaust note. Available on 2WD Regular or Club Cabs, the Dakota R/T Sport Group includes aggressive (255/55R17) tires mounted on 17-inch aluminum wheels, heavy-duty stabilizer bars, and a limited-slip rear differential. The R/T is lowered 1 inch. The package adds bucket seats, fog lights, special trim and a long list of convenience items. It adds $2,420 to a Club Cab and $2,380 to a Regular Cab.
Dakota shares its Freightliner styling with the full-size Dodge Ram. Bold lines give it a big, burley look, like it's ready to take on anything that comes its way.
Regular and Club Cabs have a 6-foot 6-inch bed - a good size for a compact truck. The Quad Cab, on the other hand, has a 5-foot 3-inch bed. According to Dodge, people seldom need the full length of the longer bed. Our experience, however, is that when you need it, you need it. Those who need more cargo space can consider an optional bed extender -an aluminum cage that flips over the lowered tailgate to extend the bed by 18 inches. Sometimes the bed extender works great, but a lowered tailgate with a mesh opening won't hold dirt back like longer bed with a solid tailgate. Dodge also offers a special shell developed for the Dakota by Leer that provides a protected cargo area.
The Dakota gets an all-new interior for 2001. The instrument panel is easier to reach and easier to use, and almost all of the switchgear has changed. One example is the new rotary dial for the electronic transfer case, replacing the lever used previously. Door trim and carpeting are updated, as are the center and overhead consoles. Leather is now optional on Quad Cab. Dodge hopes the changes will ease the transition into a truck for first-time buyers who are used to the convenience and creature comforts of a car.
Visibility from inside the Dakota Quad Cab is outstanding. The driver sits high and there are no obvious blind spots. Optional 6x9-inch mirrors improve visibility rearward. The Quad Cab is roomy and comfortable. The front seat is a 40/20/40 split. The wide console works well as a storage area for miscellaneous junk, but it gets in the way when fastening seat belts. A pullout cup holder at the foot of the center section is a nice touch. For $200 you can replace the 40/20/40 split bench with high-back buckets with a center console.
The driver and front seat passenger had tons of legroom.
The rear doors open wide - about 37 inches. Getting in and out of the rear seat is aided by the fact that there is no cutout for the rear wheels (like there is in many sport-utilities). Head clearance and foot clearance, however, make getting out a bit more difficult.
Though roomier than any other compact truck, the rear seating area in the Quad Cab offers limited legroom. There's good knee room, but not a lot of foot space for stretching legs. Like most of the smaller crew cab pickups, the rear seat back is bolt upright, and not very comfortable. There's plenty of headroom in the rear seats, however. Children and smaller adults should be happy back there, but taller folk will find the space confining. Unlike some SUVs, the rear windows on the Quad Cab roll all the way down.
A better use for the rear of the Quad Cab is to fold the rear 60/40 split bench seats entirely out of the way for a nice, secure storage area. Not all compact trucks allow the seats to be folded out of the way like these on the Dodge. You can set up half of the rear seat for a passenger and still have room to tote stuff.
Controls are nicely placed and easy to operate. The $660 AM/FM/cassette/CD stereo offers superb sound through eight Infinity speakers spread around the cab. Our test truck came with the overhead electronic console with an eight-point compass and ambient temperature that are useful when traveling. It also features a trip computer and odometer that reports fuel economy and fuel tank range. The console is part of the Overhead Convenience Group ($1160) and includes compartments for sunglasses and garage door openers, auto-dimming rearview mirror and map lights.
Driving Impression
The Dodge Dakota Sport 4X4 Quad Cab is smooth and comfortable. Wind noise is a companion at higher speeds.
The rotary dial for transfer case is easy to reach and operate. We hit one particularly sandy section and switched easily into 4WD without dropping speed. Later, on a steep hill, we switched into 4WD-low and easily walked up a hill that had a good 15-degree grade.
On washboard sections of hard-packed dirt roads in 2WD, the back end has a tendency to lose grip at speed - common in unloaded pickups. We were impressed with the Quad Cab's turning radius. For a truck its length, it makes relatively tight turns.
The brakes deliver straight and true stopping power. Our Quad Cab had the optional four-wheel anti-lock brakes ($495).
Dodge claims its 4.7-liter V8 ($590), designed from a clean sheet of paper, is the most refined V8 ever offered on a Dodge truck. It's a powerful little devil, rated at 235 horsepower and 295 foot-pounds of torque. It offers all the power and torque you'd expect from a V8. The 4.7-liter engine can be paired with a five-speed manual or Dodge's new 'multi-speed' automatic transmission. It's a fully electronic four-speed automatic with a dual-ratio second gear. This transmission was designed in tandem with the 4.7-liter engine and they are precisely calibrated to each other. Its onboard computer continuously adjusts the shift pattern to match the way the truck is driven. A tall first gear ratio gives the driver better initial acceleration. It selects one of two second-gear ratios based on load and driver input. Its reverse gear uses a ratio equal to the first gear, beneficial when backing up with a heavy trailer.
Dodge Dakota is a solid, well-built truck that can be fun to drive. The 4.7-liter V8 in our Quad Cab offers great performance and works seamlessly with the specially designed automatic transmission.
The added interior room of the Quad Cab makes it extremely convenient on a day-to-day basis. Along with the hauling capability of the bed, it's almost like having two vehicles in one.
If you don't want a full-size truck, but compact pickups seem too small, then the Dodge Dakota may be just right.
Model Lineup
4X2 Regular Cab ($13,910); 4X2 Club Cab ($17,235); 4X2 Quad Cab ($19,605); 4X4 Regular Cab ($17,505); 4X4 Club Cab ($20,560); 4X4 Quad Cab ($22,370).
Assembled In
Warren, Michigan.
