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Azimut85 (2009-)2010 Reviews,performance,compare,price,warranty, specs,Reports,Specifications Layout, video |
Azimut 85 (2009-) Captain's Report
The 2010 model Azimut 85 is nothing short of majestic, in our opinion, and she rivals anything in her class.
Bella figura. It is an Italian phrase for putting on an impressive display. This concept is part of the Italian culture. It is the reason that Italian products in nearly any field are the most beautiful, exciting, romantic and in many cases, sought after and copied. The Azimut 85 has it in spades. But what truly impresses us is the nautical approach Azimut engineers have taken to the seakeeping and reliability of systems, which in a boat of this size are complex to say the least.
The foredeck on most large motoryachts is a place that most guests rarely go, but not on the Azimut 85. The bow is a venue for a cocktail party, an al fresco dinner and of course, sun bathing.
It all starts with the Azimut 85's standard engines: Caterpillar C-32 ACERTs producing 1825-hp. These engines have almost become the standard for large motoryachts from 65' to 100'. It is noteworthy that Azimut has made this choice for standard power. With 100 sales offices in 60 countries and with the 85 cruising all over the globe, Azimut must install an engine that not only has the trust of customers from diverse cultures and nautical experiences, but also one which has service capabilities easily at hand world-wide. Azimut's adoption of Caterpillar engines speaks for itself.
A recent press release from Caterpillar said the following: "Caterpillar's marine engine sales were up for the three-month rolling period of May to July 2009, compared to the same period last year, according to a dealer statistics report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Sales were up 20 percent in May, 15 percent in June and 1 percent in July for the marine sector, compared to sales in those months for 2008. Sales were down in every other sector, Caterpillar reported.
The flying bridge of the Azimut 85 with a hardtop with retractable sunroof. Note the unobtrusive helm and bunny pad forward on the portside, and the teak deck which feels so good on bare feet.
The Azimut 85s twin C-32s drive through ZF 3000 1:2.75 reduction V-drives connected by 3.9" (100mm) shafts to 4-bladed NiBrAl props. Azimut says that their 85 with these engines can propel the motoryacht at half load to 30 knots max, with a cruising speed of 27 knots. This speed is noteworthy because the Azimut 85 is not a particularly light boat.
Fast But No Featherweight
We find it reassuring that the 85 has a displacement of 187,000 lbs. (85 metric tons). This places the Azimut 85 almost squarely in the middle between the Pacific Mariner 85 at 125,000 lbs. (56.7 MT) and the new Nordhavn 86 motoryacht at 400,000 lbs. (181.44 MT). Azimut motoryachts have been known for their speed, but speed at the expense of weight and beam is not desirable in our book, particularly in anything except mill pond-conditions, it is uncomfortable to be running most boats faster than 20 knots, and most yachtsmen travelling any distance will prefer 10 to 13 knots to increase range.
The saloon of the Azimut 85 looking forward to the dining area to port. Note there is no sign of a galley, the informal settee forward or of the helm – all of which are behind the Shoji screens in the background.
The Azimut 85's beam is 21'6" which we think is appropriate for an 85-footer. She draws only 4'1" which means this is a boat that is made for some serious exploring in places like the Bahamas, Chesapeake Bay and the Baltic. Her deadrise at the transom is only 10 degrees and these relatively flat stern sections are a big reason why the Azimut can go so fast with the C-32s.
Important Standard Equipment
In addition to the engine selection, there are several other items of standard equipment that we think demonstrate Azimut's determination to produce a well-found motoryacht. For example she comes equipped with a 27-hp. hydraulic bow thruster. Most yachts which have standard bow thrusters have electric ones. If you've ever used an electric bow thruster you know their limitations, which are considerable. When you need a bow thruster, you need it, and depending on the conditions, you may need to lean on it for several minutes.
This is a very well designed helm on the starboard side of the 85. Note that the instrument panel and screens are low so that visibility forward is maximized. There is room for four screens. For night running it would be easy to place a back hood over the instruments to keep the glare of screens off the windshield.
Electric bow thrusters quickly overheat, can throw a breaker, or simply run out of juice from their auxiliary battery. Hydraulic bow thrusters use a power take off (PTO) from one of the engines or generator. They are more expensive than electrical thrusters because of the PTO unit and all of the hydraulic plumbing. But the added cost is the only way to go if you are going to seriously use the boat. Azimut has done it right.
Aids for Owner/Operators
In addition to a beefy 4000 w anchor windlass, the Azimut 85 comes with two 2200 w warping winches, one on each of the stern quarters. We like these winches as standard equipment because it makes docking easier if your crew is short-handed or you are an owner/operator. With the bow thruster to put the pointy end to the pier and the warping winch to bring in the stern, the Azimut 85 can be birthed nearly anywhere by a husband and wife team. It's all standard equipment.
We know of no other galley on a large motoryacht quite like this one. The window to the left looks out to the dining table, and the one to the right looks to the settee which is to port of the helm. This is a European answer to Americans wanting a Country Kitchen. By opening the Shoji screens Americans have communication with the dining room and settee. By closing them, Europeans have the privacy they crave. The galley is large and has a full height refer/freezer and all of the amenities.
The addition of a remote helm such as the one Glendinning makes, allows the skipper to stand nearly anywhere on the boat for the best vantage point for docking. That's about all the boat needs to truly be a husband and wife operation.
Standards Improve Reliability
One of the reasons that yachts have gone up in price the last decade more than the normal inflation rate and cost of raw materials, is the fact that European Union has adopted stringent rules about the manufacturing of almost anything sold to consumers (CE stands for European Conformity), and in the U.S. the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is insisting that boat builders follow ABYC Standards.
The interior designers and stylists at Azimut set the trend for large motoryachts built around the world. The master stateroom of the 85 shows the simplicity of design and earth tones that are in vogue this year.
As a result boat builders all over the world must build to minimum standards and codes laid down for things such as electrical systems. The supporting documentation for the Azimut 85 points out in some detail the electrical grounding system on the 85 as well as affirming that the boat was built in accordance to all applicable CE guidelines and directives relative to the electrical system.
Safety Issues
When it comes to the safety aspects of the Azimut 85, the builder has installed the right equipment as standard. For example, the Azimut 85's dewatering system is as good as anything we've seen on this size motoryacht and better than what is on many. First, the 85 has the standard bilge pumps in each of the compartments. Second, it also has dewatering pick-ups in the major areas of the boat directed to a main pump in the engine room. This is for bilge water that is more than the normal trickles of condensation and pinhole leaks in the plumbing that sometimes occur. Thirdly, each of the vessels' compartments has a high water alarm, something that most yachts only have in the engine room. Finally, and most importantly, there is an emergency bilge pump that uses one of the engine's water pumps to evacuate water faster than anything else that can be put on the boat.
Azimut also knows that fire is a hazard on any boat and has located 9 portable fire extinguishers around the vessel. It also has two emergency fire hoses on the boat, one in the bow and another located in the stern. These two fire hoses, with nozzles just like firemen use, are fed by special saltwater pumps.
In the engine room there is a large CO2 centralized fire extinguishing system. This is a must for any large boat. They should always be automatically deployable as well as manually and the system must also automatically close off all air coming into the engine room to insure that the diesel engine is stopped.
The flying bridge and boat deck of the Azimut 85, sans hardtop. Note Jacuzzi hot tub between the tender and the settee. Azimut has done a good job of using space and accommodating the world's cultures.
We're hard-pressed to think of any other 85' design that has shoehorned so much into 85 feet and still made it all look elegant and roomy. Note the day head between the galley and the stairs to the staterooms below, and the dining table for eight. We count five venues for socializing on this deck alone.
The master stateroom of the Azimut 85 is possibly the largest available as standard on any 85 foot motoryacht. Note that there are hers and his heads and she has both a tub and the required European bidet, which is great for washing feet. The man's head has a shower. Note that each of the three guest staterooms are en suite.
Most consumers pay little attention to the items and subjects we have mentioned above, but they are vitally important. The fact that Azimut's engineers have taken the time to get these things right is one of the reasons why the Azimut 85 has been so popular over the years.
The pictures seen on these pages tell a far more glamorous story about the Azimut 85 and it is here that the builder has really led the yachting world. If you have never been aboard the Azimut 85 then we invite you to do so. Once you have seen it, you'll never be able to forget it.
The Azimut 85 packs everything into 85 that one needs for a long cruising voyage with friends and family. We only wonder how Azimut is going to top this?
It so happens that there is an Azimut 85 in the U.S. that is not called for at the MarineMax dealership in Huntington, Long Island, New York. It has an MSRP price of $7.7 million. If you are interested in stepping aboard, contact Andrew Schneider at 631-424-2710; firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Bertha Evelyn Moore Ramey
Bertha Evelyn Moore Ramey, 74, wife of the late Ed Ramey, of 2004 Westminster Hwy, Walhalla, SC died Tuesday, November, 13, 2012 at the Oconee Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, November 17, 2012 at the Davenport Funeral Home Chapel with burial to follow in the Neville Cemetery. The family will receive friends, prior to […]Read more