Options As Tested
Sport Plus Group ($850) includes air conditioning, 16X8-inch aluminum wheels, 255/65R16 tires, 136-amp alternator, fog lamps; Trailer Tow Group ($275) includes Class IV receiver hitch, 7-circuit wiring connector; Deluxe Convenience Group ($390) includes cruise control, tilt steering column; Power Overhead Convenience Group ($1160) includes overhead console, power windows, power locks, keyless entry, auto day/night rearview mirror; Heavy Duty Service Group ($180) includes 750-amp battery, heavy-duty engine cooling, auxiliary transmission oil cooler; 4-wheel ABS ($495); floor mats ($50); 4-speed automatic transmission ($975); 3.92 rear axle ratio ($40); limited-slip rear differential ($285); 4.7-liter V8 ($590); rear sliding window ($115); power fold-away heated 6X9-in. mirrors ($20); AM/FM/cassette/CD with Infinity speakers and equalizer ($660); leather-wrapped steering wheel ($50).
Model Tested
Dakota Quad Cab 4X4 Sport ($22,370).
15520 McMullen Hwy SW
Belair, Md. 21502
Email This Seller
Contact: Sales Manager
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Bits 'n Pieces: Tom Waits, Downtown, Restaurants, Traverso's, Mel Torme, etc.
Don't ask me how I know this, but I assure you it's true: Tom Waits officially recorded his show last week at the Fox Theater in Atlanta for a broadcast on NPR. From all the reviews on Eyeball Kid, it seems like one of the best shows on his entire tour so far. There's also this great little Excel spreadsheet-type calculation thing of every single song Tom Waits has played on the American leg of his tour over at Eyeball Kid, which is a drool-inducing jealousyfest for fans like me.
In a matter of incredibly arcane Tom Waits trivia, we here at City Sound Inertia bow our heads in remembrance of China Light, the dingiest little Chinese restaurant in Santa Rosa, on the corner of College and Cleveland Avenues. I used to live around the corner from the place, back when it was painted a ridiculous pink color, and every night at about 10pm they'd close so the whole family could eat around a large round table in the family dining room, off to the side. It was sweet. What does this have to do with Tom Waits, you ask? It's this room that Tom Waits chose for a photo shoot, posing with a book about human oddities, right after Mule Variations was released.
The best thing about China Light, of course, was the beautiful misspelling on its corner sign: "Lunch Specil."
I'm not sure that Waits ate there very much; he probably just liked how run-down the place looked. Do you remember when a car crashed through the front of the building, and it took the owners 8 months to patch up the gigantic hole? Seriously, for 8 months there was just a pile of bricks and a sheet of cardboard covering the wall. I checked their health code violations on the Sonoma County Food Inspection website once—they had about 5 or 6 critical violations. Not that it mattered; I loved their soup, although it did go a bit downhill. The last time I ate there was the day that Blowfly played at Michele's, in Santa Rosa, and all I remember is that the chicken was so gooey and undercooked that I was literally spitting it out onto the ground as I left out the front door.
Apparently Tom Waits signed his contract with Epitaph at Rinehart's Truck Stop in Petaluma; or, to be more precise, the now-defunct Zoya's Truck Stop Cafe. Now that's a place I miss. A perfect cheap spot between Santa Rosa and San Francisco, with the most amazing painting of an eagle, on the wall above the booths. Run by Russians; on bad days, it smelled more like borscht than burgers. Story goes that Waits was willing to sign with Epitaph, but insisted on meeting label head Brett Gurewitz there. So Gurewitz drove up from L.A. and met him at the truck stop, contract in hand. (It's on the same exit where the makeshift memorial for Georgia Lee Moses is, immortalized in Mule Variations' "Georgia Lee.")
Greg at Flavor told me tonight that Waits used to come there every Tuesday for a while. Then he stopped. Aw, hell, I could go on and on about Tom Waits—hey, what about restaurants? Bummed that Cafe Japan, right next to Flavor, closed; they were such nice people, and to my mind the best sushi in town. Here's to a good run.
Probably the strangest dining experience I've had lately was eating at Mariscos F. Magiy on Sebastopol Road a couple weeks ago. While I ate my squid quesadilla, I was kept company by a very large and smiling bulldog, panting and drooling next to my table. I love dogs, but some guy (who works there? hangs out there? I dunno) saw me and firmly warned, "Stay there. Don't move." Eventually he got the bulldog to go back into the kitchen. "He looks friendly," he said, "but he'll turn on you." Hmm. Incidentally, the quesadilla was delicious.
Old Santa Rosa diehards like me are all abuzz over the news that Traverso's is moving to Fountaingrove; it makes sense for them to be across the street from a lot of old people with money, but I will miss them being downtown in a major way. But now who will spend all day politely dealing with people asking for change for the bus? Mr. "Shut Up Hippie" over at Cafe Martin?
I was talking with Michael Traverso, one of the friendliest check-out clerks in the world, after they sold the building and started looking for a new location. Here's my favorite thing about the move: Michael says they're completely planning on taking the store's hardwood floor with them. "Really? You can do that?" I asked him. "Sure!" he said. "It's the original floor! We moved it from our old location when we moved here!" You gotta love stuff like that.
Is there a copy editor out there who can solve the mystery of the Traverso's sign? Right next to the smiling man holding a stretch of salami and the promise of "101 Varieties Cheese," it proudly boasts their motto: "Traverso's Got It!" Since the name of the joint is Traverso's, shouldn't it read "Traverso's's Got It?"
The sandwiches at Pete's market on 4th and Mendocino are better and cheaper anyway.
Long overdue are my dorky kudos to the city of Santa Rosa for making our sidewalks more skateboard-friendly! Just about every raised crack in town, it seems, was shaved flat back in the springtime. The skateboarders of the city thank you. Now if only it was legal to ride on the sidewalks!
Parking meters, parking meters: those new pay stations are wack and everyone knows it. I'm guessing they're here to stay, which is ridiculous since there is a much more convenient way for people to pay for their parking. It also requires no adaptation of the city's current meters: have you ever noticed the credit card-sized slot in the city's LCD meters? It's there to accept parking cards, a program that the City of San Francisco has used to great effect. It's easy: you buy a parking card from City Hall, it has a certain dollar amount on it, and when you park somewhere, you insert it into the slot while the meter counts up. Reach the desired time, remove the card, and that's that—no change needed.