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Austin Cooley Talent Grant
Award Amount: $1,000
Deadline: February 15. Please see the application for the actual deadline each year, it is adjusted for years where February 15 falls on a weekend.
Date of Award: Fall & Spring
About the Austin Cooley Talent Grant:
Austin G. Cooley graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 1973 at the age of 73. He was born in 1900 in Seattle, Washington. A nephew of the noted Alaskan industrialist and entrepreneur Austin E. "Cap" Lathrop, Mr. Cooley is recognized as the father of the facsimile (fax) machine.
At the age of 16, Mr. Cooley installed the first radio station at Little Port Walter, Alaska. At the age of 22, Mr. Cooley began working on the facsimile machine, transmitting photographic images and printed materials by wire or radio, while a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Mr. Cooley made history in 1935 with the first transmission of news photos for the New York Times. During WWII, the use of the facsimile aided U.S. military forces by transmitting accurate, current weather maps. Mr. Cooley held more than 75 U.S. and foreign patents in the fields of facsimile and navigation. Mr. Cooley died in 1993 at the age of 93.
The Austin Cooley Talent Grant is awarded each year to a graduate student who meets the following criteria:
- Full-time UAF graduate students (enrolled in at least nine credits)
- Currently in good academic standing
- Demonstrates motivation and academic and leadership potential
Note: Award recipient must be enrolled full-time (nine credits - no audits) while receiving the award.
Application procedure:
How to apply for a scholarship: The application deadline for most scholarships is February 15 - please see the application for the actual deadline each year, it is adjusted for years where February 15 falls on a weekend.
- Log into UAOnline.
- Go into the Financial Aid area, then Scholarships.
- Fill out the General Profile in the the Scholarship section.
- In step four, select "UAF"
- At the bottom of the page, complete the Supplemental Scholarship Application. Scroll down until you find the Austin Cooley Talent Grant.
- If needed, the Graduate School may contact you for additional supporting documents.
For more information, contact the UAF Development Office (907) 474-6402, or the Graduate School at (907) 474-7464.


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Saturday, October 04, 2008
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A site devoted to thoughts about books, reading, and libraries relevant to Africa mostly by Michael Kevane, co-Director of Friends of African Village Libraries, a small 501(c)(3) non-profit devoted to helping village and small community libraries in Africa. I am also an economist at Santa Clara University. Other frequent contributors are Kate Parry, FAVL-East Africa director, and Anne-Reed Angino, FAVL networker extraordinaire! For more information see the FAVL website, http://www.favl.org


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Mayor's Office
Lincoln City Libraries invites the public to the opening reception Friday, December 7 for its traveling exhibit "Campaigns and Cartoons: The Role of Caricature in Political Persuasion." The reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bennett Martin Public Library, 136 S. 14th Street, is part of the First Friday Art Walk.
The exhibit is on loan from the Harrison Presidential Site in Indianapolis and will be on display through January 2013. It features 36 original sketches and published political cartoons examining the evolution of the art form and the lives of noted artists who produced and popularized symbols such as Uncle Sam, Miss Columbia, the donkey and the elephant.
In connection with the exhibit, political cartoonist Neal Obermeyer will give a gallery talk at 2 p.m. Sunday, December 16.
The exhibit is one of several events scheduled as part of the 2012 One Book - One Lincoln community reading program. This year's selection is Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard. The book tells the story of President James Garfield, who was shot four months after taking office. Millard details the politics, medicine and science of the era in her best-selling narrative history.
Copies of the book are available at Lincoln City Libraries and retailers in various formats. For more information or to schedule a discussion leader, visit lincolnlibraries.org or call 402-441-8500.


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CDR49T needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 52 designs submitted by 20 freelance designers.
Website Marketing Guru
We are looking for a "web 2.0" style logo for a website that teaches website marketing.
The website will be clear, simple and easy to use - much like the 99 Designs website. In fact, the 99 Designs logo is a good example!
The style of the website will be cool and professional NOT "corporate", fancy, stuffy or technical.
Small/medium "self-starter" business owners that want to increase the traffic to their website and the enquiries or business they receive.
Examples could include:
-- Interior Designers
-- Nursery Schools
-- Tax Advisors
-- etc.
We are looking for a logo that is quite simple and easy to read and understand with a quick glance.
We're thinking of a logo that includes the words "Website Marketing Guru" (upper, lower or mixed case is fine) and some kind of symbol.
We're not really looking for a full "brand" but the logo could be included on emails, websites, banners, etc so versatility is a bonus. Some idea of a related color scheme would be good. We are keen to use a simple bold color scheme throughout the website and the logo.
We haven't created the website, so can use any colors you suggest.
-- Ability to work on light and dark backgrounds would be a bonus
-- You could include some sort of "character" in the logo (the "guru"). Either full body or just a head
-- We prefer "cool and funky" rather than elegant or fancy.
-- The "guru" character is just a cool guy that's great at marketing that likes to help people get their sites noticed. He's not aloof, posh or rude.
Here are some logos we like:
We need a print-ready file (e.g. Illustrator) CMYK as well as web-ready files (jpeg and layered PSD as appropriate).
We have a lot of similar related work (for this project and also new projects) that we will need completed so good work on this project will probably lead to a lot of ongoing projects.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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If Zimbabweans expected their country's neighbors to come out strongly against the repressive behavior of their president, Robert Mugabe, at a meeting of regional leaders in Kinshasa this week, then they were sorely mistaken.
Far from criticizing President Mugabe – who unleashed private militias and government security forces against his political rivals before joining a coalition government with them in February – the members of the Southern Africa Development Community instead chose to adopt Mugabe's call for an end to Western sanctions against his country.
SADC's soft approach to Mugabe will come as a stinging disappointment to Mugabe's rival and coalition partner, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who personally lobbied South African President Jacob Zuma to get tougher with Mugabe. Mr. Zuma instead joined the rest of SADC in a warm embrace of the aging leader.
The approach of seeking to bring external pressure to bear on Mugabe is naive, says Steven Friedman, a political analyst and head of the Center for the Study of Democracy at the University of Johannesburg.
"MDC repeatedly makes the mistake of assuming that their inability to mount sufficient internal pressure will be compensated by external pressure" by groups like SADC, says Mr. Friedman. "The reality is that they're not going to get a decisive push for democracy in Zimbabwe unless there is more coordinated internal pressure inside Zimbabwe."
He adds that the first priority of SADC leaders is to "show solidarity with leaders of other governments."
SADC's decline – and potential revival
Formed specifically so that African leaders could find African solutions for African problems – including solidarity against the racist apartheid government of South Africa – SADC has grown into a kind of Davos summit for the unambitious. Human rights advocates say that by refusing to take hard stands, SADC is missing out on a crucial part of its founding ideals of creating greater social and political justice. But some observers say that SADC is slowly changing, as more and more popularly elected leaders are rubbing shoulders with liberation leaders who gained power through the gun.
"We've seen a subtle shift where people reach positions in government because they were put there, through elections, by a rebellion against the government," says Friedman, noting that long-serving "struggle" leaders like Zimbabwe's Mugabe (29 years) and Angola's Eduardo dos Santos (31 years) are no longer the norm in Southern Africa. "These things don't happen quickly, but there is a relative shift."
The shift may be so subtle that President Mugabe hasn't noticed it. In a speech before an expected visit of European Union diplomats to Zimbabwe, Mugabe lashed out at the European mentality of "bloody whites" who see Africa as their possession.
"Who said the British and the Americans should rule over others? That's why we say down with you. We have not invited these bloody whites. They want to poke their nose into our own affairs. Refuse that," he told members of his ZANU-PF party's youth wing in Harare. "We have stood firm and we have refused to let go. Zimbabwe, sanctions or no sanctions, Zimbabwe remains ours."
Rights groups: SADC must pressure Mugabe
SADC's warm public embrace of Mugabe and its call for an end to sanctions against Zimbabwe caused an uproar among human rights groups, many of which say that continued pressure on Mugabe is crucial for dismantling Mugabe's regime and rebuilding the country.
"Zimbabwe is an African country, and if we talk about African solutions for African problems, does that include human rights?" asks Edith Tsamba, a Zimbabwean human rights activist and member of the African Heritage Society Human Rights Forum in Johannesburg. "Instead of going forward, we seem to be going backward to where we were just a year after liberation. SADC leaders need to ask, 'Can we judge ourselves and really be proud?'"
As an activist in Harare, Ms. Tsamba sheltered hundreds of torture victims in the violent aftermath of the Zimbabwe general elections in March 2008, in which Mugabe's party lost control of Parliament, and Tsvangirai's party claimed victory in the presidential race as well. A political compromise, combining the two rivals into a single government, took the heat out of that violence but failed to bring justice or a sense of security to the hundreds who were tortured and maimed by pro-Mugabe forces, Tsamba says.
To be fair, even Tsvangirai himself has called for a lifting of sanctions, which are specifically targeted against a handful of Zimbabwean leaders and businessmen, and not against Zimbabwe itself. But in lieu of the billions of dollars of reconstruction aid that Tsvangirai requested from Western donor nations, he has only managed to secure a few hundred million in humanitarian aid. Zimbabwe's inflation rate has fallen from 231 million percent to around 1 percent, but the economy remains stagnant, and millions of Zimbabweans remain in a state of chronic malnutrition.
But some political observers say that SADC leaders simply have a firmer grasp on political realities than the West does, and there are signs that SADC is building a unified consensus on how to deal with the Zimbabwe problem pragmatically.
"Look, whether you like Mugabe or not, he is a thug with guns, and you can't wish him away, you have to engage with him and deal with him," says Adam Habib, vice chancellor of the University of Johannesburg. "So how do you get leverage over a thug with guns? That's a dilemma that [former President Thabo] Mbeki faced, and that is a dilemma that Zuma faces today. The only way out of this is a political solution."


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Us taxpayers are stuck with Fries Fiasco and/or Lopez' labyrinth. They didn't know the rust panels were part of the new building! Now, they want us to pay additional monies to Franken for a color change! Must be nice to think you can just play with taxpayers' hard-earned salaries and taxes.
Malfeasance or stupidity — just pass it on to the taxpayer.
Watch this space — my office will be broken-into, again.
J. Emilio Aragon
Las Vegas
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Editor's Note: At a media event Thursday, Facebook unveiled new software called 'Home' that will be deeply integrated with Google's Android operating system.
The social giant also announced the HTC First, which is the first mobile device that will come pre-installed with Facebook's new Home software.
The new software will be available for download on April 12 in the Google Play Store and the HTC First phone will go on sale the same day at AT&T stores in the U.S. The phone will retail at $99.99.
CNBC covered the event live, scroll down to read more about Facebook's new 'Home' applications below.


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Dundalk was once economically and culturally vibrant and included our traditional Heritage Fair, Fourth of July and St. Patrick's Day parades, picnics at Chesterwood, Stansbury and Gunpowder parks and a myriad of historical events associated with North Point and Fort Howard.
It was through the vision of our community that we could boast of the activities that attract visitors and community pride.
Suddenly, County Executive Kevin Kamenetz decided he must sell our government center to generate funds for schools. He should use other money for that. We need our police station where the crime is, not on Eastern Avenue, where the response time is too long. Also, the 60-plus-year tradition of Fourth of July fireworks would cease.
To quote Rep. Andy Harris, "the waste, fraud and abuse that went on in the Maryland school system is exactly what makes the American people angry about government spending."
Frances M. Martino


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Thursday, March 24
• Start the weekend with a performance of your own as Craggie Brewing Company (197 Hilliard Ave., 254-0360) hosts its weekly open mic night from 6-9 p.m. The downtown brewery also features an eclectic double header Saturday, featuring old-time and Americana by Southern Exposure from 6-8 p.m., followed by the psychedelic pop of The Critters. Free.
• Asheville gets a taste of Brooklyn as experimental New York indie rockers The Rex Complex and Railbird visit Mo-Daddy's (77 Biltmore Ave., 258-1550). Local indie pop trio Grammer School opens. 9 p.m. $5.
• Savannah's Little Tybee makes music that is awfully hard to put your finger on, in a good way. The self-described "mini-orchestra" ranges from five to 10 members and belts out a pop-friendly sound that is undeniably complex, yet remarkably accessible. The band stops by The Grey Eagle (185 Clingman Ave., 232-5800) for a show with local indie-folk quartet Do It To Julia and the ever-evolving psychedelic folk of Sky Lake. 8:30 p.m. $7.
• "Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun is a band of four," reads the group's bio. "Two boys. Two girls. Noisy. Dancy. Loud. Sincere. Sweaty. Loveable. Hardworking. Fun!" Catch them at The LAB (39 North Lexington Avenue, 252-0212) with The Critters. 10 p.m.
Friday, March 25
• Future Islands are sometimes referred to as "post-wave," but dance-y, electronic rock is an equally fitting description, and one that actually means something to most people. The Baltimore trio plays Broadway's (113 Broadway St., 285-0400) with local electronic duo EAR PWR. 10 p.m. $7.
• Mo' Betta Soul online magazine hosts a "night of music, art and coffee, featuring musical artist Lyric Jones, visual artist Joshua Spiceland and hosts Preach Jacobs and Secret B-Sides's Juan Holladay," according to a release for the event. Held at Firestorm Cafe (48 Commerce Street, 255-8115). 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 26
• "They are fun loving, open-hearted girls who play irresistible punk-infused pop music with a passion that is truly contagious," says The Bangles' Susanna Hoffs of Sick of Sarah, an all female quintet from Minneapolis. "The girls are hilarious and wild, and have a charisma and chemistry that I found to be utterly charming … I think you will too!" See them at Club Hairspray (38 N. French Broad Ave., 258-2027). 10 p.m.
• Calling all Deadheads: Relive the glory days of tour as Violin River visits The Root Bar (1410 Tunnel Road) for a night of classic covers and fan favorites. 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 27
• "We are the Archrivals," proclaims a bio for this side-project of stephaniesid's Chuck Lichtenberger. "We are the team that Teen Wolf beat to win the championship. We are the two guys that Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson beat at the end of White Men Can't Jump. You know what I'm talkin' about…" Maybe not, but you can check them out at Barleys Taproom (42 Biltmore Ave., 255-0504) to see for yourself.
• "D. Charles Speer & the Helix are a group of believers," reads the band's Myspace. "They believe in the eternal sway that raw, honest sweat can generate in a crowd. They believe in a diabolic combination of godheads all focused toward lifting the listener into a space which harkens back to the past glories of Bakersfield, San Francisco, Pireaus and New Orleans, while hurtling past the darkened horizons of today. Diverse voices blend into a raging mass of excitation with a perspective markedly set askew from the frozen hipster wasteland. Dust off yr nudie suit and shine yr boots then come on out and burn it down!!!!!" Believe it or not, the group's music is nearly as cryptic as its bio. The Brooklyn outfit plays Broadway's (113 Broadway St., 285-0400) Sunday. 10 p.m. $7.