I asked a woman at City Hall's Parking & Transit office the other day if there was any possibility of the city issuing parking cards to use in these ready-and-waiting slots. "Not gonna happen," she said. "Not in this budget cycle, at least."
The two most plausible theories about the city's excitement over the new pay stations that I've heard are 1) With the new pay stations, the city can make more money because it's impossible for drivers to tell if there's money left on a meter, and 2) Some outside city analyst suggested that removing all the parking meters would make the city look nicer.
They're finally fixing the drinking fountain in Courthouse Square, at least.
License plate of the week, parked at the Odd Fellows Hall in Santa Rosa.
I was sitting on some steps eating a sandwich a couple weeks ago and looked over and saw this collection of heroin needles in the bushes. Corner of Mendocino & Silva, where the cops routinely crack down. Kind of a weird place to shoot heroin, in my opinion.
Isn't this supposed to be a music blog?
I was defeated in a lyric-remembering showdown recently, when Anna Allensworth knew the correct opening line of "Sunday in New York" and I, in shame, did not. I thought it was "New York on Sunday / Big city havin' a ball." Anna was right: "New York on Sunday / Big city takin' a nap." Two very different things. Congratulations, Anna!
In a related tangent, I have been together with Liz now for almost seven years, and only just tonight, I discovered that she knows all the lyrics to "Singin' in the Rain." I thought Gene Kelly was the only one who knew more than the first four lines. Congratulations, Liz!
After he played it for me one night and I couldn't shut up about it for days, Josh Staples gave me a copy of an amazing, amazing album: Modern Windows by Bill Barron. It rides a real fine line between post-bop and avant-garde, and it's all one long uninterrupted suite separated into different movements, and Barron's tone on the tenor sax is a menace. I love it. Thanks, Josh!
The two crappiest music videos I've seen all week: "Puff Puff Give" by Hannah's Field and "No Tight Clothes" by Thug Slaughter Force. Painful shit, folks. Click at your own risk.
Okay—enough rambling. Time to get back to watching The Big Knife. It's a great film that was part of the United Artists 90th Anniversary Film Festival at Film Forum in New York, but unfortunately not part of the touring version which hits the Rialto at the end of this month. Video Droid's got it. Rent it from them, and no, I still don't have a Netflix account.
Tags: Bill Barron, China Light, Downtown, Fountaingrove, tom waits, Traverso's, Video Droid


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Posts tagged investing
A Different Gamble
May 19th
Posted by Pheebs888 in Hobby Articles
By Karine Hains aka Pheebs888Goodbye my precious…
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a piece titled: "A Big Business" the premise was simple; it seems to me like the hobby has changed from what I remembered from the days of my youth. No longer are card collectors looking to simply collect base sets, no now, we are chasing the game-used cards, the autographs and the short printed rookies. Not only are we starved for those goodies but for many of us, it's not even about adding them to our collection to improve it no… What many want to do More >


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The Road Safety Action Plan
The Be Super Safe campaign is a public awareness campaign based on the recommendations in the Road Safety Action Plan and focuses on changing the way people behave on Seattle's streets – reducing speeding, distraction, and impairment. The campaign includes both public awareness and enforcement efforts with the understanding that a multi pronged approach is the best way to make see real gains in road safety.
In 2011, the City held three Road Safety Summits across Seattle and asked residents, community organizations, and City representatives how we could improve transportation safety. With feedback from those summits, and a detailed data analysis, the City of Seattle and our community partners developed the Road Safety Action Plan (RSAP).
The RSAP outlines our plan to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities on Seattle's roads by 2030. You can read the full plan (Acrobat PDF) or select a topic that interests you:
- What's Happening on Seattle Streets
- Create a Culture of Empathy on Seattle Roads - Acrobat PDF
- Fewer People Speeding - Acrobat PDF
- Fewer People Traveling While Distracted - Acrobat PDF
- Fewer People Traveling While Impaired - Acrobat PDF
- More People Know and Follow the Rules of the Road - Acrobat PDF
- Safe Roadway Design for All - Acrobat PDF


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Samara Hurley needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 13 designs submitted by 3 freelance designers.
The logo will be used for website, biz cards, stationary and print / website advertisements. I want people to see it and say, "oh that's a cute logo" or "very creative."
Celebrations by Samara
I do not want it more than 3 colors, since it will be reproduced in marketing materials. I would like for the logo to look good in black & white as much as color. My company is a new party planning company. I coordinate events anywhere from children's birthday parties and baby showers to rehearsal dinners and dinner parties. I will do everything for my clients to make their life easier from invitations and RSVPs to entertainment, catering, decor, party favors, and venue selection. I will not be planning weddings.
- fun, elegant, trendy, possibly brown with a cool blue and pink
- wedding symbols, catering butlers, more than 3 colors, block letters, childlike fonts, I don't want it to look too childish or too elegant - need something in the middle to represent all my services
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Published News
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City of Lincoln
Mayor's Office
2006 Media Releases
Mayor Coleen J. Seng and other local officials today urged citizens to pay attention to heat warnings and take steps to protect themselves, their families and their pets. Lincoln has experienced several periods of very high temperatures this summer, and August is typically a hot month.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issues two kinds of heat alerts:
"With more hot weather expected, we need to remember that extreme heat can cause illness and even death, so it is very important to use caution and common sense," said Mayor Seng. "We need to take precautions for ourselves and also for those who are at increased risk, such as the elderly and children."
Children are more at risk because they adjust more slowly to the heat, have thinner skin, produce more heat with activity, sweat less and are less likely to rest or get a drink when they are active. Others at risk include those with chronic diseases, those who are overweight and those using certain medications or alcohol.
The heat index is a more accurate measure of how hot it really feels when the humidity is added to the actual air temperature. Information on local weather, the heat index and safety precautions are available at the NWS Web site.