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|Blood Orange Cake with Candied Orange
In warm-weather Mediterranean countries where olives grow, and where butter spoils quickly, sweets are more likely to be made with age-old olive oil. In Italy, bakers add olive oil to everything from biscotti to apple cakes. In Spain and Morocco, the zesty character of orange semolina cake is enhanced with fruity-flavoured olive oil. The tender, crumbly Greek cookies kourambiedes, too, are made with olive oil. Oil will tenderize your cake batter and help keep it moist. So it is often used in fruity, dense quick breads and muffins that are leavened with baking powder and baking soda. The trick is keeping mixing to a minimum to prevent developing tough strands of gluten.
Blood oranges are juicy, sweet with a dark red interior and are slightly less acidic than regular table oranges. Originally from Sicily (Italy) and Spain the blood orange has gained in popularity and can be found fresh or in juice form in many local grocery stores. Blood oranges contain a pigment called anthocyanin which is not typically found in citrus but rather more common in other red fruits and flowers. Not only is the inside of the orange darkly pigmented but depending on the variety the outside may also have dark washes of red. What we find here in our stores probably are grown in either California of Texas. U.S. grown blood oranges are in season from late fall to early spring.
As Elise of Simply Recipes says, "Those of you who love blood oranges don't need to be told how exquisitely wonderful they are. In the kingdom of citrus, blood oranges are royalty. You know that every bite is an explosion of sweet, deep orange flavor, with hints of raspberry." If you've never had a blood orange, or have shied away from them because of the name, think "Sangria" which in Spanish means "blood" and get yourself to a store that carries them. You will be delighted by them."
I brought my first blood oranges of the season home from the store with the thoughts of making an olive oil cake. Today was the day. Since blood oranges are grown in Italy and Spain I thought an olive oil cake would be the perfect marriage of flavours. Olive oil makes your cakes dense and rich and faintly fruity. I mixed gently, watched my masterpiece in the oven closely, waited impatiently for it to cool, sprinkled it liberally with warm syrup from candying the oranges and then sliced into it. And amazing it was!!!! There is just something about olive oil cake that just "turns my crank":D With this experiment I was happy to find the results were a perfectly cooked and delicately crumbed cake. I know this is something I will be making again and again in it's simplicity.
1 cup sugar
3 cup water
3/4 cup orange blossom honey
3 tablespoons green cardamom pods, crushed
1 small blood orange, thinly sliced
1 cup flour
1/2 cup semolina
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup olive oil (I used blood orange flavoured olive oil)
1/2 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
Chopped unsalted pistachios, for garnish
For the candied orange and syrup, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silkpat. Cut the orange into thin slices. Bring sugar, water, honey and cardamom pods to a boil until sugar dissolves. Add orange slices. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, turning orange slices occasionally, until they are tender and the syrup is reduced to 3 1/4 cups. This will take about 30 - 40 minutes. Arrange orange slices in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Strain syrup. Set aside.
For the cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9" springform pan lightly with oil. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
Whisk together flour, semolina, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground cardamom. Separate the eggs.
Beat the 1/2 cup oil and 1/4 cup sugar for 1 minute. Add the yolks and combine thoroughly. Add flour mixture and beat until blended. Beat in yogurt, zest and vanilla. Set aside.
Using a clean dry whisk attachment, beat egg whites in another bowl until opaque and soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until firm peak stage. Gently fold egg whites into cake batter in 2 additions. Transfer to prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Place the cake pan on a wire rack. Pierce hot cake with a toothpick. Slowly drizzle 3/4 cup warm syrup over the top of the cake. When syrup is absorbed, slowly pour 3/4 cup more syrup over. [I skipped the second application of syrup.] Reserve remaining syrup for serving.
Cool completely. Run a thin knife around edge of pan to release cake. Remove pan sides. Carefully invert cake onto a plate and remove parchment paper. Invert again onto a serving platter so it's right side up. Arrange candied orange slices over the top. Garnish with pistachios. Serve drizzled with more syrup, if desired.
Serves 12
You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.


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Packers running back Cedric Benson was making progress recently, sparking hopes he might come back this year from his Lisfranc injury.
But that's gone now, as Packers coach Mike McCarthy announced Benson had surgery on his foot yesterday, and would not be activated from the IR/designated for return list.
You're tempted to say it's a significant blow for the Packers, but no more than they choose to run, it's hard to imagine how much of a difference it actually makes. Benson had at least 17 rushing attempts in three of the five games he played, but Alex Green has 97 rush attempts in nine games.
They'd probably be more willing to run more with Benson as opposed to Green, but that's not enough to take that much pressure off a line that's getting Aaron Rodgers abused weekly.


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Proculture needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 218 designs submitted by 73 freelance designers.
Proculture delivers yeast for the beer and wine industry. We have strong professional scientific capabilities, but we are interested in incorporating other creative attributes into the design. We are a young company, with young staff and don't want to look overly formal or conventional.
We are targeting Australian microbreweries and home brewers at this stage, although the market is likely to expand in the near future.
We would like a logo to represent our company. We'd like a contemporary, artistic look. Please do not use stock images or clip art or any other images subject to copyright. Our advantage over our competitors is the freshness and quality of our product, and our extensive range. We work closely with our clients, and are the only company in Australia to provide this product.
We will need high quality designs in digital format to be used on websites and in printing cards, letterheads and brochures.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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bertussi needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 100 designs submitted by 35 freelance designers.
Bertussi's is a mechanical contractor (which includes: plumbing, heating, cooling, sheet metal & fire protection) servicing commercial and residential (home) customers. In business for 51 years, looking for a more professional (memorable) image.
Government Construction Service Buyers
Construction Project Managers
Architects & Engineers
Residential / homeowner
(... looking to purchase Mechanical Contracting Services)
Descriptive logo that spells out what we do: mechanical contracting (plumbing, heating, cooling, etc)
A logo that looks professional & clean: shirts, vans, letterhead, business cards
Design / Coloring that translates well for journal / print ads
Company colors are: red/blue – though open to new ideas
A "recognizable" icon / typestyle image (memorably different.)
Must fully incorporate name into logo design
Must utilize color and no gradients (unable to vinyl / print)
No cartoon images
No unprofessional
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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I didn't draw this one but I wanted to continue showing colorful crayons this week so I grabbed the coloring book and shaded this wonderful little cow.
Related articles
- It's May! So draw something everyday! (thatgirlfromnc.blogspot.com)
- a cow inspired by the Stenberg Brothers, and puzzled for IF (sruble.com)
- Zig and Wikki in The Cow (readaboutcomics.com)
- Tipping cows down on the Farmville (news.cnet.com)


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This is 3 coats plus Zoya Armor topcoat followed by Nubar Diamont and then Barielle Manicure Extender. I used the Zoya Armor topcoat in hopes that it would prevent some chipping due to Diamont (as kind of a barrier I guess). I've had a lot of issues with Zoyas chipping on me - I know the theory presented on All Lacquered Up but I simply can't do without a quick-dry top coat - I would never do manis if not for quick dry topcoats.
So what was the result? Typically, Zoyas last less than 12 hours on me, as in I apply the polish the night before and then it chips the next morning while I'm getting ready for class or work. By using Armor, I extended my polish by 2 days. I was doing a lot of housework and digging (I lost a book I need to use for one of my final papers - eek! - so I spent quite a bit of time tearing my apt. apart looking for it!), so this is groundbreaking for me. Even after the 2 days, all I have is some minimal tipwear. So to those of you who, like me, cannot do without a quick dry topcoat, try using Zoya Armor as a "barrier" between your Zoya polish and your quick dry topcoat!
Sorry for the non-moisturized cuticles - haven't gotten around to it yet on the day that I wore this!
And just for silliness, look what I keep getting distracted by:
How can I pay attention to the words on a page when this lovely is right in my face! My eyes keep drifting over to my nails! :P (The book is Desiring Arabs by Joseph A. Massad, if you're curious).
You can purchase Charla and the Zoya Sparkle collection at artofbeauty.com!
Also, Zoya is resurrecting the Zoya Nail Polish Exchange, which allows you to exchange old (or ugly lol) bottles of nail polish that you no longer want for brand new Zoyas at $3.50 each (they're regularly $7 each). I believe this program starts today, and you should be able to read more about it on Zoya's website (http://www.zoya.com/).
Have a great day!
Like this? Click below to let us know!


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Anti-microbials that work well in the urinary system are fundamental to achieving success. Examples include Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Barosmabetulina, Agropyron repens.
Prostate tonics must be used as in benign prostatic enlargement. Examples include Sabal serrenoa, Hydrangea arborescens. Herbsthat might also fulfill such a role include Turnera diffusa andSmilax spp..
Diuretics will help the bladder and kidney void the urine, however they may be contra-indicated where there is marked blockage due to prostate swelling.
Demulcents that soothe the urinary system (demulcent diuretics) willhelp alleviate some of the symptom picture.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Agropyron repens
Barosma betulina
Echinacea spp.
Sabal serrenoa
Zea mays equal parts to 5ml of tincture 3 times a day
Zea mays
Achillea millefolium equal parts of dried herb as infusion drunk throughout the day
Vitamin E 800 I.U. daily
Calcium/magnesium combination 400-600 mg daily
Zinc picolinate 20-50 mg daily


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Thank you for choosing our hosting services! We strive to provide you with impeccable service and make our services as easy to use as possible.
In order for your website to be displayed, we recommend you move all the required files to the server. You can do this by using the DataZone administration panel FTP application or using any FTP software. Please move only the indicated files to the folder /htdocs.
NB! If you do not wish this page to be shown on your webpage, then please delete the index.html file from your virtual server /htdocs folder or replace it with your own index.html or index.php file.


text:
Please note that I'm going against my own previous advice here, as I haven't finished reading every one of these books from cover to cover (
NOTE: One Anonymous poster pointed out that there's more material missing from the Google Book Search selections than at first appeared. I've had to remove those books, but you can search their selection through the link provided.
Without further ado, I present to you the 7 best free programming books that I could find online. Enjoy.
- Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs
- Thinking in Java (3rd ed.)
- Thinking in C++ (2nd ed.)
- Algorithms and Complexity
- How to Think Like a Computer Scientist(Learning with C++)
- Programming Ruby (1st ed.)
- Dive Into Python
I'd also certainly be interested to learn of any other free online book resources that anyone can recommend.
Related posts:
Even More Free Programming Books


text:
The Madsonic Web site (http://beta.madsonic.org/pages/apps.jsp) list a lot of apps as if they all were compatible with the Madsonic server, but most of the client apps listed are subsonic apps, and I tried a few of them and couldn't make the play files from my Madsonic server. So why are these apps listed when they are only compatible with the Subsonic server??
(I was hoping @Madevil could answer this)


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Fring Brings Video Calling To iPhone
iPhone Video With Fring, snapvoip.blogspot.com
Had the Apple positioned the camera on iPhone 3GS differently, people may been able to do video conferencing easily. But Apple decided to make the camera unique for taking photos and videos. So it is next to impossible to have a meaningful video conversation in two iphones, unless you are next to each other and pointing the iPhones at each other.
But you always find resourceful developers like Fring who decided to not to be hampered by the camera position on the iPhone. Fring has enabled only incoming video-stream only on new Fring for iPhone / iPod Touch. But you can have two way video conversations on S60 based phones like Nokia N series.
This video feature is embedded within the fring application that enables free voice calls from the iPhone and iPod Touch to other fring users, Skype and GTalk buddies as well as friends on regular phone lines via Skype-Out and hundreds of popular SIP services. fring users can live chat, update profiles, share files and talk with friends from several Instant Messaging services like MSN, AIM, GoogleTalk and Skype, in addition to interacting with popular online social networks like Twitter, all from one integrated fring contact list
"Leveraging excellent video capabilities on the iPhone and iPod touch together with our open internet and social environment, we're bringing together families and friends these holidays, wherever they are…We were the first to bring mobile voice over internet (VoIP) to mobile devices, the first to bring iPhone/ iPod touch users the choice to make free Internet calls, the first to enable cost-saving mobile twitter over internet, and now we're proud to continue leading the field of rich mobile-internet communication by bringing users the world's first fring video calls over internet for the iPhone and iPod touch."said Avi Shechter, Co-Founder & CEO of fring on the occasion.
The new fring version with video calls support is currently available to users with iPhone/ iPod touch OS 3.0. Fring also supports many devices on multiple platforms including Symbian S60, Android, Windows Mobile, J2ME and Linux devices.
Press Release
Download the new fring version


text:
Event featured today
Event featured today
Event featured for 2 days
Event featured for 1 days
Bronze arts & crafts style coat hook... We purchased a total of four of these hooks and mounted them on a funiture-finished piece of 2"x6" caoba (Mexican mahogany) and in turn mounted this wood plaque on our entry hallway wall with the mounting screws for the plaque located so as to conceal them behind the installed bronze hooks. Our finished and installed project is very, very attractive and was accomplished for a modest total cost, considering the quality of these components.
Why settle for uninspired bathroom furniture and fixtures when you can easily add attractive cabinetry, stylish vanities, and other items designed and produced by style leaders, whose products are carried in top retail stores, and are also available right here at competitive pricing, ready to be shipped directly from the factory to your home.
Browse our collection of accessories, storage units and other essentials for a new look, or an update, in both contemporary and traditional styles. Illuminate with elegant lighting and mirrors that can open up your space without moving walls, or add smart storage with attractive over-the-toilet space-savers and clothes hampers.
The list of our online bath offerings is extensive - from a new shower, enclosures, jets, tubs, faucets or sinks, to drawer hardware, comfortable bath mats, rugs, towels, towel hooks, racks, bars and warmers. We also have simple yet wonderfully designed items like soap dishes, baskets, tooth brush, tissue, and toilet paper holders, lotion dispensers and pumps, make-up, shaving and vanity mirrors, and high tech digital and body fat scales.


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More of Italy's Alberghi Diffusi
The National Association of Diffuse Hotels' website (alberghidiffusi.it) is only in Italian, but it has links to 23 alberghi diffusi in the frame labeled "Alberghi Diffusi aderenti." Here are a few, including Sextantio, with nightly double rates unless noted.
SEXTANTIO, ABRUZZI The albergo diffuso's restaurant is open Wednesday and Thursday for dinner only, and Friday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. 011-39/0862-899-112,sextantio.it, from $252 with breakfast.
FORGARIA MONTE PRAT, FRIULI About 20 apartments and villas are scattered throughout several towns in the mountains near the Austrian border. 011-39/0427-809-091, monteprat.it, villas from $94, apartments from $110.
SOTTO LE CUMMERSE, PUGLIA All 10 apartments in the historic center of Locorotondo have modern amenities, such as TVs, DVD players, and air-conditioning. 011-39/080-431-3298, sottolecummerse.it, from $129.
TRULLIDEA, PUGLIA Twenty-five conical trulli houses—common in southern Puglia—have been turned into guest rooms in Alberobello. 011-39/080-432-3860, trullidea.com, from $135.
CORTE FIORITA, SARDINIA The colorful houses in the charming town of Bosa contain 25 hotel rooms, some overlooking the Temo River. 011-39/0785-377-058, albergo-diffuso.it, from $102.
VAL DI KAM, SICILY There are 10 rooms in Sant'Angelo Muxaro, a village on a chalk cliff that centuries ago was a necropolis. The hotel offers a pranzo diffuso, or "diffuse breakfast tour," which includes visits to a shepherd for fresh cheese and to a baker for bread and olive oil. The tour ends in a courtyard where a selection of pastries is served. 011-39/0922-919-670, valdikam.it, from $88, breakfast $39 with guide.
BORGO DEI CORSI, TUSCANY Ten renovated apartments are available for rent in Raggiolo, an ancient stone village in the Casentino mountains southeast of Florence. 011-39/0575-514-428, borgodeicorsi.it, from $700 per week.
LA CASELLA, UMBRIA This albergo diffuso includes more than 30 rooms in several 19th-century houses on 1,100 acres near the Tuscany-Umbria border. There's also a spa and an equestrian center. 011-39/ 0763-86-684, lacasella.it, from $220 with breakfast.


text:
I get a variety of correspondence from Empty Nest readers through mail and email. Invariably, I'm asked for advice — not that I'm any sage, but people seem to be under the misguided assumption that since my column appears in the newspaper, I must be an expert. Poor people.
I always respond, because I love hearing from my readers. And I save the Empty Nest correspondence in a folder. In reviewing the folder, I see that over the years, I have been asked a passel of advice, and given back aplenty.
What the heck, if Abby and Ann (they're sisters, you know, now of the great beyond) can do it, so can I. Here goes — a first for this column: Empty Nest Advice.
Dear Empty Nest:
I have a deadbeat ex-husband who refuses to pay alimony. When I send letters to the company he works for, they send back frowny faces (very unprofessional, right?).
Lawyers just want money. Do I throw him in the slammer or keep retaining lawyers that get me nowhere? Any input would be welcome.
Dear Jilted:
If you can manage it financially, let the delinquent alimony go for a while, until it reaches a sizable amount. Then retain the lawyer. Chances are your ex will not only wind up owing you back alimony, plus interest, but also your lawyer fees and court costs.
If you wait long enough, you might even get his Social Security. Let the legal system deal with the employer, not you, and save those frowny faces for the judge. I hope this helps.
Dear Empty Nest:
I'm stuck in a suffocating marriage that is miserable for me, my wife and the dog. We've been married 35 years. I don't love her anymore, and not sure I ever did. I think, if asked, my wife would say the same thing.
Our kids are raised, and away from home. This should be the golden years of our lives, but it feels like a prison. Sex is non-existent. We've tried counseling, and it was a miserable failure. I hate to say it, but it's all the property we own that is keeping me from walking out. What do I do?
Dear Stuck:
Having been divorced twice, I'm obviously no expert on relationships. However, I can tell you, unequivocally, there is life after divorce, a good life. It may not seem possible from your perspective now, but all that property stuff gets worked out.
The last thing you want is to wake up some morning, realize you're 80 years old, and hate the person you've wasted your life with. I doubt that your feelings for your spouse will improve, and will probably worsen.
Do yourself a favor, cut the losses, and talk to a divorce lawyer.
P.S. — Ask for the dog.
Dear Empty Nest:
You've talked about alcoholism in your column. I know I'm an alcoholic and don't really care. I get plastered most every night.
My wife puts up with it. She's walked out several times, but always comes back. I can't see that I'm hurting anyone or anything.
Dear Inebriated:
Been there, done that. The thing is, you have a disease, and like most diseases, it's progressive. It always gets worse, never better. Something bad will happen. Guarantee it.
You'll kill someone driving drunk, or burn the house down, and maybe your wife with it. It doesn't have to happen. You've taken the first step in admitting you're an alcoholic. Take the next step. Get help.
See you next month for "Ask Empty Nest."