Both air temperature and humidity affect the body's ability to cool itself during hot weather. Heat stress occurs when sweating isn't enough to cool the body, causing a person's body temperature to rise rapidly. Heat stress symptoms include clammy, sweaty skin; light-headedness; weakness; and nausea. Heat-related illnesses include sunburn, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, the most severe form which requires immediate medical attention. More health information can be found at the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hot weather precautions include the following:
Those who do need to be outside are advised to wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing, sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat. Plan activities either before noon or in the evening, resting frequently in shaded areas. Stop activity and get into a cool area if you become lightheaded, confused, weak or faint. Extreme heat can be a concern to healthy people as well, including children participating in outdoor activities such as summer camps and athletic events and practices.


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Tales of Xillia
by thedirtyburger
Banner by Qurbalicious!
Basic Information:
Developer: Namco Tales Studio
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Platform: PlayStation 3
North American Release Date: August 6, 2013
European Release Date: August 9, 2013
Trophies: 1 | 3 | 1 0 | 32
Coming straight from Namco Tales Studio, we have Tales of Xillia, the latest of the long-running Tales series of JRPGs to be released outside of Japan. For the first time, the game lets you choose two characters: Jude Mathis and Milla Maxwell, to save the world of Rieze Maxia from a dastardly technology known as 'Spyrix'. Fans have been eagerly awaiting this title, but will it capture the magic of previous Tales games, or is it a waste of time and money?
Tales of Xillia, as with every other game in the series, is a JRPG with real-time combat, and battles are started the same way as others. You need to walk into an enemy, or they you, while exploring an area to initiate combat. No random encounters to be found here. While in battle, your enemies and allies are constantly moving, and things often get hectic. Battles in Xillia take place on a three-dimensional plane (A trend started in Tales of Symphonia, way back in 2003), making monitoring the positions of everyone on the battlefield a priority. The battlefields are large, with more than enough room to maneuver with the enemy you're currently targeting. The standard fight is typically two to three enemies, but they can get larger. Large battles can and will get hectic, with everyone (aside from your Link Partner) acting according to their whims. You can change this (to a degree), but unless you have three other people playing with you, you'll just have to deal with the AI controlling the other characters.
The controls are easy to learn, with performing a normal attack, activating an Arte (Basically, a skill.) you've mapped to it, and you can map other skills to different directions on the left analog stick. is used to guard, and opens a menu that lets you use items, change Artes or equipment, run away, or change the strategy of your party. It takes a minute, tops, to learn, and should be second nature within the first hour of gameplay.
Tales of Xillia also features some more complex options. You can map any skill to the right analog stick for easy access, as you could in other Tales games. The next one is useful, allowing you to switch party members mid-battle. All you have to do is press the right analog stick down, and select someone to replace with the D-Pad. I only used this once, but if you're ever in a pinch, or just the type who is indecisive on who you want to be in your main party, this was made for you. Be careful if you decide to map any skills to the right analog stick, because the slightest hint of being pressed down will make the game think you want to switch party members. Not much of an issue, at least not until you're fighting a boss and it decides to happen. See, the game doesn't stop time to give you as long as you'd like to switch, as you'd normally expect. Instead, the game will slow down time, allowing you to be hit by the enemy while you're still distracted trying to close the damn thing. This happened to me more times than I can count, and it annoyed the piss out of me.
You can't have Artes without colorful lights!
Included are control modes to help you do some or all of the fighting, with three to choose from: Auto, which obviously controls the character chosen on its own; Semi-Auto gives you control of your character to move around freely, but it'll run to the targeted enemy automatically if you attack or use a skill; and lastly Manual, which gives you complete control of your character. Every mode has its uses, but it's up to you to decide on the one you're comfortable with.
Some new features have been added to spice things up in-battle, with the most noticeable (In other words, important) one being the Link System. Linking allows you to select one partner to assist you, often times helping you gang up on an enemy, or healing you, depending on the character chosen. An important thing about Linking is that each character has a unique Partner Skill. For example, Alvin's skill is called Breaker, and it allows him to attempt to perform a Guard Break on an enemy that is currently guarding. These skills are all extremely situational, but they're extremely handy whenever that specific situation might occur.
There is a gauge to the left of the screen in-battle that you'll notice right away, and it's called the Linked Artes Gauge. As you can guess, you'll need to be Linked to fill this bar up. Using Linked Artes is, quite honestly, a simple process. You only need to be Linked with a partner and have compatible Artes. After that, you need to use the compatible Arte when the bar is filled up enough, and press . Simple, right? These Linked Artes are a combination of you and your partner's Artes, and they'll do more damage than a single Arte by itself. These will save your butt when you're fighting against a tough boss.
Two things left to be mentioned about the Linked Artes Gauge are what happens when it's filled up all the way, and chaining Linked Artes. Once filled, you can activate a Linked Arte to start Over Limit. Attacks and Artes won't cost any Assault Counter (AC) points, and you can use Linked Artes repeatedly until the bar completely drains. I should mention that AC is a number you'll find to the right of your character's health bar, and it judges how many attacks you can use consecutively. Every attack or Arte uses a unit of AC, and it refills while you're idle. Finally, when in Over Limit, you can chain Linked Artes into other Linked Artes by pressing on the appearance of a brief prompt. What you can use is judged by how many skills you have, and how many you and your partner are compatible with.
Like most JRPGs, Tales of Xillia has a party that you'll use through the whole game. In a battle, you are allowed to have up to three extra characters, controlled by the computer, to assist you. These AI companions are, for the most part, helpful, and the only issue I had with them was them wasting items constantly through the Auto-Item feature in battle. This changed the moment a proper healer joined my party. Until that point, though, my allies were spamming the Auto-Item function like it was going out of style. Thankfully, you can change their strategy and Auto-Item habits through the main menu or in battle, as mentioned earlier.
It should be noted that you aren't forced to use the character you initially start with. You're free to choose to play as any character currently in your party, should you so desire. All play differently, with a focus on either Artes or melee combat, and each have their own special ability to give them a unique twist in battle. Finding a character you like to play as is important for getting the feel of the game, because who likes playing as a character you just don't like through the entire game?