text: Pink Multi-Mix Pink Multi-MixFULL TO THE BRIM 4g Pots(please note, glitter may settle in transit)I've made my own mixes of dots, hex & star pieces which can be encapsulated into hard gel or acrylic. *Some of the mixes can also be added as individual pieces to the tacky layer of gel polish, as long as they are sealed well with 2 topcoats. They are all solvent resistant and come in different colours - matte, neon, metallic and holographic!Click on the mix in the drop down box to see the choices!*(smaller pieces only) Product Code: DOTS Brand: Nail Stamping Queen Weight: 4g Product Condition: New £1.99 inc. tax x


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Venus and Serena, free from SEWTA obligations this week since they're continuing to boycott the Indian Wells tournament, attended last night's 10th anniversary party for ESPN the Magazine at Area in West Hollywood.
Venus continues with the gold accessories.
Here's the cover for that issue. The copy reads: "For the power of their style and the style of their game… Venus and Serena are perfect 10s." As you may remember, this photo shoot happened back in October.
More photos: See the rest of the party photos here.
(party photos via MediaOutrage)


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Museum Hours
Saturdays - 9:00 AM to Noon
Sundays - Noon to 4:00 PM
Group Fire Safety Education Programs By Appointment
Did you hear?! Your Fire Museum web site is VERY popular! During 2010, this web site has received over 357,000 hits from over 4,000 unique computers! Thanks for your support for your very successful Fire Museum!


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Van Halen 'Bullethead' – Another New Song Revealed?
Based on the recently announced tracklisting for Van Halen's long-awaited 'A Different Kind of Truth,' it seems that (at least) a third unreleased song based on demos from early in the band's career, 'Bullethead,' will join the previously revealed reclamation projects 'Tattoo' and 'She's the Woman' on the record.
According to the Van Halen Encylopedia, 'Bullethead,' also known as 'Bang Bang,' was played at a club show in 1977 as well as once or twice on the tour in support of the group's 1978 self-titled debut album.
As heard in this unofficial (and therefore unverified) YouTube clip, 'Bullethead' is an uptempo barnburner, with a young David Lee Roth working hard in the most stylish way possible to keep up with Alex Van Halen's frantic drumming (check out his solo at the end!) and get the verses finished before Michael Anthony's piercing "Bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu bullethead" choruses.
If this song is indeed destined for the new Van Halen album (due Feb. 7), the question is whether they keep it mostly intact as they seem to have done with 'She's the Woman,' or re-write it a bit a la 'Tattoo,' which originated from a track known as 'Down in Flames.' We're guessing either way, most people are going to like this one better than the overly didactic Van Halen 'III' track 'Ballot or the Bullet.'
Hear Van Halen Perform 'Bullethead' in 1976


text: In 1933, the year Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) became chancellor of Germany, he named Joseph Goebbels (1897-1945), his trusted friend and colleague, to the key post of minister for public enlightenment and propaganda. In this capacity, Goebbels was charged with presenting Hitler to the public in the most favorable light, regulating the content of all German media and fomenting anti-Semitism. Goebbels forced Jewish artists, musicians, actors, directors and newspaper and magazine editors into unemployment, and staged a public burning of books that were considered "un-German." He also spearheaded the production of Nazi propaganda films and other projects. Goebbels remained in this post and was loyal to Hitler until the end of World War II (1939-45). On May 1, 1945, the day after Hitler committed suicide, Goebbels and his wife poisoned their six children and then killed themselves.


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Hi guys,
I made a game that uses microscale lego spaceships. It's pretty simple, don't be afraid of the rules (they're only 10 pages printed). I've played it only a few times and it works well. Occasionally I will edit the rules, but doing that does not change the URL.
You can see my rules here.
As for ship ideas, I made a fleet, and you can see the original inspiration here.
I hope you enjoy it.


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Spot or Not: The Polk County Dump
I saw this "spot or not" a year or so ago driving down the Polk County Expressway. When I saw hundreds of turkey vultures I had to pull over and when I did I saw two pretty sweet concrete banks that might be good for a ride. Dan, Scott, and I went out there one morning and to see how the banks would slide. There's a lot reasons that make this place a " not" including but not limited to:
-parking off the side of major highway that is regularly patrolled by state troopers
-chest high barbed wire fence to get the winch over
-blatant trespassing and creepy vibe from the scavengers hovering overhead
-Possibly the grossest water ever graced by a wakeskate unless some has ridden at a sewage/wastewater treatment plant.
We were determined to make this a spot though so Scott geared up first and gave it a try. Without wetting it down the first try went pretty bad and Scott ended up with some serious road rash on his seat. Considering the conditions we all agreed Hydrogen Peroxide(H2O2) was probably more important than any more winch pulls so we moved on to other spots around the greater Polk County area.


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Linear Robot Transport Units (RTU) or Linear Rails
IPR Robotics, LLCUpdated 12/26/2013
IPR Robotics offers ten sizes of Robot Transport Units (RTUs) that can extend the range of robots by up to 330 ft (100m). The sizes and respective payloads are as follows: IP-80 (100kg), IP-100 (220kg),IP-150 (600kg), IP-160 (800kg), IP-170 (1200 kg), IP-180 (1600kg), IP-200 (2000kg), IP-200HD (2500kg), IP-300 and IP-400 (please contact IPR for application review). The RTUs consists of modular, high-strength extruded aluminum sections for the sizes up to IP-180 and tubular steel for the larger sizes, providing the rigidity required for each application. These RTU designs allow for fast and accurate installation in the field minimizing costs and delays. This range of RTU sizes allows the system designer to right size the rail for the robot, which assists with optimizing the use of floor space in the layout. Each model can be equipped with a walkable cover that easily supports foot traffic and prevents contamination or accidental damage to key components such as the rack, pinion, rollers, and guides. Quick Facts
Model: IP-80 through IP-400
Associated Categories


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Friday, December 09, 2011 - Jakub and Honza - Screen Test - FULL CONTACT
Jakub Nakuda is a very cute newcomer. We wanted to do a screentest with him, and paired him with another very hot guy Honza Forst. Things start with Honza, briefly, interviewing Jakub before starting to kiss him. As they kiss Honza's hand dips into Jakub's briefs. Jakub's undies are removed to reveal that his cock is already very hard. Honza takes hold of it and wanks it while he kisses Jakub's nipples. Then he starts to suck on the hard cock, his mouth working up and down. Jakub reciprocate, removing Honza's underwear and taking his large cock in his mouth. Jakub suck, very well, on Honza's cock while his own dick is standing to attention. He licks the balls and up and down the cock, then starts sucking it again. It feels so good to Honza and he starts to fuck Jakub's face. Jakub seems to love Honza's cock, sucking it deep into his mouth, really working it well. The guys then kiss before Honza presents his ass to Jakub for some rimming. Honza looks great as he lays there, with his hairy legs in full view as Jakub rims. Then the guys move and Honza gets a taste of Jakub's ass too. He licks at the hole before sucking Jakub's cock again. Then he starts to finger Jakub's hole and we hear moaning as the finger slides in an out. Honza finger fucks the hole and sucks on Jakub's cock as he does so. He really stretches that tight hole, by sliding two fingers deep inside, before he gets up on his knees and fucks his cock deep in Jakub's ass. He fucks real well, his dick going all the way in before pulling out some and back in again. Then as he fucks Honza leans over and kisses Jakub, fucking even faster as his lips me Jakub's. Next they move to a spoon position as Honza continues to fuck and Jakub turns his head so that they can kiss while the cock is deep in his ass. Another change of position sees Honza on his knees again and Jakub on his side, legs tucked up so that Honza has easy access to his ass. His cock really pounds into Jakub's ass, and he is taking it really well. Jakub then sits on Honza's cock and rides it while wanking himself. Then Honza starts fucking upwards into that ass and is soon ready to blow. He quickly moves up to Jakub's face and shoots a nice big load all over his face, then pushes his sticky cock into Jakub's mouth for some cleaning before leaning over and kissing him. What a great scene, and Jakub certainly passed his screentest with ease. Both guys were wonderful.
Tomas Polok is aged 30 and lives in Hustopece. He is currently unemployed and enjoys football, fitness and trekking. He is certainly a very interesting looking guy, with a mass of tattoos. Tomas does his interview sitting on a pommel horse, and then he climbs down, onto the floor to start doing some press-ups. Then he lays down and does some very impressive sit-ups before standing and relaxing his very muscular body. We get a close up of his thighs which are thick and very muscled. After doing some stretching exercises Tomas does more push-ups, this time with his feet on a bench. Next he stands and removes his wrestling suit and does some muscle posing. I must say he has clearly worked hard on his body. Reverting to more push-ups we now see his flaccid cock hanging down as his arms are taut from the pressure. Tomas then moves to the pommel horse and reclines on it and starts to rub his cock, getting it nice and hard. As he rubs it he also feels his chest. Sitting up and facing the camera he continues to wank his curved, hard cock before leaning on one side and lifting a leg in the air so that we can see his tight hole. To give us a better view of that hole Tomas kneels on the floor, with his back to the camera and bends over to spread his ass. As he does so he also wanks his hard cock. Then he leans back on the horse again and wanks himself to a climax, with his cum shooting out and landing on his belly and leg. Tomas looks very good in this video and was also very good in a a recent nude submission wrestling.
Igor Putasky is from Brno and he is aged 24. He is a student of informatics. Igor enjoys computers and jogging. He is a great looking guy with a very nice body. This is a very good shoot indeed, with Igor demonstrating his fitness with some great shots of him exercising and somersaulting. He also shows us that he has a very big cock as well as a nice bubble butt.
Ruslan Tarovsky,Jan Pribyla,Mattias Solich,Yuri Bulakov,Zdenek Zimola, Rado Princ, Rado Zuska and Honza Copak are the models in Wank In The Woods 2011. It was a really great shoot, as can be seen in the 4 part main postings. However we also have the backstage videos that were filmed during the scene. This is part 2 of that backstage view of shooting the scene, which gives a very nice insight into the making of a scene.