When you level up you'll gain Growth Points (GP), which you can then spend on your Lilium Orb (which is really just a giant hexagon.) Inside your Lilium Orb you'll find dozens of smaller orbs which you can invest your GP into. All of the orbs sitting on lines raise your stats, with the orbs sitting in the spaces between the lines giving you either Artes or skills. To unlock those, you need to connect orbs in the shape of a deformed trapezoid. Once you've created enough deformed trapezoids, your Lilium Orb will expand, giving you the chance to create even bigger deformed trapezoids. Once your Lilium Orb is big enough, it'll give you a second Lilium Orb to put points into, which will end up completely filled once you reach the level cap of 99. A quite useful, if monotonous, system, and who could possibly resist the allure of creating deformed trapezoids?!
Hexagons for the hexagon god. (As you can see, it's almost like Final Fantasy XIII's Crystarium System)
The last thing I'd like to cover are the shops in this game. Instead of purchasing items of increasing quality the further you get into the game, all shops of the same variety share the same inventory. (There are some that have every shop in one, but those are usually out in the fields.) How do you get different stock? You level the shops with gald (Yes, gald.) or items you can find everywhere. Seriously, you'll have no trouble finding them. Throughout the fields in the game, you'll find treasure chests, random sacks (Who leaves this stuff out here?!), and sparkly points that you can investigate to receive items. All you have to do to use them is to go to any shop in the game and select Expand. The shops will offer bonuses for different types of items you have, as indicated by the small icons. The bonus is usually x2, but occasionally x3. These bonuses change as you progress through the story, so it's worth it to visit the shops as often as you can.
As a first for the Tales series, you have the option of picking one of two characters to play the game as, each with their own perspective of the events that take place within the game. The two character's stories are, for the most part, the same, with only a few major differences between each other.
The story of Xillia takes place in the world of Rieze Maxia, where you'll join Milla Maxwell and Jude Mathis as they find themselves meeting, by chance, in the city of Fennmont one night. Her goal? Eliminating the technology known as 'Spyrix' from Rieze Maxia, while Jude is just a medical school student forced along on the ride. Things go awry (Spoilers ahead!)when Milla loses her spirits while attempting to destroy a spyrix known as the 'Lance of Kresnik'. They get caught by the guards and branded as terrorists, only narrowly escaping due to the help of a mysterious mercenary. Wow, I've not heard this one before!
Despite the generic start, I found myself enjoying the story soon after leaving the first city. Things manage to pick up after the first three hours or so, and you have more than two members. In the end, my only complaints are that the story gets incredibly strange close to the ending, and it seems like they just wanted to rush straight to the ending at that point. The short length of the game is a concern, as your first time going through the game will take around 35 hours, which is quite short for a Tales game.
You don't just have to do the main story, as Tales of Xillia includes quite a few extras to lengthen game time. Most of the story's extra bits are skits and sub-events. Skits are short scenes played out with character portraits, which can be viewed when prompted on the lower left side of the screen. Many of these are humorous, with the occasional serious skit, and I found myself backtracking all over the map to see if I had missed any. Doing these are worth your time, as you can get a title for viewing enough skits. Titles, by the way, award Grade, which allows you to purchase benefits for a New Game+ playthrough.
Sub-events are just short sidequests, found in towns by looking for people with an exclamation point over their head. These people will give you a request, such as finding an item or killing a monster, and they will reward you (usually a cosmetic item) for completing them. Some of these are time-sensitive, so you'll want to look all over town to complete these while you can.
The environments in the game look fantastic, with only a few (OK, I lied, there are at least eight...) cases where you'll think "I've been here before!", those mostly being the seahavens or fields. The places that actually look different are worth exploring, with my personal favorite being the city of Fennmont. A city where it's always night, AND a green shade to the sky? I'll take twenty. You'll revisit places often in the story, too, meaning you'll get to enjoy most areas at least twice, or even more than that with the soon-to-be mentioned fast travel.
The city of Fennmont looks beautiful.
Every area in the game is connected, with no world map for you to explore, so you'll find yourself going through plenty of fields and a cave or two! Included to reduce the monotony of travel is a world map, accessed by pushing down , giving you the option to fast travel to areas you've been to previously. This sounds good at first, but it explains right off the bat that you won't always be able to fast travel. Sometimes you won't be able to travel to certain areas, and at others, you won't be able to fast travel at all. Still, it manages to be useful whenever it decides to let you use it.
Tales of Xillia gets the job done when it comes to graphics, being neither stunning nor horrible. Just very, very average. In fact, the only complaint I really have is the fact that some cosmetic items clip through clothing in normal gameplay or during scenes. This issue ruins any immersion for important scenes (Although most of the items on their own ruin scenes, but whatever.), just like one other issue for the audio, which I'll cover in a bit. Aside from the annoying cosmetic item issue, the graphics do well enough to satisfy. When I say the graphics are average, I really mean that the models used are average. The character designs are great, and the vibrant colors used for every area suit the game perfectly, it's just that the models are just average, nothing more. They weren't particularly great when it received its original Japanese release back in 2011 either, especially when you compare it to games released that same year.
The presence of Alvin, your mysterious mercenary companion, makes this scene look a lot better.
Sound-wise, the game gets one thing right, and that's music. I have NO complaints at all about the music. It manages to sound like a fantasy game should, and I can't remember disliking any particular song. Tracks chosen for any situation fit. You want a fast-paced battle theme to play while beating up your enemies? There are more than ten. What's that? You want a song to capture the feeling of a rustic village? Xillia provides a few of those! Not much I can really say here without linking a song, so I'll say it again: absolutely no complaints.
Unfortunately, the voice acting has a few glaring problems. There are quite a number of lip sync issues, which isn't too bad on its own, but these are combined with pauses in places that don't belong while characters are talking. These stick out like a sore thumb, there's simply no way to ignore it. It's odd to talk to someone who pauses mid-sentence frequently in real life, and it's worse here, where there are numerous scenes with a serious tone. Strangely, these issues seemed to plague the game more from the beginning and middle, rather than toward the end, but that's a good thing, isn't it? I can understand that dubbing a game and being accurate to the original script is an ordeal, but I'd like to think they could put at least a bit more effort into it.
Another minor gripe I have are the numerous small quips that characters give you while walking throughout any area of the game - some of them are humorous, some informal, but any character you might neglect to use in battle will use this as a platform to whine at you as often as they can, which happens to be constantly. I couldn't go half a minute without Jude complaining about not being used. It's really not too big of a deal, but it gets annoying fast, especially when you try to use the same team until the end.
While playing the game, the only significantly gameplay-affecting bug I had encountered was the slowdown experienced when things got extremely busy in battle. This can be noticed right away, as things will get sluggish, and seems to last until things calm down, or you kill enough enemies. The slowdown is annoying, as it happens constantly while against large groups of enemies or a tough boss battle. Everyone moving at the pace of a slug is never fun, and it may even get you killed. There's also the awful draw distance for NPC character models (Most noticeable for me while in the Coliseum), but aside from that, there was nothing I noticed in particular.
Tales of Xillia's trophies are all quite easy, but you'll have to grind for them. Most are for completing certain tasks 'a target number of times', which you can keep track of in the 'Titles' section of the Library. Progress toward these carry over to your second playthrough, which you'll have to do regardless if you want the platinum, so worrying about completing all of them in the first playthrough isn't a big deal. Next we have some standard story-related trophies, a trophy for beating an optional boss, a trophy for getting a 100 hit combo, trophies for leveling up every shop to maximum, and finally... collectibles! Yes, you'll need to look through every section of the fields and dungeons for black and purple colored octahedrons. They're not too hard to find, but they'll require a thorough sweep of the area. I'd estimate that Tales of Xillia takes around 70 hours to platinum, which isn't bad at all when compared to previous games in the series.
Closing Thoughts
Overall, I feel Tales of Xillia is a great game. Battles were always interesting, with the Link System and Partner Skills allowing you to shift how you fight mid-battle quickly, making battles feel fresh, and only rarely feeling dull or repetitive. The story was entertaining for the most part, and having two to choose from will extend your total playtime if you want to experience the entire story. Tales of Xillia manages to be one of the best JRPGs released this year, worthy of being called a Tales game. If you're looking for a JRPG to sink some time into, definitely consider purchasing this game.
Gameplay: 8/10
Exciting real-time battle system that's easy to learn, but difficult to master (Wow, that sounds so generic). The Link System is unique, and allows you to handle any situation you may come across. This is the strong point of the Tales series, and Xillia delivers in spades.
Singleplayer: 8/10
There are two playable stories to go through, each about 35 hours long, which is rather short for a Tales game. Skits and characters make the characters entertaining the whole way through, and it helps that there are no friendship speeches! Environments such as towns, dungeons, and fields look good, but a couple of repeats with only slight variations get boring to run through after the nth time. Quick Travel is a lifesaver when you need to get around in a hurry.
Technical: 6.5/10
The models themselves are nothing to write home about, but the character designs and vibrant colors more than make up for that. Absolutely fantastic music, but that's what I expect from a Tales game. Voice acting issues were too numerous and too major. It seems like they barely tried, making this the most disappointing part of the game for me.
Overall: 8/10 Superb
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Tales of Xillia Review
This is a discussion on Tales of Xillia Review within the Game Reviews forum, part of the Trophy Guides, Reviews & Articles; Tales of Xillia by thedirtyburger Banner by Qurbalicious ! Basic Information: Developer: Namco Tales Studio Publisher: Namco Bandai Platform: PlayStation ...
08-17-2013 #1
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Tales of Xillia Review
Last edited by thedirtyburger; 12-11-2013 at 12:50 PM.
08-18-2013 #2
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Nice job, mesa. Definitely sounds like the kind of game I like to play just to have fun for a while.
08-18-2013 #3
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Nice review def getting this but till now I couldn't find it hope I can find it soon
08-18-2013 #4
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Great review Mesa. I'm really enjoying this game and I'm curious how ToX 2 will be.
08-18-2013 #5
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08-18-2013 #6
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Thanks for the review, however I wanna get Graces f first, I hope it's as good as this one.
08-18-2013 #7
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Nice review man. Glad you liked the combat in it too, that interested me most. I've been thinking about picking this game up, just have been contemplating about the price of it. I don't think it should have been a full retail price when the game had been released almost 2 years ago. Hopefully a price drop will convince me to get it when it comes.
08-18-2013 #8
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Great review. This game is next on my list. After 114 hours of Tales of Graces ( only need to do the mixer and the "Who were they again trophy") I'm ready for another Tales game. For you people that havent played ToG, I HIGHLY recommend it.
08-18-2013 #9
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well said nice Review Mesa
I still have the collectors box unopened.
Might have to buy a used one to play or jam graces f before Xillia
08-18-2013 #10
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After 50 hours of playing through Tales of Xillia so far, I have to agree that it is another great addition to the Tales series beside Tales of Graces F. The most fun thing is chaining link artes in battle, and there is a lot of stuff to do as well, as is expected of a JRPG. I am very looking forward to Tales of Xillia 2!
08-18-2013 #11
No Japanese audio
08-19-2013 #12
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I love it so far so I'll proly plat it. Great review bud
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Commentator Jeffrey Ian Ross is absolutely right about "looking for solutions that are more creative, more focused, more about spotting a troubled person and taking steps to stop him from committing violence ("Ending mass shootings: It's not just about more or better laws," Sept. 22).
One solution I see as a parent educator since 1956 is for parents to turn from punitive discipline to compassionate care-giving. Gangs will have no allure for kids who have close and loving relationships with their parents.
It's time for all of us to hear the warning Dr. Karl Menninger, psychiatrist and founder of the Menninger Institute, issued long ago: "What is done to a child, he will do to society." A respected child will respect society; an abused or neglected child will pay it back.