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Note: This recipe, created by Olivia Neely of Kansas, won a national contest and was served at a special lunch for kids at the White House. These pizzas pack a lot of nutrition, but the fat and sodium are a little high. Consider reducing the amount of cheese and meat used as toppings. (If you try this recipe, get a grownup's help because it requires using a knife, a food processor, and the oven.)
Prep time: 90 minutes
For the cauliflower crusts
For the pizza topping
Optional toppings
Make the cauliflower crusts:
While crusts are baking, make the toppings:
Assemble and bake the pizzas:
Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date Reviewed: 14-09-2013


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i might say baylor as they have a higher bar pass rate than Texas powerhouse UT and an xo poster who transferred from Baylor to UT stated that employers inquired as to his transfer, saying " we consider baylor to be the best school in TX". I don't think anyone would doubt it from a practical standpoint, but certainly UT gets sweet ranking consideration, most likely due to faculty. Any thoughts?
Quote from: St. Shaun on May 17, 2005, 06:04:06 PMBerkley.Berkeley


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JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (Reuters) - He collapsed to his knees in pain and bent over to place both fists on the ground after a back spasm at the 13th, but Tiger Woods still managed to nearly force a playoff at The Barclays on Sunday.
Woods, who had complained about a sore back he blamed on sleeping on a soft hotel bed this week, hit the deck after hitting a fairway wood for his second shot at the par-five 13th hole during the final round of the event won by Adam Scott.
After collecting himself, the world number one got back to his feet and made his way to the point where his shot sailed over the tee box at the adjacent hole and splashed into water and he took a drop on his way to a bogey.
Woods said he felt twinges in his back on the hole before.
"It actually started the hole before, my little tee shot there started it and 13 just kind of accentuated it," he said.
The bogey at 13 cost him in a tight race in which he had been part of a four-way tie for the lead early on the back nine. Woods had another bogey at the 15th and was bending over gingerly to take his ball out of the cup.
Woods was asked later if it was a back spasm.
"Oh yeah, big time," said the 37-year-old American. "It's definitely spasming."
Woods, a five-time winner on the tour this year, still gave himself a chance to add to his total.
He birdied the 16th and 17th holes to move within one stroke of Australia's Scott, the Masters champion, and had a 26-foot putt from off the green for a possible birdie that would have forced a playoff.
"I had a chance," said Woods.
"I hit a good putt. Thought I made it," he added of the putt that died three inches from the hole. "It was a little double-breaker and I thought I poured it in."
Woods said his back had not given him any previous trouble on Sunday until the tee shot at 12.
"I was playing pretty good, and I was hanging right there and I was only one back," he said.
"I figured I was in the perfect spot and unfortunately just couldn't finish off the rest of the day."
Woods finished up with a two-under 69 that put him in a four-way tie for second at 10-under-par.
The American was not sure about his status for next week's FedExCup event, the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston.
"That's all hypothetical. I just got off (the course) and I'm not feeling my best right now."
Editing by Greg Stutchbury


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Isn't this beneath you?
At the premiere of Transformers last night, it's Emile Hirsch with his girlfriend. He doesn't seem to leave home without her now. And her shady friends who sell out Robert Pattinson.
So … Emile is, like, the best young thespian ever in his mind, remember? He only does arty movies, with with arty artists, and the script is the only thing that matters, remember? What does the Real Emile, the Emile whose insightful film reviews, the Emile who is so arrogant he thinks he's the first to have thought of the Modern Hamlet, what does the Real Emile think of Transformers?
It's beneath him, non?
Oh but Emile must hustle. Because Shia LaBeouf is, like, almost the same. But wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better. There's no need, really, for both of them. And dollar for dollar, actor for actor, almost everyone in the business would choose Shia > Emile.
Which is why Emile has to crash Shia's party to get some play. And we still don't care.
Amelie Mucci/LE/Splash News


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Seven National Priorities
The National Priorities in the Goal help guide the Nation's preparedness efforts to meet its most urgent needs. The priorities fall into two categories: (A) three overarching priorities that contribute to the development of multiple capabilities, and (B) four capability-specific priorities that build selected capabilities for which the Nation has the greatest need.
Three Overarching Priorities
Four Capability-Specific Priorities
National Review of Emergency Operations Plans and Status of Catastrophic Planning
The devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina focused the Nation on the importance of emergency operations planning for catastrophic incidents. As a result, in addition to the seven National Priorities outlined in the Goal, the FY 2006 HSGP adds an additional priority that emphasizes emergency operations and catastrophic planning.