Molly Brown Koch
The writer is a columnist for Baltimore's Child Magazine and the author of "27 Secrets to Raising Amazing Children."


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Vultros is a rare level 10 carrion bird (specifically a blue vulture). He used to be a level 26 elite that dropped a very notable dagger called the Talon of Vultros, which was highly sought after for twinks. Since the Cataclysm the stats on the dagger have changed, and it is unconfirmed at this point whether or not he still drops it. Rogues have gotten it out of low level lock boxes, but at this point Vultros only seems to drop the typical green or white item for his level and a decent amount of experience for people leveling.
He would also make a very nice hunter pet for low level alliance hunters who come across him. Up until level 30 he is the only tamable bird in this color.
He spawns in five different locations in northern Westfall. I have indicated these spawn locations with red dots on the map below. Once spawned in, he will not patrol between these points.
Vultros can be found with NPCScan. You will need to add it, his NPCScan ID is 462.
You can also use this macro to help find and tame him:
/tar Vultros
/stopmacro [noexists]
/cast Tame Beast
Before the cataclysm this guy was pretty darn hard to come by, with a spawn timer between 21-32 hours. It has been significantly reduced since then and now seems to be between 30 min - 1 hr.


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There are reports that BP was forced to temporarily pause oil collection and containment efforts in the Gulf as a precautionary measure earlier. This was apparently because lightning struck one of the company's ships and resulted in a fire. [WSJ]
Image by igb and used for illustrative purposes. Not actually the ship in question.


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Newb to the whole kiteboard thing. However I do have a lot of hours flying a hang glider. Im only relating this because weather plays a major factor in both sports.
Im 44yrs old in good shape and all my joints are in working order. I have very limited time on a wake board, I was able to get up first pull and maybe have a couple hours of goofing off in the delta. TRACY ca.
I understand the learning curve ... is it practical to start ground school with Fall around the corner or wait for spring? I live in Modesto ca and have the ability to take weekday lessons which seem to be the best ( more one on one ) with the instructor.
Is it the case to use and abuse the schools equipment during the learning process, then start buying your gear as you progress. Again sorry trying to relate to Hang Gliding learning process.
Look forward to learning what looks like another great solo sport.
Where and who would you all suggest I take lessons from ?


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The latest addition to our long-term fleet is possibly the most unique car we've ever had. Is it a car? Is it an SUV?
Well, probably more the former than the latter. I like to call it a crossover crossover. BMW calls it the 550i Gran Turismo. Even more than half a year after the car's introduction to North America the GT still turns heads, even on the car-jaded Southern California freeways. Some people just think it's funny looking. More people just want to know what the heck it is exactly. One gent driving a Mercedes S-Class was so intrigued I thought he was going to ask me to trade cars for the afternoon.
At its North American launch, the GT seemed something of a leap of faith for BMW, and it sort of left us all scratching our heads. After all, it's well documented that Americans just don't like to buy wagons, hatchbacks, basically anything that sits like a car but incorporates a lift-gate or fifth door in the rear. Why this is should be left to open debate, but it seems to be a widely nationalistic thing, a mindset unique to the United States. But then again, Europeans have always been more progressive, and Americans have never really been defined by our frugality or overall sensibility when you look at things on a worldwide scale. Frugality usually takes a back seat to emotion on this here side of the Atlantic.
Whatever the case, I'd argue that the 5 Series Gran Turismo is not really a wagon or a hatchback, at least in the traditional sense. In essence, it's the latest 5 Series sedan platform wearing the upper rear three-quarters of an X6, the company's sporting sport-ute. Their respective profiles are eerily similar.
This combination of attributes gives the Gran Turismo a couple of advantages. First off, its 5 Series underpinnings make it drive like a car rather than a traditional high-riding SUV. And second, the big back end gives it the utility of said SUV. Win and win.
In fact, BMW claims the GT offers more interior headroom than even the X5, and we can attest to that fact. The cabin is absolutely cavernous. Not only does it offer a surfeit of vertical space, but, like the late Eazy-E said, front and back, and side to side.
The back seat in particular is a really nice place to spend an afternoon. There's an available Luxury Rear Seating Package that imbues the rear passenger area with individual bucket seats divided by a solid center console, as well as four-zone climate control, so that back-seat passengers are allowed to ride in the same snug and cosseting style as those up front. Ours doesn't have that option; instead, it's got the traditional 5 Series bench-style seat that can accommodate up to three people. It's still a pretty nice place to be, especially considering this car does have the rear-seat entertainment bundle, which embeds 8-inch LCD screens in the front-seat backrests. The tilt-adjustable screens can be operated independently of one another, each has its own set of headphones, and all video and audio sources can be operated from the rear using a remote control unit. It seems to be an ideal setup for anyone with kids or unruly inlaws.
Having now driven both this car and the other new 5 Series offerings, we were a little surprised the GT didn't quite show all of the sedan's sporting characteristics. In fact, it really seems to drive like something between the 5 Series sedans and an X6. Which is really where it falls in the model lineup anyway. On tight sections of road it feels a bit top heavy with a tendency to lean when under load in the corners. This is most noticeable when the Drive Select is set to Normal or Comfort. Bumping it up to Sport or Sport+ makes a huge difference in the car's overall composure on a winding road. But even so, the GT doesn't quite drive like its sedan counterparts, mostly due to its expanded roofline, and more importantly, the extra 500 pounds it wears versus the 550i sedan.
Then again, that expanded roofline is what helps give the car its mentioned utility. It's a compromise, sure, but a completely subjective matter on whether that's good or bad. If your thing is pure driving dynamics, you'd likely still go for the 5 Series sedan. If you want to expand on the car's overall utility but still retain a large portion of the 5 Series' driving manners, you go for the GT.
All things considered, the 550i GT could be the ultimate road tripper, and we've had it on a couple of extended road trips, you can be sure. It might not necessarily be the BMW you want to take up that winding mountain road on a regular basis, but it does allow you to chew highway miles in complete and unmitigated comfort.
One other thing: The 550i is a thirsty beast. But that'll be a fact of life whether you go for the sedan or the GT, with the 400-hp twin- turbo V8 sucking down as much fuel as you've got dollars to pump. I'm not sure if that's a complaint exactly, because at speed this thing just flies, and with all that power you'd expect some kind of impact on fuel economy. Not that the economy is bad considering what the engine is and the output it generates; BMW estimates it will return 12 to 18 mpg in the city and up to 25 mpg on the highway when treated with a light foot.
What we'd really like to see, especially in a vehicle as substantial as the Gran Turismo, is one of the two diesel variants available in Europe (530d and 535d) make it over to this side of the ocean. A pipe dream at this point for sure. But there's little doubt a torque-rich, more efficient clean-diesel option would offer a huge benefit to a car like this.
Maybe next year? (We won't hold our collective breath.)
Longitudinal front engine, rear-wheel drive
4.4-liter V8, dohc, 32-valve, twin-turbocharged
Eight-speed automatic
Convenience Package (Comfort Access, power tailgate, soft-close automatic doors), $1,900; Premium Sound Package (premium hi-fi audio, iPod and USB adapter), $1,400; Sport Package (20-inch wheels and performance tires, leather sport steering wheel, Multi-Contour seats, Shadowline exterior trim), $5,200; Integral Active Steering, $1,750; ceramic controls, $650; heated front seats, $500; rear-seat entertainment, $2,200; Head-up display, $1,300; gas-guzzler tax, $1,000; destination charge, $875
Peak Power: 400 hp @ 5500 rpm
Peak Torque: 442 lb-ft @ 1750 rpm
0-62 mph: 5.4 sec.
Top Speed: 155 mph (limited)
Fuel Economy: 15/21 (city/hwy)
Price as delivered: $80,675
At a glance
Plus +
Lots of room, extreme comfort, tons of power
Minus -
Options tend to pile on the $$$ (typical), evident girth on tight roads


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- Phone
- 276-579-7092 (Park office)
- 800-933-7275 (Reservation Center)
- City
- Mouth of Wilson
- Locality
- Grayson
Near Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain, Virginia's two highest mountains, here you'll enjoy scenic views of alpine-like peaks of more than 5,000 feet. Facilities include a visitor center, campgrounds and hiking trails leading to waterfalls and overlooks. Scenic horse trails and a horse camping area with stables and parking for trailers are available. The park provides access to the Appalachian Trail and the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail. Special events include the Wayne C. Henderson Music Festival and Guitar Competition the third Saturday in June and Grayson Highlands Fall Festival the last full weekend in September. From Interstate 81, take exit 45 in Marion, then Route 16 to Volney and west on U.S. 58.
- Family Friendly
- Pet Friendly
Price Information
- Park Entrance Fee
Additional Links
Last Updated: 06/01/2016
What's Nearby
829 Grayson Highlands Lane
Mouth of Wilson, VA 243630 MI
2072 Laurel Hill Rd
Mouth of Wilson, VA 243632.19 MI
388 Tucker Rd.,
Mouth of Wilson, VA 243632.31 MI
387 Rugby Creek Lane
Mouth of Wilson, VA 243632.46 MI
1314 Rugby Rd.
Mouth of Wilson, VA 243632.55 MI


text:
Star Trek Cookie Cutters
Cookies, the tasty frontier
- Set of five out of this world cookie cutters
- Spring-mounted die for imprinting designs
- The final, tasty frontier - cookies!
Cookies... the tasty frontier... These are the bakers of the Starship Dessert Surprise. Its continuing mission: to bake strange new treats, to seek out new recipes, new frostings. To boldly bake and consume like no one has before!
The Star Trek Cookie Cutters are an officially licensed Star Trek collectible. Ready to blast your baking into the 23rd century, this series of five cookie cutters features the symbols of the Federation and Klingon Empire, the U.S.S. Dessert Sur... Enterprise, a phaser, and a Live Long and Nom hand... (Prosper, sorry, prosper.) Each cutter has a spring-mounted die for imprinting surface details onto your delicious goods. Now, boldly bake like no man or woman has before!
Product Specifications
- Five cookie cutters for fans of Star Trek
- Spring-mounted die for imprinting cookies
- Includes:
- Federation
- Klingon Empire
- U.S.S. Enterprise
- Phaser
- Live Long and Prosper
- Officially licensed Star Trek Collectible


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David C. Smith Jr., PGA
Main Address:
1418 Woodside Rd
Yardley, PA 19067-1331
(215) 321-7000
Yardley, PA 19067-1331
As graduate of Methodist University PGM Program (93) and with over 15 years experience as a PGA Member I have focused my skill sets to be an expert in the following areas of the business:
- Instruction
- General Management
As a native Philadelphian I am privileged to have been the Director of Instruction and Director of Golf at Multiple Facilities in the Delaware Valley. In 2008 I was called to start up The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia's Program here at Walnut Lane Golf Course. Starting from a base line of zero I have grown the program to reach 1200 students annually. In conjunction with this I completed the requirements to be a Certified First Tee Coach. Having taught thousands of students, one highlight has been my interaction with blind golfers and the development of a program for teaching blind golfers. Communication and listening skills are key assets in my success as an instructor and leader. In line with these initiatives I am proud to be the team leader for a wonderful staff at Walnut Lane Golf Course.
Stop by Walnut Lane and experience the fun!
Services Offered:
- Instruction
- Play Golf of America Participant
National Awards
- 2010 PGA President's Council on Growing the Game
- 2009 PGA President's Council on Growing the Game
- 2008 PGA President's Council on Growing the Game
- 2005 PGA President's Council on Growing the Game
Recognition and Awards
- 2011 PGA Section Player Development Award
PGA of America Championships
Bethpage State Park, Black Course
Farmingdale, New York
Oak Hill Country Club
Rochester, New York
Hazeltine National Golf Club
Chaska, Minnesota
Bluffton, South Carolina
Whistling Straits
Kohler, Wisconsin