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The Commoditization of SEO
No one who's watching wants to see it. No one who's listening wants to hear it. Anyone who's just starting out in SEO or anyone who's been in SEO for years isn't going to want to hear it or even agree. SEO is a commodity. It's been commoditized.
Deep down, it's something I've known for a year or so now, but two recent posts have solidified this viewpoint for me: Rand Fishkin's The Responsibilities of SEO Have Been Upgraded and Alan Blieweiss' Why I Joined Click2Rank. Each has a unique subject, each has unique vantage point, but the end result of both articles brought me to "commodity". Neither are prerequisite reading, but I would recommend them both.
Here's the definition of commoditization from InvestoPedia:
1) While many consider this sort of adjustment worthwhile, some view commoditization as a cause of price fluctuations. 2) When a product becomes indistinguishable from others like it and consumers buy on price alone, it becomes a commodity.[emphasis mine]
The New Used Car Dealerships of the Web
Between the rapid globalization (read outsource) and higher levels of saturation in the market place today, SEO services are the newest used car dealerships on the web. The same knowledge resource [the product] possessed by many in a space dominated by price [consumers looking for the service]. The industry is about cheap quality. If the consumer doesn't find SEO Company X's price palatable, he/she can walk down the street and haggle with SEO Company Y's people. Because in the end, all a client/consumer wants is a vehicle that gets done what it has to at the least expense to them.
Some will argue that this simply isn't the case. And, I'll listen to those arguments because I still want to believe it isn't the case either. But let's take this metaphor a bit further.
Ferrari's and Yugo's and Everything in Between
Like automobiles, SEO and SEM skill sets come in varying degrees. Some of us are highly-tuned, highly-functional Ferrari's: clients know it's expensive (and have a hard time justifying the cost), but also know (we hope they do) they'll be getting precision, speed, luxury, and an unparalleled level of craftsmanship. Some of us out there are Yugo's: clients know (again, we hope they do) all they're getting is four tires and an engine. It gets you mobile, it's A to B, it's not the safest or the best, but it's cheap training wheels. And then there is everyone in between these two poles; it's a grab-bag of skill sets and you [the client] never know what you're going to get.
A Second Depression
This is where it gets a bit political, so if you'd rather not, no hard feelings. We'll catch up on the net another time.
It's no big secret, the global economy is in trouble. From dollar-deflation issues and Euro troubles, to crashing double-dip housing market complete with derivatives [read a crippled banking and finance industry], crushed consumer spending, every company is watching their marketing budget with an extra layer of scrutiny. It was lean before, it's lean now, and it'll be leaner into the distant future. The Second Depression isn't letting them off the hook, and in turn, they won't be letting us off the hook.
SEO is less about experience, knowledge, and proven ability these days, even taking into account Rand's accurate depiction of what SEO is today. It's a numbers game for companies. They recognize the need for SEO and SEM services in order to be competitive, in order to still have footholds in the market place. However, since SEO services have been commoditized, it's no longer advantage SEO.
The Game is Not Yours to Dictate Anymore
Companies know the score now. They no longer feel compelled to be held over the fire singularly based on an SEO's knowledge, experience, and skill set. Thus, leading to higher costs. Prospective clients can send you packing and opt for cheaper(est) services thanks to a saturated marketplace, thanks to globalization. Current clients can spend half what they do now by pulling resources in-house. Couple that with ultra-frugal mindsets and heavily slashed budgets. Hopefully you can see where this is heading.
This doesn't mean that Ferrari-esque SEOs are destined to find agency/in-house gigs (but that is one possible outcome). It doesn't mean that Yugo SEOs and Middle SEOs will rule the market. It simply means that the game is no longer yours to dictate. And, as such, expect less. Even in destroyed economies, performance has a place. You can still keep the same prices, but expect that even less people will seek you out for that rate.
You can tell me that "quality" still means something to some. You can tell me that "results and proven track records" still hold water. I won't disagree with that. But what I will tell you is that those things are "nice to haves" in a world where the guy next door does the same thing for half the price, even though he/she doesn't have a leg to stand on. Because it's about dollar-dollar bills y'all.
Jul 19 2011
Great post! I've been predicting and talking about the impeding commoditization of SEO for two years now. I saw it coming. When SEO on page best practices were not changing, and still have not really, I realized that on page SEO was going to be an almost mechanical process and was losing much of the "art" that used to be necessary and an advantage. Nowadays any yahoo (no pun intended) can find a post on Sphinn from a respectable SEO that outlines EXACTLY how to do keyword research, competitive analysis, optimize page titles, alts, and tags, etc. And there are tons of software coming out and having been developed in the past 3 years. Even SEOmoz got out of consulting to focus on software and memberships. They too saw it coming! Aaron Wall has been screaming this for years as well. Cocky as he may be, he's a super smart and insightful person.
I do still believe that there are a select few top SEOs that are generally better at on page SEO and can "maybe" find a few tweaks that the average SEO could not that can help your SEO. But for the most part any noob SEO can probably do a good job with kw research and implementing on page SEO. This to me, makes on page optimization a commodity.
But where I see a gap in commoditization is in the off site SEO realm. Yes, LINK BUILDING. This is where the separate the weak from the strong, in the ability to execute successful and long term, relevant and trusted, links. Link ARE the equity of organic rankings, and they always will be. They are the foundation of Google's algo and that will never change.
Let me put it this way, you can have OK (or even terrible) on page optimization and with a great link building campaign you can dominate. Or you can have world class on page optimization with an OK link building campaign and most likely you will not do well. This proves the power of link building.
I do have on caveat, on page SEO makes a much bigger splash when you are dealing with large enterprise level sites with 100k+ pages.
Jul 19 2011
Nicely written, but I can't agree! While it's true that many businesses will look for the most affordable price, and may find difficulty in accepting a Ferrari-SEO's price points, that doesn't mean that they're going to get the same peak-performance out of UGO SEO.
They're welcome to pay whomever for whatever, but it's not the same product. Now, if search engines were to start looking at SEO the way businesses do, that might pose a problem. For now, however, you've got to be good at your gig to consistently rank a website and to turn a good profit. Companies who look for a cheap or quick fix may find cheap or quick success,but it will be fleeting.
Good SEO's and Bad SEO's don't deliver the same product, no matter what a business owner may think.
Jul 19 2011
The first SEO package started SEO down that slippery slope… when the industry realizes it isn't a one size fits all world. Had packages until 98/99 then realized they were whipped and starting selling ala carte order what you want. We'll get the ingrdients and give you a price. Every business is unique so every website is unique….
Jul 19 2011
Yes, SEO, as an overall business model is becoming commoditized. However, the more it does, the more half-measures results people will get. When the pendulum swing is great enough that site owners become disillusioned, they'll then want to know how they got into that mess.
Some will point fingers at Google, at "the system", and at our industry. Fine. let them.
Others still will seek to learn more, and upon discovering they were hood-winked by the "cheap – so hire us" herd, some of them will turn to those of us who don't care about making a quick buck for volume pricing sake. They won't necessarily like having to pay more. Yet they'll understand why they need to.
How do I know this is going to happen? Because commoditization has already been going on in our industry a while. And every new client – EVERY new client that came to me over the past several months fits in that "burned by cheap" reality.
Why do you think so many became clients of mine after Panda? It's not just due to people who didn't now better, or those who thought they knew SEO when they really didn't.
It's also because of people who sell cheap crap. 🙂
Jul 19 2011
For the most part I am in agreement with you. The market is crowded – their is still high demand though. We spend most of our time with new sales differentiating ourselves from the pack. It's harder than it used to be, and everyday we hear about potential clients considering another nobody we never heard of claiming that they could do the same job for half price.
I haven't lost faith. Cream always rises to the top. It's just going to take much more work to keep winning new clients in the ever crowded marketplace. It's going to mean we need better marketing skills and lots of good referrals to compete against the low price nobody's that are crowding the market.
Jul 20 2011
Great post Tony. I agree that all your points are right based on logical reasoning. For those that want to learn how to better sell themselves, I came across a great book called "Sell Yourself First" by Thomas Freese. I read a bit so far and it's very insightful.
Also, Does this mean you'll consult us newer SEO's on the tricks of the trade for the price of an Indian freelancer? (pun intended) :p
Jul 20 2011
It's funny tom and I were just discussing this about a week ago. I was much the stance you are but he posed an interesting proposition. How many sales people are there in the world? A heck of a lot more than there are competent SEO's. Throw a brick, find a salesman (sorry sales guys I didn't mean to assault you just there). Yet there are still more than a few sales people that can command a six figure salary. Same is true with sports agents or advertising execs. Tom proposed SEO is very much the same. A person who is extremely capable of driving more dollars into the pockets of corporations is always going to be able to command a high salary.
That being said… Not everyone needs that sorta juice.
I really like your car analogy. Before click2rank had a website makeover something I wrote that was on the front page fits it very well. I often ask people "Who invented the automobile". Invariably most people tend to answer "Henry ford". Henry Ford however did not invent the automobile but rather invented the modern assembly line. He is remembered because he is the guy that made it possible for those who weren't rolling in cash to get a car. Only a handful of lambo's are made each year. Only a few people want, need or can afford to have one. In contrast a whole lot of 4 door sedans are produced every year. They are sold by the hundreds of thousands.
I think as SEO's we need to prepare ourself for a similar reality. No one has built an efficiently priced vehicle yet. One that is a perfect cross-section of price, efficiency, reliability and safety. The first person or agency that nails the SEO assembly line is going to make a whole lot more cash than the guys still trying to sell lambo's. The name of the game is scale.
One of the reasons some SEOs command such a high dollar salary is because they have to know literally EVERYTHING. SEO encompasses so many tasks now. Its not just onsite or linkbuilding or social or conversion rate optimization or content strategy or analytics. Its ALL of those things. Only a few people know all of those things and as a result they make a ton of money. This however is nowhere near close to the most efficient way to do things.
Factories reduce cost in part by reducing salaries. They do this by requiring each employee to be intimately familiar with only ONE task. One task is easy to teach a person. Its easy to measure. And its easy to replace. When people figure this out they will realize its not the individual workers that are going to stand to make hundreds of thousands per year or millions per year.. but rather the business owner who orchestrates the symphony. This is where we are heading whether the experts like it or not.
Jul 21 2011
I would agree with you completely if not for this one fact-AS a commodity, there is still levels of quality in the product. Take a BMW vs. a Yugo-which has the greater possibility of getting you where you were going (in the same vehicle)? Yes both are cars, yes both have similar mechanical features and yes, both IN THEORY will get you where you need to go. IN PRACTICE we all know that a Yugo has a much higher propensity to break down on you as a BMW will-why-PROCESS and TOOLS used to complete the job. BMW utilizes certain tools and parts to make each car of a certain quality. Yugo DID use a similar type of process, but MUCH different parts to make a facsimile of that same "product"-and the difference in parts and process is the reason one is generally more reliable than the other.
The same argument has been made about programming and many other IT processes (mythical man-month….) but of course, anyone who's worked in IT for any length of time can quickly tell you that it does not exist-there is no way to commoditize quality.
Comments are closed.